duncan228
10-24-2009, 10:33 PM
NBA power rankings: 2009-2010 preseason (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/NBA_power_rankings_2009-2010_preseason.html)
Express-News NBA writer Mike Monroe analyzes the entire league:
1. Los Angeles Lakers
Last Year: 65-17 (NBA champions)
Coach: Phil Jackson
Starters: Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Ron Artest
Arrivals: Artest
Analysis: The rich get richer: Bynum returns healthy, and a former Defensive Player of the Year signs on. No. 1 question confronting No. 1 team: Can team chemistry survive both Artest and Khloe Kardashian?
2. Boston Celtics
Last year: 62-20 (Lost in Eastern semifinals)
Coach: Doc Rivers
Starters: Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Kendrick Perkins, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce
Arrivals: Rasheed Wallace, Shelden Williams, Marquis Daniels
Analysis: Wallace's arrival makes East's best defensive team even better. Big question: Is Garnett's knee sound enough to let him be the real KG?
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
Last year: 66-16 (Lost in Eastern semifinals)
Coach: Mike Brown
Starters: Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, Shaquille O'Neal, LeBron James, Anderson Varejao
Arrivals: O'Neal, Parker, Jamario Moon, Leon Powe, Daniel Green
Analysis: After playoff collapse and acquisition of O'Neal, no front office/coaching staff is under more pressure to produce a title, especially with James a free agent in July.
4. San Antonio Spurs
Last year: 54-28 (Lost in first round)
Coach: Gregg Popovich
Starters: Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, Antonio McDyess, Richard Jefferson
Arrivals: Jefferson, McDyess, Theo Ratliff, DeJuan Blair, Marcus Haislip, Keith Bogans
Analysis: Dramatic reshaping of roster added youth, athleticism and offensive options. Playoff success still hangs on defensive excellence and Ginobili's health.
5. Orlando Magic
Last year: 59-23 (Lost in NBA Finals)
Coach: Stan Van Gundy
Starters: Jameer Nelson, Vince Carter, Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Brandon Bass
Arrivals: Carter, Bass, Ryan Anderson, Jason Williams, Matt Barnes
Analysis: They made quite a shake-up for a team that went to Finals. Carter must mesh his game with Howard's for this to work. Nelson's return will help that transition.
6. Dallas Mavericks
Last year: 50-32 (Lost in Western semifinals)
Coach: Rick Carlisle
Starters: Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki
Arrivals: Marion, Gooden, Kris Humphries, Quinton Ross, Tim Thomas, Nathan Jawai, Rodrigue Beaubois
Analysis: They matched Spurs for most dramatic roster improvement among elites; major defensive upgrade with Marion, and Humphries could be surprise pickup of the offseason.
7. Denver Nuggets
Last year: 54-28 (Lost in Western finals)
Coach: George Karl
Starters: Chauncey Billups, Arron Afflalo, Nenê, Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin
Arrivals: Afflalo, Ty Lawson, Malik Allen
Analysis: Nearly everything went right for them last season, and it's going to be hard to repeat such good fortune. They still have J.R. Smith, which means there is still potential for bad chemistry.
8. Atlanta Hawks
Last year: 47-35 (Lost in Eastern semifinals)
Coach: Mike Woodson
Starters: Mike Bibby, Joe Johnson, Al Horford, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams
Arrivals: Joe Smith, Jason Collins, Jamal Crawford, Jeff Teague
Analysis: They've continued to improve while keeping their roster relatively intact. Can they make the next step and get to the Eastern finals? It's up to Johnson, who needs to prove he's capable of truly carrying them.
9. Portland Trail Blazers
Last year: 54-28 (Lost in first round)
Coach: Nate McMillan
Starters: Steve Blake, Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, Nicolas Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge
Arrivals: Andre Miller, Jeff Pendergraph, Ime Udoka, Juwan Howard
Analysis: They were knocked out by the Rockets in the first round; now they're ready for a jump, but there could be chemistry problems if they ask Miller to come off bench.
10. Utah Jazz
Last year: 48-34 (Lost in first round)
Coach: Jerry Sloan
Starters: Deron Williams, Ronnie Brewer, Mehmet Okur, Andrei Kirilenko, Carlos Boozer
Arrivals: Eric Maynor, Goran Sultan
Analysis: Lots of pressure on Boozer, who said he wanted to leave, then re-signed with Jazz. If he returns to All-Star form, they're back in the thick of Western race.
11. Washington Wizards
Last year: 19-63
Coach: Flip Saunders
Starters: Gilbert Arenas, Mike Miller, Brendan Haywood, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison
Arrivals: Miller, Fabricio Oberto, Randy Foye
Analysis: Might as well think of Arenas as a new arrival. His return reunites potent scoring trio, with Butler and Jamison. Miller should mesh nicely with them.
12. New Orleans Hornets
Last year: 49-33 (Lost in first round)
Coach: Byron Scott
Starters: Chris Paul, Morris Peterson, Emeka Okafor, Julian Wright, David West
Arrivals: Okafor, Ike Diogu, Darius Songaila, Bobby Brown, Marcus Thornton, Darren Collison
Analysis: Departed Tyson Chandler was a big-time rebounder and defender, but couldn't stay healthy; Okafor is more physical, and will benefit from Paul's passes. A lot rests on Wright's development.
13. Houston Rockets
Last year: 53-29 (Lost in Western semifinals)
Coach: Rick Adelman
Starters: Aaron Brooks, Trevor Ariza, Luis Scola, Shane Battier, David Anderson
Arrivals: Ariza, Anderson, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Chase Budinger, Jermaine Taylor
Analysis: Without Yao Ming they have no legitimate center, but they made a great run without him two seasons ago. Tracy McGrady's return, perhaps in January, may be too late to boost them in West.
14. Miami Heat
Last year: 43-39 (Lost in first round)
Coach: Erick Spoelstra
Starters: Mario Chalmers, Dwyane Wade, Jermaine O'Neal, Udonis Haslem, Michael Beasley
Arrivals: Carlos Arroyo, Quentin Richardson
Analysis: They've got league's top scorer, Wade, but they need O'Neal to stay healthy all season to have a chance to improve. Chalmers has to prove he's a legit starting point guard.
15. Los Angeles Clippers
Last year: 19-63
Coach: Mike Dunleavy
Starters: Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Blake Griffin, Al Thornton
Arrivals: Griffin, Rasual Butler, Craig Smith, Sebastian Telfair
Analysis: Their lottery luck netted them the first pick in a draft that had one bona fide star: Griffin. They're a dark horse for the playoffs. For them, that's high praise.
16. Phoenix Suns
Last year: 46-36
Coach: Alvin Gentry
Starters: Steve Nash, Jason Richardson, Channing Frye, Grant Hill, Amare Stoudemire
Arrivals: Frye, Taylor Griffin, Earl Clark
Analysis: Gentry wants to get back to the running game that made Suns a Western power. With Nash and Stoudemire, he's got a chance to get that done. Can they rebound to get break going?
17. Toronto Raptors
Last year: 33-49
Coach: Jay Triano
Starters: Jose Calderon, DeMar DeRozan, Andrea Bargnani, Hedo Turkoglu, Chris Bosh
Arrivals: Turkoglu, DeRozan, Jarrett Jack, Antoine Wright, Amir Johnson, Reggie Evans, Rasho Nesterovic
Analysis: No team in the league underwent the roster upheaval the Raptors did, and that includes on the bench. If Bosh and Turkoglu mesh well, they'll score tons of points. Defense will be the big problem.
18. Philadelphia 76ers
Last year: 41-41 (Lost in first round)
Coach: Eddie Jordan
Starters: Louis Williams, Andre Igoudala, Samuel Dalembert, Thaddeus Young, Elton Brand
Arrivals: Jason Kapono, Rodney Carney, Jrue Holiday
Analysis: You may as well count Brand among the arrivals, since he missed the entire 2008-09 season. Jordan's Princeton offense should fit Brand's fundamentally sound game.
19. Chicago Bulls
Last year: 41-41 (lost in first round)
Coach: Vinny Del Negro
Starters: Derrick Rose, John Salmons, Joakim Noah, Tyrus Thomas, Luol Deng
Arrivals: James Johnson, Taj Gibson
Analysis: Their fans were encouraged by their oh-so-close first-round playoff performance against the Celtics, but replacing Gordon will be tough. They're Rose's team now.
20. Detroit Pistons
Last year: 39-43 (lost in first round)
Coach: John Kuester
Starters: Rodney Stuckey, Richard Hamilton, Kwame Brown, Tayshaun Prince, Charlie Villanueva
Arrivals: Villanueva, Ben Gordon, Ben Wallace, Chris Wilcox, Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers, Jonas Jerebko
Analysis: Three of the departures were former All-Stars; none of the arrivals ever was an All-Star. That's all you need to know about them.
21. Oklahoma City Thunder
Last year: 23-59
Coach: Scott Brooks
Starters: Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefalosha, Nenad Krstic, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green
Arrivals: Etan Thomas, Kevin Ollie, Byron Mullens, James Harden
Analysis: They're a team of the future, but their playoff future won't be this season. They're apt to have their first winning record since bolting Seattle, but the postseason will have to wait.
22. Charlotte Bobcats
Last Year: 35-47
Coach: Larry Brown
Starters: Raymond Felton, Raja Bell, Tyson Chandler, Gerald Wallace, Boris Diaw
Arrivals: Chandler, Gerald Henderson, Flip Murray, Derrick Brown
Analysis: Brown finally has his sort of lineup — tough and versatile. If Chandler holds up, they'll have one of the better defensive units in the East. A dark horse to make playoff field.
23. Indiana Pacers
Last year: 36-46
Coach: Jim O'Brien
Starters: T.J. Ford, Brandon Rush, Jeff Foster, Solomon Jones, Danny Granger
Arrivals: Tyler Hansbrough, Dahntay Jones, Earl Watson, Jones, A.J. Price
Analysis: Reports indicate Larry Bird wants this to be his final season as president of basketball operations. Watching the Pacers struggle likely has gotten to him. Can this bunch make him change his mind?
24. New York Knicks
Last year: 32-50
Coach: Mike D'Antoni
Starters: Chris Duhon, Wilson Chandler, David Lee, Danilo Gallinari, Al Harrington
Arrivals: Darko Milicic, Jordan Hill, Toney Douglass
Analysis: They're still all about the free-agent summer to come, but they should improve, especially if Eddy Curry is finally in shape to play, even a little bit. Milicic might even be a help.
25. New Jersey Nets
Last year: 34-48
Coach: Lawrence Frank
Starters: Devin Harris, Courtney Lee, Brook Lopez, Jarvis Hayes, Yi Jianlian
Arrivals: Lee, Tony Battie, Rafer Alston, Terrence Williams
Analysis: You have to feel sorry for Hayes, asked to replace Vince Carter in the starting lineup, and you wonder how the prospective new owner, Russian Mikhail Prokhorov, feels about that trade.
26. Milwaukee Bucks
Last year: 34-48
Coach: Scott Skiles
Starters: Luke Ridnour, Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut, Luc Mbah a Moute, Hakim Warrick
Arrivals: Kurt Thomas, Brandon Jennings, Warrick, Ersan Ilyasova, Roko Ukic, Carlos Delfino
Analysis: If nothing else, they have more nations represented than any NBA team. Bogut has to stay healthy for them to have any chance to contend for a playoff spot.
27. Golden State Warriors
Last year: 29-53
Coach: Don Nelson
Starters: Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, Andris Biedrins, Stephen Jackson, Anthony Randolph
Arrivals: Curry, Speedy Claxton, Devean George, Acie Law, Mikki Moore
Analysis: Their chemistry blew up during training camp, and former team captain Jackson is apt to be traded sooner than later. Unless they manage to get LeBron James for him, they're headed to the lottery again.
28. Memphis Grizzlies
Last year: 24-58
Coach: Lionel Hollins
Starters: Allen Iverson, O.J. Mayo, Marc Gasol, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph
Arrivals: Iverson, Randolph, Hasheem Thabeet, Sam Young, Steven Hunter
Analysis: Why did they bring in Iverson, a ball-pounding volume shooter who broods when he is losing, to a bad team that already had too many volume shooters? Marketing, marketing, marketing.
29. Sacramento Kings
Last year: 17-65
Coach: Paul Westphal
Starters: Tyreke Evans, Kevin Martin, Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson, Andres Nocioni
Arrivals: Omri Cassspi, Evans, Sean May, Desmond Mason
Analysis: You know things are going bad for a team when your most valuable bench player (Francisco Garcia) is lost for four months when an exercise ball explodes and results in a broken wrist.
30. Minnesota Timberwolves
Last year: 24-58
Coach: Kurt Rambis
Starters: Jonny Flynn, Corey Brewer, Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Kevin Love
Arrivals: Flynn, Wayne Ellington, Ryan Hollins, Sasha Pavlovic, Ramon Sessions, Oleksiy Pecherov
Analysis: They changed GMs, coaches and turned over half the roster, but the one player who could have excited Wolves fans, Ricky Rubio, is still in Spain.
Express-News NBA writer Mike Monroe analyzes the entire league:
1. Los Angeles Lakers
Last Year: 65-17 (NBA champions)
Coach: Phil Jackson
Starters: Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Ron Artest
Arrivals: Artest
Analysis: The rich get richer: Bynum returns healthy, and a former Defensive Player of the Year signs on. No. 1 question confronting No. 1 team: Can team chemistry survive both Artest and Khloe Kardashian?
2. Boston Celtics
Last year: 62-20 (Lost in Eastern semifinals)
Coach: Doc Rivers
Starters: Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Kendrick Perkins, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce
Arrivals: Rasheed Wallace, Shelden Williams, Marquis Daniels
Analysis: Wallace's arrival makes East's best defensive team even better. Big question: Is Garnett's knee sound enough to let him be the real KG?
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
Last year: 66-16 (Lost in Eastern semifinals)
Coach: Mike Brown
Starters: Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, Shaquille O'Neal, LeBron James, Anderson Varejao
Arrivals: O'Neal, Parker, Jamario Moon, Leon Powe, Daniel Green
Analysis: After playoff collapse and acquisition of O'Neal, no front office/coaching staff is under more pressure to produce a title, especially with James a free agent in July.
4. San Antonio Spurs
Last year: 54-28 (Lost in first round)
Coach: Gregg Popovich
Starters: Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, Antonio McDyess, Richard Jefferson
Arrivals: Jefferson, McDyess, Theo Ratliff, DeJuan Blair, Marcus Haislip, Keith Bogans
Analysis: Dramatic reshaping of roster added youth, athleticism and offensive options. Playoff success still hangs on defensive excellence and Ginobili's health.
5. Orlando Magic
Last year: 59-23 (Lost in NBA Finals)
Coach: Stan Van Gundy
Starters: Jameer Nelson, Vince Carter, Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Brandon Bass
Arrivals: Carter, Bass, Ryan Anderson, Jason Williams, Matt Barnes
Analysis: They made quite a shake-up for a team that went to Finals. Carter must mesh his game with Howard's for this to work. Nelson's return will help that transition.
6. Dallas Mavericks
Last year: 50-32 (Lost in Western semifinals)
Coach: Rick Carlisle
Starters: Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki
Arrivals: Marion, Gooden, Kris Humphries, Quinton Ross, Tim Thomas, Nathan Jawai, Rodrigue Beaubois
Analysis: They matched Spurs for most dramatic roster improvement among elites; major defensive upgrade with Marion, and Humphries could be surprise pickup of the offseason.
7. Denver Nuggets
Last year: 54-28 (Lost in Western finals)
Coach: George Karl
Starters: Chauncey Billups, Arron Afflalo, Nenê, Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin
Arrivals: Afflalo, Ty Lawson, Malik Allen
Analysis: Nearly everything went right for them last season, and it's going to be hard to repeat such good fortune. They still have J.R. Smith, which means there is still potential for bad chemistry.
8. Atlanta Hawks
Last year: 47-35 (Lost in Eastern semifinals)
Coach: Mike Woodson
Starters: Mike Bibby, Joe Johnson, Al Horford, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams
Arrivals: Joe Smith, Jason Collins, Jamal Crawford, Jeff Teague
Analysis: They've continued to improve while keeping their roster relatively intact. Can they make the next step and get to the Eastern finals? It's up to Johnson, who needs to prove he's capable of truly carrying them.
9. Portland Trail Blazers
Last year: 54-28 (Lost in first round)
Coach: Nate McMillan
Starters: Steve Blake, Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, Nicolas Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge
Arrivals: Andre Miller, Jeff Pendergraph, Ime Udoka, Juwan Howard
Analysis: They were knocked out by the Rockets in the first round; now they're ready for a jump, but there could be chemistry problems if they ask Miller to come off bench.
10. Utah Jazz
Last year: 48-34 (Lost in first round)
Coach: Jerry Sloan
Starters: Deron Williams, Ronnie Brewer, Mehmet Okur, Andrei Kirilenko, Carlos Boozer
Arrivals: Eric Maynor, Goran Sultan
Analysis: Lots of pressure on Boozer, who said he wanted to leave, then re-signed with Jazz. If he returns to All-Star form, they're back in the thick of Western race.
11. Washington Wizards
Last year: 19-63
Coach: Flip Saunders
Starters: Gilbert Arenas, Mike Miller, Brendan Haywood, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison
Arrivals: Miller, Fabricio Oberto, Randy Foye
Analysis: Might as well think of Arenas as a new arrival. His return reunites potent scoring trio, with Butler and Jamison. Miller should mesh nicely with them.
12. New Orleans Hornets
Last year: 49-33 (Lost in first round)
Coach: Byron Scott
Starters: Chris Paul, Morris Peterson, Emeka Okafor, Julian Wright, David West
Arrivals: Okafor, Ike Diogu, Darius Songaila, Bobby Brown, Marcus Thornton, Darren Collison
Analysis: Departed Tyson Chandler was a big-time rebounder and defender, but couldn't stay healthy; Okafor is more physical, and will benefit from Paul's passes. A lot rests on Wright's development.
13. Houston Rockets
Last year: 53-29 (Lost in Western semifinals)
Coach: Rick Adelman
Starters: Aaron Brooks, Trevor Ariza, Luis Scola, Shane Battier, David Anderson
Arrivals: Ariza, Anderson, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Chase Budinger, Jermaine Taylor
Analysis: Without Yao Ming they have no legitimate center, but they made a great run without him two seasons ago. Tracy McGrady's return, perhaps in January, may be too late to boost them in West.
14. Miami Heat
Last year: 43-39 (Lost in first round)
Coach: Erick Spoelstra
Starters: Mario Chalmers, Dwyane Wade, Jermaine O'Neal, Udonis Haslem, Michael Beasley
Arrivals: Carlos Arroyo, Quentin Richardson
Analysis: They've got league's top scorer, Wade, but they need O'Neal to stay healthy all season to have a chance to improve. Chalmers has to prove he's a legit starting point guard.
15. Los Angeles Clippers
Last year: 19-63
Coach: Mike Dunleavy
Starters: Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Blake Griffin, Al Thornton
Arrivals: Griffin, Rasual Butler, Craig Smith, Sebastian Telfair
Analysis: Their lottery luck netted them the first pick in a draft that had one bona fide star: Griffin. They're a dark horse for the playoffs. For them, that's high praise.
16. Phoenix Suns
Last year: 46-36
Coach: Alvin Gentry
Starters: Steve Nash, Jason Richardson, Channing Frye, Grant Hill, Amare Stoudemire
Arrivals: Frye, Taylor Griffin, Earl Clark
Analysis: Gentry wants to get back to the running game that made Suns a Western power. With Nash and Stoudemire, he's got a chance to get that done. Can they rebound to get break going?
17. Toronto Raptors
Last year: 33-49
Coach: Jay Triano
Starters: Jose Calderon, DeMar DeRozan, Andrea Bargnani, Hedo Turkoglu, Chris Bosh
Arrivals: Turkoglu, DeRozan, Jarrett Jack, Antoine Wright, Amir Johnson, Reggie Evans, Rasho Nesterovic
Analysis: No team in the league underwent the roster upheaval the Raptors did, and that includes on the bench. If Bosh and Turkoglu mesh well, they'll score tons of points. Defense will be the big problem.
18. Philadelphia 76ers
Last year: 41-41 (Lost in first round)
Coach: Eddie Jordan
Starters: Louis Williams, Andre Igoudala, Samuel Dalembert, Thaddeus Young, Elton Brand
Arrivals: Jason Kapono, Rodney Carney, Jrue Holiday
Analysis: You may as well count Brand among the arrivals, since he missed the entire 2008-09 season. Jordan's Princeton offense should fit Brand's fundamentally sound game.
19. Chicago Bulls
Last year: 41-41 (lost in first round)
Coach: Vinny Del Negro
Starters: Derrick Rose, John Salmons, Joakim Noah, Tyrus Thomas, Luol Deng
Arrivals: James Johnson, Taj Gibson
Analysis: Their fans were encouraged by their oh-so-close first-round playoff performance against the Celtics, but replacing Gordon will be tough. They're Rose's team now.
20. Detroit Pistons
Last year: 39-43 (lost in first round)
Coach: John Kuester
Starters: Rodney Stuckey, Richard Hamilton, Kwame Brown, Tayshaun Prince, Charlie Villanueva
Arrivals: Villanueva, Ben Gordon, Ben Wallace, Chris Wilcox, Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers, Jonas Jerebko
Analysis: Three of the departures were former All-Stars; none of the arrivals ever was an All-Star. That's all you need to know about them.
21. Oklahoma City Thunder
Last year: 23-59
Coach: Scott Brooks
Starters: Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefalosha, Nenad Krstic, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green
Arrivals: Etan Thomas, Kevin Ollie, Byron Mullens, James Harden
Analysis: They're a team of the future, but their playoff future won't be this season. They're apt to have their first winning record since bolting Seattle, but the postseason will have to wait.
22. Charlotte Bobcats
Last Year: 35-47
Coach: Larry Brown
Starters: Raymond Felton, Raja Bell, Tyson Chandler, Gerald Wallace, Boris Diaw
Arrivals: Chandler, Gerald Henderson, Flip Murray, Derrick Brown
Analysis: Brown finally has his sort of lineup — tough and versatile. If Chandler holds up, they'll have one of the better defensive units in the East. A dark horse to make playoff field.
23. Indiana Pacers
Last year: 36-46
Coach: Jim O'Brien
Starters: T.J. Ford, Brandon Rush, Jeff Foster, Solomon Jones, Danny Granger
Arrivals: Tyler Hansbrough, Dahntay Jones, Earl Watson, Jones, A.J. Price
Analysis: Reports indicate Larry Bird wants this to be his final season as president of basketball operations. Watching the Pacers struggle likely has gotten to him. Can this bunch make him change his mind?
24. New York Knicks
Last year: 32-50
Coach: Mike D'Antoni
Starters: Chris Duhon, Wilson Chandler, David Lee, Danilo Gallinari, Al Harrington
Arrivals: Darko Milicic, Jordan Hill, Toney Douglass
Analysis: They're still all about the free-agent summer to come, but they should improve, especially if Eddy Curry is finally in shape to play, even a little bit. Milicic might even be a help.
25. New Jersey Nets
Last year: 34-48
Coach: Lawrence Frank
Starters: Devin Harris, Courtney Lee, Brook Lopez, Jarvis Hayes, Yi Jianlian
Arrivals: Lee, Tony Battie, Rafer Alston, Terrence Williams
Analysis: You have to feel sorry for Hayes, asked to replace Vince Carter in the starting lineup, and you wonder how the prospective new owner, Russian Mikhail Prokhorov, feels about that trade.
26. Milwaukee Bucks
Last year: 34-48
Coach: Scott Skiles
Starters: Luke Ridnour, Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut, Luc Mbah a Moute, Hakim Warrick
Arrivals: Kurt Thomas, Brandon Jennings, Warrick, Ersan Ilyasova, Roko Ukic, Carlos Delfino
Analysis: If nothing else, they have more nations represented than any NBA team. Bogut has to stay healthy for them to have any chance to contend for a playoff spot.
27. Golden State Warriors
Last year: 29-53
Coach: Don Nelson
Starters: Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, Andris Biedrins, Stephen Jackson, Anthony Randolph
Arrivals: Curry, Speedy Claxton, Devean George, Acie Law, Mikki Moore
Analysis: Their chemistry blew up during training camp, and former team captain Jackson is apt to be traded sooner than later. Unless they manage to get LeBron James for him, they're headed to the lottery again.
28. Memphis Grizzlies
Last year: 24-58
Coach: Lionel Hollins
Starters: Allen Iverson, O.J. Mayo, Marc Gasol, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph
Arrivals: Iverson, Randolph, Hasheem Thabeet, Sam Young, Steven Hunter
Analysis: Why did they bring in Iverson, a ball-pounding volume shooter who broods when he is losing, to a bad team that already had too many volume shooters? Marketing, marketing, marketing.
29. Sacramento Kings
Last year: 17-65
Coach: Paul Westphal
Starters: Tyreke Evans, Kevin Martin, Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson, Andres Nocioni
Arrivals: Omri Cassspi, Evans, Sean May, Desmond Mason
Analysis: You know things are going bad for a team when your most valuable bench player (Francisco Garcia) is lost for four months when an exercise ball explodes and results in a broken wrist.
30. Minnesota Timberwolves
Last year: 24-58
Coach: Kurt Rambis
Starters: Jonny Flynn, Corey Brewer, Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Kevin Love
Arrivals: Flynn, Wayne Ellington, Ryan Hollins, Sasha Pavlovic, Ramon Sessions, Oleksiy Pecherov
Analysis: They changed GMs, coaches and turned over half the roster, but the one player who could have excited Wolves fans, Ricky Rubio, is still in Spain.