The brightest or the darkest future...

[Kamnik]

Name 3 teams that you think will improve in the next few years and 3 teams that will go downhill the most and state why you choose them.
(relative movement considering both regular season and playoffs)






Good:



-Utah Jazz

They have 2 really good improving young players. One in the backcourt and one in the frontcourt. And a damn good coach. 3 components they can build around.
If they get a few players with more heart they will be a contender for many years to come. (not a hard thing to do.... AK and Okur are both tradable more or less)



-Portland Trailblazers

Quite obvious..... They have a ton of talent and with no. 1 pick they will have even more room for improvement. They have a couple of bad contracts though.



- Toronto Raptors

Great young core who can only improve and good team chemistry. Bosh and Baragnani can maybe create the best offensive big duo in the league soon.









Bad:



-Indiana Pacers:

A bunch of bad contracts and an unhappy franchise player who wants to be traded. Rebuild mode.



-Washigton Wizards

Well some may seriously disagree here with me but i dont think a team led by Gilbert Arenas (even if they are all healthy) can go anywhere far.

Bad team chemistry will be their cancer. (already is)

If they dont resign Jamison they are lottery team and do give him the big bucks he will demand they are doomed long term if they dont do some big trades.



-Minnesota Timberwolves

Similar to Indiana. A bunch of bad contracts for players not worth half the money they are getting and an aging and seriously unhappy Garnet.
Even if they get another superstar in a trade (sending Garnet out) they wont be going anywhere with this bunch for a long time.




p.s.

Thursday come around already! !!!

[DarkReign]

Im not going to go into other teams

Bad

-Detroit: Chauncey is a free agent and will command big $$. Detroit may or may not pay him. Tayshaun disappears in the playoffs only proving why he was the only Piston left off the all-star team. Sheed has a meltdown for the ages at the most inopportune of times. Couple that with his blaze-fair at ude, his horrible stats and playoff performance in crunch time, this guy is tracking down...FAST. Flip Saunders is the head coach...nuff said.

Cant trade Sheed, possibly cant resign Billups, Tay is proving hes a bench player and the starting center is Nazr. I forsee another trip to the playoffs as a high seed (thank you Leastern Conference!) losing to another inferior opponent. Even if JoeD wanted to do something with the team, he cant. Some guys are too old, making too much money or have such en lement issues no other team wants them.

Theyre stuck with what they have for another 2 years. After that, I will have hope again.

[Kamnik]

Im not going to go into other teams

Bad

-Detroit: Chauncey is a free agent and will command big $$. Detroit may or may not pay him. Tayshaun disappears in the playoffs only proving why he was the only Piston left off the all-star team. Sheed has a meltdown for the ages at the most inopportune of times. Couple that with his blaze-fair at ude, his horrible stats and playoff performance in crunch time, this guy is tracking down...FAST. Flip Saunders is the head coach...nuff said.

Cant trade Sheed, possibly cant resign Billups, Tay is proving hes a bench player and the starting center is Nazr. I forsee another trip to the playoffs as a high seed (thank you Leastern Conference!) losing to another inferior opponent. Even if JoeD wanted to do something with the team, he cant. Some guys are too old, making too much money or have such en lement issues no other team wants them.

Theyre stuck with what they have for another 2 years. After that, I will have hope again.

I was thinking about including Pistons but i simply did not have the heart to do it. Last thing Pistons fans need these days is a grim look at the future.

Too bad they dont have some more young talent to build on. I really respect this team. (only guy i didnt like too much was Ben W but he left)

Pistons are plagued by 2 things mainly. Coach and the Darko draft. Too bad.

[Leetonidas]

Good:

Portland Trailblazers - They're going to have Oden in the middle and they have a wealth of young talent. They just need to get rid of Randolph and Miles.

Utah Jazz - Deron Williams is truly emerging as one of the best Point Guards alive.

Chicago Bulls - Need to get only a low post scorer and they'll be set. With the emergence of Luol Deng, they could be deadly.

New Orleans Hornets - They need to stay healthy and they will make the playoffs.


Bad:

Indiana Pacers - It's a mess over there and on top of that, they hired a slouch for a head coach.

New York Knicks - 'Nuff said.

Sacramento - I just don't see anything happening over there unless they trade Bibby, Artest, and Miller and build around Martin and their young players.

Heat - What do they have to look forward to? Everyone will be a year older, Shaq is majorly on the decline, and their only bright spot is Haslem and Wade.

[BUMP]

Good:

Golden State- please guys, beat some other teams too.

Utah-sky is the limit with them, the way D-Will has improved and Boozer is starting to be a big time player.

Hornets-Tyson Chandler has really improved. i like David West. Chris Paul is sensational.

Bad:

Mavs-i dont see them winning 67 games again

Toronto-i just dont think they're any good, but they might win the Atlantic division again, because its so bad. the 6ers and Nets could win it though. Sixers were hot at the end of the year

Minnesota-good God. thats all i will say

[freedom&justice]

Good:
Golden State - Might be the next Phoenix. Insanely athletic personnel; some dudes need an at ude adjustment though.

Blazers - Nate McMillan is a good coach; they have a good crop of young talent and potentially Greg Oden in the draft. Zach is likely gone.

Sonics - Talented roster, with both Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis (assuming he returns) anchoring it. they will likely draft potential superstar SF Durant; they must find a more disciplined coach, however.

Bad:
New York - Isiah has no way out. Francis must go; they have a bunch of bad contracts. Isiah's eye for talent will be key in whether they come out of limbo or not.

Pacers - Jermaine won't stay if they're not winning, so he's likely gone. After trading away both Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington, they are left with one of the softest, most unathletic rosters in the league.

Minnesota - McHale has managed this team into the ground. Garnett is expected to want out, either this year or next.

[itzsoweezee]

Bright

Portland
- the best young talent in the league, and they're about to get much better.

Chicago
- as long as the front office doesn't screw up, the bulls and cavs are going to be the eastern conference heavyweights for a long time.

Cleveland
- they've got some bloated contracts - but who cares, they've got lebron.

(honorable mentions: utah and toronto)



Dark

Lakers
-absent a ridiculously one-sided trade, the lakers aren't sniffing the finals any time in the near future

minnesota
- this team just sucks. the logical thing would be to trade garnett and start over with draft picks and young players. unfortunately for minnesota fans, mchale doesn't believe in logic.

indiana
- just might be the team to give the lakers the ridiculously one-sided trade they desperately need (donnie walsh is good at that sort of thing). the only player of value on that team is probably not going to be a pacer for much longer. it's lottery land for the pacers future.

[ShoogarBear]

-Utah Jazz

They have 2 really good improving young players. One in the backcourt and one in the frontcourt. And a damn good coach. 3 components they can build around.
If they get a few players with more heart they will be a contender for many years to come. (not a hard thing to do.... AK and Okur are both tradable more or less)

A lot depends on the fallout from the guys who "went on vacation" early. If it's true they include AK and Okur, then that may be problematic. AK has a max (or close) contract with a few years to run and is probably untradeable. Okur is probably salvageable since he has more worth, but I don't know that Utah would want to trade him.

[dav4463]

Improving:

Cleveland: it's only going to get better
San Antonio: will retool for a Spurs/Cavs rematch next year
Seattle: will outshine their more hyped devision rival Portland

Declining:

Dallas: the window is closed
Phoenix: stuck in 90's Jazz mediocrity
Denver: the Melo/A.I. experiment will wear out it's welcome

[Kamnik]

(honorable mentions: utah and toronto)[/I]

I dont see why. Even if they dont succed the way i think they will they still have a lot of tradable players/contracts to do something.


I just seriously disagree with Seattle. They should be put under bad or stay in the middle. But no way they are one of the teams with the brightest future.

They will mabe move as a franchise. They dont have anything that resembles a good coach.And most of all if Lewis returns or not on is important just for one thing. Will they be bad, or very bad?

[Kamnik]

A lot depends on the fallout from the guys who "went on vacation" early. If it's true they include AK and Okur, then that may be problematic. AK has a max (or close) contract with a few years to run and is probably untradeable. Okur is probably salvageable since he has more worth, but I don't know that Utah would want to trade him.

I think the players that were meant as early quiters should be sent out as soon as possible. Any deal not including Williams or Boozer.

These types are team cancer.

[TDMVPDPOY]

where the celtics who i think will go nowhere in the future....

al jefferson needs to be on a better team....

[KFRebel]

Count in the Kings on the Good side when they acquire Stan Van Gundy. He's one of the better coaches out there. A really competent one. I don't understand how Musselman managed to suck with our roster when Brad Miller is the only one who's sucking out there.

[RonMexico]

Bad:

Spurs lose le in 4 games as LeBron destroys them... RC Buford blows up team... gang violence erupts all around the Riverwalk.

[ShoogarBear]

Bad:

Spurs lose le in 4 games as LeBron destroys them... RC Buford blows up team... gang violence erupts all around the Riverwalk.

Should you be off posting on cavsdorks.com?

[shelshor]

Good:
'Blazers-McMillan is a fine coach for the young talent; need to get rid of Randolph, and with him the last, hopefully, of the JailBlazer era

Bobcats-Bickerstaff seems to have vision and a plan for building a team

Hawks-just a bit of optimism-one of these days they're going to get better

Bad:
Mavs-the window is closing; I don't believe Avery will be as good a coach without Phil Donohue Harris on the bench

Nuggets-the AI/Anthony tandem has worked to the decline of the rest of the team; Karl should wear out his welcome by the middle of next season

TPups/Pacers/Lakers-too much turmoil; inept front offices

[DDS4]

GOOD:

Blazers: scary good talented starting lineup
Jazz: DWill and Boozer is a nice 1-2 to have...they just need a consistent perimeter shooter, athletic swingman
Nuggets: have all the parts, just need consistent shooting

BAD:
Pacers: No idea what direction they're going
Lakers: fall out of playoffs next year; teammates can't possibly want to play with Kobe now
T-Wolves: KG going down with the ship

[Kamnik]

GOOD:
Nuggets: have all the parts, just need consistent shooting

I dont see it.

20 mil for an aging Iverson and 13 mil for K-Mart next year.

Iverson and Nene will be solid but apart from that.....

Empty bench, no cap space.


Watching salaries i cant believe for what small money Parker,Ginobili and even Duncan play in comparison to some stiffs who dont contribute anything to their team.

[LB7]

Good:

Bad:
Mavs-the window is closing; I don't believe Avery will be as good a coach without Phil Donohue Harris on the bench

HAHA...the two who said the Mavs window is closing...wow...sounds like wishful thinking to me. oh, and Harris is staying
Mavs retain valued assitant

[DDS4]

I dont see it.

20 mil for an aging Iverson and 13 mil for K-Mart next year.

Iverson and Nene will be solid but apart from that.....

Empty bench, no cap space.


Watching salaries i cant believe for what small money Parker,Ginobili and even Duncan play in comparison to some stiffs who dont contribute anything to their team.

I think the AI and Melo were starting to gel a little during the end of the year. Remember, they only have had half a season together. As long as AI accepts that he's no longer the man, and defers to Melo, they're still dangerous.

Nene and Camby gave us problems in the middle. Especially Nene. He was a beast inside. And I didn't even figure in KMart.

With Blake as the starting PG with another year under his belt, the Nuggs just need a 2 or 3 with a consistent outside shot. JR Smith/Demarr Johnson wasn't the answer.

[Stargazer]

Declining:

Phoenix: stuck in 90's Jazz mediocrity

Mediocrity? Give me a break! Assuming the Spurs go on to beat the Cavs easily -- as they should and as I believe they will -- the Suns will be the only team that gave the Spurs a serious challenge. Add in the fact that the Spurs are perhaps the worst match-up in the league for the Suns (and therefore that the Suns play worse against them than against any other team), and a very strong case can be made that the Suns were and are the second-best team in the league today. (And, dare I say it, an asterisk away from being champions?).

There's no reason to expect any serious dismantling of the team next year, and aside from Nash, the rest of the core of the team is young and improving.