One Way Too Early Prediction For Every NBA Team Next Season


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The 2016-17 NBA season has been over for about two and a half days now. That means we’ve had more than enough time to reflect on what happened last year, take the lessons we learned, and start looking forward to next year.

The season doesn’t tip off until October, and we haven’t even gotten to free agency or the NBA Draft yet. But that doesn’t mean we can’t go out on a limb and make some way too early predictions about what’s going to happen during the 2017-18 season.

We got three of our writers together and had them make one way too early prediction for every team next year, and we guarantee that at least one of these may happen.

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Atlantic Division – Ananth Pandian

Boston Celtics: Boston becomes the No. 1 seed in the East again thanks to Gordon Hayward

Inspired by his son’s love for shamrocks and Isaiah Thomas’ social media stalking, Hayward leaves the Jazz to team up with his former college coach in Boston. Brad Stevens and the Celtics proceed to have yet another stellar regular season, making everyone wonder if this is the year Boston unseats Cleveland in the East.

Brooklyn Nets: The Nets finally find a trade partner for Brook Lopez in the offseason

For years, Lopez has been rumored to be on the trade block. Wanting even more of an influx of young assets, the Nets trade their franchise center for a plethora of developing talent. This will make Jeremy Lin the unquestioned star on the Nets, a role he embraces as Brooklyn becomes a League Pass darling thanks to their youth and the veteran guard’s playmaking.

New York Knicks: Kristaps Porzingis pulls a Derrick Rose-esque disappearance

Phil Jackson’s covert meddling begins to really rattle Porzingis and in a form of protest, he leaves the team in disgust without telling anyone. This causes the Knicks to rightfully panic and Jackson is forced to abandon his insistence on the running of the triangle offense so Porzingis remains a happy camper.

Philadelphia 76ers: Allen Iverson is hired as a player developmental coach to improve Ben Simmons’ handles

With Simmons likely becoming the de-facto point guard in Philadelphia, the 76ers decide to bring back franchise great Iverson to make sure their burgeoning young star properly develops. This is similar to the Mavs hiring God Shammgod to work with on their players’ ball handling, but with a team legend in Iverson. And thanks to Iverson’s tutelage, Simmons will cross up LeBron James during a game, invoking images of Jordan getting crossed up by The Answer.

Toronto Raptors: Bruno Caboclo truly is the next Kevin Durant

After two years of playing in the G-League and hanging around the Raptors, Toronto finally unleashes Caboclo on the rest of the NBA and he becomes one of the top bench scorers in the league. Also the comparisons to Durant begin to look legitimate as Caboclo’s length allows him to knock down shots with ease over defenders.

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Central Division – Bill DiFilippo

Chicago Bulls: The much-needed rebuild finally gets started

Chicago took the first step towards a rebuild last season when they unloaded Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott. After an offseason in which they’ll lose Dwyane Wade (more on that in a second) and Nikola Mirotic, the team will shop all of their veterans – including Jimmy Butler, Robin Lopez, and Rajon Rondo – all the way up through the trade deadline. Heading into the offseason next year, the Bulls look like a completely different team, which is a good thing.

Cleveland Cavaliers: The core stays in tact, but the bench gets help from D-Wade

Cleveland’s bench desperately needs someone who can score and keep the offense flowing when their second unit is out there. Wade has all the money he can ever want and has basically said he’s willing to accept a role other than the No. 1 option if he decides that’s what’s best for him. A Batman and King James reunion in Cleveland would make a ton of sense for both sides, and while the Cavs kind of coast through the regular season, the duo show plenty of flashes of their Heat days during the playoffs. Well, at least until they make the Finals again.

Detroit Pistons: The team finds itself at a crossroad come next season

The Pistons will miss the playoffs for the third time in four years since Stan Van Gundy came on board. This isn’t to say that Van Gundy is a bad coach or anything – he’s probably the best thing Detroit has going for it right now – but the Pistons don’t have a superstar on their roster. Come next offseason, the team will have to decide whether to move forward with its core of Andre Drummond, Tobias Harris, and Reggie Jackson, or go in a different direction.

Indiana Pacers: Paul George doesn’t go anywhere, and the team pays for it

Indiana is losing George next offseason. Despite this, the Pacers are going to do everything they can to convince him to stay with the team long-term. Indiana will have a nice season – George is still George, while the squad’s 2016-17 road record of 13-28 will improve – but it won’t be enough to convince him to stick around.

Milwaukee Bucks: They don’t catch Boston or Cleveland, but they come close

This is the year the Bucks finally make the jump. Behind the trio of the perpetually improving Giannis Antetokounmpo, the always underrated Khris Middleton, and a healthy Jabari Parker, Milwaukee ends up with the second-best record in the division, sitting only a game and a half behind Cleveland. The Bucks don’t take down the Cavs in the postseason, but they come too close for comfort for everyone in Northeast Ohio.

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Southeast Division – Brad Rowland

Atlanta Hawks: Paul Millsap stays and sadness follows

It won’t be Paul Millsap’s fault if the Hawks offer him a max-level deal for four or five seasons. In fact, the 32-year-old should sign it quickly since he’s been underpaid for the great majority of his career. With that said, Atlanta would be simply be volunteering for more middling seasons as a fringe playoff team. Ironically, that is a spot in which this organization is intensely familiar over the past decade.

Charlotte Hornets: The 2016 offseason looks even worse

It made sense, at least at the time, for the Hornets to keep the band together after a promising 2015-2016 campaign. Unfortunately, Charlotte spent long-term money to maintain a unit with very little upside. The woes of the 2016-2017 season can be explained away but, with limited flexibility to improve this summer, it will be more of the same next year.

Miami Heat: Pat Riley does it again but with slightly less success

The Heat are going to do something this summer. It could be signing Blake Griffin (or Hayward). It could be a package trade that no one sees coming. It could even be signing Millsap to a lucrative deal. Riley can’t sit on the sidelines and, in this case, running it back with a similar core would be doing just that.

Orlando Magic: Another year of mediocrity, but with a plan this time around

The Magic don’t have a path to the playoffs this season without mortgaging the future. Under a previous regime, Orlando may have done that. Not this time. The team may flirt with Millsap (again) but, in truth, the Magic will (and should) be looking to shed bad salary and rebuild all over again. Elfrid Payton and/or Nikola Vucevic will be gone before the downbeat of the campaign.

Washington Wizards: Somebody’s going to panic, somebody’s getting traded

The Wizards are in prime position as a “run it back” team based on their success and the restricted free agent status of Otto Porter. He’ll get his money but Washington will trade Marcin Gortat, Ian Mahinmi or Markieff Morris before the season opens. If nothing else, the pressure from teams like the Celtics (or even the Bucks) will light the fire under this front office.

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Pacific Division – Brad Rowland

Golden State Warriors: Pain … for the rest of the league

Durant signs with his early Bird rights, Andre Iguodala comes back (on an overpaid contract) and the Warriors roll through the NBA again. It will have to take place with different big men since Zaza Pachulia and David West are likely gone but we’ll see more of Patrick McCaw, Damian Jones, and others. In the end, it won’t matter in the slightest.

Los Angeles Clippers: The Big Three becomes a Big Four

J.J. Redick can (and should) pursue greener pastures to get his money but Griffin and Chris Paul can get the most by staying. If and when the Clippers offer max deals, that will seal things for both stars. From there, the Clippers probably can’t justify standing pat without Redick, and it’s time for one final “all in” from Doc Rivers to land a fourth “star” and make a run.

Los Angeles Lakers: The Lonzo Ball experience isn’t such an experience

The Lakers will draft Lonzo Ball at No. 2 overall. Lonzo Ball will play well by rookie standards. Lonzo Ball (or, ahem, LaVar Ball) won’t be a problem. It’s just crazy enough to happen.

Phoenix Suns: The worst record in the NBA lands in the desert

Eric Bledsoe will be 28 in December and isn’t necessarily on Phoenix’s timeline. In related news, he is also their best player. In the end, the Suns can justify moving Bledsoe, going even younger and continuing (i.e. lengthening) their rebuild with a focus on Devin Booker, Marquese Chriss, Dragan Bender, and this year’s top-five pick. They’ll do it and suffer in the standings.

Sacramento Kings: Skal Labissiere will resume “rising star” status

The Kings are, as always, impossible to predict and it wouldn’t be a shock if they signed two or three bad contracts in an effort to win now. Even if they do, though, Skal Labissiere will make most of the league sad for passing on him in the 2016 NBA Draft. There were signs of life down the stretch of last season but Labissiere’s full coming out party begins on opening night of 2017-2018 and he’ll be the team’s best asset … unless Sacramento nails the No. 5 pick.

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Southwest Division – Bill DiFilippo

Dallas Mavericks: Harrison Barnes is the All-Star Game’s biggest snub

Barnes’ first season in Dallas was great, but it still managed to catch people off guard while simultaneously flying under the radar. Next year, he is able to fully establish himself as the dynamic scorer that everyone knew he could become when he was the No. 1 recruit in America. However, Dallas’ not so great record, along with the wealth of talented forwards in the West, keep him from making it to Los Angeles as an All-Star. BONUS PREDICTION: Dirk doesn’t retire. He never will retire. Play until you’re 90, Dirk.

Houston Rockets: James Harden gets his first MVP

It’s entirely possible that Harden is currently the best NBA player to never win an MVP award, something that will continue to be true after Russell Westbrook takes home the award this year. In Year 2 of Mike D’Antoni’s tenure in Houston, Harden somehow puts up better numbers than he did this year on a team that comes in second in the West. They don’t win the conference because the Warriors still exist, but Harden does win his first MVP.

Memphis Grizzlies: [Copy + Paste Every Grizzlies Season Since 2010-11 Here]

Memphis is going to play tough, hard-nosed basketball. Marc Gasol and Mike Conley will be great, and the pieces around them will fill their roles perfectly. They will make the postseason and not make it past the first two rounds, but they will manage to be fun as hell despite playing ball that can be kind of gross at times. It’ll be, you know, every other Grizzlies season.

New Orleans Pelicans: Boogie gets moved at the deadline

A team with two of the 10-best players in the league who both play in the frontcourt at a time when everyone else is going small is ambitious, and if the rest of the roster was better, the Pelicans could afford to stay the course. But with DeMarcus Cousins on an expiring deal and with a roster that needs a lot of help, he’s shipped somewhere. Rest assured, though, that New Orleans will get a better haul for Cousins than Sacramento did.

San Antonio Spurs: They get their franchise point guard. It is not Chris Paul.

Instead, San Antonio goes out and acquires Kyle Lowry in free agency. Paul decides to stick in Los Angeles after legitimately considering the Spurs, opening the door for Lowry to join the team. He plays great, makes an impact right away, and gives San Antonio some much-needed firepower alongside Kawhi Leonard come the postseason. However, San Antonio still is unable to topple Golden State, even if the gap between the two teams has closed a little.

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Northwest Division – Ananth Pandian

Denver Nuggets: Emmanuel Mudiay re-emerges

Recovering from his sophomore slump, Mudiay becomes the starting point guard on the Nuggets again and is able to consistently showcase his dynamic talent. And because of Mudiay’s re-emergence and the continual improvement of Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets are in the race for the eighth seed yet again.

Minnesota Timberwolves: The Timberwolves finally make the playoffs

For the first time since 2004, the Timberwolves make it into the postseason. However, the Timberwolves don’t squeak into the playoffs, as they are able to secure the seventh seed. This is why Tom Thibodeau wins his second Coach of the Year award.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Westbrook leads the league in assists again

Trusting his teammates more than last season, Russell Westbrook improves on his 10.8 assists per game average. Westbrook’s improvement in playmaking allows him to be once again be a top candidate for the MVP award.

Portland Trail Blazers: Jusuf Nurkic becomes an All-Star

Nurkic continues his Bosnain Beasting in Portland and elevates his game to a level no one predicted was even possible. Because of Nurkic, the Blazers are mid-level Western team all season and coaches award his importance to Portland by selecting him to the All-Star game.

Utah Jazz: Dante Exum wins Most Improved Player of the Year

George Hill unfortunately leaves in free agency, but this forces the Jazz to play Exum and he quickly re-earns the tag of Utah’s point guard of the future. Exum’s improvement makes him the runaway winner for the Most Improved Player of the Year award.

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