Here are a bunch of teams that'll suck this year. But if it's your local team, feel free to root for them. Buy tickets. They need it. Heck, they might get lucky and make it to the playoffs. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then. Hopefully, very few of these teams will be on television because they will be awful to watch (although I am intrigued a little bit by Minnesota).
BOTTOM FEEDER #1: THE BOBCATS
STRENGTHS: Michael Jordan is at the helm. That should at least keep them in the news. Larry Brown is a great coach, but as we know, he gets tired of his projects very quickly. Don't be surprised if this is his last year. Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace are fake star players. By that I mean that they may make it to an all-star game or two, but that would be more to acknowledge their team's success and not their own individual merits.
Stephen Jackson is the best player on that team and he is basically what Kobe Bryant would look like with a sprained ankle and a bum knee. He might possibly be the fourth best player on a championsip team. Wallace might possibly be the fifth. But those other four better be really good.
WEAKNESSES: They made the playoffs last year and then got rid of Chandler and Ratliff (their interior defense) and replaced them with the might Kwame Brown (he of the airballs at the free throw line). They also got rid of Raymond Felton who, granted, was a poor decision maker and an average athlete, but he did lead them to the playoffs. They better hope DJ Augustin has a breakout year. And they are also depending on the Shaun Livingston reclamation project. At his best, Livingston was an overhyped player. Now, I need to see what he looks like before I make any judgments. I just know that no other team in the league seemed to want him (must be a reason)
BOTTOM FEEDER #2: THE TIMBERWOLVES
I have a good feeling about this group. I don't know what it is. Kahn has the weird belief in his team, even though he traded his best player (and one of the best low post presences in the league) for absolutely nothing. That is stupid in every conceivable way. However, they have a more balanced team now. Instead of having a 6'9'' guy playing center, they now have a 7-footer in Darko who can block some shots.
STRENGTHS: Kurt Rambis is an experienced champion, both as a player and a coach. He has two guys - Kevin Love and Darko, who are big men that are great passers and can fit in well with each other and in a triangle type offense. Michael Beasley is a guy who can create his own shot (but will get schooled on defense), and Martell Webster will keep defenses honest with his shooting. Luke Ridnour is a solid pick up at point guard and there's a good chance that Wesley Johnson can have an outstanding freshman year.
WEAKNESSES: No real star power. Kevin Love is the best player on that team and I am not convinced that he is good enough to be a starter on a championship team (unless he is able to improve defensively). There's a losing culture that needs to be changed around. In addition, they traded Jefferson for nothing and there's still plenty of garbage (see Sebastian Telfair) on this roster. They really need to turn things around if they are going to entice Ricky Rubio to come over.
All that said, I've got a good feeling about this group - at least in the sense that I think they will be better this year than last.
BOTTOM FEEDER #3: THE 76ers
What a mess. I just don't see this working. The pieces don't fit. Elton Brand plays a slow down game and it is an uptempo roster. Evan Turner hasn't wowed anybody yet. Igoudala is really good, but will never be the best player on a championship team. He might be the 3rd best, but that's it.
STRENGTHS: Igoudala had a good summer with USA basketball. Jrue Holiday is the type of player who can have a break out year this season. Young is a good player, and they are hoping for a lot from Turner.
WEAKNESSES: Elton Brand is no longer Elton Brand. Let's see if this year is any different. The team is strapped by Brand and Nocioni's contract. So let me get this straight. You wouldn't sign Andre Miller to an extension after he led your team to the playoffs? But you'll trade Dalembert's expiring contract for Nocioni's long term mess? I hope you enjoy not getting any free agents in the next 5 years or so.
BOTTOM FEEDER #4: THE WARRIORS
The good news is that there is new ownership. Old ownership pulled the plug on the first team that took them to the playoffs (and the 2nd round) after approximately 948 consecutive years of being a lottery team.
Stephen Curry's career is going to go to waste if they don't get help. Monta Ellis is too ball dominant to play alongside him. Ellis has value that the Warriors need to exploit. They almost traded him last year for OJ Mayo. That's not a bad trade, but I think they should try and get more size on this roster - especially at the shooting guard position. I personally don't like the idea of a shooting guard being under 6'5".
STRENGTHS: They traded for David Lee, who will hopefully get to play power forward instead of center (where he was a huge defensive liability). Brandon Wright is supposedly talented, but plays the same position as Lee. Either make him a stud off the bench or trade him while he still has value. Stephen Curry has potential to be good. There's even talk that he might be an all-star one day. Slow down. Let's see them win some games first. Also, let's not forget the change in ownership. The last owners sucked more than anyone else has sucked before. These new guys can't do any worse.
WEAKNESSES: Not enough size and athleticism. Biedrins is overrated and doesn't do enough to make up for his abysmal free throw shooting. They are way too high on Dorell Wright. That dude sucks less than Devean George, but he still sucks. And all the guards are listed at 6'3", which in NBA-speak means that they are 6'1". Also, there is plenty of junk on this team - Radmonovic and Gadzuric, to name 2. Finally, your best player is David Lee. Lee would not be a starter on a championship team. Period.
BOTTOM FEEDER #5: THE RAPTORS
Oh my...
STRENGTHS: Derozan and Bargnani have potential.
WEAKNESSES: You're banking on Derozan and Bargnani having potential. Perhaps the worst roster in the league?
BOTTOM FEEDER #6: THE CAVALIERS
What was Byron Scott thinking? He should've just sat around and waited for Phil Jackson to retire so that he could take his dream job with the Lakers. Someone needs to tell Dan Gilbert that he will not win a championship before LeBron - even if LeBron never wins a championship. They just need to blow this thing up.
STRENGTHS: Byron is a great coach at turning around a franchise, but in each case, he had a great hall of fame level point guard to help him. Mo Williams is not that. There are plenty of trade pieces on this team that could bring back some value. I'm sure a contender wouldn't mind getting their hands on Jamison or Varejao, or even Williams. We also get to see how good JJ Hickson really can be now that he will be required to do more.
WEAKNESSES: Mo Williams is your point guard + Ryan Hollins is your only center = this team just sucks. The pieces don't fit and there isn't a whole lot of talent. Blow it up now!
BOTTOM FEEDER #7: THE PISTONS
What is going on here? Joe Dumars took a bunch of castoffs and built a champion back in 2004. Now he's taking a bunch of castoffs and building a crappy team.
STRENGTHS: Um....I think your best player is Rip Hamilton? Not really sure. He'd be the 7th man on a championship team. At least your positioning yourself for a high draft pick.
WEAKNESSES: You have 643 wing players, and most of them are old and disinterested. PS - I'm better than Chris Wilcox.
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