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Sports Illustrated posted this few days ago:

NBA Future Power Rankings: Which Bad Teams Have the Brightest Future?

1. Lakers
2. Bulls
3. Mavericks
4. Suns
5. Magic
6. Knicks
7. Grizzlies
8. Hawks
9. Nets
10. Kings
11. Hornets

https://www.si.com/nba/2018/02/14/future-nba-power-rankings-knicks-lakers-bulls

*click on the link for their explanations for each selection.

Do you agree with this list? If not, how would you have it ranked?

Personally I think they have the Nets a little too low but other than that, its pretty solid.

Lakers are the best bet. Even as a Bulls fan, I'm not so sure there. That pretty much depends on if we hit a home run in the draft, because this will be their only season in the lottery

Nets are too low, they're well managed and well coached. They'll improve quickly, imo.

Charlotte don’t deserve to be in this they are on a whole different timeline to the rest.

Knicks and Phoenix have the current two best players in Porzingis and Booker.

I’d say:

Lakers
Knicks
Bulls
Phoenix
Dallas
Brooklyn
Sacramento
Orlando
Atlanta

Memphis and Charlotte are on different timelines and have no talent under 25.

The Lakers have some nice young players, loads of cap space, they’re a popular free agent destination and have much improved management. So I’d probably go with them first from that list of 11.

I get the feeling the Knicks would have rated higher before KP’s injury. He’s the best player/prospect on any of those 11 teams and the Grizzlies might be too high. Chris Wallace and/or ownership seems very reluctant to rebuild while Gasol and Conley continue to depreciate as assets. And I’d move the Nets up because Sean Marks is a bright young GM with a solid plan in place

Dominater wrote:Lakers are the best bet. Even as a Bulls fan, I'm not so sure there. That pretty much depends on if we hit a home run in the draft, because this will be their only season in the lottery

I thought they still owned their own first round picks for 2019 and 2020? Or are you thinking they trade them away in the off season?

I would put Orlando lower. They just seem to have no direction at all, they've been basically giving away their young talent who have ended up developing more elsewhere, and even with this being their sixth straight year of tanking they still don't have much to show for, on pace for 26 wins, which would be a lower total than each of the prior two years.

As much as I tease Lakers fans, they do have the best odds to be good. I still think the PG and James is a pipe dream, but they have money and can use it to round out their roster. Their ascension hinges a lot on Ingram taking that next step and Kuzma's growth.

Nets and Knicks should also bump up a bit. Nets are well coached and have finally made shrewd moves to get some talent. Knicks all hinge on health and a proper tank job. They are hindered from some bad contracts.

Sun's and Magic need a bump down. They have shown no evidence of having a clear plan. This could change if they nail their picks this year but their track redcords don't give me much hope.

Nets are way too low on this list, as others have said. Good with the rest.

I might give the Bulls the edge as having the brightest future, simply because of how well a guy like Markennen fits with ball dominant players and how easy it is to build around him. At 20 years old, he's already very good all-around player with no real weaknesses or limitations offensively or defensively. He also doesn't need much usage to make a big impact offensively since he plays intelligently off the ball and his gravity as a shooter provides a ton of spacing whenever he's on the floor. He's like the Klay Thompson of power forwards.

Lakers, Knicks, Bulls (and Nets since relocated into Brooklyn), are all big market teams, so even when seems hopeless, they can sign some big FA name.

I give our front office a lot of crap but we're at the allstar break and tied for the fewest wins in the league. If we pull this off and add another top 5 pick to Dennis Smith then I think we can compete with any of those young teams. I also like our chances in FA. Not when it comes to Superstars, but we should be real players for guys like Julius Randle, Hezonja or Hood.

Barnes isn't great value but him and one of those FAs as the 3rd/4th options with Dennis and one of Doncic/Ayton/Bagley/Porter/Bamba as the two main guys (long term-wise) would be fun. I could see us being a pretty competitive squad next year.

Young gun 6 wrote:

Dominater wrote:Lakers are the best bet. Even as a Bulls fan, I'm not so sure there. That pretty much depends on if we hit a home run in the draft, because this will be their only season in the lottery

I thought they still owned their own first round picks for 2019 and 2020? Or are you thinking they trade them away in the off season?

They do own their picks but they're gonna be too good to not make the playoffs in the East. They started 3-20 then went on a huge run. Only started losing again because Dunns face ate the floor. This is a 1 year tank, whether by accident or not

I chose Nets because of their front office, coach and new team culture. Lakers killed it in the draft last year which may be a sign of thing to come for them as well.

Markkanen, Dunn and Lavine is a real nice young core....if they can add Bagley to that list thats a great foundation to grow together...Lakers have cap space but who will they get is the question

Nets. Sean Marks saved them from the no picks era now
Imagine what he will do with them

Dominater wrote:

Young gun 6 wrote:

Dominater wrote:Lakers are the best bet. Even as a Bulls fan, I'm not so sure there. That pretty much depends on if we hit a home run in the draft, because this will be their only season in the lottery

I thought they still owned their own first round picks for 2019 and 2020? Or are you thinking they trade them away in the off season?

They do own their picks but they're gonna be too good to not make the playoffs in the East. They started 3-20 then went on a huge run. Only started losing again because Dunns face ate the floor. This is a 1 year tank, whether by accident or not

The losing also coincided with Mirotic being traded. I don’t think they’ll be too good.

They’ll have Lavine who is yet to prove he leads teams to wins, Markkanen who will still be young, Dunn who is good defensively but incredibly inefficient offensively, Portis and Lopez who are decent role players and then just pure garbage.

That 5 with no other depth is still well behind a healthy Cleveland, Toronto, Boston, Washington, Milwaukee, Philly, Indiana, Detroit and Miami next year. They could likely be behind Knicks too if KP is healthy. Maybe at absolute best sneak into 8th spot but by no means are they anywhere near even LIKELY to be out of the lottery next year.

One little run in a season means nothing, they’ve regressed back to what they should’ve been from the start and losing the best piece in that run wouldn’t have helped either (Mirotic).

Lakers the tops. Nets too low. Kings are the worst by far. That management team could **** up a perfectly good PB&J

Lakers because of their destination allure to FAs.

Suns because of Booker (and their other young players look pretty good)

Because Kemba is literally carrying that team night in and night out.


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