Usually by this point in the offseason, rosters would be like set. But currently there are a couple of perennial all-stars, Donovan Mitchell and Kevin Durant, who can get still traded on any given day and in the process not only greatly affect the team they're going to but also the one that they're leaving. So if one of those dudes do end up getting traded before the season begins, then these rankings also will obviously be altered.
But I'm hoping that both Mitchell and KD just stay on their current squads. There's really only two ways to win a championship anyway. Either you put together a superteam and hope that they're able to win one before the stars' egos break the squad apart, or you gradually build up a champion over time, which takes more patience than most superstars seem to have these days. And that's all just my fancy way of saying that as it currently stands, it may be best for both Donovan and KD to just stay put. Mitchell going to the Knicks is an interesting prospect, but NYK's greatest strength over the past couple of years has been their depth, which will be negatively affected if they trade for Donovan.
And speaking of the Knicks, you'll notice that this is in fact the "Power Stinkings". Usually these rankings go from best team to worst, but I decided to do it the other way around, because garbage teams need love too. Also I'm going to do it division-by-division, because if I try to do the whole NBA at once, like I'll never finish this shit. And since we are starting with the Atlantic Division, at the top of the list is none other than:
1. NEW YORK KNICKS
A couple of seasons ago the Knicks were finally, after two decades straight of disappointment, looking like a team on the rise. However the surrounding excitement was shortlived as, even before that selfsame 2020-21 season had completely ended, the franchise re-proved that they are in fact the Knicks.
Last season was even more of a shitstorm, whereas reigning COY Tom Thibodeau even made bold moves like benching Kemba Walker, the all-around best scorer on the team, just for the Knicks to still be garbage. Since then the Knicks have lost Walker but kept Thibodeau. And in the latest line of their less-than-stellar moves, NYK has managed to pickup Jalen Brunson.
I consider myself sort of a Brunson fan but don't see, despite this team's arguably current lack of a starting PG, how he's really going to help matters any. If they had managed to get both him and Donovan Mitchell without gutting their roster, that would have be enanother thing.
But who knows, like I may be wrong. But one of the problems with the Knicks is that they never attempted a rebuild. Like they would have probably been better off handing the reins to Immanuel Quickley and seeing how that pans out rather than giving Brunson all that dough, you know, just to still look like a mediocre team. But the thing about the Knicks is that they have so much talent spread out across their roster that if they were any other franchise, you wouldn't be able to count them out.
2. NEW YORK NETS
It's a damn shame that I'm compelled to stink the Nets even higher than the Raptors. But as I've said repeatedly, all they need is for #1 for Ben Simmons to actually play and #2 for Kyrie and KD to let him run the point if he does. They could also probably use another quality bigman. And if they're able to discipline themselves that way then yes, this is a contending roster.
But instead, KD is trying to bounce or whatever. And you see that the only teams he really seems interested in going to are the Heat, the Warriors or maybe, of late mention, the Celtics. Durant isn't stupid. He knows that Brooklyn already has one of the better rosters in the NBA, so it's not like he can just leave them, go anywhere else and expect to contend. You know what I mean? Durant was never LBJ, no matter how many people try to argue that he's better than King James.
3. TORONTO RAPTORS
I would have to say that, as far as NBA Inception goes, the Raptors are the most-underrated team in the league. Like I never gives these dudes their proper love. And according to some sources, they have the closest thing to a team consisting only primarily of Giannises, i.e. tall, versatile players, which I predict may be the future of the NBA (if not for the fact that being a mad tall and versatile is quite rare in and of itself).
So maybe this year, you know, they'll make the second round or some shit. It's like a who knows and who really cares type of situation, because either way, the Raptors don't look like serious contenders.
4. PHILADELPHIA SIXERS
It feels kinda strange putting the Sixers this low on the list, because in reality they had a very lackluster offseason. PJ Tucker is cool, but it's not like his skillset is going to turn their fortunes around. And I also liked what De'Anthony Melton did for Memphis, but I can't quite understand why some of these analysts are making like he's some type of major acquisition for the Sixers.
The truth of the matter is that, unless they're the recipients of a very high degree of invisible favoritism, the window for this iteration of the Sixers to win a championship has already closed. When they traded Simmons for Harden, others may not be able to see it, but that was the end of an era. So I wouldn't be surprised if by the end of this season Embiid's name is in trade talks, even if the team does do well during the regular season.
5. BOSTON CELTICS
Man, do I love the Celtics. Or rather let me say that I love NBA teams with intelligent, solid braintrusts. And adding Danilo Gallinari and Malcolm Brodgon to last season's EC championship roster, without losing any major rotations player in the process, was downright brilliant. That's the kinda shit you can pull off when your organization is one of the winningest in league history.
Still, it wouldn't hurt if they can add another solid post player, as the only one it really seems they have at the moment is Robert Williams. But if they're able to make it to the Finals again, healthy, the Celtics should do a lot better than they did a couple of months ago. But I would still say that the Heat probably have a better all-around roster than they do.
CONCLUSION
The Knicks may pan out, but I doubt it. I have more faith in the Nets, if they can buckle down and get their shit together. The Raptors may overacheive, as usual, but it's like so what? This season will finally prove that the current iteration of the Sixers, dating back to Covington/Saric days, have made too many bad roster decisions to recover. So, the Celtics should definitely take the Atlantic Division in 2022-23.
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