Post by Vancouver on Nov 28, 2015 1:07:13 GMT
Future Power Rankings
With the influx of current power rankings flooding the system, we here in Vancouver decided to take a look at projecting each franchises future ranking in the Americas. There is no mathematical formula used to derive to each teams ranking, these rankings are based solely on our internal evaluation of each team’s future (2-3 years) based on what they currently have. We took into consideration each franchise’s current players ability, their potentials while factoring in age in addition to projecting out future potential picks that may augment their current squad. We also factor in the GMs skillset and their ability to run a team + make the necessary trades in the best interest of their franchise.
One major caveat is we cannot predict training camps and we all know that will obviously hinder or help a teams building process. Let's get to it!
1. Generals – The fans in Washington have gone through a brutal building process but they’re now starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. With Hondo and Bogut already entrenched on the roster, Washington looks poised to add 2 more top 10 picks this off-season. Where those picks fall will truly determine how quickly they will start competing for the conference throne but they will be in an envious position regardless. With contracts about to skyrocket, having 4 top 10 picks controlled at minimum cost is an amazing luxury. On top of all that, they look poised to add at least 2 more lotto picks the following year thanks to the gift that keeps on giving (Spurs 1sts) and then the Beijing 1st. At some point they will need to add a veteran to put them over the top but they have the assets to do so. Hopefully TC does not show them any harm.
2. Timberwolves – This team has accumulated great talent that also falls under the youth spectrum. With a big three of Ewing, Garnett & Wiggins just scratching the surface of their capabilities and all three being under the ripe age of 27, they look poised to battle for the conference championship now and in the future. If there was any drawback with having a big three from the creation draft, it is most definitely with their contracts. This team is void of any depth and will have to be creative in the ways in which they go about acquiring such talent. This team has a big question mark going into the off-season with Ewing and Below testing the open market, so being able to retain their services at a reasonable cost will go a long way in ensuring they are a powerhouse for the future.
3. Bulls – The boys in Chitown were probably the toughest for me to rank but ultimately we decided on them being third overall simply due to the fact that we expect them to retain Barkley for his entire career. As the premiere player in Ultimate, Charles single handedly will carry his team to the top of a conference but the growth of this teams youth will really determine if they will be higher than this ranking. With the combination of Conley + Stackhouse is intriguing, they are going to have big holes to fill at Center and how they find that piece will play a key role in determining if this ranking is too bullish or bearish.
4. Grizzlies – Is there a little bit of homerism involved in this ranking? Without a doubt, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the Grizzlies are barren of talent. With a young core anchored by McDyess /Exum, the Grizzlies are banking on the additional assets they plan on acquiring via the draft to help form a nucleus that can propel them back to the promise land. This team took a step back this year while they went on a quest to get younger, acquiring a core that is cost controlled while hoping there bevvy of picks in 03 will help expedite their retooling process. The Grizz had a devastating training camp and are hopeful that it is not a trend going forward.
5. Knicks – The New York Knicks have a legit franchise piece to build around in Greg Oden and probably deserve to be ranked higher but our concern is being able to supplement him with the necessary pieces. With the delta between Oden and Daniels/Haynes ages being so high, this team is in a precarious position where they must soon decide if they are going to go all and win now or sell the Daniels/Haynes duo to get the necessary pieces to surround Oden long term.
6. Titans – Very similar situation to the New York Knicks, the Mexico Titans have a great building block in Pau Gasol but will need to make other moves sooner than later. What do you get for Johnston and Westphal, who both command major $ and are edging closer to the dreaded 30 year mark? This team can compete right now if they so choose but it seems like they are floating in no mans land and that’s directly impacting their future. The lack of youth they received back for Belov is not ideal to their future unless they hit it big with Beijings 1st this year.
7. New Orleans – The Jazz have Tony Parker and then a solid support cast, which essentially is ruining any chance they had at acquiring a complimentary sidekick via the draft. While Michael Finley and Jason Richardson have the youth on their side and are one good TC away from being that piece, it’s hard to predict such a jump. The good news here is that New Orleans has a top 2 PG and he’s still got his prime ahead of him. If they can consolidate there solid talent and get a better sidekick, they will move up these rankings quickly.
8. Boca Juniors – Another team that is probably ranked too low, they have all of the youth you’d want but the problem here is all of them are about to get paid very rich contracts. There are some tough decisions ahead for this GM as he tries to surround his superstar Kevin Durant with the necessary talent. Some think they have overachieved so far but similarly to the other teams above them, they have the one star and will need to surround him with the necessary pieces to jump to the top. Basically, if you’re still reading this, teams 4-8 are all interchangeable.
9. Raptors – This team has the youth that most GMs drool over and they are already succeeding but yet they are only ranked 9th? You see the problem I have with this franchise is they are a team without a star and when you don’t have a go to guy to carry the scoring load, I don’t see you as a championship contender. They have a good core of Chandler + Oakley + Gaze + Payton but don’t have much else to upgrade. I have them at 9 for the future simply because I don’t see how they make the jump to the next level without some TC luck.
10. Celtics – Chris Paul and this year’s draft pick, which looks like it will be 4-6 is a good start but there’s not much else. This GM tried to take a similar path as the #1 ranked team yet failed to obtain any valuable assets for his 1st round creation pick which is delaying their build significantly. I did notice they do have good picks in 2004, specifically Beijing and Spurs which they should trade for help to augment their 2 rookies. The reason I recommend trading the picks is that they need to start winning sooner than later and by the time they make those picks Paul will be ready to leave after going through what seems like a perpetual rebuild.
11. Lakers – Have a franchise center? Check. The LA Lakers are just like their real life counterparts (sans 2014-2016) where they have a dominant big man in Bill Russell to build around and what should be another top pick this year. The problem is the non-existent GM should be selling the other pieces off to add that 3rd piece. Does he have the skillset to extract the necessary value from the Okurs and Adams of the world? If I had faith they would most likely be ranked a tad higher.
12. Trailblazers – After a season that began with an absent GM, this franchise has took a turn after Mr. Money took over the reins. With a solid core, he’s getting the most out of Hawkins and Mullin but the franchise only youth is McGill. There’s some decent talent here and the GM always wants to compete but for now they are ranked 12th solely due to the lack of youth. I expect them to firmly compete year in and year out for the playoffs but they need some moves to compete for a championship.
13. Warriors– This team has talent but besides Grant Hill but they are pretty much all expiring. I would have ranked them higher but it seems like they are about to get real expensive and don’t have a contender as is currently constructed. I am curious to see what moves are made by the new GM, whether it’s to rebuild entirely or retool. They seem to be at a crossroad right now so choosing a direction and following through on the plan will be vital but until they set a course, I have them at 13.
14. Supersonics – This team has the young talent in KC Jones, Joel Embiid and DD but what’s really going to decide their future is what pick they get this off-season. This team is currently void of any scoring presence and while this GM has accumulated some decent talent, he’s going on 7+ seasons of missing the playoffs between two different leagues. As you can tell from the previous write-ups, GMs are factored into the rankings and I don’t foresee them being anything but bottom of the league. Whether it’s his trading style or his poor game planning, we don’t have much faith in the man running this show.
15. Brazil – Just like with the team ranked ahead of them, Brazil could really benefit from having a GM. He has good talent to win right now but until they get a GM to determine their future, they are ranked 16th. Earl + Dave D + Schmidt is a nice nucleus but we’re ranking the future here people and it’s impossible to predict what’s going to happen with this franchise.
16. Globetrotters – I have this team ranked so low because Dr. J is aging quickly and there’s not much else here. I feel like they have overachieved all season but the future is coming quickly and Noah isn’t a piece to build around. I think this team will look to contend for the next few seasons and then rebuild once Dr. J gets to the big 30, which is why I have them ranked 16th.
17. Spurs – This team has good talent but it never really fits and they don’t have their own picks for the foreseeable future, so this is why they are ranked this low. After trading for Randolph, who is about to be a free agent and will require a max, it will be tough for them to add additional talent. Still perplexed as to why they traded E-Rod for Eddie Jones as this further limits their roster flexibility. I also have them ranked this low due to the GMs propensity to trade all the time and for his inability to put together a coherent DC/GP. No one has ever questioned his ability to obtain talent, it’s what has to occur next that he’s failed at. Hopefully they realize there’s more to the game then just trading but until then, we’ll keep them down here at the bottom.
18. Flamengo – They are rated last because there rebuild is just about to begin and they don’t have much in terms of assets. This GM traded his best player, Terry Porter, for Granger and a mediocre pick which will help with their rebuild but ultimately it will be a long road ahead for the loving fans in Rio de Janeiro. Hopefully they stay strong through the time times in the not so distant future.
With the influx of current power rankings flooding the system, we here in Vancouver decided to take a look at projecting each franchises future ranking in the Americas. There is no mathematical formula used to derive to each teams ranking, these rankings are based solely on our internal evaluation of each team’s future (2-3 years) based on what they currently have. We took into consideration each franchise’s current players ability, their potentials while factoring in age in addition to projecting out future potential picks that may augment their current squad. We also factor in the GMs skillset and their ability to run a team + make the necessary trades in the best interest of their franchise.
One major caveat is we cannot predict training camps and we all know that will obviously hinder or help a teams building process. Let's get to it!
1. Generals – The fans in Washington have gone through a brutal building process but they’re now starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. With Hondo and Bogut already entrenched on the roster, Washington looks poised to add 2 more top 10 picks this off-season. Where those picks fall will truly determine how quickly they will start competing for the conference throne but they will be in an envious position regardless. With contracts about to skyrocket, having 4 top 10 picks controlled at minimum cost is an amazing luxury. On top of all that, they look poised to add at least 2 more lotto picks the following year thanks to the gift that keeps on giving (Spurs 1sts) and then the Beijing 1st. At some point they will need to add a veteran to put them over the top but they have the assets to do so. Hopefully TC does not show them any harm.
2. Timberwolves – This team has accumulated great talent that also falls under the youth spectrum. With a big three of Ewing, Garnett & Wiggins just scratching the surface of their capabilities and all three being under the ripe age of 27, they look poised to battle for the conference championship now and in the future. If there was any drawback with having a big three from the creation draft, it is most definitely with their contracts. This team is void of any depth and will have to be creative in the ways in which they go about acquiring such talent. This team has a big question mark going into the off-season with Ewing and Below testing the open market, so being able to retain their services at a reasonable cost will go a long way in ensuring they are a powerhouse for the future.
3. Bulls – The boys in Chitown were probably the toughest for me to rank but ultimately we decided on them being third overall simply due to the fact that we expect them to retain Barkley for his entire career. As the premiere player in Ultimate, Charles single handedly will carry his team to the top of a conference but the growth of this teams youth will really determine if they will be higher than this ranking. With the combination of Conley + Stackhouse is intriguing, they are going to have big holes to fill at Center and how they find that piece will play a key role in determining if this ranking is too bullish or bearish.
4. Grizzlies – Is there a little bit of homerism involved in this ranking? Without a doubt, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the Grizzlies are barren of talent. With a young core anchored by McDyess /Exum, the Grizzlies are banking on the additional assets they plan on acquiring via the draft to help form a nucleus that can propel them back to the promise land. This team took a step back this year while they went on a quest to get younger, acquiring a core that is cost controlled while hoping there bevvy of picks in 03 will help expedite their retooling process. The Grizz had a devastating training camp and are hopeful that it is not a trend going forward.
5. Knicks – The New York Knicks have a legit franchise piece to build around in Greg Oden and probably deserve to be ranked higher but our concern is being able to supplement him with the necessary pieces. With the delta between Oden and Daniels/Haynes ages being so high, this team is in a precarious position where they must soon decide if they are going to go all and win now or sell the Daniels/Haynes duo to get the necessary pieces to surround Oden long term.
6. Titans – Very similar situation to the New York Knicks, the Mexico Titans have a great building block in Pau Gasol but will need to make other moves sooner than later. What do you get for Johnston and Westphal, who both command major $ and are edging closer to the dreaded 30 year mark? This team can compete right now if they so choose but it seems like they are floating in no mans land and that’s directly impacting their future. The lack of youth they received back for Belov is not ideal to their future unless they hit it big with Beijings 1st this year.
7. New Orleans – The Jazz have Tony Parker and then a solid support cast, which essentially is ruining any chance they had at acquiring a complimentary sidekick via the draft. While Michael Finley and Jason Richardson have the youth on their side and are one good TC away from being that piece, it’s hard to predict such a jump. The good news here is that New Orleans has a top 2 PG and he’s still got his prime ahead of him. If they can consolidate there solid talent and get a better sidekick, they will move up these rankings quickly.
8. Boca Juniors – Another team that is probably ranked too low, they have all of the youth you’d want but the problem here is all of them are about to get paid very rich contracts. There are some tough decisions ahead for this GM as he tries to surround his superstar Kevin Durant with the necessary talent. Some think they have overachieved so far but similarly to the other teams above them, they have the one star and will need to surround him with the necessary pieces to jump to the top. Basically, if you’re still reading this, teams 4-8 are all interchangeable.
9. Raptors – This team has the youth that most GMs drool over and they are already succeeding but yet they are only ranked 9th? You see the problem I have with this franchise is they are a team without a star and when you don’t have a go to guy to carry the scoring load, I don’t see you as a championship contender. They have a good core of Chandler + Oakley + Gaze + Payton but don’t have much else to upgrade. I have them at 9 for the future simply because I don’t see how they make the jump to the next level without some TC luck.
10. Celtics – Chris Paul and this year’s draft pick, which looks like it will be 4-6 is a good start but there’s not much else. This GM tried to take a similar path as the #1 ranked team yet failed to obtain any valuable assets for his 1st round creation pick which is delaying their build significantly. I did notice they do have good picks in 2004, specifically Beijing and Spurs which they should trade for help to augment their 2 rookies. The reason I recommend trading the picks is that they need to start winning sooner than later and by the time they make those picks Paul will be ready to leave after going through what seems like a perpetual rebuild.
11. Lakers – Have a franchise center? Check. The LA Lakers are just like their real life counterparts (sans 2014-2016) where they have a dominant big man in Bill Russell to build around and what should be another top pick this year. The problem is the non-existent GM should be selling the other pieces off to add that 3rd piece. Does he have the skillset to extract the necessary value from the Okurs and Adams of the world? If I had faith they would most likely be ranked a tad higher.
12. Trailblazers – After a season that began with an absent GM, this franchise has took a turn after Mr. Money took over the reins. With a solid core, he’s getting the most out of Hawkins and Mullin but the franchise only youth is McGill. There’s some decent talent here and the GM always wants to compete but for now they are ranked 12th solely due to the lack of youth. I expect them to firmly compete year in and year out for the playoffs but they need some moves to compete for a championship.
13. Warriors– This team has talent but besides Grant Hill but they are pretty much all expiring. I would have ranked them higher but it seems like they are about to get real expensive and don’t have a contender as is currently constructed. I am curious to see what moves are made by the new GM, whether it’s to rebuild entirely or retool. They seem to be at a crossroad right now so choosing a direction and following through on the plan will be vital but until they set a course, I have them at 13.
14. Supersonics – This team has the young talent in KC Jones, Joel Embiid and DD but what’s really going to decide their future is what pick they get this off-season. This team is currently void of any scoring presence and while this GM has accumulated some decent talent, he’s going on 7+ seasons of missing the playoffs between two different leagues. As you can tell from the previous write-ups, GMs are factored into the rankings and I don’t foresee them being anything but bottom of the league. Whether it’s his trading style or his poor game planning, we don’t have much faith in the man running this show.
15. Brazil – Just like with the team ranked ahead of them, Brazil could really benefit from having a GM. He has good talent to win right now but until they get a GM to determine their future, they are ranked 16th. Earl + Dave D + Schmidt is a nice nucleus but we’re ranking the future here people and it’s impossible to predict what’s going to happen with this franchise.
16. Globetrotters – I have this team ranked so low because Dr. J is aging quickly and there’s not much else here. I feel like they have overachieved all season but the future is coming quickly and Noah isn’t a piece to build around. I think this team will look to contend for the next few seasons and then rebuild once Dr. J gets to the big 30, which is why I have them ranked 16th.
17. Spurs – This team has good talent but it never really fits and they don’t have their own picks for the foreseeable future, so this is why they are ranked this low. After trading for Randolph, who is about to be a free agent and will require a max, it will be tough for them to add additional talent. Still perplexed as to why they traded E-Rod for Eddie Jones as this further limits their roster flexibility. I also have them ranked this low due to the GMs propensity to trade all the time and for his inability to put together a coherent DC/GP. No one has ever questioned his ability to obtain talent, it’s what has to occur next that he’s failed at. Hopefully they realize there’s more to the game then just trading but until then, we’ll keep them down here at the bottom.
18. Flamengo – They are rated last because there rebuild is just about to begin and they don’t have much in terms of assets. This GM traded his best player, Terry Porter, for Granger and a mediocre pick which will help with their rebuild but ultimately it will be a long road ahead for the loving fans in Rio de Janeiro. Hopefully they stay strong through the time times in the not so distant future.
