15. Utah Jazz Starting 5 – Devin Harris (PG), CJ Miles (SG), Gordon Hayward (SF), Paul Milsap (PF), Al Jefferson (C)
Breakout Player: Devin Harris – I am still wondering, what happened to that promise Harris once had when he was a Dallas Maverick. I thought for sure in New Jersey he would be a stat-stuffer and eventually establish himself as a top-tier point guard in the league. It never happened and when he was traded to Utah last season I once again thought new start + bad team = stat-stuffing, and once again it did not happen. I will give Harris this season to justify my faith in him before I jump off his bandwagon. I have a feeling he will be very important to this team once the Jazz make a few more moves involving some of their big men which I will discuss in the…
Player to Watch: Derrick Favors – Ok, so the Jazz are loaded with some really good big guys on a bad team. Expecting the Jazz to be in a rebuilding season, I can definitely see Mehmet Okur being traded to a title contender in need of front court depth and I can also see Al Jefferson getting moved with a favorable contract for more youth and possible draft picks. Which leaves Paul Milsap, who is probably not getting traded (cheaper than Jefferson), Enes Kanter (had not played competitive basketball in 2 years until this summer), and Derrick Favors as the big men left on the team. Favors is the guy with a ton of potential and the reason the Jazz were willing to part ways with D-Will. If Jefferson and Okur do indeed get traded, Favors will have the first opportunity to be the starting big alongside Milsap before Kanter gets his chance.
Overview: This season will most likely be a rebuilding year in Utah, which has been very uncommon for the Mormon faithful in the past two decades. They have enjoyed Stockton and Malone, Williams and Boozer, and now they get Harris and Favors? Milsap? Kanter? Jeremy Evans? It just isn’t going to work this season for the Jazz. They do have a bright future however and plenty of trade pieces to help shorten the rebuilding process. That is why I believe they will be the worst team in the West because they’re roster will change quite a few times before the trade deadline and they will not be able to establish any chemistry with a different rotation on a nightly basis.
Season Prediction: (20-46) = Enes Kanter being a total phony this year and a bust in the future resulting in Jazz fans like Jacksonville Jaguar fans wishing they had traded back and drafted their hometown favorite.
14. Houston Rockets
Starting 5: Kyle Lowry (PG), Kevin Martin (SG), Chase Budinger (SF), Luis Scola (PF), Jordan Hill (C)
Breakout Player: Chase Budinger – In the past few seasons when Budinger was given adequate playing time, he proved that he could be a productive player in the league. Being the starting small forward for the Rockets this season means he will have more opportunities to display that freakish athleticism.
Player to Watch: Jonny Flynn – That hip injury seemed to really bother him last season and with subpar play, his value dropped immensely as he was considered a throw-in in a trade on draft night involving Brad Miller. It was kind of amazing to see the T-Wolves give up on Flynn in only his second season after he was selected 6th overall in the 2009 draft and had a very good rookie season (Space for Rubio). I have never been a big fan of Kyle Lowry as an NBA starting point guard and I believe that Flynn can return this year as the player fans forgot he should have been, and claim the starting point position by season’s end.
Overview: The Rockets have been one of the most unfortunate teams in the last five seasons and things only seem to be getting worse with every new season. First it was Tracy McGrady never being able to play healthy and win a playoff series, and then it was Yao and the undeserved foot injury. Now it is the hiring of Kevin McHale and the voiding of Pau Gasol’s trade to Houston. The Rockets just do not have luck on their side, but they kind of deserve the predicament of their future. Unless Kevin McHale can put on a jersey and kill defenders with his multiple post moves, he is terrible at anything else related to basketball. He tried way too hard to be a funny NBA analyst and came out lame, and as an NBA GM or coach he has no accomplishments except for drafting Kevin Garnett.1 Therefore the Rockets will suck all because Kevin McHale is the worst, just kidding. The team is a mediocre bunch with nothing special as well. They are always trying to trade for a superstar, but completing one of these trades requires trading all their good current players and leaving a newly acquired superstar with no help, which makes these Rockets stuck in a pickle.
Season Prediction (23-43) = Kevin McHale persuading Darryl Morey to trade Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Terrence Williams, Brad Miller, and an unprotected 1st round pick to the Celtics for Ray Allen, Jermaine O’Neal, and Avery Bradley …oh wait, that is actually a pretty good trade for both sides if the Rockets remove the 1st round pick or change it to a protected pick. Genius. I really hope I can be an NBA GM one day…
13. Minnesota Timberwolves
Starting 5 – Ricky Rubio (PG), Wes Johnson (SG), Michael Beasley (SF), Kevin Love (PF), Darko Milicic (C)
Breakout Player: Wesley Johnson – I expect him to be the team’s leading scorer this year (for my fantasy team’s sake & of course the T’Wolves’ sake…) and possibly the team’s overall best player. Johnson has all the intangibles to be really good in this league and hopefully injuries do not derail his season like last year.
Player to Watch: Ricky Rubio – Before I explain the hype of the soon-to-be Justin Bieber of the NBA, I just want to clarify that I absolutely HATE and LOVE Ricky Rubio. Everything Brandon Jennings said about Rubio is true and once he plays against some real N-words, he will look scared and play scared (watch the gold medal game in 2008). Rubio is also kind of like me when it comes to ball-handling (no left, all right), defense (doesn’t play any), shooting (terrible shooter, terrible form), and cockiness (I think I’m raw as fuck!! Come see me when it’s headband season). Anson Toy is basically the poor man’s version of Ricky Rubio and fans are excited about this?? Rubio is going to be a bust! His first game of his NBA career is against Russell Westbrook!! Russell freaking Westbrook!!! He is going to rip Rubio’s asshole apart!!!!!!!!!
And while Rubio will need a new asshole after his first game, I really do hope he succeeds. I actually love watching his mixtapes on YouTube and he is quite the handsome chap. His dreaminess will captivate the hearts of young girls that do not watch basketball and his unnecessary flair of passing will captivate the hearts of young boys that do watch basketball. His success will frustrate many because he is terrible, but that is what makes me love and hate Ricky Rubio.Overview: I am very upset that they did not come through on my plan of amnestying The Darko and signing Nene. Really pissed…Because the T-Wolves would have had the starting center they really needed and they would have been a Michael Beasley and Anthony Randolph trade away2 from being legitimate playoff contenders in the West. I already consider Michael Beasley not being a part of this team eventually, so he will not be further discussed and I will discuss the players they have that will actually make an impact. Rick Adelman is their coach so I’m hoping for more of the early 2000s Kings and not the 2010 Houston Rockets, and I think I will say this about a lot of these teams in the West that actually do not make the playoffs, and the T-Wolves are no exception: They will be a very fun team to watch. They will have Kevin Love ♥. They will have Kevin Love ♥.3 They will have the two studs I already mentioned, and they will have the rookie of the year and of course Darko Nipples. With all that being said, the T-Wolves are just not ready to win. A superstar is missing. They have it in Derrick Williams, but he won’t be that guy in his rookie season.
Season Prediction (24-42) = David Kahn making his first successful trade, turning Wes Johnson and some role players into Andrew Bynum in the offseason.4
Starting 5 – Tyreke Evans (PG), John Salmons (SG), Travis Outlaw (SF), Jason Thompson or JJ Hickson (PF), DeMarcus Cousins (C)
Breakout Player: Tyreke Evans – I know he gained a little weight during the lockout, but I’m confident he’ll be in shape by opening night. I’ve already talked about him in the blow-up post, so I’ll just summarize why he will be great this season: better jumper and primary ball-handler, whether he’s fat or not.
Player to Watch: DeMarcus Cousins – Cousins can be a top five center in the league as long as he is committed to playing basketball and not acting like a baby. It will be interesting to see if he has matured in his second season and if he has worked hard with an extended offseason to get better. He has so much skill and so much potential and if his head is in the right place, he can be a monster player this year.
Overview – The Kings will be a very fun team to watch this year because they have a ton of offensive weapons. Looking at their entire roster, I only see one guy who plays defense, Chuck Hayes. That means they will try to play like a younger version of the Suns teams of the mid-2000s attempting to outscore all their opponents every night. Jimmer Fredette may have actually landed on the perfect team for his game and Jimmer Time will be in full effect on many nights. Jimmer, Donte Green, Francisco Garcia, Marcus Thornton, and John Salmons may each hit 100 three pointers on the season and Kevin Durant or Kobe Bryant may possibly put up 100 points on them. The offensive prowess they possess is quite impressive, but their defense will be really bad and while they may score 120 points per game, they may give up 130 points per game.
Season Prediction (26-40) = Jimmer Fredette scoring 50 points in a game this season and selling a top-10 jersey, then being anointed the Tim Tebow of the NBA. Thanks to Chris Paul being traded to the Clippers, the Clippers being relevant prevents the Kings from being moved to Anaheim and possibly keeps the Kings in Sacramento for another season.
11. New Orleans Hornets
Starting 5 – Jarrett Jack (PG), Eric Gordon (SG), Trevor Ariza (SF), Carl Landry (PF), Chris Kaman/Emeka Okafor (C)
Breakout Player: Eric Gordon – It didn’t matter if Gordon played for the Clippers, Hornets, Raptors, or the Shanghai Sharks this season. He was going to have an incredible season anywhere anyways. It’s unfortunate the Clippers could not keep him and I’ll discuss the Clippers side of losing Gordon when they make their way on the Season Preview. Gordon’s future is looking very bright and now he becomes the franchise player of a team that is already capable of making the playoffs with the future set for acquiring more good young players to compliment him. If Gordon does not score this season, who else will? I expect an all-star season from him and nothing less.
Overview: When Dell Demps sees David Stern, he should give him a bear hug, kiss him on the forehead and thank him for vetoing his trade of Chris Paul to the Lakers. The Lord Czar Stern further damaged the reputation of the NBA with the veto of that trade, but benefited the Hornets by giving them another chance to execute a better trade. They got the exact player they wanted in return for Paul, Air Gordon and that super valuable unprotected pick belonging to the T-Wolves. The Hornets were an Eric Bledsoe instead of Eric Gordon away from being considered the worst team in the Western Conference. With Gordon, the other guys acquired in the trade, and the remaining roster, the Hornets have not fallen much at all. Jarrett Jack is a serviceable starting point guard in the league and so is Carl Landry at power forward. Trevor Ariza is not getting any better or worse and Al-Farouq Aminu makes him expendable. The center position will be something to watch. Will the Hornets keep Okafor and play him off the bench or trade Okafor to get more depth in the back court or a better starting power forward? Eric Gordon will be the most important player to this team when it’s all said and done. His ability to take his game to the next level of NBA all-star is the most important aspect to the Hornet’s success. He actually averaged 23 points a game last season, and he will need to hit 27 points this season and be better at everything in his game if the Hornets want to make the playoffs. Chris Paul isn't the real reason the Hornets will drop off this year. The excitement (or lack thereof) a new beginning for these guys is...
Season Prediction (30-36) = Hornets trading Jarrett Jack, Trevor Ariza, Emeka Okafor, and a protected future 1st round pick to Boston for Rajon Rondo,5 Chris Wilcox, and JuJuan Johnson in January which then = a (36-30) record bumping the current 8th ranked team in the West out of the Playoffs. Al-Farouq Aminu becomes a beast and Chris Kaman is cured of his A.D.D.
10. Phoenix Suns
Starting 5 – Steve Nash (PG), Shannon Brown (SG), Grant Hill (SF), Channing Frye (PF), Marcin Gortat (C)
Breakout Player: Shannon Brown – Another case of more playing time resulting in more production and better numbers. Brown got off to a great start last season and could have been considered a sixth man of the year candidate after the first quarter of the season. As the year progressed, his playing time decreased, his production fell, and he was caught up living the lifestyle of a Hollywood star instead of focusing on basketball. Brown did prove that he could play when he got minutes, and showed great improvement on the weakest part of his game last year, his jumper. He became a legitimate deep threat for the Lakers, and on a run-and-gun Suns team this year, his scoring production may sky-rocket. Player to Watch: Steve Nash – Every game that Steve Nash plays in is must-watch basketball. His toughness and love for the game is unquestionable. His unorthodox style is beautiful. Flawless passing, fade-away jumpers and under-handed floaters against the giants of the NBA are admirable. Currently the Suns look to be putting a team together to compete for the playoffs, but if they are to falter and have a non-realistic chance at making the playoffs by the all-star break, what the Suns do with Steve Nash will be what to watch. He deserves to be on a team that is playing for a championship at this point in his career and if the Heat come calling at the deadline, both sides should make it happen.
Overview: I’m not quite sure what direction the Suns are heading in. The team has kept their veteran contributors (Grant Hill & Nash), and they’ve made moves at the deadline last season and during the free agency (Aaron Brooks, Marcin Gortat, Shannon Brown) to put together a decent team. At the same time, they are only a low-seeded playoff team at best, and unless the Suns can put a championship team together now, Nash only has so many years before he requests a trade to a real contender before he retires. So I wonder, are the Suns really trying to win now or are they building a formidable team and waiting for the right deal to come along and trade Nash for more prospects. The current team will have a lot of depth and that is always needed in an uptempo offense. As long as Nash runs this offense, he can make the worst of players, play their absolute best , and that is the reason I can never count the Suns out. There is always the possibility that the Suns can end up being in the top 5 of the West, but it all depends on Steve Nash.
Season Prediction (33-33) = Suns trading Nash to the Heat refusing to take a draft pick also thrown in to the trade because Robert Sarver is a cheapskate and never wants to pay for draft picks even if the player is Luol Deng or Rajon Rondo. The Suns will still be competitive with Aaron Brooks as their starting point guard6 but miss the playoffs.
9. Denver Nuggets
Starting 5 – Ty Lawson (PG), Arron Afflalo (SG), Danillo Gallinari (SF), Al Harrington (PF), Nene (C)
Breakout Player: Ty Lawson – Another member of the Laugh Now Cry Later’s Blow-Up Team for 2011-12, Lawson can become the team’s best player when the season is over. He has to be. Danilo Gallinari is probably the most talented player on the team, but he’s a Euro and I do not care that Dirk went HAM in the finals last year, he is the only exception to the “Euros are pussies” list. Therefore Gallinari is a part of that list and incapable of being a team’s best player. The rest of the guys on the team make them good, but Lawson is that x-factor that can make this team great. I expect Nuggets’ basketball to be a track meet this season with Lawson leading the way.
Player(s) to Watch: JR Smith, Kenyon Martin, & Wilson Chandler – This should actually be called “Players I wish to Watch.” I know everyone has felt this feeling before in their life at least once, but you know that heavy feeling your heart has that makes you feel weak when you yearn for someone or miss something, but know you cannot have him/her/it? Yeah you know that feeling. Don’t lie to yourself. Well anyways, that is how I feel when I think about JR Smith. Knowing that he may miss a majority of the season stuck in China tears my heart and after watching him play a few nights ago just makes me feel worse…Who will fulfill my in-game needs of excessive tattoos, gang signs, and shooting barrages?? Certainly not this guy. JR isn’t the only guy I’ll miss. I’ll miss Trina’s lips turned into a crown, and the new JR Smith. What I will miss is not important to the Nuggets though. The Nuggets only care about having these guys back in the US so they can help them out. The Nuggets will most likely only resign Chandler if he can return to the states, but having Chandler is huge. He is a very good player and his scoring will be needed. He has been killing it in China, leading their league in scoring. The Nuggets desperately need him now instead of later, and having Kenyon Martin back for front court depth would not hurt as well. As for JR, he may need to find a new team when he returns.
Overview: The Nuggets became my second-favorite team to watch last season after they traded Carmelo Anthony. On any given night, their starting 5 could be different, and there was no consistent playing time handed out to anyone, but that’s what made them fun to watch. They were 10-deep, and had enough depth to play any style of basketball. This season, they will have the same formula again. They won’t have the guys I just mentioned, but the replacements are not too bad. Corey Brewer and Rudy Fernandez will try to take on the roles that Chandler and Smith had last season. They also re-signed Nene which helps, and Andre Miller7 should provide some good veteran leadership. The team has done a great job finding guys that fit the team and they still have enough talent to fight for a final spot in the playoffs this season.
Season Prediction: (35-31) = 78-year old Andre Miller filling in for an injured Ty Lawson and scoring 50 points in a game against the Golden State Warriors, having me wonder once again who is Andre Miller?
Parts 3, 4, & 5 should be coming really soon, before the Christmas day tip-off, so keep it posted. Thanks for reading.
Footnotes:
Footnotes:
1 And creating the 1st super team by giving him away to Boston, which he receives no praise for.
2 Luke Ridinour, Wes Johnson or/and Derrick Williams, Michael Beasley, and Anthony Randolph in a three or four team trade with the Lakers and Magic that will get them Andrew Bynum and some other guys wouldn't be too bad.
3 Did I type that twice? That's what I call a double-double, silly.
4 Only if the Lakers do not trade Bynum for Dwight Howard by the end of the season
5 No way he actually gets traded. He's way too important to the Celtics.
6 He's actually stuck in China right now and there's no guarantee he'll return and re-sign with the Suns.
7 How does he do it?? He's not very big, he lacks speed and athleticism, a terrible shooter, yet he has been one of the most consistent point guards in the league for the last decade. 
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