Playoff season is here and the bottom half of the league is not so patiently waiting for the offseason. But many of these teams have bright futures and have high potential to be championship contenders. Here is the future outlook on the 13 teams that didn't make it ranked by best and worst futures.
1: New Jersey Nets Record: 33-49
With a potential top pick, tons of cap space and solid starters at 3 positions this team already looks good. but what could make them championship contenders is star player Dwight Howard. Dwight is an inefficient scorer due to his poor free throw shooting, but he is a good defensive player and rebounder.
What the team needs: a playmaking point guard/ #1 offensive option
2: Portland Trailblazers Record: 35-47
The blazers taking this spot will make a lot of teams pretty angry when they don't have an elite young star on a rookie deal like Dwight, but let's look at it this way. No other lottery team has two elite two way NBA stars. Both Steve Francis and Tayshaun Prince are top 5 players at their positions and both are elite defensive players. The loss of Finley shouldn't hurt much and they have their pick and almost 20 million in cap space.
What the team needs: A frontcourt of any quality, a 3rd elite two way player that played the 4 or 5 would put them into championship status immediately
12: Denver Nuggets Record: 20-62
Chris Bosh is a solid player but not a max guy, and this team will have a top 4 pick. But being locked into 3 players that are past their primes to big contracts to a terrible team with the best player hitting the market could be something that nothing short of star youngster Kevin Durant could fix.
what this team needs: to dump those contracts, Mike Bibby being the obvious. Bosh is worth a max to somebody and that could be this team depending on where the pick lands
13: Golden State Warriors Record: 26-56
Good luck new guy because this team is a mess. The Van Excel contract is awful, Nickoloz and Butler lack the upside needed to reach their contracts, Robinson is old and on top of all of that after being one of the 3 worst teams this season Golden State doesn't get it's own pick.
what the team needs: to clear house. Butler and Robinson both have value, I'd get whatever assets you can get and clear as much salary as possible. Start the rebuild to give this team a direction.
More to come each round.