Ty Ranks the 2023 - 2024 NBA Teams - Good Band Playing in a Bad Venue Division

Day three of my preseason NBA countdown gets us into the playoff team mix today. As I continue this countdown I am getting more and more excited about the upcoming season.

At 20 I have the Chicago Bulls. This team needs to pick a lane. They should probably rebuild, but they seem to want to stay in the play in mix. They are also older, so I am kind of confused as to what their long term plans are. I am a fan of DeMar DeRozan. He has been a solid player his whole career and he continues to put up solid numbers. I think DeRozan will not be fully appreciated as a player until he retires. Zach Lavine is still here and he can still score in bunches. He doesn't have the hops that he used to, and he is not a very good defender. But, the guy can score. I don't know that he will finish the season with the Bulls, but they have him for now. Lonzo Ball is out all season and that is a bummer. Alex Caruso has never been able to find the guy who he was with the Lakers. Coby White is an okay enough player, but his talent hasn't really translated in the NBA. Andre Drummond likes to make wild proclamations, and while he is a good rebounder, he doesn't do much else. Ayo Dosunmu is a good backup but he starts too often here. Jevon Carter could easily take his spot. Nikola Vucevic is still around, but he just seems like a warm body at this point. And I wonder if Patrick Williams will ever put it together. As I said, I think they should rebuild and get young, but if they keep this core together they will be a 35-38 win team and might be out of the play in conversation.

At 19 I have the Toronto Raptors. This is another team in the same vein as the Bulls. I don't know what their plan is, but I have to think they may be better off rebuilding. Pascal Siakim is the best player on their team. I like Siakim a ton, but take that statement as you will. He is a decent scorer and defender, but he is not much of an outside shooter. And his contract is up after this season. Scottie Barnes is really good. I know he took a step back last season, but he is too talented to be down for long. I hope they let him run the show this season. OG Anunoby may be more of a trade chip than anything else right now. He is a very solid all around player, but I don't get the obsession. Jakob Poeltl got a contract this offseason, but I don't get the appeal of him. He is fine, but not great. Gary Trent Jr is an okay enough bench scorer. Jalen McDaniels was a nice offseason signing. I am not a humongous fan of the Gradey Dick draft pick. I don't have a ton of faith in him. And Dennis Schroeder can bring some veteran leadership, while rankling some people the wrong way. Toronto will be a tough out, and they could push 40 wins, but not many more than that.

At 18, my first playoff team, I have the New Orleans Pelicans. This is purely based on availability with this team. If they are healthy they could be a top 10 team. Unfortunately they are barely ever healthy. Zion Williamson is unguardable. He also looks to be in shape. But how many games will he play? How effective will he be on defense? Can he stay on the floor for 30 minutes a night? There are a lot of questions surrounding him. Brandon Ingram had a tough FIBA and I am curious to see how he performs after that. He is also in a contract year, so I am genuinely curious how he plays. Jonas Valincunas is an okay enough big man, but he is a dinosaur at center. He will bruise you and try to beat you up, but he is going to find it tough to guard the younger faster players. Herb Jones is already hurt. I haven't heard much from Larry Nance Jr this offseason. Trey Murphy may be in for a leap. Jose Alvarado is a very menacing defender, but I wonder if his bit is up. CJ McCollum can still score, but I wonder if he is more concerned with his duties as president of the players union. Then it is a grab bag of players. The Pelicans were in the top 3 after the first quarter of last season, and then injuries ravaged this team. I want them to stay healthy so I can see what they are fully capable of this year.

At 17 I have the Dallas Mavericks. This team is totally different from what they were two seasons ago. They only have one dude, Luka Doncic, from that team that played significant time. Doncic is a good player, I just despise watching him play basketball. He is whiny, a ball stopper and bores me with his methodical play. He is a younger James Harden. Kyrie Irving is a space case. He never seems to have his head fully into basketball. Grant Williams started to miss games last season due to a coach's decision. I think a change of scenery may help, but I also wonder if, when he played, it was due to Boston's system. Seth Curry is back and I have no feelings either way about them signing him. Jaden Hardy should get ample playing time this season. Dereck Lively Jr was a good pick, but he is raw. He needs time. Tim Hardaway Jr, as much as I root for him, has regressed. They signed Dante Exum. He is a very good defender, but he is a ZERO on offense. Omax Prosper has serious potential, as long as he gets on the court. And Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell will split the center minutes. Whoopdedoo. The Mavericks are an oddly constructed team, but they do have two great backcourt players. I wonder how many wins that will result in though because they play no defense.

The final team for the day, at 16 I have the OKC Thunder. The Thunder may be the most fun team to watch all year long. I have high expectations for them too. They really came on strong last season, and I think they will only build upon that. Shai Gilgeous Alexander is a burgeoning star. He is going to be a perennial MVP candidate. He is such a good point guard and he is only going to get better. Jalen Williams had a real shot at rookie of the year last season and he has looked great in preseason so far. Josh Giddey is getting a little stronger and a little nastier. That is good for him. I'm curious to see how Chet Holmgren does. He is soft, but he did get bigger this offseason. He was kind of worked by Webayama the other night though. Cason Wallace looks really good. They have ambitions to play guys like Tre Mann, Isaish Joeand Lu Dort big minutes. Time will tell on that. But this team has been building through the draft, they have picks for days and they have a very solid core of guys. The Thunder are going to be legit in two to three years. But they will show another step this season.

That is it for today. Comeback tomorrow for the next five teams. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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The Nets Won the Kyrie Trade

Kyrie Irving got his wish. He is no longer a Brooklyn Net. He wanted a trade before Thursday and the Nets front office obliged. I was kind of curious to see if he would actually sit out, but who knows with this narcissistic asshole. He is the worst. But, he was traded. He is gone. He is on a new team that he might end up corrupting, as he is wont to do.

Irving and Markieff Morris were traded to the Mavericks for Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie and a shit ton of picks. The picks are not going to be lottery picks, but they are picks nonetheless. Picks are coveted by teams nowadays in the trade market.

When the news broke that Irving had been traded I wasn't surprised. I knew he wanted to be moved, I read the Nets were going to move him and they wanted a haul. What took me aback was the fact he was traded to the Mavs. I was damn near certain he was going to go to the Lakers. Apparently they put up their future picks and a few players. Joe Tsai wanted nothing to do with the Lakers and I respect him freezing them out. The NBA doesn't have to help the Lakers just because they are the Lakers. There were better offers to be had and Tsai wanted one of those. I saw the Clippers offer, which what was reported seemed pretty awesome, but Tsai turned that one down too. I guess he really did not want to send Irving to LA. Again, I respect that. I know a few other teams were involved but those were never actually going to happen. But the Mavs came out and threw a haul at Brooklyn. They got picks, a very solid, young 3 and D wing and Dinwiddie could be decent there, or he could be bought out and the Nets can get someone else.

I like this deal for Brooklyn. They got some nice pieces to surround KD with, if he doesn't ask to leave. Finney-Smith is a good player. While on the Mavs he guarded the opposition's best offensive player pretty much every night. And he did a formidable job. During the playoffs last season Finney-Smith made life hell for the Suns. He blanketed Devin Booker when asked. Chris Paul had one of his worst playoff series ever, and Finney-Smith would guard him from time to time. Even on the rare occasion I watch the Mavs, I do not like them, Finney-Smith may not have been making his threes as much, but his defense was still on point. This will take a bit of pressure off KD and Nic Claxton. Adding a defensive minded player was a smart move for the Nets. This was an underrated move on their part. Dinwiddie, if he stays, can add some solid bench scoring. He and Seth Curry, while it could be rough on defense, can score buckets of points. Dinwiddie also played his best professional basketball on his first go round with the Nets. He can also be moved again for more picks or a younger player. This was a nice addition. And the picks, from what I have read, are going to be used for trade bait. The Nets want to build around KD and teams want picks. The Nets can go to some bottom feeders, like the Pistons and Rockets, and try to lure a player like Bojan Bogdanovic or Eric Gordon. This was a good trade for the Nets.

For the Mavericks, I do not know. I do not like Dallas. I despise Luka Doncic. I hate all the undo love he gets. I don't think Jason Kidd is a title caliber coach. Mark Cuban is a blowhard. I also do not like that they had to put Finney-Smith in this trade. Look, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are going to make for a deadly backcourt on the offensive end. There is only one ball and both guys are ball dominant, but Irving has shown he can play without the ball after playing with LeBron James and KD. I despise Irving as a person, but the dude can hoop. But this is a bad defensive backcourt. Defense is supposed to be what Kidd excels at coaching, but this is going to be a tough sell. Neither of these dudes want to exert much energy on defense. I also wonder how Kyrie is going to feel going to a team that has a clear driver. Luka Doncic is the face of the Mavericks. There is no doubt about that. Dallas fans seem to like his clunky boring style of basketball. I don't get it, but I am not a fan. I think it will work for a bit, but Kyrie Irving will get frustrated at some point. It's what he does. The Mavs also do not have much defense outside of Reggie Bullock now, and he is slipping. I already mentioned their piss poor backcourt defense. Tim Hardaway Jr, a player I adore, has never been a defensive minded guy. Christian Wood is only an offensive player. He is also on an expiring contract. He doesn't care about defense, he cares about numbers. Bullock is okay, but not as good as a year ago. JaVale McGee can't get on the floor. Jaden Harvey is a rookie and that wall is coming. Dwight Powell is soft. Davis Bertans is trash. Frank Ntilikina can't get any minutes. It looks rough. This team is going to have to outscore opponents. Which they are equipped to do. But it is going to be hard. The Mavs are currently 28-26 and 6th in the West standings. They are nine games behind the 1 seed, Denver Nuggets. But they are within striking distance of the 3 or 4 seed. They need to start winning and winning now. I am curious to see how they play together, but I do not have high hopes. I do think they can stay within the top 6 and miss the play-in, but that has more to do with the conference, not their talent.

I am lukewarm on this trade for the Mavs. I don't trust Irving and I don't like Luka Doncic. I do like the trade for the Nets though, if they can keep KD. He has some solid young talent around him at the moment. We will see, but I am glad that the NBA trade season is alive and well. It makes the deadline fun. I cannot wait to see who is moved next. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty's 2022 - 2023 NBA Season Preview: Cavaliers, Mavericks, Nets

Welcome to day seven of my 22-23 NBA countdown. We are at the teams that I look at as locks to make the playoffs as long as nothing goes too haywire.

At number 12 I have the Cleveland Cavaliers. They made a big time offseason splash when they went out and traded for Donovan Mitchell. He makes this backcourt especially explosive. Mitchell can score from anywhere. He can take on any defender. He is a walking bucket. His defense leaves a lot to be desired, but he will have another anchor helping him out. I was low on Darius Garland when he came into the draft a few years ago but he has proven me wrong. He is as good as advertised. He is an all star. He is a top point guard in the league. He does what you want a modern point guard to do. Evan Mobley is awesome. He was instantly one of my favorite players when he entered the league. He is so smooth. He is great in the post. He is a wonderful defender. He is an excellent rebounder. He has superstar quality written all over him. Jarrett Allen is great as well. Allen is a perfect modern big. He does not care about his stats as well. He just wants to win. Caris Levert is a pure scorer off the bench. He can feast on second units. Kevin Love was close to winning sixth man of the year. He has moved to his bench role with no problems. Ricky Rubio is coming off injury, but he is as good a passer as he ever was. Robin Lopez brings toughness off the bench in the low post. Isaac Okoro needs minutes, but he has the tools to be solid. The Cavs were close last year. They were in the play in, but they got hurt and faltered at the end of last season. They went out and got a big name and I think it will benefit them greatly. They are a playoff lock for me.

At number 11 I have the Dallas Mavericks. They do have Luka Doncic. I think he is wildly overrated personally. I think he gets far too much credit from every white sports writer in the country. I don't buy it and I don't buy him. But he is a solid basketball player. He is good on offense, but poor on defense. Christian Wood was a nice trade, but how will he mesh on a winning team? How will he feel coming off the bench? How will he deal with less touches? Time will tell. Spencer Dinwiddie shot the lights out last season, especially in the playoffs. I wonder which Dinwiddie we will see this year. Will it be the Brooklyn/playoff Dallas version, or the Washington Wizards version? Mavs fans should hope for playoff Dinwiddie. Tim Hardaway Jr is back from injury, and he is a solid scorer. Reggie Bullock plays wonderful defense and can shoot open threes. JaVale McGee has gotten all the bad basketball out of his system and has become a good bench player. Dwight Powell is barely playable anymore. Frank Ntilikina is very good on defense, but he is a zero on offense. Dorian Finney-Smith is solid. Maxi Kleber is fine. And Davis Bertans can still kind of shoot. I think making the West Finals was a bit of a mirage. But this team should still compete and make the playoffs.

The final team for the day, at 10 I have the Brooklyn Nets. On paper this team looks like a title contender. You look at the stars and they are big. You look at the city and it is enormous. The coach is famous, the owners are famous and this team should be a title contender. Hell, I had them winning it all with ease last season. And then last season happened. It was rough. Kevin Durant is still amazing. He is unguardable. He can score from anywhere. He is long and switchable on defense. But he doesn't always seem to be fully stable. He fights with internet trolls. He gets too much hate online, but he doesn't always have to respond. Kyrie Irving is a mess. He is a flat earther, he is anti vax, he sages the court. He is nuts. But the dude can hoop. Ben Simmons hasn't played in over a year. He says he has mental health issues. He has complained about former teammates and coaches. The last time he was on a basketball court he passed up a wide open dunk. He can't shoot free throws. But he is an amazing defender. He can run the point. He can do some things great and some things not so great. Seth Curry and Joe Harris are wonderful shooters, but both are hurt. Nic Claxton is a good rim runner, but barely touches the ball. TJ Warren hasn't played in forever. Patty Mills fell off a cliff last season. Markieff Morris is an okay enough vet who brings toughness. Look, the Nets have the guys, but those guys are so flaky that they can never be counted on. I mean both Kyrie and KD wanted out before the season and now we are to believe that everything is cool? No way. This team is a mess, but it is a talented mess.

That is it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next three teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

Ty's 2021-2022 NBA Preview: Trailblazers, Mavericks, Hawks, Clippers

Welcome to day five of my 2021 NBA countdown. All of these teams are playoff bound. They could even make noise if things go their way. I like some of these teams but I also dislike one team on my countdown today. You'll see when I discuss said team.

At 14 I have the Portland Trailblazers. This feels like the last chance they have to do anything with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. I think if they have another early playoff exit, Dame is gone. That being said, they do still have Dame for at least this season. And he is a killer. This dude is a beast on offense, can score from anywhere past half court and is a big game player. He has put teams out of the playoffs in his career. He is so awesome, loyal and has pushed this franchise as far as they have been since the early 90's. CJ McCollum is another really good scorer. He has gotten better each year he has been in the league. He is also a super fun social media follow. But he is who he is at this point. He's good, not great. I liked the Norman Powell addition at the deadline last year, and I thought it was smart to re-sign him. He adds more scoring and is a solid defender. Jusuf Nurkic, if he can stay on the floor, is a great big man for this team. He has also become a solid post scorer. He just needs to stay healthy. I love the addition of Larry Nance Jr. He is a better version of Derrick Jones Jr and he is a much better defender. The Cody Zeller signing was very blah. If Anfernee Simons is going to pop he needs time on the floor and this may be his last chance in Portland. Tony Snell is a sniper. Robert Covington has slipped, but he can still be a menace on defense. Nassir Little just hasn't gotten it yet. And guys like Marquesse Chriss and Patrick Paterson are toast. I like Portland, and if they make a push for a guy like Kevin Love that could really open things up. As for now they are a firm playoff team simply because Dame is so damn good at basketball. He is amazing.

At number 13 I have the Dallas Mavericks. I think the Mavericks might be the most overrated team in the NBA. They have not been out of the first round in two years yet some seem to think they are on the precipice of the Finals. I don't get it. I also do not get all the love for Luka Doncic. He is a very good offensive basketball player. He does very good stuff. But he is boring, and whiny and slow and not the super duper star that Zach Lowe or Bill Simmons have made him out to be. He is also atrocious defensively. He is a fine player, but he is not an MVP. Not even close. Kristaps Porzingis is the softest seven footer I have ever watched. He is also very whiny. He is also very brittle. And he thinks he is way better than he actually is. He is a seven foot shooter, and he is not named Dirk. Tim Hardaway Jr has turned out to be a sniper, but he is also a total defensive liability. He gets hunted by other teams. Maxi Kleber is not the defensive stalwart that ESPN has made him out to be. Kawhi destroyed him in the playoffs last year. Dwight Powell cannot stay on the floor. Willie Cauley Stein has bounced around the league and cannot seem to find a right fit. Boban is more of a personality than a player. Reggie Bullock was a solid signing who will bring some kind of defense to this team. Frank Ntilikina was brought in for defense alone. Jalen Brunson is very blah. And Dorian Finney Smith has not made the leap. The Mavericks are a playoff team, but I see them more of a 6 or play in type playoff team. They are not even close to a title contender.

At 12 I have the Atlanta Hawks. They had one hell of a ride last season. Now we will see if they are for real. I think they are. Trae Young is awesome. He played the role of villain so great. He is a great shooter and excellent passer. He rules. He has also gone further in the playoffs than Luka. John Collins showed out in the playoffs, got paid and I think he is due to make another leap. He is great. I love Clint Capela on this team. He is a perfect pick and roll partner with Young and he looks to be returning as a defensive stopper. Cam Reddish has shown flashes in his limited role, which is perfect for him. DeAndre Hunter is proving that the Hawks were right to take him so high in the lottery two years ago. Bogdan Bogdanovic and Kevin Huerter are great three point shooters and floor spreaders. Sharife Cooper will get to learn how to play point guard from Trae Young. Lou Williams is still a super hot scorer from the bench. Jahlil Okafor has fully bought into being a minimal role player and that suits him. And Gorgui Dieng is a great fit as a deep bench vet. The Hawks are back and it is good to see. This team is young and fun and will be around for a while.

The final team for today, at number 11 I have the LA Clippers. They are only here because of injury. They would be a lot higher if they had a healthy Kawhi. Without Kawhi, for probably the whole year, this team is going to have to dig deep to be a real playoff threat. Paul George was great last year. I do not care that a lot of people say nasty stuff about him, the dude is good at basketball. He more than showed up against the Suns. He put on a show. He is also one of the best defenders in the league. PG can play, and he proved that tenfold last year. Terrance Mann proved he belongs in the league. He had a very solid playoffs. Reggie Jackson seems to have found a home, and with Patrick Beverly gone, he is the starting point guard. Eric Beldsoe is not as gifted athletically anymore, but he brings veteran experience to this team. They're taking a flyer on Justise Winslow, and if he does any little thing, he will help this team. If Serge Ibaka can stay on the floor he can space it offensively, is still an okay rebounder and can still protect the rim. I think Keon Johnson will find minutes here and there and he will bring energy to this squad. Ivica Zubac is a very solid center. Luke Kennard is overpaid, but he can shoot. Marcus Morris Sr was also good in the playoffs and he is tough. And Nic Batum still has something he can add to this team. The Clippers are kind of in nowhere land with Kawhi being out. But they still have some guys on this team that will push them to the playoffs.

That is it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next four teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty's 2020-2021 NBA Preview: The One or Two Round Playoff Teams

Now we are getting to the good teams, the playoff teams. I would personally write these teams down in pen. Now, injuries, COVID positives and other random stuff can come up, and possibly will. But with the way these teams rosters are constructed now, it would have to be a major blow to move them out of the playoffs. They would have to lose star players for ample amounts of time. I don't think that will happen with these teams, and that is why I have them as "locks" for the playoffs.

At number 15 I have the Atlanta Hawks. Too high you say. Not enough defense you say. Won't mesh you say. I disagree with all of that. I also think Lloyd Pierce is going to prove how good of a head coach he is this year, and the Hawks will be back in the mix. Trae Young is great. No he is not Luka Doncic, and he can't shoot like Steph, but he has range for days, and he will find any way to score a bucket. His defense is lacking, and if he put some effort in it, a la Steph Curry, it would make a difference. But he is liable to go off for 30 plus any given night. I will take any day. I love John Collins. I do not want Atlanta to trade him either. I think he and Young are a good duo, and after admitting he didn't put in enough effort on D last year, he turned it around near the end of their season. He is also a bruiser in the paint. If Clint Capela can stay healthy, I don't see why he isn't the exact same player he was in Houston. Trae is a more willing passer than Harden, and Capela is going to get all the lob dunks he could ever want. He is also an okay enough rim protector. They ended up signing Bogdan Bogdanovic after the Milwaukee trade fell through. He adds even more space, and he is a solid shot creator. If DeAndre Hunter can play a little better defense, he is their version of Draymond or Kawhi. Kevin Huerter may lose minutes to Bogdanovic, but he is going to be instant offense off the bench, and I feel like he will light up second units. I could say the same for Cam Reddish. He lost some luster at Duke, but now he is being given the time and effort to do his own thing, and he is a very solid player, with room to grow. Rajon Rondo adds super intelligence and Danilo Gallinari is a very solid player when healthy. Kris Dunn is a bull dog on defense, and if that kid from USC they drafted is brought along slowly, he could be a solid bench guy. The Hawks went all in this offseason, and I applaud them for it. They will be in the playoffs this year.

At number 14 I have the Phoenix Suns. Here is another team that went all in, and it only took one guy to put them there. Getting Chris Paul was a humongous deal. After seeing what he did in OKC last year, while I may not like him as a player, I respect the hell out of his game. He is also going to be playing next to a younger, less ball hoggy version of James Harden, with Devin Booker. Booker is on the cusp of stardom. The kid can flat our score, he has improved his handles and he at least tries on defense. Booker wanted the Suns to make a push, and they certainly did when they traded for Paul. Deandre Ayton got better as the year went on, and was very good in the bubble. If he continues on this trajectory, he is going to fit in just fine with Booker and Paul. He is also a threat from outside, which is super useful for a 7 footer. Mikal Bridges had a very good rookie year, he can shoot and his arms are as long as any person's I have ever seen. He is going to be a very good NBA starter. Jalen Smith was a solid draft pick. He was a good big at Maryland, he is built and he hustles his ass off. Picking up Jae Crowder was quietly a great move. He adds shooting and defense, and an edge this team has lacked. Dario Saric seemingly refound his game in the bubble. And Elie Okobo might be ready to be a good bench contributor. The Suns had one of the better off seasons I can remember, and the sheer addition of Paul is enough for me to make them a playoff team, even with playing in the West.

At number 13 I have the Houston Rockets. Now, all of this depends on if they keep Harden, or what they get in trade. Houston is a mess, but Harden is the definition of a walking bucket, he is a perennial MVP candidate, and if he plays, Houston will find a way to make the playoffs. But if he is gone, they go way, way down on my list. Adding John Wall was puzzling, I wrote about that last week. He hasn't played in two years, seems like he is in okay shape, but I do not have any clue how he is going to look, and how he will coexist with Harden. PJ Tucker is awesome, I love watching him play, and he goes hard every night. But it seems like he wants out too, and losing him would really hurt this team. Eric Gordon is a very good three point shooter, and when he locks in on D he is good. But it seems like he may want out also. Singing Christian Wood was a good move. He was, lowkey, a very solid scorer in the post, and he can stretch defenders to the three. He fits in nice here. Tyson Chandler is on this team, but he rarely sees the floor. They signed Boogie Cousins, and while I love the reunion of him and Wall, Cousins is slow, and coming off two very brutal injuries himself. Gerald Green and Ben McLemore are fine bench guys, but they don't move the needle. And I like the addition of Thabo Sefolosha, but he isn't the lockdown defender he was in OKC. Houston's playoff hopes ride on Harden's shoulders. If he stays, and they don't have to trade him, they are in. But, if he leaves, if he gets traded, this will be a whole different conversation.

At number 12 I have the Portland Trailblazers. The Trailblazers are like the Magic, but they do have playoff success, just not as much as they would like. Damian Lillard is otherworldly. For me, he has surpassed Steph as the best pure scorer. He is Allen Iverson with a jumper. He is also a killer, which I love. Lillard is a star, and I will not hear otherwise. CJ McCollum is a perfect sidekick to Lillard. He is a great shooter, he can create, and he is a super smart player. He doesn't make any mistakes. Neither of them are great defenders, but they are so good offensively that it makes up for that. Jusuf Nurkic is back healthy, and he was a force in the bubble. I didn;t respect his game as much as I should, and that is on me. That dude is tenacious and solid and just a good NBA player. Carmelo re signed, and for as much flak as I might give him, he seemed to buy into being a bench guy and playing like "Olympic Carmelo". He can still put it up with the best of them. Getting Robert Covington helps with their defense, which is what this team lacks most. He can also space the floor, and will not allow teams to double Lillard or McCollum. I like Derrick Jone Jr too. He is probably the most athletic player in the league that you have never heard of, and he will do some highlight reel things for Portland. Zach Collins is coming off an injury, but if he is 75 percent of what he was prior to his injury, that is great for their second unit. Rodney Hood is also back after missing a year with injury. He is a good scorer and shot creator and should lead the second unit. Anfernee Simons is young, and coveted by other teams. I would keep him, but it is nice to have that in your back pocket. And adding Enes Kanter and Harry Giles makes them bigger and will give them a bit more flexibility. The Trailblazers will not be fighting for a playoff spot this year, they will firmly be in that 4, 5 or 6 range.

And at number 11 I have the Dallas Mavericks. Look, I am not a fan of this team. I think they whine and complain too much, and I do not like how major media outlets are so quick to point out their white savior in Luka Doncic. That being said, Doncic is awesome. He is a good shooter, a better passer and an excellent shot creator. He is as smart as advertised and the dude is legit. Kristaps Porzingis hasn't live up to the hype. But being the second or third guy seems to suit him just fine. He isn't a bruiser for how big he is, but he can sure shoot the ball. Tim Hardaway Jr has carved out a nice niche in the NBA for himself. He is a lockdown shooter, and I don't think he gets enough credit for his defense. Josh Richardson is another outside shooter for this team, and I think a change of scenery will certainly help. James Johnson is one of the baddest dudes in the league. He makes Jae Crowder look meek, and I think the Mavericks will like having him on their team. Boban is Boban. He is goofy, runs weird and was in "John Wick 3". But, you cannot teach height, and he is something like 7'6. Trey Burke seems to have found a home as a second unit scorer, and he fits in nicely. Willie Cauley Stein is a good pick and roll guy. And, if healthy, Dwight Powell adds depth. The Mavericks are a playoff lock now because of Doncic. He isn't as great as everyone says yet, but he is good enough to lead this team to the playoffs yearly.

That is it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next five teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Ty's 2019-2020 NBA Preview: Suns, Bulls, Thunder, Mavericks

Day 2 of my NBA countdown has done usual suspects that fall low on my list, but also a new team that is trying to rank it seems.

Coming in at number 26 I have the Phoenix Suns. I proclaimed them as my new favorite team, but after this offseason, I may have to jump ship. I don’t get some of the moves they made. Why did they sign Frank Kaminsky? Couldn’t they get more fit Josh Jackson? What is going on with that front office? The Suns have a good amount of problems right now. That being said, they still have Devin Booker, and that dude can score. He is a walking bucket. But isn’t he just a poor man’s Brad Beal? He could go for 30 a night, but will it really matter? I still have high hopes for Deandre Ayton. I think he can be really good if he fully buys in. Yes he was a rookie, but he looked lost and preoccupied at times last year. He also got eaten up by bigger centers. I still have faith in him though. I think Ricky Rubio was a solid signing, they just gave him too much money. Booker could thrive with a point guard like Rubio, but Rubio has never really lived up to the hype. He’s been solid, but never great. I also am not a fan of them letting TJ Warren leave as a free agent. They need guys like him. Guys like Kelly Oubre are good and well for a solid game here and there. But, he’s not consistent like Warren. The Suns have 2 really solid building blocks, but they have a ton of work to do. And they need to win if they want to keep Booker.

At number 25 I have the Chicago Bulls. This may seem far too low for some, I’ve heard some people say they can push for the playoffs, but i think that says more about the East than the Bulls. They have okay players, but that’s it, they’re just okay. Zach Lavine is not a guy you want to build around. He’s an average scorer, an excellent leaper and a so so defender. That’s it. Lauri Markanen can shoot, but he’s soft. Kris Dunn is a bust. I love Coby White, and I want him to be good, but it will take time. Wendell Carter was playing okay, but he got hurt. I just feel like the Bulls have far more questions than answers. And, if they do make the playoffs, I’d be stunned. They still seem a ways off.

At number 25 I have the OKC Thunder. This is another team that I don’t know what they’re doing, but smart people, smarter than me about the NBA, seem to think they could push for the playoffs. I say no way, especially in the West. The Thunder need to fully embrace the rebuild. Their stars are gone. All of them. They’ve moved on. And I know they acquired Chris Paul in the Westbrook trade, but he’s old and has been on the decline for the past couple years. And, I don’t think he’ll be on the team come All Star break. Same goes for Steven Adams. I don’t think he’s going to want to be around on a team that’s rebuilding. He’s getting to the back end if his career, and for a player that’s been in the playoffs every season, I think he will want to keep that streak alive. What this team needs to do is give the keys to Shai Gilgeous Alexander. Build around him. He’s young, he’s good and looks like a team leader. He had big moments last year in LA, and looks ready to take the next step. You can pair any number of the other young guys, like Terrance Ferguson for example, with SGA, and start a rebuild from there. They also have about a million draft picks in the next couple drafts. The Thunder are in a perfect position for a good rebuild. Take that route, use picks, trade old vets for more picks and younger players and be ready to be a threat in 3 or 4 years. That’s what I would do anyway.

My final team for today, coming in at number 23, I have the Dallas Mavericks. Here’s another team that will win 35-40 games, but are just not ready to compete in the West. Not yet anyway. Luka Doncic was every bit as good as advertised. Now he just needs to keep it up. Keep getting better, stay in shape and improve the little things. The Mavs traded for Kristaps Porzingis last year, of which he played zero games, and they seem to think he will come out on fire this year. I think it’s going to take time for him to get back to his good days with the Knicks, and don’t forget, he was accused of sexual assault this past offseason. Some people may have forgotten that, I didn’t. Outside those 2 guys, this team is cobbled with an odd mixture. Tim Hardaway Jr is still there, and he will have a 25 point game here and there, but he’s much more prone to scoring 12 points on 3 of 15 shooting. JJ Barea is somehow still in the league even though he seems like he’s 60 years old. Boban is on the team, but he’s more of a spectacle than a player of circumstance. They have the less talented Curry. Courtney Lee is there to shoot threes and be trade bait. Jalen Brunson is fine, but he’s a bench player at best. And Justin Jackson left Sacramento, where he was a non factor, to come ride the bench here. The Mavs will win games, and Luka is legit, but I don’t but them as a playoff team. They have work to do, but they’re on the right track.

That’s it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next 4 teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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Dirk Nowitzki and Dwaye Wade Helped Shape the Modern NBA

Last night two great NBA careers ended. Both Dirk Nowitzki and Dwayne Wade played their last NBA games last night. And they both played pretty well. I think they are both doing the right thing walking away now, but both look like they could still contribute, albeit in a small way, to most NBA teams. But I wanted to take a minute today to congratulate both of them on their hall of fame careers.

That's right, both are surefire first ballot hall of famers. Dirk was the first Euro league player I saw that was that big and could shoot that well. He was 7 feet tall, but he played an outside game. He had a nasty pull up jumper. He could also elevate over smaller defenders, which was the majority of NBA players, and hit jumpers with ease. He was the first big guy that made jumpers fun. To see him do the things he did, at his height, amazed me. He was a less athletic KD. He was a stronger Manute Bol. He was a taller Karl Malone. And when he first was in the league, he did a go to the basket move. He, Steve Nash and Michael Finley were a ton of fun to watch when they were all on the Mavs. They ran a great fast break, with Dirk finding the open spot on or near the elbow, and Finley filling the lane. He also came back from some hardships on the floor. He won the MVP awhile back, and that team lost in the first round of the playoffs to the "We Believe" Warriors. But, Dirk came back next year and helped lead the Mavs to the title. The team they beat in that Finals, it was the first year Big Three Heat. The Mavs totally shut down LeBron, and Bosh was neutralized. This helped Dirk play top notch offense, and he led that team to its only title. He totally redeemed himself. And like I said before, he paved the way for big guys like KD and KAT and AD to want to shoot, and make, three pointers. He made the pull up jumper en vogue. If I heard Steph call him an innovator and an influence, I would totally buy it. Dirk was also a great teammate. You never heard anyone complain about him. He took on free agents and rookies like family. He seemed like a genuinely fun guy to be around. He was always good in interviews and on TV. He was the consummate pro. What I loved most about this final season though, he waited until the very end to let everyone know he was retiring. It seemed like a foregone conclusion, but he didn't want the hubbub or fanfare. He left the game like Tim Duncan, on his own terms.

As far as Dwayne Wade goes, he more than deserved his sendoff. I adored that he made this season a farewell tour. Prior to all that though, Wade was a killer and a winner. From his draft day slip to now, he has always played like he has something to prove. People seem to forget that he was the MVP in a Finals before LeBron joined up with him. Wade, and a much older and slower Shaq, beat the Mavs in 6 games to win a title, and Wade was the man in that series. Sure, there is some question to the officiating, but Wade did what he had to do, and dominated those Finals. It was his big time coming out party. It was when he ascended to superstardom. After that, he was always an all star, a perennial all NBA player, in talks as an MVP. He was one of the best shooting guards in the game, and one of the best shooting guards ever. Even when LeBron showed up, I still thought that Wade was the engine that made that team run. He did the veteran move and stepped aside, but without him, the Heat don't win those titles. He always had big time playoff games and would constantly remind the nation that he was a monster on the court. And even when he left Miami and joined LeBron back in Cleveland, he was still important. His one year with the Bulls he almost helped them upset the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. He then went back to Miami and helped them back to the playoffs with a team filled with no big named people. And while this final season didn't end in a playoff appearance, Wade played really well and seemed to enjoy every moment. I also love that Paul Pierce tried to claim he was as good as Wade, and he was not having it. Wade has better averages across the board, more titles and is much more important to the game than Pierce could've ever dreamed of being. And I think Pierce was a great NBA player, he just isn't Dwayne Wade great. Wade, like Nowitzki, was also a great teammate and a consummate pro. He was just more fun to watch, at least for me. I think it is awesome that he went out with a triple double too.

Last night saw 2 great careers end, but not in a sad way. They both went out on their terms, in their own personal ways, and I loved every second of their illustrious NBA career's. Enjoy retirement you 2, you both more than deserve it.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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The Knicks Did a Dumb Thing

I was going to write about another new show that totally blew me away, but an enormous trade just recently happened in the NBA, and I am going to use my platform to talk about how blown away I am right now. Hell, I am still kind of processing this trade because I didn't think this team could get any dumber.

Never underestimate the stupidity of the New York Knicks.

By trading Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks, the Knicks just got infinitely dumber. I assumed that the "biggest" NBA trade I would write about would have been AD to the Lakers, but that hasn't happened yet, and the Knicks pulled this dumbass stunt this afternoon. I know all the stuff that got leaked late last night and early this morning. Porzingis met with the Knicks brass, told them he was frustrated by the direction of the team and would possibly seek a trade. Well, I guess the Knicks took that quite literally, and they full on traded him this afternoon. I waited awhile too because I didn't want to be fooled. I didn't want something to hold this trade up. I assumed we may have had another Trevor Ariza deal on our hands. But nope, it was all true. The Knicks traded away their main guy, the one that was going to help them lure free agents, the future of this team, the second best unicorn in the league, behind Giannis, for next to peanuts.

Was this real worth it for New York? Sure, the Knicks got Dennis Smith Jr, who I still like, and think could have a career still, and the Mavs also threw in DeAndre Jordan, a dinosaur in the current NBA and Wes Matthews, who has not been near the same since he ravaged his knee.

The fact is that this was colossally stupid for New York.

The Mavs got a much, much better deal in return. I know that Porzingis is himself coming off a torn ACL, and big men sometimes have a hard time coming back from that, but look at Boogie Cousins right now. I feel like that is Porzingis's future, but with a better jump shot. And he is much younger than Boogie. But the Mavs didn't just get Porzingis, they also got Tim Hardaway Jr and Courtney Lee. I wouldn't be shocked if they buy out Lee and let him loose. But Hardaway Jr was a key piece for them. He doesn't play much D, but the dude can score and stretch the floor. even before Porzingis was apparently on the table, I heard that the Mavs were pursuing Hardaway Jr. Now they have him and Porzingis. And they both get to play with Luka Doncic. I mean, the Mavs are clearly going all in. Even if Porzingis doesn't play until next year, I feel like a lineup of Doncic, Hardaway Jr, Dirk and 2 of their young big guys will be a ton of fun to watch, and tough to guard. I don't think they make the playoffs without Porzingis, but I don't think they are bad. And just think of them next year. Doncic and Porzingis running the pick and roll will be deadly. It will also totally open up the three for Hardaway Jr. They won't be at the top of the West, but they will become a perennial playoff team. They will win in the 40's and 50's of games, and be really hard to guard. They will also play stout D. Also, Porzingis will be playing for, by far, the best coach in his career. Rick Carlisle will use him perfectly.

Back to the stupidity of the Knicks. I know Porzingis was mad. I know this has been a tough year. I know they are tanking. But what the hell are you doing? They needed to keep Porzingis if they wanted any big time free agent this offseason. I know they got off a ton of money, and I wouldn't be shocked if both Matthews and Jordan are traded or cut. And Smith may thrive running this offense all on his own. But Smith will not be enough to lure guys like KD or Kyrie or AD. I thought, before about 3pm my time today, that the Knicks had the best shot to sign KD this offseason. But with Porzingis gone, I think that is shot. I am a Dennis Smith Jr fan, and this is meant as zero disrespect to him, but he doesn't move the needle for a guy like KD. Also, he is a young point guard, so why would Kyrie want to join now? Then you have AD. I know he said the Knicks aren't one of his "preferred destinations", but they could have been if they still had Porzingis and the number one pick. All of that is gone because of, it seems to me, an impulse move by the Knicks front office. They are an atrocity to pro basketball right now, and they just got much, much, much worse today.

I don't get it. I want the Knicks to be relevant again because the NBA is so much better when they matter. They took a big, big step in the wrong direction with this trade today. This totally changes a lot of what I thought would happen this offseason. I guess I thought James Dolan couldn't be this stupid. I was proven very wrong. This is a horrible decision for the Knicks, but the Mavs will be much improved. I expected a lot of movement this week and next, with blockbuster names being moved. I just didn't expect, or see this one coming at all.

Wow.

Ed Note: The Knicks are stupid.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2018-2019 NBA Preview: Cavaliers, Mavericks, Grizzlies

Lets get back to the NBA.

At number 21 I have the Cleveland Cavaliers. Whenever you lose a player like LeBron James, you are going to take a tumble. With that being said, I don't think they will be as bad as some think, but I still think they will miss the playoffs. They decided to give Kevin Love the mega extension, and they are making him the face of the team now, but we have seen this movie before, and it is mediocre. The Timberwolves did the exact same thing, and they never made the playoffs. Kevin Love put up numbers, which I fully expect him to again, but he is not a guy to build a team around. George Hill is only getting older, and his shooting and point guard play in general, is getting worse. They drafted his replacement, Collin Sexton, and I hope he takes over very soon. Sexton was my favorite player in the draft last year, I pined for him to go first overall, and I think he will be a star. He has the potential to be this year's Donovan Mitchell. I love Collin Sexton. Tristan Thompson is a scum bag as a person and a mediocre, over paid big. He also said some dumb ass stuff at media day. JR Smith is still there, and still making odd headlines. He was talked about more for being shirtless and getting a tattoo on his calf than anything about his game. He may be done. Jordan Clarkson became a shell of himself when he was traded there. Kyle Korver is somehow still in the NBA. Larry Nance Jr is going to be wasted on this team, playing behind Love. They resigned Channing Frye for some unknown reason. Rodney Hood is in a make or break year, and I would bet dollars to donuts he gets hurt. And Cedi Osman will not get the playing time he needs and deserves. Like I said, we have seen the highest a Kevin Love led team can do, and that is win 41 games. The Cavs are going to take a big step back.

At number 20, I have the Dallas Mavericks. Now, I think the Mavs will be better, but the people picking them to fight for a playoff spot, in the West, need to chill out. Look, I love Luka Doncic as much as anyone. I think he will end up being one of the better players in the draft. I feel like he is the most NBA ready player. He has been playing pro ball overseas for a few years now. But, he is still a rookie, he is still 19 and he still needs to get in shape. Give him time. Dirk Nowitzki is on the team he can still score, but he is old, plays no defense, cannot jump and cannot really run. His roster spot is simply because he is a legend in Dallas. They finally got Deandre Jordan, but it is about 3 years too late. He is still a solid rim runner and defender, but he brings nothing else, at all, to the team. Dennis Smith Jr is a budding star. He and Doncic can become one of the best back courts in the NBA. He is hyper athletic. He can get to the rim with ease. He is a hard defender. His jumper will get better. I love Dennis Smith Jr. Harrison Barnes is who he is. He is a 13-15 point a night guy. He will play solid defense. He will do what is asked of him. But, he is not the star we all thought he could be. He is an okay NBA player, but not a star, not a franchise builder. JJ Barea is on the team, but I think that is simply because he and Dirk are buddies. They also drafted Jalen Brunson, but Doncic is a much better player at the same position. Wes Matthews still hasn't fully recovered from his ACL injury, and you can tell when you watch him play. He was so great, but in a flash, he lost that athletic ability that separated him while he was in Portland. Outside of those guys, it is a bunch of youngsters and old vets. Devin Harris is still on this team. They drafted Giannis' younger brother. And they have no one else of note. The Mavericks, with Doncic and Smith Jr, will be good soon, but they are not ready yet, especially in the West.

My final team for the day, at number 19, I have the Memphis Grizzlies. This is another team, just like the Mavs, that are getting possible playoff buzz in the West. That all depends on the health of Mike Conley and Marc Gasol. I don't have any faith that both can stay healthy. They will try, but one or both, will eventually get hurt. Conley is a great point guard, but he is older, not as bouncy and coming off an injury. Gasol is a great modern big, but he to is older and coming off a bad injury. He also doesn't get along with some upper office people. I think Jaren Jackson will be great, and the city will love him. He plays hard, can play defense, can shoot and play in the low post. They need to build around this kid for sure. But, just like Doncic, he is only 19, it will take some time. Chandler Parsons will get hurt. I do not care that he looks healthy now, he will get hurt. I really like the pick of Jevon Carter. He is the heir apparent to Conley, but Carter, in NBA terms, is old. He is already 22. But, he is the perfect fit for the city They signed Kyle Anderson away from San Antonio, and while I don't think he will be as bad as others to leave the Spurs, but I don't think he will play as they are expecting. He will do fine, but he is not the instant offense guy they need. JaMychal Green is in a contract year, but he hasn't really translated his game to modern NBA. Dillon Brooks had a solid rookie year, but he was just solid. H doesn't do much wrong, but he also isn't spectacular. I like Ivan Raab on this team, but he won't get the playing time he needs. And they signed Garrett Temple, who couldn't get on the floor with the Kings last year. The Grizzlies, just like the Mavs, will be good soon, once they turn the team over to Carter and Jackson, but it will take some time. I like this team, but their stars, Conley and Gasol, are old, and they cannot stay healthy. I wouldn't be shocked if both are on different teams before this season ends.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next 3 teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2017-2018 NBA Preview: Pistons, 76ers, Mavericks

Day 4 of my 2017-18 NBA countdown moves on with my number 21 team, the Detroit Pistons.

I, like many other people, were pretty high on the Pistons last year. I thought they had the goods to make a run in the playoffs, and push for a top 4 seed. Well, that didn't happen. And the main problem with this season, they are basically running it back. Reggie Jackson is still their point guard. Haven't they seen enough to realize that he isn't even a top 30 guard in the league? He shoots way too much, and he dribbles even more. I was so stoked when the Thunder traded him, and he became the Pistons problem. Then they gave him a max contract. This was doomed from the start. To make matters worse, they tried and tried to trade him, but no one, and I mean no one, was biting. I really like Andre Drummond, but he just isn't that good of a modern day center. He can dunk and rebound, but that is it. He is a poor man's Dwight Howard. I'm sure he is a much better teammate, but that may be about it. At least Dwight Howard got a team to the Finals. They traded for Avery Bradley, who is a very good defender, but he is going to have to do a lot more on this team if he wants the same success he had as a Celtic. This was a god move though. This is the make or break season for Stanley Johnson. I love the dude's confidence, but now he has to show that he can play. He has been very inconsistent since he got to the NBA. If he doesn't figure it out this year, he is destined to be a role player. Tobias Harris can still score, but that is about it. A lot of people like the Luke Kennard pick. Not me. I think he is just like any other Duke player. He can kind of shoot, but he brings nothing else to the table. Also, he is going to get torched when he has to guard real super stars in the league. Their first round pick last year, Henry Ellenson, has gotten better by all accounts, but he wasn't that good last year, and he barely saw the floor. Don't believe the hype. Ish Smith is a fine bench player. Nothing more, nothing less. They also gave Langston Galloway a ridiculous contract this offseason. That move should be evidence enough that Stan Van Gundy should only be coach, not coach/GM. The Pistons are going nowhere fast and they are destined to be a 30-32 win team for the next couple years with this current roster.

At number 20 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. Now, a lot of people are as high, if not higher, on this team than some are on the Lakers. I say about the 76ers what I say about the Lakers, cool down. The 76ers have a great group of young and exciting players. I love love love Joel Embiid. He is the second coming of Hakeem Olajuwon. He is majestic to watch. He plays the game so freely and has so much fun doing it. He could be one of the greats. But, he has played a total of 31 games in 3 years, and said do not expect him to play a full season this year. I need to see him play at least 60 games before I fully buy in. Ben Simmons is the same. He has not played one real NBA minute yet, but people seem to think he is going to transform the game. Ease up. Give him some time. He is only 20 years old. It is going to take a minute to get acclimated to NBA life. Also, he needs a jumper. I really like Markelle Fultz, but again, he was on a horrid Washington Huskies team last year, and he sprained his ankle is Summer League. I want to see him play well against real NBA competition. Dario Saric is pretty good, but the same thing can be said for all the other players I have mentioned. Show me that you can put up big numbers for a full season, not just half a season. Nik Stauskas is destined to be an 8th or 9th guy off the bench in the NBA. He is a streaky shooter and nothing more. They added JJ Redick on a wild 1 year contract, but what does he bring besides shooting? He's an overrated defender and not the veteran leadership this team needs. When is Jahlil Okafor going to get traded also? He wants out and the 76ers clearly are trying to move on from him. He is in the worst possible situation for himself as an NBA player. Both would be better suited moving on from each other. Robert Covington, TJ McConnell, Amir Johnson and Justin Anderson are fine bench players, but that is all. For the people that have this team penciled in for the playoffs, just stop. This team is way too young and way too often injured. Give them maybe 2 more seasons before they return to being a perennial playoff team. They also need to stay healthy.

The final team for today, coming in number 19, is the Dallas Mavericks. Initially I had Dallas back in the 20's, but then I remembered that Rick Carlisle is the coach, and I love their pick of Dennis Smtih Jr. If they give him the keys to run this team, they could do some good stuff. Now, I do not expect them to make the playoffs, but they could approach something like 35 or 36 wins, which would be massive for this team. This is probably Dirk Nowitzki's last year, and I'd like to see him play on a decent team. He will have a ton of fun playing alongside Dennis Smith Jr too. Nerlens Noel will be a beast on the pick and roll. He is also coming off the bench, which I think will make him play even harder to get a big contract next year. He is also an excellent rim protector. Harrison Barnes played much better than I expected last year. Maybe getting away from Golden State was best for him. He is a very good all around player. Seth Curry, while not his brother, can still score a little bit here and there. I think he will be a very good instant offense guy off the bench. Wes Matthews and JJ Barea may be coming to an end with their careers, but both those guys bring it every night. They play hard and smart. And Devin Harris and Yogi Ferrell make up a fine back court off the bench. This team is a mix of too old and too young, and they play in the West, which will be their downfall. But, please watch Dennis Smith Jr. He is going to do some amazing stuff this season for this team.

That's it for today. Come back next week when we will finally be getting into the playoff teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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Ty Tells You How each NBA Team Can Win the Title: Pelicans, Mavericks, and the Bulls

Day 4 of my NBA countdown features teams 21, 20 and 19. These teams are good, but they could be better, or it is just a weird collection of players that I don't think will work out that well, or they are way too old to be highly competitive anymore.

Coming in at number 21, I have the New Orleans Pelicans. This team should be so much better than what they put out there on the floor. I know they had a ton of injuries last year, but that doesn't excuse their horrendous start, and the total lack of defense they "played". I really like their coach, Alvin Gentry, but I think he is better fitted to be an assistant as opposed to the head coach. He did great things while in Phoenix, but that was another team that he was the head man for, and they never reached their full potential. The roster has some great players, but they either get hurt too much, play hero ball or just haven't figured it out yet. Look, I'm about as big an Anthony Davis fan as there is. He is the new wave of centers. He can score in the post, rebound, block shots, run the floor, shoot the three and guard multiple positions. But, he has not been able to stay healthy for one full season since he has been in the league. I think he is a legitimate MVP candidate, if he can stay healthy. Unfortunately, that is a big if. He has all the tools, he just needs to not get injured. I really like their pick of Buddy Hield. As you all know by now, I would have taken Hield over any of the "one and done" players in this most recent draft. I love his game, he can score at will, and he will learn to play defense. He and Anthony Davis should make a fine pair. But, as I look at the rest of the roster, I don't see much. Omer Asik is done. He is garbage now. He can't score, he can't rebound and he doesn't defend like he used to. He and Davis were supposed to be the ultimate rim protectors, but Asik has not lived up to it. Tyreke Evans is not that good either. Sure, he can go for 30 one night, but the next night, he will go for 5 or 6 points on 2 of 15 shooting. He is exactly like Jeff Green. Has all the tools, but can never put it all together for a full season. Jrue Holiday is a very good point guard, but he too, much like Davis, just can't stay healthy. Kendrick Perkins was washed up in OKC, Solomon Hill is, at best, a tenth man off the bench, Norris Cole is a waste of a roster spot, Langston Galloway shouldn't even be in the NBA and they signed Lance Stephenson. Why on Earth would anyone want him on their team? He is a team killer. Their other pick in the most recent draft, Cheick Diallo, barely played in college, so who knows what he brings to the table. This team has one super star, one rookie that should be good, and nothing after that. The Pelicans will hover around 35 wins, depending on health.

So Ty, how will the Pelicans win the title? The only way they win the title is if Davis stays healthy and is the MVP, not impossible, Holiday stays healthy and continues to be lightening quick and the rest of the roster plays the best basketball of their lives, impossible. I feel sorry for Anthony Davis because he is a great player stuck on a mediocre team. Maybe Buddy Hield will be the guy they need to be Davis' sidekick.

At number 20 I have the Dallas Mavericks. This team would be much lower, like near the 76ers and Lakers, if Rick Carlisle wasn't the coach. He is one NBA coach that is near Poppovich's level. The Mavs still have Dirk, but isn't he like a trillion years old? How much game does he really have left? I know he is a great shooter, but he is a total liability on defense, he can't rebound and his legs are going to give out on him soon. Wes Matthews played pretty well last year, coming off a torn ACL, but he may be the new first option for the Mavs. Can he handle that? I don't think so. He is a good spot up shooter and a good slasher, but to be the main guy, that doesn't suit his game. They did end up with Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut, after the whole KD signing, but does that even matter? Barnes looked atrocious in the finals. He couldn't make anything, and he was wide open. He also got abused on defense, but the Mavs gave him a max deal. Maybe he needs a change of scenery, but I just can't shake how bad he was in the finals. Bogut is a fine rim protector, but he is always injured, he cannot run anymore and his offense is non existent. He brings nothing to this team. Seth Curry, not Steph, signed with the Mavs, but he is, at best, your tenth or eleventh guy off the bench. The Mavs will look for more out of him, and I don't think he can do it. Deron Williams is still there, and while he played okay last year at times, his career was over while he was in Brooklyn. The rest of the roster has guys like Charlie Villanueva, Jose Barea, Justin Anderson, Devin Harris and Dwight Powell. Anderson and Powell are young, but not really all that good, and the rest of those guys, they are dinosaurs when it comes to NBA age. The Mavs will step back to about 30-35 wins, at best, this year.

So Ty, how will the Mavericks win the title? They can win the title if they find a fountain of youth, everyone drinks from it, returns to their primes and Harrison Barnes plays like a completely different player than what we saw in the finals. It's too far fetched.

At number 19, just missing out on the playoffs, I have the Chicago Bulls. This team is so much like the Knicks, with one major difference, it is scary. First off, I loved when they moved Derrick Rose to New York for Robin Lopez. I thought that was one of the best offseason decisions, but everything after that, total chaos. To go out and sign Dwayne Wade and Rajon Rando made absolutely no sense at all. First off, those two guys hate each other. Go back and watch some old Boston-Miami games, they despise one another. Second, they are both ball dominant players. Spoiler alert, there is only one ball, so only one guy can have it at a time. Third, Wade is only good for about 41 games of full effort now and Rando, he couldn't hit the ocean with a pebble. This may end up being a disaster. The only reason they aren't as low as the Knicks is Jimmy Butler. He is a much, much, much better all around player than Carmelo Anthony ever was/is/will be. Butler is a great defender, a great scorer, a great slasher and an awesome teammate. I would take him one hundred times out of one hundred to be on my team over Carmelo. He is the one reason the Bulls aren't as low as the Knicks. But, how will he fare playing alongside Rando and Wade? Will he get the touches he has earned? Who knows, but Jimmy Butler deserves better. He is an awesome basketball player. From there you have guys like Doug McDermott, average shooter, horrible defender, Nikola Mirotic, great shooter, even worse defender than McDermott, Taj Gibson, good glue guy, but not great at any single thing, Robin Lopez, good big man, but not even the best Lopez brother and Bobby Portis and Tony Snell, neither has had a real chance to play all that much. Not a loaded roster. I think Denzel Valentine could be good for them, but I don't know how often he will see the floor, considering all the three point shooters they seem to think they already have. He is a much better defender right now than both Mirotic and McDermott though. The Bulls could be the first team to crack 40 wins, or they could totally implode with this odd roster and only win 25 games. I'll go with the 40 wins because I think Jimmy Butler is that good.

So Ty, how will the Bulls win the title? The Bulls could win the title if all these weird pieces find a way to coexist and play team basketball, and the Cavs or Celtics or Raptors suffer catastrophic injuries to their star players. I just think teaming up Rondo and Wade, while you already have a great, young star, is going to blow up in their faces. What an odd offseason the Bulls had.

That does it for today. come back tomorrow for the next three teams. We are finally at the playoff eligible teams. Woo hoo!

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. What a difference a year makes. Both New Orleans and Chicago were in his top ten teams last year. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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Mid Season Checkup on Ty's NBA Predictions.

Ty's picks are actually in better shape than the hoop.

Now that we have made it to the All Star break in the NBA, I want to go back and look at my giant, 10 day NBA preview I did before the season and see how it looks now. I did get some things wrong, we all do, and I will address those first, but I feel like I picked the top teams pretty well, with one exception.

So, before I pat myself on the back, let's get to the stuff I was off base on. First of all, I was way off on the New Orleans Pelicans, the Dallas Mavericks, the Portland Trailblazers, the Houston Rockets, the Washington Wizards and the Milwaukee Bucks. In the case of the Pelicans, I thought they'd be much, much better than they've shown this season. Sure, they've suffered a plethora of injuries, but they just don't look like that good of a team right now. I watched them play the OKC Thunder last night and they got blown out. The game wasn't even competitive mid way through the third quarter. Sure, they didn't have Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans, but they still have Anthony Davis, my preseason MVP and Defensive Player of the Year winner. Davis has looked good, but he was supposed to look great. He was supposed to be the new face of the NBA. He hasn't shown that he is ready to take the next step, but he still has time. This is a lost year for the Pelicans. Too many injuries and a terrible start doomed them. They should blow it up and try to get a decent pick to add next to Davis.

I also thought that the Bucks would be a much better team than they are right now. They haven't really had to deal with any injuries, they just can't play competent defense and they have no go to scorer. Giannis Antentekoumpo has not taken the leap he was expected to take, becoming kind of a nuisance. Jabari Parker has not lived up to the hype that he can be a top tier scorer and he plays no defense whatsoever. The Greg Monroe signing has been an absolute disaster and their back court is mediocre at best. They have looked pretty awful this year. They already had their highlight of their season, when they ended Golden State's perfect start.

The Washington Wizards can't stay healthy and they can't get John Wall any kind of significant help. Wall is a star. He is one of, if not the, top point guard in the NBA, but he has no help at all. Bradley Beal was supposed to be his wingman, but he can't stay healthy and when he is in there, he's been ice cold from the field. Marcin Gortat looks slow and is not scoring like he did a year ago. Nene looks disinterested and I wouldn't be surprised if he gets traded. Otto Porter Jr has been hit or miss and other than those guys, they have very average NBA players. But, it all really boils down to piss poor coaching from Randy Whitman. The fact he still has a job is ridiculous. He is the one wasting John Wall's talent. I feel bad for John Wall because he's a really great basketball player.

The Houston Rockets have been a mess from the start of preseason. James Harden decided he'd rather party than stay in shape. Dwight Howard can't get touches, but he also mopes and complains more than any NBA player I've ever watched. The trade for Ty Lawson, which I loved, has been a complete disaster. And this team, as a whole, plays absolutely no defense. The offense they run is equally terrible. I swear, they tell Harden to dribble for 20 seconds, then either shoot a 3 or try to drive to draw a foul. It's atrocious. They fired their coach after 11 games, but they haven't been any better since letting McHale go. As was reported last night, this is truly "a broken team".

Now, to get away from teams I thought would be good that aren't so good to teams that I expected to take a step back, but are playing much better than I thought. First, the Trailblazers. They traded away 4/5 of their starting lineup and made some interesting offseason moves, but damn it if it isn't kind of working for them. They lost LaMarcus Aldridge, Robin Lopez, Wes Matthews and Nic Batum, but still find themselves in the playoff race. If they do end up making the playoffs, it will be as an eight seed and they will get crushed by Golden State, but I thought there was no way they'd win more than 25 games this year. Damien Lillard really is that good.

The other team that I kind of crapped on, thought they were too old and that they missed out on some key free agency moves, the Dallas Mavericks, have been very competitive. Dirk is still Dirk. He is still getting 18 to 20 points per game and his jump shot is still unguardable. Wes Matthews, their only free agent signing after the DeAndre Jordan fiasco, has been great, coming off a torn ACL. He has actually looked really good, considering his injury. Chandler Parsons has been okay, he just does what he does, and that's enough for this team. But, Deron Williams has been rejuvenated by his move to Dallas. He was done in Brooklyn. His career seemed to be over, but he has played some pretty good basketball since joining the Mavericks, much to mine, and everyone else's surprise. He looks like a decent NBA point guard again. You have also got to give a lot of love to Rick Carlisle for the job he's doing with this team. He is a top of the line NBA coach. .

Now, let's get to the stuff I was on the mark with in my preseason preview. Golden State and San Antonio have been great. Golden State, whom I've written about a couple of times already, has been historically great. They are the most fun to watch NBA team that I've ever seen. Steph Curry is the best player in the NBA, no questions about it, and they also have Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut and Andre Igoudala, and I could name a lot more. They are so, so good.

The Spurs are right there as well. The Aldridge signing has been great and Aldridge has taken very easily to playing the "Spurs Way". David West, who they signed for the veterans minimum, has been a great addition as well. Then they still have Kawhi Leonard, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli. I know Ginobli just recently got hurt, but they can plug Patty Mills, Danny Green, or anyone on their bench to take over until Ginobli returns. Sure, they got blown out by the Warriors recently, but the Spurs save their best for the playoffs. I still really like the Spurs to compete for the title this year.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been pretty good as well, yet no one is really talking about them. They won their 40th game last night and Kevin Durant looks like he is 100 percent back. To go along with Durant, Russell Westbrook is still doing all the great and reckless things he does on the court, but he's found a way for it to help his team this year. Serge Ibaka is still one of the top rim protector and he has increased his range all the way out to the three point line. Steven Adams is the new Bill Laimbeer and the rest of the team knows their place. Andre Roberson is a lock down defender, DJ Augustin and Cameron Payne are strictly there to give Westbrook short breaks. Enes Kanter is instant offense off the bench and Dion Waiters, when he is on, can score in bunches. OKC is lurking and I wouldn't want to play them in the playoffs if I were either San Antonio or Golden State.

In the East, there are two teams and that is it. The Cavs, another team I've written plenty about, is the best team in the East, but they have a problem with their roster and since they fired David Blatt, Tyronn Lue hasn't really set the NBA coaching world on fire. I wouldn't be surprised if they make some moves, trading guys like Kevin Love, Timofey Mozgov and/or Tristan Thompson or Anderson Varajo and bringing in more shooters, but it won't matter, they will still lose in the Finals. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving are great, but then you have guys like JR Smith, Iman Shumpert, Matthew Dellavedova and James Jones that are playing critical minutes in the playoffs. LeBron the GM needs to make better player personnel decisions and sign good NBA players, not his buddies.

The other team from the East that is setting the world on fire completely took me by surprise. I thought the Toronto Raptors would be good, but not this good. DeMr DeRozan and Kyle Lowry are playing All Star level basketball, although Lowry is the only one that made the team. Jonas Valenciunas is becoming that rebounder and low post scorer that they need him to be. Corey Joseph has been awesome since he signed there this offseason, scoring points and playing good defense. DeMarre Carroll, who's been out with an injury, looked just as good as he did last year in Atlanta, playing lock down defense and hitting open shots. The Raptors have been a whole hell of a lot better than I thought they would be, especially after their rough finish in the playoffs last year, and they look like a real threat to the Cavs. I would love if the Raptors faced the Cavs in the East Finals, swept them and then get crushed by either OKC, Golden State or San Antonio. That would be hilarious to me because it would freak out David Silver and make the fans in Cleveland that much more miserable. I really, really like Toronto.

As far as award predictions, Steph Curry is the MVP. I picked Anthony Davis, but it's Curry. Emmanuel Mudiay, my preseason rookie of the year, has been hurt and can't shoot, so I will now go with Karl Anthony Towns. He is a star in the making. Kawhi Leonard is hands down the Defensive Player of the Year and Gregg Popovich has to be coach of the year. You can't give it to Steve Kerr, and Adam Silver doesn't have the cojanes to give it to Luke Walton, so it's Poppovich.

To close it all out, at the All Star break, my finals prediction is going to be Golden State and Cleveland. I know I picked San Antonio and Cleveland, and that could still happen, but Golden State is something special this year. Not only will Golden State repeat, probably sweeping the Cavs out of the Finals, but I think they will break the single season record of wins. In 1996 the Bulls finished 72-10 and I think the Warriors will finish this season at 74-8, besting them by two games. The Warriors are that good and they will finish their historic season with a second straight NBA title.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man podcast. He really wanted an all Canada final of the Raptors and the Grizzlies, but then he realized that Memphis is not in Canada. He also realized their are no Grizzlies in Tennessee, no lakes in LA, and definitely no Jazz in Salt Lake City. The NBA is weird. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.

The Warriors may be the best team in NBA history

Steph Curry would average over 60% on these rims

As you all know by now, I'm a HUGE NBA fan. It is on my TV whenever possible. I wrote a ten part season preview. I love the NBA almost as much as college football.

NBA basketball is getting back to the good ole days. Sure, teams don't shoot the midrange jump shot as well anymore, and if you turn on ESPN, all they show are Clippers highlights and the men's college game is becoming borderline unwatchable, with all the one and done players, but the NBA has gotten a wee bit better. It's more enjoyable to watch games now than it was 5 or 6 years ago. Most of the teams have become pretty competitive, save for the 76ers, Lakers and Nets. The East has even improved from last year. The West is still much better though and will continue to be for awhile. The Spurs signed LaMarcus Aldridge and resigned Kawhi Leonard. They also still have Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli and Tim Duncan. When the Thunder are at full strength, Durant has missed the past 10 days, they're as competitive as any team in the league. The Clippers look bad right now, much to my delight, but they will fix things and still win in the 50's. The Mavericks have played surprisingly well 15 games into the season. Dirk is still Dirk, and Wes Matthews, coming off a torn ACL, looks pretty good. The Pelicans had a terrible start, a possible playoff hopes crushing start, but Anthony Davis is back completely healthy, and they've won their past two, beating the Spurs in one of those games. The Rockets are a mess, I'll give you that. Firing Kevin McHale may prove to be a huge misstep. It's not his fault that Dwight Howard doesn't care about basketball that much anymore. And what in the world has happened to James Harden? He was the MVP runner up last year, but this year, teammates are griping about playing with him, calling him a diva and a ball hog, and he spent the entire offseason partying and not staying in shape. It's gotten so bad with him that even Bill Simmons has cooled on the Thunder trading him being the worst thing that ever happened in the NBA, and he hasn't shut up about it for five straight years. The Grizzlies and Jazz are .500 teams right now, but they, much like the Clippers, will figure it out.

All these teams pale in comparison to what the Golden State Warriors are doing right now. As you all know, the Warriors beat the Nuggets last night and tied for the best start in NBA history at 15-0. Sure, they've had some close calls to inferior teams, the Nets, but other than two or three games, they've been blowing out teams. Each win seems to be by at least ten, and the starters rest almost all of the fourth quarter. Steph Curry has been unbelievable to start the year too. He's averaging something like 33 or 34 points a game, shooting almost 50 percent from three, 60 percent from two and 90 percent from the free throw line. That's incredible! I don't know that there's ever been a 60, 90, 50 player ever. It would be astounding if Curry can accomplish that this year. He's also stepped up his game on defense as well this year. Sure, he won't be first team all defense, but second or third team is a real possibility. But, it's not just Curry winning these games. You're probably thinking, well it's him and Klay Thompson scoring in bunches. Nope, Thompson has, I don't want to say struggled, but he hasn't been scoring like he normally does. He still is playing absolute lock down defense though. That part of his game has never wavered. He's one of the best, if not the best, maybe a step behind Kawhi Leonard, the best defender in the NBA. Harrison Barnes, who turned down an extension, betting on himself, has been a beast so far. His numbers may not show it, I think he's a 14 point per game and 5 or 6 rebound per game player statistically, but what he's doing for the Warriors is awesome. He's already had two of the best dunks of the year, he's is getting to the line more frequently, and he's hitting midrange and floaters on a regular basis. He's going to get paid this offseason if he keeps this up. Draymond Green is proving that he's an elite defender, rebounder and he's becoming a pretty good scorer. He's also a total pain in the ass with the opposition, and the Warriors love that about him. I've never seen a guy under 6'8 that can guard centers like he does. It's amazing. He made the right decision to stay in Golden State. This is the perfect team for him to be on. The other players on the team are doing whatever they need to do to help this team to continue to dominate. Andrew Bogut is protecting the rim and grabbing rebounds like he has his whole career. Andre Iguodala is knocking down open threes and dominating on defense like he has his whole career. He's also taken to being a sixth man better than anyone who used to be a franchise player that I've ever seen. He clearly just wants to win. Shaun Livingston is still a point guard in a 6'7 players body. He has command of the second unit and he finds the open man every time. Festus Ezeli is still crushing it on defense for the second unit and he seems to have found a bit of a scoring touch lately. Mo Speights and Leandro Barbosa still play out of control at times, but they are both instant offense off the bench for a team that has a ton of offensive weapons. The only other bench player that kind of contributes is James Michael McAdoo and in his limited playing time, he hustles his ass off. That's great for an 11 or 12th man off the bench. You usually don't see a lot of hustle from guys that deep on the bench.

The main reason I'm singling out the Warriors today is, I feel like I didn't give them enough love in my preseason preview. I had them as the second best team coming into this season behind the Spurs. Time will tell, but the Warriors, right now, are far and away the best team in the NBA. They may be historically one of the greatest teams of all time if they continue to play like this. I never thought, not only would I say it, but see a team that has a chance to win as many games as the Chicago Bulls did in the 95-96 season. That was the team that went 72-10. That was unreal to watch that team play because they could've won 75 or 76 games that year. The Warriors won't win all 82 games, that's impossible, but I think they have a real chance to tie, or even surpass the Bulls team that won 72 games. Their schedule will get tougher and players will get injuries, it's a long season, but they seem to have a goal in mind. This offseason a lot of people said that they didn't earn the title, they didn't have to play all the tough teams, they faced teams with key injuries and so on and so forth. The thing that was said that really got to them, in my opinion was, that they were "lucky", and that they weren't "true" champions. First of all, that's bull shit. Any team that's won a title in any sport needs luck, be it with health of their players, bounces going their way, a player on a hot streak, any kind of luck has been involved with every champion in every sport. But saying they weren't "true" champions, that just gave a team that won 67 games and a title last year, a chip on their shoulder. Now, they don't just want to beat you, they want to destroy you. That's the killer instinct that people talk about when it comes to champions. Sure, they won last year, but they want to continue to win and they want to crush you while doing it.

I'm not a Warriors fan, I'm indifferent when it comes to the Warriors. They're a ton of fun to watch, and Steph Curry has surpassed LeBron James and Kevin Durant as the best basketball player in the world, but I'm a Thunder fan, so that's who I root for.

Oh, they are also doing this without Steve Kerr. Luke Walton has been the interim head coach while Kerr's back heals. That's crazy.

I just want to apologize to the Warriors fan base and the Warriors organization for not ranking them as the preseason number one team in the NBA. They're doing something magical right now, and this could be a historic season. Just sit back and realize when you watch the Warriors this year, you could be watching a historically great NBA team. Maybe the greatest of all time. The rest of this season will be the judge.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He has seen one team go 82-0 in an NBA season, his Oklahoma City Thunder on NBA 2K13. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.

Ty tells you how each NBA team could win the title: Pistons, Mavericks, & Jazz

I love the NBA, and I really love playoff caliber basketball.

Continuing my NBA countdown, I'll be giving you teams 18, 17 and 16. Today we get our first playoff team. This team will actually replace a team from last seasons playoffs. The three teams I'll be talking about today are right on the verge, or missed their window. They have decent enough rosters, but are just on the outside of the playoffs, with one exception. My first playoff team may surprise you, but that's the fun of making preseason predictions. On with the countdown.

Coming in at number 18 is the Detroit Pistons. There are things I really like about this team, but there's just as much that I dislike. They might surprise, but probably not. First, the dislikes. For one, they completely over paid to keep Reggie Jackson. Being an Oklahoma City fan, I watched Jackson grow into a quality NBA starter, but I also saw how he reacted when he didn't get his way. One year, he'd have a huge impact during OKC's playoff runs, but last season, with Durant and Westbrook out for extended periods of time, he did not respond to the challenge. Instead of being the leader they needed, he became a ball hog, so far as to veterans icing him out and not passing him the ball. He then complained that he wasn't getting the touches or minutes he thought he deserved when Westbrook returned, and basically demanded a trade. His wish was granted much to my delight. Now, GM Stan Van Gundy gave him a max contract and that's insane. He's not a max player, and if he doesn't get his way, he'll openly complain. Another reason the contract baffles me is, the Pistons have a much better point guard in Brandon Jennings. I know he's coming off a torn ACL, but he's ten times the player Reggie Jackson is. He's also a lefty, and lefties are very tough to guard. Jennings can shoot okay enough, and he's really good at finding the open man. Unfortunately, for him and the Pistons, I think he's trade bait since they gave Jackson so much money. Some team will greatly benefit if Jennings is traded, and the Pistons will suffer. I'd take Jennings over Jackson 10 times out of 10.Now, a player I like. Andre Drummond is a good big man to have, but his front court mate, Greg Monroe, left and signed with Milwaukee. That will be tough on Drummond. Drummond is a great rebounder and defender though, and he may strive being the focal point of the Pistons half court offense. They drafted Stanley Johnson, who I like a lot, but he's only 19 or 20 years old. He's another one and done, and it takes time for these guys to develop before they become a true threat. Besides Marcus Morris, who I think is a really good, really underrated player, they "beefed" up their bench with guys like Steve Blake, way too old, Danny Granger, way too old and oft injured, Aaron Baynes, won't succeed outside of the Spurs organization and Ersan Ilyasova, just not that good of an NBA player. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a good shooter, but he hasn't figured out the NBA game just yet. The overpaying of Reggie Jackson and signing or trading for veterans that are ten years past their prime make the Pistons a 35 to 37 win team. That may get you in the playoffs in the East, but probably not.

How the Pistons will win it all.

The Pistons will win the title if Reggie Jackson and Brandon Jennings find a way to mesh together and play high level basketball, that won't happen, they both think they're alphas, but only one of them is(Jennings), Drummond becomes a 20 point a game scorer, Stanley Johnson becomes a key contributor right away and the old vets find the fountain of youth and play like they did in their primes. Sorry Detroit, that's not happening.

Number 17 on my list is the Dallas Mavericks. What a crummy, terrible, horrible, asinine way to lose your top free agent this summer. I wrote about how cowardly this all made DeAndre Jordan look, and it was a huge blow to the Mavericks hopes of making the playoffs. Now, as I wrote in my piece, Jordan wouldn't have made them an NBA championship contender, but he would've kept them in the playoffs at least. I feel bad for Dirk Nowitzki as well. How many other legitimate superstars have left as much money on the table to help the team get better. Nowitzki will go down as one of the best big men shooters of all time, but the end of his career is going to be tough because the Mavericks aren't going to be as good as they've been lately. Not only did they miss out on DeAndre Jordan, but they let Tyson Chandler walk without trying to sign him, Monta Ellis left in free agency and their "big" offseason additions were Wes Matthews, coming off a torn ACL, Deron Williams, who hasn't been an impact player in about 6 years and JaVale McGee, who is the most out of control player in all of basketball. Go google some JaVale McGee "highlights" and watch with amazement at how absurd some of the stuff he does is. They still have Chandler Parsons, but is he truly a quality starter in the NBA? I haven't seen it since his third year in Houston, and he gets injured all the time. He may have been a one season wonder. Devin Harris is still around, but all he's any good for anymore is shooting the three. JJ Barea is still there, but he's just getting older and older. Samuel Dalembert may end up being a good defensive center, but he will not help this team on offense. I want to touch on the Wes Matthews signing again for a minute. They ended up giving him a max contract after the whole DeAndre Jordan thing, and while that was a poor decision, Wes Matthews is a really good NBA player. He led the league in three point percentage last year. That's right, Wes Matthews and not Steph Curry hit threes at the highest rate. He also plays excellent defense. He is a very, very good basketball player. The Mavericks are going to step back this season. The question is, how far of a slide back will they take? Will they be a mid 30 win team, or will they tank? I'd guess they will end up in the mid 30 win column. Dirk has too much pride to give up at this point in his career and Wes Matthews will want to show people he's worth the big contract. Unfortunately, the rest of the roster is average.

How the Mavericks will win it all.

The Mavericks will win the title if they can get the Steve Nash from ten years ago to come back and play for them, Dirk finds the fountain of youth, Matthews becomes an MVP candidate, Parsons proves he's not a one season wonder and the bench highly exceeds expectations. This will be a rough year for the Mavericks, Mark Cuban and, most importantly, Dirk. They will struggle in the West and Dirk may call it quits after this season. We will have to wait and see.

Finally, my first playoff team. Coming in at number 16 is the Utah Jazz. I thought that I'd never say this, but Quinn Snyder may be a competent coach (ed note: That sentence makes me angry). He has a young team that's buying into playing team basketball and being stout on defense. Gordon Hayward is becoming a really good NBA player. He's playing like a max contract guy and I didn't expect that. He looks likes he's going to be good for a long time. Trey Burke has had a rough start to his young career, but the Jazz have tempered that problem by drafting Dante Exum last season. He got hurt, but he's a 6'6 point guard, and he looks to be really good. Burke is more of a bench player anyway, but it pains me to say that because he was a star when he played for Michigan, and you all know I'm a huge Michigan fan, both football and basketball. Derrick Favors is a pretty good NBA player and forward. He's a good post player and very good rebounder. Alec Burks is quietly becoming a pretty good scorer in the NBA. He's instant offense for the Jazz. Rodney Hood is a lefty sharp shooter, and he's playing good basketball right now in his young career. Rudy Gobert is an upgrade from Enes Kanter, especially on defense. He's not the scorer that Kanter was, but his imposing presence in the post made it an easy decision for the Jazz to trade Kanter to OKC last season. The issue with the Jazz is the rest of their bench. They took a shot, it may end up working out for them, by drafting Trey Lyles in the lottery this past draft. He barely saw the floor in his one season at Kentucky, and no one knows how good he really is. He has a ton of potential, but he's extremely raw. He is the definition of a prospect. And, other than Hood and Trevor Booker, the rest of the bench is question marks. Is Jeff Withey really worthy of an NBA roster spot? Trevor Booker is okay, but will he take the next step? The rest of the bench, literally, who are these guys? I don't know much about them. Like I said, the Jazz will make the playoffs, taking the Mavericks spot from last season, in the hyper competitive West, but they will get swept out of the first round. They will win either 44 or 45 games this season.

How the Jazz will win it all.

The Jazz will win the title, now they're the first team in my countdown that has a "shot" simply because they will be in the playoffs, if they catch fire at the exact right time and run off a series of monumental upsets. They will be the eight seed in the West and they will have to go through a murderers row of opponents. That won't happen this year. they'll be a nice story and Jazz basketball is on it's way back, but they're not elite. Not yet.

So, there are my 18, 17 and 16 teams in the NBA. Come back next week and we will get into the upper echelon of teams in the NBA. All the teams next week will be playoff teams and you will get my Finals prediction and my pick to win the Finals next Friday.

It will feel good to write about teams that are actually good.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man podcast. We all watch sports here at SeedSing, but Ty is the only one that really knows what he is talking about. Follow him on twitter @tykulik.