End of July Power Rankings

[Indy]

1.) San Antonio Spurs: They are the defending champs, and only improved by signing Oberta. They are the team to beat at the start of the new season.
2.) Indiana Pacers: Obviously I have some bias in this pick, but I think this is the best Pacers team ever. Adding Artest back, and getting Granger and Sarunas Jasikevicius made a great team even greater. Definitley the best team in the east.
3.) Phoenix Suns: Improved their defense and rebounding by adding Kurt Thomas. Still have the MVP, and now Amare and Marion can play their natural positions. Should be really dangerous again next season.
4.) Miami Heat: Shaq is aging, but Dwyane Wade is improving. Fast. He may be a top 3 player in the league next year if he works hard. Damon Jones needs to return for them to stay in this spot or else they slip.
5.) Houston Rockets: Adding Stromile Swift will make them the 3rd best team in the West. He showed that he doesn’t only care about his stats, but that he wants to win by going here instead of a team that he wouldn’t be the star of. TMAC will be Tmac, and Yao will continue to improve.
6.) Detroit Pistons: Losing LB will hurt more then anyone can imagine. He held the team together, and they needed that. Rasheed Wallace will have problems with Flip Saunders, and this team is a second round exit waiting to happen.
7.) Dallas Mavericks: They are at about the same place they were last year. Losing Finley will hurt more then they think, he is a very good veteran leader. I don’t think they are done adding people, there will be a few different pieces in here by the time the season starts, but I don’t see them moving up any higher then this.
8.) Memphis Grizzlies: If the Magloire/Battier trade happens, they will be here. If not, they may have some trouble staying at 8. Pau needs to have a breakout year. He needs to return to his form of 02-03 and a step more. If he can do that Memphis will be scary.
9.) Denver Nuggets: Back in the top 10. The Nuggets are a team with too much talent to be even this year. Carmello is going to have a great 3rd season, Andre Miller, Marcus Camby, Julius Hodge, all of them will be contributers in Denvers run to… the second round.
10.) Cleveland Cavaliers: Lebron and company will finally get to the playoffs this year. Adding Larry Hughes improves the defense, but not getting Jasikevicius keeps them from being any higher. Calling all point guards! Cleveland is hiring! Pays well! Get to play with Lebron James, MUST HAVE to compete with the likes of Detroit, Indiana and Miami.
11.) New Jersey Nets: Kidd, Carter, Jefferson. Healthy? If so, they may be better then Cleveland. New Jersey is a run and gun team, and adding SAR helps. They still don’t have enough defense to compete in the East though.

The rest to come later.

[Kobe101]

Are these off-season rankings for their teams moves?

[Bang]

It's too early to tell...the off-season moves are far from done. Expect 1 or 2 blockbuster trades. Probably 1 from Cuban.

[Its_asdf]

It's too early to tell...the off-season moves are far from done. Expect 1 or 2 blockbuster trades. Probably 1 from Cuban.

I'm guessing this is just to summarize what has happened in July. Indy's post is basically about who's on top at the moment.

2.) Indiana Pacers: Obviously I have some bias in this pick, but I think this is the best Pacers team ever. Adding Artest back, and getting Granger and Sarunas Jasikevicius made a great team even greater. Definitley the best team in the east.

Ugh.... Spare me.....

[Kemp]

The Pistons at the 6th place, haha I think they should be at least the top 5. Still, is too early to predict this ranking.

[Amphatoast]

knicks might crack top 20 with larry brown addition

[Riot]

No T-Wizzle's in the top 11? I'm ashamed of you.

EDIT: Also, why do you think Rasheed will have problems with Flip? I think they will get along great.

[Amphatoast]

well spree is not back with them yet so we really don't know what to expect from them.. he might get a sign and trade. they still have work to be done up there in minny

[Indy]

I have the t-wolves at 12.

[Riot]

well spree is not back with them yet so we really don't know what to expect from them.. he might get a sign and trade. they still have work to be done up there in minny

There will be no sign and trade and Sprewell will not be back.

[Matthew]

My power rankings:
Spurs: Still the defending champs, and have proven they can win even with an inconsistant pg.
Pistons: 1 quarter away from back to back championships. Larry Brown isnt as big of a loss as you might think. He is great at making shit teams better, but he's not a difference maker
3. Indiana: One word describes this team: sacry. Even with Reggie gone, look at their depth. Jonathon Bender will break out once he is healthy.
4. Dallas: The team no one wanted to play in last years playoffs will be better this season. Jason Terry and Dirk will carry this team to the WCF next season.
5.Miami: Shaq may not be Shaq, but can anyone stop Dwayne Wade? This guy is on his way to being the best in the NBA, and when you add shaq and eddie jones alongside them, they could win it all next year too.
6. Pheonix: Joe Johnson looks to be gone, and with Quentin Richardson also gone they have degressed. The only positive is the development of Amare
7.Philly: Webber and Iverson will be explosive next season, and Iggy is looking like a younger pippen. Add to that Dalemburt and Korver and that is a quality starting 5. This is a sleeper team.

[gnohgnek]

Calling all point guards! Cleveland is hiring! Pays well! Get to play with Lebron James, MUST HAVE to compete with the likes of Detroit, Indiana and Miami.

lol, i like that.

[maes]

I'm far less impressed with both SAS and Detroit than most people, even though Spurs were my pick last season...i thought they underplayed and snuck away with the title. As Pops said, "I don't know how we won..."

Both Detroit and SAS only played teams hit by critical injuries past the 1st round, and less than convincingly.

I am very curious as to what Shaq is doing in the off-season. Will he actually show up in shape? Or is he just going to decline further like in the playoffs.

[Jona]

They're all good Indy, but we can take PHX anyday if we grab some decent FAs.

Btw, congrats on the Saras trade, just found out.