The 2016 NBA playoffs won’t get underway until next April but after a busy couple of months with the NBA Draft, free agency and trades, we already have a pretty good idea of which teams have the best chance to not only make the playoffs but to make a championship run as well.
On the other hand, expectations should probably be lowered for a handful of teams that were busy this offseason but didn’t do enough to be considered legitimate contenders. Here is a quick look at four NBA teams that could disappoint this season.
Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver has admitted his impatience and pushed General Manager Ryan McDonough to try and build a team that is able to at least contend for a playoff spot as soon as possible. However, after coming up just short last season, the franchise could be in a very tough spot moving forward.
The two highest paid players on the roster play the same position in Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight, and Phoenix used its money to bring in injury-prone veteran center Tyson Chandler for $52 million even though Alex Len plays the same position and is considered their best young prospect. The Suns barely missed out on a playoff spot last year but with a number of non-playoff teams from a year ago taking steps forward – including the Oklahoma City Thunder – it would not be a surprise if Phoenix disappoints the fans and the owner Sarver by missing the postseason once again.
Dallas Mavericks
The Thunder and Sacramento Kings in particular are expected to be a lot better than they were last season and there are those that think both of those teams could make the playoffs. The Portland Trail Blazers are an obvious pick to take a step back after losing LaMarcus Aldridge, Robin Lopex and Wesley Matthews in free agency but will Dallas be in a similar position after losing Monta Ellis and Tyson Chandler while also missing out on DeAndre Jordan.
The Mavericks overpaid for Matthews and he is coming off a torn Achilles while Dirk Nowitzki is getting up there in years and Chandler Parsons isn’t fully healthy yet. Dallas got older and lost a couple of key players. While the makeup and expectations would have been way different had Jordan signed, the reality is the Mavs will be taking a step back next season.
Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte’s desperation to make the playoffs in the watered down Eastern Conference pushed them to make some surprising moves this past offseason. They drafted Frank Kaminsky and then acquired Jeremy Lin. The Hornets did manage to get their hands on Nicolas Batum but after finishing five games back of a postseason spot a year ago, they will be in tough to close that gap especially with the Boston Celtics reloading and the Miami Heat expected to be a playoff team after missing out last season. Charlotte might actually not be as good of a team as last season despite appearing to have at least marginally improved on paper.
Toronto Raptors
For all of the talk about the Raptors winning a division title and securing home advantage for a playoff spot last season, they were promptly swept by the Washington Wizards in the first round and that has left major question marks about the direction of the franchise moving forward. There were persistent rumors that Toronto was looking to part ways with veterans Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan throughout the summer and while neither has been traded, it wouldn’t be a surprise if either one was moved at some point in the season. And then there’s head coach Duane Casey, who enters the season on the hot seat.
Paul Pierce was right on the mark when he said the Raptors were lacking that “it” factor and while they could repeat as a playoff team by keeping their current core intact for another year, the truth is that they aren’t any closer to being a real championship contender.
