NBA
NBA Team Power Rankings: It's the Warriors and Everybody Else
Can anybody topple the Golden State Warriors, or are the defending World Champions going to own the 2017-18 NBA season?

Teams Ranked 30th to 21st

The Brooklyn Nets made some notable roster changes -- added D'Angelo Russell, jettisoned Brook Lopez -- but our numbers believe their overhaul wasn't enough to keep this messy squad out of the basement.

Rank Team Projected 2017-18 nERD 2016-17 Record
30 Brooklyn Nets 26.1 20-62
29 Orlando Magic 33.0 29-52
28 Phoenix Suns 34.8 24-58
27 Los Angeles Lakers 36.5 26-56
26 Chicago Bulls 41.5 41-41
25 New York Knicks 41.8 31-51
24 Indiana Pacers 42.4 42-40
23 Philadelphia 76ers 43.7 28-54
22 Dallas Mavericks 43.9 33-49
21 Atlanta Hawks 44.3 43-39


The Expected

The aforementioned Nets haven't managed to post a .500 record since the 2013-14 season, and last year, they limped to the third-worst record in franchise history. Aside from Russell, they made some keen additions -- Allen Crabbe, for instance, is a fantasy basketball darling -- but it looks like they didn't move the needle enough to be competitive in the iffy Eastern Conference.

Phoenix and Orlando are in eternal rebuilding mode, but the Suns seem to be doing a better job of it. They have the youngest roster in the NBA -- average age of 24.5 -- and seem content to let Devin Booker and Marquese Chriss learn on the job. Orlando, on the other hand, hasn't signed up for a complete youth movement, leaning on pseudo-veterans like Nikola Vucevic and Evan Fournier. Don't be surprised if the feisty Suns are a tad higher on this list come February.

As for the Knicks, Carmelo Anthony is gone and James Dolan isn't. 'Nuff said.

The Unexpected

For the past five-plus years, the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, and Atlanta Hawks could generally be relied upon to find their way into the postseason. This summer, after losing, respectively, Jimmy Butler, Paul George, and Paul Millsap, these three proud franchises will probably be battling for lottery balls.

Considering their influx of youth, some might be surprised to see the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers hovering down here, but until Lonzo Ball, Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz, and all the other kids on their rosters put up consistent numbers, nERD will remain open-minded, yet noncommittal.

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