9. Golden State Warriors
Is it time to wave goodbye to the Warriors’ dynasty? Free agency evened the playing field, but Golden State won’t fall off a cliff. Two-time league MVP Stephen Curry and three-time All-Star Draymond Green should keep this team afloat until Klay Thompson returns later in the season.
The Warriors won’t look dominant, cruising to a top seed, but assuming Thompson plays in the upcoming campaign, Golden State will be a tough out in the playoffs. Coming off his best year, Russell can take on the role as a fill-in Splash Brother for the bulk of the upcoming season.
8. Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers lost sent Butler to the Heat in a sign-and-trade, but they acquired Josh Richardson and re-signed Tobias Harris. Both will provide much-needed floor spacing for the starting five. Al Horford can also step outside the paint with a smooth stroke and dish out of the post.
The Sixers list one spot above the Warriors because their star players will go into the season healthy. Despite losing Butler, the front office also added two notable starters capable of contributing big minutes. With Toronto set to take a step back, Philadelphia poses the biggest threat to Milwaukee in the East.
7. Portland Trail Blazers
We’ll continue to watch the Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum show in Portland, but the front office added a strong defensive presence in Hassan Whiteside, who should play significant minutes with Jusuf Nurkic possibly out until February. Al-Farouq Aminu‘s departure means someone has to emerge at the 4.
Kent Bazemore and Mario Hezonja could lift this squad on both ends of the court; the former will likely take on a starting role. Keep an eye on Zach Collins‘ development in the upcoming season. The Blazers don’t need him to become a breakout player, but he can fill a role in the frontcourt to take some pressure off of Lillard and McCollum.
In a game that emphasizes spacing and shooting, the Blazers have one of the best backcourt setups in the league—better than the Sixers. As a team coming off a Western Conference Finals appearance, Portland will continue to push for a top record in the league. Whiteside should benefit from a change of scenery for a team in need of a rim-protecting big man.