Over the last few years, we have watched team after team be proclaimed as the future; only to see them collapse the very next year. The Miami Heat were said to be the future of the east after winning a championship under rising star Dwayne Wade in 2006. Now the 8-27 Heat are the laughing stock of the East. The Cavs were set for the next 5 years, right? LBJ and a "nice supporting cast" (pshh), how could they stumble? Well, one year after the 'ship, these same Cavs are playing .500 ball, and against a weak schedule. The list goes on and on... Houston has two superstars and were proclaimed the future of the West, yet they struggle to even make the playoffs year after year. The LA Clippers were said to have turned around their franchise after their first playoff appearance since the Jewelry stores started memorizing MJs ring fingers diameter. Two years later, they find themselves back in the gutter again. The Bulls were picked by 7 out of 10 so called experts to be in the NBA finals this year, and now those experts are searching monster.com for their next career option (sorry Bulls, I'm still rooting hard). So this leads to a very interesting question... What teams are legit players in this league in the next 5 years, and who are the one hit wonders of this year? I promise you that in the next few years, you will see one of these young teams putting in an order for their first championship banner in a while...
The One Move Away Tier:
We'll start with teams that are in great shape to be title contenders in a few years IF and only IF the right moves are made... We'll call them Tier 2 of the future:
Toronto Raptaazzzz:
A .500 team this year, I am loving my life if i am Bryan Colangelo. This is a GM's dream, he has a team who is playing great ball right now, while they are still one player away from contending. And you know the easiest way to acquire that missing piece of the puzzle? Have someone who is expendable and great trade-bait. When i look up and down this roster, I see that Mr. Calderon is my point guard for the next decade; leaving TJ Ford to send to one of those 20 teams without a PG for the future. Now i know about the health risk, and yeah it will hurt his trade value. But when he gets the OK from doctors to play again in a few weeks, I'll bet my net worth that there's a team out there willing to take a chance on a guy who can get them 16 and 7 night in and night out. So add an above average shooting guard to this lineup, and your looking at a starting lineup consists of a top notch PG (6th best in the League on my list), a good SG (To be Named soon if they want a banner), Jamario Moon, Chris Bosh, and Andrea Bargnani... Looks legit to me, these guys are here to stay once their phenomenal GM makes his move this summer.
Atlanta Hawks:
This one may open some eyes out there, but yes; i do like where this franchise is headed in the next 5 years. Acie Law looks like a legit PG for the future, and when u add him to a lineup of Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and Al Hordford... You have a 50 game winner in a few years. That's right folks, 50 games, i said it. You really couldnt ask for better young talent. Hordford will be a top 5 PF in the L by 2013, and Williams and Smith are already emerging as stars in their own right. With a strong supporting cast, this team will be tough to beat once their young stars mature. For real, can you imagine taking the court in 2013 when JJ still going for 20,5,5... Smith is going for 17,8,4,3,3 a night... and then you look down to the block where Williams displays his inside-outside game for 20 a night, and Hordford is dropping 25 and 10 on teams. Who knows, if my figures are even close, 50 wins may be an underestimate for this team.
Seattle (for now) Supaaa Sonics:
This is the obvious one for everyone, but there is a lot of work that is needed to be done here. We all know that you have 2 great building blocks in Durant and Green. And yes, by 2013, KD will be up to 30 ppg, and Green is the Scottie Pippen to the newest maybe hes the next MJ guy. Howevvvaaaaaaa (Stephen A Smith ladies and gentlemen), the rest of this team is full of guys that they're using to show the league they have the minimum 15 players on their roster. If and only IF this team finds a TRUE point guard, and fills the rest of those spots nicely, then we will see a possible future dynasty. But A LOTTTT of work needs to be done here. And i mean A LOT. But 2 of the best building blocks isn't a bad place to start...
The Future Is Blinding Me Tier!:
And now we move onto the Tier 1 category, the following 3 teams are legit contenders in the next few years, and are already set up to win. Just don't screw this up GM a, b, and c... Please don't screw this up.
Orlando Magic:
They've set themselves up to win. Said simply, just to win games. The best big man in the game, (yes he is); a good dime dropper in Nelson, and a scorer in Lewis. Not to mention Hedo and the rest of the cast are winners as well. Give Dwight 3 more years, and he WILL be getting this team 27 and 17 per night (just doesn't sound right, but is). Lewis getting the other 20, and the supporting cast picking up slack, and your looking at the new beast of the east (assuming that these Celtics and Pistons get too old to win every time they hit the court).
RING CHANCES: Will be in a finals, but not win one within the next 4 years.
New Orleans:
You need a PG to win ships. i don't care what level your at, you just need a dime dropper. CP3 is the BEST point guard in the L right now, and will get even better in the up and coming years. Then you surround him with 2 inside presences in underrated big man David West and the reemerging Tyson Chandler. Finally, the last part of this recipe is shooters and surrounding cast. Peja can get them 15 a game when healthy, and the young bench is rising to the occasion more and more each game.
RING CHANCES: Close but no cigar... Semi-Final visits to come once every few years for this up and coming power house.
Portland "Oh My God I am the Luckiest GM/team/franchise in the L" Trailblazers:
The Happy years for this team are back. They lost their dynasty once Clyde decided to hang em up, but went from worst in the league last year, to best future in the world this year. This is my favorite team to watch for the next 5 years, and its really not even close. They are in first place at 21-13 WITHOUT GREG ODEN this year, and are only going to get better as time goes on. They have developed 3 future stars in Brandon Roy, Aldridge, and Oden (so i predict stardom, can ya blame me?) Roy has the leadership qualities needed to win, and is going to become a 25,6,6 guy within 5 years (sounds like star guard numbers to me). Then you add the future best front court in the league, with the 2013 Aldridge and 2013 Oden. I can see each of them going for 22, 12 a night ON THE SAME TEAM. Oh what a point guards dream, just throw it in the general direction of that little round rim, and your guaranteed an assist each time. Martell Webster seems to be solid choice at SF for years to come, hes getting 12 a game right now and hes still not allowed to drink legally. If they move Roy to SG for good, this team is one good PG away from a championship banner (did i mention that TJ Ford is on the market!) My final thought on this team, they are in 1st place at 21-13 without Oden, and Roy, Aldridge and Webster have 4 more years before they REACH their potential. SICK.
RING CHANCES: I've used the year 2013 numerous times in this blog, that's 5 seasons away... However, if my calculations are right, the Trail Blazers can place an order for a 2013 Championship Banner, and then start writing the book on how you go from worst in the L to flashing the rings in a 5 year period. POTENTIAL my friends, that's the keyword of this article, and no team has more potential then these boys from Portland.
As we've seen, teams have the potential to win; regardless of where they stand today. It takes a lot of hard work behind the scenes, but never say never. We know the powerhouses of today as being Dallas, the Suns, San Antonio, Detroit and Boston... Editors note to these 5 teams: Watch Out, the future is almost here.
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