NBA Future Franchise Rankings

     From 30-1, ranking the NBA franchises who have the brightest and shakiest futures from next year, five years and even which teams project well eight years from now (in depth analysis coming soon for all teams).

30 Charlotte Bobcats 


29 Cleveland Cavaliers 

28 Sacramento Kings 


27 Phoenix Suns 


26 Toronto Raptors 


25 San Antonio Spurs 


24 Detroit Pistons 


23 Washington Wizards 


22 Dallas Mavericks 


21 Milwaukee Bucks

20 Boston Celtics


19 Minnesota Timberwolves 


18 Utah Jazz


17 New Orleans Hornets


16 Orlando Magic 


15 Indiana Pacers


14 Houston Rockets 


13 Atlanta Hawks 


12 Philadelphia 76ers 


11 Denver Nuggets


10 Los Angeles Lakers


9 Golden State Warriors 


8 Memphis Grizzlies



7 Portland Trailblazers     10-11 Record: 48-34
Best Players: LaMarcus Aldridge (25), Gerald Wallace (28), Wesley Matthews (24)
Young Talent: Aldridge, Wallace, Matthews, Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, Nicolas Batum, 
Rudy Fernandez
Area of Weakness: Big time scorer 
Attractiveness in Free Agency: B
Likelihood of Drafting a Stud: B
Likelihood of Being a Playoff Team 1 of Next 2 Years: 10 of 10
Likelihood of Being a Playoff Team 3 of Next 5 Years: 10 of 10
Likelihood of Winning Division 1 of Next 3 Years: 7 of 10
Likelihood of Advancing to 1 Conference Finals within 5 Years: 6 of 10
Likelihood of Advancing to 1 NBA Finals within 5 Years: 5 of 10 
Likelihood of Winning a Championship within 5 Years: 2 of 10 
     The Blazers have many pieces in place, but health could hold the Blazers back. Greg Oden and Brandon Roy were thought to be the pieces of the future but their health as taken both of them back big time. With the decline of the West and the steadiness of the Trailblazers, Portland will contend for the next few years.
Prediction: The Blazers will continue to improve and eventually appear in one NBA Finals. 


6 New Jersey Nets      10-11 Record: 24-58 
Best Players: Deron Williams (26), Brook Lopez (23), Anthony Morrow (23)
Young Talent: Williams, Lopez, Morrow, Kris Humphries
Area of Weakness: Complementary players
Attractiveness in Free Agency: A-
Likelihood of Drafting a Stud: A
Likelihood of Being a Playoff Team 1 of Next 2 Years: 5 of 10
Likelihood of Being a Playoff Team 3 of Next 5 Years: 7 of 10
Likelihood of Winning Division 1 of Next 3 Years: 3 of 10 
Likelihood of Advancing to 1 Conference Finals within 5 Years: 6 of 10
Likelihood of Advancing to 1 NBA Finals within 5 Years: 4 of 10
Likelihood of Winning a Championship within 5 Years: 2 of 10 
     Why are the Nets so high on this list? Once the Nets are settled into Brooklyn, NBA players will be very willing to play in the spotlight of New York. The Nets could very easily get a big time free agent within the next 3 or 4 years. They also aren't very good right now, so they could just as easily draft a future super-star player. 
Prediction: The Nets will land someone, maybe Dwight Howard, maybe Monta Ellis and they will be a perennial Conference Semi-finalst in the East that will make runs to the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Finals for the next 8-10 years. 


5 Los Angeles Clippers     10-11 Record: 32-50 
Best Players: Blake Griffin (22), Eric Gordon (22), Mo Williams (28) 
Young Talent: Griffin, Gordon, Williams, Eric Bledsoe, DeAndre Jordan, Al Farouq- Aminu, Randy Foye
Area of Weakness: Depth, Another high-caliber player 
Attractiveness in Free Agency: A
Likelihood of Drafting a Stud: 9 of 10 
Likelihood of Being a Playoff Team 1 of Next 2 Years: 8 of 10 
Likelihood of Being a Playoff Team 3 of Next 5 Years: 8 of 10
Likelihood of Winning Division 1 of Next 3 Years: 6 of 10 
Likelihood of Advancing to 1 Conference Finals within 5 years: 8 of 10 
Likelihood of Advancing to 1 NBA Finals within 5 Years: 7 of 10
Likelihood of Winning 1 Championship within 5 Years: 5 of 10 
     This Clippers team right now is missing only one or two pieces. They could certainly attract a few big names to "the other team" in Los Angeles. If the Clippers ever got someone like Dwight Howard, then they are legitimate title contenders in the future. 
Prediction: The Clippers will lure one or two star players to Los Angeles which propels them to be one of the best teams in the West in the future with aspirations of winning a title. 


4 Oklahoma City Thunder     10-11 Record: 55-27 
Best Players: Kevin Durant (22), Russell Westbrook (22), Serge Ibaka (21) 
Young Talent: Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, James Harden, Kendrick Perkins, Thabo Sefelosha, Daequan Cook, Nate Robinson
Area of Weakness: None
Attractiveness in Free Agency: B+ 
Likelihood of Drafting a Stud: 6 of 10
Likelihood of Being a Playoff Team 1 of Next 2 Years: 10 of 10 
Likelihood of Being a Playoff Team 3 of Next 5 Years: 10 of 10
Likelihood of Winning Division 1 of Next 3 Years: 10 of 10
Likelihood of Advancing to 1 Conference Finals within 5 Years: 10 of 10
Likelihood of Advancing to 1 NBA Finals within 5 Years: 10 of 10
Likelihood of Winning 1 Championship within 5 Years: 9 of 10 
     Like the Bulls, the Thunder are loaded with young talent. The good news for them is that they do not have to go through so many top flight teams in the Eastern Conference because the West doesn't look to be as strong in the future. One problem I could see is Russell Westbrook wanting to leave Oklahoma City and head out West and try to become a super-star on his own team. I think the odds are he stays with Durant for the future, but it remains a possibility. 
Prediction: The Thunder will advance to at least 2, maybe 3 NBA Finals and win 1 title within the next five years 


3 New York Knicks      10-11 Record: 42-40 
Best Players: Carmelo Anthony (26), Amare Stoudemire (28), Chauncey Billups (34)
Young Talent: Anthony, Stoudemire, Landry Fields
Area of Weakness: SG, C 
Attractiveness in Free Agency: A+
Likelihood of Drafting Stud: 2 of 10
Likelihood of Being a Playoff Team 1 of Next 2 Years: 10 of 10
Likelihood of Being a Playoff Team 3 of Next 5 Years: 10 of 10
Likelihood of Winning Division 1 of Next 3 Years: 10 of 10
Likelihood of Advancing to 1 Conference Finals within 5 Years: 10 of 10
Likelihood of Advancing to 1 NBA Finals within 5 Years: 10 of 10
Likelihood of Winning a Championship within 5 Years: 9 of 10 
     The Knicks have Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire so they should be making deep playoff runs year in and year out. But they have serious issues after that because they do not have a point guard for the future and they have plenty of depth issues. New York should be able to lure some of the better free agents in any market because New York will be bouncing once the Knicks are making deep playoff runs again. 
Prediction: Deep playoff runs, plenty of conference finals appearances and an NBA Finals appearance or two with a legitimate championship possibility

2 Chicago Bulls     10-11 Record: 62-20

Best Players: Derrick Rose (22), Carlos Boozer (29), Luol Deng (26)

Young Talent: Rose, Boozer, Deng, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson

Area of Weakness: None 

Attractiveness in Free Agency: A

Likelihood of Drafting Stud: 5 of 10

Likelihood of Being a Playoff Team 1 of Next 2 Years: 10 of 10

Likelihood of Being a Playoff Team 3 of Next 5 Years: 10 of 10

Likelihood of Winning Division 1 of Next 3 Years: 10 of 10

Likelihood of Advancing to 1 Conference Finals within 5 Years: 10 of 10 

Likelihood of Advancing to 1 NBA Finals within 5 Years: 10 of 10

Likelihood of Winning a Championship within 5 Years: 9 of 10 

     The Bulls are young and deep and they might have the best player in the NBA in Derrick Rose. And he's only 22! It was a tough call for me to put the Bulls behind the Knicks and even the Heat in the future rankings, but I think that the chances of the Knicks getting Chris Paul in the near future put them slightly ahead, but don't let these rankings fool you because the Bulls might have the brightest future.

Prediction: Deep playoff runs, at least, at least 1 NBA Finals appearance and very likely they will win at least one championship 

1 Miami Heat     10-11 Record: 58-24     
Best Players: Dwyane Wade (29), LeBron James (26), Chris Bosh (26) 
Young Talent Under 30: Wade, James, Bosh, Mario Chalmers
Areas of Weakness: PG, C, Bench

Attractiveness in Free Agency: A+
Likelihood of Drafting Stud: 2 of 10 
Likelihood of Being a Playoff Team 1 of Next 2 Years: 10 of 10
Likelihood of Being a Playoff Team 3 of Next 5 Years: 10 of 10
Likelihood of Winning Division 1 of Next 3 Years: 10 of 10
Likelihood of Advancing to 1 Conference Finals within 5 Years: 10 of 10
Likelihood of Advancing to NBA Finals within 5 Years: 10 of 10
Likelihood of Winning a Championship within 5 Years: 9 of 10
      The outlook is outstanding. Simply put, Wade, James and Bosh will be around for a number of years and they will not be going away. The Heat need to solve the problem as to whether who will be their point guard and who will be the dominant force in the post because Mario Chalmers looks to be a good role player but not a starting point guard and Chris Bosh is not a legitimate post presence. The Miami Heat will win championships, simple as that.
Prediction: At least 2 Championships in next 5 years and probably another finals appearance to go with it