Talent consolidation toward the top half of the league.

[The Oracle]

Everyone me included think that both the Lakers and Brooklyn will be bad teams next year but the competition might be fierce at the bottom.  The number of hard tanking teams next year could be 6+ and maybe as many as 10-11 really bad teams in total.  Brooklyn and the Lakers have no incentive to lose but likely won't win a lot either hopefully.

1. Clippers appear to be poised to trade D.J. and hope to salvage something out of Paul and Griffin or lose them for nothing.  They could be the worst team in the league if they do.

2. Chicago may trade Jimmy and friends and tank.

3. Atlanta traded Howard already and may pass on resigning Milsap and tank.

4. Indiana likely trades George and others and tanks.

5. N.Y. could trade Porzingis and Melo and tank.

6. Memphis, Dallas and N.O. are all stuck in no mans land and should probably consider selling off assets and tanking but probably wont.

7. The rest of the bad teams, Sacramento wont be good but has no reason to tank, Phoenix likely tanks and who knows what Orlando does but they wont be good.

To me it is looking like the talent is really going to consolidate toward the top teams.  Win totals for the playoff teams next year could very well be significantly higher along with a ton of awful teams with very low win totals and very few teams in the middle.  Not a good look for the NBA at all and not great for the 2018 Lakers and Brooklyn picks either.

[__ramonezy__]

Interesting dilemma indeed... but for now most of them are relatively far off.

Legitimate tankers: Sac, Pho, Orl, Lakers, Atl
Bad Teams: Nets


I don't see NY trading Porzingis. Hitting on a unicorn is rare. He's a contributor in his second year.

Memphis, Dallas, N.O. still have enough talent to make the playoffs... so they're not a tanking threat.

A Butler trade will return an All-Star or significant picks. If he's going to Cavs it'll be Love.

I think Indy keeps PG, for his last season if offers don't get significantly better. It's better to put a viable product out there to put fans in the seats and let him walk for nothing. Than trade him to Lakers for Randle and late first round picks... which is essentially nothing as well. That being said, any trade made for Butler could also be made for PG.

[RodyTur10]

Interesting dilemma indeed... but for now most of them are relatively far off.

Legitimate tankers: Sac, Pho, Orl, Lakers, Atl
Bad Teams: Nets


I don't see NY trading Porzingis. Hitting on a unicorn is rare. He's a contributor in his second year.

Memphis, Dallas, N.O. still have enough talent to make the playoffs... so they're not a tanking threat.

A Butler trade will return an All-Star or significant picks. If he's going to Cavs it'll be Love.

I think Indy keeps PG, for his last season if offers don't get significantly better. It's better to put a viable product out there to put fans in the seats and let him walk for nothing. Than trade him to Lakers for Randle and late first round picks... which is essentially nothing as well. That being said, any trade made for Butler could also be made for PG.

Dallas has a very good coach with Carlisle, but their overall talent isn't that great, is it?