If we are to continue on with this analogy/metaphor - assembling an NBA is like writing a story in my creative writing class I took in high school during my senior year - then we are going to need to set some guidelines. In my creative writing class, heading the class and managing it was the teacher. In the NBA World, this is the Owner. Making sure the class and the story’s are up to par by overlooking the writers is the Editor. In the NBA world this is the President of Operations. The literally masterminds who assemble and create the stories is the writer. In the NBA world this is the General Manager, who assembles and creates the team. So to put it clearly: Teacher = Owner. Editor = President of Operations and Writer= General Manger. Got it?
The editor oversees your story making sure it is good enough and presentable to the teacher. In the NBA, the president of operation oversees the GM making sure the team is presentable to the owner. And while you hope every story you write is good, unfortunately that is not always the case. That being said, there are three stages the stories in my creative writing class wanted to be in: 1. Starting from scratch. 2. Putting on the final touches of the plotline and 3. Editing, looking for grammatical mistakes so it is ready to be published and read for the class. Meanwhile there are three stages every story wanted to avoid: 1. Being a crappy drawn out aging sequel. 2. Filling in a multiple of plot holes. 3. Being mediocre and uninteresting.
Essentially there are three stages every franchise wants to be in: 1. Bottoming out and rebuilding. 2. On the rise/looking for the final piece of the puzzle. 3. Pursuing an NBA championship. Meanwhile there are three stages every NBA team wants to avoid 1. Being on life support with aging veterans. 2. Trying to fill a multiple of team holes. 3. Being mediocre.
So, in essence, writing a story in my creative writing class is like assembling an NBA team. You see, in the NBA you’d rather be bad than mediocre, because by being bad you get high draft picks, whereas by being mediocre you just stay mediocre unless a miracle happens in the NBA Draft or you obtain a Superstar through free agency or a trade. In the NBA it is better to be YTB (Young, Talented and Bad) than MPM (Middle of the Pack mediocre). Even so it is better if you are just RFG (Really Freakin’ Good.)
Before I go and diagnose every team in the NBA, let’s set up the following diagnostic language: RFG= Really Freakin’ Good YTB= Young Talented and Bad MPM= Middle of the Pack Mediocre 1A= Bottoming out and rebuilding 2A= on the rise or looking for the final piece of the puzzle 3A= Pursuing an NBA Championships. Bad signs will be marked by the following: 1B= Being on life support with aging veterans. 2B= Trying to fill multiple Team Holes. 3B= Being mediocre.
Teams are listed in alphabetical order by state or city.
Atlanta Hawks: 2 or 3 years ago this team was in that rare place of being YTG (Young talented and good) and suffering from 2A. Since that time, it feels like nothing has changed except there diagnosis the team is now MPM and is suffering from 3B and 2B.
Boston Celtics: is this last go around for the Celtic Trio of Peirce, Allen and KG? While money people think as soon as those three leave the team will go from RFG to a complete toilet, I firmly believe the team won’t be in that bad of a situation. While the team will be bad, they will at least be extremely talented. With the potential of the highly talented Avery Bradley being the 2 guard and Jeff Green at 3 (especially if he gets back to playing like he did with OKC) and Rondo leading the pack at the 1, the Celtics perimeter has a mighty good future. So don’t think it will be all that bad even though they are suffering from veterans on life support. When they do pull the plug, they have talented players to step in.
Charlotte Bobcats: In pulling trigger to trade Stephen Jackson Michael Jordan has entered the 1A zone is now YTB. The good news is that Bobcats stopped being mediocre like they were with Jackson and have now dived head first into this rebuilding stage by drafting the young duo of Kemba Walker Bismack Byambo.
Chicago Bulls: Say hello to a team that is RFG. Not much to complain about when you have the best player in the world, D-Rose on your team. Now there is a bit of question mark with this team. While they most definitely are pursuing an NBA championship, some believe Rose needs a scoring sidekick and therefor they are still missing the final piece to the puzzle. Honestly, I don’t really know if they are suffering from 2A. But what I do know is that as long as D-Rose is on the team they will be pursuing a ring.
Cleveland Cavaliers: They are YTB diagnosed with 1A. Thankfully with the duo of Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson, the team could eventually develop a bit of 2A.
Dallas Mavericks: Until father time catches up with the Mavs this team will be RFG and will be pursuing a championship. However when time does catch up, the Mavs will begin putting their veterans on life support.
Denver Nuggets: while the Melo trade was a good trade because they got a boatload of talent good players, ever since Melo left the Nuggets have been missing that great player every championship caliber team has. Until they get someone like that the Nuggets will be MPM and will suffer from 3B.
Detroit Pistons: They are MPM and are suffering from 1B, and 3B. Still stuck with Tyshaun Prince, and Richard Hamilton, the Pistons don’t have an identity. After drafting Brandon Knight, it also looks like they are thinking about getting rid of Rodney Stuckey. The good news there is, they might be picking up a subscription of 1A, and if Knight and Greg Monroe work out, this team could soon also pick up a subscription of 2A.
Golden State Warriors: with hiring of Mark Jackson and the news they are looking to rid themselves of Monta Ellis the Warriors are entering the rebuilding period. That being, thanks to plays like Steph Curry the team, while bad, is still talented. So they are YTB.
Houston Rockets: Honestly, the rockets are just plain bad. Nobody on their roster I think is even that talented and young. Sure they talent, but in Kevin Martin who is old. Thankfully for rocket fans they have a new coach. Unfortunately it is in Kevin McHale. And as a T-Wolf fan all I can do is laugh. Anyway, at least you guys are starting rebuild. Right?
Indiana Pacers: With the young talented trio of Darren Collision, Roy Hibert Paul George the Pacers find themselves in the rare place of being YTM (Young talented and mediocre).
LA Clippers: Like the Pacers they find themselves in the rare place of being YTM (Young Talented and Mediocre) thanks to the nucleus of Blake Griffin, Eric Gordon and Eric Bledsoe. This team is on the rise and will make the playoffs this year. In the future look for the team to contend for a championship very shortly, or at the very least battle out in the Western Conference.
LA Lakers: Simple enough: Kobe is aging. Are these upcoming years his last hoorah? What about for Odom and Gasol also? With so many questions the Lakers are in that fringe area of pursuing a championship while also being on semi life support as well as being semi RFG. That being said, if they get Dwight Howard the Lakers become full fledge RFG and begin suffering from the wonderful diagnosis of 3A.
Memphis Grizzlies: This team is YTG (Young talented and good) and as long as they keep the nucleus of Randolph, Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and the defensive intensity of Shane Battier and Darrel Arthur, this team will go far in the NBA Playoffs. The question is are they missing that final piece to get them to the finals?
Miami Heat: They are RFG and suffering from 2A, looking for the final piece of the puzzle. Is the nucleus of Lebron, Wade and Bosh the answer? Should trade one for someone or something else? Or are the missing someone, and if so who?
Milwaukie Bucks: While they will make the playoffs, even with the addition of Stephen Jackson they will continue to suffer from MPM and 3B. Unless Bogut stays healthy and Michael Redd returns to his old form the Bucks will make the playoffs in the 5th or 6th spot and then loose in the first round.
Minnesota Timberwolves: My wolves are YTB and are suffering from 1A. That being said with the nucleus of Rubio, Love and Williams, there is much to be excited about in Minnesota.
New Jersey Nets: they are suffering from a severe case of MPM and 3B. That being said a miracle could happen, and another superstar could join D-Will in New Jersey. That being said, if D-Will leaves or gets traded there is also the possibility they start to suffer from YTB and 1A
New Orleans Hornets: they are MPM and 3B unless they bring another really good player to tag along with CP3. That being said with the rumors of CP3 leaving the Hornets will have to enter the rebuilding stage and enter the realm of YTB.
New York Knicks: With the duo of Amare and Melo the Knicks have the potential to RFG. That being said with beasts out in the East like the Bulls, Celtics and Heat they are arguably a notch below RFG. Even so, they better than just MPM. At with only suffering from 2A, the Knicks very shortly could be suffering from 3A and begin pursuing an NBA championship.
Oklahoma City Thunder: This team is RFG and is extremely young. Future world champions. You know it is scary when you saying a team that made it to the Western Conference still has a ton growth to undergo.
Orlando Magic: Currently MPM and suffering from 2B, the Magic also have to be worried about Dwight Howard because at the moment the center spot is the only spot solidified. That being said if Howard leaves the Magic must get in return some young talent or first round picks so they can enter the YTB stage and begin suffering from 1A.
Philadelphia 76ers: even though they are YTB, unfortunately they are suffering from 2B. Thankfully with the rumors of them wanting to trade Iggy, they will undergo the diagnostic of 1A with the chance of it turning into 2A thanks to Jrue Holliday and possible Evan Turner if he winds up not being a bust.
Phoenix Suns: MPM and are on Steve Nash’s life support. They need to decide to trade him so they can start to rebuild. Nash you deserve to be on a contending team, and the suns you need to enter the building stage so you can become YTB.
Portland Trailblazers: They are stuck in the path of being MPM and extremely mediocre. It really is sad about Brandon Roy and such, but hey knees aren’t made out of elastic. The Blazers need to decide when they want to rebuild again. They have one piece in Lamarcus Aldridge to build around.
Sacramento Kings: Still in the rebuilding process, if Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins ever get there act together, the duo of them could potentially, in my opinion, take the NBA by storm. There NBA draft trade was horrible and while, Jimmer in my opinion will have a future in the NBA, he won’t be a star like so many white people hope he will be and taking him as high the Kings is a little odd. But when you consider this year’s draft, I guess in reality it wasn’t, but still.
San Antonio Spurs: After their first round exit at the hands of the Grizzlies has father time finally caught up with the aging Spurs? If so, look for this team to be MPM this season and be on aging life support throughout. (However the trade for Kawiah Lenord was good)
Toronto Raptors: With Demar DeRozen at the two and the potential of Ed Davis at 4 and the European center they just drafted (whenever he comes over) the raptors are YTB and are suffering from 1A. Not much to be happy about, not much to be angry about, but at the time the talent of Demar and Davis should have fans excited.
Utah Jazz: suffering from major rebuilding and bottoming out, while they will YTB next year, the potential of Derrick Favors, Alec Burks and Enes Kanter should keep the fans in Salt Lake City excited. Now the questions remains what are they to with Al “if you look at my stats I am good but if you see in real life I am bad’ Jefferson and Paul Millsap. And while Devin Harris is dandy little point guard, wouldn’t jazz like someone younger to grow with Favors, Burks and Kanter?
Washington Wizards: They are YTB. And are currently diagnosed with the following stages: 1A. Fortunately for them a diagnostic of 2A could be in the near future thanks to the potential nucleus of John Wall, Jan Vesely and Javale McGee (who, if he ever learns the game of basketball, will be a force to be reckoned with.)
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