As the dust from free agency settles, how do the Philadelphia 76ers stack up in comparison to the rest of the NBA?
While several impact players such as Pau Gasol, Nerlens Noel and JaMychal Green still remain on the market, most marquee free agents are off the board. The NBA landscape projects to look far different next season with All-Stars Jimmy Butler, Paul George and Gordon Hayward among others — including new Philadelphia 76ers guard J.J. Redick — finding different homes.
So without further ado, I present to you my Post Free Agency Power Rankings.
The Warriors cruised to their second NBA Championship in three years with a 16-1 playoff record and look primed to repeat next season. They’re far and away the best team in basketball right now despite splashy moves from their Western Conference counterparts this offseason. They retained core pieces in re-signing Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala while adding Nick Young. This team could break their own record for most wins in a season next year if they wished, but given how that turned out for them last time, head coach Steve Kerr will probably err on the side of caution.
After failing to land Paul George, Jimmy Butler or Carmelo Anthony via trade this offseason, the Cavaliers still sit a tier below the Warriors. The signings of Jose Calderon and Jeff Green will strengthen the team but Cleveland’s ceiling for the 2017-18 season remains unchanged. Yet as long as LeBron James still plays for the Cavaliers, they’ll be the favorite to win the Eastern Conference. With a significantly weaker Eastern Conference, LeBron and company should encounter very few obstacles on their quest for a fourth straight NBA Finals appearance. Despite entering next season at nearly 33 years old, LeBron has shown little to no signs that a decline in play is imminent. He is still the best player in the world and with an All-Star supporting cast of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, LeBron looks poised to make his eighth straight Finals.
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Last season the Rockets returned to the upper echelon of the Western Conference after hiring a new head coach in Mike D’Antoni, finishing with the third best record in the NBA. James Harden re-emerged as an MVP candidate while Eric Gordon and Clint Capela showed their capabilities as strong role players. General Manager Daryl Morey was not content in the team’s roster construction as he traded for perennial All-Star point guard Chris Paul back in June. The addition of Paul provides Houston with the opportunity to keep an elite ball handler on the court all times. With rumors swirling around the potential acquisition of New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, the Rockets do not appear to be done dealing for the summer. While there still exists a gap between the Rockets and Warriors, kudos are in order for Morey who refuses to sit back and wait out Golden State’s dominance. One thing’s for sure though: this Houston team will be a treat to watch next season.
Death, taxes and 50 win seasons for the Spurs are the lone certainties in life. They lost Jonathan Simmons to the Orlando Magic while Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are a year older. Yet Parker’s injury during the playoffs opened the door for rookie guard Dejounte Murray to gain valuable postseason experience. Parker and Murray, along with newly re-signed Patty Mills, should give the Spurs solid production at the point guard position next season. Head coach Gregg Popovich will certainly mold this team into one of the top squads in the Western Conference while quiet, do-it-all superstar Kawhi Leonard leads the way on the court. The addition of veteran swingman Rudy Gay will benefit the team and the Spurs should once again be one of the best in the league.
This summer was a stark contrast to last year’s offseason when the team watched as their homegrown superstar Kevin Durant departed for the Warriors. General Manager Sam Presti showed once again why he’s so highly regarded around the league. First, he traded Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis to the Indiana Pacers for All-Star forward Paul George, providing 2016-17 MVP Russell Westbrook with some much needed help. While this move alone would make for a successful offseason, Presti wasn’t done. He signed a stretch four in veteran Patrick Patterson and added a backup point guard in Raymond Felton. George will serve as the team’s secondary playmaker, alleviating much of the burden Westbrook experienced this past season. Additionally, his spot up shooting and strong perimeter defense perfectly complements the superstar point guard’s game. The duo of George and Westbrook will certainly be an exciting pairing to watch next season.
Isaiah Thomas established himself as a bonafide star last season while Jae Crowder and Al Horford were consistently strong contributors for the Celtics. The loss of Avery Bradley will sting but General Manager Danny Ainge made the smart decision to trade him as both he and Thomas’ free agency next summer would have put the Celtics in a difficult situation. Additionally, Marcus Morris’ arrival as a result of the Bradley trade gives the Celtics another versatile forward. While they struck out on Jimmy Butler and Paul George, largely due to Ainge’s reluctance to part with young players or draft picks, the addition of Gordon Hayward will certainly benefit this team. Jaylen Brown showed his ability during the playoffs last year and will make strides in his sophomore season. Their new rookie, third overall pick Jayson Tatum, looks capable of providing a scoring punch off the bench for the Celtics. It’s hard to imagine this team knocking off LeBron and the Cavs, but Ainge has positioned the Celtics to be successful for many years down the line.
The Nuggets developed into playoff contenders last season as second-year center Nikola Jokic experienced a breakout year. Despite Jokic only starting 59 of the team’s 82 games, the Nuggets still nearly squeaked into the playoffs. This offseason, the team went out and signed former Atlanta Hawks big man Paul Millsap, arguably the most underrated star in the league today. Millsap is the perfect frontcourt pairing with Jokic. He brings versatility on both ends of the court with the ability to guard on both the perimeter and in the paint while possessing range out to the 3-point line. At only 22 years old, Jokic looks poised to take another step forward and emerge as a superstar. Additionally, the duo of Jamal Murray and Malik Beasley both flashed signs of star potential last season. Those two along with Gary Harris, Jokic and Millsap will have the Nuggets battling for home court in the Western Conference next season.
With Kyle Lowry entering the offseason as a free agent and the team again falling to the Cavs in the playoffs, some wondered if the Villanova alum would take his talents to the West. Yet when the dust cleared, Lowry re-signed with the Raptors on a three-year, $100 million deal. They also re-signed last year’s midseason addition — Serge Ibaka — to a four-year, $49.4 million contract. Arguably the team’s best acquisition was carrying out a sign-and-trade for Indiana Pacers swingman C.J. Miles. The sharpshooting lefty was one of my favorite under- the-radar free agents this offseason and will bring much needed 3-point range and defensive ability to Toronto. The Raptors have the talent to make a deep postseason run, but it’s all contingent on Lowry, whose playoff struggles are well documented. If Lowry can carry his regular season success over to the playoffs, this is a team that could make a second Eastern Conference Finals appearance in three years.
A year after struggling with team chemistry and failing to make the playoffs, the Wizards returned to the postseason as the fourth seed in the East, thanks in part to new head coach Scott Brooks. In an epic seven game series against the Boston Celtics, John Wall and company proved that the gap between the two teams is miniscule. If the Cavaliers stand alone in the first tier of the Eastern Conference, then the Celtics, Raptors and Wizards comprise the next tier. Otto Porter Jr. showed the NBA why he was deserving of the third overall pick back in 2013, turning in by far his best year as a pro. Bradley Beal finally put together a fully healthy season, producing All-Star caliber numbers. John Wall did John Wall things, staking his claim as the conference’s top point guard. While the Wizards are seemingly hamstrung financially the next few seasons after signing Porter Jr. to a four-year, $106 million deal, the future remains bright. With an average age of just 24, Wall, Beal and Porter Jr. will have the Wizards near the top of the Eastern Conference for years to come.
While the Cavs and Celtics had been involved in trade rumors surrounding Jimmy Butler, it was ultimately the Minnesota Timberwolves who acquired the All-Star swingman, making them a near lock to return to postseason play for the first time since the 2003-04 season. Butler joins a talented, albeit underwhelming, group of players in Karl Anthony-Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Gorgui Dieng in Minnesota. Furthermore, the Timberwolves signed point guard Jeff Teague and Butler’s former teammate Taj Gibson in free agency this offseason. In Butler, the Timberwolves get one of the best two-way players in the league and with Towns developing into one of the league’s best players last season, the duo — along with a strong supporting cast — appears likely to end Minnesota’s long playoff drought.
After being the surprise of the league and making it to the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2015-16 season, the Blazers came into last season with lofty expectations. While largely underwhelming through the All-Star break, a midseason acquisition of former Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic appeared to spark the team. In the 19 games Nurkic started, Portland went 14-5, clawing their way back into the playoff picture. A fractured right leg kept Nurkic out of the final seven regular season games and all but one of their playoff matchups against the Warriors. With little cap space flexibility, the Blazers have remained dormant during free agency this summer. Yet during June’s draft, Portland traded the 15th and 20th overall pick to acquire Sacramento’s 10th overall pick, where they selected former Gonzaga big man Zach Collins. Additionally, the team drafted Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan with the 26th overall pick. While both rookies will need time to develop in the NBA, they will surely be able to contribute to some degree from day one. If Nurkic is able to stay healthy for the length of a full season, he, along with the potent backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, should be able to guide Portland to a fifth consecutive playoff appearance.
With the arrival of Markelle Fultz along with a seemingly healthy Ben SImmons and Joel Embiid, the Sixers are poised to become playoff contenders as they close the door on phase I of The Proces. In free agency, General Manager Bryan Colangelo signed two veteran players to one-year deals: J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson. While Johnson’s role is unclear at the moment with a plethora of big men on the Sixers roster, Redick figures to slot in as the team’s starting shooting guard, providing strong 3-point shooting to space the floor for Fultz, Simmons and Embiid. Essentially, the Sixers will acquire three promising young players when Fultz, Simmons and Embiid take the court for the first time together. While youth rarely wins out in the NBA, the abundance of talent on the Sixers roster is too much to ignore. If their young core can all stay healthy, the Sixers will be a force in the East this upcoming season.
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The departure of star point guard Chris Paul surely damages this team’s outlook for next season. Yet the Clippers will remain in the thick of the Western Conference after signing Danilo Gallinari along with former Euroleague star Milo Teodosic and retaining All-Star forward Blake Griffin. The team also acquired First-Team All-Defense point guard Patrick Beverley and perennial Sixth Man of the Year contender Lou WIlliams in the trade with Houston along with various other pieces. While the team will certainly miss Paul, all is not lost. Griffin will likely shift to a point forward role as the team’s primary distributor, a role he has excelled in during year’s past. The Clippers’ playoff hopes are contingent on the oft-injured Griffin. A healthy season from he and Gallinari could find the Clippers competing for home court advantage. If not, Los Angeles will miss the postseason for the first time in six years.
Giannis Antetokounmpo became a bonafide superstar last season en route to winning the Most Improved Player award and leading the Bucks to the playoffs. Additionally, guard Malcolm Brogdon won Rookie of the Year thanks to his steady play throughout the season. Fellow rookie Thon Maker flashed potential on both ends of the court last season and another year of steady progress would make the Bucks a significantly better team. Swingman Khris Middleton, an integral part of the Bucks’ success, appears healthy after missing all but 29 regular season games last season. The quartet of Antetokounmpo, Brogdon, Maker and Middleton will welcome rookie forward D.J. Wilson to the team as they look to continue their ascent up the Eastern Conference standings. After tearing his ACL in early February, Jabari Parker will likely miss an early portion of the season, but his return will be a welcomed sight for Bucks fans. Last season, Parker developed into one of the most complete scorers in the league. With tremendous upside, Antetokounmpo has an outside chance at leading the Bucks to a top four seed in the East, but to get there, Milwauke needs strong play from Middleton, Brogdon, Maker, and eventually, Parker as well.
The acquisition of superstar center DeMarcus Cousins during the All-Star break last season had the Pelicans and their fans thinking playoffs. Unfortunately, the team only went 7-10 with Cousins after the break, failing to make the playoffs. Anthony Davis turned in arguably his best season yet and more importantly, was healthy, playing in 75 games. The most notable move New Orleans made this offseason was re-signing point guard Jrue Holiday to a $126 million dollar contract. While not an elite point guard, Holiday is capable of being the third option on a playoff team. The key for the Pelicans’ playoff chances lies in the health of Holiday and Davis as the two have averaged just 54 games each the past two seasons. As a contingency plan in case Holiday succumbs to injury, the Pelicans recently signed veteran point guard Rajon Rondo. The four-time All-Star has proven that he can still produce at a high level when given ample playing time. Just two seasons ago, Rondo led the league in assists with 11.7 a game. With a full offseason to work together and develop stronger chemistry, Cousins and franchise centerpiece Davis, along with a healthy Jrue Holiday, should have the Pelicans in the playoff race next year.
Entering last season, the Heat were embarking upon a new stage of the franchise’s history: life after Dwyane Wade. Most pundits projected the team to struggle without the future Hall of Fame shooting guard and through 41 games as the team sat at just 11-30, they were right. But during the second half of last season, head coach Erik Spoelstra led his team on a remarkable run, going 30-11, highlighted by strong play from Dion Waiters, James Johnson, Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside. All of this was done without Justise Winslow, the team’s first round draft pick back in 2015. While Team President Pat Riley fell short in his pursuit of free agent Gordon Hayward, the team was still able to re-sign Waiters and Johnson while also signing Kelly Olynyk to a four-year, $52 million deal. With the Eastern Conference watered down as a result of George, Butler and Millsap’s departures, the Heat should find themselves comfortably in the top eight — with a chance for even more.
For the past seven seasons, the Grizzlies have been defined by a tough, defensive-minded brand of basketball known as “Grit ‘n’ Grind”. Yet with Grizzlies’ stalwart Zach Randolph departing to Sacramento and Tony Allen’s likely exit, that era of Memphis basketball appears to have concluded. Despite these losses, the Grizzlies still roster two of the most underrated stars the league has to offer in Marc Gasol and Mike Conley Jr. This offseason, the team signed former Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans. When healthy, the injury-prone Evans is a strong playmaking guard with the ability to score inside. While the Western Conference will certainly be loaded with talented teams across the board next season, the duo of Gasol and Conley Jr. along with head coach David “TAKE THAT FOR DATA!” Fizdale gives the Grizzlies a chance to make their eighth straight playoff appearance.
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The 2016-17 season was the most successful year the Jazz had experienced since former head coach Jerry Sloan’s retirement back in February of 2011. Small forward Gordon Hayward made his first All-Star team, center Rudy Gobert emerged as one of the league’s top defensive players and the Jazz won a playoff series for the first time since the 2009-10 season. Suddenly, Utah had the looks of a perennial top four seed in the West with a relatively young core and fantastic head coach in Quin Snyder. All of that changed when Hayward spurned Utah in favor of the Boston Celtics. Now, the Jazz must treat Gobert as the franchise’s centerpiece if they wish to experience more playoff success in the near future. With the newly acquired Ricky Rubio and retaining of swingman Joe Ingles, the Jazz will certainly still be a solid team. Additionally, rookie Donovan Mitchell has dazzled with his athleticism during Summer League play and fourth year guard Dante Exum looks ready to become a strong contributor as he enters the season fully healthy. If Gobert takes another step forward in his development and Derrick Favors can return to his pre-injury form of 2015-16, the Jazz will remain in the hunt for a playoff spot next season.
The Pistons returned to the playoffs during the 2015-16 season for the first time in six years but after an injury to point guard Reggie Jackson and regression from All-Star center Andre Drummond, the team failed to make it back-to-back postseason appearances. After drafting Duke guard Luke Kennard and trading for Avery Bradley, the Pistons look ready to be a playoff contender once again. Offseason knee surgery derailed Reggie Jackson’s 2016-17 season as he failed to replicate his borderline All-Star play from the year prior. Jackson’s lackluster season seemed to affect Drummond as well with the 2015-16 All-Star failing to produce at a similar level this past year. Resurgent seasons from those two along with strong contributions from Bradley and Kennard should have the Pistons back in playoff contention.
Similar to that of the Pistons, the Hornets experienced a renaissance season in 2015-16, finishing 48-34, tied for the third best record in the Eastern Conference. But last season, the team was unable to replicate the prior year’s success despite point guard Kemba Walker making his first All-Star appearance. After drafting Kentucky’s Malik Monk and trading for Dwight Howard, Charlotte looks poised to once again be a playoff contender. Walker and Monk will form one of the more dynamic offensive backcourts in the Eastern Conference while Nicolas Batum should continue to serve as the team’s secondary playmaker. Cody Zeller has developed into a solid role player for Charlotte while Howard, albeit far past his prime, can still contribute in a limited role. Barring any major injuries, head coach Steve Clifford will have Charlotte in the mix for a playoff spot next season.
The Mavericks find themselves in unfamiliar territory as they embark upon a rebuild. Prior to last year, the Mavericks had yet to experience a below .500 season this century, only missing the playoffs once (2012-13). Failing to land marquee free agents and Dirk Nowitzki’s decline has forced the team to embrace the youth movement. After drafting Dennis Smith Jr. — who has been remarkable in Summer League thus far — Dallas appears to have found their point guard of the future. Assuming the Mavericks re-sign restricted free agent Nerlens Noel, the team has found a solid young core to build around with breakout guard Seth Curry, Harrison Barnes, Smith Jr. and Noel. PS: Don’t forget to enjoy Nowitzki while he’s still around because he’s an all-time great and you’ll regret not cherishing his game.
When the Kings traded away All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins last season, the team’s future looked bleak. But after Buddy Hield, WIllie Cauley-Stein and Skal Labissiere all finished the year strong for the Kings, Sacramento now has a promising young core. The additions of De’Aaron Fox, Justin Jackson and Harry Giles gives the team six talented pieces with which to plan for the future. The team also signed 2014 first round pick Bogdan Bogdanovic to a three-year, $27 million contract. Bogdanovic will bring shooting and playmaking ability to a team in need of both. While I do not support the signings of Zach Randolph and George Hill, as the two will limit playing time for the talented guards and bigs, both will bring leadership and guidance to a young team. Along with the ageless wonder Vince Carter (whose signing I fully support), Randolph and Hill will help turn the Kings into a formidable team next year. With Sacramento not in win-now mode, their young core will have ample time to make mistakes and develop next season while benefitting from the tutelage of veterans Randolph, Hill and Carter.
To put it bluntly, the Knicks have been arguably the NBA’s most dysfunctional franchise of the past decade. In this offseason alone, they signed Tim Hardaway Jr. to an absurd four-year, $71 million deal and nearly traded away the franchise’s centerpiece Kristaps Porzingis. Ranking them as the 10th best team in the East is in no way a compliment but rather an indictment of the other five teams in the conference. Assuming the Knicks retain Carmelo Anthony for at least half the season, they should be able to put out a fairly formidable starting lineup composed of rookie Frank Ntilikina, Hardaway Jr., Anthony, Willy Hernangomez and Porzingis. While this is certainly not a playoff team, the talent level is substantially higher than that of other bottom feeders in the Eastern Conference. With some semblance of a nucleus and the acquisition of Scott Perry as General Manager, there are remnants of a long term plan in place. There could be a bright future ahead for New York but it’s more likely the team trades away one of its talented young pieces in the hopes of acquiring a win-now player, because, like, you know, it’s the Knicks.
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After drafting hometown hero Lonzo Ball during last month’s draft, the Lakers officially have their core of the future. As former No. 2 pick Brandon Ingram looks poised to take a step forward this season, he and Ball could have the makings of a potentially deadly combination in the years to come. In anticipation of Paul George’s impending free agency next summer, the team traded away D’Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets in order to unload Timofey Mozgov’s four-year, $64 million contract. In return, the Lakers received former All-Star Brook Lopez. After the Pistons rescinded their qualifying offer to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Los Angeles inked the fifth-year guard to a one-year, $18 million deal. While Lopez and Caldwell-Pope don’t figure into the team’s long term plans, both will help the Lakers win next season. The Lakers will be an improved team next season and with no draft pick to play for, they should look to win as many games as possible. But with the deepest Western Conference in recent history, victories will likely be few and far between.
After two decades of prolonged success, the Suns now find themselves in a rut. They haven’t made the playoffs since the 2009-10 season and aside from Devin Booker, have yet to land any future stars via the draft. Yet in this year’s draft, the Suns may have found another future star in Kansas’ Josh Jackson to pair with Booker on the wing. Phoenix will rise to prominence again in the future but it will not be next season. They should utilize the opportunity to foster their young talent, allowing them to grow and make mistakes. With a plethora of young players on the roster, including Marquese Chriss, Tyler Ulis and Dragan Bender, the Suns should embrace next season as another rebuilding year to develop said pieces.
Entering their sixth season of the PDH (post Dwight Howard) era, the Magic are struggling to gain traction in the Eastern Conference. Some of their notable lottery picks/draft-day acquisitions in recent memory have yet to become stars (Elfrid Payton, Aaron Gordon and Mario Hezonja) while other players have struggled to make the transition from good to great (Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier) . With Gordon, Payton and Hezonja all 23 or younger, there is still ample time for them to fulfill their potential. In this year’s draft, the team added freshman phenom Jonathan Isaac. The former Florida State Seminole has the build (6-foot-10, 7-foot-1 wingspan) and range (34.8% from 3-point in college) to become a force on both ends of the court. The Magic have been stuck in rebuild purgatory for the past five years but would be wise to let Isaac and the rest of their young talent progress next season. They’ve invested in these assets; the least they can do is give them opportunity.
Whether it be because he didn’t want to trade Paul George to an Eastern Conference foe or just did not wished to meet any of George’s requests, the fact remains that Indiana Pacers General Manager Kevin Pritchard got pennies on the dollar for the team’s superstar forward. In exchange for George, the Pacers received Victor Oladipo, a talented — but limited — young player, and Domantas Sabonis, who at best will be a good, not great player in the future. Along with George’s departure, the team also watched as their starting point guard Jeff Teague signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves this offseason. Aside from talented big man Myles Turner, the cupboard is bare in Indiana. They will not be competitive next season nor do they have many young pieces to bring along in what will be a rebuilding season. On the bright side, they should land a high draft pick in hopes of finding a talented player to pair with Turner. Just don’t expect to see Indiana pile up many wins next season.
Facing an uphill climb with a depleted roster and without their own 2016, 2017 and 2018 first round draft, General Manager Sean Marks has done excellent work despite limited resources. With an abundance of cap space, the Nets have become a valuable option for teams looking to dump salary. In this offseason alone, Marks has landed D’Angelo Russell, DeMarre Carroll (who, when healthy, is a nice player) and two future draft picks. Additionally, the Nets have two promising young players in Caris LeVert and this year’s No. 22 pick, Jarrett Allen. Russell looks to be the team’s most valuable piece and with a new opportunity after a rocky tenure in Los Angeles, the former No. 2 overall pick could become a star in Brooklyn. Despite Boston owning their 2018 first round pick, the Nets would be wise to prepare for the future and allow their young pieces to see the court as much as possible next season.
Through the first two games of their series against the Celtics last season, the Bulls had complete control and looked primed to advance in a stunning eight seed-over-one seed upset. Then, Rajon Rondo was ruled out indefinitely with a fractured right thumb, drastically altering the trajectory of the series. Boston went on to win four straight games and end the Bulls’ season. General Manager Gar Forman took this postseason exit as a sign to begin rebuilding, promptly trading away superstar forward Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves during last month’s draft. I could go into extensive detail as to why trading Butler at all was a foolish move but I won’t. Similar to the Pacers, Chicago got far less in return for Butler relative to his worth. The primary difference being that Butler isn’t a free agent until 2020. The Timberwolves sent Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the No. 7 overall pick from this year’s draft, Lauri Markkanen, to the Bulls in exchange for Butler and the No. 16 overall pick, Justin Patton. LaVine, while a very nice scorer, is coming off a torn ACL, is a limited playmaker and is the human embodiment of a sieve on the defensive end of the floor. Dunn, meanwhile, was one of the worst rookies in the NBA last season. The talent is there but he has yet to show it. Lastly, while a tall, 3-point shooting European big man like Kristaps Porzingis, Markkanen possesses far less defensive upside. The Bulls roster a plethora of young players yet none have flashed any signs of star potential. With the Bulls’ playoff odds next season lower than that of Wile E. Coyote catching the Road Runner, Chicago is best served to let young guys like Dunn, Markkanen, Denzel Valentine and Bobby Portis see substantial minutes. Maybe, if they’re lucky, they’ll land Michael Porter Jr. so they can eventually trade him away too.
What a difference two years can make. In the 2014-15 season, the Hawks cruised to the No. 1 seed in the East with a 60-22 record and made the conference finals. Now, entering the 2017-18 season, only two players from that team remain on the roster: Dennis Schroder and Kent Bazemore. Paul Millsap’s departure officially began the rebuild for the Hawks as they will likely be absent from postseason play for the first time since 2006-07. However, the Hawks do possess some intriguing young players in John Collins, Taurean Prince and Deandre’ Bembry. With two highly-touted prospects in Michael Porter Jr. and Luka Doncic atop next year’s draft board, the Hawks would be wise to see what they’ve got in their three young pieces and allow the losses to pile up.
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