Earlier this week, ESPN had a panel of 44 experts pick the Eastern and Western Conference winners for the 2017/18 season, along with the eventual NBA champion. The results were familiar and unsurprising — ESPN projects the Cavaliers and the Warriors to meet in the NBA Finals for a fourth consecutive season, with Golden State winning its third title in four years.
While it’s possible a contender like the Celtics, Spurs, or Rockets will upend the established order, there may be more potential for a crowded field and a dramatic race at the other end of the standings. ESPN also published its first 2018 mock draft this week, which included teams picking in specific positions based on projections for 2017/18 records.
ESPN has the Bulls picking at No. 1, followed by the Celtics (via Nets), Hawks, Suns, Kings, Magic, and Knicks, suggesting those are the teams expected to finish at the bottom of the NBA’s standings this season. A few of those clubs were cellar-dwellers last season as well, but ESPN anticipates teams like the Sixers, Lakers, and Timberwolves will improve and get out of that group, while teams like the Bulls and Hawks are expected to drop off significantly after making the playoffs last season.
It’s not hard to see where those predictions come from — Chicago and Atlanta both lost All-Stars and began rebuilding this offseason, while Minnesota acquired one of those All-Stars (Jimmy Butler) and Philadelphia and L.A. fortified their respective rosters in both the draft and free agency. As for Brooklyn, Phoenix, Sacramento, Orlando, and New York, none of those clubs made the sort of summer splash that would necessarily result in a major jump in the standings.
What do you think? Do you expect one of those clubs to be the NBA’s worst team in 2017/18, or is there another team you believe will end up in the league’s basement? Vote below in our poll, then jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!
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Hawks
I think people are being a little too quick removing the Sixers and Lakers from this group of cellar dwellers. I don’t think either will be THE worst team, but I see both as top 10 picks next year. My vote for worst is easy though, Nets yet again.
So another top 1-4 pick for Boston. The gift that keeps on giving.
How come the lakers aren’t an option?
Stick with baseball.
Hawks for sure.
Brooklyn will be improved with the additions of Crabbe, Russell, Mozgov. Jeremy Lin will hopefully be healthier.
Hawks lost Millsap for nothing and only got Plumlee and Bellinelli for Howard. Schroeder and Bazemore are the only NBA caliber starters on the team and everyone else is currently a role player
Bulls are going to be terrible with an eye on Porter or Bagley
Hawks are working it.
Kind of disgraceful how many teams wpuld rather draft high than win. The incentive needs to be rolled back.
The NBA should award 10 pingpong balls to the champ then one additional per placement in the standings. So, there would be 10 + 11 + 12 +13 etc balls… to 40 balls for the worst team.
Spin the hopper and every team gets one slot in order.
Nobody trades draft spots. Instead they trade pingpong balls. The teams get what they get with the balls they are given plus or minus what they have traded once they get their tally.
775 balls means odds to get the top pick run from 1.2% to 5.2%. The low end can be adjusted by how many the top team gets, the top end by how many balls are added per level.
And an end to wanky things like, Boston gets the pick if between 2 and 5 otherwise Philly, or whatever. It will be impossible for a dumb GM/owner to give away a future.
The incentive to tank fizzles.
I’ll go w/sac kings. Maybe zevo won’t play?
the charlotte hornets. they will end the regular season with a 10-72 record, 10-31 at home.
If Charlotte goes 10-72 and 10-31 at home I will tattoo your name across my face.
Bulls should be but their mismanagement under garpax can’t get anything right so tanking not a sure thing
Absolutely, undeniably the worst team in the upcoming season will be the…Atlanta Hawks.