The Pick and Pop: Which teams are rising and falling in 2015-16?
With the 2015-16 season set to tip off, theScore's NBA editors discuss which under-the-radar teams could sneak up on the rest of the league, and which bigger-name teams are set for a fall from grace.
Which team do you see as a sleeping giant this season?
William Lou: Pardon the pun, but the Suns flamed out spectacularly last season. Their three-point guard lineup failed on the court and ripped apart team chemistry. Losing five games at the buzzer didn't help, either. However, after reloading with Brandon Knight and Tyson Chandler, expect Phoenix to snag a low playoff seed out West.
Joe Wolfond: Call it wishful thinking, but I like the fit of Sacramento's roster better than any in the DeMarcus Cousins era. They added some much-needed shooting and rim protection, and, as combustible as he can be, a locked-in Cousins is a top-10 player. If they can put last season's tumult and their offseason soap opera behind them, the Kings will have a realistic shot at ending the league's second-longest playoff drought before it hits a decade.
Chris Walder: The Orlando Magic have far too much young, rising talent to win fewer than 30 games again. The Vucevic-Payton-Harris-Hezonja-Oladipo-Gordon sextet is as promising a group as you'll find. A below-.500 record may still be good enough to snag the final playoff seed in the East. Why not Orlando, then?
Sam Morsy: The Indiana Pacers did not make the playoffs last season, but are now equipped to sneak back into the postseason after a somewhat forgettable 2014-15 campaign. Expectations vary for this team - led by a reinvigorated Paul George - but Frank Vogel is seasoned, and so is his veteran-laden squad.
John Chick: It's hard to call a bottom-rung East team under the radar, but the Detroit Pistons have made some interesting moves and Stan Van Gundy is a great coach.
Joseph Casciaro: How did we get through five responses without a single mention of the Jazz? The Hayward-Favors-Gobert frontcourt is as exciting as any moving forward, Utah went 23-14 when Gobert started last season, and the Jazz outscored opponents by 6.5 points per 100 possessions with the trio sharing the court. Look for Utah to battle New Orleans and Phoenix for the final two West playoff spots.
Which team is about to come crashing back down to earth in a disappointing season?
Lou: The Milwaukee Bucks are the darlings of the league, and their future is certainly bright with the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker coming into their own. However, last year’s team was built upon a stingy defensive identity, and after swapping several key veterans with two poor defenders (Greivis Vasquez and Greg Monroe), the Bucks aren't quite ready to take the next step.
Wolfond: Color me skeptical that the Jazz can cash in on the incredible promise they showed in the second half last season, when they morphed into the league's best defensive team. Their D should continue to be excellent, but I have doubts about how the offense will function, and the point-guard void is a major cause for concern. They'll break into the playoffs sooner than later, but not this year.
Walder: Dirk Nowitzki is a year older, Wesley Matthews is coming off an Achilles injury, the Western Conference is still brutal terrain to traverse, and ... JaVale McGee. There are too many question marks and not enough reasons to be optimistic. Dallas will likely miss the playoffs for just the second time since 2000.
Morsy: Pundits doubted the Atlanta Hawks until they came within four games of The Finals last season. However, sans DeMarre Carroll, they will be hard-pressed to fight off the determined Miami Heat and the emerging Washington Wizards in the Southeast Division.
Chick: I love the Bucks' makeup, but I think some are getting ahead of themselves calling them a top-four team in the Eastern Conference.
Casciaro: There's only so much Rick Carlisle and a 37-year-old Dirk can do. Barring an All-Star-type season from Chandler Parsons, an inspiring return from Achilles surgery for Matthews, and a time machine for Deron Williams, the Mavs may find it tough to avoid their first losing season in 16 years.