Teams who we think will be there, won’t
Sometimes teams can control their own destiny, but sometimes the failures of those around them are all a team needs.
It is hard to imagine that the now LeBron James-led Los Angeles Lakers, who missed out on the playoffs last season, won’t be in the playoffs this year. Whether they win 50 games is still up for argument, but it seems only intuitive that they’ll be in the dance, and probably get out of the first round.
That said, who are the teams that were in the playoffs last season that won’t be in it in 2019, and who else missed the playoffs in 2018 that has a legitimate shot at making it this year?
Phoenix Suns
Obviously we have to assume that the Lakers will be in the playoffs, and my presumption is that it will be the Minnesota Timberwolves (who finished with the 8th seed in 2018 and are apparently struggling internally with Tom Thibodeau and Jimmy Butler) that will be replaced.
The Memphis Grizzlies will get Mike Conley and Marc Gasol back, and if healthy the Grizz will certainly make a run for the Western Conference playoffs once again. However, I just don’t see them being able to overtake anyone who were in the playoffs last year, especially if they end up trading either Conley or Gasol, as had been rumored last season.
The Trailblazers made the playoffs last season, and as virtue of being a Division winner, had the third seed in the playoffs.
That didn’t work out so well for them as they were swept by New Orleans, and as I have long speculated, I foresee them taking a large step back this season since they did not improve the roster in any way this offseason. Then, if they do fade, that is when the Suns can attempt to swing in and make an offer for Lillard, that the Blazers just can not refuse.
The Spurs made the playoffs (as a seven-seed) without Kawhi Leonard, however even with the addition of DeMar DeRozen, the overall aging of the roster is going to cause them to take a step back as well.
While I would never count the Spurs out, and Gregg Popovich is still their head coach, even the mighty eventually fall in sports, and we might finally, finally, be witnessing their ultimate decline.
If the Suns can be better than the Grizzlies, better than the Spurs (unlikely, but possible), and better than the Blazers (very possible, especially if the Blazers trade Lillard or C.J. McCullum at some point this season), then they might have the door open to make a run at the seven or eight-seed in 2019.