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[JazzMan]

NBA Power Rankings
#13: Toronto Raptors

Toronto Raptors Depth Chart - 17-18
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Derrick Rose	Ramon Sessions	Edmond Sumner
SG	Norman Powell	Delon Wright
SF	DeMar DeRozan	Demarre Carroll	P.J. Tucker	Bruno Caboclo
PF	Serge Ibaka	Patrick Patterson	Pascal Siakam
C	Jonas Valunciunas	Lucas Nogueria	Jakob Poeltl

The Raptors lost Kyle Lowry in the offseason, as he signed with the Denver Nuggets shockingly. However, they could have done a lot worse of a job in replacing him by bringing in former MVP Derrick Rose. Although Rose's career has been derailed by injuries, he had a very quietly productive season in New York last year, despite what others may tell you. He's not a real great fit next to DeMar DeRozan, as neither is really a reliable three-point shooter, but they could really play off of each other well as they take turns slashing and cutting to the rim.

Norman Powell will get the chance to shine as the starting two-guard with DeRozan sliding down to the small forward spot full-time, and I think he'll make a great impression in the starting lineup. He's not a star by any means, but he should be able to be a productive two-way player. Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valunciunas will hold down the paint, and it will be interesting to see if Dwane Casey gives Valunciunas a little longer of a leash this season.

Predictions:
Record - 44-38
MVP - DeMar DeRozan
All-Stars - DeMar DeRozan

[JazzMan]

NBA Power Rankings
#12: Denver Nuggets

Denver Nuggets Depth Chart - 17-18
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kyle Lowry	Emmanuel Mudiay	Jameer Nelson
SG	Gary Harris	Jamal Murray	Malik Beasley
SF	O.G. Anunoby (R)	Will Barton	Dillon Brooks (R)
PF	Danilo Gallinari	Kenneth Faried	Juan Hernangomez
C	Nikola Jokic	Mason Plumlee	D.J. Wilson (R)

There was only so far up that the Nuggets could climb after not making the playoffs last season, with or without Kyle Lowry. However, with the addition of Lowry, Denver could be elevated to a playoff team, as they now have a legit point guard running the show. However, the keys to the team very clearly are in Nikola Jokic's hands. Jokic is a legit budding superstar big man with one of the most versatile skillsets we've ever seen from a big man. He has phenomenal court vision and passing ability out of the post, he can score in and out of the post, he can catch and shoot, he can pound the glass, and he can even protect the rim at a decent rate. He's everything you look for in a big man and more.

Getting Danilo Gallinari back was huge for them, even if he's slightly overpaid. However, the big move (aside from signing Lowry) this offseason was trading Wilson Chandler. This allowed them to take O.G. Anunoby at #13, as well as picking up a draft pick, which turned into big man D.J. Wilson, who has a lot of potential at either the four or the five. Denver looks scary, and I wouldn't be surprised if they crack the top 6 or 5 in the West this season.

Predictions:
Record - 45-37
MVP - Nikola Jokic
All-Stars - Nikola Jokic

[JazzMan]

NBA Power Rankings
#11: Miami Heat

Miami Heat Depth Chart - 17-18
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Goran Dragic	Tyler Johnson	Brandon Jennings
SG	Dion Waiters	Rodney McGruder
SF	Justise Winslow	Josh Richardson	Kyle Anderson	Okaro White
PF	James Johnson	Willie Reed	Josh McRoberts
C	Hassan Whiteside	Jared Sullinger	Justin Patton

Coach Erik Spoelstra nearly took a battered and bruised Miami Heat team to the postseason last year, and he was almost awarded Coach of the Year honors because of it. Now, he has a fully healthy Miami squad, and although Chris Bosh is gone, they were able to convert that contract into a long-term deal for sudden breakout players Dion Waiters and Sixth-Man of the Year James Johnson. Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside still remains as a potent guard/big duo, and with Waiters, Johnson, and Justise Winslow joining them in the starting lineup, I fully expect the Heat to make the postseason.

Their bench is pretty talented, as well. Led by combo guard Tyler Johnson, the bench unit has the ability to score in bunches and hold leads or comeback from deficits. Jared Sullinger should prove to be a good pickup backing up Whiteside, as he offers a dynamic that the Heat didn't have in his post-up and shooting abilities.

Predictions:
Record - 45-37
MVP - Hassan Whiteside
All-Stars - Hassan Whiteside

[JazzMan]

NBA Power Rankings
#10: Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee Bucks Depth Chart - 17-18
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Cory Joseph	Matthew Dellavedova	Shelvin Mack
SG	Khris Middleton	Malcolm Brogdon	Rashad Vaughn
SF	Giannis Antetokounmpo	Tony Snell
PF	Jabari Parker	John Collins (R)	Mirza Teletovic	Nigel Hayes (R)
C	Thon Maker	John Henson	Spencer Hawes

The Bucks made some moves in the offseason as they work towards developing their young talent into a championship contender. They let Greg Monroe walk after he declined his player option, and they traded their #17 draft pick to move down in the draft, picking up point guard Cory Joseph in the process. Joseph should be a great pickup for Milwaukee, as he can play on and off the ball very, very well, allowing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker to do their thing.

Antetokounmpo comes into this season with a ton of hype after his All-Star year last year, and he'll be joined once again by Khris Middleton and Jabari Parker. Middleton was injured for about half the season last year, and when he came back, the Bucks took a huge leap forward. Unfortunately, Jabari went down as soon as Middleton came back, injuring the same knee that he hurt a few years ago. However, with him looking fully healthy to start the season, the Bucks could turn a lot of heads this year early.

Predictions:
Record - 45-37
MVP - Giannis Antetokounmpo
All-Stars - Giannis Antetokounmpo

[JazzMan]

NBA Power Rankings
#9: Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis Grizzlies Depth Chart - 17-18
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Mike Conley	Deron Williams	Andrew Harrison	Wade Baldwin
SG	Tony Allen	Troy Daniels	Gerald Green
SF	Vince Carter	James Ennis
PF	Pau Gasol	JaMychal Green	Deyonta Davis	Jarell Martin
C	Marc Gasol	Brandan Wright

Memphis found a way to get rid of Chandler Parsons in the offseason, and in the process they landed Pau Gasol, the former Grizzlie and older brother of current center Marc Gasol. While bringing the Gasol Brothers together in the NBA is a fun and fascinating story, will it work in the league? Small-ball is taking over, and with Pau and Marc both being 7-footers, it could be a rough going defensively for the Gasol Bros. If it does work though? Then they might as well make a move for Ricky Rubio and try and create Team Spain in Memphis.

The Grizzlies have arguably the oldest core in the league, as all 5 of their starters are 30 or older. Mike Conley is 30, Pau is 37, Marc is 32, Tony Allen is 35, and Vince Carter is 40. Though they have some youth on the bench, will it come back to bite them for having such an old core heading into the year?

Predictions:
Record - 46-36
MVP - Marc Gasol
All-Stars - None

[JazzMan]

NBA Power Rankings
#8: Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Clippers Depth Chart - 17-18
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Chris Paul	Rajon Rondo	Sergio Rodriguez
SG	Austin Rivers	Jamal Crawford	Arron Afflalo
SF	Luc Mbah a Moute	Wesley Johnson
PF	Blake Griffin	Michael Beasley	Brice Johnson
C	DeAndre Jordan	Marreese Speights	Kendrick Perkins	Diamond Stone

Somehow, the Clippers managed to bring the band back together, as they signed both Blake Griffin and Chris Paul to 5 year deals. Although they lost J.J. Redick, they did manage to bring in Rajon Rondo, who can spell Chris Paul, giving him possibly his best backup since Eric Bledsoe. They also brought in Michael Beasley, who can play the 3 or the 4, and it'll be cool to see some of the lineups that Doc Rivers trots out featuring the likes of Griffin and Beasley at the 4 and 5.

However, is this team currently a championship contender as constructed? They once again got bounced out of the playoffs in the first round last year, this time by the young Utah Jazz, and it seems as though the Clippers have been surpassed by a number of teams in the Western Conference. However, with Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan, you have to figure that they'll make a deep playoff run at some point.

Predictions:
Record - 48-34
MVP - Chris Paul
All-Stars - Chris Paul

[JazzMan]

NBA Power Rankings
#7: Washington Wizards

Washington Wizards Depth Chart - 17-18
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	John Wall	Patrick Mills	Tomas Satoransky
SG	Bradley Beal	Bojan Bogdanovic	Luke Kennard (R)
SF	Otto Porter Jr.	Kelly Oubre Jr.	Jakarr Sampson
PF	Markieff Morris	Jonas Jerebko	Chris McCullough
C	Marcin Gortat	Ian Mahinmi	Jason Smith

John Wall and Bradley Beal make up possibly the best backcourt in the NBA. With neither being a total liability on defense (Wall might actually be the best defensive point guard in the league right now), while also both being elite offensively, they make for such a dangerous tandem on the floor. Though they were rumored to have beef with each other a couple seasons ago when they failed to make the postseason, that has appeared to change, as last season they proved that they can not only coexist, but dominate together.

The Wizards managed to bring back Otto Porter, but it was only the qualifying offer, as Porter didn't receive a max contract that he was looking for. He'll be out to prove something this season, and if he proves he's worthy of a max deal, I'm sure Washinton would have no problems giving it to him. Marcin Gortat is getting older, but Ian Mahinmi is a good replacement if need be. Don't sleep on the acquisition of combo guard Patty Mills, either. He could make a huge difference for the Wizards, as he can play with either Wall or Beal in the backcourt.

Predictions:
Record - 49-33
MVP - John Wall
All-Stars - John Wall, Bradley Beal

[JazzMan]

NBA Power Rankings
#6: Houston Rockets

Houston Rockets Depth Chart - 17-18
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Patrick Beverley	Lou Williams	Isaiah Taylor
SG	James Harden	Eric Gordon	Kyle Korver
SF	Sam Dekker	Trevor Ariza	Wesley Iwundu (R)
PF	Ryan Anderson	Montrezl Harrell	Chinanu Onuaku
C	Clint Capela	Nene	Anzejs Pasecniks (R)

Mike D'Antoni, in his first season with the Rockets, turned James Harden from a scoring machine into a scoring and assisting machine, as he led the league in assists and nearly led it in points, too. With Harden essentially playing the point on offense and power forward on defense, he thrived as a hybrid point power forward playing alongside Beverley, Lou Williams, and Eric Gordon.

As great as Harden is, a lot of Houston's success could be attributed to its bench and big man Clint Capela. Capela came into last season still a relative unknown, but he took the vacant starting center spot after Dwight Howard left for Atlanta and turned into a shot-blocking and rebounding machine. He's the perfect big man for D'Antoni's system, and I think he'll enjoy even more success this season as he refines his offensive game.

Predictions:
Record - 51-31
MVP - James Harden
All-Stars - James Harden