ESPN's Future Rankings

[Coolbreeze44]

How will your team perform the next three seasons?

The Future Power Rankings are ESPN Insider's projection of the on-court success expected for each team in the 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.
Consider this a convenient way to see the direction in which your favorite team is headed.
Each of the NBA's 30 teams received an overall Future Power Rating of 0 to 100 based on how well we expect each team to perform in the next three seasons.
To rank the 30 teams, we asked ESPN Insider analysts Chad Ford and Kevin Pelton to rate each team in each category.
To determine the Future Power Rating, we rated each team in five categories. For an explanation of each category and a full view of how each team did in each individual category, click here.
Here are our latest rankings:
Go to: 1-5 | 6-10 | 11-15 | 16-20 | 21-25 | 25-30


1. Golden State Warriors

Rank
Score
Players
1
100
Management
1
97.5
Money
27
17.5
Market
1
90
Draft
30
12.5


Overall: 84.6
The Warriors remain No. 1 for a third straight edition of the Future Power Rankings, and the gap between them and the No. 2 team just keeps increasing, even despite losing to the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.
The Warriors already had the best roster in the NBA and then added perennial MVP candidate Kevin Durant to the mix. Yes, they suffered some losses -- including Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut -- but the addition of Durant more than makes up for that.
Their management score is also near perfect as GM Bob Myers and coach Steve Kerr make a potent pair. Their draft and money scores are poor, but those doesn't matter much for a team this good -- they don't need the help.
It will be a major disappointment if this Warriors team doesn't win at least two NBA championships in the next three years.
-- Chad Ford
(Previous rank: No. 1)

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

Rank
Score
Players
2
92.5
Management
11
60
Money
26
18
Market
7
70
Draft
29
15


Overall: 72.5
The Cavaliers ended a 52-year drought without a major pro sports championship in Cleveland by rallying from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Warriors in last season's NBA Finals. Now the question is whether they can do it again.
Assuming the Cavaliers are ultimately able to re-sign starting shooting guard J.R. Smith, still a free agent, all the pieces are in place for Cleveland to repeat last season's success. There's only one problem, that being the possibility Golden State is even better after adding Kevin Durant.
Still, the Cavaliers remain heavy favorites to win the Eastern Conference for the foreseeable future with LeBron James signed up for at least the next two seasons. While Cleveland is deep in the luxury tax and will get little help via the draft (having traded a lottery-protected 2018 first-round pick to Portland), only the Warriors have more talent on their current roster.
-- Kevin Pelton
(Previous rank: 2)

3. Boston Celtics

Rank
Score
Players
5
65
Management
3
90
Money
8
67.5
Market
14
50
Draft
2
95


Overall: 70.6
The Celtics hold steady at No. 3. That's high praise considering the two teams above them have met in the Finals the past two years.
Staying at No. 3 doesn't mean a lack of improvement. The team landed a major free agent in Al Horford, upping its roster ranking significantly from No. 15 to No. 5.
The Celtics continue to have a bounty of picks that places them only behind the 76ers in the draft category. We also continue to be bullish on their management, ranking the Celtics third thanks to one of the best coaches, Brad Stevens, and executives, Danny Ainge.
With so much flexibility to make trades and continue to add to their roster via free agency and the draft, we believe if anyone in the East is going to dislodge the Cavs, it's Boston.
-- Chad Ford
(Previous rank: 3)

4. San Antonio Spurs

Rank
Score
Players
3
75
Management
2
95
Money
15
50
Market
11
52.5
Draft
25
27.5


Overall: 70.4
The Spurs stay at No. 4 in our rankings despite losing face of the franchise Tim Duncan to retirement over the summer.
While there are very real concerns about the age of both Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, the Spurs have done an excellent job through the draft, trades and free agency to build an excellent young core for the future. Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge are the cornerstones, and adding a veteran like Pau Gasol mitigates the loss of Duncan.
As for the rest of the Spurs? Despite a lot of turnover in the front office, they still appear to have just about the best management in the NBA, and a culture that we believe will allow them to continue to be quite competitive going forward.
-- Chad Ford
(Previous rank: 4)

5. Minnesota Timberwolves

Rank
Score
Players
4
70
Management
8
62.5
Money
3
87.5
Market
27
20
Draft
11
57.5


Overall: 65.0
The Wolves take another leap this summer from No. 9 to No. 5, reflecting our belief that they have the best young roster in the NBA.
With No. 1 picks Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins already on the roster, the addition of Kris Dunn in the draft helped the Wolves move up to No. 4 in the players category.
And we believe that Tom Thibodeau's coaching will get the most out of Towns, Wiggins, Dunn and Zach LaVine -- Minnesota's management rank jumped to No. 8 with Thibs taking over.
The team is also well situated to be a player in free agency going forward, giving Minnesota more flexibility than most to continue to tinker with the roster. You have to be patient with young teams, but give the Wolves another year and they should start making noise in the West.
-- Chad Ford
(Previous rank: 9)

[Monster]

Thanks for posting Cool.

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

Thanks Cool. Wow, #5! This year-playoffs, next year-strong challenge to spurs and or warriors in playoffs, third year-NBA Championship (ok, maybe the 4th season)