My NBA preview: 30 teams, five different objectives (one is not good)

Two days!

That's how close we are to the dawning of another NBA season. And the storylines abound.

Can the Heat three-peat? Can the geriatric Nets stay healthy enough to make their luxury-tax-paying Russian oligarch look smart? Can the 76ers avoid breaking their own record for futility? Can LeBron be any better? Can KD be any better? When will Kobe come back?

The list goes on and on.

But for the sake of simplification — and because this is a blog; not a book or a Bill Simmons blog — I'm going to jump right into my NBA preview by breaking up the teams (listed in the order I think they'll finish in their conference) by their objectives for the season.

It might be the easy way out, but, hey, isn't that what a handful of teams will be doing when they sit their top players come March and April with "back stiffness?"

See below.

Categories

• Playing to win (PW): Teams that are in this thing to win the NBA 'ship in June.
• Playing for the playoffs (PP): Teams that just want to make the postseason, where they won't last long. In many cases, these teams have GMs who won't be around next year if their teams don't qualify for the postseason.
• Playing for Wiggins: Simple. Teams that will be horrible and hope to win out at the draft lottery and get the No. 1 pick to (most likely) select Andrew Wiggins.
• Playing for LeBron: Teams whose prime objective this season will be to make themselves look good enough and appealing enough to attract the world's best player during free agency.
• Shit, I don't know (SIDK): Teams that aren't making much sense with their personnel moves and will be irrelevant for most of the season.

Eastern Conference

1) Miami Heat: Two storylines to watch before the playoffs — can LeBron be even better? And can Greg Oden stay healthy and be a factor. PW

2) Chicago Bulls: Yep, 95 percent of America was wrong. What's new? Derrick Rose knew what was best for him despite the intense criticism, and now he's fully healed. Watch out, East. PW

3) Indiana Pacers: So what's new for the team that came within a game of taking down the mighty Heat? Well, they get back a healthy Danny Granger and swapped Tyler Hansbrough for Luis Scola. I'd call that a productive offseason. PW

4) New Jersey Nets: A couple thoughts — their backcourt of Deron Williams and Joe Johnson is overrated; their frontcourt of old guys KG and Paul Pierce plus Brook Lopez is underrated. PW

5) New York Knicks: They'll finish in the middle of the East and maybe even win a playoff series. That, however, doesn't mean they have a clue what they're doing long-term besides hoping for LeBron. SIDK, PFL

6) Atlanta Hawks: Of all the coaching changes this offseason (quick, name two!), this one is so under-the-radar, I bet most Hawks fans don't know the guy. But Gregg Popovich disciple Mike Budenholzer will keep the team a reach-the-playoffs-and-lose-early-every-year outfit. PP

7) Detroit Pistons: If the Pistons don't make the playoffs after acquiring Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings, Joe Dumars is done as GM. Pressure's on. PP

8) Washington Wizards: The Wizards are in the same boat. The late acquisition of Marcin Gortat should get them to the postseason if they can stay relatively healthy, which was their undoing last season. PP

9) Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavaliers' main goal under Mike Brown (hey, welcome back!) is for the young nucleus to learn how to play defense and to look good enough to bring back another former Cav next summer... PFL

10) Toronto Raptors: Assuming no move is made involving Rudy "I like to shoot a low percentage" Gay, Toronto — and its awesome fan base — will push for a playoff spot and come up just short. PP

11) Charlotte Bobcats: I'm sorry, but Michael Jordan is as bad at being a GM as he was good/great/legendary at playing. He's terrible (see Jefferson, Al; Gordon, Ben; Zeller, Cody). Charlotte will be just good/bad enough not to make the playoffs OR give itself a decent shot at Wiggins. SIDK

12) Milwaukee Bucks: Milwaukee was smart to rid itself of Brandon Jennings and let Monta Ellis go shoot a lot and play no defense for Dallas. Still, the Bucks aren't attracting any free agents beyond O.J. Mayo and have pieces that don't fit. Maybe a draft pick could help... PFW

13) Boston Celtics: If Rajon Rondo isn't traded and plays a healthy season, combined with Brad Stevens on the sideline, they might not be as bad as they should be. That, of course, isn't what the fan base wants. PFW

14) Orlando Magic: You know what would be fun — Victor Oladipo paired up with a certain college freshman next season. PFW

15) Philadelphia 76ers: No team is more transparent about its goals. GM and analytics guru Sam Hinkie ditched Jrue Holiday, traded for a rookie who's out for the year  (Nerlens Noel) and has a lineup that includes Thaddeus Young, Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes. Yeesh... PFW

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Western Conference

1) L.A. Clippers: This squad could be the paradigm of the "Can a much better coach make a difference?" test, with Doc Rivers taking over for Vinny Del Negro. If Doc can turn DeAndre Jordan into a serviceable free-throw shooter in addition to being a dominant defender, watch out. PW

2) Oklahoma City Thunder: If healthy, this team will be playing in the Western Conference Finals. Its objectives are clear. PW

3) San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs and St. Louis Cardinals are the two most well-run organizations in American professional sports. Don't expect that to change for the Spurs and Kawhi Leonard — the face of the future — this year. PW

4) Golden State Warriors: Their only problem is they've got six guys who should be starting. Harrison Barnes was an effective post-up guy in the playoffs, but he might be stuck on the bench. Expect a potential move during the season. PW

5) Memphis Grizzlies: People are down on the Grizz, saying they had their chance last year (helped by the Westbrook injury), but I love their core, Mike Conley just gets better and stats guru John Hollinger in the GM seat won't make any dumb, rash moves. PW

6) Houston Rockets: Prove me wrong, Dwight Howard. Prove that you can be a winner on a team that's not all about you. Prove that you can shoot better than 50 percent on free throws. If you do, you might help James Harden take this team very far. PW

7) Minnesota Timberwolves: Did you know that no team has had a longer playoff drought than Minny? Yeah, I was surprised, too, that 2004 was the last time the T-Wolves — led by a KG character — made the postseason. It's time to return, even if to get swept in the first round. PP

8) Dallas Mavericks: Mark Cuban has publicly said Dirk is ending his career as a Maverick, so there will be no rebuilding. Instead, he'll add pieces like Jose Calderon and Ellis and see what happens. PP

9) L.A. Lakers: I'm only putting them this high because of Kobe "Bean" Bryant, easily the most competitive player in the league. He'll return from that Achilles earlier than anyone expects, hit some game-winners, and make the case for a certain someone joining him and Pau Gasol in the summer (even though he'll be 36). PFL

10) Denver Nuggets: How do you go from a No. 3 seed to a team just fighting for a playoff spot? You lose your Executive of the Year (Masai Ujiri), fire your coach of the year (George Karl), and let your defensive cornerstone (Andre Iguodala) bolt for Golden State. SIDK

11) Portland Trail Blazers: I actually like this team and what they're doing. Unfortunately, with rookie C.J. McCollum out six weeks and living in the crazy-competitive West, they'll end up short of their playoff dream — and end up in the Wiggins sweepstakes. PP (but PFW by happenstance)

12) New Orleans Pelicans: I'm sorry, but any team that puts effort into acquiring Tyreke Evans and believes Eric Gordon will actually be healthy doesn't know what it's doing. It's sad, too, because Anthony Davis is special and Monty Williams knows how to coach. SIDK

13) Sacramento Kings: This team won't necessarily tank. It will just be really bad, especially if Boogie Cousins has more meltdowns. That means lots of lottery balls. PFW

14) Utah Jazz: Similar to the 76ers, if scaled-down a bit, the Jazz have a plan. Their hope is for youngsters Enes Kanter (21), Derrick Favors (22), Gordon Hayward (23) and rookie Trey Burke (20) to grow and improve together. And if a No. 1 picks comes along, well even better. PFW

15) Phoenix Suns: Phoenix has finally come to terms with the the fact it's a really bad basketball team and execs need to stop watching Steve Nash highlight films. Unloading Marcin Gortat was a start. Goran Dragic should be next to go, which would give Eric Bledsoe free reign over a team of nobodies. PFW

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Playoff predictions

EAST: Miami Heat def. Chicago Bulls (7 games) — I really want to take the Bulls and possible MVP Rose. But this will clearly be the Heat's last hurrah with their Big Three, and LeBron will be transcendent in this series.

WEST: L.A. Clippers def. Oklahoma City Thunder (6 games) — Call me crazy, but I think Doc can take a team that got run off the court in the first round in 2012-13 and lead it to the finals. The additions of J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley will help on the offensive end. Jordan will be the ringleader on the other end. And I didn't even mention Chris Paul.

FINALS: Miami def. L.A. (6 games) — Matt Barnes will do all he can to get under LeBron's skin, but James will be too much for the Clippers. Throw in the clutch shooting of Ray Allen and Greg Oden providing that big body to contest Blake Griffin and Jordan, and the Heat will take home their third title in a row.

Of course, the real drama will have played out weeks before when the PFW is decided by ping-pong balls. ENJOY!

For my basketball insights, follow me on Twitter @jakelam2116

2013 NBA Draft Diary: A major letdown by my idol Joe D.

I had begun the night wearing the Dumars jersey.

It wasn't even a contest.

Never before Thursday night had I been close to as excited about an NBA Draft as I was about the version set to take place at Barclays Center. 

Why? Since become a "hoops junkie" in the mid-2000s, Michigan basketball had never brought to draft night a projected first-round selection. On Thursday, two Wolverines were expected to have their names called among the first 30 picks.

Not only that, but one, Trey Burke, arguably the greatest player in Michigan history, the kid who hit THE SHOT, the sophomore who took us on that ride to the national title game, the 6-footer who made the block that wasn't (but was), the consensus national player of the year ... yeah, that kid had a chance to go in the top few picks.

Or fall — crazy enough — to the home-state, downtrodden Detroit Pistons. 

One guy isn't going to save a franchise with cracks throughout its foundation, but the best point guard in the draft who is an extremely high character and intangibles guy and a proven leader is a good place to start.

Needless to say, I was pumped up for the night, for Burke, for Tim Hardaway Jr., and for that slight possibility of the Pistons becoming relevant to me again.

Well, here's what happened (from my end of things). Times are approximate:

6:12pm
After sneaking out of my work happy hour early and racing home on my bike, I open my dresser and pull out my ugly, late-90s Joe Dumars jersey. Remember when the Pistons had that dragon logo for a couple years? Yeah, that's when I had purchased the jersey of my favorite player from the '90s. Tonight, I am wearing it for good luck. I head over to my man Sam's house for the NBA Draft Party.

7:14pm
The anticipation is building. For the evening, the fellas have a few $1 bets — nothing serious; we're amateurs. The first one: Project the draft's top five, with points assigned for each pick from 5 to 1. My picks 1) Alex Len; 2) Victor Oladipo; 3) Anthony Bennett; 4) Nerlens Noel; 5) Ben McLemore.

7:40pm
Shocker!! The two Sams, Jeff and I are all in disbelief, as the comical, sassy Stern — always delighted to elicit boos from the Draft crowd, man, I'm gonna miss the Commish, announces, "With the first pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select ... ... ... Anthony Bennett..." The camera cuts to the face of Noel, the projected No. 1. Pure disbelief. Shocker!

7:56pm
Another stunner!! We all know Michael Jordan is very capable and proven when it comes to making odd choices, so are we really surprised he took Cody Zeller with both Noel and Len available at No. 4? Yep, we still are. This draft is flat-out nuts. I start to think about who might be available in the No. 8 slot for the Pistons.

8:08pm
I have one of the Sam's shoot a picture of me in my Joe D. jersey and I post it on Instagram with the caption: "Draft Night! #BadDecisions." (I'm hoping to reverse jinx Dumars, the Pistons GM, into not making a bad decision.) On Facebook, I am more positive with the caption, "Do the right thing, Joe D."

8:19pm
The stage is set! As I predicted after the Zeller pick, the draft's two most highly touted big men (Len and Noel) went to Phoenix and New Orleans, respectively, followed by the super talented but questionable Ben McLemore to Sacramento (poor situation for a guy who needs veteran nurturing). This leaves the Pistons on the clock ... and Burke, patiently waiting inside the Barclays Center, available.

Why is Burke the obvious, right choice for Dumars in this situation?

As I outlined in a post before the draft, Burke:

1) Has a very similar skillset and body — with a little bit of muscle gain — to Chris Paul, the best point guard in the NBA. 

2) Was the best pick-and-roll player in all of college basketball last year.

3) Is a proven winner, big-game performer, and leader.

4) Oh, and really wants to play for the Pistons and is not one to shy away from any challenge. 

The Pistons, meanwhile, have holes on the wing but also moved Brandon Knight — their point guard draft pick of two years ago — to the wing for the last portion of this past season. So how confident are they in the 6-foot-3 Kentucky product to lead them back to the playoffs? 

Especially when the best point guard prospect — not to mention a guy who will fill many of those empty seats at The Palace of Auburn Hills — is available. 

I wait with baited breath. Social media is blowing up for me like it hasn't since the NCAA Tournament. For the first time since that last Pistons Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2008, friends back home are genuinely excited.

The posts go like this:

"They gotta take him. Right? Right? Right?"

"Gotta take Burke? ... Gotta. Right?"

"Burke???"

For the first time since the NCAA Tournament, I got goosebumps. As someone who watched 90 percent of Burke's Michigan games, I am well aware of what the Columbus, Ohio, native is capable of and how his game will translate to the next level. I have watched his Grantland NBA Job Interview video and become even more convinced.

The clock hits zero. The pick is in. The Commish approaches the lectern.

8:24pm
"With the eighth pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons select Kant..."

What? 

Why?

How?

I don't need to hear the full name, just the "K" instead of the "T." Dumars has done the unthinkable. Dumars has outthought himself. Later, he will explain, "This isn't a popularity contest." Well, no S%@t! The GM, my favorite player, the man who brought that amazing 2004 championship to the Motor City, who had been forgiven for so long for that Darko pick and then — to a lesser extent — for those horrible Ben Gordon and Charlie V. signings, has done this.

It isn't about the guy he has drafted. From what I've seen and read, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a knockdown shooter who brings size and defense to the shooting guard position — although you can't omit the fact that he played on a dismal Georgia team in an attrocious SEC last year. 

But forget that. KCP might end up a decent or even good pro. He might be the shooting guard the Pistons have been lacking since the Rip Hamilton days. Who knows. Time will tell. 

He's no Trey Burke, though. He's no leader. He's no backbone of a team.

Who's going to "lead" the Pistons back to the playoffs and then deep into the postseason? Brandon Knight? Greg Monroe?

Please.

8:31pm
I'm lying on the hardwood floor of Sam's bachelor pad, the juice sucked out of me. There's still plenty of drama in the room. Our "How many top 10 picks will thank God?" in their Shane Battier interview bet is coming down to the wire. So is our "Last guy left in the Green Room" bet. 

But bets can only momentarily take my mind off what just occurred.

"What an absolute disgrace, Pistons," my fingers type on Facebook. I instantly garner four "likes." Friends quickly start posting that they're done with the team, done with Dumars. I, for one, haven't paid much attention to the franchise since moving to D.C. in 2009. After all, I've got the Wizards to follow. One can only pay attention to so many lowly NBA teams. 

I was ready to buy the NBA package for the upcoming season, to become fully engrossed in Pistons basketball again. Now, forget it. 

8:38pm
I take off the Dumars jersey, which is quickly donned by my late-arriving friend, Don. He can have it, for all I care. I slip on a 76ers Stackhouse jersey. Now there's a team that knows how to draft, having turned the No. 11 pick into Noel, Michael Carter-Williams and a 2014 first-round pick from New Orleans — all for just Jrue Holiday.

8:48pm
Twitter is alive with NBA news — it also ruins the drama of watching the draft — and I quickly learn that Minnesota's No. 9 pick of Burke was for Utah, which gave up the No. 14 and 21 picks for their point guard of the future. I feel better that Burke's heading to a good situation in Salt Lake City where he'll be the guy from Day 1 and have pieces around him in Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap.

Still, Dumars' decision burns. 

9:40pm
It's official, I learn from Twitter. I'll be rooting for the Utah Jazz and New York Knicks next season (yes, the Knicks who have taken Michigan's other prospect, Tim Hardaway Jr., with the 24th pick). I love the beaming smile of coach John Beilein, who has soaked in every minute of his career's first two first-round draft choices. He's in Brooklyn and he's having the night of his life. 

It's a great night for Michigan basketball, which is not to be overlooked. It's been an incredible past few months, and an amazing journey the past few years, from a program in the dumps to one now considered elite. Another great recruiting class is coming in, Michigan is primed for another run at titles next year, and Beilein is doing everything the right way.

If only he could have been in Joe D's ear. Problem is, Beilein isn't the type of guy to incessantly talk about his guys. He's not Calipari. Or even John Thompson III. He'll let Burke's play and Burke's interviews — same for THJ — do the talking. 

12:07am
I walk in the door, back home, finally, from a long night of draft coverage. I've just received this text from Don: "Pistons take Siva, adding salt to the wound." I shake my head, smirking. Oh, what a night. The Pistons have just wrapped up the 2013 NBA Draft by selecting Louisville's Peyton Siva, the point guard that beat Burke in the national title game (and also had his layup attempt smothered by Burke late in that game, although it was ridiculously called a foul).

It's time for bed. The Bill Simmons-Doc Rivers feud has given me something to momentarily take the focus off Joe D.'s decision. But it won't take much over the coming weeks, months and years to remind me of this draft. 

I'll be watching a lot more Utah basketball than Detroit basketball in the near future. 

I guess I'll have to buy a Jazz jersey, too. 

Tim Duncan: The last great, never-talked-about superstar

Tim Duncan.

Ever heard of him? 

Four-time NBA champion. Three-time NBA Finals MVP. Two-time NBA MVP. 

Greatest. Power forward. Ever. (GPFE).

Ever heard the name?

As the ageless, wonderful, impossible-to-dislike San Antonio Spurs make this incredibly impressive run through the playoffs — seven wins, zero losses — I'm reminded that Tim Duncan is, indeed, still playing. And still playing very well.

At age 36, Duncan collected 19 points and 13 rebounds in the Spurs' comeback from down 24 points Saturday night to demoralize the Clippers in L.A., 96-86, and all but seal their advancement to the Western Conference Finals.

Which got me thinking, What Tim Duncan memories stand out to me? What games, what moments will I never forget about the NBA's GPFE.

I'll admit it — my memory is flawed. I don't have the gift of remembering specific plays from 10, 12 and 15 years ago. I'm no Bill Simmons and his encyclopedic NBA memory.

But I must have memories of a guy who's reached the pinnacle of professional basketball four times, right?

Still thinking...

And I've got nothing. 

(In fact, the one Spurs moment that I'll never forget is when Robert Horry hit that dagger 3-pointer to bury my Pistons in Game 5 of the 2005 Finals — by the way, the greatest never-talked-about Finals of the last 20-plus years.)

But no Tim Duncan memories come to mind. This from a 13-time All Star who is a career double-double (20.3 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 50.7 percent shooting). 

That speaks exactly to who Tim Duncan is, somehow, in this age of relentless, unapologetic media coverage; endless sound bites and highlights; and overexposure (see: Griffin, Blake).

The last great superstar under the radar. 

Even during the peak of his greatness, Duncan never received the bulk of the headlines (see — in chronological order — Iverson, Allen; O'Neal, Shaquille; Bryant, Kobe; McGrady, Tracy; Wade, Dwyane; Bryant, Kobe (again); Garnett, Kevin ...).

He just continued to produce stellar game after stellar game, banking in those 15-footers, grabbing every rebound within his reach, playing with that stoic demeanor whether up 20 or down 20 (a reflection of his steady coach Gregg Popovich).

And now, finishing his 15th season, Duncan is considered, unarguably, the best player to ever take the court at his position. And, I'd posit, a top-10 player of all time. 

All while avoiding the spotlight. 

We will never see another player like Duncan. No, I'm not referring to his actual game. There will be more power forwards banking in jumpers, spinning into the lane to hit jump hooks, and overcoming just average athleticism to be defensively rock solid to the tune of 12 all-defensive NBA awards.

No, I'm referring to Duncan's ability to avoid the spotlight. 

The current or future NBA superstar won't be able to slip through the cracks — they won't be able to avoid Twitter (except for a seven-Tweet experience in 2010). They'll be so overexposed that you'll come to think they're overrated just because of the attention they get (see, again: Griffin, Blake). 

Tim Duncan is a dinosaur. 

Now go watch his continued greatness before he's gone and completely forgotten — at least to the masses. 

I wish Carmelo Anthony would just go away

Let me preface my take here by saying that Carmelo Anthony is one of the most talented players in the NBA. We've known that since the March nine years ago when he put the Syracuse Orange on his shoulders and took them to their first and only national championship.

I enjoyed watching the precocious Anthony lead that team.

Then he went to the NBA, became a ball-stopper, one-on-one player, and hasn't been fun to watch for the past decade.

And he has ruined what, for a couple weeks, was the most fun regular-season NBA team to watch since, well, ever.

When Anthony was injured and Jeremy Lin took center stage for New York, I watched every minute of Knicks basketball I could. They were so damn fun to watch. And it wasn't completely because of Lin.

They shared the ball. They ran in Mike D'Antoni's seven-seconds-or-less system. They played team defense (yes, D'Antoni's team played defense). And they won seven consecutive games.

Then Anthony came back, and the Knicks have gone 2-6, including four consecutive losses. Lin has lost much of the aggressiveness and freedom that made him so effective during his immediate rise to fame.

And the Knicks have become, unfortunately, painful to watch again (never mind the fact that they have stopped playing defense, giving up 119 points to Milwaukee Friday).

This probably isn't fair, but I'm dumping all the blame on Anthony.

Consider this statistic — Of the NBA's top 40 scorers, only one player, Danny Granger, has a worse shooting percentage than Anthony's 40.1 percent. And yet Anthony continues to hoist 18.4 shots per game on a team that features much more efficient offensive players like Amare Stoudemire (remember that guy?, Lin and even Landry Fields.

So this is what we've come to in New York — a Knicks team on which Anthony gets his points, shoots a horrible percentage, and the team loses.

What happened to all the fun?

Carmelo, why don't you just disappear?

Or go play for the Raptors.