NBA: Ranking teams by tiers for 2019-20 season

Tier 8: The Cellar Dwellers

Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, Washington Wizards

Any tier above this one can convince itself of hope, at least to begin the season. Whether it’s the teams at the top with hope of a title, teams in the middle with hope of a playoff run or teams just above with hope of a postseason berth, regular season success is not a fool’s errand.

For these six franchises, the future is not about this year. The games matter as each team evaluates talent and tries to show themselves attractive as a destination, as they develop coaching staffs and sell fans on the roster’s personalities.

In the end what is more important to these franchises than regular season success is long-term development, specifically hitting on a star in the NBA Draft. Fans of these squads are likely just as well-served learning from The Stepien, Red Team Scouting and right here at Hoops Habit for prospect information than their own team’s coverage.

The future is vital and it is not particularly close.

How bright that future is differs by team. The Atlanta Hawks are flush with exciting young players, from point guard Trae Young to big man John Collins and a host of wings in between. The Memphis Grizzlies likewise have intriguing prospects, including rookies Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke alongside analytical darling Jaren Jackson Jr.

For other teams, the present bears little proof that a bright future lays just around the bend. The Washington Wizards have an All-NBA guard on the shelf and therefore are surrounding their other All-NBA guard with bit players.

The Charlotte Hornets have overpaid veterans clogging the rotation and a couple of late draft picks in Malik Monk and Miles Bridges who have yet to capitalize on their potential.

In the middle, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a pair of highly regarded point guards and little else of lasting value; they will likely try to move Kevin Love to finish tearing down for their rebuild. The New York Knicks have probably overdrafted each of their past three lottery picks, but do have a collection of youngsters and future cap flexibility.

These will be the teams that position themselves for the NBA Draft down the stretch of the season, the teams who ask hard questions about their head coaches after another disappointing year. The hope of the unknown will then bring fans back throughout the offseason, to see whether the team’s new hires and picks and signings move the needle.

We crave the unknown as basketball fans, the questions that cannot be answered today and the possibilities that will completely change tomorrow. This season looks to take the cake in expected unexpectedness, and how things shake out will be fun to watch and even more fun to speculate about. The NBA: Where Amazing Happens, Unexpectedly.