NBA Power Rankings: 7 teams enter season as legitimate title threats

Last season: 41-41; projected 2019-20: 38-44

The Detroit Pistons are a bit stuck right now, built around a big three of Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson that hasn’t been so much big as it has been just sort of mid-sized.

Griffin was terrific last season in what was a renaissance season for him, but a knee issue right before the playoffs ended his season on a sour note. The offseason saw the Pistons add a couple of pieces in Tony Snell and former MVP Derrick Rose, as well as rookie Sekou Doumbouya, who will be a work in progress.

The problem is that the young talent on the roster seems a bit stalled in development. Luke Kennard shows flashes of being half of a 3-and-D wing and Bruce Brown has a good grasp of the other half, but the NBA doesn’t allow for offensive and defensive platoon play.

Detroit was 3-2 in the preseason and enter the season with only a couple of guys nicked up, but they are significant guys. Griffin is dealing with a hamstring issue and Jackson has a back injury. Both are day-to-day and expected to go in the opener Wednesday.

Last season: 49-33; projected 2019-20: 39-43

With two superstars in tow, the Oklahoma City Thunder fell in the first round of the playoffs each of the last two years. With Russell Westbrook and Paul George changing addresses this offseason, just getting to the postseason might be too much to ask of what remains.

The Thunder have stacked up a wealth of future first-round draft picks well into the next decade, but for this season, they will go as far as veterans Chris Paul and Danilo Gallinari can carry them … at least as long as they stay in town, anyway.

Oklahoma City is clearly in a rebuilding mode, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — acquired in the trade that sent George to the LA Clippers — the one young piece that is already on the roster. This is a team that is hard to assess because it’s hard to predict how long the pieces will stay in place.

They were 2-2 in the preseason (1-2 against NBA competition) and enter the season relatively healthy aside from Andre Roberson‘s continued recovery from the knee injury that wiped out his 2018-19 season.

Last season: 33-49; projected 2019-20: 40-42

After an offseason that definitely puts the “new” in New Orleans Pelicans, the team’s franchise rookie will open the season on the shelf with a right knee injury. But without Zion Williamson, the Pelicans are still a revamped outfit, led by Jrue Holiday and four brand-new starters.

Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram came over from the Los Angeles Lakers in the Anthony Davis trade, with Derrick Favors acquired from the Utah Jazz and — when he’s healthy — Williamson.

They’ve also added depth in J.J. Redick and Josh Hart, while another rookie, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, has made a push for the backup spot at the point.

New Orleans went 5-0 in the preseason, but to start the season the Pelicans won’t have Williamson, who is out indefinitely and is week-to-week, and Darius Miller will miss the entire season recovering from a ruptured Achilles.