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

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

The Brooklyn Nets were one of the most active teams in the offseason and landed a big score in superstars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, but there is an asterisk attached to that. Durant is expected to miss the entire season recovering from the ruptured Achilles he sustained in Game 5 of the NBA Finals in June.

They added Taurean Prince from the Atlanta Hawks in a trade, signed DeAndre Jordan as part of the Irving and Durant additions and added some depth pieces in Garrett Temple, David Nwaba and Wilson Chandler (who will miss the first 25 games due to a suspension).

But they are still undersized at the 4 and will need some time to get up to speed, particularly on defensive rotations, which were at times ghastly during their preseason tuneup games.

The Nets were 3-1 in the preseason (2-1 against NBA competition). Besides Chandler, second-year forward Rodions Kurucs could be facing a suspension for some off-court misdeeds. On the injury side, Durant is out and Irving is expected to play as he recovers from a facial fracture.

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

The Miami Heat added some star power with the addition of Jimmy Butler and coach Erik Spoelstra was relieved of Excedrin headache No. 21 with the departure of Hassan Whiteside.

But the surprise might just be the 13th overall pick in June’s draft, Tyler Herro, who has quickly become a fan favorite in Miami and spent the preseason lighting up the scoreboard. Bam Adebayo and Justise Winslow also appear to be set to start the season with the first unit, as Goran Dragic moves into a reserve role.

But have the Heat done enough to move up dramatically in the Eastern Conference? Not really. Butler gives them a closer, which is something they lacked at times last season, but Winslow and Adebayo are not yet proven commodities as full-time starters.

Miami finished the preseason 4-1 and are dealing with some bumps and bruises already. Kelly Olynyk (right knee), Udonis Haslem (wrist), KZ Okpala (illness) and Derrick Jones Jr. (thigh) are up in the air for the opener, while Dion Waiters will definitely be out after earning a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.

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

The Dallas Mavericks have assembled one of the NBA’s youngest potential dynamic duos, with reigning Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic and former All-Star Kristaps Porzingis unleashed as a tandem this season.

The Mavericks might even make a playoff push, but they may not have the depth behind their two stars to close that deal. They will have a couple of young, first-time starters in Delon Wright at the point and Justin Jackson on a wing, with serviceable but limited veteran Dwight Powell in the middle.

Tim Hardaway Jr. and Seth Curry should provide decent scoring punch off the bench and Dallas also signed Boban Marjanovic, who can be extremely effective for relatively short periods of time.

The Mavs were 2-3 in the preseason, winning their last two, but have several players on day-to-day status, including J.J. Barea (Achilles), Curry (knee), Ryan Broekhoff (ankle), Powell (hamstring) and Dorian Finney-Smith (hip).