NBA What-If Wednesday, Part 3

Unlike the NFL, basketball fans have a whole week to talk about how bad or good our teams are. The teams we are looking at now have some of the all-time “good stats, bad team” guys and are also a few steps away from becoming good. The teams I’m giving an upgrade to are the Grizzlies, the Bulls, and the Hornets, so let's get right into it.

 

Memphis Grizzlies (6-16)

 

Ja Morant is a young Russell Westbrook. He’s reckless, has great stats, and is a supreme athlete. The rest of this Grizz team doesn’t really have the pace or skill to keep up. That’s why they are 6-16. Still, they still have some really good “glue guys” who, with the help of a few superstars, can bring Memphis basketball to a place it’s never been. One thing this team really lacks is a great defender, so why not bring one of the best in with Paul George. 

 

PG is a great defender, shooter, and wingman. He did it with Russell Westbrook and now he is doing it with Kawhi Leonard. If Morant becomes great, and I think he will, Paul George will be a great running buddy. These two will mesh so well because George picks up what Morant lacks, defense. With this backcourt, the Grizzlies will only get better and have a chance to sneak into the playoffs in their first season as a squad.

 

Chicago Bulls (8-16)

 

I really thought this team was going to be a force in the east. I mean, they have a great roster with good offensive guys, so, what's the problem? As I said in the intro, these teams have some guys who care a little bit too much about their stats, Zach Lavine is one of those guys. The man had 49 points one game and they only won by one, to Charlotte. So, why not give them someone who can score even more to make this an all-time high scoring team? Why not give them James Harden?

 

I’m not saying that this addition isn’t without flaw, far from it in fact. But, as I was looking at the roster, I noticed that this team needs a lot, but it does have two, young, big guys capable of becoming great. Markkanen and Carter Jr. would be an offensive problem with James Harden, one of the greatest scorers of all time, running point. With this MVP addition, the Bulls go .500 in a weak Eastern Conference.

 

Charlotte Hornets (9-16)

 

I never thought that I would write that a team with a 9-16 record is over performing, but here we are. I don’t think this Hornet’s roster makes any sense for how much money is on the books, but they have some all-time fun college players. You have the Martin twins from Nevada, Miles Bridges from Michigan St., and Malik Monk from Kentucky. Whether any of these guys will work out is yet to be seen, but it is still fun for CBB fans nonetheless. This bad roster needs some work, and who better to start the reboot than hometown-hero, Stephen Curry.

 

Curry is already a top 5 point guard in NBA history. Not only that, he also is a great “culture-builder” for an NBA team and he is from Charlotte. Is there a better match anywhere? This team needs a lot of work, like I said, and Curry will be able to get everything out of the players he's got and will be a great way to get people there for free-agency. Maybe they only win 35 games in the first season, but after that, the Hornets become a respectable team with a way to make the East theirs.