what happens to the Heat and Lakers picks?

[McCarthy12]

Converted to picks next year? Still protected?

[Sect 236]

Lakers top 3 protected next year.

Same protections on OKC and MIA next year.

[Ground_Meat]

Lakers top 3 protected next year.

Same protections on OKC and MIA next year.

Both teams are going to the playoffs next year. I'm
Not worried.

[Sect 236]

4 (5 if you count Saric coming over) first round picks next year, book it.

[Ground_Meat]

4 (5 if you count Saric coming over) first round picks next year, book it.

That's insane.

[Squire]

The western conference is really loaded right now. Even with Kobe back, randle and the #2 pick it will be hard for the lakers to make the playoffs. OKC will belay better. Minnesota too.

Miami looks old and shot to me. Im not sure they are anything better or worse than this year. Will be close I think.

[Ground_Meat]

The western conference is really loaded right now. Even with Kobe back, randle and the #2 pick it will be hard for the lakers to make the playoffs. OKC will belay better. Minnesota too.

Miami looks old and shot to me. Im not sure they are anything better or worse than this year. Will be close I think.

Eastern conference sucks. You have to remember that Bosh was out half the year. Whiteside is a rising young talent, and now they have the #10 overall. They'll make the playoffs.

[phillyeagles36]

Lakers top 3 protected next year.

Same protections on OKC and MIA next year.

what are the protections on OKC and MIA next year? I knew MIA was top ten this year

[Sect 236]

I was wrong with my original post in regards to OKC. It was top 17 this year, it's top 15 next year. MIA is top 10 again.

[ishimonster]

The western conference is really loaded right now. Even with Kobe back, randle and the #2 pick it will be hard for the lakers to make the playoffs. OKC will belay better. Minnesota too.

Miami looks old and shot to me. Im not sure they are anything better or worse than this year. Will be close I think.

I'm pretty sure the Lakers have the most cap space in the NBA this offseason, followed by the Sixers.

I don't disagree that the West will be tight but the Lakers could end up stacked next year if the right pieces for them fall into place. Either way there's no way they're in the top 5 again.

The Thunder will make the playoffs unless KD or Westbrook go down. Heat pick has to be considered a lock too.

[JDuggernaut]

Lakers are probably 2 years away from contention, and that's only if some max guys sign in the next couple of years (hoping for Durant). Odds are Philly gets that pick next year though, as I doubt LA ends up in the top 3, barring a fortunate ping pong ball. I'd say Miami and OKC both make the playoffs fairly comfortably next year, so Philly should get those too. I think they should tank once again and then add a couple of free agents in 2016. Could have a really strong young team by 2017 or so, health permitting.

[Ground_Meat]

Lakers are probably 2 years away from contention, and that's only if some max guys sign in the next couple of years (hoping for Durant). Odds are Philly gets that pick next year though, as I doubt LA ends up in the top 3, barring a fortunate ping pong ball. I'd say Miami and OKC both make the playoffs fairly comfortably next year, so Philly should get those too. I think they should tank once again and then add a couple of free agents in 2016. Could have a really strong young team by 2017 or so, health permitting.

"Tanking" is gonna be a relative term. If Embiid is half as good as they are saying, it's gonna be really hard to be even the 4th or 5th worst. Noel and Covington are only going to get better as well.

[JDuggernaut]

Yeah, I doubt they would finish with a win total in the teens again, but I would wait a year before going out and making moves via free agency or trade that would help the roster in the short term, if you can call that tanking.