Rockets rank 2nd! ESPN announces strength list in the next three years: Lakers soar to 8th Warriors 6th

Rockets ranked second! With the offseason lineup adjustment basically over, less than two weeks before the training camp in the new season, the authoritative US media ESPN announced the strength list for the next three years based on the existing lineups of each team. Among them, the Lakers soared 13 places to 8th place, and the old core Warriors are still ranked sixth.

First place: Thunder

Previous issue: First place

There is no doubt that the top position belongs to the Thunder. They are not only the defending champions, but also have a young core rotation lineup. They also used a long date to lock in the offseason three core cores.

However, after the three players were successively renewed, the Thunder's salary space has been locked down, and it will be difficult to leave all the role players in the future.

Fortunately, the Thunder management has made arrangements in advance. With the massive future chips in hand, the Thunder can completely replace the existing role players with the first round pick who is carrying a bonus contract.

Second place: Rockets

Previous issue: 7th place

Currently, this Rockets have all the elements necessary to a successful team: excellent management, tough coaching staff, exaggerated lineup depth, young players full of imagination space, successful veterans and massive trading chips.

Especially after introducing new players such as Durant to strengthen the lineup in the offseason, the Rockets will surely launch full efforts to attack the championship from the beginning of the new season.

As long as you can maintain health and young players grow steadily, the Rockets will be the first-tier champion contender in the next three years.

3-5 (the last issue ranking is in brackets): Knicks (3), Cavaliers (13) and Clippers (20)

Among them, the Clippers' ranking soared by 15 places, thanks to their contract renewal issues for players such as Harden in the offseason, and finalized the next two seasons to continue to build a team around the three giants Ka, Harden and Zubac.

And the current contract of 11 people on the 14-man roster will end in the 26-27 season, ensuring that the team can maintain absolute cap space flexibility when the 27-year super free market opens.

However, as Xiao Ka is deeply involved in the "yin and yang contract" storm, the ranking of the Clippers in the next issue may be affected to a certain extent.

6-10: Warriors (9), Magic (7), Lakers (21), Nuggets (6) and Spurs (10)

There is a certain controversy among which the ranking of the elderly Warriors has further improved. They have the three oldest giants in the league, Curry, Butler and Zhumeng are all over 35 years old.

has won a high ranking mainly because the contracts of the Warriors' Big Three are still two years left, which is relatively stable. The Warriors led by the three have won 20 wins and 7 losses after the All-Star ended last year, and even beat the Rockets below the playoffs.

If the Warriors can successfully resolve the issue of Kumingga's contract renewal before the start of the new season and sign four new players, Horford, Melton, Curry Jr. and Payton Jr., the Warriors will still be one of the reasonable contenders in the next two seasons.

Compared with the old Warriors, another popular team, the Lakers, is gradually completing the replacement of the old and core core. Doncic has replaced James as the absolute core of the team. In addition, signing a new contract of $165 million for three years has made the Lakers' future unlimitedly bright, so the ranking soared to 8th. The reason why

failed to get a higher ranking is mainly because of James' uncertainty. He is currently the only player in the league with the right to trade veto. His decision will seriously affect the Lakers' performance in the new season.

Fortunately, the Lakers have begun to make arrangements for 27 years in advance, and there is hope for further improvement in ranking in the future.

The rest are ranked as follows: Timberwolves (8), Hawks (23), Celtics (2), Heat (17) and Pacers (14);

16-20: Mavericks (5), Grizzlies (12), Pistons (29), 76ers (4) and Raptors (22);

21-30: Bucks (15), Trail Blazers (30), Hornets (26), Jazz (24), Kings (18), Wizards (28), Nets (27), Bulls (25), Pelicans (16) and Suns (19).