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Theword: John Wall enters the first year of a 4-year, $171 million contract. Ouch. He is out recovering from February's Achilles surgery, making that deal arguably the worst in the NBA. The talent base is uninspiring outside of Beal, who has two years remaining on his contract. He'll be the hottest name in trade rumors.

The word: One of the least exciting rosters in the league after losing their lone attraction in Walker. At least they'll finally get some cap relief after this season, but owner Michael Jordan and his front office have yet to show they know what they're doing.

The word: Their offseason was the worst-case scenario, as they missed out on top targets Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, losing them to neighboring Brooklyn. They responded by signing some decent players to short contracts, maintaining future flexibility, and yet blocking some of their youngsters like Kevin Knox. At least they shouldn't be an embarrassment on the court, coming off a a league-worst 17-65 season.

The word: They were an exciting watch in the second half of the year, bolstered by the wizardry of Young. Probably a season away from becoming a playoff threat, as the youth on the wings needs development.

The word: Towns has held up to his billing as a star, though he'll need to be a force every night on both ends and be more of a leader. Wiggins, however, has yet to reach his potential on either end.

The word: They acquired eight future first-round picks over the past 10 days in the trades of George, Grant and Westbrook. The Thunder will be competitive as currently constructed, but more moves may be coming. How long will the marriage with Paul last?

The word: Orlando stayed status quo, after making the playoffs for the first time since 2012, bringing back Vucevic and Terrence Ross. The ceiling isn't high for this roster without a true star, but they should again be a low-seeded playoff team.

The word: They will be a must-watch, thanks to the rebuilt roster masterfully executed by new front office leader David Griffin. Oh, and some guy named Zion, the No. 1 overall pick in June's draft. This is a roster that can contend for a playoff berth if Zion lives up to the hype early.

The word: Doncic was spectacular as a rookie, and now he'll be paired with Porzingis, who sat out last season recovering from an ACL tear. If Porzingis can stay relatively healthy and be the player the Mavericks paid handsomely to acquire, and Doncic takes another step in Year 2, Dallas could sneak into the playoffs.

The word: One of the most fun teams in the league last year, and should again be this year, led by the speed of Fox. They own the league's longest active playoff-less streak at 13 seasons, and because they play in the West, that will likely continue for another year.

The word: Having them this high is an optimistic view, assuming Oladipo (ruptured quad) is back as expected in December or January. If he can round into form at near the level he was before the injury, and Indiana figures out its two-big pairing of Sabonis and Turner, the Pacers won't be an easy out in the playoffs.

The word: The big winners in free agency, but without Durant (Achilles surgery), they aren't a title contender until 2020-21. Still, they should surpass last year's 42 win total and make a run at home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

The word: Did about as well as they could have after losing their two most important players. But Horford was the key to a very good defense and they won't have that identity. They do have a deep rotation on the wings, and will need Tatum and Brown to take big steps forward in Years 3 and 4 respectively, after stagnating last season.

The word: The dynasty is no more with Durant gone and Klay Thompson on the mend from ACL surgery. The addition of Russell brings much-needed offensive firepower to help Curry, but they lost their best wing defender in Iggy (and Thompson). If they can tread water in what will be a deep conference until Thompson returns, say in March, and sneak into the playoffs, they will be a dangerous matchup. But they're thin and vulnerable.

The word: With Jusuf Nurkic out until perhaps the spring, the Blazers have questions at power forward and center beyond Collins. Their end-of-game lineup may depend on the opponent and the game situation, as they lost size and athleticism with the departures of Harkless and Aminu but gained shooting in Bazemore. They're a move away from the top-tier contenders in the West. Is that move a deal for Oregon native Kevin Love at some point? We'll see.

The word: GM Daryl Morey's star-hunting approach took another turn with the risky trade of Paul and future picks for Westbrook. Yes, Harden and Westbrook are reunited, seven years after Houston acquired Harden from OKC, but the fit is an enormous question mark. They are two of the most inactive players off the ball, preferring to stand and watch from beyond the arc. And Westbrook's poor 3-point shooting and heavy reliance on the midrange is in conflict with Houston's ethos of layups and 3s.

The word: What they've done surviving the departure of Gordon Hayward, their best player, two summers ago has been remarkable. They greatly improved the offense around Mitchell, but I'm not sure they're athletic enough defensively at forward to match up against the West's multitude of star, big wings deep in the playoffs.

The word: A deep and interchangeable roster, with a young nucleus that continues to improve each season. Jokic finished fourth in MVP voting last season, and has as good a chance as anyone to dethrone reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. The critical question is how Murray looks in Year 4 after taking another step forward last season and earning a max contract this summer. Don't be surprised if the Nuggets finish with the best record in the West, but I'm just not comfortable relying on Murray as their second best player over the star duos in Los Angeles.

The word: This is a monstrous, versatile unit. Every starter is at least 6 feet 6, and four are at or near All-Defensive team level. This should be a top-5 defense, maybe the league's best, and they solved the glaring backup center problem with Horford. On offense, they will cause mismatches because of their size, strength and skill. But they lack a proven, high-level offensive initiator who can make shots off the dribble, which is unheard of in the modern era for a title contender. How will they handle end-of-game situations?

The word: I'm putting my trust in James and Davis as the league's best combination. They have a handful of solid role players who should fit around those two, and though they're not as deep as some other teams, they should have enough firepower and defensive versatility. They won't be the top seed in the West, but come playoff time, I'll take James and Davis.

Now that we're the past the chaos of the weekend and the College Football Playoff being set between No. 1 Michigan, No. 2 Washington, No. 3 Texas and No. 4 Alabama, we look ahead to what the rest of the postseason is going to bring us, and there is no shortage of high-profile and exciting games.

Blake Baumgartner: We've been here before with Texas and Washington. By the time the Allstate Sugar Bowl kicks off on New Year's Day night, 368 days will have passed since the first year of the Kalen DeBoer era in Seattle concluded with a 27-20 victory over Steve Sarkisian and Texas in the Valero Alamo Bowl. A track meet is likely to ensue in New Orleans with Michael Penix Jr. (FBS-leading 4,218 passing yards with 33 touchdowns) and Quinn Ewers (3,161 passing yards with 21 touchdowns) calling the shots for two of the most explosive offenses in the country, with Texas ninth (475.9 YPG) and Washington not too far behind at 12th (469.1 YPG). How much does last December's meeting in San Antonio play into preparation for this year's? I'm unsure, but it undoubtedly adds intrigue and should provide a fun watch with the Huskies (1991) and Longhorns (2005) looking to end long national championship droughts.

Mark Schlabach: What font will the asterisk next to Michigan's national title be if the Wolverines finally get it done? Arial? Comic Sans MS? Times New Roman? There will be a lot of college football fans across the country rooting for Alabama -- as difficult as that might be for some -- to beat the Wolverines in a CFP semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential. The same goes for the winner in the other CFP semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl, either Texas or Washington, if the Wolverines win their first CFP game under coach Jim Harbaugh on New Year's Day. Florida State's unprecedented snub in the CFP might have stolen headlines on Selection Day, but Michigan's sign-stealing scandal isn't going to be swept under the rug for many fans.

Chris Low: It wasn't too long ago that Jalen Milroe was standing on the sideline and watching Tyler Buchner (yes, the same Tyler Buchner who just transferred to play lacrosse at Notre Dame) and Ty Simpson combine to complete 10 passes in an ugly win over South Florida. Now, here he is in the College Football Playoff three months later as one of the hottest players in the sport, trying to lead Alabama to its seventh national championship under Nick Saban. Milroe wasn't on anybody's radar back in September as a player who could be a catalyst for his team taking home the top prize. He's like an explosive running back with great acceleration who's gained increasing confidence to stand in the pocket, and he's stepped up in the pocket when necessary to deliver big-time throws. Oh yeah, he's pretty good at improvising, too. See his flip pass against Georgia in the SEC championship game. Michigan's defense is stout and especially adept at bullying teams. It should make for good theater seeing Milroe go up against an elite defense for the second straight game after engineering Alabama's 27-24 win over Georgia to win the SEC title.

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