In the not-too-distant future though there are several teams that might step forward into the NBA spotlight. They've got potential. Lets review them:
Golden State Warriors: This team really needs to stick together. If they sign Gilbert Arenas this off-season, the future is bright. They have emerging stars in Antawn Jamison and Jason Richardson, and chemistry and growth are all they really need.
Phoenix Suns: They're doing very well right now, and the future should be even brighter. The Suns may have the best young forward combination in the league right now, with Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire. Stephon Marbury is steadily improving every year. Joe Johnson shows flashes of excellence. You look at this team next year and their starting lineup is very young: Marbury 26, Marion 25, Joe Johnson 22 and Amare Stoudemire 21.
Houston Rockets: Any team with a good center in this day and age has a chance to be successful. Yao Ming is a rare breed. Steve Francis is a great player and Cuttino Mobley is a terrific sidekick. Eddie Griffin is on the rise. This team really should be solid for the next decade.
Denver Nuggets: They've got youth and all the salary cap room a team could want.
Cleveland Cavaliers: We needed someone from the East. The building block here is Ricky Davis. Which could be a problem if he hates being a Cav. But keep an eye on these guys. If Darius Miles ever becomes the player the team hoped he would, and Dajuan Wagner rises, they could still do damage.
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