I would define a core player loosely as a key asset that a team is built around or is planning to build around. It may be an established all-star or it may be a highly valued young player with all-star potential. He doesn't have to be a franchise player yet, but should have that potential.
It's been pointed out numerous times that the Suns no longer have a core player on their roster. This doesn't necessarily mean that none of the current Suns players will become a part of some future core (i.e. Dragic, Beasley, Johnson, Marshall, Morris), but that as it stands right now everyone is very much tradeable and their long-term future with this franchise is very much in question.
So it begs the question: is it rare for a franchise to find itself in this predicament? It seems most teams either still have an old established core made up of all-stars and/or franchise players, a completely new core composed of players with high potential and future all-stars/franchise players, or some combination of those.
Going into this season, the only other team without a real core is Magic, with the Rockets and Mavericks down to one last player from an older core. Of course both Phoenix and Orlando parted ways with their last remaining piece of an old core this summer. It seems that teams that find themselves without a core are those that held on to part of their old core without acquiring any new pieces to build a new core with.
Here's my quick (and very much subjective) assessment of every NBA team's current core makeup. I tried to include all recently drafted players (top 10 for 2012) who still have potential to become solid core players if not superstars.
It's been pointed out numerous times that the Suns no longer have a core player on their roster. This doesn't necessarily mean that none of the current Suns players will become a part of some future core (i.e. Dragic, Beasley, Johnson, Marshall, Morris), but that as it stands right now everyone is very much tradeable and their long-term future with this franchise is very much in question.
So it begs the question: is it rare for a franchise to find itself in this predicament? It seems most teams either still have an old established core made up of all-stars and/or franchise players, a completely new core composed of players with high potential and future all-stars/franchise players, or some combination of those.
Going into this season, the only other team without a real core is Magic, with the Rockets and Mavericks down to one last player from an older core. Of course both Phoenix and Orlando parted ways with their last remaining piece of an old core this summer. It seems that teams that find themselves without a core are those that held on to part of their old core without acquiring any new pieces to build a new core with.
Here's my quick (and very much subjective) assessment of every NBA team's current core makeup. I tried to include all recently drafted players (top 10 for 2012) who still have potential to become solid core players if not superstars.
- Celtics: Garnett, Pierce, Rondo
- Nets: Joe Johnson, Lopez, Deron Williams
- Knicks: Anthony, Chandler, Stoudemire
- 76ers: Bynum, Turner
- Raptors: Bargnani, DeRozan, Ross, Valanciunas
- Bulls: Boozer, Deng, Noah, Rose
- Cavs: Irving, Thompson, Waiters
- Pistons: Knight, Monroe, Drummond
- Pacers: Granger, Hibbert, West
- Bucks: Ellis, Jennings
- Hawks: Horford, Josh Smith
- Bobcats: Biyombo?, Kidd-Gilchrist, Walker
- Heat: Bosh, James, Wade
- Magic:
- Wizards: Beal, Okafor, Vesely?, Wall
- Nuggets: Gallinari, Iguodala, Lawson
- T'Wolves: Love, Rubio, Derrick Williams
- Thunder: Durant, Harden, Ibaka, Westbrook
- Blazers: Aldridge, Batum, Lillard
- Jazz: Favors, Kanter, Jefferson, Millsap
- Warriors: Barnes, Curry, Lee
- Clippers: Griffin, Paul
- Lakers: Bryant, Gasol, Howard, Nash
- Suns:
- Kings: Cousins, Evans, Robinson, Thornton?
- Mavs: Nowitzki
- Rockets: Martin
- Grizzlies: Gasol, Gay, Randolph
- Hornets: Davis, Gordon, Rivers
- Spurs: Duncan, Ginobili, Parker
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