With the pre-season over, the Pelicans completed their final Roster Adjustment.
They waived three players on Non-Guaranteed Contracts, including Terrell, but signed two players, including Terrell, to two-way contracts.
With a 15+2 roster, they entered the 2018–2019 season at full capacity.
The Regular Season was about to begin, and as in the past, ESPN released its strength ranking for every team before the new season tipped off.
Without Xiao Hua's interference, the new season's strength ranking was far more reliable than last season's.
1. Lakers
James and Durant playing for the same team sounded unbelievable enough.
Not to mention that the team also had Middleton, who averaged 22+5+5 last season, as well as Simmons, known as the second LeBron.
Although their bench looked somewhat weak, they proved one thing in the pre-season: their starters alone could solve their problems.
Not to mention that James was still the Stamina Monster who could play an entire game without resting.
This might not be the strongest team in history, but they absolutely belonged in that discussion.
2. Spurs
Last season, even with Leonard suffering a Season-Ending Injury and Gasol's form plummeting, Popovich still led the Spurs into the Playoffs.
You never knew just how capable the greatest active coach in the NBA truly was.
Now, he was coaching a team with Aldridge, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard.
This was the strongest Spurs team since the peak of GDP, and the team most likely to challenge the Lakers in the new season.
3. Pelicans
The reason I ranked them ahead of the Bucks, Mavericks, and Warriors was because I believed in Tang's ability. He always brought us surprises.
Although they had lost Walker and Butler, they still had the twin cores of Tang Tian and Davis, along with a group of capable role players.