The Sporting News just dropped a bombshell that’s got the whole NBA buzzing, projecting three franchises that started this decade with serious championship dreams to be scraping the bottom of the barrel by 2030. We’re talking about the Golden State Warriors at a shocking 28th, the Milwaukee Bucks at 29th, and the New Orleans Pelicans dead last at 30th in their future NBA power rankings. Each one of these teams is hitting this grim projection for totally different reasons, but the bottom line is they could all be searching for brand new identities in just a few years.
The Brutal End of a Warriors Dynasty is Coming
Man, this one stings just thinking about it. Golden State maximized one of the greatest dynasties in basketball history, riding Stephen Curry to glory after glory. But the bill is coming due hard. By the 2029-30 season, Steph will be 41 and isn’t expected to even be on the roster. Think about it, the veteran core we know is just gonna age out. Jimmy Butler hits 40, Draymond Green 39, Kristaps Porzingis 34, and Al Horford 43. The only guys listed as likely to remain are Brandin Podziemski and Yaxel Lendeborg. Yeah, those names don’t exactly scream “championship contender.” The Warriors protected their upcoming first-round picks to rebuild through the draft, which sounds smart, right? Except the timing is rough. The 2027 and 2028 draft classes apparently aren’t stacked with franchise-changing talent. They got a C-minus asset grade, and by 2030, they’ll be in the earliest stages of what could be a long, painful rebuild.
Milwaukee’s Championship Bill Is Due
Milwaukee’s outlook is just as bleak, maybe even worse. The Bucks landed a D-plus asset grade, and get this: they won’t even control a first-round pick capable of directly improving their roster until 2030. Ouch. On top of that, dead money from Damian Lillard’s stretched contract is gonna keep choking their cap space. Sure, they’ve got some young talent in Brayden Burries, Nate Ament, Jaime Jaquez, and Kasparas Jakucionis. But none of those guys currently projects as the centerpiece of a future contender. They should create some cap space in 2027, but trying to spend that effectively without a foundational star already on the team? That’s gonna be a massive uphill battle. Chasing another title with Giannis Antetokounmpo made total sense at the time, but the cost, man, the cost is finally showing up.
Pelicans Face a Total Roster Meltdown
And then you’ve got the Pelicans, projected dead last. New Orleans landed this spot because their entire roster could be dismantled in the next three seasons. Zion Williamson can become a free agent in 2028, and if the struggles continue, guys like Herb Jones, Dejounte Murray, and Trey Murphy could all be traded. That leaves Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen as the probable faces of the franchise. They showed flashes of talent in their rookie seasons, but neither has screamed “future superstar” just yet. The Pelicans did get a B asset grade, which is better than the others, and they could snag a valuable 2027 pick thanks to swap rights with Milwaukee. But their future just screams lottery luck. While the Warriors and Bucks can at least point to actual championships as justification for their upcoming pain, the Pelicans can’t even make that argument. It’s a rough road ahead for these once-ambitious squads, and it just shows how fast things can change in the league.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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