15. Denver Nuggets

    This year is the end of the run for the Nuggets, even though Carmelo is probably the fifth best player in the league and Chauncey Billups is still an elite point guard capable of leading a team as far as the Western Conference finals or gold medal at FIBA games. Billups is 34 years old, which unless you're Jason Kidd means you only have about 2-3 years left at a starting level, J.R. Smith's attitude overshadows his high shooting percentage, Carmelo wants to be a Knick, and Kenyon Martin, Chris Anderson, Al Harrington are all injured. These injuries will lead to a slow start, a slow start will lead to Carmelo still not signing an extension, and Carmelo not signing an extension will lead to the Nuggets trading him away at All Star break to bring in some type of value before losing him in the upcoming summer a la LeBron. The Nuggets are victim of the Western Conference finals runner up curse, the same reason the Hornets and Suns are most likely both out of the playoffs after making it to the Western Conference finals in 2008 and 2010. Expect this team to be building around Ty Lawson, Nene, and former New York Knicks role players for the future.