Let's just get one thing out of the way -- we're not claiming we know how long your lifetime is going to last. We've given up tarot cards and we only use our crystal ball to fail miserably in our fantasy leagues. However, if we're sure of anything in this world, it's that these next four teams won't be hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy anytime soon. That is, unless it's for some weird TNT pregame photo shoot.
Let the hate mail flood in. Here's the 4 Teams Who Won't Win A NBA Title In Your Lifetime:
Sacramento Kings
The Kings have been at the bottom of the NBA for the past decade, but have become the joke of the league in the last two. New owner Vivek Ranadive seems determined to undermine his franchise at every turn, changing coaches and front office executives at the drop of a hat. Unfortunately, he's turning into the Dan Snyder of the NBA, and the Kings will never be at the top of the league because of it.
Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte toiled at the bottom of the NBA as the Bobcats, and things haven't gotten much better for the Hornets. They continually find themselves near the top of the lottery, but a long string of failed or underachieving draft picks (Noah Vonleh, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Bismack Biyombo, to name a few) has kept them from progressing.
Charlotte is a small market that won't attract top free agents, and their front office, led by GM Rich Cho, has proven to be fairly inept. Not only do they miss on draft picks, they routinely draft the same kind of player. Their past three first-round picks - Cody Zeller (No. 4 overall), Vonleh (No. 9 overall) and Frank Kaminsky (No. 9 overall) - all play the stretch four position, and while we haven't seen what Kaminsky can do, there is a limit to his potential.
The Hornets also passed on a potential mega-deal with the Celtics that would've netted them six draft picks, including four first-rounders, in return for the No. 9 pick, but decided not to take it because they hadn't scouted the prospects that would be availble when the Celtics were drafting just seven picks later.
Basically, they admitted that they didn't do their jobs. That kind of ineptitude doesn't lend itself to any success.
Phoenix Suns
Phoenix has been stuck in the worst place possible in the NBA world - competing for the 8th and final playoff spot in a small market. They're not good enough to make the playoffs, but they're not bad enough to get a high draft pick and don't have the appeal to sign top free agents. They seem determined to continue pursuing a playoff spot, which has only set their potential championship window back further and further.
In a crowded Western Conference, you need two or three great players to win. The Suns don't have one - and don't have the means to get that guy they so desperately need.
Memphis Grizzlies
Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, and Zach Randolph are 27, 30, and 34 years old, respectively, and all are on the backside (or out) of their primes. The Grizzlies are determined to keep their core together and have brought in more high-level free agents to give them a better chance at making a run through the West, but they aren't getting any younger.
They need to win a title in the next two or three years with this unit, which won't happen with the Warriors, Thunder, Clippers, and Spurs still at the top of the West. Memphis also isn't a big free agency destination, and with their regular season success, they have been unable to get top draft picks.
They'll still be a playoff team for the next five years or so, but their lack of a superstar without hope of landing one via a high draft pick will leave them in NBA purgatory.
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