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The Biggest Weakness For Every NBA Team Entering 2015-16 Season

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Biggest Weakness For Every NBA Team

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers — Ah, the 2015-16 NBA season is almost upon us, and for some teams it will be the year to finally bring home a title. For others, it will be a chance to show that they have reinvented themselves. For others, it's another year closer to winning the first pick in the NBA lottery. But all 31 teams do have strengths, and they also have weaknesses, and this slideshow will outline the latter.

Ah, the 2015-16 NBA season is almost upon us, and for some teams it will be the year to finally bring home a title. For others, it will be a chance to show that they have reinvented themselves. For others, it's another year closer to winning the first pick in the NBA lottery. But all 31 teams do have strengths, and they also have weaknesses, and this slideshow will outline the latter.

Atlanta Hawks: No Go-To Guy

Atlanta Hawks: No Go-To Guy

The Hawks have an awesome collection of talent and should once again be Eastern Conference contenders, but their lack of a go-to guy cost them last year. If Jeff Teague doesn’t step up, it will cost them again in 2016.

Boston Celtics: No Presence in the Middle

Boston Celtics: No Presence in the Middle

Yes, the Celtics do have Tyler Zeller, but he’s still unproven. Kelly Olynyk can be a banger, but he has yet to fully develop as well. David Lee may help out here, but it remains to be seen if he can return to his All-Star status.

Brooklyn Nets: Playing Defense

Brooklyn Nets: Playing Defense

Even though Deron Williams is no longer on the roster, Brooklyn still has offensive talent. But its biggest challenge in 2015-16 will be on the defensive side, and Nets fans should get used to watching this team struggle to stop opposing teams.

Chicago Bulls: Fred Hoiberg

Chicago Bulls: Fred Hoiberg

Fred Hoiberg could be a great coach for the Bulls, but for right now, it’s too early to tell how the team will respond to the new coach. They will go through growing pains early in the season.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Team Chemistry

Cleveland Cavaliers: Team Chemistry

The Cavs have rebuilt their team and are, on paper, the team to beat in the East. But just like last season, team chemistry could become an issue early on thanks to the glut of new players on the team.

Charlotte Hornets: Scoring Points

Charlotte Hornets: Scoring Points

The Hornets were a dreadful offensive team last year, and to their credit, they have made strides to improve their offense. But will it be enough to get them back to the playoffs?

Detroit Pistons: Points in the Middle

Detroit Pistons: Points in the Middle

With Greg Monroe gone, the Pistons lost their main offensive weapon in the middle. Although Andre Drummond is a decent center, he is not polished offensively, and points could be hard to come by in the paint for the Pistons.

Dallas Mavericks: Point Guard

Dallas Mavericks: Point Guard

Deron Williams is slated to be the starter here, but he is now past his prime on a team that is past its prime, and that could be a problem for Dallas. Raymond Felton has never proved he is a starter and Devin Harris was a disappointment. In short, point guard could be a disaster for the Mavs in 2015-16.

Denver Nuggets: Experience

Denver Nuggets: Experience

The Nuggets are going to be young (really young) this upcoming season, and their inexperience will cost them some close games, and allow them to be blown out in others. But the Nuggets do have a bright spot in Emmanuel Mudiay, as he should be one of the best rookies this season.

Golden State Warriors: Rebounding

Golden State Warriors: Rebounding

It’s hard to pinpoint a weakness in the reigning NBA champions, but one could crop up in the rebounding category. Rebounding was a huge weak spot for Golden State last season, but the team was so good that it was able to mask it. Can the Warriors do it again in 2015-16?

Houston Rockets: The Second Unit

Houston Rockets: The Second Unit

With Josh Smith now in Hollywood, the Rockets are a little thin in the secondary. Although Ty Lawson will help out a lot on the bench and Corey Brewer will be back, the rest of the Rockets' second unit will be a question mark. The answer to this will determine how far the Rockets can go in 2015-16.

Indiana Pacers: Center

Indiana Pacers: Center

The center position really wasn’t a spot of strength with Roy Hibbert on the team, but it’s really a question mark now that he’s gone. His possible replacement? Ian Mahinmi, but he could be undersized. Backing him up will be Myles Turner, Lavoy Allen and Rakeem Christmas. In short, there are more questions than answers at center in Indianapolis.

Los Angeles Clippers: Mental Toughness

Los Angeles Clippers: Mental Toughness

Yes, mental toughness will be a weakness this year as it has been the past two seasons. The Clippers will be talented in 2015-16, but have they recovered from their collapse against the Rockets in the playoffs? That is the big question in Clipper Nation.

Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant

Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant

It’s sad to write, but Kobe being on this team, in the shape that he’s in, will only hinder the Lakers from going forward. As great as Bryant has been throughout his Laker career, and he is considered a Laker great, he just needs to step aside and let the Lakers' young guns move the team forward.

Milwaukee Bucks: Michael Carter-Williams

Milwaukee Bucks: Michael Carter-Williams

Carter-Williams was decent for the Bucks last season, but he still can’t shoot and has some trouble running the team. The Bucks are destined for greatness, but Carter-Williams is not going to get them there, and he is better as a second-unit guard than a starter.

Miami Heat: The Bench

Miami Heat: The Bench

The Heat’s starting five can compete with the best the East has to offer, but where their weakness will shine through is in the second unit. Yes, they have pieces here, but will those pieces help pull Miami into the top class of the East? That remains to be seen.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Power Forward

Minnesota Timberwolves: Power Forward

The Wolves have talent at every position, except power forward. Anthony Bennett still looks like a bust, Kevin Garnett is way past his prime and the other forwards slated to be in this spot have yet to prove themselves.

Memphis Grizzlies: Backup Point Guard

Memphis Grizzlies: Backup Point Guard

The Grizzlies are going to be Western Conference contenders again this season, but they won’t take the next step until they find a suitable backup for Mike Conley.

New Orleans Pelicans: Defense

New Orleans Pelicans: Defense

The Pelicans are going to be one of the NBA’s most exciting teams next season, but their quest to fulfill new coach Alvin Gentry’s promise to superstar Anthony Davis hinges on the Pelicans playing defense, and that is a huge question mark going into 2015-16.

New York Knicks: Point Guard and Second Unit

New York Knicks: Point Guard and Second Unit

The Knicks have two huge weaknesses. First, who is going to be the starting point guard? And second, what is their second unit going to look like? Clearly, these are questions that have to be answered if the Knicks want to be considered up-and-comers this season.

Orlando Magic: Starting Small Forward

Orlando Magic: Starting Small Forward

The Magic has restocked their roster, but small forward will be their biggest weak spot until Mario Hezonja finds his sea legs in the NBA.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Billy Donovan

Oklahoma City Thunder: Billy Donovan

Billy Donovan will be thrown into the fire this season, as he will be asked to lead the Thunder back to the top of the West, while at the same time keep Kevin Durant happy enough for him to be convinced to stay in OKC in 2016. This could be too much to ask for from a head coach with no NBA coaching experience.

Philadelphia 76ers: The Entire Sixer Lineup

Philadelphia 76ers: The Entire Sixer Lineup

Seriously, the Sixers have not one strength in their lineup. It’s going to be another miserable season in Philly.

Portland Trail Blazers: Power Forward

Portland Trail Blazers: Power Forward

The big question in Portland is who is going to replace LaMarcus Aldridge? Power forward is going to be the Blazers' weak spot this year as there are no big men on this roster right now who can replace his production.

Phoenix Suns: Front-Line Scoring

Phoenix Suns: Front-Line Scoring

The Suns' backcourt is going to have to lead the way offensively this season because their frontcourt is really weak. Sure, the Suns can make something out of nothing, but they need a guy who can step up and give the Suns' frontcourt some much-needed scoring punch. I’m looking at you, T.J. Warren.

San Antonio Spurs: Short-Term Team Chemistry

San Antonio Spurs: Short-Term Team Chemistry

In truth, the Spurs have no real weak spots, but since they did bring in some new players who will be expected to contribute, chemistry may be a nagging issue early in the season. But once the new players gel into the system, the Spurs should be off and running.

Sacramento Kings: Long-Term Team Chemistry

Sacramento Kings: Long-Term Team Chemistry

The Kings will have the same problems the Spurs will have, but their chemistry problems will be a lot worse. Will Rajon Rondo fit in? Can he co-exist with DeMarcus Cousins? Can Cousins co-exist with Willie Cauley-Stein? Chemistry is going to be what either makes or breaks Sacramento this season.

Toronto Raptors: Starting Power Forward

Toronto Raptors: Starting Power Forward

The Raptors' longtime starting power forward, Amir Johnson, is no longer in the 416, and finding his replacement is going to be key for the Raptors this season. Until then, this is going to be Toronto’s biggest weak spot.

Utah Jazz: Trey Burke

Utah Jazz: Trey Burke

The Jazz are going to be a team to watch this season, but how far they go hinges on if Trey Burke is the real deal as a starting point guard. His numbers haven’t moved in the two seasons he’s been in the league, and it seems like he’s treading water. Burke’s willingness to take his game to the next level will determine the Jazz’s playoff hopes this season.

Washington Wizards: Starting Small Forward

Washington Wizards: Starting Small Forward

You can’t help but think that the Wizards are holding this position open so that Kevin Durant can fill this spot in 2016. But for this season, this is the Wizards' sore spot on the roster. Martell Webster is going to have to claim this role, as there are really no other suitors for the starting SF role on this roster.

Kareem Gantt is a writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter

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