After I saw how much of a differential there was between the top and the bottom of the league(me), I decided to try to see if there was any correlation between the number of NBA starters to NLL winning percentage. Here is a plot of the correlation:

Now, there isn’t a great R² value for this chart, but you can see there is a slight correlation. I’ve investigated some of the outlier points, and there are a number of reasons why this doesn’t fit further. For instance, currently Boston only has 4 starters that are healthy, however they have glitch player Lance Stephenson, and Kevin Durant helped them win a bunch of games early. Atlanta has a lot of starters, but the team has changed so much, there was no continuity between the rosters.

Another thing to note is that obviously not all NBA starters are alike. While Brooklyn has 7 NBA starters on the roster, they clearly either aren’t rated as good as they are yet (Khris Middleton), or shouldn’t be starting in the NBA anyway (Ish Smith).

According to this chart though, on average adding 1 NBA starter to your roster will increase your winning percentage by about 17%. This is rather significant if you think about it.

Atlanta has done a great job of amassing tons of NBA talent. They paid the price for it, but you can tell that they will go far if all their players are healthy. They are 8-2 in their last 10, and holding onto that 7 spot in the East. Look for them to give whomever they meet in the first round of the playoffs a difficult time.

Boston was doing great early on, but the injury to Durant really derailed their season. They don’t really have a ton of talent around that roster except for the big 3, so expect their season to end early.

Brooklyn has a ton of NBA talent, but it’s all middling level talent. Devoid of stars, the Nets won’t move forward too far. Many speculate that GM Wizkid will try to do a package deal for a big superstar in the future, but that may depend on the market.

Charlotte doesn’t have a lot of talent on their team, but they hope to add some with the two first round picks they have in the upcoming draft. Gordon far outplays his talent level in the NBA, and is making up for their lack of starpower.

Chicago has 3 great players, but aside from that, not much around them. You know you are in trouble when you are starting Jason Richardson and Mike Miller. Adding two moderate starters at the 2 and the 3 next season will be key for Chicago

Cleveland has some of the most talent in the league with 6 starters and 1 injured starter. These guys are all good too, tons of star power. It’s no wonder they have the best record in the league.

Dallas has done a great job this season getting some good NBA starters and getting 3 first round picks, all while staying in 4^th place in the West. They look to have 2 top 10 picks in the upcoming draft. The only issue will be trying to find a place for these incoming rookies on their stacked roster.

Denver has some solid players, but can’t seem to put it all together, hanging onto the last playoff position in the West. They will get better as Len becomes more of a presence, and they have some great prospects on the bench.

Detroit pulled the trigger on getting Bledsoe, and it has equaled a more competitive team, but still not a contender. No real prospects here, Detroit will likely be much the same next season.

Golden State has some serious talent on the team, it just doesn’t seem to equate into wins. They may want to look into moving some of the parts because they just don’t seem to work together. Just looking at the starting lineup, they have plenty of scoring and defense. I’m as baffled as I’m sure the Warriors are as to why they aren’t doing better.

Houston has been plagued by injuries, as many know. The two loan starters on the team are pitiful at best. I don’t want to lament about what could have been. I’m just looking forward to next season.

Indiana has some great players on the team, and probably has one of the deepest frontcourts in the league. They also have a great backcourt with Dragic and Crawford. Sitting at the 4 seed is a pretty good sport, and they will give anyone trouble in the playoffs.

The Clippers strategy seems to be to trade away all assets in order to get 5 first round picks. The problem is going to be next season trying to meet the minimum salary in order to compete. Whiteside is a great prospect, but they don’t have much else on the team right now. Garnett is likely to retire, and hopefully they get one of the top guys in the draft this year.

The Lakers are doing great this season, but their top 4 scorers aren’t even starting in the NBA. This season will turn out well for them, but look to a regression to the mean next season when some players are fixed.

Memphis has amassed a great starting lineup, it just hasn’t translated to wins. Much like Golden State, they may want to take a hard look in the mirror in the offseason and make some moves. Even after the Green deal, they haven’t pushed into the playoff race.

Miami made a bunch of trades to try to bring in as many NLL performers that they could get. It’s worked out as they are 9-1 in the last 10, and are pushing Indy for the 4 seed. This team will likely be different next season as some of these guys go elsewhere, but it’s all in for now!

The Bucks are an interesting team in that they always go for youth. Luckily they are good at targeting guys who will be good. The team is packed with young talent, and they will get better every season. With Cousins out right now though, they probably won’t make it far in the playoffs.

Minny has always liked to trade, and this season is no exception. Pretty much all of their players are different than they were at the beginning of the season. George coming back is huge for them, and the only reason he’s on the “injured” list is because he wasn’t starting in the NBA due to minutes restrictions. Luckily for the T-Wolves, the NLL doesn’t have any minute restrictions rule, so he is flourishing.

New Orleans is looking like a tanking team that still has some talent on it though. After drafting in the top 10 twice this off-season, they will have a good looking team next year when everyone gets healthy.

New York has such a scary looking starting lineup, I don’t understand why they aren’t a more successful team. Part of it is likely that they are in the super talented East, but it could just be that the starting lineup doesn’t gel together well. I don’t see them moving any of their big players anytime soon though, so hopefully they can figure it out in the offseason.

OKC made some good trades this season and is set up to be great next year when players like Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler get rated better and perform more to their NBA counterparts standards. It will be nice when Amare comes off the books, but he’s still a talented player, so maybe they bring him back?

Orlando has a chance at the top pick in the draft, and a great young rookie in Marcus Smart. When Bosh, Embiid, and Rubio come back, along with their draft picks, they will do a flip. I predict playoffs next season for Orlando and probably the biggest change in winning percentage.

Philly has tons of NBA talent, and has done great with it. Injuries early in the season derailed a possible historic season, but it’s coming together in time for the playoffs. They might be looking to move some of these guys next season as they are going to have a glut at SF/SG when they get healthy. They are going far this postseason, and are one of about 3 teams that have a legit shot at the title.

Phoenix had some bad luck with Mr. Sanders, but pulled a rabbit out of his hat and got Asik and Kemba Walker to go along with everyone else. They are loaded, but aren’t gelling together as much as I’m sure the coach would like. That sometimes happens when you change PGs in the middle of the season. Hopefully they figure it out as a likely first round matchup with Dallas looks scary!

Portland traded away a big asset in Dwight for what appears to be not a lot in return. He was under producing and always hurt, so sometimes you just need to know when to move on. Not sure what the offseason plan is for this team, but if they don’t do something drastic, they will be much the same next season.