I would have Detroit in the 4/5 range in the East and Chicago completely out of the playoffs. That Bulls' roster is horribly constructed. Rondo, Wade, and Butler don't complement each other at all. That's three ball-dominant perimeter players, none of whom shoots 3s well (Butler is iffy). Wade is an effective cutter, but what is Rondo going to do off the ball? Pairing those three with Gibson and Lopez is going to be an offensive disaster. Outside of Mirotic and McDermott, they have almost no plus shooting.
Pistons won 44 games as a young team last year. All of their key players should be on an upward trajectory, and SVG usually gets the most out of his rosters. Jackson is going to miss some time, but it shouldn't cost them more than a couple games. Maybe that costs them a seed or two, but I don't see them slipping out of the playoffs, barring a long-term injury to one of their top guys.
Out West, I'm bullish on Minnesota, but of the teams you have listed, I think the Wolves or the Grizzlies are out. Minnesota may be a year away due to being really young and learning a new system. Memphis' key players are old and/or have injury histories, and they have zero depth. I know they backed into the playoffs last season under similar circumstances, but they also have a new coach. It's not that I don't think Fizdale will be a good coach, but it may take some time for everyone to adjust.
Above all, I have a hard time seeing all of those teams ahead of Utah. They barely missed the playoffs with a young team. They didn't lose anyone significant while adding quality vets like Hill, Johnson, and Diaw, plus they get Exum back. Their core guys are a year older (which is good, since they're still young), and their roster is deeper.
As far as seedings, barring a Utah run at #3, I think the top three out West (GSW, SAS, LAC) separate themselves, while the rest of the pack tries to tank their way out of the 4/5 spots as the regular season draws to a close.
