The BIG NBA Season Preview (30-21)

Welcome to the quote on quote "BIG" season preview. No more ranking by conference, just all 30 teams ranked from 1-30 broken into 3 sections. I promise I tried my hardest to not kill everybody with too many words or repeat things everyone has said about the teams already (if I did sorry again). If you want a full preview here you go or here. If you don't want to read through my longer parts just enjoy the hyperlinks. I promise I won't be hurt if you don't want to read it all. The most fun part to read would probably be Trades To Consider where I get to play pretend GM (because don't we all wish we could be one) using ESPN's Trade Machine and make numerous trade scenarios especially involving Rajon Rondo, LaMarcus Aldridge, the Bulls, and many more while explaining the logic behind the deal. Lastly rankings reflect my opinion before any of these games started meaning just because the Clippers lost to the Lakers tonight and do not look like a Western favorite at all they will stay where I thought they were (hint: I regret a bit making them my Western favorites, sorry KD) Without further ado the season preview.

 
30. Sixers

Goal: The Prize for Suck...or the consolation prize? Or the consolation's consolation prize?

Intrigue: (Written before Royce White was released)* 
The tactics they will take to losing - This is the one team that has shown no intention whatsoever of competing to the point where they did not hire a coach until way late and they still need to fill their cap minimum by $10 million. However I do not think they are historically bad. They have decent enough talent to squeeze out 10 wins. I like Carter-Williams despite his certain inefficiencies (but I've always likened the idea of tall point guards i.e. Shaun Livingston, Penny Hardaway kind of & of course Magic), I like Nerlens but he's out for the year :( Evan Turner, Thad Young, and Spencer Hawes will be auditioning for their new team to be so while they're in Philly they have to kind of play well or risk being stuck right? While they're still around I expect some college Evan Turner to show out, Thad Young's versatility to be displayed, and hopefully a return of the Hawes mullet!!! Oh and they still have the new J-Rich when he returns from injury. Cheers to fat J-Rich and Royce White house parties!

Player to Watch: Nothing to watch here unless you like flat tops sitting on a bench but when Turner, Young, and Hawes are traded we are looking at a potential starting lineup of Carter-Williams, Fat J-Rich, newly acquired small forward with 1 year on their contract, newly acquired power forward with 1 year on their contract /or Arnett Moultrie, and ... Kwame Brown. The 2013-2014 Philadelphia 76ers yall! Feel the tank.

Trade to Consider: (PHI) - Danny Granger, Richard Jefferson, Dwayne Jones III 
                                          (-19 wins)
                                (UTA) - Spencer Hawes, Lavoy Allen, Rasaul Butler (+3 wins)
                                (IND) - Thaddeus Young, Evan Turner (+6 wins)
*Logic - Killing 3 birds with 1 stone, negative 19 wins, Granger and Jefferson's expiring contracts on the same team...with J-Rich! As the saying goes, enough bricks to build a house. Let's make it happen. Hawes serves as a very nice backup for the young bigs in Utah, and the Pacers can play Turner or Thad Young as one starter and one sixth man supreme or both can be excellent bench players (More depth!) while Lance Stephenson becomes the starting 2 again.

Where They'll Be Come June: Figuring out if this was all worth tanking for...and if by some divine miracle they fall out of the top 5 in the draft...then no, but most likely yes. 

29.Celtics

Goal: Blow it up even more than they already have, clear any cap holdover (excluding Gerald Wallace, good luck), and pray for lottery luck (*cough cough Tim Duncan, sorry Cs fans) 

Intrigue: The Brad Stevens effect - Everyone has praised him for his coaching emphasis on statistical analysis and the ability to win with the best team rather than talent on the floor (Remember two straight NCAA championship losses, one almost a half-court shot away from being a win, with his best players being Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack...SHELVIN MACK!). The C's could be the basketball equivalent of the Oakland A's with Stevens and they're going to need him to find a way to make this roster work especially on offense. It will take time, but when the team finally constructs a roster Stevens sees fit, he will earn rightful praise in the big leagues as well. 

Player to Watch: Kelly Olynyk - Because of the Canadian Dirk hype.

Trade to Consider: (BOS) - Shawn Marion, Vince Carter, Brandan Wright
                              (DAL) - Jeff Green, Gerald Wallace, Jordan Crawford  
*Logic - Rondo trades are on the way. Stay tuned. I don't see Kris Humphries being moved simply because of his big money expiring contract which is hard to find equal value for any trade partner (C's want youth but those contracts will not equal $12 million, Humphries' value does not warrant top prospect exchange either especially if he is a 1 year rental) but if anyone has the balls to take on an excessive contract to win after getting screwed the last two offseasons, it's Mark Cuban. For the C's they get expirings in VC (buyout potential), Marion (buyout potential), and only 2 years at a much cheaper contract of Brandan Wright. The Mavs get to look like those fun old Mavs teams of the early 2000s that never got past the Western semis, but they were oh so fun to watch! Shout outs to 'Toine and Jamison, Van Exel, Finley and my boy LaFrentz too.

Where They'll Be Come June: Still searching for an offense but rebuilding the right way. It started with hiring Stevens.

28. Utah Jazz

Goal: Turn Andris Biedrins into an all-star. Just kidding. Building a solid frontcourt foundation in Kanter & Favors

Intrigue: Is Rudy Gobert the new Mozgov?? - There really isn't much to be intrigued about here. A lot of young raw talent but a work in progress.

Player to Watch: Enes Kanter - He's produced when given playing time behind Milsap and Jefferson in past seasons and now he'll have all the minutes to prove his worth. He's a high-effort player and there are no doubts to his work ethic especially when it came to his weight loss. He is only 21 and can make his name as a top center in this league.

Trade to Consider: They will show up down the line in some trades as a helper, but pretty much they'll take expiring contracts. Trust me.

Where They'll Be Come June: Evaluating their next backcourt mate for Trey Burke or Alex Burks perhaps? 


27. Phoenix Suns

Goal: Utilize future assets for the 2014 season. 

Intrigue: Trying to outscore opponents with a good portion of their summer league team as main contributors (Morris twins, Archie Goodwin? etc.) - Ehhh I don't know about that.

Player to Watch: Eric Bledsoe - The 6'1 poor man's LeBron or does that mean the 6'1 Josh Smith/Andre Iguodala or...? Anyways this is one of the most fun guys to watch in this league because of his mix of strength, speed, athleticism, and tenacious defense all coming from a small (yet ripped) body frame. Gauging Bledsoe's value has always been one of the more difficult things to determine because he has so much upside and shows many flashes of brilliance, but in that small sample size he has also shown a few deficiencies in his game as well (turnover prone/lacking good court awareness, not a good shooter), and we still aren't quite sure if he's a 1 or 2. All the uncertainties of his game I don't really worry about too much (it doesn't hurt to have been under the tutelage of Chris Paul the last 2 years), they are things he can improve on by just playing more, and that he will have the opportunity to do on his new team especially with Jeff Hornacek's fast-paced offense which will fit his style. The price Phoenix gave up to acquire Bledsoe was Jared Dudley and a second round pick which I think is a steal. I expect a breakout year from Bledsoe, and maybe there can be legitimacy to the debate of whether he is better than his old backcourt mate in college. It won't be easy for him though (tons of responsibility for an inexperienced player on an inexperienced team), but I know he's up for the challenge, and we'll sure see soon enough if his value is worth the hype.   

Trade to Consider: (PHX) - Greg Monroe, Charlie Villanueva, Jonas Jerebko (No effect)
                            (CHI) - Emeka Okafor, Goran Dragic, PJ Tucker (+ 4 wins)
                            (DET) - Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich (- 9 wins) + 1st round pick (via IND)
The Gortat trade hurt  my favoritism towards them as an extra trade partner in many other trade scenarios.
*Logic - Pretty much Dragic and PJ Tucker and a late 1st rounder for Monroe who I think, regardless of a strong draft class, is more valuable than a late first rounder next year and he could fit the team as an undersized center with mobility. He also still has potential (only 23) and with an expiring is at the discretion of the Suns if they want to keep him or not after the year. CV's contract expires at the end of the year (potential buyout?) and Jerebko has potential upside or at least he looks like a stud for a Euro. For the other teams, Chicago gets insurance for Rose and Noah, and a defensive stud in Tucker that fits perfectly (Btw all contracts expire at the end of the season like Deng's and Hinrich's) and for Detroit they get an all-star small forward that can do everything (like not clog the paint), Hinrich is a decent backup 1 or 2, and any first round pick next year is nice.   

Where They'll be Come June:The youngest team in the NBA with their many young guys more experienced due to inflated minutes which means potential rising team for next year.

26. Charlotte Bobcats 

Goal: To compete for a final playoff spot even though they should not.

Intrigue: This prediction by Jalen Rose.     

Player to Watch: Michael Kidd-Gilchirst  - Fixing the hitch in his jumpshot with the great Mark Price and hopefully doing that high energy stuff I like that is never appreciated.

Trade to Consider: *RONDO TRADE ALERT
(CHA) - Rajon Rondo, Luol Deng, Brandon Bass (-3 wins)
(CHI) - Ben Gordon, Ramon Sessions, Jeff Taylor, Marshon Brooks (+5 wins)
(BOS) - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Bismack Biyombo, Kirk Hinrich (-5 wins)

*Logic - With MJ signing Al Jefferson in the offseason he's making a statement that he wants to win or at least try to win. The current roster is too inexperienced and won't make the playoffs so why not go all in on the try and win now attempt? Rondo runs the team, Deng does his best swiss army knife impression, Al Jefferson bangs the boards and scores, Bass does his mid range shooting, Gerald Henderson does his outside shooting, Kemba becomes the irrational confident scorer off the bench every team needs and Cody Zeller gets to develop! I think we have ourselves a definite 6, 7, or 8 seed. The only problem, this trade would not happen early if it were to come into fruition. Rondo isn't getting traded until he at least comes back and provides an audition to teams interested which gives time for Kidd-Gilchrist to prove himself as an untradeable asset for the future, maybe even Bismack too (just kidding). 
Chicago gets Benny the Bull back as a starter or sixth man, Sessions is D-Rose insurance, and Jeff Taylor!!! Boston gets Hinrich's expiring and a point guard, Biyombo's defense and a center, and Kidd-Gilchrist who I still think very highly of (I stand by what I said before last season).     

Where They'll Be Come June: Getting screwed out of a top 5 pick because they win too many games but not enough for the playoffs thus proving once again that having an owner who is the greatest basketball player to ever play the game does not equate to having an owner who is capable of running an NBA team.

25. Orlando Magic

Goal: Developing their young core in preparation for next season when they add a lottery pick and are ready to compete for a playoff spot.

Intrigue: The attempt to turn Victor Oladipo into Russell Westbrook 2.0

Player to Watch: Tobias Harris - I will be completely honest before writing this I only remembered him being a kind of chubby scorer in college, but had no clue how his game or body changed since entering the league. I did not bother to watch many Magic games last year but c'mon man! Who would unless you are a diehard Magic fan. After watching a few of his YouTube clips and knowing of the numbers he posted after getting traded I am all in on Tobias Harris stock. He got in real good shape post-college and he seems reminiscent to a Carmelo lite in terms of how he bullies his defender (I hope his defense isn't Carmelo-esque). There's that sneaky athleticism and he has a decent looking shot. He's definitely the "star" of a team that could be very fun to watch this year and I'll be keeping an eye on his progression (mostly because he's on my fantasy team hehehe).  

Trade to Consider: (ORL) - Zach Randolph, Andre Miller (-1 win)
             (MEM) - Jameer Nelson, Glen Davis, Andrew Nicholson, Evan Fournier (-1 win)
                             (DEN) - Arron Afflalo (-1 win)  
*Logic - Just trying to make a splashy trade with big contracts for unwarranted players, I wouldn't actually accept if I was Orlando or Memphis.
Z-Bo paired with Vucevic would be nice but his contract is ridiculous and Grandpa Andre will continue to amaze me till he's 54 years old which is actually in two years (just kidding). Memphis gets two veteran bench guys, Fournier that kind of handsome French devil (go ahead look him in the eyes and wait till he speaks English with a French accent and steals your heart), and can experiment with Ed Davis or Nicholson as the power forward for the future. Denver gets Afflalo who I've always liked but am still a little jealous of.    

Where They'll Be Come June: The new foundation is officially in place having the rookie of the year (Oladipo), an all-star-to-be in Harris, a double-double center (Vucevic), other productive young assets (Harkless, Nicholson), and their lottery pick in July to push this team into one of the most intriguing up-and-coming teams for the 2014 season. Not to mention Jameer and Big Baby most likely on new teams, possibly Afflalo, and most importantly Hedo off the books.  

24. Sacramento Kings 

Goal: Being a team for the people...or making cow bells relevant again?

Intrigue: DeMarcus cousins man. DEMARCUS COUSINS - It's his team now. Will he have the maturity to lead it? The skill is all there but is the attitude?

Player to Watch: Ben McLemore - There's this Ben McLemore. Then there's this Ben McLemore. After the collegiate season he was considered by many to most likely be the number 1 pick in this year's draft, but since then it's been a semi-rocky road leading up to his debut. After a poor showing in pre-draft workouts and falling to 7th in the draft he followed with a summer league of a couple decent games, but was most notable for some terrible shooting (4-23, 4-12, 0-8), and concluded the preseason with ok numbers but nothing too impressive. Let's remember he is a shooting guard (33% for a high draft pick in summer league is poor) so he has to put up a much better shooting percentage especially if he has the balls to take the Serbian Sniper's number. With McLemore it's pretty simple what we're looking for and it's consistency and efficiency. He has a ton of upside and with Tyreke gone, he is the Kings 2-guard of the future, and he will be given opportunities to succeed. The question will be which McLemore do we see more of this year, the first example or the second example?

Trade to Consider: (SAC) - ZBo, Tayshaun Prince
                          (MEM) - Danny Granger, Chuck Hayes, Patrick Patterson, Rudy Gobert
                              (IND) - Marcus Thornton, John Salmons
                              (UTA) - Jimmer Fredette
*Logic - No plus/minuses here because the trade machine has currently gone to poops since the new season has begun. Z-Bo (Another Z-Bo trade!) and Boogie would make a mean front court combo and Randolph could be a great mentor for Cousins due to the almost similar paths they share in dealing with maturity in the early stages of their career. Z-Bo has grown into a respected veteran of the league and Cousins could follow in his footsteps. Tayshaun is a better small forward than Mbah a Moute or Salmons. Memphis gets a scorer they need in Granger, Patterson and Ed Davis can be experimented at power forward, Chuck Hayes is a banger and Gobert is a project. Indiana gets two outside shooters for their bench, and we return to Utah their holy son.     
                             
Where They'll Be Come June: Getting closer to returning to the playoffs...maybe two years away.      

23. Raptors

Goal: Finding an identity and continuity with a roster led by low-efficient, heavy-dribbling scorers.

Intrigue: Who are the Toronto Raptors? -  On paper it doesn't look bad, but with new GM Masai Ujiri he has an opportunity to rebuild with enticing trade pieces to fit the mold of a team he wants, but it starts with a new coach = Dwayne Casey probably being the first to go

Player to Watch: Terrence Ross - Oh you were expecting him? Sorry but it's the slam dunk champ and he does much more than just dunk a basketball. He'll be the team's 6th man this year and the man gets buckets in exciting fashion. Once/If? DeMar DeRozan is traded it will truly be his time to shine.

Trade to Consider: (TOR) - VINCE CARTER, Kenneth Faried, Wilson Chandler, Shawn Marion, Brandan Wright
(DEN) - DeMar DeRozan, Landry Fields, Sam Dalembert, Jose Calderon
(DAL) - Rudy Gay, JaVale McGee, Andre Miller
*Logic - I really wanted to find a good forth trading partner in this deal, but it just hurt my head way too much trying to cook it up. For the Raptors it's simple, unite Ujiri with players he's had before (Chandler & Manimal), Marion  and Brandan Wright seem like they would have been good on those Nugget teams, and most importantly the return of Vinsanity (who would probably request a buy out...). Eat your hearts out Raptor fans! Denver gets more crazy, and so does Dallas! Andre Miller scored 52 against the Mavs so of course Cuban would love him. 

Where They'll Be Come June: Looking more and more like Nuggets East and being one of the most fun teams to watch.

22. Milwaukee Bucks

Goal: Be the Larry Drew team of all Larry Drew teams! Be a 6-8 seed in the East and make it out of the first round.

Intrigue: Winning with all 12 men like really really - This roster has enough decency throughout to actually work. If Ilyasova is dealt, a front line of John Henson and Larry Sanders would be really fun to watch defensively, and Tough Juice, Ojayous Omayous, Gary Neal, and Brandon Knight will be interesting as the responsible scorers. 

Player to Watch: GREEK FREAK aka Baby Duranbatum


Trade to Consider:*Original deal (Made prior to Gortat trade) players in italics

(MIL) - Danilo Gallinari, Jason Thompson, Andre Miller, Kendall Marshall
(DEN) - Ersan Ilyasova, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson, Ray McCallum
(SAC) - Caron Butler, Shannon Brown, Darrell Arthur
                                                                            (PHX) - Jimmer Fredette, Ekpe Udoh *Updated moves (Salmons -> Bucks, Channing Frye -> Nuggets, Delfino -> Kings)
*Logic - Providing the Bucks a better go-to scorer in Galo, a solid vet in Dre Miller, and Thompson is added bench depth. Also Sanders and Henson 4-5 happens. Denver would not do this deal, but I just enjoy blowing up their team. Sacramento gets a good rental small forward in Caron, and I am on the path to find all the juiciest places for Jimmer to play on where he'll be able to shoot all the time. Phoenix fits the description.   

Where They'll Be Come June: Regretting the decision to remain mediocre costing them an opportunity to pair Greek Freak with a top 5 pick and having cap flexibility (see: OJ Mayo, Zaza Pachulia, Carlos Delfino contracts) moving forward. 


21. Portland Trail Blazers 

Goal: Claim a final spot in the playoffs

Intrigue: How many losses will it take until LaMarcus Aldridge officially wants out?

Player to Watch: Damian Lillard - It has to be the ROY (whoops rookie of the year = ROY hehehe sorry Josh too soon?) right? Well as always we're looking for a potential sophomore slump here and while it was a given early on last season that he would win the rookie of the year, many still aren't sold (belief that stats were inflated because of high usage) that he is a future superstar in the league. The comparison he gets most is a bigger Damon Stoudamire which isn't a bad player to be compared to (unless we're talking about off the court) but fans in Portland are expecting much more this season from Lillard and moving forward in his career. 

Trade to Consider: (POR) - Serge Ibaka, Jeremy Lamb,       Perry Jones
                               (OKC) - LaMarcus Aldridge, Mo Williams
*Logic - While the Thunder are in win-now mode, Aldridge provides the much needed inside scorer for their team to put them over the top and Mo Williams is the sixth man scorer they need to replace K-Mart. The Blazers get Ibaka whose defense continues to be amazing but his offensive development the last few seasons has remained frustrating. In Portland he won't have as much pressure to be an offensive player and along with Jeremy Lamb a fresh start from the pressures of being the questionable choice over James Harden will be off both their shoulders which may equal greater production.  

Where They'll Be Come June: If Aldridge stays, Batum flourishes, and Lillard doesn't slump, the team is a good lottery pick away from being a legitimate team next season.

Teams 20-11 coming soon. Stay tuned. Thanks for reading.

Season Preview 2012-2013: The Eastern Conference (1-8)

Alright yall back with the second part of the Eastern Conference preview, the cream of the crop, the playoff teams which actually do not say much about the quality of these teams because to be honest the East is very bad this year. There are really only 3 legitimate contenders and there's no doubt who the clear cut favorite is to win the conference.

Before I begin though I just want to clarify to the readers that may be offended by these record predictions and the preciseness of it. There is no precision. I'm not a math major and I do not have the time to total all the games and break down accurate records. They're just guesstimates. Just be happy that I'm taking time out of a busy schedule to do this please. I try my hardest (typed some of this on my Iphone in class - that's what I call dedication). Also I am a firm believer in a lot of 7-game playoff series in this conference this year. More games who doesn't like that? Anyways no more blabbering. Ladies and gentleman I present to you the top 8 in the East:

8. Atlanta Hawks

Projetced Starting 5: Jeff Teague (PG), Lou Williams (SG), Josh Smith (SF), Al Horford (PF), Zaza Pachulia (C)

Overview: This team may actually be much better than where they're ranked, but right now I'm a little concerned about where their offense will come from and it remains to be seen how their many new pieces will fit. Joe Johnson is gone. I love it and it was necessary to get rid of him despite the fact that he was a lot of their perimeter offense.¹ His replacements I really like. They have plenty of scorers and the new look of perimeter scoring will feature a committee of guys capable of filling the role (Jeff Teague, Devin Harris, Lou WIlliams, John Jenkins, Anthony Morrow, & Kyle Korver). The league has shown in the past few years that teams are capable of winning without a primary scorer and solid depth (see: Denver Nuggets) and these guys just have to go out and prove it. The bigs are very solid, a bunch of gritty bangers (Zaza, Ivan Johnson & Anthony Tolliver) led by hopefully a full healthy season of Al Horford who when healthy is capable of being an annual all-star. If the guards and bigs do their jobs it'll make life a lot easier for Josh Smith who is now handed the keys to the franchise. Last year Smoove finally got it and played to what he is capable of doing without doing too much. This year I expect him to be even better (20 &11 good) and thrive under the responsibility of leader of the team...Now that I think about it, I actually kind of really like this team. They'll be good defensively and I dig the perimeter scoring by committee. Why are they not ranked higher??...Stop it Anson they're coach is Larry Drew and they're the Hawks, the annual one round wonder. Ok onto the...   

Player to Watch: Devin Harris - I'm actually really interested in seeing how he'll perform as a 6th man and whether or not he'll be able to perform the way he once did in the Eastern Conference. On this team he'll have to be good and he'll have to be a large contributor because the Hawks need new perimeter scoring now that Joe Johnson is gone. Scoring off the bench starts with Harris and I think he will thrive in his new role. He'll be up there in consideration for 6th man of the year when the season is over.²

Things That Intrigue Me: More Ivan the Terrible - Have you ever watched Ivan Johnson play?? Well you should. The man is all motor and energy and he is that one scrappy guy that every team needs to have. His journey to the league is very cool and off the court he shatters backboards like it's no one's business. He's fun to watch on the court and I hope there's more broken backboards off it.

Season Prediction: (42-40) = Another disappointing first round loss in the playoffs, but giving the top seed a serious run for their money.

7. Chicago Bulls*

Projected Starting 5: Kirk Hinrich (PG)*, Richard Hamilton (SG), Luol Deng (SF), Carlos Boozer (PF), Joakim Noah (C)

Overview: This ranking is solely based on the belief that Derrick Rose will return to the team by February and eventually return to form before the regular season is over therefore the asterisk. They may be a lot worse depending on Rose's return. An ACL tear is a serious injury and a lot of athletes never return the same. As young and great of an athlete as Rose is, you just never know. Besides if Rose does come back healthy and better than before, it will take him time to shake off the rust and the Bulls will have to play at least half the season without him. So then looking at the roster what do they have here besides Rose? I see a team that will tread .500 which is already good and a lot of that will be credited to Tom Thibodeau being a good coach and the Bulls having played a good portion of the regular season without him before (18-9 last season). The team is pretty much the same as last year with some slight adjustments to their bench players (Nate Robinson, Marco Belinelli, Nzar Mohammed) and Kirk Hinrich who can do no wrong is the replacement for Rose until he returns. Rip is back at the 2 and hopefully he'll be healthy this year because the team will need his offense. Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer need to be much better this year and I expect more improvement from Joakim Noah. Overall this will pretty much be a wasted season for a team who should have been the toughest competition for that team down in South Beach. For now they will have to settle for the ultimate prize of their season when D-Rose returns healthy and ready to lead them again. 


Player to Watch: Carlos Boozer - He's been a huge disappoint since he started playing for the team and in a year where they will need someone to lead them through the first half of the season, he has to be the guy. I know he's never been good under pressure and he isn't a superstar, but he is an all-star, and he is capable of playing at a higher level. If Boozer fails to play well early in the season, the Bulls may be in trouble actually.

Things That Intrigue Me: The Return of Derrick Rose - Isn't everyone eager to see how he'll play when he returns? He means everything to the team and even the city. Without him the Bulls are really irrelevant. Here's to a speedy recovery and the return of an even better Derrick Rose.

Season Prediction: (44-38) = Derrick Rose putting on a first round playoff performance for the ages ending all doubts about his injury. However his team will not help him enough as they will lose in the first round in 7 games.


6. Philadelphia 76ers

Projected Starting 5: Jrue Holiday (PG), Jason Richardson (SG), Evan Turner (SF), Spencer Hawes (PF), Andrew Bynum (C)

Overview: The Philadelphia 76ers will be this year's equivalent of the Pacers last year and make the jump into a top tier team of the East starting next year. This however is all dependent on how healthy Andrew Bynum can stay and how good he will actually be now that he is the focus of a team's offense. He has what he wants now and he has to prove that his immaturity will not get in the way of his development. I believe he will prove he can be a franchise center and there is no way Doug Collins allows him to pull this off at any point this season. The rest of the pieces on the team I really like as well. Their bench will be one of the deeper units in the league with Thaddeus Young, Dorell Wright, Nick Young, and yes Kwame Brown. Spencer Hawes when healthy is actually very good.³ I have always loved J-Rich and will continually do so for the remainder of his career. He, D-Wright, and Nick Young will have the luxury of spotting up and shooting 3's all game. That will be in large part due to Jrue Holiday who proved last season in the playoffs, he is on the verge of being a very good point guard for years to come. Holiday should have a better year and he will log a lot of minutes without a stable backup for him on the roster. The x-factor of the team who is the...   

Player to Watch: Evan Turner - Will have a lot of pressure this season to make his front office look good for their faith that he will be able to replace Andre Iguodala's production in the lineup. Turner is very capable of doing the job and is due for a breakout season (It's year 3!). There really isn't much to say about Turner, he's a pretty unorthodox player but he's very versatile and I've liked him since his days at Ohio State. He'll be very good this year...or at least he'll have to be.  

Things That Intrigue Me: Andrew Bynum's Afro - Just look at that thing. What is it? Why does he have it? Will he keep it all season? Is it done in respect to his former teammate Kobe Bean Bryant a Philly native? Why Andrew?? Why??

Season Prediction: (45-37) =1st round exit to their predecessors and I know I sound like a hypocrite because they're finishing worst than last year, but they got lucky with the D-Rose ACL injury. This year's team will actually be better but it's just unfortunate that the team they will have to play will be better than them. They will learn and be better from the defeat.

5.Brooklyn Nets

Projected Starting 5: Deron Williams (PG), Joe Johnson (SG), Gerald Wallace (SF), Kris Humphries (PF), Brook Lopez (C)

Overview: It's the inaugural year for the team in Brooklyn and after what could have been a disastrous offseason for them,⁴ the Nets were able to re-sign Deron Williams and have loaded up with solid pieces around him. On paper the Nets look like they can be really good. Deron Williams is a top 5 point guard in the league and possibly a top 10 player in the league. He can do everything from creating for his teammates, breaking a defender's ankles (which is one of the most beautiful things to watch), and he can drop 57 on a team when he feels like it. To compliment his skill, Joe Johnson was acquired from the Hawks and he should have a great season with less pressure to be the top dog on his team. All Joe has to do is put the ball in the bucket and that is something he has never had a problem doing. Gerald Wallace and Kris Humphries⁵ should be very fun to watch if you're a fan of gritty, tough-nosed basketball. Those two will crash boards, attack the rim, and play hard every possession. The bench is also a strong unit. They've added my favorite scrapper of the league, Reggie Evans, and they've also added CJ Watson, Andray Blatche, and Josh Childress to go along with MarShon Brooks who was very impressive last season. As for there starting center he will be mentioned in just a bit, but just looking at the Nets roster, the talent is there for them to compete and possibly get to the Conference Finals.  

There are a lot of expectations for this team however, and you have to wonder will they live up to all the hype? The front office has done an excellent job to put together a legitimate Eastern Conference contender, ownership has provided them a beautiful arena to play in, and Jay-Z has done his job promoting this "new" franchise. Now it's time for the players to actually play and prove they're worthy of all the attention.  


Player to Watch: Brook Lopez - Personally, I think he is overrated. Ok he's hovered around 20 points a game the last three seasons, but 3.6 boards a game last year?? Really? There is no excuse for any 7-foot center to be out-rebounded by a point guard and there were three that did. One happened to be 5'10 (Ty Lawson). This season, Brook Lopez will have to do a lot more than score. He has to prove he can be a valid sidekick and the complimentary big to the backcourt of D-Will and Joe Johnson. I do not doubt his ability to score in the post, but on a team that has many other guys capable of scoring, he needs to get his butt in the paint and work the boards and be gritty like his counterpart, Kris Humphries. Brook Lopez's development is key in determining whether or not this Brooklyn team is a contender or pretender. If Lopez can prove he is a franchise center contrary to popular belief (ask Orlando), the Nets may be much better than I give them credit for.

Things That Intrigue Me: The Illuminati - Is that stuff real? Is Sean Carter the President? Did it play a role on Deron Williams re-signing in fear of his life? Did you know on Jigga's first album, Reasonable Doubt, in the track "D'Evils" the chorus takes a sample of Prodigy from Mobb Deep that says, " Illuminati want my mind, soul, and my body. Secret society tryna keep they eye on me"? That was 1996  when he was a young disciple? and now in 2012 this Iluuminati business is a big deal and Jay-Z is now the boss of bosses in the rap game and the Illuminati? I am babbling way too much now so I'll stop before Jay-Z has me killed. This really had nothing to do with basketball, but doesn't it make you wonder?

Season Prediction: (47-35) = A first round loss to the other team in the New York area. I'm not sold on the Nets ready to compete this season, but next year should be a better year for them. 

4. New York Knicks

Projected Starting 5: Raymond Felton (PG), Iman Shumpert* (SG), Carmelo Anthony (SF), Amar'e Stoudemire (PF), Tyson Chandler (C)

Overview: Look I know that I have the Knicks pretty high up on the list and with the way their season ended last year why should they be ranked 4th in the East when their most significant offseason moves included allowing Jeremy Lin to sign with Houston and replacing him with an old Jason Kidd and fat Ray Felton, trading for an old, yet still serviceable Marcus Camby, and signing an old and retired-for-a-year Rasheed Wallace? To go along with that, Landry Fields is gone (wasn't worth re-signing anyways), Iman Shumpert will be out till at least December, and Amar'e Stoudemire is expected to be out for 6 weeks. So why exactly are the Knicks this high when they have a ton of injuries, terrible front court depth that will not be able to make up for Amar'e's absence, and an uncertain backcourt rotation as well? Oh and they're two best players can't really play together when healthy anyways? Well...my answer to all this is Carmelo Anthony growing up. 

I know Melo's been lackluster since he was traded to the Knicks and the team has always seemed to play better when he's not on the court, but did you see how good Melo was this summer at the Olympics? Melo is the type of player that needs affirmation of his talent. He needs to be reminded of how good he actually is and this summer was that wake-up call reminding him just how good he can be. ⁶ With STAT out, there is no doubt who the go-to-guy is and who's team this is. Melo should be almost overconfident in his ability to score and this team has guys that can get him the ball (Jason Kidd can still create for others and Ray will be mentioned more in a bit.) and compliments to score with him as well (JR, Steve Novak). Offense will never be a problem for this team. It has always been the defensive woes that have cost them, but their defense has vastly improved. They will primarily be protecting the paint with Tyson Chandler, Marcus Camby, and yes, Rasheed Wallace when he's ready to go. They will also have Ronnie Brewer on the perimeter to sure up the D for now. Jason Kidd is still a pretty good defender, and when Shump returns they have another very good perimeter defender.

The main concern for the Knicks will be the chemistry and how all the pieces will fit once everyone is healthy. Although Carmelo will be able to set the tempo of this team towards the way he wants to play early on, he will need to figure a way to work with Amar'e when he returns and I believe the...  

Player to Watch: Raymond Felton - Will be the x-factor in making this all work. If and this is a huge if...If Raymond Felton is in shape I believe he can have a huge impact on this team. I am interested in seeing him play with Amar'e Stoudemire again and with Carmelo. Remember how good he and STAT and that entire Knicks squad was prior to the Carmelo trade two years ago? Felton became a fan-favorite, was playing at an all-star level, and Amar'e was the MVP of the league at the time. Then he went to Denver and Portland where he didn't get along with the coaches and he got fat while the Knicks have failed to get out of the first round with Melo. Now that he's back with the Knicks I'm curious to see if there will be a rejuvenated Felton able to be the gel that brings together Melo and Amar'e's game.⁷ I understand D'Antoni is not the coach this time around, but I believe if Ray can bring back any semblance of what the Knicks had two years ago prior to the trade, the Knicks will become one of the most fun teams to watch and one of the most dangerous teams in the league as well. 

Things That Intrigue Me: RASHEED WALLACE - Come on yall are you excited for the return? I am. I love Rasheed. Homeboy gives zero F's about what anyone thinks and he is going to make this Knicks a lot more fun to watch (and they are already going to be a fun team to watch). My questions are: Will Rasheed continue to wear the high-top Air Force 1's? Will he lead the league in technical fouls? Is he going to bring back that "old school" post game he has promised? Is he going to hit threes and play great defense like the good old days? Was that patch in the back of his head a bald spot or white? I could never really tell. Can he teach Amar'e how to play defense? Man I'm so excited for Sheed's return!!

Season Prediction: (47-35) = Prevailing in the battle for New York, but another ugly defeat to the top ranked team in the conference in round 2 (5 games).

3. Indiana Pacers

Projected Starting 5: George Hill (PG), Paul George (SG), Danny Granger (SF), David West (PF), Roy Hibbert (C)

Overview: I like everything about this team except for one thing which is actually kind of important. I do not like their supposed best player, Danny Granger. Granger is overrated and on the decline and he thinks he's better than he actually is. He believes he's an alpha dog but honestly he's a top tier third best player on a championship team and at this point in his career, he is a decent high-volume scorer. However these deficiencies I mention can work with this team. The Pacers are a very good team and because they need someone to score, Granger's role fits. As I mentioned, the Pacers are a very good TEAM and their success doesn't rely heavily on one player but a lot of their players. They've solidified their bench by adding Gerald Green, DJ Augustin, Ian Mahinmi and Sam Young to go along with Psycho T. David West had a pretty poor first year with the team last season so the Pace are definitely hoping for a bounce back year from him and will need it. While the two most important players in determining their success this year will be Roy Hibbert and Paul George. I already believe Roy Hibbert is actually the best player on this team and did you know he's only 25? He was an all-star last year and he's improved every year and I expect him to be even better this year. I expect the offense to be run through him more and I also expect him to be a better rebounder (8.8 a game for someone 7'2 is not enough). As for Paul George, he's always been getting comparisons to Tracy McGrady, and in his young career he's received a lot of hype for being a high-flyer. This year I believe he will be known for being much more than a high-flyer and those Tracy McGrady comparisons will be further affirmed. He had a solid sophomore year and was a significant contributor to the Pace last year and in the all important year three, George will become an even more significant contributor taking his offensive game to another level.

Overall the Pacers will remain a very good defensive team, but have improved their offense immensely with their new bench and the younger guys developing and ready for larger production which was desperately needed. With an improved offense and already solid defense, the Pacers are ready to take a leap into the group of annual contenders and it really should not be a surprise to anyone that they're ranked this high.        

Player to Watch: DJ Augustin -I'm not really sold on George Hill as a legitimate starting point guard in this league and I would much rather have him as a sixth man providing a scoring spark. Augustin is currently Hill's backup and I believe the eventual starting point guard of a very deep Pacers team. Augustin is actually a solid player (14 & 6 when healthy 2 years ago) and a bargain ($3.5 million/year) who has been overlooked the past few years cause he was a Bobcat but I believe on the Pacers he will get his shine. Whether he is a role player or starter, he will prove his worth.  


Things That Intrigue Me: The Return of Mr. "Birthday Cake" - For those that do not know, Gerald Green came back to the league last year and was very good on the Nets. He wasn't just doing things like this in the video, he was also rounding out his game becoming an efficient scorer. This year he is the Pacers' 6th man and I want to see how he handles that role and whether or not he's reaching that point in his career where he fulfills his potential.

Season Prediction: (52-30) = A second round loss to the 2nd ranked team in 7, but they assert themselves as the Grizzlies of the East for the next few years.

2. Boston Celtics

Projected Starting 5: Rajon Rondo (PG), Courtney Lee (SG), Paul Pierce (SF), Brandon Bass (PF), Kevin Garnett (C)

Overview: Just when you thought the C's were ready to bow out of contention in the East and begin rebuilding, they're back for another title run. This season they will also be better and most importantly younger. So the C's lost Ray Allen and their core is another year older, but boy do I like the new depth that they have added and have returning. Ray Allen's replacement? The C's have plenty to fill his shoes. Courtney Lee, absolutely love him and he's going to be great as the team's starting 2-guard. Jason Terry will replace the three point shooting of Ray, and Leandro Barbosa can provide instant offense and even backup Rondo. They have instant contributing rookies as well in Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo. Then there is the return of Avery Bradley and most importantly Jeff Green who has been mighty impressive in the offseason. How well Green plays will be very important to the team's success because he will have a significant role on the team, and if he does indeed play like the reincarnation of James Worthy then the C's will be 10 times better and 10 times a greater threat to the Heat. Brandon Bass will be the same player for his entire career so there should be no expectancy of decline or progression anytime. As for the new "Big 3" nothing much will change either. KG and Paul Pierce are starting to reach that really old age of decline but I don't expect a big drop off from either of those guys. Plus there's a reason they have added all this depth in the offseason. 

Last and certainly not least is one of my favorites, wait for it...Are you ready?? RondoOOOoooOOoooOOooOOoOOOooo. Make no mistake about it, this is Rajon Rondo's team. It was his team last year as well, but this year there are no doubts. There is no one that denies it (*cough cough Ray Allen last year) and it's time for Rondo to take his game to the next level and not only be a playmaker (which he will continue to do masterfully). This is the year Rondo plays his entire season the way he played opening day last year. This is the year he attacks the rim more often to get to the line. This is the year he shoots efficiently and consistently from the perimeter, and this is the year he becomes strongly considered for an MVP. He will have to play this way if the Celtics want a legitimate shot at beating the Heat in May. It won't be Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett that leads this team back to the promise land. It will be the player the Heat have no answer for. It will be Rajon Rondo.          

Player to Watch: Jared Sullinger - Once a guaranteed top-10 pick in last year's draft, Sullinger fell down to the 21st pick due to a red flag on his back that scared teams away. He has shown no signs of a back problem in the summer league and preseason and looks to be an immediate contributor when the season begins. If he can remain healthy and play well, he's a gift to the team. He has a huge badonkadonk which allows him to post guys up and box out well for the boards. His inside game is quite refined for a rookie and if he does indeed contribute from day 1, it will allow the team to have a well-rested KG during the season ready for the rigors of the playoffs in April.

Things That Intrigue Me: How Important James Worthy 2.0 Will Be to the Team?  - Jeff Green has been excellent in the preseason and there is a lot of excitement in Boston for him fulfilling his trade value. He's been so good that the White Mamba has appointed him the next James Worthy and he's expected to be huge part of the team this year. So just how much will he contribute to the team? How could he have improved so much when he had to sit out all year for heart issues? Is he this year's Most Improved Player and 6th Man of the Year? Can he guard LeBron James??

Season Prediction: (56-26) = A tough 7-game series in the Eastern Conference Finals ending in defeat again. However they will have a brighter outlook on the future compared to the end of last year due in large part to the large contributions of Avery Bradley, Jared Sullinger, and the "James Worthy-esque" Jeff Green throughout the year.

1. Miami Heat

Projected Starting 5: Mario Chalmers (PG), Dwyane Wade (SG), Shane Battier (SF), LeBron James (PG, SG, SF, PF, C), Chris Bosh (Dinosaur)

Overview: It is often heard from many athletes that have won championships, that the repeat year is the hardest. Players get complacent and the desire to win is not as strong. The hangover from winning takes awhile to wear out and the motivation to play with a purpose takes longer to return. For this Miami Heat team however overcoming these mental lapses should not be a problem. The Heat should be hungrier than ever and will have plenty of motivation to prove they are still the main attraction in the league. For those that do not know, LeBron James had a breakthrough in the NBA Finals last year. He finally got it. He finally understood the true ability of his great talent and he finally became unafraid of the criticism that comes with being the athlete of his magnitude. He became a post-up nightmare with the brawn of Karl Malone and the creating ability of Magic Johnson. He was too quick for bigger defenders and too big for smaller defenders and his teammates (SHANE BATTIER and Mike Miller) lived off his ability to pick the defense apart. 
This offseason, LeBron has gotten back into the gym to better his post game and word on the streets is that a hook shot has been added to his arsenal...Now we have to consider watching an improved LeBron James from the NBA Finals for 82 regular season games with a team that has reloaded its shooting arsenal and will definitely be better this year.  

Mike Miller and Shane Battier are old(er) but they have Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis to fill their roles. Mario Chalmers will be a year older and a year better. Haslem and Joel Anthony will continue to bang. Chris Bosh hopefully will be healthy. It's his year three on the team so I will not be surprised if this is the year the return of the Dino-Raptor happens. Dwayne Wade has had a quiet offseason, but no one should ever sleep on him. He's gotten a shooting coach this offseason so he can make all the open shots LeBron will create for him and come on he's still freaking D-Wade, a top 5 player in the league. So with all the talent around Bron Bron and a team better than last year shouldn't we just hand LeBron the MVP trophy now and etch the Heat in the record books for going 73-9 and repeating? 

Well not so fast... While the Heat have gotten better, their biggest threats to defending their throne have improved as well (see #2 team in the East & the West is a lot better). The Heat also have a huge weak spot on their roster with the lack of a true center and will need to fill that void. Haslem, CB, Joel Anthony, and Josh Harrellson may be able to handle an old Kevin Garnett in the Eastern Conference Finals but they have no answer to stopping Dwight Howard if they were to meet the Lakers in the Finals. The Heat need to trade for a true center a la Anderson Varejao? Emeka Okafor? Andris Biedrins (just kidding, no one wants Bees right now). The Heat can cake walk through the regular season with the roster they have now, but the acquisition of a center will determine how they finish the entire season. There is no guarantee there will be a South Beach/Hollywood matchup come June for all the marbles, but it is likely and in order for the Heat to repeat, they cannot rely solely on the brilliance of LeBron. Someone needs to protect the paint. Someone will need to tame the monster that will be Dwight Howard.        

Player to Watch: Ray Allen - Apparently people say he is looking like the early-mid 2000 version of all-star Jesus Shuttlesworth and he will be playing with a chip on his shoulder.⁸ That is not a good sign for opponents. Let's be honest, Shane Battier's performance in the Finals last year will not happen again this year nor will it happen consistently for 82 games of the regular season. That means with a rejuvenated Ray Allen, he will be able to take up the minutes of Shane Battier and be an even bigger threat with LeBron's ever-improving post game. If you thought open Shane Battier threes were scary just imagine Ray getting at least 5 of those in a game. He can possibly average 15 a game alone on open threes and if he is indeed back to his younger form there will be drives and mid-range jumpers as well? The thought of a young Ray on this Heat team is very very scary and every team should be worried.   

Things That Intrigue Me: MORE MORE MORE CHRIS BOSH GIFs - Did you know Chris Bosh is 1/3 man 1/3 troll and 1/3 Dino Raptor?

Season Prediction: (65-17)* = Dependent on whether or not they acquire that center they desperately need. If they do they will have the edge over that new super team in the West in the Finals. If they don't I truly believe they will fall short in defending their title.


Well Happy Opening Day yall! Josh has requested to do the fun conference so he'll be putting up the Western Conference preview soon. Stay posted for that. Enjoy the double-header tonight, and thanks for reading. 

Footnotes 

¹ For the type of contract JJ had and the way he perfomed when it mattered most, which was very poorly, he wasn't worth keeping. Plus his tenure in the ATL was long overdue. 

² I know I know. I’ve been riding the Devin Harris bandwagon for the longest time, but he will be good this year. I know it! Or at least I hope… 

³ A very underrated big. Did you actually know two weeks into the season last year, Hawes was getting strong consideration as an all-star and was posting near triple-double numbers? 

⁴ In case you forgot, they missed out on Dwight Howard, Gerald Wallace could have opted out, and Kris Humphries could have signed with another team. Deron Williams was also very close to signing with his hometown Mavericks but thanks to Mark Cuban caring more about Shark Tank than meeting with D-Will everything worked out. Just imagine if everything had actually gone wrong though. The Nets would move into the beautiful Barclays center possibly featuring Brook Lopez, CJ Watson, and Marshon Brooks as their attraction? That would not have been good. Thank you Illuminati. 

⁵ You can hate Humphries all you want for his personality, but the guy is a very good basketball player. He's a double-double machine if you haven't noticed his last two seasons of work and he should be putting up the same numbers this year. 

⁶ Just a quick reminder, the last time Melo showed out at the Olympics in 2008, he led the Nuggets to the Conference Finals the following NBA season. 

⁷ Give Carmelo the role of Gallinari and Wilson Chandler combined and bring back the pick and roll with STAT and even Tyson Chandler. Hell go small ball with STAT at the center, Melo at the 4, and Novak at the 3. I know that takes away the purpose of being better defensively, but it might be the only solution for this team to be successful. 

⁸ That chip is a huge F you to the Celtics.