(For Small-ball.com)
2015-16 Standings
Toronto Raptors - 56-26
Boston Celtics- 48- 34
New York Knicks- 32-50
Brooklyn Nets- 21-61
Philadelphia 76ers- 10-72
The Atlantic Division was probably the worst Division in the NBA last year; regardless of having two playoff teams in it. The Toronto Raptors lost 4-2 to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Boston Celtics are coming off back to back Playoff First Round and bounce seasons. The New York Knicks have almost a brand new looking team on their hands with the additions of Derek Rose and Joakim Noah & company. And the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers are just trying to build relevant enough teams to try and maybe reach the 25-30 win mark this season. For the Celtics sake, they need the Nets to lose as many games as possible so their odds in the 2017 NBA Lottery will go up for the #1 pick (unless they trade it beforehand). For the Knicks, this is a big season to show all the Free Agents of next summer that they could be a good place to go to going forward and not be the pathetic Franchise that they have been. And for the Raptors, it's time to try and make a little more of a statement against the Cavs in the Playoffs with the addition of ex-Celtics big man Jared Sullinger. The Nets and 76ers stink.
2015-16 Standings
Toronto Raptors - 56-26
Boston Celtics- 48- 34
New York Knicks- 32-50
Brooklyn Nets- 21-61
Philadelphia 76ers- 10-72
The Atlantic Division was probably the worst Division in the NBA last year; regardless of having two playoff teams in it. The Toronto Raptors lost 4-2 to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Boston Celtics are coming off back to back Playoff First Round and bounce seasons. The New York Knicks have almost a brand new looking team on their hands with the additions of Derek Rose and Joakim Noah & company. And the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers are just trying to build relevant enough teams to try and maybe reach the 25-30 win mark this season. For the Celtics sake, they need the Nets to lose as many games as possible so their odds in the 2017 NBA Lottery will go up for the #1 pick (unless they trade it beforehand). For the Knicks, this is a big season to show all the Free Agents of next summer that they could be a good place to go to going forward and not be the pathetic Franchise that they have been. And for the Raptors, it's time to try and make a little more of a statement against the Cavs in the Playoffs with the addition of ex-Celtics big man Jared Sullinger. The Nets and 76ers stink.
The Atlantic Division has some incredible guard play with the likes of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley, and Derek Rose and Courtney Lee. Already you start to see the difference in the relevant teams in the Division (Raptors, Celtics and Knicks), and the non-relevant teams in the Division (Nets and 76ers). When you match up guys like Nik Stauskas (76ers) or Rondae-Hollis Jefferson (Nets) against any of these guys, it's an instant mismatch. The duo guard play has become very popular in todays NBA, where you can have a dominant backcourt to build a team around and then go try to spend money on some big men. Think of the 1-2 duos around the NBA; Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, John Wall and Bradley Beal etc. Even last year the Atlanta Hawks had Jeff Teague and Kent Bazemore that was a pretty formidable 1-2 that was just separated this offseason. If you notice, a lot of the playoff teams start with a dominant back court, or have at least one Elite guard in their arsenal (Clippers with Chris Paul, Thunder with Russell Westbrook, Cavaliers with Kyrie Irving). It obviously helps to have a top 5 player in the world on your team like LeBron James or Kevin Durant, but the guard play in the Atlantic Division can match up with just about any duo of guards in the league.
Where they can't even come remotely close to comparing with the rest to of the league Star Power wise; is at the big men positions. Not to say the Atlantic Division doesn't have any good or Star big men, because Brook Lopez, Kristaps Porzingis, Jahlil Okafor/Nerlens Noel, Jonas Valanciunas and newly acquired Celtic Al Horford, are all pretty much Star players in their own right. But compared to the top Guys in the game league DeMarcus Cousins, Blake Griffin, Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond or Kevin Love; the Star Power just isn't as powerful. However, night in and night out the Atlantic Division always has young defensive grinders at the big men positon that can annoy any Star that comes into their respective Cities. Guys like Jerami Grant (76ers), Kelly Olynyk (Celtics), and Patrick Patterson (Raptors) are hard working, young & talented and hungry players that don't quite have the skill set of the big Star players; but work their butts off night in and night out on the boards and on the offensive side of the ball. You would think that the Sixers, who Draft the #1 big man overall every year with their Lottery Pick it seems, would dominate the glass in the Atlantic. But they just never seem to be able to win games, even though it seems like they have all the ability in the world with all the high Draft picks they have (2-14 in the Division last year). And Centers like Brook Lopez and Jonas Valanciunas are some of the more dominant Centers in the game; but they just aren't quite the Star scorers that they have to be against teams with guys like DeMarcus Cousins, DeAndre Jordan or Anthony Davis. The Celtics got their much needed big man in Al Horford this offseason with a 4 year, $113 million dollar deal. It seems like the Celtics aren't done yet in their Frontcourt (maybe taking Okafor or Noel from the Sixers), but as of right now adding Horford to young guys like Olynyk is going to be great for the team learning and chemistry going forward. Horford is a terrific passer for a big man and can find some of the other guys open down low, as well as rebound and hit his mid range jumpers on the offensive side. The Atlantic will be better at the big men positions this year; but again not enough to compete with the better big men in the league most of the time night in and night out.
Where they can't even come remotely close to comparing with the rest to of the league Star Power wise; is at the big men positions. Not to say the Atlantic Division doesn't have any good or Star big men, because Brook Lopez, Kristaps Porzingis, Jahlil Okafor/Nerlens Noel, Jonas Valanciunas and newly acquired Celtic Al Horford, are all pretty much Star players in their own right. But compared to the top Guys in the game league DeMarcus Cousins, Blake Griffin, Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond or Kevin Love; the Star Power just isn't as powerful. However, night in and night out the Atlantic Division always has young defensive grinders at the big men positon that can annoy any Star that comes into their respective Cities. Guys like Jerami Grant (76ers), Kelly Olynyk (Celtics), and Patrick Patterson (Raptors) are hard working, young & talented and hungry players that don't quite have the skill set of the big Star players; but work their butts off night in and night out on the boards and on the offensive side of the ball. You would think that the Sixers, who Draft the #1 big man overall every year with their Lottery Pick it seems, would dominate the glass in the Atlantic. But they just never seem to be able to win games, even though it seems like they have all the ability in the world with all the high Draft picks they have (2-14 in the Division last year). And Centers like Brook Lopez and Jonas Valanciunas are some of the more dominant Centers in the game; but they just aren't quite the Star scorers that they have to be against teams with guys like DeMarcus Cousins, DeAndre Jordan or Anthony Davis. The Celtics got their much needed big man in Al Horford this offseason with a 4 year, $113 million dollar deal. It seems like the Celtics aren't done yet in their Frontcourt (maybe taking Okafor or Noel from the Sixers), but as of right now adding Horford to young guys like Olynyk is going to be great for the team learning and chemistry going forward. Horford is a terrific passer for a big man and can find some of the other guys open down low, as well as rebound and hit his mid range jumpers on the offensive side. The Atlantic will be better at the big men positions this year; but again not enough to compete with the better big men in the league most of the time night in and night out.
As for the Stars in the Division? There's not many actually. Obviously Carmelo Anthony is the biggest Superstar in the Division by far. Behind him, you have guys like Kyle Lowry, newly acquired Derick Rose, Isaiah Thomas, DeMar DeRozan, newly acquired Al Horford, Brook Lopez, Jahlil Okafor and Kristaps Porzingis. There are other players, but these are the main All Stars that people talk about. I definitely can not forget about Avery Bradley, who made first team All-NBA Defensive Team, and may just be one of the top 5 two-way guards in the league this year. It will be interesting to see how the new Big 3 work out for the Knicks with Melo, DRose and Porzingis. With the additions of Joakim Noah and Courtney Lee, this starting 5 for the Knicks could be interesting to watch going forward. Like I said, this will be an important year for the Knicks to show they have the ability to compete going forward. The Celtics finished second in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, so their Big 3 consists of Isaiah Thomas, Al Horford and Jae Crowder as of right now. Horford and Thomas could be a deadly combo similar to Chris Paul and Blake Griffen (minus the dunks); and Jae Crowder can go out and play your best player each night (LeBron, Durant, Melo etc.). Raptors are coming off of a chippy Eastern Conference Finals loss, and fall heavily on their Lowry/DeRozan duo and hope Carroll/Valanciunas can play well enough down low to get by. It seemed like they were going to get swept the way the Conference Finals started, but they managed to win two games at home before losing 4-2. They should be the favorite to win the Division after last year, but going into the year according to Sports Betting Sites, it goes Celtics, Raptors, Knicks. If I were to guess I would say that order should be right, with the Nets then Sixers bottoming out the Division.
Now onto Breaking Down the new-look teams of the Atlantic Division.
Boston Celtics
48-34
Additions: Al Horford, Gerald Green
Departures: Evan Turner, Jared Sullinger
Now onto Breaking Down the new-look teams of the Atlantic Division.
Boston Celtics
48-34
Additions: Al Horford, Gerald Green
Departures: Evan Turner, Jared Sullinger
General Manager Danny Ainge and CEO/Owner Wyc Grousbeck had some tough decisions to make going forward with where they wanted to go with the future of this Celtics team. The Celtics could be a serious title contender for multiple upcoming years going forward if they play their cards right. It seemed to be |
only a matter of time and how they were going to do it. So far through the Draft, the Celtics haven't gotten anyone yet that could be a cornerstone of their Franchise over the past two years. In the 2016 Draft that just past, the Celtics took Jaylen Brown, Guerschon Yabusele, Ante Zizic, Demetrius Jackson, Ben Bentil and Abdel Nadar. They took Brown with the #3 pick and Yabu with the #16 pick, where they hope Brown can be that cornerstone of their Franchise, and let Yabu play overseas this year to save money and let him improve in his 20 year old year. Brown was awesome in the Summer Leagues where he basically outplayed everyone he played against; averaging 16 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game. Going forward, if he can work on his shot he may just be the guy that the Celtics were looking for, and they can silence the Celtics fans who were booing when they drafted Jaylen instead of trading the pick off. It's not known yet who of their drafted players will make the Celtics Opening Night roster, but you can bet on Brown being there and Yabusele not. But as for the team they have now?
Returning Players: Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, Isaiah Thomas, Kelly Olynyk, RJ Hunter, Marcus Smart, Jonas Jerebko, Terry Rozier, Jordan Mickey, James Young, Amir Johnson, Tyler Zeller.
After coming in second in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, the Celtics can at least be happy with the fact they got newly acquired big man Al Horford to head to Boston one way or another. Durant told the Celtics to sign Horford if he wanted him to go there, so they won him away from the Hawks and the Wizards who he was considering going to. I quickly touched upon Horford earlier with his veteran presence, but to this young Celtics team it will come into play very quickly. Last year, the Celtics were 6th in the league in rebounding, and with the addition of Horford and if they trade for another big; that will help their rebounding that seemed to be lacking last year even though they finished that high. Grinders like Olynyk that I was talking about earlier are the reason as to why that was so high, and obviously rebounding is one of the biggest parts of the game.
Returning Players: Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, Isaiah Thomas, Kelly Olynyk, RJ Hunter, Marcus Smart, Jonas Jerebko, Terry Rozier, Jordan Mickey, James Young, Amir Johnson, Tyler Zeller.
After coming in second in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, the Celtics can at least be happy with the fact they got newly acquired big man Al Horford to head to Boston one way or another. Durant told the Celtics to sign Horford if he wanted him to go there, so they won him away from the Hawks and the Wizards who he was considering going to. I quickly touched upon Horford earlier with his veteran presence, but to this young Celtics team it will come into play very quickly. Last year, the Celtics were 6th in the league in rebounding, and with the addition of Horford and if they trade for another big; that will help their rebounding that seemed to be lacking last year even though they finished that high. Grinders like Olynyk that I was talking about earlier are the reason as to why that was so high, and obviously rebounding is one of the biggest parts of the game.
G- The guard play from the Celtics is by far their strongest part of their team, apart from their defense. The Celtics have one of those great 1-2 duos of guards in the League in Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley. Thomas is more of the scorer, averaging 22.2 points, 6.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game last year; whereas Bradley averaged 15.2 points, 2.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds, and is more of the defensive guy. Thomas was an All-Star guard last year, and Bradley was first team All Defense as I mentioned earlier. Isaiah is one of those little guys that get to the rim so easily somehow and can shoot, as he led all Celtics scorers last year. And Bradley might have just turned himself into be one of the top premier two-way guards in the NBA. Losing Evan Turner is going to be a gap that their bench guys will have to fill. They have so much depth at the guard position in guys like Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier, RJ Hunter and James Young; along with just signing draftee Demetrius Jackson. Smart is one of the picks from the last two years that have sort of been good for the Celtics; as he averaged 9.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game off the bench. Rozier and Hunter can add the long range shots as they mature, and James Young hasn't gotten much action yet; but can eat up minutes. The guards of the Celtics are what got them to the playoffs last year, as you could see them play so well against guys like Steph Curry and Klay Thompson in the regular season.
F- I personally believe that Jae Crowder is one of the most underrated players in the league. His defense doesn't speak enough volume as to what he plays against guys like LeBron or Durant. He's an incredible perimeter defender on them and can run and rebound with almost anyone. Last year he only averaged 14.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists; but is one of those guys that the defense relies to heavily on. When you have a lock down spot at the guard position in Bradley, and a fantastic defender in Crowder at the 3-4 spot; it's gonna call for some rough nights for guys like LeBron/Kyrie or Draymond/Steph etc. Adding Horford to the 4 some nights if he isn't playing the 5 can call for some mismatches on the offensive side for Al; and he can also snag a lot more rebounds. Guys like Jonas Jerebko are awesome for the Celtics. They are the guys off the bench the Celtics and Celtics fans thrive for. Come in off the bench, hit some threes, grab some boards and give the Celtics meaningful minutes when they matter most. Him and Kelly Olynyk, who can play Center or Forward like Horford, is the glue that keeps this team of no superstars together to form one megastar. Adding Jaylen Brown to Amir Johnson and that mix should be interesting to see; and how Jordan Mickey will be this year if he plays. Maybe Gerald Green will bring back some bounce this year too.
C- It looks like the Celtics will mix off with a duo of Horford and Olynyk at the Center spot. Drafting Ante Zizic may be an answer there depending on what they want to do with him once he comes back from play overseas; but as the roster looks now, it's gonna be a duo of those two. The Celtics obviously aren't done with what they're doing trade wise or draft wise down low, but having Horford play the 4 will be an advantage to the Celtics; if Olynyk can prove he can play the 5. Horford is a poor mans Tim Duncan I call him so he can create mismatches left and right and create double teams to open up some lanes. Olynyk isn't the best defensive Center, but can hit threes and rebound down low. Losing Sullinger is going to hurt, as he was a big body underneath and could also hit some threes; just like when he was a dominant College Player at Ohio State. But Horford should fill that gap and some as long as they can work out that duo at the 4/5 spots between Horford and Olynyk with some help of Tyler Zeller who just resigned a 2 year, $18 million dollar deal. The Center spot might be one of the weaker spots of the Celtics this year if they can't seem to find rebounding against some of the bigger guys in the Division like Brook Lopez or Jonas Valanciunas.
F- I personally believe that Jae Crowder is one of the most underrated players in the league. His defense doesn't speak enough volume as to what he plays against guys like LeBron or Durant. He's an incredible perimeter defender on them and can run and rebound with almost anyone. Last year he only averaged 14.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists; but is one of those guys that the defense relies to heavily on. When you have a lock down spot at the guard position in Bradley, and a fantastic defender in Crowder at the 3-4 spot; it's gonna call for some rough nights for guys like LeBron/Kyrie or Draymond/Steph etc. Adding Horford to the 4 some nights if he isn't playing the 5 can call for some mismatches on the offensive side for Al; and he can also snag a lot more rebounds. Guys like Jonas Jerebko are awesome for the Celtics. They are the guys off the bench the Celtics and Celtics fans thrive for. Come in off the bench, hit some threes, grab some boards and give the Celtics meaningful minutes when they matter most. Him and Kelly Olynyk, who can play Center or Forward like Horford, is the glue that keeps this team of no superstars together to form one megastar. Adding Jaylen Brown to Amir Johnson and that mix should be interesting to see; and how Jordan Mickey will be this year if he plays. Maybe Gerald Green will bring back some bounce this year too.
C- It looks like the Celtics will mix off with a duo of Horford and Olynyk at the Center spot. Drafting Ante Zizic may be an answer there depending on what they want to do with him once he comes back from play overseas; but as the roster looks now, it's gonna be a duo of those two. The Celtics obviously aren't done with what they're doing trade wise or draft wise down low, but having Horford play the 4 will be an advantage to the Celtics; if Olynyk can prove he can play the 5. Horford is a poor mans Tim Duncan I call him so he can create mismatches left and right and create double teams to open up some lanes. Olynyk isn't the best defensive Center, but can hit threes and rebound down low. Losing Sullinger is going to hurt, as he was a big body underneath and could also hit some threes; just like when he was a dominant College Player at Ohio State. But Horford should fill that gap and some as long as they can work out that duo at the 4/5 spots between Horford and Olynyk with some help of Tyler Zeller who just resigned a 2 year, $18 million dollar deal. The Center spot might be one of the weaker spots of the Celtics this year if they can't seem to find rebounding against some of the bigger guys in the Division like Brook Lopez or Jonas Valanciunas.
When I said the glue of this team is guys like Olynyk and Jerebko; I really meant to say Brad Stevens. He has only been with the Celtics since 2013, and is everything that the Celtics could have asked for in replacing Doc Rivers. Stevens is already a top 5 coach in the league, and he probably should of won the Coach of |
the Year award last year. He works so well with the young players and as a young coach coming out of college with a 166-49 record. His basketball mind is like no other, and him and Ainge are always on the same page with players they want to come in and what ones they want to develop. He can handle any type of personality that comes to Boston (ex. rumors of Russell Westbrook or DeMarcus Cousins), but hasn't really had to yet. A lot of non-selfish players fill this Boston squad, and when led by a top 5 coach in the League; the Celtics could be a force to be reckoned with in the East.
Overall
The Celtics are the favorite to win this Division and rightfully so. They got better with the addition of Al Horford, plain and simple. Losing guys like Evan Turner off the bench will be tough who was a 6th man of the year candidate with 10.5 points per game, 4.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists. Also at the big man position, Sullinger will be a big loss as a big body down low. Jae Crowder said earlier this Summer that the expectations are the Eastern Conference Finals. Obviously you can't say it's the Finals because you have to get by LeBron first; who is basically like a Finals series himself. But I think if the Celtics can make a Playoff run this year and show teams Boston is the place to go to after Horford laid down the pathway to the Beantown; the future of the Celtics could be very bright this year and years going forward.
Prediction: 55-27
Brooklyn Nets
21-61
Additions: Trevor Booker, Randy Foye, Justin Hamilton, Jeremy Lin, Luis Scola, Greivis Vasquez, Anthony Bennett, Yogi Ferrell
Departures: Wayne Ellington, Willie Reed, Thaddeus Young, Jarrett Jack, Andrea Bargnani, Caris LeVert
Overall
The Celtics are the favorite to win this Division and rightfully so. They got better with the addition of Al Horford, plain and simple. Losing guys like Evan Turner off the bench will be tough who was a 6th man of the year candidate with 10.5 points per game, 4.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists. Also at the big man position, Sullinger will be a big loss as a big body down low. Jae Crowder said earlier this Summer that the expectations are the Eastern Conference Finals. Obviously you can't say it's the Finals because you have to get by LeBron first; who is basically like a Finals series himself. But I think if the Celtics can make a Playoff run this year and show teams Boston is the place to go to after Horford laid down the pathway to the Beantown; the future of the Celtics could be very bright this year and years going forward.
Prediction: 55-27
Brooklyn Nets
21-61
Additions: Trevor Booker, Randy Foye, Justin Hamilton, Jeremy Lin, Luis Scola, Greivis Vasquez, Anthony Bennett, Yogi Ferrell
Departures: Wayne Ellington, Willie Reed, Thaddeus Young, Jarrett Jack, Andrea Bargnani, Caris LeVert
Nets fans must have turned them off for the year in about November last year. Brooklyn even ended it's season on a 10 game losing streak for the loyal Nets fans that stayed through. But it was an abysmal year overall for the Nets and head coaches Lionel Hollins/Tony Brown. Kenny Atkinson has his work cut out for him with this basically Star-less team revolving around All-Star Brook Lopez. However, the Nets made a ton of moves so far this offseason and are shaping up to be a way less pathetic team then they were last year. On top of that, on Draft night they made a trade with the Utah Jazz so they could get Guard Isiah Whitehead out of Seton Hall. He's a 6'5, 210 pound defensive animal who plays on the ball and will give guards in the league like Kyle Lowry, Isaiah Thomas and Derrick Rose some frustrating nights. He's also a very good scorer as he averaged 21.9 points per 40 minutes in his Sophomore year while shooting 52%. He's most certainly not a Russell Westbrook or Steph Curry, but he could be the start to a hopeful future for the Nets.
Returning Players: Rondae-Hollis Jefferson, Sean Kilpatrick, Brook Lopez, Chris McCullough, Henry Sims, Markel Brown, Shane Larkin, Sergey Karasev, Thomas Robinson, Donald Sloan
Returning Players: Rondae-Hollis Jefferson, Sean Kilpatrick, Brook Lopez, Chris McCullough, Henry Sims, Markel Brown, Shane Larkin, Sergey Karasev, Thomas Robinson, Donald Sloan
This Nets team will be completely different looking this year. General Manager Sean Marks is going to be in some trouble as they may just have the worst looking Roster in all the NBA. Even if they have another miserable year, the grass still isn't quite green yet from that awful trade they made with the Celtics in 2013. Even after all the signings and the |
trades they just made, the Nets have just a bunch of average players filling up their 2016-17 Roster. They made some good additions in guys like Luis Scola (1 year deal, TBD), Trevor Booker (2 years, $18 million) and Randy Foye (TBD). But Scola is 36 and getting older, Trevor Booker is a barely just above average player and Randy Foye is a bench player on any other team.
Lets see how they compare...
G- Like I said earlier, it's never easy matching up a guy like Rondae-Hollis Jefferson against guys in the Division like Lowry, Thomas or Rose. The Nets only take away from the Draft was Isiah Whitehead, who I touched upon earlier. He was drafted to give guys like these, that are scoring guards, tough nights every time they play Brooklyn. But they just have no one at the Guard position that can really compete with the other Star Guards in the league. Adding Randy Foye and Jeremy Lin will help add some veteran guard play to Hollis-Jefferson and Whitehead; while guys like Sean Kilpatrick, Greivis Vasquez, Shane Larkin and Donald Sloan add the depth to the guard play. Hollis-Jefferson only averaged 5.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game last year, so they hope Lin's 11.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists can help on the offensive side. Randy Foye only averaged 5.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, so between three and Whitehead, the guard play will certainly struggle again this year.
F- The one bright spot for the Nets this offseason; the Forward position. They went out and got Trevor Booker and Luis Scola, along with former #1 Overall Pick Anthony Bennett, to replace Star Big Man Thaddeus Young. Replacing Young's 15.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game with Booker's 5.9/5.7/1.1 and Scola's 8.7/4.7/0.9 will call for a long season out of the ex-Jazz bench player and the ageing ex-Raptor. If Foye and Lin are in the game, the Nets could go small with Hollis-Jefferson at the 3, but he has a hard enough time guarding guys like DeRozen and Bradley; nevermind having him try to play a Melo or Crowder type. Scola is going to be one of those Atlantic Division Grinders who work hard on the boards and on the offensive side of the ball; similar to the Celtics' Olynyk. Booker will be interesting to see how he plays, because he has a lot of talent; but was behind the likes of guys like Derrick Favors and Gordon Heyward (who I think will be reunited with his College coach Brad Stevens and the Celtics next summer) in Utah. His stats weren't the greatest last year (5.9 points, 5.7 rebounds 1.1 assists) because of limited time and Rudy Gobert being so good at the Center spot; that with two Stars in Favors and Heyward at Foward there's not much to go around. Guys like Chris McCullough, Thomas Robinson and Sergey Karasev will add the depth to the Forward spots, and will all be Locals in the city I like to call Struggle Town, USA this year.
C-Brook Lopez can give a little rest to the anger and anxiety most Brooklyn Nets fans have been experiencing the last few years. He holds down the Center position night in and night out, after averaging 20.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game last year. He's a huge body at 7'0, 265 pounds, and can get physical down low against other Centers in the Division like Valanciunas or Okafor. Just a freak on the boards and down low offensively, Lopez makes people forget that his twin brother ex-Knick Robin Lopez even exists. This year should be another dominant one for Lopez as a top 5 Center in the league. Besides Brook Lopez; the Nets gave Justin Hamilton a contract worth 2 years, $6 million. Hamilton will be the guy leaned on to give Lopez a rest and some quality minutes, unless Scola/Booker can move and prove they can play the 5. As good as Lopez is, he can't be playing 42 plus minutes a night, running up and down the floor and trying to guard at an Elite level like he has to. It will be up to guys like Hamilton, Scola and especially Trevor Booker and his 6'9, 240 pound frame, to try and back up Lopez when he needs rest or is having an off night. At least the Nets have Brook Lopez going for them, which is good.
Lets see how they compare...
G- Like I said earlier, it's never easy matching up a guy like Rondae-Hollis Jefferson against guys in the Division like Lowry, Thomas or Rose. The Nets only take away from the Draft was Isiah Whitehead, who I touched upon earlier. He was drafted to give guys like these, that are scoring guards, tough nights every time they play Brooklyn. But they just have no one at the Guard position that can really compete with the other Star Guards in the league. Adding Randy Foye and Jeremy Lin will help add some veteran guard play to Hollis-Jefferson and Whitehead; while guys like Sean Kilpatrick, Greivis Vasquez, Shane Larkin and Donald Sloan add the depth to the guard play. Hollis-Jefferson only averaged 5.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game last year, so they hope Lin's 11.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists can help on the offensive side. Randy Foye only averaged 5.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, so between three and Whitehead, the guard play will certainly struggle again this year.
F- The one bright spot for the Nets this offseason; the Forward position. They went out and got Trevor Booker and Luis Scola, along with former #1 Overall Pick Anthony Bennett, to replace Star Big Man Thaddeus Young. Replacing Young's 15.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game with Booker's 5.9/5.7/1.1 and Scola's 8.7/4.7/0.9 will call for a long season out of the ex-Jazz bench player and the ageing ex-Raptor. If Foye and Lin are in the game, the Nets could go small with Hollis-Jefferson at the 3, but he has a hard enough time guarding guys like DeRozen and Bradley; nevermind having him try to play a Melo or Crowder type. Scola is going to be one of those Atlantic Division Grinders who work hard on the boards and on the offensive side of the ball; similar to the Celtics' Olynyk. Booker will be interesting to see how he plays, because he has a lot of talent; but was behind the likes of guys like Derrick Favors and Gordon Heyward (who I think will be reunited with his College coach Brad Stevens and the Celtics next summer) in Utah. His stats weren't the greatest last year (5.9 points, 5.7 rebounds 1.1 assists) because of limited time and Rudy Gobert being so good at the Center spot; that with two Stars in Favors and Heyward at Foward there's not much to go around. Guys like Chris McCullough, Thomas Robinson and Sergey Karasev will add the depth to the Forward spots, and will all be Locals in the city I like to call Struggle Town, USA this year.
C-Brook Lopez can give a little rest to the anger and anxiety most Brooklyn Nets fans have been experiencing the last few years. He holds down the Center position night in and night out, after averaging 20.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game last year. He's a huge body at 7'0, 265 pounds, and can get physical down low against other Centers in the Division like Valanciunas or Okafor. Just a freak on the boards and down low offensively, Lopez makes people forget that his twin brother ex-Knick Robin Lopez even exists. This year should be another dominant one for Lopez as a top 5 Center in the league. Besides Brook Lopez; the Nets gave Justin Hamilton a contract worth 2 years, $6 million. Hamilton will be the guy leaned on to give Lopez a rest and some quality minutes, unless Scola/Booker can move and prove they can play the 5. As good as Lopez is, he can't be playing 42 plus minutes a night, running up and down the floor and trying to guard at an Elite level like he has to. It will be up to guys like Hamilton, Scola and especially Trevor Booker and his 6'9, 240 pound frame, to try and back up Lopez when he needs rest or is having an off night. At least the Nets have Brook Lopez going for them, which is good.
Overall
The Nets will absolutely struggle this year. There's no question about that. Actually, there's a good chance the Nets are the worst team in the NBA this year. The Nets saw what the Celtics did in 2008 with assembling Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo to win a Championship; and in turn traded their future to get Pierce and KG to add to Joe Johnson and Deron Williams. This turned out to be the worst thing that has ever happened to the Brooklyn Nets, because not only did they not get their Championship like the Celtics did; but they also gave the Celtics basically all their future picks and it's been really killing them. Even if they have another one of those awful seasons; there is no light at the end of the tunnel with a high Draft Pick as the Celtics own them all. It would be so big for the Nets Franchise as next years Draft is supposed to have 4-5 Franchise players, but they will still have to wait and struggle for the next few years as they wait to get their picks back from the Celtics.
Prediction: 19-63
New York Knicks
32-50
Additions: Courtney Lee, Joakim Noah, Brandon Jennings, Derrick Rose, Justin Holiday, Guillermo Hernangomez, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, Maurice Ndour, Ron Baker, Marshall Plumlee
Departures: Aaron Afflalo, Langston Galloway, Derrick Williams, Jose Calderon, Robin Lopez, Jerian Grant, Tony Wroten
The Nets will absolutely struggle this year. There's no question about that. Actually, there's a good chance the Nets are the worst team in the NBA this year. The Nets saw what the Celtics did in 2008 with assembling Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo to win a Championship; and in turn traded their future to get Pierce and KG to add to Joe Johnson and Deron Williams. This turned out to be the worst thing that has ever happened to the Brooklyn Nets, because not only did they not get their Championship like the Celtics did; but they also gave the Celtics basically all their future picks and it's been really killing them. Even if they have another one of those awful seasons; there is no light at the end of the tunnel with a high Draft Pick as the Celtics own them all. It would be so big for the Nets Franchise as next years Draft is supposed to have 4-5 Franchise players, but they will still have to wait and struggle for the next few years as they wait to get their picks back from the Celtics.
Prediction: 19-63
New York Knicks
32-50
Additions: Courtney Lee, Joakim Noah, Brandon Jennings, Derrick Rose, Justin Holiday, Guillermo Hernangomez, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, Maurice Ndour, Ron Baker, Marshall Plumlee
Departures: Aaron Afflalo, Langston Galloway, Derrick Williams, Jose Calderon, Robin Lopez, Jerian Grant, Tony Wroten
Phil Jackson just might be one of the best coaches of all time. He sees things in players and recruits players like no other. He has won 11 NBA Titles as a coach and holds the record for most combined Championships with 13 as a player/coach. The Zen Master must have been struggling with the last few losing teams the Knicks have had since he joined as President in 2014. This offseason, Phil wasn't messing around. He is trying to go for a win now mentality after trading for Derrick Rose and signing Courtney Lee and Joakim Noah. The Knicks had the most fireworks this Offseason so far and their team will also look extremely different this year like the Nets; and unlike the Celtics (besides Horford). New York has a whole new looking backcourt in Lee and Rose so that will interesting to see how those two mesh. They also will have a new look at the Center position now with the departure of Robin Lopez and addition of Joakim Noah. The starting 5 including Rose, Lee, Melo, Porzingis and Noah should be one of the better starting lineups in the NBA this year; however I'm not quite sure how they will play together. Derrick Rose called this newly assembled squad a "Super Team," but I don't know if I would go that far.
Returning Players: Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis, Kyle O'Quinn, Cleanthony Early, Lou Amundson, Kevin Seraphin, Lance Thomas, Sasha Vujacic
The Knicks signed a bunch of other players besides Noah and Lee including Guillermo Hernangomez, Brandon Jennings, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, and Maurice Ndour. I threw Ron Baker and Marshall Plumlee in there in additions because they signed them to undrafted rookie contracts, so we don't know if they or any of these guys will make the team or not. Both players were great in College and it's just a matter if they are good enough to make the Knicks squad this year. This year will be a question of if the starting 5 can compete with the top teams in the Division like the Celtics or Raptors; and the rest of the East like the Cavs, Hawks or Pacers. They could be a sneaky good team depending on how the chemistry is, but that's never an easy task when Melo is on the team taking all the shots. The main question will be what kind of Derrick Rose will the Knicks get. Will it be the old, almost as explosive Rose that was about 5-6 steps up the floor and to the basket? Or will it be the hurt, older looking 25-30 minute Rose that the Bulls were getting so used to. Obviously he won't be nearly as good or explosive as he used to be before he got hurt; but if he can play at almost an Elite level again in front of Melo and Porzingis with Lee shooting the ball and Noah rebounding, then the Knicks could make a real push at getting a chance at LeBron in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Returning Players: Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis, Kyle O'Quinn, Cleanthony Early, Lou Amundson, Kevin Seraphin, Lance Thomas, Sasha Vujacic
The Knicks signed a bunch of other players besides Noah and Lee including Guillermo Hernangomez, Brandon Jennings, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, and Maurice Ndour. I threw Ron Baker and Marshall Plumlee in there in additions because they signed them to undrafted rookie contracts, so we don't know if they or any of these guys will make the team or not. Both players were great in College and it's just a matter if they are good enough to make the Knicks squad this year. This year will be a question of if the starting 5 can compete with the top teams in the Division like the Celtics or Raptors; and the rest of the East like the Cavs, Hawks or Pacers. They could be a sneaky good team depending on how the chemistry is, but that's never an easy task when Melo is on the team taking all the shots. The main question will be what kind of Derrick Rose will the Knicks get. Will it be the old, almost as explosive Rose that was about 5-6 steps up the floor and to the basket? Or will it be the hurt, older looking 25-30 minute Rose that the Bulls were getting so used to. Obviously he won't be nearly as good or explosive as he used to be before he got hurt; but if he can play at almost an Elite level again in front of Melo and Porzingis with Lee shooting the ball and Noah rebounding, then the Knicks could make a real push at getting a chance at LeBron in the Eastern Conference Finals.
G- Obviously acquiring Rose and Lee upgrade their backcourt tremendously. Courtney Lee (4 years, $50 million) averaged 9.6 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists last year between Memphis and Charlotte, but shot just under 40% from three; so he will add some range at the 2 guard behind Melo and Rose. In Charlottes playoff series that they lost to the Heat, he shot almost 45% from three so if they do make a playoff run he's not afraid to shoot the rock. Then we get to Derrick Rose. Ahh one of the wonders of the NBA every year. Will Derrick Rose get hurt or will he be the old DRose? Last year with the Bulls he averaged 16.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game for a non-playoff, underachieving Chicago squad. There were some glimpses of the old DRose last year but he only averaged just over 31 minutes per game. If they want to compete with the Cavs, Rose has to play at that Elite guard level that he used to and actually be one of the Big 3 instead of just a name for the Big 3. Another key guy they acquired is Brandon Jennings (1 year, $5 million), who will be the first guy off the bench with Justin Holiday and Sasha Vujacic. Jennings averaged 6.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists last year for the Pistons. He only played in 48 games however and is more of a minute eater who will give solid minutes on the floor and give Rose the rest he will ineviteably need. Can Rose and Lee play up to the potential of the "Super Team" DRose was talking about?
F- Carmelo Anthony will need to learn to pass the ball with this new look team. Hopefully Rose will takeover and be the Elite guard that he needs to be so Melo doesn't really have the option to. He's so used to being basically the only scorer on his team that isn't a big man so he's used to taking all the shots. Last year he averaged 21.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. He shot over 43% from the field, but shot only just
F- Carmelo Anthony will need to learn to pass the ball with this new look team. Hopefully Rose will takeover and be the Elite guard that he needs to be so Melo doesn't really have the option to. He's so used to being basically the only scorer on his team that isn't a big man so he's used to taking all the shots. Last year he averaged 21.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. He shot over 43% from the field, but shot only just
under 34% from three point land. That will also have to change if they want to make a run at the Cavs this year. LeBron is too good for you to keep missing shots and not getting second opportunities against. The good thing for the Knicks is that the Zen Master went out and signed Rose's big man Joakim Noah (4 years, $72 million) from the Bulls to grab some boards against the Cavs Tristian |
Thompson. Apart from Melo, they resigned Lance Thomas (4 years, $27.3 million), obviously still have Porzingis, and have a bunch of depth guys in O'Quinn, Ndour, Amundson, Early, Seraphin and Kuzminskas depending on who makes the squad. Can Melo and Porzingis play up to the potential of the "Super Team" DRose was talking about?
C- The Center position is where it will get a little tricky now between Noah and Porzingis. Joakim Noah is a Center. He isn't used to playing at the 4 but he is used to having this issue. He had Pau Gasol in Chicago and now has Kristaps Porzingis in New York where they are both versatile big men that can play either position and are both huge. Joakim Noah is listed at 6'11 and Porzingis is listed at 7'3, while Gasol was listed at 7'0. It's always a strange situation when your 4 is bigger than your 5. However in this case, Porzingis is pretty much taller than everyone in the NBA and it works out way better for Noah to play the 5 Defensively. Noah is a top 5 defender in the league and Porzingis isn't as physicial as Noah on the offensive boards, and will be leaned on to be more of an offensive scorer with Melo and Rose; so Noah will most likely be fighting down low at the 5 most of the time. O'Quinn and Seraphin can play the 5 also, but that will just be to give Noah or Porzingis rest; especially if Hernangomez doesn't make the team. Between the two big men of Porzingis and Noah; they will have to establish that they are a frontcourt to be reckoned with and can play down low against guys like Lopez or Valanciunas in the Division (or Tristian Thompson from the Cavs). Can Noah play up to the potential of the "Super Team" DRose was talking about?
Overall
The Knicks have a real chance to make a playoff run this year. Trading for Derrick Rose and Justin Holliday and signing Joakim Noah, Courtney Lee and Bandon Jennings tremendously boosted New York's roster. There is a new Big 3 in town, and they go by the names of Derrick Rose, Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis. Every Big 3 has its surrounding cast and that surrounding cast is Courtney Lee and Joakim Noah. When you can add a solid defending rebounder and a solid three point shooter to a Big 3; it creates a recipe for success. As good as they got this offseason and despite the hype this Big 3/Starting 5 has been getting; they are still projected to come in 3rd in the Division. However, even if they do come in 3rd in the Divison, that doesn't mean they won't make the playoffs because the Atlantic Division may have two 55+ game winning teams in it this year. So again I ask, can DRose, Courtney Lee, Melo, Porzingis and Joakim Noah play up to the potential of that "Super Team" DRose was talking about?
Prediction: 49-33
Philadelphia 76ers
10-72
Additions: Gerald Henderson, Jerryd Bayless, Sergio Rodriguez, Brandon Paul, Dario Sarcic
Departures: Ish Smith, Isaiah Canaan, Elton Brand, Christian Wood, Sasha Kaun
C- The Center position is where it will get a little tricky now between Noah and Porzingis. Joakim Noah is a Center. He isn't used to playing at the 4 but he is used to having this issue. He had Pau Gasol in Chicago and now has Kristaps Porzingis in New York where they are both versatile big men that can play either position and are both huge. Joakim Noah is listed at 6'11 and Porzingis is listed at 7'3, while Gasol was listed at 7'0. It's always a strange situation when your 4 is bigger than your 5. However in this case, Porzingis is pretty much taller than everyone in the NBA and it works out way better for Noah to play the 5 Defensively. Noah is a top 5 defender in the league and Porzingis isn't as physicial as Noah on the offensive boards, and will be leaned on to be more of an offensive scorer with Melo and Rose; so Noah will most likely be fighting down low at the 5 most of the time. O'Quinn and Seraphin can play the 5 also, but that will just be to give Noah or Porzingis rest; especially if Hernangomez doesn't make the team. Between the two big men of Porzingis and Noah; they will have to establish that they are a frontcourt to be reckoned with and can play down low against guys like Lopez or Valanciunas in the Division (or Tristian Thompson from the Cavs). Can Noah play up to the potential of the "Super Team" DRose was talking about?
Overall
The Knicks have a real chance to make a playoff run this year. Trading for Derrick Rose and Justin Holliday and signing Joakim Noah, Courtney Lee and Bandon Jennings tremendously boosted New York's roster. There is a new Big 3 in town, and they go by the names of Derrick Rose, Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis. Every Big 3 has its surrounding cast and that surrounding cast is Courtney Lee and Joakim Noah. When you can add a solid defending rebounder and a solid three point shooter to a Big 3; it creates a recipe for success. As good as they got this offseason and despite the hype this Big 3/Starting 5 has been getting; they are still projected to come in 3rd in the Division. However, even if they do come in 3rd in the Divison, that doesn't mean they won't make the playoffs because the Atlantic Division may have two 55+ game winning teams in it this year. So again I ask, can DRose, Courtney Lee, Melo, Porzingis and Joakim Noah play up to the potential of that "Super Team" DRose was talking about?
Prediction: 49-33
Philadelphia 76ers
10-72
Additions: Gerald Henderson, Jerryd Bayless, Sergio Rodriguez, Brandon Paul, Dario Sarcic
Departures: Ish Smith, Isaiah Canaan, Elton Brand, Christian Wood, Sasha Kaun
Can Head Coach Brett Brown do the unthinkable? That is win more than 20 games this year; a feat that has never been accomplished in Philadelphia since the 2012-2013 season. The 76ers were by far the worst team in the NBA last year as they only managed to win 10 games all year. The arrival of #1 Overall pick Ben Simmons is just about the only thing that Sixers fans can look forward to this year after the abysmal season of 2015-2016. How can the Sixers have a Top 3 Draft Pick the last three straight seasons, and not manage to win more than 20 games in any of them? Is it because they don't know how to draft? Is it just pure bad luck? Is it not their fault that Joel Embiid got hurt and has never come back until this year? Will Ben Simmons be any different? So many questions surround Philadelphia this year, and you can't blame last years Draft Pick Jahlil Okafor for the teams misery; as he averaged 17.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in his Rookie season. It's sure shaping up to be another roller coaster season for Philadelphia fans where they may struggle to hit that 20 win mark.
Returning Players: Robert Covington, Joel Embiid, Jerami Grant, Carl Landry, Richaun Holmes, Kendall Marshall, TJ McConnell, Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor, Nik Stauskas, Hollis Thompson
Who is Dario Saric? Well, he is one of the draft-and-stash pieces of the so far crappy 2014 NBA draft for the Sixers. Besides Jerami Grant, the only other piece they have left from that Draft is Joel Embiid; who they picked #3 overall that year. Embiid has not played a game yet in the NBA because he's been injured but says he feels stronger than ever this year. Between him, Saric and Ben Simmons, it's almost like they have three lottery picks out of this years Draft that they have to work with (and maybe even Timothe Luwawu). On top of last years Draft Pick #3 Overall Jahlil Okafor, and 2013's #6 Overall Pick Nerlens Noel; Ben Simmons has the opportunity to add to this core of top Draft picks in Philly. If they all start to get healthy, stronger and more mature as players and as a team; then the Sixers can be able to actually compete in the next few years. The problem with all of these guys is that they are all big men. There's just too many of them. In todays NBA, you need at least one All Star or Elite guard in order to compete. You need to have guys that can shoot threes that aren't at the 4 or 5 spot. They had a guy that was almost that caliber in Ish Smith who they will have to replace (14.7 points, 7.0 assists, 4.3 rebounds per game) and Isaiah Canaan (11.0 points, 1.8 assists, 2.3 rebounds per game) that they also have to replace. They have to figure out their Big Man rotation first and foremost. And somehow, they need to find a way to score the ball.
Returning Players: Robert Covington, Joel Embiid, Jerami Grant, Carl Landry, Richaun Holmes, Kendall Marshall, TJ McConnell, Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor, Nik Stauskas, Hollis Thompson
Who is Dario Saric? Well, he is one of the draft-and-stash pieces of the so far crappy 2014 NBA draft for the Sixers. Besides Jerami Grant, the only other piece they have left from that Draft is Joel Embiid; who they picked #3 overall that year. Embiid has not played a game yet in the NBA because he's been injured but says he feels stronger than ever this year. Between him, Saric and Ben Simmons, it's almost like they have three lottery picks out of this years Draft that they have to work with (and maybe even Timothe Luwawu). On top of last years Draft Pick #3 Overall Jahlil Okafor, and 2013's #6 Overall Pick Nerlens Noel; Ben Simmons has the opportunity to add to this core of top Draft picks in Philly. If they all start to get healthy, stronger and more mature as players and as a team; then the Sixers can be able to actually compete in the next few years. The problem with all of these guys is that they are all big men. There's just too many of them. In todays NBA, you need at least one All Star or Elite guard in order to compete. You need to have guys that can shoot threes that aren't at the 4 or 5 spot. They had a guy that was almost that caliber in Ish Smith who they will have to replace (14.7 points, 7.0 assists, 4.3 rebounds per game) and Isaiah Canaan (11.0 points, 1.8 assists, 2.3 rebounds per game) that they also have to replace. They have to figure out their Big Man rotation first and foremost. And somehow, they need to find a way to score the ball.
G- Another question will be whether or not Timothe Luwawu can be a force or not at the guard spot in the NBA. He was just taken 24th Overall in this years Draft out of France. Last year overseas with the Mega Leks, he averaged 14.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists. Not quite the stats Ish Smith put up last year for Philly, but pretty darn close. He was projected to go higher than the 24th pick too as some |
mock drafts had him as high as 10-15. If you can add an almost lottery-pick talent guard to the additions of Simmons, Embiid and Saric; you can get a solid core of young players for the Sixers to work with going forward. The only problem with Luwawu is that he isn't the best shooter. He only shot 39% last year and that was one of the key pieces that this Philly team is lacking in. Adding Jerryd Bayless and his 10.4 points, 3.1 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game will help replace Isaiah Canaan, but not the hole that Ish Smith left. Philadelphia needs Luwawu to step up and be one of those guys if they want to compete this year in the Division and with the rest of the league. From what they have left last year at the guard spot, Nik Stauskas is the only one that has any hope for the 76ers after he averaged 8.5/1.9/2.5 last year. Philly did go out this offseason and strictly get guards however. Besides Jerryd Bayless, they signed Gerald Henderson, who averaged 8.7/1.0/2.9 last year, along with Sergio Rodriguez and Brandon Paul. The only problem with just about every guard I just named, is that they are all bench players for about 28 other teams in the NBA. Marshall and McConnell are just fill-ins.
F- This is where Philly starts to get to their problem believe it or not. They have such a plethora of Big Men that they don't even know what to do with them. They even tried trading Nerlens Noel (11.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.5 blocks per game) or Jahlil Okafor (17.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists per game) on Draft night in order to attain the Celtics #3 Overall Pick so they could get Guard Kris Dunn. Obviously they knew that the Big Men spots weren't a need on the team; even though giving up those stud young caliber players always hurts. For the Forwards, it starts with Nerlens and also an underrated guy in Robert Covington, who averaged 12.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game last year. He's very versatile at 6'9 and works good in rotation with Noel and Jerami Grant. Grant's also another underrated player who at 6'8 averaged 9.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game last year. I feel like these guys are underrated because of how bad Philly has been. Maybe it does speak to the type of players some of these guys are, and maybe they are bench players on most other teams in the NBA; but they're still young and talented players than can give guys like Noel or Simmons a rest when they need it. The #1 question of the NBA this year, apart from how the Warriors will be, is how good will Ben Simmons be. He's said to be the next big Superstar in the NBA, and with good reason as he dominated at LSU; averaging 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. He was one of the most impressive players in all of the Summer Leagues along with who the Celtics took with that #3 pick, Jaylen Brown. If Simmons can be a serious player in the NBA this year like Okafor was his Freshman year last year; the Forward spot could potentially be deadly in Philly with a duo of Simmons and Noel. Holmes, Landry and Wood are all fill-ins.
F- This is where Philly starts to get to their problem believe it or not. They have such a plethora of Big Men that they don't even know what to do with them. They even tried trading Nerlens Noel (11.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.5 blocks per game) or Jahlil Okafor (17.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists per game) on Draft night in order to attain the Celtics #3 Overall Pick so they could get Guard Kris Dunn. Obviously they knew that the Big Men spots weren't a need on the team; even though giving up those stud young caliber players always hurts. For the Forwards, it starts with Nerlens and also an underrated guy in Robert Covington, who averaged 12.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game last year. He's very versatile at 6'9 and works good in rotation with Noel and Jerami Grant. Grant's also another underrated player who at 6'8 averaged 9.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game last year. I feel like these guys are underrated because of how bad Philly has been. Maybe it does speak to the type of players some of these guys are, and maybe they are bench players on most other teams in the NBA; but they're still young and talented players than can give guys like Noel or Simmons a rest when they need it. The #1 question of the NBA this year, apart from how the Warriors will be, is how good will Ben Simmons be. He's said to be the next big Superstar in the NBA, and with good reason as he dominated at LSU; averaging 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. He was one of the most impressive players in all of the Summer Leagues along with who the Celtics took with that #3 pick, Jaylen Brown. If Simmons can be a serious player in the NBA this year like Okafor was his Freshman year last year; the Forward spot could potentially be deadly in Philly with a duo of Simmons and Noel. Holmes, Landry and Wood are all fill-ins.
C- Jahlil Okafor is their Center. There's no question about that, is there? Joel Embiid, who they took third Overall in 2014, is apparently back and healthier than ever. The seven-footer was supposed to be a dominant Center in the NBA, but hasn't played since he has been plagued with injury. What will we see out of him could depend on how the good the Sixers do this year. If he can come in and be that dominant rebounder that he was drafted |
to be; then guys like Simmons and Noel and even Okafor won't have to get banged up as much and can focus more on the Offensive side of the ball (which they so desperately need). Even Noel can play the 5 at 6'11, but he may struggle against guys like Lopez or Valancuinas. That's why they need Embiid to be that big body down low and give Okafor rest, as they are the only three Centers on the team; and Noel is the starting 4 so you don't want him at the 5. If Embiid truly can be a force that he was taken to be, than between himself and Okafor should make for a pretty formidable duo at the Center spot. The loss of Sasha Kaun will mean nothing, especially if Embiid can produce.
Overall
The 76ers will only go as far as Ben Simmons takes them. With the bulk of the guys that they had last year, they only managed to win 10 games all year. That's pathetic. On top of Simmons, Joel Embiid has to step up and be a force and Timothe Luwawu needs to become a good guard in the NBA and fast. They only added Gerald Henderson, Jerryd Bayless, Sergio Rodriguez and Brandon Paul this offseason; who are all guards. They didn't get that much better in the offseason, but in the Draft they did. Ben Simmons should be a Superstar within the next 3 years if all goes well. He needs to snap the streak of unfortunate Draft Picks that Philly has endured the last few years with the exception of Jahlil Okafor, and Noel if you wanna further back. It's shaping up for them to be one of the bottom teams in the Division and the League, but they at least won't finish behind the Nets and last in the league like they did last year.
Prediction: 23-59
Toronto Raptors
56-26
Additions: Jared Sullinger, Fred VanVleet
Departures: Bismack Biyombo, Luis Scola, James Johnson
Overall
The 76ers will only go as far as Ben Simmons takes them. With the bulk of the guys that they had last year, they only managed to win 10 games all year. That's pathetic. On top of Simmons, Joel Embiid has to step up and be a force and Timothe Luwawu needs to become a good guard in the NBA and fast. They only added Gerald Henderson, Jerryd Bayless, Sergio Rodriguez and Brandon Paul this offseason; who are all guards. They didn't get that much better in the offseason, but in the Draft they did. Ben Simmons should be a Superstar within the next 3 years if all goes well. He needs to snap the streak of unfortunate Draft Picks that Philly has endured the last few years with the exception of Jahlil Okafor, and Noel if you wanna further back. It's shaping up for them to be one of the bottom teams in the Division and the League, but they at least won't finish behind the Nets and last in the league like they did last year.
Prediction: 23-59
Toronto Raptors
56-26
Additions: Jared Sullinger, Fred VanVleet
Departures: Bismack Biyombo, Luis Scola, James Johnson
Raptors fans must have such a sour taste in their mouths after losing the Eastern Conference Finals last year to LeBron's Cavaliers 4-2. Things started getting chippy after the Cavs went up 2-0, but the Raptors came back to tie the Series 2-2 after coming home. But the Raptors just couldn't get anything going at all in Cleveland, as they didn't manage to score 90 points in any of the 4 games they played there; while the Cavs easily eclipsed the 100 point mark each game. The goal of this season for the Raptors is to get their rematch against LeBron and the Cavs and to make that Series a little more competitive. The only problem is, they didn't get that much better this offseason. Besides resigning DeMar DeRozan to a 5 year, $146 million dollar deal, the only real other signing they made was adding Jared Sullinger to a 1 year, $5.6 million dollar deal. But with the departure of Bismack Biyombo and Luis Scola, Sully was basically just brought in to replace those two and add a little bit more scoring than Biyombo or Scola brought to the table. However, they did get somewhat better in the Draft with the additions of Center Jakob Poeltl and Foward Pascal Siakam. I'll get back to them when I get to the positions, but overall the Raptors are going to basically enter the playoffs with a pretty similar looking team they rolled out there in 2015-2016.
Returning Players: Bruno Caboclo, DeMarre Carroll, Cory Joseph, Kyle Lowry, Lucas Nogueira, Patrick Patterson, Norman Powell, Terrance Ross, Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, Jason Thompson
The Celtics are the favorites to win the Atlantic Division. How much of a push can that give this Raptors team? The Raptors (56-26) only won one less game all year than the Cavaliers (57-25) and LeBron James did last year. They had the same exact road record as the Cavs at 24-17, but only lost one more home game than they did. However, the Raptors were 14-2 in their Division last year, while the Cavs were at .500 going 8-8 in their Division. The Raptors may have played ugly in Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals, but they played them somewhat well and managed to win two games against the NBA Champs; two more games than the Pistons or Hawks could do in their sweeps against the Cavaliers. The Celtics ended up with the same record as one of the four East teams that made the playoffs at 48-34, but ended up being a 5 seed; while they only went 10-6 in the Division. The addition of Al Horford and giving Toronto Sully on top of the new Knicks squad must have really changed things up in the Division going forward. The lack of respect Toronto has been getting may give them a charge they need to make a better run at LeBron's Cavs this year.
Returning Players: Bruno Caboclo, DeMarre Carroll, Cory Joseph, Kyle Lowry, Lucas Nogueira, Patrick Patterson, Norman Powell, Terrance Ross, Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, Jason Thompson
The Celtics are the favorites to win the Atlantic Division. How much of a push can that give this Raptors team? The Raptors (56-26) only won one less game all year than the Cavaliers (57-25) and LeBron James did last year. They had the same exact road record as the Cavs at 24-17, but only lost one more home game than they did. However, the Raptors were 14-2 in their Division last year, while the Cavs were at .500 going 8-8 in their Division. The Raptors may have played ugly in Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals, but they played them somewhat well and managed to win two games against the NBA Champs; two more games than the Pistons or Hawks could do in their sweeps against the Cavaliers. The Celtics ended up with the same record as one of the four East teams that made the playoffs at 48-34, but ended up being a 5 seed; while they only went 10-6 in the Division. The addition of Al Horford and giving Toronto Sully on top of the new Knicks squad must have really changed things up in the Division going forward. The lack of respect Toronto has been getting may give them a charge they need to make a better run at LeBron's Cavs this year.
G- Kyle Lowry is the most underrated player in the NBA. I understand he isn't the flashy player like Lillard, or the crazy shooter like Curry, or the crazy explosive player like Westbrook. But Lowry is similar to Isaiah Thomas of the Celtics in the way they are little guards that bring so much to the table and are incredible on the offensive side of the ball. Lowry averaged 21.2 points, 6.4 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game last year for one of the best teams in the NBA. He's one of the better defenders on his team even though he's one of the smallest guys and should definitely be in the top voting for MVP. His value, on top of DeMar DeRozan (23.5 points, 4.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds per game) and everything he brings to the table is what seperates their Guard play from just about anyone else in the League. With the exceptions of Curry/Thompson and even them, Lowry and DeRozan can match up against just about any duo of Guards in the NBA (Thomas/Bradley, Wall/Beal, Westbrook/Oladipo, Rondo/Wade etc.). How these two play is how far the team will go in the Playoffs, because we know Valanciunas is in there to rebound for them and DeMarre Carroll is there to play defense against the LeBron, Melo, Durant etc. role. Cory Joseph (8.5/3.1/2.6) is their key role Guard off the bench, with Powell and Wright as depth guys while Terrance Ross can also play the 2 if he needs to. Another thing is, can Fred VanVleet shoot as well as he did at Wichita State? The guard play is the #1 strength on this Toronto roster.
F- What will they get out of 27th Overall Pick Pascal Siakam? The 6'8 Forward from Camroon averaged 20.4 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals per game at New Mexico State last year. He's a very versatile player and he can shoot, as he averaged a 53.6% shooting percentage at NMSU. He definitely needs work on the defensive side of the ball and needs to add some weight as he's a really tall and lanky guy. His addition to DeMarre Carroll (11.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists per game), Patrick Patterson (6.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists per game) and Terrance Ross (9.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game) will tremendously boost the Forward spot this year if he can prove to be a star in this League. Siakam was a scorer at New Mexico State and will have to learn the game at this level and let Lowry and DeRozan do the scoring. Another big addition to the 4 if he plays it will be Jared Sullinger (10.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 0.6 blocks per game), and what he can bring to the table as another versatile big man. Having so many versatile Forwards will definitely help this team going forward now because that was definitely their weak spot of their team. Caboclo and Thompson are just depth guys.
F- What will they get out of 27th Overall Pick Pascal Siakam? The 6'8 Forward from Camroon averaged 20.4 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals per game at New Mexico State last year. He's a very versatile player and he can shoot, as he averaged a 53.6% shooting percentage at NMSU. He definitely needs work on the defensive side of the ball and needs to add some weight as he's a really tall and lanky guy. His addition to DeMarre Carroll (11.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists per game), Patrick Patterson (6.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists per game) and Terrance Ross (9.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game) will tremendously boost the Forward spot this year if he can prove to be a star in this League. Siakam was a scorer at New Mexico State and will have to learn the game at this level and let Lowry and DeRozan do the scoring. Another big addition to the 4 if he plays it will be Jared Sullinger (10.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 0.6 blocks per game), and what he can bring to the table as another versatile big man. Having so many versatile Forwards will definitely help this team going forward now because that was definitely their weak spot of their team. Caboclo and Thompson are just depth guys.
C- Jakob Poeltl was an absolute beast at Utah last year. The #9 Overall Pick averaged 17.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.5 blocks and 0.6 steals per game last year in 30.6 minutes. He was huge for Utah in making their Sweet Sixteen run in the NCAA Tournament. The seven-footer matched up well against other Star Big Men like Kaleb Tarczewski and showed he can play with just about anyone at that level. Now it's time to show he can matchup against guys like Brook Lopez and other Big Men like him. Valanciunas will be the starting Center |
because he's the Vet and is a monster in his own right (12.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game); but Poeltl was taken that high to be a presence in the NBA (especially this year). A duo between these two can force Sully to move to the 4 most of the time and they an make bigger lineups with Carroll or Paterson or Siakam at the 3. Even moving Terrance Ross to the 2 at 6'6 can make their lineup bigger too if Sullinger moves to the 4 and any of those three move to the 3. The height won't be a problem with Toronto this year (besides Lowry) and they should have a plethora of guys to rebound the ball for their formidable Guard duo.
Overall
The Raptors will be a Playoff team this year. There's no doubt about that. It's a matter of how far they can go and if they can get a rematch against LeBron and the Cavs or not. The teams in their Division, apart from the Nets, all got extremely better this offseason; and they really didn't. Luckily in the Draft they got two really solid young players that can help them this year. Jared Sullinger was the only real addition they had this offseason apart from their Draft, and like I said he was brought in to replace Biyombo and Scola. Siakam and Poeltl will have to try and be the difference that the Raptors were missing last year on top of Sully. They need to make a statement against the Celtics and Knicks this year and show them that this is still their Division. Where Lowry and DeRozan takes them, nobody knows; but expect the Raptors to be a top team in the East this year again.
Prediction: 53-29
Division Overall
The Atlantic Division no doubt got a whole lot better this offseason. With the Celtics adding Al Horford, Knicks adding a whole new "Super Team" and the addition of Jared Sullinger in Toronto; the Atlantic Division is one big question mark going into the 2016-2017 season. They also added a plethora of Top Draft guys like Ben Simmons, Jaylen Brown and Jakob Poeltl that these teams have to look forward to. There's a lot of young teams in the Division that are starting to build teams like the Celtics and Raptors, while there's the Knicks who are filled with a veteran lineup. Then there are rebuilding teams like the Nets and 76ers who are looking to see what they can get out of some of their young players and what way they should be moving going forward. As for the Divison itself? Heres how I have it ending up
Boston Celtics- 55-27
Toronto Raptors- 53-29
New York Knicks- 49-33
Philadelphia 76ers- 23-59
New York Nets- 19-63
So like everyone else, I have the Celtics coming out of this Division as champions. However, I have three Playoff teams coming out of the Division and into the Eastern Conference First Round. From there, I'm not exactly sure which way I would go to see who has the best shot to play against LeBron in the Eastern Conference Finals. There's plenty of obstacles in the way in the East besides the Atlantic Division in the Bulls, Heat, Pacers, Hawks, Hornets, Wizards etc. If I were to guess? The Celtics have the best chance to meet the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals against LeBron. I still think they'd most likely win 1 or 2 games at most, but hey anything can happen including the Knicks or Raptors going to the Eastern Conference Finals as well. Will we see the "Super Team" that DRose was talking about? Will adding Al Horford and his veteran presence as the lacking Big Man the Celtics needed be a good fit? Will the Raptors Drafting Poeltl and Siakam be the pieces they were missing last year? How will Ben Simmons be in the NBA? Will the Nets reach 15 wins? This Division is filled with so many questions, and the season can't start soon enough to have them all answered.
Overall
The Raptors will be a Playoff team this year. There's no doubt about that. It's a matter of how far they can go and if they can get a rematch against LeBron and the Cavs or not. The teams in their Division, apart from the Nets, all got extremely better this offseason; and they really didn't. Luckily in the Draft they got two really solid young players that can help them this year. Jared Sullinger was the only real addition they had this offseason apart from their Draft, and like I said he was brought in to replace Biyombo and Scola. Siakam and Poeltl will have to try and be the difference that the Raptors were missing last year on top of Sully. They need to make a statement against the Celtics and Knicks this year and show them that this is still their Division. Where Lowry and DeRozan takes them, nobody knows; but expect the Raptors to be a top team in the East this year again.
Prediction: 53-29
Division Overall
The Atlantic Division no doubt got a whole lot better this offseason. With the Celtics adding Al Horford, Knicks adding a whole new "Super Team" and the addition of Jared Sullinger in Toronto; the Atlantic Division is one big question mark going into the 2016-2017 season. They also added a plethora of Top Draft guys like Ben Simmons, Jaylen Brown and Jakob Poeltl that these teams have to look forward to. There's a lot of young teams in the Division that are starting to build teams like the Celtics and Raptors, while there's the Knicks who are filled with a veteran lineup. Then there are rebuilding teams like the Nets and 76ers who are looking to see what they can get out of some of their young players and what way they should be moving going forward. As for the Divison itself? Heres how I have it ending up
Boston Celtics- 55-27
Toronto Raptors- 53-29
New York Knicks- 49-33
Philadelphia 76ers- 23-59
New York Nets- 19-63
So like everyone else, I have the Celtics coming out of this Division as champions. However, I have three Playoff teams coming out of the Division and into the Eastern Conference First Round. From there, I'm not exactly sure which way I would go to see who has the best shot to play against LeBron in the Eastern Conference Finals. There's plenty of obstacles in the way in the East besides the Atlantic Division in the Bulls, Heat, Pacers, Hawks, Hornets, Wizards etc. If I were to guess? The Celtics have the best chance to meet the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals against LeBron. I still think they'd most likely win 1 or 2 games at most, but hey anything can happen including the Knicks or Raptors going to the Eastern Conference Finals as well. Will we see the "Super Team" that DRose was talking about? Will adding Al Horford and his veteran presence as the lacking Big Man the Celtics needed be a good fit? Will the Raptors Drafting Poeltl and Siakam be the pieces they were missing last year? How will Ben Simmons be in the NBA? Will the Nets reach 15 wins? This Division is filled with so many questions, and the season can't start soon enough to have them all answered.