By: Jeff McDonough
The NBA season tipped off last night with three games and it’s time to go through the entire league and look at exactly what we have with each club. The remaining 24 teams tipoff tonight. I'll spotlight the rosters, the changes, the outlook and give my official predictions on their win/loss totals. Basketball has become my favorite sport, so I come armed with knowledge, ready to dive in. Let’s do this!
Washington Wizards
Starting Lineup: John Wall (PG), Bradley Beal (SG), Otto Porter (SF), Nenê (PF), Marcin Gortat (C)
Bench: Jared Dudley (F), Gary Neal (G), Kris Humphries (PF/C), Drew Gooden (PF/C), Kelly Oubre (SF), Alan Anderson (SG/SF), Ramon Sessions (PG)
Key Additions: Dudley, Neal, Anderson, Oubre
Key Losses: Paul Pierce, Kevin Séraphin
Injury Concerns: Anderson (Ankle, Out until November), Dudley (Back, banged up but playing)
What a beautiful place to start! Why here? Because I said so. We’re going in reverse alphabetical order. Suck it, Aaron! I was a partial season ticket holder for the Wiz last year, so I got very familiar with this club. I was even there in the playoffs for the “I Called Game” game, which was quite a treat. Last year was the best year for pro hoops in DC — in just about every way — since they last made the Finals in 1979. Losing Pierce to the Clippers hurts. He’s not a superstar any longer, but his leadership and clutch shooting is irreplaceable. Everyone on offense at the end of games often looked lost, except Pierce who was as cold-bloodedly stellar as ever. Once he was gone though, I loved that they brought in Dudley, Neal and Anderson on the cheap as veteran replacements on the wing. Otto Porter, Jr. is slated to take over as starting small forward, however, and after the flashes of brilliance he showed during the playoffs last year, I’m buying into the hometown kid. He, along with Wall and Beal, form a potent, youthful triumvirate that could lead Washington for years to come. Having two hulking big men isn’t what it once was and the Wizards are much better suited to play small ball and allow Wall to freely run and gun. We’ll see how far they’ll wade into that pool this season after years of fighting the NBA’s changing times.
Final Assessment: I’ll Go Over. They won 46 last year and I don’t think they’ll be much better. The East is so weak though that it is doable and their first top-four seed since that ’79 season could be as well. But they are well below contender status in my mind. They won’t take that “leap” forward this year. I still think they need a better coach to be a championship contender, despite the prevalence of #WittmanPlayingChess during the playoffs. I think this season will go down as the awkward year in the very brief “post-Pierce and pre-Durant era.” KD2DC! Kevin, come back home. We love you! It’s the Wizards, so it probably won’t happen. But a boy can dream…
Utah Jazz
Starting Lineup: Trey Burke (PG), Alec Burks (SG), Gordon Hayward (SF), Derrick Favors (PF), Rudy Gobert (C)
Bench: Rodney Hood (SF), Trevor Booker (PF), Trey Lyles (PF), Joe Ingles (SF), Raul Neto (PG), Tibor Pleiß (C), Elijah Millsap (SG)
Key Additions: Lyles, Pleiß
Key Losses: Enes Kanter (trade deadline), Dante Exum (injury), Jeremy Evans
Injury Concerns: Exum (Knee, Likely out for season)
Are you a sleeper if everyone calls you their sleeper pick? It’s the same pet peeve I have going into fantasy football drafts. I digress. The Jazz are a trendy pick to make the postseason for the first time in four years. After a rough offseason for playoff teams Portland and Dallas, and with OKC’s stars back in the fold, that leaves one playoff spot to be seized in the eyes of many — and Utah has emerged as a decently surprising favorite. They came on very strong to close the season and at 38-44 would’ve tied for the final playoff spot had they been in the Eastern Conference. Too bad, so sad. They were rejuvenated by their newfound prowess on defense thanks to their rookie coach Quin Snyder and powerful, young, French big man Rudy Gobert — aka the Stifle Tower. This team has some talent for sure, but they are still extremely young. Their entire starting lineup is 25 or younger and no one on the roster is older than 28. Trevor Booker is probably their “veteran leader.”
Projected Win Total Over/Under: 41.5
Final Assessment: Over. I do not project them as a playoff team, but they could be and they’ll at least have a winning record. Why the hesitance? Their bench looks barren. Depth could be a huge issue. Their point guard rotation of Burke and Neto — with Exum’s left ACL in tatters — is a potential dumpster fire. If they’re pushing towards a playoff spot, I could see them being active towards the trade deadline, so maybe this isn’t their final squad. As it stands now however, I see them as improved but on the outside looking in come April.
Toronto Raptors
Starting Lineup: Kyle Lowry (PG), DeMar DeRozan (SG), DeMarre Carroll (SF), Patrick Patterson (PF), Jonas Valančiūnas (C)
Bench: Luis Scola (PF), Terrence Ross (SG/SF), Cory Joseph (PG), Bismack Biyombo (C), James Johnson (F), Delon Wright (G), Anthony Bennett (PF)
Key Additions: Carroll, Joseph, Scola, Biyombo, Luke Ridnour (traded from OKC)
Key Losses: Lou Williams, Greivis Vásquez, Amir Johnson, Tyler Hansbrough, Luke Ridnour (waived)
Injury Concerns: Lowry (Back/leg, fine now but lingering)
The Raptors have been the (relative) surprise winners of the Atlantic Division the last two seasons. It has revitalized basketball in Canada’s biggest city and the Raptors now have a rabid fanbase and Drake as an ambassador. And what has all of that gotten them? Two first round playoff exits at the hands of one Paul Pierce. He’s as far away geographically as he could be now. He can’t hurt you anymore.
Projected Win Total Over/Under: 45.5
Final Assessment: Over. I like the pickup of Carroll a lot. The rest of the turnover kind of cancels out to me. I know Lou Williams was Sixth Man of the Year, but he’s a chucker who’s abysmal on D. I don’t love ‘em, but they won 49 games last year. With Lowry healthy and Carroll on board, I don’t see them being much worse. Lowry staying healthy — which is not, and has not, been a given — will be key.
San Antonio Spurs
Starting Lineup: Tony Parker (PG), Danny Green (SG), Kawhi Leonard (SF), LaMarcus Aldridge (PF), Tim Duncan (C)
Bench: Manu Ginóbili (SG), David West (PF), Boris Diaw (PF/C), Patty Mills (PG), Kyle Anderson (SF), Boban Marjanović (C), Rasual Butler (SF)
Key Additions: Aldridge, West, Marjanović, Butler, Jimmer Fredette (LOL)
Key Losses: Tiago Splitter, Cory Joseph, Marco Belinelli, Aron Baynes, Jimmer Fredette (LOL)
Injury Concerns: Parker (Leg, fine now but lingering)
The Spurs hit a grand slam in the offseason. Aldridge was by far the best player to changes teams with Greg Monroe — I guess — as a VERY distant second behind him. West declined a $12.6 million player option with Indiana and, in an utter coo, signed with the Spurs for $1.4 million, the veteran minimum. These moves were in addition to retaining Leonard, Green, Duncan and Ginóbili, who were all free agents. And don’t forget they have Gregg Popovich — the best coach in the NBA and one of the greatest ever — who recently reaffirmed he isn’t hangin’ it up any time soon when he signed on to coach Team USA through 2020.
Projected Win Total Over/Under: 58.5
Final Assessment: Under. This team is fantastic, but 59+ wins in the West is tough to bank on for anybody. They are loaded with veterans, so I imagine Pop will make sure to monitor everyone’s minutes and give each guy plenty of rest. That’s good news when playoff time hits, but bad news for the win total. Not only do the Spurs have the championship and very narrowly a second one in the last few years, they had finished first or second in the West four straight season before injuries and lethargy knocked them down to the 6-Seed last year. Sometimes the switch can’t be so easily flipped come playoff time, we learned. The Spurs were downed by the Clippers in Game 7 in a series with just about as much firepower as you’ll ever see in the first round. So maybe not 59+ wins, but they’ll be wise not to go on cruise control like last season. If they can avoid that, sweet lord, the sky is the limit.
Sacramento Kings
Starting Lineup: Rajon Rondo (PG), Ben McLemore (SG), Rudy Gay (SF), Willie Cauley-Stein (PF), DeMarcus Cousins (C)
Bench: Kosta Koufos (PF/C), Marco Belinelli (SG), Darren Collison (PG), Omri Casspi (SF), Quincy Acy (F), Caron Butler (SF), Seth Curry (G)
Key Additions: Rondo, Cauley-Stein, Koufos, Belinelli, Acy, Butler, Curry
Key Losses: Nik Stauskas, Carl Landry, Jason Thompson
Injury Concerns: Cauley-Stein (Ankle, banged up but playing)
The weird thing is, as dysfunctional as this bunch is, I
kind of like the ability here. They have some guys. But with George Karl
reportedly trying to run budding superstar Boogie Cousins out of town during
the summer and the new reports that the highly combustible Rondo experiment is
already causing worry, this has train wreck potential.
Projected Win Total Over/Under: 32.5
Final Assessment: Under. Like I said, they have some pieces. I’m just not sure how those pieces fit together to actually result in winning basketball games. I’m a Boogie backer and like the additions they made to the front line to supplement him. The Rondo stuff could be a nightmare though. I expect Karl to be fired before draft day.
Portland Trail Blazers
Starting Lineup: Damian Lillard (PG), Gerald Henderson (SG), Al-Farouq Aminu (SF), Mason Plumlee (PF), Myers Leonard (C)
Bench: Ed Davis (PF/C), Chris Kaman (PF/C), CJ McCollum (G), Maurice Harkless (SF), Noah Vonleh (PF), Tim Frazier (PG), Pat Connaughton (SG)
Key Additions: Aminu, Plumlee, Davis, Henderson, Harkless, Vonleh
Key Losses: LaMarcus Aldridge (gulp), Robin Lopez, Nic Batum, Wes Matthews, Aaron Afflalo, Steve Blake
Injury Concerns: Henderson (Hip, Out until November), Aminu (Hamstring, Day-to-day), Harkless (Ankle, banged up but playing)
No team in the NBA should drop off as much as Portland. Losing Aldridge is obviously devastating, but beyond that, they lost four starters from last year’s team — five if you count Afflalo. Only Lillard remains. I like the moves Neil Oshey made after the Aldridge decision. That is like complimenting the cleanup crew after a hurricane though.
Projected Win Total Over/Under: 26.5
Final Assessment: Over Actually. I like the organization. I like the coach, Terry Stotts. They didn’t overreact after the Aldridge blow. They let they’re veterans walk and made sage moves to start building this team around Lillard — an offensive superstar whose defense still needs tons of work. They can no longer sniff playoffs without Aldridge, but they’ll be a tad frisky and hit at least 27 wins.
Phoenix Suns
Starting Lineup: Eric Bledsoe (PG), Brandon Knight (SG), PJ Tucker (SF), Markeiff Morris (PF), Tyson Chandler (C)
Bench: Devin Booker (SG), Alex Len (C), Mirza Teletović (F), TJ Warren (F), Ronnie Price (PG), Archi Goodwin (SG), Jon Leuer (PF)
Key Additions: Chandler, Booker, Teletović, Price, Leuer, Knight (trade deadline)
Key Losses: Marcus Morris, Gerald Green, Goran Dragić (trade deadline), Isaiah Thomas (trade deadline)
Injury Concerns: None
There’s been a lot of turnover with the Suns the past year as GM Ryan McDonough has shown a propensity for wheeling and dealing. They broke up both their three-headed point guard monster and the Morris Twins, but were able to land former Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler — and narrowly missed out on pairing LaMarcus Aldridge with him in their front court. The Suns were able to rebuild quicker than expected, winning 87 games the last two years, but found themselves fall just short of the playoffs both times. This squad is flush with young talent but it’s at least in a retooling phase, if not a full rebuild. Chandler will help with leadership, defense and nasty pick and rolls with Bledsoe and Knight.
Projected Win Total Over/Under: 36.5
Final Assessment: I’ll Say Over. I’m not sure what to expect with this team, but my faith in coach Jeff Hornacek’s system gets the nod here. There could be some trades coming, but I expect the Suns to be the sellers in those deals. The Suns finish outside the Top-10 in the West this year.
Philadelphia 76ers
Starting Lineup: Isaiah Canaan (PG), Nik Stauskas (SG), Hollis Thompson (SF), Nerlens Noel (PF), Jahlil Okafor (C)
Bench: Tony Wroten (PG), Jerami Grant (F), Robert Covington (SG/SF), Carl Landry (PF), Kendall Marshall (PG), Richaun Holmes (F), TJ McConnell (PG)
Key Additions: Nik Stauskas, Carl Landry, Jason Thompson (for three weeks)
Key Losses: Luc Mbah a Moute, Jason Richardson, Thomas Robinson, JaVale McGee, KJ McDaniels (trade deadline), Joel Embiid (injury), Jason Thompson (after three weeks)
Injury Concerns: Embiid (Foot, Out for Season), Wroten (Knee, Out until December), Covington (Knee, Out until November), Marshall (Knee, Out through October), Stauskas (Leg, Day-to-day), Landry (Wrist, Day-to-day)
Listen, they stink. You know they stink. If you want know how bad they are, why and what they’re even going for, peep my column on them from a couple months back.
Projected Win Total Over/Under: 21.5
Final Assessment: Under. There are 29 teams playing basketball and one team doing something else. They will be abysmal, and it’s by design.
Orlando Magic
Starting Lineup: Elfrid Payton (PG), Victor Oladipo (SG), Tobias Harris (SF), Channing Frye (PF), Nikola Vučević (C)
Bench: Mario Hezonja (SG/SF), Aaron Gordon (PF), Evan Fournier (SG), CJ Watson (PG), Jason Smith (PF/C), Andrew Nicholson (PF), Shabazz Napier (PG)
Key Additions: Hezonja, Watson, Smith, Napier, Head Coach Scott Skiles
Key Losses: Kyle O’Quinn, Maurice Harkless, Ben Gordon, Luke Ridnour (traded to Memphis), Head Coach Jacque Vaughn
Injury Concerns: Payton (Hamstring, Day-to-Day), Gordon (Foot, Missed 37 games last year, fine now but lingering)
Jacque Vaughn was the worst coach in the NBA last season, so
bringing in Scott Skiles is a major upgrade in my book. That alone should be
worth a few wins. This a fledgling, athletic bunch that still needs to find
itself and establish a true culture in the post-Dwight Howard era. They did win
that trade in hindsight with Vučević as the not only the crown jewel, but the
only player remaining on any of those teams in the trade. I think their lottery
picks in the years since have all been prudent choices as well. This is a wise
and admirable attempt at rebuilding.
Projected Win Total Over/Under: 34.5
Final Assessment: Over. I think this team finally comes together a little and the results start to show with Skiles at the helm. I don’t think they achieve a winning record, but they could sniff the playoffs in the East even without it. They open tonight vs. your Washington Wizards on the local Comcast SportsNet.
Oklahoma City
Thunder
Starting Lineup: Russell Westbrook (PG), Dion Waiters (SG), Kevin Durant (SF), Kevin Durant (SF), Serge Ibaka (PF), Steven Adams (C)
Bench: Enes Kanter (PF/C), Anthony Morrow (SG), Kyler Singler (F), DJ Augustin (PG), Andre Roberson (SG/SF), Nick Collison (PF), Cameron Payne (PG)
Key Additions: Payne, Kanter/Waiters/Singler/Augustin (trade deadline), Luke Ridnour (traded from Charlotte), Head Coach Billy Donovan
Key Losses: Jeremy Lamb, Perry Jones, Reggie Jackson (trade deadline), Luke Ridnour (traded to Toronto), Head Coach Scott Brooks
Injury Concerns: Durant (Foot, Missed 55 games last year, ready to go), Ibaka (Knee, Missed final 18 games, ready to go), Mitch McGary (Concussion, banged up but playing), Waiters (Melo’s Arm, I kid)
With their stars back and healthy (for the moment), most pundits see a return to the league’s elite. They are a very top heavy team, being the only club in the NBA that can boast having two of the Top-7 players in the sport. Westbrook more than earned his place amongst that group — if not amongst the Top-5 — with his flurry of triple-doubles during his solo tour. Ibaka serves as a nice third star as well, with his proficiency on D. There is quite the drop off after that. There are some young quantities on the roster that are intriguing, but most are very one-dimensional. They retained stone-footed big man Enes Kanter on a $70 million max contract. Woof! They probably had to do it. With Durant’s impending free agency, this is the most important year in the history of basketball in Oklahoma. They had to go all-in. I just don’t know if they went all-in in the smartest way. Head coach Billy Donovan is certainly an upgrade, but it remains to be seen how quickly he takes to the pros.
Projected Win Total Over/Under: 56.5
Final Assessment: Under. Would it shock me if they are the West’s top seed? No. But a lot of things need to break their way. This franchise has been snake-bitten ever since the calamitous James Harden trade. They cheaped out on paying Harden and broke up a potential dynasty. They’ve won three playoff series total in the three years since. Lowballing Harden eventually led to them maxing out Kanter. Ya think they’d like a do-over on that one? Durant is amazing, but he is still a big man with a recurring foot injury. That’s worrisome. Dion Waiters is a train wreck. Outside its best four players — I’ll include the defending and rebounding Steven Adams amongst the assets — I really don’t like this roster. They don’t have the depth to win a title, and even their core of stars have been peppered with question marks the last three years. They don’t win the West is my prediction. Durant then bolts for DC is my sure-to-go-wrong wishful thinking.
New York Knicks
Starting Lineup: José Calderón (PG), Aaron Afflalo (SG), Carmelo Anthony (SF), Kristaps Porziņģis (PF), Robin Lopez (C)
Bench: Kyle O’Quinn (PF), Jerian Grant (PG), Langston Galloway (G), Derrick Williams (F), Sasha Vujačić (SG), Louis Amundson (PF), Kevin Séraphin (C)
Key Additions: Lopez, Afflalo, Porziņģis, O’Quinn, Grant, etc.
Key Losses: Tim Hardaway, Jason Smith, Andrea Bargnani, Iman Shumpert (trade deadline), JR Smith (trade deadline)
Injury Concerns: Anthony (Knee, Missed 42 games last year, ready to go), Séraphin (Knee, Week-to-week), Afflalo (Hamstring, Day-to-day)
The Knicks tried to be good last year. It failed spectacularly, so they reeled it in and lost 65 games. After some lottery un-luck left them at pick #4, they went with a wildcard in the 7’3” Latvian Porziņģis, whose pie-in-the-sky projection is Kevin Durant in Yao Ming’s body. He may take a while to come along — or not take to the NBA at all — but he is certainly a high-ceiling prospect. With Melo back from his vacation — I mean, “injury” — and some other interesting additions, this roster might be sneaky good.
Projected Win Total Over/Under: 30.5
Final Assessment: Over. I think this is a playoff team. I don’t really know if Derek Fisher is a going to be a good coach, but in the East I think this talent will be enough.
New Orleans Pelicans
Starting Lineup: Jrue Holiday (PG), Eric Gordon (SG), Tyreke Evans (SF), Anthony Davis (PF), Ömer Aşık (C)
Bench: Ryan Anderson (PF), Alexis Ajinça (C), Dante Cunningham (F), Quincy Pondexter (SF), Norris Cole (PG), Nate Robinson (PG), Alonzo Gee (SF)
Key Additions: Gee, Robinson, Ish Smith, Kendrick Perkins, Cunningham/Pondexter (trade deadline), Head Coach Alvin Gentry
Key Losses: Head Coach Monty Williams
Injury Concerns: Evans (Knee, Out through November), Cole (Ankle, Out through November), Pondexter (Knee, Out until mid-November), Ajinça (Hamstring, Out unitl mid-November), Aşık (Calf, Day-to-day)
Much like I mentioned with Orlando and OKC, this is a team that should really benefit from their upgrade at head coach. Mike D'Antoni and Alvin Gentry really started a revolution with those run and gun Suns teams, and Gentry was able to see it to fruition as an assistant on last year’s championship Warriors, who perfected that style. The injuries are really starting to pile up for the Pelicans though. Especially at point guard and center. This team has had many injury issues in recent years, so it may be a continuing theme. This was a squad pegged for a big jump, but they may be the most banged up team in the league at the moment.
Projected Win Total Over/Under: 47.5
Final Assessment: Slightly Under. Anthony Davis is a generational superstar who can do it all. LeBron James will need to keep playing prime-level basketball to cling onto the moniker of “best player alive.” Davis is on his heels. I’m not a fan of their GM and haven’t loved many of these moves. This roster is kind of a funky fit, but they seemed to finally start gelling last season, and I think Gentry will only improve that. The injuries will be too much to get to 48+ wins in a loaded West, but Davis carries them to a playoff spot. And if they can get all their guys healthy by then, this squad could make some serious noise come April.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Starting Lineup: Ricky Rubio (PG), Kevin Martin (SG), Andrew Wiggins (SF), Kevin Garnett (PF), Karl-Anthony Towns (C)
Bench: Zach Lavine (G), Nikola Peković (C), Gorgui Dieng (C), Tyus Jones (PG), Shabazz Muhammad (SG/SF), Adreian Payne (PF), Tayshaun Prince (SF)
Key Additions: Towns, Jones, Prince, Andre Miller, Garnett (trade deadline), Head Coach Sam Mitchell
Key Losses: Gary Neal, Chase Budinger, Thad Young (trade deadline), Head Coach Flip Saunders (RIP)
Injury Concerns: Peković (Achilles, Out until December)
This team has a lot of dudes. There’s skill with which to work. I said that last year too though and they won 16 games. Whoops! With the sudden passing of Team President and Head Coach Flip Saunders from Hodgkin's lymphoma, former Raptors coach Sam Mitchell takes over. I was very sad to hear of the former Wizards’ coach’s passing. He announced that he had cancer in August and was dead by October. KG is back in town essentially functioning as assistant coach/mascot. So there’s that. I liked the choice of Towns at pick #1. I think his ceiling is much higher than Russell’s or Okafor’s because of his defense and shooting ability as a center.
Projected Win Total Over/Under: 26.5
Final Assessment: Ya Know What? Over. 27 Wins ain’t that much and this is a lively bunch of youths — and one crotchety old man in KG. Go out there and win one for the Flipper!
Milwaukee Bucks
Starting Lineup: Michael Carter-Williams (PG), Khris Middleton (SG), Jabari Parker, Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF), Greg Monroe (C)
Bench: John Henson (PF), Greivis Vásquez (G), OJ Mayo (G), Jarryd Bayless (G), Chris Copeland (F), Miles Plumlee (C), Tyler Ennis (PG)
Key Additions: Monroe, Vásquez, Copeland, Rashad Vaughn, Plumlee/Ennis (trade deadline)
Key Losses: Jared Dudley, Zaza Pachulia, Brandon Knight (trade deadline)
Injury Concerns: Parker (Knee, Missed final 57 games, slow cautious return), Mayo (Hamstring, Day-to-day)
It’s pretty clear that Jason Kidd won the power struggle that led to him getting out of Brooklyn. They’re riddled with aging vets and bad contracts and Milwaukee is flush with long, gifted youngsters. And Kidd has proved himself a talented coach already after having his doubters early on. He took that sorry Nets team to the second round. Look at them now? In his first year in Milwaukee, he turned the Bucks from a 15-win team into a 41-win team that pushed the Bulls to six games in the playoffs. All of that was without top pick Jabari Parker, who tore his ACL in December and is still slowly working his way back. The Bucks are taking a very cautious approach, so Parker appears to be healthy, but I have no idea when he’ll actually return.
Projected Win Total Over/Under: 44.5
Final Assessment: Slightly Over. I like the Bucks a lot. They’re a sure playoff team for my money. Kidd has a group of lengthy, positionless, athletic freaks who roam the court and swarm like madmen on defense. Antetokounmpo — The Greek Freak for those of you not interested in learning how to pronounce that — is a nascent star who can legitimately play (and defend) all five positions, perhaps more so than any other player in the league. I also loved how Monroe spurned the Lakers and Knicks in order to sign with Milwaukee for the same exact money. It’s a new day. Yes, it is!
Miami Heat
Starting Lineup: Goran Dragić (PG), Dwyane Wade (SG), Luol Deng (SF), Chris Bosh (PF), Hassan Whiteside (C)
Bench: Justise Winslow (SG/SF), Gerald Green (SG/SF), Josh McRoberts (PF), Amar'e Stoudemire (PF/C), Chris Andersen (C), Mario Chalmers (G), Udonis Haslem (PF)
Key Additions: Winslow, Green, Stoudemire, Josh Richardson
Key Losses: Michael Beasley, Shabazz Napier
Injury Concerns: Bosh (Lung, Missed final 30 games, ready to go), McRoberts (Knee, Missed final 61 games, banged up but playing), Stoudemire (Knee, fine now but lingering), Wade (Legs, Missed 20 games last year, fine now but lingering)
On paper, this might be the best starting five in the NBA — fans of the Spurs, Clippers, Warriors and Cavaliers, I hear you. Despite all of them being returning players, they have logged zero minutes as a unit. So there could be some chemistry issues; time will tell. I am very taken with this group though. They did a good job retaining Dragić, Wade and Deng without mortgaging their future. In a stroke of great fortune, they just barely retained their draft pick and saw Justise Winslow fall into their lap at pick 10. His ceiling is a better-defending James Harden. That’s a very lofty goal, but he couldn’t have landed in a better spot to be given every chance to achieve it. They loaded up their bench by adding Green and Stoudemire both on the veteran minimum, which is such a steal. And everyone seems to forget that they still have the versatile McRoberts returning for IR last year. This team is absolutely loaded.
Projected Win Total
Over/Under: 45.5
Final Assessment: Over No Doubt. I think it is Miami and Cleveland in the East, and then everyone else. They are legitimate championship contenders. I am very tempted to pick them to win the East — but we’ll get to that in Part 2. What gives me pause is not only that we haven’t seen these guys play together at all, but that there are several injury concerns. Wade’s health has been rapidly declining — although his per game numbers on offense are still great when he gets on the court. Bosh is returning from a scary ordeal with a blood clot on his lung. There are knee issues with a few of the role players as well. In order to believe in this team, you need to count on a lot of old guys staying healthy. As far as the fit, I trust in Coach Erik Spoelstra to sort it out.
Okay, that wraps up the first 15 teams. Click here for Part 2 to see the previews for remaining 15 teams and my official championship picks! And yes, trolls. My predictions have already been locked in before these games started.
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