Atlanta Hawks
Mike Budenholzer
Coach Grade: B-
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Record: 50-32 (4th in East) All-Star(s): Horford & Millsap Award Winner(s): None
Playoff Finish: Lost to Bulls 1-4 (Semifinals) Projected Lineup C. Tiago Splitter PF. Al Horford (c) SF. Paul Millsap (c) SG. Kyle Korver PG. Jeff Teague 6. Dennis Schroder 7. Thabo Sefolosha 8. Tim Hardaway Jr. 9. Shelvin Mack 10. Mike Scott 11. Justin Holiday 12. Kent Bazemore It's easy to say that the Hawks won't be as strong contenders in the East as they were last season. The loss of DeMarre Carroll will worsen their defense a bit, but I notice that this squad's bench is continuing to improve. The team was 28th in the league in rebounding last season. I like Millsap at the 3 because it gives the Hawks a huge extra lift at rebounding with Splitter in the starting lineup. I'm projecting a much taller lineup than last season. I think Kyle Korver will improve his scoring ability now that Carroll is gone. This is not going to be another year where 4 of the starting 5 earns a spot in the All-Star Game, but these guys are still likely to play very well with one another as a team. The Horford-Millsap duo is the probably best frontcourt duo in the East. I don't expect the Hawks to play well enough to face the Bulls and Cavs, let alone any of the top 5 West teams, but they will for sure continue to rise in the Eastern conference.
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Boston CelticsBrad Stevens
Coach Grade: D+
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Record: 39-43 (8th in East) All-Star(s): Thomas Award Winner(s): None
Playoff Finish: Lost to Bulls 2-4 (1st Round) Projected Lineup C. Jared Sullinger PF. David Lee SF. Evan Turner SG. Avery Bradley PG. Isaiah Thomas 6. Amir Johnson 7. Tyler Zeller 8. Marcus Smart 9. Kelly Olynyk 10. Jae Crowder 11. Jonas Jerebko 12. Perry Jones The Celtics are going to remain the same team they were last season regardless of who they added this offseason. First things first, I think they have way more big men than they necessarily need. The trade for David Lee was quite the steal, but what does that mean for Amir Johnson? I was also disappointed at Boston's choices in this years draft. Rozier was a questionable pick. I'm assuming he'll be spending time in the D-League. R.J. Hunter was kind of a steal, but I don't see where he naturally fits in with this team. I'm also anxious to see what James Young can do as a backup. I know it seems odd of me to choose Lee as a starter over Johnson, but I believe Lee will remain the most comfortable in his role with the Celtics. Johnson takes a bit of a while to adjust to new surroundings, so I give more trust in David Lee. The player with the biggest amount energy for this team is Isaiah Thomas. He led the team in scoring and never even started in a Celtics game last year. I gotta give credit where it's due. The Celtics were on a nice win streak in the month of April thanks to Thomas. He should replace Marcus Smart at the starting point guard position. As usual, I expect the Celtics to finish their season in the 1st Round of the playoffs against a tougher team in the East.
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Brooklyn Nets
Lionel Hollins
Coach Grade: D-
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Record: 33-49 (10th in East) All-Star(s): None Award Winner(s): None
Projected Lineup C. Brook Lopez PF. Thaddeus Young SF. Joe Johnson (c) SG. Bojan Bogdanovic PG. Jarrett Jack 6. Thomas Robinson 7. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson 8. Andrea Bargnani 9. Shane Larkin 10. Donald Sloan 11. Wayne Ellington 12. Chris McCullough There's a lack of talent on this team. Joe Johnson has been an overrated athlete ever since joining the Nets. He too is also getting much older. This team lacks speed as well. Resigning Lopez was a good move, but he must stay healthy and become more consistent on the floor. Jarrett Jack is solid enough to be a starter, but he's old. Thaddeus Young isn't as significant of a player as he used to be. No disrespect to the organization, but this team is fully made up of athletes who used to be special with a few less relevant international players and D-League call ups. Losing Deron Williams was not a big deal. They struggled with him on the team too. It's time to change things up. Only some of these guys have room to develop. Particularly speaking of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. He compares to Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and believe he's a tough player. Not much of a shooter, but he excels in every other category. In the end, the Nets are not a playoff team. Changes need to be made in the future, otherwise this will end up being a failure of a franchise.
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Charlotte Hornets
Steve Clifford
Coach Grade: D+
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Record: 39-43 (7th in East) All-Star(s): Jefferson
Award Winner(s): Jefferson (All-NBA Third) & Kaminsky (All-Rookie Second) Playoff Finish: Lost to Cavaliers 2-4 (1st Round) Projected Lineup C. Al Jefferson (c) PF. Frank Kaminsky SF. Nicolas Batum SG. Jeremy Lin PG. Kemba Walker 6. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 7. Cody Zeller 8. Brian Roberts 9. Jeremy Lamb 10. Marvin Williams 11. Spencer Hawes 12. Tyler Hansbrough Very interesting lineup I put together for the Hornets. I'm iffy about Jeremy Lin being a starter, but MKG is most dependable coming off the bench. Charlotte needs to improve their shooting. MKG as a starter would not help fix that problem. Hornets fans seem to be upset that the squad chose Kaminsky at the 9th pick instead of the overrated Justice Winslow. Call me crazy, I think the Hornets made one of the best decisions in this draft by going all in for Kaminsky. He is the National College Player of the Year for a reason folks. His 3-point ability is incredible and I'm convinced that he knows more about the game than all of the one-and-done prospects in the draft. Trust me when I say this: "Frank Kaminsky will have a nice rookie season". Not saying he'll be Rookie of the Year (definitely not), but he could be the most successful coming out of this draft. If the Hornets hold on to Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson, they're set as a playoff team year by year.
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Chicago Bulls
Fred Hoiberg
Coach Grade: B+
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Record: 55-27 (1st in East) All-Star(s): Butler
Award Winner(s): Butler (All-Defensive Second), Rose (Finals MVP) Playoff Finish: NBA Champion (Won 4-2 against Grizzlies) Projected Lineup C. Joakim Noah PF. Pau Gasol SF. Nikola Mirotic SG. Jimmy Butler PG. Derrick Rose (c) 6. Taj Gibson 7. Mike Dunleavy 8. Aaron Brooks 9. Tony Snell 10. Bobby Portis 11. Kirk Hinrich 12. Doug McDermott The Bulls are totally going to be amazing next season and I'm not even a Bulls fan. I'm excited to see Jimmy Butler take over as this team's leader. Derrick Rose needs to hand over the Chicago throne. Don't get me wrong, D.Rose is still phenomenal, but his prime is pretty much over. That's okay though. The city of Chicago could get what they want, and that's an NBA Championship. That's all that matters. No reason to give Rose a mission he doesn't have to succeed himself. If their minds are in the right place, the Bulls can benefit off of each other as a team and win that NBA Finals trophy they've been wanting for 17 years. I'm not biased at all, because I'm not a Bulls fan. The long-term future for this team could be bright as well. Their young, second unit of talent includes Snell, Portis, and McDermott. They each have a good shot at becoming dependable athletes in a few more years. On the negative side, I scratch my head to why Tom Thibideau was fired. Also, I reccommend Bulls fans to not get so hype towards Joakim Noah. Scoring is a category he will lack in next season. His defense might not even be so special. His real focus is only on rebounding. I don't really know much about Fred Hoiberg as a coach, so I don't know how he can affect this team. If the Bulls are able to finish what they started since 2010, they got this.
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Cleveland Cavaliers
David Blatt
Coach Grade: B
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Record: 53-29 (2nd in East) All-Star(s): James & Irving
Award Winner(s): James (All-NBA First, All-Defensive Second), Irving (All-NBA Third), & Blatt (Coach of the Year) Playoff Finish: Lost to Bulls 2-4 (Eastern Conference Finals) Projected Lineup C. Timofey Mozgov PF. Kevin Love SF. LeBron James (c) SG. Iman Shumpert PG. Kyrie Irving (c) 6. Tristan Thompson 7. J.R. Smith 8. Mo Williams 9. Anderson Varejao 10. Matthew Dellavedova 11. Richard Jefferson 12. James Jones Cleveland will finish off with another great season, same record as before. They have one goal they need to particularly reach. Win the Finals. In order to achieve that goal, my advice is to play more like a team this time. I think LeBron carried the entire team during the playoffs. During the postseason, LeBron lead the team in every stat except blocks and fouls. He's an amazing player, but I'm not convinced enough that this an amazing team. I'm hoping the Cavs can come up with a different and more spread out plan than the previous season. Each player needs to take care of their own role. Let's not have Lebron do everything. Timofey Mozgov should be ashamed of himself. "I'm the 7'1 starting center and LeBron gets more playoff rebounds than me". How is that even possible? The Cavs could win the 2016 NBA Finals if and only if each player dominates in their specific role. Things need to be different this time for the Cavs. This should no longer be the LeBron show, I prefer to see the Cavs show. LeBron should continue to play like the mega-athlete he's always been, but I need more effort out of the other guys. I'm expecting that next season. I feel LeBron's teammates had an easy ride to the Finals thanks to only him. Kyrie Irving should be able to do a better job than last year, fully healthy. Cleveland has a second opportunity to win it all in 2016. If David Blatt can make it happen, he definitely deserves Coach of the Year.
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Dallas Mavericks
Rick Carlisle
Coach Grade: D
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Record: 36-46 (11th in West) All-Star(s): Nowitzki Award Winner(s): Anderson (All-Rookie Second)
Projected Lineup C. Zaza Pachulia PF. Dirk Nowitzki (c) SF. Chandler Parsons SG. Wesley Matthews PG. Deron Williams 6. Devin Harris 7. J.J. Barea 8. Javale McGee 9. Justin Anderson 10. Raymond Felton 11. Samuel Dalembert 12. Charlie Villanueva The Mavericks lucked out during free agency. They lost their previous starting center and failed to hold on to the new center they made an agreement with. Also, Dirk Nowitzki isn't getting any younger. His retirement is coming soon. I feel bad for this organization. They don't really have a choice, but to put Zaza Pachulia in the starting lineup. Rebounding and blocking are what this team is going to lack next season. On the positive side, they have an upgrade at the starting point guard position with Williams. He's not as special as he used to be, but I think he'll fit well in Dallas. Also, their rookie Justin Anderson is likely to have a good presence coming off the bench. Despite Nowitzki not being the prime player he used to be, this could be another All-Star year for him. He still continues to be a NBA fan favorite despite his age and I totally respect that. He's brought so much intensity into this league. This is a career year for Chandler Parsons. Parsons probably won't ever become an NBA All-Star, but he deserves much credit from this organization. This is not a playoff year for the Mavs and they are in an extremely tough division now that the Spurs and Rockets gained better players.
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Denver Nuggets
Michael Malone
Coach Grade: F
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Record: 20-62 (15th in West) All-Star(s): None Award Winner(s): Mudiay (All-Rookie First)
Projected Lineup C. Jusuf Nurkic PF. Kenneth Faried SF. Danilo Gallinari SG. Randy Foye PG. Emmanuel Mudiay 6. Wilson Chandler 7. J.J. Hickson 8. Jameer Nelson 9. Will Barton 10. Darrell Arthur 11. Joffrey Lauvergne 12. Gary Harris I hated that trade involving Ty Lawson to the Rockets. If it's one team you should consider trading to, make sure it's not a team that is stacked with talent. What the Nuggets gained in that trade was not worth it. Despite his DUI charge, Lawson is still an extraordinary player. He's third in the league for assists and he's the type of point guard that most teams are struggling to get. I understand why they no longer want him, but after that failure of a trade the Nuggets will lose 62 games this season. This is the best lineup possible for this team, but we all know that this squad will go with several different lineups each game. None these players are going to do anything great this season. I don't believe Kenneth Faried will have a good year. Nurkic will never be a good enough replacement for Mozgov. Gallinari and Chandler could likely not play more than 50 games each. Jameer Nelson has been tossed around so much, that he's basically losing value. Emannuel Mudiay is set to have a good rookie year, but we should't expect too much out of him. Scoring won't be a thing he can do much of, but playmaking will be. The Nuggets are expected to have the worst record in the NBA.
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Detroit Pistons
Stan Van Gundy
Coach Grade: D-
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Record: 31-51 (11th in East) All-Star(s): Drummond & Jennings
Award Winner(s): Johnson (All-Rookie Second) Projected Lineup C. Andre Drummond PF. Ersan Ilyasova SF. Marcus Morris SG. Stanley Johnson PG. Brandon Jennings 6. Reggie Jackson 7. Jodie Meeks 8. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 9. Aron Baynes 10. Anthony Tolliver 11. Steve Blake 12. Darrun Hilliard I gotta admit, this is likely another disappointing year for the Pistons. I've been a Pistons fan since the 2004 Finals. 11 years later, I still remain one of the few fans still supporting them. Each year since 2009, I have expected Detroit to make a playoff return just by looking at how nice I thought the roster was. When they added Josh Smith & Brandon Jennings a few years back, I was confident they'd reach 5th place in the East. Turns out I was wrong. This year, I gotta be realistic and say they won't return to the playoffs. As always, I think this is still a nice roster, but I've come to the conclusion that the Pistons just don't play well together as a unit. Good players, just not a good enough team. Shaq and Kobe were good teammates, but Kobe and Dwight were just plain awful put together. That's pretty much the same story for Detroit, except that there isn't any two players we get our entire focus on. It's just that the team is dysfunctional and losing Greg Monroe is also a factor. On the bright side, Stanley Johnson will be a crowd favorite in Detroit. I like the pick a lot and I think he will be the reason why the squad will improve with years to come. Reggie Jackson is a solid point guard, but is he really worth $80,000,000? I can't really answer that question, but I'm eager to find out. I prefer Jennings as a starter for now, mainly because there's more on his point guard resume. Still reluctant to give up on him despite his inconsistency. If BJ gets hurt again, Jackson should have no problem taking charge of this Pistons offense.
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Golden State Warriors
Steve Kerr
Coach Grade: B-
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Record: 51-31 (5th in West) All-Star(s): Curry
Award Winner(s): Curry (MVP, All-NBA First) & Green (All-Defensive Second) Playoff Finish: Lost to Grizzlies 2-4 (Western Conference Finals) Projected Lineup C. Andrew Bogut PF. Draymond Green SF. Harrison Barnes SG. Klay Thompson PG. Stephen Curry (c) 6. Andre Iguodala 7. Marreese Speights 8. Shaun Livingston 9. Jason Thompson 10. Festus Ezeli 11. Leandro Barbosa 12. Kevon Looney The Warriors are expected lose 31 games. I know that's hard to believe, but the Western Conference is a very tough conference to be a part of. The only problem I have to point out with the 2015 champs is that they need a better upgrade at the starting center position. Andrew Bogut did not have a good regular and postseason performance in 2015. They need a better replacement for him. Perhaps Festus Ezeli could be the guy. I was impressed by his playoff performance in 2015. I think Klay Thompson had a career season last year. I don't believe he can perform any better than that. Steph Curry should be able to play just as well as last season's MVP performance, possibly better. The main player from the Warriors I'm excited to see next season is Draymond Green. He's no longer a young bench player and he's set to be one of the better NBA defenders in the league. Overall, Warriors fans have nothing to worry about. Steve Kerr is a great coach and the team has the best chemistry in the league. I don't think the Warriors will be able to repeat an NBA Finals win, but I sure hope the franchise remains significant for a while.
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Houston Rockets
Kevin McHale
Coach Grade: B
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Record: 53-29 (2nd in West) All-Star(s): Howard & Harden
Award Winner(s): Harden (All-NBA Second) & Howard (All-Defensive Second) Playoff Finish: Lost to Grizzlies 3-4 (Semifinals) Projected Lineup C. Dwight Howard PF. Terrence Jones SF. Trevor Ariza SG. James Harden (c) PG. Ty Lawson 6. Patrick Beverley 7. Donatas Motiejunas 8. Corey Brewer 9. Sam Dekker 10. Marcus Thornton 11. K.J. McDaniels 12. Montrezl Harrell I think that this is the best starting lineup in the West. Ty Lawson is a much better point guard than Beverley. Beverley seems to be an efficient player coming from the bench. There's plenty of young talent on this team's bench, so they have nothing to be too concerned of for the future. Size isn't a problem for the Rockets. They are extremely deep with forwards on their roster, making them a scary team to play against. I expect the Rockets to end up 2nd in the West behind their rival, the San Antonio Spurs. This is likely another year where James Harden is nominated for MVP. This season will probably be as similar as last season for Houston.
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Indiana Pacers
Frank Vogel
Coach Grade: B-
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Record: 50-32 (3rd in East) All-Star(s): George & G. Hill Award Winner(s): None
Playoff Finish: Lost to Heat 2-4 (1st Round) Projected Lineup C. Myles Turner PF. Jordan Hill SF. Paul George (c) SG. Monta Ellis PG. George Hill 6. Rodney Stuckey 7. C.J. Miles 8. Solomon Hill 9. Ian Mahinmi 10. Lavoy Allen 11. Chase Budinger 12. Toney Douglas With Paul George returning 100% healthy, the Pacers are getting back into the groove. Despite the downgrade of big men that they have currently, the backcourt duo teamed up with PG-13 is nice. The addition of Monta Ellis was a huge home run for the organization. I think his days in Indiana will replicate his former days with Golden State. Indiana is considering to eventually trade George Hill, but I expect him to have a good year. A year that could earn him his first All-Star appearance. I'm not really sure if Ian Mahinmi is ready to be a starter, but he's a little bigger and stronger than Myles Turner. However, Turner's time as starter could come sooner than you think. I'm actually tied between the two big men. The team still needs better depth, but I know the Pacers will have an accomplished year. I don't feel the Pacers will be strong enough playoff competitors because of their youth, which likely leads to an early exit against the Miami Heat. The Hibbert-West-Granger-Stephenson era for the Pacers is officially over and its time for a new, younger group to recover from that.
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Los Angeles Clippers
Doc Rivers
Coach Grade: C+
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Record: 49-33 (7th in West) All-Star(s): Griffin & Paul
Award Winner(s): Griffin (All-NBA Third), Jordan (All-Defensive First), & Paul (All-Defensive Second) Playoff Finish: Lost to Rockets 3-4 (1st Round) Projected Lineup C. DeAndre Jordan PF. Blake Griffin (c) SF. Paul Pierce SG. J.J. Redick PG. Chris Paul (c) 6. Jamal Crawford 7. Josh Smith 8. Wesley Johnson 9. Lance Stephenson 10. Austin Rivers 11. Cole Aldrich 12. Pablo Prigioni I expect this season to be a tiny step backwards for the Clippers. It's quite a few guys who I don't see fitting in well with the team, but I'm sure Doc Rivers can easily manage to get them into a playoff spot. First off, trading for Lance Stephenson was a big mistake. Matt Barnes was more useful to the team. Confidence can be a good thing, but too much of it can lead to failure. Stephenson is the key definition of players who get too confident. His shooting performance with the Hornets last year was so awful, that it earned him an unwanted trip to the team's bench. It seemed to me that Indiana was the only right team for him, but instead he chased for the money. Not a good decision by Lance. Also, the addition of Josh Smith doesn't work out either. Though he has played somewhat better after leaving Detroit, he still remains a bad free-throw shooter. Paul Pierce I can tell will be playing well in LA now that he's close to home, but this is likely the final year that he is relevant in the league. He signed a three-year deal with Los Angeles, but the first year with the team is the only year I can imagine Pierce being significant on the floor. Think about it, Pierce will be 40 when his contract is over. I suggest the man to retire in 2016, because I don't think him playing another 2 years is really necessary. The Clippers organization dodged a huge bullet, almost losing DeAndre Jordan to free agency. They got lucky when they found out, he changed his mind. The whole Jordan free agency situation makes the Clippers one of the more hated teams in the conference. I think the Rockets will upset Los Angeles once again during the playoffs in 2016.
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Los Angeles Lakers
Byron Scott
Coach Grade: D-
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Record: 31-51 (14th in West) All-Star(s): None Award Winner(s): Russell (Rookie of the Year, All-Rookie First)
Projected Lineup C. Roy Hibbert PF. Brandon Bass SF. Nick Young SG. Kobe Bryant (c) PG. D'Angelo Russell 6. Louis Williams 7. Jordan Clarkson 8. Julius Randle 9. Tarik Black 10. Larry Nance Jr. 11. Ryan Kelly 12. Anthony Brown If it's any team that got on my nerves the most during the free agency period, it was the Lakers. This is now the most desperate team in the NBA. Knowing they could lose Kobe soon, they're using every attempt to grab the best free agents in the market. Shocking to think that they almost would've been able to grab both Jimmy Butler and LaMarcus Aldridge in free agency. Glad they didn't. As a GM for the Lakers, I'd be smart and develop the young athletes rather than spend unnecessary money on a superstar player who might not fit in well for LA (Example: Dwight Howard). The starting lineup right now for the team is quite dependable. I like Lou Williams as the 6th man, but the rest of this teams bench needs polishing. D'Angelo Russell did not have a great Summer League experience, but I'm still convinced he could still be Rookie of the Year. He's a flashy performer and I know for a fact that he'll be on the ESPN top 10 plays several times next season. Julius Randle also has high expectations as he returns to play. I'm hearing news that Byron Scott wants to let Kobe play some power forward next season. Are you high? Kobe definitely cannot play multiple positions. A 6'6 212 pound man at power forward is a complete joke, especially when the Western Conference contains the best power forwards in the league. I get that the league is going small, but lets be realistic here. Kobe has no need to walk the same footsteps as Magic Johnson. It's quite sad that you consider taking Kobe out of his comfort zone just to replace a young guy who's big enough for the position. The Lakers are set to improve in 2015, but no playoff spot. Unless the Lakers make trades, I expect them to be 14th in the Western Conference. Kobe wants another ring, but his teammates have a lot of growing to do. Also, for all the Kobe fans out there, don't get your hopes up. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets another season-ending injury. Athlete symptoms of aging is injuries. I'm hoping for Kobe to retire soon. He has nothing left to prove. He has already confirmed his greatness with a hand full of rings.
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Memphis Grizzlies
Dave Joerger
Coach Grade: B-
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Record: 49-33 (6th in West) All-Star(s): Gasol
Award Winner(s): Gasol (All-NBA First) & Allen (All-Defensive First) Playoff Finish: Lost to Bulls 2-4 (NBA Finals) Projected Lineup C. Marc Gasol (c) PF. Zach Randolph SF. Jeff Green SG. Coutney Lee PG. Mike Conley 6. Tony Allen 7. Brandan Wright 8. Beno Udrih 9. Vince Carter 10. Matt Barnes 11. Jarnell Stokes 12. Jordan Adams Resigning Marc Gasol (Great Decision). Five-Years, $113 million (Not so sure of it being a great idea). Marc Gasol will be titled the best in his position next year. That's wonderful, but here's the bad news: he's thirty year's old. I think in only two of these five years Gasol will be spending with the Grizzlies, he will be making league history. The problem is, I just can't expect him to stay that way for long. His brother, Pau is 5 years older than him and is still playing very well. That's good, but I don't think it'll be like that for Marc Gasol in 5 years. I just don't know, but what I do know is that the Grizzlies will once again have a solid season. I got good news and bad news. The good news is that I know for a fact this team's bench will do awesome next season. Brandan Wright is the highlight of the entire bench while Tony Allen will rise as the top backcourt defender in the NBA. On the other hand, the bad news is that Mike Conley won't put up numbers as good as last season. Not saying he'll lose his starting role, but things aren't going to look too great for the point guard. Consistency is what he will lack. It's possible the Grizzlies would either consider trading him or let him go in free agency. This team is capable of beating many Eastern conference teams, but the West is just too much to handle. Memphis is even currently in a very tough division. I can't imagine how frustrating it is for Grizzlies fans when the team continues to fail making the NBA finals each year. Things could possibly change though.
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Miami Heat
Erik Spoelstra
Coach Grade: C+
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Record: 47-35 (6th in East) All-Star(s): None Award Winner(s): Winslow (All-Rookie Second)
Playoff Finish: Lost to Cavaliers 0-4 (Semifinals) Projected Lineup C. Hassan Whiteside PF. Chris Bosh SF. Luol Deng SG. Dwyane Wade (c) PG. Goran Dragic 6. Gerald Green 7. Amar'e Stoudemire 8. Mario Chalmers 9. Justise Winslow 10. Josh McRoberts 11. Chris Andersen 12. Udonis Haslem From Day 1, I always thought of Erik Spoelstra to be an overrated coach. In 2015, I still think that. In the four years he has been a coach to LeBron James (2010-2014), the Miami Heat have been southeast division champions. Since hiring Spoelstra, without LeBron on the roster, the Heat always end up 3rd in the division. Last season, they missed the playoffs. Something's not right here. I suggest a new head coach if the Heat want to win again. Because I feel the Wizards will do terrible this year, the Heat are likely ending up 2nd in the Southeast this time. Looking at the roster currently, I'd say the Miami Heat are stacked with talent. They had a lucky offseason. Justise Winslow fell into the team's arms during the NBA draft and the high-flying, former dunk contest winner Gerald Green decided to join the team also. The only things that bother me with this team are the coach and Goran Dragic. I hate that Dragic was traded to Miami. He should've either stayed in Phoenix or joined a team that actually needed him. Last time I checked, I thought Miami wanted see a positive future with Norris Cole and/or Shabazz Napier. Instead President Pat Riley chose to complicate things and decrease cap space. This is a bad time to sign players with huge contracts if you're a GM for a team in the Eastern Conference. The number one tool in the NBA nowadays is to develop. The Heat apparently don't want to do that. Believe it or not, many of the best players in this league are at the top now mainly because they developed into something special for their teams that stayed patient. It has worked out for Chicago, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Memphis, Atlanta, and especially Golden State. The Miami organization will regret losing Shabazz Napier when they find out how much better he becomes in a matter of time. Dwyane Wade is prepared to leave the franchise after this season. Can't blame the guy at all.
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Milwaukee Bucks
Jason Kidd
Coach Grade: D+
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Record: 37-45 (9th in East) All-Star(s): None Award Winner(s): None
Projected Lineup C. Greg Monroe PF. Jabari Parker SF. Giannis Antetokounmpo SG. Khris Middleton PG. Michael Carter-Williams 6. Greivis Vasques 7. O.J. Mayo 8. John Henson 9. Jerryd Bayless 10. Miles Plumlee 11. Chris Copeland 12. Tyler Ennis Milwaukee caused quite the turnaround last season. They improved during the year and earned a playoff spot. I give tons of credit to Jason Kidd for making it happen. This team is now currently one of the taller teams in the East. The smallest player in their starting lineup is 6'6. Despite Milwaukee's enhanced size, they still aren't dominant enough. They signed Greg Monroe, which is great, but he is totally not a true center. He needs some more bulk and strength. 3-point shooting is a factor as well. The only players who can consistently hit threes are Middleton and Mayo. The Bucks have to work on that. Jabari Parker might not have a prolific sophomore season as a power forward, but it'll take time for him to get used to the NBA. I don't really support Parker playing that position, but Antetokounmpo is weak at the post. The Bucks will miss the playoffs by 2 games. It's a disappointment, but there's really nobody to put the blame on.
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Minnesota Timberwolves
Flip Saunders
Coach Grade: D-
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Record: 32-50 (13th in West) All-Star(s): None
Award Winner(s): Towns (Sixth Man of the Year, All-Rookie First) Projected Lineup C. Nikola Pekovic PF. Gorgui Dieng SF. Andrew Wiggins SG. Kevin Martin PG. Ricky Rubio 6. Karl-Anthony Towns 7. Kevin Garnett 8. Zach Lavine 9. Shabazz Muhammad 10. Andre Miller 11. Tyus Jones 12. Tayshaun Prince The Wolves are one of the few teams in this league that can have a positive future. If the players improve their skills each year and stay together, the Wolves could be a tough team to beat. They've already found a future star in Wiggins. Rubio, Lavine, and Towns are also the young talent of the future. I'm satisfied with the way this team is being formed. Making the playoffs, should not be their primary goal. What they need to manage doing this season is training super hard so they can be elite athletes in the NBA a few years from now. I prefer Karl-Anthony Towns to begin his career as a Sixth Man. He isn't really the 6th best player on the roster (Maybe 3rd or 4th), but regularly dominates coming off the bench and playing limited minutes. I like Zach Lavine a lot, but it'll take a while before he earns a solid role in the starting lineup. They do have Kevin Martin for another 2 years. Minnesota has an older unit of athletes and also a younger unit of athletes. The team is on the right track. The Wolves are likely to finish with an improved record after last year's awful performance.
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New Orleans Pelicans
Alvin Gentry
Coach Grade: C-
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Record: 41-41 (9th in West) All-Star(s): Davis & Holiday
Award Winner(s): Davis (Defensive Player of the Year, All-NBA First, All-Defensive First) Projected Lineup C. Omer Asik PF. Anthony Davis (c) SF. Tyreke Evans SG. Eric Gordon PG. Jrue Holiday 6. Ryan Anderson 7. Alexis Ajinca 8. Quincy Pondexter 9. Kendrick Perkins 10. Dante Cunningham 11. Alonzo Gee 12. Luke Babbitt I don't really have much to say about the Pelicans for this upcoming season, but I have plenty to say about Anthony Davis. The man is phenomenal. Likely to lead the team in points, rebounds, blocks, and steals. He's a lot better than people think and has the potential to be the best player in the league soon. His name is going in the record books next season, I guarantee it. Analysts are considering Tyreke Evans as the new starting point guard. I don't approve of that. Jrue Holiday is more valuable than being a bench player. Injury might be a problem for Holiday, but he can do a better job as point guard than Evans. Holiday will return for an All-Star appearance because of his increased assist stack up. I expect him to lead the league in assists at the end of the year. The Pelicans are one of the few teams in the league who's bench I naturally do not like. Who are these guys? Many of these bench players seem like 13th, 14th, or 15th men on a roster. That excludes Anderson and Perkins. In conclusion, the Pelicans will miss the playoffs by four games under the Sacramento Kings. The attention for the Pelicans will really be set on Anthony Davis though.
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New York Knicks
Derek Fisher
Coach Grade: F
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Record: 29-53 (13th in East) All-Star(s): Anthony
Award Winner(s): Anthony (All-NBA Second) & Porzingis (All-Rookie First) Projected Lineup C. Robin Lopez PF. Kristaps Porzingis SF. Carmelo Anthony (c) SG. Arron Afflalo PG. Jose Calderon 6. Kyle O'Quinn 7. Jerian Grant 8. Kevin Seraphin 9. Langston Galloway 10. Derrick Williams 11. Cleanthony Early 12. Lance Thomas The Knicks will have an improved record after last season's horrific finish. They will win an extra 12 games in 2016. They are not all a playoff team. The organization has made some good decisions during the NBA draft. They gained a very potential Kristaps Porzingis and an extremely underrated Jerian Grant. Those young players will have bright futures in the NBA, no matter what team they end up playing for. The NBA draft was a success, but other offseason decisions by the organization weren't so great. I like Jerian Grant, but losing Tim Hardaway Jr. was not a good idea. He was one of the few players on this team that played hard, everyone else didn't bring much of an efffort last season. Signing Robin Lopez was necessary to fill in a hole at the starting center spot, but I can't visualize him fitting in with the other New York teammates. I don't even believe Derrick Williams could be useful enough for New York. I don't think Derek Fisher is that bad of a coach. When your given a weak group of players to coach during one season, it's simple to say that your not going to have a nice season. There is a lack of potential in most of these Knicks players. I'm hoping Carmelo Anthony doesn't demand a trade to get out of this situation, because the city of New York truly needs him. If he chooses to leave, I lose 100% respect for Melo.
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Oklahoma City Thunder
Billy Donovan
Coach Grade: B-
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Record: 51-31 (4th in West) All-Star(s): Durant & Westbrook
Award Winner(s): Westbrook (MVP, All-NBA First) & Durant (All-NBA Second) Playoff Finish: Lost to Warriors 0-4 (1st Round) Projected Lineup C. Enes Kanter PF. Serge Ibaka SF. Kevin Durant (c) SG. Dion Waiters PG. Russell Westbrook (c) 6. Steven Adams 7. D.J. Augustin 8. Kyle Singler 9. Nick Collison 10. Cameron Payne 11. Mitch McGary 12. Andre Roberson The Thunder are on a big mission to return to the playoffs and fight to get into the NBA finals. One problem though, the Thunder are currently in the most difficult conference in the NBA. It's a tough battle in almost every game in the regular season for Oklahoma City. I think they'll be okay thanks to their nice starting lineup. With Westbrook and Durant leading the way (both healthy), the Thunder will try to be title contenders. Firing Scott Brooks was a mistake, but I'm sure Billy Donovan can do exactly what Brooks managed to do with the team for all these years. The bench for this squad is impressive. In the end the Thunder will unfortunately have to face the reigning champions in the 1st Round of the NBA playoffs. It all ends with a 0-4 loss in the series. Next offseason, I'm really hoping Kevin Durant to stay with Oklahoma City. Hopefully, it won't turn into another James Harden situation again.
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Orlando Magic
Scott Skiles
Coach Grade: D-
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Record: 30-52 (12th in East) All-Star(s): None Award Winner(s): None
Projected Lineup C. Nikola Vucevic PF. Aaron Gordon SF. Tobias Harris SG. Victor Oladipo PG. Elfrid Payton 6. C.J. Watson 7. Mario Hezonja 8. Channing Frye 9. Evan Fournier 10. Shabazz Napier 11. Jason Smith 12. DeWayne Dedmon This team's roster hasn't really changed much, but I think that's okay. In three years, Oladipo, Gordon, Hezonja and Payton are destined to be very strong veterans in the league. Once again, not a special season for Orlando, but I'm excited to see them in the next three years. I suggest Elfrid Payton to develop his offensive game, because I sense a battle for the starting PG position with C.J. Watson next season. Watson is not as good of a ball distributor, but his offensive ability exceeds Payton's. Aaron Gordon's rookie season wasn't so hot, but he was very impressive during the Summer League this year. He deserves a promotion to the starting lineup. I think now is the time. I don't see any other big man worthy of that 4 spot. Mario Hezonja is going to play well, but is he NBA-ready? Not at all. Which is why he's not ready to become a Magic starter.
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Philadelphia 76ers
Brett Brown
Coach Grade: F
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Record: 27-55 (14th in East) All-Star(s): None
Award Winner(s): Okafor (All-Rookie First) & Embiid (All-Rookie Second) Projected Lineup C. Joel Embiid PF. Jahlil Okafor SF. Robert Covington SG. Nik Stauskas PG. Tony Wroten 6. Nerlens Noel 7. Isaiah Canaan 8. Carl Landry 9. Hollis Thompson 10. Jakarr Sampson 11. Jerami Grant 12. Furkan Aldemir It's likely to take a very long time until the Sixers become a good team again, but I think they might have found a future star in Okafor. He already takes the throne of being the most efficient offensive player on the team and he hasn't even played an NBA game yet. Okafor was a safe pick, but it still complicates the team's future depth. Overall, I don't really like this team in general. Half of these guys should be in the D-League. Nik Stauskas now has the oppotunity to play for a team that could use him the right way. I'm expecting an improved record for the Sixers and that should be something the team can be proud of. Not sure whether Jahlil Okafor appreciates being drafted by this team, but he's going to have to deal with it. This team is struggling and he should be fortunate that he is quickly given the opportunity to be the man to turn them around. Not many rookies get the chance to do that. I have no input on Joel Embiid. If he does not play next season, the Sixers are not going to win many games. If he actually does play, the Sixers still won't win many games. It doesn't matter. That being said, I suggest the Sixers release him if he doesn't become significant. There are only a tiny amount of NBA athletes worth waiting two seasons for and he's definitely not one of them.
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Phoenix Suns
Jeff Hornecek
Coach Grade: D+
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Record: 38-44 (10th in West) All-Star(s): Bledsoe Award Winner(s): Bledsoe (All-Defensive First)
Projected Lineup C. Tyson Chandler PF. Markieff Morris SF. P.J. Tucker SG. Brandon Knight PG. Eric Bledsoe (c) 6. Alex Len 7. Devin Booker 8. Mirza Teletovic 9. Sonny Weems 10. T.J. Warren 11. Jon Leuer 12. Ronnie Price The Phoenix are coming back this season with a fresh group of new guys. The addition of Tyson Chandler was a surprise to me. I though Chandler would've wanted to stay in Dallas, but it turns out he wanted a new adventure in Phoenix. Lucky for the Suns they have a stronger defense because of the addition. The Marcus Morris trade was useless. They did that trade to make room for Aldridge. I knew for a fact that LaMarcus Aldridge had no intention to play for the Suns. He was chasing for a ring and the Suns aren't even close to reaching for an NBA Finals appearance. The Suns have some talent though. It's very clear to me that the leader of this team is Eric Bledsoe. I think Bledsoe will earn his first All-Star appearance in 2016. The Suns are one of the several teams in the league that are extremely young. That being said, their time hasn't come yet to make the playoffs. The whole Markieff Morris not wanting to stay situation complicates things a lot, because they'll have a hard time replacing him.
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Portland Trail-Blazers
Terry Stotts
Coach Grade: B-
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Record: 52-30 (3rd in West) All-Star(s): Lillard
Award Winner(s): Lillard (Most Improved Player, All-NBA Second) Playoff Finish: Lost to Grizzlies 3-4 (1st Round) Projected Lineup C. Mason Plumlee PF. Ed Davis SF. Al-Farouq Aminu SG. Gerald Henderson PG. Damian Lillard (c) 6. Chris Kaman 7. Meyers Leonard 8. C.J. McCollum 9. Noah Vonleh 10. Maurice Harkless 11. Tim Frazier 12. Phil Pressey A year ago, I viewed the Blazers as one of the best starting lineups in the NBA. A year later, 4 of the 5 choose to play elsewhere during the 2015 free agency period. The man left standing is Damian Lillard and he now has a challenge not too many athletes have faced in NBA history. Lillard is definitely carrying the team to the playoffs, but not in a selfish manner. More like a desperate attempt. Lillard will play his heart out. He's giving the fans what they want and I respect that. Mason Plumlee is finally given the opportunity to show what he's got as a starting NBA center. I will have to admit though, Ed Davis and Al-Farouq Aminu aren't that good according to me. Overall, This season is all about Damian Lillard and his chance to literally carry a team to many W's just like Kobe did a decade ago. The Grizzlies will end the Blazers run during the playoffs, but Portland will achieve the goal of proving the world that they are good playoff contenders.
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Sacramento Kings
George Karl
Coach Grade: C
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Record: 45-37 (8th in West) All-Star(s): Cousins Award Winner(s): Cousins (All-NBA Second)
Playoff Finish: Lost to Warriors 2-4 (Semifinals) Projected Lineup C. DeMarcus Cousins (c) PF. Willie Cauley-Stein SF. Rudy Gay SG. Ben McLemore PG. Darren Collison 6. Rajon Rondo 7. Kosta Koufos 8. Omri Casspi 9. Marco Belinelli 10. Quincy Acy 11. Caron Butler 12. Seth Curry I'm not appreciative of the Kings bench, but this season is all about DeMarcus Cousins. He's going to be a lot tougher and he'll use his intimidation as an advantage. The additions of Marco Belinelli and Rajon Rondo were good choices. We are expecting the Kings to be one of the best 3-point shooting teams next year thanks to Belinelli. Rondo will have a happy season with a new team that he has better chemistry with. Rondo has attitude and Cousins has attitude. They're perfect for eachother. I don't approve of puting Cauley-Stein at the 4, but Quincy Acy isn't good enough for that spot. Kings fans will be surprised to find out how far they'll go into the playoffs as the bottom seed. They'll beat the Spurs with a miracle in the 1st Round thanks to Cousins aggressiveness, then lose to the reigning champions in the semifinals. Not bad at all for Sacramento.
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San Antonio Spurs
Gregg Popovich
Coach Grade: B
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Record: 54-28 (1st in West) All-Star(s): None Award Winner(s): Leonard (All-Defensive First)
Playoff Finish: Lost to Kings 1-4 (1st Round) Projected Lineup C. Tim Duncan (c) PF. LaMarcus Aldridge SF. Kawhi Leonard SG. Danny Green PG. Tony Parker (c) 6. David West 7. Manu Ginobili 8. Boris Diaw 9. Patrick Mills 10. Matt Bonner 11. Ray McCallum 12. Boban Marjanovic None of the Spurs this season are expected to be All-Stars. That's not what they're choosing to focus on. They have a mission to win it all this year. They have formed a surprising new roster with higher paid athletes. I don't believe LaMarcus Aldridge to play as hype as he was with the Blazers, but he sure chose the right team to play for. The Spurs made some good moves this offseason. Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobili are leaving the NBA soon. They genuinely added new guys to take over after the big 3 retire. I know Kawhi Leonard will take the responsibility of team captain after Duncan and Parker finish their careers. The new, younger unit of the Spurs franchise will include Leonard, Aldridge, and Green. To no surprise whatsoever, the San Antonio Spurs will top all teams in the West. I don't know if any team has done this before, but the Spurs I believe will be the first NBA #1 seed without a current All-Star (1999 doesn't count since there was a lockout). That's something to be impressed about. I got the Sacramento Kings pulling off a huge upset in the 1st Round of the playoffs, destroying the Spurs. The main solid reasons for this upset could be that Tim Duncan just doesn't have that motor he used to have when he was younger (40 years old in April 2016), Tony Parker is no longer as fast of a point guard, and injury could be a big problem for the Spurs after the regular season. Let's not also forget that the Spurs were knocked out in the 1st Round in 2015 against the Clippers. Upsets can happen.
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Toronto Raptors
Dwane Casey
Coach Grade: C+
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Record: 49-33 (5th in East) All-Star(s): Lowry Award Winner(s): None
Playoff Finish: Lost to Hawks 3-4 (1st Round) Projected Lineup C. Jonas Valanciunas PF. Patrick Patterson SF. Demarre Carroll SG. Demar DeRozan PG. Kyle Lowry (c) 6. Terrence Ross 7. Luis Scola 8. Cory Joseph 9. James Johnson 10. Bismack Biyombo 11. Delon Wright 12. Norman Powell The Raptors will end up with the same record they finished with last season. No matter what, they will stay being a tough team to play against in the East. This team has great depth and many weapons coming from the bench. I like DeMarre Carroll joining the team. He's a perfect fit. Adding him makes the Raptors one of the best starting lineups in the conference. The Cory Joseph deal was ridiculous. You shouldn't pay a man that much money just because he's a hometown native. He's on a good path of becoming a better player, but not worth that kind of money. I, unlike everyone else, believes Dwane Casey deserves some credit for this team's rapid success. 11 Toronto Raptors were born in 1990 or later. This is a young team, but each of these players are only going to get better.
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Utah Jazz
Quin Snyder
Coach Grade: D-
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Record: 33-49 (12th in West) All-Star(s): Hayward Award Winner(s): Hayward (All-NBA Third)
Projected Lineup C. Rudy Gobert PF. Derrick Favors SF. Gordon Hayward (c) SG. Alec Burks PG. Trey Burke 6. Trevor Booker 7. Dante Exum 8. Rodney Hood 9. Trey Lyles 10. Joe Ingles 11. Tibor Pleiss 12. Raul Neto The Utah Jazz are on the right path of becoming a better squad in the Western conference. This is going to be an amazing year for Gordon Hayward. I believe he is the second best fully white NBA athlete. I'm very excited to see him play next season. I feel he's a better player than people think. He's perfect for a nice looking Jazz starting lineup as well. The organization knows that development is the key right now. The West is so tough right now, there's no way the team can get a spot. Dante Exum is likely to miss the season, but the Jazz team shouldn't really miss him. I personally believe he's a draft bust, but hopefully Exum could prove me wrong in the future.
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Washington Wizards
Randy Wittman
Coach Grade: F
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Record: 23-59 (15th in East) All-Star(s): Wall & Gortat Award Winner(s): Wall (All-NBA Third)
Projected Lineup C. Marcin Gortat PF. Nene SF. Otto Porter SG. Bradley Beal PG. John Wall (c) 6. Kris Humphries 7. Kelly Oubre Jr. 8. Alan Anderson 9. Ramon Sessions 10. Jared Dudley 11. Gary Neal 12. Drew Gooden III I think the Wizards will have a terrible season. There's only 3 athletes on the team that will bring a good quality contribution (Wall, Beal, & Gortat). Everyone else on the team is either too old (lacking athleticism) or too young (need more strength and developing). I don't think Otto Porter should be needed in the starting five, but Kelly Oubre is a young project. It should take time before he could becomes something special. The older players on the team I expect to struggle next season. Nene is 32 years old and his stats have decreased in the past few years. Injury is also an issue for him. I'm not confident in the new additions of Dudley, Anderson, and Neal. They picked up 3 old players who I just can't see making this team any better. The Wizards really didn't have a special bench performance last year and neither will it be special this year. It's a big prediction to say that they will be the worst in the East, but I don't understand see any weapons on the bench and that is likely the reason they'll fail. John Wall will remain the face of the franchise and I know he'll play extremely well, but he won't be able to rub some of that greatness off on most of the other players on this squad.
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