Post by Face-in on Oct 17, 2014 16:41:32 GMT -6
3009 Atlantic Division Preview
1. Orlando Magic Projected Record (64-18)
C: Greg Monroe
PF: Richard Washington
SF: Dan Roundfield
SG: Adrian Dantley
PG: Magic Johnson
Bench
PF/C: Elden Campbell
PF: Rudy LaRusso
SF/SG: Mike Bantom
Biggest Additions:
Mike Bantom
Rudy LaRusso
Biggest Loss:
Calvin Natt
MJ looks to be making one was last run with this group of players after signing Washington and Roundfield to only one year deals so he can afford to pay Greg Monroe a max next offseason. The Magic are the clear favorite to win the atlantic and will be competing again with Bucks for the top seed in the conference. The only concerns for this loaded team are if Adrian Dantley continues to decline and if Washington is inefficient again.
Moving forward, as long as MJ is able to resign Greg Monroe then this should continue to be best in the Atlantic. Even if he loses Monroe he will still have a top five team in the east with Magic locked up for the next three years.
2. Miami Heat Projected Record(55-27)
C: Jim McIlvane
PF: Brian Grant
SF: Truck Robinson
SG: Reggie King
PG: Brian Taylor
Bench
PF: Ron Behegan
PG: John Lucas
PG: Foots Walker
Biggest Additions:
Brian Grant
John Lucas
Foots Walker
Biggest Loss:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The Heat were still able to win 48 games while dealing with bad injury luck last season. This season Canes replaced the retired Kareem Abdul- Jabbar with Brian Grant. Canes has a really nice team with two superstar wings that each average over 30 points and are surrounded by three very good role players. He has a couple nice veteran point guards on his bench in John Lucas and Foots Walker. He should probably try to deal one of them for another big guy before the deadline.
Moving forward, Truck is getting up there in age and King only has two years left on his deal so this run appears to be coming to an end unless Canes decides to trade Truck for some future prospects this year.
3. Washington Bullets Projected Record (54-28)
C: Moses Malone
PF: Sam Perkins
SF: Maurice Lucas
SG: Walter Davis
PG: Eric Bledsoe
Bench
C/PF: Bob McAdoo
SF: Bill Robinzine
PG: Henry Bibby
Biggest Additions:
Moses Malone
Bill Robinzine
Henry Bibby
Biggest Losses:
None
Bullets should be much improved this year after kn was able to win 45 games last season. Signing Moses Malone was huge as the Bullets now have one of the best inside duos in the league to go along with two good wings and a solid young point guard. McAdoo is now a nice third big to come off the bench. I think the Bullets have a legit shot to win the east this season if Bledose improves.
Moving forward, kn has Perkins and Malone locked up for the next six years on big deals. Walter Davis and Eric Bledsoe need to be resigned this offseason but since Davis hates money it shouldn’t be a problem signing both of them back.
4. Brooklyn Nets Projected Record (51-31)
C: Theodosios Cathasach
PF: Dwight Howard
SF: Josh Childress
SG: Jordan Crawford
PG: Khalid Reeves
Bench
C: Tree Rollins
PF: Ed Davis
SF: Johnny Green
SG: Alexis Gardner
PG: Ricky Green
Biggest Addition:
Johnny Green
Biggest Loss:
Leon Wood
Sigh, this is a team that is just one good move away from being a contender in the east but this has been said for the last couple seasons. Scat has plenty of pieces to make something happen with Crawford, Green, Davis, Gardner and all of his future picks. Even if scat decides to do nothing again this team should still win over 50 games and be no worse than the seventh seed. If he trades for a good wing then he could jump to the best team in the division.
Moving forward, the team has Reeves and Catfish locked up for at least the next four seasons so this team won’t be going anywhere. Hopefully scat trades for another star or at least puts some points into all of his young prospects.
5. New York Knicks Projected Record (28-54)
C: Alec Kessler
PF: Dave Greenwood
SF: Tom Sanders
SG: Billy Knight
PG: Liam Lynch
Biggest Addition:
Tom Sanders
Biggest Losses:
Nate Williams
Monty Williams
Now in our third season after Skrouse quit and the Knicks still don’t have a GM. Shu and Odin were able to lead the team to 35 wins last season but this team should have been torn down a couple seasons ago after losing Jason Kidd. This year’s team is tanking but still isn’t bad enough to get top five odds. If we can find a GM this season then Dave Greenwood should probably be bought out immediately and Billy Knight should be shipped off to a contender. Tom Sanders (C+ B+ C- B+ B+ B) looks like a nice prospect worth keeping or using as a trade chip to gather picks.
Moving forward, hopefully ZPZ or Dirt’s brother come and take over to burn this roster to the ground and begin the rebuild.
6. Boston Celtics Projected Record (17-65)
C: Corey Corbin
PF: Loy Vaught
SF: Gene Guarilia
SG: Ben Gordon
PG: Paul Neumann
Bench
C: Stephen Coleman
PF:Jeremy Kelly
SF:Lee Shaffer
SG:George Lee
PG: Sasha Vujacic
Biggest Additons:
Paul Neumann
Lee Shaffer
Biggest Loss:
TR Dunn
Dump’s tank didn’t go as well as he planned last year and had to settle for the fifth pick. Still Paul Neumann (B C+A- B- C A) looks to be a good point guard prospect to pair with Ben Gordon. The Celtics should be terrible again this year but Neumann and Gordon will lead them to some unwanted wins.
Moving forward, Dump has a bunch of future picks in the next few drafts including eight first round picks in the 3009 draft. If he can find at least two good young players he will have a solid young core to go along prospects and draft picks to use for trades. Celtics probably have to tank for at least one more season if they don’t get some luck in free agency this season.
7. Phladelphia 76ers Projected Record (5-77)
C: Dexter Pittman
PF: Craig Brackins
SF: Dominique Jones
SG: Alan Camby
PG: Gam-Zish Tibernes
Bench
C: Wetzel Shea
PF: Ulaakees Galmuseeth
SF: Yirmiyaho Iair
SG: Marques Perry
PG: Willie Smith
Biggest Additions:
Future Draft Picks
Biggest Losses:
Michael Jordan
Leon Douglas
Brian Grant
Kevin Willis
Lionel Hollins
Caldwell Jones
Doug Collins
This year the team looks to go from first to worst. Coming off a season where the team won 60 games and the atlantic division the Sixers look like the worst team in the league and will probably win less than five games.
Moving forward, the team acquired six future first round picks in the teardown and should have a high lottery pick this year which is most likely going to be sold. The team looks to be tanking for at least the next four years and try to build around the 3010, 3011, 3012 drafts.
