[The8thDeadlySinParticipant]

Please feel free to answer!

1. Will the Celtics finish the season with Rajon Rondo on the roster? There have been many rumors about the Celtics trading Rondo for a while but nothing was concrete. When they drafted Marcus Smart, it seemed as if the writing was on the wall but Rondo still has not been moved. Will it happen this season?

2. Will a star emerge out of the Pacers organization? With Paul George going down, likely for the entire season, Pacers fans are likely hoping to be feeling deja vu. When Granger went down for a season, it allowed George to step up and replace Granger as the face of the Pacers. I doubt anyone on this roster can replace George but it could allow Hibbert to establish himself as a go to scorer. There should be ample playing time available for Solomon Hill, their draft pick in 2013. Rodney Stuckey should have a chance to bounce back and live up to his early expectations. Will any of this happen or will the Pacers simply be bad?

3. Will Jabari Parker and the Greek Freak coexist? Sure, it seems as if their games should compliment each other well since Parker is a scoring SF/PF and Gannis is more of a defensive SF but it has felt like Gannis was being pushed as the future of the team and the face of the franchise until Parker was drafted. Will this cause some trouble??

4. Does Brook Lopez come back strong? I don’t know if everyone realizes this but if Lopez can return from his foot injury and be a 20 and 10 guy, this Nets team gets scary.. Joe Johnson is the undisputed number 1 option now that Pierce is out of town. Williams should be healthy and be similar to what he has been previously. Jack and Plumlee should be nice contributors.

5. Does Phil Jackson/Derrick Fisher bring continuity to the Knicks? There is a lot of promise in NY. Young guys like Hardaway, Larkin, Shumpert, and Early are very exciting pieces for the future. But while having good building blocks, they also have some great guys ready to win now in Melo, Amare, Bargs, Calderon, Smith, and Dalembert. The only question is can the pieces be made into a beautiful picture?

6. Do the Wizards take the next step? Getting Peirce and bringing back Gortat were huge moves for the Wizards. With Wall, Beal, and Nene, there may not be a stronger starting 5 in the whole NBA. They have filled in nicely with vets like Humphries, Blair, Miller, and Gooden.. The only question now is in regards to Otto Porter. Martel Webster is likely done for the year and that leaves the Wiz with only 1 backup SF/SG and that is Porter. Can they go 9 or 10 deep to take the next step?

7. How long does Scott Brooks last?? I don’t understand how he still has his job.. His offense is just a bunch of ISO moves and a few picks here and there. He doenst get his studs easy shots.. He asks them to create everything on their own. Its a shame.

8. What do the Heat look like this year? They managed to keep some guys together but does it mean anything? Bosh is the best player on this team but I don’t think he makes them anything more than an 8th seed. I really don’t even like the pick of Napier without Lebron in town.. I think they are a mess

[teamcb3Participant]

1) I believe Rondo will be traded.  When Boston was still in the running for Kevin Love it made no sense to move him, but now with it all but certain Love will end up with the Cavs I think you can expect Rondo to be moved by the trade deadline.  Look for Sacremento to be involved here dangling Ben McLemore as well as picks.

2) Frankly, no.  I do not think anyone on this Pacers team has the ability to really be a star.  I think we are much more likely to see Indiana tumble into the lottery than to see somebody step up in a George type way.  On top of that, though it may not be fair, I also think there is a chance that Vogel loses his job because of this.

3) Parker and The Greek Freak appear to be a perfect pairing in the new small ball NBA.  Direct positions do not need to be defined, and they can cause havoc for teams offensively if Giannis continues to develop on that side of the ball.  If Miami could make their Big 3 work for years, and Durant and Westbrook can work together no reason to think these two young players will not make it work.

4) Even if Lopez comes back strong, 20 and 10 seems like a stretch.  Lopez has never been a strong rebounder, and with Joe Johnson being the clear #1 option, seeing Lopez average 20 a game seems like a long shot.  I do think Lopez will come back to more the tune of 18/7 stat line, but do not see the Nets making any kind of noise this year.

5) Again, I do see the Knicks greatly improving this year under Jackson and Fisher, but I am not sure if it is enough to truly matter.  Look for the Knicks at best to be around a .500 team battling for a middle to bottom playoff spot, and at worst to really give some young guys serious run and try and find a comfortable lineup for Carmelo, then look to make noise next year adding another All-Star talent player to the roster.

6) I see the Wizards taking a big step this year, but can still see them being knocked out in the second round of the playoffs.  The Cavs (with Love especially) are the top seed in the East, and the Bulls with a healthy Rose are going to be a problem.  I can easily see the Wizards landing either a 3 or 4 seed in the East, but falling to the Cavs or Bulls.  With Beal and Wall improving, the Wizards are poised for a breakout year, but are probably still another year away from truly competing in the East.  If Rose does not come back healthy ignore this, and the Wizards have a chance of making it out of the East.

7) Brooks can go in so many directions.  The Thunder are never going to be a bad team simply due to the talent they have on that roster, but Brooks does nothing for them.  I do not see him being fired mid season because who are they really going to promote at that point, but if we see another playoff exit before the Finals from the Thunder, you may expect to see the Thunder go a new direction in the offseason.

8) The Heat may not have the strongest team, but in a weak East i can see them falling anywhere from the 4 seed to the lottery.  Bosh/Wade/Deng is a good enough core, and Spo is an underrated coach who I think has not been given proper credit due to the talent he was blessed with on his roster.  If this team was in the West I do not think they would even sniff the playoffs, but in a wide open East anything is possible.

[teamcb3Participant]

1) I believe Rondo will be traded.  When Boston was still in the running for Kevin Love it made no sense to move him, but now with it all but certain Love will end up with the Cavs I think you can expect Rondo to be moved by the trade deadline.  Look for Sacremento to be involved here dangling Ben McLemore as well as picks.

2) Frankly, no.  I do not think anyone on this Pacers team has the ability to really be a star.  I think we are much more likely to see Indiana tumble into the lottery than to see somebody step up in a George type way.  On top of that, though it may not be fair, I also think there is a chance that Vogel loses his job because of this.

3) Parker and The Greek Freak appear to be a perfect pairing in the new small ball NBA.  Direct positions do not need to be defined, and they can cause havoc for teams offensively if Giannis continues to develop on that side of the ball.  If Miami could make their Big 3 work for years, and Durant and Westbrook can work together no reason to think these two young players will not make it work.

4) Even if Lopez comes back strong, 20 and 10 seems like a stretch.  Lopez has never been a strong rebounder, and with Joe Johnson being the clear #1 option, seeing Lopez average 20 a game seems like a long shot.  I do think Lopez will come back to more the tune of 18/7 stat line, but do not see the Nets making any kind of noise this year.

5) Again, I do see the Knicks greatly improving this year under Jackson and Fisher, but I am not sure if it is enough to truly matter.  Look for the Knicks at best to be around a .500 team battling for a middle to bottom playoff spot, and at worst to really give some young guys serious run and try and find a comfortable lineup for Carmelo, then look to make noise next year adding another All-Star talent player to the roster.

6) I see the Wizards taking a big step this year, but can still see them being knocked out in the second round of the playoffs.  The Cavs (with Love especially) are the top seed in the East, and the Bulls with a healthy Rose are going to be a problem.  I can easily see the Wizards landing either a 3 or 4 seed in the East, but falling to the Cavs or Bulls.  With Beal and Wall improving, the Wizards are poised for a breakout year, but are probably still another year away from truly competing in the East.  If Rose does not come back healthy ignore this, and the Wizards have a chance of making it out of the East.

7) Brooks can go in so many directions.  The Thunder are never going to be a bad team simply due to the talent they have on that roster, but Brooks does nothing for them.  I do not see him being fired mid season because who are they really going to promote at that point, but if we see another playoff exit before the Finals from the Thunder, you may expect to see the Thunder go a new direction in the offseason.

8) The Heat may not have the strongest team, but in a weak East i can see them falling anywhere from the 4 seed to the lottery.  Bosh/Wade/Deng is a good enough core, and Spo is an underrated coach who I think has not been given proper credit due to the talent he was blessed with on his roster.  If this team was in the West I do not think they would even sniff the playoffs, but in a wide open East anything is possible.

[Bird_YearsParticipant]

 Should have been titled "8 Deadly Questions for the East"

[Bird_YearsParticipant]

 Should have been titled "8 Deadly Questions for the East"

[sweaterflexParticipant]

 1. Hard to envision Rondo staying.  They don’t have the pieces to trade for a desirable second star, and Marcus Smart will be too promising by season’s end.  The Kings and Rockets might be suitors for Rondo.

2. Depending on how they use the injury exception, the Pacers look like a team battling for the 8th seed.  I can’t imagine Larry Bird is looking forward to Rodney Stuckey as his go-to volume shooter.

3. Giannis by all accounts has a great attitude and I actually look forward to watching the Bucks this year, though I wish they would trade Henson somewhere he would get more minutes.

4. I think Lopez will bounce back strong, will probably perform similarly to Al Jefferson this past year with slightly worse rebounding and slightly higher shooting efficiency.

5. Looks like another tough year in New York. They have a decent chance of having the worst defense in the league.  Melo has a chance at the scoring title and they could have positive developments with their young players, but they look like they will be in that 35-40 win range.  I like Fish long term.

6. The Wiz are in line for a top 3 seed, particularly if their frontcourt stays healthy.  If Porter develops in to a quality 3 and D guy they could be meeting the Cavs in the conference finals.

7. I have wanted Brooks fired for ages.  The Thunder are loyal/cheap to a fault, and probably don’t want to pay two coaches at once.  Maybe if Brooks doesn’t make the Finals this year he gets canned.

8. The Heat could win 45 games if Wade plays 70 games.  Bosh should be around 22-8 with a higher usage rate.  Napier looked terrible in summer league but Wade will initiate the offense most of the time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sweaterflexParticipant]

 1. Hard to envision Rondo staying.  They don’t have the pieces to trade for a desirable second star, and Marcus Smart will be too promising by season’s end.  The Kings and Rockets might be suitors for Rondo.

2. Depending on how they use the injury exception, the Pacers look like a team battling for the 8th seed.  I can’t imagine Larry Bird is looking forward to Rodney Stuckey as his go-to volume shooter.

3. Giannis by all accounts has a great attitude and I actually look forward to watching the Bucks this year, though I wish they would trade Henson somewhere he would get more minutes.

4. I think Lopez will bounce back strong, will probably perform similarly to Al Jefferson this past year with slightly worse rebounding and slightly higher shooting efficiency.

5. Looks like another tough year in New York. They have a decent chance of having the worst defense in the league.  Melo has a chance at the scoring title and they could have positive developments with their young players, but they look like they will be in that 35-40 win range.  I like Fish long term.

6. The Wiz are in line for a top 3 seed, particularly if their frontcourt stays healthy.  If Porter develops in to a quality 3 and D guy they could be meeting the Cavs in the conference finals.

7. I have wanted Brooks fired for ages.  The Thunder are loyal/cheap to a fault, and probably don’t want to pay two coaches at once.  Maybe if Brooks doesn’t make the Finals this year he gets canned.

8. The Heat could win 45 games if Wade plays 70 games.  Bosh should be around 22-8 with a higher usage rate.  Napier looked terrible in summer league but Wade will initiate the offense most of the time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 I think Giannis and Parker should coexist really well.  I am really glad the Bucks ended up with Parker, because I think his game complements Giannis’s well.

Giannis needs a lot of seasoning, but he has star potential.  He needs to build confidence and take more jumpers to take the next step.  He is a really good passer and unselfish player, so I don’t worry about him taking shots away from Parker or playing selfishly.  He didn’t get tons of assists last season, but that was not due to lack of passing ability, but due to lack of time spent handling the ball.  He just needs to gain confidence in his scoring and to tighten up his ball handling.

Parker will likely struggle with the speed of the NBA game early on and his efficiency figures to sag, but he should be an outstanding scorer in time.  Parker’s shot selection was not great at the SL, but I don’t think that is due to selfishness as much as the fact that he is conditioned to be a scorer.  I don’t think he will resent the attention Giannis will get.  Neither player is really ready to dominate the ball just yet.

Question 4:

It all depends on the offense the Nets run.  The Hollins hiring is probably good for him, as he could be used similarly to how Hollins used Gasol and Z-Bo.  But the Nets were much better with Plumlee and KG last season, so if they want to continue their success of last season, Lopez may be dealt.  I think it is a lose-lose situation for Lopez.  The current roster is at its best playing a more free-flowing offensive attack, so if Lopez plays big minutes and puts up big numbers, it may hurt the team’s chances of replicating last season’s success.  But maybe the Nets will end up being more like they were two seasons ago, with Lopez being more involved.  

 

 

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 I think Giannis and Parker should coexist really well.  I am really glad the Bucks ended up with Parker, because I think his game complements Giannis’s well.

Giannis needs a lot of seasoning, but he has star potential.  He needs to build confidence and take more jumpers to take the next step.  He is a really good passer and unselfish player, so I don’t worry about him taking shots away from Parker or playing selfishly.  He didn’t get tons of assists last season, but that was not due to lack of passing ability, but due to lack of time spent handling the ball.  He just needs to gain confidence in his scoring and to tighten up his ball handling.

Parker will likely struggle with the speed of the NBA game early on and his efficiency figures to sag, but he should be an outstanding scorer in time.  Parker’s shot selection was not great at the SL, but I don’t think that is due to selfishness as much as the fact that he is conditioned to be a scorer.  I don’t think he will resent the attention Giannis will get.  Neither player is really ready to dominate the ball just yet.

Question 4:

It all depends on the offense the Nets run.  The Hollins hiring is probably good for him, as he could be used similarly to how Hollins used Gasol and Z-Bo.  But the Nets were much better with Plumlee and KG last season, so if they want to continue their success of last season, Lopez may be dealt.  I think it is a lose-lose situation for Lopez.  The current roster is at its best playing a more free-flowing offensive attack, so if Lopez plays big minutes and puts up big numbers, it may hurt the team’s chances of replicating last season’s success.  But maybe the Nets will end up being more like they were two seasons ago, with Lopez being more involved.  

 

 

[tuck243Participant]

1) I think Rondo will be moved around All-Star time…  I’m sure he will force this issue eventually and I don’t think Marcus Smart is good off the ball…   They need to move him, the only issue is I don’t know a team that truely needs him right now…  Part of the reason Eric Bledsoe isn’t getting any looks…

2) I don’t think we can properly estimate how the Pacers do until we see them play for a couple months…  As of right now they have 2 of their top players MIA…   You can’t make up for that in one season and I don’t see enough talent in anyone on that roster to make it up either…

3) I think they can, but I’ll be interested in what type of offense Jason Kidd will want to go with…  Also, I think the Greek has great potential, but a lot of people are too high on him…   It’s a lot he needs to work on before you should actually say he’s a lock for your future plans…

4) 2 things you can bet on…  Floyd Mayweather winning a boxing match and Brook Lopez getting injured…  I wouldn’t depend on Brook for too long…  First 3 years was fine, but the last 3? He’s played a total of 96 games even with a decrease in minutes…  Him and Al Horford are a "I’ll believe it when I see it" for me…  But if he does play, then I agree with you…

5) I think they can…  Couple things to note…  Bargs and Hardaway defense is HORRID…  I wouldn’t give too many minutes to either player, but yet people seem to be high on Hardaway…  Hardaway defense is near James Harden in the playoffs bad….  I think the Knicks are a playoff team though and I also think Amare will have a big year since they have the triangle…   It will help with the spacing issues that him and Melo have…  Add the fact that Jose is a PG that can get others involved and hit open shots, they’re good…  (I’ll go 50+ games, you can bring this back up if you want)

6) I had the Wizards fighting for the 8th seed prior to the Paul George getting injured…  Now, I think they’re a lock, but I still think last year was a fluke as Ariza and Gortat had near career years in a contract season…  I think Bradley Beal and John Wall still need to vastly improve in order for this team to be what they were last year…  Even with PP, who will not do the dirty work that Ariza did…   

7) This is leadership that refuse to move Perkins because they love him so much…  But to the rest of the world that don’t personally know him, we can see that he doesn’t help this team that much on the floor…  I say all that to say this, Scott Brooks isn’t going anywhere right now…  A terrible season have to come for that to happen…

8) I actually think they’re title contenders…  Wade is doing what Kobe did a couple years ago and shedded weight (which is completely different than LeBron, Wade’s game is dependent on his quickness and speed)…  Also, he will be taking LeBron’s role in controlling the offense…  Which will help the offense because Wade isn’t a primary off the ball player…  You also missing Loul Deng picking up some slack, Granger is hopefully somewhat better after this off season, and McRoberts is a nice piece to do some of the dirty work…  If you asked me prior to the Free Agency what the Heat should do to maintain relevancy if LeBron left, the team would look almost exactly like it does now…  And I don’t like the Napier pick up either…  There’s no minutes for Rio, Cole, and Shabazz collectively…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

[tuck243Participant]

1) I think Rondo will be moved around All-Star time…  I’m sure he will force this issue eventually and I don’t think Marcus Smart is good off the ball…   They need to move him, the only issue is I don’t know a team that truely needs him right now…  Part of the reason Eric Bledsoe isn’t getting any looks…

2) I don’t think we can properly estimate how the Pacers do until we see them play for a couple months…  As of right now they have 2 of their top players MIA…   You can’t make up for that in one season and I don’t see enough talent in anyone on that roster to make it up either…

3) I think they can, but I’ll be interested in what type of offense Jason Kidd will want to go with…  Also, I think the Greek has great potential, but a lot of people are too high on him…   It’s a lot he needs to work on before you should actually say he’s a lock for your future plans…

4) 2 things you can bet on…  Floyd Mayweather winning a boxing match and Brook Lopez getting injured…  I wouldn’t depend on Brook for too long…  First 3 years was fine, but the last 3? He’s played a total of 96 games even with a decrease in minutes…  Him and Al Horford are a "I’ll believe it when I see it" for me…  But if he does play, then I agree with you…

5) I think they can…  Couple things to note…  Bargs and Hardaway defense is HORRID…  I wouldn’t give too many minutes to either player, but yet people seem to be high on Hardaway…  Hardaway defense is near James Harden in the playoffs bad….  I think the Knicks are a playoff team though and I also think Amare will have a big year since they have the triangle…   It will help with the spacing issues that him and Melo have…  Add the fact that Jose is a PG that can get others involved and hit open shots, they’re good…  (I’ll go 50+ games, you can bring this back up if you want)

6) I had the Wizards fighting for the 8th seed prior to the Paul George getting injured…  Now, I think they’re a lock, but I still think last year was a fluke as Ariza and Gortat had near career years in a contract season…  I think Bradley Beal and John Wall still need to vastly improve in order for this team to be what they were last year…  Even with PP, who will not do the dirty work that Ariza did…   

7) This is leadership that refuse to move Perkins because they love him so much…  But to the rest of the world that don’t personally know him, we can see that he doesn’t help this team that much on the floor…  I say all that to say this, Scott Brooks isn’t going anywhere right now…  A terrible season have to come for that to happen…

8) I actually think they’re title contenders…  Wade is doing what Kobe did a couple years ago and shedded weight (which is completely different than LeBron, Wade’s game is dependent on his quickness and speed)…  Also, he will be taking LeBron’s role in controlling the offense…  Which will help the offense because Wade isn’t a primary off the ball player…  You also missing Loul Deng picking up some slack, Granger is hopefully somewhat better after this off season, and McRoberts is a nice piece to do some of the dirty work…  If you asked me prior to the Free Agency what the Heat should do to maintain relevancy if LeBron left, the team would look almost exactly like it does now…  And I don’t like the Napier pick up either…  There’s no minutes for Rio, Cole, and Shabazz collectively…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

[Andrew1984Participant]

1. Boston: I think they’ll be a surprise team in the East and with them winning, both Rondo and Ainge will want to keep him in town. I think Rondo loves Boston and I can see him actually deciding to stay there long-term. There’s nothing wrong with having some nice depth in the back court. Smart doesn’t have to start immediately.

2. Indiana: I certainly don’t see anyone rising to stardom like Paul George did, but I am curious if it’ll open up some minutes for this Rudez fella from Croatia.

3. Milwaukee: I think they’re going to score a ton of points but they won’t guard anyone. I really like the idea of going Marshall-Freak-Jabari-Ersan-Sanders. I love the way Marshall distributes the ball, and I’ve always been a huge Ersan fan. I see them somewhat being the East’s version of what Minnesota has been in the West the last couple years: a lot of offense but not a lot of wins.

4. Brooklyn: Even with a healthy Lopez and a healthy Deron Williams, it’s hard to see the Nets accomplishing a whole lot more than they did last year. Finishing six games over .500 and ousting a three-seed in the first round is going to be tough to top.

5. New York: I do not feel confident that the pieces will be assembled into a beautiful picture, no. I see them missing the playoffs in ’14-’15.

6. Washington: I think the Wizards will improve their overall quality of basketball, but I think they’ll still finish with a similar record and a similar result: contending fiercely for a spot in the ECF, but coming up a bit short.

7. Scott Brooks: I do not disagree with your assessment, however, it’s really hard to fire a coach who wins more than 65 percent of games over a four-year span, regardless of who is on the roster.

8. Miami: They could go either way. I could see them being one of those savvy, veteran teams that everyone thought was over the hill, but they have the maturity to know how to control tempo, make their push at the right time, out-think opponents, and they end up being better than everyone thought.

Just as easily, I could see them being one of those veteran-laden teams that implodes because they’re so short on speed, quickness, explosiveness, etc., and the young bloods just run circles around them. Also, figuring out a new approach in the aftermath of the departure of the league’s best player is a tall order. I’m going to go with choice B personally, but if I’m wrong, I won’t be surprised.

[Andrew1984Participant]

1. Boston: I think they’ll be a surprise team in the East and with them winning, both Rondo and Ainge will want to keep him in town. I think Rondo loves Boston and I can see him actually deciding to stay there long-term. There’s nothing wrong with having some nice depth in the back court. Smart doesn’t have to start immediately.

2. Indiana: I certainly don’t see anyone rising to stardom like Paul George did, but I am curious if it’ll open up some minutes for this Rudez fella from Croatia.

3. Milwaukee: I think they’re going to score a ton of points but they won’t guard anyone. I really like the idea of going Marshall-Freak-Jabari-Ersan-Sanders. I love the way Marshall distributes the ball, and I’ve always been a huge Ersan fan. I see them somewhat being the East’s version of what Minnesota has been in the West the last couple years: a lot of offense but not a lot of wins.

4. Brooklyn: Even with a healthy Lopez and a healthy Deron Williams, it’s hard to see the Nets accomplishing a whole lot more than they did last year. Finishing six games over .500 and ousting a three-seed in the first round is going to be tough to top.

5. New York: I do not feel confident that the pieces will be assembled into a beautiful picture, no. I see them missing the playoffs in ’14-’15.

6. Washington: I think the Wizards will improve their overall quality of basketball, but I think they’ll still finish with a similar record and a similar result: contending fiercely for a spot in the ECF, but coming up a bit short.

7. Scott Brooks: I do not disagree with your assessment, however, it’s really hard to fire a coach who wins more than 65 percent of games over a four-year span, regardless of who is on the roster.

8. Miami: They could go either way. I could see them being one of those savvy, veteran teams that everyone thought was over the hill, but they have the maturity to know how to control tempo, make their push at the right time, out-think opponents, and they end up being better than everyone thought.

Just as easily, I could see them being one of those veteran-laden teams that implodes because they’re so short on speed, quickness, explosiveness, etc., and the young bloods just run circles around them. Also, figuring out a new approach in the aftermath of the departure of the league’s best player is a tall order. I’m going to go with choice B personally, but if I’m wrong, I won’t be surprised.

[kngojcParticipant]

 1. I think people just want a fresh start in Boston, and a by-product of this is apparently getting rid of Rondo to get some young talent. I think that’s the wrong way to approach this situation. You wouldn’t trade Kobe for a bunch of young guys, because he brings so much more to the table than just what he does on the court. I see Rondo in a similar light even if they aren’t at the same level. Rondo brings the intangibles, work ethic, and the competitive spirit. And if he can instill that in younger players for the next couple years, I think they’ll be better off than trading away their players and hoping for a quick turnaround.

2. With PG out, I can’t see anyone really emerging as a big player for the team. Stuckey will play more and get some numbers, but I just can’t see that translating to him becoming a bigger impact player. He’s no Stephenson and his impact won’t be either. Unless they make a trade or signing, the only players that will stick out will be David West and maybe Scola. Hibbert was an all star but can anyone see him really stepping up? The playoffs were the time for him to show he could be a valuable player in big games, and he showed what he could do, and that wasn’t nearly enough.

3. I think they can coexist if they’re playing at the same time. If Jabari is playing a stretch 4 when Giannis is locking down the best perimeter player, I think they can do just fine. The NBA is phasing out positions, and it has much more to do with matchups and team chemistry. With that in mind, I like the future for that team if they can all continue to develop and grow into a cohesive team. Wouldn’t be surprised if they made the playoffs next year.

4. Asking for a healthy Brook Lopez for 82 games is a stretch. He has better potential than his brother, and has definitely showed he’s the better player. However, Robin manages to stay on the floor and has played (and started) every game in the last two years. If Brook can stay on the court, the Nets can still be dangerous, but that’s a big IF.

5. I’m REALLY excited to see this Knicks team this year. With their experienced vets they have the scoring punch, defense, and winning mentality. With their younger players, they have much of the same, but have an appetite for success as well. They should have a great year with Calderon running point and facilitating more than Felton ever did. I think having Phil Jackson brings the right mindset to a team that has struggled with focusing in the past, and adding Fisher (even with inexperience as an official coach) was a smart move that can pay off especially in the playoffs.

6. The Wizards have been getting better and better each year, and that has a lot to do with the development of John Wall and Beal. They were in a similar situation as the Cavs have been the past few years (post-Lebron and now pre-Lebron), but the main difference was that the Wizards kept getting high character guys that wanted to get better and wanted to win. They’re on the up and up, and I can see them making it as high as a 4 or 5 seed in the playoffs, barring injuries, and getting to the second round at least. 

7. Scott Brooks’ job hinges on the success of Durant/Westbrook/Ibaka and co. As long as they keep making it deep in the playoffs, he’ll still have a job with no other better coaching options revealing themselves. The time he moves on, if he does, would be when Durant’s contract is up and he’s sick of losing in the conference finals.

8. Don’t sleep on the Heat. They’re not at the level they were with Lebron, but Bosh led the Raptors to the playoffs before, Luol Deng is solid, Granger can be a vital player for them… The problem is knowing where they might land in the standings by the end of the year. I can see them anywhere from the 5th to 9th place in the East. Not horrible, but given the past 4 years of dominance, a disappointing finish.

[kngojcParticipant]

 1. I think people just want a fresh start in Boston, and a by-product of this is apparently getting rid of Rondo to get some young talent. I think that’s the wrong way to approach this situation. You wouldn’t trade Kobe for a bunch of young guys, because he brings so much more to the table than just what he does on the court. I see Rondo in a similar light even if they aren’t at the same level. Rondo brings the intangibles, work ethic, and the competitive spirit. And if he can instill that in younger players for the next couple years, I think they’ll be better off than trading away their players and hoping for a quick turnaround.

2. With PG out, I can’t see anyone really emerging as a big player for the team. Stuckey will play more and get some numbers, but I just can’t see that translating to him becoming a bigger impact player. He’s no Stephenson and his impact won’t be either. Unless they make a trade or signing, the only players that will stick out will be David West and maybe Scola. Hibbert was an all star but can anyone see him really stepping up? The playoffs were the time for him to show he could be a valuable player in big games, and he showed what he could do, and that wasn’t nearly enough.

3. I think they can coexist if they’re playing at the same time. If Jabari is playing a stretch 4 when Giannis is locking down the best perimeter player, I think they can do just fine. The NBA is phasing out positions, and it has much more to do with matchups and team chemistry. With that in mind, I like the future for that team if they can all continue to develop and grow into a cohesive team. Wouldn’t be surprised if they made the playoffs next year.

4. Asking for a healthy Brook Lopez for 82 games is a stretch. He has better potential than his brother, and has definitely showed he’s the better player. However, Robin manages to stay on the floor and has played (and started) every game in the last two years. If Brook can stay on the court, the Nets can still be dangerous, but that’s a big IF.

5. I’m REALLY excited to see this Knicks team this year. With their experienced vets they have the scoring punch, defense, and winning mentality. With their younger players, they have much of the same, but have an appetite for success as well. They should have a great year with Calderon running point and facilitating more than Felton ever did. I think having Phil Jackson brings the right mindset to a team that has struggled with focusing in the past, and adding Fisher (even with inexperience as an official coach) was a smart move that can pay off especially in the playoffs.

6. The Wizards have been getting better and better each year, and that has a lot to do with the development of John Wall and Beal. They were in a similar situation as the Cavs have been the past few years (post-Lebron and now pre-Lebron), but the main difference was that the Wizards kept getting high character guys that wanted to get better and wanted to win. They’re on the up and up, and I can see them making it as high as a 4 or 5 seed in the playoffs, barring injuries, and getting to the second round at least. 

7. Scott Brooks’ job hinges on the success of Durant/Westbrook/Ibaka and co. As long as they keep making it deep in the playoffs, he’ll still have a job with no other better coaching options revealing themselves. The time he moves on, if he does, would be when Durant’s contract is up and he’s sick of losing in the conference finals.

8. Don’t sleep on the Heat. They’re not at the level they were with Lebron, but Bosh led the Raptors to the playoffs before, Luol Deng is solid, Granger can be a vital player for them… The problem is knowing where they might land in the standings by the end of the year. I can see them anywhere from the 5th to 9th place in the East. Not horrible, but given the past 4 years of dominance, a disappointing finish.

[Author]

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