Team Needs: Atlantic DivisionBy: Eric Yearian

Boston Celtics:

Needs: C, Depth at all positions

Picks: 21, 22, 51

Boston looked really bad in the playoffs, just good enough to squeak by the 76ers. Then, they looked really good later in those same playoffs. That’s what happens when a good team gets old and has virtually no bench. When they have fresh legs they are a dangerous team, but when they get worn down, or in the case of Ray Allen, pick up a nagging injury, it’s hard for them to continue playing at the same level. Remember in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, when he visits the Island of Misfit Toys? When Doc Rivers wants to get Rondo, Allen, Pierce, or Garnett a break, he has to go to the bench of misfit NBA veterans. Mickael Pietrus, Sasha Pavlovic, Keyon Dooling, and Chris Wilcox have all bounced around the league, but this year they were relied upon to buoy the Celtics when the starters needed a rest.

The most pressing need the team would appear to have would be to find a true center. However, that’s assuming the team remains the same. With only Pierce, Rondo, Avery Bradley, Jeff Green and JaJuan Johnson back in the fold for next season (with a couple players having options and Stiemsma being restricted) the Celtics may not even resemble the Celtics that we used to know.  If Allen and KG return, Boston must find a decent center in this draft, or through free agency because KG can’t be asked to play the center position all year without getting beat up over the course of a long season. They also must find quality bench play. If the team lets their stars walk then the draft will be a time for them to add more talent around Rondo and Pierce. Of course, there’s always the chance Allen or Garnett take part in a sign-and-trade, which would net Boston some pieces in return.

Brooklyn Nets:

Needs: PG, SG, SF, PF

Picks: 57

Due to the horrific trade that GM Billy King made, the Trailblazers will be using their 6th pick on draft night. If Deron Williams leaves the Nets the cupboard will be pretty bare. They could look to bring Gerald Wallace back but that’s no sure thing. So, that leaves them with Brook Lopez and, well, not a lot of other assets. This draft won’t help that problem much, as they only have the 57th pick. The team is preparing as if they had a first round pick and they are hoping they can find a way to acquire one, but even if they do it won’t be enough to turn this team into a contender for their first season in Brooklyn.

This team has too many holes, especially if Williams and Wallace leave. That would leave them needing a starting point guard, a starting caliber shooting guard, a starting caliber small forward, and a starting caliber power forward (Kris Humphries is also a free agent). Brook Lopez is also a restricted free agent but there is no chance the Nets let him go, too. This team has a lot of holes, and not many means with which to improve on draft night. They will be players in free agency, though, assuming they can convince players to come play for a team with so many obvious shortcomings.

New York Knicks:

Needs: PG, Backup SF/PF

Picks: 48

The Knicks are really hoping that they’ll be able to resign Jeremy Lin without having to sacrifice their mid level exception. If the league decides they can, they’ll have the chance to improve this offseason. If not, it will be a disappointment for the team. With only the 48th pick in the draft, they can’t expect to get a player that will have a significant impact on the team this upcoming season on draft night. They need to solidify the point guard spot, meaning getting Lin back in the fold. After that, they need to get some insurance for their two big money players, Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. Mike Woodson did a good job after taking over midseason and the Knicks have some potential to be a threat to Boston and Miami in the East. The most important thing the Knicks need, though, has nothing to do with adding players to the roster, it’s getting Lin, Anthony, and Stoudemire on the same page and letting them learn how to play together.

Philadelphia 76ers:

Needs: PG, PF, C

Picks: 15, 45, 54

The biggest need for the 76ers is to find a suitable replacement for Elton Brand at the power forward spot. Brand was big for them in the playoffs but you know what’s bigger than his impact on their series against  the Celtics? His contract. The 76ers have yet to use their amnesty provision, meaning they could wipe his contract off the books (for salary cap purposes, they’d still have to pay him, obviously). They’d likely only feel comfortable doing this if they knew they had a capable replacement on the roster. They have other needs, such as finding a center and finding a true point guard that could play behind Jrue Holiday and allow Lou Williams to play off the ball more.

If they can find a PF with their 15th pick, expect them to draft him, and soon after amnesty Brand. IF they do that, they’ll have more money to use on filling their roster out with more talent. There have been rumors that various lottery teams may be interested in flipping their pick in exchange for a player like Iguodala and the 76ers have been willing to listen to trade offers before. It’s unclear if the team would be willing to break it all up after such a fortuitous trek through the playoff bracket this past season, but the option will be there.

Toronto Raptors:

Needs: PG, SF

Picks: 8, 37, 56

Toronto should have at least two high impact rookies on the roster next season. Jonas Valanciunas is expected to join the team and the team has the 8th selection in the draft this season. Valanciunas was considered by many European scouts as the #1 prospect in the entire draft, which means if the team can land a quality player at 8 this year, DeMar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani may have a little bit of help north of the border this season. Add to that the fact that there is a solid chance that the Raptors can find a quality player at pick 37, and the Raptors are poised for some major improvement next year.

They could look to draft a successor for Jose Calderon at the point guard position, Damian Lillard perhaps, or fill the gaping hole they have in their roster at small forward. With Bargnani and Valanciunas in the frontcourt, and DeRozan and Calderon manning the backcourt positions, small forward seems like far and away the most logical position for the team to look at in the first round. If they can do that, picks 37 and 56 would be an opportunity to take the best available player and add depth to their roster.