2016-2017 Season Preview

2016-2017 Season Preview
By: Thomas Salierno, PHD
The Hive

They may have made a strong playoff push last year, but losing three
rotational starters in Lin, Lee, and Jefferson is going to hurt. A starting lineup
featuring Kardiak Kemba, Nik Batum, MKG, Marvin Williams, and Roy Hibbert looks
good on paper but health will be the ultimate factor that decides the fate of this
talented squad. Batum and MKG need to stay on the floor for at least sixty games
each for this team to make the playoffs and while they may have Jeremy Lamb and
the Italian Stallion coming off the bench, neither of these two scoring guards has
proved that they can hang with league’s elite wings. This team missed MKG in the
playoffs even when they had Lin and Courtney Lee to make up for any surrendered
points with their offensive contributions. Those two scoring guards are gone and
now it will be a make it or break it season for Michael Kidd-Gilchrest to prove he can
sustain more than four-fifths of the arduous NBA season. This team is close to
complete, but they’re still missing that it factor that most teams need to get into the
top 3 in their respective conferences. Career seasons last year from Kemba and
Marvin Williams (despite his now broken finger) inspire some sense of positivity for
the Hornets but their quest to crack the 8 seed in a competitive Eastern Conference
will be the true test. 40-42

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The Utah Jazz Made Some Music

One man can only do so much. For the past few years we have seen Gordon
Hayward evolve as a basketball player, each season adding a new skill to his bag of
tricks. He is not the reason Utah has struggled to win. Utah sits in a loaded Western
Conference dominated by guard play and this offseason the Jazz finally got what
they have needed, an upgrade. George Hill is better than the sum of the cardboard
cutouts Utah has planted at the one over the past seasons and Iso Joe will provide a
clutch factor and the offensive scoring power that Utah desperately needs. Derrick
Favors is one of the most talented, yet slept-on big men in the NBA today and the
weapons he brings to the table as a capable scoring and defensively ready four are
under-appreciated. While having a presence such as Rudy Gobert down low is
unique, missing Hayward for four to six weeks will hurt the Jazz’s win total. Boris
Diaw has a few more years and exponentially more espressos tacked onto his body,
but he still remains a decent Swiss-army-knife who will stretch defenses should he
be slotted at the three or the four in a reduced capacity. The return of Dante Exum
will be much needed as he displayed what he is capable of in the Olympics over the
Summer and the Jazz truly missed his playmaking ability last season. Rodney Hood
is going to be a stud in this league if he continues to improve and his ability to score
from all over the floor will keep defenders close to him opening up lanes for Alec
Burks to cut and posterize opposing bigs. If Burks can stay healthy (he’s played a
total of 58 games in the past two seasons) then he will exponentially enhance his
value as a player. Can you believe he’s only on the books for 3 million this season?
Trey Lyles will develop into a solid role player and he’ll see his three point attempts
increase after shooting an impressive 38% on the long ball last season. This team
has depth and if they prove their durability over the post All-Star break months, I
reasonably expect at least 55 wins.

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A Cold Front in Miami

The turnaround this team has experienced over the past three years is
unprecedented, and not in a fantastic way. The Heat went from the Big Three era to
losing the entirety of the trio in just over 36 months. The team did manage to hold
on to franchise cornerstone Udonis Haslem, the only player besides Bosh who
remains from the title-winning roster. With their best player in Chris Bosh more
than likely missing the entire season this team will struggle to make the playoffs let
alone win more than 35 games. Dion Waiters is not the answer and while I do
appreciate his JR Smith impersonation, it will be interesting to see how his numbers
trend with more minutes and worse teammates. I could see one of two things
happen this season: A trade happens sooner rather than later involving Dragic,
rumors are already swirling about a deal involving him and Rudy Gay, but this type
of trade will not bring this team any closer to making the playoffs. The second
option involves Pat Riley trading some assets, again Dragic will be dangled, for
future picks. Signing Tyler Johnson to a sizable deal puts a lot of eggs in the basket of
such an uproven player. He has sneaky athleticism and a good handle but point
guard is the most loaded position in the league and he’s going to have to bring his
best every night to validate the money allotted to him. Throughout the course of this
season it would be silly to assume Hassan Whiteside won’t experience some
Demarcus Cousins’ level of frustration, but this organization is not the Kings. 3 titles
in 10 years is nothing to turn your back on. 33-49


The Post-Kobes

This Lakers team is like a partially molded piece of clay. There’s potential
everyehere you look but it is going to take time for it to take shape. Luke Walton is
far from inexperienced. It may have looked easy for him to sit back and watch his
team of All-Stars win an absurd number of games during Kerr’s absence, but he will
be able to draw from all that he has learned during his time with the Dubs. A lineup
of Russell, Clarkson, Brown, Randle, and Mozgov (assuming Deng is willing to come
off the bench) is young and talented but will require time to figure out how to work
together, space the floor, and build trust. Surrounding young players with more
young players is an idea being embraced league-wide and this team has both Luol
Deng and The Panda’s Friend (formerly Metta World Peace, formerly Ron Artest)
who will help guide this talent-riddled ship as accomplished veterans. I wish I could
watch Larry Nance play more, he’s got all the right tools to be a big impact player
but he just needs to sharpen his arsenal. Lou Williams hopefully won’t steal too
many minutes from the less-experienced young talents and at 6’1 and 30 years of
age his size and waning athleticism are going to work against him as time moves on.
Can you believe this team still has Swaggy P? His status with the Lakers will be a
narrative to follow and only time will tell if he remains on the roster by the trade-
deadline. Young is a talented scorer but his effort on defense won’t get better if his
team isn’t competing towards something. With the number of talented teams in the
west, I can’t see this team anywhere close to the 8 seed. 31-51


Sacramento Things

This is my team. I will never not be a Kings’ fan and I was beyond excited
when Vivek Ranadive took over and even more excited when Mike Malone (A Loyola
alum, shoutout Greyhounds) got the head-coaching job. Fast forward 3 years and
the Kings have been through approximately 48 head coaches and recently gambled
on Ty Lawson beating his demons. It’s unfortunate because this team has talent. Ben
Mclemore can still be a stud, Willie Cauley-Stein is a taller Rodman, and Demarcus
Cousins may be the most complete center in the NBA when he gives a damn about
defense. Inspiring your team to compete and encouraging players to hone their
skills is a difficult task when your organization has been swimming in mediocrity for
such an extended period of time. This has stunted the development of multiple
players including Mclemore & recently departed Sauce Castillo; Benny Max only has
so many more chances to prove why he should be a permanent fixture in this league.
As if developing talent and winning games weren’t obstacles enough, Rudy Gay, the
team’s second best player, has publicly announced he wants to be traded. If this was
any other team that story would make headlines, but the Kings will just keeping
Kinging until someone says enough is enough and cuts the head off the snake. Omri
Casspi is good enough to start and seems to find a way to score in double digits just
about every game but his defense needs to be better over the entirety of the season.
Darren Collison probably won’t be on the roster past Christmas but he is a capable,
albeit small, point guard who spreads the ball around the floor and can get to the
bucket when time is running out. All that being said, how many more years will
Vivek be able to play with our hearts by using our top 10 protected picks to draft
center after center before a rookie openly says he does not want to play in
California’s capitol? 36-46


Making Some Magic

This team has SIZE. Serge Ibaka, Aaron Gordon, Jeff Green and Bismack
Biyombo are big bodies that will force defenses into taking shots they would
otherwise pass up. Gordon is a player who transcends positions and reminds
everyone of Blake Griffin, a big man capable of both facilitating and jumping out of
the gym. Blake may have jumped over a Kia but this guy right here took flight over a
dragon, put the ball through his legs, and made millions of people say “got-damn” all
at once. Elfrid Payton will earn his paycheck checking the opposing team’s guards
and throwing flashy passes while Hezonja will develop into a bouncy role player
with long ball potential, as long as more minutes keep coming his way. Evan
Fournier will have to prove his worth this season after signing an $85 Million dollar
contract during the offseason, which will effectively tie him to the Magic until 2021.
He’s shown flashes of brilliance and between him and Vucci Mane, the scoring will
come in bunches, but these two are both voids on defense that opposing players will
challenge. This team needs time to grow and is comparable to the Blazers and
Celtics; teams stocked with youth that will only get better over the course of the
season. Making the playoffs in the east will be a challenge but if this team can find its
rhythm, especially from three-point land, they will be a force to be reckoned with
both offensively and defensively. 40-42.


New York Knickerbockers

This ‘Superteam’ looks exactly like Knicks’ teams of the past. Aging veterans
who still have a little bit of juice in the tank surrounded by inexperienced yet skillful
youth. Derrick Rose will never be the same player he was during his MVP season.
Nostalgia is restored whenever you see a slick cut or a smooth step-back, but
inefficient jump shooting and a reluctance to pass have limited Rose’s efficiency on
the court. Kristaps Porzingis is this team’s best all around player. He collects steals,
blocks and buckets like it aint no thang. Kid Latvia has the ability to score from
anywhere on the court but he won’t get the ball as much as he did last season and
that is a very shameful concept. Carmelo showed us the type of player he can be last
season, even when sub-par talent surrounded him. Melo showed a willingness to
defer and you could tell he truly realized the greatness of Staps, something I hope
the rest of this roster understands. Zingus is the future of this team and they WILL
make the playoffs this year. Everyone forgets the usefulness of Courtney Lee and
Joakim Noah, both role players who are capable of adding value in multiple ways no
matter which team they play for. Jo will probably end up missing 20 or so games but
as long as he is ready to go come playoff time, his energy will inspire the rest of this
squad. Lee is a versatile scorer and capable enough on the defensive end to stay in
front of opposing guards. He’s also a player who knows his role and someone who is
willing to take a step back to let his teammates get theirs. This is a team I believe in
and despite all the off-court distractions that come with playing in the greatest city
in the world, I know in my heart that this squad is good for at least 52 wins.


The Oklahoma City Westbrooks

We’re all ready for this. Steven Adams is going to be a stud. He showed what
he is capable of last year in the playoffs, playing through multiple kicks to the kiwis
and showing consistent resolve both offensively and defensively. This however will
be the Year of the Westbrook. Russell plays with a dogged madness and the
metaphors for his dynamic play style are endless. This year Russell will have his
own team and the basketball community couldn’t be more excited. He adds new
passes to his repertoire every offseason and we have seen glimpses of the strides he
has made as a StateFarmsman this preseason. This year we will watch a man do the
unthinkable, Russell will challenge the Big O’s averaging of a triple-double over the
course of an entire NBA season. We have seen what he can do when he was the
alpha dog during those stretches where KD was out of the lineup, his performance
during those periods of time were awe-inspiring. He does have a team behind him
though, Victor Oladipo will serve as an explosive guard capable of strong defensive
play and it will be interesting to see whether or not Andre Roberson will embrace a
bigger role on this squad. Something concerning however is where their three point
shooting will come from. Russell and Dipo have never been known to be
flamethrowers from behind the arc and Andre Roberson will only contribute so
much from the corners. Mitch Mcgary received a silly 15-game suspension for
violating the NBA’s drug-policy, which is unfortunate because young Mitchell is a
fun player to watch and he can be sneaky good at the game of hooping when he gets
his minutes. Regardless, the rest of this team will come out to play every night and
it’s a shame Cameron Payne will miss a portion of the season and his three point
shooting will be sorely missed. Payne truly adds value to this talented squad & his
pregame dance routine with Russ is worth the subscription to League Pass. 48- 34.


Trust the Process

Joell Embiid is BACK. Well, he never truly was anywhere in the first place, but
for the first time since his college season ended abruptly with the Jayhawks, he is
playing competitive basketball and he is SLAYING. Okay, maybe that’s an
exaggeration, but he is making the most of his limited minutes and providing true
value to a team that desperately needs it. In the wake of Ben Simmons’
heartbreaking ‘acute’ jones-fracture, this team needs all the positivity it can get. My
guess is the Sixers do not rush him back on the floor for this season, and their
decision to do so would allow him to get his body right. Why rush him back when
your team isn’t ready to play for something worthwhile. Dario Saric will fill the void
while Simmons works his way back onto the court and one of Nerlens Noel and
Jahlil Okafor will no longer be on the roster by the trade-deadline. Robert Covington
will be successful in this league, but he still needs consistent minutes to grow
around the talented group of players that this organization is assembling. Philly is
still at least 2 or three years away from playoff contention and if they show that they
are capable this season, The City of Brotherly Love might be able to draw interest
from key free agents who will vault them into the upper echelon. 25-57.



Minnesota Timberpups

This will be Andrew Wiggins and Zach Lavine’s third year in the league,
which makes me as a 22 year-old person feel old. While these two are still
considered ‘young’ they have three years of NBA experience under their belt and
will continue to improve their games as more and more games go by. It is
unprecedented that despite both of them having an extra two seasons on him, ROY
Karl Anthony Towns is the most talented player out of all of them. He does
everything well and although defenses will be more inclined to close out on his 18-
footers (which were cash all season) he will still find ways to get his and average 21
ppg, 12rbs, & 1.3 blks a game. It will be fantastic to watch this team grow together
over the next season and Kris Dunn is a fantastic addition who will almost certainly
take over starting point-guard duty for Ricky Rubio midway through the season.
This changing of the guard will hopefully slide Lavine over to the two where his
talent will immediately translate as a bouncy-slashing guard. With Thibs at the helm
of this malleable roster defensive principles will be instilled that will help each and
every one of these young talents grow as a player. A wildcard on this roster is
Shabazz Muhammed who reminds me of the better lefty version of Dion Waiters.
This kid can BALL and when he gets minutes he makes the most of them with sound
cuts and decent shooting, but once the ball is in his hands he tends to forget that
there are four other players on the court wearing the same jersey. The Wolves,
despite all of their talents and experienced coaching, still sit outside of the playoff
race in a complicated Western Conference where they will go head to head with
some of the best teams in the league every single night. All of that aside, Wiggs & Co.
will make strides this season and win at least 35 games.


Devin Booker.

The Suns are on the short list of teams that still need to find an identity. In
Devin Booker this team has a star in the making and if we could go back in time and
reapply Lance Stephenson’s ‘Born-Ready’ nickname to Booker I think the NBA
landscape would be forever changed. Maybe that’s an overstatement but this kid can
put balls through hoops like a 5-year veteran on a contract year. He is straight up
firepower and is assuredly going to be one of the best players in the league over the
next 15 years. Alex Len will probably always be the lesser version of Jonas
Valanciunas and that’s okay because he provides sturdy defense when he is on the
floor and has enough mobility and athleticism left in his injury riddled tank to get
around 12-15 points whenever he subs in. The IT factor for this team comes with
the play of Eric Bledsoe who seems to be the best player on the floor when healthy,
but his hyper-athletic style of play is exactly what causes his body to break down
year after year. Brandon Knight is a capable scoring guard who can torch slower
wings with sleight of hand dribbling skills and a knack for the step-back. The
evolution of TJ Warren will be an interesting storyline, especially if he develops a
three point shot and his minutes will definitely increase with the starting role coach
Earl Watson has afforded him. Dragan Bender is more than just a dope name, he will
bring his European style of play along with his 7’1 frame off the bench to show what
he can do against NBA-level second units. Tyson Chandler is not the same player he
used to be, but he knows exactly who he is and will defend the paint for 20-23
minutes a game while running the pick-and-roll with whichever guard is manning
the point. Unfortunately this team’s talent won’t be enough to bring them close to
the playoffs and another key free agent or two is needed to allow this team to be
competitive enough to break into the playoffs. 29-53



PG13, Adult Supervision Required

Is Paul George a superstar? My say is yes, he is in fact part of that game-
changing, awe inspiring, high IQ group of players whose mere presence on the floor
causes the laws of gravity to shift and opposing coaches to mumble phrases such as
‘shit-dickery’ under their breath. He is the hero every team wants, someone who
turns it up in the spotlight and gives every ounce of his effort on both sides of the
floor. Monta Ellis will forever be one of my favorite players, but in order for him to
be a complimentary player on this team he’s going to need to learn how to pass. His
JR-Smitheon play style may have worked in the past (it never really did) but he is
now 30 and entering his 11th year in the league. His style of play and his age are
starting to catch up to him and Monta Ball-So-Hard Ellis is going to have to adapt to
his limits in order to become an efficient member of the Indiana Pacers’ Society.
New head coach Nate Macmillan has crafted an offensive identity for this team while
still maintaining the best parts of their defense. Jeff Teague is very capable point
guard and will provide some sneaky athleticism at the one, but his three-point shot
has never been great and he will serve in a complimentary capacity when starting
next to George and Ellis. Myles Turner was one of the best rookies in the league last
year and this season he will improve immensely as he gets more minutes and
reveals to the world what he has worked on in the offseason. I expect big things out
this young big and at just 20 he will be able to torture the opposing team’s fours and
fives while containing any athletic guards who force a switch. Al Jefferson is this
team’s X-Factor, coming off the bench for the first time in his career, he will post up
opposing second units and go to town in limited minutes, effectively allowing him to
preserve his body and energy over the course of the season. This team has enough
weapons to mingle between the fourth or sixth seeds, but as with any squad who
experienced huge turnover in the offseason, it will take a minute for them to get
adjusted to playing with one another. 49-33

Portlandia

What the Portland Trail Blazers accomplished last year in the playoffs has
been one of the more overlooked occurrences of the 2015-2016 season. Damian
Lillard and CJ Mccolum, down 2-0, willed this team through four straight wins past
the Clippers and into the second round. There, they committed absolute thievery in
stealing a game from the 73-9 Warriors by hitting 17 three pointers in a contest
where the combined efforts of Demon Dame and Al Farouq Aminu afforded the
blazers a total of 63 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. All nine of the players who
received more than a minute of playing time scored; this is no ordinary team. The
Blazers nabbed key additions in jump-shot prodigee Evan Turner, also known as
“The Villain”, and Festus Ezeli who might not see the court for a while, but when he
does get healthy, EzE will bring it every night. . Those are two starting caliber
players who will earn the contracts they have been given. Ed Davis and Mason
Plumlee will provide effort and do the dirty work to collect every extra rebound that
comes their way while Allen Crabbe, who is still only 24, will continue to develop as
a scorching hot three-and-D player. Little known fact that despite his low scoring
output during the regular season and the playoffs, the kid shot 39 and 42 percent on
twos and threes respectively and those numbers are rounded down. Crabbe will
need to assert himself more offensively this season so that defenses key on him and
provide all of Portland’s guards with open lanes to move the ball and drive to the
cup. Shabazz Napier and Noah Vonleh both joined this squad over the summer and I
hope Terry Stotts gives them an opportunity to see the floor this season because
neither of them have been given a chance to show that they truly belong in this
unforgivable league. This will be an exciting season for a team riddled with
unrealized potential and as long as Dame Dolla keeps spitting fire bars, this team
can win at least 48 games.

Motor City

Drummond needs to become what everyone knows he can be. Free throws
unfortunately limit the total number of minutes he plays, which on one hand
detracts from his point totals, but on the other affords him the opportunity to
preserve his body over the course of each season. This will be Stanley Johnson’s year
as he flashed his potential doing an excellent job against the King during their
playoff series. Those flashes will become a continuance and he is a dark horse
candidate to win MIP that no one seems to be talking about. Kentavious Caldwell-
Pope will be going into his fourth year as a money-makin baller after posting career
bests in every statistical and percentage-related category except for three-point
shooting. His four games in the playoffs allowed him to show what he can do on a
national stage and it was spectacular to see him play 40 minutes every night while
shooting 44% from both the floor and the area known as Chef-Curry’s bread and
butter. BBB (Big Behemoth Boban) is a sneaky brilliant addition to this roster who
at 7’3, 300 pounds, and with hands that could reasonably palm the moon, will
provide the Pistons with a backup big capable of hitting his free throws. Reggie
Jackson will unfortunately miss a chunk of if not all of the coming season with a
knee injury. Jackson is a talented point guard who blows by his opposition with
startling speed and TNT explosiveness; he is a genuine bucket-getter. While working
his way back onto the court I’m sure he will work on his shooting mechanics as a
way to improve his form and ultimately his lacking three-point percentage, however
no number of hours in the gym can replicate the level of play that occurs on an NBA
court. Even without Jackson this ship will not sink and I can easily see Detroit
making their way into the playoffs as a 6 seed. 44-38.


Major Milwau(Key)

Despite it already feeling like it’s going to be “What if?” season for Milwaukee
I’m optimistic. Kris Middleton tore his hamstring and is expected out for at least six
months; without him this team loses a dangerous three point shooting threat with
some off-the-dribble game. He’s a dynamic player who will be missed in his absence.
The Greek Freak transcends positions with his Kevin Durant-esque frame, his shifty
point guard handles, and his incredible length that allows him to execute switches
with ease. He is truly an athletic specimen and his coordination at that size is
incredible. This team will be able to make full use of Tony Snell and he’ll be a good
fit providing three pointers and lanky defense to a team that has already set size-
related records. As if this defense wasn’t enough of a stalwart, Mathew Dellavedova
will provide a honey-badger level of defense that will infuriate opposing guards into
questionable decisions and turnovers. Jabari Parker is Grant Hill reincarnated, but
with 25 extra pounds of mass for him to bully opposing small forwards off the
dribble & with his back to the basket. Greg Monroe is watching before his eyes as the
value for bigs with his skillset slowly diminishes year after year. Moose’s value aside,
he’s still a big body who will provide defense and enough low-post offense to keep
his minutes in check. This Bucks squad is going to scrap for every loose ball, play
both sides of the floor, and give it their all for head coach Jason Kidd. This group of
talent players has slowly built the continuity that playoff teams almost always
require. Sure you can get there by assembling a couple of stars, but this franchise
has built from within and acquired the necessary pieces to have a 50 win season.


Pelican’t Get Healthy

Health is one of the most low-key yet high-as-the-sky key elements in the
NBA that determines a team’s success. This team just hasn’t been able to harness the
combined play of a healthy squad where all of its starters appear on the court at the
same time. It seems only one or two of Tyreke, AD, and Jrue Holiday are ever on the
court at once which sucks because their play styles all go incredibly well together. It
also seems like it was ages ago when Tyreke’ Evans won ROY honors (and my heart,
go Kings) and put up a 20-5-5 season with Sacramento. Six years have passed and
even though everyone knows Reke’ can ball, he was only on the court for 25 games
last season & has only appeared in more than 72 games once in his career. Last year
was supposed to be Anthony Davis’ year and but he missed a quarter of the season
and posted a career low in field-goal percentage. It was beyond clear that something
was not right with him. Jrue Holiday hasn’t been known as ‘durable’ since he joined
the Pelicans and believe it or not last year he played his most games in the three
years he’s been down in New Orleans. This guy shows his all-star potential when
he’s on the court, but injuries have limited his playing time and prevented him from
being the player everyone thought he would become. Buddy Hield is an NBA ready
pickup that will try hard on both sides of the floor and will surprise us with some
great scoring performances this year. Alonzo Gee is good for a Top 100 dunk or two
every season but aside from his Thomas Robinson-esque athleticism in a smaller
frame, he’s a role player who will have a tough time finding his fit in a consistent
lineup. Norris Cole is a good backup guard who plays with energy and the duo of
Lance Stephenson & Terrence Jones are going to have to show everyone why they
belong in this league. Aside from the aforementioned, this team also has Cheick
Diallo who looks promising as a complimentary big man that will come off the bench
and make the right plays. Omer Asik still exists and his role on this team will
probably be trade bait for picks or another backup guard. This team if healthy and
afforded the opportunity to develop some form of chemistry together could make
the eight seed. I’m putting them at 53 wins if Anthony Davis and one of Reke’ and
Jrue find a way to stay on the floor for at least 70 games.

The Clips

This team has the tools to go to the conference finals year after year, but
something always seems to go wrong at exactly the wrong moment for this veteran
squad of all-stars. CP, Blake and Deandre, are consistently mentioned in the top 3 of
each of their respective positions. The Clippers have an incredibly talented roster
that has established continuity over the past three seasons, and more importantly,
they have carved out an identity for themselves. They are going to play a brand of
basketball that is going to piss you off each and every night. JJ Redick is the best
version of Kyle Korver your team can have as a serious scoring threat that doesn’t
require to ball to be effective. Paul Pierce is at the end of his moon cycle but he’s still
capable of getting at least 6 or 7 points a game off of the occasional three pointer
and shooting fouls drawn off of pump fakes. You can’t fault Kid Rivers for his effort.
Don’t forget he broke his face for this team in the playoffs last year, finished the
game and truly does enough on both ends of the court to make his spot on this team
warranted. That being said, 11 Million per year for Austin Rivers is questionable at
best. Jamal Crawford still has the juice and the handles for 12+ points a night and
while he tied his career low of 2.3 assists per game last season, that number will
increase with a healthy Blake Griffin on the floor. It was a down year for Blake
Griffin to say the least. With the off-court issue (that seemed very out of character)
behind him and his health in balance, I could see a fired up Blake be a dark horse
MVP candidate. We know who Deandre and Chris Paul are. DJ is the most athletic
6’11 version of Ben Wallace imaginable and Chris Paul is Professor Doom. CP3 has a
sneaky quick handle and consistently dishes himself into a double-double every
night. Paul always seems to create just enough space to get whatever shot he wants
and has a game that will age beautifully. Mo Buckets will fit this team perfectly as a
big man with jump shooting ability that will keep defenders close to home. This
could be a potential narrative-changing year for the Clips with Blake and CP’s player
options coming into effect at its conclusion. Regardless, there is too much talent on
this team for them not to reach 61 wins and they’re LA’s best shot at a championship
this year.

Ohh Cahnadah

Watching this team make it to the conference finals last year and taking two
games from The King was nothing short of awesome. Lowry and Derozan finally
found their stride after shooting miserably (and that’s a compliment) in the
previous two series. Some people seem to think Lowry is going to have a fringe MVP
season, but there are simply too many other players in better situations who have
more of a chance to take home the honor. Players like Kawhi, Lebron, Blake and
Steph all bring more to the table, whether it’s better scoring, more wins shares, or
all around play; I just don’t think that Lowry’s name belongs in the same
conversation as the aforementioned superstars. That being said, Lowry and Derozan
afford the Drakes arguably the most talented backcourt in the east and with a
healthy Jonas Valanciunas manning the paint this team has what it needs to get to
the conference finals again. Losing Bismack will hurt more than anyone seems to
expect but his minutes will be spread out among some of the Raptors’ younger guys
like Bruno Caboclo and Lucas Nogueira who are hungry for court time. Those two
players are downgrades from the particular skillset that Bismack provided, but with
consistent minutes either one of this duo should be able to get into a rhythm over
the course of the season. Neither one of these Brazilians bigs has averaged more
than 8 minutes a game during their short stints in the NBA; this is the opportunity
they’ve been waiting for to show what they’ve been working on. Cory Joseph is still a
better-than-average sixth man that will provide a spark plug presence off the bench
and role players like TRoss and sophomore Normal Powell who shot 40% on two
threes a game last year this team is deeper than people realize. Patrick Patterson is a
poor man’s Trevor Ariza and Demarre Carroll is this team’s it factor; if he can pull
together a healthy season that extends into the playoffs, this team will create
problems. 56-26.

Tjsalierno@gmail.comTjsalierno@gmail.comTjsalierno@gmail.com


Cuban’s Crew

Everyone loves to hate Harrison Barnes. If you’re a Duke fan you hate him for
going to UNC. Warriors’ fans loathe him for bricking his way through the playoffs
and finals and most weren’t the least bit upset to see him go. Lastly if you’re a die-
hard basketball fan you hate to see such an unproven player warrant such a gigantic
contract. He will be paid 22,23,24, & 25 million dollars over the next four seasons.
When the Mavs struck out on all the other free agents this offseason it’s like they
looked at Barnes shrugged their shoulders and felt comfortable handing their
franchise over to this guy. He’s talented and has a ton of untapped upside but why
not just start a rebuild. The Warriors are going to dominate for the next few seasons
and while I understand if they feel like they owe it to Dirk to compete now just isn’t
the time to try to be competitive. With an ensemble of Dirk, Barnes, Deron Williams,
Wes Mathews, and Bogut the ball is going to move, but an extra four to five seconds
will be taken off the shot clock just for everyone to get down the floor in one piece.
Justin Anderson is an intriguing young talent that reminds me of Aaron Gordon in a
6’6 body and Dwight Powell is a big man who earns his keep with smart cuts and
high energy. With the Jazz almost certainly entering the playoffs this year, Dallas is
going to find it hard to squeeze themselves into the eight spot. That being said, I still
see this team winning between 38-42 games if one of their core players doesn’t go
down with an injury.



Champs, No Picture Required
Down 3-1 in the NBA Finals the Cavaliers took the definition of impossible
and set it on fire. Lebron achieved his final form and harnessed every ounce of mass
and energy bestowed upon him by a higher power and averaged an unbelievable
line of 30 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists, 2.5 steals and 2 blocks in 7 games. Why wait
to give this man a statue, there is no one in the league more deserving. Lebron is an
anomaly and we as fans are so blessed and fortunate to be able watch a human
conquer his body and utilize it in a way that leaves you in awe. His block to seal
Game 7 became a part of history the moment fingers hit leather and was so
unexpected at the time that no one really knew what had just happened. Everyone
and their mother thought Iguodola had a bunny, then Lebron takes five inhuman
strides from halfcourt, times his jump perfectly and with the game on the line
executed possibly the greatest block in NBA history. His value as a teammate and to
this league cannot be overstated, he is just that damn good. A King however is
nothing without an army behind him, and if Kyrie is his Robin, then Kevin Love has
to be the Batmobile. Kyrie has possibly the greatest handles this side of the Clippers
and his ability to maintain his dribble at all costs is unparalleled. He’s a top-two
point guard in the East (Kyle Lowry will give him a run for his money this season)
who has a potent enough offensive game to make up for what he lacks defensively.
Kevin Love is the second-best third option in the league, Klay Thompson currently
holds that title (which is crazy), but the little things Love does are underappreciated
and incredibly valuable. He is a scoring threat that demands the attention of
opposing defenses that would otherwise be dispersed elsewhere. Sag off him a foot
too far and he’ll make you pay with a clean three-point stroke, stay too close and an
open driving or passing lane will be exposed. If you don’t give this guy the attention
he deserves, the entire Cavs roster will make you pay, and that’s a testament to
Lebron’s ability to assemble a team. Tristan Thompson has done everything in his
capacity to earn the contract he received last summer, had he walked this team
would not have won the finals. He brings intangibles to the table that every
contender wants and plays within his role to a literal T. We’ve got all of RJ, Channing
Frye, Shump, and JR Smith returning to the roster, each of which knows the role
they play on this team. Channing is going to hit his threes, JR is going to make some
incredible shots, Jefferson is going to have a dunk or two that make you say wow,
and Shump is going to play ferocious D each and every possession. Kay Fielder’s
obvious comparison is to the great Nate Robinson. The kid tied for second highest
vertical leap ever recorded at the combine and at just 5’9 he’s going to need every
bit of his athleticism to make an impact on this championship roster. I could see a
trade or two unfolding over the first half of the season in which assets are swapped
for an upgrade somewhere along the roster, but regardless, I expect at least 63 wins
and another finals appearance for Lebron & Co, there’s simply no one to stop them
in the East.


3-1
Imagine being up three games to one in the playoffs and losing. Now imagine
the same thing but after the confetti has fallen and the champagne has dried you
pick yourself up, announce that you’re joining the team that beat you, and
immediately become the NBA’s number one villain. Kevin Durant has had a weird
career to say the least. Drafted by the Sonics, relocated to Oklahoma, reached the
finals with two of the best guards in the NBA on his roster, won MVP, tried
everything to get back to the promised land, and then joined the one team that was
guaranteed to alter his career and life most drastically. Sure joining the dubs will
bring him closer to that coveted championship, but is it really worth it? Lebron,
Wade and Bosh got a TON of shit flung their way when they teamed up on the Heat
in 2010. KD just joined a team that’s fresh off of two consecutive finals appearances,
the Heat were no such team. Basketball is a business. Players make decisions that
they believe will better their overall quality of life and base those decisions upon
their family, their present, and their past. Unfortunately on the other side of those
decisions are mediums like Twitter, press conferences and Player’s Tribune articles
that give both the player and the fans ways of expressing themselves, and often the
two sides have opposite reactions to certain events.
Slain
Enough small talk let’s break this team down, KD, Klay, Steph, Draymond and
Zaza is a decent starting five. Three of the most lights out shooters in the NBA,
paired with a detestable do it all player like Draymond who has the skill to back up
his big-ass mouth and a passing big man in Zaza spells destruction for the
opposition. Throw in overqualified bench players like Shaun Livingston and Andre
Iguodala and you have a formidable team. This however is where things tail off in a
big way. Beyond those seven above average NBA players, this team is rounded out
with some average to below average names. David West was far from relevant last
year with the Spurs, Javale Mcgee has no former glory to reclaim and will give us
highlight after lowlight on a nightly basis. Ian Clark could be sneaky key for this
team but I honestly think losing the threesome of Festus Ezeli, Andrew Bogut, and
Mo Speights is going to be seriously detrimental to this squad. All of those guys filled
key roles that haven’t been immediately supplemented and there is definitely going
to be a learning curve through the beginning of the season All of that aside, this team
isn’t winning 70 games; I put their floor at 61 and their ceiling at 66.

Some Big Fundamentals

I’ve heard talks where some don’t believe this team has what it takes to be
force in the league this year. The Spurs will make the playoffs and shouldn’t finish
lower than the fifth seed with All-Stars in Kawhi, LMA, and Pau at the helm of this
ship. If Kawhi plays like he did last season I could reasonably see him finishing in the
top two in MVP voting. If he somehow manages to improve we might see him join
the likes of Hakeem and Jordan as the only players to win DPOY and MVP in the
same season. This guy is a hawk on defense and never seems to miss a beat on either
side of the floor, he is one of the few irreplaceable players in the league and I can see
him making this team His. Pau’s height and length allow him to shoot over the tops
of anyone and while he did make an All-Star team last year, I feel that will be his last
appearance as the West is simply too crowded with talent for his potential play to
warrant a spot. That being said, he will fit beautifully into this system with the
ability to space the floor, move the ball and serve use his big body to collect boards.
Gasol’s defense will be an issue and he will be attacked whenever Pop decides to
give put him in, but his coach is one of, if not the best in the NBA and will find ways
to make his lineups work.
Lamarcus Aldridge is a top-three power forward whose Nowitzki-esque
jumper is butter from anywhere inside 18 feet. He’s a low-key great defender who’s
averaged a block per night for his career and pretty darn durable as only once in his
ten year career has he appeared in less than 63 games. Jonathan Simmons is one of
the best stories in basketball and he earned his spot on this roster with outstanding
play last season. Last season he shot 38% from downtown and 50% from the field in
just14 minutes per game and collected a few highlight reel dunks that had people
wondering how he could have slipped through the cracks. Despite last year being his
first in the league he’s 27 years old couldn’t be in a better position to improve. Tony
Parker and Manu Ginobli are at that point in their careers where their limited
athleticism is overshadowing their craftiness and both should see their minutes
reduced. Patty Mills showed off what he could do with Australia in the Olympics this
year putting up 21 points per game on 47% shooting over the course of 7 games.
Danny Green should be back to normal after undergoing Lasik eye surgery to
improve his vision, something was clearly bothering him as his shot was off for the
entirety of the season. This squad has talent and an incredible head coach who won’t
let this team lose more than 40 games. 45-37.

Guns in the Locker Room

Are Bradley Beal and John Wall friends? Or do they have that weird KD-Russ
thing going on. According to John Wall they “have a tendency to dislike eachother”
which is just about one of the worst things a coach ever wants to hear coming out of
one of their star’s mouth. Both of these guys are studs on the court and the
difference in their contracts has more to do with them being drafted in 2010 and
2012. That two-year difference allowed Beal to come out of his rookie contract and
into the world of big money, his deal being worth 127 Mil over 5 years compared to
Wall’s 84 Milly deal signed in 2014. These two guys need to put their egos aside and
ball out. Their games are perfect complements to each other, one being a shooter
with a quick trigger on & off the dribble and the other being a slashing guard with
excellence court vision. Both are all-stars when they play more than 70% of a season
and they need to start leading this team rather than tearing it down the middle.
Surrounded by two above average big men in Ian Mahinmi and Marcin Gortat, this
team looks good on paper but the depth really isn’t there to compete come playoff
time. Stick your best defender on Bradley Beal and you’ve immediately taken away
arguably this offense’s greatest weapon. Outside of BB, the shooting on this team
starts to fall of a cliff. Otto Porter hit 37% of his threes last season but outside of him,
there are no proven threats from deep. Chief Kieff is a big body with some decent
mid-range game and he will get good minutes off the bench or potentially even a
starting roll as the season progresses. Trey Burke improved his field goal
percentages dramatically last year after seeing both his minutes reduced and
receiving a demotion to a permanent bench roll, but he still doesn’t bring the
necessary tools to the table be incredibly effective. Kelly Oubre Jr. didn’t give the
Wizards much in his first year out of Kansas, but perhaps a void behind Otto Porter
at the small forward spot will allow him to get the minutes he needs to build a
rhythm. This team, mired in a discrete civil war, won’t make the playoffs this coming
season. They need an upgrade at the three and with their roster as it stands they’re
going to finish with a ceiling of 42 wins.


Houston’s Blasting Off

James Harden is great. People may hate him for his foul-drawing, euro-
stepping, step back shooting style of play but that’s only because he’s not on their
team. Harden played all 82 games, led the league in minutes and posted career bests
in rebounds (6.1), assists (7.5) and points (29) and the haters just kept on hating.
You can bring up his screen door level of defense, his free throw escapades, or his
beard and you still won’t convince me that he doesn’t deserve to win. He plays his
heart out every night and single-handedly allows his team to operate offensively.
Guys are given open shots because their defender has his eyes on Harden and it is a
blessing that he was given the keys to this team and the starting point guard role.
This man and his beard are the real deal and with a deeper squad behind him this
year, he’s about to make some magic happen. This team lost Dwight Howard to the
Hawks and even though replacing him with Clint Capela and Nene is not fantastic,
they received some quality upgrades at spots where they needed them most. Ryan
Anderson was a solid pickup and I expect him to do be the real deal on this roster,
he fits their system perfectly as a big man with a threatening three-point shot.
Trevor Ariza will bring his three & D play-style back for another year at the small
forward spot. He’s a smart player with championship experience that plays within
his limits and provides under-appreciated value on both sides of the court. Pat
Beverley is exactly who we know he is: a pass first point guard who doesn’t shoot
well from anywhere and plays a brutish style of defense. Donatas Montejunas is a
backup center and unfortunately his contract situation remains skeptical, as the last
news out of camp was that the two sides remained far apart in their negotiations.
This is very unfortunate because the young big man played incredibly well in the
2014-2015 where he posted career bests in every statistical category before
suffering multiple injuries last year and appearing in just 37 games. If they can sign
him before the season starts he will boost this team to an even higher level of play
and possibly even put them into contender status. Eric Gordon and Corey Brewer
are solid options at the shooting guard spot and if Gordon can rediscover even a
smidgeon of his All-Star form then he will prove his value to this Rockets team. Sam
Dekker played just three games last year for the Rockets due to a back injury and
assignment to their D-League affiliate and as much as I’d like to see him succeed,
there just might not be enough minutes to go around. This is another deep team
with one of the most talented guards in the league, and with health on their side 60
wins won’t be out of the question.

Literal Nuggets

Six players on this roster are 22 years of age or younger. Of those six, three
are potential starters and two are definite. Emmanuel Mudiay may have been the
worst rookie in the league last year starting all but two of his games and shooting
36% from the floor. Some of that has to do with the talent around him and
unfortunately the Nugs didn’t receive any real upgrades over the offseason. They
took Jamal Murray, a point guard, and Juan Hernangomez, a power forward, with the
5th and 17th picks respectively. Jamal may have been an insurance policy in case
Mudiay doesn’t work out and may even see some time at the two. He displayed a
potent three point shot in college shooting 40% from distance but his assist
numbers were low for a point guard at just 2 per game on 35 minutes a night.
Kenneth Faried, formerly The Manimal, is still just 26 but hasn’t showed any signs of
improvement since he received his 60mil extension in 2014 and has been officially
given a bench role to start the season. Nikola Jokic and Jusef Nurkic might not look
like much but Jokic’s potential is through the roof and the confidence of Nurkic is
unprecedented. Nurkic taunted both Kobe and Demarcus cousins last year, both of
which are players that most others in the league fear. If Mike Malone (shoutout
Greyhounds again) decides to give Jokic more minutes, which he will, Nikola will
show the league what he’s made of and average a double-double along with 4 assists,
1.5 steals, and a block per night. Those are Porzingis-like numbers, but this kid is
that good; he just needs some more time to show it. Wilson Chandler is an under-
appreciated forward who can score from everywhere and grab six or seven boards a
night, all while checking the opposing team’s best forward. Gallo is entering the
meat of his prime and despite putting up his best points per game total last season,
he only appeared in 53 games. Only twice out of his eight years in the league has he
played more than 59 games which is shame because he is a shooting guard in a 6’10
body who has the ability to get 18-22 points a night when healthy. Gary Harris and
Will Barton round out the competent portion of this roster. Both play an exciting
brand of basketball and last year each of them turned up their games with Gary
improving in every category and Will Barton receiving enough national attention in
the dunk contest to remain relevant in this league for years to come. Ex-Rookie of
the Year Mike Miller won’t receive close to 8 minutes of playing time per night the
intangibles he brings this young roster as a veteran, mentor, and champion will be
greatly appreciated. This team’s position in the west is grim and winning more than
25 games will be a challenge. 27-55.

Brooke-Lin™

It’s already been trademarked, patented, and copyrighter. Don’t even try it.
Jeremy Lin and his hair are about to surprise everyone and their Great Aunt Susan.
The Nets throwing 38mil his way over three years was a brilliant move by both
parties; Lin gets to show the league and everyone who appreciates the game of
basketball what he can do when given the opportunity to run an (a severely limited)
offense. His career-best in points was 14 a night during his time with the Knicks and
with the minutes and possessions he’ll be getting in Brooklyn, his stats and value
will shoot up. He’s an unrestricted free agent in 2019 at which time he will be 30;
still young enough to net one more big money contract with a potential contender in
need of a high IQ guard. The Nets starting lineup will most likely feature Lin, Greivis
Vasquez, Bojan Bogdanovic, Trevor Booker and Brooke Lopez. That is not a great
starting lineup. Thankfully Randae Hollis-Jefferson will be coming off the bench and
hopefully earn a starting forward role. If it wasn’t for a mid-season ankle injury he
would have been able to sharpen his tools over the latter course of the season when
teams outside of the playoff hunt start to give their developing talents more minutes.
Brooke Lopez will forever be an offense-only center; he disappears almost as much
as Harden on defense. Thankfully what he provides offensively works no matter
which players surround him and he will easily average a double double with few
other big men on the roster to contend with for rebounds. Kenny Atkinson, a rookie
head coach, is a product of the Spurs and the Hawks respective coaching staffs and
will take what he has learned from his time under Pop and Coach Bud to make smart
decisions on a team ready to start anew. Will he give Anthony Bennett; a former #1
pick currently on the league-minimum salary, more than 8 minutes a night? It won’t
matter, don’t expect more than 23 wins out of this Luis Scola entrenched squad.


The ATLiens

Boy did the Hawks underwhelm the entire league last year. Fresh off of winning 60
games in 2014-2015, the Hawks managed to only chalk up 48 wins last year. That’s
unfortunate for a team that lit the league on fire just a season ago and this on
doesn’t seem like it’s going to get much better. Losing Jeff Teague and giving the
keys to Dennis Schroder made sense, but whether or not it will give this team more
skill and value is questionable. Swapping Horford for Dwight won’t bring this team
closer to the top of the East. The Schroder-Howard pick and roll will be surprisingly
effective to any doubters who don’t think Dwight can be a force in this league
anymore. He’s one of the most athletic bigs to ever play the game and although his
body is slowly deteriorating, he can still use his brute force to get 17/10 a game.
Paul Millsap is one of the most consistent players in the league. He has played in less
than 73 games in just one of his ten seasons in the NBA and even that year he
appeared in 64 contests. He does everything you want your small forward to do, and
last year he posted career highs in rebounds, assists, steals and blocks in the same
number of minutes as the season prior. The most surprising statistical leap came in
the blocks category where he posted 1.7 per night as opposed to the prior
season’s .9. Kyle Korver’s three-point percentage regressed by almost ten percent
from 49.2 to 39.8 percent. Now shooting 40% from downtown is still respectable,
but such a regression causes a rise for concern. There was no way he could keep up
his production from the season prior, it will be a storyline to follow in terms of
whether or not he can bring it back up over this one. Thabo Sefolosha will give three
& D minutes off the bench at the small forward spot and Kris Humphries will find a
way to get his 6 points and 4 rebounds a night. Kent Bazemore rounds out this
roster with an improved three-point stroke and an infectious smile that could shine
light on anyone’s darkest day. Baze is only 27 in the beginning of his prime with a
starting spot on the roster and the world ahead of him. He’ll give this squad some
manic defense at the two and enough all around work to warrant his big offseason
contract. While I don’t see the Hawks surpassing last year’s win total, I don’t see
them regressing as much as one might be led to believe. They’ll have a ceiling of 48
wins and a floor of 44. 45-37

Fiz N Grizz N Grind

New Coach David Fizdale is going to be great. This Grizzlies team however is
in a weird place right now with three perennial All-Stars in Mike Conley, Marc Gasol,
and Chandler Parsons. Those three combined should form a powerful punch that
will be able to make a close game out of contests with even the toughest of
opponents. Conley is an ambidextrous guard with quick floaters, an above average
three-point game, and a high basketball IQ who never backs down from a challenge
and can put in work against any matchup. He’s deserving of the 152 million dollar
contract he received over the summer and will prove it to any of the doubters
throughout the course of the season. If Parsons and Gasol can stay healthy it will
only increase his stats and as a durable guard who rarely turns the ball over, count
on him finishing every game with a stat line around 17/3.5/6.5. Marc Gasol is a true
7-footer and a former DPOY who played hurt for almost all of last year, which
regressed most of his stats from the year prior despite playing in more minutes per
game. With Gasol and Conley out due to injuries last year, the Grizz finished with the
7 seed and despite being swept, wore their hearts on their sleeves for all four games
in the first round against San Antonio. Expect that type of play to continue
throughout the upcoming season as the veterans from years past are still in place.
Surrounding this core of Conley, Gasol, Randolph (who’s coming off the bench) and
Carter are players like PJ Hairston, Andrew Harrison, and James Ennis who are
looking to prove why they belong in the NBA. Vince Carter claims he may participate
in this year’s dunk contest, which at 39 years of age would be an incredible feat.
Vince still has his trademark ups and somehow manages to stay relevant year after
year with solid contributions across the board. Troy Daniels put up 3 three-point
attempts per game and managed to hit 48% of them while only being afforded 11
minutes per night. What does this kid have to do to get some more minutes??? Two
years ago he came up from the D-League for the Houston Rockets in the playoffs and
single handedly saved their season. In the final six minutes of the game, Daniels hit
three shots from downtown, the last of which put Houston up by three with 11
seconds left to play. This kid is ready to go at a moments notice and he’s still only 25.
Jamychal Green missed just four games last year and in just about every one of the
remaining 78 he flashed his highlight reel potential, jumping out of the gym and
posterizing anyone that happened to be in his way. Chandler Parsons’ career arc is
an unfortunate one but this season he might actually have the chance to play healthy
for the first time since his Houston days. Since then he’s seen his minutes reduced
each season because of injuries and he’s already projected to be out for the season
opener. Regardless of the level of talent behind them, this team’s core knows how to
guide them to the playoffs, as they haven’t missed the big dance since 2011. 43-39.

No, You Shoot It

But actually, who is going to shoot the ball on the Bulls. Wade has been my
favorite player since I was but a lad, however throughout his tenure as Miami’s
golden boy he has never once shot over 30% from downtown. It always seems like
he hits threes when they matter most and that’s what the best players are
remembered for, showing up to play when the game is on the line. Does anyone else
remember when Wade dislocated Rondo’s elbow in game three of their series in
2011? It’s great that they’ve (hopefully) kept the past in the past and joined forces to
create one of the strangest teams in the league. Rondo averaged just as many assists
(11.7) as he did points (11.9) with the Kings last year, it’s safe to say that he’ll keep
the ball moving and him & Butler will form a nice pick and roll combo. Speaking of
Jimmy, another one of the league’s more incredible stories, he’s an All-Star who
reminds me more and more of Paul George with each successive season. He’s a freak
athlete who can handle switches on defense and beat his man with an array of
moves on offense. Him and Wade are going to draw double teams that will give the
rest of this deep cast the space to get shots off and cut to the rim. Denzel Valentine
was a good pickup and reminds me of Andre Iguodala, a swiss army knife who can
handle the ball, has the ability to score from anywhere, and can get his teammates
involved by keeping the ball moving. Taj Gibson has spent his entire career in
Chicago and it feels like he might never leave, but his value to this team is still at the
point where he can consistently get 20-24 minutes a night and contribute on both
sides of the floor. Douglas McBuckets improved in every stastical category last year
mostly due to a huge increase in minutes and can put the ball in the net from beyond
22 feet at a 42% clip. He’s taller than anyone realizes and at 6’8 230 can body up
opposing wings that try to put him in the post. MCW was a late addition and takes
the place of Tony Snell, bringing a completely different skillset to this Bulls team as a
6’6 point guard. Robin Lopez is a starting caliber center that has enough post moves
and is big enough to average 10 points & 8 boards. Rounding out this squad is Nikola
Mirotic who joined Douggy in improving every one of his stats last season and has a
game much like fellow European Danilo Gallinari. He can shoot from outside and put
the ball on the floor and as a 6’10 wing he can even slot himself at power forward to
spread the floor and take an opposing big out of the lane. This Chicago squad is
deeper than people realize and is going to surprise a lot of folks who think that a
core of Butler, Wade, and Rondo is going to fall flat. 52-30.

Bawston

Isaiah Thomas makes me wonder every single day if I could have made it to
the NBA. At 5’10 on a good day, Isaiah, an average heighted human being, excels in a
league populated entirely by individuals with above heights and wingspans. Isaiah
has one thing over the majority of the league though: he’s a god damn lefty. Okay,
that’s not all he has going for him, but being lefty in any professional sports league
has its perks and this goes double for the NBA where leaning just a smidgeon one
way could cost you a bucket. Isaiah does everything right as the leader of this Celtics
team and he’s a quick, decisive, and dynamic scoring threat who still finds a way to
move the ball. This is a deep team with steep defensive upside boasting all-around
players like Avery Bradley, Amir Johnson, Jonas Jerebko, and Jae Crowder. Each one
of these players knows how to stay in front their man on defense and plays within
their limits on offense A. because they trust their coach and B. because they trust
each other. This team knows what each other is capable of and in Brad Stevens they
have a coach who is going to be a part of this league for decades. He’s my very early
pick for coach of the year and if you take a look at his roster you’ll see just how
malleable this team is. Al Horford is the big man every team wishes they had and the
Hawks should have thought twice about signing Dwight before letting such a
talented and capable big man walk. Al can spread the floor, shoot from the elbow &
the corner, and plays great defense without committing too many fouls. He’s also a
capable free-throw shooter who hit 80% of his freebies last year and posts great
field goal percentages for an all-around big man. On D Marcus Smart comes at you
like a spider monkey hyped up on Mountain Dew, but on offense defenders don’t
mind leaving him open as he shot just 34% from the floor and 25% from the field
last season. Jaylen Brown was an amazing draft pick at number 7 and looked
fearless in his lone college season with the Golden Bears. His upside could be in line
with a player such as Kawhi Leonard who struggled shooting the ball early on until
he improved his form. Brown has all of the athletic tools he needs to be an adept
wing and on this Celtics team, riddled with elite defenders, the learning curve won’t
be too steep. James Young might be given a bigger than expected role this season,
but he’s behind a gaggle of better players at the wing and hasn’t had enough minutes
in his career to prove anything just yet. Brad Stevens’ squad is a talented one and
although they’re a trade or two away from resembling a contender, I believe they’ll
finish as either the third or fourth seed in the East. 52-30.

ALL CONTENT IS ORIGINAL IN NATURE
The following sources were used for stastical reference:
http://www.basketball-reference.com
http://www.spotrac.com/nba/cap/


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