The East looks very top heavy with the Bulls and Cavs duking it out, and the Wizards, Heat and Raptors lurking as possible threats. After that, the last three playoff spots look like fair game for every team except the Magic, 76ers, Bucks and Celtics.
Reminder, the 2014-2015 Score is a number I came up with based on roster, position depth, coaching and chemistry.
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1. Chicago Bulls
2014-2015 Score: 2021
2013-2014 Record and Results: 48-34, 2nd in Central. Lost NBA Eastern Conference First Round (1-4) versus Washington Wizards.
Projected Rotation
C - Joakim Noah
PF - Pau Gasol
SF - Mike Dunleavy
SG - Jimmy Butler
PG - Derrick Rose
Bench
FC Taj Gibson
G Kirk Hinrich
G Aaron Brooks
GF Tony Snell
C Nazr Mohammed
F Doug McDermott
F Nikola Mirotic
One silver lining with the Derrick Rose injuries is that the Chicago Bulls have learned to win without him. Make no mistake though, this team is no threat to advance in the playoffs without their top dog. Rose looked good during the summer, but NBA games are a different type of physicality, and it will be interesting to see if Rose can pass the mental hurdle of only playing in 49 games the past two seasons. Chicago led the league in defense last season, and will continue to employ that same game plan. Jimmy Butler and Joakim Noah are two of the best defensive players in the league. Noah had his best season as a pro, setting career highs in rebounds, points and assists. Noah's assist numbers skyrocketed without Rose on the court, as he was often the facilitator of the offense. His unique skill set makes him perhaps the best center in the NBA. Pau Gasol is the big addition here. The Lakers were a disaster last year, and Gasol got lost in the shuffle. He is still an 18 point, 8 rebound guy and will be a huge upgrade over Carlos Boozer at the four. Tom Thibedeau likes to use a tight rotation, so expect veterans Mike Dunleavy, Taj Gibson, Kirk Hinrich and Aaron Brooks to round out the rotation. Dunleavy and Brooks will be asked to provide the Bulls with shooting and not much else. Chicago has a few intriguing youngsters. Nikola Mirotic has been one of the best players in Europe the last few years. Tony Snell has solid defensive potential. Doug McDermott can shoot from anywhere. Do not expect these players to have much of a role on a veteran team. Remember, Jimmy Butler was hardly used as a rookie. If Rose can stay healthy, the Bulls will challenge the Cavaliers for the right to represent the East in the Finals. It is hard to see any other team other than those two from this conference competing for a championship.
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2. Cleveland Cavaliers
2014-2015 Score: 1763
2013-2014 Record and Results: 33-49, 3rd in Central.
Projected Rotation
C - Anderson Varejao
PF - Kevin Love
SF - LeBron James
SG - Dion Waiters
PG - Kyrie Irving
Bench
FC Tristan Thompson
F Shawn Marion
GF Mike Miller
GF James Jones
G Matthew Dellavadova
C Brendan Haywood
GF Joe Harris
In case you have not heard, LeBron James returned to Cleveland. He spoke about how excited he was to run with these young guns, then Cleveland went and traded for Kevin Love, creating another big three. It was a trade that had to be done, though. The East is so weak right now, that now is the time to go for a championship. Giving up Andrew Wiggins is a big price to pay, but there is no doubt Love makes the Cavaliers better right now. And Love is still only 26 years old. Love was a do everything big man for a team that failed to surround him with capable talent. It will be interesting to see how he performs now that he does not have to carry the entire load. Next to driving ball handlers James and Kyrie Iirving, Love should see more wide open three point looks. Irving should be a great fit with James. More of a scorer than distributor, Irving will be able to focus more on scoring with James bringing the ball up court. Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson were the two high picks the Cavaliers hung on to. Waiters should start at shooting guard, but as the clear fourth option on offense, he might be relegated to open jump shots, so he will need to continue to develop an improving three point shot. Thompson has slowly developed into a good rebounder who can score on occasion. His value will be killed with Love and James aboard. Even though the Cavaliers will keep Anderson Varejao rested, Love and James are expected to gobble up most of the front court minutes. Veterans Shawn Marion and Mike Miller will round out the rotation. Marion was very productive for the Mavericks last year. Oh, and about James. Yeah, he is a decent player. Even though he only signed a two year contract, expect him to finish out his contract as long as the Cavaliers continue to supply him with a winning roster. First time NBA head coach David Blatt will have to figure out how to make all of this work, but it would be very hard to see anything but a Bulls vs. Cavaliers Eastern Conference Finals, health permitting.
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3. Toronto Raptors
2014-2015 Score: 1675
2013-2014 Record and Results: 48-34, 1st in Atlantic. Lost NBA Eastern Conference First Round (3-4) versus Brooklyn Nets.
Projected Rotation
C - Jonas Valanciunas
PF - Amir Johnson
SF - Terrence Ross
SG - DeMar DeRozan
PG - Kyle Lowry
Bench
G Greivis Vasquez
FC Patrick Patterson
FC Chuck Hayes
G Lou Williams
FC Tyler Hansbrough
F James Johnson
GF Landry Fields
The historically lowly Raptors had their best season in franchise history, winning 48 games and the Atlantic division. It took a while, but Dwayne Casey's defensive philosophy finally paid off as Toronto gave up the 7th fewest points in the NBA. Toronto might be the deepest team in the league, going 12 deep with veterans who have all had a verious degree of success. It all started with Kyle Lowry, who set career highs in points, assists and rebounds and played in 78 games. Lowry's back court mate, DeMar DeRozan, stepped his game up and became a first time All Star. DeRozan only shot 42% from the field, but is one of the most aggressive scorers in the league, getting to the free throw line 7 games a day, and converting 82% of those shots. If he can get his field goal percentage up to about 48% like early in his career, he could be even more dangerous. For the Raptors to truly take the next step towards East contenders, youngsters Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross need to step up. Valanciunas had per-36 averages of 14 ppg and 11 rpg, which are attainable as he enters his third season as a 22 year old. There are few 7 footers in the league with his raw ability, he simply needs to stay out of foul trouble and commit to defense. Casey is not a fan of Ross' defense, but his shooting ability has been too good to take him out of the lineup. He shot almost 40% from beyond the arc, and is one of the few NBA players who has a 50 point game on his resume. What looked like a salary dump turned out to fuel the Raptors towards the playoffs. Patrick Patterson, Greivis Vasquez and Chuck Hayes were key members of a great second unit. Lou Williams and James Johnson were brought in to fill out the bench. The Raptors have a great mix of veterans and youngsters, and look like the heavy favorites to win the Atlantic.
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4. Washington Wizards
2014-2015 Score: 1503
2013-2014 Record and Results: 44-38, 2nd in Southeast. Lost NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals (2-4) versus Indiana Pacers.
Projected Rotation
C - Marcin Gortat
PF - Nene
SF - Paul Pierce
SG - Bradley Beal
PG - John Wall
Bench
GF Martell Webster
FC Kris Humphries
G Andre Miller
FC Drew Gooden
FC Kevin Seraphin
FC DeJuan Blair
F Otto Porter
For years the Wizards tried to build their team through the draft, but could not consistently win with guys like Andray Blatche, JaVale McGee and Jan Vesely. A couple seasons ago they decided to trade youth for veterans, and now they have a nice mix of young studs and old men. It starts with the highly drafted back court of John Wall and Bradley Beal. Wall came into his own, playing in all 82 games and setting career highs in points, steals and assists. At age 24, Wall is just now entering his prime and should be an All Star game fixture for years. Beal has a great chance to become a 20 ppg scorer this year if he can improve on his .419 field goal percentage. The guards will be relied on for the bulk of the scoring, because the rest of the roster is made up of role players. Marcin Gortat is the only other player you can pencil in for 30 minutes per night. Gortat continues to fly under the radar as one of the better centers in the league. He was fantastic during his first season in Washington as a solid double double performer. Nene, Paul Pierce, Martell Webster, Kris Humphries, Drew Gooden and DeJuan Blair brings a ton of experience, and those players will fight for minutes at the four and five. Of the group, Nene and Pierce are expected to start and play 20 or so minutes per night. Pierce is almost strictly a spot up shooter at this point in his career, and that will be fine with the Wizards, who lost three point shooting when Trevor Ariza departed. The wild card is Otto Porter, a talented youngster who showed nothing as a rookie. With so many veterans on the bench fighting for minutes, Porter might be left out in the cold again. This is the best Wizards team in many years, and if I was looking for a team that could upset Chicago or Cleveland in the playoffs, this would be it.
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5. Miami Heat
2014-2015 Score: 1343
2013-2014 Record and Results: 54-28, 1st in Southeast. Lost NBA Finals (1-4) versus San Antonio Spurs.
Projected Rotation
C - Chris Bosh
PF - Josh McRoberts
SF - Luol Deng
SG - Dwyane Wade
PG - Mario Chalmers
Bench
FC Chris Andersen
G Norris Cole
FC Udonis Haslem
GF Danny Granger
G Shannon Brown
F Shawne Williams
G Shabazz Napier
The Heat are no longer a championship level team, but even without LeBron James, they will compete for the playoffs. Chris Bosh decided to stay in Miami where he can enjoy the sun, the tax free life and be the man on this team. Dwyane Wade is the best player in franchise history, but Bosh is the best player on this roster. With James and Wade dominating the ball, Bosh learned to develop a good jump shot, and now that the offense will run through him, he should return to the 20-10 guy we saw in Toronto. Wade is the NBA's version of Christian Okoye on Tecmo Bowl, and years of physicality has left his body a mess. For the second time in three years, he failed to crack the 60 game mark. When he did play, he was still very effective, averaging almost 20 points per game on a 45% field goal mark. With James gone, Wade should have more opportunities to return to the free throw line, where he used to be among the league leaders. Luol Deng was brought in to take over James old position. Before he took a vacation for half a year with the Cavaliers, Deng was a solid defender and scorer and should be a good fit with the Heat. When the big three opted out, the Heat began using their cap space on guys like Josh McRoberts and Danny Granger. Now those two, along with holdovers Mario Chalmers, Chris Andersen, Norris Cole and Udonis Haslem will have to play key roles to keep the Heat afloat. I think Miami is still a playoff team, but a lot of breaks will have to go their way for Miami to be a serious threat again.
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6. New York Knicks
2014-2015 Score: 1146
2013-2014 Record and Results: 37-45, 3rd in Atlantic.
Projected Rotation
C - Samuel Dalembert
PF - Andrea Bargnani
SF - Carmelo Anthony
SG - Iman Shumpert
PG - Jose Calderon
Bench
GF JR Smith
GF Tim Hardaway Jr.
G Pablo Prigioni
FC Amare Stoudemire
FC Jason Smith
F Cleanthony Early
G Shane Larkin
I am surprised to see the Knicks score this high as well. But once you get past the top five teams in the East, a superstar like Carmelo Anthony can carry a team into the playoffs. Anthony suffers a bit from Allen Iverson syndrome. A lot of fans and media think he will never be a "winner". Back in his Nuggets days, Denver was routinely a 50 win team that simply ran into better teams in the playoffs. The Knicks gutted their team to acquire him, and have failed to surround him with anything resembling a winning roster. Anthony flirted with free agency, but ultimately bought into Phil Jackson's vision and returned to the Big Apple. New York will have a ton of cap space after the season, and with Jackson and Derek Fisher in New York, will be a big time free agent destination. Anthony, Fisher and Jackson will simply try to get through the season as well as they can. Andrea Bargnani and Amare Stoudemire are salary cap ball and chain place holders that will be shown the door after the season. But with the roster woefully thin on big men, both will have to contribute this year. Stoudemire's knees have betrayed him and he is only good for about 20 minutes per night, and Bargnani can shoot the ball but offers little else. New York's best big man might be newcomer Samuel Dalembert, who is still a decent enough starting center who can block shots and rebound. Jose Calderon was also acquired in the Tyson Chandler trade, and should be an upgrade over Raymond Felton. Calderon is a good shooter and will be a nice fit in the triangle offense. Iman Shumpert has regressed badly since a promising rookie year. Tim Hardaway will push him for minutes. Hardaway did not get much of his father's ball handling skills, but proved to be one of the better scorers from a weak 2013 draft class. JR Smith is the only other real scoring option other than Anthony. Now in his late 20's and as immature as ever, Smith is as erratic on the court as he is off it. When he is on, few players can fill up the bucket as quick and well as Smith can. This is the worst roster Carmelo Anthony has ever been a part of, but he is in New York for the long haul, and there will be better days ahead for Knicks fans.
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7. Charlotte Hornets
2014-2015 Score: 1100
2013-2014 Record and Results: 43-39, 3rd in Southeast. Lost NBA Eastern Conference First Round (0-4) versus Miami Heat.
Projected Rotation
C - Al Jefferson
PF - Marvin Williams
SF - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
SG - Lance Stephenson
PG - Kemba Walker
Bench
GF Gerald Henderson
G Brian Roberts
GF Jeff Taylor
G Gary Neal
FC Cody Zeller
FC Bismack Biyombo
F Noah Vonleh
Along with the Los Angeles Raiders and Chicago White Sox, the Charlotte Hornets were a favorite of hip hop early 90's fashion. Everyone knew a kid who rocked a Hornets starter jacket with zubaz pants like they were never going out of style. Now the Charlotte Hornets are back, and this is the best roster the former Bobcats have had since Charlotte regained a franchise. Just two years after a .106 winning percentage, Al Jefferson and Steve Clifford led this team to a winning record. Charlott won with stifling defense and scoring from Jefferson and Kemba Walker. Jefferson proved to be a perfect fit with the Bobcats. He averaged a double double for the first time since his Timberwolves days. Playing on a strong defensive team for the first time in his career, he was able to focus on offense. Walker has quietly developed into a very solid NBA player. He averaged 17.7 points and 6.1 assists per game, and if he can improve on a woeful .399 field goal percentage, should crack 20 points per game this year. The Hornets knew they needed more scoring, and signed Gordon Hayward to a large offer sheet. The Jazz matched, so Charlotte turned their attention to Lance Stephenson. The Pacers did a great job of developing Stephenson, who should be a great fit as a perimeter defender, ball handler and scorer for the Hornets. The Charlotte franchise has consistently drafted poor, and they are still waiting for Bismack Biyombo and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to emerge. Both players are solid defenders, but as the Hornets improve their roster, they have to improve their offensive games to keep from losing rotation spots. Cody Zeller and Noah Vonleh are two talented young big men who will start the season on the bench behind Marvin Williams, who was brought in to give the Hornets 25 mediocre minutes per night. With a great defensive minded philosophy and improving talent, Charlotte has a great chance to make back to back playoff appearances for the first time since the original franchise moved to New Orleans.
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8. Detroit Pistons
2014-2015 Score: 1091
2013-2014 Record and Results: 29-53, 4th in Central.
Projected Rotation
C - Andre Drummond
PF - Greg Monroe
SF - Josh Smith
SG - Jodie Meeks
PG - Brandon Jennings
Bench
G DJ Augustin
GF Kyle Singler
G Will Bynum
GF Caron Butler
G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
F Jonas Jerebko
C Aaron Gray
It will take time, but the Pistons should be much improved under Stan Van Gundy. It all starts with Andre Drummond. In high school, Drummond was thought of as an equal NBA draft prospect to Anthony Davis. He exploded as a second year NBA player, leading the NBA in rebound percentage and shooting 62% from the field. Drummond looks an awful lot like a young Dwight Howard, free throw shooting at all. He should definitely be an All Star this year. Greg Monroe returns for what will most likely be his last season in Detroit. Van Gundy will have to figure out how to use his three big men, Josh Smith included, together. Smith is miscast as a small forward, and wasted most of the year chucking up bricks from three point land. He has major bounce back potential if he follows through on his promise to take less threes and attack the rim more often. Speaking of bricks, Brandon Jennings shot his way to a .373 field goal percentage, dropping his career mark to .390. Jodie Meeks, DJ Augustin and Caron Butler were brought in to provide the Pistons with more shooting. Detroit was one of the worst three point shooting teams in the league, which will not sit well with Van Gundy and his offensive scheme. His best bet for additional scoring might come from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Like most rookies, KCP struggled last year and will now have to fight with Meeks for minutes. The Pistons have the talent to claim one of the last playoff spots, but will have to be more committed to defense and shoot better.
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9. Brooklyn Nets
2014-2015 Score: 1061
2013-2014 Record and Results: 44-38, 2nd in Atlantic. Lost NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals (1-4) versus Miami Heat.
Projected Rotation
C - Brook Lopez
PF -Kevin Garnett
SF - Bojan Bogdanovic
SG - Joe Johnson
PG - Deron Williams
Bench
G Jarrett Jack
FC Mason Plumlee
F Mirza Teletovic
GF Alan Anderson
F Andrei Kirilenko
G Jorge Gutierrez
G Marquis Teague
The Nets traded three future first round picks for mid 30's former superstars Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, spent a record amount of luxury tax, and had 44 wins to show for it, though they did advance to the second round of the playoffs. Now Pierce has moved on, Garnett is finishing out his contract by playing 20 minutes per game, and the Nets will have to rely on an increasingly injury prone Brook Lopez and an ineffective Deron Williams to bring them back to the playoffs. It will not be an easy task. Lopez is one of the best scoring big men in the league, but has had foot injuries ruin his last two seasons. Foot issues have killed the careers of several big men the past decade or so, but Lopez will hope he is more Zydrunas Ilgauskas than Yao Ming. It seemed like only yesterday fans were debating on whether Deron Williams or Chris Paul was the best point guard in the NBA, but that debate looks silly right now. Williams bottomed out last year, with his worst point and assist totals since his rookie year. He hopes his ankle issues were to blame, and will look to bounce back this year. Joe Johnson's contract is so bad he has actually become a bit underrated at this stage of his career. He started 79 games and paced the Nets with 15.8 points per game, a number that will most likely go up without Pierce, Shaun Livingston, Andray Blatche and others around. Several players will be fighting for minutes at the forward positions. Bojan Bogdanovic might be the most intriguing option. One of the best scorers in Europe, the former draft pick will finally come to the states and will get the first crack at starting at small forward. Expect a bigger role for Mason Plumlee and Mirza Teletovic as Garnett wraps up one of the best careers in NBA history. The Nets have the talent to make the playoffs and even put a scare into a higher seed, but Mikhail Prokhorov will most likely sell the team before ever sniffing his promised goal of an NBA championship.
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10. Atlanta Hawks
2014-2015 Score: 1009
2013-2014 Record and Results: 38-44, 4th in Southeast. Lost NBA Eastern Conference First Round (3-4) versus Indiana Pacers.
Projected Rotation
C - Al Horford
PF - Paul Millsap
SF - DeMarre Carroll
SG - Kyle Korver
PG - Jeff Teague
Bench
GF Thabo Sefolosha
F Mike Scott
G Kent Bazemore
C Pero Antic
G Dennis Schroder
FC Elton Brand
G Shelvin Mack
The Hawks return their entire starting lineup from last season. Atlanta started hot last year thanks to tremendous starts by Al Horford, Paul Millsap, Kyle Korver and Jeff Teague. Once Horford was lost for the years, the wheels fell off. He was scoring at the highest rate of his career, and the Hawks could not make up for his loss of production. Millsap proved to be a free agent bargain, leading the Hawks in total points and rebounds. Expect another fantastic season as he gears up towards free agency. He had to settle for a two year deal with the Hawks and will look to cash in long term. The Hawks have done a good job of developing Teague, who set a career high with 16.4 points per game. Korver's career got a second lease in Atlanta, as he set the record for consecutive games with a three point field goal made. DeMarre Carroll came out of nowhere to give the Hawks a solid 30 minutes of production a game. The bench remains a weak point, however. Thabo Sefolosha was signed to help on defense, but there is little in the way of scoring to be found. Newcomer Kent Bazemore might be their best scoring option off the bench. The Hawks should contend for a playoff spot as long as the starters remain healthy, but it will be tough to advance without a go to player or bench. I do think they are better than 10th best in the East, however.
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11. Boston Celtics
2014-2015 Score: 956
2013-2014 Record and Results: 25-57, 4th in Atlantic.
Projected Rotation
C - Kelly Olynyk
PF - Jared Sullinger
SF - Jeff Green
SG - Avery Bradley
PG - Rajon Rondo
Bench
F Brandon Bass
GF Evan Turner
G Marcus Thornton
F Gerald Wallace
G Marcus Smart
G Phil Pressey
C Tyler Zeller
Danny Ainge chose to trade Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce before last season, ushering in another rebuilding phase. It was a tough season in Boston, but the Celtics have several young players and a ton of draft picks to reshape this roster. There is a lot of work to do, but several youngsters are expected to be key members of the rotation this year. Boston will roll with a young front court of Kelly Olynyk and Jared Sullinger. Sullinger has bounced back from his early back injury concerns to put up 13 points and 8 rebounds a game in 74 contests. He was not a very efficient scorer, however, shooting 42%, a pretty terrible number for a big man. Olynyk has an intriguing skill set. He is a good scorer with three point range, and has the instincts to be a decent rebounder. Avery Bradley had a breakthrough fourth season, averaging a career high 14.9 points per game. Though undersized for a shooting guard, he makes up for it with solid defensive ability. Marcus Smart was the teams first round draft pick. A bad shooter but tough competitor, he is most likely the point guard of the future. There are still a few veterans around, including Rajon Rondo, who has been involved in trade rumors for years. The selection of Smart could mean that Danny Ainge will continue to shop him until he finds a deal to his liking. Jeff Green led the team in scoring, though his .412 field goal percentage was terribly inefficient. The Celtics have some young talent, and veterans who could bring back some more pieces for the future. The playoffs are not a possibility, however. Boston needs to luck out in the lottery and land a potential superstar, because the young players on the roster do not look like difference makers.
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12. Indiana Pacers
2014-2015 Score: 943
2013-2014 Record and Results: 56-26, 1st in Central. Lost NBA Eastern Conference Finals (2-4) versus Miami Heat.
Projected Rotation
C - Roy Hibbert
PF - David West
SF - Solomon Hill
SG - CJ Miles
PG - George Hill
Bench
G Rodney Stuckey
FC Luis Scola
G CJ Watson
C Ian Mahinmi
FC Lavoy Allen
F Damjan Rudez
G Donald Sloan
It has been quite a quick fall for the Indiana Pacers. They started last season with a 45-13 record, but limped to the finish line at 11-13. They really struggled to put away the likes of the Hawks and Wizards during the playoffs before getting embarrassed by the Heat. Things got even worse over the summer, as Paul George suffered a gruesome leg injury and Lance Stephenson departed via free agency. George cooled off following an MVP start, but his loss is still huge. He was coming into his own as an offensive force, and his defense (as well as Stephenson's) cannot be over stated. Without their two best players, the Pacers will march forward with their usual solid veterans and some stop gap free agent signings. David West is the only returning Pacer to average over 13 points per game. West should have been a solid veteran helping a team compete for a title. Instead he will be a mid 30's player who will have to carry much of the scoring load. George Hill and Roy Hibbert both squeezed out 10 points per game, but it will be hard for either player to improve on those numbers. Hibbert, in particular, was especially putrid in 2013-2014. He averaged a putrid 10 points, 6 rebounds and 44% from the field and was even more brutal in the playoffs. He needs to bounce back in a big way to justify the large contract the Pacers signed him to. Rodney Stuckey and CJ Miles were signed to help offset the loss of Stephenson and George. Stuckey is a decent, although not very efficient scorer, and Miles is just average at pretty much everything. Head coach Frank Vogel has been talking up Solomon Hill as a defensive stopper. That would be ideal for Indiana, who could really struggle to play defense this year. The Pacers are five months removed from an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, but making the playoffs, even in the mediocre East, would be an accomplishment considering the circumstances.
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13. Milwaukee Bucks
2014-2015 Score: 870
2013-2014 Record and Results: 15-67, 5th in Central.
Projected Rotation
C - Larry Sanders
PF - Ersan Ilyasova
SF - Jabari Parker
SG - OJ Mayo
PG - Brandon Knight
Bench
GF Giannis Antetokounmpo
GF Khris Middleton
C ZaZa Pachulia
FC John Henson
G Nate Wolters
G Jerryd Bayless
G Kendall Marshall
Following the worst season in franchise history, Milwaukee has new ownership, a new head coach and a new face of the franchise. The Bucks desperately needed a superstar, and Jabari Parker has the potential to become just that. He is from the Midwest, and campaigned hard to be selected by the Bucks. Milwaukee wast last in the NBA in attendance, and Parker could give them a reason to go to games again. He has the ability to be a 25 point per game scorer during his prime. The other main building block is Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Alphabet is still a major work in progress, but showed his freakish athletic ability quite often. Now up to 6'11, Jason Kidd stated he plans on playing Antetokounmpo at point guard on occasion. Brandon Knight also had a decent season, leading the team in scoring at 17.9 ppg. He is still miscast as a point guard, though. Other than those three, there is not a whole lot to like about this roster, though John Henson and Khris Middleton look like solid rotation players. Larry Sanders, Ersan Ilyasova and OJ Mayo were all signed to big contracts, and proceeded to put up stinkers. Sanders only played in 20 games, but looks like the best bet of the three to bounce back. His shot blocking and rebounding should come back. Ilyasova was never that great to begin with, and the Bucks will hope to trade him to open up minutes and opportunities for Parker and Henson at the four. OJ Mayo parlayed his best (and only good) season to a nice contract, and put up his worst campaign. He has been a bust thus far in his career, and it is almost unfathomable to think he was once traded for Kevin Love. The Bucks are on the right track with Parker and Antetokounmpo, but this is still a team in major transition. The hope is Ilyasova and Mayo can establish some trade value and the Bucks can add more young pieces or draft picks.
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14. Orlando Magic
2014-2015 Score: 683
2013-2014 Record and Results: 23-59, 5th in Southeast.
Projected Rotation
C - Nikola Pekovic
PF - Channing Frye
SF - Tobias Harris
SG - Victor Oladipo
PG - Elfrid Payton
Bench
G Luke Ridnour
G Ben Gordon
F Aaron Gordon
F Maurice Harkless
FC Kyle O'Quinn
F Andrew Nicholson
G Evan Fournier
The Magic had a puzzling off season to me. First, they drafted Aaron Gordon fourth overall. Gordon is a talented freak of nature, but will become another tweener forward who cannot create his own offense on a roster that has a few of those players already. Then, Orlando traded, or should I say, gave away Arron Afflalo without so much as trying to acquire a draft pick. Evan Fournier is a decent young player who will have a role in Orlando, but the Magic could have gotten a lot more. Then they handed out the two worst contracts of the off season, signing Ben Gordon and Channing Frye. Both players have disappointed more than excited in their career and are unlikely to justify the price tags. That was a pessimistic opening. All is not bad in Orlando. Victor Oladipo proved to be a very good draft pick, and in my opinion, should have won Rookie of the Year. He has 20-5-5 potential and could also make some all defensive teams. The Magic did draft Elfrid Payton with their additional pick, which is good news for Oladipo, as he is much better at the two. Payton is a bad shooter though, and defenses will dare that back court to beat them from deep. Nikola Pekovic is the only player from that big four team trade who is still starting for the team he was traded to. Pekovic is coming off back to back double double seasons. The Magic will hope Gordon can develop sooner than later, because Pekovic is no threat on defense. Orlando absolutely stole Tobias Harris from Milwaukee two years ago. Harris averaged 14 points and 7 rebounds as a 21 year old, and could explode with more scoring opportunities. The Magic are on the right track with several young players, but need to lose a few more seasons to add more talent to this roster. By the time head coach Jacque Vaughn racks up a couple hundred losses on his resume, Orlando should be ready to compete.
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15. Philadelphia 76ers
2014-2015 Score: 198
2013-2014 Record and Results: 19-63, 5th in Atlantic.
Projected Rotation
C - Henry Sims
PF - Nerlens Noel
SF - Hollis Thompson
SG - KJ McDaniels
PG - Michael Carter-Williams
Bench
F Luc Mbah a Moute
G Tony Wroten
G Alexey Shved
G Casper Ware
F Arnett Moultrie
F Jerami Grant
F Chris Johnson
The Philadelphia 76ers and their score of 198 is by far the lowest score I have had since I began doing my predictions in this method. I am interested in what Sam Hinkie is doing in Philadelphia. I am a Denver Nuggets fan, and I remember the 2002-2013 season vividly. That year, the team averaged 84 points per game, and gave major minutes to guys like Vincent Yarbrough, Junior Harrington, Chris Whitney and Shammond Williams. All of those players were out of the NBA not soon after. That terrible season landed the Nuggets Carmelo Anthony, and the rest is history. This 76ers roster might be the worst since that Nuggets squad. There are really only two players worth talking about. Michael Carter-Williams won Rookie of the Year thanks to a fantasy basketball friendly stat stuffing season. He is not as good as that, of course, but should continue to get all the minutes he can handle as he continues to develop his game. Nerlens Noel was thought of as the best prospect of the 2013 draft, but missed his entire first year. He looked great in the Summer League and should be ready to go with no restrictions this season. The rest of the roster is composed of second round and undrafted rookies and youngsters, and castoffs from other teams. We should see Joel Embiid next year, Dario Saric the year after, and a couple more great rookies. The Sixers should be good, but it will be very painful for quite a while. Again, I love what Hinkie is doing, but Philadelphia ownership really should not be charging fans to watch this glorified NBDL team.
Reminder, the 2014-2015 Score is a number I came up with based on roster, position depth, coaching and chemistry.
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1. Chicago Bulls2014-2015 Score: 2021
2013-2014 Record and Results: 48-34, 2nd in Central. Lost NBA Eastern Conference First Round (1-4) versus Washington Wizards.
Projected Rotation
C - Joakim Noah
PF - Pau Gasol
SF - Mike Dunleavy
SG - Jimmy Butler
PG - Derrick Rose
Bench
FC Taj Gibson
G Kirk Hinrich
G Aaron Brooks
GF Tony Snell
C Nazr Mohammed
F Doug McDermott
F Nikola Mirotic
One silver lining with the Derrick Rose injuries is that the Chicago Bulls have learned to win without him. Make no mistake though, this team is no threat to advance in the playoffs without their top dog. Rose looked good during the summer, but NBA games are a different type of physicality, and it will be interesting to see if Rose can pass the mental hurdle of only playing in 49 games the past two seasons. Chicago led the league in defense last season, and will continue to employ that same game plan. Jimmy Butler and Joakim Noah are two of the best defensive players in the league. Noah had his best season as a pro, setting career highs in rebounds, points and assists. Noah's assist numbers skyrocketed without Rose on the court, as he was often the facilitator of the offense. His unique skill set makes him perhaps the best center in the NBA. Pau Gasol is the big addition here. The Lakers were a disaster last year, and Gasol got lost in the shuffle. He is still an 18 point, 8 rebound guy and will be a huge upgrade over Carlos Boozer at the four. Tom Thibedeau likes to use a tight rotation, so expect veterans Mike Dunleavy, Taj Gibson, Kirk Hinrich and Aaron Brooks to round out the rotation. Dunleavy and Brooks will be asked to provide the Bulls with shooting and not much else. Chicago has a few intriguing youngsters. Nikola Mirotic has been one of the best players in Europe the last few years. Tony Snell has solid defensive potential. Doug McDermott can shoot from anywhere. Do not expect these players to have much of a role on a veteran team. Remember, Jimmy Butler was hardly used as a rookie. If Rose can stay healthy, the Bulls will challenge the Cavaliers for the right to represent the East in the Finals. It is hard to see any other team other than those two from this conference competing for a championship.
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2. Cleveland Cavaliers2014-2015 Score: 1763
2013-2014 Record and Results: 33-49, 3rd in Central.
Projected Rotation
C - Anderson Varejao
PF - Kevin Love
SF - LeBron James
SG - Dion Waiters
PG - Kyrie Irving
Bench
FC Tristan Thompson
F Shawn Marion
GF Mike Miller
GF James Jones
G Matthew Dellavadova
C Brendan Haywood
GF Joe Harris
In case you have not heard, LeBron James returned to Cleveland. He spoke about how excited he was to run with these young guns, then Cleveland went and traded for Kevin Love, creating another big three. It was a trade that had to be done, though. The East is so weak right now, that now is the time to go for a championship. Giving up Andrew Wiggins is a big price to pay, but there is no doubt Love makes the Cavaliers better right now. And Love is still only 26 years old. Love was a do everything big man for a team that failed to surround him with capable talent. It will be interesting to see how he performs now that he does not have to carry the entire load. Next to driving ball handlers James and Kyrie Iirving, Love should see more wide open three point looks. Irving should be a great fit with James. More of a scorer than distributor, Irving will be able to focus more on scoring with James bringing the ball up court. Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson were the two high picks the Cavaliers hung on to. Waiters should start at shooting guard, but as the clear fourth option on offense, he might be relegated to open jump shots, so he will need to continue to develop an improving three point shot. Thompson has slowly developed into a good rebounder who can score on occasion. His value will be killed with Love and James aboard. Even though the Cavaliers will keep Anderson Varejao rested, Love and James are expected to gobble up most of the front court minutes. Veterans Shawn Marion and Mike Miller will round out the rotation. Marion was very productive for the Mavericks last year. Oh, and about James. Yeah, he is a decent player. Even though he only signed a two year contract, expect him to finish out his contract as long as the Cavaliers continue to supply him with a winning roster. First time NBA head coach David Blatt will have to figure out how to make all of this work, but it would be very hard to see anything but a Bulls vs. Cavaliers Eastern Conference Finals, health permitting.
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3. Toronto Raptors2014-2015 Score: 1675
2013-2014 Record and Results: 48-34, 1st in Atlantic. Lost NBA Eastern Conference First Round (3-4) versus Brooklyn Nets.
Projected Rotation
C - Jonas Valanciunas
PF - Amir Johnson
SF - Terrence Ross
SG - DeMar DeRozan
PG - Kyle Lowry
Bench
G Greivis Vasquez
FC Patrick Patterson
FC Chuck Hayes
G Lou Williams
FC Tyler Hansbrough
F James Johnson
GF Landry Fields
The historically lowly Raptors had their best season in franchise history, winning 48 games and the Atlantic division. It took a while, but Dwayne Casey's defensive philosophy finally paid off as Toronto gave up the 7th fewest points in the NBA. Toronto might be the deepest team in the league, going 12 deep with veterans who have all had a verious degree of success. It all started with Kyle Lowry, who set career highs in points, assists and rebounds and played in 78 games. Lowry's back court mate, DeMar DeRozan, stepped his game up and became a first time All Star. DeRozan only shot 42% from the field, but is one of the most aggressive scorers in the league, getting to the free throw line 7 games a day, and converting 82% of those shots. If he can get his field goal percentage up to about 48% like early in his career, he could be even more dangerous. For the Raptors to truly take the next step towards East contenders, youngsters Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross need to step up. Valanciunas had per-36 averages of 14 ppg and 11 rpg, which are attainable as he enters his third season as a 22 year old. There are few 7 footers in the league with his raw ability, he simply needs to stay out of foul trouble and commit to defense. Casey is not a fan of Ross' defense, but his shooting ability has been too good to take him out of the lineup. He shot almost 40% from beyond the arc, and is one of the few NBA players who has a 50 point game on his resume. What looked like a salary dump turned out to fuel the Raptors towards the playoffs. Patrick Patterson, Greivis Vasquez and Chuck Hayes were key members of a great second unit. Lou Williams and James Johnson were brought in to fill out the bench. The Raptors have a great mix of veterans and youngsters, and look like the heavy favorites to win the Atlantic.
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4. Washington Wizards2014-2015 Score: 1503
2013-2014 Record and Results: 44-38, 2nd in Southeast. Lost NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals (2-4) versus Indiana Pacers.
Projected Rotation
C - Marcin Gortat
PF - Nene
SF - Paul Pierce
SG - Bradley Beal
PG - John Wall
Bench
GF Martell Webster
FC Kris Humphries
G Andre Miller
FC Drew Gooden
FC Kevin Seraphin
FC DeJuan Blair
F Otto Porter
For years the Wizards tried to build their team through the draft, but could not consistently win with guys like Andray Blatche, JaVale McGee and Jan Vesely. A couple seasons ago they decided to trade youth for veterans, and now they have a nice mix of young studs and old men. It starts with the highly drafted back court of John Wall and Bradley Beal. Wall came into his own, playing in all 82 games and setting career highs in points, steals and assists. At age 24, Wall is just now entering his prime and should be an All Star game fixture for years. Beal has a great chance to become a 20 ppg scorer this year if he can improve on his .419 field goal percentage. The guards will be relied on for the bulk of the scoring, because the rest of the roster is made up of role players. Marcin Gortat is the only other player you can pencil in for 30 minutes per night. Gortat continues to fly under the radar as one of the better centers in the league. He was fantastic during his first season in Washington as a solid double double performer. Nene, Paul Pierce, Martell Webster, Kris Humphries, Drew Gooden and DeJuan Blair brings a ton of experience, and those players will fight for minutes at the four and five. Of the group, Nene and Pierce are expected to start and play 20 or so minutes per night. Pierce is almost strictly a spot up shooter at this point in his career, and that will be fine with the Wizards, who lost three point shooting when Trevor Ariza departed. The wild card is Otto Porter, a talented youngster who showed nothing as a rookie. With so many veterans on the bench fighting for minutes, Porter might be left out in the cold again. This is the best Wizards team in many years, and if I was looking for a team that could upset Chicago or Cleveland in the playoffs, this would be it.
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5. Miami Heat2014-2015 Score: 1343
2013-2014 Record and Results: 54-28, 1st in Southeast. Lost NBA Finals (1-4) versus San Antonio Spurs.
Projected Rotation
C - Chris Bosh
PF - Josh McRoberts
SF - Luol Deng
SG - Dwyane Wade
PG - Mario Chalmers
Bench
FC Chris Andersen
G Norris Cole
FC Udonis Haslem
GF Danny Granger
G Shannon Brown
F Shawne Williams
G Shabazz Napier
The Heat are no longer a championship level team, but even without LeBron James, they will compete for the playoffs. Chris Bosh decided to stay in Miami where he can enjoy the sun, the tax free life and be the man on this team. Dwyane Wade is the best player in franchise history, but Bosh is the best player on this roster. With James and Wade dominating the ball, Bosh learned to develop a good jump shot, and now that the offense will run through him, he should return to the 20-10 guy we saw in Toronto. Wade is the NBA's version of Christian Okoye on Tecmo Bowl, and years of physicality has left his body a mess. For the second time in three years, he failed to crack the 60 game mark. When he did play, he was still very effective, averaging almost 20 points per game on a 45% field goal mark. With James gone, Wade should have more opportunities to return to the free throw line, where he used to be among the league leaders. Luol Deng was brought in to take over James old position. Before he took a vacation for half a year with the Cavaliers, Deng was a solid defender and scorer and should be a good fit with the Heat. When the big three opted out, the Heat began using their cap space on guys like Josh McRoberts and Danny Granger. Now those two, along with holdovers Mario Chalmers, Chris Andersen, Norris Cole and Udonis Haslem will have to play key roles to keep the Heat afloat. I think Miami is still a playoff team, but a lot of breaks will have to go their way for Miami to be a serious threat again.
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6. New York Knicks2014-2015 Score: 1146
2013-2014 Record and Results: 37-45, 3rd in Atlantic.
Projected Rotation
C - Samuel Dalembert
PF - Andrea Bargnani
SF - Carmelo Anthony
SG - Iman Shumpert
PG - Jose Calderon
Bench
GF JR Smith
GF Tim Hardaway Jr.
G Pablo Prigioni
FC Amare Stoudemire
FC Jason Smith
F Cleanthony Early
G Shane Larkin
I am surprised to see the Knicks score this high as well. But once you get past the top five teams in the East, a superstar like Carmelo Anthony can carry a team into the playoffs. Anthony suffers a bit from Allen Iverson syndrome. A lot of fans and media think he will never be a "winner". Back in his Nuggets days, Denver was routinely a 50 win team that simply ran into better teams in the playoffs. The Knicks gutted their team to acquire him, and have failed to surround him with anything resembling a winning roster. Anthony flirted with free agency, but ultimately bought into Phil Jackson's vision and returned to the Big Apple. New York will have a ton of cap space after the season, and with Jackson and Derek Fisher in New York, will be a big time free agent destination. Anthony, Fisher and Jackson will simply try to get through the season as well as they can. Andrea Bargnani and Amare Stoudemire are salary cap ball and chain place holders that will be shown the door after the season. But with the roster woefully thin on big men, both will have to contribute this year. Stoudemire's knees have betrayed him and he is only good for about 20 minutes per night, and Bargnani can shoot the ball but offers little else. New York's best big man might be newcomer Samuel Dalembert, who is still a decent enough starting center who can block shots and rebound. Jose Calderon was also acquired in the Tyson Chandler trade, and should be an upgrade over Raymond Felton. Calderon is a good shooter and will be a nice fit in the triangle offense. Iman Shumpert has regressed badly since a promising rookie year. Tim Hardaway will push him for minutes. Hardaway did not get much of his father's ball handling skills, but proved to be one of the better scorers from a weak 2013 draft class. JR Smith is the only other real scoring option other than Anthony. Now in his late 20's and as immature as ever, Smith is as erratic on the court as he is off it. When he is on, few players can fill up the bucket as quick and well as Smith can. This is the worst roster Carmelo Anthony has ever been a part of, but he is in New York for the long haul, and there will be better days ahead for Knicks fans.
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7. Charlotte Hornets2014-2015 Score: 1100
2013-2014 Record and Results: 43-39, 3rd in Southeast. Lost NBA Eastern Conference First Round (0-4) versus Miami Heat.
Projected Rotation
C - Al Jefferson
PF - Marvin Williams
SF - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
SG - Lance Stephenson
PG - Kemba Walker
Bench
GF Gerald Henderson
G Brian Roberts
GF Jeff Taylor
G Gary Neal
FC Cody Zeller
FC Bismack Biyombo
F Noah Vonleh
Along with the Los Angeles Raiders and Chicago White Sox, the Charlotte Hornets were a favorite of hip hop early 90's fashion. Everyone knew a kid who rocked a Hornets starter jacket with zubaz pants like they were never going out of style. Now the Charlotte Hornets are back, and this is the best roster the former Bobcats have had since Charlotte regained a franchise. Just two years after a .106 winning percentage, Al Jefferson and Steve Clifford led this team to a winning record. Charlott won with stifling defense and scoring from Jefferson and Kemba Walker. Jefferson proved to be a perfect fit with the Bobcats. He averaged a double double for the first time since his Timberwolves days. Playing on a strong defensive team for the first time in his career, he was able to focus on offense. Walker has quietly developed into a very solid NBA player. He averaged 17.7 points and 6.1 assists per game, and if he can improve on a woeful .399 field goal percentage, should crack 20 points per game this year. The Hornets knew they needed more scoring, and signed Gordon Hayward to a large offer sheet. The Jazz matched, so Charlotte turned their attention to Lance Stephenson. The Pacers did a great job of developing Stephenson, who should be a great fit as a perimeter defender, ball handler and scorer for the Hornets. The Charlotte franchise has consistently drafted poor, and they are still waiting for Bismack Biyombo and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to emerge. Both players are solid defenders, but as the Hornets improve their roster, they have to improve their offensive games to keep from losing rotation spots. Cody Zeller and Noah Vonleh are two talented young big men who will start the season on the bench behind Marvin Williams, who was brought in to give the Hornets 25 mediocre minutes per night. With a great defensive minded philosophy and improving talent, Charlotte has a great chance to make back to back playoff appearances for the first time since the original franchise moved to New Orleans.
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8. Detroit Pistons2014-2015 Score: 1091
2013-2014 Record and Results: 29-53, 4th in Central.
Projected Rotation
C - Andre Drummond
PF - Greg Monroe
SF - Josh Smith
SG - Jodie Meeks
PG - Brandon Jennings
Bench
G DJ Augustin
GF Kyle Singler
G Will Bynum
GF Caron Butler
G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
F Jonas Jerebko
C Aaron Gray
It will take time, but the Pistons should be much improved under Stan Van Gundy. It all starts with Andre Drummond. In high school, Drummond was thought of as an equal NBA draft prospect to Anthony Davis. He exploded as a second year NBA player, leading the NBA in rebound percentage and shooting 62% from the field. Drummond looks an awful lot like a young Dwight Howard, free throw shooting at all. He should definitely be an All Star this year. Greg Monroe returns for what will most likely be his last season in Detroit. Van Gundy will have to figure out how to use his three big men, Josh Smith included, together. Smith is miscast as a small forward, and wasted most of the year chucking up bricks from three point land. He has major bounce back potential if he follows through on his promise to take less threes and attack the rim more often. Speaking of bricks, Brandon Jennings shot his way to a .373 field goal percentage, dropping his career mark to .390. Jodie Meeks, DJ Augustin and Caron Butler were brought in to provide the Pistons with more shooting. Detroit was one of the worst three point shooting teams in the league, which will not sit well with Van Gundy and his offensive scheme. His best bet for additional scoring might come from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Like most rookies, KCP struggled last year and will now have to fight with Meeks for minutes. The Pistons have the talent to claim one of the last playoff spots, but will have to be more committed to defense and shoot better.
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9. Brooklyn Nets2014-2015 Score: 1061
2013-2014 Record and Results: 44-38, 2nd in Atlantic. Lost NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals (1-4) versus Miami Heat.
Projected Rotation
C - Brook Lopez
PF -Kevin Garnett
SF - Bojan Bogdanovic
SG - Joe Johnson
PG - Deron Williams
Bench
G Jarrett Jack
FC Mason Plumlee
F Mirza Teletovic
GF Alan Anderson
F Andrei Kirilenko
G Jorge Gutierrez
G Marquis Teague
The Nets traded three future first round picks for mid 30's former superstars Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, spent a record amount of luxury tax, and had 44 wins to show for it, though they did advance to the second round of the playoffs. Now Pierce has moved on, Garnett is finishing out his contract by playing 20 minutes per game, and the Nets will have to rely on an increasingly injury prone Brook Lopez and an ineffective Deron Williams to bring them back to the playoffs. It will not be an easy task. Lopez is one of the best scoring big men in the league, but has had foot injuries ruin his last two seasons. Foot issues have killed the careers of several big men the past decade or so, but Lopez will hope he is more Zydrunas Ilgauskas than Yao Ming. It seemed like only yesterday fans were debating on whether Deron Williams or Chris Paul was the best point guard in the NBA, but that debate looks silly right now. Williams bottomed out last year, with his worst point and assist totals since his rookie year. He hopes his ankle issues were to blame, and will look to bounce back this year. Joe Johnson's contract is so bad he has actually become a bit underrated at this stage of his career. He started 79 games and paced the Nets with 15.8 points per game, a number that will most likely go up without Pierce, Shaun Livingston, Andray Blatche and others around. Several players will be fighting for minutes at the forward positions. Bojan Bogdanovic might be the most intriguing option. One of the best scorers in Europe, the former draft pick will finally come to the states and will get the first crack at starting at small forward. Expect a bigger role for Mason Plumlee and Mirza Teletovic as Garnett wraps up one of the best careers in NBA history. The Nets have the talent to make the playoffs and even put a scare into a higher seed, but Mikhail Prokhorov will most likely sell the team before ever sniffing his promised goal of an NBA championship.
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10. Atlanta Hawks2014-2015 Score: 1009
2013-2014 Record and Results: 38-44, 4th in Southeast. Lost NBA Eastern Conference First Round (3-4) versus Indiana Pacers.
Projected Rotation
C - Al Horford
PF - Paul Millsap
SF - DeMarre Carroll
SG - Kyle Korver
PG - Jeff Teague
Bench
GF Thabo Sefolosha
F Mike Scott
G Kent Bazemore
C Pero Antic
G Dennis Schroder
FC Elton Brand
G Shelvin Mack
The Hawks return their entire starting lineup from last season. Atlanta started hot last year thanks to tremendous starts by Al Horford, Paul Millsap, Kyle Korver and Jeff Teague. Once Horford was lost for the years, the wheels fell off. He was scoring at the highest rate of his career, and the Hawks could not make up for his loss of production. Millsap proved to be a free agent bargain, leading the Hawks in total points and rebounds. Expect another fantastic season as he gears up towards free agency. He had to settle for a two year deal with the Hawks and will look to cash in long term. The Hawks have done a good job of developing Teague, who set a career high with 16.4 points per game. Korver's career got a second lease in Atlanta, as he set the record for consecutive games with a three point field goal made. DeMarre Carroll came out of nowhere to give the Hawks a solid 30 minutes of production a game. The bench remains a weak point, however. Thabo Sefolosha was signed to help on defense, but there is little in the way of scoring to be found. Newcomer Kent Bazemore might be their best scoring option off the bench. The Hawks should contend for a playoff spot as long as the starters remain healthy, but it will be tough to advance without a go to player or bench. I do think they are better than 10th best in the East, however.
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11. Boston Celtics2014-2015 Score: 956
2013-2014 Record and Results: 25-57, 4th in Atlantic.
Projected Rotation
C - Kelly Olynyk
PF - Jared Sullinger
SF - Jeff Green
SG - Avery Bradley
PG - Rajon Rondo
Bench
F Brandon Bass
GF Evan Turner
G Marcus Thornton
F Gerald Wallace
G Marcus Smart
G Phil Pressey
C Tyler Zeller
Danny Ainge chose to trade Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce before last season, ushering in another rebuilding phase. It was a tough season in Boston, but the Celtics have several young players and a ton of draft picks to reshape this roster. There is a lot of work to do, but several youngsters are expected to be key members of the rotation this year. Boston will roll with a young front court of Kelly Olynyk and Jared Sullinger. Sullinger has bounced back from his early back injury concerns to put up 13 points and 8 rebounds a game in 74 contests. He was not a very efficient scorer, however, shooting 42%, a pretty terrible number for a big man. Olynyk has an intriguing skill set. He is a good scorer with three point range, and has the instincts to be a decent rebounder. Avery Bradley had a breakthrough fourth season, averaging a career high 14.9 points per game. Though undersized for a shooting guard, he makes up for it with solid defensive ability. Marcus Smart was the teams first round draft pick. A bad shooter but tough competitor, he is most likely the point guard of the future. There are still a few veterans around, including Rajon Rondo, who has been involved in trade rumors for years. The selection of Smart could mean that Danny Ainge will continue to shop him until he finds a deal to his liking. Jeff Green led the team in scoring, though his .412 field goal percentage was terribly inefficient. The Celtics have some young talent, and veterans who could bring back some more pieces for the future. The playoffs are not a possibility, however. Boston needs to luck out in the lottery and land a potential superstar, because the young players on the roster do not look like difference makers.
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12. Indiana Pacers2014-2015 Score: 943
2013-2014 Record and Results: 56-26, 1st in Central. Lost NBA Eastern Conference Finals (2-4) versus Miami Heat.
Projected Rotation
C - Roy Hibbert
PF - David West
SF - Solomon Hill
SG - CJ Miles
PG - George Hill
Bench
G Rodney Stuckey
FC Luis Scola
G CJ Watson
C Ian Mahinmi
FC Lavoy Allen
F Damjan Rudez
G Donald Sloan
It has been quite a quick fall for the Indiana Pacers. They started last season with a 45-13 record, but limped to the finish line at 11-13. They really struggled to put away the likes of the Hawks and Wizards during the playoffs before getting embarrassed by the Heat. Things got even worse over the summer, as Paul George suffered a gruesome leg injury and Lance Stephenson departed via free agency. George cooled off following an MVP start, but his loss is still huge. He was coming into his own as an offensive force, and his defense (as well as Stephenson's) cannot be over stated. Without their two best players, the Pacers will march forward with their usual solid veterans and some stop gap free agent signings. David West is the only returning Pacer to average over 13 points per game. West should have been a solid veteran helping a team compete for a title. Instead he will be a mid 30's player who will have to carry much of the scoring load. George Hill and Roy Hibbert both squeezed out 10 points per game, but it will be hard for either player to improve on those numbers. Hibbert, in particular, was especially putrid in 2013-2014. He averaged a putrid 10 points, 6 rebounds and 44% from the field and was even more brutal in the playoffs. He needs to bounce back in a big way to justify the large contract the Pacers signed him to. Rodney Stuckey and CJ Miles were signed to help offset the loss of Stephenson and George. Stuckey is a decent, although not very efficient scorer, and Miles is just average at pretty much everything. Head coach Frank Vogel has been talking up Solomon Hill as a defensive stopper. That would be ideal for Indiana, who could really struggle to play defense this year. The Pacers are five months removed from an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, but making the playoffs, even in the mediocre East, would be an accomplishment considering the circumstances.
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13. Milwaukee Bucks2014-2015 Score: 870
2013-2014 Record and Results: 15-67, 5th in Central.
Projected Rotation
C - Larry Sanders
PF - Ersan Ilyasova
SF - Jabari Parker
SG - OJ Mayo
PG - Brandon Knight
Bench
GF Giannis Antetokounmpo
GF Khris Middleton
C ZaZa Pachulia
FC John Henson
G Nate Wolters
G Jerryd Bayless
G Kendall Marshall
Following the worst season in franchise history, Milwaukee has new ownership, a new head coach and a new face of the franchise. The Bucks desperately needed a superstar, and Jabari Parker has the potential to become just that. He is from the Midwest, and campaigned hard to be selected by the Bucks. Milwaukee wast last in the NBA in attendance, and Parker could give them a reason to go to games again. He has the ability to be a 25 point per game scorer during his prime. The other main building block is Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Alphabet is still a major work in progress, but showed his freakish athletic ability quite often. Now up to 6'11, Jason Kidd stated he plans on playing Antetokounmpo at point guard on occasion. Brandon Knight also had a decent season, leading the team in scoring at 17.9 ppg. He is still miscast as a point guard, though. Other than those three, there is not a whole lot to like about this roster, though John Henson and Khris Middleton look like solid rotation players. Larry Sanders, Ersan Ilyasova and OJ Mayo were all signed to big contracts, and proceeded to put up stinkers. Sanders only played in 20 games, but looks like the best bet of the three to bounce back. His shot blocking and rebounding should come back. Ilyasova was never that great to begin with, and the Bucks will hope to trade him to open up minutes and opportunities for Parker and Henson at the four. OJ Mayo parlayed his best (and only good) season to a nice contract, and put up his worst campaign. He has been a bust thus far in his career, and it is almost unfathomable to think he was once traded for Kevin Love. The Bucks are on the right track with Parker and Antetokounmpo, but this is still a team in major transition. The hope is Ilyasova and Mayo can establish some trade value and the Bucks can add more young pieces or draft picks.
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14. Orlando Magic2014-2015 Score: 683
2013-2014 Record and Results: 23-59, 5th in Southeast.
Projected Rotation
C - Nikola Pekovic
PF - Channing Frye
SF - Tobias Harris
SG - Victor Oladipo
PG - Elfrid Payton
Bench
G Luke Ridnour
G Ben Gordon
F Aaron Gordon
F Maurice Harkless
FC Kyle O'Quinn
F Andrew Nicholson
G Evan Fournier
The Magic had a puzzling off season to me. First, they drafted Aaron Gordon fourth overall. Gordon is a talented freak of nature, but will become another tweener forward who cannot create his own offense on a roster that has a few of those players already. Then, Orlando traded, or should I say, gave away Arron Afflalo without so much as trying to acquire a draft pick. Evan Fournier is a decent young player who will have a role in Orlando, but the Magic could have gotten a lot more. Then they handed out the two worst contracts of the off season, signing Ben Gordon and Channing Frye. Both players have disappointed more than excited in their career and are unlikely to justify the price tags. That was a pessimistic opening. All is not bad in Orlando. Victor Oladipo proved to be a very good draft pick, and in my opinion, should have won Rookie of the Year. He has 20-5-5 potential and could also make some all defensive teams. The Magic did draft Elfrid Payton with their additional pick, which is good news for Oladipo, as he is much better at the two. Payton is a bad shooter though, and defenses will dare that back court to beat them from deep. Nikola Pekovic is the only player from that big four team trade who is still starting for the team he was traded to. Pekovic is coming off back to back double double seasons. The Magic will hope Gordon can develop sooner than later, because Pekovic is no threat on defense. Orlando absolutely stole Tobias Harris from Milwaukee two years ago. Harris averaged 14 points and 7 rebounds as a 21 year old, and could explode with more scoring opportunities. The Magic are on the right track with several young players, but need to lose a few more seasons to add more talent to this roster. By the time head coach Jacque Vaughn racks up a couple hundred losses on his resume, Orlando should be ready to compete.
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15. Philadelphia 76ers2014-2015 Score: 198
2013-2014 Record and Results: 19-63, 5th in Atlantic.
Projected Rotation
C - Henry Sims
PF - Nerlens Noel
SF - Hollis Thompson
SG - KJ McDaniels
PG - Michael Carter-Williams
Bench
F Luc Mbah a Moute
G Tony Wroten
G Alexey Shved
G Casper Ware
F Arnett Moultrie
F Jerami Grant
F Chris Johnson
The Philadelphia 76ers and their score of 198 is by far the lowest score I have had since I began doing my predictions in this method. I am interested in what Sam Hinkie is doing in Philadelphia. I am a Denver Nuggets fan, and I remember the 2002-2013 season vividly. That year, the team averaged 84 points per game, and gave major minutes to guys like Vincent Yarbrough, Junior Harrington, Chris Whitney and Shammond Williams. All of those players were out of the NBA not soon after. That terrible season landed the Nuggets Carmelo Anthony, and the rest is history. This 76ers roster might be the worst since that Nuggets squad. There are really only two players worth talking about. Michael Carter-Williams won Rookie of the Year thanks to a fantasy basketball friendly stat stuffing season. He is not as good as that, of course, but should continue to get all the minutes he can handle as he continues to develop his game. Nerlens Noel was thought of as the best prospect of the 2013 draft, but missed his entire first year. He looked great in the Summer League and should be ready to go with no restrictions this season. The rest of the roster is composed of second round and undrafted rookies and youngsters, and castoffs from other teams. We should see Joel Embiid next year, Dario Saric the year after, and a couple more great rookies. The Sixers should be good, but it will be very painful for quite a while. Again, I love what Hinkie is doing, but Philadelphia ownership really should not be charging fans to watch this glorified NBDL team.
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