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My picks...

Portland TrailBlazers - the Blazers have two big men who were (essentially) drafted within the top 2. And one of them isn't even playing. They are currently being carried by a young core led by Brandon Roy, who has the promise to be a player on the level of a Paul Pierce of Vince Carter. He will be a great match with this young core, who should be even better with a good season under their belts. The Blazers are lighting it up this season, but young teams are often plagued by inconsistency and that may take its toll down the stretch. If this squad gets some playoff experience, it could be a big choice to make some noise next season. Pritchard has been very active during the last two drafts, where he has rebuilt this team.

Miami Heat - this team looks dismal. But if things continue they could have a big offseason after not making much noise in the past two. A top three pick could land them a legitimate big man to inject some athletecism alongside Shaq, or a longterm backcourt mate for Wade (their last lottery pick). Despite Shaq's massively burdensome contract, the Heat have $20 million coming off the books from the expiring deals of Mourning, Davis, and Williams. Look for Riley to stir up some noise after seeing what he can get in the draft. The Heat can add some big pieces but will also be missing starters.

Milwaukee Bucks - I see the Bucks making a big move this offseason. They had a couple 8-seeds with no success against Detroit. They have too many movable pieces with such a young talented core. With no success, teams will be chomping at the bit to make a move to gain some cap flexibility and rotation players. If Milwaukee can pair a more dynamic star with Redd, and Yi has a big second season jump, they might be big movers.

Heat and Blazers will make leaps. I also think the Lakers if they have a solid off season next summer can make the leap from playoffs team to contender.

I don't see Wade missing the playoffs for two straight years.

Let's not get carried away with Portland. Let's see how they do this year, I see a realistic 46-47 wins for them this year. And the heat? Are you kidding me? The only reason I can see them doing better next year than this year is they can't play much worse than they are right now.

My picks:

Sacramento. They have a good core. Udrih I think is the real deal. Kevin Martin can score almost at will. Big man play is the biggest question.

Atlanta - too talented up front to not get better or improve themselves. AC Law will have to breakout.

Philadelphia - real sleeper. They play pretty well together. No superstars that jump out at you. If AI can refine his game and limit the turnovers I think they have enough to turn it around even next season, although I would watch out for them mostly in 09-10.

Miami & Portland.

Malinhion wrote:I don't see Wade missing the playoffs for two straight years.

The man isn't god. Shaq is broken. Wade himself gets injured a lot with his style of play. If Miami doesn't surround him with some better players soon or do some quick rebuilding, Wade can find himself out of the playoffs for as long as it takes, imo.

lol at Heat homers thinking Miami is going to make the playoffs next year. That is a terrible team and its going to take a couple of seasons to really get pieces to compliment Wade to even get into the playoffs, much less compete for a title.

I think the Heat will make the playoffs next season if Wade is healthy.

tkb wrote:I think the Heat will make the playoffs next season if Wade is healthy.

They'd need a solid healthy big man too. Whether that's Shaq, Zo or someone else. Even that, I dont see them being anymore than 6-10 in the east/first round exit.

tkb wrote:I think the Heat will make the playoffs next season if Wade is healthy.

Doubtful. Shaq will be a year older, Zo is done. Their options at the C spot is limited. They don't have any perimeter defenders. Haslem is their only solid trading piece. Even if we assume the heat get a top 3 pick, I don't think it would be enough.

They need a PG, they need a center, they need perimeter defenders. Don't forget the East is getting better each season.

Wade is a top 5 player in the league when healthy and is capable of being the most efficient perimeter player in the league, but I think losing Kapono really really hurt and I just don't see them getting much better.

Why do you think they'll get better so quickly?

It's more about the eastern conference. I don't think they Heat would make the playoffs out west next season, but in the east (who has done just about nothing to prove it has improved) anything is possible. Anytime you have a player as dynamic as Wade out east, you have a shot. They probably won't get home court advantage, but I do think they'll make the playoffs.

Hmmm, Wade is a stud, but its going to take a herculean effort next season. If anyone can do it, he can.

I see these teams in the East clearly being better than the heat next season:

Boston
Detroit
Washington
Toronto
Orlando
Cleveland

That leaves two spots for Miami imo:

New Jersey
Chicago
Atlanta
Miami

It is going to be tough because Chicago and Atlanta look like they have a ton of upside. New Jersey always finds a way with the big 3.

I'm no cap expert but even with the money Miami has coming off the books aren't they still going to be well over the cap?

Yup. Even with those 20 million coming off the books, they'll be looking at MLE or a tiny bit more than MLE. That draft pick should be solid though.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS, Roy-Fernandez-Webster-Aldridge-Oden, people who say the blazers are not as good as there recent success are iggnorant becuz they prolly have never watched the blazers play or my guess is that they would not have that opinion, next season they improve from 42-40 this season to 49-33 next year, i think u will see a bigger improvement goin from 08-09 to 09-10, one year for oden and fernandez ot get adjusted than its pownage for 10 years!

But you can still trade expiring deals, and teams looking to make a run at free agents will be looking for that. Expiring deals are a better trade asset than they are a help to the cap. If you pay players you're going to be tied to that deal for the long haul. Since Shaq has our cap situation screwed anyhow, it only makes sense to use them as assets. Even if we go after draft picks.

tkb wrote:Heat and Blazers will make leaps. I also think the Lakers if they have a solid off season next summer can make the leap from playoffs team to contender.

I hope the Kings

but truthfull i agree the Laker (puke!) Bynum is legit. If they could some how swing Odom for another quailty big or he can just get healthy with the improve of Bynum and Farmer, with one good free agent signing they could defiantly be contenders next year, hell they could be surprise a team this year

tkb wrote:Yup. Even with those 20 million coming off the books, they'll be looking at MLE or a tiny bit more than MLE. That draft pick should be solid though.

yeah, they will have 52 million being used up by 8 players. once you add in a draft pickt, they won't have any cap space.

The Kings IMO. We are decimated by injuries this year. (Losing 4 legit starters: Bibby/Martin/Artest/SAR) Also, Artest didnt play for the first 7 games due to that suspension. Brad Miller really stepped it up this season. The bench really stepped it up. Salmons, Garcia, and Beno are the ones improved alot. We should be proud where we at right now. Losing our best players should guaranteed us for the #1 pick but we are not. We fight hard every night despite competition. We dont get blown out like others assume...


When this team is healthy we are a playoff team (6/7/8 seeds) look back when we were truly healthy. It was that one half of the season when we got Artest. We were like 28-12 for that last half of the season and went to the playoffs... The last 2 years IMO were flukes due to key injuries in the worst situations... When we get back our team, we will make a last rally to the playoffs...