The new landscape in the East

[evildallas]

Looking around we've not changed much and everything has changed around us. After a few minutes of doubt, I now believe this is an opportunity for the ASG to be bold and try to capitalize in the next two years. After that we're likely screwed.

Boston - Already entering next year wounded (Perkins), they are trying to make one last run with the current unit. They'll be dangerous if healthy come playoff time, but the odds are longer each year of that happening.
Orlando - They own us, but they have some flaws. If you can cover Dwight Howard with 1 man and play solid D on the rest of their lineup then they can be beaten. Also susceptible to a penetrating PG with quick moves. We need to strengthen our bigs and PG play to compete with them.
Miami - Sure they have the strongest core imaginable, but they have no money to fill out the roster. They get the best minimum salary guys, but they'll still be minimum salary guys. That should me they will be weak in at C and PG. Convenient that the same areas to strengthen will help us against both divisional opponents. In a couple years they probably won't have such exploitable points.
Chicago - They got better, but they also gave gave up players and picks for cap space and then couldn't land the players they wanted this year. Not sure what their finished product will look like yet, but I suspect this year might be the best we'd match up against them.
Milwaukee - If healthy they could be dangerous, but they don't scare me.

The rest -
Charlotte is intriguing but doesn't really have a pg right now.
Washington added the #1 pick and some contract refugees, but isn't likely to mesh quickly.
New York will be better, but has a long way to go.
New Jersey didn't make any immediate impact moves.
Philadelphia is still a mismatched lineup right now.
Cleveland and Toronto are on the way down, Detroit is in utter disarray, Indiana is a year away from reworking their lineup.

We need to maximize our assets right now which includes not letting Josh Childress walk for nothing (either match or S&T), it means spending the MLE and BAE, and it means possibly trading Bibby, Marvin, and maybe even Jamal if it means getting stronger at the areas that will benefit us most (PG and C). Jeff Teague might be the solution at PG, but because of Bibby's defense liabilities we need to acquire a 2nd PG regardless. We need the bulk and rebounding to match up with Orlando and to exploit a likely weakness in Miami. As long as we don't sacrifice our core we should match up well against Boston. The key is not to be scared by the bold moves in Miami and strike while they aren't full strength. Try to get further than Atlanta has ever been during this window even if it means horribly overspending. You can always gut the team and rebuild down the road if it doesn't work out. Once Miami can surround their core with more than minimum wage players it might be hard to compete for a few years anyway.