Potential Contenders in the Eastern Conference Next Season

[NickAnderson]

I think people are jumping the gun regarding Chicago next season. Sure, they will be a solid team, but a contender? Can they get a big-time scoring FA? Will that one guy actually play a game? A lot of things have to happen for them to take make a for contention.

Yep

[FirmBizBws]

Contenders for what? For the championship? Only Miami. Teams that can make noise? Indiana, maybe a Washington. Maybe a Chicago if rose doesn't blow out his other acl and Noah is somehow magically healthy for the playoffs and they actually add a second scorer for once.

[og15]

It's going to be the Heat, Pacers, Wiz, Bulls and maybe the raptors if they get Lowry back with the hornets, hawks and cavs rounding up the playoffs,

Maybe but without free agency, trades, knowing where rookies will go and what they will do, we can't know about some of those teams.

[Kabookalu]

If the Pacers can get over their maturity issues they'll be back to being a contender.

[Q00]

Its impossible to say before FA. The whole landscape will change in July.

[hands11]

i would laugh so hard to this thread if somehow Melo ends up in Miami lol

Why?

I though he wanted to play with LeBron.

[hands11]

Bulls are the only real challenge. Also Washington if Wall hits superstar level.

Yeah. Wizards are on the path similar to Indy.

Top defensive team. Big different is, they have Paul George and Wizards have Trevor A and Otto who is still an unknown 20 year old 6-8 1/2 SF.

George Hill vs Wall
Lance vs Beal
Paul G vs Trevor A and Otto
West vs Nene
Hibbert vs Gortat

If it wasn't for that being the first playoff for them as a team, the first for Wall and Beal ever, specially 2nd round, they could have beaten IND. Even with all of that they were really close.

People are sleeping on Otto. Actually, him an PG have a lot of similarities. And Otto and TA do as well. Otto is going to show to be a great defender and rebounder next year. And he will also show to be a very good shooter. What we will have to see over the following year is how much one on one game does he have. Thats where TA falls short and PG has developed well.

I think right now, Otto's skill set will fall somewhere between those two which is way better then people think of him right now. But that's understandable if all you are judging by is that he didn't play much last years. But there are easy explanations for that. It wasn't that he was a bust. He was injured. Got a late start and was on a team with two vet SF ahead of him. But when he played later in the year in limited minutes, he looked good. He is a very mature young man. He will work hard. He is a smart player with great BBIQ.

The one thing that he is weakest at, iso offense, he will have the most time to develop because he has Wall and because Beal is developing his. He has a couple years to work on his iso game which will get stronger as he gets stronger. 10 lbs a year. In two years he will be the same size Paul George is now.

He is going to be legit.

I think he should be able to make PGs first year numbers next year.

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/i ... aul-george

Otto Draft Scouting Report.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdMAPF0rvvU

[Okada]

Don't sleep on Chicago or Indy. No one knows what Rose will look like when he's back but they were the #1 seed in the East in 2011 and 2012. Indy collapsed for months and still finished as the #1 seed this year. I'm not saying I think either of them are gonna beat Miami or even have a decent chance to do so, but you never know.

[fuzzy1]

2 Questions

How Much cap space does Atlanta Have if Any?

We got alot of flexibility right now and enough cap space to make some noise if Hawks want. I think it wont be any big changes in ATL unless something good comes up.

Someone like Deng or Ariza could help

Yea, they'll help, but those guys won't make us contenders. They'll get big contracts and lock us into mediocrity. Unless Melo or Bosh or someone decides they want to come to Atlanta or we decide Stephenson is worth it (unlikely on both counts), we won't be handing out a big contract.

We'll make our draft pick, sign a couple guys for cheap (Hill, maybe Turner), get a healthy Horford and work towards an ECF appearance.

[hands11]

2 Questions

How Much cap space does Atlanta Have if Any?

We got alot of flexibility right now and enough cap space to make some noise if Hawks want. I think it wont be any big changes in ATL unless something good comes up.

Someone like Deng or Ariza could help

Deng to ATL would be real interesting.

[SmoothCriminal]

The Celtics with Rondo and Love.

Bill Simmons has an account on RealGM?

[Little Digger]

Nobody back East besides Miami is anywhere close to being a contender..There's a whole bunch out West that could take down the title next season ..

[Mr. Dynomite!]

Am I the only one thinking replacing Ariza with Otto is a huge downgrade for Washington?

[hands11]

Aside from Miami (and Indiana), I'm expecting the Wizards and the Raptors to make more of a push.

I expect IND will be fine.

Renounce Evan Turner $8,717,225 use that to resign Lance.

From here, they just need to find the right back up center help. Maybe Jordan Hill, Jermaine O'Neal or even Kevin Seraphin or Jan Vesely.

Look at the players they let go off that they could use.

D.J. Augustin now the Bull bench spark $592,279, Tyler Hansbrough $3,183,000 now with TOR, Darren Collison $1,900,000 LAC, Mike Dunleavy $3,000,000 CHI,

Maybe they can resign Danny Granger who is making $357,452 in LAC

[richboy]

We need realignment. Put Memphis in the East. Maybe NO as well. Memphis is what Indiana use to be. I guess the West would have to take Milwaukee. Not sure who else.

[richboy]

Am I the only one thinking replacing Ariza with Otto is a huge downgrade for Washington?

That would be a big downgrade.

[hands11]

So you have the Hawks pegged at 7, while adding two solid players, when they were entrenched at the 3 this year before Horford went down? The Hawks bench was one of the least experienced groups in the league. Having a year under their belt should help them going in to next season.

I think you guys are going to be pretty good next year, possibly as high as the 4 seed. I have no idea how the seedings will play out, but I do feel confident that the teams I listed will be in the playoffs (ignoring injuries of course).

I agree with your top 7 but I think Cleveland misses again. Kyrie is just overrated as hell and adds nothing to the team when it comes to Wins and Losses. All flash no substance is what I have seen from him thus far.

I expect Hawes and Deng to leave CLE. Kyrie is already talking about leaving. They should draft Ebiid.
But they will stink. Unless magic strikes, they are about to entering another rebuild.

ATL should be top 5 if they add one more player like Deng

[WhatsaTDot]

Is this the thread where we pretend that a team in the East has a chance against the Heat?

Cool stuff.

[Hello Brooklyn]

Bulls with Melo would have no chance against Miami.

Who is gonna score on that team besides Melo? It would be the 2011 Bulls all over again.

Unless Derrick Rose gets back to form (and he hasn't in 3 years), theyre not gonna do much.

Nobody in the East can really touch the Heat right now. Now with Lebron improving, Wade's resurgence, and Bosh.

[hands11]

Is this the thread where we pretend that a team in the East has a chance against the Heat?

Cool stuff.

No, its about who can potentially make the ECF and win at least 2-3 games.

Read the thread title.