Atlanta Hawks
2017-2018 record: 24-58
ESPN.com Pre-Season Power Ranking: No. 29
The Hawks made one of the biggest moves this past season on draft night. Swapping highly touted guard Luka Doncic for Trae Young and a future first round pick was a bold move by the front office. Sadly, the Doncic-Young comparisons might be the only thing people talk about this year when they talk about the Hawks. They are expected to have another abysmal season no matter who they drafted. Hawks fans will hope Young is the real deal and that Doncic will not haunt them for the next decade.
All Eyes on Young
This season, all eyes will be on rookie Trae Young’s performance. Young was one of the most gifted offensive prospects coming out of college. He will become the face of a very young franchise, as they look to find their place in a weak Southeast division. The emergence of John Collins last season should pair nicely with Young’s playmaking ability. They will be expected to form a nice pick-and-roll duo for the next several years. Taurean Prince and Kent Bazemore will look to develop more defensively, in hopes of providing much needed defense at the wing positions. If Young is the offensive superstar the Hawks hope him to be, then maybe the Doncic trade was not so crazy after all. They have the ability to add great talent next to him with the extra pick they acquired.
2019: A Year To Look Forward To
The Hawks have been dreadful ever since they decided to move on from Al Horford and Paul Millsap. They worried a lot of fans when they traded the better overall player, Luka Doncic, to the Mavericks this past draft. The front office hopes they can hit gold in the next draft, with the extra pick attached to Young. Young will come into his own with his offensive ability, but his small size is widely seen as a defensive liability. John Collins is a monster in the paint, but he will need to develop a outside shot to pair with Young’s perimeter playmaking abilities. The Hawks will most likely finish in the bottom portion of the Eastern Conference as expected. However, they have a lot to look forward to with two first round picks in a loaded 2019 Draft class. Hawks fans. We will pray for you. Look forward to 2019.
Miami Heat
2017-2018 record: 44-38
ESPN.com Pre-Season Power Ranking: No. 13
Dwayne Wade’s last dance. That is the topic of discussion in South Beach before the start of this season. They will be looking to send off the face of their franchise on a good note. A long playoff run for Wade is what every basketball fan should be rooting for. They have experience and a roster with good chemistry, which should put them in the playoff picture at the end of the year. At the least, I’m sure we will see Wade turn back the clock this season and put up some big performances. Get your popcorn and tissues ready.
Wade’s Last Hurrah
Obviously everyone will be talking about Wade’s last season and if he can lead the Heat to a long playoff run. He has the team around him to do it. The Heat are returning every player on the roster from last season, which will help their early season chemistry. Defensive anchors Hassan Whiteside and Josh Richardson will lead a gritty style of basketball, similar to the way the Grizzlies played several years ago. The Heat lack style, but have players who grind it out on the court, such as Kelly Olynyk, Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo. If the Heat can play the elite level defense they played last season, with the emergence of a playmaker on offense, then they will compete for a top four seed in the East.
No Star Power
The biggest weakness for the Heat is their lack of star power. Not having a star to ignite their offense will leave their defense unsupported. They will remain a above average NBA team, similar to the way they have been since LeBron James left South Beach. One potential fix is for them to go after disgruntled Timberwolves guard, Jimmy Butler. Butler will bolster their defense even more, with the addition of his offensive star power. He will provide the playmaking ability to help stretch the floor for the Heat. Without a trade, the Heat will have to hope for a huge season from someone like Whiteside or Richardson. Someone on this team needs to step up offensively, if the Heat want to compete with the big three of the East.
Charlotte Hornets
2017-2018 record: 36-46
ESPN.com Pre-Season Power Ranking: No. 20
Kemba Walker has been the only bright spot over the last several seasons for this franchise. They will have a legit shot at the playoffs this season, if someone can get Walker some help. Injuries and slow development have hurt this team the last several seasons. If the Hornets want to become a contender, they need someone to step up next to Walker or trade him to begin a long, painful rebuild.
Cardiac Kemba
Walker earned this nickname back in college because of his ankle breaking dribble moves. He still lives up to his name and is the underrated star of this Hornets team. This season, Walker will need to play like a MVP and get help from Nicolas Batum, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and rookie Miles Bridges. Bridges had a impressive campaign in the Summer League and could contribute nicely this season. Batum has been a good second to Walker the last several seasons, when healthy. Kidd-Gilchrist and Bridges are the ones that need to develop more, if they want to be good this season. The bench was bolstered by newly acquired veteran Tony Parker, who will help lead when Walker is resting. Parker’s playmaking and experience are valuable things that any team could benefit from. These things need to go right for the Hornets to win this division.
Anyone Besides Kemba
If the Hornets traded Walker today, then they would be lock to pick in the top three. He is a great player, but they need someone else to help carry the load. Batum and Kidd-Gilchrist have had plenty of injuries the last several years, which leaves Walker with very little help. Their most recent draft picks, Malik Monk and Frank Kaminsky, have been disappointing thus far in their careers. The front office is hoping that Bridges will be their first good draft pick, since Walker was drafted in 2011. This team can not rely on Walker’s efforts alone all season long. They need to stay healthy and hope a draft pick will develop to give them a chance to contend this season. If they have another bad year then this might be the last we see of the Walker era in Charlotte.
Orlando Magic
2017-2018 record: 25-57
ESPN.com Pre-Season Power Ranking: No. 26
Since 2012, the only magic present in Orlando has been Walt Disney World. Post-Dwight Howard era, the Magic have finished in the bottom five in the Eastern Conference. Their most consistent player has been Nikola Vucevic, but he has been among trade talk rumors for awhile now. Most recent draft picks Jonathan Isaac and Mo Bamba give slight hope for the future, but the Magic literally need some magic to happen to make the playoffs this year. The signing of new coach Steve Clifford will help them overall, but their need for a starting caliber point guard is becoming dire at this point.
Physically Gifted Roster
They just drafted one of the biggest players in NBA Draft history, Mo Bamba. His wingspan broke a record and he will join a already physically imposing roster. Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Isaac and Nikola Vucevic are all big enough to play center and give the Magic one of the biggest lineups in the league. Vucevic has been a solid All-Star caliber center and will look to lead them with his impressive offensive ability. Clifford has been a great defensive coach and should be able to get a lineup this big to put together a defensive clinic. The Magic have the ability to physically dominate opposing teams with their team size. If their four athletic big men can play to their potential, then they could surprise a lot of teams this season.
No Magic At The Point
While they have a lot of potential good wings and big men, the Magic lack talent at the guard positions. The addition of a starting caliber point guard would help this team tremendously. Many experts believe the Magic should trade Vucevic for a good point guard, since he is close to being 30 years old. If they start out slow this season, they should entertain the idea of trading for a point guard. Not having good backcourt talent limits their ability to stretch the floor on offense. I believe if the Magic could get a good point guard to run the offense, then they could become a good team. They have such great talent at the three, four and five positions. Just one more piece could make this team into a contender. Good thing the draft and free agent class is loaded with talent this offseason.
Washington Wizards
2017-2018 record: 43-39
ESPN.com Pre-Season Power Ranking: No. 16
John Wall and Bradley Beal will look to continue business as usual, by terrorizing opposing defenses. The dynamic duo have kept the Wizards in the playoff race for years and they do not look to stop now. The addition of Dwight Howard should be both exciting and nerve racking for this fan base. After the chemistry issues from last season, having Howard on the team could be counterproductive. However, they are poised to get another playoff berth yet again behind the efforts of Wall and Beal.
Wall and Beal Back At It
Wall and Beal are two of the most talented guards in the league and could be considered as one of the best backcourt duos. Their three returning role players, Otto Porter Jr., Markieff Morris and Kelly Oubre Jr. will play a important role in the offense behind them. The addition of a All-Star center, with great defense, will definitely help their team. Dwight Howard could be the big man the Wizards have been missing to support Wall and Beal. When Howard is healthy he is a force to be reckoned with. If Porter and Oubre can take the next leap in their development, the Wizards could be a 50 win team this year. This season looks bright in D.C.
Chemistry Issues
One of the main issues the Wizards have been dealing with the last several seasons has been team chemistry. Marcin Gortat was pegged as the chemistry issue last season. His constant head butting with Wall was causing problems in the clubhouse and on the court. Gortat is no longer on the team, but the Wizards replaced him with Dwight Howard. Howard has had his problems with chemistry issues in the past several seasons. The Wizards are hoping he can stay healthy and free from team issues. When Howard is not causing any dilemmas, he is a great player to have on the team. The only thing stopping Washington from taking the division this year is their ability to have good chemistry.
Division Winner: Charlotte Hornets
Bet you did not expect this. I think the Charlotte Hornets will win this division and this is why. The Heat will not stay healthy enough to compete. The Wizards will have chemistry issues from trade talks and Dwight Howard will not stay healthy to contribute. This leaves the Hornets, since no one believes in the Hawks and Magic anyways. I believe Kemba Walker will bring his usual All-Star level performances this year, but the Hornets will be better due to the development from the rest of their team. Nicolas Batum and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will stay healthy enough to provide enough support for Walker. Miles Bridges is going to develop into a great starting wing player and provide a key missing piece the Hornets have needed for a while. Malik Monk, newly acquired vet Tony Parker and the rest of the bench will surprise people this year. I think the Hornets have what it takes to win the Southeast division this year. Keep your popcorn ready for Cardiac Kemba.
Reference links
http://www.nba.com/powerrankings/2018-19-summer-east
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Atlantic Division: click here
Central Division: click here
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