It’ll take a few games before fans get used to watching the new-look Hawks, who parted ways with former mainstays Al Horford and Jeff Teague in the offseason and welcomed half-baller and half-clown Dwight Howard. The Hawks finished second in the division last season with a 48-34 record but the personnel losses appear to outweigh the gains, as sportsbooks are pegging them to win at around 43 wins this campaign.
The addition of Howard gives Atlanta a proven comic and back-to-the-basket player but he’ll have to stay healthy if they are to contend in the Eastern Conference. Howard and Millsap form what should be one of the best frontcourts in the league, while the team’s backcourt duties will be mostly handled by Dennis Schroeder. The Hawks are betting on Schroder to make a big leap this season, thus the decision to trade Teague.
Mike Budenholzer is still there to coach the Hawks, who are expected to remain menaces on defense after allowing opponents to shoot just 43.2 percent from the field last season.
Not that signing a five-year $90-million contract wasn’t fun, but Goran Dragic must be feeling like the guy who realized that the burger he ordered wasn’t as tasty-looking in his hands as it was on the menu.
When Dragic inked his extension deal in 2015, he was expecting a longtime partnership with Wade and Bosh, but different circumstances have left him teaming up with Hassan Whiteside to carry the bulk of the Heat’s load. Dragic and Whiteside form a strong tandem but depth is a major issue for Miami this season with the likes of Luol Deng and Gerald Green also gone.
Justise Winslow has to step up and show improvement in his second season, while Tyler Johnson will have to play like he totally deserve the money he swindled from the Heat for Miami to win more than 35 games this season.
Good luck trying to shoot around the rim against the Magic this coming season. Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo provide scary rim protection for Orlando, which has its win total line set at 36.5 for the 2016-17 campaign. With Nikola Vucevic also in the mix, it’s clear that Orlando’s strength resides in the frontcourt. There are great talents in other positions, though.
Aaron Gordon’s star is on the rise, while Evan Fournier has steadily improved to the point that the Magic felt Victor Oladipo was expendable. Jeff Green was also acquired in the offseason but he’ll have to meet his potential to help Orlando achieve success.
Elfrid Payton’s a skilled point guard who does a lot on the floor, except among other few things, shoot the ball consistently. Under new head coach Frank Vogel, the refurbished Magic team is going to be worth watching.
The Wizards failed to lure Kevin Durant to play for his hometown club so it’s back to them being John Wall’s team. But hey, they got Durant’s former coach in Scott Brooks. You could win a debate arguing that Brooks is better than Randy Wittman so that’s something to write home about.
Wall’s going to put up 20 points and lots of dimes per game just as he has done in the past, but it’s how the other pieces around him would fare, which will dictate whether the Wizards can win more than 42 games in the upcoming season. Bradley Beal just signed a huge extension deal and Washington is expecting he’ll avoid landing on the injury list.
The frontcourt duties will be handled by Marcin Gortat and new addition Ian Mahinmi. As for the forwards, Otto Porter and Kelly Oubre could be fighting for minutes though neither has yet to deliver on their promise as former first-round picks. An appearance in the playoffs after missing the cut last season could be on the horizon for the Wizards, who are +4,000 to win the conference title.
The Hornets won 48 games and made the playoffs last season, but are primed for regression after seeing some of their key pieces depart in the offseason. Gone are Jeremy Lin, Courtney Lee, and Al Jefferson. But at least, the Hornets still have Kemba Walker, who’s going to be the barometer of this team. The Hornets’ regular season win total is at 41.5.
Charlotte will go as far as where Walker takes them. That said, Walker will get help from the versatile Nicolas Batum and the likes of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marvin Williams. The last two players mentioned have been serviceable at best for most their careers but seeing them elevate their plays isn’t entirely out of the picture so don’t sleep too hard on Charlotte.
