Post by Miami on Jul 22, 2007 21:01:54 GMT -5
Boris Diaw will look to lead his team to the NBA Finals
Atlanta Hawks
Rank: 1 Previous: 2
Team Salary: $86,575,587
2009 Record: 53-29 (.646)
The three-headed scoring monster of Boris Diaw, Andre Iguodala, and Deron Williams will be one of if not the best in the league. Marvin Williams and Martell Webster could probably start on most teams out there and the Hawks have them coming off the bench. Nazr Mohammed is getting old, but still gets the job done at center, but will not have a true backup. LaMarcus Aldridge and Tim Ohlbrecht will probably split time at power forward and are probably the best young duo at their position. The Hawks looked poised to take over the title in the East and will probably make a run at the title this year if the injury bug doesn’t hit them too hard.
Starting Five: Mohammed, Aldrgidge, Diaw, Iguodala, D. Williams
Second Five: Ohlbrecht, Smith, Webster, M. Wiliams, Koponen
OJ Mayo will look to have a breakout sophomore season
Cleveland Cavaliers
Rank: 2 Previous: 5
Team Salary: $65,321,781
2009 Record: 49-33 (.598)
The Cavs have one of the best starting five in the league, and all of them being 27 years old and under doesn’t hurt them too much either. Depth isn’t a question either with five guys that can handle the ball and 8 guys who could lead the team in scoring on a given night. OJ Mayo, who was the former number one pick two years ago, will look to have a break out season by leading his team deep into the playoffs. They look to have no real weakness, but their only opposition could be themselves and how healthy they are throughout the season.
Starting Five: Howard, Krstic, R. Jones, Mayo, Barnosa
Second Five: Humphries, J. Jones, Ajinca, Bell, Brooks
#1 Pick Ricky Rubio will look to be Rookie of the Year
Philadelphia 76ers
Rank: 3 Previous: 1
Team Salary: $55,338,282
2009 Record: 58-24 (.707)
That trade with the Lakers will tell you everything you need to know about this team, they are playing for the future. Not to say they wont win now, with arguably the most talented young player in the game (Ricky Rubio) and veteran’s Carlos Boozer and Tracy McGrady. With serviceable Marcus Banks their starting five will only have one real weakness, the big man. With other young talented players in Hawes and Fazekas they will probably be competitive this year. However they will not be the number one seed in the Eastern Conference as the were last year.
Starting Five: Pryzbilla, Boozer, McGrady, Rubio, Banks
Second Five: Hawes, Fazekas, Richardson, Shipp, Wiggins
Yao Ming has become a pop culture icon in the US
Toronto Raptors
Rank: 4 Previous: 3
Team Salary: $70,456,861
2009 Record: 52-30 (.634)
Led by their Big Man, Yao Ming, the Raptors look to be a very deep team. Their second team looks to be a just a step behind the first. Kenyon Martin may have lost a step, but is still getting it done at power forward. The biggest question surrounding this team is the shooting guard, who will start? Who will step up and take the starting job? Dajuan Wagner looks to be the guy, but his defense is so poor he is almost a liability. His two backups, Josh Childress and Shannon Brown should get plenty of time if he cant get the job done. One move they need to make is acquiring a backup for Jamal Crawford at the point.
Starting Five: Ming, Martin, Jinks, Wagner, Crawford
Second Five: Magloire, Haywood, Smith, Childress, Brown
Richard Hamilton already has a ring and is looking for more
Indiana Pacers
Rank: 5 Previous: 10
Team Salary: $50,000,000
2009 Record: 35-47 (.427)
They may two big free agent signings this off-season, small forward Ivan Chiriaev and shooting guard Richard Hamilton. When you add those two to the young talent on the team in Shaun Livingston, Glen Davis and Luke Nevill you have a pretty good starting five. Then when you have Tiago Splitter, Gerald Wallace, and Gerald Green you have a nice rotation of eight guys who can get it done. I wouldn’t put any money on it but these guys could make a huge jump in the east to a three or four seed in the east, its all about how the young guys respond in their time of need.
Starting Five: Nevill, Davis, Chiriaev, Hamilton, Livingston
Second Five: O’Bryant, Splitter, Wallace, Green, Ellington
Rashard Lewis is looking for better times in Miami
Miami Heat
Rank: 6 Previous: 12
Team Salary: $53,598,262
2009 Record: 29-53 (.354)
They made a ton of acquisitions this off-season, the biggest of which was getting Rashard Lewis to anchor the offense. Andrew Bogut, Michael Ruffin, and Jose Calderon also are all newly acquired and will play significant minutes for the heat. Eric Gordon and Chris Duhon both had terrific seasons last year despite the teams struggles. They will all look to make a return to the playoffs for the first time in a long while. This teams weakness will be rebounding, having only one real good rebounder. This team looks to be very young and very talented, which doesn’t always lead to success.
Starting Five: Bogut, Jianlian, Lewis, Gordon, Duhon
Second Five: Mullens, Ruffin, Grant, Tucker, Calderon
Will Ron Artest's antics be a distraction in Washington?
Washington Wizards
Rank: 7 Previous: 6
Team Salary: $89,766,599
2009 Record: 43-39 (.524)
How much money can buy a mediocre team? Look no further than the Washington Wizards. The starters are making over 76 Million dollars this year, and while they are a pretty good starting five, there is no way they are worth that much. With only 7 players who are fit to be in the NBA and only one draft pick in the next two years, the wizards are a franchise in trouble. Free Agent signing Ron Artest will look to lead this team, and questions have arose around his contract where the Wizards will have to pay a 37-year old Artest 25.7 Million Dollars.
Starting Five: Ilic, Artest, Daniels, Prince, Hinrich
Second Five: Achterberg, Dampier, White, Crocker, Boykins
Can an older Kobe Bryant still lead a team?
Milwaukee Bucks
Rank: 8 Previous: 4
Team Salary: $71,700,000
2009 Record: 49-33 (.598)
All-Star center who might be the best big man in the game and Kobe Bryant? Heard this before? The Bucks will hope that with age also comes wisdom, that to win, you need a dominant big man. Although this time around they will have help in the form of Al Harington and Luke Ridnour who will look to round out the team. While Amare is one of the best centers in the game, he still needs a break every once and a while, and as the Bucks roster sits right now they have no backup for him, 48 minutes a night Amare?
Starting Five: Stoudemire, Swift, Harrington, Bryant, Ridnour
Second Five: Diawara, Foster, Kangas, Rice, Mijatovic
Orlando Magic
Rank: 9 Previous: 7
Team Salary: $56,303,714
2009 Record: 43-39 (.524)
The Magic may score over 110 point a night, that good because they will probably let up 120 a night. With only four players that could be considered stoppers they may be in some trouble defensively. With free agent acquisition Steve Nash running the offense however they may be able to do that. Nash will have many options with Shane Battier, Marcus Williams, Stephen Jackson, Courtney Lee, and Jason Terry all being able to spot up on their jumpers. They hope they make all those shots because rebounding is also an issue for this team since they have only two players who can rebound at an NBA level.
Starting Five: Borchardt, Simien, Battier, Lee, Nash
Second Five: Blatche, Williams, Jaric, Jackson, Terry
Boston Celtics
Rank: 10 Previous: 8
Team Salary: $70,533,313
2009 Record: 39-43 (.476)
The Celtics are led by up and coming star Charlie Villanueva, Tyson Chandler, and veteran Corey Maggette. They look to be a very good offensive team, but questions arise when talking about their starting defense. Only Chandler and Keith Van Horn can play any sort of useful defense at their position. They may look to their bench for defensive help in Rashad McCants, Channing Frye and Jermareo Davidson. One question I have for their GM is, How is it going to feel top pay a 37 year old Keith Van Horn 26.7 Million Dollars? Look for them to add a few more pieces to become contenders.
Starting Five: Chandler, Villanueva, Van Horn, Maggette, Lawson
Second Five: Frye, Davidson, James, McCants, Watts
New Orleans Hornets
Rank: 11 Previous: 14
Team Salary: $48,915,650
2009 Record: 25-57 (.305)
I like what this team did this off season, they two good young players in the draft in Thaddeus Young and Vernon Macklin. This is another very young team with only two players over the age of 27. They don’t look to be a contender for a playoff spot, but in a few years don’t be surprised if all their young talent matures and they turn into a power. Sean May, Randy Foye, and Marcus Williams are good young players for them to build a squad around and it looks like their doing that. I see them just missing the playoffs this year.
Starting Five: Radmenovic, May, Odom, Foye, Williams
Second Five: Harris, West, Thomas, Young, Jordan
New York Knicks
Rank: 12 Previous: 15
Team Salary: $69,399,646
2009 Record: 24-58 (.293)
They had four first round picks this year and made the most of them, acquiring the highly regarded Greg Monroe and Kyle Singler. This team really doesn’t have a true star, but is led by a core of guys, Marcus Camby, Barndon Rush, and Garrett Johnson. They had one of the worst seasons ever, ending the season with only 24 wins. Here is my only guarantee for the year: They will do better than that this year. Chris Kaman and Bill Walker round out the starting five and will make this team very competitive. Look for them to maybe sneak into that eighth spot in the east.
Starting Five: Kaman, Camby, Walker, Rush, Johnson
Second Five: Monroe, Singler, Casspi, Vasquez, Williams
New Jersey Nets
Rank: 13 Previous: 9
Team Salary: $63,358,774
2009 Record: 37-45 (.451)
Can two good scorers carry a team? That question will be answered this year on the New Jersey Nets. Led offensively by Ike Diogu and Ben Gordon, they really have no third option. They really have no true point guard and will look for Rajon Rondo to fill that void. They will be a very strong defensive team, but they will need help offensively if they are looking to become contenders in the east. Depth is also a question surrounding this team, since they have no real standouts coming off the bench. They are team missing one big piece and if they can make a big trade they could make some noise in the East.
Starting Five: Milicic, Diogu, Jefferson, Gordon, Rondo
Second Five: Zoubek, Arthur, Lopez, Fernandez, Singletary
Chicago Bulls
Rank: 14 Previous: 13
Team Salary: $20,448,496
2009 Record: 28-54 (.341)
One word describes this team: Young. With the average age being 22.6 years old, they are young and with that comes inexperienced. Only paying their team one fourth of what a lot of teams are, and the results will show that. The Bulls will look for a lot of production from Andris Biedrins and Javaris Crittenton who will led this 25 and under team. Suprisingly the Bulls didn’t make any moves this off-season, which many people questioned because of their lack of proven talent and leadership. They need to make a move to even be competitive this year, otherwise it will be a long year in Chicago.
Starting Five: Biedrins, Jefferson, Clark, Tavernari, Crittenton
Second Five: Lopez, Swift, Green, Rose, Curry
Detroit Pistons
Rank: 15 Previous: 11
Team Salary: $47,143,825
2009 Record: 32-50 (.390)
This team is led by their older player Shawn Marion and Mike Bibby. Both aren’t as effective as they once were, but can still get it done in this league. This GM has surrounded these two veterans with youth and tons of it. This may be the weakest defensive team in the league, and it will show this year. Look for them to be the doorstep of the east this year, but with only 3 players under contract after the 2012 season they will probably look to get younger and rebuild. They will probably look to make some trades to achieve these goals and get future draft picks.
Starting Five: Zhengdong, Turiaf, Marion, Evans, Bibby
Second Five: Jones, Gallinari, Williams, Triplovic, Reynolds
