THE NBA SEASON TIPS-OFF IN JUST ONE WEEK! Basketball is right around the corner, which means it is a perfect time to give my personal breakdown of each team. We are going to go division by division highlighting my expectations for each roster. I included what I expect to be the starting lineup for each team whenever they get to full strength. I am using my own thoughts on roster construction, reported lineups, and preseason starting fives to curate my predictions. Along with the starting 5 I have included the 5 bench players that I think will play and produce the most for each team. Included is also who I think is the most important player for each team, as well as players who I can see producing more than we expect at this point of preseason. As always I would love to hear your thoughts on each team and certain players you are excited to watch! Please comment below what you are excited to watch for in the upcoming NBA season!
ATLANTA HAWKS
G: Trae Young
G: Dyson Daniels / Nickeil Alexander-Walker / Luke Kennard
F: Zaccharie Risacher
F: Jalen Johnson / Mouhamed Gueye / Asa Newell
C: Kristaps Porzingis / Onyeka Okungwu
Penny Stock Investment: Keaton Wallace
X-Factor: Jalen Johnson
6MOY: Onyeka Okungwu
MVP: Trae Young
Overview
There is a lot of excitement surrounding Atlanta entering the season. There are quiet shouts of Finals contenders and a Trae Young MVP season. While I am not quite that high on the Hawks, offseason additions and Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kristaps Porzingis give the Hawks some pieces that might elevate them to conference contenders. NAW adds to a backcourt/wing philosophy Atlanta has of playing long, athletic, and good defenders. He gives them another guard who can shot create, which is something they lacked last season outside of Trae Young. Jalen Johnson is a player who can be an All-Star in this league. Porzingis is a player who gives Trae Young options as Porzingis can pick or pop off of screens. The Hawks have depth and defensive pieces around Trae Young. This is the best roster they have given Trae Young, even better than the 2021 roster that made the ECF.
CHARLOTTE HORNETS
G: LaMelo Ball / Spencer Dinwiddie / Tre Mann
G: Kon Kneuppel / Collin Sexton
F: Brandon Miller / Josh Green
F: Miles Bridges
C: Moussa Diabate / Ryan Kalkbrenner
Penny Stock Investment(s): Moussa Diabate, Sion James
X-Factor: Brandon Miller
6MOY: Collin Sexton
MVP: LaMelo Ball
Overview
Last year I predicted the Hornets to make a jump. I was wrong. Will I learn from my mistakes? Probably not. I am going to drink the Kool-Aid again. If LaMelo Ball is healthy I think he is a top 10 point guard in the league and I like some of the pieces they added in the offseason. I think Brandon Miller has All-Star potential, Kon Kneuppel is a fantastic rookie addition, Moussa Diabate is an underrated big man, and veteran guards Collin Sexton and Spencer Dinwiddie can add some backcourt stability. I think the Hornets should be a fun team to watch and I think they will be a play-in team, barring injury to Ball or Miller.
MIAMI HEAT
G: Davion Mitchell / Kasparas Jakucionis
G: Tyler Herro* / Norman Powell
F: Andrew Wiggins / Jaime Jaquez Jr
F: Kel'el Ware / Nikola Jovic
C: Bam Adebayo / Keshad Johnson
Penny Stock Investment: Keshad Johnson
X-Factor: Norman Powell
6MOY: Norman Powell
MVP: Bam Adebayo
Overview
Similar to the Chicago Bulls, I do not see this roster being much better than a 6 seed ceiling. Especially with Tyler Herro missing the start of the season due to injury. They paid Nikola Jovic recently and I think Kel'el Ware has great potential, so I am curious to see which one eventually becomes the consistent front court partner with Bam Adebayo. I do not think there is enough offensive firepower for the Heat to scare opponents. Norman Powell will offer some help in the absence of Tyler Herro, but he is not an elite go-to option. Despite the organization's members claiming that they are championship contenders, the Heat will not be someone that will go further than one playoff series.
ORLANDO MAGIC
G: Jalen Suggs / Tyus Jones / Jase Richardson
G: Desmond Bane / Anthony Black
F: Franz Wagner
F: Paolo Banchero / Jonathan Isaac
C: Wendell Carter Jr / Goga Bitadze / Mo Wagner*
Penny Stock Investment: Noah Penda
X-Factor: Desmond Bane
6MOY: Goga Bitadze
MVP: Paolo Banchero
Overview
This is the year that I think the Magic make the jump. I think the Desmond Bane addition might be one of the best moves any organization made this offseason. He offers spacing and a threat that the Magic desperately needed. He has been one of the biggest outside shooting threats since entering the association and will give much needed spacing to Orlando's young stars, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero. The Magic have been towards the bottom in three point shooting and half court offense for a few seasons, which has been their eventual downfall. I truly think adding Bane will solve lots of these concerns. I expect the Magic to jump in that second tier of Eastern Conference contenders, joining teams such as Detroit and Atlanta, just behind the Knicks and Cavs.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
G: CJ McCollum
G: Bub Carrington / Tre Johnson
F: Bilal Coulibaly / Corey Kispert / Justin Champagnie
F: Khris Middleton / Kyshawn George
C: Alex Sarr / Tristan Vukcevic
Penny Stock Investment: Justin Champagnie
X-Factor: Bub Carrington
6MOY: Tre Johnson
MVP: CJ McCollum
Overview
I am lower on the Wizards core than some. I do not think they have any franchise building blocks and I think people are expecting too big a jump from players such as Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George. I question how the Wizards approach their rotation. 16. This is the number of players that I could see cracking the rotation for the Wizards, whether they are trying to win games or develop young players (CJ McCollum, Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly, Khris Middleton, Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Corey Kispert, Kyshawn George, Tristan Vukcevic, Justin Champagnie, Marvin Bagley III, Will Riley, Cam Whitmore, Jamir Watkins). That is too many players that could see the court. This season is about consolidation and continuing the rebuilding process. They need to figure out which players they see as productive players for the future and offload the rest. I look forward to seeing which players cement themselves as players they can count on.
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