Post by bloop on May 1, 2014 21:28:47 GMT
After seeing the call for an Eastern Conference preseason article, I spoke to @braziliandude and he gave me the go ahead to write it. This will be similar to the Western Conference preview and it’s intended as a fellow owner’s opinion.
The conference that is home to the past champions looks to be just as competitive, if not more so, than last season. With very few teams losing key players and younger players finally developing, playoff births may not be decided until the very last sim. With that being said, here is the outlook of the Eastern Conference heading into preseason.
**The Predictions don’t add up and are more like *if everything worked well for this team this would be a highly possible record*. FBB can be ruthless though so injuries, odd sims, and just bad luck can change any teams fortunes. As I make clear for the Unknowns, their team’s direction for this season is truly up in the air. Their predictions should be seen as a crude conservative average. For example, if the Celtics keep KG they could push the higher 40 win mark in my opinion. If they move him, they could be a lotto team. So the prediction is a crude average of that.
The Contenders:
Pacers
This team was a favorite heading into the playoffs last year before misfortune struck with an injury to the reigning MVP. The Pacers still managed to be competitive in the playoffs and that’s a testament to the skills of their GM and coach. The Pacers have managed their cap to perfection and were able to retain the majority of their roster from last season. With last season’s unfortunate ending still fresh in their mind, expect the Pacers and Tony Parker to be right at the head of the Eastern Conference. They are one of the early favorites to represent the East in the Finals.
Prediction: (55-27)
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks are primed for a breakout season. After some really hot stretches last season, the Hawks looked like a team ready to take that next step. This, however, did not happen come playoff time. The Hawks were a young team last year, though, and the added experience will do them wonders. The league will be interested in seeing how the young trio of Hibbert, Noah, and Rondo continue to progress. Don’t be surprised if the Hawks represent the East come postseason. If they can turn those hot stretches into consistent high level play, they will be a team no one will want to face.
Prediction: (57-25)
Magic
The reigning champs went all in last season and it paid off handsomely. After partying hard for a few weeks following that great title run, the GM has had to face reality. The Magic will not be able to field the same team that won them their title. They will be forced to either trade or waive Artest, McGrady, Francis, or Pap. It will be hard to know how the team will react to the loss of one of their cornerstones, but if any GM can overcome this it’s this one. The Magic may not appear as dominant as they did in the playoffs last season, but they have enough firepower remaining to still contend for a title.
Prediction: (49-33)
Bucks
The Bucks enter this season with their GM in a contract year. The Bucks have decidedly (and correctly) gone all in this year and it will be interesting to see how it pans out. Will their assemblage of talent coexist and bring this team a deep playoff run? Or will the egos conflict with the team praying for a .500 finish in the final sim? I believe the former will come to fruition. The Bucks have a loaded frontcourt with Big Al and Kmart and an athletic/young/talented backcourt duo in Westbrook and Bledsoe. This team has a legitimate shot to contend this year if they can find the right DC and rotation. The Bucks will have the league’s full attention this season.
Prediction: (51-31)
Playoff Potential:
Knicks
The Knicks had a very good season last year, even holding the top seed late into the season. The team ended up struggling in the playoffs, but there is hope for this season. The team is absolutely loaded at F/C with Curry, Love and two great backups in Wilcox and Andersen. On top of all that, they have 2 well-rounded young players in Batum and Chandler. The addition of veteran journeyman Jamaal Tinsley will also help this team in its quest back to the playoffs. This team looks good on paper, but the jury is still out on their 3 studs in Love, Chandler, and Batum. If all 3 can take their game to another level, the Knicks will make me regret not putting them in the Contender tier.
Prediction: (48-34)
Bulls
The Bulls had a strong roster last season, but did not live up to expectations. They lost in 6 to the Wizards with a margin of defeat in 3 of the losses totaling 5 points. With that being said, the Bulls were able to keep the core of their roster and are looking to make another run toward the playoffs. The improvement in Dwight and Randolph will hopefully push this team into another level. Speaking of Randolph, he is the exact reason why the Bulls are a Playoff Potential team and not a Contender. It is almost a foregone conclusion that Josh Smith is on his way out of Chicago in order for Randolph to take the starting spot. Will Randolph’s play exceed Josh Smith’s? Or will the Bulls be second guessing another trade like they did last season when they watched Deng help carry the Lakers to the playoffs? It will be interesting to see how these moves play out.
Prediction: (46-36)
Cavaliers
The Cavaliers were one game away from a trip to the Finals last season. They showed guts, resilience, and heart when they clawed their way back from a 3-1 deficit to force a game 7 at home. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough and the Cavs were faced with an offseason with more questions than answers. When you have LeBron James on your team, the playoffs should be a given each season and this made it all the more difficult to not place the Cavs as contenders. The Cavs have the potential to be where they were last season, but with the current roster it’s tough to see them making a deep playoff run. Free agency hit the Cavs hard and they are now without a starting caliber center. This flaw could prove detrimental to the team if the GM does not game plan appropriately. The Cleveland media has full confidence in their GM, though, so expect the Cavs end of the season roster to look differently than this one.
Prediction: (48-34)
Wizards
The Wizards were an underrated team heading into the playoffs last year. Their starting 5 could match up with any other team on paper, and luckily for them they will still be with the team this season. As the playoffs showed us last year, however, depth is needed. When the Wizards lost Walker, their team took a turn for the worst and saw a 2nd round exit. Credit should be given to the Magic for the defense they played, but the Wizards are a high power offense who just seemed different with the loss of Walker. The Wizards have a solid roster heading into the preseason and will hope for health and added depth to take them back to the playoffs.
Prediction: (44-38)
Heat
The Heat were without an owner for much of the season last year, which made the work for the current GM even harder. He had little to no time to fully learn the strengths and weaknesses of his lineup before the playoffs. The loss of Redd early in the playoffs proved detrimental to the Heat’s chance at a playoff upset, but luckily he will return to them this season at full health. The Heat have a very potent offense led by the rising superstar Deron Williams. If the Heat can improve defensively and become more efficient, it is possible that they will achieve that upset (and maybe more) that barely eluded them last season.
Prediction: (44-38)
Unknowns
Raptors
The Raptors went for it all last season when they moved Cousins for Kobe. It was a risky move, but one that should have paid off. Bad luck and lack of chemistry resulted in a season to forget for the Raptors. With the addition of Jermaine O’Neal and Kobe having a full offseason with the team, the Raptors have a chance to surpass the current predictions. It is hard to know how this team will gel after the end of last season, though. Here’s hoping Kobe and O’Neal still have another elite season in them.
Prediction: (41-41)
Bobcats
The Bobcats are loaded with talent, but time is not on their side yet. The trio of Griffin, Summers, and Collison have the potential to be elite. The addition of Monroe through the draft should provide this team with much needed defense and length. This team has all the potential in the world, but potential does not win games. I would not be surprised if this team made the playoffs or if they ended up a lottery team. However, in a couple of seasons they will without a doubt be in one of the higher tiers.
Prediction: (42-40)
Pistons
The Pistons were in a similar predicament as the Heat last season. They were without an owner for much of the season, giving the new management little time to fully know their team. The new GM took the complete opposite approach of the Heat’s GM, though. They moved their star Nowitzki with the hopes of a brighter future. The Pistons were apparently not content with their lineup and believed it wasn’t strong enough to seriously contend for a title. No one can fault them for this and it will be interesting to see in a few years if this strategy works for them. The addition of Brandon Jennings has the potential to give this team a very bright future. The team will be competitive this year, but are a couple years away from contending for a playoff birth.
Prediction: (36-46)
76ers
The 76ers future is bright. They possess one of the most coveted young emerging superstars in Stephen Curry and it looks like he has it in him to lead this team to numerous winning seasons. The team is currently very young, though, and is still a piece or two away from having a dominant roster. If Lopez and Curry progress faster than predicted, this team could make a serious run for one of the lower playoff seeds. It’s hard to know the strategy that this new owner will take. Will he move pieces around to try and win now? Or will he be content with another losing season in order to receive another lotto pick?
Prediction: (36-46)
Celtics
The Celtics had a rough season last year, but one that had a pleasant ending in the drafting of Paul George. Paul George has the potential to alter this franchise’s prospects and turn this team into a perennial contender. In addition to George at SF, the team also has an extremely intriguing athlete in Evans. These two could form a scary duo in the upcoming years. Unfortunately as we saw last season with James Harden, though, rookies (even extremely talented ones) usually cannot lead a team to the playoffs. With this in mind, the team will have a tough decision to make concerning KG. KG can be that veteran all-star leading this rookie heavy team to the playoffs. The team can go in that direction, or choose to move KG and start a rebuilding phase with 2 pieces that any GM would die to have in George and Evans. The Celtics have tough decisions to make and many of the other owners are breathing a sigh of relief that they aren’t the ones having to contemplate moving KG.
Prediction: (30-52)
Nets
The Nets had an up and down season last year which resulted in them having a lotto pick. They wisely chose Jrue Holiday with that pick and they hope he will eventually turn into the stud many think he can become. Outside of Holiday, the Nets roster is full of talented, yet older, starters. The team is good enough to compete for a lower playoff seeding, but it may be wiser to chalk this year up as a rebuilding one and focus on building around Holiday. The Nets have pieces that current contenders would possibly be interested in to solidify their rosters come late in the season. It will be interesting to see how the GM decides to handle this roster going forward.
Prediction: (27-55)
As you can see, there was not a lot of negativity about these teams. There are two reasons for this. 1. Many of these owners are extremely active and it’s clear that they have plans in place. This makes it easier for me to positively judge a team even if their roster isn’t packed with studs. 2. The East is loaded throughout, making it almost impossible to correctly predict who will end up where. Some teams may benefit more down the road if they choose to rebuild this year, but that isn’t to say they couldn’t be competitive now. Many of these “unknown” tiered teams will have an extremely tough decision to make. Should they go all in this year? Or patiently wait for the next?
Hope the East teams enjoy this and thanks for reading.
The conference that is home to the past champions looks to be just as competitive, if not more so, than last season. With very few teams losing key players and younger players finally developing, playoff births may not be decided until the very last sim. With that being said, here is the outlook of the Eastern Conference heading into preseason.
**The Predictions don’t add up and are more like *if everything worked well for this team this would be a highly possible record*. FBB can be ruthless though so injuries, odd sims, and just bad luck can change any teams fortunes. As I make clear for the Unknowns, their team’s direction for this season is truly up in the air. Their predictions should be seen as a crude conservative average. For example, if the Celtics keep KG they could push the higher 40 win mark in my opinion. If they move him, they could be a lotto team. So the prediction is a crude average of that.
The Contenders:
Pacers
This team was a favorite heading into the playoffs last year before misfortune struck with an injury to the reigning MVP. The Pacers still managed to be competitive in the playoffs and that’s a testament to the skills of their GM and coach. The Pacers have managed their cap to perfection and were able to retain the majority of their roster from last season. With last season’s unfortunate ending still fresh in their mind, expect the Pacers and Tony Parker to be right at the head of the Eastern Conference. They are one of the early favorites to represent the East in the Finals.
Prediction: (55-27)
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks are primed for a breakout season. After some really hot stretches last season, the Hawks looked like a team ready to take that next step. This, however, did not happen come playoff time. The Hawks were a young team last year, though, and the added experience will do them wonders. The league will be interested in seeing how the young trio of Hibbert, Noah, and Rondo continue to progress. Don’t be surprised if the Hawks represent the East come postseason. If they can turn those hot stretches into consistent high level play, they will be a team no one will want to face.
Prediction: (57-25)
Magic
The reigning champs went all in last season and it paid off handsomely. After partying hard for a few weeks following that great title run, the GM has had to face reality. The Magic will not be able to field the same team that won them their title. They will be forced to either trade or waive Artest, McGrady, Francis, or Pap. It will be hard to know how the team will react to the loss of one of their cornerstones, but if any GM can overcome this it’s this one. The Magic may not appear as dominant as they did in the playoffs last season, but they have enough firepower remaining to still contend for a title.
Prediction: (49-33)
Bucks
The Bucks enter this season with their GM in a contract year. The Bucks have decidedly (and correctly) gone all in this year and it will be interesting to see how it pans out. Will their assemblage of talent coexist and bring this team a deep playoff run? Or will the egos conflict with the team praying for a .500 finish in the final sim? I believe the former will come to fruition. The Bucks have a loaded frontcourt with Big Al and Kmart and an athletic/young/talented backcourt duo in Westbrook and Bledsoe. This team has a legitimate shot to contend this year if they can find the right DC and rotation. The Bucks will have the league’s full attention this season.
Prediction: (51-31)
Playoff Potential:
Knicks
The Knicks had a very good season last year, even holding the top seed late into the season. The team ended up struggling in the playoffs, but there is hope for this season. The team is absolutely loaded at F/C with Curry, Love and two great backups in Wilcox and Andersen. On top of all that, they have 2 well-rounded young players in Batum and Chandler. The addition of veteran journeyman Jamaal Tinsley will also help this team in its quest back to the playoffs. This team looks good on paper, but the jury is still out on their 3 studs in Love, Chandler, and Batum. If all 3 can take their game to another level, the Knicks will make me regret not putting them in the Contender tier.
Prediction: (48-34)
Bulls
The Bulls had a strong roster last season, but did not live up to expectations. They lost in 6 to the Wizards with a margin of defeat in 3 of the losses totaling 5 points. With that being said, the Bulls were able to keep the core of their roster and are looking to make another run toward the playoffs. The improvement in Dwight and Randolph will hopefully push this team into another level. Speaking of Randolph, he is the exact reason why the Bulls are a Playoff Potential team and not a Contender. It is almost a foregone conclusion that Josh Smith is on his way out of Chicago in order for Randolph to take the starting spot. Will Randolph’s play exceed Josh Smith’s? Or will the Bulls be second guessing another trade like they did last season when they watched Deng help carry the Lakers to the playoffs? It will be interesting to see how these moves play out.
Prediction: (46-36)
Cavaliers
The Cavaliers were one game away from a trip to the Finals last season. They showed guts, resilience, and heart when they clawed their way back from a 3-1 deficit to force a game 7 at home. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough and the Cavs were faced with an offseason with more questions than answers. When you have LeBron James on your team, the playoffs should be a given each season and this made it all the more difficult to not place the Cavs as contenders. The Cavs have the potential to be where they were last season, but with the current roster it’s tough to see them making a deep playoff run. Free agency hit the Cavs hard and they are now without a starting caliber center. This flaw could prove detrimental to the team if the GM does not game plan appropriately. The Cleveland media has full confidence in their GM, though, so expect the Cavs end of the season roster to look differently than this one.
Prediction: (48-34)
Wizards
The Wizards were an underrated team heading into the playoffs last year. Their starting 5 could match up with any other team on paper, and luckily for them they will still be with the team this season. As the playoffs showed us last year, however, depth is needed. When the Wizards lost Walker, their team took a turn for the worst and saw a 2nd round exit. Credit should be given to the Magic for the defense they played, but the Wizards are a high power offense who just seemed different with the loss of Walker. The Wizards have a solid roster heading into the preseason and will hope for health and added depth to take them back to the playoffs.
Prediction: (44-38)
Heat
The Heat were without an owner for much of the season last year, which made the work for the current GM even harder. He had little to no time to fully learn the strengths and weaknesses of his lineup before the playoffs. The loss of Redd early in the playoffs proved detrimental to the Heat’s chance at a playoff upset, but luckily he will return to them this season at full health. The Heat have a very potent offense led by the rising superstar Deron Williams. If the Heat can improve defensively and become more efficient, it is possible that they will achieve that upset (and maybe more) that barely eluded them last season.
Prediction: (44-38)
Unknowns
Raptors
The Raptors went for it all last season when they moved Cousins for Kobe. It was a risky move, but one that should have paid off. Bad luck and lack of chemistry resulted in a season to forget for the Raptors. With the addition of Jermaine O’Neal and Kobe having a full offseason with the team, the Raptors have a chance to surpass the current predictions. It is hard to know how this team will gel after the end of last season, though. Here’s hoping Kobe and O’Neal still have another elite season in them.
Prediction: (41-41)
Bobcats
The Bobcats are loaded with talent, but time is not on their side yet. The trio of Griffin, Summers, and Collison have the potential to be elite. The addition of Monroe through the draft should provide this team with much needed defense and length. This team has all the potential in the world, but potential does not win games. I would not be surprised if this team made the playoffs or if they ended up a lottery team. However, in a couple of seasons they will without a doubt be in one of the higher tiers.
Prediction: (42-40)
Pistons
The Pistons were in a similar predicament as the Heat last season. They were without an owner for much of the season, giving the new management little time to fully know their team. The new GM took the complete opposite approach of the Heat’s GM, though. They moved their star Nowitzki with the hopes of a brighter future. The Pistons were apparently not content with their lineup and believed it wasn’t strong enough to seriously contend for a title. No one can fault them for this and it will be interesting to see in a few years if this strategy works for them. The addition of Brandon Jennings has the potential to give this team a very bright future. The team will be competitive this year, but are a couple years away from contending for a playoff birth.
Prediction: (36-46)
76ers
The 76ers future is bright. They possess one of the most coveted young emerging superstars in Stephen Curry and it looks like he has it in him to lead this team to numerous winning seasons. The team is currently very young, though, and is still a piece or two away from having a dominant roster. If Lopez and Curry progress faster than predicted, this team could make a serious run for one of the lower playoff seeds. It’s hard to know the strategy that this new owner will take. Will he move pieces around to try and win now? Or will he be content with another losing season in order to receive another lotto pick?
Prediction: (36-46)
Celtics
The Celtics had a rough season last year, but one that had a pleasant ending in the drafting of Paul George. Paul George has the potential to alter this franchise’s prospects and turn this team into a perennial contender. In addition to George at SF, the team also has an extremely intriguing athlete in Evans. These two could form a scary duo in the upcoming years. Unfortunately as we saw last season with James Harden, though, rookies (even extremely talented ones) usually cannot lead a team to the playoffs. With this in mind, the team will have a tough decision to make concerning KG. KG can be that veteran all-star leading this rookie heavy team to the playoffs. The team can go in that direction, or choose to move KG and start a rebuilding phase with 2 pieces that any GM would die to have in George and Evans. The Celtics have tough decisions to make and many of the other owners are breathing a sigh of relief that they aren’t the ones having to contemplate moving KG.
Prediction: (30-52)
Nets
The Nets had an up and down season last year which resulted in them having a lotto pick. They wisely chose Jrue Holiday with that pick and they hope he will eventually turn into the stud many think he can become. Outside of Holiday, the Nets roster is full of talented, yet older, starters. The team is good enough to compete for a lower playoff seeding, but it may be wiser to chalk this year up as a rebuilding one and focus on building around Holiday. The Nets have pieces that current contenders would possibly be interested in to solidify their rosters come late in the season. It will be interesting to see how the GM decides to handle this roster going forward.
Prediction: (27-55)
As you can see, there was not a lot of negativity about these teams. There are two reasons for this. 1. Many of these owners are extremely active and it’s clear that they have plans in place. This makes it easier for me to positively judge a team even if their roster isn’t packed with studs. 2. The East is loaded throughout, making it almost impossible to correctly predict who will end up where. Some teams may benefit more down the road if they choose to rebuild this year, but that isn’t to say they couldn’t be competitive now. Many of these “unknown” tiered teams will have an extremely tough decision to make. Should they go all in this year? Or patiently wait for the next?
Hope the East teams enjoy this and thanks for reading.
