BOSTON CELTICS
ADDITIONS: G/F Marquis Daniels, F/C Rasheed Wallace, F/C Shelden Williams
SUBTRACTIONS: F Leon Powe, G Gabe Pruitt
STARTERS: PG – Rajon Rondo, SG – Ray Allen, SF – Paul Pierce, PF – Kevin Garnett, C – Kendrick Perkins
ROTATION: G Tony Allen, G/F Marquis Daniels, F Glen Davis, G Eddie House, F/C Rasheed Wallace
OUTLOOK: Very rarely does a 62-win campaign qualify as a disappointment, but it did in Boston last year. Coming off an NBA title, an injury to Kevin Garnett submarined the Celtics’ chances at repeating and they ended up getting bounced by Orlando in the second round following a dramatic first round series victory over Chicago. Garnett is working his way back to health. Less metaphorical weight is on Garnett, though, as the team added some additional playoff experience by importing Rasheed Wallace from Detroit.
Garnett is the emotional leader of the team, using his energy and intensity to heighten the play of his teammates. The additional depth should allow the team to cut Garnett’s minutes down to around 32 per night and give him a chance to be fresher at the end of the long season while allowing him to play his trademark style. Paul Pierce returns at the small forward spot and has not shown any signs of slowing down. Those two flank Kendrick Perkins at center. Perkins has improved his game, including limiting his fouls and, on a team where more is asked from him, would certainly be a double-double machine. As it stands, a jump of just a few minutes per night would get him there with Boston. Ray Allen returns as the designated marksman of the starting five, having made 48 percent of his field goal attempts on the season and 199 bombs at a 40.9 percent efficiency rate. Rajon Rondo is gradually turning into a dominant force. While he is still developing his game as part of a very talented squad, particularly his shooting touch (64.2 percent on free throws, 31.3 percent behind the big boy line), Rondo’s playoff line of 16.9 points, 9.8 assists, 9.7 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game shows what he can do when needed to carry a heavier load.
Rasheed Wallace brings more playoff success, defense, and three-point shooting big man to the mix. Wallace is hailed as an excellent team player by his teammates and should blend in nicely, enabling the team to go small (or as small as a frontcourt featuring a pair of near seven-footers will be) and wreak havoc. Glen Davis provides bulk down low, but may find his playing time clipped with Wallace’s arrival. Marquis Daniels is a multi-talented player who seems destined to leave the promise he showed early in his career unfulfilled. However, his skills should complement the unit he is on the floor with, regardless of the other players. Simply put, he’s a glue guy waiting to happen. Tony Allen remains an athletic player whose offense comes from close to the bucket, but whose defense is his calling card. Eddie House has turned into a dynamic force off the bench. House made 151 triples last season and is capable of either digging the C’s out of a hole or burying an opponent in about a minute.
NEW JERSEY NETS
ADDITIONS: G Rafer Alston, F/C Tony Battie, G Courtney Lee, G/F Terrence Williams
SUBTRACTIONS: F Ryan Anderson, G Vince Carter
STARTERS: PG – Devin Harris, SG – Courtney Lee, SF – Chris Douglas-Roberts, PF – Yi Jianlian, C – Brook Lopez
ROTATION: G Rafer Alston, F/C Tony Battie, F/C Josh Boone, G Keyon Dooling. F Eduardo Najera, G/F Bobby Simmons, G/F Terrence Williams
OUTLOOK: The Nets blew up their playoff hopes by dealing Vince Carter to Orlando over the summer and it was the right move for the team. There is strong young talent and, had they opted for the status quo going into this season, they likely would have to scrape and fight for the eighth seed in the East, which is not really worth it. The option of committing to rebuilding and putting forth a serious effort into it should pay off down the road.
It is possible head coach Lawrence Frank will start a quintet with a combined ten years of NBA experience, half of that in the form of Devin Harris. Harris became a star once given the reins for the first time in his NBA career, leading the Nets in points (21.3/game), assists (7.9/game), and steals (1.7/game). He is a borderline All-Star and, without Carter next to him, looks to have even more offensive responsibility. The other unquestioned starter in the bunch is Brook Lopez, who acquitted himself very nicely in his rookie campaign by posting 13.0 points and 8.1 boards per contest. Lopez did a very nice job of avoiding the officials’ whistles, a usual issue for rookie big men, fouling out in only seven of 82 contests, as well as being very efficient on offense with a 53.1 field goal percentage and 79.3 rate from the stripe. The other three starting spots are just guesses, but Courtney Lee should get a crack based on his contributions with the Magic last season and Chris Douglas-Roberts is playing his way into strong consideration in the exhibition season. Lee started 42 games for the Eastern Conference champs last season, providing a nice combination of defense and perimeter marksmanship. Douglas-Roberts did not contribute much as a rookie, but has responded to the opportunity to compete for a spot in the lineup and will likely be rewarded with one. Yi Jianlian is still partially an unknown commodity in his third season. The native of China needs to show the offensive promise that made him both a lottery pick and a major trade chip when the Nets sent Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee.
The backcourt bench contributors are both established players who can be counted on. Rafer Alston will get the bulk of the point guard minutes behind Harris and can provide ballhandling and perimeter shooting for a minimum of 12 minutes per game. He should also pair with Harris at times, allowing Harris to play at the two for stretches. Keyon Dooling is a classic energy combo guard, capable of filling up the bucket and harassing opposing guards with his frenetic style. Dooling has developed into a trustworthy outside shooter as well as a player with the athleticism to get to the rim and finish. The frontcourt is overflowing with options, which is a way of saying minutes are available and it would be nice if players would earn roles. Veteran Bobby Simmons and rookie Terrence Williams will vie for minutes at both swingman spots. Simmons was a sometime starter last season, but Williams fits in with the youth movement and getting the lottery pick minutes should be a priority, provided he does not prove to be in completely over his head. Tony Battie, Josh Boone, and Eduardo Najera provide size and rebounding inside. Battie is likely to get promoted to the starting lineup if Yi cannot hold down the four or gets shifted to the wing in order to provide support to Lopez. Boone is a very good rebounder and shotblocker, but needs to cut down on his fouls to be a consistent contributor. Najera is a consummate hustle player, a defensive pest who gets in his man’s chest and under his skin.
NEW YORK KNICKS
ADDITIONS: G Toney Douglas, F Jordan Hill, F/C Darko Milicic
SUBTRACTIONS: G/F Quentin Richardson, F/C Chris Wilcox
STARTERS: PG – Chris Duhon, SG – Larry Hughes, SF – Wilson Chandler, PF – Al Harrington, C – David Lee
ROTATION: C Eddy Curry, F Danilo Gallinari, F Jordan Hill, F Jared Jeffries, F/C Darko Milicic, G Nate Robinson
OUTLOOK: Mike D’Antoni improved the Knicks from 23 victories to 32 in his first campaign with his trademark uptempo style while hindered by the team preferring to shed salary to be a major player in the upcoming free agent market. As such, the team did not commit to adding any long-term salary, re-signing a pair of valuable restricted free agents to one-year deals and not bringing in any other major parts. If a second year in the system and further maturation from some young players happens, perhaps a similar improvement is in order before most players all go their separate ways.
One of those restricted free agents was David Lee, the NBA’s leader in double-doubles with 65. Lee also was third in the league in rebounds per game (11.7) and seventh in field goal percentage (54.9 percent), accomplishing these figures while playing out of position at center. Lee, however, is very limited beyond his hustle and athleticism, thereby explaining why the 26-year-old only received a one-year offer. Al Harrington has found his niche as an outside-shooting four in an uptempo offense, with more three pointers attempted (470) than rebounds (465). At least he made 171 of those bombs en route to averaging 20.1 points per game. Wilson Chandler showed strong promise, starting 70 games in his sophomore campaign and showing a fairly diverse game. Larry Hughes is the Knick with the most tentative grasp on a starting spot. Hughes still is an inefficient scorer and, when combined with his age creeping past 30 and extensive injury history, he is probably looking at his last shot at a starting role and a new contract. Good luck, Larry. Chris Duhon was thrust into a starting role at the point and given a ton of minutes (a team-high 2,906 or 36.2 per game), but responded well when given the car keys for the first time. Duhon hit over 39 percent of his threes and carded a 2.57-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in the high-octane offensive scheme, as well as 7.2 assists per game on the team that finished 27th in field goal percentage.
Nate Robinson is the only player on the Knicks’ bench with a guarantee of minutes based on what he has accomplished on the court in the NBA. Robinson started only eleven games last season, but still poured in 17.2 points per game. If Robinson were nine inches taller, Larry Hughes would be bought out. Instead, Robinson is wedged into a backup point guard role with a shooting guard skill set and mentality. Danilo Gallinari will get a crack at minutes at both swingman spots after an injury-riddled rookie season. The sixth pick in last year’s draft was not on the court enough to establish much other than deadeye shooting from distance, making 32 threes at a 44.4 percent clip in only 412 minutes. Jared Jeffries can play both forward spots and gets the defensive stopper tag. Jordan Hill, this year’s number eight pick, is a high-energy player who needs to develop his offensive game. Until that happens, Hill will make his mark as an energy player, crashing the boards and looking for buckets on putbacks and in transition opportunities. Darko Milicic is probably on his last NBA contract unless he flourishes in this style of offense. Milicic has shown the occasional flash of ability in his six seasons in the NBA, but has never contributed consistently. D’Antoni will certainly give him the chance. Eddy Curry has had the usual “weight loss” reports surround him again this summer. It is difficult to imagine him contributing in any meaningful way, but hope springs eternal for him.
PHILADELPHIA SEVENTY-SIXERS
ADDITIONS: G Jrue Holiday, G/F Jason Kapono
SUBTRACTIONS: F Reggie Evans, F Donyell Marshall, G Andre Miller, C Theo Ratliff
STARTERS: PG – Louis Williams, SG – Andre Iguodala, SF – Thaddeus Young, PF – Elton Brand, C – Samuel Dalembert
ROTATION: G Willie Green, G/F Jason Kapono, F/C Jason Smith, F/C Marreese Speights, G Jrue Holiday
OUTLOOK: Some how, some way, the 76ers consistently manage to find themselves in mediocrity. The team has finished a collective fourteen games below .500 in the last eight seasons, never winning more than 48 games or fewer than 33, and claiming five playoff berths and one series victory in that time. This year, they turn to Eddie Jordan and his Princeton offense to see if they can climb to the dizzying heights of 50 wins. At least his offense should help their talent, as there is no true point guard on the roster who is capable of steering the ship on a regular basis.
Elton Brand’s return to health is key for the Sixers, as the power forward never really was able to get on solid footing after coming back from an Achilles injury before having his season ended with a shoulder injury. Brand still showed he could get it done at a lesser level, tallying just under sixteen points and ten rebounds per 36 minutes. Those are fine numbers except that Brand a former 20-10 guy who signed a huge free agent contract before the season. Brand is paired with shotblocker Samuel Dalembert down low. Dalembert has never quite been able to refine his offensive game, but is still an excellent rebounder and defensive deterrent. Thaddeus Young started coming into his own in his second season, averaging 15.3 points per game and making a team-high 34.1 percent of his attempts from downtown, which speaks more about the team’s marksmanship than Young’s. Young combines with shooting guard Andre Iguodala to form a quickly improving swingman duo. Iguodala is capable of being a fantasy owner’s dream (20 points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a three per game are all possible), but needs to take a step forward to be an elite threat. Iguodala’s poor outside shooting (30.7 percent beyond the arc last year, 32.5 percent in his career) is the most glaring hole in his game and improvement here would open things up for Brand to operate down low. Louis Williams gets a promotion to the starting point guard spot whether he wants it or not. Williams is a classic combo guard, scoring quickly (12.8 points in less than 24 minutes per game) while having a shaky handle on the ball (1.60-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio). The Princeton offense will keep him from having all the playmaking weight on his shoulders.
A pair of young big men had exactly opposite seasons for the Sixers last year. Second-year man Jason Smith tore his ACL and missed the entire season after showing some skills as a rookie. His soft touch from the perimeter has him likely backing up Brand while Marreese Speights showed that he is capable of manning the middle as a rookie, averaging 17 points and eight rebounds per 36 minutes. If Dalembert starts slowly, Speights could take his starting job. Jason Kapono was imported from Toronto for one purpose: make threes. Kapono had an off year for the Raptors last season, making only 42.4 percent of his attempts from downtown (he made 51.4 percent and 48.3 percent from deep the previous two years). Unfortunately, Kapono will only play in short bursts, as his one strength is the only thing he brings to the court. Willie Green will get backup minutes at the two guard and is a decent playmaker whose numbers may improve in the new offensive system. Unfortunately, Green is not a great shooter, yet plays with a scorer mentality. Rookie Jrue Holiday brings size and defensive chops to the show, but will be eased into the point guard role, as his offensive game is well behind his defensive work.
TORONTO RAPTORS
ADDITIONS: G Marco Belinelli, G/F DeMar Derozan, F Reggie Evans, G Jarrett Jack, F Amir Johnson, C Rasho Nesterovic, F Hedo Turkoglu, G/F Antoine Wright
SUBTRACTIONS: G Carlos Delfino, F Kris Humphries, G/F Jason Kapono, F Shawn Marion, G/F Anthony Parker, G Roko Ukic
STARTERS: PG – Jose Calderon, SG – DeMar Derozan, SF – Hedo Turkoglu, PF – Chris Bosh, C – Andrea Bargnani
ROTATION: G Marco Belinelli, F Reggie Evans, G Jarrett Jack, F Amir Johnson, C Rasho Nesterovic, G/F Antoine Wright
OUTLOOK: Is it just me or does it make sense that the NBA’s lone team outside the United States has the highest international flavor quotient in the league? The Raptors went through the spin cycle this offseason, returning only three players from their playing rotation of last season. It is of the utmost importance that the team mesh quickly, as Chris Bosh’s contract is up at the end of the season and a significant step forward, including getting into the playoffs as something higher than an eight seed, will strengthen the Raps’ case of re-signing their All-Star.
Bosh does a little bit of everything for the Raptors, including post 22.7 points and ten rebounds per game. The team is built around him and his need to have space both near the bucket and out to eighteen feet for his diverse offensive game. Hedo Turkoglu, who was a major player for the Eastern Conference champs from Orlando last season, signed a free agent contract with Toronto and provides outside shooting and playmaking to help open things up. Turkoglu’s diverse skill set and shooting range provide a significant step forward over the players he replaces in the Raps’ lineup. These two All-Star caliber players flank an unconventional center in Andrea Bargnani. The seven-footer who led Toronto with 97 blocks last season also led the team with 119 triples. The problem is Bargnani averaged fewer than six rebounds per 36 minutes. One way the Raptors hope to offset the lack of rebounding by Turkoglu and Bargnani is by throwing rookie DeMar Derozan into the fire at the shooting guard position. The ninth overall pick, Derozan averaged 17 points per game in the NBA summer league, but is very raw offensively and will have to rely on his athleticism, as his perimeter game is far from NBA-ready. Hopefully, his hops will produce on the glass. Jose Calderon is healthy and looks to improve on last year’s numbers, which would be an impressive feat. The Spaniard took the reins at point guard and averaged 9.4 assists per 36 minutes, posted a 4.25-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and nearly entered the “50-40-90” shooting club by hitting 49.7 of his shots from the field, 40.6 percent from three-point range, and 98.1 percent from the foul line. Improve. Right.
Jarrett Jack will handle the backup point guard role. The former Blazer and Pacer supplies a steady hand and toughness to the backcourt, not to mention erasing the precipitous drop-off the team had last year when Calderon went to the bench. Marco Belinelli, who comes over from Golden State after Don Nelson fell out of love with him, will get minutes at the two-guard spot behind Derozan. Belinelli lit up Las Vegas two summers ago and, while he was never a serious contributor in the Bay Area, showed his ability to shoot and pass while being a turnstile on defense. Antoine Wright had a personal best season last year in Dallas, seeing action in 65 games and averaging 7.3 points per game. Wright needs to work on his perimeter game, but his defensive abilities will get him minutes and potentially a starting spot at the two, pending how Derozan keeps his head above water. Reggie Evans is an outlier on this team – a man with a desire to bang. Evans is an undersized power forward, but a load who averages 12.6 rebounds per 36 minutes in his career. His toughness will win him minutes on the floor. Amir Johnson gets a situation where he can win serious playing time for the first time in his career. An athletic four who can rebound and block shots, Johnson is only 22 years old, but is not on a title contender (he played the first four years of his career in Detroit) and has a chance to earn his way on the floor. Rasho Nesterovic returns to the team after a year away to provide solid play down low.
PROJECTED DIVISION STANDINGS:
1. Boston
2. Toronto
3. Philadelphia
4. New York
5. New Jersey
One of the deepest teams in the league, the Celtics should cruise to the Atlantic Division title. The Raptors and Sixers should be in a tight race for second, but the Raptors depth is more proven and Bosh now plays with two All-Star caliber players, so give Toronto the nod for second by a couple games. New York will probably have a similar season to last year, as they bring mostly the same crew to the party and are more concerned about next summer and signing free agents. The Nets are in full-on rebuilding mode and will need significant growth from their young complementary players to be a threat to get out of the basement.
