Post by jayrish on Nov 5, 2010 15:28:03 GMT -5
***Stats indicated are from the 2006 season***
7. Philadelphia 76ers
Projected Starters:
PG: Jay Williams- 44.9% FG, 18.8 PPG, 6.5 APG, 2.1 SPG
SG: Kevin Martin- 40.7% FG, 13.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.1 SPG
SF: Michael Beasley- N/A
PF: Zach Randolph- 47.7% FG, 19.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.1 SPG
C: Al Horford- 44.4% FG, 12.3 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 0.9 BPG
Projected Record: 30-52
The Sixers are in an interesting state. Despite having two very solid players hitting the prime of their careers in Jay Williams and Zach Randolph, they don’t have a lot of experience or depth to put on the court around them. They traded last year’s 9th overall pick, Tyrus Thomas, to the Celtics in order to move up only one spot in this past draft in order to draft Michael Beasley. Beasley will likely eventually be an offensive star in TMBSL, but to give up a guy of Thomas’ caliber when they lack a defensive presence down low was questionable. Regardless, the Sixers had been targeting Beasley throughout the draft, and once they suspected that the Celtics were going to select him, they did what they had to do to move up. As it stands, the Sixers are likely in for a long year, as they have one of the weakest defensive teams in the entire league and are currently without an elite superstar to carry them.
It appears that the Sixers will start off using tweener guard Jay Williams at the point, with Kevin Martin and Beasley manning the wings. Jay is a proven veteran who has shown throughout his career that he’s more than capable of either running the point or playing off the ball at SG. Past Jay, though, the Sixers have some major question marks surrounding their backcourt. Starting for the first time last year, Kevin Martin was very shaky for the Sixers, seeing his FG% drop over 4% to a dismal 40.7%. At the other wing spot, Beasley is yet only 18 years old. He will likely be able to come in and score at the professional level, but beyond that he doesn’t bring much to the table. Together, Martin and Beasley make up one of the weakest defensive wing tandems in TMBSL, and it should be very difficult for the Sixers to contain the elite offensive wing players.
Down low, they face similar challenges. Randolph is a veteran who has proven to be a great low post scorer in TMBSL, and he should emerge as the Sixers’ go to guy. At center, the Sixers will be relying on 20 year old big man Al Horford to man the middle. Horford has also shown glimpses of greatness on the low block, and with another year under his belt should improve in his 4th professional season. However, both Horford and Randolph are by no means regarded as great defenders. Randolph has been known to take plays off, and lacks the vertical ability to alter shots. Similarly, Horford has not shown thus far that he has what it takes to be a great defender, and with the great centers found throughout the East, the Sixers will likely struggle defensively inside. In summary, the Sixers shouldn’t expect much this season, but if they’re able to make some good moves that point towards the future, they have enough young talent to become a playoff team in a few seasons.
6. New York Knicks
Projected Starters:
PG: Brevin Kight- 42.1% FG, 8.5 PPG, 10.0 APG, 2.3 SPG
SG: Rudy Gay- 48.4% FG, 8.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 0.8 SPG
SF: Ruben Patterson- 51.2% FG, 14.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.3 SPG
PF: Ben Wallace- 43.1% FG, 8.1 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 3.0 BPG
C: sim-Raef LaFrentz- 45.8% FG, 15.0 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 3.5 BPG
Projected Record: 36-46
No team took a harder hit this off-season than the New York Knickerbockers, who saw their 22 year old franchise cornerstone bolt for the league’s worst team in perhaps the league’s worst NBA city. Now faced with the aftermath of LeBron James’ questionable decision, the Knicks have rightfully chosen to blow up their squad and build from the bottom up. The Knicks have already traded veteran big man Chris Webber to the Heat, obtaining sim-Raef LaFrentz’s massive 16+ million dollar expiring deal. With the Knicks holding only their own picks this year and in the future, expect their GM to be very active trying to accumulate first round picks to help rebuild what has been one of TMBSL’s best franchises the past few years. The Knicks are in prime position to have a massive impact on the FA market as soon as next year, as the only non-rookie contract they currently have on the books is Ben Wallace’s 2 year deal, which they’ll likely try to find a suitor for.
Despite beginning their effort for a total rebuilding effort, the Knicks’ cupboard is hardly bare. Along with the plethora of expiring contracts currently held by the Knicks, they have an ample replacement for James already in place with Rudy Gay appearing to be coming into his own as one of TMBSL’s top tier wing players. After taking a backseat to the LeBron show in his rookie campaign, Gay seems primed to take over as the Knicks’ go-to guy, and after a great training camp, the Knicks have to be pleased with where their 20 year old star of the future’s career is headed. Knicks’ management understands that as they currently sit, they likely have no shot at being a real threat to the East’s elite, and they won’t be afraid to tank the right way and actively pursue their goal of passing on this season and hoping to get another young superstar to play alongside Gay. Look for the Knicks to unload a lot of players while the season is still very young in order to get a top rookie. In addition, there’s a possibility that, along with the player they get in the draft, the Knicks might only have around 10 million of their cap space occupied once the next FA period rolls around. If you’ve got a star player looking for a new deal next year, you had better start worrying about him ending up in New York next year.
5. New Jersey Nets
Projected Starters:
PG: Randy Foye- 44.2% FG, 13.8 PPG, 7.5 APG, 1.9 SPG
SG: Matt Barnes- 44.3% FG, 17.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.6 SPG
SF: Joey Graham- N/A
PF: Carlos Boozer- 45.3% FG, 9.1 PPG, 7.8 PPG, 0.5 BPG
C: Yao Ming- 46.8% FG, 20.8 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 1.2 BPG
Projected Record: 45-37
The Nets made headlines this off-season when they signed unrestricted FA Carlos Boozer to a 6 year max contract. Assuming the Nets move Boozer to his more natural PF position, they’ve locked up their frontcourt for years to come with Yao also on the books for another 6 years. Almost immediately, questions began to surface around the Nets organization questioning whether or not Boozer deserved the amount of money he was able to sign for. Seeing as Boozer posted just 9 points and 8 boards a game for the Suns last year, perhaps the criticism was warranted. However, Boozer was playing out of position at SF for the Suns, and the Suns’ loaded frontcourt forced Boozer to undergo a role as their 6th man. Boozer did an honorable job in this niche, earning 6th man of the year honors last year, which has now paid off in the form of a lucrative deal. Assuming the Nets plan to move Boozer to his more natural position at PF to complement star center Yao Ming, New Jersey should have a dynamic duo down low. With both Yao and Boozer able to step out and knock down the midrange jumper consistently, the tandem should be a nightmare for teams to try and defend. However, with neither being an elite defender, one begins to wonder if the Nets might have major trouble defending the paint.
Once again assuming the Nets will make Boozer their PF of the future, they will be left with a major hole to fill on the wing. Luckily, Matt Barnes gives New Jersey an elite defender and capable scorer at both wing spots, so they do have some freedom as to how they’ll go about filling this void. They’ll most likely use one of Ronny Turiaf, a very solid young big man, or Hilton Armstrong, who the Nets hope will have a break out sophomore campaign after a sub-par rookie campaign, to try and lure a starting SG or SF away from a team with too much wing depth. At point guard, the Nets have a budding young superstar in Randy Foye, who they hope after a very solid training camp can improve upon a fairly disappointing second season in which he Stromiled to significantly improve after breaking out as a rookie. If Foye can manage the production to match his grades this year, the Nets should be an improved team.
4. Orlando Magic
Projected Starters:
PG: Deron Williams- 44.8% FG, 23.6 PPG, 8.9 APG, 1.3 SPG
SG: Gilbert Arenas- 46.9% FG, 32.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.4 SPG
SF: CJ Miles- 43.5% FG, 8.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.0 SPG
PF: Yi Jianlian- N/A
C: Kendrick Perkins- 44.1% FG, 11.8 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.4 BPG
Projected Record: 46-36
The Magic altered their franchise this season when they decided to agree on a sign-and-trade with former Celtics big man Kendrick Perkins, sending away their 8th pick to get him. Seemingly only a big man away from being a playoff team the past few years, the Magic finally have a good one in Perkins, who at the ripe age of 21 already boasts solid A ratings in both rebounding and defense. Magic management caught some flack around the league for the deal, but Perkins is likely to be the perfect fit in Orlando, as he will play incredible defense and hog up tons of rebounds. Perhaps Perkins’ biggest asset to the Magic that will ultimately prove to make him the ideal fit in Orlando is the fact that Perkins is just fine doing all the defensive dirty work, and he will have no gripes about differing on the offensive side of the ball and letting Deron Williams and Gilbert Arenas carry the team. However, the Magic may still be a few years away from again being considered as one of TMBSL’s best teams, as their frontcourt is one of the most inexperienced in the league, with their oldest big man still only 24 years old.
As they’ve had for two years now, the Magic have the best guard duo in the league in Gilbert Arenas and Deron Williams. The two superstars have shown that they’re both comfortable with sharing the spotlight amongst each other, and with another year under their belts playing together, this tandem should only improve on their production last year, which is a scary thought for the rest of the conference. At SF, the Magic will rely on 20 year old CJ Miles, who, although he doesn’t bring much to the table offensively, looks headed to be one a great defender. Luckily for the Magic, with their two fantastic scoring guards, a niche as a defensive stopper is just the role they want Miles to play. With the addition of Perkins, look for the Magic to find themselves back in the playoffs this season, although they aren’t likely to make too much postseason noise quite yet. However, in a few years, if they’re able to keep this team together, the Magic will once again find themselves on the top level of TMBSL franchises.
3. Washington Bullzards
Projected Starters:
PG: Ronnie Brewer- 41.8% FG, 12.5 PPG, 4.0 APG, 1.9 SPG
SG: John Salmons- 39.9% FG, 10.7 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.0 SPG
SF: Travis Outlaw- 43.2% FG, 18.1 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.4 SPG
PF: Chris Bosh- 45.0% FG, 24.7 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 1.6 BPG
C: Greg Oden- 42.8% FG, 14.4 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 2.3 BPG
Projected Record: 50-32
The Bullzards took a giant step forward last season after their successful tank campaign two seasons ago that landed them up=and-coming big man Greg Oden. The forecast for the Bullzards appears to be more of the same, as they were able to convince superstar Chris Bosh to leave Sacramento and join their resurgent effort in Washington. Now with a legit franchise player to place alongside their plethora of young talent, the Bullzards’ rebuilding effort appears to be complete, as they appear ready to rejoin the ranks as one of the East’s best teams. They will have one of the most dominating frontcourts in the entire league with Oden having a great training camp and Bosh now ready to lead the charge. Oden and Bosh will work beautifully together, with Bosh carrying the workload on the offensive end and Oden locking down the middle on D. The addition of Bosh to the Bullzards was much to the dismay of other East GMs, because the they will now be a force to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future.
In addition to their great frontcourt, the Bullzards have great emerging players at all 3 backcourt spots. They took a hit when Mo Williams decided to leave town for Cleveland, but Ronnie Brewer appears to be more than capable of filling in the void left at PG by Williams’ departure. Brewer has emerged as one of the best defensive guards in the league, and with the 2nd year man out of Arkansas still sporting A scouted potential, he could develop into a great one. The Bullzards were able to re-sign John Salmons to a very reasonable 2 year deal, which gives them a great young shooting guard that should eventually surface as a great outside threat while providing solid defense on the other end. At SF, the Bullzards will start Travis Outlaw, who broke out last year and re-signed with the team for a very good deal as well. With Andray Blatche, Ron Artest, and Kerry Kittles providing solid depth off the bench, the Bullzards truly have no holes on their roster. They should once again challenge for the East’s most improved teams, and I could easily see them finishing with one of the 5 best records in the entire league.
2. Miami Heat
Projected Starters:
PG: Paccelis Morlende- 43.4% FG, 11.1 PPG, 7.2 APG, 1.0 SPG
SG: Ray Allen- 44.8% FG, 14.9 PPG, 5.0 APG, 1.5 SPG
SF: Paul Pierce- 46.0% FG, 25.3 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.2 SPG
PF: Chris Webber- 48.6% FG, 23.0 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.7 BPG
C: Dwight Howard- 46.8% FG, 21.2 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 1.8 BPG
Projected Record: 56-26
The Heat made a major splash this off-season when they traded away their heart and soul, Raef LaFrentz, to the Knicks in favor of seasoned superstar PF Chris Webber. While he might not be the defensive force that Raef was, Webber should give the Heat a no-questions-asked 2nd scoring option, which has given Heat management nightmares in years past. The success of the Heat lies solely on how efficient their PGs can play, as they have four good floor generals, but none that really jump out and command a starting spot. There was hopes that Rajon Rondo would be ready to take the reigns, but with Paccelis Morlende, who led the Heat all the way to game 7 of TMBSL Finals last year, its tough to see the Heat letting Rondo take over as the starter before proving himself.
Aside of the uncertainty at PG, the Heat appear to be one of the most well-rounded teams the league has to offer. The inside duo of Howard and Webber rivals the Bullzards as one of the best in the league, and Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have shown that they’re able to coexist on the wing. The Heat lost Brendan Haywood when they dealt him to the Kings, but they managed to add C Loren Woods during FA, who should be a nice fill in for Haywood’s back up role. The major question mark surrounding the Heat is that Howard is in the last year of his rookie deal, and if this year taught us anything, its that anything can happen during FA. The Heat will look to do everything they can to keep their star big man in town, and if they are able to re-sign him, they’ll certainly be counting their blessings.
1. Boston Celtics
Projected Starters:
PG: Dwyane Wade- 49.8% FG, 28.9 PPG, 10.4 APG, 2.3 SPG
SG: Ime Udoka- 48.0% FG, 11.9 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.6 SPG
SF: Shawn Marion- 46.4% FG, 27.4 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.5 SPG
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge- 46.0% FG, 10.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 0.9 SPG
C: Spencer Hawes- N/A
Projected Record: 61-21
Another year has passed and its still the same old story for the Celtics. Despite losing big man Kendrick Perkins, who has been a vital part of their success in recent years, the Celtics were able to nab Spencer Hawes with the pick they got for him. Hawes appears to be ready to take over for Perkins, and while he won’t be the defensive presence that Perkins was, he brings a lot more to the table offensively. The Celtics managed to be the luckiest team of the FA period, because while LeBron and Bosh both opted to take their talents elsewhere, 3-time league MVP Dwyane Wade decided he wanted to stay put in Boston and spend the next 7 years of his career with the Eastern Conference juggernaut. The Celtics were also able to re-sign defensive stopper Ime Udoka to a very nice 3 year deal, and should once again have the best defensive backcourt in TMBSL.
With Wade in the mix, the Celtics can continue forward worry free, as they once again have the most loaded team in the league. As mentioned before, the Celtics were able to steal Tyrus Thomas away from the Sixers merely to move down one spot in this past draft. Thomas should come in and provide great depth down low, which is what the Celtics needed after the departure of Perkins. LaMarcus Aldridge should become a dynamic low post scorer, giving the Celtics a great inside-outside tandem along with Wade. As if I haven’t raved about the Celtics’ roster enough, I have yet to mention the most underrated superstar in TMBSL, Shawn Marion, who will be back wreaking havoc defensively while also contributing 25-28 points a game. Simply put, the Celtics are once again easily the best team in the entire league, and when you look at their roster and see only three players with C potential on the entire roster, its tough to imagine when their dominance atop the East will come to an end. The Celtics’ are the overwhelming favorite to capture their 3rd TMBSL title in 5 years, and at this point the rest of the league is merely playing catch up to the Commish and crew.
7. Philadelphia 76ersProjected Starters:
PG: Jay Williams- 44.9% FG, 18.8 PPG, 6.5 APG, 2.1 SPG
SG: Kevin Martin- 40.7% FG, 13.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.1 SPG
SF: Michael Beasley- N/A
PF: Zach Randolph- 47.7% FG, 19.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.1 SPG
C: Al Horford- 44.4% FG, 12.3 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 0.9 BPG
Projected Record: 30-52
The Sixers are in an interesting state. Despite having two very solid players hitting the prime of their careers in Jay Williams and Zach Randolph, they don’t have a lot of experience or depth to put on the court around them. They traded last year’s 9th overall pick, Tyrus Thomas, to the Celtics in order to move up only one spot in this past draft in order to draft Michael Beasley. Beasley will likely eventually be an offensive star in TMBSL, but to give up a guy of Thomas’ caliber when they lack a defensive presence down low was questionable. Regardless, the Sixers had been targeting Beasley throughout the draft, and once they suspected that the Celtics were going to select him, they did what they had to do to move up. As it stands, the Sixers are likely in for a long year, as they have one of the weakest defensive teams in the entire league and are currently without an elite superstar to carry them.
It appears that the Sixers will start off using tweener guard Jay Williams at the point, with Kevin Martin and Beasley manning the wings. Jay is a proven veteran who has shown throughout his career that he’s more than capable of either running the point or playing off the ball at SG. Past Jay, though, the Sixers have some major question marks surrounding their backcourt. Starting for the first time last year, Kevin Martin was very shaky for the Sixers, seeing his FG% drop over 4% to a dismal 40.7%. At the other wing spot, Beasley is yet only 18 years old. He will likely be able to come in and score at the professional level, but beyond that he doesn’t bring much to the table. Together, Martin and Beasley make up one of the weakest defensive wing tandems in TMBSL, and it should be very difficult for the Sixers to contain the elite offensive wing players.
Down low, they face similar challenges. Randolph is a veteran who has proven to be a great low post scorer in TMBSL, and he should emerge as the Sixers’ go to guy. At center, the Sixers will be relying on 20 year old big man Al Horford to man the middle. Horford has also shown glimpses of greatness on the low block, and with another year under his belt should improve in his 4th professional season. However, both Horford and Randolph are by no means regarded as great defenders. Randolph has been known to take plays off, and lacks the vertical ability to alter shots. Similarly, Horford has not shown thus far that he has what it takes to be a great defender, and with the great centers found throughout the East, the Sixers will likely struggle defensively inside. In summary, the Sixers shouldn’t expect much this season, but if they’re able to make some good moves that point towards the future, they have enough young talent to become a playoff team in a few seasons.
6. New York KnicksProjected Starters:
PG: Brevin Kight- 42.1% FG, 8.5 PPG, 10.0 APG, 2.3 SPG
SG: Rudy Gay- 48.4% FG, 8.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 0.8 SPG
SF: Ruben Patterson- 51.2% FG, 14.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.3 SPG
PF: Ben Wallace- 43.1% FG, 8.1 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 3.0 BPG
C: sim-Raef LaFrentz- 45.8% FG, 15.0 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 3.5 BPG
Projected Record: 36-46
No team took a harder hit this off-season than the New York Knickerbockers, who saw their 22 year old franchise cornerstone bolt for the league’s worst team in perhaps the league’s worst NBA city. Now faced with the aftermath of LeBron James’ questionable decision, the Knicks have rightfully chosen to blow up their squad and build from the bottom up. The Knicks have already traded veteran big man Chris Webber to the Heat, obtaining sim-Raef LaFrentz’s massive 16+ million dollar expiring deal. With the Knicks holding only their own picks this year and in the future, expect their GM to be very active trying to accumulate first round picks to help rebuild what has been one of TMBSL’s best franchises the past few years. The Knicks are in prime position to have a massive impact on the FA market as soon as next year, as the only non-rookie contract they currently have on the books is Ben Wallace’s 2 year deal, which they’ll likely try to find a suitor for.
Despite beginning their effort for a total rebuilding effort, the Knicks’ cupboard is hardly bare. Along with the plethora of expiring contracts currently held by the Knicks, they have an ample replacement for James already in place with Rudy Gay appearing to be coming into his own as one of TMBSL’s top tier wing players. After taking a backseat to the LeBron show in his rookie campaign, Gay seems primed to take over as the Knicks’ go-to guy, and after a great training camp, the Knicks have to be pleased with where their 20 year old star of the future’s career is headed. Knicks’ management understands that as they currently sit, they likely have no shot at being a real threat to the East’s elite, and they won’t be afraid to tank the right way and actively pursue their goal of passing on this season and hoping to get another young superstar to play alongside Gay. Look for the Knicks to unload a lot of players while the season is still very young in order to get a top rookie. In addition, there’s a possibility that, along with the player they get in the draft, the Knicks might only have around 10 million of their cap space occupied once the next FA period rolls around. If you’ve got a star player looking for a new deal next year, you had better start worrying about him ending up in New York next year.
5. New Jersey NetsProjected Starters:
PG: Randy Foye- 44.2% FG, 13.8 PPG, 7.5 APG, 1.9 SPG
SG: Matt Barnes- 44.3% FG, 17.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.6 SPG
SF: Joey Graham- N/A
PF: Carlos Boozer- 45.3% FG, 9.1 PPG, 7.8 PPG, 0.5 BPG
C: Yao Ming- 46.8% FG, 20.8 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 1.2 BPG
Projected Record: 45-37
The Nets made headlines this off-season when they signed unrestricted FA Carlos Boozer to a 6 year max contract. Assuming the Nets move Boozer to his more natural PF position, they’ve locked up their frontcourt for years to come with Yao also on the books for another 6 years. Almost immediately, questions began to surface around the Nets organization questioning whether or not Boozer deserved the amount of money he was able to sign for. Seeing as Boozer posted just 9 points and 8 boards a game for the Suns last year, perhaps the criticism was warranted. However, Boozer was playing out of position at SF for the Suns, and the Suns’ loaded frontcourt forced Boozer to undergo a role as their 6th man. Boozer did an honorable job in this niche, earning 6th man of the year honors last year, which has now paid off in the form of a lucrative deal. Assuming the Nets plan to move Boozer to his more natural position at PF to complement star center Yao Ming, New Jersey should have a dynamic duo down low. With both Yao and Boozer able to step out and knock down the midrange jumper consistently, the tandem should be a nightmare for teams to try and defend. However, with neither being an elite defender, one begins to wonder if the Nets might have major trouble defending the paint.
Once again assuming the Nets will make Boozer their PF of the future, they will be left with a major hole to fill on the wing. Luckily, Matt Barnes gives New Jersey an elite defender and capable scorer at both wing spots, so they do have some freedom as to how they’ll go about filling this void. They’ll most likely use one of Ronny Turiaf, a very solid young big man, or Hilton Armstrong, who the Nets hope will have a break out sophomore campaign after a sub-par rookie campaign, to try and lure a starting SG or SF away from a team with too much wing depth. At point guard, the Nets have a budding young superstar in Randy Foye, who they hope after a very solid training camp can improve upon a fairly disappointing second season in which he Stromiled to significantly improve after breaking out as a rookie. If Foye can manage the production to match his grades this year, the Nets should be an improved team.
4. Orlando MagicProjected Starters:
PG: Deron Williams- 44.8% FG, 23.6 PPG, 8.9 APG, 1.3 SPG
SG: Gilbert Arenas- 46.9% FG, 32.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.4 SPG
SF: CJ Miles- 43.5% FG, 8.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.0 SPG
PF: Yi Jianlian- N/A
C: Kendrick Perkins- 44.1% FG, 11.8 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.4 BPG
Projected Record: 46-36
The Magic altered their franchise this season when they decided to agree on a sign-and-trade with former Celtics big man Kendrick Perkins, sending away their 8th pick to get him. Seemingly only a big man away from being a playoff team the past few years, the Magic finally have a good one in Perkins, who at the ripe age of 21 already boasts solid A ratings in both rebounding and defense. Magic management caught some flack around the league for the deal, but Perkins is likely to be the perfect fit in Orlando, as he will play incredible defense and hog up tons of rebounds. Perhaps Perkins’ biggest asset to the Magic that will ultimately prove to make him the ideal fit in Orlando is the fact that Perkins is just fine doing all the defensive dirty work, and he will have no gripes about differing on the offensive side of the ball and letting Deron Williams and Gilbert Arenas carry the team. However, the Magic may still be a few years away from again being considered as one of TMBSL’s best teams, as their frontcourt is one of the most inexperienced in the league, with their oldest big man still only 24 years old.
As they’ve had for two years now, the Magic have the best guard duo in the league in Gilbert Arenas and Deron Williams. The two superstars have shown that they’re both comfortable with sharing the spotlight amongst each other, and with another year under their belts playing together, this tandem should only improve on their production last year, which is a scary thought for the rest of the conference. At SF, the Magic will rely on 20 year old CJ Miles, who, although he doesn’t bring much to the table offensively, looks headed to be one a great defender. Luckily for the Magic, with their two fantastic scoring guards, a niche as a defensive stopper is just the role they want Miles to play. With the addition of Perkins, look for the Magic to find themselves back in the playoffs this season, although they aren’t likely to make too much postseason noise quite yet. However, in a few years, if they’re able to keep this team together, the Magic will once again find themselves on the top level of TMBSL franchises.
3. Washington BullzardsProjected Starters:
PG: Ronnie Brewer- 41.8% FG, 12.5 PPG, 4.0 APG, 1.9 SPG
SG: John Salmons- 39.9% FG, 10.7 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.0 SPG
SF: Travis Outlaw- 43.2% FG, 18.1 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.4 SPG
PF: Chris Bosh- 45.0% FG, 24.7 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 1.6 BPG
C: Greg Oden- 42.8% FG, 14.4 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 2.3 BPG
Projected Record: 50-32
The Bullzards took a giant step forward last season after their successful tank campaign two seasons ago that landed them up=and-coming big man Greg Oden. The forecast for the Bullzards appears to be more of the same, as they were able to convince superstar Chris Bosh to leave Sacramento and join their resurgent effort in Washington. Now with a legit franchise player to place alongside their plethora of young talent, the Bullzards’ rebuilding effort appears to be complete, as they appear ready to rejoin the ranks as one of the East’s best teams. They will have one of the most dominating frontcourts in the entire league with Oden having a great training camp and Bosh now ready to lead the charge. Oden and Bosh will work beautifully together, with Bosh carrying the workload on the offensive end and Oden locking down the middle on D. The addition of Bosh to the Bullzards was much to the dismay of other East GMs, because the they will now be a force to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future.
In addition to their great frontcourt, the Bullzards have great emerging players at all 3 backcourt spots. They took a hit when Mo Williams decided to leave town for Cleveland, but Ronnie Brewer appears to be more than capable of filling in the void left at PG by Williams’ departure. Brewer has emerged as one of the best defensive guards in the league, and with the 2nd year man out of Arkansas still sporting A scouted potential, he could develop into a great one. The Bullzards were able to re-sign John Salmons to a very reasonable 2 year deal, which gives them a great young shooting guard that should eventually surface as a great outside threat while providing solid defense on the other end. At SF, the Bullzards will start Travis Outlaw, who broke out last year and re-signed with the team for a very good deal as well. With Andray Blatche, Ron Artest, and Kerry Kittles providing solid depth off the bench, the Bullzards truly have no holes on their roster. They should once again challenge for the East’s most improved teams, and I could easily see them finishing with one of the 5 best records in the entire league.
2. Miami HeatProjected Starters:
PG: Paccelis Morlende- 43.4% FG, 11.1 PPG, 7.2 APG, 1.0 SPG
SG: Ray Allen- 44.8% FG, 14.9 PPG, 5.0 APG, 1.5 SPG
SF: Paul Pierce- 46.0% FG, 25.3 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.2 SPG
PF: Chris Webber- 48.6% FG, 23.0 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.7 BPG
C: Dwight Howard- 46.8% FG, 21.2 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 1.8 BPG
Projected Record: 56-26
The Heat made a major splash this off-season when they traded away their heart and soul, Raef LaFrentz, to the Knicks in favor of seasoned superstar PF Chris Webber. While he might not be the defensive force that Raef was, Webber should give the Heat a no-questions-asked 2nd scoring option, which has given Heat management nightmares in years past. The success of the Heat lies solely on how efficient their PGs can play, as they have four good floor generals, but none that really jump out and command a starting spot. There was hopes that Rajon Rondo would be ready to take the reigns, but with Paccelis Morlende, who led the Heat all the way to game 7 of TMBSL Finals last year, its tough to see the Heat letting Rondo take over as the starter before proving himself.
Aside of the uncertainty at PG, the Heat appear to be one of the most well-rounded teams the league has to offer. The inside duo of Howard and Webber rivals the Bullzards as one of the best in the league, and Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have shown that they’re able to coexist on the wing. The Heat lost Brendan Haywood when they dealt him to the Kings, but they managed to add C Loren Woods during FA, who should be a nice fill in for Haywood’s back up role. The major question mark surrounding the Heat is that Howard is in the last year of his rookie deal, and if this year taught us anything, its that anything can happen during FA. The Heat will look to do everything they can to keep their star big man in town, and if they are able to re-sign him, they’ll certainly be counting their blessings.
1. Boston CelticsProjected Starters:
PG: Dwyane Wade- 49.8% FG, 28.9 PPG, 10.4 APG, 2.3 SPG
SG: Ime Udoka- 48.0% FG, 11.9 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.6 SPG
SF: Shawn Marion- 46.4% FG, 27.4 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.5 SPG
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge- 46.0% FG, 10.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 0.9 SPG
C: Spencer Hawes- N/A
Projected Record: 61-21
Another year has passed and its still the same old story for the Celtics. Despite losing big man Kendrick Perkins, who has been a vital part of their success in recent years, the Celtics were able to nab Spencer Hawes with the pick they got for him. Hawes appears to be ready to take over for Perkins, and while he won’t be the defensive presence that Perkins was, he brings a lot more to the table offensively. The Celtics managed to be the luckiest team of the FA period, because while LeBron and Bosh both opted to take their talents elsewhere, 3-time league MVP Dwyane Wade decided he wanted to stay put in Boston and spend the next 7 years of his career with the Eastern Conference juggernaut. The Celtics were also able to re-sign defensive stopper Ime Udoka to a very nice 3 year deal, and should once again have the best defensive backcourt in TMBSL.
With Wade in the mix, the Celtics can continue forward worry free, as they once again have the most loaded team in the league. As mentioned before, the Celtics were able to steal Tyrus Thomas away from the Sixers merely to move down one spot in this past draft. Thomas should come in and provide great depth down low, which is what the Celtics needed after the departure of Perkins. LaMarcus Aldridge should become a dynamic low post scorer, giving the Celtics a great inside-outside tandem along with Wade. As if I haven’t raved about the Celtics’ roster enough, I have yet to mention the most underrated superstar in TMBSL, Shawn Marion, who will be back wreaking havoc defensively while also contributing 25-28 points a game. Simply put, the Celtics are once again easily the best team in the entire league, and when you look at their roster and see only three players with C potential on the entire roster, its tough to imagine when their dominance atop the East will come to an end. The Celtics’ are the overwhelming favorite to capture their 3rd TMBSL title in 5 years, and at this point the rest of the league is merely playing catch up to the Commish and crew.
