Everyone does mock drafts. But who does mock off seasons? This crazy bastard here.
Yes, I predicted the draft, trades and free agent signings. I will try to explain my rationale and reasoning. I have listed the full transactions for each team.
Predicted order of finish.
This is just for fun! Nothing to take seriously, just a break from all of the draft talk that has been circulating this past week. Let me know what you think in comments and who you would like for your team to go after!
Eastern Conference. Go!
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Southeast
1. Orlando Magic
2. Miami Heat
3. Charlotte Hornets
4. Washington Wizards
5. Atlanta Hawks
Atlantic
1. Boston Celtics
2. New York Knicks
3. Toronto Raptors
4. Brooklyn Nets
5. Philadelphia 76ers
Central
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Detroit Pistons
3. Indiana Pacers
4. Milwaukee Bucks
5. Chicago Bulls
East
1. Cleveland Cavalires
2. Orlando Magic
3. Boston Celtics
4. Miami Heat
5. New York Knicks
6. Toronto Raptors
7. Detroit Pistons
8. Charlotte Hornets
9. Washington Wizards
10. Atlanta Hawks
11. Indiana Pacers
12. Milwaukee Bucks
13. Brooklyn Nets
14. Chicago Bulls
15. Philadelphia 76ers
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Signed former Spurs F David West
Signed former Wizards F Jared Dudley
Signed former Warriors FC Anderson Varejao
Resigned F LeBron James to max two year contract
Resigned G JR Smith
Resigned F James Jones
Trades
Cavaliers get: C Al Horford (Sign and trade), G Brandon Knight
Suns get: F Kevin Love
Hawks get: C Alex Len, F Marquese Chriss, F PJ Tucker, F Channing Frye
Starting Lineup
C - Al Horford
PF - Tristan Thompson
SF - LeBron James
SG - Brandon Knight
PG - Kyrie Irving
Bench
G JR Smith
GF Iman Shumpert
F Jared Dudley
FC David West
G Mo Williams
FC Anderson Varejao
F James Jones
C Sasha Kaun
G Jordan McRae
LeBron James brought the city of Cleveland it's first sports title in over 50 years, but there are still questions to answer for the Cavaliers. Mostly, Kevin Love. Love is not a good fit for this current roster setup, and trade rumors will be swirling non stop until he is dealt. Al Horford will find it tough to leave Atlanta, but a chance to win a championship could be too good of an opportunity to pass up. The Hawks grant his request for a sign and trade, facilitating the off season's biggest three team trade. Horford would be a great fit in Cleveland's front court. He is a solid defender and can knock down the mid range jump shot. He can play the center position, opening up more minutes for Tristan Thompson.
The Cavaliers also bring in Brandon Knight in the same trade. The Suns were happy to move Knight to open minutes for Devin Booker. Knight is a bit of a very poor man's Kyrie Irving and might not have much of a role in this offense, but he offers more shooting, something the Cavaliers always need. JR Smith passes up on bigger offers elsewhere to resume his role as the designated sharp shooter on this roster. Jared Dudley, David West and Anderson Varejao join the champions in an effort to win a ring. Overall, the trade makes Cleveland deeper and more balanced. Enough for James to sign another short term max deal for a year or two. I cannot see James realistically leaving Cleveland again.
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Traded G Victor Oladipo, G Evan Fournier (Sign and trade), G CJ Watson and future 1st round pick to Bulls for GF Jimmy Butler
Signings
Resigned GF Evan Fournier and traded to Bulls
Resigned F Ersan Ilyasova
Resigned C Dewayne Dedmon
Signed former Mavericks F Chandler Parsons
Signed former Hornets G Jarrett Jack
Team Options
Declined team option on F Ersan Ilyasova
Declined team option on F Devyn Marble
Draft
Drafted Utah C Jakob Poeltl with 11th pick (Round 1)
Drafted UNLV GF Patrick McCaw with 41st pick (Round 2)
Drafted New Mexico F Pascal Siakam with 47th pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Nikola Vucevic
PF - Aaron Gordon
SF - Chandler Parsons
SG - Jimmy Butler
PG - Elfrid Payton
Bench
G Jarrett Jack
F Ersan Ilyasova
GF Mario Hezonja
GF Tony Snell
C Dewayne Dedmon
FC Jakob Poeltl
G Shabazz Napier
GF Patrick McCaw
F Pascal Siakam
The biggest coaching news of the off season was the subtraction of Scott Skiles and the addition of Frank Vogel. Vogel got a bum rap in Indiana, but he routinely proved he was one of the top five coaches in the NBA. His addition will be a huge boon to the Magic. Orlando has enough youth to swing a trade for a big time player, and they did just that with the addition of Jimmy Butler. Trading Victor Oladipo and Evan Fournier hurts, but Butler should continue to be a two way beast in Vogel's system. Orlando has it's face of the franchise.
Chandler Parsons was the other big addition. It did not quite work out for Parsons in Dallas, but the Orlando native should prove to be a very good fit with the Magic. He can run the floor and knock down shots. Along with Butler, the Magic have two aggressive, versatile scorers. The rest of the roster remains the same. Jakob Poeltl is drafted to join an interesting group of big men. His defense is a nice contrast to Nikola Vucevic's offense, and Aaron Gordon has a chance to become a star. Things could not have gone better for Orlando, who is a serious threat to win the right to lose to the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
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Celtics get F Gordon Hayward, G Rodney Stuckey
Pacers get G Trey Burke, F Trey Lyles, G Alec Burks
Jazz get F Amir Johnson, F Jae Crowder, F Kelly Olynyk, G George Hill, 2017 1st round pick (Boston, from Brooklyn)
Signings
Signed former Raptors FC Bismack Biyombo
Signed former Kings G Seth Curry
Resigned C Tyler Zeller
Team Options
Declined team option on F Amir Johnson
Declined team option on F Jonas Jerebko
Draft
Traded G Terry Rozier and 3rd pick (Round 1) to 76ers for C Jahlil Okafor and GF Robert Covington
Traded 51st pick (Round 2) to Heat for future 2nd round pick
Drafted Croatia C Ivica Zubac with 23rd pick (Round 1)
Drafted Vanderbilt FC Damian Jones with 31st pick (Round 2)
Drafted Germany F Paul Zipser with 34th pick (Round 2)
Drafted France G Isaia Cordinier with 45th pick (Round 2)
Drafted Russia C Andrey Desyatnikov with 58th pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Jahlil Okafor
PF - Bismack Biyombo
SF - Gordon Hayward
SG - Avery Bradley
PG - Isaiah Thomas
Bench
GF Robert Covington
G Seth Curry
G Marcus Smart
C Tyler Zeller
C Ivica Zubac
F Jordan Mickey
G RJ Hunter
GF James Young
FC Damian Jones
Danny Ainge has tried before, but this could finally be the off season that he is able to cash in his considerable assets for serious upgrades. Ainge, always a fan of scouring the trade market, brought in Jahlil Okafor and Gordon Hayward through separate deals involving his Brooklyn Nets picks. Add free agent signing Bismack Biyombo, and Boston boasts an intriguing and versatile front court. With Okafor, Hayward and Isaiah Thomas, Boston has three players who can score 20 points on any given night, and Biyombo and Avery Bradley can handle defensive assignments.
Due to trades, Boston's bench is a bit weak, though newcomers Robert Covington and Seth Curry are solid scorers. The rest of the bench is composed of draft picks who will need to step up and produce. Still, with one of the better head coaches in the NBA in Brad Stevens, this could be the year the Celtics reclaim the Atlantic division.
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Signed former Wizards G Marcus Thornton
Signed former Mavericks G Raymond Felton
Signed former Wizards G Ramon Sessions
Resigned C Hassan Whiteside to max contract
Resigned G Dwayne Wade to 1 year contract
Resigned C Amare' Stoudemire
Resigned FC Udonis Haslem
Resigned GF Joe Johnson
Team Options
Exercised team option on G Josh Richardson
Draft
Traded future 2nd round pick to Celtics for 51st pick (Round 2)
Drafted Kansas F Perry Ellis with 51st pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Hassan Whiteside
PF - Chris Bosh
SF - Justise Winslow
SG - Dwyane Wade
PG - Goran Dragic
Bench
GF Joe Johnson
GF Marcus Thornton
G Raymond Felton
FC Amare' Stoudemire
FC Josh McRoberts
G Josh Richardson
G Ramon Sessions
FC Udonis Haslem
F Perry Ellis
Miami's main goal is to resign Hassan Whiteside. It will likely cost them max money, but it is a gamble worth taking thanks to Whiteside's difference making defensive potential. With Whiteside under contract for the long term, Miami also resigned Dwyane Wade and Joe Johnson, so the roster returns almost intact. The major change is Justise Winslow entering the starting lineup, something he is more than equipped to handle.
The key to Miami's season will be the health of Chris Bosh. If he can bounce back, this is a team that is deep and talented enough to make a run to the Eastern Conference finals. The team is talented, deep and well coached.
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C - Robin Lopez
PF - Kristaps Porzingis
SF - Carmelo Anthony
SG - Kent Bazemore
PG - Mike Conley
Bench
G Jerian Grant
F Mirza Teletovic
F Lance Thomas
F Josh Smith
G Jose Calderon
G Langston Galloway
G Tony Wroten
FC Kyle O'Quinn
G Furkan Korkmaz
C Wily Hernangomez
The Knicks back in the playoffs? New York may not be as far away as one would think. If Kristaps Porzingis can continue to develop, and why can't he, the Knicks could boast one of the best front courts in the NBA. New York has a new, solid back court with the free agent additions of Mike Conley and Kent Bazemore. Conley might not be able to resist the luster of New York and big money, and he would be a fantastic fit in the hybrid triangle offense Jeff Hornacek will be forced to run. Bazemore is an underrated shooter and defender who can play 30 solid minutes a night in New York.
With two new starting guards, the bench also gets an upgrade with Jerian Grant, Jose Calderon, Langston Galloway, Furkan Korkmaz and Tony Wroten. In the front court, New York adds Mirza Teletovic, who revitalized his career as a stretch four with the Suns. Wily Hernangomez should come to the NBA in 2016, and has a future as a backup big man.
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Resigned G DeMar DeRozan to max contract
Signed former Cavaliers G Matthew Dellavedova
Signed former Grizzlies FC Chris Andersen
Team Options
G DeMar DeRozan declined player option.
Draft
Traded G Cory Joseph to 76ers for 24th pick (Round 1)
Traded 27th pick (Round 1) to Pelcans for 39th and 40th picks (Round 2)
Drafted Kentucky FC Skal Labissiere with 9th pick (Round 1)
Drafted Florida State G Malik Beasley with 24th pick (Round 1)
Drafted France F Guerschon Yabusele with 39th pick (Round 2)
Drafted Providence F Ben Bentil with 40th pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Jonas Valanciunas
PF - Patrick Patterson
SF - DeMarre Carroll
SG - DeMar DeRozan
PG - Kyle Lowry
Bench
G Norman Powell
GF Terrence Ross
G Matthew Dellavedova
FC Skal Labissiere
FC Chris Andersen
G Delon Wright
G Malik Beasley
F Bruno Caboclo
C Lucas Nogueira
F Ben Bentil
The key to the Raptors off season will be what they do with DeMar DeRozan and Bismack Biyombo. Biyombo is most likely as good as gone, but Toronto should do what it can to retain DeRozan, who is on his way to becoming the best player in franchise history. He might not be a max player, but he will get max money from someone. With Toronto fresh off the best season in their 20 year existence, I expect DeRozan to return to the North.
Unfortunately, Toronto was not able to upgrade the roster around DeRozan. The Raptors spent draft picks on Skal Labissiere and Malik Beasley, who could be solid bench contributors in time, but neither will provide immediate assistance. The Raptors will trot out the same lineup as last season, but with all four division rivals improved, might be hard pressed to match their 56 wins from 2015-2016.
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Resigned C Andre Drummond to max contract
Signed former Rockets F Terrence Jones
Signed former Bulls G Aaron Brooks
Trades
Traded G Spencer Dinwiddie to Bulls for FC Cameron Bairstow
Team Options
Declined team option on C Joel Anthony
Exercised team option on F Cameron Bairstow
Exercised team option on G Darrun Hilliard
Drafted Notre Dame G Demetrius Jackson with 18th pick (Round 1)
Drafted Oakland G Kay Felder with 49th pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Andre Drummond
PF - Tobias Harris
SF - Stanley Johnson
SG - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
PG - Reggie Jackson
Bench
F Marcus Morris
F Terrence Jones
G Aaron Brooks
C Aron Baynes
G Demetrius Jackson
G Jodie Meeks
FC Cameron Bairstow
GF Darrun Hilliard
GF Reggie Bullock
G Kay Felder
Stan Van Gundy and the Pistons have assembled a roster similar to his Magic days. A rebounding, shot blocking and free throw deficient big man surrounded by shooters and scorers. Andre Drummond is a restricted free agent, but Detroit will throw the max at him and not look back. Detroit has added Tobias Harris and Reggie Jackson the past couple of seasons, so do not expect many other big moves.
Detroit does add a bit to the bench in the form of Terrence Jones, Aaron Brooks and Demetrius Jackson. The common theme there is shooting and athleticism. Jones could bounce back in a big way now that he is out of Houston, and Jackson was one of the quickest guards in college basketball.
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Signed former 76ers G Ish Smith
Signed former Knicks FC Kevin Seraphin
Signed former Warriors F James Michael McAdoo
Signed former Wizards FC JJ Hickson
Resigned F Marvin Williams
Resigned GF Nicolas Batum to max contract
Resigned G Aaron Harrison
Resigned F Tyler Hansbrough
Resigned G Troy Daniels
Team Options
Declined team option on G Jarrett Jack
G Jeremy Lin declined player option
Draft
Traded C Spencer Hawes, 22nd pick (Round 1) and future first round pick to Nets for G Jarrett Jack
Starting Lineup
C - Frank Kaminsky
PF - Marvin Williams
SF - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
SG - Nicolas Batum
PG - Kemba Walker
Bench
FC Cody Zeller
G Ish Smith
G Jeremy Lamb
FC JJ Hickson
F Tyler Hansbrough
F James Michael McAdoo
G Troy Daniels
FC Kevin Seraphin
G Aaron Harrison
The Charlotte franchise had it's best season since returning to the NBA over a decade ago, and will simply hope to keep the core together. It starts with retaining Marvin Williams and Nicolas Batum, which the front office was able to do. It will not be cheap, which means Charlotte is pretty much maxed out, and was unable to add any real free agent pieces. The Hornets were able to dump the contract of Spencer Hawes on Brooklyn, though it cost them their first round pick in the process.
The key will be the development of big men Frank Kaminsky and Cody Zeller. With Al Jefferson out of the picture, those two will have to step up and hold down the center position. Ish Smith is an underrated backup point guard who can score in bunches, and JJ Hickson and Kevin Seraphin gives the team additional front court beef.
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Traded future 2nd round pick to Jazz for C Jeff Withey
Signings
Resigned G Bradley Beal to max contract
Signed former Heat F Luol Deng
Signed former Bucks C Miles Plumlee
Signed former Magic F Andrew Nicholson
Signed former Suns GF Chase Budinger
Signed former Bucks G Greivis Vasquez
Signed former draft pick G Tomas Satoransky
Team options
Declined team option on F Drew Gooden
Draft
Traded future 2nd round pick to Suns for 43rd pick (Round 2)
Drafted North Carolina F Brice Johnson with 43rd pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Marcin Gortat
PF - Markieff Morris
SF - Luol Deng
SG - Bradley Beal
PG - John Wall
Bench
GF Otto Porter
G Greivis Vasquez
FC Miles Plumlee
GF Kelly Oubre Jr.
F Andrew Nicholson
G Tomas Satoransky
GF Chase Budinger
C Jeff Withey
F Brice Johnson
On paper, there is no reason Washington should not be a playoff team, but they languished through a disappointing campaign in 2015-2016. The Wizards have visions of adding hometown hero Kevin Durant, but that will simply not be a realistic option. Washington was able to add Luol Deng and resign Bradley Beal, likely to a max deal, but still might not have enough to make a real push in the Eastern Conferences toughest division.
The bench, in particular, continues to be the weak spot on the team. Otto Porter moves into a reserve role, which is where he belongs, but other than that, the bench is full of weak veterans and youngsters with a lot to prove.
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Traded G Jeff Teague to Rockets for G Patrick Beverley, F Montrezl Harrell and F Sam Dekker
Hawks get: C Alex Len, F Marquese Chriss, F PJ Tucker, F Channing Frye
Suns get: F Kevin Love
Cavaliers get: C Al Horford (Sign and trade), G Brandon Knight
Team Options
Delcined team option on F Mike Muscala
Declined team option on F Mike Scott
Draft
Traded 21st pick (Round 1) and 44th pick (Round 2) to Spurs for F Kyle Anderson and 29th pick (Round 1)
Drafted Virginia G Malcolm Brogdon with 29th pick (Round 1)
Drafted France C Gracin Bakumanya with 54th pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Alex Len
PF - Paul Millsap
SF - Thabo Sefolosha
SG - Kyle Korver
PG - Dennis Schroder
Bench
G Patrick Beverley
FC Tiago Splitter
GF Tim Hardaway Jr.
F Kyle Anderson
FC Channing Frye
F Montrezl Harrell
F Marquese Chriss
F Sam Dekker
G Malcolm Brogdon
GF Lamar Patterson
The Hawks have a tough decision to make in regards to Al Horford. Horford made the decision himself and decided to join the champion Cavaliers. Atlanta reluctantly granted his request through a sign and trade, and received a good amount in return. Alex Len and Marquese Chriss could be Atlanta's front court of the future. In a separate trade, they freed up a starting spot for Dennis Schroder and improved the bench defense with Patrick Beverley.
With a solid coaching staff, this is still a team that can fight for a playoff spot. Scoring will likely be a big time issue, with only Paul Millsap a safe bet to average 15-20 points per game. Millsap will be a free agent during the summer of 2017, which means this team will probably belong to Schroder, Len and Chriss in the future.
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Pacers get F Trey Lyles, G Trey Burke, G Alec Burks
Celtics get F Gordon Hayward, G Rodney Stuckey
Jazz get F Amir Johnson, F Jae Crowder, F Kelly Olynyk, G George Hill, 2017 first round pick (Boston, from Brooklyn)
Signings
Signed former Knicks F Derrick Williams
Signed former Suns FC Jon Leuer
Signed former Bulls G E'Twaun Moore
Released G Joe Young
Team Options
Declined team option on C Shayne Whittington
Draft
Drafted Gonzaga F Domantas Sabonis with 20th pick (Round 1)
Drafted Oklahoma G Isaiah Cousins with 50th pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Myles Turner
PF - Trey Lyles
SF - Paul George
SG - Alec Burks
PG - Monta Ellis
Bench
G Trey Burke
GF CJ Miles
FC Jon Leuer
G E'Twaun Moore
F Derrick Williams
FC Domantas Sabonis
GF Glenn Robinson III
FC Rakeem Christmas
G Isaiah Cousins
Larry Bird is obsessed with building a roster built around speed and offense. In the process he pushed great coach Frank Vogel out the door, and replaced him with mediocre retread Nate McMillan, who's offenses were among the slowest during his old coaching tenures.
The Pacers traded Vogel favorite George Hill, and acquired a few solid pieces in return. Alec Burks is a better defender and Trey Lyles offers potential as a stretch four, and will give Indiana a more traditional lineup, and keep Paul George from spending too much time at power forward. This leaves Indiana without a true point guard, though you could say that Hill was not really a true point guard himself. George handles the ball most of the time.
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Signed former Celtics FC Jared Sullinger
Signed former Rockets F Donatas Motiejunas
Signed former Nuggets G DJ Augustin
Team Options
Declined team option on F Johnny O'Bryant
Exercised team option on F Damien Inglis
Draft
Traded C Greg Monroe and G Michael Carter-Williams to Pelicans for C Omer Asik, F Dante Cunningham, GF Quincy Pondexter and 6th pick (Round 1)
Traded G Jamal Murray and GF Timothe Luwawu to 76ers for G Kris Dunn
Traded 36th and 38th picks (Round 2) to Warriors for 30th pick (Round 1) and a future 2nd round pick
Drafted Kentucky G Jamal Murray with 6th pick (Round 1)
Drafted France GF Timothe Luwawu with 10th pick (Round 1)
Drafted Australian F Thon Maker with 30th pick (Round 1)
Starting Lineup
C - Jared Sullinger
PF - Jabari Parker
SF - Giannis Antetokounmpo
SG - Khris Middleton
PG - Kris Dunn
Bench
FC John Henson
G DJ Augustin
F Donatas Motiejunas
GF Quincy Pondexter
G Rashad Vaughn
F Dante Cunningham
C Omer Asik
G Tyler Ennis
F Damien Inglis
F Thon Maker
Head coach Jason Kidd was one of the best point guards of all time. It must be tough for him to lead a roster with such poor performance at the position. Milwaukee made a couple of big draft day moves to position itself to draft Kris Dunn, who may remind Kidd a bit of himself. The Bucks gave up a lot, but Dunn's physicality, leadership ability and defense will be a huge boost to the Milwaukee roster.
Other than that, the off season was relativity quiet. Gone is Greg Monroe, who was a terrible fit on this team. Jared Sullinger is not much better, but he is a decent stopgap solution until a real center is found. A front court of Sullinger and Jabari Parker will continue to give up a ton of points, so it will be up to John Henson to live up to his hefty contract. Donatas Motiejunas will provide some nice perimeter scoring, and of course, Thon Maker is a project worth keeping an eye on. Milwaukee is still not a playoff team, but the addition of Dunn helps.
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Traded GF Bojan Bogdanovic to Bulls for F Bobby Portis
Signings
Signed former Kings G Rajon Rondo
Signed former Celtics GF Evan Turner
Signed former Bucks G Jerryd Bayless
Signed former Thunder G Dion Waiters
Team Options
Exercised team option on G Markel Brown
G Wayne Ellington exercised player option
FC Thomas Robinson declined player option
G Shane Larkin decliend player option
Draft
Traded G Jarrett Jack to Hornets for C Spencer Hawes, 21st pick (Round 1) and future first round pick
Drafted Baylor F Taurean Prince with 22nd pick (Round 1)
Drafted North Carolina State G Anthony Barber with 55th pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Brook Lopez
PF - Thaddeus Young
SF - Evan Turner
SG - Dion Waiters
PG - Rajon Rondo
Bench
F Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
G Jerryd Bayless
F Bobby Portis
G Markel Brown
C Spencer Hawes
G Wayne Ellington
F Chris McCullough
F Taurean Prince
G Sean Kilpatrick
G Anthony Barber
The Nets are in the midst of a three year stretch where they have to give their first round pick to the Celtics, so they have little reason to tank. With ample cap space, the Nets chose to load up on short term free agents, hoping to remain as competitive as possible. Rajon Rondo somewhat rehabbed his value in Sacramento, and was able to land a three year deal with a guaranteed starting position. Dion Waiters and Evan Turner have obvious deficiencies, but will be able to start and play 30 minutes per game for the Nets.
Brooklyn managed to land a first round pick, and drafted three and D wing player Taurean Prince. He will join youngsters Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Bobby Portis and Chris McCullough on the bench. The Nets will be better, but it still difficult to envision this team winning more than 30 games.
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Signed former Mavericks C Zaza Pachulia
Signed former Hawks FC Kris Humphries
Trades
Traded FC Cameron Bairstow to Pistons for G Spencer Dinwiddie
Traded F Bobby Portis to Nets for GF Bojan Bogdanovic
Traded GF Jimmy Butler and Tony Snell to Magic for G Victor Oladipo, GF Evan Fournier (Sign and trade), G CJ Watson and future 1st round pick
Team Options
FC Pau Gasol declined team option
Exercised team option on F Cristiano Felicio
Draft
Drafted Vanderbilt G Wade Baldwin IV with 14th pick (Round 1)
Drafted Iowa State F Georges Niang with 48th pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Zaza Pachulia
PF - Nikola Mirotic
SF - Evan Fournier
SG - Victor Oladipo
PG - Derrick Rose
Bench
F Doug McDermott
FC Taj Gibson
GF Bojan Bogdanovic
G CJ Watson
G Wade Baldwin IV
FC Kris Humphries
GF Mike Dunleavy
G Spencer Dinwiddie
F Cristiano Felicio
F Georges Niang
Year one of the Fred Hoiberg era could not have went much worse. Unfortunately for the Bulls, it looks like a rebuild could be in order. Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler were subject to many trade rumors, and Butler was dealt. The Magic offered the best package, sending Chicago two immediate starters. Victor Oladipo is a solid defender, and Evan Fournier could develop into a 20 point per game scorer. Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah departed as free agents, and Rose will be a free agent himself after the 2016-2017 season, giving Chicago plenty of cap space to go after some talent and try to right the ship. But this year could be a bit brutal.
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Traded F Richaun Holmes and G Nik Stauskas to Trail Blazers for future 2nd round pick
Signings
Signed former Mavericks F Dwight Powell
Signed former Hornets C Al Jefferson
Signed former Heat G Tyler Johnson
Signed former Clippers G Austin Rivers
Signed former draft pick F Dario Saric
Team Options
Declined team option on F Hollis Thompson
Declined team option on G TJ McConnell
Declined team option on G Kendall Marshall
Draft
Traded C Jahlil Okafor and GF Robert Covington to Celtics for G Terry Rozier and 3rd Pick (Round 1)
Traded G Kris Dunn to Bucks for G Jamal Murray and GF Timothe Luwawu
Traded 24th pick (Round 1) to Raptors for G Cory Joseph
Drafted LSU F Ben Simmons with 1st pick (Round 1)
Drafted Providence G Kris Dunn with 3rd pick (Round 1)
Drafted Michigan State G Denzel Valentine with 26th pick (Round 1)
Starting Lineup
C - Al Jefferson
PF - Nerlens Noel
SF - Ben Simmons
SG - Tyler Johnson
PG - Cory Joseph
Bench
F Dwight Powell
G Jamal Murray
G Austin Rivers
F Dario Saric
C Joel Embiid
F Jerami Grant
G Denzel Valentine
F Carl Landry
GF Timothe Luwawu
G Terry Rozier
Sam Hinkie may not have survived to see his vision come into focus, but he left the 76ers with a great deal of assets and flexibility. Philadelphia began to cash in some of those chips during draft day, and started to build a more balanced roster. Jahlil Okafor was turned into Jamal Murray and Timothe Luwawu, two guards who can shoot and score. The Sixers also added Cory Joseph, who is young enough to still develop into a lower level starting point guard. He will do just fine holding the fort until Philadelphia can draft a long term option in the 2017 draft. Of course, Ben Simmons was the real prize of the off season. He should start at either forward spot from day one.
The Sixers wisely used the free agent market to fill out the roster, all the while not stunting the growth of the many youngsters on the roster. Al Jefferson was signed to a one year, prove it deal. He is well past his prime, but Joel Embiid will not be forced to play heavy minutes. Tyler Johnson, Dwight Powell and Austin Rivers are all in their 20's and could have their best basketball ahead of them. Philadelphia will still be bad, but the roster is light years ahead of where it was last year.
Yes, I predicted the draft, trades and free agent signings. I will try to explain my rationale and reasoning. I have listed the full transactions for each team.
Predicted order of finish.
This is just for fun! Nothing to take seriously, just a break from all of the draft talk that has been circulating this past week. Let me know what you think in comments and who you would like for your team to go after!
Eastern Conference. Go!
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Southeast
1. Orlando Magic
2. Miami Heat
3. Charlotte Hornets
4. Washington Wizards
5. Atlanta Hawks
Atlantic
1. Boston Celtics
2. New York Knicks
3. Toronto Raptors
4. Brooklyn Nets
5. Philadelphia 76ers
Central
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Detroit Pistons
3. Indiana Pacers
4. Milwaukee Bucks
5. Chicago Bulls
East
1. Cleveland Cavalires
2. Orlando Magic
3. Boston Celtics
4. Miami Heat
5. New York Knicks
6. Toronto Raptors
7. Detroit Pistons
8. Charlotte Hornets
9. Washington Wizards
10. Atlanta Hawks
11. Indiana Pacers
12. Milwaukee Bucks
13. Brooklyn Nets
14. Chicago Bulls
15. Philadelphia 76ers
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1. Cleveland Cavaliers
SigningsSigned former Spurs F David West
Signed former Wizards F Jared Dudley
Signed former Warriors FC Anderson Varejao
Resigned F LeBron James to max two year contract
Resigned G JR Smith
Resigned F James Jones
Trades
Cavaliers get: C Al Horford (Sign and trade), G Brandon Knight
Suns get: F Kevin Love
Hawks get: C Alex Len, F Marquese Chriss, F PJ Tucker, F Channing Frye
Starting Lineup
C - Al Horford
PF - Tristan Thompson
SF - LeBron James
SG - Brandon Knight
PG - Kyrie Irving
Bench
G JR Smith
GF Iman Shumpert
F Jared Dudley
FC David West
G Mo Williams
FC Anderson Varejao
F James Jones
C Sasha Kaun
G Jordan McRae
LeBron James brought the city of Cleveland it's first sports title in over 50 years, but there are still questions to answer for the Cavaliers. Mostly, Kevin Love. Love is not a good fit for this current roster setup, and trade rumors will be swirling non stop until he is dealt. Al Horford will find it tough to leave Atlanta, but a chance to win a championship could be too good of an opportunity to pass up. The Hawks grant his request for a sign and trade, facilitating the off season's biggest three team trade. Horford would be a great fit in Cleveland's front court. He is a solid defender and can knock down the mid range jump shot. He can play the center position, opening up more minutes for Tristan Thompson.
The Cavaliers also bring in Brandon Knight in the same trade. The Suns were happy to move Knight to open minutes for Devin Booker. Knight is a bit of a very poor man's Kyrie Irving and might not have much of a role in this offense, but he offers more shooting, something the Cavaliers always need. JR Smith passes up on bigger offers elsewhere to resume his role as the designated sharp shooter on this roster. Jared Dudley, David West and Anderson Varejao join the champions in an effort to win a ring. Overall, the trade makes Cleveland deeper and more balanced. Enough for James to sign another short term max deal for a year or two. I cannot see James realistically leaving Cleveland again.
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2. Orlando Magic
TradesTraded G Victor Oladipo, G Evan Fournier (Sign and trade), G CJ Watson and future 1st round pick to Bulls for GF Jimmy Butler
Signings
Resigned GF Evan Fournier and traded to Bulls
Resigned F Ersan Ilyasova
Resigned C Dewayne Dedmon
Signed former Mavericks F Chandler Parsons
Signed former Hornets G Jarrett Jack
Team Options
Declined team option on F Ersan Ilyasova
Declined team option on F Devyn Marble
Draft
Drafted Utah C Jakob Poeltl with 11th pick (Round 1)
Drafted UNLV GF Patrick McCaw with 41st pick (Round 2)
Drafted New Mexico F Pascal Siakam with 47th pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Nikola Vucevic
PF - Aaron Gordon
SF - Chandler Parsons
SG - Jimmy Butler
PG - Elfrid Payton
Bench
G Jarrett Jack
F Ersan Ilyasova
GF Mario Hezonja
GF Tony Snell
C Dewayne Dedmon
FC Jakob Poeltl
G Shabazz Napier
GF Patrick McCaw
F Pascal Siakam
The biggest coaching news of the off season was the subtraction of Scott Skiles and the addition of Frank Vogel. Vogel got a bum rap in Indiana, but he routinely proved he was one of the top five coaches in the NBA. His addition will be a huge boon to the Magic. Orlando has enough youth to swing a trade for a big time player, and they did just that with the addition of Jimmy Butler. Trading Victor Oladipo and Evan Fournier hurts, but Butler should continue to be a two way beast in Vogel's system. Orlando has it's face of the franchise.
Chandler Parsons was the other big addition. It did not quite work out for Parsons in Dallas, but the Orlando native should prove to be a very good fit with the Magic. He can run the floor and knock down shots. Along with Butler, the Magic have two aggressive, versatile scorers. The rest of the roster remains the same. Jakob Poeltl is drafted to join an interesting group of big men. His defense is a nice contrast to Nikola Vucevic's offense, and Aaron Gordon has a chance to become a star. Things could not have gone better for Orlando, who is a serious threat to win the right to lose to the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
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3. Boston Celtics
TradesCeltics get F Gordon Hayward, G Rodney Stuckey
Pacers get G Trey Burke, F Trey Lyles, G Alec Burks
Jazz get F Amir Johnson, F Jae Crowder, F Kelly Olynyk, G George Hill, 2017 1st round pick (Boston, from Brooklyn)
Signings
Signed former Raptors FC Bismack Biyombo
Signed former Kings G Seth Curry
Resigned C Tyler Zeller
Team Options
Declined team option on F Amir Johnson
Declined team option on F Jonas Jerebko
Draft
Traded G Terry Rozier and 3rd pick (Round 1) to 76ers for C Jahlil Okafor and GF Robert Covington
Traded 51st pick (Round 2) to Heat for future 2nd round pick
Drafted Croatia C Ivica Zubac with 23rd pick (Round 1)
Drafted Vanderbilt FC Damian Jones with 31st pick (Round 2)
Drafted Germany F Paul Zipser with 34th pick (Round 2)
Drafted France G Isaia Cordinier with 45th pick (Round 2)
Drafted Russia C Andrey Desyatnikov with 58th pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Jahlil Okafor
PF - Bismack Biyombo
SF - Gordon Hayward
SG - Avery Bradley
PG - Isaiah Thomas
Bench
GF Robert Covington
G Seth Curry
G Marcus Smart
C Tyler Zeller
C Ivica Zubac
F Jordan Mickey
G RJ Hunter
GF James Young
FC Damian Jones
Danny Ainge has tried before, but this could finally be the off season that he is able to cash in his considerable assets for serious upgrades. Ainge, always a fan of scouring the trade market, brought in Jahlil Okafor and Gordon Hayward through separate deals involving his Brooklyn Nets picks. Add free agent signing Bismack Biyombo, and Boston boasts an intriguing and versatile front court. With Okafor, Hayward and Isaiah Thomas, Boston has three players who can score 20 points on any given night, and Biyombo and Avery Bradley can handle defensive assignments.
Due to trades, Boston's bench is a bit weak, though newcomers Robert Covington and Seth Curry are solid scorers. The rest of the bench is composed of draft picks who will need to step up and produce. Still, with one of the better head coaches in the NBA in Brad Stevens, this could be the year the Celtics reclaim the Atlantic division.
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4. Miami Heat
SigningsSigned former Wizards G Marcus Thornton
Signed former Mavericks G Raymond Felton
Signed former Wizards G Ramon Sessions
Resigned C Hassan Whiteside to max contract
Resigned G Dwayne Wade to 1 year contract
Resigned C Amare' Stoudemire
Resigned FC Udonis Haslem
Resigned GF Joe Johnson
Team Options
Exercised team option on G Josh Richardson
Draft
Traded future 2nd round pick to Celtics for 51st pick (Round 2)
Drafted Kansas F Perry Ellis with 51st pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Hassan Whiteside
PF - Chris Bosh
SF - Justise Winslow
SG - Dwyane Wade
PG - Goran Dragic
Bench
GF Joe Johnson
GF Marcus Thornton
G Raymond Felton
FC Amare' Stoudemire
FC Josh McRoberts
G Josh Richardson
G Ramon Sessions
FC Udonis Haslem
F Perry Ellis
Miami's main goal is to resign Hassan Whiteside. It will likely cost them max money, but it is a gamble worth taking thanks to Whiteside's difference making defensive potential. With Whiteside under contract for the long term, Miami also resigned Dwyane Wade and Joe Johnson, so the roster returns almost intact. The major change is Justise Winslow entering the starting lineup, something he is more than equipped to handle.
The key to Miami's season will be the health of Chris Bosh. If he can bounce back, this is a team that is deep and talented enough to make a run to the Eastern Conference finals. The team is talented, deep and well coached.
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5. New York Knicks
Signings
Resigned F Lance Thomas
Signed former Grizzlies G Mike Conley to max contract
Signed former Hawks G Kent Bazemore
Signed former Suns F Mirza Teletovic
Signed former Rockets F Josh Smith
Signed former draft pick C Wily Hernangomez
Player Options
G Arron Afflalo declined player option
F Derrick Williams declined player option
Exercised team option on G Langston Galloway
Draft
Traded future first round pick to Nuggets for 19th pick (Round 1)
Drafted Turkey G Furkan Korkmaz with 19th pick (Round 1)
Resigned F Lance Thomas
Signed former Grizzlies G Mike Conley to max contract
Signed former Hawks G Kent Bazemore
Signed former Suns F Mirza Teletovic
Signed former Rockets F Josh Smith
Signed former draft pick C Wily Hernangomez
Player Options
G Arron Afflalo declined player option
F Derrick Williams declined player option
Exercised team option on G Langston Galloway
Draft
Traded future first round pick to Nuggets for 19th pick (Round 1)
Drafted Turkey G Furkan Korkmaz with 19th pick (Round 1)
Starting Lineup
C - Robin Lopez
PF - Kristaps Porzingis
SF - Carmelo Anthony
SG - Kent Bazemore
PG - Mike Conley
Bench
G Jerian Grant
F Mirza Teletovic
F Lance Thomas
F Josh Smith
G Jose Calderon
G Langston Galloway
G Tony Wroten
FC Kyle O'Quinn
G Furkan Korkmaz
C Wily Hernangomez
The Knicks back in the playoffs? New York may not be as far away as one would think. If Kristaps Porzingis can continue to develop, and why can't he, the Knicks could boast one of the best front courts in the NBA. New York has a new, solid back court with the free agent additions of Mike Conley and Kent Bazemore. Conley might not be able to resist the luster of New York and big money, and he would be a fantastic fit in the hybrid triangle offense Jeff Hornacek will be forced to run. Bazemore is an underrated shooter and defender who can play 30 solid minutes a night in New York.
With two new starting guards, the bench also gets an upgrade with Jerian Grant, Jose Calderon, Langston Galloway, Furkan Korkmaz and Tony Wroten. In the front court, New York adds Mirza Teletovic, who revitalized his career as a stretch four with the Suns. Wily Hernangomez should come to the NBA in 2016, and has a future as a backup big man.
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6. Toronto Raptors
SigningsResigned G DeMar DeRozan to max contract
Signed former Cavaliers G Matthew Dellavedova
Signed former Grizzlies FC Chris Andersen
Team Options
G DeMar DeRozan declined player option.
Draft
Traded G Cory Joseph to 76ers for 24th pick (Round 1)
Traded 27th pick (Round 1) to Pelcans for 39th and 40th picks (Round 2)
Drafted Kentucky FC Skal Labissiere with 9th pick (Round 1)
Drafted Florida State G Malik Beasley with 24th pick (Round 1)
Drafted France F Guerschon Yabusele with 39th pick (Round 2)
Drafted Providence F Ben Bentil with 40th pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Jonas Valanciunas
PF - Patrick Patterson
SF - DeMarre Carroll
SG - DeMar DeRozan
PG - Kyle Lowry
Bench
G Norman Powell
GF Terrence Ross
G Matthew Dellavedova
FC Skal Labissiere
FC Chris Andersen
G Delon Wright
G Malik Beasley
F Bruno Caboclo
C Lucas Nogueira
F Ben Bentil
The key to the Raptors off season will be what they do with DeMar DeRozan and Bismack Biyombo. Biyombo is most likely as good as gone, but Toronto should do what it can to retain DeRozan, who is on his way to becoming the best player in franchise history. He might not be a max player, but he will get max money from someone. With Toronto fresh off the best season in their 20 year existence, I expect DeRozan to return to the North.
Unfortunately, Toronto was not able to upgrade the roster around DeRozan. The Raptors spent draft picks on Skal Labissiere and Malik Beasley, who could be solid bench contributors in time, but neither will provide immediate assistance. The Raptors will trot out the same lineup as last season, but with all four division rivals improved, might be hard pressed to match their 56 wins from 2015-2016.
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7. Detroit Pistons
SigningsResigned C Andre Drummond to max contract
Signed former Rockets F Terrence Jones
Signed former Bulls G Aaron Brooks
Trades
Traded G Spencer Dinwiddie to Bulls for FC Cameron Bairstow
Team Options
Declined team option on C Joel Anthony
Exercised team option on F Cameron Bairstow
Exercised team option on G Darrun Hilliard
Drafted Notre Dame G Demetrius Jackson with 18th pick (Round 1)
Drafted Oakland G Kay Felder with 49th pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Andre Drummond
PF - Tobias Harris
SF - Stanley Johnson
SG - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
PG - Reggie Jackson
Bench
F Marcus Morris
F Terrence Jones
G Aaron Brooks
C Aron Baynes
G Demetrius Jackson
G Jodie Meeks
FC Cameron Bairstow
GF Darrun Hilliard
GF Reggie Bullock
G Kay Felder
Stan Van Gundy and the Pistons have assembled a roster similar to his Magic days. A rebounding, shot blocking and free throw deficient big man surrounded by shooters and scorers. Andre Drummond is a restricted free agent, but Detroit will throw the max at him and not look back. Detroit has added Tobias Harris and Reggie Jackson the past couple of seasons, so do not expect many other big moves.
Detroit does add a bit to the bench in the form of Terrence Jones, Aaron Brooks and Demetrius Jackson. The common theme there is shooting and athleticism. Jones could bounce back in a big way now that he is out of Houston, and Jackson was one of the quickest guards in college basketball.
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8. Charlotte Hornets
SigningsSigned former 76ers G Ish Smith
Signed former Knicks FC Kevin Seraphin
Signed former Warriors F James Michael McAdoo
Signed former Wizards FC JJ Hickson
Resigned F Marvin Williams
Resigned GF Nicolas Batum to max contract
Resigned G Aaron Harrison
Resigned F Tyler Hansbrough
Resigned G Troy Daniels
Team Options
Declined team option on G Jarrett Jack
G Jeremy Lin declined player option
Draft
Traded C Spencer Hawes, 22nd pick (Round 1) and future first round pick to Nets for G Jarrett Jack
Starting Lineup
C - Frank Kaminsky
PF - Marvin Williams
SF - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
SG - Nicolas Batum
PG - Kemba Walker
Bench
FC Cody Zeller
G Ish Smith
G Jeremy Lamb
FC JJ Hickson
F Tyler Hansbrough
F James Michael McAdoo
G Troy Daniels
FC Kevin Seraphin
G Aaron Harrison
The Charlotte franchise had it's best season since returning to the NBA over a decade ago, and will simply hope to keep the core together. It starts with retaining Marvin Williams and Nicolas Batum, which the front office was able to do. It will not be cheap, which means Charlotte is pretty much maxed out, and was unable to add any real free agent pieces. The Hornets were able to dump the contract of Spencer Hawes on Brooklyn, though it cost them their first round pick in the process.
The key will be the development of big men Frank Kaminsky and Cody Zeller. With Al Jefferson out of the picture, those two will have to step up and hold down the center position. Ish Smith is an underrated backup point guard who can score in bunches, and JJ Hickson and Kevin Seraphin gives the team additional front court beef.
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9. Washington Wizards
TradesTraded future 2nd round pick to Jazz for C Jeff Withey
Signings
Resigned G Bradley Beal to max contract
Signed former Heat F Luol Deng
Signed former Bucks C Miles Plumlee
Signed former Magic F Andrew Nicholson
Signed former Suns GF Chase Budinger
Signed former Bucks G Greivis Vasquez
Signed former draft pick G Tomas Satoransky
Team options
Declined team option on F Drew Gooden
Draft
Traded future 2nd round pick to Suns for 43rd pick (Round 2)
Drafted North Carolina F Brice Johnson with 43rd pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Marcin Gortat
PF - Markieff Morris
SF - Luol Deng
SG - Bradley Beal
PG - John Wall
Bench
GF Otto Porter
G Greivis Vasquez
FC Miles Plumlee
GF Kelly Oubre Jr.
F Andrew Nicholson
G Tomas Satoransky
GF Chase Budinger
C Jeff Withey
F Brice Johnson
On paper, there is no reason Washington should not be a playoff team, but they languished through a disappointing campaign in 2015-2016. The Wizards have visions of adding hometown hero Kevin Durant, but that will simply not be a realistic option. Washington was able to add Luol Deng and resign Bradley Beal, likely to a max deal, but still might not have enough to make a real push in the Eastern Conferences toughest division.
The bench, in particular, continues to be the weak spot on the team. Otto Porter moves into a reserve role, which is where he belongs, but other than that, the bench is full of weak veterans and youngsters with a lot to prove.
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10. Atlanta Hawks
TradesTraded G Jeff Teague to Rockets for G Patrick Beverley, F Montrezl Harrell and F Sam Dekker
Hawks get: C Alex Len, F Marquese Chriss, F PJ Tucker, F Channing Frye
Suns get: F Kevin Love
Cavaliers get: C Al Horford (Sign and trade), G Brandon Knight
Team Options
Delcined team option on F Mike Muscala
Declined team option on F Mike Scott
Draft
Traded 21st pick (Round 1) and 44th pick (Round 2) to Spurs for F Kyle Anderson and 29th pick (Round 1)
Drafted Virginia G Malcolm Brogdon with 29th pick (Round 1)
Drafted France C Gracin Bakumanya with 54th pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Alex Len
PF - Paul Millsap
SF - Thabo Sefolosha
SG - Kyle Korver
PG - Dennis Schroder
Bench
G Patrick Beverley
FC Tiago Splitter
GF Tim Hardaway Jr.
F Kyle Anderson
FC Channing Frye
F Montrezl Harrell
F Marquese Chriss
F Sam Dekker
G Malcolm Brogdon
GF Lamar Patterson
The Hawks have a tough decision to make in regards to Al Horford. Horford made the decision himself and decided to join the champion Cavaliers. Atlanta reluctantly granted his request through a sign and trade, and received a good amount in return. Alex Len and Marquese Chriss could be Atlanta's front court of the future. In a separate trade, they freed up a starting spot for Dennis Schroder and improved the bench defense with Patrick Beverley.
With a solid coaching staff, this is still a team that can fight for a playoff spot. Scoring will likely be a big time issue, with only Paul Millsap a safe bet to average 15-20 points per game. Millsap will be a free agent during the summer of 2017, which means this team will probably belong to Schroder, Len and Chriss in the future.
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11. Indiana Pacers
TradesPacers get F Trey Lyles, G Trey Burke, G Alec Burks
Celtics get F Gordon Hayward, G Rodney Stuckey
Jazz get F Amir Johnson, F Jae Crowder, F Kelly Olynyk, G George Hill, 2017 first round pick (Boston, from Brooklyn)
Signings
Signed former Knicks F Derrick Williams
Signed former Suns FC Jon Leuer
Signed former Bulls G E'Twaun Moore
Released G Joe Young
Team Options
Declined team option on C Shayne Whittington
Draft
Drafted Gonzaga F Domantas Sabonis with 20th pick (Round 1)
Drafted Oklahoma G Isaiah Cousins with 50th pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Myles Turner
PF - Trey Lyles
SF - Paul George
SG - Alec Burks
PG - Monta Ellis
Bench
G Trey Burke
GF CJ Miles
FC Jon Leuer
G E'Twaun Moore
F Derrick Williams
FC Domantas Sabonis
GF Glenn Robinson III
FC Rakeem Christmas
G Isaiah Cousins
Larry Bird is obsessed with building a roster built around speed and offense. In the process he pushed great coach Frank Vogel out the door, and replaced him with mediocre retread Nate McMillan, who's offenses were among the slowest during his old coaching tenures.
The Pacers traded Vogel favorite George Hill, and acquired a few solid pieces in return. Alec Burks is a better defender and Trey Lyles offers potential as a stretch four, and will give Indiana a more traditional lineup, and keep Paul George from spending too much time at power forward. This leaves Indiana without a true point guard, though you could say that Hill was not really a true point guard himself. George handles the ball most of the time.
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12. Milwaukee Bucks
SigningsSigned former Celtics FC Jared Sullinger
Signed former Rockets F Donatas Motiejunas
Signed former Nuggets G DJ Augustin
Team Options
Declined team option on F Johnny O'Bryant
Exercised team option on F Damien Inglis
Draft
Traded C Greg Monroe and G Michael Carter-Williams to Pelicans for C Omer Asik, F Dante Cunningham, GF Quincy Pondexter and 6th pick (Round 1)
Traded G Jamal Murray and GF Timothe Luwawu to 76ers for G Kris Dunn
Traded 36th and 38th picks (Round 2) to Warriors for 30th pick (Round 1) and a future 2nd round pick
Drafted Kentucky G Jamal Murray with 6th pick (Round 1)
Drafted France GF Timothe Luwawu with 10th pick (Round 1)
Drafted Australian F Thon Maker with 30th pick (Round 1)
Starting Lineup
C - Jared Sullinger
PF - Jabari Parker
SF - Giannis Antetokounmpo
SG - Khris Middleton
PG - Kris Dunn
Bench
FC John Henson
G DJ Augustin
F Donatas Motiejunas
GF Quincy Pondexter
G Rashad Vaughn
F Dante Cunningham
C Omer Asik
G Tyler Ennis
F Damien Inglis
F Thon Maker
Head coach Jason Kidd was one of the best point guards of all time. It must be tough for him to lead a roster with such poor performance at the position. Milwaukee made a couple of big draft day moves to position itself to draft Kris Dunn, who may remind Kidd a bit of himself. The Bucks gave up a lot, but Dunn's physicality, leadership ability and defense will be a huge boost to the Milwaukee roster.
Other than that, the off season was relativity quiet. Gone is Greg Monroe, who was a terrible fit on this team. Jared Sullinger is not much better, but he is a decent stopgap solution until a real center is found. A front court of Sullinger and Jabari Parker will continue to give up a ton of points, so it will be up to John Henson to live up to his hefty contract. Donatas Motiejunas will provide some nice perimeter scoring, and of course, Thon Maker is a project worth keeping an eye on. Milwaukee is still not a playoff team, but the addition of Dunn helps.
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13. Brooklyn Nets
TradesTraded GF Bojan Bogdanovic to Bulls for F Bobby Portis
Signings
Signed former Kings G Rajon Rondo
Signed former Celtics GF Evan Turner
Signed former Bucks G Jerryd Bayless
Signed former Thunder G Dion Waiters
Team Options
Exercised team option on G Markel Brown
G Wayne Ellington exercised player option
FC Thomas Robinson declined player option
G Shane Larkin decliend player option
Draft
Traded G Jarrett Jack to Hornets for C Spencer Hawes, 21st pick (Round 1) and future first round pick
Drafted Baylor F Taurean Prince with 22nd pick (Round 1)
Drafted North Carolina State G Anthony Barber with 55th pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Brook Lopez
PF - Thaddeus Young
SF - Evan Turner
SG - Dion Waiters
PG - Rajon Rondo
Bench
F Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
G Jerryd Bayless
F Bobby Portis
G Markel Brown
C Spencer Hawes
G Wayne Ellington
F Chris McCullough
F Taurean Prince
G Sean Kilpatrick
G Anthony Barber
The Nets are in the midst of a three year stretch where they have to give their first round pick to the Celtics, so they have little reason to tank. With ample cap space, the Nets chose to load up on short term free agents, hoping to remain as competitive as possible. Rajon Rondo somewhat rehabbed his value in Sacramento, and was able to land a three year deal with a guaranteed starting position. Dion Waiters and Evan Turner have obvious deficiencies, but will be able to start and play 30 minutes per game for the Nets.
Brooklyn managed to land a first round pick, and drafted three and D wing player Taurean Prince. He will join youngsters Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Bobby Portis and Chris McCullough on the bench. The Nets will be better, but it still difficult to envision this team winning more than 30 games.
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14. Chicago Bulls
SigningsSigned former Mavericks C Zaza Pachulia
Signed former Hawks FC Kris Humphries
Trades
Traded FC Cameron Bairstow to Pistons for G Spencer Dinwiddie
Traded F Bobby Portis to Nets for GF Bojan Bogdanovic
Traded GF Jimmy Butler and Tony Snell to Magic for G Victor Oladipo, GF Evan Fournier (Sign and trade), G CJ Watson and future 1st round pick
Team Options
FC Pau Gasol declined team option
Exercised team option on F Cristiano Felicio
Draft
Drafted Vanderbilt G Wade Baldwin IV with 14th pick (Round 1)
Drafted Iowa State F Georges Niang with 48th pick (Round 2)
Starting Lineup
C - Zaza Pachulia
PF - Nikola Mirotic
SF - Evan Fournier
SG - Victor Oladipo
PG - Derrick Rose
Bench
F Doug McDermott
FC Taj Gibson
GF Bojan Bogdanovic
G CJ Watson
G Wade Baldwin IV
FC Kris Humphries
GF Mike Dunleavy
G Spencer Dinwiddie
F Cristiano Felicio
F Georges Niang
Year one of the Fred Hoiberg era could not have went much worse. Unfortunately for the Bulls, it looks like a rebuild could be in order. Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler were subject to many trade rumors, and Butler was dealt. The Magic offered the best package, sending Chicago two immediate starters. Victor Oladipo is a solid defender, and Evan Fournier could develop into a 20 point per game scorer. Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah departed as free agents, and Rose will be a free agent himself after the 2016-2017 season, giving Chicago plenty of cap space to go after some talent and try to right the ship. But this year could be a bit brutal.
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15. Philadelphia 76ers
TradesTraded F Richaun Holmes and G Nik Stauskas to Trail Blazers for future 2nd round pick
Signings
Signed former Mavericks F Dwight Powell
Signed former Hornets C Al Jefferson
Signed former Heat G Tyler Johnson
Signed former Clippers G Austin Rivers
Signed former draft pick F Dario Saric
Team Options
Declined team option on F Hollis Thompson
Declined team option on G TJ McConnell
Declined team option on G Kendall Marshall
Draft
Traded C Jahlil Okafor and GF Robert Covington to Celtics for G Terry Rozier and 3rd Pick (Round 1)
Traded G Kris Dunn to Bucks for G Jamal Murray and GF Timothe Luwawu
Traded 24th pick (Round 1) to Raptors for G Cory Joseph
Drafted LSU F Ben Simmons with 1st pick (Round 1)
Drafted Providence G Kris Dunn with 3rd pick (Round 1)
Drafted Michigan State G Denzel Valentine with 26th pick (Round 1)
Starting Lineup
C - Al Jefferson
PF - Nerlens Noel
SF - Ben Simmons
SG - Tyler Johnson
PG - Cory Joseph
Bench
F Dwight Powell
G Jamal Murray
G Austin Rivers
F Dario Saric
C Joel Embiid
F Jerami Grant
G Denzel Valentine
F Carl Landry
GF Timothe Luwawu
G Terry Rozier
Sam Hinkie may not have survived to see his vision come into focus, but he left the 76ers with a great deal of assets and flexibility. Philadelphia began to cash in some of those chips during draft day, and started to build a more balanced roster. Jahlil Okafor was turned into Jamal Murray and Timothe Luwawu, two guards who can shoot and score. The Sixers also added Cory Joseph, who is young enough to still develop into a lower level starting point guard. He will do just fine holding the fort until Philadelphia can draft a long term option in the 2017 draft. Of course, Ben Simmons was the real prize of the off season. He should start at either forward spot from day one.
The Sixers wisely used the free agent market to fill out the roster, all the while not stunting the growth of the many youngsters on the roster. Al Jefferson was signed to a one year, prove it deal. He is well past his prime, but Joel Embiid will not be forced to play heavy minutes. Tyler Johnson, Dwight Powell and Austin Rivers are all in their 20's and could have their best basketball ahead of them. Philadelphia will still be bad, but the roster is light years ahead of where it was last year.
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