The NBA Off Season is almost a month old. While there are still plenty of free agents out there, most signings and trades have been finalized and we can start to see what rosters will look like for next season. This is a good time to give my thoughts on each roster, going division by division, with projected order of finish.
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1. Miami Heat
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Chris Bosh
PF - Udonis Haslem
SF - LeBron James
SG - Dwyane Wade
PG - Mario Chalmers
Projected Bench
SG Ray Allen
SG/SF Shane Battier
PF/C Chris Andersen
PG Norris Cole
SF/PF Rashard Lewis
SF James Jones
PF/C Joel Anthony
All the Heat have done since forming the big three is make three straight NBA Finals appearances with two rings. So the experiment might be a success. While Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are starting to show signs of decline, LeBron James remains the best basketball player on the planet and the Heat are annual favorites as long as he is on the roster. Miami's roster will return almost 100% intact in 2013-2014. The only real difference is the team was forced to amnesty Mike Miller. Expect more of the same next year for Miami, before the big three all have early termination options.
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2. Washington Wizards
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Emeka Okafor
PF - Nene
SF - Trevor Ariza
SG - Bradley Beal
PG - John Wall
Projected Bench
SG/SF Martell Webster
SF Otto Porter
PF/C Kevin Seraphin
PG Eric Maynor
PF Trevor Booker
SF/PF Jan Vesely
SF Chris Singleton
The Wizards were a different team with John Wall in the lineup. After the All Star break, Wall went crazy with averages of 20.7 points with 4.5 boards, 7.8 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.8 blocks and 0.4 triples on 44.7 percent shooting. A full year with Wall, and continued development from Bradley Beal, this team could be knocking on the playoff door. The Wizards will bring back the same starting five, though they added Eric Maynor to a solid bench. Otto Porter was the third selection in the draft, and is a glue guy who should be a great fit next to this high scoring back court duo. Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza both have big expiring contracts that the Wizards could use to upgrade the team during the season.
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3. Atlanta Hawks
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Al Horford
PF - Paul Millsap
SF - Kyle Korver
SG - John Jenkins
PG - Jeff Teague
Projected Bench
PG/SG Lou Williams
PF/C Elton Brand
PF/C Gustavo Ayon
PG Dennis Schroder
SG/SF DeShawn Stevenson
SF/PF DeMarre Carroll
C Johan Petro
Danny Ferry did a great job of clearing out cap space for the Hawks. What he cannot control, however, is that no free agents have ever wanted to play in Atlanta. That was true again this off season, as guys like Dwight Howard and Chris Paul rejected Atlanta's proposals immediately. The Hawks were forced to resign Kyle Korver to an expensive deal and bring in Paul Millsap on a short team contract. Both deals, along with the signing of Elton Brand and DeMarre Carroll, could help the Hawks get back into the playoffs, but this roster is just not good enough to make any type of noise. Unfortunately for Hawks fans (or, fan), this team is not bad enough to land one of the studs in the 2014 draft.
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4. Charlotte Bobcats
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Al Jefferson
PF - Bismack Biyombo
SF - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
SG - Gerald Henderson
PG - Kemba Walker
Projected Bench
PF/C Cody Zeller
SG Ben Gordon
PG Ramon Sessions
PF/C Josh McRoberts
SG/SF Jeff Taylor
C Brendan Haywood
It has been an extremely painful rebuilding process for the Bobcats, but I think they are finally on the right track. Kemba Walker and Gerald Henderson were both recent draft picks in the back end of the lottery, and both are developing into solid scorers. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had a rough going of it during his freshman season, but I still like his potential. The Bobcats signed perhaps their biggest free agent ever when they brought in Al Jefferson. He is not a player who will win you championships, but at a short team deal, it was a good move to make. He will provide much needed inside scoring and rebounding, and with Kidd-Gilchrist and Bismack Biyombo around, he will have some help on the defensive side of the ball. I also like the Cody Zeller pick. Like Jefferson, Zeller will help with scoring. Charlotte will still be very bad, but it shouldn't be quite as painful of a season while the youngsters continue to develop. Perhaps Charlotte can get a little bit of lottery luck and wind up with Andrew Wiggins as the face of the new Hornets.
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5. Orlando Magic
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Nikola Vucevic
PF - Glen Davis
SF - Tobias Harris
SG - Arron Afflalo
PG - Jameer Nelson
Projected Bench
PG/SG Victor Oladipo
SF Moe Harkless
PF Andrew Nicholson
PF/C Jason Maxiell
PG/SG E'Twaun Moore
SG Doron Lamb
PF/C Kyle O'Quinn
Year one of the post Dwight Howard era went pretty well. The Magic wound up with Moe Harkless, Nikola Vucevic and Arron Afflalo in the deal. Interestingly enough, those are the only three players from the massive four team deal that are still with the teams that traded for them, so you have to say the Magic were big winners there. Then they stole Tobias Harris from the Bucks. This team is still going to be very bad but are taking a long term approach with rebuilding through the draft. Victor Oladipo was the real only addition to this roster during the off season. He has the talent and drive to become the leader of this team, and worked at both point guard and shooting guard during the summer league. Orlando could continue to shed veterans and get even younger if they choose to trade Afflalo and Jameer Nelson. The Magic have struck it rich with winning the draft lottery three times. Two of those picks were the two best players in franchise history in Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard. Could Andrew Wiggins be the latest?
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1. Miami Heat
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Chris Bosh
PF - Udonis Haslem
SF - LeBron James
SG - Dwyane Wade
PG - Mario Chalmers
Projected Bench
SG Ray Allen
SG/SF Shane Battier
PF/C Chris Andersen
PG Norris Cole
SF/PF Rashard Lewis
SF James Jones
PF/C Joel Anthony
All the Heat have done since forming the big three is make three straight NBA Finals appearances with two rings. So the experiment might be a success. While Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are starting to show signs of decline, LeBron James remains the best basketball player on the planet and the Heat are annual favorites as long as he is on the roster. Miami's roster will return almost 100% intact in 2013-2014. The only real difference is the team was forced to amnesty Mike Miller. Expect more of the same next year for Miami, before the big three all have early termination options.
----------
2. Washington Wizards
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Emeka Okafor
PF - Nene
SF - Trevor Ariza
SG - Bradley Beal
PG - John Wall
Projected Bench
SG/SF Martell Webster
SF Otto Porter
PF/C Kevin Seraphin
PG Eric Maynor
PF Trevor Booker
SF/PF Jan Vesely
SF Chris Singleton
The Wizards were a different team with John Wall in the lineup. After the All Star break, Wall went crazy with averages of 20.7 points with 4.5 boards, 7.8 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.8 blocks and 0.4 triples on 44.7 percent shooting. A full year with Wall, and continued development from Bradley Beal, this team could be knocking on the playoff door. The Wizards will bring back the same starting five, though they added Eric Maynor to a solid bench. Otto Porter was the third selection in the draft, and is a glue guy who should be a great fit next to this high scoring back court duo. Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza both have big expiring contracts that the Wizards could use to upgrade the team during the season.
----------
3. Atlanta Hawks
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Al Horford
PF - Paul Millsap
SF - Kyle Korver
SG - John Jenkins
PG - Jeff Teague
Projected Bench
PG/SG Lou Williams
PF/C Elton Brand
PF/C Gustavo Ayon
PG Dennis Schroder
SG/SF DeShawn Stevenson
SF/PF DeMarre Carroll
C Johan Petro
Danny Ferry did a great job of clearing out cap space for the Hawks. What he cannot control, however, is that no free agents have ever wanted to play in Atlanta. That was true again this off season, as guys like Dwight Howard and Chris Paul rejected Atlanta's proposals immediately. The Hawks were forced to resign Kyle Korver to an expensive deal and bring in Paul Millsap on a short team contract. Both deals, along with the signing of Elton Brand and DeMarre Carroll, could help the Hawks get back into the playoffs, but this roster is just not good enough to make any type of noise. Unfortunately for Hawks fans (or, fan), this team is not bad enough to land one of the studs in the 2014 draft.
----------
4. Charlotte Bobcats
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Al Jefferson
PF - Bismack Biyombo
SF - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
SG - Gerald Henderson
PG - Kemba Walker
Projected Bench
PF/C Cody Zeller
SG Ben Gordon
PG Ramon Sessions
PF/C Josh McRoberts
SG/SF Jeff Taylor
C Brendan Haywood
It has been an extremely painful rebuilding process for the Bobcats, but I think they are finally on the right track. Kemba Walker and Gerald Henderson were both recent draft picks in the back end of the lottery, and both are developing into solid scorers. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had a rough going of it during his freshman season, but I still like his potential. The Bobcats signed perhaps their biggest free agent ever when they brought in Al Jefferson. He is not a player who will win you championships, but at a short team deal, it was a good move to make. He will provide much needed inside scoring and rebounding, and with Kidd-Gilchrist and Bismack Biyombo around, he will have some help on the defensive side of the ball. I also like the Cody Zeller pick. Like Jefferson, Zeller will help with scoring. Charlotte will still be very bad, but it shouldn't be quite as painful of a season while the youngsters continue to develop. Perhaps Charlotte can get a little bit of lottery luck and wind up with Andrew Wiggins as the face of the new Hornets.
----------
5. Orlando Magic
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Nikola Vucevic
PF - Glen Davis
SF - Tobias Harris
SG - Arron Afflalo
PG - Jameer Nelson
Projected Bench
PG/SG Victor Oladipo
SF Moe Harkless
PF Andrew Nicholson
PF/C Jason Maxiell
PG/SG E'Twaun Moore
SG Doron Lamb
PF/C Kyle O'Quinn
Year one of the post Dwight Howard era went pretty well. The Magic wound up with Moe Harkless, Nikola Vucevic and Arron Afflalo in the deal. Interestingly enough, those are the only three players from the massive four team deal that are still with the teams that traded for them, so you have to say the Magic were big winners there. Then they stole Tobias Harris from the Bucks. This team is still going to be very bad but are taking a long term approach with rebuilding through the draft. Victor Oladipo was the real only addition to this roster during the off season. He has the talent and drive to become the leader of this team, and worked at both point guard and shooting guard during the summer league. Orlando could continue to shed veterans and get even younger if they choose to trade Afflalo and Jameer Nelson. The Magic have struck it rich with winning the draft lottery three times. Two of those picks were the two best players in franchise history in Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard. Could Andrew Wiggins be the latest?
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