The preseason is over, the rosters are close to being set, and we’re finally ready for a brand new season of NBA basketball! After back to back crazy years impacted by COVID, 2021-22 shows promise to bring back normalcy as the season will begin on time with a full 82-game slate. There still will definitely be some obstacles to hurdle as some players remain unvaccinated and mandates in cities are strict, but all teams will return to their arenas with full capacity. The offseason took some crazy turns as the Lakers added Russell Westbrook, the Bulls signed DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball, and the drama around Kyrie Irving only seems to get stronger. There’s many ways this season can go and it’s going to be exciting to see what inevitably plays out. So sit back, relax, and take a look at my annual NBA Season Preview, full of standings, awards, playoff, and roster projections with write-ups for each team. Hope you enjoy!
Standings
ATLANTIC
1 – Brooklyn Nets 61-21
5 – Philadelphia 76ers 49-33
7 – New York Knicks 47-35
10 – Boston Celtics 38-44
Toronto Raptors 31-51
CENTRAL
2 – Milwaukee Bucks 58-24
6 – Indiana Pacers 48-34
8 – Chicago Bulls 43-39
Detroit Pistons 30-52
Cleveland Cavaliers 23-59
SOUTHEAST
3 – Miami Heat 54-28
4 – Atlanta Hawks 49-33
9 – Charlotte Hornets 40-42
Washington Wizards 33-49
Orlando Magic 29-53
NORTHWEST
3 – Utah Jazz 49-33
4 – Portland Trail Blazers 48-34
9 – Denver Nuggets 40-42
Minnesota Timberwolves 30-52
Oklahoma City Thunder 24-58
PACIFIC
1 – Los Angeles Lakers 56-26
2 – Phoenix Suns 51-31
6 – Los Angeles Clippers 47-35
8 – Golden State Warriors 44-38
Sacramento Kings 27-55
SOUTHWEST
5 – Memphis Grizzlies 47-35
7 – Dallas Mavericks 44-38
10 – New Orleans Pelicans 39-43
San Antonio Spurs 28-54
Houston Rockets 21-61
Playoff Predictions
East:
Play-In Tournament:
– 7 New York over 8 Chicago — New York earns the 7-seed
– 9 Charlotte over 10 Boston — Boston is eliminated
– 8 Chicago over 9 Charlotte — Chicago earns the 8-seed, Charlotte is eliminated
| 1st Round | EC Semis | EC Finals | |
| 1 – Brooklyn vs. 8 – Chicago | |||
| 4 – Atlanta vs. 5 – Philadelphia | 1 – Brooklyn vs. 4 – Atlanta | ||
| 1 – Brooklyn vs. 3 – Miami | Brooklyn Nets EAST CHAMPS | ||
| 3 – Miami vs. 6 – Indiana | 3 – Miami vs. 2 – Milwaukee | ||
| 2 – Milwaukee vs. 7 – New York |
West:
Play-In Tournament:
8 Golden State over 7 Dallas – Golden State earns the 7-seed
10 New Orleans over 9 Denver – Denver is eliminated
10 New Orleans over 7 Dallas – New Orleans earns the 8-seed, Dallas is eliminated
| 1st Round | WC Semis | WC Finals | |
| 1 – LA Lakers vs. 8 – New Orleans | |||
| 4 – Portland vs. 5 – Memphis | 1 – LA Lakers vs. 4 – Portland | ||
| 4 – Portland vs. 7 – Golden State | Portland Trail Blazers WEST CHAMPS | ||
| 3 – Utah vs. 6 – LA Clippers | 6 – LA Clippers vs. 7 – Golden State | ||
| 2 – Phoenix vs. 7 – Golden State |
NBA Finals:
Brooklyn Nets over Portland Trail Blazers in 5 games
Award Predictions
MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL
Sixth Man of the Year: Derrick Rose, NY
Defensive Player of the Year: Joel Embiid, PHI
Most Improved Player: Kevin Porter Jr., HOU
Rookie of the Year: Cade Cunningham, DET
Coach of the Year: Monty Williams, PHX
Roster Projections
(R) = Rookie
(I) = Injured for extended period
| POS. | NO. | PLAYER NAME | Height | Weight School/Nationality | Age | 2020-21 Season Stats |
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Boston Celtics
HC: Ime Udoka (1st year) – AGE: 44
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #44 | Robert Williams III | 6’8 | 237 lbs Texas A&M | Age: 23 | 8 pts, 6.9 reb, 1.8 blk 1.8 ast, 72.1% FG |
| 4 SF | #0 | Jayson Tatum | 6’8 | 210 lbs Duke | Age: 23 | 26.4 pts, 7.4 reb, 4.3 ast 1.2 stl, 38.6% 3P |
| 3 SG/SF | #7 | Jaylen Brown | 6’6 | 223 lbs California | Age: 24 | 24.7 pts, 6 reb, 3.4 ast 1.2 stl, 39.7% 3P |
| 2 SG | #30 | Josh Richardson | 6’5 | 200 lbs Tennessee | Age: 28 | 12.1 pts, 3.3 reb, 2.6 ast 1 stl, 42.7% FG – DAL |
| 1 PG | #36 | Marcus Smart | 6’3 | 220 lbs Oklahoma State | Age: 27 | 13.1 pts, 5.7 ast, 3.5 reb 1.5 stl, 0.5 blk |
BENCH:
| PG | #71 | Dennis Schröder | 6’3 | 172 lbs Germany | Age: 28 | 15.4 pts, 5.8 ast, 3.5 reb 1.1 stl, 43.7% FG – LAL |
| C | #42 | Al Horford | 6’9 | 240 lbs Florida | Age: 35 | 14.2 pts, 6.7 reb, 3.4 ast 0.9 stl, 0.9 blk – OKC |
| PG | #11 | Payton Pritchard | 6’1 | 195 lbs Oregon | Age: 23 | 7.7 pts, 2.4 reb, 1.8 ast 0.6 stl, 41.1% 3P |
| C | #13 | Enes Kanter | 6’10 | 250 lbs Kentucky | Age: 29 | 11.2 pts, 11 reb, 1.2 ast 0.7 blk, 60.4% FG – POR |
| F | #12 | Grant Williams | 6’6 | 236 lbs Tennessee | Age: 22 | 4.7 pts, 2.8 reb, 1 ast 0.5 stl, 37.2% 3P |
| F | #41 | Juancho Hernangómez | 6’9 | 214 lbs Spain | Age: 25 | 7.2 pts, 3.9 reb, 0.7 ast 0.4 stl, 43.5% FG – MIN |
| SG | #45 | Romeo Langford | 6’4 | 216 lbs Indiana | Age: 21 | 18 GP, 3.1 pts, 1.9 reb 0.7 ast, 0.3 stl |
| SF | #26 | Aaron Nesmith | 6’5 | 215 lbs Vanderbilt | Age: 21 | 4.7 pts, 2.8 reb, 0.5 ast 0.3 stl, 37% 3P |
| F | #20 | Jabari Parker | 6’8 | 245 lbs Duke | Age: 26 | 13 GP, 5.5 pts, 3.2 reb 0.8 ast, 54.5% FG – SAC/BOS |
| PF/C | #43 | Bruno Fernando | 6’9 | 240 lbs Maryland | Age: 23 | 1.5 pts, 2.4 reb, 0.3 ast 0.1 stl, 0.1 blk – ATL |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| SF | #30 | Sam Hauser (R) | 6’7 | 217 lbs Virginia | Age: 23 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 38-44, 10th in East
MVP: SF Jayson Tatum
Breakout Player: SF Aaron Nesmith
Grade: C+
Leading off the projections we have the Celtics who did a lot of soul searching and changing after a let down of a season in ’20-’21 where they underperformed in almost every category. Brad Stevens transitioned to a front office role, replacing Danny Ainge and hired long-time assistant and former NBA vet Ime Udoka. Although the team did lose a big piece in Kemba Walker, they added solid veteran depth including a few big men to finally deepen their low post roster. Former all-star Al Horford was re-acquired from Oklahoma City, as well as 3-and-D wing Josh Richardson. Enes Kanter and Juancho Hernangomez were brought in to bring more big man depth to the bench. But arguably their most cost-efficient move was bringing in Dennis Schroder, who after turning down a contract in the range of $100mil with the Lakers last offseason, was forced to sign a 1-year, $5mil deal with the Celtics. Overall the Celtics may have slightly upgraded from last year, but with a rookie head coach and in a division alongside New York, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn they may struggle to fight for one of those play-in 7-10 seeds.
Brooklyn Nets
HC: Steve Nash (2nd year, Career/Team record: 48-24) – AGE: 47
STARTERS:
| 5 PF | #2 | Blake Griffin | 6’9 | 250 lbs Oklahoma | Age: 32 | 11 pts, 4.9 reb, 3 ast 0.7 stl, 0.3 blk – DET/BKN |
| 4 F | #7 | Kevin Durant | 6’10 | 240 lbs Texas | Age: 33 | 26.9 pts, 7.1 reb, 5.6 ast 1.3 blk, 45% 3P |
| 3 SF | #12 | Joe Harris | 6’6 | 220 lbs Virginia | Age: 30 | 14.1 pts, 3.6 reb, 1.9 ast 0.7 stl, 47.5% 3P |
| 2 G | #8 | Patty Mills | 6’1 | 180 lbs St. Mary’s | Age: 33 | 10.8 pts, 2.4 ast, 1.7 reb 0.6 stl, 37.5% 3P – SA |
| 1 G | #13 | James Harden | 6’5 | 220 lbs Arizona State | Age: 32 | 24.6 pts, 10.8 ast, 7.9 reb 1.2 stl, 36.2% 3P – HOU/BKN |
BENCH:
| PF/C | #12 | LaMarcus Aldridge | 6’11 | 250 lbs Texas | Age: 36 | 13.5 pts, 4.5 reb, 1.9 ast 1.1 blk, 47.3% FG – SA/BKN |
| SG/SF | #1 | Bruce Brown | 6’4 | 202 lbs Miami (FL) | Age: 25 | 8.8 pts, 5.4 reb, 1.6 ast 0.9 stl, 55.6% FG |
| C | #33 | Nicolas Claxton | 6’11 | 215 lbs Georgia | Age: 22 | 6.6 pts, 5.2 reb, 1.3 blk 0.9 ast, 62.1% FG |
| PF | #4 | Paul Millsap | 6’7 | 257 lbs Louisiana Tech | Age: 36 | 9 pts, 4.7 reb, 1.8 ast 0.9 stl, 0.6 blk – DEN |
| F | #16 | James Johnson | 6’7 | 240 lbs Wake Forest | Age: 34 | 7.2 pts, 3.5 reb, 1.9 ast 0.8 blk, 0.8 stl – NOP/DAL |
| SG | #18 | Cam Thomas (R) | 6’5 | 210 lbs LSU | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 27th overall by BKN |
| SG/SF | #95 | DeAndre’ Bembry | 6’5 | 210 lbs St. Joseph’s | Age: 27 | 5.7 pts, 2.9 reb, 2.1 ast 1 stl, 51.3% FG – TOR |
| PG | #0 | Jevon Carter | 6’1 | 200 lbs West Virginia | Age: 26 | 4.1 pts, 1.5 reb, 1.2 ast 0.5 stl, 37.1% 3P – PHX |
| C | #22 | Day’Ron Sharpe (R) | 6’11 | 265 lbs North Carolina | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 29th overall by PHX |
| PG | #11 | Kyrie Irving* | 6’2 | 195 lbs Duke | Age: 29 | 26.9 pts, 6 ast, 4.8 reb 1.4 stl, 40.2% 3P |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| SF | #14 | Kessler Edwards (R) | 6’7 | 203 lbs Pepperdine | Age: 21 | DRAFTED: 44th overall by BKN |
| G | #30 | David Duke Jr. (R) | 6’4 | 204 lbs Providence | Age: 22 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
*Kyrie Irving remains out indefinitely with vaccination issues
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 61-21, 1st in East
MVP: SF Kevin Durant
Breakout Player: SG Cam Thomas
Grade: A
Despite not making the NBA Finals, ’20-’21 was by far the greatest season in Nets franchise history. James Harden was added to a star studded roster and former all-star’s Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge were brought in. And although KD, Kyrie, and Harden all dealt with their fair share of injuries, they were able to stay competitive with their historic roster. But depth played a big part in their demise last season and General Manager Sean Marks addressed it head on. Veterans Patty Mills, Paul Millsap, and James Johnson were brought in to provide bench pieces behind their stars. LaMarcus Aldridge, who retired midseason last year due to health concerns, was cleared to play and was brought back along with another former all-star in Blake Griffin. DeAndre Jordan’s salary was dumped and in exchange they brought in raw young big man Sekou Doumbouya. They also attacked through the draft by grabbing lethal scorer Cam Thomas, defensive stud Kessler Edwards, and highly touted big man Day’Ron Sharpe. Now with a fully healthy big 3 and an even better supporting cast, the Nets are by far the favorites to come out of the East this season and, if healthy, should be seen as a Championship or bust squad for 2022.
New York Knicks
HC: Tom Thibodeau (2nd year in NY, Career record: 393-277, Team record: 41-31) – AGE: 63
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #23 | Mitchell Robinson | 7’0 | 240 lbs W. Kentucky | Age: 23 | 8.3 pts, 8.1 reb, 1.5 blk 1.1 stl, 65.3% FG |
| 4 PF | #30 | Julius Randle | 6’8 | 250 lbs Kentucky | Age: 26 | 24.1 pts, 10.2 reb, 6 ast 0.9 stl, 41.1% 3P |
| 3 SG/SF | #9 | R.J. Barrett | 6’6 | 214 lbs Duke | Age: 21 | 17.6 pts, 5.8 reb, 3 ast 0.7 stl, 40.1% 3P |
| 2 SG | #13 | Evan Fournier | 6’7 | 205 lbs France | Age: 28 | 17.1 pts, 3.4 ast, 3 reb 1.1 stl, 41.3% 3P – ORL/BOS |
| 1 PG | #8 | Kemba Walker | 6’0 | 184 lbs Connecticut | Age: 31 | 19.3 pts, 4.9 ast, 4 reb 1.1 stl, 36% 3P – BOS |
BENCH:
| PG | #4 | Derrick Rose | 6’2 | 200 lbs Memphis | Age: 32 | 14.7 pts, 4.2 ast, 2.6 reb 1 stl, 47% FG – DET/NY |
| C | #3 | Nerlens Noel | 6’11 | 220 lbs Kentucky | Age: 27 | 5.1 pts, 6.4 reb, 2.2 blk 1.1 stl, 61.4% FG |
| SG | #18 | Alec Burks | 6’6 | 214 lbs Colorado | Age: 30 | 12.7 pts, 4.6 reb, 2.2 ast 0.6 stl, 41.5% 3P |
| G | #5 | Immanuel Quickley | 6’3 | 190 lbs Kentucky | Age: 22 | 11.4 pts, 2.1 reb, 2 ast 0.5 stl, 38.9% 3P |
| F | #1 | Obi Toppin | 6’9 | 220 lbs Dayton | Age: 23 | 4.1 pts, 2.2 reb, 0.5 ast 0.3 stl, 49.8% FG |
| C | #67 | Taj Gibson | 6’9 | 232 lbs USC | Age: 36 | 5.4 pts, 5.6 reb, 1.1 blk 0.8 stl, 62.7% FG |
| SG | #6 | Quentin Grimes (R) | 6’4 | 210 lbs Houston | Age: 24 | DRAFTED: 25th overall by LAC |
| PG | #2 | Miles McBride (R) | 6’1 | 195 lbs West Virginia | Age: 21 | DRAFTED: 36th overall by OKC |
| SF | #20 | Kevin Knox II | 6’7 | 215 lbs Kentucky | Age: 22 | 3.9 pts, 1.5 reb, 0.5 ast 0.3 stl, 39.3% 3P |
| SG | #11 | Wayne Selden Jr. | 6’4 | 232 lbs Kansas | Age: 27 | NO STATS – Israel |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| PF/C | #45 | Jericho Sims (R) | 6’9 | 250 lbs Texas | Age: 22 | DRAFTED: 58th overall by NY |
| PF/C | Luka Šamanić | 6’11 | 227 lbs Croatia | Age: 21 | 3.7 pts, 2.1 reb, 0.5 ast 0.2 stl, 44.8% FG – SA |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 47-35, 7th in East
MVP: PF Julius Randle
Breakout Player: PF Obi Toppin
Grade: B+
What can we say about the Knicks that hasn’t already been said a million times during their incredible and improbable run to the playoffs this past season. Entering last year with a new Head Coach and a lackluster roster they were favorites to finish as bottom-dwellers in the East. Instead, they shocked the NBA world led by the return of the Knicks’ old school gritty basketball persona, as they grinded out a 41-31 record. This offseason they attacked strong, filling gaps that needed attention. The need for a secondary scorer behind the emergence of Julius Randle was answered, as Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker were brought in. Derrick Rose, Nerlens Noel, and Alec Burks were also re-upped to multi-year deals, three players that played huge roles in the Knicks’ success last year. Elfrid Payton, Frank Ntilikina, and Reggie Bullock all walked in free agency, and they filled the gap through the draft by adding talented scorer Quentin Grimes and gritty lockdown defensive PG Miles McBride. I went into last year with very low hopes for my favorite team, but with the great offseason and tremendous young core they’re putting together, I have high hopes for the Knicks not only this year but in the years to come. I truly think a powerhouse is being built, and a big third year from R.J. Barrett, and developmental second years from Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin will be two big keys to that. It has taken a long time, but it seems like Leon Rose and Tom Thibodeau are finally putting the pieces together to getting the Knicks back into a playoff powerhouse.
Philadelphia 76ers
HC: Doc Rivers (2nd year in PHI, Career record: 992-704, Team record: 49-23) – AGE: 60
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #21 | Joel Embiid | 7’0 | 280 lbs Kansas | Age: 27 | 28.5 pts, 10.2 reb, 2.8 ast 1.4 blk, 1 stl |
| 4 F | #12 | Tobias Harris | 6’8 | 226 lbs Tennessee | Age: 29 | 19.5 pts, 6.8 reb, 3.5 ast 0.9 stl, 51.2% FG |
| 3 SF | #14 | Danny Green | 6’6 | 215 lbs North Carolina | Age: 34 | 9.5 pts, 3.8 reb, 1.7 ast 1.3 stl, 40.5% 3P |
| 2 SG | #31 | Seth Curry | 6’2 | 185 lbs Duke | Age: 31 | 12.5 pts, 2.7 ast, 2.4 reb 0.8 stl, 45% 3P |
| 1 G | #18 | Shake Milton | 6’5 | 205 lbs SMU | Age: 24 | 13 pts, 3.1 ast, 2.3 reb 0.6 stl, 45% FG |
BENCH:
| C | #1 | Andre Drummond | 6’10 | 279 lbs Connecticut | Age: 28 | 14.9 pts, 12 reb, 2 ast 1.4 stl, 1.1 blk – CLE/LAL |
| SG | #22 | Matisse Thybulle | 6’5 | 201 lbs Washington | Age: 24 | 3.9 pts, 1.9 reb, 1 ast 1.6 stl, 1.1 blk |
| G | #0 | Tyrese Maxey | 6’2 | 200 lbs Kentucky | Age: 20 | 8 pts, 2 ast, 1.7 reb 0.4 stl, 46.2% FG |
| SG/SF | #30 | Furkan Korkmaz | 6’7 | 202 lbs Turkey | Age: 24 | 9.1 pts, 2.1 reb, 1.5 ast 0.9 stl, 37.5% 3P |
| F | #20 | Georges Niang | 6’7 | 230 lbs Iowa State | Age: 28 | 6.9 pts, 2.4 reb, 0.8 ast 0.3 stl, 42.5% 3P – UTA |
| SG | #11 | Jaden Springer (R) | 6’3 | 202 lbs Tennessee | Age: 18 | DRAFTED: 28th overall by PHI |
| F | #44 | Paul Reed | 6’9 | 210 lbs DePaul | Age: 22 | 3.4 pts, 2.3 reb, 0.5 blk 0.5 ast, 53.8% FG |
| SG | #7 | Isaiah Joe | 6’4 | 165 lbs Arkansas | Age: 22 | 3.7 pts, 0.9 reb, 0.5 ast 0.3 stl, 36.8% 3P |
| C | #23 | Charles Bassey (R) | 6’10 | 230 lbs W. Kentucky | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 53rd overall by PHI |
| PG | #25 | Ben Simmons* | 6’11 | 240 lbs LSU | Age: 25 | 14.3 pts, 7.2 reb, 6.9 ast 1.6 stl, 55.7% FG |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| G | #5 | Grant Riller | 6’2 | 190 lbs Charleston | Age: 24 | 7 GP, 2.6 pts, 0.4 ast 0.1 reb, 0.1 sal – CHA |
| SF | #50 | Aaron Henry (R) | 6’5 | 210 lbs Michigan State | Age: 22 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
*Ben Simmons plans to sit out indefinitely as he seeks a trade
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 49-33, 5th in East
MVP: C Joel Embiid
Breakout Player: PF Paul Reed
Grade: B-
It’s been another hectic offseason/season ending for the Sixers, as after finishing 49-23, they were outed quickly in the playoffs, casting negativity around new Head Coach Doc Rivers’ legacy. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Ben Simmons will not report to training camp while he seeks a trade, citing problems with the front office after his epic offensive collapse during the playoffs. So where does Philly go from here?
Well it won’t be easy with the powerhouse of the Nets and the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks clogging up the top of the East. Regardless even without Ben Simmons the Sixers should still be a top 5 team in the East, and may rely heavily on young guard Shake Milton to take that next step. Danny Green was also re-signed and Andre Drummond was brought in to be the 6th man/backup big man. After a great rookie year from Tyrese Maxey, they’ll probably look at him to help anchor the bench scoring, with Georges Niang brought on as well. Rookies Jaden Springer and Charles Bassey will join sophomores Paul Reed and Isaiah Joe as developmental pieces that the team hopes could take big steps to help a playoff run. There is for sure a lot of questions up in the air surrounding Philly, and with the bleak injury history of Joel Embiid, the Sixers could find themselves quickly struggling if some of their bench pieces don’t step up the way they need them too.
Toronto Raptors
HC: Nick Nurse (4th year, Career/Team record: 138-88) – AGE: 54
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #24 | Khem Birch | 6’9 | 233 lbs UNLV | Age: 28 | 7.2 pts, 5.8 reb, 1.3 ast 0.7 stl, 0.7 blk – ORL/TOR |
| 4 PF/C | #25 | Chris Boucher | 6’9 | 200 lbs Oregon | Age: 28 | 13.6 pts, 6.7 reb, 1.9 blk 1.1 ast, 51.4% FG |
| 3 SF | #3 | OG Anunoby | 6’7 | 232 lbs Indiana | Age: 24 | 15.9 pts, 5.5 reb, 2.2 ast 1.5 stl, 39.8% 3P |
| 2 SG | #33 | Gary Trent Jr. | 6’5 | 209 lbs Duke | Age: 22 | 15.3 pts, 2.6 reb, 1.4 ast 1 stl, 38.5% 3P – POR/TOR |
| 1 G | #23 | Fred VanVleet | 6’1 | 197 lbs Wichita State | Age: 27 | 19.6 pts, 6.3 ast, 4.2 reb 1.7 stl, 36.6% 3P |
BENCH:
| F | #4 | Scottie Barnes (R) | 6’7 | 225 lbs Florida State | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 4th overall by TOR |
| PF/C | #5 | Precious Achiuwa | 6’8 | 225 lbs Memphis | Age: 22 | 5 pts, 3.4 reb, 0.5 ast 0.5 blk, 54.4% FG – MIA |
| PG | #77 | Goran Dragić | 6’3 | 190 lbs Slovenia | Age: 35 | 13.4 pts, 4.4 ast, 3.4 reb 0.7 stl, 37.3% 3P – MIA |
| SG | #14 | Svi Mykhailiuk | 6’7 | 205 lbs Kansas | Age: 24 | 8.5 pts, 2.5 reb, 1.7 ast 0.8 stl, 33.4% 3P – DET/OKC |
| PG | #22 | Malachi Flynn | 6’1 | 175 lbs San Diego St. | Age: 23 | 7.5 pts, 2.9 ast, 2.5 reb 0.8 stl, 32.1% 3P |
| F | #18 | Yuta Watanabe | 6’9 | 215 lbs G. Washington | Age: 26 | 4.4 pts, 3.2 reb, 0.8 ast 0.5 stl, 40% 3P |
| F | #8 | Sam Dekker | 6’9 | 219 lbs Wisconsin | Age: 29 | DNP – BSL |
| SF | #45 | Dalano Banton (R) | 6’9 | 204 lbs Nebraska | Age: 21 | DRAFTED: 46th overall by TOR |
| PF/C | #55 | Freddie Gillespie | 6’9 | 245 lbs Baylor | Age: 24 | 5.6 pts, 4.9 reb, 1 blk 0.7 stl, 52.4% FG |
| PF | #43 | Pascal Siakam* (I) | 6’9 | 230 lbs New Mexico St. | Age: 27 | 21.4 pts, 7.2 reb, 4.5 ast 1.1 stl, 0.7 blk |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| SG | #13 | David Johnson (R) | 6’3 | 203 lbs Louisville | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 47th overall by TOR |
| SF | #11 | Justin Champagnie (R) | 6’6 | 206 lbs Pittsburgh | Age: 20 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
*Pascal Siakam had shoulder surgery and may be back by late-November
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 31-51, 12th in East
MVP: PF Pascal Siakam
Breakout Player: PF Precious Achiuwa
Grade: C
The Raptors enter 2021 opening up a new era in Toronto after the departure of their long-time franchise cornerstone Kyle Lowry. Lowry was dealt in a sign-and-trade this offseason to Miami that brought back young big man Precious Achiuwa and veteran PG Goran Dragic. Along with the addition of Achiuwa, Toronto opted to take lengthy defensive minded rookie Scottie Barnes with the fourth pick, a tantalizing prospect that scouts believe can turn into a point forward. After trading for Gary Trent Jr. last year, he was retained this offseason on a new three-year deal to match up with Siakam, Anunoby, and VanVleet who were all signed to long-term deals within the past year. Although the main core of this Raptors future seems pretty set, the bench is still a work in progress with a bunch of youngsters duking it out for a roster spot. Malachi Flynn will return, Goran Dragic will be a good backup PG for now until they find a trade partner, and Precious Achiuwa will probably be groomed to become the future starting 4 or 5 with Siakam out. After solid years with the Raptors a season ago, Yuta Watanabe and Freddie Gillespie will both have shots to make the final roster which I think they will inevitably do. The NBA champs from just two years ago now continue a rebuild that seems to be moving along faster than other teams in rebuilding positions. Only time will tell, but Toronto will be up for a tall task to make a push for a play-in spot in 2022.
Chicago Bulls
HC: Billy Donovan (2nd year in CHI, Career record: 274-198, Team record: 31-41) – AGE: 56
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #9 | Nikola Vučević | 6’11 | 260 lbs USC | Age: 30 | 23.4 pts, 11.7 reb, 3.8 ast 0.9 stl, 40% 3P – ORL/CHI |
| 4 SF | #5 | Derrick Jones Jr. | 6’5 | 210 lbs UNLV | Age: 24 | 6.8 pts, 3.5 reb, 0.9 blk 0.8 ast, 48.4% FG – POR |
| 3 SG/SF | #11 | DeMar DeRozan | 6’6 | 220 lbs USC | Age: 32 | 21.6 pts, 6.9 ast, 4.2 reb 0.9 stl, 49.5% FG – SA |
| 2 SG | #8 | Zach LaVine | 6’5 | 200 lbs UCLA | Age: 26 | 27.4 pts, 5 reb, 4.9 ast 0.8 stl, 41.9% 3P |
| 1 PG | #2 | Lonzo Ball | 6’6 | 190 lbs UCLA | Age: 23 | 14.6 pts, 5.7 ast, 4.8 reb 1.5 stl, 37.8% 3P – NOP |
BENCH:
| G | #6 | Alex Caruso | 6’4 | 186 lbs Texas A&M | Age: 27 | 6.4 pts, 2.9 reb, 2.8 ast 1.1 stl, 40.1% 3P – LAL |
| C | #13 | Tony Bradley | 6’10 | 248 lbs North Carolina | Age: 23 | 7.1 pts, 5.7 reb, 0.9 ast 0.7 blk, 66.5% FG – PHI/OKC |
| SG/SF | #7 | Troy Brown Jr. | 6’6 | 215 lbs Oregon | Age: 22 | 4.7 pts, 3.1 reb, 0.9 ast 0.3 stl, 43.1% FG |
| G | #12 | Ayo Dosunmu (R) | 6’5 | 200 lbs Illinois | Age: 21 | DRAFTED: 38th overall by CHI |
| C | #19 | Marko Simonović (R) | 6’11 | 220 lbs Yugoslavia | Age: 21 | DRAFTED in 2020 |
| F | #22 | Alize Johnson | 6’7 | 212 lbs Missouri State | Age: 25 | 5.2 pts, 5 reb, 0.8 ast 0.3 stl, 58.8% FG – BKN |
| SG | #21 | Matt Thomas | 6’4 | 190 lbs Iowa State | Age: 27 | 3.1 pts, 1 reb, 0.4 ast 0.1 stl, 33.8% 3P – UTA/TOR |
| SG | #5 | Javonte Green | 6’4 | 205 lbs Radford | Age: 28 | 3.6 pts, 1.7 reb, 0.7 stl 0.4 ast, 52% FG – BOS/CHI |
| PG | #0 | Coby White* (I) | 6’5 | 195 lbs North Carolina | Age: 21 | 15.1 pts, 4.8 ast, 4.1 reb 0.6 stl, 35.9% 3P |
| F | #44 | Patrick Williams** (I) | 6’7 | 215 lbs Florida State | Age: 20 | 9.2 pts, 4.6 reb, 1.4 ast 0.9 stl, 39.1% 3P |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| PG | #3 | Devon Dotson | 6’2 | 185 lbs Kansas | Age: 22 | 11 GP, 2.1 pts, 0.6 ast 0.5 reb, 0.4 stl |
| SG | #15 | Ethan Thompson | 6’5 | 195 lbs Oregon State | Age: 22 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
*Coby White has a shoulder injury and may be back by mid-November
**Patrick Williams has a sprained ankle and may miss the first few weeks
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 43-39, 8th in East
MVP: SG Zach LaVine
Breakout Player: C Tony Bradley
Grade: B+
Possibly the biggest winner of this year’s off-season, the Bulls sped up their rebuild intensely by adding a few big name pieces to an already youthful lineup. With a young core of Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, and Coby White, the Bulls traded for star big man Nikola Vucevic at last year’s deadline and didn’t stop there. They continued by signing both DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball to multi-year deals, a couple of huge additions that gives them a true floor general and a third scoring option behind LaVine and Vucevic. It seems like it’s been forever since we saw some relevancy in Chicago and after hiring Billy Donovan last offseason the tide began to turn. They finished 31-41 in 2020-21, which on paper doesn’t seem all too impressive, but a lot of positivities from their young core gave them hope.
With both White and Williams sidelined to start the year, we could see newly signed Derrick Jones Jr. slot into the stretch 4 and increased minutes from youngster Troy Brown Jr. and hometown Rookie Ayo Dosunmu. I am also quite big on Tony Bradley, who after being a first round nobody over the past few years, finally seemed to be piecing it together last season in a split year between the Thunder and Sixers. Overall the East will be tough, and being in the same division as the defending champion Bucks and newly improved Pacers, they’re going to need to make some noise early. The Bulls should be a playoff team, and I would expect them to be in the mix fighting for that 6 spot to avoid a play-in 7 or 8 seed.
Cleveland Cavaliers
HC: J.B. Bickerstaff (3rd year in CLE, Career record: 112-187, Team record: 27-56) – AGE: 42
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #31 | Jarrett Allen | 6’11 | 243 lbs Texas | Age: 23 | 12.8 pts, 10 reb, 1.7 ast 1.4 blk, 61.8% FG – BKN/CLE |
| 4 PF | #0 | Kevin Love | 6’8 | 251 lbs UCLA | Age: 33 | 12.2 pts, 7.4 reb, 2.5 ast 0.6 stl, 36.5% 3P |
| 3 SF | #35 | Isaac Okoro | 6’5 | 225 lbs Auburn | Age: 20 | 9.6 pts, 3.1 reb, 1.9 ast 0.9 stl, 0.4 blk |
| 2 G | #2 | Collin Sexton | 6’1 | 190 lbs Alabama | Age: 22 | 24.3 pts, 4.4 ast, 3.1 reb 1 stl, 37.1% 3P |
| 1 PG | #10 | Darius Garland | 6’1 | 192 lbs Vanderbilt | Age: 21 | 17.4 pts, 6.1 ast, 2.4 reb 1.2 stl, 39.5% 3P |
BENCH
| C | #4 | Evan Mobley (R) | 7’0 | 215 lbs USC | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 3rd overall by CLE |
| SF | #16 | Cedi Osman | 6’7 | 230 lbs Turkey | Age: 26 | 10.4 pts, 3.4 reb, 2.9 ast 0.9 stl, 30.6% 3P |
| PG | #3 | Ricky Rubio | 6’3 | 190 lbs Spain | Age: 30 | 8.6 pts, 6.4 ast, 3.3 reb 1.4 stl, 30.8% 3P – MIN |
| PF/C | #24 | Lauri Markkanen | 7’0 | 240 lbs Arizona | Age: 24 | 13.6 pts, 5.3 reb, 0.9 ast 0.5 stl, 40.2% 3P – CHI |
| SG | #9 | Dylan Windler | 6’6 | 196 lbs Belmont | Age: 25 | 5.2 pts, 3.5 reb, 1.1 ast 0.6 stl, 33.8% 3P |
| C | #17 | Ed Davis | 6’9 | 218 lbs North Carolina | Age: 32 | 19 GP, 2.5 pts, 2.7 reb 1.1 blk, 72.4% FG – BOS |
| F | #32 | Dean Wade | 6’9 | 228 lbs Kansas St. | Age: 24 | 6 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.2 ast 0.6 stl, 36.6% 3P |
| F | #8 | Lamar Stevens | 6’6 | 230 lbs Penn State | Age: 24 | 4.1 pts, 2.4 reb, 0.6 ast 0.4 stl, 45.6% FG |
| SG | #45 | Denzel Valentine | 6’4 | 220 lbs Michigan St. | Age: 27 | 6.5 pts, 3.2 reb, 1.7 ast 0.5 stl, 33.1% 3P – CHI |
| SG | #6 | Kevin Pangos (R) | 6’1 | 179 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 28 | UNDRAFTED in 2015 |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| C | #99 | Tacko Fall | 7’5 | 311 lbs UCF | Age: 25 | 19 GP, 2.5 pts, 2.7 reb 1.1 blk, 72.4% FG – BOS |
| G | #5 | R.J. Nembhard (R) | 6’5 | 200 lbs TCU | Age: 22 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 23-59, 15th in East
MVP: SG Collin Sexton
Breakout Player: SF Isaac Okoro
Grade: D+
It’s been a dreadful last few years in Cleveland after the departure of LeBron James, but is there possibly reason to begin to be optimistic for the future? Well possibly, first a lot of things have to start going well in 21-22 for Cleveland and at the top of that list are follow up dominant years from backcourt core Collin Sexton and Darius Garland. Another is going to be testing out the combo of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley playing alongside each other, something the Cleveland front office thinks can work well. But it does have the potential to be solid, with Garland, Sexton, Okoro, Mobley, Allen being the future starting five for years to come. Lauri Markkanen was also brought in on a multi-year deal, a big man that showed glimpses of stardom that Cleveland hopes they can bring back to their future core. Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio are a couple of veterans that will probably start the year with Cleveland and they will hope they can move by the deadline. A few solid youngsters that played quality minutes will also be brought back to aid the bench in Dean Wade, Dylan Windler, Mfiondu Kabengele, and Lamar Stevens. Overall Cleveland will not be very competitive this season, and in my opinion the best they can really hope for is just positive development from their young core. Another top draft pick in 2022 wouldn’t be the worst thing to finally piecing together a future core.
Detroit Pistons
HC: Dwane Casey (4th year in DET, Career record: 454-446, Team record: 81-139) – AGE: 64
STARTERS:
| 4 PF/C | #19 | Kelly Olynyk | 6’11 | 240 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 30 | 13.5 pts, 7 reb, 2.9 ast 1.1 stl, 0.6 blk – MIA/HOU |
| 3 F | #9 | Jerami Grant | 6’8 | 210 lbs Syracuse | Age: 27 | 22.3 pts, 4.6 reb, 2.8 ast 1.1 blk, 35% 3P |
| 2 SF | #41 | Saddiq Bey | 6’7 | 215 lbs Villanova | Age: 22 | 12.2 pts, 4.5 reb, 1.4 ast 0.7 stl, 38% 3P |
| 2 PG | #7 | Killian Hayes | 6’5 | 195 lbs France | Age: 20 | 6.8 pts, 5.3 ast, 2.7 reb 1 stl, 0.4 blk |
| 1 PG | #2 | Cade Cunningham (R) | 6’7 | 220 lbs Oklahoma State | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 1st overall by DET |
BENCH:
| C | #28 | Isaiah Stewart | 6’8 | 250 lbs Washington | Age: 20 | 7.9 pts, 6.7 reb, 1.3 blk 0.9 ast, 55.3% FG |
| SG | #20 | Josh Jackson | 6’8 | 207 lbs Kansas | Age: 24 | 13.4 pts, 4.1 reb, 2.3 ast 0.9 stl, 0.8 blk |
| SG | #6 | Hamidou Diallo | 6’5 | 202 lbs Kentucky | Age: 23 | 11.6 pts, 5.2 reb, 1.9 ast 0.8 stl, 47.7% FG – OKC/DET |
| PF/C | #8 | Trey Lyles | 6’9 | 234 lbs Kentucky | Age: 25 | 5 pts, 3.7 reb, 0.6 ast 0.3 stl, 47.8% FG – SA |
| PG | #18 | Cory Joseph | 6’3 | 200 lbs Texas | Age: 30 | 8.2 pts, 3.4 ast, 2.5 reb 1 stl, 46.9% FG – SAC/DET |
| C | #55 | Luka Garza (R) | 6’10 | 243 lbs Iowa | Age: 22 | DRAFTED: 52nd overall by DET |
| F | #12 | Isaiah Livers (R) | 6’6 | 232 lbs Michigan | Age: 23 | DRAFTED: 42nd overall by DET |
| SG | #17 | Rodney McGruder | 6’4 | 205 lbs Kansas State | Age: 30 | 16 GP, 5.7 pts, 1.4 reb 1 ast, 45.8% 3P |
| PG | #38 | Saben Lee | 6’2 | 183 lbs Vanderbilt | Age: 22 | 5.6 pts, 3.6 ast, 2 reb 0.7 stl, 47.1% FG |
| G | #5 | Frank Jackson | 6’3 | 205 lbs Duke | Age: 23 | 9.8 pts, 2.2 reb, 0.9 ast 0.4 stl, 40.7% 3P |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| SF | #43 | Chris Smith (R) | 6’9 | 215 lbs UCLA | Age: 21 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
| PF | #24 | Jamorko Pickett (R) | 6’9 | 206 lbs Georgetown | Age: 23 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 30-52, 13th in East
MVP: SF Jerami Grant
Breakout Player: PG Killian Hayes
Grade: C-
Similar to the Cavs, the Pistons are deep into a rebuild but I give them a bit of a higher grade because I’m a bigger fan of the direction they’re going. Not only have they found a stud and franchise cornerstone in Jerami Grant, they landed Cade Cunningham with this years’ top pick, a tantalizing point forward that I think will be at the top of the league in the matter of a couple of years. On top of that their draft class last year was solid, with both Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart looking like potential solid NBA role players. Along with Cade, Detroit also landed Isaiah Livers and Luka Garza; two absolute steals in the second round that I’ve been high on all through their college days.
Aside from the young core, a few veterans were brought in with Kelly Olynyk, Trey Lyles, and Cory Joseph. Hamidou Diallo was also brought back on a fresh two-year deal after his great performance in the second half after being acquired from Oklahoma City. Sure they don’t have the flashiest roster and they will almost certainly not be very competitive this year, but I’m beginning to really like the direction the Pistons are headed. And it always helps to have a top notch Head Coach like Dwane Casey leading the way.
Indiana Pacers
HC: Rick Carlisle (1st year in IND (second stint), Career record: 836-689) – AGE: 62
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #33 | Myles Turner | 6’11 | 250 lbs Texas | Age: 25 | 12.6 pts, 6.5 reb, 3.4 blk 1 ast, 47.7% FG |
| 4 PF/C | #11 | Domantas Sabonis | 6’11 | 240 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 25 | 20.3 pts, 12 reb, 6.7 ast 1.2 stl, 53.5% FG |
| 3 SG | #26 | Jeremy Lamb | 6’5 | 180 lbs Connecticut | Age: 29 | 10.1 pts, 3.6 reb, 1.5 ast 0.9 stl, 40.6% 3P |
| 2 SG | #22 | Caris LeVert | 6’6 | 205 lbs Michigan | Age: 27 | 20.2 pts, 5.2 ast, 4.6 reb 1.4 stl, 44.1% FG – BKN/IND |
| 1 PG | #7 | Malcolm Brogdon | 6’5 | 229 lbs Virginia | Age: 28 | 21.2 pts, 5.9 ast, 5.3 reb 0.9 stl, 38.8% 3P |
BENCH:
| SF | #8 | Justin Holiday | 6’6 | 180 lbs Washington | Age: 30 | 10.5 pts, 3.6 reb, 1.7 ast 1 stl, 38.2% 3P |
| PG | #9 | T.J. McConnell | 6’1 | 190 lbs Arizona | Age: 29 | 8.6 pts, 6.6 ast, 3.7 reb 1.9 stl, 55.9% FG |
| SF | #13 | Torrey Craig | 6’7 | 221 lbs USC Upstate | Age: 30 | 5.5 pts, 3.9 reb, 1 ast 0.6 stl, 48% FG – PHX/MIL |
| C | #23 | Isaiah Jackson (R) | 6’10 | 205 lbs Kentucky | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 22nd overall by LAL |
| G | #3 | Chris Duarte (R) | 6’6 | 190 lbs Oregon | Age: 24 | DRAFTED: 13th overall by IND |
| SG/SF | #12 | Oshae Brissett | 6’7 | 210 lbs Syracuse | Age: 23 | 10.9 pts, 5.5 reb, 1 blk 0.9 ast, 42.3% 3P |
| F | #21 | Kelan Martin | 6’5 | 230 lbs Butler | Age: 26 | 4.5 pts, 2.2 reb, 0.5 ast 0.3 stl, 40% 3P |
| C | #88 | Goga Bitadze | 6’11 | 250 lbs Georgia (Co.) | Age: 22 | 5.1 pts, 3.3 reb, 1.3 blk 0.8 ast, 42.8% FG |
| SF | #1 | T.J. Warren* (I) | 6’8 | 220 lbs NC State | Age: 28 | 4 GP, 15.5 pts, 3.5 reb 1.3 ast, 52.9% FG |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| G | #4 | Duane Washington Jr. (R) | 6’2 | 197 lbs Ohio State | Age: 21 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
| G | #17 | DeJon Jarreau (R) | 6’5 | 185 lbs Houston | Age: 23 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
*T.J. Warren continues to rehab his stress fracture and remains out indefinitely
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 48-34, 6th in East
MVP: PF Domantas Sabonis
Breakout Player:
Grade: B+
The Pacers enter 2021 coming off of a lost year where they performed well below expected and finished under .500. Even though the roster hasn’t changed very much, the most important thing changed and that’s the Head Coach. The Nate Bjorkgren one-year experiment did not work and they replaced him with NBA Champion and old Pacer coach Rick Carlisle. A huge upgrade that I think will not only catapult this team but will elevate them back to the top of the East. And although T.J. Warren and Edmond Sumner could miss a chunk of the season, a few pieces are freshly healthy and ready to go.
Jeremy Lamb, Caris LeVert, and Myles Turner are all fully healthy, three huge pieces that the Pacers missed for big portions of last season. On top of that they have their two stars in Brogdon and Sabonis. T.J. McConnell was also retained to lead the bench after a career year where he averaged almost 2 steals and 7 assists per game. Veteran Torrey Craig was also added as a rotational piece to the bench, and both Kelan Martin and Oshae Brissett will return after playing great in elevated roles last year. Plus they have one of my favorite Rookie classes in the entire league, consisting of Chris Duarte and Isaiah Jackson. Jackson can slot in as a great understudy backing up Myles Turner and Duarte is a combo scoring guard that has a big chance of leading the bench in scoring in his rookie year. If all goes well in Indiana, as I think it will, this will be a legitimate contender with a deep roster and a star Head Coach leading the way.
Milwaukee Bucks
HC: Mike Budenholzer (4th year in MIL, Career record: 375-262, Team record: 162-65) – AGE: 52
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #11 | Brook Lopez | 7’0 | 282 lbs Stanford | Age: 33 | 12.3 pts, 5 reb, 1.5 blk 0.7 ast, 50.3% FG |
| 4 PF | #34 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | 6’11 | 242 lbs Greece | Age: 26 | 28.1 pts, 11 reb, 5.9 ast 1.2 blk, 1.2 stl |
| 3 SF | #22 | Khris Middleton | 6’7 | 222 lbs Texas A&M | Age: 30 | 20.4 pts, 6 reb, 5.4 ast 1.1 stl, 41.4% 3P |
| 2 SG | #6 | Grayson Allen | 6’4 | 198 lbs Duke | Age: 25 | 10.6 pts, 3.2 reb, 2.2 ast 0.9 stl, 39.1% 3P – MEM |
| 1 PG | #21 | Jrue Holiday | 6’3 | 205 lbs UCLA | Age: 31 | 17.7 pts, 6.1 ast, 4.5 reb 1.6 stl, 39.2% 3P |
BENCH:
| PF/C | #9 | Bobby Portis | 6’10 | 250 lbs Arkansas | Age: 26 | 11.4 pts, 7.1 reb, 1.1 ast 0.8 stl, 47.1% 3P |
| SG | #24 | Pat Connaughton | 6’5 | 209 lbs Notre Dame | Age: 28 | 6.8 pts, 4.8 reb, 1.2 ast 0.7 stl, 37.1% 3P |
| SG/SF | #5 | Rodney Hood | 6’8 | 208 lbs Duke | Age: 28 | 4.5 pts, 1.9 reb, 1 ast 0.4 stl, 30.1% 3P – TOR/POR |
| PG | #33 | George Hill | 6’4 | 188 lbs IUPUI | Age: 35 | 8.7 pts, 2.4 ast, 2 reb 0.8 stl, 38.8% 3P – PHI/OKC |
| F | #37 | Semi Ojeleye | 6’6 | 240 lbs SMU | Age: 26 | 4.6 pts, 2.6 reb, 0.7 ast 0.3 stl, 36.7% 3P – BOS |
| SF | #13 | Jordan Nwora | 6’8 | 225 lbs Louisville | Age: 23 | 5.7 pts, 2 reb, 0.5 stl 0.2 ast, 45.2% 3P |
| F | #43 | Thanasis Antetokounmpo | 6’6 | 219 lbs Greece | Age: 29 | 2.9 pts, 2.2 reb, 0.8 ast 0.4 stl, 48.9% FG |
| SF | #18 | Georgios Kalaitzakis (R) | 6’8 | 192 lbs Greece | Age: 22 | DRAFTED: 60th overall by MIL |
| SG | #0 | Donte DiVincenzo* (I) | 6’4 | 203 lbs Villanova | Age: 24 | 10.4 pts, 5.8 reb, 3.1 ast 1.1 stl, 37.9% 3P |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| G | #55 | Justin Robinson | 6’1 | 195 lbs Virginia Tech | Age: 23 | 9 GP, 2.3 pts, 1 ast 0.8 reb, 0.3 stl – OKC |
| PF/C | #54 | Sandro Mamukelashvili (R) | 6’9 | 240 lbs Seton Hall | Age: 22 | DRAFTED: 54th overall by IND |
*Donte DiVincenzo continues to rehab his tendon injury and may miss the start of the season
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 58-24, 2nd in East
MVP: PF Giannis Antetokounmpo
Breakout Player: SF Jordan Nwora
Grade: A
They finally did it, the Milwaukee Bucks are your 2021 NBA Champions! In a year full of absolute chaos and a bunch of unpredictable performances, the Bucks edged out the Suns to win their first title since 1971. And at only 26, the basketball world was shocked to see a star like Giannis lock himself up with Milwaukee a year before he was set to hit the free agent market. And as he does often, he proved the doubters wrong and led the Bucks to an NBA Title. Now heading into their reigning championship year, Milwaukee has a tall task ahead of them if they want to repeat.
Pretty much all of the key pieces were under contract, and they decided to re-up Bobby Portis who played a huge roll off of the bench last season. Veterans George Hill, Rodney Hood, and Semi Ojeleye were also added to provide bench minutes alongside Pat Connaughton. Grayson Allen was also acquired via trade from Memphis, a sneaky good move that will help bolster their starting lineup while Donte DiVincenzo continues to rehab his foot injury. There’s no doubt Milwaukee is going to look strong again this year, led by their fierce big three, but will have a tough task against some of the replenished powerhouses of the East. The Nets only got better, and if they remain healthy, it’s tough to see them not being the favorites to make it to The Finals. The Miami Heat are also replenished after acquiring Kyle Lowry and the Pacers look to make a comeback after a let down season. But when it comes down to durability, I’d bank on the Bucks to be atop the East, and that may just be the thing that gets them back to the NBA Finals.
Atlanta Hawks
HC: Nate McMillan (2nd year in ATL, Career record: 688-599, Team record: 27-11) – AGE: 57
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #15 | Clint Capela | 6’10 | 240 lbs Switzerland | Age: 27 | 15.2 pts, 14.3 reb, 2 blk 0.8 ast, 59.4% FG |
| 4 PF | #20 | John Collins | 6’9 | 235 lbs Wake Forest | Age: 24 | 17.6 pts, 7.4 reb, 1.2 ast 1 blk, 55.6% FG |
| 3 SF | #12 | De’Andre Hunter | 6’8 | 225 lbs Virginia | Age: 23 | 15 pts, 4.8 reb, 1.9 ast 0.8 stl, 48.4% FG |
| 2 SG | #13 | Bogdan Bogdanović | 6’6 | 220 lbs Serbia | Age: 29 | 16.4 pts, 3.6 reb, 3.3 ast 1.1 stl, 43.8% 3P |
| 1 PG | #11 | Trae Young | 6’1 | 180 lbs Oklahoma | Age: 23 | 25.3 pts, 9.4 ast, 3.9 reb 0.8 stl, |
BENCH:
| SG | #3 | Kevin Huerter | 6’7 | 190 lbs Maryland | Age: 23 | 11.9 pts, 3.5 ast, 3.3 reb 1.2 stl, 36.3% 3P |
| F | #8 | Danilo Gallinari | 6’10 | 233 lbs Italy | Age: 33 | 13.3 pts, 4.1 reb, 1.5 ast 0.6 stl, 40.6% 3P |
| SG | #6 | Lou Williams | 6’1 | 175 lbs USA | Age: 34 | 11.3 pts, 3.4 ast, 2.1 reb 0.7 stl, 39.9% 3P – LAC/ATL |
| SF | #22 | Cam Reddish | 6’8 | 218 lbs Duke | Age: 22 | 11.2 pts, 4 reb, 1.3 ast 1.3 stl, 0.3 blk |
| C | #10 | Gorgui Dieng | 6’10 | 252 lbs Louisville | Age: 31 | 6.8 pts, 3.7 reb, 1.3 ast 0.7 stl, 52.1% FG – MEM/SA |
| G | #0 | Delon Wright | 6’5 | 185 lbs Utah | Age: 29 | 10.2 pts, 4.4 ast, 4.3 reb 1.6 stl, 37.2% 3P – SAC/DET |
| F | #1 | Jalen Johnson (R) | 6’8 | 210 lbs Duke | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 20th overall by ATL |
| F | #18 | Solomon Hill | 6’6 | 226 lbs Arizona | Age: 30 | 4.5 pts, 3 reb, 1.1 ast 0.7 stl, 0.2 blk |
| SG/SF | #7 | Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot | 6’7 | 220 lbs France | Age: 26 | 6.4 pts, 2.2 reb, 1.2 ast 0.6 stl, 31.4% 3P – BKN |
| PF/C | #17 | Onyeka Okongwu* (I) | 6’8 | 235 lbs USC | Age: 20 | 4.6 pts, 3.3 reb, 0.7 blk 0.5 stl, 64.4% FG |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| SG | #4 | Skylar Mays | 6’4 | 205 lbs LSU | Age: 24 | 3.8 pts, 1.1 reb, 0.9 ast 0.4 stl, 35% 3P |
| PG | #2 | Sharife Cooper (R) | 6’1 | 180 lbs Auburn | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 48th overall by ATL |
*Onyeka Okongwu has a shoulder injury and aims to return in December
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 49-33, 4th in East
MVP: PG Trae Young
Breakout Player: C Onyeka Okongwu
Grade: A-
After their improbable run to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Hawks enter 21-22 high on the league’s radar as one of the biggest sleepers. We all saw the chaos that went down at The Garden and the insane 2nd round upset agains the Sixers, and now Trae and company are hungrier than ever to gain the respect of the league. It will be a tall task, but with a healthy roster, Atlanta has the perfect mix of young talent and veteran depth to make a run. De’Andre Hunter will be back and healthy, and will rejoin a young starting lineup beside Young, Bogdanovic, Collins, and Capela. Veterans Danilo Gallinari, Solomon Hill, and Lou Williams will all be back to lead the bench. And after big seasons just a year ago, Cam Reddish and Kevin Huerter will add a great young mix to the veteran core on the bench, ready to slot in if injuries occur. Rookie big man Jalen Johnson was also added in the 1st round of the draft, as well as another former 5-star talent in Sharife Cooper who will be added on a two-way deal.
The Hawks have taken the past few years of their rebuild to completely replenish with as much top level talent as they can find, and it sure is panning out. A few more additions that can’t go unnoticed are Gorgui Dieng and Delon Wright as bench pieces. All around, this Hawks squad is so deep and if injuries hit, as they tend to do with many of Atlanta’s best players, they’ll be fully equipped to tackle a tough division against the elite core in Miami and the youth in Charlotte.
Charlotte Hornets
HC: James Borrego (4th year in CHA, Career record: 105-144, Team record: 95-124) – AGE: 43
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #24 | Mason Plumlee | 6’11 | 254 lbs Duke | Age: 31 | 10.4 pts, 9.3 reb, 3.6 ast 0.9 blk, 61.4% FG – DET |
| 4 PF | #25 | P.J. Washington | 6’7 | 230 lbs Kentucky | Age: 23 | 12.9 pts, 6.5 reb, 2.5 ast 1.2 blk, 1.1 stl |
| 3 SF | #20 | Gordon Hayward | 6’7 | 225 lbs Butler | Age: 31 | 19.6 pts, 5.9 reb, 4.1 ast 1.2 stl, 41.5% 3P |
| 2 SG | #3 | Terry Rozier | 6’1 | 190 lbs Louisville | Age: 27 | 20.4 pts, 4.4 reb, 4.2 ast 1.3 stl, 38.9% 3P |
| 1 PG | #2 | LaMelo Ball | 6’6 | 180 lbs USA | Age: 20 | 15.7 pts, 6.1 ast, 5.9 reb 1.6 stl, 35.2% 3P |
BENCH:
| SG/SF | #12 | Kelly Oubre Jr. | 6’7 | 203 lbs Kansas | Age: 25 | 15.4 pts, 6 reb, 1.3 ast 1 stl, 43.9% FG – GS |
| SF | #0 | Miles Bridges | 6’6 | 225 lbs Michigan St. | Age: 23 | 12.7 pts, 6 reb, 2.2 ast 0.8 blk, 40% 3P |
| SG | #5 | James Bouknight (R) | 6’4 | 190 lbs Connecticut | Age: 21 | DRAFTED: 11th overall by CHA |
| PF | #6 | Jalen McDaniels | 6’9 | 205 lbs San Diego St. | Age: 23 | 7.4 pts, 3.6 reb, 1.1 ast 0.6 stl, 46.8% FG |
| SF | #11 | Cody Martin | 6’5 | 205 lbs Nevada | Age: 26 | 4 pts, 3.1 reb, 1.7 ast 0.7 stl, 44.1% FG |
| PF/C | #23 | Kai Jones (R) | 6’10 | 221 lbs Texas | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 19th overall by NY |
| PG | #10 | Ish Smith | 6’0 | 175 lbs Wake Forest | Age: 33 | 6.7 pts, 3.9 ast, 3.4 reb 0.7 stl, 36.7% 3P – WAS |
| PF | #21 | J.T. Thor (R) | 6’9 | 203 lbs Auburn | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 37th overall by DET |
| C | #22 | Vernon Carey Jr. | 6’9 | 270 lbs Duke | Age: 20 | 19 GP, 2.4 pts, 1.4 reb 0.3 blk, 50% FG |
| C | #14 | Nick Richards | 7’0 | 245 lbs Kentucky | Age: 23 | 18 GP, 0.8 pts, 0.6 reb 0.1 ast, 44.4% FG |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| PF | #98 | Arnoldas Kulboka (R) | 6’9 | 220 lbs Lithuania | Age: 23 | DRAFTED in 2018 |
| SG | #16 | Scottie Lewis (R) | 6’4 | 188 lbs Florida | Age: 21 | DRAFTED: 56th overall by CHA |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 40-42, 9th in East
MVP: SG Terry Rozier
Breakout Player: PF Jalen McDaniels
Grade: B-
The Hornets enter the new year fresh off of another successful draft and are one of my picks to take a huge leap in 2022. There’s no doubt the team looks like they have their new franchise cornerstone in LaMelo Ball and with a few more new additions, Charlotte can turn the tide on the grim past of their franchise. But that won’t come without a little bit of good development in 21-22 from some guys that have underperformed in the past. Their starting lineup is great, and the additions of Kelly Oubre Jr., Mason Plumlee, and Ish Smith were solid moves that will give the young core some veteran presence. The real question is going to come between the four drafted Rookies, and both Vernon Carey and Nick Richards, two second-year big men that the team will hope take huge steps forward this year.
Ball and Rozier have the potential to become one of the better backcourts in the game, and in addition, another lottery pick was able to secure a promising young scoring guard in James Bouknight. Miles Bridges and P.J. Washington have implemented themselves as very solid two-way wings that can spread the floor. Gordon Hayward will return from injury, and with his seemingly endless streak of being sidelined not nearing an end, the addition of Oubre is going to be that much more crucial. The East is good, and although the Hornets are on the up-and-coming they will have a tall task ahead of them. I can still see them hovering around .500 and make a push for one of the top play-in seeds at 7 or 8.
Miami Heat
HC: Erik Spoelstra (14th year, Career/Team record: 607-424) – AGE: 50
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #13 | Bam Adebayo | 6’9 | 255 lbs Kentucky | Age: 24 | 18.7 pts, 9 reb, 5.4 ast 1.2 stl, 1 blk |
| 4 F | #17 | P.J. Tucker | 6’5 | 245 lbs Texas | Age: 36 | 3.7 pts, 3.9 reb, 1.2 ast 0.8 stl, 0.4 blk – HOU/MIL |
| 3 SF | #22 | Jimmy Butler | 6’7 | 230 lbs Marquette | Age: 32 | 21.5 pts, 7.1 ast, 6.9 reb 2.1 stl, 49.7% FG |
| 2 SG/SF | #55 | Duncan Robinson | 6’7 | 215 lbs Michigan | Age: 27 | 13.1 pts, 3.5 reb, 1.8 ast 0.6 stl, 40.8% 3P |
| 1 PG | #7 | Kyle Lowry | 6’0 | 196 lbs Villanova | Age: 35 | 17.2 pts, 7.3 ast, 5.4 reb 1 stl, 39.6% 3P – TOR |
BENCH:
| G | #14 | Tyler Herro | 6’5 | 195 lbs Kentucky | Age: 21 | 15.1 pts, 5 reb, 3.4 ast 0.6 stl, 36% 3P |
| PF | #8 | Markieff Morris | 6’9 | 245 lbs Kansas | Age: 32 | 6.7 pts, 4.4 reb, 1.2 ast 0.4 stl, 0.3 blk – LAL |
| C | #21 | Dewayne Dedmon | 7’0 | 245 lbs USC | Age: 32 | 16 GP, 7.1 pts, 5.4 reb 0.8 ast, 70.8% FG |
| PG | #2 | Gabe Vincent | 6’3 | 200 lbs UC-Santa Barbara | Age: 25 | 4.8 pts, 1.3 ast, 1.1 reb 0.4 stl, 30.9% 3P |
| SG | #31 | Max Strus | 6’5 | 215 lbs DePaul | Age: 25 | 6.1 pts, 1.1 reb, 0.6 ast 0.3 stl, 33.8% 3P |
| SF | #11 | KZ Okpala | 6’8 | 215 lbs Stanford | Age: 22 | 2.5 pts, 1.8 reb, 0.5 ast 0.3 stl, 0.3 blk |
| C | #77 | Ömer Yurtseven (R) | 7’0 | 275 lbs Georgetown | Age: 23 | UNDRAFTED in 2020 |
| PF | #40 | Udonis Haslem | 6’8 | 235 lbs Florida | Age: 41 | 1 GP, 4 pts, 1 reb |
| SG | #4 | Victor Oladipo* (I) | 6’4 | 213 lbs Indiana | Age: 29 | 19.8 pts, 4.8 reb, 4.6 ast 1.4 stl, 40.8% FG – IND/HOU/MIA |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| SF | #16 | Caleb Martin | 6’5 | 205 lbs Nevada | Age: 26 | 5 pts, 2.7 reb, 1.3 ast 0.7 stl, 0.2 blk – CHA |
| G | #0 | Marcus Garrett (R) | 6’5 | 205 lbs Kansas | Age: 22 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
*Victor Oladipo continues to rehab his quad injury and may miss the first month of the season
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 54-28, 3rd in East
MVP: SF Jimmy Butler
Breakout Player: SG Max Strus
Grade: A-
By the time the season kicks off, the Heat will only be one year removed from their 2020 NBA Finals appearance in the Bubble where they lost to LeBron and the Lakers. Since then, the Heat underperformed a bit in an abbreviated season last year, mostly due to a combo of injuries and close losses. Heading into the 2021 offseason, they knew just how close they are to making another run and they attacked by adding a plethora of depth. The first thing they needed was a true PG, and they answered this by sending Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa to Toronto in a sign-and-trade for star Kyle Lowry. On top of that they extended 3-point sniper Duncan Robinson, signed NBA Champion P.J. Tucker, and also retained Victor Oladipo who continues to rehab his quad injury.
Those moves alone should turn the page rather quickly to getting Miami right back at the top of the East. But it might be a few of the unsung heroes that become a big storyline for the Heat. Gabe Vincent was retained after a solid 20-21, providing a good two-way backup option for Lowry. Max Strus also shined in the NBA Summer League, and has the potential to be one of the team’s better scorers off of the bench. Omer Yurtseven was a late season addition last year that didn’t find any action, but he was re-upped due to his great size and athleticism at the 5. The Heat are deep and in my opinion I think the only two teams that are clearly better than them in the East heading into the season are the Nets and Bucks. If Oladipo comes back and adds even more scoring to this stacked lineup, watch out for Miami to be making another push to compete with the powerhouses of the league.
Orlando Magic
HC: Jamahl Mosley (1st year) – AGE: 43
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #34 | Wendell Carter Jr. | 6’10 | 270 lbs Duke | Age: 22 | 11.2 pts, 8.2 reb, 1.9 ast 0.8 blk, 0.6 stl – CHI/ORL |
| 4 PF | #1 | Jonathan Isaac* | 6’11 | 230 lbs Florida State | Age: 23 | DNP – INJURED |
| 3 SG | #14 | Gary Harris | 6’4 | 210 lbs Michigan State | Age: 27 | 9.9 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast 0.7 stl, 34% 3P – DEN/ORL |
| 2 PG | #20 | Markelle Fultz** | 6’3 | 209 lbs Washington | Age: 23 | 8 GP, 12.9 pts, 5.4 ast 3.1 reb, 1 stl |
| 1 PG | #50 | Cole Anthony | 6’2 | 185 lbs North Carolina | Age: 21 | 12.9 pts, 4.7 reb, 4.1 ast 0.6 stl, 33.7% 3P |
BENCH:
| SG | #31 | Terrence Ross | 6’6 | 206 lbs Washington | Age: 30 | 15.6 pts, 3.4 reb, 2.3 ast 1 stl, 41.2% FG |
| G | #4 | Jalen Suggs (R) | 6’4 | 205 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 5th overall by ORL |
| PG | #7 | Michael Carter-Williams*** | 6’5 | 190 lbs Syracuse | Age: 29 | 8.8 pts, 4.5 reb, 4.2 ast 0.8 stl, 0.5 blk |
| C | #5 | Mo Bamba | 7’0 | 231 lbs Texas | Age: 23 | 8 pts, 5.8 reb, 1.3 blk 0.8 ast, 47.2% FG |
| G | #13 | R.J. Hampton | 6’4 | 175 lbs USA | Age: 20 | 6.9 pts, 3.5 reb, 1.7 ast 0.4 stl, 43.5% FG – DEN/ORL |
| F | #22 | Franz Wagner (R) | 6’9 | 220 lbs Michigan | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 8th overall by ORL |
| C | #33 | Robin Lopez | 7’0 | 281 lbs Stanford | Age: 33 | 9 pts, 3.8 reb, 0.8 ast 0.6 blk, 63.3% FG – WAS |
| PF | #3 | Chuma Okeke | 6’6 | 229 lbs Auburn | Age: 23 | 7.8 pts, 4 reb, 2.2 ast 1.1 stl, 34.8% 3P |
| SG | #55 | E’Twaun Moore | 6’3 | 191 lbs Purdue | Age: 32 | 4.9 pts, 1.7 reb, 1.5 ast 0.6 stl, 45.5% FG – PHX |
| PF/C | #21 | Moritz Wagner | 6’11 | 245 lbs Michigan | Age: 24 | 6.9 pts, 3.2 reb, 1.1 ast 0.6 stl, 45.4% FG – WAS/BOS/ORL |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| SF | #17 | Iggy Brazdeikis | 6’6 | 221 lbs Michigan | Age: 22 | 13 GP, 7 pts, 3.5 reb 1.3 ast, 39.3% 3P – NY/PHI/ORL |
| C | #15 | Jon Teske (R) | 7’1 | 265 lbs Michigan | Age: 24 | UNDRAFTED in 2020 |
*Jonathan Isaac continues to rehab his torn ACL and may miss the first few weeks
**Markelle Fultz continues to rehab his torn ACL and also may miss the first few weeks
***Michael Carter-Williams had ankle surgery and may miss the start of the season
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 29-53, 14th in East
MVP: PF Jonathan Isaac
Breakout Player: SG R.J. Hampton
Grade: C-
After deciding that 8-seeds and first round exits were starting to get old, the Magic went into full rebuild mode at last year’s deadline, trading anyone with value. Star Nikola Vucevic was packaged to Chicago in exchange for Wendell Carter, and Aaron Gordon was sent to Denver in a package for R.J. Hampton and Gary Harris. Through these trades, the Magic also had two lottery picks which they used on Gonzaga stud Jalen Suggs and Michigan big-man Franz Wagner, two guys who will be on the verge to slot into the starting 2 and 3 very soon in Orlando. Although the rebuild has just begun, the Magic are somewhat ahead of the game and may start to see brighter days sooner than later.
They already had a few solid pieces to build around in Jonathan Isaac (who missed all of last season with a torn ACL), Markelle Fultz (who re-surged his career and signed an extension before tearing his ACL in January), and Cole Anthony who showed glimpses of becoming a solid score-first playmaker in his rookie season. A few solid additions were also brought in to help out the 21-22 squad in Robin Lopez and E’Twaun Moore. All Orlando can hope for is some improvement in 21-22, as it will be seen as a punted year to get their squad back on track. Isaac, Carter, Anthony, Suggs, and Wagner seem to be the priorities and the key pieces to build around. The rest will come and go as need be.
Washington Wizards
HC: Wes Unseld Jr. (1st year) – AGE: 46
STARTERS:
| 5 PF/C | #6 | Montrezl Harrell | 6’7 | 240 lbs Louisville | Age: 27 | 13.5 pts, 6.2 reb, 1.1 ast 0.7 blk, 62.2% FG – LAL |
| 4 PF | #8 | Rui Hachimura | 6’8 | 230 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 23 | 13.8 pts, 5.5 reb, 1.4 ast 0.8 stl, 47.8% FG |
| 3 F | #33 | Kyle Kuzma | 6’10 | 221 lbs Utah | Age: 26 | 12.9 pts, 6.1 reb, 1.9 ast 0.6 blk, 36.1% 3P – LAL |
| 2 SG | #3 | Bradley Beal | 6’3 | 207 lbs Florida | Age: 28 | 31.3 pts, 4.7 reb, 4.4 ast 1.2 stl, 48.5% FG |
| 1 PG | #26 | Spencer Dinwiddie | 6’5 | 215 lbs Colorado | Age: 28 | 3 GP, 6.7 pts, 4.3 reb 3 ast, 0.7 stl – BKN |
BENCH:
| F | #42 | Dāvis Bertāns | 6’10 | 225 lbs Latvia | Age: 28 | 11.5 pts, 2.9 reb, 0.9 ast 0.6 stl, 39.5% 3P |
| C | #21 | Daniel Gafford | 6’10 | 234 lbs Arkansas | Age: 23 | 7 pts, 4.3 reb, 1.4 blk 0.5 stl, 68.4% FG – CHI/WAS |
| SG | #1 | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | 6’5 | 204 lbs Georgia | Age: 28 | 9.7 pts, 2.7 reb, 1.9 ast 0.9 stl, 41% 3P – LAL |
| PG | #4 | Aaron Holiday | 6’0 | 185 lbs UCLA | Age: 25 | 7.2 pts, 1.9 ast, 1.3 reb 0.7 stl, 36.8% 3P – IND |
| SF | #9 | Deni Avdija | 6’9 | 210 lbs Israel | Age: 20 | 6.3 pts, 4.9 reb, 1.2 ast 0.6 stl, 41.7% FG |
| SF | #24 | Corey Kispert (R) | 6’6 | 224 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 22 | DRAFTED: 15th overall by WAS |
| PG | #19 | Raul Neto | 6’1 | 180 lbs Brazil | Age: 29 | 8.7 pts, 2.4 reb, 2.3 ast 1.1 stl, 39% 3P |
| PF | #14 | Isaiah Todd (R) | 6’9 | 219 lbs USA | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 31st overall by MIL |
| PF | #16 | Anthony Gill | 6’7 | 230 lbs Virginia | Age: 28 | 3.1 pts, 2 reb, 0.4 ast 0.4 stl, 50% FG |
| C | #13 | Thomas Bryant* (I) | 6’10 | 248 lbs Indiana | Age: 24 | 10 GP, 14.3 pts, 6.1 reb 1.5 ast, 42.9% 3P |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| PG | #5 | Cassius Winston | 6’1 | 185 lbs Michigan State | Age: 23 | 1.9 pts, 0.5 ast, 0.4 reb 0.1 stl, 47.1% 3P |
*Thomas Bryant continues to rehab a torn ACL and may return by December
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 33-49, 11th in East
MVP: SG Bradley Beal
Breakout Player: C Daniel Gafford
Grade: C
Coming off of a late run that led them to a play-in berth, the Wizards shook things up a bit this offseason. Russell Westbrook was dealt to the Lakers and in exchanged Washington got a big haul that included Kyle Kuzma, KCP, and Montrezl Harrell. They also added former Net guard Spencer Dinwiddie on a three-year contract to take the place of Westbrook in the backcourt with Beal. Aaron Holiday was also added from the Pacers, as well as Rookies Corey Kispert and Isaiah Todd. They also parted ways with long-time HC Scott Brooks in the offseason, adding long tenured assistant with a deep NBA lineage in Wes Unseld Jr.
This will definitely be an interesting year for Washington, as on paper the team doesn’t seem horrible but they will be dealing with a tough Conference and a first year Head Coach. They also have a few talented young players in Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, and Davis Bertans who are all coming off of mediocre seasons last year. I don’t anticipate the Wizards being very dominant and I think that they will probably struggle a bit as they navigate through some injury issues. The East is going to be a lot tougher this year, and someone is going to have to underperform, and the Wizards may be a candidate to do just that.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Denver Nuggets
HC: Mike Malone (7th year in DEN, Career record: 305-274, Team record: 266-207) – AGE: 50
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #15 | Nikola Jokić | 6’11 | 284 lbs Serbia | Age: 26 | 26.4 pts, 10.8 reb, 8.3 ast 1.3 stl, 56.6% FG |
| 4 PF | #50 | Aaron Gordon | 6’8 | 235 lbs Arizona | Age: 26 | 12.4 pts, 5.7 reb, 3.2 ast 0.7 blk, 46.3% FG – ORL/DEN |
| 3 F | #1 | Michael Porter Jr. | 6’10 | 218 lbs Missouri | Age: 23 | 19 pts, 7.3 reb, 1.1 ast 0.9 blk, 44.5% 3P |
| 2 SG/SF | #5 | Will Barton | 6’6 | 181 lbs Memphis | Age: 30 | 12.7 pts, 4 reb, 3.2 ast 0.9 stl, 38.1% 3P |
| 1 PG | #11 | Monte Morris | 6’2 | 183 lbs Iowa State | Age: 26 | 10.2 pts, 3.2 ast, 2 reb 0.7 stl, 38.1% 3P |
BENCH:
| G | #25 | Austin Rivers | 6’4 | 200 lbs Duke | Age: 29 | 7.9 pts, 2.3 reb, 2.3 ast 0.8 stl, 36.9% 3P – NY/DEN |
| F | #32 | Jeff Green | 6’8 | 235 lbs Georgetown | Age: 35 | 11 pts, 3.9 reb, 1.6 ast 0.5 stl, 41.2% 3P – BKN |
| PG | #7 | Facundo Campazzo | 5’10 | 195 lbs Argentina | Age: 30 | 6.1 pts, 3.6 ast, 2.1 reb 1.2 stl, 35.2% 3P |
| C | #10 | Bol Bol | 7’2 | 220 lbs Oregon | Age: 21 | 2.2 pts, 0.8 reb, 0.3 blk 0.2 ast, 37.5% 3P |
| SG | #35 | P.J. Dozier | 6’6 | 205 lbs South Carolina | Age: 24 | 7.7 pts, 3.6 reb, 1.8 ast 0.6 stl, 41.7% FG |
| PF/C | #0 | JaMychal Green | 6’8 | 227 lbs Alabama | Age: 31 | 8.1 pts, 4.8 reb, 0.9 ast 0.4 blk, 39.9% 3P |
| G | #3 | Nah’Shon Hyland (R) | 6’2 | 169 lbs VCU | Age: 21 | DRAFTED: 26th overall by DEN |
| PF | #22 | Zeke Nnaji | 6’9 | 240 lbs Arizona | Age: 20 | 3.2 pts, 1.5 reb, 0.2 ast 0.2 stl, 40.7% 3P |
| SF | #31 | Vlatko Čančar | 6’8 | 236 lbs Slovenia | Age: 24 | 2.1 pts, 1.2 reb, 0.3 ast 0.3 stl, 45.8% FG |
| PG | #27 | Jamal Murray* (I) | 6’3 | 215 lbs Kentucky | Age: 24 | 21.2 pts, 4.8 ast, 4 reb 1.3 stl, 40.8% 3P |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| PG | #00 | Markus Howard | 5’10 | 175 lbs Marquette | Age: 22 | 2.8 pts, 0.6 reb, 0.5 ast 0.1 stl, 37.7% FG |
| PF | #21 | Petr Cornelie (R) | 6’11 | 220 lbs France | Age: 26 | DRAFTED in 2016 |
*Jamal Murray tore his ACL in April and will miss most of the season
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 40-42, 9th in West
MVP: C Nikola Jokic
Breakout Player: C Bol Bol
Grade: C+
The Nuggets head into 21-22 fresh off of a year full of the highest highs and the lowest lows. On one hand, Nikola Jokic had a historic year averaging nearly a triple double and winning MVP. But on the other hand, another franchise star in Jamal Murray went down with a torn ACL in April, an injury that will keep him sidelined for the majority of this upcoming season. In the aftermath of this tragic injury, the Nuggest struggled and became a quick out in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. So how do they approach a season where Murray will be shelved for the majority of it?
Well with the way this team is constructed, Murray is as big of a loss as any one player for any one team in the league. He’s the backbone of the offense, with the ability to provide secondary scoring around Jokic. Without him they struggled mightily to find a secondary scorer to the same level. And besides giving MPJ a $200m+ contract this offseason they didn’t fill the gap at all to make a fan optimistic things will be better. Yes MPJ is becoming the stud we all thought he could be but he’s also a big man, and the problem lies in a league dominated by either effective backcourt duos or a star guard and wing duo. Austin Rivers was retained, Aaron Gordon was extended, and veteran Jeff Green was brought in. But in a tough West where Denver will be in the same division as the backcourts of Lillard-McCollum, Conley-Mitchell, and even Russell-Edwards, I’m not sure the Nuggets will be able to match up. This seems to have the makings of a dud year in Denver.
Minnesota Timberwolves
HC: Chris Finch (2nd year, Career/Team record: 16-25) – AGE: 51
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #32 | Karl-Anthony Towns | 6’11 | 248 lbs Kentucky | Age: 25 | 24.8 pts, 10.6 reb, 4.5 ast 1.1 blk, 38.7% 3P |
| 4 SF | #10 | Jake Layman | 6’8 | 209 lbs Maryland | Age: 27 | 5.1 pts, 1.5 reb, 0.6 ast 0.6 stl, 49.5% FG |
| 3 SG/SF | #1 | Anthony Edwards | 6’4 | 225 lbs Georgia | Age: 20 | 19.3 pts, 4.7 reb, 2.9 ast 1.1 stl, 0.5 blk |
| 2 SG | #5 | Malik Beasley | 6’4 | 187 lbs Florida State | Age: 24 | 19.6 pts, 4.4 reb, 2.4 ast 0.8 stl, 39.9% 3P |
| 1 PG | #0 | D’Angelo Russell | 6’4 | 193 lbs Ohio State | Age: | 19 pts, 5.8 ast, 2.6 reb 1.1 stl, 38.7% 3P |
BENCH:
| F | #12 | Taurean Prince | 6’7 | 218 lbs Baylor | Age: 27 | 9.5 pts, 3.5 reb, 1.9 ast 0.7 stl, 40% 3P – BKN/CLE |
| PG | #22 | Patrick Beverley | 6’1 | 180 lbs Arkansas | Age: 33 | 7.5 pts, 3.2 reb, 2.1 ast 0.8 stl, 0.8 blk – LAC |
| SF | #20 | Josh Okogie | 6’4 | 213 lbs Georgia Tech | Age: 23 | 5.4 pts, 2.6 reb, 1.1 ast 0.9 stl, 0.5 blk |
| C | #11 | Naz Reid | 6’9 | 264 lbs LSU | Age: 22 | 11.2 pts, 4.6 reb, 1.1 blk 1 ast, 52.3% FG |
| PF/C | #3 | Jaden McDaniels | 6’9 | 185 lbs Washington | Age: 21 | 6.8 pts, 3.7 reb, 1.1 ast 1 blk, 36.4% 3P |
| SG | #4 | Jaylen Nowell | 6’4 | 201 lbs Washington | Age: 22 | 9 pts, 2.3 reb, 1.5 ast 0.5 stl, 33.3% 3P |
| PG | #6 | Jordan McLaughlin | 5’11 | 185 lbs USC | Age: 25 | 5 pts, 3.8 ast, 2.1 reb 1 stl, 35.9% 3P |
| F | #8 | Jarred Vanderbilt | 6’9 | 214 lbs Kentucky | Age: 22 | 5.4 pts, 5.8 reb, 1.2 ast 1 stl, 60.6% FG |
| SG/SF | #9 | Leandro Bolmaro (R) | 6’7 | 200 lbs Argentina | Age: 21 | DRAFTED in 2020 |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| PF/C | #13 | Nathan Knight | 6’10 | 253 lbs William & Mary | Age: 24 | 3.8 pts, 2.2 reb, 0.3 blk 0.3 stl, 0.2 ast – ATL |
| PG | #25 | McKinley Wright IV (R) | 5’11 | 192 lbs Colorado | Age: 22 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 30-52, 11th in West
MVP: C Karl-Anthony Towns
Breakout Player: PF Jaden McDaniels
Grade: D+
The Timberwolves enter the new year, yet again, with a brand new Head Coach and a lot of scrutiny around the team. They shockingly fired GM Gerson Rosas a few weeks before training camp, a move that shocked many NBA fans including their franchise cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns. But now with a few core pieces in place, and a couple of good veterans, the team will look to turn the corner in what may be a pivotal year to keeping the organization from another rebuild. The Towns-Edwards-Russell big three looks like it should finally work, and can potentially be one of the better scoring trios in the league. Patrick Beverley and Taurean Prince give good veteran minutes off the bench and a winning attitude that Minnesota desperately needs. So why is this year so pivotal?
Well it seems like the core is beginning to get fed up after years of let down and questionable organizational moves. KAT has two-years left on his contract after this year, and DLo has one, and if this year ends up being another dud the two can easily try to force their way out of Minnesota in the offseason. The pieces also seem to be finally put in place, everyone is healthy and they have multiple scoring options now outside of Towns with Russell, Edwards, Beasley, Layman, and Prince. Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels are also two youngsters who provided great minutes for the team a year ago and they will also have the arrival of their 2020 first round pick Leandro Bolmaro. It’s a tough West and I’m not necessarily sure I can predict Minnesota doing great due to their track record, but I’ll be rooting for them and hopefully they can turn the corner with this new regime.
Oklahoma City Thunder
HC: Mark Daigneault (2nd year, Career/Team record: 22-50) – AGE: 36
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #17 | Aleksej Pokuševski | 7’0 | 190 lbs Serbia | Age: 19 | 8.2 pts, 4.7 reb, 2.2 ast 0.9 blk, 0.4 stl |
| 4 F | #7 | Darius Bazley | 6’8 | 208 lbs USA | Age: 21 | 13.7 pts, 7.2 reb, 1.8 ast 0.5 blk, 0.5 stl |
| 3 SG/SF | #5 | Luguentz Dort | 6’3 | 215 lbs Arizona State | Age: 22 | 14 pts, 3.6 reb, 1.7 ast 0.9 stl, 34.3% 3P |
| 2 G | #2 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 6’6 | 180 lbs Kentucky | Age: 23 | 23.7 pts, 5.9 ast, 4.7 reb 0.8 stl, 41.8% 3P |
| 1 PG | #11 | Théo Maledon | 6’4 | 175 lbs France | Age: 20 | 10.1 pts, 3.5 ast, 3.2 reb 0.9 stl, 33.5% 3P |
BENCH:
| PF/C | #15 | Derrick Favors | 6’9 | 265 lbs Georgia Tech | Age: 30 | 5.4 pts, 5.5 reb, 1 blk 0.6 ast, 63.8% FG – UTA |
| PG | #3 | Josh Giddey (R) | 6’8 | 205 lbs Australia | Age: 18 | DRAFTED: 6th overall by OKC |
| SF | #22 | Isaiah Roby | 6’8 | 230 lbs Nebraska | Age: 23 | 8.7 pts, 5.6 reb, 1.8 ast 0.9 stl, 48.3% FG |
| G | #23 | Tre Mann (R) | 6’3 | 178 lbs Florida | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 18th overall by OKC |
| C | #33 | Mike Muscala | 6’10 | 240 lbs Bucknell | Age: 30 | 9.7 pts, 3.8 reb, 0.8 ast 0.3 blk, 37% 3P |
| SG | #16 | Ty Jerome | 6’5 | 195 lbs Virginia | Age: 24 | 10.7 pts, 3.6 reb, 2.8 ast 0.6 stl, 42.3% 3P |
| SG/SF | #34 | Kenrich Williams | 6’6 | 210 lbs TCU | Age: 26 | 8 pts, 4.1 reb, 2.3 ast 0.8 stl, 44.4% 3P |
| PF/C | #25 | Mamadi Diakite | 6’9 | 228 lbs Virginia | Age: 24 | 14 GP, 3.1 pts, 2.4 reb 0.6 ast, 0.5 stl – MIL |
| PF | #50 | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (R) | 6’8 | 242 lbs Villanova | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 32nd overall by NY |
| G | #27 | Vit Krejčí (R) | 6’8 | 195 lbs Czech | Age: 21 | DRAFTED in 2020 |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| SG | #8 | Paul Watson | 6’6 | 210 lbs Fresno State | Age: 26 | 4.1 pts, 1.7 reb, 0.6 ast 0.2 stl, 46.9% 3P – TOR |
| SG/SF | #21 | Aaron Wiggins (R) | 6’5 | 190 lbs Maryland | Age: 22 | DRAFTED: 55th overall by OKC |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 24-58, 14th in West
MVP: SG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Breakout Player: PG Theo Maledon
Grade: D-
The Thunder head into the new year two seasons deep in their rebuild with plenty of draft picks stockpiled. For 2021 OKC kept four of their draft picks, and selected Australian guard Josh Giddey, combo guard Tre Mann, back to the basket big man Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, and Maryland wing Aaron Wiggins. They will also have the arrival of 2020 draft pick Vit Krejci, and a freshly re-signed Mike Muscala to provide veteran depth. As they usually do too, the Thunder took on a veteran contract that Utah looked to dump in Derrick Favors. With Favors’ “hefty” $9m+ contract leading the way, the Thunder enter the year with no players on a salary of 8 figures or more. This just goes to show the type of mode OKC is in, they’re building with a young Head Coach and trying to accumulate as much young talent as possible to see who’s worth keeping.
So far they may have a few, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has implemented himself as the franchise cornerstone and got a max contract that kicks in next year. Last years rookies Aleksej Pokusevski and Theo Maledon also played solid, showing some starting level potential. Journeyman youngsters Kenrich Williams, Isaiah Roby, and Ty Jerome all also made the most of their minutes and will probably continue to see a solid work load heading into this year. The Thunder will definitely not be competitive and will probably be looking at another top 5 lottery odds. Which in a way is just what they want.
Portland Trail Blazers
HC: Chauncey Billups (1st year) – AGE: 45
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #27 | Jusuf Nurkić | 6’11 | 290 lbs Bosnia | Age: 27 | 11.5 pts, 9 reb, 3.4 ast 1.1 blk, 1 stl |
| 4 F | #11 | Larry Nance Jr. | 6’7 | 245 lbs Wyoming | Age: 28 | 9.3 pts, 6.7 reb, 3.1 ast 1.7 stl, 47.1% FG – CLE |
| 3 F | #23 | Robert Covington | 6’7 | 209 lbs Tennessee State | Age: 30 | 8.5 pts, 6.7 reb, 1.7 ast 1.4 stl, 1.2 blk |
| 2 SG | #3 | C.J. McCollum | 6’3 | 190 lbs Lehigh | Age: 30 | 23.1 pts, 4.7 ast, 3.9 reb 0.9 stl, 40.2% 3P |
| 1 PG | #0 | Damian Lillard | 6’2 | 195 lbs Weber State | Age: 31 | 28.8 pts, 7.5 ast, 4.2 reb 0.9 stl, 39.1% 3P |
BENCH:
| SF | #24 | Norman Powell | 6’3 | 215 lbs UCLA | Age: 28 | 18.6 pts, 3.1 reb, 1.9 ast 1.2 stl, 41.1% 3P – TOR/POR |
| G | #1 | Anfernee Simons | 6’3 | 181 lbs USA | Age: 22 | 7.8 pts, 2.2 reb, 1.4 ast 0.3 stl, 42.6% 3P |
| PF/C | #40 | Cody Zeller | 6’11 | 240 lbs Indiana | Age: 28 | 9.4 pts, 6.8 reb, 1.8 ast 0.6 stl, 55.9% FG – CHA |
| SG | #23 | Ben McLemore | 6’3 | 195 lbs Kansas | Age: 28 | 7.7 pts, 1.9 reb, 0.7 ast 0.4 stl, 34.6% 3P – HOU/LAL |
| SF | #9 | Nassir Little | 6’5 | 220 lbs North Carolina | Age: 21 | 4.6 pts, 2.7 reb, 0.5 ast 0.3 blk, 35% 3P |
| PF | #54 | Patrick Patterson | 6’9 | 235 lbs Kentucky | Age: 32 | 5.2 pts, 2 reb, 0.8 ast 0.4 stl, 43.6% FG – LAC |
| SG/SF | #17 | Tony Snell | 6’6 | 213 lbs New Mexico | Age: 29 | 5.3 pts, 2.4 reb, 1.3 ast 0.3 stl, 56.9% 3P – ATL |
| SG | #16 | C.J. Elleby | 6’6 | 200 lbs Washington St. | Age: 21 | 2.3 pts, 1.1 reb, 0.3 ast 0.2 stl, 0.1 blk |
| PF/C | #4 | Greg Brown III (R) | 6’8 | 206 lbs Texas | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 43rd overall by NO |
| PG | #10 | Dennis Smith Jr. | 6’2 | 205 lbs NC State | Age: 23 | 6.7 pts, 3.3 ast, 2.4 reb 1 stl, 32.8% 3P – NY/DET |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| SF | #21 | Keljin Blevins | 6’4 | 200 lbs Montana State | Age: 25 | 17 GP, 0.7 pts, 0.6 reb 0.2 ast, 0.1 stl |
| PF | #2 | Trendon Watford (R) | 6’8 | 237 lbs LSU | Age: 20 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 48-34, 4th in West
MVP: PG Damian Lillard
Breakout Player: SF Nassir Little
Grade: B
The Blazers enter the new season in probably their biggest make or break year in recent team history. With a new Head Coach in former NBA star Chauncey Billups, and the rumors circulating about Lillard’s questioning desire to stay long-term, nothing short of a deep run in the playoffs will make any Blazers fan feel safe following the season. And honestly rightfully so, as Lillard has spent nearly a decade in Portland just to see the team never be able to figure out how to get over the hump. They did address a few needs this offseason though that may help. Veterans Cody Zeller, Patrick Patterson, Ben McLemore, Tony Snell, and Larry Nance Jr. were all brought on board to try to shake up the team’s depth a bit. Lillard, McCollum, and Nurkic will remain the big three with Norman Powell getting an extension. Youngsters Anfernee Simons and Nassir Little will continue to provide more bench depth. But is this really a changed team?
Well the West is still not very easy and in contrast to the other powerhouses like Utah, both LA teams, and even Phoenix, they’re probably not in the same category. But they are right on the outside of that, as an all out push for a 4-seed can highly be in reach for the Blazers this year if all goes right. With the Nuggets definitely taking a step back and the uncertainty around Kawhi and his injury, Portland could have a big opening to make some noise. I anticipate a lot of fire power coming out of the Blazers, as I really think they’re going to smell the blood in the water and capitalize on it.
Utah Jazz
HC: Quin Snyder (8th year, Career/Team record: 323-231) – AGE: 55
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #27 | Rudy Gobert | 7’1 | 258 lbs France | Age: 29 | 14.3 pts, 13.5 reb, 2.7 blk 1.3 ast, 67.5% FG |
| 4 F | #44 | Bojan Bogdanović | 6’7 | 226 lbs Croatia | Age: 32 | 17 pts, 3.9 reb, 1.9 ast 0.6 stl, 39% 3P |
| 3 SF | #23 | Royce O’Neale | 6’4 | 226 lbs Baylor | Age: 28 | 7 pts, 6.8 reb, 2.5 ast 0.8 stl, 38.4% 3P |
| 2 SG | #45 | Donovan Mitchell | 6’1 | 215 lbs Louisville | Age: 25 | 26.4 pts, 5.2 ast, 4.4 reb 1 stl, 38.6% 3P |
| 1 PG | #11 | Mike Conley Jr. | 6’1 | 175 lbs Ohio State | Age: 33 | 16.2 pts, 6 ast, 3.5 reb 1.4 stl, 41.2% 3P |
BENCH:
| G | #00 | Jordan Clarkson | 6’4 | 194 lbs Missouri | Age: 29 | 18.4 pts, 4 reb, 2.5 ast 0.9 stl, 34.7% 3P |
| SF | #2 | Joe Ingles | 6’8 | 220 lbs Australia | Age: 34 | 12.1 pts, 4.7 ast, 3.6 reb 0.7 stl, 45.1% 3P |
| F | #8 | Rudy Gay | 6’8 | 250 lbs Connecticut | Age: 35 | 11.4 pts, 4.8 reb, 1.4 ast 0.7 stl, 38.1% 3P – SA |
| PF | #0 | Eric Paschall | 6’6 | 255 lbs Villanova | Age: 24 | 9.5 pts, 3.2 reb, 1.3 ast 0.3 stl, 49.7% FG – GS |
| C | #21 | Hassan Whiteside | 7’0 | 265 lbs Marshall | Age: 32 | 8.1 pts, 6 reb, 1.3 blk 0.6 ast, 56.3% FG – SAC |
| G | #13 | Jared Butler (R) | 6’2 | 193 lbs Baylor | Age: 21 | DRAFTED: 40th overall by NO |
| C | #20 | Udoka Azubuike | 6’10 | 280 lbs Kansas | Age: 22 | 15 GP, 1.1 pts, 0.9 reb 0.3 blk, 0.1 stl |
| SG/SF | #33 | Elijah Hughes | 6’5 | 215 lbs Syracuse | Age: 23 | 18 GP, 1.7 pts, 0.5 reb 0.3 ast, 0.1 stl |
| SG | #81 | Miye Oni | 6’5 | 206 lbs Yale | Age: 24 | 1.9 pts, 1.6 reb, 0.5 ast 0.2 stl, 34.1% 3P |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| SG | #3 | Trent Forrest | 6’4 | 210 lbs Florida State | Age: 23 | 2.9 pts, 1.5 reb, 1.5 ast 0.3 stl, 45.1% FG |
| SF | #10 | Derrick Alston Jr. | 6’9 | 190 lbs Boise State | Age: 24 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 49-33, 3rd in West
MVP: SG Donovan Mitchell
Breakout Player: SG Elijah Hughes
Grade: B+
After accumulating the best record in the West a season ago, Utah had another disappointing early exit from the playoffs that came in a year that the door seemed wide open to make a run. It was a sad outcome but the entire season can’t be chalked up as a loss just because of that, as the future continues to remain bright for Utah’s young core. The Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert show looked better than ever, with D-Mitch earning his first all-star nod and Rudy winning his third Defensive Player of the Year award. Jordan Clarkson also took home 6th Man of the Year and Joe Ingles finished close behind in the voting, although he was more of a 7th man.
During the offseason Mike Conley was re-upped on a new three-year deal, a move that was crucial to running it back this season. Veterans Rudy Gay and Hassan Whiteside were also added to aid the bench and young big man, and childhood best friend of Mitchell, Eric Paschall was acquired from Golden State. These were moves that I think will pay crucial dividends in getting the Jazz back into contention this season. The top end of the West definitely won’t be easy, with the Lakers looking tougher than ever and the Suns bringing everyone back, but the Jazz’s recent offseason struggles I think have played as a learning tool for their young core. They will break through in the playoffs eventually, they’re way too talented not to.
Golden State Warriors
HC: Steve Kerr (8th year, Career/Team record: 376-171) – AGE: 56
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #5 | Kevon Looney | 6’9 | 222 lbs UCLA | Age: 25 | 4.1 pts, 5.3 reb, 2 ast 0.4 blk, 54.8% FG |
| 4 PF | #23 | Draymond Green | 6’6 | 230 lbs Michigan State | Age: 31 | 7 pts, 8.9 ast, 7.1 reb 1.7 stl, 0.8 blk |
| 3 SF | #22 | Andrew Wiggins | 6’7 | 197 lbs Kansas | Age: 26 | 18.6 pts, 4.9 reb, 2.4 ast 1 blk, 38% 3P |
| 2 SG | #11 | Klay Thompson* | 6’6 | 215 lbs Washington State | Age: 31 | DNP – INJURED |
| 1 PG | #30 | Stephen Curry | 6’3 | 185 lbs Davidson | Age: 33 | 32 pts, 5.8 ast, 5.5 reb 1.2 stl, 42.1% 3P |
BENCH:
| SG | #3 | Jordan Poole | 6’4 | 194 lbs Michigan | Age: 22 | 12 pts, 1.9 ast, 1.8 reb 0.5 stl, 35.1% 3P |
| F | #00 | Jonathan Kuminga** (R) | 6’7 | 225 lbs Congo | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 7th overall by GS |
| SF | #9 | Andre Iguodala | 6’6 | 215 lbs Arizona | Age: 37 | 4.4 pts, 3.5 reb, 2.3 ast 0.9 stl, 33% 3P – MIA |
| SF | #32 | Otto Porter Jr. | 6’8 | 198 lbs Georgetown | Age: 28 | 9.7 pts, 5.4 reb, 2 ast 0.6 stl, 37.5% 3P – CHI/ORL |
| SG | #4 | Moses Moody (R) | 6’5 | 211 lbs Arkansas | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 14th overall by GS |
| PF | #8 | Nemanja Bjelica | 6’10 | 234 lbs Serbia | Age: 33 | 6.5 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.9 ast 0.4 stl, 45.4% FG – SAC/MIA |
| SG | #1 | Damion Lee | 6’5 | 210 lbs Louisville | Age: 28 | 6.5 pts, 3.2 reb, 1.3 ast 0.7 stl, 39.7% 3P |
| SF | #95 | Juan Toscano-Anderson | 6’6 | 209 lbs Marquette | Age: 28 | 5.7 pts, 4.4 reb, 2.8 ast 0.8 stl, 40.2% 3P |
| G | #15 | Mychal Mulder | 6’3 | 184 lbs Kentucky | Age: 27 | 5.6 pts, 1 reb, 0.4 ast 0.2 stl, 39.7% 3P |
| C | #33 | James Wiseman*** | 7’0 | 240 lbs Memphis | Age: 20 | 11.5 pts, 5.8 reb, 0.9 blk 0.7 ast, 51.9% FG |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| PG | #2 | Chris Chiozza | 5’11 | 175 lbs Miami (FL) | Age: 25 | 4 pts, 3 ast, 1.1 reb 0.3 stl, 0.3 blk – BKN |
*Klay Thompson continues to rehab his torn achilles and may miss a few games
**Jonathan Kuminga has a strained patella tendon and may miss a few weeks
***James Wiseman continues to rehab his torn meniscus and may miss the first 1-2 months
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 44-38, 8th in West
MVP: PG Stephen Curry
Breakout Player: C James Wiseman
Grade: B
The Warriors head into the new year fresh off of a two year reset that got them fully healthy and ready to attack once again. After winning 3 titles in 5 straight appearances, Durant left in the summer of 2019 which was led by injury filled seasons to Klay and Steph where the Warriors finished among the league’s worst in 19-20. With their top pick they took James Wiseman, but another injury set back sidelined Klay for a second straight year. Steph did return to his old form, winning a scoring title in a failed play-in season. With two more lottery picks the team added Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody to their already stellar shooting squad. Now if fully healthy how will they rank among the best in the West?
Well Klay will be returning from a two-year absence and will need some time to get back into form. James Wiseman also will be sidelined for a bit while rehabbing his torn meniscus. But besides that the team added more veteran depth in the return of Andre Iguodala, Otto Porter Jr., and Nemanja Bjelica. Their young bench core of Lee, Poole, Toscano, and Mulder has already looked promising during the team’s tanking years and adding youngsters Kuminga and Moody to that should help big time. If they’re healthy I anticipate the Warriors fighting for a 5 or 6 seed to avoid the play-in. Regardless they should be in the top 8 in the West.
Los Angeles Clippers
HC: Tyronn Lue (2nd year in LAC, Career record: 175-108, Team record: 47-25) – AGE: 44
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #9 | Serge Ibaka | 6’10 | 235 lbs Congo | Age: 32 | 11.1 pts, 6.7 reb, 1.8 ast 1.1 blk, 51% FG |
| 4 F | #33 | Nicolas Batum | 6’8 | 230 lbs France | Age: 32 | 8.1 pts, 4.7 reb, 2.2 ast 1 stl, 40.4% 3P |
| 3 SG/SF | #13 | Paul George | 6’8 | 220 lbs Fresno State | Age: 31 | 23.3 pts, 6.6 reb, 5.2 ast 1.1 stl, 41.1% 3P |
| 2 G | #12 | Eric Bledsoe | 6’1 | 214 lbs Kentucky | Age: 31 | 12.2 pts, 3.8 ast, 3.4 reb 0.8 stl, 34.1% 3P – NO |
| 1 PG | #1 | Reggie Jackson | 6’2 | 208 lbs Boston College | Age: 31 | 10.7 pts, 3.1 ast, 2.9 reb 0.6 stl, 43.3% 3P |
BENCH:
| SG | #5 | Luke Kennard | 6’5 | 206 lbs Duke | Age: 25 | 8.3 pts, 2.6 reb, 1.7 ast 0.4 stl, 44.6% 3P |
| F | #8 | Marcus Morris Sr. | 6’8 | 218 lbs Kansas | Age: 32 | 13.4 pts, 4.1 reb, 1 ast 0.6 stl, 47.3% 3P |
| C | #40 | Ivica Zubac | 7’0 | 240 lbs Bosnia | Age: 24 | 9 pts, 7.2 reb, 1.3 ast 0.9 blk, 65.2% FG |
| F | #20 | Justise Winslow | 6’6 | 222 lbs Duke | Age: 25 | 6.8 pts, 4.5 reb, 1.9 ast 0.6 stl, 0.5 blk – MEM |
| SG | #14 | Terance Mann | 6’5 | 215 lbs Florida State | Age: 24 | 7 pts, 3.6 reb, 1.6 ast 0.4 stl, 41.8% 3P |
| SG | #45 | Keon Johnson (R) | 6’4 | 185 lbs Tennessee | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 21st overall by NY |
| SG/SF | #4 | Brandon Boston Jr. (R) | 6’6 | 188 lbs Kentucky | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 51st overall by MEM |
| C | #55 | Isaiah Hartenstein | 7’0 | 250 lbs USA | Age: 23 | 5.1 pts, 3.9 reb, 1.2 ast 0.8 blk, 55% FG – DEN/CLE |
| SF | #2 | Kawhi Leonard* | 6’7 | 225 lbs San Diego St. | Age: 30 | 24.8 pts, 6.5 reb, 5.2 ast 1.6 stl, 51.2% FG |
| PG | #17 | Jason Preston** (R) | 6’3 | 181 lbs Ohio | Age: 22 | DRAFTED: 33rd overall by ORL |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| SG | #7 | Amir Coffey | 6’7 | 210 lbs Minnesota | Age: 24 | 3.2 pts, 1 reb, 0.5 ast 0.2 stl, 41.1% 3P |
| G | #0 | Jay Scrubb | 6’5 | 220 lbs John A. Logan | Age: 21 | 4 GP, 8.8 pts, 3.5 reb 1 stl, 0.3 ast |
*Kawhi Leonard has a torn ACL and could miss the majority of the season
**Jason Preston had foot surgery and could miss most of the season
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 47-35, 6th in West
MVP: SF Kawhi Leonard
Breakout Player: SG Terance Mann
Grade: B
The Clippers enter the new year fresh off of another postseason let down, where it seems like they can’t get over the hump in the two years of their new dynasty. But a new stadium and a fresh full season for second year coach Tyronn Lue could pay off well for the Clips. Star Kawhi Leonard will probably miss the vast majority of the season, a loss that is irreplaceable and will take step ups from a lot of pieces to make up for it. Nicolas Batum and Reggie Jackson were extended, while Eric Bledsoe and Justise Winslow were added. Rookies Keon Johnson, BJ Boston, and Jason Preston were all drafted, three pieces that should help out the team’s backcourt depth big time for years to come. It’s not going to come without an all out effort and probably some solid trades based on the amount of talent that is not only in their division but also in the West. A lot of people think that the Clippers may punt this season and if things don’t start off well they definitely may hit the reset button fast and look forward to a fresh and healthy Kawhi in 22-23. Leonard was extended this summer and George last offseason so the core is not going anywhere. It will be interesting to see if this group of veterans can put together a contender without their franchise face.
Los Angeles Lakers
HC: Frank Vogel (3rd year in LAL, Career record: 398-340, Team record: 94-49) – AGE: 48
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #10 | DeAndre Jordan | 6’11 | 265 lbs Texas A&M | Age: 33 | 7.5 pts, 7.5 reb, 1.6 ast 1.1 blk, 76.3% FG – BKN |
| 4 PF | #3 | Anthony Davis | 6’10 | 253 lbs Kentucky | Age: 28 | 21.8 pts, 7.9 reb, 3.1 ast 1.6 blk, 1.3 stl |
| 3 F | #6 | LeBron James | 6’9 | 250 lbs USA | Age: 36 | 25 pts, 7.8 ast, 7.7 reb 1.1 stl, 51.3% FG |
| 2 G | #12 | Kendrick Nunn | 6’2 | 190 lbs Oakland | Age: 26 | 14.6 pts, 3.2 reb, 2.6 ast 0.9 stl, 38.1% 3P – MIA |
| 1 PG | #0 | Russell Westbrook | 6’3 | 200 lbs UCLA | Age: 32 | 22.2 pts, 11.7 ast, 11.5 reb 1.4 stl, 43.9% FG – WAS |
BENCH:
| F | #7 | Carmelo Anthony | 6’7 | 238 lbs Syracuse | Age: 37 | 13.4 pts, 3.1 reb, 1.5 ast 0.7 stl, 40.9% 3P – POR |
| PG | #4 | Rajon Rondo | 6’1 | 180 lbs Kentucky | Age: 35 | 5.4 pts, 4.4 ast, 2.4 reb 0.8 stl, 40.4% 3P -ATL/LAC |
| SG | #5 | Talen Horton-Tucker | 6’4 | 234 lbs Iowa State | Age: 20 | 9 pts, 2.8 ast, 2.6 reb 1 stl, 45.8% FG |
| C | #39 | Dwight Howard | 6’10 | 265 lbs USA | Age: 35 | 7 pts, 8.4 reb, 0.9 blk 0.9 ast, 58.7% FG – PHI |
| SG/SF | #9 | Kent Bazemore | 6’4 | 195 lbs Old Dominion | Age: 32 | 7.2 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.6 ast 1 stl, 40.8% 3P – GS |
| SG | #2 | Wayne Ellington | 6’4 | 207 lbs North Carolina | Age: 33 | 9.6 pts, 1.8 reb, 1.5 ast 0.4 stl, 42.2% 3P – DET |
| SG | #11 | Malik Monk | 6’3 | 200 lbs Kentucky | Age: 23 | 11.7 pts, 2.4 reb, 2.1 ast 0.5 stl, 40.1% 3P – CHA |
| SG | #15 | Austin Reaves (R) | 6’5 | 197 lbs Oklahoma | Age: 23 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
| F | #1 | Trevor Ariza* (I) | 6’8 | 215 lbs UCLA | Age: 36 | 9.4 pts, 4.8 reb, 1.8 ast 1 stl, 35% 3P – MIA |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| F | #45 | Sekou Doumbouya | 6’8 | 230 lbs France | Age: 20 | 5.1 pts, 2.6 reb, 0.8 ast 0.4 stl, 0.2 blk – DET |
*Trevor Ariza had ankle surgery and may miss two months
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 56-26, 1st in West
MVP: PF Anthony Davis
Breakout Player: SG Austin Reaves
Grade: A-
Well it was a let down in 2021 for the reigning champs, as injuries to AD and LeBron derailed their season and led to a 7-seed and first round exit. To fix the broken system, Rob Pelinka went to work and completely re-designed the entire core outside of AD and Bron. Kuzma, Harrell, and KCP were all dealt in exchange for Russell Westbrook, a move that brings the star back home to LA and creates a big 3 with an aging LeBron. Former all-stars Carmelo Anthony, DeAndre Jordan, Rajon Rondo, and Dwight Howard were all added to help aid the bench and provide extra depth. Young guard Talen Horton-Tucker was also extended, providing youth to a team containing nine players north of 30. Malik Monk was also added via free agency as well as break out star for the Heat Kendrick Nunn.
There’s no doubt this team looks better than last year and they look much more equipped to compete if injuries continue to harass Davis and James. I think it may be a bit of an adjustment but Westbrook should fit in well, although he and LeBron are both perennial 10+ assist per game players. On paper this team looks like the best in the West and it will be tough to pick against them. Now entering his age-37 season, King James will be coming off of his most injury filled year of his career and with the extra depth there’s no reason he shouldn’t be able to take a workload off. Just add a few more extra all-stars to the stacked list of teammates LeBron has had throughout his career…
Phoenix Suns
HC: Monty Williams (3rd year in PHX, Career record: 258-281, Team record: 85-60) – AGE: 50
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #22 | Deandre Ayton | 6’11 | 250 lbs Arizona | Age: 23 | 14.4 pts, 10.5 reb, 1.4 ast 1.2 blk, 62.6% FG |
| 4 F | #99 | Jae Crowder | 6’6 | 235 lbs Marquette | Age: 31 | 10.1 pts, 4.7 reb, 2.1 ast 0.8 stl, 38.9% 3P |
| 3 SF | #25 | Mikal Bridges | 6’6 | 209 lbs Villanova | Age: 25 | 13.5 pts, 4.3 reb, 2.1 ast 1.1 stl, 42.5% 3P |
| 2 SG | #1 | Devin Booker | 6’5 | 206 lbs Kentucky | Age: 24 | 25.6 pts, 4.3 ast, 4.2 reb 0.8 stl, 48.4% FG |
| 1 PG | #3 | Chris Paul | 6’0 | 175 lbs Wake Forest | Age: 36 | 16.4 pts, 8.9 ast, 4.5 reb 1.4 stl, 39.5% 3P |
BENCH:
| PG | #15 | Cameron Payne | 6’1 | 183 lbs Murray State | Age: 27 | 8.4 pts, 3.6 ast, 2.4 reb 0.6 stl, 44% 3P |
| F | #23 | Cameron Johnson | 6’8 | 210 lbs North Carolina | Age: 25 | 9.6 pts, 3.3 reb, 1.4 ast 0.6 stl, 34.9% 3P |
| C | #00 | JaVale McGee | 7’0 | 270 lbs Nevada | Age: 33 | 7.3 pts, 5.2 reb, 1.2 blk 0.8 ast, 51.1% FG – CLE/DEN |
| SG | #14 | Landry Shamet | 6’4 | 190 lbs Wichita State | Age: 24 | 9.3 pts, 1.8 reb, 1.6 ast 0.5 stl, 38.7% 3P – BKN |
| SF | #11 | Abdel Nader | 6’5 | 225 lbs Iowa State | Age: 28 | 6.7 pts, 2.6 reb, 0.8 ast 0.4 stl, 41.9% 3P |
| PF/C | #8 | Frank Kaminsky | 7’0 | 240 lbs Wisconsin | Age: 28 | 6.6 pts, 4 reb, 1.7 ast 0.4 blk, 47.1% FG |
| PF/C | #10 | Jalen Smith | 6’10 | 215 lbs Maryland | Age: 21 | 2 pts, 1.4 reb, 0.2 blk 0.1 ast, 44% FG |
| PG | #2 | Elfrid Payton | 6’3 | 195 lbs UL-Lafayette | Age: 27 | 10.1 pts, 3.4 reb, 3.2 ast 0.7 stl, 43.2% FG – NY |
| PG | #4 | Chasson Randle | 6’2 | 185 lbs Stanford | Age: 28 | 6.5 pts, 2 reb, 1.8 ast 0.5 stl, 33.8% 3P – ORL |
| PF | #20 | Dario Šarić* (I) | 6’10 | 225 lbs Croatia | Age: 27 | 8.7 pts, 3.8 reb, 1.3 ast 0.6 stl, 34.8% 3P |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| SG/SF | #35 | Chandler Hutchison | 6’6 | 210 lbs Boise State | Age: 25 | 4.3 pts, 3.1 reb, 0.7 ast 0.5 stl, 36.4% 3P – CHI/WAS |
*Dario Saric tore his ACL in June and could miss the entire season
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 51-31, 2nd in West
MVP: PG Chris Paul
Breakout Player: PF Jalen Smith
Grade: B+
Coming off of their improbable run to the NBA Finals last year, the Suns proved that they finally found their missing piece in future Hall-Of-Famer Chris Paul. After catching fire in the bubble a year ago, the Suns added CP3 via trade and it resulted in a 2-seed and a Western Conference Championship. Now looking towards the future, it sure seems bright in the Valley with their young core of Ayton, Booker, and Bridges, added to the veteran depth of Paul and Crowder. JaVale McGee was also added to provide a decent backup, while breakout star Cameron Payne was extended to continue leading the second unit in scoring.
With their high powered offense and basically everyone returning, I think Phoenix is going to be right back at the top of the West with some unfinished business to take care of. Sure the Lakers and others seem better on paper but this team has gelled so well and are led by a veteran that’s not going to stop until he gets his ring. I do think they may need another piece or two and the deadline will probably suit them well in that fact, but still the Suns should be fighting for a top 3 seed in the East alongside LA and Utah. They’re gritty, hard-nosed, and have so much young talent, a mixture that may put them over the top in the next couple of years.
Sacramento Kings
HC: Luke Walton (3rd year in SAC, Career record: 160-230, Team record: 62-82) – AGE: 41
STARTERS:
| 5 PF/C | #22 | Richaun Holmes | 6’10 | 235 lbs Bowling Green | Age: 27 | 14.2 pts, 8.3 reb, 1.7 ast 1.6 blk, 63.7% FG |
| 4 PF | #35 | Marvin Bagley III | 6’11 | 235 lbs Duke | Age: 22 | 14.1 pts, 7.4 reb, 1 ast 0.5 blk, 0.5 stl |
| 3 SF | #40 | Harrison Barnes | 6’8 | 225 lbs North Carolina | Age: 29 | 16.1 pts, 6.6 reb, 3.5 ast 0.7 stl, 39.1% 3P |
| 2 G | #0 | Tyrese Haliburton | 6’5 | 185 lbs Iowa State | Age: 21 | 13 pts, 5.3 ast, 3 reb 1.3 stl, 40.9% 3P |
| 1 PG | #5 | De’Aaron Fox | 6’3 | 185 lbs Kentucky | Age: 23 | 25.2 pts, 7.2 ast, 3.5 reb 1.5 stl, 47.7% FG |
BENCH:
| SG | #24 | Buddy Hield | 6’4 | 220 lbs Oklahoma | Age: 28 | 16.6 pts, 4.7 reb, 3.6 ast 0.9 stl, 39.1% 3P |
| C | #13 | Tristan Thompson | 6’9 | 254 lbs Texas | Age: 30 | 7.6 pts, 8.1 reb, 1.2 ast 0.6 blk, 51.8% FG – BOS |
| PG | #15 | Davion Mitchell (R) | 6’0 | 202 lbs Baylor | Age: 23 | DRAFTED: 9th overall by SAC |
| SF | #8 | Moe Harkless | 6’7 | 220 lbs St. John’s | Age: 28 | 5.2 pts, 2.4 reb, 1.2 ast 0.8 stl, 0.5 blk – MIA/SAC |
| SG | #9 | Terence Davis | 6’4 | 201 lbs Ole Miss | Age: 24 | 8.7 pts, 2.5 reb, 1.4 ast 0.7 stl, 36.7% 3P – TOR/SAC |
| PF/C | #7 | Chimezie Metu | 6’9 | 225 lbs USC | Age: 24 | 6.3 pts, 3.1 reb, 0.8 ast 0.5 blk, 50.8% FG |
| SG | #20 | Jahmi’us Ramsey | 6’3 | 190 lbs Texas Tech | Age: 20 | 13 GP, 3.1 pts, 0.8 reb 0.5 ast, 0.3 stl |
| C | #30 | Damian Jones | 6’11 | 245 lbs Vanderbilt | Age: 26 | 4.7 pts, 3.1 reb, 0.7 ast 0.7 blk, 68% FG – PHX/LAL/SAC |
| SF | #17 | Robert Woodard II | 6’6 | 235 lbs Mississippi St. | Age: 22 | 13 GP, 1.5 pts, 1.2 reb 0.2 ast, 0.2 blk |
| C | #25 | Alex Len | 7’0 | 250 lbs Maryland | Age: 28 | 6.6 pts, 4.1 reb, 1 blk 0.8 ast, 61.5% FG – TOR/WAS |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS
| F | #23 | Louis King | 6’7 | 205 lbs Oregon | Age: 22 | 6 GP, 7.3 pts, 3 reb 1.5 ast, 1.2 stl |
| C | #88 | Neemias Queta (R) | 6’11 | 248 lbs Utah State | Age: 22 | DRAFTED: 39th overall by SAC |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 27-55, 13th in West
MVP: PG De’Aaron Fox
Breakout Player: SG Jahmi’us Ramsey
Grade: C
I’ll tell you what, for the first time in a while I’m not terribly unimpressed with the Kings’ roster heading into the new season. After the emergence of Tyrese Haliburton as a rookie last year, the team has a pretty solid young core adding him to Fox, Holmes, and Hield. Marvin Bagley is definitely still a work in progress as he’s struggled to amount to the big prospect everyone thought he could become. Still he is serviceable and if the Kings fall out of contention I could see him getting a fresh start somewhere else. The team also added veteran big men Tristan Thompson and Alex Len, and re-upped the contracts of Moe Harkless and Damian Jones. Terance Davis emerged in 2019 as a solid bench piece in Toronto and the Kings hope he can bring the same two-way ability to their bench. And as if they didn’t have enough backcourt pieces, they also added premier defender Davion Mitchell with the 9th pick, a crafty guard who has the talent to be a perennial All-Defensive Team member.
Even though this is all well and good and things may start seeming a bit better, I think the Kings will struggle this year for a couple of reasons. First off, and the most obvious, they’re in a powerhouse division with the likes of the two LA teams, Golden State, and Phoenix. Another reason is their head coach. Now I’ve been on record many times criticizing Luke Walton and again I will reiterate it. In my opinion, no where he has gone has ever won or even been the least bit functioning for that matter. His time in LA was a dud and Sacramento hasn’t been much better. His rotation decisions also continue to shock me and I never know what to expect with Walton leading the team. Sacramento should be coming along, but they’re still a well under .500 team who needs a new coach.
Dallas Mavericks
HC: Jason Kidd (1st year in DAL, Career record: 183-190) – AGE: 48
STARTERS:
| 5 PF/C | #6 | Kristaps Porzingis | 7’3 | 240 lbs Latvia | Age: 26 | 20.1 pts, 8.9 reb, 1.6 ast 1.3 blk, 37.6% 3P |
| 4 F | #10 | Dorian Finney-Smith | 6’7 | 220 lbs Florida | Age: 28 | 9.8 pts, 5.4 reb, 1.7 ast 0.9 stl, 39.4% 3P |
| 3 SG/SF | #25 | Reggie Bullock | 6’6 | 205 lbs North Carolina | Age: 30 | 10.9 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.5 ast 0.8 stl, 41% 3P – NY |
| 2 SG/SF | #11 | Tim Hardaway Jr. | 6’5 | 205 lbs Michigan | Age: 29 | 16.6 pts, 3.3 reb, 1.8 ast 0.4 stl, 39.1% 3P |
| 1 G/SF | #77 | Luka Dončić | 6’7 | 230 lbs Slovenia | Age: 22 | 27.7 pts, 8.6 ast, 8 reb 1 stl, 47.9% FG |
BENCH:
| G | #13 | Jalen Brunson | 6’1 | 190 lbs Villanova | Age: 25 | 12.6 pts, 3.5 ast, 3.4 reb 0.5 stl, 40.5% 3P |
| PF | #42 | Maxi Kleber | 6’10 | 240 lbs Germany | Age: 29 | 7.1 pts, 5.2 reb, 1.4 ast 0.7 blk, 41% 3P |
| C | #7 | Dwight Powell | 6’10 | 240 lbs Stanford | Age: 30 | 5.9 pts, 4 reb, 1.1 ast 0.6 stl, 61.9% FG |
| SG/SF | #0 | Sterling Brown | 6’5 | 219 lbs SMU | Age: 26 | 8.2 pts, 4.4 reb, 1.4 ast 0.7 stl, 42.3% 3P – HOU |
| C | #33 | Willie Cauley-Stein | 7’0 | 240 lbs Kentucky | Age: 28 | 5.3 pts, 4.5 reb, 0.8 blk 0.7 ast, 63.2% FG |
| PG | #3 | Trey Burke | 6’0 | 185 lbs Michigan | Age: 28 | 6.6 pts, 1.3 ast, 0.9 reb 0.6 stl, 35.4% 3P |
| SG | #8 | Josh Green | 6’5 | 200 lbs Arizona | Age: 20 | 2.6 pts, 2 reb, 0.7 ast 0.4 stl, 45.2% FG |
| PG | #21 | Frank Ntilikina | 6’4 | 200 lbs France | Age: 23 | 2.7 pts, 0.9 reb, 0.6 ast 0.5 stl, 47.9% 3P – NY |
| C | #51 | Boban Marjanović | 7’4 | 290 lbs Serbia | Age: 33 | 4.7 pts, 3.9 reb, 0.3 ast 0.2 blk, 50.8% FG |
| G | #1 | Tyrell Terry* | 6’2 | 160 lbs Stanford | Age: 21 | 11 GP, 1 pts, 0.5 reb 0.5 ast, 0.5 stl |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| G | #30 | JaQuori McLaughlin (R) | 6’4 | 190 lbs UC-Santa Barbara | Age: 23 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
| SF | #2 | Eugene Omoruyi (R) | 6’6 | 235 lbs Oregon | Age: 24 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
*Tyrell Terry continues to deal with personal issues and may miss time
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 44-38, 7th in West
MVP: PG Luka Doncic
Breakout Player: SF Dorian Finney-Smith
Grade: B-
Coming off of yet another MVP caliber season from their young superstar Luka Doncic, the Mavs made a few notable changes this offseason. The roster stayed remotely the same, but after Rick Carlisle and the organization decided to part ways, Dallas hired former Mav and NBA Champion Jason Kidd as their Head Coach. A move that in my opinion is a bit of a downgrade, Kidd split time with the Bucks and Nets after his playing career ended with little success as an HC. But the organization is high on their former all-star PG, and this could be the best opportunity for him to truly show what he can do after sitting under Frank Vogel in LA the last couple of years.
Dallas also made a few notable extensions in signing both Doncic and Hardaway long-term, locking them up with Porzingis. They also added veterans Reggie Bullock and Frank Ntilikina from the Knicks and signed wing Sterling Brown to a two-year deal. They didn’t come away with any draft picks in this year’s draft but signed undrafted rookies JaQuori McLaughlin and Eugene Omoruyi to two-way deals. They also have the pivotal second seasons of last year’s rookies Josh Green and Tyrell Terry, two guys who were selected high but didn’t see much floor time in 20-21. The West is very tough but the Southwest division is extremely wide open, with the Mavs and Grizzlies seeming like the two top dogs entering the season. Another huge year from Luka can help Dallas capitalize on some easy games but they will be fighting it out to not be playing in the 7-10 play-in games.
Houston Rockets
HC: Stephen Silas (2nd year, Career/Team record: 17-55) – AGE: 48
STARTERS:
| 5 PF/C | #35 | Christian Wood | 6’10 | 214 lbs UNLV | Age: 26 | 21 pts, 9.6 reb, 1.7 ast 1.2 blk, 51.4% FG |
| 4 SF | #8 | Jae’Sean Tate | 6’4 | 230 lbs Ohio State | Age: 25 | 11.3 pts, 5.3 reb, 2.5 ast 1.2 stl, 50.6% FG |
| 3 SG | #3 | Kevin Porter Jr. | 6’4 | 203 lbs USC | Age: 21 | 16.6 pts, 6.3 ast, 3.8 reb 0.7 stl, 42.5% FG |
| 2 SG | #0 | Jalen Green (R) | 6’6 | 186 lbs USA | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 2nd overall by HOU |
| 1 PG | #14 | D.J. Augustin | 5’11 | 183 lbs Texas | Age: 33 | 7.7 pts, 3.3 ast, 1.6 reb 0.5 stl, 38.2% 3P – MIL/HOU |
BENCH:
| SG | #10 | Eric Gordon | 6’3 | 215 lbs Indiana | Age: 32 | 17.8 pts, 2.6 ast, 2.1 reb 0.5 stl, 32.9% 3P |
| F | #4 | Danuel House Jr. | 6’6 | 220 lbs Texas A&M | Age: 28 | 8.8 pts, 3.7 reb, 1.9 ast 0.6 stl, 34.6% 3P |
| C | #28 | Alperen Şengün (R) | 6’10 | 243 lbs Turkey | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 16th overall by OKC |
| F | #6 | Kenyon Martin Jr. | 6’6 | 215 lbs USA | Age: 20 | 9.3 pts, 5.4 reb, 1.1 ast 0.9 blk, 0.7 stl |
| C | #27 | Daniel Theis | 6’8 | 245 lbs Germany | Age: 29 | 9.6 pts, 5.5 reb, 1.7 ast 0.9 blk, 54.1% FG – BOS/CHI |
| PG | #5 | Dante Exum | 6’5 | 214 lbs Australia | Age: 26 | 6 GP, 3.8 pts, 2.8 reb 2.2 ast, 0.7 stl – CLE |
| SG | #7 | Armoni Brooks | 6’3 | 195 lbs Houston | Age: 23 | 11.2 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.5 ast 0.6 stl, 38.2% 3P |
| SF | #2 | David Nwaba | 6’5 | 219 lbs Cal Poly | Age: 28 | 9.2 pts, 3.9 reb, 1 ast 1 stl, 48.6% FG |
| SG | #9 | Josh Christopher (R) | 6’3 | 215 lbs Arizona State | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 24th overall by HOU |
| PF/C | #16 | Usman Garuba (R) | 6’8 | 229 lbs Spain | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 23rd overall by HOU |
| PG | #1 | John Wall* | 6’3 | 210 lbs Kentucky | Age: 31 | 20.6 pts, 6.9 ast, 3.2 reb 1.1 stl, 0.8 blk |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| F | #33 | Anthony Lamb | 6’6 | 227 lbs Vermont | Age: 23 | 5.5 pts, 2.9 reb, 1 ast 0.3 stl, 0.2 blk |
| PG | #15 | Daishen Nix (R) | 6’5 | 224 lbs USA | Age: 19 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
*John Wall will sit out while he and Houston pursue a trade
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 21-61, 15th in West
MVP: PF Christian Wood
Breakout Player: SG Jalen Green
Grade: D
The Rockets enter the new year as deep into a rebuild as any team in the NBA after being forced to trade franchise icon James Harden last season. This brought back a boat load of draft picks and began the Rockets post-Harden era. John Wall, Eric Gordon, and Danuel House were sadly the leftovers after the trade as all three veterans remain with the rebuilding squad to start the new year. John Wall and the Rockets are already in agreement that he won’t play until they find a trade partner for him. As for Gordon and House, I’m sure they’ll be dealt by the deadline as both can bring good minutes off the bench to a contender. But what about the young core?
Well there was a lot of positives with their young squad in their 17-win season last year, including the emergences of Christian Wood and Kevin Porter Jr. who look like they can become franchise cornerstones. Kenyon Martin Jr. and Anthony Lamb were two solid rookies as well and Jae’Sean Tate played superb, leading to an All-Rookie team nod. In the 2021 Draft the Rockets came away with four 1st Round picks including the second overall pick Jalen Green. Green has absolutely shined in the preseason and Summer League and looks like a promising potential star to build around. International big men Alperen Şengün and Usman Garuba were also selected, as well as Sun Devil freshman Josh Christopher. This season will be nothing short of a tank and the biggest goal will be to see what kind of young talent the team can build around. Them and the Thunder are in similar situations, as you can expect both teams’ rookies to get big minutes off the bat.
Memphis Grizzlies
HC: Taylor Jenkins (3rd year, Career/Team record: 72-73) – AGE: 37
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #12 | Steven Adams | 6’11 | 265 lbs Pittsburgh | Age: 28 | 7.6 pts, 8.9 reb, 1.9 ast 0.9 stl, 61.4% FG – NO |
| 4 PF | #13 | Jaren Jackson Jr. | 6’11 | 242 lbs Michigan State | Age: 22 | 11 GP, 14.4 pts, 5.6 reb 1.6 blk, 1.1 stl |
| 3 SF | #1 | Kyle Anderson | 6’9 | 230 lbs UCLA | Age: 28 | 12.4 pts, 5.7 reb, 3.6 ast 1.2 stl, 0.8 blk |
| 2 SG | #22 | Desmond Bane | 6’5 | 215 lbs TCU | Age: 23 | 9.2 pts, 3.1 reb, 1.7 ast 0.6 stl, 43.2% 3P |
| 1 PG | #12 | Ja Morant | 6’3 | 174 lbs Murray State | Age: 22 | 19.1 pts, 7.4 ast, 4 reb 0.9 stl, 44.9% FG |
BENCH:
| PF | #15 | Brandon Clarke | 6’8 | 215 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 25 | 10.3 pts, 5.6 reb, 1.6 ast 1 stl, 0.9 blk |
| SG/SF | #23 | Jarrett Culver | 6’6 | 195 lbs Texas Tech | Age: 22 | 5.3 pts, 3.1 reb, 0.7 ast 0.5 stl, 41.1% FG – MIN |
| PG | #21 | Tyus Jones | 6’0 | 196 lbs Duke | Age: 27 | 6.3 pts, 3.7 ast, 2 reb 0.9 stl, 32.1% 3P |
| F | #8 | Ziaire Williams (R) | 6’8 | 185 lbs Stanford | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 10th overall by NO |
| SG | #0 | De’Anthony Melton | 6’2 | 200 lbs USC | Age: 23 | 9.1 pts, 3.1 reb, 2.5 ast 1.2 stl, 41.2% 3P |
| C | #2 | Xavier Tillman Sr. | 6’8 | 245 lbs Michigan St. | Age: 22 | 6.6 pts, 4.3 reb, 1.3 ast 0.7 stl, 55.9% FG |
| SG | #46 | John Konchar | 6’5 | 210 lbs Purdue-FW | Age: 25 | 4.3 pts, 3 reb, 1.1 ast 0.7 stl, 37.5% 3P |
| SG | #25 | Sam Merrill | 6’4 | 205 lbs Utah State | Age: 25 | 3 pts, 1 reb, 0.7 ast 0.3 stl, 44.7% 3P – MIL |
| PF/C | #7 | Santi Aldama (R) | 6’11 | 215 lbs Loyola (MD) | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 30th overall by UTA |
| SF | #24 | Dillon Brooks* (I) | 6’7 | 225 lbs Oregon | Age: 25 | 17.2 pts, 2.9 reb, 2.3 ast 1.2 stl, 34.4% 3P |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| PF/C | #35 | Killian Tillie | 6’9 | 220 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 23 | 18 GP, 3.2 pts, 1.3 reb 0.4 blk, 0.3 stl |
| F | #5 | Yves Pons (R) | 6’6 | 206 lbs Tennessee | Age: 22 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
*Dillon Brooks has a broken hand and may miss the first month of the season
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 47-35, 5th in West
MVP: PG Ja Morant
Breakout Player: C Xavier Tillman
Grade: B
After continuously trending in the right direction and improving year-by-year, the Grizzlies may be ready to take the next step. With the fall of both the Rockets and the Spurs, in my opinion, the Southwest division runs through Memphis and their great mix of young talent and gritty play. Last year they had tremendous rookie performances from Desmond Bane and Xavier Tillman who can both become key rotational pieces. A few trades went down as the team dealt big man Jonas Valanciunas to New Orleans in a big man swap for Steven Adams. They also shipped Grayson Allen out to Milwaukee and got young sharp shooter Sam Merrill back in return. Two former lottery picks in Kris Dunn and Jarrett Culver were also added, as well as 1st round picks Ziaire Williams and mid-major big man Santi Aldama.
Now a couple of these moves did surprise me a bit, as I thought giving up both Valanciunas and Allen were a bit much after they both had career years this past season. But they figured they have enough scoring talent in Morant, Brooks, Bane, and JJJ that they could afford to bring in a bruising big man. And I can’t completely blame them for that. With a great mix of scoring, playmaking, and some of the best defensive talent in the conference, Memphis will be a tough beat and when completely healthy can give a lot of teams trouble all year long.
New Orleans Pelicans
HC: Willie Green (1st year) – AGE: 40
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #17 | Jonas Valančiūnas | 6’11 | 265 lbs Lithuania | Age: 29 | 17.1 pts, 12.5 reb, 1.8 ast 0.9 blk, 59.2% FG – MEM |
| 4 F | #1 | Zion Williamson* | 6’7 | 284 lbs Duke | Age: 21 | 27 pts, 7.2 reb, 3.7 ast 0.9 stl, 61.1% FG |
| 3 SF | #14 | Brandon Ingram | 6’8 | 190 lbs Duke | Age: 24 | 23.8 pts, 4.9 reb, 4.9 ast 0.7 stl, 38.1% 3P |
| 2 SG | #3 | Josh Hart | 6’5 | 215 lbs Villanova | Age: 26 | 9.2 pts, 8 reb, 2.3 ast 0.8 stl, 32.6% 3P |
| 1 G | #4 | Devonte’ Graham | 6’1 | 195 lbs Kansas | Age: 26 | 14.8 pts, 5.4 ast, 2.7 reb 0.9 stl, 37.5% 3P – CHA |
BENCH:
| G | #31 | Tomáš Satoransky | 6’7 | 210 lbs Czech | Age: 29 | 7.7 pts, 4.7 ast, 2.4 reb 0.7 stl, 51.4% FG – CHI |
| SG/SF | #41 | Garrett Temple | 6’5 | 195 lbs LSU | Age: 35 | 7.6 pts, 2.9 reb, 2.2 ast 0.8 stl, 33.5% 3P – CHI |
| C | #10 | Jaxson Hayes | 6’11 | 220 lbs Texas | Age: 21 | 7.5 pts, 4.3 reb, 0.6 blk 0.6 ast, 62.5% FG |
| SG | #6 | Nickeil Alexander-Walker | 6’6 | 205 lbs Virginia Tech | Age: 23 | 11 pts, 3.1 reb, 2.2 ast 1 stl, 34.7% 3P |
| SF | #25 | Trey Murphy III (R) | 6’8 | 206 lbs Virginia | Age: 29 | DRAFTED: 17th overall by MEM |
| PG | #13 | Kira Lewis Jr. | 6’1 | 170 lbs Alabama | Age: 20 | 6.4 pts, 2.3 ast, 1.3 reb 0.7 stl, 33.3% 3P |
| SF | #8 | Naji Marshall | 6’7 | 220 lbs Xavier | Age: 23 | 7.7 pts, 4.6 reb, 2.8 ast 0.8 stl, 34.9% 3P |
| C | #9 | Willy Hernangómez | 6’11 | 250 lbs Spain | Age: 27 | 7.8 pts, 7.1 reb, 1.1 ast 0.5 blk, 56.3% FG |
| SG/SF | #5 | Herbert Jones (R) | 6’6 | 206 lbs Alabama | Age: 23 | DRAFTED: 35th overall by NO |
| SF | #0 | Didi Louzada | 6’5 | 188 lbs Brazil | Age: 22 | 3 GP, 2.7 pts, 1 reb 1 ast, 0.7 stl |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| SF | #34 | Daulton Hommes (R) | 6’8 | 215 lbs Point Loma (D-2) | Age: 25 | UNDRAFTED in 2019 |
| PG | #15 | Jose Alvarado (R) | 6’0 | 179 lbs Georgia Tech | Age: 23 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
*Zion Williamson has a foot injury and may miss a few weeks
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 39-43, 10th in West
MVP: PF Zion Williamson
Breakout Player: PG Kira Lewis Jr.
Grade: C+
After another let down year and a failed experiment with Stan Van Gundy, the Pelicans enter the new year with a bit of a changed up squad and a new head coach. Former player Willie Green will take over the helm as NOLA tries to start a new direction led by their stars Ingram and Williamson. A couple of starters will not be returning as Steven Adams was dealt to Memphis and Lonzo Ball signed with Chicago. In exchange for Adams they brought in Jonas Valanciunas who is coming off of a career year averaging 17 and 13 for the Grizz. With Lonzo leaving, New Orleans answered back by signing Devonte’ Graham who took a back seat to LaMelo Ball last year in Charlotte, while also having last year’s first rounder Kira Lewis Jr. Josh Hart was also extended and veterans Tomas Satoransky and Garrett Temple were added.
There’s no doubt the door is wide open to make a run for this young Pelicans squad but it will all come down to their new coach and if they can finally get over the hump. They don’t play in a tough division, and the 7-10 play-in games in the West should be very wide open for the taking. I have them finishing 10, but a little run can surely elevate them into a 7 or 8 spot. Zion’s health could be the deciding factor, as the young superstar will miss the start of the season with more foot injuries.
San Antonio Spurs
HC: Gregg Popovich (26th year, Career/Team record: 1,310-653) – AGE: 72
STARTERS:
| 5 C | #25 | Jakob Pöeltl | 7’1 | 245 lbs Utah | Age: 26 | 8.6 pts, 7.9 reb, 1.9 ast 1.8 blk, 61.6% FG |
| 4 PF | #30 | Thaddeus Young | 6’8 | 235 lbs Georgia Tech | Age: 33 | 12.1 pts, 6.2 reb, 4.3 ast 1.1 stl, 55.9% FG – CHI |
| 3 F | #3 | Keldon Johnson | 6’5 | 220 lbs Kentucky | Age: 22 | 12.8 pts, 6 reb, 1.8 ast 0.6 stl, 47.9% FG |
| 2 G | #4 | Derrick White | 6’4 | 190 lbs Colorado | Age: 27 | 15.4 pts, 3.5 ast, 3 reb 1 blk, 0.7 stl |
| 1 PG | #5 | Dejounte Murray | 6’4 | 180 lbs Washington | Age: 25 | 15.7 pts, 7.1 reb, 5.4 ast 1.5 stl, 45.3% FG |
BENCH:
| SF | #17 | Doug McDermott | 6’7 | 225 lbs Creighton | Age: 29 | 13.6 pts, 3.3 reb, 1.3 ast 0.3 stl, 38.8% 3P – IND |
| SG | #1 | Lonnie Walker IV | 6’4 | 204 lbs Miami (FL) | Age: 22 | 11.2 pts, 2.6 reb, 1.7 ast 0.5 stl, 35.5% 3P |
| SG | #24 | Devin Vassell | 6’5 | 200 lbs Florida State | Age: 21 | 5.5 pts, 2.8 reb, 0.9 ast 0.7 stl, 34.7% 3P |
| G | #7 | Bryn Forbes | 6’2 | 205 lbs Michigan State | Age: 28 | 10 pts, 1.6 reb, 0.6 ast 0.3 stl, 45.2% 3P – MIL |
| F | #77 | Al-Farouq Aminu | 6’8 | 220 lbs Wake Forest | Age: 31 | 4.4 pts, 4.8 reb, 1.3 ast 0.8 stl, 0.4 blk – ORL/CHI |
| PG | #33 | Tre Jones | 6’1 | 185 lbs Duke | Age: 21 | 2.5 pts, 1.1 ast, 0.6 reb 0.2 stl, 60% 3P |
| SG | #11 | Joshua Primo (R) | 6’4 | 189 lbs Alabama | Age: 18 | DRAFTED: 12th overall by SA |
| PF/C | #14 | Drew Eubanks | 6’9 | 245 lbs Oregon State | Age: 24 | 5.8 pts, 4.5 reb, 0.9 blk 0.8 ast, 56.6% FG |
| F | #31 | Keita Bates-Diop | 6’8 | 229 lbs Ohio State | Age: 25 | 2.6 pts, 1.6 reb, 0.4 ast 0.4 stl, 44.8% FG |
| PF | #23 | Zach Collins* (I) | 6’11 | 250 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 23 | 11 GP, 7 pts, 6.3 reb 1.5 ast, 0.5 blo |
TWO-WAY CONTRACTS:
| SF | #15 | Joe Wieskamp (R) | 6’6 | 205 lbs Iowa | Age: 22 | DRAFTED: 41st overall by SA |
*Zach Collins has a foot injury and may miss the first 2-3 months
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 28-54, 12th in West
MVP: PG Dejounte Murray
Breakout Player: PG Tre Jones
Grade: C-
The Spurs enter the new year still deep into their rebuild without much to truly look forward to in 21-22. DeMar DeRozan left via free agency and they used their two draft picks on a huge reach in Josh Primo and a solid rotational piece in Joe Wieskamp. They also added Doug McDermott and Zach Collins in free agency, although Collins will still likely miss a big chunk of the season with a foot injury. Bryn Forbes also returns and veteran Thaddeus Young was added and can slot into the starting 5 with Collins out. Derrick White was also extended, a great scoring guard that has become a vital part of the team’s offense over the last couple of years. There really is not going to be much room for the Spurs this year, as the West is tough and SA just doesn’t look deep enough. They do still have the greatest Head Coach of all-time but optimizing talent with this squad could be a very difficult task. The most they can hope for are developmental years from their youngsters Vassell, Walker, and Primo.
The Sports World According To Paul 