Well it’s finally here, the 2022-23 NBA season is upon us and there’s so many questions that need answers. The Warriors won their fourth title since 2015 earlier this summer, and it led into a crazy offseason where we saw an insane amount of re-signing and max contracts given out. The youth movement is beginning to take full effect, as around the league the young crop of talent are taking the league by storm, while the guys I grew up idolizing are all but gone. The biggest thing I’m excited about for the new season is to see which young teams emerge as the new teams to beat. Last year it was the Grizzlies and Cavaliers, whose young cores made a big name for themselves in pushes to the playoffs.
For the first time in a while there wasn’t a bunch of superstars switching teams this offseason, which makes things that much more interesting. Kyrie and KD gave us some drama but they remain on the Nets, Harden re-upped with Philly, and the Lakers keep their big 3 in tact although it resulted in a well under .500 season a year ago. The biggest change was the blow up of the Jazz, as we saw Rudy Gobert being sent to Minnesota and Donovan Mitchell heading to Cleveland. There’s a lot to unwrap 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 – Philadelphia 76ers 57-25
5 – Brooklyn Nets 48-34
7 – Toronto Raptors 45-37
9 – Boston Celtics 42-40
New York Knicks 37-45
CENTRAL
2 – Milwaukee Bucks 55-27
6 – Cleveland Cavaliers 48-34
8 – Chicago Bulls 45-37
Detroit Pistons 30-52
Indiana Pacers 27-55
SOUTHEAST
3 – Atlanta Hawks 50-32
4 – Miami Heat 49-33
10 – Charlotte Hornets 39-43
Washington Wizards 34-48
Orlando Magic 25-57
NORTHWEST
1 – Denver Nuggets 56-26
7 – Minnesota Timberwolves 45-37
Portland Trail Blazers 35-47
Oklahoma City Thunder 27-55
Utah Jazz 20-62
PACIFIC
2 – Golden State Warriors 55-27
4 – Los Angeles Clippers 50-32
5 – Phoenix Suns 48-34
9 – Los Angeles Lakers 36-46
10 – Sacramento Kings 35-47
SOUTHWEST
3 – New Orleans Pelicans 51-31
6 – Memphis Grizzlies 46-36
8 – Dallas Mavericks 44-38
Houston Rockets 28-54
San Antonio Spurs 23-59
Playoff Predictions
EAST
Play-In Tournament:
– 7 Toronto over 8 Chicago – Toronto earns 7-seed
– 10 Charlotte over 9 Boston – Boston is eliminated
– 8 Chicago over 10 Charlotte – Chicago earns 8-seed, Charlotte is eliminated
| 1st Round | EC Semis | EC Finals | ECF Champs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – Philadelphia vs. (PHI in 5) 8 – Chicago | |||
| 4 – Miami vs. (MIA in 7) 5 – Brooklyn | 1 – Philadelphia vs. (MIA in 7) 4 – Miami | ||
| 4 – Miami vs. (MIL in 7) 2 – Milwaukee | Milwaukee Bucks EAST CHAMPS | ||
| 3 – Atlanta vs. (CLE in 6) 6 – Cleveland | 6 – Cleveland vs. (MIL in 5) 2 – Milwaukee | ||
| 2 – Milwaukee vs. (MIL in 5) 7 – Toronto |
WEST
Play-In Tournament:
– 8 Dallas over 7 Minnesota – Dallas earns 7-seed
– 9 LA Lakers over 10 Sacramento – Sacramento is eliminated
– 7 Minnesota over 9 LA Lakers – Minnesota earns 8-seed, LA Lakers are eliminated
| 1st Round | WC Semis | WC Finals | WCF Champs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – Denver vs. (DEN in 7) 8 – Minnesota | |||
| 4 – LA Clippers vs. (LAC in 6) 5 – Phoenix | 1 – Denver vs. (LAC in 5) 4 – LA Clippers | ||
| 4 – LA Clippers vs. (LAC in 6) 2 – Golden State | Los Angeles Clippers WEST CHAMPS | ||
| 3 – New Orleans vs. (MEM in 5) 6 – Memphis | 6 – Memphis vs. (GSW in 6) 2 – Golden State | ||
| 2 – Golden State vs. (GSW in 6) 7 – Dallas |
NBA FINALS:
Los Angeles Clippers over Milwaukee Bucks (In 6 games)
Award Predictions
MVP: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia
Sixth Man of the Year: Malcolm Brogdon, Boston
Defensive Player of the Year: Mikal Bridges, Phoenix
Most Improved Player: Malik Monk, Sacramento
Rookie of the Year: Jaden Ivey, Detroit
Coach of the Year: Willie Green, New Orleans
Roster Projections
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Boston Celtics
Interim HC: Joe Mazzulla (1st year) – AGE: 34
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #44 | Robert Williams III* | 6’9 | 237 lbs Texas A&M | Age: 24 | 10 pts, 9.6 reb, 2.2 blk, 2 ast 73.6% FG |
| PF/C | #42 | Al Horford | 6’9 | 240 lbs Florida | Age: 36 | 10.2 pts, 7.7 reb, 3.4 ast, 1.3 blk 33.6% 3P |
| SF | #0 | Jayson Tatum | 6’8 | 210 lbs Duke | Age: 24 | 26.9 pts, 8 reb, 4.4 ast, 1 stl 35.3% 3P |
| SG | #7 | Jaylen Brown | 6’6 | 223 lbs California | Age: 25 | 23.6 pts, 6.1 reb, 3.5 ast, 1.1 stl 35.8% 3P |
| PG | #36 | Marcus Smart | 6’4 | 220 lbs Oklahoma State | Age: 28 | 12.1 pts, 5.9 ast, 3.8 reb, 1.7 stl 33.1% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG | #13 | Malcolm Brogdon | 6’5 | 229 lbs Virginia | Age: 29 | 19.1 pts, 5.9 ast, 5.1 reb, 0.8 stl 44.8% FG – IND |
| G | #9 | Derrick White | 6’4 | 190 lbs Colorado | Age: 28 | 13.2 pts, 4.9 ast, 3.5 reb, 0.9 stl 0.8 blk – SAS/BOS |
| PF | #91 | Blake Griffin | 6’9 | 250 lbs Oklahoma | Age: 33 | 6.4 pts, 4.1 reb, 1.9 ast, 0.5 stl 0.3 blk – BKN |
| F | #12 | Grant Williams | 6’6 | 236 lbs Tennessee | Age: 23 | 7.8 pts, 3.6 reb, 1 ast, 0.7 blk 41.1% 3P |
| PG | #11 | Payton Pritchard | 6’1 | 195 lbs Oregon | Age: 24 | 6.2 pts, 2 ast, 1.9 reb, 0.3 stl 41.2% 3P |
| PF/C | #40 | Luke Kornet | 7’2 | 250 lbs Vanderbilt | Age: 27 | 15 GP, 2 pts, 1.9 reb, 0.6 ast 48.1% FG – CLE/MIL/BOS |
| SF | #30 | Sam Hauser | 6’8 | 215 lbs Virginia | Age: 24 | 2.5 pts, 1.1 reb, 0.4 ast, 0.1 blk 43.2% 3P |
| SF | #26 | Jake Layman | 6’8 | 209 lbs Maryland | Age: 28 | 2.4 pts, 1.1 reb, 0.3 ast, 0.2 stl 41.1% FG – MIN |
| PF | #4 | Noah Vonleh | 6’10 | 257 lbs Indiana | Age: 27 | DNP – Played in China |
| PF | #8 | Danilo Gallinari** (I) | 6’10 | 236 lbs Italy | Age: 34 | 11.7 pts, 4.7 reb, 1.5 ast, 0.4 stl 38.1% 3P – ATL |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PF | #28 | Mfiondu Kabengele | 6’10 | 250 lbs Florida State | Age: 25 | DNP – Played in G-League |
| PG | #20 | J.D. Davison (R) | 6’3 | 195 lbs Alabama | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 53rd overall by BOS |
*Robert Williams III had knee surgery and may return in November
**Danilo Gallinari has a torn achilles and will miss the entire season
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 42-40, 9th in East
MVP: SF Jayson Tatum
X-Factor: PF Al Horford
Grade: B
The reigning Eastern Conference champs enter the new year set to prove to everyone that it wasn’t just a hoax after several not so promising seasons. Al Horford had an extreme resurgence back to his old self, and key bench play from Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, and Grant Williams were difference makers. Now, former Pacer guard Malcolm Brogdon gets added to the mix, giving them another good scoring threat most likely for the bench. Williams has become one of the league’s premier young defenders and in a lineup with the scoring likes of Tatum and Brown, he fits perfectly. And then there’s the Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Smart who had his best season as a pro last year, supplementing solidly on the offensive end as well.
Obviously the drama around Head Coach Ime Udoka will overhang the team for a while, and young assistant Joe Mazzulla will look to keep the team in check in the interim. I think the ramifications behind Udoka’s suspension may cost the team a chance to be as dominant as they were in the second half of last year. Additionally with the Nets returning Kyrie and KD, and the Sixers remaining dominant, it won’t be the easiest task to win the Atlantic. It truly remains to be seen what will happen with this team after the shocking departure of their Head Coach.
Brooklyn Nets
HC: Steve Nash (3rd year, Career/Team record: 92-62) – AGE: 48
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PF/C | #33 | Nicolas Claxton | 6’11 | 215 lbs Georgia | Age: 23 | 8.7 pts, 5.6 reb, 1.1 blk, 0.9 ast 67.4% FG |
| F | #7 | Kevin Durant | 6’10 | 240 lbs Texas | Age: 33 | 29.9 pts, 7.4 reb, 6.4 ast, 0.9 stl 38.3% 3P |
| SF | #00 | Royce O’Neale | 6’5 | 226 lbs Baylor | Age: 29 | 7.4 pts, 4.8 reb, 2.5 ast, 1.1 stl 38.9% 3P – UTA |
| PG | #10 | Ben Simmons | 6’11 | 240 lbs LSU | Age: 26 | DNP – INJURED (PHI/BKN) |
| PG | #11 | Kyrie Irving | 6’2 | 195 lbs Duke | Age: 30 | 27.4 pts, 5.8 ast, 4.4 reb, 1.4 stl 41.8% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG | #30 | Seth Curry | 6’2 | 185 lbs Duke | Age: 32 | 15 pts, 3.6 ast, 3.1 reb, 0.8 stl 42.2% 3P – PHI/BKN |
| SF | #12 | Joe Harris | 6’6 | 220 lbs Virginia | Age: 31 | 14 GP, 11.3 pts, 4 reb, 1 ast 46.6% 3P |
| PG | #8 | Patty Mills | 6’0 | 180 lbs St. Mary’s | Age: 34 | 11.4 pts, 2.3 ast, 1.9 reb, 0.6 stl 40.8% 3P |
| SF | #1 | T.J. Warren | 6’8 | 220 lbs NC State | Age: 29 | DNP – INJURED (IND) |
| SF | #14 | Kessler Edwards | 6’7 | 203 lbs Pepperdine | Age: 22 | 5.9 pts, 3.6 reb, 0.6 ast, 0.6 stl 35.3% 3P |
| PF | #13 | Markieff Morris | 6’9 | 245 lbs Kansas | Age: 33 | 17 GP, 7.6 pts, 2.6 reb, 1.4 ast 0.4 stl – MIA |
| SG | #24 | Cam Thomas | 6’3 | 210 lbs LSU | Age: 20 | 8.4 pts, 2.4 reb, 1.2 ast, 0.5 stl 43.3% FG |
| C | #20 | Day’Ron Sharpe | 6’9 | 265 lbs North Carolina | Age: 20 | 6.2 pts, 5 reb, 0.5 blk, 0.5 ast 57.7% FG |
| PG | #4 | Edmond Sumner | 6’4 | 196 lbs Xavier | Age: 26 | DNP – INJURED (IND) |
| SF | #18 | Yuta Watanabe | 6’9 | 215 lbs George Washington | Age: 27 | 4.3 pts, 2.4 reb, 0.6 ast, 0.4 blk 0.3 stl – TOR |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | #6 | David Duke Jr. | 6’4 | 204 lbs Providence | Age: 22 | 4.7 pts, 3 reb, 0.8 ast, 0.6 stl 0.3 blk |
| PG | #31 | Alondes Williams (R) | 6’5 | 210 lbs Wake Forest | Age: 23 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 48-34, 5th in East
MVP: SF Kevin Durant
X-Factor: PG Ben Simmons
Grade: B+
The Nets enter 2022 in the heat of an offseason full of drama. What seemed like the downfall of the Kyrie-KD era, both players requested trades this offseason, sighting differences of desires for the team’s trajectory. Steve Nash’s coaching style also has reportedly caused backlash with Kyrie, and the team has grown tired of Irving’s complaints after the vaccination issue last season. But all seems to be solid again, as the team sat down with KD and the two will be ready to suit up for the Nets this season. Obviously losing James Harden last year was hard, but Ben Simmons is back, fully healthy mentally and physically, and could be a good complimentary player to the two stars.
Plus Joe Harris coming back will be huge, as well as veterans Patty Mills, Seth Curry, T.J. Warren, Royce O’Neale, and Markieff Morris to provide depth. The Atlantic division will not be easy in any sense, especially with the improved Sixers and reigning East champion Celtics. I don’t see the Nets having an easy time making hay this year, but if all goes well you can never count out a championship run with talents like Kyrie and KD.
New York Knicks
HC: Tom Thibodeau (3rd year in NY, Career record: 430-322, Team record: 78-76) – AGE: 64
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #23 | Mitchell Robinson | 7’0 | 240 lbs W. Kentucky | Age: 24 | 8.5 pts, 8.6 reb, 1.8 blk, 0.8 stl 76.1% FG |
| PF | #30 | Julius Randle | 6’8 | 250 lbs Kentucky | Age: 27 | 20.1 pts, 9.9 reb, 5.1 ast, 0.7 stl 0.5 blk |
| SG/SF | #9 | R.J. Barrett | 6’6 | 214 lbs Duke | Age: 22 | 20 pts, 5.8 reb, 3 ast, 0.6 stl 34.2% 3P |
| SG | #6 | Quentin Grimes | 6’4 | 210 lbs Houston | Age: 22 | 6 pts, 2 reb, 1 ast, 0.7 stl 38.1% 3P |
| PG | #11 | Jalen Brunson | 6’1 | 190 lbs Villanova | Age: 26 | 16.3 pts, 4.8 ast, 3.9 reb, 0.8 stl 37.3% 3P – DAL |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG | #4 | Derrick Rose | 6’2 | 200 lbs Memphis | Age: 33 | 12 pts, 4 ast, 3 reb, 0.8 stl 40.2% 3P |
| SG/SF | #13 | Evan Fournier | 6’6 | 205 lbs France | Age: 29 | 14.1 pts, 2.6 reb, 2.1 ast, 1 stl 38.9% 3P |
| F | #1 | Obi Toppin | 6’9 | 220 lbs Dayton | Age: 24 | 9 pts, 3.7 reb, 1.1 ast, 0.5 blk 53.1% FG |
| G | #5 | Immanuel Quickley | 6’3 | 190 lbs Kentucky | Age: 23 | 11.3 pts, 3.5 ast, 3.2 reb, 0.7 stl 34.6% 3P |
| C | #55 | Isaiah Hartenstein | 7’0 | 250 lbs Germany | Age: 24 | 8.3 pts, 4.9 reb, 2.4 ast, 1.1 blk 46.7% 3P – LAC |
| SF | #0 | Cam Reddish | 6’8 | 217 lbs Duke | Age: 23 | 10.1 pts, 2.1 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl 35.9% 3P – ATL/NYK |
| PF/C | #45 | Jericho Sims | 6’9 | 250 lbs Texas | Age: 23 | 2.2 pts, 4.1 reb, 0.5 ast, 0.5 blk 72.2% FG |
| SG | #17 | Svi Mykhailiuk | 6’7 | 205 lbs Kansas | Age: 25 | 4.6 pts, 1.6 reb, 0.8 ast, 0.5 stl 30.6% 3P – TOR |
| PG | #2 | Miles McBride | 6’1 | 195 lbs West Virginia | Age: 22 | 2.2 pts, 1.1 reb, 1 ast, 0.4 stl 25% 3P |
| PG | #51 | Ryan Arcidiacono | 6’3 | 195 lbs Villanova | Age: 28 | 10 GP, 1.6 pts, 0.8 reb, 0.4 ast 44.4% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | #44 | Feron Hunt | 6’8 | 195 lbs SMU | Age: 23 | 2 GP, 0.5 reb, 0.5 ast, 0.5 stl |
| SG | #3 | Trevor Keels (R) | 6’4 | 221 lbs Duke | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 42nd overall by NY |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 37-45, 11th in East
MVP: PF Julius Randle
X-Factor: PG Jalen Brunson
Grade: C-
Coming off of an offseason where the entire NBA world seemed to think the Knicks were going to land a superstar, they came up short handed once again. Donovan Mitchell was traded to the Cavaliers rather than his hometown Knicks, and New York had to settle for an offseason headlined by emerging PG Jalen Brunson. Their two young cornerstones in Mitchell Robinson and R.J. Barrett were both extended to long-term deals, moves that further compliment their youth movement. Julius Randle will look to have a bounce back season, and Derrick Rose should add veteran leadership off of the bench with youngsters Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, and Cam Reddish.
In no way do I think this was a disappointing offseason for the Knicks, as the asking price was way too high for Mitchell and would’ve resulted in trading their entire youth for one superstar. They also accumulated 12 first round picks until 2030, including four firsts for this upcoming draft. One thing the Knicks haven’t done in their near 20-year struggling streak is develop through the draft, and this may be their ticket out of despair once and for all. The main goal is development, as in year four we need to see a lot out of Barrett and more from Randle. This team is a play-in seed at best, and I don’t anticipate a deep run, all I want to see is some improvement and development in the right direction.
Philadelphia 76ers
HC: Doc Rivers (3rd year in PHI, Career record: 1,778-1,043, Team record: 100-54) – AGE: 61
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #21 | Joel Embiid | 7’0 | 280 lbs Kansas | Age: 28 | 30.6 pts, 11.7 reb, 4.2 ast, 1.5 blk 1.1 stl |
| F | #12 | Tobias Harris | 6’7 | 226 lbs Tennessee | Age: 30 | 17.2 pts, 6.8 reb, 3.5 ast, 0.6 stl 48.2% FG |
| F | #17 | P.J. Tucker | 6’5 | 245 lbs Texas | Age: 37 | 7.6 pts, 5.5 reb, 2.1 ast, 0.8 stl 41.5% 3P – MIA |
| SG | #1 | James Harden | 6’5 | 220 lbs Arizona State | Age: 33 | 22 pts, 10.3 ast, 7.7 reb, 1.3 stl 33% 3P – BKN/PHI |
| G | #0 | Tyrese Maxey | 6’2 | 200 lbs Kentucky | Age: 21 | 17.5 pts, 4.3 ast, 3.2 reb, 0.7 stl 42.7% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG | #22 | Matisse Thybulle | 6’5 | 201 lbs Washington | Age: 25 | 5.7 pts, 2.3 reb, 1.7 stl, 1.1 ast 1.1 blk |
| PF/C | #8 | Montrezl Harrell | 6’7 | 240 lbs Louisville | Age: 28 | 13.1 pts, 6.1 reb, 2 ast, 0.6 blk 64.5% FG – WSH/CHA |
| SG/SF | #25 | Danuel House Jr. | 6’6 | 220 lbs Texas A&M | Age: 29 | 5.9 pts, 2.6 reb, 1 ast, 0.5 stl 37.6% 3P – HOU/NYK/UTA |
| G | #18 | Shake Milton | 6’5 | 205 lbs SMU | Age: 25 | 8.2 pts, 2.6 reb, 2.5 ast, 0.5 stl 32.3% 3P |
| G | #8 | De’Anthony Melton | 6’2 | 200 lbs USC | Age: 24 | 10.8 pts, 4.5 reb, 2.7 ast, 1.4 stl 37.4% 3P – MEM |
| SF | #20 | Georges Niang | 6’7 | 230 lbs Iowa State | Age: 29 | 9.2 pts, 2.7 reb, 1.3 ast, 0.4 stl 40.3% 3P |
| PF | #44 | Paul Reed | 6’9 | 210 lbs DePaul | Age: 23 | 3.1 pts, 2.4 reb, 0.9 stl, 0.4 ast 56.3% FG |
| F | #30 | Furkan Korkmaz | 6’7 | 202 lbs Turkey | Age: 25 | 7.6 pts, 2.6 reb, 1.9 ast, 0.5 stl 38.7% FG |
| SG | #11 | Jaden Springer | 6’4 | 202 lbs Tennessee | Age: 19 | 2 GP, 1 pts, 1 reb, 1 blk |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PF | #35 | Michael Foster Jr. (R) | 6’8 | 237 lbs USA | Age: 19 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
| SG/SF | #5 | Julian Champagnie (R) | 6’8 | 217 lbs St. John’s | Age: 21 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 57-25, 1st in East
MVP: C Joel Embiid
X-Factor: F P.J. Tucker
Grade: A-
After a disappointing out in the playoffs last season, the Sixers enter the new year as one of the biggest sleepers to make a run in the entire league. They added James Harden mid-season last year and he didn’t seem to get very comfortable playing in Doc Rivers’ system until the end of the season. Now a full year of the former MVP will be huge to push them in the right direction. And then of course there is Joel Embiid, who if not for Jokic’s historic season, would’ve been MVP this past year. Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey add high level secondary scoring, and P.J. Tucker brings the defensive tenacity that they have lacked for a while.
A couple of good bench additions were also added in Montrezl Harrell, Danuel House, and De’Anthony Melton, all guys who could be high level starters for other squads. The East will be mighty tough this year, but if all clicks with Philly there’s no reason they can’t be at the same level as anyone in the Conference. Consistency and injuries will play a huge factor, as both Embiid and Harden have been beaten up over the past couple of years. But as much as it pains me to say it, I can see the Sixers exploding big time and making a run at the title in 2023.
Toronto Raptors
HC: Nick Nurse (5th year, Career/Team record: 186-122) – AGE: 55
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PF/C | #43 | Pascal Siakam | 6’8 | 230 lbs New Mexico State | Age: 28 | 22.8 pts, 8.5 reb, 5.3 ast, 1.3 stl 0.6 blk |
| F | #3 | OG Anunoby | 6’7 | 232 lbs Indiana | Age: 25 | 17.1 pts, 5.5 reb, 2.6 ast, 1.5 stl 36.3% 3P |
| SF | #4 | Scottie Barnes | 6’7 | 225 lbs Florida State | Age: 21 | 15.3 pts, 7.5 reb, 3.5 ast, 1.1 stl 49.2% FG |
| SG | #33 | Gary Trent Jr. | 6’5 | 209 lbs Duke | Age: 23 | 18.3 pts, 2.7 reb, 2 ast, 1.7 stl 38.3% 3P |
| G | #23 | Fred VanVleet | 6’1 | 197 lbs Wichita State | Age: 28 | 20.3 pts, 6.7 ast, 4.4 reb, 1.7 stl 37.7% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PF/C | #25 | Chris Boucher | 6’9 | 200 lbs Oregon | Age: 29 | 9.4 pts, 6.2 reb, 0.9 blk, 0.6 stl 46.4% FG |
| PF | #21 | Thaddeus Young | 6’8 | 235 lbs Georgia Tech | Age: 34 | 6.2 pts, 4 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl 51.8% FG – SAS/TOR |
| F | #5 | Precious Achiuwa | 6’8 | 225 lbs Memphis | Age: 23 | 9.1 pts, 6.5 reb, 1.1 ast, 0.6 blk 0.5 stl |
| SF | #32 | Otto Porter Jr. | 6’8 | 198 lbs Georgetown | Age: 29 | 8.2 pts, 5.7 reb, 1.5 ast, 1.1 stl 37% 3P – GSW |
| G | #45 | Dalano Banton | 6’7 | 203 lbs Nebraska | Age: 22 | 3.2 pts, 1.9 reb, 1.5 ast, 0.4 stl 0.2 blk |
| PG | #22 | Malachi Flynn | 6’1 | 175 lbs San Diego State | Age: 24 | 4.3 pts, 1.6 ast, 1.4 reb, 0.5 stl 33.3% 3P |
| C | #24 | Khem Birch | 6’9 | 233 lbs UNLV | Age: 29 | 4.5 pts, 4.3 reb, 1 ast, 0.5 blk 0.5 stl |
| SG/SF | #55 | Josh Jackson | 6’8 | 207 lbs Kansas | Age: 25 | 6.4 pts, 2.8 reb, 1.1 ast, 0.5 stl 0.4 blk – DET/SAC |
| PF/C | #41 | Juancho Hernangómez | 6’9 | 214 lbs Spain | Age: 27 | 3.3 pts, 2.5 reb, 0.5 ast, 0.4 stl 0.3 blk – SAS/UTA/BOS |
| C | #35 | Christian Koloko (R) | 7’1 | 221 lbs Arizona | Age: 22 | DRAFTED: 33rd overall by TOR |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG | #20 | Jeff Dowtin | 6’3 | 185 lbs Rhode Island | Age: 25 | 9 GP, 2.1 pts, 2 reb, 1.1 ast 0.6 stl – ORL/GSW/MIL |
| SF | #8 | Ron Harper Jr. (R) | 6’6 | 245 lbs Rutgers | Age: 22 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 45-37, 7th in East
MVP: PF Pascal Siakam
X-Factor: SF Scottie Barnes
Grade: B-
The Raptors wrapped up last season’s campaign red hot, as one of the biggest surprises of the year, finishing 48-34 which was good for the 5th seed in the East. Surely no one expected them to finish that high, but a career year from Fred VanVleet that led to an all-star appearance, and other breakout years from Gary Trent Jr. and OG Anunoby led to their rise. They also seemed to have struck gold with Scottie Barnes, who many thought was a bad choice over Jalen Suggs in the 2021 NBA Draft. Pascal Siakam missed some time but returned to his dominant self and is now looking to create a big three with VanVleet and Barnes. Chris Boucher and Precious Achiuwa were huge contributing big men off of the bench who filled in nicely for Siakam during his time out.
A couple of veterans were added to aid the bench in Otto Porter Jr. and Juancho Hernangomez; Thaddeus Young was also re-signed in what could be a stellar move. I’m a big fan of Young and everything he brings to the table, including veteran leadership which can be huge for this young team. Both young guards Dalano Banton and Malachi Flynn should have increased roles as well off of the bench with the team’s lack of backup guards. I’m a fan of Toronto, and I think they’ll be back in the playoff hunt again, led by their solid Head Coach and newfound young core.
Chicago Bulls
HC: Billy Donovan (3rd year in CHI, Career record: 320-234, Team record: 77-77) – AGE: 57
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #9 | Nikola Vučević | 6’10 | 260 lbs USC | Age: 31 | 17.6 pts, 11 reb. 3.2 ast, 1 blk 1 stl |
| PF | #44 | Patrick Williams | 6’7 | 215 lbs Florida State | Age: 21 | 17 GP, 9 pts, 4.1 reb, 0.9 ast 51.7% 3P |
| SF | #11 | DeMar DeRozan | 6’6 | 220 lbs USC | Age: 33 | 27.9 pts, 5.2 reb, 4.9 ast, 0.9 stl 50.4% FG |
| SG | #8 | Zach LaVine | 6’5 | 200 lbs UCLA | Age: 27 | 24.4 pts, 4.6 reb, 4.5 ast, 0.6 stl 38.9% 3P |
| G | #12 | Ayo Dosunmu | 6’4 | 200 lbs Illinois | Age: 22 | 8.8 pts, 3.3 ast, 2.8 reb, 0.8 stl 37.6% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #3 | Andre Drummond | 6’10 | 279 lbs UConn | Age: 29 | 7.9 pts, 9.3 reb, 1.8 ast, 1.1 stl 57% FG – PHI/BKN |
| PG | #0 | Coby White | 6’4 | 195 lbs North Carolina | Age: 22 | 12.7 pts, 3 reb, 2.9 ast, 0.5 stl 38.5% 3P |
| SG | #6 | Alex Caruso | 6’5 | 186 lbs Texas A&M | Age: 28 | 7.4 pts, 4 ast, 3.6 reb, 1.7 stl 33.3% 3P |
| PG | #7 | Goran Dragić | 6’3 | 190 lbs Slovenia | Age: 36 | 7.5 pts, 4.1 ast, 3.1 reb, 0.9 stl 0.2 blk – TOR/BKN |
| SF | #5 | Derrick Jones Jr. | 6’6 | 210 lbs UNLV | Age: 25 | 5.6 pts, 3.3 reb, 0.6 ast, 0.6 blk 53.8% FG |
| SF | #24 | Javonte Green | 6’5 | 205 lbs Radford | Age: 29 | 7.2 pts, 4.2 reb, 1 stl, 0.9 ast 35.6% 3P |
| PF/C | #13 | Tony Bradley | 6’10 | 248 lbs North Carolina | Age: 24 | 3 pts, 3.4 reb, 0.6 blk, 0.5 ast 58.5% FG |
| SG/SF | #25 | Dalen Terry (R) | 6’7 | 195 lbs Arizona | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 18th overall by CHI |
| C | #19 | Marco Simonović | 6’11 | 220 lbs Yugoslavia | Age: 23 | 9 GP, 1.9 pts, 1.1 reb, 0.1 blk 0.1 stl |
| PG | #2 | Lonzo Ball* (I) | 6’6 | 190 lbs UCLA | Age: 24 | 13 pts, 5.4 reb, 5.1 ast, 1.8 stl 42.3% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | #14 | Malcolm Hill | 6’6 | 220 lbs Illinois | Age: 26 | 19 GP, 3.8 pts, 1.8 reb, 0.4 ast 0.4 stl – ATL/CHI |
| SF | #34 | Justin Lewis (R) | 6’7 | 235 lbs Marquette | Age: 20 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
*Lonzo Ball had surgery on his left knee and may return late in the season
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 45-37, 8th in East
MVP: SG Zach LaVine
X-Factor: C Nikola Vucevic
Grade: B
The Bulls had one of the best emergences last year, as after signing DeMar DeRozan, the franchise completely turned themselves around from rebuild to competitors. Zach LaVine also added that dominant one-two punch, and he was extended this offseason to continue moving Chicago forward. Lonzo Ball was also a big addition, but as they’ve done his whole career, injuries will sideline him for most, if not all, of the ’22-’23 season. The front office has hoarded backcourt talent just for these occasions as both Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu will share the front of being the primary PG. Defensive anchor Patrick Williams will also be back and fully healthy, to match up in the frontcourt with DeRozan and Vucevic.
Two extremely underrated and impressive additions this offseason were veterans Goran Dragic and Andre Drummond. Drummond in my mind is still a quality big man, as the contracts he’s been signing over the past couple of years don’t exactly reflect that. He can also be a tremendous complimentary piece to Vucevic, who’s a score-first shooting big man. Javonte Green, Alex Caruso, and Derrick Jones Jr. also provided solid slashing minutes off of the bench, giving the team overall great depth. I like the Bulls a lot this year, and in a division with the Cavs, those two will probably be duking it out to be in the top 6 and avoid a play-in seed. Of course the Bucks are still the powerhouse but I like what can possibly be with this Bulls team.
Cleveland Cavaliers
HC: J.B. Bickerstaff (4th year in CLE, Career record: 156-225, Team record: 71-94) – AGE: 43
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #31 | Jarrett Allen | 6’10 | 243 lbs Texas | Age: 24 | 16.1 pts, 10.8 reb, 1.6 ast, 1.3 blk 67.7% FG |
| PF/C | #4 | Evan Mobley | 6’11 | 215 lbs USC | Age: 21 | 15 pts, 8.3 reb, 2.5 ast, 1.7 blk 50.8% FG |
| SG/SF | #3 | Caris LeVert | 6’6 | 205 lbs Michigan | Age: 28 | 17 pts, 4.3 ast, 3.7 reb, 0.9 stl 32% 3P – IND/CLE |
| SG | #45 | Donovan Mitchell | 6’1 | 215 lbs Louisville | Age: 26 | 25.9 pts, 5.3 ast, 4.2 reb, 1.5 stl 35.5% 3P – UTA |
| PG | #10 | Darius Garland | 6’1 | 192 lbs Vanderbilt | Age: 22 | 21.7 pts, 8.6 ast, 3.3 reb, 1.3 stl 38.3% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PF/C | #0 | Kevin Love | 6’8 | 251 lbs UCLA | Age: 34 | 13.6 pts, 7.2 reb, 2.2 ast, 0.4 stl 39.2% 3P |
| SF | #35 | Isaac Okoro | 6’5 | 225 lbs Auburn | Age: 21 | 8.8 pts, 3 reb, 1.8 ast, 0.8 stl 35% 3P |
| SF | #16 | Cedi Osman | 6’7 | 230 lbs Turkey | Age: 27 | 10.7 pts, 2.2 reb, 2 ast, 0.8 stl 35.7% 3P |
| PG | #99 | Ricky Rubio | 6’2 | 190 lbs Spain | Age: 31 | 13.1 pts, 6.6 ast, 4.1 reb, 1.4 stl 33.9% 3P |
| C | #33 | Robin Lopez | 7’0 | 281 lbs Stanford | Age: 34 | 7.1 pts, 3.5 reb, 1.5 ast, 0.5 blk 55.3% FG – ORL |
| F | #8 | Lamar Stevens | 6’6 | 230 lbs Penn State | Age: 25 | 6.1 pts, 2.6 reb, 0.7 ast, 0.5 stl 48.9% FG |
| F | #32 | Dean Wade | 6’9 | 228 lbs Kansas State | Age: 25 | 5.3 pts, 2.9 reb, 1 ast, 0.6 stl 35.9% 3P |
| PG | #19 | Raul Neto | 6’2 | 180 lbs Brazil | Age: 30 | 7.5 pts, 3.1 ast, 1.9 reb, 0.8 stl 46.3% FG – WSH |
| SG | #9 | Dylan Windler | 6’6 | 196 lbs Belmont | Age: 26 | 2.2 pts, 1.8 reb, 0.7 ast, 0.3 stl 0.1 blk |
| PF/C | #21 | Mamadi Diakite | 6’9 | 228 lbs Virginia | Age: 24 | 13 GP, 4.3 pts, 4.5 reb, 0.7 blk 53.2% FG – OKC |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG | #5 | R.J. Nembhard | 6’4 | 200 lbs TCU | Age: 23 | 14 GP, 1.1 pts, 0.9 ast, 0.5 reb 0.1 stl |
| F | #15 | Isaiah Mobley (R) | 6’11 | 215 lbs USC | Age: 23 | DRAFTED: 49th overall by CLE |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 48-34, 6th in East
MVP: SG Donovan Mitchell
X-Factor: PF Evan Mobley
Grade: B+
They were the surprise of the league last season that only seemed to get better, the Cavs enter the season with their fiercest team not led by LeBron since he entered the league. Both Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen were all-stars a season ago, and Caris LeVert was added mid-season to become another scoring threat. Evan Mobley also had an amazing rookie season and is beginning to create a dynamic big man duo with Allen. And then of course they added Donovan Mitchell, an all-around superstar that added to this offense, will become a crazy young core. It’s really amazing in my opinion that they were able to add Spida without giving up one of their key young players, but Cleveland pulled it off and are looking good for years to come.
The bench is also full of veteran presence, with their last remaining piece from their championship run in 2016, the great Kevin Love still around. He completely embraced his new sixth man role last season and evidently had one of his better years since signing his massive extension. Ricky Rubio was also added back as well as veteran Robin Lopez who is joining his fifth team in five years. The Cavaliers are going to be a force all season long, and will definitely give the Bucks a run at the top of the division. I’m a big fan of what this team has the potential to be.
Detroit Pistons
HC: Dwane Casey (5th year in DET, Career record: 477-505, Team record: 104-198) – AGE: 65
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #28 | Isaiah Stewart | 6’8 | 250 lbs Washington | Age: 21 | 8.3 pts, 8.7 reb, 1.2 ast, 1.1 blk 51% FG |
| PF/C | #35 | Marvin Bagley III* | 6’11 | 235 lbs Duke | Age: 23 | 11.3 pts, 7 reb, 0.8 ast, 0.5 stl 0.4 blk – SAC/DET |
| SF | #41 | Saddiq Bey | 6’8 | 215 lbs Villanova | Age: 23 | 16.1 pts, 5.4 reb, 2.8 ast, 0.9 stl 34.6% 3P |
| G/SF | #2 | Cade Cunningham | 6’6 | 220 lbs Oklahoma State | Age: 21 | 17.4 pts, 5.6 ast, 5.5 reb, 1.2 stl 0.7 blk |
| PG | #23 | Jaden Ivey (R) | 6’4 | 200 lbs Purdue | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 5th overall by DET |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | #44 | Bojan Bogdanović | 6’7 | 226 lbs Croatia | Age: 33 | 18.1 pts, 4.3 reb, 1.7 ast, 0.5 stl 38.7% 3P – UTA |
| SG | #6 | Hamidou Diallo | 6’5 | 202 lbs Kentucky | Age: 24 | 11 pts, 4.8 reb, 1.3 ast, 1.2 stl 49.6% FG |
| G | #5 | Alec Burks | 6’6 | 214 lbs Colorado | Age: 31 | 11.7 pts, 4.9 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl 40.4% 3P – NYK |
| C | #9 | Nerlens Noel | 6’11 | 220 lbs Kentucky | Age: 28 | 3.4 pts, 5.6 reb, 1.2 blk, 1.2 stl 53.3% FG – NYK |
| PG | #7 | Killian Hayes | 6’5 | 195 lbs France | Age: 21 | 6.9 pts, 4.2 ast, 3.2 reb, 1.2 stl 0.5 blk |
| C | #0 | Jalen Duren (R) | 6’11 | 250 lbs Memphis | Age: 18 | DRAFTED: 13th overall by CHA |
| SF | #20 | Kevin Knox | 6’7 | 215 lbs Kentucky | Age: 23 | 3.1 pts, 1.5 reb, 0.3 ast, 0.1 stl 0.1 blk – NYK/ATL |
| G | #18 | Cory Joseph | 6’3 | 200 lbs Texas | Age: 31 | 8 pts, 3.6 ast, 2.7 reb, 0.6 stl 41.4% 3P |
| F | #12 | Isaiah Livers | 6’7 | 230 lbs Michigan | Age: 24 | 19 GP, 6.4 pts, 3 reb, 1.1 ast 42.2% 3P |
| SG | #17 | Rodney McGruder | 6’4 | 205 lbs Kansas State | Age: 31 | 5.4 pts, 2.2 reb, 0.9 ast, 0.4 stl 39.7% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG | #8 | Braxton Key | 6’8 | 230 lbs Virginia | Age: 25 | 11 GP, 7.2 pts, 4.5 reb, 1 ast 1 blk – PHI/DET |
| SG | #27 | Buddy Boeheim (R) | 6’6 | 195 lbs Syracuse | Age: 22 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
*Marvin Bagley has a sprained MCL and will miss the first few weeks
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 30-52, 13th in East
MVP: G Cade Cunningham
X-Factor: PF Marvin Bagley III
Grade: C-
Dwane Casey has not had an easy time developing a contender since taking over the Pistons job, and now entering his fifth season at the helm, is there reason for hope? I think there’s starting to become some, as last year’s top pick Cade Cunningham did not disappoint in his rookie year, and explosive playmaker Jaden Ivey was taken to join the backcourt with him. Former top pick Marvin Bagley was extended after being taken on last season from Sacramento, and Isaiah Stewart is becoming a solid rebounding/back to the basket big man. A few veterans were also added via trade with the Knicks in Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel, and Kemba Walker (who is expected to be bought out before the season begins).
Another key move to help move their youths development was trading for Bojan Bogdanovic, a solid veteran who can shoot the lights out off of the bench. I think the Pistons are starting to look pretty good especially that combination of Cade and Ivey in the backcourt. As for this season, they won’t be much of a threat to make the playoffs. Solid development and a good veteran culture to guide them in the right direction will be the main hope.
Indiana Pacers
HC: Rick Carlisle (2nd year in IND (second stint), Career record: 861-746, Team record: 25-57) – AGE: 63
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #33 | Myles Turner | 6’11 | 250 lbs Texas | Age: 26 | 12.9 pts, 7.1 reb, 2.8 blk, 1 ast 50.9% FG |
| PF/C | #22 | Isaiah Jackson | 6’10 | 205 lbs Kentucky | Age: 20 | 8.3 pts, 4.1 reb, 1.4 blk, 0.7 stl 56.3% FG |
| F | #12 | Oshae Brissett | 6’7 | 210 lbs Syracuse | Age: 24 | 9.1 pts, 5.3 reb, 1.1 ast, 0.7 stl 35% 3P |
| SG | #24 | Buddy Hield | 6’4 | 220 lbs Oklahoma | Age: 29 | 15.6 pts, 4.4 ast, 2.8 ast, 0.9 stl 36.6% 3P – SAC/IND |
| PG | #0 | Tyrese Haliburton | 6’5 | 185 lbs Iowa State | Age: 22 | 15.3 pts, 8.2 ast, 2 reb, 1.7 stl 41.4% 3P – SAC/IND |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | #3 | Chris Duarte | 6’5 | 190 lbs Oregon | Age: 25 | 13.1 pts, 4.1 reb, 2.1 ast, 1 stl 36.9% 3P |
| PG | #9 | T.J. McConnell | 6’1 | 190 lbs Arizona | Age: 30 | 8.5 pts, 4.9 ast, 3.3 reb, 1.1 stl 48.1% FG |
| SG | #00 | Bennedict Mathurin (R) | 6’6 | 210 lbs Arizona | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 6th overall by IND |
| PF/C | #25 | Jalen Smith | 6’10 | 215 lbs Maryland | Age: 22 | 9.2 pts, 6 reb, 0.8 blk, 0.5 ast 50.3% FG – PHX/IND |
| C | #27 | Daniel Theis | 6’9 | 245 lbs Germany | Age: 30 | 8.2 pts, 4.9 reb, 0.9 ast, 0.7 blk 51.9% FG – HOU/BOS |
| SF | #23 | Aaron Nesmith | 6’5 | 215 lbs Vanderbilt | Age: 22 | 3.8 pts, 1.7 reb, 0.4 ast, 0.4 stl 0.1 blk – BOS |
| PF | #16 | James Johnson | 6’7 | 240 lbs Wake Forest | Age: 35 | 5.5 pts, 3.5 reb, 2.1 ast, 0.5 stl 0.5 blk – BKN |
| C | #88 | Goga Bitadze | 7’0 | 250 lbs Georgia (Cty) | Age: 23 | 7 pts, 3.5 reb, 1.1 ast, 0.8 blk 52% FG |
| PG | #2 | Andrew Nembhard | 6’5 | 193 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 22 | DRAFTED: 31st overall by IND |
| SG | #21 | Terry Taylor | 6’5 | 230 lbs Austin Peay | Age: 23 | 9.6 pts, 5.2 reb, 1.2 ast, 0.4 stl 61.4% FG |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SF | #10 | Kendall Brown (R) | 6’8 | 205 lbs Baylor | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 48th overall by MIN |
| SG | #8 | Trevelin Queen | 6’6 | 190 lbs New Mexico State | Age: 25 | 10 GP, 4.3 pts, 1.6 reb, 0.5 stl 37.5% 3P – HOU |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 27-55, 14th in East
MVP: PG Tyrese Haliburton
X-Factor: C Myles Turner
Grade: D+
When Rick Carlisle rejoined Indiana a year ago, things looked like they were headed in the right direction for the franchise. A core of Sabonis, Brogdon, and Turner looked dominant in years past, but a slow start to the season led to the team heading in other directions. They packaged all-star big man Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento for a big package including young phenom Tyrese Haliburton and former Hoosier Buddy Hield. After this the team embraced a rebuild with a solid head start led by Haliburton as their focal point.
This offseason Brogdon was also dealt to the Celtics for a package of picks, Aaron Nesmith, and Daniel Theis. Isaiah Jackson should move into a much more pivotal role alongside Myles Turner in the frontcourt and Oshae Brissett has provided great two-way minutes over the past couple of seasons. Chris Duarte also emerged onto the scene as one of last year’s steals of the draft, and Bennedict Mathurin was added in the lottery to keep their young core of guards strong. Jalen Smith started getting some big minutes after being dealt from Phoenix, and the 22-year-old could have potential to be the heir to Turner if they find a trade package for him. Terry Taylor was a mid-major star I was very high on out of college in 2021, and after getting a chance with Indy, he impressed enough to get a roster spot for this year. The Pacers will most likely be at the bottom of the East yet again, but the young core they have isn’t awful. A few more pieces still need to be added to create a real contender.
Milwaukee Bucks
HC: Mike Budenholzer (5th year in MIL, Career record: 426-293, Team record: 213-96) – AGE: 53
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #11 | Brook Lopez | 7’0 | 282 lbs Stanford | Age: 34 | 13 GP, 12.4 pts, 4.1 reb, 1.2 blk 0.6 stl |
| PF | #34 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | 6’11 | 242 lbs Greece | Age: 27 | 29.9 pts, 11.6 reb, 5.8 ast, 1.4 blk 1.1 stl |
| SF | #22 | Khris Middleton | 6’7 | 222 lbs Texas A&M | Age: 31 | 20.1 pts, 5.4 reb, 5.4 ast, 1.2 stl 37.3% 3P |
| SG | #12 | Grayson Allen | 6’4 | 198 lbs Duke | Age: 26 | 11.1 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.5 ast, 0.7 stl 40.9% 3P |
| PG | #21 | Jrue Holiday | 6’3 | 205 lbs UCLA | Age: 32 | 18.3 pts, 6.8 ast, 4.5 reb, 1.6 stl 41.1% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PF | #9 | Bobby Portis Jr. | 6’10 | 250 lbs Arkansas | Age: 27 | 14.6 pts, 9.1 reb, 1.2 ast, 0.7 blk 39.3% 3P |
| PF/C | #25 | Serge Ibaka | 6’10 | 235 lbs Congo | Age: 33 | 6.8 pts, 4.6 reb, 0.9 ast, 0.6 blk 37.4% 3P |
| SG | #24 | Pat Connaughton | 6’5 | 209 lbs Notre Dame | Age: 29 | 9.9 pts, 4.2 reb, 1.3 ast, 0.9 stl 39.5% 3P |
| SG | #23 | Wesley Matthews | 6’4 | 220 lbs Marquette | Age: 35 | 5.1 pts, 1.9 reb, 0.7 ast, 0.5 stl 33.8% 3P |
| PG | #3 | George Hill | 6’4 | 188 lbs IUPUI | Age: 36 | 6.2 pts, 2.9 reb, 2.2 ast, 0.8 stl 42.9% FG |
| SF | #13 | Jordan Nwora | 6’8 | 225 lbs Louisville | Age: 24 | 7.9 pts, 3.6 reb, 1 ast, 0.4 stl 34.8% 3P |
| G | #0 | MarJon Beauchamp (R) | 6’7 | 197 lbs USA | Age: 22 | DRAFTED: 24th overall by MIL |
| F | #43 | Thanasis Antetokounmpo | 6’6 | 219 lbs Greece | Age: 30 | 3.6 pts, 2.1 reb, 0.5 ast, 0.3 stl 54.7% FG |
| PG | #5 | Jevon Carter | 6’1 | 200 lbs West Virginia | Age: 27 | 4.2 pts, 1.7 reb, 1.5 ast, 0.4 stl 38.8% 3P – BKN/PHI |
| SF | #7 | Joe Ingles* (I) | 6’8 | 220 lbs Australia | Age: 34 | 7.2 pts, 3.5 reb, 2.9 ast, 0.5 stl 34.7% 3P – UTA/POR |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PF/C | #54 | Sandro Mamukelashvili | 6’11 | 240 lbs Seton Hall | Age: 23 | 3.8 pts, 2 reb, 0.5 ast, 0.2 stl 42.3% 3P |
| SG | #20 | A.J. Green (R) | 6’4 | 190 lbs Northern Iowa | Age: 23 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
*Joe Ingles is rehabbing his torn ACL and may return in January
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 55-27, 2nd in East
MVP: PF Giannis Antetokounmpo
X-Factor: SF Khris Middleton
Grade: A-
The 2021 champions dominated yet again a year ago, led by star Giannis Antetokounmpo who has established himself as the best player in the league over the past few seasons. Milwaukee did fall short of making it back to the NBA Finals, but the team returns pretty much their entire core that won them a championship. Giannis, Middleton, and Holiday remain as the big three, with last year’s addition of Grayson Allen slotting in as the two-guard. Brook Lopez missed most of last season due to injury, but veterans Bobby Portis and Serge Ibaka filled in tremendously in his absence. Now with Lopez back, it makes their bench even deeper.
Veteran shooter Wesley Matthews was re-signed and the team also brings back veteran PG George Hill to aid their bench. Joe Ingles was also signed and should be ready to return halfway through the season after tearing his ACL with Portland last year. Jordan Nwora should also see an increased role after a solid second half last year raised some eyebrows from the Bucks’ staff. All and all Milwaukee is still arguably the toughest team in the East, and true NBA champion contenders are just as high as they were two years ago. The East has a lot of depth so it will be a challenge, but this core is built for just that.
Atlanta Hawks
HC: Nate McMillan (3rd year in ATL, Career record: 731-638, Team record: 70-50) – AGE: 58
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #15 | Clint Capela | 6’10 | 256 lbs Switzerland | Age: 28 | 11.1 pts, 11.9 reb, 1.3 blk, 1.2 ast 61.3% FG |
| PF | #20 | John Collins | 6’9 | 226 lbs Wake Forest | Age: 25 | 16.2 pts, 7.8 reb, 1.8 ast, 1 blk 52.4% FG |
| SF | #12 | De’Andre Hunter | 6’8 | 221 lbs Virginia | Age: 24 | 13.4 pts, 3.3 reb, 1.3 ast, 0.7 stl 37.9% 3P |
| G | #5 | Dejounte Murray | 6’4 | 180 lbs Washington | Age: 26 | 21.1 pts, 9.2 ast, 8.3 reb, 2 stl 32.7% 3P – SAS |
| PG | #11 | Trae Young | 6’1 | 164 lbs Oklahoma | Age: 24 | 28.4 pts, 9.7 ast, 3.7 reb, 0.9 stl 38.2% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG | #13 | Bogdan Bogdanović | 6’6 | 225 lbs Serbia | Age: 30 | 15.1 pts, 4 reb, 3.1 ast, 1.1 stl 36.8% 3P |
| SF | #8 | Justin Holiday | 6’6 | 180 lbs Washington | Age: 33 | 10.1 pts, 2.6 reb, 1.7 ast, 0.8 stl 36.7% 3P – IND/SAC |
| PF/C | #17 | Onyeka Okongwu | 6’8 | 240 lbs USC | Age: 21 | 8.2 pts, 5.9 reb, 1.3 blk, 1.1 ast 69% FG |
| SG/SF | #14 | A.J. Griffin (R) | 6’6 | 222 lbs Duke | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 16th overall by ATL |
| C | #0 | Frank Kaminsky | 7’0 | 240 lbs Wisconsin | Age: 29 | 10.6 pts, 4.6 reb, 1.4 ast, 0.9 stl 0.8 blk – PHX |
| PG | #3 | Aaron Holiday | 6’0 | 185 lbs UCLA | Age: 26 | 6.3 pts, 2.4 ast, 1.9 reb, 0.7 stl 37.9% 3P – WSH/PHX |
| F | #1 | Jalen Johnson | 6’8 | 219 lbs Duke | Age: 20 | 2.4 pts, 1.2 reb, 0.1 ast, 0.1 blk 53.7% FG |
| G | #27 | Vit Krejčí | 6’8 | 195 lbs Czech Republic | Age: 22 | 6.2 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.9 ast, 0.6 stl 0.3 blk – OKC |
| SG | #22 | Tyrese Martin (R) | 6’6 | 215 lbs UConn | Age: 23 | DRAFTED: 51st overall by GS |
| SG | #32 | Armoni Brooks | 6’3 | 195 lbs Houston | Age: 24 | 5.3 pts, 1.9 reb, 1.1 ast, 0.5 stl 0.2 blk – HOU/TOR |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | #2 | Trent Forrest | 6’4 | 210 lbs Florida State | Age: 24 | 3.3 pts, 1.8 ast, 1.7 reb, 0.5 stl 49% FG – UTA |
| SG/SF | #7 | Jarrett Culver | 6’6 | 195 lbs Texas Tech | Age: 23 | 3.5 pts, 1.3 reb, 0.9 ast, 0.5 stl 0.1 blk – MEM |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 50-32, 3rd in East
MVP: PG Trae Young
X-Factor: PG Dejounte Murray
Grade: B+
After a year that could be looked at as a bit of a downer coming off of an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, the Hawks re-tooled and look tougher heading into the new year. The big splash this offseason was adding all-star Dejounte Murray via trade to add to a backcourt with franchise cornerstone Trae Young. The dominant big man core still remains, with De’Andre Hunter, Clint Capela, and John Collins headlining the frontcourt. Along with Gallinari another big loss was Kevin Huerter who started almost every game over the last two years, but Murray will be a solid replacement.
The bench looks good, headlined by sharpshooter Bojan Bogdanovic leading the scoring attack in the second unit. Justin Holiday and Aaron Holiday were added and the team will look to get more out of their young prospects Onyeka Okongwu, Jalen Johnson, and rookie 3-point sniper A.J. Griffin who will all have increased roles off the bench. It’ll be an all out duel between Atlanta and Miami atop of the division, but this Hawks team should have very high hopes for making a deep run, with an even better roster than they had two in 2021.
Charlotte Hornets
HC: Steve Clifford (1st year in CHA (second stint), Career record: 239-345) – AGE: 61
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #24 | Mason Plumlee | 6’11 | 254 lbs Duke | Age: 32 | 6.5 pts, 7.7 reb, 3.1 ast, 0.8 stl 64.1% FG |
| PF | #25 | P.J. Washington | 6’7 | 230 lbs Kentucky | Age: 24 | 10.3 pts, 5.2 reb, 2.3 ast, 0.9 blk 0.9 stl |
| SF | #20 | Gordon Hayward | 6’7 | 225 lbs Butler | Age: 32 | 15.9 pts, 4.6 reb, 3.6 ast, 1 stl 39.1% 3P |
| G | #3 | Terry Rozier | 6’1 | 190 lbs Louisville | Age: 28 | 19.3 pts, 4.5 ast, 4.3 reb, 1.3 stl 37.4% 3P |
| PG | #1 | LaMelo Ball | 6’7 | 180 lbs USA | Age: 21 | 20.1 pts, 7.6 ast, 6.7 reb, 1.6 stl 38.9% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG/SF | #12 | Kelly Oubre Jr. | 6’6 | 203 lbs Kansas | Age: 26 | 15 pts, 4 reb, 1.1 ast, 1 stl 34.5% 3P |
| SF | #11 | Cody Martin | 6’6 | 205 lbs Nevada | Age: 27 | 7.7 pts, 4 reb, 2.5 ast, 1.2 stl 38.4% 3P |
| PF/C | #6 | Jalen McDaniels | 6’9 | 205 lbs San Diego State | Age: 24 | 6.2 pts, 3.1 reb, 1.1 ast, 0.5 stl 38% 3P |
| SG | #2 | James Bouknight | 6’4 | 190 lbs UConn | Age: 22 | 4.6 pts, 1.7 reb, 0.8 ast, 0.2 stl 34.7% 3P |
| PG | #8 | Dennis Smith Jr. | 6’2 | 205 lbs NC State | Age: 24 | 5.6 pts, 3.6 ast, 2.4 reb, 1.2 stl 0.3 blk – POR |
| C | #5 | Mark Williams (R) | 7’2 | 242 lbs Duke | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 15th overall by CHA |
| C | #14 | Nick Richards | 7’0 | 245 lbs Kentucky | Age: 24 | 3 pts, 1.7 reb, 0.4 blk, 0.3 ast 66.7% FG |
| F | #21 | J.T. Thor | 6’9 | 203 lbs Auburn | Age: 20 | 2 pts, 1.3 reb, 0.6 ast, 0.3 blk 43.6% FG |
| C | #23 | Kai Jones | 6’10 | 221 lbs Texas | Age: 21 | 1 pts, 0.5 reb, 0.2 ast, 0.1 blk 64.3% FG |
| SG | #15 | Scottie Lewis* (I) | 6’5 | 185 lbs Florida | Age: 22 | 2 GP, 0.5 pts, 0.5 ast |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG | #7 | Bryce McGowens (R) | 6’7 | 179 lbs Nebraska | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 40th overall by MIN |
| PG | Théo Maledon | 6’4 | 175 lbs France | Age: 21 | 7.1 pts, 2.6 reb, 2.2 ast, 0.6 stl 0.2 blk – OKC |
*Scottie Lewis broke his leg in the Summer League and will miss the first few months
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 39-43, 10th in East
MVP: PG LaMelo Ball
X-Factor: SF Gordon Hayward
Grade: C+
The Hornets had a couple of great surprises last season in route to a play-in appearance. LaMelo Ball broke out in his second year in the league, becoming an all-star and the franchise cornerstone. Veterans Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward added great scoring around him. A couple of young players also had breakout years, adding great depth in Jalen McDaniels, Cody Martin, and P.J. Washington. One of the teams biggest pieces Miles Bridges is not back, after deciding to test free agency and subsequently being arrested for domestic violence. Second year lottery pick James Bouknight will definitely be looked on to become a bigger piece off the bench, and rookie big man Mark Williams has a ton of potential, and should be the future starting center for this team.
I like the Hornets a lot, and the re-hiring of Steve Clifford should bring them a little bit closer to being competitive. But it’s going to be a tough battle to come out of the East, with all of the star power on top of the Conference. I like the future of Charlotte but they seem to be middle of the pack again for this year.
Miami Heat
HC: Erik Spoelstra (15th year, Career/Team record: 660-453) – AGE: 52
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #13 | Bam Adebayo | 6’9 | 255 lbs Kentucky | Age: 25 | 19.1 pts, 10.1 reb, 3.4 ast, 1.4 stl 55.7% FG |
| SG/SF | #55 | Duncan Robinson | 6’7 | 215 lbs Michigan | Age: 28 | 10.9 pts, 2.6 reb, 1.6 ast, 0.5 stl 37.2% 3P |
| SF | #22 | Jimmy Butler | 6’7 | 230 lbs Marquette | Age: 33 | 21.4 pts, 5.9 reb, 5.5 ast, 1.6 stl 0.5 blk |
| SG | #4 | Victor Oladipo | 6’4 | 213 lbs Indiana | Age: 30 | 8 GP, 12.4 pts, 3.5 ast, 2.9 reb 0.6 stl |
| PG | #7 | Kyle Lowry | 6’0 | 196 lbs Villanova | Age: 36 | 13.4 pts, 7.5 ast, 4.5 reb, 1.1 stl 37.7% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | #14 | Tyler Herro | 6’5 | 195 lbs Kentucky | Age: 22 | 20.7 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast, 0.7 stl 39.9% 3P |
| SG | #31 | Max Strus | 6’5 | 215 lbs DePaul | Age: 26 | 10.6 pts, 3 reb, 1.4 ast, 0.4 stl 41% 3P |
| SF | #16 | Caleb Martin | 6’5 | 205 lbs Nevada | Age: 27 | 9.2 pts, 3.8 reb, 1.1 ast, 1 stl 41.3% 3P |
| F | #5 | Nikola Jović (R) | 6’11 | 223 lbs Serbia | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 27th overall by MIA |
| PG | #2 | Gabe Vincent | 6’3 | 200 lbs UC-Santa Barbara | Age: 26 | 8.7 pts, 3.1 ast, 1.9 reb, 0.9 stl 36.8% 3P |
| C | #77 | Ömer Yurtseven | 6’11 | 255 lbs Georgetown | Age: 24 | 5.3 pts, 5.3 reb, 0.9 ast, 0.4 blk 52.6% FG |
| C | #21 | Dewayne Dedmon | 7’0 | 245 lbs USC | Age: 33 | 6.3 pts, 5.8 reb, 0.7 ast, 0.6 blk 56.6% FG |
| SF | #24 | Haywood Highsmith | 6’7 | 220 lbs Wheeling (D-II) | Age: 25 | 19 GP, 2.3 pts, 1.4 reb, 0.3 ast 0.2 blk |
| PF | #40 | Udonis Haslem | 6’8 | 235 lbs Florida | Age: 42 | 13 GP, 2.5 pts, 1.9 reb, 0.3 ast 45.2% FG |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SF | #8 | Jamal Cain (R) | 6’7 | 191 lbs Oakland | Age: 23 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
| SG | #9 | Dru Smith (R) | 6’3 | 203 lbs Missouri | Age: 24 | UNDRAFTED in 2021 |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 49-33, 4th in East
MVP: SF Jimmy Butler
X-Factor: SG Victor Oladipo
Grade: B+
The developmental clinic that the Heat have put on for show is exactly the reason why this team stays competitive year after year. Last year we saw undrafted young pieces Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, Omer Yurtseven, and Caleb Martin all step up and become key pieces in both the starting lineup and off the bench for Miami. Of course adding veteran Kyle Lowry was a good get, but he clearly isn’t the same player he was 4-5 years ago. Tyler Herro stepped up big time in his third year in the league, averaging 20 ppg off the bench and winning Sixth Man of the Year. And then of course you have the stars of the team Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo who are two of the best two-way players in the entire league. A few key players that could make or break the Heat’s season are Duncan Robinson, rookie Nikola Jovic, and Victor Oladipo. Robinson is coming off a down year and will look to get his shooting splits back into the top of the NBA where he used to be. Oladipo, a 2x all-star, opted to return to Miami after a year full of injuries to try to get his career back on track. Jovic is a crafty European big man who has the potential to be a great scorer and playmaker in the league and could just add another scary weapon to Miami’s arsenal.
I think the Heat have a ticking clock, and they’ve gotten so close every year since signing Jimmy Butler, and it’s only a matter of time before they get over the edge. The Heat are one of my true underdogs to potentially win it all in 2023, especially if they can stay fully healthy and get some bounce back years from a few of their key pieces.
Orlando Magic
HC: Jamahl Mosley (2nd year, Career/Team record: 22-60) – AGE: 44
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #34 | Wendell Carter Jr. | 6’10 | 270 lbs Duke | Age: 23 | 15 pts, 10.5 reb, 2.8 ast, 0.7 blk 52.5% FG |
| PF | #5 | Paolo Banchero (R) | 6’10 | 250 lbs Duke | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 1st overall by ORL |
| F | #22 | Franz Wagner | 6’10 | 220 lbs Michigan | Age: 21 | 15.2 pts, 4.5 reb, 2.9 ast, 0.9 stl 35.4% 3P |
| G | #4 | Jalen Suggs | 6’5 | 205 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 21 | 11.8 pts, 4.4 ast, 3.6 reb, 1.2 stl 0.4 blk |
| PG | #50 | Cole Anthony | 6’3 | 185 lbs North Carolina | Age: 22 | 16.3 pts, 5.7 ast, 5.4 reb, 0.7 stl 33.8% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG | #14 | Gary Harris | 6’4 | 210 lbs Michigan State | Age: 28 | 11.1 pts, 2 reb, 1.8 ast, 1 stl 38.4% 3P |
| PF | #1 | Jonathan Isaac* | 6’10 | 230 lbs Florida State | Age: 25 | DNP – INJURED |
| SG | #31 | Terrence Ross | 6’6 | 206 lbs Washington | Age: 31 | 10 pts, 2.6 reb, 1.8 ast, 0.4 stl 0.2 blk |
| G | #13 | R.J. Hampton | 6’6 | 190 lbs USA | Age: 24 | 7.6 pts, 3 reb, 2.5 ast, 0.7 stl 35% 3P |
| C | #11 | Mo Bamba | 7’0 | 231 lbs Texas | Age: 24 | 10.6 pts, 8.1 reb, 1.7 blk, 1.2 ast 38.1% 3P |
| F | #3 | Chuma Okeke | 6’6 | 229 lbs Auburn | Age: 24 | 8.6 pts, 5 reb, 1.7 ast, 1.4 stl 0.6 blk |
| C | #21 | Moe Wagner | 6’11 | 245 lbs Michigan | Age: 25 | 9 pts, 3.7 reb, 1.4 ast, 0.3 stl 49.7% FG |
| C | #10 | Bol Bol | 7’2 | 220 lbs Oregon | Age: 22 | 14 GP, 2.4 pts, 1.4 reb, 0.4 ast 55.6% FG – DEN |
| SF | #2 | Caleb Houstan (R) | 6’8 | 205 lbs Michigan | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 32nd overall by ORL |
| PG | #20 | Markelle Fultz** (I) | 6’4 | 209 lbs Washington | Age: 24 | 18 GP, 10.8 pts, 5.5 ast, 2.7 reb 1.1 stl |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SF | #25 | Admiral Schofield | 6’5 | 241 lbs Tennessee | Age: 25 | 3.8 pts, 2.3 reb, 0.7 ast, 0.1 stl 32.9% 3P |
| SG | #7 | Kevon Harris (R) | 6’6 | 216 lbs Stephen F. Austin | Age: 25 | UNDRAFTED in 2020 |
*Jonathan Isaac is rehabbing a torn ACL and may miss the first few weeks
**Markelle Fultz broke his toe and could miss the first 1-2 months
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 25-57, 15th in East
MVP: C Wendell Carter Jr.
X-Factor: PF Paolo Banchero
Grade: D
After acquiring the first overall pick from yet another rebuilding season, the Magic used it on Duke standout Paolo Banchero, a scoring big man that they hope can become a franchise cornerstone. Orlando has a very interesting core, with no real star talent but a bunch of young promising prospects. Franz Wagner was a huge surprise last year, after being drafted in the mid-1st round he started all season and averaged 15/5/3. Jalen Suggs was the big draft pick and had a solid but not all-too-impressive rookie year. Cole Anthony has developed into a knockdown scorer and playmaker, and Wendell Carter has become the veteran that leads the core. Gary Harris and Terrence Ross also return to give them a veteran presence off the bench.
The big thing about the Magic this year will be development and trying to keep some players healthy. Jonathan Isaac hasn’t played a game since the bubble in 2020 after suffering a torn ACL with several set backs. Markelle Fultz also missed a ton of time, as that has become the common theme of his career. Getting Isaac and Fultz healthy and having productive outcomes from them can lead Orlando into the right direction. They have plenty of young talent, the key will be health and how well they play together.
Washington Wizards
HC: Wes Unseld Jr. (2nd year, Career/Team record: 35-47) – AGE: 47
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PF/C | #6 | Kristaps Porzingis | 7’3 | 240 lbs Latvia | Age: 27 | 20.2 pts, 8.1 reb, 2.3 ast, 1.6 blk 45.9% FG – DAL/WSH |
| F | #33 | Kyle Kuzma | 6’10 | 221 lbs Utah | Age: 27 | 17.1 pts, 8.5 reb, 3.5 ast, 0.9 blk 0.6 stl |
| SF | #5 | Will Barton | 6’5 | 181 lbs Memphis | Age: 31 | 14.7 pts, 4.8 reb, 3.9 ast, 0.8 stl 36.5% 3P – DEN |
| SG | #3 | Bradley Beal | 6’3 | 207 lbs Florida | Age: 29 | 23.2 pts, 6.6 ast, 4.7 reb, 0.9 stl 45.1% FG |
| PG | #22 | Monte Morris | 6’2 | 183 lbs Iowa State | Age: 27 | 12.6 pts, 4.4 ast, 3 reb, 0.7 stl 39.5% 3P – DEN |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | #8 | Rui Hachimura | 6’8 | 230 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 24 | 11.3 pts, 3.8 reb, 1.1 ast, 0.5 stl 44.7% 3P |
| G | #1 | Johnny Davis (R) | 6’5 | 195 lbs Wisconsin | Age: 21 | DRAFTED: 10th overall by WSH |
| SF | #24 | Corey Kispert* | 6’7 | 220 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 23 | 8.2 pts, 2.7 reb, 1.1 ast, 0.5 stl 35% 3P |
| C | #21 | Daniel Gafford | 6’10 | 234 lbs Arkansas | Age: 24 | 9.4 pts, 5.7 reb, 1.4 blk, 0.9 ast 69.3% FG |
| SF | #9 | Deni Avdija | 6’9 | 210 lbs Israel | Age: 21 | 8.4 pts, 5.2 reb, 2 ast, 0.7 stl 0.5 blk |
| G | #55 | Delon Wright | 6’5 | 185 lbs Utah | Age: 30 | 4.4 pts, 2.9 reb, 2.4 ast, 1.2 stl 37.9% 3P – ATL |
| PF/C | #67 | Taj Gibson | 6’9 | 232 lbs USC | Age: 37 | 4.4 pts, 4.4 reb, 0.8 blk, 0.6 ast 51.8% FG – NYK |
| F | #16 | Anthony Gill | 6’8 | 230 lbs Virginia | Age: 29 | 4.1 pts, 1.9 reb, 0.6 ast, 0.3 blk 56.9% FG |
| C | #13 | Vernon Carey Jr. | 6’9 | 270 lbs Duke | Age: 21 | 7 GP, 2.9 pts, 1.7 reb, 0.3 stl 53.8% FG – CHA/WSH |
| PF | #14 | Isaiah Todd | 6’9 | 219 lbs USA | Age: 20 | 12 GP, 1.7 pts, 1 reb, 0.3 ast 0.3 stl |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG/SF | #20 | Jordan Schakel | 6’6 | 200 lbs San Diego State | Age: 24 | 4 GP, 1.3 pts, 2 reb, 0.3 stl |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 34-48, 12th in East
MVP: SG Bradley Beal
X-Factor: PF Kristaps Porzingis
Grade: C
The Wizards had a very disappointing year last year which was headlined by Bradley Beal getting injured, a year after he averaged 30+ ppg. Spencer Dinwiddie was signed last offseason and was used to acquire Kristaps Porzingis who they will matchup with Kyle Kuzma in the frontcourt. This offseason, they dealt Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to Denver in exchange for Monte Morris and Will Barton, two very underrated players that will probably step in and join the starting lineup. With their top pick, they took Johnny Davis a combo guard with elite scoring skills and potential to become a big point guard.
The Wizards are a very interesting team, as they have the potential and talent to make a run but at the same time have never seemed to be able to figure it out. Beal/KP/Kuzma is a solid big three but clearly not one of the best in the East. They’re going to be competing for a play-in spot but I don’t see anything happening much higher than that.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Denver Nuggets
HC: Michael Malone (8th year in DEN, Career record: 353-308, Team record: 314-241) – AGE: 51
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #15 | Nikola Jokić | 6’11 | 284 lbs Serbia | Age: 27 | 27.1 pts, 13.8 reb, 7.9 ast, 1.5 stl 58.3% FG |
| PF | #00 | Aaron Gordon | 6’8 | 235 lbs Arizona | Age: 27 | 15 pts, 5.9 reb, 2.5 ast, 0.6 stl 52% FG |
| F | #1 | Michael Porter Jr. | 6’10 | 218 lbs Missouri | Age: 24 | 9 GP, 9.9 pts, 6.6 reb, 1.9 ast 1.1 stl |
| G | #3 | Bones Hyland | 6’2 | 169 lbs VCU | Age: 22 | 10.1 pts, 2.8 ast, 2.7 reb, 0.6 stl 36.6% 3P |
| PG | #27 | Jamal Murray | 6’3 | 215 lbs Kentucky | Age: 25 | DNP – INJURED |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG | #5 | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | 6’5 | 204 lbs Georgia | Age: 29 | 13.2 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.9 ast, 1.1 stl 39% 3P – WSH |
| F | #32 | Jeff Green | 6’8 | 235 lbs Georgetown | Age: 36 | 10.3 pts, 3.1 reb, 1.3 ast, 0.4 stl 52.4% FG |
| SG/SF | #11 | Bruce Brown | 6’4 | 202 lbs Miami | Age: 26 | 9 pts, 4.8 reb, 2.1 ast, 1.1 stl 40.4% 3P – BKN |
| C | #6 | DeAndre Jordan | 6’11 | 265 lbs Texas A&M | Age: 34 | 4.3 pts, 5.5 reb, 0.7 blk, 0.4 ast 64.3% FG – LAL/PHI |
| SG/SF | #0 | Christian Braun (R) | 6’6 | 218 lbs Kansas | Age: 21 | DRAFTED: 21st overall by DEN |
| PG | #4 | Ish Smith | 6’0 | 175 lbs Wake Forest | Age: 34 | 6.3 pts, 3.8 ast, 2.2 reb, 0.7 stl 37.3% 3P – WSH/CHA |
| PF/C | #22 | Zeke Nnaji | 6’9 | 240 lbs Arizona | Age: 21 | 6.6 pts, 3.6 reb, 0.4 ast, 0.4 stl 46.3% 3P |
| SG | #9 | Davon Reed | 6’5 | 206 lbs Miami | Age: 27 | 4.4 pts, 2.3 reb, 1.1 ast, 0.5 stl 43% 3P |
| SF | #31 | Vlatko Čančar | 6’8 | 236 lbs Slovenia | Age: 25 | 15 GP, 4.1 pts, 2.1 reb, 1.1 ast 0.2 blk |
| F | #8 | Peyton Watson (R) | 6’8 | 200 lbs UCLA | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 30th overall by OKC |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG | #21 | Collin Gillespie (R) | 6’3 | 195 lbs Villanova | Age: 23 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
| SF | #41 | Jack White (R) | 6’7 | 222 lbs Duke | Age: 25 | UNDRAFTED in 2020 |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 56-26, 1st in West
MVP: C Nikola Jokic
X-Factor: PG Jamal Murray
Grade: B
The Nuggets maintained dominance last season even with two of their key players missing time in Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray. It always helps when Nikola Jokic has yet another historic season, winning his second straight MVP award in the process. But Denver was outed quickly and looked to change up some pieces this offseason. They traded away long-time guards Will Barton and Monte Morris to Washington in exchange for 3-and-D wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. With Murray coming off of injury and the emergence of young and cheaper Bones Hyland, Denver felt comfortable moving on from two of their most underrated players over the past five years.
A few solid veterans were added to aid the bench in Jeff Green, De’Andre Jordan, and Bruce Brown. All guys who have plenty of experience on title contenders and bring a lot to the table in the second unit. Via the draft, they also added another young athletic wing in Christian Braun and Peyton Watson who’s potential is encouraging but will be a bit of a project. The Northwest has suddenly become a wide open division, with the Jazz rebuilding, Thunder in a rebuild, and Portland sending away some of their best players. The Nuggets will be fighting it out with the new look Timberwolves for a top spot in the West.
Minnesota Timberwolves
HC: Chris Finch (3rd year, Career/Team record: 62-61) – AGE: 53
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #27 | Rudy Gobert | 7’1 | 258 lbs France | Age: 30 | 15.6 pts, 14.7 reb, 2.1 blk, 1.1 ast 71.3% FG – UTA |
| PF/C | #32 | Karl-Anthony Towns | 6’11 | 248 lbs Kentucky | Age: 26 | 24.6 pts, 9.8 reb, 3.6 ast, 1.1 blk 41% 3P |
| SF | #5 | Kyle Anderson | 6’9 | 230 lbs UCLA | Age: 29 | 7.6 pts, 5.3 reb, 2.7 ast, 1.1 stl 0.7 blk – MEM |
| SG/SF | #1 | Anthony Edwards | 6’4 | 225 lbs Georgia | Age: 21 | 21.3 pts, 4.8 reb, 3.8 ast, 1.5 stl 35.7% 3P |
| PG | #0 | D’Angelo Russell | 6’4 | 193 lbs Ohio State | Age: 26 | 18.1 pts, 7.1 ast, 3.3 reb, 1 stl 34% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG | #25 | Austin Rivers | 6’4 | 200 lbs Duke | Age: 30 | 6 pts, 1.7 reb, 1.3 ast, 0.8 ast 34.2% 3P – DEN |
| F | #12 | Taurean Prince | 6’6 | 218 lbs Baylor | Age: 28 | 7.3 pts, 2.5 reb, 1 ast, 0.7 stl 37.6% 3P |
| G | #10 | Bryn Forbes | 6’2 | 205 lbs Michigan State | Age: 29 | 8.8 pts, 1.2 reb, 1 ast, 0.3 stl 41.4% 3P – DEN/SAS |
| C | #11 | Naz Reid | 6’9 | 264 lbs LSU | Age: 23 | 8.3 pts, 3.9 reb, 0.9 blk, 0.9 ast 49% FG |
| PF/C | #3 | Jaden McDaniels | 6’9 | 185 lbs Washington | Age: 22 | 9.2 pts, 4.2 reb, 1.1 ast, 0.8 blk 0.7 stl |
| SG/SF | #7 | Wendell Moore Jr. (R) | 6’5 | 213 lbs Duke | Age: 21 | DRAFTED: 26th overall by DAL |
| SG | #4 | Jaylen Nowell | 6’4 | 201 lbs Washington | Age: 23 | 8.5 pts, 2.1 ast, 2 reb, 0.4 stl 39.4% 3P |
| PG | #6 | Jordan McLaughlin | 5’11 | 185 lbs USC | Age: 26 | 3.8 pts, 2.9 ast, 1.5 reb, 0.9 stl 44% FG |
| PF | #8 | Josh Minott (R) | 6’8 | 205 lbs Memphis | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 45th overall by CHA |
| PF/C | #13 | Nathan Knight | 6’10 | 253 lbs William & Mary | Age: 25 | 3.7 pts, 2.3 reb, 0.6 ast, 0.2 blk 51.1% FG |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | #9 | Eric Paschall | 6’6 | 255 lbs Villanova | Age: 25 | 5.8 pts, 1.8 reb, 0.6 ast, 0.2 stl 37% 3P – UTA |
| C | #55 | Luka Garza | 6’10 | 243 lbs Iowa | Age: 23 | 5.8 pts, 3.1 reb, 0.6 ast, 0.3 stl 32.7% 3P – DET |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 45-37, 7th in West
MVP: PF Karl-Anthony Towns
X-Factor: C Rudy Gobert
Grade: B+
After a promising ’21-’22 season that showed Towns finally staying healthy and Edwards developing into one of the league’s best young talents, Minnesota did not stop there. They packaged a boat load of first round picks in exchange 3x Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. This move immediately sends Minnesota into the forefront of the West, and a legitimate contender. Towns and Gobert can create one of the better low post duos in the league, with Gobert’s paint dominance and KAT’s ability to shoot from the perimeter. Of course D’Angelo Russell returns and Anthony Edwards should see even more development in his third year in the league.
The rest of the core look solid as veterans Kyle Anderson, Austin Rivers, and Taurean Prince were all added. The young depth was one of the big positives of last year for Minnesota, and the team will continue to look on Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, and Jaylen Nowell to aid the second unit. The Timberwolves may have finally put something together, as they look to make the postseason for just the second time since ’03-’04. If all goes well and all stay healthy, the Wolves should be highly improved with the potential of housing 3 all-stars.
Oklahoma City Thunder
HC: Mark Daigneault (3rd year, Career/Team record: 46-108) – AGE: 37
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #17 | Aleksej Pokuševski | 7’0 | 190 lbs Serbia | Age: 20 | 7.6 pts, 5.2 reb, 2.1 ast, 0.6 blk 0.6 stl |
| PF | #55 | Darius Bazley | 6’8 | 208 lbs USA | Age: 22 | 10.8 pts, 6.3 reb, 1.4 ast, 1 blk 0.8 stl |
| SF | #5 | Luguentz Dort | 6’3 | 215 lbs Arizona State | Age: 23 | 17.2 pts, 4.2 reb, 1.7 ast, 0.9 stl 33.2% 3P |
| G | #3 | Josh Giddey | 6’8 | 210 lbs Australia | Age: 19 | 12.5 pts, 7.8 reb, 6.4 ast, 0.9 stl 0.4 blk |
| PG | #2 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 6’6 | 180 lbs Kentucky | Age: 24 | 24.5 pts, 5.9 ast, 5 reb, 1.3 stl 0.8 blk |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SF | #34 | Kenrich Williams | 6’6 | 210 lbs TCU | Age: 27 | 7.4 pts, 4.5 reb, 2.2 ast, 0.9 stl 33.9% 3P |
| F | #13 | Ousmane Dieng (R) | 6’10 | 216 lbs France | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 11th overall by NYK |
| PG | #23 | Tre Mann | 6’5 | 190 lbs Florida | Age: 21 | 10.4 pts, 2.9 reb, 1.5 ast, 0.8 stl 36% 3P |
| SG | #21 | Aaron Wiggins | 6’6 | 200 lbs Maryland | Age: 23 | 8.3 pts, 3.6 reb, 1.4 ast, 0.6 stl 46.3% FG |
| SG/SF | #8 | Jalen Williams (R) | 6’6 | 195 lbs Santa Clara | Age: 21 | DRAFTED: 12th overall by OKC |
| C | #33 | Mike Muscala | 6’10 | 240 lbs Bucknell | Age: 31 | 8 pts, 3 reb, 0.6 blk, 0.5 ast 42.9% 3P |
| PF | #50 | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | 6’9 | 230 lbs Villanova | Age: 21 | 7.5 pts, 5.6 reb, 1 ast, 0.6 stl 35.2% 3P |
| PF/C | #6 | Jaylin Williams (R) | 6’10 | 240 lbs Arkansas | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 34th overall by OKC |
| SG | Isaiah Joe | 6’4 | 165 lbs Arkansas | Age: 23 | 3.6 pts, 1 reb, 0.6 ast, 0.3 stl 33.3% 3P – PHI | |
| C | #7 | Chet Holmgren* (I) | 7’1 | 195 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 2nd overall by OKC |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | #97 | Eugene Omoruyi | 6’6 | 235 lbs Oregon | Age: 25 | 4 GP, 1.8 pts, 1.8 reb, 0.5 ast – DAL |
| SG | #12 | Lindy Waters III | 6’6 | 215 lbs Oklahoma St. | Age: 25 | 8 pts, 2.9 reb, 1 ast, 0.8 stl 36.3% 3P |
*Chet Holmgren has a right foot injury and will miss the entire season
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 27-55, 13th in West
MVP: PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
X-Factor: SF Luguentz Dort
Grade: C-
The Thunder have entered year three of the rebuild/Mark Daigneault era and things have not gone too well so far. With a 46-108 record over the past two years, OKC is not too close to being back to competitive form. There are some positives though, as the team has a franchise cornerstone that’s all willing to spend his core with the team in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Last year’s rookies also impressed big time, including Australian combo guard Josh Giddey who can become a triple double threat on any given night. Luguentz Dort was also extended long-term, a key piece to the team’s starting five over the past few years.
This year’s draft class is looking relatively solid with lottery wings Ousmane Dieng and Jalen Williams. Funny enough, they drafted the other Jaylin Williams in the second round; a former big man from Arkansas. The big dagger though was Chet Holmgren, who some considered the best prospect in the draft, and 2nd overall pick, suffered a foot injury in a Pro Am game and will miss all of his rookie season. Chet has the potential to be a true unicorn in the league, as a 7’0 lanky playmaker with the ability to shoot from the perimeter. But sadly, it looks like the Thunder faithful will have to wait another year before they see their future cornerstone. Tanking this season may not be a bad thing after all though, as OKC would love to add Victor Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson to their rebuilding core.
Portland Trail Blazers
HC: Chauncey Billups (2nd year, Career/Team record: 27-55) – AGE: 46
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #27 | Jusuf Nurkić | 6’11 | 290 lbs Bosnia | Age: 28 | 15 pts, 11.1 reb, 2.8 ast, 1.1 stl 53.5% FG |
| F | #9 | Jerami Grant | 6’8 | 210 lbs Syracuse | Age: 28 | 19.2 pts, 4.1 reb, 2.4 ast, 1 blk 35.8% 3P – DET |
| SG | #11 | Josh Hart | 6’5 | 215 lbs Villanova | Age: 27 | 14.9 pts, 7.2 reb, 4.1 ast, 1.1 stl 34.3% 3P – NOP/POR |
| G | #1 | Anfernee Simons | 6’3 | 181 lbs USA | Age: 23 | 17.3 pts, 3.9 ast, 2.6 reb, 0.5 stl 40.5% 3P |
| PG | #0 | Damian Lillard | 6’2 | 195 lbs Weber State | Age: 32 | 24 pts, 7.3 ast, 4.1 reb, 0.6 stl 32.4% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG | #17 | Shaedon Sharpe (R) | 6’6 | 200 lbs Kentucky | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 7th overall by POR |
| G | #00 | Gary Payton II | 6’3 | 195 lbs Oregon State | Age: 29 | 7.1 pts, 3.5 reb, 1.4 stl, 0.9 ast 61.6% FG – GSW |
| SF | #10 | Nassir Little | 6’5 | 220 lbs North Carolina | Age: 22 | 9.8 pts, 5.6 reb, 1.3 ast, 0.9 blk 0.6 stl |
| F | #26 | Justise Winslow | 6’6 | 222 lbs Duke | Age: 26 | 5.7 pts, 4.2 reb, 1.8 ast, 0.7 stl 0.5 blk – LAC/POR |
| PF/C | #24 | Drew Eubanks | 6’9 | 245 lbs Oregon State | Age: 25 | 7.7 pts, 5.4 reb, 1.2 ast, 0.6 blk 59.6% FG – SAS/POR |
| PF | #4 | Greg Brown III | 6’7 | 206 lbs Texas | Age: 21 | 4.7 pts, 2.8 reb, 0.7 ast, 0.5 blk 0.5 stl |
| SG | #6 | Keon Johnson | 6’4 | 185 lbs Tennessee | Age: 20 | 7.2 pts, 2.2 reb, 2.1 ast, 0.8 stl 34% 3P – LAC/POR |
| PF | #2 | Trendon Watford | 6’8 | 237 lbs LSU | Age: 21 | 7.6 pts, 4.1 reb, 1.7 ast, 0.6 blk 53.2% FG |
| F | #34 | Jabari Walker (R) | 6’9 | 215 lbs Colorado | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 57th overall by POR |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #30 | Olivier Sarr | 7’0 | 240 lbs Kentucky | Age: 23 | 7 pts, 4.2 reb, 0.9 ast, 0.7 blk 57.4% FG – OKC |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 35-47, 11th in West
MVP: PG Damian Lillard
X-Factor: SF Jerami Grant
Grade: C-
The Blazers couldn’t seem to get out of their own way last year, and after an injury to Damian Lillard, they opted to reset and re-tool. C.J. McCollum was traded to New Orleans and Norman Powell was sent to the Clippers, two moves that left the team in pure rebuilding mode. But the one thing they wouldn’t do is trade the franchise’s best player of all time, Damian Lillard. He ultimately signed an extension with Portland that keeps him with the team for the next five seasons, where he’ll get paid roughly $42.3m this year followed by $45.6m, $48.8m, $58.5m, and $63.2m in 2027-28. Needless to say, this team will be building around him and can put all of the trade rumors to bed. Anfernee Simons bursted onto the scene and signed a big extension, taking the place of McCollum in the Blazers’ backcourt. Jerami Grant was also added at last year’s deadline and will look to be a great scoring option beside Lillard.
With the top pick they accumulate from their 27-win season, they drafted raw young scoring guard Shaedon Sharpe, who has the potential to be a phenom in the league. It’ll take some work to get him ready, but a duo of Lillard and Sharpe could take the league by storm in the next few years. The Blazers will have a tough time competing for a top spot in the West, but they still have the strength to make the play-in. I like the direction they’re headed and some of the young pieces they’ve brought in, but they were definitely farther along at this point last year, and may take some time to get back to that level.
Utah Jazz
HC: Will Hardy (1st year) – AGE: 34
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #41 | Kelly Olynyk | 6’11 | 240 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 31 | 9.1 pts, 4.4 reb, 2.8 ast, 0.8 stl 0.5 blk – DET |
| F | #23 | Lauri Markkanen | 6’11 | 240 lbs Arizona | Age: 25 | 14.8 pts, 5.7 reb, 1.3 ast, 0.7 stl 35.8% 3P – CLE |
| SG/SF | #0 | Talen Horton-Tucker | 6’4 | 234 lbs Iowa State | Age: 21 | 10 pts, 3.2 reb, 2.7 ast, 1 stl 0.5 blk – LAL |
| G | #2 | Collin Sexton | 6’1 | 190 lbs Alabama | Age: 23 | 11 GP, 16 pts, 3.3 reb, 2.1 ast 0.9 stl – CLE |
| PG | #11 | Mike Conley | 6’1 | 175 lbs Ohio State | Age: 34 | 13.7 pts, 5.3 ast, 3 reb, 1.3 stl 40.8% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | #00 | Jordan Clarkson | 6’4 | 194 lbs Missouri | Age: 30 | 16 pts, 3.5 reb, 2.5 ast, 0.8 stl 31.8% 3P |
| SG | #5 | Malik Beasley | 6’4 | 187 lbs Florida State | Age: 25 | 12.1 pts, 2.9 reb, 1.5 ast, 0.5 stl 37.7% 3P – MIN |
| PF | #8 | Jarred Vanderbilt | 6’9 | 214 lbs Kentucky | Age: 23 | 6.9 pts, 8.4 reb, 1.3 ast, 1.3 stl 58.7% FG – MIN |
| SF | #22 | Rudy Gay | 6’8 | 250 lbs UConn | Age: 36 | 8.1 pts, 4.4 reb, 1 ast, 0.5 stl 34.5% 3P |
| SG | #6 | Nickiel Alexander-Walker | 6’5 | 205 lbs Virginia Tech | Age: 24 | 10.6 pts, 2.9 reb, 2.4 ast, 0.7 stl 0.4 blk – NOP/UTA |
| SG/SF | #30 | Ochai Agbaji (R) | 6’5 | 215 lbs Kansas | Age: 22 | DRAFTED: 14th overall by CLE |
| C | #24 | Walker Kessler (R) | 7’1 | 245 lbs Auburn | Age: 21 | DRAFTED: 22nd overall by MEM |
| C | #20 | Udoka Azubuike | 7’0 | 270 lbs Kansas | Age: 23 | 17 GP, 4.7 pts, 4.2 reb, 0.6 blk 75.5% FG |
| SF | #10 | Leandro Bolmaro | 6’6 | 200 lbs Argentina | Age: 22 | 1.4 pts, 1.2 reb, 0.6 ast, 0.2 stl 31.5% FG |
| F | #16 | Simone Fontecchio (R) | 6’7 | 200 lbs Italy | Age: 26 | UNDRAFTED in 2017 |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG/SF | #33 | Johnny Juzang (R) | 6’7 | 215 lbs UCLA | Age: 21 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
| PF/C | #25 | Micah Potter | 6’10 | 248 lbs Wisconsin | Age: 24 | 3 GP, 4 pts, 3 reb, 0.3 stl – DET |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 20-62, 15th in West
MVP: PG Mike Conley
X-Factor: SG Collin Sexton
Grade: D
What seemed like a destined solution to the franchise’s struggles, the Jazz decided to go into rebuild mode this off-season and blow up the core that had brought them to several straight playoff appearances. First, long time Head Coach Quin Snyder announced his parting with the organization in what seemed to be the first domino to fall. Rudy Gobert was then traded to Minnesota in exchange for a boatload of first round picks. Donovan Mitchell was then also traded for picks, and some young talent including Collin Sexton and Lauri Markkanen. The only remaining veterans from their core are Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, and Rudy Gay, with Clarkson really being the only one with real trade value.
It looks like this is going to become a 2019 Thunder/CP3 situation for both Gay and Conley, who are getting paid too much to be worth anything and will likely have to play out their contracts on a rebuilding team. The real headline was all of the first round picks the team got via trading their two stars. They now have three first round picks for 2023, and a grand total of 15 firsts up until 2030. In the process they did add some young pieces that could be building blocks including Sexton, Markkanen, Talen Horton-Tucker, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and first round rookies Ochai Agbaji and Walker Kessler. It’ll definitely be a bad year for Utah, as the first year of any true rebuild tends to go. Their biggest hope will be to get good performances from veterans that they can flip towards the deadline.
Golden State Warriors
HC: Steve Kerr (9th year, Career/Team record: 429-200) – AGE: 57
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #5 | Kevon Looney | 6’9 | 222 lbs UCLA | Age: 26 | 6 pts, 7.3 reb, 2 ast, 0.6 blk 57.1% FG |
| PF | #23 | Draymond Green | 6’6 | 230 lbs Michigan State | Age: 32 | 7.5 pts, 7.3 reb, 7 ast, 1.3 stl 1.1 blk |
| SF | #22 | Andrew Wiggins | 6’7 | 197 lbs Kansas | Age: 27 | 17.2 pts, 4.5 reb, 2.2 ast, 1 stl 39.3% 3P |
| SG | #11 | Klay Thompson | 6’6 | 220 lbs Washington State | Age: 32 | 20.4 pts, 3.9 reb, 2.8 ast, 0.5 stl 38.5% 3P |
| PG | #30 | Stephen Curry | 6’2 | 185 lbs Davidson | Age: 34 | 25.5 pts, 6.3 ast, 5.2 reb, 1.3 stl 38% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG | #3 | Jordan Poole | 6’4 | 194 lbs Michigan | Age: 23 | 18.5 pts, 4 ast, 3.4 reb, 0.8 stl 36.4% 3P |
| C | #33 | James Wiseman | 7’0 | 258 lbs Memphis | Age: 21 | DNP – INJURED |
| PF | #00 | Jonathan Kuminga | 6’8 | 210 lbs USA | Age: 20 | 9.3 pts, 3.3 reb, 0.9 ast, 0.4 stl 51.3% FG |
| SG | #0 | Donte DiVincenzo | 6’4 | 203 lbs Villanova | Age: 25 | 9 pts, 4 reb, 2.8 ast, 1.1 stl 33.9% 3P – MIL/SAC |
| F | #1 | JaMychal Green | 6’8 | 227 lbs Alabama | Age: 32 | 6.4 pts, 4.2 reb, 0.9 ast, 0.6 stl 0.4 blk – DEN |
| SG | #4 | Moses Moody | 6’6 | 205 lbs Arkansas | Age: 20 | 4.4 pts, 1.5 reb, 0.4 ast, 0.2 blk 36.4% 3P |
| SF | #9 | Andre Iguodala | 6’6 | 215 lbs Arizona | Age: 38 | 4 pts, 3.7 ast, 3.2 reb, 0.9 stl 0.7 blk |
| F | #7 | Patrick Baldwin Jr. (R) | 6’9 | 220 lbs Milwaukee | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 28th overall by GSW |
| SG | #10 | Ty Jerome | 6’5 | 195 lbs Virginia | Age: 25 | 7.1 pts, 2.3 ast, 1.6 reb, 0.6 stl 0.1 blk – OKC |
| G | #2 | Ryan Rollins (R) | 6’4 | 180 lbs Toledo | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 44th overall by ATL |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG | #12 | Quinndary Weatherspoon | 6’3 | 207 lbs Mississippi State | Age: 26 | 11 GP, 2.7 pts, 1.3 reb, 0.5 ast 57.1% FG |
| SG | #25 | Lester Quiñones (R) | 6’5 | 205 lbs Memphis | Age: 21 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 55-27, 2nd in West
MVP: PG Stephen Curry
X-Factor: SF Andrew Wiggins
Grade: A
After taking a couple of years to rebuild and retool, the Dubs got fully healthy for 21-22 and ended up winning their fourth title with their dynamic core. Klay Thompson returned after missing two full seasons due to injury, and Steph Curry stayed relatively healthy. The big storyline was the emergence of Jordan Poole and the development of some of their young talent they’ve acquired from the top picks they’ve had in 2020 and 2021. Jonathan Kuminga seems like a very promising prospect, and they were able to do all of this damage without the #2 pick in 2020, James Wiseman. They also saw career years from Gary Payton II, Damion Lee, and Juan Toscano-Anderson, all undrafted journeymen who were able to scratch out solid contracts with new teams from their impact on the title run.
A few veterans will join to take their place, with Donte DiVincenzo, JaMychal Green, and Ty Jerome all being added. The drama surrounding Draymond Green and Jordan Poole’s relationship after their fight in training camp will be an interesting thing to watch play out. Poole is one of their key pieces and is set to become a restricted free agent after this year. The Warriors though have been the class of the league for nearly a decade now, and if anyone is going to figure it out it will be them. They’ll be competing for that crown once again, to no one’s surprise.
Los Angeles Clippers
HC: Tyronn Lue (3rd year in LAC, Career record: 217-148, Team record: 89-65) – AGE: 45
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #40 | Ivica Zubac | 7’0 | 240 lbs Croatia | Age: 25 | 10.3 pts, 8.5 reb, 1.6 ast, 1 blk 62.6% FG |
| F | #33 | Nicolas Batum | 6’8 | 230 lbs France | Age: 33 | 8.3 pts, 4.3 reb, 1.7 ast, 1 stl 40% 3P |
| SF | #2 | Kawhi Leonard | 6’7 | 225 lbs San Diego State | Age: 31 | DNP – INJURED |
| SG/SF | #13 | Paul George | 6’8 | 220 lbs Fresno State | Age: 32 | 24.3 pts, 6.9 reb, 5.7 ast, 2.2 stl 35.4% 3P |
| PG | #1 | Reggie Jackson | 6’2 | 208 lbs Boston College | Age: 32 | 16.8 pts, 4.8 ast, 3.6 reb, 0.7 stl 32.6% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG/SF | #24 | Norman Powell | 6’3 | 215 lbs UCLA | Age: 29 | 19 pts, 3.2 reb, 2.1 ast, 0.9 stl 41.9% 3P – POR/LAC |
| F | #23 | Robert Covington | 6’7 | 209 lbs Tennessee State | Age: 31 | 8.5 pts, 5.5 reb, 1.5 stl, 1.3 blk 37.8% 3P – POR/LAC |
| SF | #8 | Marcus Morris Sr. | 6’8 | 218 lbs Kansas | Age: 33 | 15.4 pts, 4.4 reb, 2.1 ast, 0.5 stl 36.7% 3P |
| SG | #5 | Luke Kennard | 6’5 | 206 lbs Duke | Age: 26 | 11.9 pts, 3.3 reb, 2.1 ast, 0.6 stl 44.9% 3P |
| PG | #11 | John Wall | 6’3 | 210 lbs Kentucky | Age: 32 | DNP – INJURED (HOU) |
| SG/SF | #4 | Brandon Boston Jr. | 6’6 | 188 lbs Kentucky | Age: 20 | 6.7 pts, 2.2 reb, 1 ast, 0.5 stl 0.3 blk |
| SG | #14 | Terance Mann | 6’5 | 215 lbs Florida State | Age: 25 | 10.8 pts, 5.2 reb, 2.6 ast, 0.7 stl 36.5% 3P |
| SG | #7 | Amir Coffey | 6’7 | 210 lbs Minnesota | Age: 25 | 9 pts, 2.9 reb, 1.8 ast, 0.6 stl 37.8% 3P |
| PG | #17 | Jason Preston (R) | 6’3 | 181 lbs Ohio | Age: 23 | DRAFTED in 2021 |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PF/C | #25 | Moussa Diabaté (R) | 6’11 | 210 lbs Michigan | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 43rd overall by LAC |
| C | #6 | Moses Brown | 7’2 | 245 lbs UCLA | Age: 23 | 4.3 pts, 3.4 reb, 0.4 blk, 0.2 stl 59.3% FG – DAL/CLE |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 50-32, 4th in West
MVP: SF Kawhi Leonard
X-Factor: SF Kawhi Leonard
Grade: A
Despite missing their star Kawhi Leonard for the entire season, the Clippers stayed competitive throughout ’21-’22 and look to elevate back to the top of the West. This is one of the biggest sleepers of this season, and if fully healthy they are a legitimate NBA title contender. Kawhi and PG are one of the most dominant duos in the league, and a year off should only be able to help Kawhi in a positive way. Reggie Jackson had a great season holding down the fort as one of the best scoring options, and both Robert Covington and Norman Powell are two pieces added late last year that will pay huge dividends in a full season.
Then of course you have John Wall, who has dealt with injuries over the past couple of seasons but is now fresh and ready to prove he’s still as dominant as his Wizards days. Tyronn Lue has put together a great squad and has also become one of the better coaches in the league by doing so. I think big things are going to come from the Clippers this year, as they look fully healthy and their depth is also insane. A second unit led by Wall, Covington, Powell, and Morris could be a starting five for about half of the league. I like my choice with the other LA team taking it all this year.
Los Angeles Lakers
HC: Darvin Ham (1st year) – AGE: 49
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #31 | Thomas Bryant | 6’10 | 248 lbs Indiana | Age: 25 | 7.4 pts, 4 reb, 0.9 ast, 0.8 blk 52% FG – WSH |
| PF | #3 | Anthony Davis | 6’10 | 253 lbs Kentucky | Age: 29 | 23.2 pts, 9.9 reb, 3.1 ast, 2.3 blk 1.2 stl |
| SF | #6 | LeBron James | 6’9 | 250 lbs USA | Age: 37 | 30.3 pts, 8.2 reb, 6.2 ast, 1.3 stl 1.1 blk |
| G | #12 | Kendrick Nunn | 6’2 | 190 lbs Oakland | Age: 27 | 14.6 pts, 3.2 reb, 2.6 ast, 0.9 stl 38.1% 3P |
| PG | #0 | Russell Westbrook | 6’3 | 200 lbs UCLA | Age: 33 | 18.5 pts, 7.4 reb, 7.1 ast, 1 stl 44.4% FG |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG | #21 | Patrick Beverley | 6’1 | 180 lbs Arkansas | Age: 34 | 9.2 pts, 4.6 ast, 4.1 reb, 1.2 stl 34.3% 3P – MIN |
| SG | #4 | Lonnie Walker IV | 6’4 | 204 lbs Miami | Age: 23 | 12.1 pts, 2.6 reb, 2.2 ast, 0.6 stl 0.3 blk – SAS |
| C | #30 | Damian Jones | 6’11 | 245 lbs Vanderbilt | Age: 27 | 8.1 pts, 4.4 reb, 1.2 ast, 0.8 blk 65.8% FG – SAC |
| G | #17 | Dennis Schröder* | 6’1 | 172 lbs Germany | Age: 29 | 13.5 pts, 4.6 ast, 3.3 reb, 0.8 stl 43.1% FG – BOS/HOU |
| SF | #7 | Troy Brown Jr.** | 6’6 | 215 lbs Oregon | Age: 23 | 4.3 pts, 3.1 reb, 1 ast, 0.5 stl 35.3% 3P – CHI |
| F | #95 | Juan Toscano-Anderson | 6’6 | 209 lbs Marquette | Age: 29 | 4.1 pts, 2.4 reb, 1.7 ast, 0.7 stl 48.9% FG – GSW |
| SG | #15 | Austin Reaves | 6’5 | 197 lbs Oklahoma | Age: 24 | 7.3 pts, 3.2 reb, 1.8 ast, 0.5 stl 31.7% 3P |
| F | #35 | Wenyen Gabriel | 6’9 | 205 lbs Kentucky | Age: 25 | 5.4 pts, 3.7 reb, 0.5 ast, 0.4 blk 49.1% FG – BKN/LAC/LAL |
| SG | #10 | Max Christie (R) | 6’6 | 190 lbs Michigan State | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 35th overall by LAL |
| SF | #37 | Matt Ryan | 6’7 | 215 lbs Chattanooga | Age: 25 | 1 GP, 3 pts, 1 stl – BOS |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | #14 | Scotty Pippen Jr. (R) | 6’3 | 185 lbs Vanderbilt | Age: 21 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
| F | #20 | Cole Swider (R) | 6’9 | 220 lbs Syracuse | Age: 23 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
*Dennis Schroder has a finger injury and could miss significant time
**Troy Brown Jr. has a back injury and may miss the first few games
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 36-46, 9th in West
MVP: SF LeBron James
X-Factor: PG Russell Westbrook
Grade: C+
It was a pure disappointment last year for the Lakers, who couldn’t seem to get anything going and subsequently missed the playoffs altogether. LeBron had injuries, AD dealt with the normal injuries he always deals with, and Westbrook saw his numbers dip and a ton of scrutiny around the NBA world if his effective years are behind him. Due to contract’s being tied up, they weren’t able to make a ton of big moves to better the team. Last year’s bench core is almost completely gone and swapped out with a new crop of veteran talent including Patrick Beverley, Lonnie Walker, and Dennis Schroder. First year head coach Darvin Ham will have his work cut out for him, after Frank Vogel seemed to lose the locker room completely last year and was let go.
It’s going to be an uphill battle for the Lakers to be much better than they were last season. First they need to pray for health, and asking for more than 50 games a year from Anthony Davis seems like too much to ask. LBJ, who has dealt with a plethora of injuries for the first time in his career over the past two years, will be entering his age-38 season and will continue to fight off father time. I think it’ll be a tough year for LA once again, and questions will loom around their future.
Phoenix Suns
HC: Monty Williams (4th year in PHX, Career record: 322-299, Team record: 149-78) – AGE: 51
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #22 | Deandre Ayton | 6’11 | 250 lbs Arizona | Age: 24 | 17.2 pts, 10.2 reb, 1.4 ast, 0.7 blk 63.4% FG |
| F | #23 | Cameron Johnson | 6’8 | 210 lbs North Carolina | Age: 26 | 12.5 pts, 4.1 reb, 1.5 ast, 0.9 stl 42.5% 3P |
| SF | #25 | Mikal Bridges | 6’6 | 209 lbs Villanova | Age: 26 | 14.2 pts, 4.2 reb, 2.3 reb, 1.2 stl 36.9% 3P |
| SG | #1 | Devin Booker | 6’5 | 206 lbs Kentucky | Age: 25 | 26.8 pts, 5 reb, 4.8 ast, 1.1 stl 38.3% 3P |
| PG | #3 | Chris Paul | 6’0 | 175 lbs Wake Forest | Age: 37 | 14.7 pts, 10.8 ast, 4.4 reb, 1.9 stl 49.3% FG |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | #99 | Jae Crowder | 6’6 | 235 lbs Marquette | Age: 32 | 9.4 pts, 5.3 reb, 1.9 ast, 1.4 stl 34.8% 3P |
| PG | #15 | Cameron Payne | 6’1 | 183 lbs Murray State | Age: 28 | 10.8 pts, 4.9 ast, 3 reb, 0.7 stl 33.6% 3P |
| PF/C | #20 | Dario Šarić | 6’10 | 225 lbs Croatia | Age: 28 | DNP – INJURED |
| SG | #14 | Landry Shamet | 6’4 | 190 lbs Wichita State | Age: 25 | 8.3 pts, 1.8 reb, 1.6 ast, 0.4 stl 36.8% 3P |
| SF | #0 | Torrey Craig | 6’7 | 221 lbs USC Upstate | Age: 31 | 6.6 pts, 4 reb, 1.2 ast, 0.6 stl 0.5 blk – IND/PHX |
| C | #18 | Bismack Biyombo | 6’8 | 255 lbs Congo | Age: 30 | 5.8 pts, 4.6 reb, 0.7 blk, 0.6 ast 59.3% FG |
| G | #10 | Damion Lee | 6’5 | 210 lbs Louisville | Age: 29 | 7.4 pts, 3.2 reb, 1 ast, 0.6 stl 33.7% 3P – GSW |
| SG | #2 | Josh Okogie | 6’4 | 213 lbs Georgia Tech | Age: 24 | 2.7 pts, 1.4 reb, 0.5 ast, 0.5 stl 0.2 blk – MIN |
| C | #11 | Jock Landale | 6’11 | 255 lbs St. Mary’s | Age: 26 | 4.9 pts, 2.6 reb, 0.8 ast, 0.3 blk 49.5% FG – SAS |
| G | Saben Lee | 6’2 | 183 lbs Vanderbilt | Age: 23 | 5.6 pts, 2.9 ast, 2.4 reb, 1 stl 0.3 blk – DET |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG | #4 | Duane Washington Jr. | 6’3 | 197 lbs Ohio State | Age: 22 | 9.9 pts, 1.8 ast, 1.7 reb, 0.5 stl 37.7% 3P – IND |
| SF | #12 | Ish Wainright | 6’5 | 235 lbs Baylor | Age: 28 | 2.4 pts, 1.2 reb, 0.4 stl, 0.3 ast 32.2% 3P |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 48-34, 5th in West
MVP: SG Devin Booker
X-Factor: C Deandre Ayton
Grade: A-
Just a year removed from their improbable run to the Finals, Phoenix re-upped all of their big pieces and will look to continue to make hay in the West. They had a good season last year, not great, but good. There’s no doubt CP3’s clock is ticking as he enters his age-37 season, but they will be getting Dario Saric back and Deandre Ayton was retained in a move that seemed very unlikely at the end of last year. Cameron Johnson has developed into one of the league’s better swing forwards and Mikal Bridges was a close candidate for DPOY. There is some scrutiny around Jae Crowder’s future with the team, as the veteran wing didn’t seem to take kindly to a bench role.
In the best division in basketball, it’ll be tough to beat out the Warriors or Clippers for the division, and the Suns subsequently may be pushing for a play-in spot. Either way, they’re going to be a true threat once again and I expect another potentially deep run from Monty Williams’ crew.
Sacramento Kings
HC: Mike Brown (1st year in SAC, Career record: 347-216) – AGE: 52
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PF/C | #10 | Domantas Sabonis | 6’11 | 240 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 26 | 18.9 pts, 12.1 reb, 5.2 ast, 1 stl 57.3% FG – IND/SAC |
| SF | #40 | Harrison Barnes | 6’8 | 225 lbs North Carolina | Age: 30 | 16.4 pts, 5.6 reb, 2.4 ast, 0.7 stl 39.4% 3P |
| SF | #13 | Keegan Murray (R) | 6’8 | 215 lbs Iowa | Age: 22 | DRAFTED: 4th overall by SAC |
| SG | #0 | Malik Monk | 6’3 | 200 lbs Kentucky | Age: 24 | 13.8 pts, 3.4 reb, 2.9 ast, 0.8 stl 39.1% 3P – LAL |
| PG | #5 | De’Aaron Fox | 6’3 | 185 lbs Kentucky | Age: 24 | 23.2 pts, 5.6 ast, 3.9 reb, 1.2 stl 47.3% FG |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG | #9 | Kevin Huerter | 6’7 | 198 lbs Maryland | Age: 24 | 12.1 pts, 3.4 reb, 2.7 ast, 0.7 stl 38.9% 3P – ATL |
| PG | #15 | Davion Mitchell | 6’0 | 202 lbs Baylor | Age: 24 | 11.5 pts, 4.2 ast, 2.2 reb, 0.7 stl 0.3 blk |
| C | #22 | Richaun Holmes | 6’10 | 235 lbs Bowling Green | Age: 28 | 10.4 pts, 7 reb, 1.1 ast, 0.9 blk 66% FG |
| SG | #4 | Terence Davis | 6’4 | 201 lbs Ole Miss | Age: 25 | 10.4 pts, 3.1 reb, 1.3 ast, 0.8 stl 32.9% 3P |
| PF/C | #7 | Chimezie Metu | 6’9 | 225 lbs USC | Age: 25 | 8.9 pts, 5.6 reb, 1 ast, 0.9 stl 0.5 blk |
| PF/C | #41 | Trey Lyles | 6’9 | 234 lbs Kentucky | Age: 26 | 10.5 pts, 5.1 reb, 1.2 ast, 0.4 blk 46.6% FG – DET/SAC |
| PG | #8 | Matthew Dellavedova | 6’3 | 200 lbs St. Mary’s | Age: 32 | DNP – Played in Australia |
| F | #30 | KZ Okpala | 6’8 | 215 lbs Stanford | Age: 23 | 3.7 pts, 2 reb, 0.7 ast, 0.3 blk 34.6% 3P – MIA |
| C | #25 | Alex Len | 7’0 | 250 lbs Maryland | Age: 29 | 6 pts, 4.1 reb, 1.2 ast, 0.6 blk 53.4% FG |
| SF | #19 | Chima Moneke (R) | 6’6 | 223 lbs UC Davis | Age: 26 | UNDRAFTED in 2018 |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #88 | Neemias Queta | 7’0 | 245 lbs Utah State | Age: 23 | 15 GP, 3 pts, 2.1 reb, 0.5 blk 0.4 ast |
| SG | #23 | Keon Ellis (R) | 6’6 | 175 lbs Alabama | Age: 22 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 35-47, 10th in West
MVP: PF Domantas Sabonis
X-Factor: PG De’Aaron Fox
Grade: C
The Kings are very weird, I’ll just flat out say it. They entered last year with whats seemed like an amazing future backcourt of Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, but a deadline trade for star big man Domantas Sabonis, sent Tyrese to Indiana. A move that not only shocked the NBA world but also Tyrese himself, Sacramento does now have the player they were hoping Marvin Bagley was going to become. Another top pick landed them a budding young star in Keegan Murray, a score-at-will 6’8 low post threat who will likely take the spot of Harrison Barnes after his contract is up. In the meantime, they could start alongside each other and join Sabonis in what could be a good frontcourt. They also matched up 2017 Kentucky teammates De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk who look to become one of the better scoring backcourts in the league.
But what’s so weird about them? Well it seems like everything goes wrong for the team. The Luke Walton experiment was not a good one, and they now have a solid experienced head coach in Mike Brown. Their bench though is not overly stacked, headlined by Kevin Huerter, Richaun Holmes, and Davion Mitchell. This team is solid, not great, and it seems like they’ve been like that yearly since the early 2000’s. Regardless this team will stack up some losses by having to play against all of their California foes in their division. I do think they could make a legitimate push for the play-in tournament but that may be their ceiling.
Dallas Mavericks
HC: Jason Kidd (2nd year in DAL, Career record: 235-220, Team record: 52-30) – AGE: 49
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #7 | Dwight Powell | 6’10 | 240 lbs Stanford | Age: 31 | 8.7 pts, 4.9 reb, 1.2 ast, 0.5 blk 67.1% FG |
| F | #10 | Dorian Finney-Smith | 6’7 | 220 lbs Florida | Age: 29 | 11 pts, 4.7 reb, 1.9 ast, 1.1 stl 39.5% 3P |
| SF | #11 | Tim Hardaway Jr. | 6’5 | 205 lbs Michigan | Age: 30 | 14.2 pts, 3.7 reb, 2.2 ast, 0.9 stl 33.6% 3P |
| G | #26 | Spencer Dinwiddie | 6’6 | 215 lbs Colorado | Age: 29 | 13.7 pts, 5.2 ast, 4.2 reb, 0.7 stl 33.9% 3P – WSH/DAL |
| G/SF | #77 | Luka Dončić | 6’7 | 230 lbs Slovenia | Age: 23 | 28.4 pts, 9.1 reb, 8.7 ast, 1.2 stl 35.3% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #35 | Christian Wood | 6’9 | 214 lbs UNLV | Age: 27 | 17.9 pts, 10.1 reb, 2.3 ast, 1 blk 39% 3P – HOU |
| SF | #25 | Reggie Bullock | 6’6 | 205 lbs North Carolina | Age: 31 | 8.6 pts, 3.5 reb, 1.2 ast, 0.6 stl 36% 3P |
| C | #00 | JaVale McGee | 7’0 | 270 lbs Nevada | Age: 34 | 9.2 pts, 6.7 reb, 1.1 blk, 0.6 ast 62.9% FG – PHX |
| F | #42 | Maxi Kleber | 6’10 | 240 lbs Germany | Age: 30 | 7 pts, 5.9 reb, 1.2 ast, 1 blk 0.5 stl |
| F | #44 | Dāvis Bertāns | 6’10 | 225 lbs Latvia | Age: 29 | 5.6 pts, 2.1 reb, 0.6 ast, 0.3 stl 33.5% 3P – WSH/DAL |
| PG | #21 | Frank Ntilikina | 6’4 | 200 lbs France | Age: 24 | 4.1 pts, 1.4 reb, 1.2 ast, 0.5 stl 34.2% 3P |
| SG | #3 | Jaden Hardy (R) | 6’4 | 198 lbs USA | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 37th overall by SAC |
| SG | #8 | Josh Green | 6’5 | 200 lbs Arizona | Age: 21 | 4.8 pts, 2.4 reb, 1.2 ast, 0.7 stl 35.9% 3P |
| G | #1 | Theo Pinson | 6’5 | 212 lbs North Carolina | Age: 26 | 19 GP, 2.5 pts, 1.1 reb, 0.9 ast 0.3 stl |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | #5 | Tyler Dorsey | 6’4 | 195 lbs Oregon | Age: 26 | DNP – Played in Greece |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 44-38, 8th in West
MVP: PG Luka Doncic
X-Factor: C Christian Wood
Grade: B
The Mavericks looked to be filling in a missing piece last season when former franchise star Jason Kidd took over as Head Coach. A few solid moves were also made, with Kristaps Porzingis being dealt to Washington for Spencer Dinwiddie. This gave the team a lot of flexibility as well as a playmaking backcourt mate with Luka Doncic. The two played great alongside each other in the second half last year and will lead the scoring threat. But the big move this offseason was acquiring star big man Christian Wood from Houston, a much more consistent threat that does almost everything KP can do. The early indication is he’ll come off the bench and lead the second unit while Dwight Powell remains the starting big man.
JaVale McGee was also added, a very solid veteran that gives them extra depth in the center position. Reggie Bullock, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Tim Hardaway Jr. will continue to provide the depth on both the offensive and defensive ends. The Mavs will be great again this year, but the West will be very top loaded and they may not be the deepest to be in the same mix as Phoenix, LA, or Denver.
Houston Rockets
HC: Stephen Silas (3rd year, Career/Team record: 37-117) – AGE: 49
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PF | #1 | Jabari Smith Jr. (R) | 6’10 | 220 lbs Auburn | Age: 26 | DRAFTED: 3rd overall by HOU |
| SF | #8 | Jae’Sean Tate | 6’4 | 230 lbs Ohio State | Age: 26 | 11.8 pts, 5.4 reb, 2.8 ast, 0.9 stl 49.8% FG |
| SG | #10 | Eric Gordon | 6’3 | 215 lbs Indiana | Age: 33 | 13.4 pts, 2.7 ast, 2 reb, 0.5 stl 41.2% 3P |
| SG | #0 | Jalen Green | 6’4 | 186 lbs USA | Age: 20 | 17.3 pts, 3.4 reb, 2.6 ast, 0.7 stl 34.3% 3P |
| G | #3 | Kevin Porter Jr. | 6’4 | 203 lbs USC | Age: 22 | 15.6 pts, 6.2 ast, 4.4 reb, 1.1 stl 37.5% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG | #25 | Garrison Mathews | 6’5 | 215 lbs Lipscomb | Age: 25 | 10 pts, 2.9 reb, 1 ast, 0.9 stl 36% 3P |
| F | #6 | K.J. Martin | 6’7 | 215 lbs USA | Age: 21 | 8.8 pts, 3.8 reb, 1.3 ast, 0.5 blk 53.3% FG |
| C | #28 | Alperen Sengün | 6’9 | 235 lbs Turkey | Age: 20 | 9.6 pts, 5.5 reb, 2.6 ast, 0.9 blk 0.8 stl |
| F | #17 | Tari Eason (R) | 6’8 | 216 lbs LSU | Age: 21 | DRAFTED: 17th overall by HOU |
| SG | #8 | Josh Christopher | 6’5 | 215 lbs Arizona State | Age: 20 | 7.9 pts, 2.5 reb, 2 ast, 0.9 stl 44.8% FG |
| PF/C | #16 | Usman Garuba | 6’8 | 220 lbs Spain | Age: 20 | 2 pts, 3.5 reb, 0.7 ast, 0.5 blk 0.4 stl |
| PG | #0 | TyTy Washington Jr. (R) | 6’3 | 197 lbs Kentucky | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 29th overall by MEM |
| PG | #15 | Daishen Nix | 6’5 | 224 lbs USA | Age: 20 | 3.2 pts, 1.7 ast, 1.4 reb, 0.6 stl 40.3% FG |
| PF/C | #20 | Bruno Fernando | 6’9 | 240 lbs Maryland | Age: 24 | 2.9 pts, 1.8 reb, 0.4 blk, 0.2 ast 65.5% FG – BOS/HOU |
| C | #51 | Boban Marjanović | 7’3 | 290 lbs Serbia | Age: 34 | 4.3 pts, 1.7 reb, 0.1 blk, 0.1 ast 60% FG – DAL |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | #12 | Trevor Hudgins (R) | 6’0 | 180 lbs NW Missouri St.(D-II) | Age: 23 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 28-54, 12th in West
MVP: SG Jalen Green
X-Factor: PF Jabari Smith Jr.
Grade: D-
The Rockets are deep into their rebuild and they were able to add another big piece with the 3rd pick in Jabari Smith Jr. Smith gives them a talented big man that can score from anywhere on the floor and is a great athlete. He’ll be a great piece to pair up alongside Jalen Green who emerged as a budding star in his rookie season last year. The rest of the team though is a work in progress, as outside of those two and Kevin Porter Jr. the future is being tested by a bunch of young pieces. Alperen Sengun, Josh Christopher, K.J. Martin, Garrison Mathews, and Jae’Sean Tate all played very solid and important minutes last year for Houston and have shown a bunch of potential to be depth pieces. Rookie wing Tari Eason and playmaker TyTy Washington will also be added into the mix this season to see who will stick.
Houston is still deep into a rebuild and will be among the bottom of the league once again, but some pieces might be starting to fall into place. They aren’t as far along as some of the other rebuilding teams like Orlando, Indiana, or Detroit, but they do have some solid young pieces and a young Head Coach who has been patient with this core and building for the long run. Anytime you suddenly lose a James Harden and CP3 it’ll deplete your franchise, but the Rockets have some pieces and may take steps in the next few years.
Memphis Grizzlies
HC: Taylor Jenkins (4th year, Career/Team record: 128-99) – AGE: 38
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #4 | Steven Adams | 6’11 | 265 lbs Pittsburgh | Age: 29 | 6.9 pts, 10 reb, 3.4 ast, 0.9 stl 0.8 blk |
| F | #8 | Ziaire Williams | 6’9 | 185 lbs Stanford | Age: 21 | 8.1 pts, 2.1 reb, 1 ast, 0.6 stl 45% FG |
| SF | #24 | Dillon Brooks | 6’7 | 225 lbs Oregon | Age: 26 | 18.4 pts, 3.2 reb, 2.8 ast, 1.1 stl 30.9% 3P |
| SG | #22 | Desmond Bane | 6’5 | 215 lbs TCU | Age: 24 | 18.2 pts, 4.4 reb, 2.7 ast, 1.2 stl 43.6% 3P |
| PG | #12 | Ja Morant | 6’3 | 174 lbs Murray State | Age: 23 | 27.4 pts, 6.7 ast, 5.7 reb, 1.2 stl 34.4% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PF/C | #15 | Brandon Clarke | 6’8 | 215 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 26 | 10.4 pts, 5.3 reb, 1.3 ast, 1.1 blk 64.4% FG |
| PG | #21 | Tyus Jones | 6’0 | 196 lbs Duke | Age: 26 | 8.7 pts, 4.4 ast, 2.4 reb, 0.9 stl 39% 3P |
| SF | #14 | Danny Green | 6’6 | 215 lbs North Carolina | Age: 35 | 5.9 pts, 2.5 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl 38% 3P – PHI |
| C | #2 | Xavier Tillman | 6’8 | 245 lbs Michigan State | Age: 23 | 4.8 pts, 3 reb, 1.2 ast, 0.9 stl 45.4% FG |
| F | #3 | Jake LaRavia (R) | 6’8 | 235 lbs Wake Forest | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 19th overall by MIN |
| SG/SF | #27 | David Roddy (R) | 6’5 | 252 lbs Colorado State | Age: 21 | DRAFTED: 23rd overall by PHI |
| PF/C | #7 | Santi Aldama | 6’11 | 215 lbs Loyola | Age: 21 | 4.1 pts, 2.7 reb, 0.7 ast, 0.3 blk 40.2% FG |
| SG | #46 | John Konchar | 6’5 | 210 lbs Purdue-FW | Age: 26 | 4.8 pts, 4.6 reb, 1.5 ast, 0.6 stl 41.3% 3P |
| PG | #1 | Kennedy Chandler (R) | 6’0 | 171 lbs Tennessee | Age: 20 | DRAFTED: 38th overall by SAS |
| PF | #13 | Jaren Jackson Jr.* (I) | 6’11 | 242 lbs Michigan State | Age: 23 | 16.3 pts, 5.8 reb, 2.3 blk, 1.1 ast 0.9 stl |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | #6 | Kenneth Lofton Jr. (R) | 6’7 | 275 lbs Louisiana Tech | Age: 20 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
| SF | #5 | Vince Williams Jr. (R) | 6’6 | 205 lbs VCU | Age: 22 | DRAFTED: 47th overall by MEM |
*Jaren Jackson Jr. has a stress fracture in his foot and will miss 4-6 months
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 46-36, 6th in West
MVP: PG Ja Morant
X-Factor: SG Desmond Bane
Grade: B+
The Grizzlies were one of the league’s biggest surprises this past year, with Ja Morant becoming one of the league’s most explosive young players. Desmond Bane also emerged as a deadly three-point sniper and amazing supporting 3-and-D wing. The main thing about the Grizzlies is their chemistry and how well coached they are, as Taylor Jenkins has brought this team to levels that no one expected would happen this quickly. Along with the young core of Morant, Bane, Williams, and Clarke, a couple of veterans in Steven Adams and Danny Green will provide the mentorship that the young guys need. I think Danny Green’s most effective years are behind him, but his 3 rings speak for themselves and will bring a winning leadership to a team that was among the top of the West last year and got their first taste of the NBA playoffs.
Their young core also only got deeper, with three rookies entering the roster with first round wings Jake LaRavia and David Roddy, and playmaker Kennedy Chandler. Kenneth Lofton will be on a two-way and is a guy that I think can make an impact almost immediately off the bench. Both Lofton and Roddy aren’t the stereotypical big men, as they both are a bit undersized and close to 300 lbs. But their sneaky athleticism is going to provide very food depth. I’m excited to watch Memphis this year, and I hope that they can take further steps in the direction of winning the West.
New Orleans Pelicans
HC: Willie Green (2nd year, Career/Team record: 36-46) – AGE: 41
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #17 | Jonas Valančiünas | 6’11 | 265 lbs Lithuania | Age: 30 | 17.8 pts, 11.4 reb, 2.6 ast, 0.8 blk 54.4% FG |
| PF | #1 | Zion Williamson | 6’6 | 284 lbs Duke | Age: 22 | DNP – INJURED |
| SF | #14 | Brandon Ingram | 6’8 | 190 lbs Duke | Age: 25 | 22.7 pts, 5.8 reb, 5.6 ast, 0.6 stl 32.7% 3P |
| SG | #3 | C.J. McCollum | 6’3 | 190 lbs Lehigh | Age: 31 | 22.1 pts, 5.1 ast, 4.3 reb, 1.1 stl 38.8% 3P – POR/NOP |
| PG | #4 | Devonte’ Graham | 6’1 | 195 lbs Kansas | Age: 27 | 11.9 pts, 4.2 ast, 2.3 reb, 0.9 stl 34.1% 3P |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | #5 | Herbert Jones | 6’7 | 206 lbs Alabama | Age: 24 | 9.5 pts, 3.8 reb, 2.1 ast, 1.7 stl 0.8 blk |
| G | #11 | Dyson Daniels (R) | 6’6 | 199 lbs Australia | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 8th overall by NOP |
| F | #22 | Larry Nance Jr. | 6’7 | 245 lbs Wyoming | Age: 29 | 7 pts, 5.4 reb, 1.8 ast, 0.9 stl 52.2% FG – POR/NOP |
| C | #10 | Jaxson Hayes* | 6’11 | 220 lbs Texas | Age: 22 | 9.3 pts, 4.5 reb, 0.8 blk, 0.6 ast 61.6% FG |
| PG | #15 | Jose Alvarado | 6’0 | 179 lbs Georgia Tech | Age: 24 | 6.1 pts, 2.8 ast, 1.9 reb, 1.3 stl 44.6% FG |
| SG/SF | #41 | Garrett Temple | 6’5 | 195 lbs LSU | Age: 36 | 5.2 pts, 2.4 reb, 1.3 ast, 0.7 stl 31.9% 3P |
| SG/SF | #25 | Trey Murphy III | 6’8 | 206 lbs Virginia | Age: 22 | 5.4 pts, 2.4 reb, 0.6 ast, 0.4 stl 38.2% 3P |
| SF | #8 | Naji Marshall | 6’7 | 220 lbs Xavier | Age: 24 | 5.7 pts, 2.6 reb, 1.1 ast, 0.6 stl 40.5% FG |
| PG | #13 | Kira Lewis Jr. | 6’1 | 170 lbs Alabama | Age: 21 | 5.9 pts, 2 ast, 1.6 reb, 0.5 stl 40.4% FG |
| C | #9 | Willy Hernangómez | 6’11 | 250 lbs Spain | Age: 28 | 9.1 pts, 6.8 reb, 1.3 ast, 0.4 blk 52% FG |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG | #0 | Dereon Seabron (R) | 6’7 | 180 lbs NC State | Age: 22 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
*Jaxson Hayes has a torn UCL and may miss a couple of months
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 51-31, 3rd in West
MVP: PF Zion Williamson
X-Factor: SG C.J. McCollum
Grade: B+
For one of my biggest surprises of the season, I have the Pelicans bursting onto the scene and finishing 3rd in the West. I finally think it’s time to put some respect on New Orleans and what they’ve put together. Zion Williamson will be back and fully healthy and the team is fresh off of a mini playoff run without him. Brandon Ingram has implemented himself as a dynamic lead scoring option, and C.J. McCollum played some of the best basketball of his career after being dealt to NOLA at last year’s deadline. Jonas Valanciunas has now had back to back career years, averaging close to 20 and 10 while being a plus defender in the post. Herbert Jones was also one of the best young defensive studs in the league last year, and with the return of Zion, he will help aid the second unit.
Some other solid veterans will fill the bench including Larry Nance Jr., Garrett Temple, Willy Hernangomez, and Jaxson Hayes. Australian combo guard Dyson Daniels who spent last season in the G-League, was taken with their lottery pick and could become their future PG with his crafty playmaking skills. This team has all of the makings to be so dominant, and I love the way they have put together a true winner after the Anthony Davis era. With full health, this is a team that will wreak havoc and I truly think they’ll be similar to what the Grizzlies were last season.
San Antonio Spurs
HC: Gregg Popovich (27th year, Career/Team record: 1,344-701) – AGE: 73
| POS. | NO. | STARTERS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | #25 | Jakob Poeltl | 7’0 | 240 lbs Utah | Age: 27 | 13.5 pts, 9.3 reb, 2.8 ast, 1.7 blk 61.8% FG |
| PF | #23 | Zach Collins | 6’11 | 250 lbs Gonzaga | Age: 24 | 7.8 pts, 5.5 reb, 2.2 ast, 0.8 blk 34.1% 3P |
| SF | #3 | Keldon Johnson | 6’6 | 210 lbs Kentucky | Age: 23 | 17 pts, 6.1 reb, 2.1 ast, 0.8 stl 39.8% 3P |
| SG | #24 | Devin Vassell | 6’6 | 195 lbs Florida State | Age: 22 | 12.3 pts, 4.3 reb, 1.9 ast, 1.1 stl 36.1% 3P |
| PG | #33 | Tre Jones | 6’2 | 185 lbs Duke | Age: 22 | 6 pts, 3.4 ast, 2.2 reb, 0.6 stl 49% FG |
| POS. | NO. | BENCH | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SF | #17 | Doug McDermott | 6’8 | 225 lbs Creighton | Age: 30 | 11.3 pts, 2.3 reb, 1.3 ast, 0.3 stl 42.2% 3P |
| F | #10 | Jeremy Sochan (R) | 6’8 | 225 lbs Baylor | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 9th overall by SAS |
| SG/SF | #22 | Malaki Branham (R) | 6’5 | 195 lbs Ohio State | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 20th overall by SAS |
| SG | #7 | Josh Richardson | 6’5 | 200 lbs Tennessee | Age: 29 | 10.2 pts, 2.8 reb, 1.8 ast, 0.9 stl 41.5% 3P – BOS/SAS |
| PG | #14 | Blake Wesley (R) | 6’5 | 185 lbs Notre Dame | Age: 19 | DRAFTED: 25th overall by SAS |
| PF | #18 | Isaiah Roby | 6’8 | 230 lbs Nebraska | Age: 24 | 10.1 pts, 4.8 reb, 1.6 ast, 0.8 blk 44.4% 3P – OKC |
| SG | #11 | Joshua Primo | 6’5 | 190 lbs Alabama | Age: 19 | 5.8 pts, 2.3 reb, 1.6 ast, 0.5 blk 0.4 stl |
| SF | #15 | Joe Wieskamp | 6’6 | 210 lbs Iowa | Age: 23 | 2.1 pts, 0.5 reb, 0.3 ast, 0.1 stl 0.1 blk |
| C | #41 | Gorgui Dieng | 6’10 | 250 lbs Louisville | Age: 32 | 3.5 pts, 2.8 reb, 0.8 ast, 0.3 blk 47.3% FG – ATL |
| F | #31 | Keita Bates-Diop | 6’8 | 230 lbs Ohio State | Age: 26 | 5.7 pts, 3.9 reb, 0.7 ast, 0.5 stl 51.7% FG |
| POS. | NO. | TWO-WAY CONTRACTS | HT/WT/College/Age | 2021-22 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PF | #26 | Dominick Barlow (R) | 6’10 | 220 lbs USA | Age: 19 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
| SG | #55 | Jordan Hall (R) | 6’8 | 220 lbs St. Joseph’s | Age: 20 | UNDRAFTED in 2022 |
PAUL’S THOUGHTS:
Projected Record: 23-59, 14th in West
MVP: SF Keldon Johnson
X-Factor: SG Devin Vassell
Grade: D
And rounding out the list we have the San Antonio Spurs who will be looking to take steps forward in their rebuild this year. Gregg Popovich is no doubt on one of his last legs, and it may be a long time before we see another dynasty with the Spurs. But hey, five championships since 1999 is not too bad if you’re a San Antonio fan. The team traded away their star PG Dejounte Murray and have acquired a plethora of draft picks for the next few years. Keldon Johnson has become their new star and was extended on a 4-year deal this offseason. Three first round rookies were selected in Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham, and Blake Wesley, all freshmen from last year who will probably see big minutes for a struggling team.
A few veterans still remain that can value as trade bait at the deadline in Josh Richardson, Jakob Poeltl, Doug McDermott, and Zach Collins. These guys will all probably get big minutes to start the season in hopes they will attract suitors in the trade market. So pretty much it’s not going to be a great year for the Spurs who will look to try to stay afloat more than anything. And with this year’s upcoming lottery depth, it won’t be a bad thing to have a top 5 pick when you’re rebuilding.
The Sports World According To Paul 