From: October 20, 2022

From: AP

With the NBA tipping off at this week, we decided to put together a comprehensive breakdown of each team for the upcoming season. Below is a storyline for each team, a snapshot of their upcoming season, and a key player that will outline the success of their respective teams.

Atlanta Hawks: How Will the New Backcourt Gel?

Losing to the Miami Heat in five games woke up this Atlanta team. They realized they had to make a change if they wanted to compete in the gauntlet of the Eastern Conference. The Hawks did just that, trading for star guard Dejounte Murray from San Antonio. Atlanta gave up four first round picks along with Danilo Gallinari to get Murray. Getting Trae Young an All-Star teammate seemed like a priority, but with the addition comes high expectations. Many experts are looking at this team to make noise in the postseason, and it hinges on the chemistry between the duo of Young and Murray.

Key Player: Dejounte Murray

Atlanta brought in Murray for a reason. His offensive abilities next to Trae Young creates one of the most dynamic and exciting backcourts in the league. Head coach Nate McMillan will look to hide Young behind Murray on the defensive end, as the lanky 6’4” guard has proven to be a best to opposing guards. If Murray is able to provide perimeter defense along with De’Andre Hunter, the Hawks should find success with this new lineup.

Boston Celtics: Hungry or Hungover?

After a trip to the NBA Finals last year, how will Boston respond? Can they keep the motivation and drive to continue to fight towards the Finals? The C’s kept their core intact, with Tatum, Brown, Williams III, Horford, and Smart all coming back. They brought in Malcom Brogdon in the offseason, and he looks to be a stabilizing addition to this Celtics backcourt. Smart and Brown tended to be a little trigger happy last year, and a guard like Brogdon will be able to slow down the offense when needed. The team will be without breakout center Robert Williams III for the first month of the season. Will Boston be able to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference until Williams comes back? And when he does, will the Celtics remain the fearless team they were under Ime Udoka, or will they falter and underperform expectations?

Key Player: Jayson Tatum

After struggling in the first half of last year, Tatum turned in a second half performance good enough to lead Boston to the Playoffs. In those Playoffs, Tatum performed well, averaging 22.5 points on 42.6 percent shooting. However, after Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the Celtics leading man struggled mightily to create his own shot, and the Boston offense never got back on track. Can Tatum return back to his midseason form, and how far can he lead this Boston team?

Brooklyn Nets: Keep Them Happy

What a tumultuous offseason for Brooklyn. After being swept by Boston in the first round, Kevin Durant asked for a trade. He was unhappy that players were not being held accountable for mistakes. He called for head coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks to be fired. The roster didn’t change much in the offseason, as Brooklyn was too focused on trying to trade their superstars to switch up the roster. Can the Nets keep Durant and Kyrie happy enough to contend for a championship?

Key Player: Ben Simmons

The James Harden era in Brooklyn did not go over well. They gave up a lot to get Harden, and had to turn around and trade him just a year after acquiring him from Houston. In a blockbuster trade, the 76ers landed Harden, trading Seth Curry, Andre Dummond, Ben Simmons, and two first round picks. Ben Simmons has not been on the court in a while. However, in the preseason Simmons started to look like the player we fell in love with coming out of the draft. Leading the fast break, Simmons was finding shooters on the perimeter and finding lanes to the rim. Can Nash and Brooklyn get Simmons back to playing like his early days in Philly?

Chicago Bulls: How to Excel Without Lonzo

What happened in Chicago? The Bulls started off hot in the 2021–2022 NBA season, skyrocketing to first in the Eastern Conference. Injuries slowly derailed the team, as the core of Lavine, Lonzo, Derozan, and Vucevic were rarely on the court together. Chicago looked like a completely different team with Lonzo off the court. They were unable to run in transition, and could not beat any of the top teams in the East. Interior defense and rebounding were major concerns with this team, as Vuc was unable to be a force defensively. In the offseason, they brought in Andre Drummond to try to fix their problems. We’ll see if the acquisition pays off, and if it doesn’t, it could be tough sledding for Chicago this year.

Key Player: Ayo Dosunmu

With Lonzo Ball’s timetable uncertain, Billy Donovan is turning to the hometown kid to take over point guard duties. Dosunmu showed flashes in his rookie year, proving to be a solid 3 and D guard off the bench. All reports out of Bulls camp have been positive for Ayo so far, and Chicago is looking for the Illinois product to take another leap offensively. If Dosunmu is able to step up and be a key piece offensively, the Bulls might be able to capture some of that magic they had in the beginning of last season.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Playoffs or Play-in?

If you want an in depth breakdown of this Cavs team, take a look at our previous article outlining the role Donovan Mitchell will have and what our expectations are for the team. Anyways, with the addition of Mitchell onto this team, the young nucleus Cleveland has built is looking to take a step. Young stars like Darius Garland and Evan Mobley are looking to build upon this year. Look for the Cavs to make noise in the Eastern Conference.

Key Player: Isaac Okoro

With the departure of Collin Sexton, Cleveland lost another perimeter defender. The backcourt of Garland and Mitchell will struggle defensively, and J.B. Bickerstaff will look to Okoro to anchor their units. While Garland gives great effort on the defensive end, his height takes away from his ability to bother shooters. Mitchell struggles in the pick and roll. Okoro is crucial for this Cleveland team if they want to be able to stay in games late in the season and the playoffs.

Charlotte Hornets: Utter Chaos

What part of Charlotte hasn’t been under some controversy this offseason. Just before offering him a max contract, Miles Bridges was arrested for domestic violence charges. Yesterday, James Bouknight was arrested for a DWI. Lamelo Ball is going to miss some time due to an ankle sprain. I don’t know who is going to step up for this team, but someone better do it quickly or we are looking at a team with the potential to get the number one pick.

Key Player: Mark Williams

If there was ever a player to get this team back on track it would be Mark Williams. Williams, a rookie out of Duke, looks to be the pick and roll threat the Hornets desperately needed to pair with Lamelo. Williams is a great interior defender, and a lob threat from the dunker spot and in transition. With significant pieces out for Charlotte to start the season, the big man could carve out an early role in this offense.

Detroit Pistons: Can Cade Carry?

There’s no question that Cade Cunningham is the focal point of this offense. The front office paired the big guard with the uber athletic Jaden Ivey. Besides this exciting backcourt, Cunningham is surrounded with talent. Saddiq Bey and Bojan Bogdanovic will look to pour in shots from the outside. The only question now is if Cade can lead this team to the playoffs. He showed great poise for a rookie last year, rarely being sped up by better defenders. Cade’s continued growth as a playmaker and shooter will decide Detroit’s fate this season.

Key Player: Saddiq Bey

There are major concerns with the Pistons shooting. Their backcourt, while fun and exciting, struggles to shoot the three. Cade showed flashes of improvement, and Ivey was a streaky shooter in college. Most of the shooting on this team will have to come from Saddiq Bey, who has put together a solid NBA career since being drafted from Villanova. Bey, a career 36 percent three point shooter, will likely have many catch and shoot opportunities created due to his guards knifing into the lanes and creating for others.

Indiana Pacers: The Rebuild Will Be Fun

It’s obvious this team isn’t ready to compete right now, and that’s fine. Unlike last year, the Pacers will be able to put fans in the stands. Indiana has a fun backcourt with Tyrese Haliburton and Benedict Mathurin. Haliburton has already proven himself to be a fantastic playmaker in his time in both Sacramento and Indiana. The team won’t be very good, but it should be an enjoyable rebuild for Pacer fans. Look for the team to win some games they shouldn’t, as both guards are capable of exploding for big games.

Key Player: Benedict Mathurin

For a rebuilding team, expectations aren’t very high in Indiana. This year is supposed to be a developmental year, allowing for young players to get experience in the league. I’m a big fan of this year’s Pacer draft class, as I am pretty high on both Benedict Mathurin and Kendall Brown. Ryan Nembhard is also a nice NBA ready guard. But I think the front office and fans alike are looking forward to Mathurin on the court. He’s incredibly athletic, and has shown the ability to hit the three ball. Benedict has also shown up in the clutch before. Take a look at his game against TCU last year in the tournament for example. Mathurin had 30 points, the three to send the game to overtime, and a game sealing and-one layup. The kid is confident, and it should lead to fun in Indianapolis.

Miami Heat: Get Over the Hump

Since acquiring Jimmy Butler, the Heat have made deep playoff runs year after year. In the bubble year, they even made the NBA Finals. Yet, the Heat have still yet to be able to win a championship with this squad. Tyler Herro just got paid, and Bam Adebayo is looking to feature a bigger role in the offense. An Eric Spoelstra team is always going to have an elite defense, but is there enough offense to win a championship? It’ll be interesting to see how shooters like Herro and Duncan Robinson will perform now that they’ve inked long term extensions. If the Heat offense “heats” up, Miami could be dangerous come playoff time.

Key Player: Tyler Herro

The Heat paid a lot of money to a sixth man this offseason. Can Herro be a lead creator off the bench? Through three years, he has been an effective shooter, shooting 44 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three. Throughout his career, Herro has been coming off the bench for Miami. With his recent extension, does this mean the former Kentucky shooting guard gets to be elevated into the starting lineup? This team looked a lot different last year than it did the previous two. Tyler Herro has to step up to be a bona fide scorer next to Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler.

Milwaukee Bucks: Back to the Mountaintop

Any time you have a player like Giannis on your team, you should contend for championships year in and year out. This year should be no different. The Bucks essentially bring back the same team they’ve had for the past couple years. The weakness that can be exploited against this Milwaukee team is the shooting guard position. Mike Budenholzer’s options are either Grayson Allen, Jevon Carter, Wesley Matthews, or Pat Connaughton. These are decent bench pieces, but I do not see a starter amongst that group. Connaughton cannot do much defensively, Matthews is declining as a player, and Allen is in the same boat as Connaughton. Jevon Carter may be able to provide some 3 and D value for them. Teams with elite backcourts can try to take advantage of the Bucks. All in all, the Bucks are going to be a favorite to come out of the East, and it is for good reason.

Key Player: Khris Middleton

We have seen this Bucks team without Middleton. Milwaukee was humming in the playoffs last year when both Giannis and Middleton were on the floor, and then Middleton got hurt. The team fell apart, and did not look like itself. Middleton is crucial to the success of this Milwaukee team, as Giannis was unable to carry the organization by itself. In their championship run, the team looked to Middleton in the clutch to come up with big shot after big shot. Giannis may be the engine to this team, but Middleton is the Nitro.

New York Knicks: The Return of Randle?

Over the past couple of years, Julius Randle was launched into superstar conversations. Now this may be due to the fact he’s playing in Madison Square Garden, in a big market, but his production was able to back it up. Last year was a little bit different. The Knicks couldn’t build on their surprise run to the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, and Randle was a big part of it. His production was down, and he was nowhere near as efficient as a shooter last year as he was the year before. The team needs Randle if they want to get back into the top half of the Eastern Conference.

Key Player: Jalen Brunson

On top of Julius Randle, the Knicks gave Jalen Brunson a four year, 104 million dollar contract, luring him away from Dallas. New York hopes to have Brunson as a catalyst for this team, hoping for a spark from their new point guard. And they need it, the Knicks looked horrible last year, even with the growth from RJ Barrett. The Knicks have to get production out of Brunson, or it is going to look like a repeat of last year. Our current predictions have New York as the ten seed in the Eastern Conference.

Orlando Magic: Put Paolo in the Driver’s Seat

It’s been a quick rebuild in Orlando. Trading Nikola Vucevic to Chicago jumpstarted it, and the Magic have been stockpiling young talent and picks. Anthony, Suggs, Fultz, Wagner, Carter Jr, Bamba, and now Paolo Banchero joins the fold. Paolo should have the keys to the car, stepping in as one of the best players on this roster already. At 6’10 250 pounds, Banchero is able to get to his spots on the court and get his shot off easily. Second year head coach Jamahl Mosley has a lot of tools at his disposal, it’ll be interesting to see how he decides to balance them all.

Key Player: Paolo Banchero

The number one overall pick, Paolo Banchero possesses all the tools to become the next great NBA player. In the pre-draft process, he was compared to David West, Blake Griffin, and Chris Webber. It shows in his game too, Banchero is crafty in the post, uses numerous moves to get his shot off. And at his height, he only needs a sliver of space to get that shot off. He is a good playmaker for his size too, being able to create for others in transition and the half-court. Paolo isn’t the greatest shooter, but he is effective in limited opportunities. With the development of a jump shot, Paolo could terrorize defenses for years to come.

Philadelphia 76ers: When will the Process Pay Off?

Philadelphia gave up on Ben Simmons, a key piece of former executive Sam Hinkie’s “Trust The Process” vision. Now that’s not to say it wasn’t the right decision, as Simmons never looked like his rookie self and was taking a break from basketball to focus on his mental health. Ultimately, they struck a deal with Brooklyn to bring the beard to Philly. The addition of Harden was beneficial, landing the Sixers the fourth seed in the East. Philadelphia is looking to build upon the momentum of last year, hoping that Harden and Embiid prove to be an elite pick and roll duo down the stretch.

Key Player: Tyrese Maxey

Although Harden and Embiid are both superstars capable of contributing heavily to a championship contender, you still need support pieces around them. There is no better piece on this roster than Tyrese Maxey. Maxey, a former Kentucky Wildcat, is a crafty scorer at the guard position who has shown the ability to hit the three point shot effectively in spurts. Although the days of the “big three” are over, your duo of Batmen need a Robin, look for Maxey to don that cape.

Toronto Raptors: The Future Is Now

Since losing Kawhi Leonard after their improbable championship run, president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri has committed his roster to become position less. The team has just three players under six foot five, and the rest can switch one through five. Toronto is trying to push the future into the now, and Nick Nurse has a lot to think about. The defensive coverage possibilities are endless. Hypothetically, he could roll out a lineup of Scottie Barnes, Gary Trent Jr., O.G. Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, and Chris Boucher, a new type of death lineup. Lineups like this is what makes the Raptors so fun to watch, and Nurse is the perfect coach to lead this team. In their championship run, Nurse threw out different defensive coverages to limit superstars like Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo. If all goes well in the six, Raps fans could be in for a fun season.

Key Player: Scottie Barnes

If Toronto really wants to make this idea work, they are going to need Scottie Barnes to step up big time. Coming out of the draft, it was unclear what Barnes’ position would be at the next level. Good thing for him, Toronto doesn’t believe in positions, or are at least transitioning towards that ideology. Barnes is an elite playmaker, and is deadly in transition pushing the ball up the court. Like most of the key players I have mentioned, his ability to knock down just a couple of threes a game will transform the Toronto offense. Even without it, Barnes’s ability to create for others should prove valuable.

Washington Wizards: What Is Johnny Davis’ Role?

In the season opener last night, Johnny Davis sat on the bench the whole game. It was a coaches decision, so the question begs to be asked: when will Davis come into a feature role for Washington? It may be a “pay your dues” lesson from head coach Wes Unseld Jr., but it’s pretty silly to have Anthony Gill play over the former number ten overall pick. Unless there is a disciplinary punishment, or an injury we do not know about, there is no reason for Davis to at least not get sparing minutes off the bench. But hey, Unseld probably knows more than I do. Whatever his role may be, Washington fans hope Davis is able to provide scoring in a lineup that desperately needs it.

Key Player: Bradley Beal

The narrative for Beal this year is simple: lead this team to the playoffs. While maybe the roster isn’t as strong as it could be, Beal just got extended to a max contract, and better prove to be worth it. The team also drafted guard Johnny Davis, hoping for a future backcourt duo between the two. He’s a capable scorer, but hasn’t proven to be much of a leader. His veteran experience should help mentor Davis, who was a top pick in last year’s draft coming out of Wisconsin. Though most look at it as a developmental year, a Bradley Beal led team could be a pesky team to beat in the Eastern Conference.