Post by skrouse on Sept 27, 2018 16:53:47 GMT
Boston Celtics
2006 Record: 24 – 58Key Losses: Ricky Davis
Key Additions: Dean Wade, Tacko Fall, Byron Scott*
Owned Picks:
Celtics 08 1st
Celtics 09 1st
Celtics 10 1st
Celtics 11 1st
Celtics 12 1st
Celtics 08 2nd
Celtics 09 2nd
Celtics 10 2nd
Celtics 11 2nd
Celtics 12 2nd
2007 Outlook: The 2006 campaign for the Boston Celtics was not a great one. Led by their All Star forward Sekou Doumbouya the Celtics managed a meager 24 wins. They did lose their 2nd best scorer Ricky Davis in the offseason, but as he was averaging only about 16 PPG he isn’t that big of a loss. Ricky is replaced on the wing by Dean Wade who should easily cover the lost points and the team also added journeyman big Tacko Fall along with the 15th overall pick in the 2007 draft, Byron Scott*. While Scott most likely won’t contribute too much this upcoming season, Fall will absolutely bring a defensive presence in the paint along with solid rebounding and efficient inside scoring to take some of the work load off Sekou. Another under the radar signing was Elijah Thomas who averaged a double-double in the preseason and looks to be a big upgrade in the paint for a team that was severely lacking in that in that area a season ago.
The theme for this year’s Celtics will be “All about that D” as all 5 starters (assuming Wade’s role is 6th man) will have an A- or better defensive grade. Tacko alone averaged 3.4 bleals/gm in preseason and though that may regress a bit, the team should be vastly improved in oPPG and oFG% which should help them win quite a few more games this year, and maybe sneak into the playoffs as the 7th seed.
Projected Record: 42 – 40
Harlem Globetrotters
2006 Record: 46 – 36Key Losses: None
Key Additions: Shamorie Ponds, Jackie Moon
Owned Picks:
Globetrotters 08 2nd
Globetrotters 09 2nd
Globetrotters 10 2nd
Globetrotters 11 2nd
Globetrotters 12 2nd
Grizzlies 08 2nd
Spurs 08 2nd
2007 Outlook: The Globetrotters 2006 season ended with a 1st round exit in the playoffs to their Big Apple rivals and for Harlem’s big 3 that must have been a disappointment. But the good news is the trio of Schayes, Delle Donne and Ingram are back and thanks to a productive offseason, the front office has added All Star point guard Shamorie Ponds. Yes, the ‘Trotters mortgaged their future by sending 3 1sts for Ponds but this core is all in the middle or just at the end of their prime and will make the Globetrotters title contenders as long as they stay together.
The biggest risk by adding Ponds is now injury due to the hit to the salary cap. The trade actually put Harlem over the Hard Cap and additional moves will be needed to bring them back under, which will hurt their depth and could ultimately cost them if one of the stars is hurt. The other nice addition was that of Piston great Jackie Moon who is old as shit but should be a solid contributor off the bench. I see a nice deep playoff run this year for Harlem and top of the Beastlantic.
Projected Record: 59 – 23
Miami Heat
2006 Record: 40 – 42 Key Losses: None
Key Additions: Brad Daugherty
Owned Picks:
Heat 08 1st
Heat 09 1st
Heat 10 1st
Heat 11 1st
Heat 12 1st
Heat 08 2nd
Heat 09 2nd
Heat 10 2nd
Heat 11 2nd
Heat 12 2nd
2007 Outlook: The 2006 Miami Heat just missed out on the post season as they finished in 9th place only 4 games back from the 8th seeded Milwaukee Bucks. The fearsome foursome of Zion Williamson, Benji Wilson, DerMarr Johnson and Ray McCallum Jr. did as much as possible but it wasn’t enough. They all return this year and the team did have a mostly positive offseason as they addressed their biggest need by adding Brad Daugherty at the center position while not losing any key contributors. Now Brad isn’t a world beater by any stretch of the imagination but is an upgrade to Chris Mihm and Fay Vincent Reagan. He should add some points in the paint and help Zion on the boards though he is lacking defensively.
The million Timpennies question is if the addition of Daugherty and the progressions of Johnson and McCallum are enough to get this team in the post season. I think it is close but with other teams improving as well it may not be enough. The good news is the Heat do have their 1st this year so if they do find themselves in the lottery again they have a shot at a game changing pick and can attempt to put a run together before needing to resign star forwards Zion and Benji. I think they improve but only slightly. I’m projecting them as the 8th seed.
Projected Record: 41 – 41
2006 Record: 58 – 24
Key Losses: Neon Boudeaux, Quincy McCall, Gerald Martin Johanssen
Key Additions: Brandon Griner, Desmond Mason, Jim Halpert, Landyn Freshwater
Owned Picks:
Knicks 12 1st
Knicks 12 2nd
2007 Outlook: A season ago the Knicks found themselves in a dream matchup in the Eastern Conference Semifinals facing the 4th seeded Indiana Pacers. This was a dream only because everyone outside of Indianapolis expected the Knicks to be facing the newly built juggernaut from Charlotte. Little did we know that they were in fact facing the 2006 TMBLS Champions and would be bounced in 6 games. This has been a very busy offseason for the Knicks as they have sent out several key contributors but replaced them with several others. Neon for Griner, McCall with Freshwater, Johanssen retired but in come Halpert and Mason. This new look Knicks team has the same key cog in former MVP Firsto Picko and also retains Jock Landale and Whitey Von Nieda.
This new core is untested and pushes the Knicks to the brink of the Hard Cap but it should compete around the same level as their ’06 squad. I believe the offense will be more balanced than last season but maybe not as potent. Meanwhile the defense should be improved in most areas which means the scoring difference should still be in the positive. The biggest question is how much and if it’s more or less than last year. The one thing I am certain of is that Firsto is still one of the best players in the league and has enough talent around him to keep the Knicks in title contention. Projecting a slight drop in Wins but still a top 4 seed.
Projected Record: 55 – 27
2006 Record: 49 – 33
Key Losses: Tacko Fall, Chandler Hutchinson, Rob Gray
Key Additions: Guy Beahm, Quentin Richardson, Hassani Gravett, Drazen Petrovic
Owned Picks:
Magic 10 1st
Magic 11 1st
Magic 12 1st
Hornets 10 2nd
Hornets 11 2nd
Magic 08 2nd
Magic 09 2nd
Magic 10 2nd
Magic 11 2nd
Magic 12 2nd
2007 Outlook: The 2006 season for the Orlando Magic was a transformation. Key contributors Brandon Griner and Jake Shuttlesworth were shipped out for cap relief, prospects and picks while the team was rebuilt around rising star Paul Pierce. Orlando did make the playoffs as the 5 seed but were booted in 5 games to the eventual champ. The transformation continued this offseason however as the front office landed arguably the top free agent from the class Guy Beahm to a max deal and dealt for up and coming wingman Quentin Richardson. Guy’s presence and shooting ability will reshape this team as they look to shift from an Inside to an Outside focus, which drove the Q Rich move. This philosophical change has also led to the signing of disappointing prospect Drazen Petrovic, whom the coaching staff hopes to improve similarly to how they reshaped Paul Pierce’s game.
The team is still missing some pieces and there are questions regarding how some of their existing pieces fit this new style of play. Overpaid big man Cameron Parker looks to be taking over the role of center while Keita Bates-Diop will start at power forward as the team shifts to a small ball approach. This shift also puts 2nd year big and steal of the 2006 draft Frank Blazejowski in an awkward position as he can’t shoot a lick and neither can aging center Stan Haynes. These question marks lead us to believe additional moves are coming, but even without them I see a slight improvement in wins for the Magic men as they should get back into the 50 win club.
Projected Record: 51 – 31
Washington Bullets
2006 Record: 25 – 57 Key Losses: None
Key Additions: None
Owned Picks:
Bullets 08 1st
Bullets 09 1st
Bullets 10 1st
Bullets 11 1st
Bullets 12 1st
Bullets 08 2nd
Bullets 09 2nd
Bullets 10 2nd
Bullets 11 2nd
Bullets 12 2nd
2007 Outlook: Like many of the Bullets’ 1st round picks, the 2006 season was yet again a disappointment as the Shittu and Obama show only managed 25 wins. Being in the Beastlantic surely contributed to this but it is mostly due to the disappointing development of 1st rounders Charles Barkley, Rishard Lewis, Jeff Hornacek*, Reggie Bullock and Mike Miller, 4 of which were top 5 picks. Now this may be somewhat contributed to a lack of upgrades and camps but 2 of the 5 look like definite busts at this point, and the others are close to being labeled as such. The lone bright spot on this team outside of Simisola Shittu would appear to be Ricardo Strong who averaged 20+ PPG this preseason.
The good news is some of these underdeveloped prospects are marketable and could land some 1st round picks for the Bullets if traded, the question is whether their GM will pull the trigger on some deals. It looks to me like it’s time for a rebuild. Keeping Shittu and Strong seems like a good move while flipping the rest for picks and/or other prospects. But ultimately for a rebuild to work you gotta hit on some picks, maybe it’s time to shuffle up the scouting department? Not sure, but I do see another bad season in DC.
Projected Record: 23 - 59
Washington Wizards
2006 Record: 38 – 44 Key Losses: Collin Sexton, Troy Brown, Jordan McLaughlin
Key Additions: Quincy McCall, picks picks and more picks
Owned Picks:
Bucks 10 1st
Hornets 11 1st
Knicks 09 1st
Mavericks 09 1st
Suns 09 1st
Timberwolves 08 1st
Timberwolves 09 1st
Timberwolves 10 1st
Timberwolves 11 1st
Wizards 08 1st
Wizards 09 1st
Wizards 11 1st
Wizards 12 1st
Wizards 08 2nd
Wizards 09 2nd
Wizards 10 2nd
Wizards 11 2nd
Wizards 12 2nd
2007 Outlook: The Wizards fell short of their playoff aspirations in 2006 and a deal this offseason was admission by the front office that the Collin Sexton experiment did not work. It wasn’t a total failure however because they were able to flip that player into picks. The front office also shipped out star SG Troy Brown for picks which has officially started the rebuilding process in the nation’s capital. 13 1st rounds picks over the next 5 drafts along with some cap room will help the Wiz get back into the post season, however it will take some time.
This coming season looks to continue to be a sell off to get whatever assets they can. Big men Arvydas Sabonis and Jontay Porter could each fetch a decent price and with both on near max deals, it would make sense to move at least once to give the team some buying power for the upcoming FA class. I see the Wizards falling all the way to the bottom of the Eastern conference during the rebuilding process.
Projected Record: 15 - 67
