Post by TimPig on May 4, 2020 21:38:07 GMT
Atlanta Hawks 2036 Record: 64-18; 2nd in East (won 2036 championship)
Key Additions: Pascal Siakam, Buddy Hield, Glen Davis
Key Departures: Al Horford, Tim Breaux, Jon Barry, Acie Law
Major TC changes: LaPhonso Ellis (-4), Patrick O’Bryant (+2)
Summary: The Hawks return all of the essential pieces from last season’s title team but took a couple of hits when it comes to depth. Gone are third big Al Horford, backup wings Tim Breaux and Jon Barry, and backup point guard Acie Law. Every major piece returning is still in their prime, so there’s no reason to think this team can’t contend again. Even LaPhonso Ellis, who had a tragic training camp, appeared to be fine in preseason so the -4 may have been a bit flukey. Glen Davis should replace 90% of what Horford offered (the only missing part being the defense) and the youth infusion of Pascal Siakam and Buddy Hield can get some valuable experience off the bench their first couple of years before they’re expected to replace the likes of Ellis and Bradley Beal. I don’t think this team is better than Harlem over the course of a season but as we saw last year, you only need to be better in one playoff series.
Harlem Globetrotters2036 Record: 67-15; 1st in East (lost in ECF to Atlanta 4-2)
Key Additions: Bill Russell, Brandon Ingram, Nate Thurmond
Key Departures: None
Major TC changes: Danny Manning (-2), Nate Thurmond (-2), Magic Johnson (+1), Pete Maravich (+1)
Summary: It looked like Harlem, who was upset by Atlanta in the Eastern Conference Finals, was ready to rebuild on the fly this offseason, listing stalwarts Mitch Richmond and Danny Manning on the trade block in an effort to usher in a new era where Magic Johnson was accompanied by Pete Maravich, Bob Lanier, and Brandon Ingram. Without any viable offers, however, it appears Harlem is set to run it back with the team that won it all two years ago and was the favorite by many to repeat last year. It will be interesting to see if the Globetrotters start the newly-signed Bill Russell at center alongside Juwan Howard to go for a frontcourt that was won the last FIFTEEN DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS IN A ROW. Or do they bring Bill off of the bench in favor of Bob Lanier, who would provide more offensive punch? With Magic and Mitch still in the picture, this team shouldn’t lack for scoring at all. Adding Ingram, whose scouting report was special, means that the Globes should be able to keep this thing going for quite some time.
Miami Heat2036 Record: 45-37; 5th in East (lost in first round to Atlanta 4-0)
Key Additions: None
Key Departures: None
Major TC changes: Corey Brewer (-2)
Summary: With a weak free agent class during the 2037 offseason, it’s not surprising to see the Heat return the same core from last season. However, the team only won 45 games, so there probably isn’t much optimism coming out of South Beach. Purvis Short is dynamite on the boards but a poor defensive player and his elite scoring his rookie year looks like it may have been a bit of a fluke after his FG% dropped 43 points last season and even further during the preseason. David Greenwood is a really nice player but doesn’t have the weapons around him to make up for his lackluster rebounding. Dan Majerle, Larry Wright, and Darko all look to be decent but not great players and giving all three significant minutes isn’t a recipe for success. Clemon Johnson is promising as a former second-round pick, but his slightly higher than average turnovers don’t look so great next to subpar defense and below average rebounding numbers.
Orlando Magic2036 Record: 40-42; 6th in East (did not make playoffs)
Key Additions: Robert Parish, Bill Laimbeer, Al Horford, Kyle Korver, Will Barton
Key Departures: Donyell Marshall, Harold Miner
Major TC changes: Al Horford (-4), Kyle Korver (-2), Kyle Macy (+2)
Summary: With pick 1.2 coming in 2038 and nothing much going into 2037, it looks like Orlando threw a bunch of crap at the wall with the hope that something sticks. Horford, Jerry West, and/or Korver might eventually be able to be flipped to a desperate contender at the deadline, but probably not for much more than bucks or a late first. Julius Randle seems like a player who should’ve gotten +25 last season to see if he was worth a damn. At this point, I’m still not sure if he can be a player or not. Even with +25, his ceiling might be as a good third big or an average starter. I don’t see much else to get excited about. Kyle Macy might be a fine placeholder as a point guard if you had four other weapons. Inaugural hidden gem Raymond Townsend’s free extra +10 doesn’t look like it was enough to make him a piece worth building around.
Charlotte Hornets 2036 Record: 53-29; 3rd in East (lost in second round to Atlanta 4-3)
Key Additions: Walt Williams, Jaylen Brown
Key Departures: Nate Thurmond
Major TC changes: Jaylen Brown (+2)
Summary: The team we all love to hate, the Hornets actually have a solid starting cast here with Anthony Davis, Spencer Haywood, Jaylen Brown, Reggie Theus, and Dennis Johnson and very good depth with Alonzo Mourning, Walt Williams, Vinnie Johnson, and Calvin Murphy. What I think this team lacks is a true superstar - a LeBron, Magic, or Embiid - which seems necessary to compete for a title. Jaylen Brown and Reggie Theus seem to have similar ceilings and I think they could make up a really solid second and third weapon for a contender, but who in this group can really take over a game? This is definitely a playoff team, but I don’t see the star power that can make it through both Atlanta and Harlem in the East.
Detroit Pistons2036 Record: 47-35; 4th in East (lost in first round to Toronto 4-1)
Key Additions: Terry Cummings, Brad Holland, Latrell Sprewell, Marc Gasol, Ante Zizic, Sleepy Floyd, Draymond Green
Key Departures: Bill Russell, Darrall Imhoff, Jared Sullinger, Okaro White
Major TC changes: Brad Holland (-1)
Summary: I like what the Pistons did this offseason and I think they have a real shot to do something special this season if Mike is able to commit the time. Their big combination from last season of Russell and Imhoff are both gone, and it was well past time for that to happen. Big fan of the Terry Cummings addition, which gives the Pistons three very good players in Cummings, Julius Erving, and Damian Lillard, as well as a nice complementary piece in Brad Holland. I forgot Draymond Green was still in the league as he had been rotting with the Lakers for a couple of seasons, but there’s no reason to think he can’t be a third big. Sleepy Floyd and Latrell Sprewell will make fine backup wings, but Mike needs to do something to acquire a second starting big. It’s not Marc Gasol and I don’t think it can be Draymond. If he can’t fill that hole, this team’s ceiling is the second round.
Washington Bullets2036 Record: 30-52; 7th in East (did not make playoffs)
Key Additions: Ben Simmons
Key Departures: Kyle Korver, Bernard King
Major TC changes: John Lucas (+2), Ben Simmons (+2)
Summary: I expected a much better season from Washington last season but they only managed to win 30 games, even with Kn setting a depth chart. A starting lineup of Dwight Howard, Bob McAdoo, Kyle Korver, Dwyane Wade, and John Lucas with Bernard King, Paul Millsap, and Phil Ford off the bench looked promising, but McAdoo looks like a bust and Korver’s B+/B+ scoring grades are a mirage as he’s never been able to put up more than 18.1 points per game in a season. This season I won’t be fooled again to put them in the playoffs with Dwight a year older and no real talent added except for maybe, possibly, probably not Ben Simmons. After seeing Simmons’ stats scout, the only place he looks like he could possibly succeed is at small forward, so we’ll see what training camps do for him and how Kn sets his DC. Lucas is a bona fide star and will be even better after a strong TC, but this team should’ve moved on from Wade this past offseason to give them big time cap space when Dwight comes off the books after this year.
