Okay if we don't get R.lewis and everyone is healthy 1)Heat 2)Washington 3)Atlanta 4)Charlotte 5)Orlando We better do something quick.
I think the Magic have a legit shot at the Playoffs again, but it will depend on who they sign during Free-Agency. If you guys sign Rashard Lewis I think you will be a lock for one of the lower seeds. I'd rank the Southeast teams in this order: 1. Miami 2. Washington 3. Atlanta 4. Orlando 5. Charlotte I'm not sold on Boston yet , the Knicks are much improved and New Jersey and Toronto our two other tough teams in their division. I think Rondo will be a solid PG for them but I think they would've been better off keeping Jeff Green.
I still don't see NY doing anything as always. They always pull off a trade but I don't see anything.
<div class="quote_poster">CLos Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I still don't see NY doing anything as always. They always pull off a trade but I don't see anything.</div> PG: Marbury SG: Crawford SF: Q Rich PF: Randolph C: Curry That is a dangerous lineup with two beasts inside and Crawford is also a great player. They still bring in Lee off the bench and Nate. They play in a now very competitive division though which may hurt them. I think they have a shot to win the Atlantic though.
<div class="quote_poster">GatorsowntheNCAA Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">With the current rosters, I would probably put.... 1) Heat(assuming they have a healthy shaq) 2) Hawks 3) Wizards 4) Bobcats 5) Magic</div> Why would you put the HAwks so high and the Magic so low, witht he current rosters? Also, did you guys hear about how Pat Riley wants to make a run at getting Reshard Lewis? If we dont get him and they do, are division just got even tougher.
<div class="quote_poster">Playmaker15 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">PG: Marbury SG: Crawford SF: Q Rich PF: Randolph C: Curry That is a dangerous lineup with two beasts inside and Crawford is also a great player. They still bring in Lee off the bench and Nate. They play in a now very competitive division though which may hurt them. I think they have a shot to win the Atlantic though.</div> Marbury doesn't make players better. Q Rich hasn't done as nearly good enough since he's gone to NY. Randolph will probably end up getting 15/9 and hurt his avgs. there. That would seem like a dangerous lineup but Crawford is inconsistent. The only player that's of real value is David Lee.
Randolph is not of value?? He should've been an All Star last season averaging 23 and 10. Eddy Curry was a absolute monster last season as well. Don't sleep on Crawford and Steph either. They are legit offensive threats. The only worry for the Knicks is their D.
The problem is Isiah Thomas welcomes another big contract. Zach Randolph will not put up his huge numbers like he did in Portland. Starbury isn't exactly a good PG when it comes to helping his teammates get better.
I think Francis' deal is more than Randolph's and throw in Frye's as well. Stephon will be fine playing alongside a good big man in Randolph like when he had Amare and made the playoffs. Plus, it's the East too.
<div class="quote_poster">The Walrus Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Why would you put the HAwks so high and the Magic so low, witht he current rosters? Also, did you guys hear about how Pat Riley wants to make a run at getting Reshard Lewis? If we dont get him and they do, are division just got even tougher.</div> Hawks lineup is deadly. If they get solid production out of Horford/Law then they will be playoff bound. They already have superstar Joe Johnson and I think Marvin Williams and Josh Smith will mature into stars this year.
In my mind, I already see Josh Smith a star. The guy is getting better offensively, and is already a great defender.
I hate doing these threads because I don't want to shove my foot in my mouth. Honestly though, if we sign Shard, resign Darko, and get someone significant with the MLE, I think we have the potential to be top dog in our division. 1). Orlando 2). Washington 3). Bobcats 4). Hawks 5). Miami Call me crazy, but I don't think the Hawks will make some serious noise yet. Not many rookies are able to come in and immediately determine the outcome of a division. They may slip in with a 7th or 8th seed, but they honestly don't scare me as much as the Bobcats do, especially if they keep G-Force. I've never really been scared of Miami to be honest. The only one who really worries me is D-Wade, but when the second best player is a declining Shaq(barely puts up better numbers than Ruben Patterson), the loss of Kapano, and a Zo who is dubious to return, they don't seem as much as a force. Washington is the only team who I think can give us a run for our money. The obvious danger of a Arenas-Butler-Jamison trio is always pretty fearsome. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Playmaker15:</div><div class="quote_post">Randolph is not of value?? He should've been an All Star last season averaging 23 and 10. Eddy Curry was a absolute monster last season as well. Don't sleep on Crawford and Steph either. They are legit offensive threats. The only worry for the Knicks is their D.</div> The problem with the Knicks is not their offense, as they've shown they can keep up with the best of them, it's their lack of defense. With the addition of Randolph, they've become extremely soft on the inside. To make matters worse, Curry had trouble getting back on defense after an offensive set. I'd hate to see what BOTH of them would look like, especially against fast-break orriented teams. To be honest, when looking at it statistically, the Knicks do better, both on defense and on offense, when Curry is on the bench. When Randolph is on the floor, his team did worse on defense as well. Both of them are big time defensive liabilities. http://www.82games.com/0607/06NYK14D.HTM http://www.82games.com/0607/06POR12D.HTM
<div class="quote_poster">The One & Only Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I hate doing these threads because I don't want to shove my foot in my mouth. Honestly though, if we sign Shard, resign Darko, and get someone significant with the MLE, I think we have the potential to be top dog in our division. 1). Orlando 2). Washington 3). Bobcats 4). Hawks 5). Miami Call me crazy, but I don't think the Hawks will make some serious noise yet. Not many rookies are able to come in and immediately determine the outcome of a division. They may slip in with a 7th or 8th seed, but they honestly don't scare me as much as the Bobcats do, especially if they keep G-Force. I've never really been scared of Miami to be honest. The only one who really worries me is D-Wade, but when the second best player is a declining Shaq(barely puts up better numbers than Ruben Patterson), the loss of Kapano, and a Zo who is dubious to return, they don't seem as much as a force. Washington is the only team who I think can give us a run for our money. The obvious danger of a Arenas-Butler-Jamison trio is always pretty fearsome. The problem with the Knicks is not their offense, as they've shown they can keep up with the best of them, it's their lack of defense. With the addition of Randolph, they've become extremely soft on the inside. To make matters worse, Curry had trouble getting back on defense after an offensive set. I'd hate to see what BOTH of them would look like, especially against fast-break orriented teams. To be honest, when looking at it statistically, the Knicks do better, both on defense and on offense, when Curry is on the bench. When Randolph is on the floor, his team did worse on defense as well. Both of them are big time defensive liabilities. http://www.82games.com/0607/06NYK14D.HTM http://www.82games.com/0607/06POR12D.HTM</div> We don't have a MLE. MLE are only given to teams over the cap, which the Magic are not. Honestly if this stays true, I still have us in the bottom 2. Shard and Dwight will be a damn good duo, but when Dwight Howard is out of the game we will have absolutely NO ONE that is any good downlow. Fran better be coming over if we do this move or Otis better have something else up his sleeve. Al Horford and Acie Law are NBA ready. Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, and Josh Childress are now NBA ready and looking to break out. (I see Smith as a star already and expect Marvin Williams to make a big time jump this year) Joe Johnson is a superstar. They have Zaza/Shelden Williams coming off the bench. Hell I'd try to trade with Atlanta and get Zaza back just so we have someone else on offense. I'm not too impressed with Miami either, but I just can't put a team led by D Wade and Shaq in dead last of the division.
<div class="quote_poster">GatorsowntheNCAA Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">We don't have a MLE. MLE are only given to teams over the cap, which the Magic are not. </div> Oh wow, sorry. My mind's been on the Lakers lately and had just read the Steve Blake thread. Been a busy week too. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Gators:</div><div class="quote_post">Honestly if this stays true, I still have us in the bottom 2. Shard and Dwight will be a damn good duo, but when Dwight Howard is out of the game we will have absolutely NO ONE that is any good downlow. Fran better be coming over if we do this move or Otis better have something else up his sleeve.</div> Don't doubt Air Garrity around me. Like I said, only if we manage to resign Darko on top of landing Shard. We may also get someone who can bang down low with Dwight as well. It all depends really. Maybe when the off season is over can we truly say how we can rate ourselves, because as is, it's really too fluid. When the off season starts, no roster is definite. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Gators:</div><div class="quote_post">Al Horford and Acie Law are NBA ready. Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, and Josh Childress are now NBA ready and looking to break out. (I see Smith as a star already and expect Marvin Williams to make a big time jump this year) Joe Johnson is a superstar. They have Zaza/Shelden Williams coming off the bench. Hell I'd try to trade with Atlanta and get Zaza back just so we have someone else on offense. </div> I still think they have about a year or two before they start seriously making some noise. I can see them getting better year by year, but I think we can still handle them, even with their improvements. You have to look at a lot of this in hind sight. Our players aren't exactly terrible, it was a big part attributed to Brian Hill's coaching. He made extremely questionable calls, when more often than not, we could have sealed the bag on many teams. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Gators:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm not too impressed with Miami either, but I just can't put a team led by D Wade and Shaq in dead last of the division.</div> I'm really on the fence. I want to say they can potentially better the Hawks and the 'Cats, but it's hard to say. In the end, if the 'Cats resign G-Force, I think they can overcome the veteran Heat.
Gators, no way a combination of Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howard puts us in the bottom two. We all know you're a pessimist but even this is extreme for you. I honestly feel that this move will make us a contender in the next few years. The Hawks always bust and their too young, the Heat don't scare me, Gilbert Arenas will be opting out next year so Washington will be eh, and Charlotte would have been scarier with Wright.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> 5). Miami </div> You can't be serious. Miami is the only team in this division to ever do anything and have one of the best players in the game in Wade. We've only lost Kapono and Pat Riley has said he will make moves so I odn't see what puts Atlanta or Charlotte or even Washington ahead of us. Orlando is our only competition in the division.
<div class="quote_poster">Swish Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Gators, no way a combination of Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howard puts us in the bottom two. We all know you're a pessimist but even this is extreme for you. I honestly feel that this move will make us a contender in the next few years. The Hawks always bust and their too young, the Heat don't scare me, Gilbert Arenas will be opting out next year so Washington will be eh, and Charlotte would have been scarier with Wright.</div> As long as this isn't our only move in FA and we somehow work it out to get another capable big man so that Dwight Howard isn't required to play 48 minutes a game then I will be happy. If this is our only move, I likely won't be happy.
<div class="quote_poster">The One & Only Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Don't doubt Air Garrity around me. I still think they have about a year or two before they start seriously making some noise. I can see them getting better year by year, but I think we can still handle them, even with their improvements. You have to look at a lot of this in hind sight. Our players aren't exactly terrible, it was a big part attributed to Brian Hill's coaching. He made extremely questionable calls, when more often than not, we could have sealed the bag on many teams. I'm really on the fence. I want to say they can potentially better the Hawks and the 'Cats, but it's hard to say. In the end, if the 'Cats resign G-Force, I think they can overcome the veteran Heat.</div> Can you honestly count out the Heat??? The Heat even though they go to retirement homes and pickup players like Antoine Walker and Gary Payton are still a good team. Pat Riley isn't stupid. He knows losing Kapano is huge, so he'll probably lock up Posey or do a S&T. DWade is still one of the nastiest players in the game. Yeah Shaq is declining but he's good for 18/9 most nights. If they DO resign Alonzo, that's a better combo than what we have with Dwight and not resigning Darko yet and having Battie. I see most of the Hawks players breaking out. The team has been patient and I think it's there time to do good. I don't think Acie Law is exactly the answer for them, but Al Horford is definitely NBA ready. The guy is a monster and should contribute a good 12/8 his rookie season. Josh Smith should be an All-Star next season, JJ is one, and Zaza is a good backup along with Shelden. As far as Charlotte goes, JRich should make them exciting, but I don't see them doing anything unless they resign GForce which I doubt seriously. They aren't exactly scary. They lost a good backup PG with Knight and aren't gonna be a contender. The Magic will still probably lose to them though. As far as Washington goes, you contain Arenas, you contain the team. Sure Butler and Jamison are dangerous, but they have no depth. DeShawn Stevenson is a joke and I've never liked him even when he was on the Magic. If the Magic don't get Rashard or resign Darko, then I don't know where we stand.
