What team from the East is going to suprise next season.

As as all know, the East is just terrible this season....so many teams are having dissapointing seasons, but some team has to rise from the dust next year, what team do you think it will be? Milwaukee? Chicago? Charlotte? New Jersey? Boston?

 

charlotte, milwaukee and boston are gonna surpriseJordan said because of their cap space he's gonna do whatever he can to bring talent into there through free agency and trades..also with a probably top 5 pick that's a huge trading piece considering the amount of salary cap space they can give teams by "taking a talented large contract player off their hands"they also have a really nice young core of playersI think Boston will surprise as well..they're a really talented team that was destroyed by injury this season..It's a .500 club if Paul Pierce/Tony Allen don't go down..Same deal with the BucksBoth teams have potential top picks...and a really good core of players..they were just plagued by injury this year and with the right moves can completely turn around

 

Boston. If they use their draft pick wisely and develop their players and pull some trades (not necessarily big ones) I could see them as a top 3 team in the East.The Raptors should win more than 50 games next year assuming they keep their core group together.If Charlotte uses their draft pick wisely and get a young defensive-minded black (no offense to other colore coaches) coach like Nate McMillan or Avery Johnson they could turn some heads as well.

 

Its going to be the 76ers, they won't do anything really special but I think they'll be better than all of those teams you named.

 

I'd say Charlotte. They will get a good player this year in the draft and have a nice young team built...Felton, Wallace, Morrison, Okafor....

 

The 76ers will fight for the 8th spot next year, I think, but I don't see them making the playoffs... and that's if we just keep the squad we have right now. We have three first round picks, so I don't know what the hell Billy King will do with those. Either way, I think we'll put up some sort of fight for that final playoff spot, but fall short.

 

I have to say Bobcats. They are shaping up the offseason with a new coach, 2 first rounders(could be used as bait as well) and cap room. If all goes right, Rick Adelman should be the perfect candidate for Jordan as the new head coach. I feel the Princeton offense Adelman uses fits the Cats to a t.

 

I would say the Hawks.They have a lot of young talented players who could play the game. You can tell that they try hard every night to win. If a PG could be added to their team they will be a big surprise by the time next season comes. Josh Smith, Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams will all have to take big roles. And to me they can handle it. Don't forget they started the season off really well. This team can win if they get some more experience as well. Also a few veterans could help them succeed as well.

 

Toronto. Even though they aren't having a disappointing season this year.2-3 years from now, the East will be Toronto's...

 

If (that's a huge IF) Danny plays his cards right this offseason, gets lucky in the lottery, and brings in the right free agent guys, there is no reason the Celtics won't be one of the best teams in the East next year. They lost to the Mavs by like 5 or something in Dallas.They beat the Spurs in San Antonio. They're a good team when healthy. With a the draft, Tony Allen back, and the right additions via trade/FA, theres no reason they can't be great.

 

but yankshaterwith a good draft, injured players bask and the right additions every team could be great hahaI agree with the celtics being right there..one or two steps away when it comes to almost being where they wanna be though

 

I once again feel the Celtics have a good chance to get good. They have a good chance to get Oden or Durant, and they have been hit with injuries all year. That has really hurt their record. Also, they have been playing much better as of recently. I think they finally solved their guard situation by switching Rondo to the starting PG and Delonte to the SG. Jefferson has been playing great, they could get Durant, and they still have Paul coming back. They have beat the Spurs recently, AND played the Mavs really close....They are moving in the right direction.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (HoNgKoNgKoBe @ Mar 20 2007, 05:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I would say the Hawks.They have a lot of young talented players who could play the game. You can tell that they try hard every night to win. If a PG could be added to their team they will be a big surprise by the time next season comes. Josh Smith, Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams will all have to take big roles. And to me they can handle it. Don't forget they started the season off really well. This team can win if they get some more experience as well. Also a few veterans could help them succeed as well.</div>This was actually the team I was thinking of, provided they can get a quality point guard this year, I see this team being playoff contenders in the East. They to me are just one piece away from being playoff contenders. Have people on the wings like Johnson and Smith, to be backed up by Williams, and Childress off the bench is a nice rotation. They may have to use one as trade bait to get a quality point guard, but that shouldn't be a problem. If I was this team, I would make a serious push at Chauncey Billups. I believe they would have the cap room, so getting Billups would be a huge plus.

 

Hopefully the Raptors, but they are kinda surprising this year.Probably the Bobcats and Celtics. MARK IT.

 

IMO, the Hawks too. Theyve sortve had that injury bug a couple teams had this season. Everybody knows J-Smooth is improving every year. JJ is a awesome player and Claxton is good also. Atlanta just needs a more consistant scoring big man, not Marvin Williams, but one that can score down low. Speaking of Marvin Williams though, hes going to be heck of a player, watch out for a breakout season for Marvin Williams...he could just be that player than puts them in the playoff race.And I hope like hell Billups stays away from Orlando, and comes to Memphis.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (austingriz @ Mar 20 2007, 08:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>And I hope like hell Billups stays away from Orlando, and comes to Memphis.</div>I would hope for exactly the opposite, and hope he does come to Orlando, and stays away from Memphis. We could use a game changer on the perimeter, that can hit the three's and that can take over the scoring in the fourth quarter. A consistent scorer like that is what Orlando is missing, and I would be excited if we could get him. Sure we have Jameer Nelson right now as our young point guard, but I wouldn't mind moving him to second fiddle to have Billups as the starting point guard. There are stretchs of the game where Billups could move over to the two, or Nelson could move over to the two spot and we could run them both on the court. They both have good shots on them, so I would not mind that at all.As for which he should choose, I think he has a better chance of coming in and winning right away in Orlando than he does in Memphis. Add that to the fact that Orlando will have the cap room this offseason to sign him to a good deal, and I think Orlando would be a prime destination for Chauncey Billups.

 

Memphis has alotve money in cap this off-season, thanks to Eddie Jones. Billups would probably be better off in Memphis because I garuntee yall that Memphis is going to be atleast a .500 team next season, with or without Billups. Billups would fit perfect in our style of play. But thats if Billups leaves Detriot..which theres a good chance he wont.

 

I think the Washington Wizards will once again be in the top 3 teams in the east. Maybe even number 1. I also agree about the Rapters. There doing really good. They should keep there team just the way it is and bring in some good draft picks because if they go after Vince Carter I just think the team will be right back where they were last season.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dagameplayer @ Mar 21 2007, 08:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think the Washington Wizards will once again be in the top 3 teams in the east. Maybe even number 1.</div> Why? Next season they will still be the same perimeter oriented team they've been the past 2 seasons.

 

I have to say the Celtics. Paul Pierce will lose those 10 extra pounds he put on (from the injury that forced him to sit out 2 months), Al Jefferson is emerging into a legit 20/10 guy before our eyes right now, Delonte West and Ryan Gomes will always be very nice role players (yet they'll still improve a bit), Perk should be healthy, Rajon Rondo will have another summer under his belt, Gerald Green will have another year and summer under his belt. Wally will be back, Tony Allen will be back in time.I think if we don't make any moves whatsoever, we'd be .500 team next year. Then you factor in the fact that Pierce, and Ainge himself, wants to make a deal for a veteran or two. We have all the pieces - the most valuable expiring contract (Ratliff, $12M expiring after this upcoming season), we have too many young players, and we have plenty of future draft picks.Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that we have a shot at Greg Oden or Kevin Durant. Even if we don't get lucky and land one of them, we have all the chips to go make a deal for a good veteran, without question. However, with that being said, I WANT ODEN OR DURANT!