By: Zachary Burzawa
Twitter: @Burzawazach
Twitter: @DunkProdudtions
September 27th, 2021
Coming into this season where we saw a lot of stars find new homes this offseason, it’s important to see what we should expect from each team heading into this season.
30. Orlando Magic
This team is anything but exciting, its obvious the Magic are in the middle of a rebuild with a lot of young players on the roster with something to prove in this league. The biggest question for this team going into the season revolves around Jalen Suggs and can he be that guy to build around going forward.
29. Houston Rockets
This team is full of young talent, and I mean really young talent, the projected starting backcourt consists of a 21-year-old Kevin Porter Jr who was acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers last year, and a 19-year-old, No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green. There will be a lot of growing pains this year and this roster should not be projected to win most of their games.
28. Oklahoma City Thunder
HELP IS ON THE WAY, The Thunder have a slur of draft picks waiting for the coming years, this year will be focused on their No. 5 overall pick Josh Giddy and if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can return to his former self following last years injury. This team is still rebuilding but has some promising pieces.
27. Detroit Pistons
Is Cade Cunningham going to be what everyone expects him to be? This is the biggest question for the Pistons this year. The pistons have a lackluster roster outside of him and Jerami Grant, but they still have a proven coach in Dwayne Casey who can make even a little something out of basically nothing.
26. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs have a lot of questions to answer this season. What are they doing with Kevin Love? How are they going to play Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen? Finally, when is the young backcourt of Sexton and Garland going to pick it up to get this team out of the bottom of the league? Until they answer these questions, it’s hard to see this team come even close to sniffing the playoffs.
25. San Antonio Spurs
It appears to be the end of an era in San Antonio, luckily the Spurs still have one of the greatest coaches in the game in Greg Popovich. The spurs seem to be headed in the direction of a rebuild but will still be a somewhat respectable ball club because of their coach and their sub-par roster.
24. Sacramento Kings
The guard play has never been the problem in Sacramento thanks to Buddy Hield and De’Aaron fox but the play from the frontcourt and if Tristain Thompson and Marvin Bagley can be productive enough to make this team respectable.
23. Washington Wizards
With Russel Westbrook gone and a surplus of new pieces like Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope coming in. it’s hard to see this team be any more than a potential play-in team. Even though Bradley Beal is coming back, it’s evident the Wizards still do not have enough pieces to even make them a playoff team.
22. Toronto Raptors
The Raptors are another team that does not have enough pieces to be any more than a potential play-in team now that Kyle Lowry is gone and moved on. The Raptors are left with only Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet which is a very solid duo, but not solid enough to be a playoff lock.
21. New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans have a couple of new pieces joining them this upcoming season in Devonte’ Graham and Jonas Valanciunas. Zion Williamson is going to do what he does, but is this roster good enough to get into the play in or even secure a potential playoff spot? It’s highly doubtful considering they got worse from last year.
20. Minnesota Timberwolves
Perhaps one of the most confusing teams out there considering the addition of Patrick Beverly this offseason. This team has the talent in Karl Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and D’Angelo Russell (who may not be on the team much longer). This team has a solid core of players who could put it together and make a push for the play-in tournaments or even the playoffs.
19. Charlotte Hornets
It will be interesting to see if the addition of Kelly Oubre Jr will be the piece that the hornets need in order to get to the playoffs this year. Oubre has a rough go-around in Golden State but has the potential to turn it around alongside Lamelo Ball and Terry Rozier.
18. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers are a team that could make some noise as a lower seed in the eastern conference. The biggest thing about them is if they can stay healthy. If the Pacers stay healthy, with their starting five they could run with just about any middle of the pack team in the east.
17. Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzles got better in the offseason with the addition of veteran Steven Adams to pair alongside Ja Morant who looks to prove himself as a star in this league at such a young age. It’s hard to tell, but this team could be a 9 or 10 seed come playoffs.
16. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls made a splash in free agency this year with the additions of Demar Derozan, Lonzo Ball, and Alex Caruso. This team looks like it is finally playoff-bound again after missing out on the postseason for a while now. It’s hard to picture this team finishing any higher than teams like the Knicks, Celtics, or 76ers.
15. Boston Celtics
Probably one of the most disappointing teams of last season, the Celtics appear to be a two-man crew behind Allstar Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown (who is coming back from Injury). The Celtics also Add Dennis Schroder who was not as impressive in his stint with the Lakers. It will be hard to see this team finish in the top of the east for a while.
14. Philadelphia 76ers
With all of the rumors of Ben Simmons surrounding the 76ers, it’s hard to tell if they will be able to make a trade for him before the season considering his poor performance in last year’s playoffs where he was exposed. It is hard to see this team be a top-three team in the east if all they have is injury-prone Joel Embid who played at an MVP level last year.
13. Portland Trailblazers
With a new coach in Chauncey Billups, the Blazers look to return to the glory days of being a middle-pack team in the west. This team is destined to make it to maybe the 2nd round of the playoffs at best, it will be interesting to see if the Blazers starting 5 can play consistently well on a nightly basis.
12. New York Knicks
This team was considered the joke of the NBA just a short few seasons ago. This team now looks to be in the top tier of the eastern conference for the second season in a row. If Kemba Walker can be Kemba Walker from Charlotte, this team can be scary come playoff time.
11. Miami Heat
With the addition of Kyle Lowry, P.J Tucker, and Markieff Morris, it’s no secret this team can compete with the best in the east. It’s a matter of if the young guys (Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson) can get back to the way they were playing in the bubble if that happens, this team is very deep.
10. LA Clippers
With Kawhi possibly out for an extended period of time to begin this season, this roster still is very talented and has Paul George who proved to critics last year he has what it takes when push comes to shove. I have no doubt this team will not be ready come playoff time with a healthy Kawhi.
9. Dallas Mavericks
With a new coach in Jason Kidd, this should be the year of Luka who I predict will win the MVP award. The Mavericks will be an exciting regular season team but will come to realize in the playoffs that Luka needs more help and Kristaps Porzingis is not a co-star which will lead to this team potentially getting bounced to a lower-seeded team.
8. Golden State Warriors
Golden State unlike the Clippers knows that their star player is going to be back this year. Klay Thompson coming back is going to make Golden State a contender once again. Steph Curry was able to carry this average roster all the way to the play-in tournament just last season, help has finally come back.
7. Atlanta Hawks
It is no fluke that the Atlanta Hawks made the Eastern Conference finals last year. This team was just better than the 76ers in the second round but stood no chance against a loaded bucks team. I expect this team to finish 3rd in the east being guided by Trae Young the future face of the league.
6. Denver Nuggets
With Jamal Murray still being out for a good part of this season, the workload will mostly rely on reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and Micheal Porter Jr who proved he will one day be a star in this league. The Nuggets Championship hopes will mostly depend on the health of Jamal Murray.
5. Phoenix Suns
Chris Paul is coming off an outstanding year where he berthed his first finals appearance, the only problem is he is a year older and father time is undefeated. The Suns are basically the same team as last year with a couple of additions like Landry Shamnet, but this team may have hit its ceiling last year.
4. Utah Jazz
The Jazz has the same rotation as last year for the most part and has also picked up Rudy Gay and big man Hassan Whiteside which I feel gives them the slight edge over the Suns this upcoming season. This team is a title contender and will go as far as Donovan Mitchell takes them.
3. LA Lakers
This is the oldest team in the NBA, as much as LeBron James fans hate to admit, he looked his age a little bit in the playoff series last year against the Suns. This is hopefully a fluke because the Lakers will go as James can take them. It will be interesting to see how Russel Westbrook and LeBron can share the same backcourt. Lucky for the Lakers, Anthony Davis is returning from injury.
2. Brooklyn Nets
With Kyrie being himself and causing more distractions in Brooklyn, the Nets still have red flags no matter how many superstars they have on the roster. They struggled to stay healthy last year but proved to be the best team in the league when all three stars were on the floor at the same time. It will come down to IF all three can be on the floor at the same time when it matters most.
1. Milwaukee Bucks
The defending NBA champions did not get any worse in the offseason and are bringing back Donte DiVincenzo who was a big part of what the Bucks were doing last year till he got hurt. This is still one of the best all-around teams in the league until proven otherwise. They are lead by the best player in the league in Giannis Antetokounmpo who I predict will be holding another Larry O’Brien Trophy this summer as the bucks go back to back. This team is too well-rounded and now has the playoff experience to take down anyone.
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