Everything Off Season

[LJ2]

Brooklyn, Boston and Milwaukee are probably going to be the three teams that the Raptors will have to contend with next season. Miami is going to float around like they did this year, but I'm still not overly impressed with them despite getting to the finals. I don't really see any other team in the East climbing rapidly. Maybe Washington if Wall returns to form, but that's a big if.

Milwaukee is a bit of a wild card.. they could be as good as this year, but I think they make a couple of significant moves this off season to keep Giannis around. Depending on that move, they could get worse.. if they do some panic trade or something.

Gotta throw Philly into the mix if we don't have Marc. He sort of had a way of taking Embiid out of his game, but won't be the case next season. It also depends on whether FVV and Serge are back. Masai has indicated those two are priorities.

[planetmars]

Gotta throw Philly into the mix if we don't have Marc. He sort of had a way of taking Embiid out of his game, but won't be the case next season. It also depends on whether FVV and Serge are back. Masai has indicated those two are priorities.

I'm not sold on Philly. Doc isn't really that good of a coach. I think they have two contracts that they will try to move, but won't get much back for either. And if they trade Horford, they are back to having no backup center for Embiid who can't play every day. I still hate the Simmons/Embiid fit too.

We'll see.. but that always seems to be the case for those two.

I think we can beat them without Gasol. Boston swept them with Theis and Kanter.

[planetmars]

Miami is a good team, but I think they had the bubble to their advantage. They were the 5th seed I believe, so in a normal setting, they wouldn't have had home court advantage in any of their series, so it benefitted them to play in a neutral setting.

Yup.. Miami is in the finals simply because of the bubble. They would not have gotten by the Bucks IMO if they were playing in arenas. Definitely wouldn't have beaten Boston.

[LJ2]

I wonder who this year's "surprise" team from the East will be? Last year in the it was Miami playing better than expected.

[planetmars]

I wonder who this year's "surprise" team from the East will be? Last year in the it was Miami playing better than expected.

I think Atlanta could. They are still so young, but Collins was suspended for most of the year. He came back and they won a bunch of games. Trae is a year older. They have Capela who gives them a dangerous roll man that can also defend at the rim a bit.

I think Orlando takes a step back, especially if Isaac can't play. I think Detroit, Cleveland, NY and Charlotte will continue to be terrible. Charlotte probably the best of that bunch though. Chicago is a question mark.. and it depends on what coach they get, and what they do this off season. Still not really enamored by their roster. And Washington should get Wall back. So they could have a shot of getting in the top 8. Not sure they have the fire power to do a lot of damage though.

I think McMillon turned Indiana into a top 4 team. He's not there anymore. I think they take a step back too actually. But it could depend on what coach they get back, and what they do with Dipo.

[LJ2]

I think Atlanta could. They are still so young, but Collins was suspended for most of the year. He came back and they won a bunch of games. Trae is a year older. They have Capela who gives them a dangerous roll man that can also defend at the rim a bit.

I think Orlando takes a step back, especially if Isaac can't play. I think Detroit, Cleveland, NY and Charlotte will continue to be terrible. Charlotte probably the best of that bunch though. Chicago is a question mark.. and it depends on what coach they get, and what they do this off season. Still not really enamored by their roster. And Washington should get Wall back. So they could have a shot of getting in the top 8. Not sure they have the fire power to do a lot of damage though.

I think McMillon turned Indiana into a top 4 team. He's not there anymore. I think they take a step back too actually. But it could depend on what coach they get back, and what they do with Dipo.

I'm hoping it's Atlanta, out of that bunch. I think they could be a really fun team to watch if some of their young players take a step forward.

I'm so over Washington. They had years to get things together and could not. Beal looked great (scoring) in a year with no expectations but it didn't result in wins, and signing that extension was a dumb move imo. It's not like he doesn't have a couple of seasons playing next to Wall already to reference how good that team could be. At least Dame made some noise in the playoffs so you kind of understand why he wanted to stay with Portland. Beal wanting to stay in Washington is baffling.

[golden]

I'm hoping it's Atlanta, out of that bunch. I think they could be a really fun team to watch if some of their young players take a step forward.

I'm so over Washington. They had years to get things together and could not. Beal looked great (scoring) in a year with no expectations but it didn't result in wins, and signing that extension was a dumb move imo. It's not like he doesn't have a couple of seasons playing next to Wall already to reference how good that team could be. At least Dame made some noise in the playoffs so you kind of understand why he wanted to stay with Portland. Beal wanting to stay in Washington is baffling.

I can't stand watching Trae Young get awarded 20 FTs a game on invisible, ticky-tack fouls. It's annoying AF.

[slaw]

Chicago will be in the mix for the 8th seed if they stay healthy. Donovan will get way more out of those guys than Boylen and they won't be a disorganized mess on both ends of the floor. Problem for all the non-playoff teams is that 1-7 all look like they will be the same or better next year.

[LJ2]

I can't stand watching Trae Young get awarded 20 FTs a game on invisible, ticky-tack fouls. It's annoying AF.

Meh, lots of offense minded payers get those calls, it's part of the game.

[G__Deane]

Meh, lots of offense minded payers get those calls, it's part of the game.

Yeah it's (unfortunately) part of the game but it's the worst part of the game and I agree, annoying af

[MixxAOR]

Meh, lots of offense minded payers get those calls, it's part of the game.

especially guards

[planetmars]

[MixxAOR]

terrible

[G__Deane]

How absolutely ridiculous.

He gets the award by signing a top 5 player that wanted to play nowhere else and absolutely mortgaged the team's future as part of convincing another star player to ask out from under a valid contract to play in OKC. Then the team crapped the bed in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Even Masai accomplished more with less.

[MixxAOR]

the fact that Masai didn't win Exec of the Year last year is even more of a sham now. Masai got Kawhi, got Gasol, didn't give up picks or any long term team flexibility, wins a championship and doesn't win Exec of the Year lol?