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Sept 26 - U Vic. - Raptors open training camp. So where do we stack up going into the 2022 season post the Mitchell Trade and the KD "just kiddin" trade demand.
Top Tier
The Bucks - The Alphabet still strikes fear into the hearts of all fans outside Milwaukee. A healthy Middleton and Holiday make these guys a tough out.
The Chowders - Might have to repair a trust gap with Jaylen Brown and the front office but wow...the effing Chowders are that good top to bottom. Brown, Tatum, Smart, Brogdon and Williams/Horford. Brad is a pretty good GM. Maybe better than as coach.
The Nets: Cue Bob Marley and the Redemption Song. Its Jackie Moons ELE in Brooklyn this year. Durant and Irving and Simmons will be a pantload if they don't implode first. Kevin is dedicating the season to Kevin.
Lower Penthouse
The Cavs - Mitchell puts them in home court this year. Garland is the real thing. Mobley and Allen Yeah baby. A good bench. They like their coach. Maybe 4 is to low. The Easts Memphis Grizzlies.
The Heat - Heat culture is about to pass its best before date and turn into bad yogurt if Jimmy and Kyle don't have one more deep run in them. Betting the under.
The Hinkies - Joel Embiid is going into his 8th year. Harden into his 13th. Lotta trust being placed with these guys. On a clear day with no wind to get to the ECF but thats the ceiling. The process is on the down side of the curve.
4 Teams looking for two spots to make the playoffs
The Raps - Yup Us !! Can we catch the top tier as is ? No. Can we do a "Jeffersons" and "move it on up" to the lower penthouse ? Yes ! Raps still need a C and some better quality depth in the backcourt. Scottie like Mobley will be better this year and his getting better will move the needle on our prospects.
The Hawks - Trae Young has a new running mate in DeJounte Murray.to go along with Hunter and Huerter and Capella and Collins and the up and coming Rookie OO ( Onyeka Okongwu) the Hawks are the team to catch in this tier. They easily go deeper than the Raps after the starters.
The Bulls - As Zach Lavine was hobbled down the stretch so too went the Bulls. But LeVine is back with a new max deal and is presumably set to play well along with Vuc and DD. Lonzo Ball will be back and will show why he was the number 2 overall in his draft class. Its us and the Bulls I think to get into the dance this year.
The Hornets - A team on the rise just lost a ton of altitude with the arrest of Miles Bridges for assault. LaMello Ball a star in the NBA pairs with the oft injured Gordon Hayward but not much else. The Hornets didnt pull their QO on Bridges. If he clears his legal situation he would give this team a boost it badly needs..
Maybe, Could Be, Its gotta break just right and assorted Dumpster fires
The Knicks - God bless em. They once traded for (edit) Derrick Rose and gave the bag to Brunson but somehow shied away from Mitchell who liked the idea of going back to New York. So they gave the bag to RJ Barrett and now they have to keep him. They did clean up the roster and got some picks. The Knicks will again be poor.
The Pistons - They will be better. Cade Cunningham is going to be great. Sadiq Bey has got character and can make room for himself in the paint. Jaden Ivy will fit in seamlessly alongside Cunningham in the back court. They are interchangeable parts. Both can bring it up or play off ball. A rebirth for Marvin Bagley under the eyes of Dwane Coach Casey. Casey will have us cursing him again this year. Detroit may challenge for a play in spot.
The Magic - They too will be better. A full year of Suggs. A number 1 pick with huge upside in Banchero. Maybe this year for Markel Fultz ? Wendel Carter and Mo Bamba are RR faves... but they are a year away from being a year away. Fun to watch but as all rookie laden teams do.. they will lose it late.
The Whiz and the Pacers - They are both works in progress. The same version of the teams they tore down but with different names. Do they give it a go or just go through the motions before tanking. Who the hell knows. Either way these teams are in the dreaded treadmill zone.
So camp opens in a month.
We are a deeper team than last year with the additions of Otto and Thad on the wing. Still look thin at the 5 and, until proven on the floor by Malachi Flynn, we could use more depth in the back court. Hopefully one of or both of Flynn or Banton blow the doors off during camp and preseason and make the need for more depth in the backcourt a non issue.
The East is better than last year.. I see us anywhere between 5 and 8 this year in a very competitive conference.
Let the preseason speculation begin.
Top Tier
The Bucks - The Alphabet still strikes fear into the hearts of all fans outside Milwaukee. A healthy Middleton and Holiday make these guys a tough out.
The Chowders - Might have to repair a trust gap with Jaylen Brown and the front office but wow...the effing Chowders are that good top to bottom. Brown, Tatum, Smart, Brogdon and Williams/Horford. Brad is a pretty good GM. Maybe better than as coach.
The Nets: Cue Bob Marley and the Redemption Song. Its Jackie Moons ELE in Brooklyn this year. Durant and Irving and Simmons will be a pantload if they don't implode first. Kevin is dedicating the season to Kevin.
Lower Penthouse
The Cavs - Mitchell puts them in home court this year. Garland is the real thing. Mobley and Allen Yeah baby. A good bench. They like their coach. Maybe 4 is to low. The Easts Memphis Grizzlies.
The Heat - Heat culture is about to pass its best before date and turn into bad yogurt if Jimmy and Kyle don't have one more deep run in them. Betting the under.
The Hinkies - Joel Embiid is going into his 8th year. Harden into his 13th. Lotta trust being placed with these guys. On a clear day with no wind to get to the ECF but thats the ceiling. The process is on the down side of the curve.
4 Teams looking for two spots to make the playoffs
The Raps - Yup Us !! Can we catch the top tier as is ? No. Can we do a "Jeffersons" and "move it on up" to the lower penthouse ? Yes ! Raps still need a C and some better quality depth in the backcourt. Scottie like Mobley will be better this year and his getting better will move the needle on our prospects.
The Hawks - Trae Young has a new running mate in DeJounte Murray.to go along with Hunter and Huerter and Capella and Collins and the up and coming Rookie OO ( Onyeka Okongwu) the Hawks are the team to catch in this tier. They easily go deeper than the Raps after the starters.
The Bulls - As Zach Lavine was hobbled down the stretch so too went the Bulls. But LeVine is back with a new max deal and is presumably set to play well along with Vuc and DD. Lonzo Ball will be back and will show why he was the number 2 overall in his draft class. Its us and the Bulls I think to get into the dance this year.
The Hornets - A team on the rise just lost a ton of altitude with the arrest of Miles Bridges for assault. LaMello Ball a star in the NBA pairs with the oft injured Gordon Hayward but not much else. The Hornets didnt pull their QO on Bridges. If he clears his legal situation he would give this team a boost it badly needs..
Maybe, Could Be, Its gotta break just right and assorted Dumpster fires
The Knicks - God bless em. They once traded for (edit) Derrick Rose and gave the bag to Brunson but somehow shied away from Mitchell who liked the idea of going back to New York. So they gave the bag to RJ Barrett and now they have to keep him. They did clean up the roster and got some picks. The Knicks will again be poor.
The Pistons - They will be better. Cade Cunningham is going to be great. Sadiq Bey has got character and can make room for himself in the paint. Jaden Ivy will fit in seamlessly alongside Cunningham in the back court. They are interchangeable parts. Both can bring it up or play off ball. A rebirth for Marvin Bagley under the eyes of Dwane Coach Casey. Casey will have us cursing him again this year. Detroit may challenge for a play in spot.
The Magic - They too will be better. A full year of Suggs. A number 1 pick with huge upside in Banchero. Maybe this year for Markel Fultz ? Wendel Carter and Mo Bamba are RR faves... but they are a year away from being a year away. Fun to watch but as all rookie laden teams do.. they will lose it late.
The Whiz and the Pacers - They are both works in progress. The same version of the teams they tore down but with different names. Do they give it a go or just go through the motions before tanking. Who the hell knows. Either way these teams are in the dreaded treadmill zone.
So camp opens in a month.
We are a deeper team than last year with the additions of Otto and Thad on the wing. Still look thin at the 5 and, until proven on the floor by Malachi Flynn, we could use more depth in the back court. Hopefully one of or both of Flynn or Banton blow the doors off during camp and preseason and make the need for more depth in the backcourt a non issue.
The East is better than last year.. I see us anywhere between 5 and 8 this year in a very competitive conference.
Let the preseason speculation begin.
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