Boston Celtics
Starters: Derrick White/Jaylen Brown/Jayson Tatum/Kristaps Porzingis/Robert Williams
Reserves: Malcolm Brogdon/Payton Pritchard/Sam Hauser/Oshae Brissett/Al Horford
They should once again be among the best teams in the league with Tatum and Brown leading the way. They've got shooting throughout the lineup and a lot of plus defenders even with the departure of Marcus Smart. I really dig the Porzingis addition, he brings a lot offensively and his rim protecting will help a lot.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Starters: Darius Garland/Donovan Mitchell/Max Strus/Evan Mobley/Jarrett Allen
Reserves: Ty Jerome/Isaac Okoro/Caris LeVert/Georges Niang/Dean Wade
The Cavs are going to take another step forward. Garland and Mobley will improve. Mitchell will continue to play at an high level. They added much needed shot creating and shooting with Max Strus and Georges, the former will be a big upgrade over Okoro at the starting SF spot, which will make a big difference. Jerome was quietly a very effective backup point guard for the Warriors last year, so that is another nice pick up. They will be one of favorites to get out of the East.
Milwaukee Bucks
Starters: Jrue Holiday/Grayson Allen/Khris Middleton/Giannis Antetokounmpo/Brook Lopez
Reserves: Malik Beasely/Marjon Beauchamp/Pat Connaughton/Jae Crowder/Bobby Portis
The Bucks should once again be among the best teams in the East this year. I see Khris Middleton returning to all star form fully healthy. I think Jrue and Lopez have another year left in the tank playing at a high level. This team will have a chip on their shoulder after last season's playoff meltdown.
New York Knicks
Starters: Jalen Brunson/Quentin Grimes/RJ Barrett/Julius Randle/Mitchell Robinson
Bench: Immanual Quickley/Josh Hart/Donte DiVincenzo/Isaiah Hartenstein/Jericho Sims
The Knicks should once again be a playoff team. They ran it back while adding a good 3 and wing in DiVincenzo. They have a solid bench to complement a good fitting starting 5. It's a well balanced team that does a lot of things well. They will definitely be in the mix
Atlanta Hawks
Starters: Trae Young/Dejounte Murray/DeAndre Hunter/Saddiq Bey/Clint Capela
Bench: Kobe Bufkin/Bogdan Bogdanovic/AJ Griffin/Jalen Johnson/Onyeka Okongwu
I'm higher on this team than many people. I think the Hawks will figure it out. Trae Young will have a bounce back season. Dejounte Murray is still going to play at an all star level. The bench is solid too full of young guys that could improve. They also have a full season under Quin Snyder who is known for raising the floor of his teams. However this team is still not good defensively which holds them back from being a team that goes deep in the playoffs.
Indiana Pacers
Starters: Tyrese Haliburton/Bennedict Mathurin/Bruce Brown/Obi Toppin/Myles Turner
Bench: Andrew Nembhard/Buddy Hield/Aaron Nesmith/Jarace Walker/Isaiah Jackson
People forget that this team was in playoff position a few weeks before the all star break until Haliburton got hurt. They've only got better by adding Bruce Brown, Jarace Walker, and Obi Toppin to this already deep team. Its an overall good team with so many guys who can floor space, move the ball, multiple playmakers, and play fast, led by Haliburton who I think takes another leap as a player. They don't have a true #2 guy, but they have so many different players who can be that guy on a given night. Now they aren't some title contender but they have a squad that can make the playoffs.
Philadelphia 76ers
Starters: Tyrese Maxey/De'Anthony Melton/PJ Tucker/Tobias Harris/Joel Embiid
Bench: Patrick Beverley/Furkan Korkmaz/Danuel House/Mo Bamba/Paul Reed
This will be with the assumption James Harden doesn't suit up for them. If that's the case, they will naturally become a much worse team. That along with replacing Shake Milton, Jalen McDaniels, and Georges Niang who were 3 solid role players for a declining Pat Beverley and Mo Bamba is a big drop off. Their lack of depth is going to be a big problem. They do still have the MVP Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey who is bound to take another step forward into borderline all star level with a bigger role in the offense which should get them to the 7th seed, but a first round exit is the most likely outcome.
Miami Heat
Starters: Kyle Lowry/Tyler Herro/Jimmy Butler/Caleb Martin/Bam Adebayo
Bench: Josh Richardson/Duncan Robinson/Haywood Highsmith/Kevin Love/Thomas Bryant
This could change if they get Lillard, but i'm going to do this exercise as if Lillard not on the Heat. The Heat will likely still find a way to squeak into the playoffs with Jimmy Butler having another great season, Herro improves, and Bam will do Bam things. But their lack of depth is a serious issue and relying on the steadily declining 37 year old Kyle Lowry to be the only real point guard on the roster is problematic. Given the East is just bad, the Heat may still find themselves in the playoffs through just grit and top end talent alone but due to the lack of a competent a Cinderella story is way more unlikely this time around.
Toronto Raptors
Starters: Scottie Barnes/Gary Trent Jr/OG Anunoby/Pascal Siakam/Jakob Poeltl
Bench: Dennis Schroder/Gradey Dick/Jalen McDaniels/Otto Porter Jr/Precious Achiuwa
Losing Fred VanVleet is not going to be as big a loss as people think. They are 16-14 (44 win pace) when he doesn't play since the start of the 2021-22 season. With him gone, it's more usage for Scottie Barnes who will show a good amount of progress in his development unlike last season and will improve into a nice 2nd option to Siakam. The starting lineup is solid overall, and the bench is much improved from last year. They will however once again be a play in team, there are still some serious flaws on this team in terms of floor spacing and not enough consistent creators outside of Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes to be a playoff team.
Brooklyn Nets
Starters: Spencer Dinwiddie/Mikal Bridges/Cam Johnson/Dorian Finney-Smith/Nic Claxton
Bench: Ben Simmons/Cam Thomas/Lonnie Walker/Royce O'Neale/Day'Ron Sharpe
The Nets are running back essentially the same group they ended with last season outside of adding Lonnie Walker which was a 12-15 (37 win pace) team after the trade deadline, but that could be a result of just a whole new group of players trying to figure out how to play with each other, so I expect them to be better than that with a full training camp and Ben Simmons will be healthy and making a positive impact which would be a step forward from last year where he was a negative when on the court. Defensively the Nets will be very good, but I am very worried on how their halfcourt offense operates, outside of Mikal Bridges there is no one that can consistently generate offense. Cam Johnson is a nice player but pushing him into a role like that, is not going to translate to as many wins as you would like.
Orlando Magic
Starters: Markelle Fultz/Gary Harris/Franz Wagner/Paolo Banchero/Wendell Carter Jr
Bench: Cole Anthony/Anthony Black/Joe Ingles/Jonathon Isaac/Moritz Wagner
I really like the young core the Magic have been building the past few years. They will be a competitive group this up coming season challenging for the play in tournament. I still think they are a few pieces away and will need Franz and Paolo to unlock another gear to be a playoff team. Franz might reach near all star status, though Paolo I think is still a year away from that.
Chicago Bulls
Starters: Jevon Carter/Zach LaVine/Demar Derozan/Patrick Williams/Nikola Vucevic
Bench: Alex Caruso/Coby White/Ayo Dosunmu/Torrey Craig/Andre Drummond
The Bulls as long as they have LaVine and Derozan won't be horrible. Vucevic is still a fine player. But it won't good enough to be a playoff team. They don't have any real point guard and no offensive system other than isolations for Demar or LaVine, or post ups with Vuc, its a slow and predictable style of basketball with 0 off ball movement or fluidity. I am expecting a regression from Derozan as well. While they were a good defensive team down the stretch last year, I don't think that kind of defensive level is going to be replicable again this year based on the lack of personnel they have defensively.
Charlotte Hornets
Starters: LaMelo Ball/Terry Rozier/Brandon Miller/Miles Bridges/Mark Williams
Bench: Nick Smith Jr/Cody Martin/Gordon Hayward/PJ Washington/Nick Richards
The Hornets are coming off a very disappointing season. Defensively the Hornets are still very bad, they should be a lock for a bottom 5 defense in the league next year. I don't love their bench either, especially since you can't count on Gordon Hayward to play even 40 games in a season. However just having LaMelo Ball back healthy and the return of Miles Bridges should avoid them from being a complete cellar dweller. Offensively they will be really solid, at least in the starting 5. There is a world where things click and they make the play in, but i'm not going there yet since due to their depth issues and defense.
Detroit Pistons
Starters: Cade Cunningham/Jaden Ivey/Bojan Bogdanovic/Isaiah Stewart/Jalen Duren
Bench: Monte Morris/Alec Burks/Joe Harris/Ausar Thompson/Marvin Bagley
They do have one of the best young cores in the league with Cade, Ivey, Duren, and Ausar. They should be a fun team to watch. But it's still should once again be a learning curve year. It's a bunch of young guys who have not played with either other at all and are still just getting acclimated to the NBA and learning how to play a winning style of basketball, the talent is obvious, but I don't think they are ready yet.
Washington Wizards
Starters: Tyus Jones/Jordan Poole/Deni Avdija/Kyle Kuzma/Daniel Gafford
Bench: Delon Wright/Landry Shamet/Corey Kispert/Bilal Coulibaly/Danilo Gallinari
After blowing up the team and starting fresh in the offseason, I don't see the Wizards being competitive at all, and that's completely fine as they begin year 1 of their rebuild. Jordan Poole might have a fun bounce back season where he puts up big numbers which will be worth watching, but it won't translate to wins