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[Laimbeer40]

2021-22 Season Preview

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlanta
Stars: Booker, Ingram, D.Mitchell
B-List: Nurkic, M.Robinson
Solid Starter: Clarkson
C-List: McConnell, Bjelica
Fingers Crossed: C.Thomas, Strus
... Hawks should easily make the playoffs but seems like they only have 7-8 guys they can rely on.

Boston
Stars: A.Edwards
B-List: Siakam, Time Lord, J.Isaac
Solid Starter: Giddey, 
C-List: Okongwu, Toppin, Rui, Bazley
Fingers Crossed: Bouknight, Kuminga
... So much youth. The odds of everyone gelling this season is low. Probably a year away unless OUDAN gets impatient and makes some deals.

Brooklyn
Studs: Embiid, SGA
Solid Starter: T.Maxey
C-List: Burks, Caruso, E.Payton, Okoro
Fingers Crossed: Robinson-Earl, Fultz, Bagley
... Maxey might be on the path to at least the B-List. Probably not enough top talent but there's enough here to push for the playoffs.

Charlotte
B-List: Draymond, Kemba, RoCo, A.Wiggins
Solid Starter: Boucher
Fingers Crossed: Oladipo, Bol Bol
... Too good to tank but probably not enough to make the playoffs. Never where you want to be. Hopefully Boucher picks it back up.

Chicago
B-List: McCollum
Solid Starters: H.Barnes, Montrezl, 
C-List: Osman, Camelo, Plumlee
Fingers Crossed: B.Griffin, Neto
... Went thru a big rebuild a couple of seasons ago and looks destined to go through another soon.

Cleveland
Studs: Trae
Stars: Westbrook, J.Green
Solid Starters: J.Harris, P.Williams, Gallinari
C-List: Batum, J.Hayes, Claxton
Fingers Crossed: Wiseman, Thybulle, Okeke, Goga
... The Cavs are praying Wiseman & Okeke can get and stay healthy. That will be the difference between them being a Top 4 playoff seed vs Top. 8.

Detroit
Studs: LaMelo
Stars: Ayton
B-List: Mikal Bridges, D.Russell
Solid Starters: Oubre, D.Rose, Poeltl
C-List: McDemott, Kenrich
Fingers Crossed: Kispert, Deni
... A young team that should only get better. Should be a lock for the playoffs.

Indiana
Stars: Vucevic, Jrue, J.Butler
B-List: K.Lowry
Solid Starters: Bane, Conley, Olynyk
C-List: Bertans, Dort
Fingers Crossed: B.Simmons, Q.Grimes
... This is obviously a playoff team even without Simmons. But with a motivated Simmons they are a contender. What about Desmond Bane though?

Miami
B-List: CP3
Solid Starters: S.Barnes, Drummond, G.Trent, T.Ross
C-List: Gafford, K.Love, J.Holiday, J.Jackson, Whiteside
Fingers Crossed: N.Hyland, M.McBride
... The Heat had an excellent offseason drafting Barnes and signing CP3 and Drummond. They might be deep enough to sneak into the playoffs.

Milwaukee
Studs: Dame, Durant, Jokic
Stars: JJJ, LaVine
Solid Starters: D.Melton, Seth Curry
Fingers Crossed: Doumbaya, Culver
... Here's your team to beat in the East. The achilles here is the talent drops off a cliff after the Top 7 so injuries could be a factor. Need to be active on waive wire.

New York
Stars: VanVleet, MPJ, M.Turner
B-List: J.Collins
Solid Starters: Duarte, Reddish, LeVert, R.Gay, PJ Washington
C-List: Korkmaz, Nance
Fingers Crossed: DiVincenzo, J.Primo, S.Cooper
... Lacks the elite talent the Bucks have but makes up for it with being extremely deep. Gotta be stoked by early returns from Duarte.

Orlando
B-List: Lonzo
C-List: Kennard, G.Williams, J.McGee, Looney, Brissett
Fingers Crossed: C.Cunningham
... Put a lot into getting Cade. Hopefully he pays off. Still firmly in a rebuild. Might be best to flip Lonzo into some assets.

Philadelphia
Studs: P.George
Stars: Zinger
Solid Starters: THJ
C-List: Monte Morris, Crowder, T.Thompson
Fingers Crossed: D.Saric, J.Christopher, J.Sims
... There is a lot of functionality on this team but it's just not very sexy. Should be in the playoff hunt

Toronto
Studs: J.Tatum
B-List: Brogdon, Herro
Solid Starters: KPJ
C-List: RJ Hampton, N.Little
Fingers Crossed: T.Davis, A.Dosunmu
... The trade chips are here and a motivated owner could make a few deals to either have an amazing rebuild or a tough competitor. 

Washington
Stars: Sexton, Bam
B-List: Miles Bridges
Solid Starters: K.Anderson
C-List: P.Beverley, J.Hart, Forbes, Kleber
Fingers Crossed: Kawhi, Klay
... This team has some good young players but they are going to need KKK (Kawhi, Klay, Kyle) assistance to get to the playoffs in order to lose to TMurphy.