LOR2 Plus

[Laimbeer40]

Southeast Division Preview

Atlanta

Outlook: Thanks to Covid, the Hawks are still your defending champ! This team has topped 60 wins the past three seasons. That will be pretty hard to do with only 64 games this season. This team is deep and has star power with five Top 40-ish players. The playoffs are a certainty. The only question is if they will be the top seed.

Projected Record: 55-9
Current Record: 43-8-1 (Cavs holding out Drummond has set me back. Apparently he is a key to my success... guess I should have extended him)
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Charlotte

Outlook: With the exception of 2018 this team has hovered around .500 for most of their existence. They don't make a lot of splashy moves as a lot of their gains have been from hitting on their 2nd round picks at a high rate. How soon will Kemba return from injury? How well will Oladipo return to form? Gotta love all the glue guys they have like RoCo and Tucker. There is enough risk here to project another near miss at making the playoffs.

Projected Record: 29-35
Current Record: 20-30-2 (Been sort of a nightmare season but at least they saw Boucher increase his value)
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Miami

Outlook: True to real life the Heat are always going to try to compete. It was looking like they were in a good tank situation and then kpolman opened up the pocket book in a rare strong free agent class. He spent $29m per season on Love & Whiteside. This team likely goes as far as those guys are able to take them. They could use a PG though.

Projected Record: 35-29
Current Record: 8-42-2 (Turns out Love & Whiteside were subpar signings. MIA geared toward next year and I can't say I blame them)
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Orlando

Outlook: This was probably the best orphaned team in quite some time with Curry and a war chest of draft picks. Honestly the new ownership group just had to heat and serve. Steph sticks out like a sore thumb on this roster. They have a lot of post-hype type players in Lonzo, Aaron Gordon, Josh Richardson and Kevin Knox. I'm not sure that is a winning group but the potential is still there. Hard to believe this was a 61 win team just a couple years ago.

Projected Record: 27-37
Current Record: 23-28-1 (Feel like I was pretty accurate on this one. Not many of the young guys took the leap that was needed)
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Washington

Outlook: Klay Thompson and a 1st to SAC for Jrue paid down this year... who says no? There's a lot of risk here. How much does Kawhi sit? Does Will Barton have a pulse again? Was Christian Wood a flash in the pan? Why are the Hawks letting John Collins go to RFA? These Wizards are going to need some strong magic to make some noise. Might be time to tank.

Projected Record: 24-40

Current Record: 31-19-2 (The Wiz have gotten even better than expected returns from Wood and a revelation in Moses)

[Laimbeer40]

Playoff Picture

1. NYK 47-5 (Running on all cylinders)
2. ATL 43-8-1 (Outside chance at passing Knicks if Drummond returns soon)
3. IND 42-10 (The Lowry bamboozle injecting new life)
4. CHI 34-17-1 (The best Bulls team since 2017 but a huge gap between them and the Top 3 Eastern teams)
5. PHI 33-18-1 (PHI-CHI in the first rd would be a great matchup)
6. WAS 31-19-2 (Never count out General Kuster. He's making his last stand)
7. CLE 29-20-3 (Knock the Melo trade all you want but Westbrook has been aces this yr)
8. DET 24-27-1 (Would they be able to pull of a huge 1st rd upset with Giannis?)
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9. ORL 23-28-1 (The depth in the East has slipped the past couple of seasons)

1. LAC 46-6 (It was obvious they would run away with the West)
2. POR 39-11-2 (Lost Thomas Bryant early but hit on the Saddiq Bey pick and traded for Big Al and the sneaky Thad Young)
3. LAL 34-17-1 (This is not a team I would want to see in the playoffs)
4. MIN 34-18 (Wait what? Where did they come from? I guess Zion & KAT are just that good)
5. PHX 30-21-1 (With Luka & Dame this feels like their floor. Ceiling is much higher)
6. DEN 29-21-2 (LBJ injury spells trouble. Can they hold their ground?)
7. UTA 29-22-1 (It would be reasonable to expect them to jump into 6th. PHX should watch out too)
8. HOU 25-25-2 (Wait! Is that? That's poyntz's music!)
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9. NOR 23-27-2 (Didn't expect to see them near the playoffs)
10. DAL 21-30-1 (Should be in the playoffs but unfortunately Jeff too busy suing DeShaun Watson right now)

[OUDAN]

As always, Laim with the best content! You the man sir.

[tomviolence]

Agreed!

[Laimbeer40]

If anyone wants a hypothetical pre-draft trade written up for their team, then let me know. Willing to write a Trades That Should Happen article.

Trades That Should Happen

Dallas sends: 
SG/SF DeMar DeRozan $18m, $18m (fully paid)

Golden State sends: 
Pick 1.9
PG Ty Jerome 1.2m, 2.2m, RFA

... Dallas likely doesn't have what it takes to compete this season but they do have a ton of cap space. They could add Pick 1.9 to their Pick 1.11 and have a building block for the future. Golden State is making a run so picking up a Top 50-75 guy like DeRozan w/o any cap hit is huge. It gives them a guaranteed starter and leaves them money to dabble in free agency.
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Oklahoma City sends:
SF Gordon Hayward $17m (fully paid)

Washington sends:
2022 LAL 1st

... OKC could get a bounty for trading Pick 1.1 but judging by the fact that they are taking on bad contracts for picks I don't think the Thunder are worried about competing on an accelerated timeline. I think something like this makes a little more sense. Deal Hayward to a cap strapped contender for a pick that has a chance to be a mid-1st next year if the Lakers get hit by any injuries with their lack of depth.
==============================

Sacramento sends:
SF Aaron Gordon $7.2m (SAC pays $3.6m)

Denver sends:
Pick 1.15

... At this point Gordon is what he is and that is a solid contributor who can help Denver make noise in the playoffs. Meanwhile this deal would give SAC picks 15 thru 19 in the draft and who doesn't want to hold the league hostage by being on the clock for 5 straight picks?
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LA Lakers send:
PG Tyrese Maxey $2.7m, RFA in 2025

Boston sends:
SF Keldon Johnson $1.2m, RFA in 2024

... This move makes a lot of sense. Both teams are looking to get out of a positional glut and this solves that. Lakers are ready to win now and Keldon should be assured of contributing next season. Meanwhile Boston gets a guy who has a little higher upside but might not have the immediate path to consistent minutes. 
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Philadelphia sends:
PF Kristaps Porzingis $20.4m (2024)

Toronto sends:
SG Tyler Herro $1.3m, RFA in 2024
Pick 1.14
PF Nassir Little $2.3m, RFA in 2024

... Toronto has a lot of youth and a lot of cap. Philly needs both of those in spades. The Raptors can afford the cap hit on Porzingis (let's face it, he's not THAT overpaid. Maybe $3-5m too much) and they need more in the way of bona fide starters and here they get a Top 40 player. Philly gets a solid piece in Herro and this deal actually still gives them an option whether to compete or rebuild.
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Chicago sends:
PG Goran Dragic $9.6m ($2.3m paid in another deal)

Portland sends:
2022 POR 1st

... Blazers could use another guard and they are not shy about trading away future 1sts. Chicago is in No Man's Land right now and a future 1st gives them a little flexibility to pivot.
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Cleveland sends:
PG Russell Westbrook $19m

Brooklyn sends:
Pick 1.4
PF Marvin Bagley $4.8m, RFA
SF Nicolo Melli $5.4m

... The Cavs have a big decision for next year with Trae Young due to make $23m. There are ways to do it but not if you keep Westbrook. The Nets need another powerhouse to go along with Embiid. This gives CLE a very nice player at 1.4 and if Bagley can ever stay healthy this would be a haul. Melli is in there as a cap dump that won't hurt CLE next year and allows BRK a chance at a UFA to round out the roster and finally get a winning record.
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Utah sends:
C Steven Adams $10.7m (Utah pays $8.7m)

New Orleans sends:
2022 NOR 1st

... Jazz doing a rebuild and even though Adams is only 28 it doesn't seem like he fits that strategy. His recent trade to MEM makes his situation uncertain. I think Utah would do well to get a future 1st here from a team that probably has to go for the playoffs but could still have a pick in the Top 20 next year.
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Indiana sends:
C Nikola Vucevic $14.0m
Pick 2.6
Pick 2.21

Miami sends:
Pick 1.6
PF Kevin Love $14m, $14m (MIA pays $4m per yr)

... Heat get the superior player and wiggle out of Love's contract for the most part. Pacers weren't going to be able to afford Vuc next season so they take an affordable gamble on Love staying healthy and take a swing for the fences at 1.6
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LA Clippers send:
PG Dejounte Murray $5.5m (2024)

New York sends:
PG Jamal Murray $16.8m (2025)
Pick 2.30

... Who doesn't like a good Murray swap. Dejounte is super solid but Jamal is just better. The Clippers could use the star power and their cap is set up to take the extra money. The Knicks can use the cap space to deal with MPJ going into his RFA season.

[Slou]

Yes please

[thepetis]

They are always fun.... add me in please

[Laimbeer40]

GSW and OKC deals added above.

[Slou]

Nice!

*runs to pm Jeff*

[Koneskillers2]

Count me in please