who is the best team in the east?

[rmoneyg35]

I'm starting to think Miami could be just as good as last year if healthy. If not healthy they still can make the playoffs as a 6th-8th seed.

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[cbarrier90]

1. Chicago (division winner)

2. Cleveland

3. Washington (division winner)

4. Toronto (division winner)

5. Charlotte (with Boozer, two seed)

6. Miami

7. Indiana

8. Atlanta

9. Brooklyn

10. Detroit

11. New York

12. Orlando

13. Boston

14. Milwaukee

15. Philadelphia

I think that Indiana team is going to struggle. Hibbert was exposed last year, so I think that George and West are going to have to carry that team and it's going to be tough in a division with Chicago and Cleveland.

 

I don't know about this. Historically we have had all sorts of difficulty with Miami and Atlanta, and Miami has quietly made some additions that should at least keep them in the top 8. Atlanta hasn't gotten worse although they've underwhelmed in free agency. I'll be quietly optimistic but if we can at least keep the season series' even with those two this can potentially be the East result.

 

If one of the detriments to Cleveland is their youth, I think it's only fair to say a potential detriment to Charlotte would be their youth as well.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

I don't know about this. Historically we have had all sorts of difficulty with Miami and Atlanta, and Miami has quietly made some additions that should at least keep them in the top 8. Atlanta hasn't gotten worse although they've underwhelmed in free agency. I'll be quietly optimistic but if we can at least keep the season series' even with those two this can potentially be the East result.

If one of the detriments to Cleveland is their youth, I think it's only fair to say a potential detriment to Charlotte would be their youth as well.

Historically is the key word.

I'm not buying Miami's hype until I hear that Wade is 100%. Their success is contingent on him. Not to mention, Chalmers is ACTUALLY going to have to run the point for the first time in his career. There is no more deferring to LeBron.

I also like Atlanta and while I don't think they've gotten worse, they haven't really improved. There biggest acquisitions is an unproven rookie in Adrian Payne and a journeyman in Kent Bazemore.

Finally, I don't think it's fair to compare Charlotte's youth to Cleveland's youth. Charlotte has a young team but the difference is in the coaching. Clifford doesn't put young guys in positions to fail. For example, if Vonleh isn't ready to play; he won't play. Clifford specifically implied those words in an interview with Bonnell. Then you have a team like Cleveland who has no choice but to throw their rookies/young guys to the wolves as that is the entire makeup of their roster outside of Andy and LBJ. I think Walker, Jefferson, Williams, Roberts, Biyombo, and Pargo (if he returns) provide enough experience to help out our younger guys. I'd also like to point out that while the average age of our team may be young, a lot of our players were drafted one or two years removed from college (or schooling). So while age wise they are young, NBA experience wise they are not.

[ItsPantone278]

Tier 1: Cleveland/Washington/Chicago(if Rose is back to 100%)

then

Tier 2: Charlotte/Toronto/Indy

then

Tier 3: Detroit/Brooklyn/Atlanta

[teeray]

Yeah. Washington is my sleeper team too. They signed Pierce, and even though he is old dude has heart. They have a strong startin 5 even though I can't even think of who their 4 is, assuming Gortat is their center

[Jase]

I would say let's not get carried away.  There are way too many unknowns in play here.

[teeray]

One word of cation with Charlotte. It took almost a third of the season for the team to get comfortable playing with Al. With two new starters it will take a while to gel and to establish how to play together. So I won't be shocked if we get off to a slow start.

And that isn't unusual. The Heat got off to a slow start with the big 3, and other cases of players getting together usually results in some growing pains.

But by season's end I think we will be right where we need to be

[TheRed]

Yeah I'm not even going to get into rankings.

 

Just happy to have a young up and coming squad that has the potential to at the very least compete with the best.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Yeah. Washington is my sleeper team too. They signed Pierce, and even though he is old dude has heart. They have a strong startin 5 even though I can't even think of who their 4 is, assuming Gortat is their center

Humphries

[Omega Atrocity]

Washington's lineup will be Wall / Beal / Pierce / Nene / Gortat I'm pretty sure. I don't see them as that much improved from last year. They added some bench depth. At this point in his career Pierce isn't better than Ariza.

[CarolinaNCSU]

If Rose is healthy, Chicago is the team to beat. But that's a big if.

 

Next, I'd throw Cleveland in, especially if they land Love and everyone stays healthy. 

 

Then for me, you get to Washington/Charlotte/Indiana

[TheMostInterestingMan]

I hate hate hate the heat, but just because they lost LeBron doesn't mean they are a scrub either. They still have a pretty loaded team that includes Chalmers, Wade, Deng and Bosh. That's still powerful. I could see us finish anywhere from 1-6 and I give us as good a poo as anyone. Point being the East is wide open and it doesn't contain a clear cut powerhouse anymore. For that, I am thankful. Go hornets

[TheMostInterestingMan]

I hate hate hate the heat, but just because they lost LeBron doesn't mean they are a scrub either. They still have a pretty loaded team that includes Chalmers, Wade, Deng and Bosh. That's still powerful. I could see us finish anywhere from 1-6 and I give us as good a poo as anyone. Point being the East is wide open and it doesn't contain a clear cut powerhouse anymore. For that, I am thankful. Go hornets