Westbrook to DC for Wall + 1st Rnd pick

[bLACKpANTHER]

Now it's Heat, Bucks, 76ers, Celtics, Nets, Wiz, Raptors are the teams for sure to make playoffs in East.

8th seed will be fought for by Hornets, Pacers, Magic, Hawks, Bulls.

Already given Lottery teams are Cavs, Knicks, Pistons.

[Shocker]

That first round pick protection is insane.  

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30439266/sources-houston-rockets-washington-wizards-agree-russell-westbrook-john-wall-deal

 

[HoopKing20]

45 minutes ago, bLACKpANTHER said:

Now it's Heat, Bucks, 76ers, Celtics, Nets, Wiz, Raptors are the teams for sure to make playoffs in East.

8th seed will be fought for by Hornets, Pacers, Magic, Hawks, Bulls.

Already given Lottery teams are Cavs, Knicks, Pistons.

It will be interesting to see how Westbrook and Beal mesh.  Wizards are a decent team with Bertans, Lopez, and Hachimura.  Hornets just need to get into that top 10 this year for the play in tourney.

[HoopKing20]

10 hours ago, TikTOK said:

EASTERN

1. Brooklyn 

2. Milwaukee 

3. Philadelphia 

4. Miami

5. Boston

6. Indiana

7. Atlanta 

8. Washington 

9. Orlando 

10. Toronto 

11. Charlotte 

12. Chicago

13. New York

14. Cleveland 

15. Detroit 

 

WESTERN

1. LAL 

2. Houston 

3. LAC

4. Denver 

5. Golden State

6. Utah

7. Phoenix 

8. Portland 

9. Dallas

10. Sacramento

11. New Orleans 

12. Memphis

13. Minnesota 

14. San Antonio 

15. Oklahoma City

 

 

DRAFT POSITION (pre lottery)

1. Oklahoma City

2. Detroit

3. Cleveland 

4. New York

5. Chicago 

6. Charlotte 

7. Toronto 

8. San Antonio 

9. Minnesota 

10. Memphis 

11. New Orleans

12. Sacramento

13. Orlando

14. Dallas

Interesting. You must think Kyrie and Durant play a lot of regular season games.  They will try and keep those two healthy for post season. I do not see Toronto falling that far.  I could see Indiana falling.  In the East, 5-6 teams battling for 7/8 seed.  Will depend on health and ability to gel quickly.  Only 72 games and no summer league/regular preseason could make a difference

In the West, I think Portland is way too low.  Houston and Golden State too high.  GS, Phoenix, Dallas and Utah battling for final spots.  New Orleans could jump into that group.  Sacramento is Sacramento.  San Antonio did figure something out in the bubble playing smaller.

[HoopKing20]

2 hours ago, TikTOK said:

Durant and Kyrie have everyone’s attention. They have a lot to prove and I think that they will be the #1 seed. They were they 7th seed last season with Kyrie playing only 20 games and Durant zero. 
 

The Pacers have their whole squad back. Oladipo should be a lot more healthy this season. 
 

Toronto lost both Ibaka and Gasol. Did not do anything to improve the team. They have a great coach but will be just out of the playoffs probably winning 30ish games the most. 
 

If Harden stays in Houston, he alone will win them 30-35 games. They just added Christian Wood who I like a lot. Cousins if healthy could make a comeback and help them compete for a very high seed. Wall will help Wood and Cousins. 
 

I don’t like Dallas at all this season. They did completely nothing to get better. KP will be out beginning of the season and they lost Curry. I don’t know what Cuban is doing. 
 

I’m also not a big fan of Portland this season. Another team that didn’t do anything to get better. They lost Whiteside, a guy who was averaging 13.5 rpg for them last season. Robert Covington won’t help improve them by much. They will fight for the 8th seed with Dallas. Right now I give them them edge over Dallas only because I know that Lillard and CJ will stay healthy. I would have Dallas over them if KP wasn’t so injury proned.
 

Golden State is getting a healthy Curry back. Still is the best shooter in the game. Oubre, Wiggins and Wiseman will help keep them be very competitive. Wiseman just need to rebound and play some defense to get that team rolling. They got guys who can score. 
 

Sacramento will be a sleeper. Whiteside is a huge addition. 
 

Pelicans should be a more improved team with Steven Adams. The West is so tough. I think that the 14th and 15th seed in the west could still win 30 games. 
 

For us, the Hornets got better on paper. But we have no clue what we have in Ball. Hayward is a good player based off past performances. But he’s just another good player, former all star but aging man playing on a bad to mediocre team like Blake Griffin, Kevin Love, Andre Drummond and Karl Anthony Towns. Without Hayward, we would easily be a bottom 4-5 team. Another 20 win season for Charlotte. We’re such a young team playing in a conference with teams like the Knicks, Bulls, Cavs and Pistons that is keeping us from being a very bad team.

Your thoughts make sense.  I just think Kyrie and Durant are measured on chips now and not winning the regular season.  I am wondering how Nash plays it.  Should be fun to watch.

Pacers didn't improve and you have Oladipo who may or may not have asked players in the bubble to help him get out.  Turner was shopped hard and is still there.  Wonder how those 2 situations unfold. Especially if they struggle early.

You dont think Baynes keeps Toronto in the mix? 

You may be right on Dallas, but I think Portland did more than Covington and are coming off a solid bubble.

I have a different opinion of Whiteside.  I think he is empty stats.

I would love to see young new teams jump into the playoff mix.  Hornets will be improved.  Hayward plays the right way and my hope is the team plays unselfish with great ball movement every night.  Just keep building.