SOUTHEAST DIVISION ------------------ Atlanta Hawks ------------- 2007-08 Record: 37-45 Head coach: Mike Woodson Roster: Mike Bibby. Craig "Speedy" Claxton, Maurice Evans, Thomas Garner, Al Horford, Joe Johnson, Othello Hunter, Solomon Jones, Solomon Jones, Acie Law, Randolph Morris, Ronald Murray, Zaza Pachulia, Josh Smith, Mario West, Marvin Williams. Additions: - Free Agents: Evans (Orlando), Gardner (Chicago), Hunter, Morris (New York), Murray (Indiana). Subtractions: - Free Agents: Josh Childress (Greece), Salim Stoudamire (San Antonio) Projected starting lineup: Guards: Bibby, Johnson; Forwards: Williams, Smith; Centre: Horford. Outlook: The Hawks have one of the best starting lineups in the East - and a very thin bench now that Childress has left for Greece. A training camp with Bibby at point guard should help, but if Atlanta starts slowly, it may cost Woodson his job.
Charlotte Bobcats ------------------ 2007-08 record: 32-50 Head coach Larry Brown (first year) Roster: Alexis Ajinca, D.J. Augustin, Andre Brown, Shannon Brown, Matt Carroll, Jermareo Davidson, Jared Dudley, Raymond Felton, Ryan Hollins, Sean May, Adam Morrison, Emeka Okafor, Jason Richardson, Gerald Wallace. Additions: - Draft: Augustin (9), Ajinca (20) Free Agents: Brown (Chicago) Projected starting lineup: Guards: Felton, Carroll; Forwards: Richardson, Wallace; Centre: Okafor. Outlook: There is some young talent here, but not the kind that rebounds, defends and plays unselfishly, all tenets of Brown's "play the right way" approach. His patience will be tested on many occasions, and it will be interesting to see how he interacts with part owner and personnel man Michael Jordan. It could be ego a go-go.
Miami Heat ---------- 2007-08 Record: 15-67 Head Coach: Erik Spoelstra (first year) Roster: Joel Anthony, Marcus Banks, Michael Beasley, Mark Blount, Mario Chalmers, Daequan Cook, Yakhouba Diawara, Udonis Haslem, James Jones, Shaun Livingston, Jamaal Magloire, Shawn Marion, David Padgett, Chris Quinn, Jason Richards, Dwyane Wade, Dorell Wright. Additions: - Draft: Beasley (2), Chalmers (34 - from Minnesota) Free Agents: James Jones (Portland), Diawara (Denver), Magloire (Dallas), Livingston (LA Clippers) Subtractions: - Free Agents: Ricky Davis (LA Clippers), Jason Williams (LA Clippers), Earl Barron (Italy) Waived: Jones, Stephane Lasme Projected starting lineup: Guards: Quinn, Wade; Forwards: Marion, Beasley; Centre: Haslem. Outlook: Wade is back, but is that enough? Marion is playing for a contract, the talented Beasley is a rookie and the bench is shallow, all of which should keep first-year coach Spoelstra very busy. Even in the East, the playoffs are no guarantee for this group.
Orlando Magic ------------- 2007-08 Record: 52-30 (Divison Champions) Head Coach: Stan Van Gundy Roster: Tony Battie, Keith Bogans, Brian Cook, Adonal Foyle, Marcin, Gortat, Dwight Howard, Anthony Johnson, Courtney Lee, Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson, Mickael Pietrus, J.J.Redick, Jeremy Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu, Mike Wilks,. Additions: Draft: Lee (22) Free Agents: Pietrus (Golden State), Johnson (Sacramento). Richardson, Wilks. Subtractions: - Free Agents: Carlos Arroyo (Israel), Maurice Evans (Atlanta). Trades: Keyon Dooling (New Jersey) Waived: James Augustine, Pat Garrity (Retired) Projected starting lineup: Guards: Nelson, Bogans; Forwards: Turkoglu, Lewis; Centre: Howard. Outlook: The Magic could be the East's "pounce" team, as in this is their time to pounce, perhaps into the conference finals. They have fortified their bench with Pietrus and Lee but need some backcourt stability to add to the superstardom of Howard, the league's best centre.
Washington Wizards ------------------ 2007-08 Record: 43-39 Head coach: Eddie Jordan Roster: Glbert Arenas, Andray Blatche, Dee Brown, Caron Butler, Antonio Daniels, Juan Dixon, Brendan Haywood, Antawn Jamison. JaVale McGee, Dominic McGuire, Oleksiy Pecherov, Darius Songaila, DeShawn Stevenson, Etan Thomas, Nick Young. Additions: - Draft: McGee (18) Free Agents: Dixon (Detroit), Subtractions: - Free Agents: Roger Mason (San Antonio) Projected starting lineup: Guards: Daniels, Arenas: Forwards: Butler, Jamison; Centre: Thomas. Outlook: The Wizards finally are ready for a deep run in the play- ups. Arenas is hurt again. So is Haywood, who may be out for the season. Injuries always seem to hold back Washington, and despite the presence of Butler and Jamison, that will be the case again this season.
WESTERN CONFERENCE ------------------ NORTHWEST DIVISION ------------------ Denver Nuggets -------------- 2007-08 Record 50-32 Head coach: George Karl Roster: Chris Andersen, Carmelo Anthony, Chucky Atkins, Renaldo Balkman, Anthony Carter, Juwan Howard, Steven Hunter, Allen Iverson, Dahntay Jones, Linas Kleiza, Kenyon Martin, Nene, JR Smith, Sonny Weems. Additions: - Free Agents: Andersen (New Orleans), Howard (Dallas), Jones (D-League). Trades: Balkman (New York), Weems (39 - from Chicago) Subtractions: - Free Agents: Eduardo Najera (New Jersey), Yakhouba Diawara (Miami) Trades: Marcus Camby (LA Clippers), Bobby Jones (New York), Taurean Green (New York) Projected starting lineup: Guards: Carter, Iverson; Forwards: Anthony, Martin; Centre: Nene. Outlook: The Nuggets were awful defensively last season and got rid of Camby and Eduardo Najera, their two best defenders. Anthony and Iverson will make sure they win more than they lose, but it may not be enough to get into the playoffs in the loaded West.
Minnesota Timberwolves ---------------------- 2007-08 Record: 22-60 Head Coach: Randy Wittman Roster: Calvin Booth, Corey Brewer, Brian Cardinal, Rodney Carney, Jason Collins, Randy Foye, Ryan Gomes, Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Mark Madsen, Rashad McCants, Mike Miller, Kevin Ollie, Craig Smith, Sebastian Relfair. Additions: - Draft: Love (5 - from Memphis) Trades: Cardinal (Memphis), Collins (Memphis), Miller (Memphis), Booth (Philadelphia), Carney (Philadelphia) Subtractions: - Trades: Marko Jaric (Memphis), Antoine Walker (Memphis) Projected startng lineup: Guards: Foye, Miller; Forwards: Brewer, Jefferson; Centre: Love. Outlook: There is a young nucleus being built here, but the Timberwolves need to see a breakout season from Brewer, Foye or McCants to remain encouraged about their direction. Even with the inside-outside attack of Jefferson and Miller and the addition of Love, Minnesota is still miles from a playoff berth.
Oklahoma City Thunder (formerly Seattle SuperSonics) ---------------------------------------------------- 2007-08 Record 20-62 Head Coach: PJ Carlesimo Roster: Nick Collison, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, John Lucas, Desmond Mason, Johan Petro, Mouhamed Sene, Joe Smith, Robert Swift, Earl Watson, Kyle Weaver, Russell Westbrook, DJ White, Chris Wilcox, Damien Wilkins. Additions: - Draft: Westbrook (4), White (29 - from Detroit), Weaver (38 - from Charlotte) Trades: Smith (Milwaukee), Mason (Milwaukee) Subtractions: - Free Agents: Francisco Elson (Milwaukee) Trades: Luke Ridnour (Milwaukee), Adrian Griffin (Milwaukee) Waived: Donyell Marshall Projected starting lineup: Guards: Watson, Durant; Forwards: Green, Wilcox; Centre: Collison. Outlook: There will be excitement and enthusiasm as the erstwhile SuperSonics put down roots in their new home. But after 2008 Rookie of the Year Durant and first-round pick Russell Westbrook, there isn't much worth watching right now.
Portland Trail Blazers ----------------------- 2007-08 Record: 41-41 Head Coach: Nate McMillan Roster: LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Jerryd Bayles, Steve Blake, Ike Diogu, Rudy Fernandez, Channing Frye, Steven Hill, Luke Jackson, Raef LaFrentz, Greg Oden, Travis Outlaw, Joel Przybilla, Shavlik Randolph, Sergio Rodriguez, Brandon Roy, Martell Webster. Additions: - Draft: Fernandez (2007), Rush (13), Batum (25 - from Houston) Free Agents: Jackson (Miami), Hill, Randolph (Philadelphia) Trades: Bayless (11 - from Indiana), Diogu (Indiana) Subtractions: - Free Agents: James Jones (Miami), Von Wafer (Houston) Trades: Jarrett Jack (Indiana), Josh McRoberts (Indiana), Brandon Rush (Indiana). Projected starting lineup: Guards: Blake, Roy; Forwards: Outlaw, Aldridge; Centre: Oden. Outlook: Last season, the Blazers went 41-41 in the rugged West without Oden defending the rim. Now Portland adds the seven-footer, fellow rookies Fernandez and Bayless and expectations of a playoff berth. With Roy leading the way, Portland should end its five-year postseason drought.
Utah Jazz ---------- 2007-08 Record: 54-28 (Division Champions) Head coach: Jerry Sloan Roster: Morris Almond, Carlos Boozer, Ronnie Brewer, Jarron Collins, Kyrylo Fesenko, Matt Harpring, Andrei Kirilenko, Brevin Knight, Kyle Korver, Kosta Koufos, Gerry McNamara, CJ Miles, Paul Millsap, Mehmet Okur, Ronnie Price, Deron Williams. Additions: - Draft: Koufos (23). Trades: Knight (LA Clippers) Subtractions: - Trades: Jason Hart (LA Clippers) Projected starting lineup: Williams, Brewer; forwards: Miles, Boozer; Centre: Okur. Outlook: Boozer is a free agent next summer, and talk already has begun that he is a goner. That creates both a dilemma and a sense of urgency for the Jazz, who have an extremely solid rotation but added virtually nothing in the offseason. In the West, if you are not trying to get better, you are getting worse.
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