E.H. Munro

As of today my EC picks (by record) are as follows:

1. Miami
2. Indiana (Hibbert keeps getting better and West will be a year removed from surgery and on a normal schedule)
3. Boston
4. New Joysey
5. Philly
6. Chicago (unless Rose's recovery is nigh on miraculous)
7. New York
8. Atnalta

So unless you're betting on Boston I don't see the point. Indiana's as close to a mortal lock to win the central as you can get. I also think Cleveland's a dark horse if they make a move in season because I expect the firesale to continue in Atnalta. Philly's also something of a wildcard because suddenly they have Evan Turner and an extremely reasonably priced Spencer Hawes to use to trade for that wing scorer they need to be a contender.

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If everyone loves you you're doing it wrong.

"Opium is the religion of the masses." Fred Reed

The Power of 99 Press

"He thinks it's going to be fun being governor. It's only fun being governor of New York if you have money to spend, and I spent it all." Nelson Rockefeller on his successor, Hugh Carey.

Floods

1. Heat
2. Pacers
3. Sixers
4. Celtics
5. Bulls
6. Nets
7. Bucks
8. Knicks

JonMatrix

1.Heat
2.Nets
3.Pacers
4.Sixers-if they trade for a wing scorer or Turner has breakout year, if not, they drop to 6
5.Celtics
6.Knicks
7.Bulls
8.Almost anybody

-The Nets have some firepower, Deron should have an MVP type year.
-The Bulls are gonna have an insanely difficult time scoring points this season without Rose. I'd argue that if they miss any of Deng/Noah/Gibson for more than a couple weeks, they fall back to the mess involving the 8 seed.
-A bad start in Milwaukee probably means Skiles is the first coach fired this year. But if everybody is healthy, Jennings and Ellis are dynamic enough to keep them in the playoff picture.
-The Hawks might still have enough with Teague, Smith, and Horford to make a playoff push. If they have injuries or Smith indicates he's leaving, then I wouldn't be surprised to see a fire sale.
-The Cavs started off well last year before everybody got hurt. Irving seems to have the clutch gene.
-The Wizards definitely upgraded, but if Beal isn't ready or if he gets hurt..then their best shooter is Trevor Ariza.
-Would Philly make a move to rent James Harden and roll the dice on convincing him to stay? Turner and Hawes for Harden, maybe cash considerations or a scrub to make the money match up. If Harden is as good as people think he is, Philly would be significantly improved. Or if him and Bynum both leave next summer, then Philly would be bad enough to tank for the 2014 draft, which is supposed to be a really good one.

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"I'm from America,our names don't mean ---- here"-Bruce Willis in Pulp Fiction

Never underestimate the ability of stupid people in large groups.

R-Star

The fact you just forgot about a team who if I remember finished 5th in the league last year says something.

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R-Star

Fair enough, pretty much the same list I had. With Philly possibly moving up a spot or two, but we'll have to wait and see how everyone plays together.

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e-monk

just looking at the roster as constituted: who is going to start at SF for the Hawks? and why are they stock piling small point guards?

RollWithEm

I would be very surprised if the Hawks made the playoffs. I don't know what gives that guy the impression the rest of the East is backsliding. The Nets, Heat, Celtics, Wizards, Raptors, and 76ers obviously got better. The Pacers, Pistons, Cavs, and Knicks can each make a case that they might have gotten better as well. That's not a backsliding conference.

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But that's just me.

E.H. Munro

Pssst. C'mere for a second. Have you looked at that roster? They've already started the firesale. It may continue.

Philly might like to, but I sincerely doubt that OKC moves Harden and if/when they do it's going to be for a young shooting guard. Put another way it's far more likely that he goes to DC for Beal and a 2013 #1 than to Philly for more lowly rated prospects.

Yeah, Philly's at the mercy of Bynum's motivation. If he's motivated and they can turn Turner/Hawes or Young/Hawes into a prime wing scorer they'll be legitimate contenders.

They're not. The franchise is being sold, that's why they brought in Ferry to raze it to the ground. They were willing to make an exception for a Dwight Howard deal, because that would have added millions to the franchise's resale value, but now they're trying to clearcut the 2014 cap figure so that they can sell prospective owners on the benefits of being able to sign two max players and assembling Schmuperfriends, Son of Superfriends (rep for anyone that gets that). What they're collecting is expiring deals. As of today all they have on their 2014 cap is Horford and the rookie scale players, and if they continue the firesale it would likely be in the form of Horford for draft picks.

__________________
If everyone loves you you're doing it wrong.

"Opium is the religion of the masses." Fred Reed

The Power of 99 Press

"He thinks it's going to be fun being governor. It's only fun being governor of New York if you have money to spend, and I spent it all." Nelson Rockefeller on his successor, Hugh Carey.

ATLien

And I don't want to hear one of you critizing the Hawks for doing that since everyone here was on Atlanta's ass for "settling for mediocrity" and "making the playoffs."

Can't have it both ways.

BlakeJesus

I'd say there's roughly a 0% chance we are the 2 seed this upcoming season.

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E.H. Munro

If Josh Smith can convince his BFF to come to Atlanta next summer then it will definitely have been worthwhile (doubly so if the two of them convince CP3 to join them). And if you see Horford traded then we'll all know that's the plan.

__________________
If everyone loves you you're doing it wrong.

"Opium is the religion of the masses." Fred Reed

The Power of 99 Press

"He thinks it's going to be fun being governor. It's only fun being governor of New York if you have money to spend, and I spent it all." Nelson Rockefeller on his successor, Hugh Carey.

e-monk

the plan is to do a 3 team trade where Pau goes to some 3rd party - they send a 6m expiring to the lakers and picks and prospects to the Hawks who then send J Smooth to LA

E.H. Munro

That trade actually makes considerably less sense for the Hawks, as it leaves them a 40 win team neither good enough nor bad enough to get anywhere.

__________________
If everyone loves you you're doing it wrong.

"Opium is the religion of the masses." Fred Reed

The Power of 99 Press

"He thinks it's going to be fun being governor. It's only fun being governor of New York if you have money to spend, and I spent it all." Nelson Rockefeller on his successor, Hugh Carey.

e-monk

how are they getting to 40 wins on picks and prospects? they dont get Pau in the 3 team scenario I'm describing

E.H. Munro

Horford and Teague are a pretty good combination. If they're looking to tear down to the ground they need to lose the long term all-star, not the expiring deal.

EDIT: To reiterate here, the team is being sold this year. There's very little chance that they'll do anything to raise the long term payroll because one of their potential selling pitches to billionaires with more cash than common sense is the ability to sign two max players. The ability to add one max guy to middle of the road team isn't much of a selling point.

__________________
If everyone loves you you're doing it wrong.

"Opium is the religion of the masses." Fred Reed

The Power of 99 Press

"He thinks it's going to be fun being governor. It's only fun being governor of New York if you have money to spend, and I spent it all." Nelson Rockefeller on his successor, Hugh Carey.