Are the raptors a division leader favourite for the 2014-2015 season?

[BigCamB]

As the OP stated, you never know what Danny Ainge could do. He can pull off some awesome stuff. If they're content with a proper rebuild then obviously not, although I dunno why they'd bother keeping Rondo in that case even though he'd still be young enough in a few years.

I don't think the nets will nose dive next year. Garnett will probably be even worse but they get Lopez back. If they try to play both together like earlier in the year that will probably suck for them, but they have another solid year in them I think, they're the main competition.

[007]

As the OP stated, you never know what Danny Ainge could do. He can pull off some awesome stuff. If they're content with a proper rebuild then obviously not, although I dunno why they'd bother keeping Rondo in that case even though he'd still be young enough in a few years.

I don't think the nets will nose dive next year. Garnett will probably be even worse but they get Lopez back. If they try to play both together like earlier in the year that will probably suck for them, but they have another solid year in them I think, they're the main competition.

Fuck Brooklyn.

[TSF]

That's the up-side of a proper rebuild. Just imagine how good they could be (and projected to be), if they had done a better job of drafting in 2011 (Vesely @ 6). The jury's still out on Porter (#3 in 2013).

The problem is that for every team that succeeds with a rebuild, there's at least an equal number of teams that fall flat with their rebuild attempts (not to mention teams that accelerate their rebuild).

On the board when they drafted Vesely: Knight, Walker, Thompson, Morris Twins, Leonard, Vucevic, Shumpert, Tobias Harris, Do-Mo, Reggie Jackson, Jordan Hamilton, Jimmy Butler, Chandler Parsons, Isiah Thomas.

[white men can't jump]

As the OP stated, you never know what Danny Ainge could do. He can pull off some awesome stuff. If they're content with a proper rebuild then obviously not, although I dunno why they'd bother keeping Rondo in that case even though he'd still be young enough in a few years.

I don't think the nets will nose dive next year. Garnett will probably be even worse but they get Lopez back. If they try to play both together like earlier in the year that will probably suck for them, but they have another solid year in them I think, they're the main competition.

Well, but Pierce could be gone too. He can go ring-chasing somewhere better if he wants to (Clippers and OKC to name a couple, heck maybe even Washington). Brooklyn depends a lot on small ball working because Pierce knocks down 3s. Their roster will become centred around D-Will, JJ and Lopez (coming off reconstructive foot surgery)...hard to know what that will translate into on the court.

[bryan colangelo]

Hate to beat a dead horse, but can you believe we got a first rounder for Bargs? LOLZ.

[bryan colangelo]

Nets will be pretty damn scary once they get Lopez back. They'll be able to play traditional with two bigs or long-ball, assuming they come back healthy. I don't like their long-term prospects but they'll be a tough team for at least another season.

[white men can't jump]

Nets will be pretty damn scary once they get Lopez back. They'll be able to play traditional with two bigs or long-ball, assuming they come back healthy. I don't like their long-term prospects but they'll be a tough team for at least another season.

But they won't have a PF. They'll have Lopez, Blatche and Plumlee who all play better at C. Garnett will probably retire, and even if he doesn't, he was even worse at PF than at C this year.

I also don't know why Pierce would go back to BKL. He can go to better teams if he wants to ring-chase, and he can go back to Boston if he wants to retire where it all started.

The Nets would be willing to spend money, but are capped out and therefore will have a really difficult time actually finding pieces. They also don't really have any tradeable assets, including the fact that they lack picks to deal.

Livingston is also a free agent and could easily leave for more money elsewhere.

Their situation is definitely very cloudy. They still have Williams, Johnson and Lopez...but Williams and Lopez are both playing on weak ankles. They were built to contend this year, and will have to find some way to revamp their roster, or pray that Pierce and Livingston will both return at bargain rates.

[white men can't jump]

I see the Nets and Knicks both as playoff threats, but hard to figure out if they will be strong teams.

The Knicks were a mess this year, but how much of that was guys not buying in? Though they definitely will have a hard time improving the roster, and if Melo leaves, they're finished.

The Nets may lose key pieces (it wouldn't be at all surprising). Thus they would have to play a whole new style next year, and have to fill holes with no capspace and very limited trade assets (if any). They have the chance to be great again, they're also maybe another injury to Lopez, and possibly even Williams, away from a being a lottery team and complete mess next year.

Philly is going to suck for another year. Don't see how they avoid that. And I'd guess management is ok with that for another year.

Boston's the tough one to figure out. Don't know if they want to make a big splash yet. Maybe they try hard if they want to keep building around Rondo. But otherwise, they need to figure out what their core pieces will be to build around going forward. They may spend another year evaluating their roster with an added rookie or two. I think that's the likeliest scenario, but I also think Ainge will throw himself at any major opportunity that presents itself on the market (eg. Love).

[bryan colangelo]

But they won't have a PF. They'll have Lopez, Blatche and Plumlee who all play better at C. Garnett will probably retire, and even if he doesn't, he was even worse at PF than at C this year.

I also don't know why Pierce would go back to BKL. He can go to better teams if he wants to ring-chase, and he can go back to Boston if he wants to retire where it all started.

The Nets would be willing to spend money, but are capped out and therefore will have a really difficult time actually finding pieces. They also don't really have any tradeable assets, including the fact that they lack picks to deal.

Livingston is also a free agent and could easily leave for more money elsewhere.

Their situation is definitely very cloudy. They still have Williams, Johnson and Lopez...but Williams and Lopez are both playing on weak ankles. They were built to contend this year, and will have to find some way to revamp their roster, or pray that Pierce and Livingston will both return at bargain rates.

Shit, you're totally right. Didn't even think about their free agency situation this off-season.

[007]

But they won't have a PF. They'll have Lopez, Blatche and Plumlee who all play better at C. Garnett will probably retire, and even if he doesn't, he was even worse at PF than at C this year.

I also don't know why Pierce would go back to BKL. He can go to better teams if he wants to ring-chase, and he can go back to Boston if he wants to retire where it all started.

The Nets would be willing to spend money, but are capped out and therefore will have a really difficult time actually finding pieces. They also don't really have any tradeable assets, including the fact that they lack picks to deal.

Livingston is also a free agent and could easily leave for more money elsewhere.

Their situation is definitely very cloudy. They still have Williams, Johnson and Lopez...but Williams and Lopez are both playing on weak ankles. They were built to contend this year, and will have to find some way to revamp their roster, or pray that Pierce and Livingston will both return at bargain rates.

Ahahaha, that would be awesome.

The Nets trade all those draft picks to Boston for Pierce and Garnett, and Pierce goes back one year later!

[ebrian]

I would say the previous winner of each division is usually the favorite unless another team has made significant offseason moves. So yes, I would say Toronto is the division leader favorite.

Doesn't mean they'll win it, but they should be the favorite.

[The Great One]

Yes they are. Brooklyn is the only competition and they don't scare me one bit. Even though though we lost to them in the playoffs i still feel like we're the better team.

[c_bcm]

Why would the Raps be the favorites? We lost to a division rival in the playoffs, and they were missing a key player. We can't be favorites until we beat the best. And we haven't beaten the best yet.

[JawsGT]

Very tough question to answer at this point. I expect the Knicks to be worse, as I anticipate Melo departing. The Nets will still be there. It will be interesting to see how they start next season with Lopez back, as they didn't really turn it around this season until Lopez went down. But Lopez, Johnson and Williams is still a decent core and if Kidd can figure out how to get them to work together they could be dangerous. I think Pierce and Garnett are irrelevant for them next year, neither may be there and even if they are I would imagine their impact to be much less than this season. A good vet presence for sure, and that may be the extent of their impact.

Philly will be tanking again, whether they want to or not. The youngsters over there are no threat next season.

Boston, however, could turn things around rather quickly. A great bball city with a ton of future pics to deal. Boston in theory could have the type of offseason that puts them back in the playoff race, and maybe beyond. Nobody talks about Melo in Boston, but I think it's a possibility. They have the contracts to match salary and the picks that NYK desperately needs to sweeten the pot. This offseason isn't as enticing as the following one, so maybe they wait a season before serious retooling. The offseason should be interesting.

As for the Raps, next season's success will hinge alot on JV IMO. Casey, Lowry, and Derozan have to integrate Jonas into the offense more consistently and make it a priority to get the kid shots. Dealing with double teams is something Jonas should learn next season. If the Raps do that, I think they could possibly improve on this season's record, depending what happens to the rest of the conference of course. Lowry would also have to resign of course, and a decent backup C and wing would give the Raps as good a shot as any other Atlantic team to win another division title. Although division titles aren't really worth much in the big scheme of things, it would look nice to see banners from consecutive years hanging from the rafters.

[yabadabayolo]

Very tough question to answer at this point. I expect the Knicks to be worse, as I anticipate Melo departing. The Nets will still be there. It will be interesting to see how they start next season with Lopez back, as they didn't really turn it around this season until Lopez went down. But Lopez, Johnson and Williams is still a decent core and if Kidd can figure out how to get them to work together they could be dangerous. I think Pierce and Garnett are irrelevant for them next year, neither may be there and even if they are I would imagine their impact to be much less than this season. A good vet presence for sure, and that may be the extent of their impact.

Philly will be tanking again, whether they want to or not. The youngsters over there are no threat next season.

Boston, however, could turn things around rather quickly. A great bball city with a ton of future pics to deal. Boston in theory could have the type of offseason that puts them back in the playoff race, and maybe beyond. Nobody talks about Melo in Boston, but I think it's a possibility. They have the contracts to match salary and the picks that NYK desperately needs to sweeten the pot. This offseason isn't as enticing as the following one, so maybe they wait a season before serious retooling. The offseason should be interesting.

As for the Raps, next season's success will hinge alot on JV IMO. Casey, Lowry, and Derozan have to integrate Jonas into the offense more consistently and make it a priority to get the kid shots. Dealing with double teams is something Jonas should learn next season. If the Raps do that, I think they could possibly improve on this season's record, depending what happens to the rest of the conference of course. Lowry would also have to resign of course, and a decent backup C and wing would give the Raps as good a shot as any other Atlantic team to win another division title. Although division titles aren't really worth much in the big scheme of things, it would look nice to see banners from consecutive years hanging from the rafters.

If jonas adds some more strength and post skills, ross improves his consistency, and derozan improves his defensive abilities in the offseason. We are a solid lock for the division