state of the eastern conference?

[cman88]

still alot to unpack here as we don't know what is going to happen with Lillard, Harden, Grant etc. But i always like to look at how does the competition in the east stack up?

Celtics -maybe as a homer but I think adding KP to the roster makes them #1 here with 3 star type players. Still need to figure out the Grant situation. and sign Brown to his contract (which I expect will happen) but they fixed a frontcourt issue. questions will be how much does coaching improve/how does Brad fill out this roster. But their roster was kind of already set as it was.

Milwaukee Bucks - did a good job of keeping their roster together and not falling apart. they take a big step back if they lose Middleton/Lopez (since they have no replacements). Although Middleton is not "that guy" anymore and could suffer more decline. Also Crowder did nothing last year and was a turnstyle. They still have Giannis and should be #1A or 2 in the east IMO. But they are relying on alot of "old guys" also how does the new coaching staff do?

Philly - No matter where Harden goes i don't think they are getting adequate player back. So unless they somehow get Lillard I think they are taking a step back next year. Is a top 2 of maxey/Embiid any better than Cleveland/Knicks?

Miami heat - real wild-card here. If they lose out on the Lillard trade this team takes a step back IMO. If they get Lillard you have a very solid team but old. I know they won the ECF last year. but still a step below  Celtics/Milwaukee IMO

Cavs/Knicks/Atlanta. These are all the other teams in the pack IMO. I could see Cavs/Knicks rising in the east.

[Valid]

Not sure how saying the Celtics are the No. 1 team in the East right now makes you a homer. They clearly have the most stacked roster in the conference, and they absolutely should have beaten Miami and gotten to the finals this past season.

The Bucks are the No. 2 team. Kept Middleton, kept Lopez. They'll be the Celtics' main challengers. Still think their roster is kind of meh outside of Giannis, but Giannis is good enough where that team can still make the finals even without a real Big Three.

The 76ers are the 76ers. They're going to lose Harden and it's difficult to imagine them getting a comparable player in return. Embiid is always a health risk. They don't have much depth. Not to mention the fact that all the Sixers need to do is see a Celtics jersey and they'll crap their pants.

The Heat's success hinges on whether or not they get Lillard. Even though this team did make the finals, people are quick to forget that they were a play-in team that just got REALLY hot at the right time. If they miss out on Lillard, I'm not sure how they repeat their success.

The Cavaliers and Knicks are both decent teams, but barring something like an earth-shifting trade or injuries, neither are really legitimate threats to the Celtics.

[Who]

No change. Everything is pretty much the same.

Boston are the most talented team in the East as they were last season as well. Milwaukee and Philly are the two teams closest to them chasing up their rear. Both teams are largely the same as last year. Harden may get traded, he may not get traded. Too early. So the same for now.

I am impressed by what Indiana have done. They have built one of the top benches in the league and I believe they will compete with Cleveland & Miami for the next three positions in the East. Miami has held steady despite losing 2 rotation players. Cleveland has added some useful depth but only marginal gains. The Lillard situation with MIA will tell us if they can join the top 3 teams in the East or will be the stuck here or even take a step back if Lowry is waived. Too early to say. For now, they are here.

Then NYK and ATL as the 7th and 8th seeds. Probably Orlando in a play-in 9th slot. Then is wide open for the final slot. TOR took a major step back losing VanVleet. Chicago still have problems. Charlotte may be healthier next year and get Bridges back so they may work their way into the mix.

WAS, and DET being the no-hopers at the bottom.


So really Indiana is the only team that I have seen to make major progress upwards in the East and Toronto the only team to take a major backwards step.

Very little movement in the standings / power rankings so far.

[PAOBoston]

Too early to tel for the entire conference. I do think Cs and Bucks best bets for 1/2 seeds. But feels like there are other multiple trades to drop that could alter the 3-6 range. Miami/Philly/Knicks could swing depending on the moves they make (Lillard/Harden/etc). Cleveland could improve if some of their younger guys take some jumps (Mobley/Garland).

[green_bballers13]

Pretty much the same until Miami gets Dame for a bundle of nothing. Think Spo is good with hacks like Herro, Robinson, Strus, Vincent, and Martin? Imagine them with one of the best 3 point shooters and playmakers in the league. This move unlocks Butler even more.

[celticinorlando]

Not worried about Miami with or without dame

[footey]

Not worried about Miami with or without dame

That’s what most of us said last year. Going into playoffs.

[celticsclay]

No change. Everything is pretty much the same.

Boston are the most talented team in the East as they were last season as well. Milwaukee and Philly are the two teams closest to them chasing up their rear. Both teams are largely the same as last year. Harden may get traded, he may not get traded. Too early. So the same for now.

I am impressed by what Indiana have done. They have built one of the top benches in the league and I believe they will compete with Cleveland & Miami for the next three positions in the East. Miami has held steady despite losing 2 rotation players. Cleveland has added some useful depth but only marginal gains. The Lillard situation with MIA will tell us if they can join the top 3 teams in the East or will be the stuck here or even take a step back if Lowry is waived. Too early to say. For now, they are here.

Then NYK and ATL as the 7th and 8th seeds. Probably Orlando in a play-in 9th slot. Then is wide open for the final slot. TOR took a major step back losing VanVleet. Chicago still have problems. Charlotte may be healthier next year and get Bridges back so they may work their way into the mix.

WAS, and DET being the no-hopers at the bottom.


So really Indiana is the only team that I have seen to make major progress upwards in the East and Toronto the only team to take a major backwards step.

Very little movement in the standings / power rankings so far.

I’m really confused you keep floating the idea of harden not getting traded. From everything I have read on liberty ballers there is little chance of that. Was there a different update on this beyond harden wants to be traded and took the negotiations personally?

[Who]

No change. Everything is pretty much the same.

Boston are the most talented team in the East as they were last season as well. Milwaukee and Philly are the two teams closest to them chasing up their rear. Both teams are largely the same as last year. Harden may get traded, he may not get traded. Too early. So the same for now.

I am impressed by what Indiana have done. They have built one of the top benches in the league and I believe they will compete with Cleveland & Miami for the next three positions in the East. Miami has held steady despite losing 2 rotation players. Cleveland has added some useful depth but only marginal gains. The Lillard situation with MIA will tell us if they can join the top 3 teams in the East or will be the stuck here or even take a step back if Lowry is waived. Too early to say. For now, they are here.

Then NYK and ATL as the 7th and 8th seeds. Probably Orlando in a play-in 9th slot. Then is wide open for the final slot. TOR took a major step back losing VanVleet. Chicago still have problems. Charlotte may be healthier next year and get Bridges back so they may work their way into the mix.

WAS, and DET being the no-hopers at the bottom.


So really Indiana is the only team that I have seen to make major progress upwards in the East and Toronto the only team to take a major backwards step.

Very little movement in the standings / power rankings so far.

I’m really confused you keep floating the idea of harden not getting traded. From everything I have read on liberty ballers there is little chance of that. Was there a different update on this beyond harden wants to be traded and took the negotiations personally?

Nope. Harden wants out BADLY.

There just isn't much of a market for him. There is only one year on his contract. They can keep him and just let him leave for nothing if they choose to. They'll have to deal with some blowback from Harden but odds are that will be manageable. I am sure he'd rather collect that big paycheck than lose it + play well to keep his value high for next summer's FA rather than dog-it and lose out on tens of millions next summer.

They do not have to trade Harden. They should only trade him if they get a solid offer. Like Lillard for Harden. I'd do that. But if best offer is Norm Powell, Marcus Morris, Covington and picks ... I'm keeping Harden.


I would say the odds of Harden staying or leaving is less about how angry he is and how much he wants out than ...

What level of offers Philly are getting from other teams around the league. At the moment, outside of Lillard, I don't see anyone offering anything anywhere near worth doing.

So the odds of no-trade seem significant to me at this point in time. We will see if that changes. If suitors emerge (or not).

[celticinorlando]

Not worried about Miami with or without dame

That’s what most of us said last year. Going into playoffs.

Miami won’t make it past the second round. Last year was a fluke

[celticsclay]

No change. Everything is pretty much the same.

Boston are the most talented team in the East as they were last season as well. Milwaukee and Philly are the two teams closest to them chasing up their rear. Both teams are largely the same as last year. Harden may get traded, he may not get traded. Too early. So the same for now.

I am impressed by what Indiana have done. They have built one of the top benches in the league and I believe they will compete with Cleveland & Miami for the next three positions in the East. Miami has held steady despite losing 2 rotation players. Cleveland has added some useful depth but only marginal gains. The Lillard situation with MIA will tell us if they can join the top 3 teams in the East or will be the stuck here or even take a step back if Lowry is waived. Too early to say. For now, they are here.

Then NYK and ATL as the 7th and 8th seeds. Probably Orlando in a play-in 9th slot. Then is wide open for the final slot. TOR took a major step back losing VanVleet. Chicago still have problems. Charlotte may be healthier next year and get Bridges back so they may work their way into the mix.

WAS, and DET being the no-hopers at the bottom.


So really Indiana is the only team that I have seen to make major progress upwards in the East and Toronto the only team to take a major backwards step.

Very little movement in the standings / power rankings so far.

I’m really confused you keep floating the idea of harden not getting traded. From everything I have read on liberty ballers there is little chance of that. Was there a different update on this beyond harden wants to be traded and took the negotiations personally?

Nope. Harden wants out BADLY.

There just isn't much of a market for him. There is only one year on his contract. They can keep him and just let him leave for nothing if they choose to. They'll have to deal with some blowback from Harden but odds are that will be manageable. I am sure he'd rather collect that big paycheck than lose it + play well to keep his value high for next summer's FA rather than dog-it and lose out on tens of millions next summer.

They do not have to trade Harden. They should only trade him if they get a solid offer. Like Lillard for Harden. I'd do that. But if best offer is Norm Powell, Marcus Morris, Covington and picks ... I'm keeping Harden.


I would say the odds of Harden staying or leaving is less about how angry he is and how much he wants out than ...

What level of offers Philly are getting from other teams around the league. At the moment, outside of Lillard, I don't see anyone offering anything anywhere near worth doing.

So the odds of no-trade seem significant to me at this point in time. We will see if that changes. If suitors emerge (or not).

Lilliard for harden is some pretty aggressive 76era fan fiction. Considering he pouted his way off two teams already I don’t know why it is hard to envision him doing it on an expiring contract. He is like the best player in the league at getting off a team. He is not getting a big contract next offseason so it doesn’t really matter.

[footey]

Not worried about Miami with or without dame

That’s what most of us said last year. Going into playoffs.

Miami won’t make it past the second round. Last year was a fluke

A fluke that came close to sweeping Celtics.

[celticinorlando]

Not worried about Miami with or without dame

That’s what most of us said last year. Going into playoffs.

Miami won’t make it past the second round. Last year was a fluke

A fluke that came close to sweeping Celtics.

And almost got reversed swept by boston.

[CelticD]

Not worried about Miami with or without dame

That’s what most of us said last year. Going into playoffs.

Miami won’t make it past the second round. Last year was a fluke

A fluke that came close to sweeping Celtics.

And almost got reversed swept by boston.

Say what you want about Miami but that team consistently exceeds expectations. The talent deficit catches up with them in the end, but they do not lose to less talented teams.

[Kernewek]

Not worried about Miami with or without dame

That’s what most of us said last year. Going into playoffs.

Miami won’t make it past the second round. Last year was a fluke

A fluke that came close to sweeping Celtics.

And almost got reversed swept by boston.

Say what you want about Miami but that team consistently exceeds expectations. The talent deficit catches up with them in the end, but they do not lose to less talented teams.

Considering they went 44-38, does this mean they were essentially middle of the pack?