We broke down the league for this season. Each record left its share of questions, but we whistled them all down to 3: What did the team do to improve? How does each team match up over all and with their starting 5? What is the biggest strength and weakness of each team? We broke down the league by division. Here are the results and questions for each team!

Southeast Division Winner: Miami

Miami Heat (45 – 37)

  • After digging themselves into a perpetual hole of “what if” with looming FA decisions, subpar season endings, allowing the Magic to quietly become the better team in Florida and not giving fans a clear idea on “how do we improve beyond Tyler Herro,” Miami pulls enough together to win the division. It’s going to take Jimmy B being better than last season, health for the overall team to improve abd for Bam Adebayo to be the exact, if not, better player from last season in order for this to happen.
  • As mentioned, this season’s set of wins will be weighed upon how many division games the team can capitalize on. The Heat were never a poor execution-type of team. In the seasons they excelled, their offensive efficiency and 3-point shooting numbers were through the roof. Their issue lies in health and availability. It’s tough to compare this team to any other Heat teams from 2020 on, so we found it easier to compare them to last season’s Golden State Warriors, who have some similar issues: Jimmy got hurt, the supporting bench was a shell of itself and there wasn’t much in the FA market that teams wanted from the Heat outside it’s stars. Shoring up some of those issues will benefit a team in a conference that is miles ahead of them in each category.
  • I don’t know what Pat is doing or thinking (attempting a Jerry Jones, I guess) with Butler’s contract, but getting that done seems to be a secondary note to getting a winning team on the court. It might be the best thing for the Heat to have a hungry Jimmy out there. We know how well players play in contract season’s. Letting Caleb Martin walk to Philly might have helped as well, because his output and pay were hurting the Heat last season. This team can afford a cheap big to help Bam defend. Once Pat finds him, they’ll have a better chance at handling younger, more physical teams like Orlando.

Orlando Magic (39 – 43)

  • In a season that is looking to ramp up its intensity, speed and unleash it’s youth, the Orlando Magic finds itself to be in a unique position to move backwards and still make progress. How? Quite simple: This team stole games that the league wants back. 8 games may not seem like much, but a 10% drop is about where most teams sit when they win as an underdog. It makes for an interesting bet for win totals and wins against the spread. The question is: How will this team handle pressure to re-create the magic from last season?
  • Scoring. Where will that come from. So far, Mosley has gotten his squad all in on defense. The problem. Is that the league doesn’t care. The overall scoring average is looking to improve, and there hasn’t been much improvement from Orlando to show they can at least match the mid-level teams. This is where a Mid-season trade is a must.
  • Where the team missed in overall improvements, they’ve hit in FA in landing 2x Champ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. His ability to space the floor and defend the wing will give the Magic some much needed help in both 3-point shooting makes and volume. They’ll need to work him into the rotation fast.

Atlanta Hawks (26 – 56)

  • I like Atlanta as an organization on the whole: They keep the season entertaining with how they waste talent. One year they’re a super-squad “just one player away” from getting to the Eastern Conference Finals. The next, they’re fumbling the alleged “Tank Mode,” grabbing random wins and ruining Parlays. I don’t expect much from this team except getting questions about Dejounte Murray being gone, the progress of Risacher and the Trae Young sweepstakes.
  • In one of the wildest moves so far this off-season, the Hawks traded Dejounte Murray for: Dyson Daniels, E.J. Liddell, Larry Nance Jr., Cody Zeller, and two 1sts. Simply put: none of that moves Atlanta closer to being a non play-in team. Nance and Zeller were serviceable in their bench roles on their former teams. Liddell might not make the roster. That leaves Daniels, whom is great as a defender, but doesn’t bring enough offensive firepower to move this team forward.
  • This will be an interesting season to watch for teams on the Trae Young hunt, particularly by fans whom harbor the idea that a team like San Antonio could still use him in a pair with Victor Wembanyama. We mention that, because that seems to be the obvious concept in drafting Zaccarie Risacher.Although smaller and at a different position, it was believed that he was the “other” young Frenchman that could possibly carry a team into the upper echelon. Make sure to keep an eye on why Atlanta wins games this season.

Washington Wizards (18 – 64) The Wizards come in as an organization that has been a revolving door of talent, a sinple showcase of a team that men’s basketball exists amongst the sports in the Capitol (shout out to the Mystics) and a huge question mark as to what they’re doing to improve in the NBA. The customary breakdown of positives and demerits don’t work for this team. There are too many moving parts surrounding 2 players (Kuzma, Poole) that shouldn’t be their best players, coupled with zero identity as a franchise and the team is coming off of one of the worst records in francise and NBA history. No reason they improve by anything other than other teams gifting them a few wins.

Charlotte Hornets (8 – 74)

  • This team suffered huge setbacks last season mainly due to the injury of Lamelo Ball and the suspension of Miles Bridges. Brandon Miller tried to backpack this team, but the league wasn’t having it. Despite having a healthier squad this year, this team will take a step back as it looks to restart the chemistry we saw back in the 2022-2023 season.
  • Absence makes the heart grow fonder and the bonds stronger – allegedly. This team’s lack of a defensive presence will start them off in the wrong direction. They have plenty of firepower. The issue will be trying to balance creating a basic defensive team without disrupting other the talent that they have or the talent they’re developing. That’s too tall of an ask for a coach like Charles Lee.
  • This team is on a get right path and their draft capital will support that. Couple thaf with the improvement of Brandon Miller and you have a team that will be in a lot of games through 3 quarters.

Teams in the Southeast are going to need to be more than the cool kids at the party. While having the ability to attract big talent to Georgia or Florida, in general, the Heat, Orlando and Atlanta by extension, have to pursue a basketball plan that can be executed in the immediate. Otherwise this party is going to end poorly and abruptly.