The Return of the NBA (Southwest Division Preview)

What will Dallas do for an encore? How will the young Miami trio finally play right to win it all? Will Derrick Rose repeat as MVP? Are the Celtics and the Lakers too old to contend? Does the Thunder have what it takes to win it all? Is Melo and Amar'e enough for a Knick renaissance? And is the Clippers the newest big thing in Hollywood? We look forward to the 2011-12 NBA season.

We finally preview the Western Conference Southwest Division.

Dallas Mavericks

57-25 (3rd in West, NBA Champions)

The Mavericks climbed the NBA mountain in 2011. But now the pressure to repeat is even higher, having lost Caron Butler, Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea. They were fortunate to add Lamar Odom and Vince Carter, but losing their best defensive center will be a big blow to the team. Brendan Haywood is too slow defensively, so let's hope Sean Williams provide the D off the bench. The keys to the Dallas repeat will be on Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and Shawn Marion, and if Roddy Beaubois rediscovers his 2010 form, he'll provide a terrific backup to Kidd and Terry. Delonte West is a slower upgrade from Barea, but is a terrific offensive player. For this Dallas team, they need to mesh fast if they were to repeat as champions. 

Houston Rockets

43-39 (9th in West, missed playoffs)

The Rockets were the only Southwest team to miss the playoffs, yet still finished with a winning record. With Yao Ming retired, the Rockets now have to rely on Jordan Hill, Hasheem Thabeet and newly-acquired Samuel Dalembert to fill Yao's shoes. Luis Scola is an All-Star in the making, while Kyle Lowry broke out after Aaron Brooks was traded. Lowry will be backed up by Goran Dragic and Jonny Flynn, who need to be more assertive in passing the ball. Kevin Martin remains the leading scorer, and should continue so. Chase Budinger and Courtney Lee provide the outside touch, and Patrick Patterson an able backup to Scola. For Kevin McHale, this will be a tough job for him sustaining Houston's momentum, so good luck. 

Memphis Grizzlies

46-36 (8th in West, lost to Thunder in 2nd round 4-3)

The Grizzlies surprised the NBA by upsetting the top-seeded Spurs in Round 1, then pushed the Thunder to the limit before folding, an impressive playoff run for this group. Zach Randolph should remain consistent, while Marc Gasol needs to translate a contract renegotiation to an improved All-Star type of performance. Darrell Arthur, however, is lost for the season, so a lot will be expected on Randolph and Gasol, unless Dante Cunningham proves himself. A healthy Rudy Gay is needed to put the Grizzlies to a better position to contend. OJ Mayo is better suited as a sixth man, while Sam Young would work well as a starter. Tony Allen changed the defensive intensity of the Grizzlies, and he should continue providing the same this season. This should be a breakout year for Memphis, or else. 

New Orleans Hornets

46-36 (7th in West, lost to Lakers in 1st round 4-2)

Label this as a rebuilding season. Losing Chris Paul would hurt the Hornets, but now they look to start over. Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and Eric Gordon have to adjust quickly to the Big Easy. Emeka Okafor will remain the starting center, but now has to move on from receiving most of Paul's passes, which will now be done by Jarrett Jack, Gordon and Quincy Pondexter. Marco Bellinelli and Trevor Ariza need to get open outside, and Carl Landry to assert himself inside. The Hornets will start over, no matter what.

San Antonio Spurs

61-21 (1st in West, lost to Grizzlies in 1st round 4-2)

The Spurs are too old, and it showed in the first-round upset by the Grizzlies. Unless RC Buford is willing to rebuild the team, the Spurs will not be in the conversation for an NBA championship. Tim Duncan is 35, and no longer possessing the instinct to play inside. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili is showing wear and tear at season's end, and they need help. They lost George Hill, and they need Gary Neal to be pass-first and shoot-second. If your name is T.J. Ford, he may not be a terrific passer; Corey Joseph should learn more about passing. Richard Jefferson loaded up for one more year, but he needs help from Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard and James Anderson. As for Duncan, better use Tiago Splitter, DeJuan Blair and Matt Bonner even more, the latter needs to crash the boards more often, to give Duncan rest. Either a short playoff stint or nothing at all will be the Spurs' fate at season's end. 

The NBA season gets underway on Christmas Day, with a five-game slate to begin the season:

12 nn ET: Boston @ New York

2:30 ET: Miami @ Dallas

5:00 ET: Chicago @ L.A. Lakers

8:00 ET: Orlando @ Oklahoma City

10:30 ET: L.A. Clippers @ Golden State

So good luck to the 30 NBA teams in the 2011-12 NBA season. 

The Return of the NBA (Pacific Division Preview)

What will Dallas do for an encore? How will the young Miami trio finally play right to win it all? Will Derrick Rose repeat as MVP? Are the Celtics and the Lakers too old to contend? Does the Thunder have what it takes to win it all? Is Melo and Amar'e enough for a Knick renaissance? And is the Clippers the newest big thing in Hollywood? We look forward to the 2011-12 NBA season.

We now preview the Western Conference Pacific Division.

Golden State Warriors

36-46 (12th in West, missed playoffs)

Mark Jackson, an untested coach, begins his first season on the bench. The Warriors still have the exciting players that translate to sellout crowds. The question is, will it translate to a playoff berth? Is Mark Jackson a well-deserved hiring? We'll see. For now, though, the Warriors' fortunes will rely on David Lee, Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry; if healthy and together, they're exciting to watch. Rookies Klay Thompson and Jeremy Tyler will be keeper for the season. Dorell Wright broke out big after spending six years in the Miami doghouse, and is expected to provide outside scoring once more. The center position will be a problem for the Warriors, as Kwame Brown and Andris Biedrins are inconsistent and injury-prone. For Mark Jackson, it will be a challenging season to prove his coaching mettle. 

Los Angeles Clippers

32-50 (13th in West, missed playoffs)

Chris Paul to the Clippers should raise the expectations for this laughingstock franchise on the other side of the Staples Center. Blake Griffin was a box office hit, earning an All-Star nod, a Slam Dunk title, and Rookie of the Year. Now on Year 2, the Blake Show needs to shoot more and dunk less, if he were to succeed in the NBA. Paul, Chauncey Billups and Mo Williams play the same position, but Paul has a great chance of taking the starting job and Billups a backup role, with Williams taking the shooting guard duties instead. While DeAndre Jordan played well as a starting center, he needs to be more assertive in the paint to be effective, as well as boxing out more often. Caron Butler will start slow after a severe knee injury ended his season early, but when healthy, he's a dangerous scorer in the wings. The time is now for the Clippers. Missing the playoffs will be a failure for this year's crew. 

Los Angeles Lakers

57-25 (2nd in West, lost to Mavericks in 2nd round 4-0)

The Lakers enter the new season with so many questions. Are they too old? Are they fragile? Are they too dysfunctional? They lost to the eventual champions Mavericks in a sweep, then Lamar Odom bolted to those same Mavericks. Phil Jackson retired, and Mike Brown takes over in a new Lakers era. Kobe Bryant will begin the season in pain, and may remain so until the season ends. Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum underachieved in the playoffs, so how will they redeem themselves? As for Metta World Peace (formerly Ron Artest), will his name change translate to a better performance? Derek Fisher needs more rest now that he's 37, so Steve Blake needs to play more and be efficient. Josh McRoberts and Troy Murphy act as two different versions of Odom, the perimeter dude and the paint dude. This group, however, will take time to mesh, so a short playoff run is a mere achievement for this year's Lakers.

Phoenix Suns

40-42 (10th in West, missed playoffs)

Like the Lakers, the Suns are facing questions of age. Steve Nash is 37, so he needs more rest than ever. Ditto 38-year old Grant Hill, though he had been playing consistently since coming to Phoenix. Ronnie Price played well as Deron Williams' backup in Utah, but now he needs to play more minutes while Nash is on the bench. Hakim Warrick didn't exactly replaced Amar'e Stoudemire, yet he played well off the bench. Robin Lopez, however, needs to get back to his 2010 playing level, or else Marcin Gortat will overtake him as a starting center. So is Channing Frye, who needs to rediscover his shooting touch from 2010. While Jared Dudley will continue pouring threes and Shannon Brown leaping on bigger opponents, the Suns will be on the bubble between making and missing the playoffs. A 33 or 34-win season is a realistic goal. 

Sacramento Kings

24-58 (14th in West, missed playoffs)

Simply put, the Kings regressed from 2010. Hopes of a better season crashed because of Tyreke Evans' injuries, DeMarcus Cousins' outbursts, and rumors of relocation to Anaheim. For now, the Kings remain in Sacramento, but for how long? If Jimmer Fredette becomes a box office sensation at Power Balance Pavilion, it may help, but this Kings team is too young and playoff contention is still a long shot. Evans needs to rediscover 2010, while Cousins should start playing right inside. Chuck Hayes needs to take care of his heart, period. There's not much to discuss about this Kings team, so the playoffs is out of the question. 

We'll preview the Southwest Division on our next post.

The Return of the NBA (Northwest Division Preview)

What will Dallas do for an encore? How will the young Miami trio finally play right to win it all? Will Derrick Rose repeat as MVP? Are the Celtics and the Lakers too old to contend? Does the Thunder have what it takes to win it all? Is Melo and Amar'e enough for a Knick renaissance? And is the Clippers the newest big thing in Hollywood? We look forward to the 2011-12 NBA season.

We now preview the Western Conference Northwest Division.

Denver Nuggets

50-32 (5th in West, lost to Thunder in 1st round 4-1)

First full year of post-'Melo era, and the Nuggets are in a troubled spot. Kenyon Martin, J.R. Smith and Wilson Chandler are in China and couldn't get out. Even though the Nuggets played better following the Anthony trade last season, George Karl knew he'll have his hands full with a decimated roster. And while they added Andre Miller to provide stability at the point, expect Ty Lawson to blossom even further at the one. They need to have big games from Danilo Gallinari, Chris Andersen, Aaron Afflalo, Al Harrington and late additions Rudy Fernandez and Corey Brewer to keep in pace with Dallas, Oklahoma City, the Lakers and now the Clippers. Bringing back Nene is a huge plus, but translating it to an improved performance remains the question. 

Minnesota Timberwolves

17-65 (15th in West, missed playoffs)

Kevin Love became an NBA All-Star by virtue of 53 straight double-doubles. But he found no support and the Timberwolves frequently stumbled that led to Kurt Rambis's dismissal and Rick Adelman's arrival. The Wolves now had to leave that behind and start over. Spanish phenom Ricky Rubio was exceptional in Spain. But is he as good as advertised in Minnesota? Rubio's arrival sparks a lot of hype and hope for a struggling franchise, and teaming up with an up-and-comer like Love, the Wolves seem to head in the right direction. New addition J.J. Barea and incumbent starting guard Luke Ridnour will provide Rubio with a lot of guidance at the one. Rookie Derrick Williams needs to mature fast, while Michael Beasley, Anthony Tolliver and Anthony Randolph need to step up to lessen Love's burden. Brad Miller will be a great insurance policy for Darko Milicic. The Timberwolves' playoff chances will be a long shot, but they have a bright future ahead of them.

Oklahoma City Thunder

55-27 (4th in West, lost to Mavericks in West Finals 4-1)

Now a member of the NBA elite, the Thunder need to take advantage of their aging foes if they want to take it a step further. As always, Kevin Durant is exceptional, while Russell Westbrook is steadily maturing. Kendrick Perkins did not necessarily provided the defensive edge when he arrived, but after a lengthy offseason losing weight, it looks as if the now-260 pounder is ready to crash the boards with authority and provide defensive intimidation to foes. James Harden is poised for a breakout year, while Serge Ibaka will continue to help Perkins crash the boards. While Sam Presti didn't make headlines in the preseason, this Thunder team seem to be learning fast and growing together, and if they reach the NBA Finals, it will be a great accomplishment to this maturing team.

Portland Trail Blazers

48-34 (6th in West, lost to Mavericks in 1st round 4-2)

Injuries did not stop the Trail Blazers from reaching their third straight postseason, but they enter the new season minus their leader Brandon Roy, who retired due to bad knees. The status of Greg Oden remains uncertain; his career now jeopardized with the possibility of retiring as well. This Blazers team played well when adversity was at an all-time high, but without Roy, a playoff berth seem like a long road to take. Jamal Crawford is not Brandon Roy, he's more of a perimeter scorer. Wesley Matthews definitely broke out and he's a lock at the two. Nicolas Batum had a career season as well and needs to be more productive this year. While LaMarcus Aldridge assumes to leadership role, the question is, is he ready? And the age of Kurt Thomas and Marcus Camby is a problem spot at center, which means they need more from Chris Johnson and Craig Smith to add muscle down low. Raymond Felton needs to have steady averages if he's going to stay long in Portland.

Utah Jazz

39-43 (11th in West, missed playoffs)

This is the first full season of the post-Jerry Sloan era, and the Jazz once again enter the rebuilding phase. They had a great shot of making the playoffs in February, before Sloan's resignation and the Deron Williams trade sent the Jazz down. The recipients of the Williams deal in Devin Harris and Derrick Favors played well, but not well enough. Al Jefferson did have a decent season in Utah, while Paul Millsap and C.J. Miles had breakout seasons. But the team needed youngsters such as Gordon Hayward, Jeremy Evans, Alec Burks and Enes Kanter to grow fast in order to provide some depth. Tyrone Corbin will now employ a new system, but the question is, will this team accept the new philosophy? This Jazz team will be a 25-27 win team this season, a long shot for the playoffs.

We'll preview the Pacific Division on our next post.

The Return of the NBA (Central Division Preview)

What will Dallas do for an encore? How will the young Miami trio finally play right to win it all? Will Derrick Rose repeat as MVP? Are the Celtics and the Lakers too old to contend? Does the Thunder have what it takes to win it all? Is Melo and Amar'e enough for a Knick renaissance? And is the Clippers the newest big thing in Hollywood? We look forward to the 2011-12 NBA season.

We now preview the Eastern Conference Central Division.

Chicago Bulls

62-20 (1st in East, lost to Heat in East Finals 4-1)

Derrick Rose is the MVP, and he proved it. The Bulls won 62 games thanks to him, but he got bottled up by Miami's three-headed monster in the playoffs. If the Bulls were to sustain that momentum, Rose needed help. Luol Deng is a terrific player, but his star remains in the blooming mode. Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah were inside threats, but they hardly played together. Omer Asik was a terrific backup to Noah, but once he fell injured in the Miami series, it affected the Bulls' rotation at center. With Kurt Thomas now in Portland, Taj Gibson needs to play a bigger role as Boozer's backup. Richard Hamilton is a great replacement for the defensively liable Keith Bogans, but Ronnie Brewer needs to spread his wings more. And C.J. Watson and Kyle Korver, better supply that offense more off the bench. This Bulls team may not finish 66-0, but Tom Thibodeau has the wit to put the Bulls back on top of the East.

Cleveland Cavaliers

19-63 (15th in East, missed playoffs)

A 26-game losing streak rekindled thoughts of the Cavaliers surpassing the 1973 76ers as the worst NBA team, ever. They did avoid becoming the worst team in NBA history, but 19 wins remain worse by any standard. There's hope for the future, though. Dan Gilbert's son provided the lucky charm that gave them the top pick of the draft and selected Kyrie Irving.  Irving may not be LeBron, but he's still a highly-touted prospect, though his only season in Duke was riddled with injuries. The Cavs still have Anderson Varejao, but he needs to bounce back quickly from an injury-riddled 2011 season. The rest of the roster, however, is still a questioned bunch of castoffs, unproven youngsters and fading veterans. For now, this is a rebuilding season for the Cavaliers, but Irving and 4th pick Tristan Thompson will provide hope for the future. 

Detroit Pistons

30-52 (11th in East, missed playoffs)

John Kuester is finally gone. Good news. The bad news is that this is still a rebuilding season for the Pistons. Tom Gores has taken the ownership reins from the Davidsons, and fans are hopeful for the fresh start. Richard Hamilton, who provided more of the negative publicity last season, is now gone, leaving the returning Tayshaun Prince as the longest-tenured Piston since front office boss Joe Dumars. Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon need to prove their worth as the big-money signees of 2009. Rookie Brandon Knight and youngsters Jonas Jerebko, Greg Monroe and Austin Daye have to grow up fast. While Ben Wallace and Jason Maxiell continue to provide veteran muscle, this Pistons team is still a long shot from the playoffs, but the future is there. Lawrence Frank, good luck on the rebuilding year.

Indiana Pacers

37-45 (8th in East, lost to Bulls in 1st round 4-1)

The Pacers may have lost in five games to the Bulls, but they gave them a hard time winning. Frank Vogel led a turnaround that resulted in a new contract. Danny Granger remains the cornerstone, but the Pacers were given a boost with the addition of David West. The question is, how will his surgically repaired knee hold up in a 66-game season? Tyler Hansbrough broke loose when Vogel took over, and will be expected to back up West. Darren Collison and A.J. Price have yet to prove they're capable point guards, and even though they added George Hill, the guard corps remain a question. Paul George was last year's rookie revelation, and they need him to mature fast as the season goes on. Roy Hibbert, you need to assert even more in the paint. This Pacers team remains on the bubble between making and missing the playoffs, so at least 33 wins may be a possibility for this bunch.

Milwaukee Bucks

35-47 (9th in East, missed playoffs)

The Bucks lost 11 more games than the season prior, due to a slew of injuries and inconsistent offensive production. Andrew Bogut wasn't 100%, while Brandon Jennings' production slumped due to injuries. Now adding Stephen Jackson to the mix, the Bucks hope their offensive deficiencies were a thing of the past. Still, adding a player with a history of inconsistent play would provide more problems than solutions. Just hope Carlos Delfino will play consistently outside, Luc Mbah a Moute crash the boards frequently, and Beno Udrih to get more involved offensively. And Jon Brockman and Drew Gooden, be more assertive off the boards and turn garbage into gold. Like the Pacers, the Bucks remain on the bubble between making and missing the playoffs, so a possible 30-32 wins will be a possibility for this bunch.

We'll preview the Northwest Division on our next post.

The Return of the NBA (Atlantic Division Preview)

What will Dallas do for an encore? How will the young Miami trio finally play right to win it all? Will Derrick Rose repeat as MVP? Are the Celtics and the Lakers too old to contend? Does the Thunder have what it takes to win it all? Is Melo and Amar'e enough for a Knick renaissance? And is the Clippers the newest big thing in Hollywood? We look forward to the 2011-12 NBA season.

We now preview the Eastern Conference Atlantic Division.

Boston Celtics

56-26 (3rd in East, lost to Heat in 2nd round 4-1)

Are the Celtics too old and fragile? Those are the questions they need to answer in a shortened 66-game season, in which 3 straight games and less off-days would take its toll on the Celtics' aging legs. The Celtics were known as strong starters, and the 2010-11 season was no exception. However the Kendrick Perkins trade and injuries somehow affected the Celtics, and by the time they faced a more energized Miami team, they looked lost and out of synch. This year, no such strong starts is possible because of the shortened season, and aside from Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo, no one else is capable of playing big for Boston. Now with Jeff Green out with a heart ailment, they need Marquis Daniels and Sasha Pavlovic to play big roles. Brandon Bass is a great upgrade over Glen Davis, and Greg Stiemsma was a defensive revelation in the preseason, though Jermaine O'Neal will remain the starting center. Avery Bradley and Jajuan Johnson, kindly step up now there's no Delonte West to back Rondo up. 

New Jersey Nets

24-58 (12th in East, missed playoffs)

This is the Nets' final season in New Jersey, and if they want to leave the Garden State with a bang, all they need is to add a couple of big pieces to contend. For now Dwight Howard is in Orlando, but the Nets remain open with the possibility of acquiring him. Deron Williams is now the Nets' leading man, but one star alone is not enough to win. Potential star in the making Brook Lopez will start the year with a broken foot, which isn't good news for the Nets. Aside from Deron, the Nets have three more Williamses: Jordan, Shawne and Shelden, the latter two jumping from the Knicks. Shelden and Shawne however is expected to play big roles, as well as perimeter machine Anthony Morrow. Jordan Farmar will again provide big minutes off the bench at point guard, but they need Kris Humphries to focus on basketball rather than showbiz. They added Mehmet Okur to temporarily take Lopez's spot, but then again a history of injuries may make him liable once Howard jumps in (hopefully).

New York Knicks

42-40 (6th in East, lost to Celtics in 1st round 4-0)

The 'Melo-Amar'e era officially commenced in February 2011. But now they'll have a full season to turn the Knicks around. Anthony and Stoudemire are now tasked to lead the Knicks back to prominence, something not seen since Patrick Ewing roamed the Garden paint. They added Tyson Chandler, a defensive game-changer, as well as Mike Bibby. But Toney Douglas is expected to nail the starting point guard spot with Bibby backing up. And Iman Shumpert is getting rave reviews with his pre-season performance, and the Knicks fans hope Shumpert will sustain that in the regular season. Landry Fields need to revert back to the pre-Melo trade revelation of last season. A full season of 'Melo and Amar'e should provide the Knicks some hope. 

Philadelphia 76ers

41-41 (7th in East, lost to Heat in 1st round 4-1)

A slow start, then a strong finish. That's how to describe the 76ers' 2010-11 season, returning to the playoffs for the third time in four years. They played well in a loss to the Heat in the playoffs. Andre Iguodala remain the lead general, but now they need bigger roles from Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes and Thaddeus Young. Jodie Meeks was a playoff revelation, and needs to sustain that this season. They may lack in a big name player, but Doug Collins' squad played hard. Still, playing hard and tough alone doesn't translate in a deeper playoff run. 

Toronto Raptors

22-60 (14th in East, missed playoffs)

It was a disastrous season after Chris Bosh bolted from Toronto to Miami. Now that they added Dwayne Casey to be their coach, could this be a fresh start for the Raptors? Andrea Bargnani is a not a center, and he looked lost at the five last season. So they need Aaron Gray, Jamaal Magloire and rookie Solomon Alabi to fort the paint, and Bargnani to fort the perimeter. Jose Calderon, Leandro Barbosa need to pass more, and DeMar DeRozan needs to improve his shooting rather than dunking on people. This Toronto team may reach the playoffs in the foreseeable future, so this is a rebuilding season for them. 

We'll preview the Central Division on our next post.

The Return of the NBA (Southeast Division Preview)

What will Dallas do for an encore? How will the young Miami trio finally play right to win it all? Will Derrick Rose repeat as MVP? Are the Celtics and the Lakers too old to contend? Does the Thunder have what it takes to win it all? Is Melo and Amar'e enough for a Knick renaissance? And is the Clippers the newest big thing in Hollywood? We look forward to the 2011-12 NBA season.

We first preview the Eastern Conference Southeast Division.

Atlanta Hawks

44-38 (5th in East, lost to Bulls in 2nd round 4-2)

The Hawks started and finished slow, yet somehow pulled off two wins in Round 2. Still not enough, though. Joe Johnson and Al Horford were the big stars, but the loss of Jamal Crawford is a bitter pill to swallow. Josh Smith is the fuse ready to explode, needs to be more assertive, though. Jeff Teague was a revelation in the playoffs, and may supplant Kirk Hinrich in the starting point guard job. Now they added Tracy McGrady and Jerry Stackhouse past their primes, but can they turn back the clock? Jason Collins did a good job against Dwight Howard in the playoffs, but is he good enough for a full-time starting center gig? These Hawks were still not good enough to contend, and probably be eliminated in the first round this time.

Charlotte Bobcats

34-48 (10th in East, missed playoffs)

The Bobcats took a step back, enduring a coaching change (Paul Silas replacing Larry Brown) and trading original Bobcat and all-star Gerald Wallace to Portland. Now Michael Jordan has to start over, again. The Bobcats lack star power and money to be a viable force in the league, and when you have guys like D.J. Augustin, Boris Diaw, Gerald Henderson, DeSagana Diop and Tyrus Thomas, you have a team with a recipe for disaster. Unless your name is Kemba Walker, if he's ready to lead the Bobcats back to prominence. They swapped Stephen Jackson for Corey Maggette, but that's still not a game-changing trade in Charlotte's part. 

Miami Heat

58-24 (2nd in East, lost to Mavericks in Finals 4-2)

Last season, the Heat were the talk of the NBA, with LeBron James and Chris Bosh becoming sidekicks to franchise leader Dwyane Wade. They started slow before finishing strong with 58 wins, and dumping the league-leading Bulls in the Conference Finals. They couldn't get together though against the Mavericks in the Finals. As proven time and time again, three stars are not enough to win it all. The Heat do have a blend of veterans and youngsters, and while James, Bosh and Wade will be there to lead the offense, they need valuable contributions on both ends from Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem, Joel Anthony, James Jones and Mike Miller. They added defensive specialist Shane Battier for good reason. But they need Dexter Pittman to mature, fast. 

Orlando Magic

52-30 (4th in East, lost to Hawks in 1st round 4-2)

The preseason was all about the Dwight Howard trade rumors. For now, they were put to rest. As for the Magic, the season before was a disappointment, winning 52 games, then poofed against the Hawks in the first round. Superman needs his super-sidekicks, now. But when you have Hedo Turkoglu. Jason and Quentin Richardson, J.J. Redick, Ryan Anderson, Jameer Nelson and Chris Duhon, their games were more predicated from the outside. At least Anderson now has the penchant to crack the boards. But the inside game is something the Magic need more than ever, and even if they added Glen Davis from Boston, you may expect Howard to tire out blocking shots and rebounding. The trade of Marcin Gortat was a big blow for the Magic, and if Howard were to be traded, the lack of a center would knock Orlando out of contention.

Washington Wizards

23-59 (13th in East, missed playoffs)

The John Wall era got underway. Positive news. But Wall needs to grow up, fast. The Wizards are still a few pieces away from returning to prominence, but this group is promising. The return to the modernized 70s Bullets motif was a first step. And adding Jan Vessely and Shelvin Mack saw encouraging signs. But they need 2010 big money signee Andray Blatche to snap out of last season's funk, and for recent Manila visitor and naturalization candidate JaVale McGee to show that he's dangerous at center. And is Jordan Crawford better than Michael Jordan? He needs to prove that in 66 games.

We'll preview the Atlantic Division on our next post.

Back in Business

The NBA is back in business, as training camps and free agency got underway on December 9. It all came together after the commissioner's office and the players association agreed upon a new CBA that officially closed the door on the lockout.

During the lockout players either signed contracts overseas, dabbed in other non-basketball endeavors, or played in exhibition contests. As the first day of training camp got underway several teams were a few players short of the minimum training camp count of 14 players. The free agency period was so short that team executives were finding it hard to sign the right players. Worse, several players were signed to overseas contracts during the lockout, particularly in China where foreign players were signed for one year, without an opt-out clause. So the executives in every team need to think fast in finding the right players.

The big news prior to the start of training camp is the proposed Chris Paul to Lakers trade that also involves the Rockets. However, the NBA, as owners of the Hornets, rejected the trade. Paul, a free agent at season's end, did show up in the Hornets' camp, but his status as a Hornet remains under speculation. Likewise Dwight Howard, also an FA in 2012, is being subjected to trade rumors after the Magic lost in the first round the previous year. The big news is that the Magic were unable to surround Howard with the right talent that would keep Orlando's title hopes high, and the possibility of Howard going to the Lakers, Clippers or the Nets is being discussed.

Other news on Day One of training camp include the possible retirement of oft-injured Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy, David West possibly leaving the Hornets for the Celtics, the Mavericks losing Tyson Chandler and Caron Butler to the Knicks and Clippers, respectively, and Nene's status with the Nuggets. We'll keep you posted on the latest news regarding the NBA free agency and training camp.