This is the fifth of six divisional installments of my NBA previews. Previous editions can be viewed below.
Atlantic Division, Northwest Division, Pacific Division, Southwest Division
Chicago Bulls
What's New: The Bulls only added one draft pick this year, second rounder Jimmy Butler out of Marquette. Butler is probably going to see some time at both small forward and power forward in the league, and has a knack for scoring and is an above average defender.
Biggest Concern: Chicago needs to add another playmaker that can take some of the pressure off of Derrick Rose, who logged an average of 37.4 minutes per game. Also of concern was the postseason production of Carlos Boozer, as he was clearly outplayed by Miami's Chris Bosh on both ends of the court.
Outlook: The Bulls reached the conference finals under head coach Tom Thibodeaux, but the lack of a second playmaker allowed the Heat to double Rose and effectively take him out of the game. Chicago has a lot of very solid players, but will need to add another scorer on the wing that's capable of handling the ball (Jamal Crawford is a possibility) to have the chance to take the next step. Rose's MVP was no fluke, but expect even more defensive attention on him until another player consistently makes plays.
Indiana Pacers
What's New: The Pacers traded their first round pick (SF Kahwi Leonard) to San Antonio for combo guard George Hill. Hill is a talented offensive player, and will likely be used in a Jamal Crawford/Jason Terry role as the sixth man in Indy. The team's roster could look very different, as Mike Dunleavy Jr., Jeff Foster, Josh McRoberts and T.J. Ford are all free agents.
Biggest Concern: Interior defense is a concern, especially if Jeff Foster signs elsewhere, as that would leave C Roy Hibbert as the only true defensive presence in the frontcourt. The team has the potential to be very thin up front, as the only bigs (either PF or C) currently under contract are Hibbert and PF Tyler Hansbrough.
Outlook: Danny Granger is clearly team's franchise player, and will need to take a leadership role on this young roster. Indiana has to try and retain at least one of their post players, and will look to add an additional big through either free agency or trade. The Greg Oden angle would be interesting, as the Pacers have some room under the salary cap, and Oden was the #1 overall recruit while playing at Lawerence North High School in Indianapolis. Should Oden get (and stay) healthy, the Pacers would have an impact big man to play alongside Granger and emerging point guard Darren Collison.
Detroit Pistons
What's New: After a season full of turmoil, Joe Dumars fired head coach John Kuester. Former Nets coach Lawerence Frank takes over a team that is looking to build around a young nucleus, and must establish trust in the locker room, something his predecessor never did. The Pistons selected G Brandon Knight out of Kentucky, who should immediately improve their perimeter defense. Knight is an athletic slasher who is a strong finisher in the paint, but will need to work on his shot selection. Second round PF Vernon Macklin is a long, powerfully built player out of Florida, but his offensive game will need a good amount of work, and is already 25 years old.
Biggest Concern: Long-time small forward Tayshaun Prince is all but assured to leave via free agency, and both SG Rodney Stuckey and SF Jonas Jerebko are restricted free agents. Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon are both entering their third season with Detroit after signing big money free agent deals, and neither have reached their expectations. For this team to improve, both Gordon and Villanueva need to work hard on improving their games and set a good example for the younger players on this team.
Outlook: This will be a rebuilding year in Detroit, and the Pistons could end up trading SG Rip Hamilton to free up time for Stuckey and Knight in the backcourt. If Ben Gordon can re-gain his shooting stroke and Charlie Villanueva can be more assertive on the glass, then the Pistons could shorten the time it takes this team to rebuild.
Milwaukee Bucks
What's New: Well traveled wing Stephen Jackson arrives in Milwaukee, and will take the place of free agent Michael Redd, who will probably sign elsewhere. Despite having a great deal of offensive talent, Jackson is probably on his last chance to prove he's a good teammate, and head coach Scott Skiles won't allow him to be a distraction to this young team. First rounder Tobias Harris is a talented offensive player, but is a bit of a 'tweener, as he's not strong enough to play the post, but will struggle with the speed of opposing small forwards. PF Jon Leuer from Wisconsin will likely be a situational shooter, as despite being a seven footer, has a very good three point shot, and is a solid passer out of the high post.
Biggest Concern: Brandon Jennings shot selection is not great, as almost a third of his field goal attempts were from beyond the arc, where he shot just 32.3% from last season. With the acquisition of Jackson, Jennings will have a backcourt mate that is a proven scorer and will take some of the defensive focus off of him. Also somewhat worrisome is the fact that Jennings' assists dropped (4.9 from 5.8) despite averaging more minutes per game.
Outlook: The Bucks are taking a calculated risk with Stephen Jackson, as if he's focused can be a force on offense. A solid frontcourt rotation of Andrew Bogut, Drew Gooden, Ersan Ilyasova, Jon Brockman and Leuer has the ability to give opposing defenses a bunch of different looks, as each man has a different skill set. If Larry Sanders can continue to improve, he'll give the Bucks another defensive stopper that can play alongside Bogut. Expect the Bucks in the postseason, as well as a bounce-back year for Jennings.
Cleveland Cavaliers
What's New: The Cavaliers had two of the top four selections in the draft, and picked up Duke PG Kyrie Irving and Texas PF Tristan Thompson. Irving has explosive athletic ability for a point guard, and should be able to have similar success to Tyreke Evans in his rookie year, as he'll likely be the starting point guard from day one of training camp. Thompson is a polished low-post scorer who has above average athleticism and knack for crashing the offensive boards. At 227 pounds, he'll need to add some bulk to be able to handle bigger power forwards, but has a decent dribble-drive game that can make life difficult on his opponents. SF Omri Casspi arrived in a trade with Sacramento that dealt J.J. Hickson. Casspi is a good three point shooter who saw inconsistent minutes in his second season for the Kings, but has little competition for the starting spot.
Biggest Concern: With the drafting of Irving, Baron Davis will likely be unhappy knowing there isn't a future in Cleveland for him. The Cavaliers would love to find a trade partner willing to take Davis, but will likely use their amnesty clause to rid themselves of his remaining two years and $28.8 million. Both SG Anthony Parker and C Ryan Hollins are free agents, but will likely sign elsewhere, meaning opportunities for young players like Ramon Sessions and Manny Harris.
Outlook: Year two of rebuilding should see the team improve on its dismal 19-63 record, but both Irving and Thompson will have their share of growing pains, especially on the defensive end. Anderson Varejao's health will also be a key factor on what kind of team the Cavaliers will be, and Antawn Jamison should still be able to produce, and will likely be auditioning for a new team come the trade deadline, as the Cavs are committed to rebuilding.
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