Ranking the East after the Big Garnett Trade

1. PISTONS
NUCLEUS	Sheed, Rip, Tayshawn, and Chauncey return from their title team 3 years ago
SURROUNDING PLAYERS	Maxiel & Rookie Rodney Stuckey will frontline one of the most improved benches in the league this year – will provide offense AND defense, keep the aged starters minutes low
STRENGTH	This team has experience, talent, depth, and the mental edge needed to be champions
WEAKNESS	Might be the most poorly coached of the NBA’s elite teams – anything less than a finals berth this year should be the end of The Flip Saunders Show in D-Town
2. BULLS
NUCLEUS	Big Ben leads the young and experienced core of Deng-Gordon-Hinrich back for another season
SURROUNDING PLAYERS	Duhon, Noah, Nocioni, Tyrus Thomas, Khryapa, Sefalosha… this team’s greatest strength is its depth. While their starters aren’t quite as good as Detroit’s, their bench is vastly deeper
STRENGTH	Versatile, young team with players that have spent a couple of years together… looks like their patience may pay off this year
WEAKNESS	Lack of a superstar or #1 player makes it tough for them to come from behind in games. If Deng makes that jump for them, and Gordon and Hinrich are willing to give up shots, they are defensively and offensively strong enough to win a title
3. CELTICS
NUCLEUS	KG, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen… WOW.
SURROUNDING PLAYERS	It’s best to just say “I don’t know,” because the Celtics are about to plug as many holes in their roster as best they can to get this team off and running quickly
STRENGTH	That the other team only has 5 players. Even if they double-team two of the 3 All-Stars, one of them will still be in single coverage and will likely score. Being serious, I can’t imagine a tougher team for the entire league to match up with. Duncan-Parker-Ginobili was bad enough…
WEAKNESS	The lack of $$$ after signing three players who each make close to $20 million will require some ridiculous sacrifices to be made… or will leave this team with a lot of holes to be exploited. Also, with the East being a younger conference, the Celtics need some young guys to spell the veteran All-Stars (as Detroit has pulled off this offseason) so they have gas left for the playoffs.
4. HEAT
NUCLEUS	DWade & Shaq – Along with Parker and Duncan the only two Finals MVPs playing on the same team
SURROUNDING PLAYERS	A group of solid veterans, a group of average young guys, and a number of past-their-prime stars
STRENGTH	Wade is the future. He’s still young, and he can just about do anything on the basketball court. He’s a consummate teammate, and he can singlehandedly make whatever team Miami plays with competitive.
WEAKNESS	Shaq’s getting old, Antoine Walker & Jason Williams are getting Old, and Gary Payton IS old. If these are the players among your top-8 rotation, you need to make some moves… quickly
5. RAPTORS
NUCLEUS	Bosh, Bargnani, Ford/Calderon has potential to be a very team-first nucleus on a team that has a number of gifted role players to utilize
SURROUNDING PLAYERS	Garbajosa, Kapono, and Anthony Parker are the best of the bunch, each having a number of skills to make this a very versatile team
STRENGTH	With a star like Bosh, and guards like Calderon & Ford, this team is able to play a faster pace than most teams are capable of. Also, it has a number of guys who have experience in Euroleagues & overseas play, which will benefit the Raptors in the playoffs
WEAKNESS	Can’t say there’s an overwhelming amount of talent on this team. They play hard, but they still need one or two pieces (likely at shooting guard or small forward) to be top 3 in the league
6. WIZARDS
NUCLEUS	Arenas-Butler-Jamison – the most dynamic OFFENSIVE trio in the NBA today
SURROUNDING PLAYERS	An array of solid-to-average talent; from Etan Thomas to Calvin Booth
STRENGTH	Gilbert Arenas. He’s got that intangible will to be the best (on TOP of the chip on his shoulder that already drives him), and yet he’s also a fun-loving guy, a guy who won’t run teammates away like SOME superstar I won’t name… who wears purple and gold…
WEAKNESS	Depth is almost nonexistent & their big men can’t score. Luckily, continuity gives them a chemistry that will help against some of the less experienced clubs
7. CAVALIERS
NUCLEUS	Lebron James IS the nucleus… sadly for him
SURROUNDING PLAYERS	On any given night, Ilgauskas, Gooden, Hughes, and now Gibson will help him out… but none of them show up every night, which is what he needs
STRENGTH	Lebron James is an incredible teammate, and he can get something out of whoever the Cavs put next to him – just ask Anderson Varejao, who they suddenly think is worth $30 million, although he pretty much lost a finals game for them
WEAKNESS	Sadly, although Lebron still isn’t a prolific scorer or shooter, he’s the best option they have, so his shooting is bringing their offense down. Until his jumper is consistent, or until someone actually plays every night, the Cavs will suffer
8. BOBCATS
NUCLEUS	Okafor-Wallace-Felton-May… they’ve got a few years of experience together, and they look ready to make a playoff run
SURROUNDING PLAYERS	Jason Richardson, Adam Morrison, Walter Hermann… it’s up to this group of guys to determine how far the Bobcats go this year
STRENGTH	They’re young AND they’ve played together for a few years. Fans won’t be patient forever, but the Bobcats look ready to at least take one step forward, after last year’s 33-win season
WEAKNESS	They still don’t have a star player, which Chicago has already shown us can be difficult. And if they really want to make some noise, they need to rent a few veterans who can show the young guys how it’s done
9. NETS
NUCLEUS	Kidd-Jefferson-Carter part III – One hall of fame point guard, a mildly overrated slasher, and a guy who could’ve become the greatest but chose to just be… a finisher
SURROUNDING PLAYERS	Krstic & Sean Williams are the best of the rest… but both are rather inexperienced… makes it tough to get into the playoffs
STRENGTH	Jason Kidd is an instant chemistry maker. Even though this team has 30-win talent, he keeps them in the 40-win group each year
WEAKNESS	The nucleus is getting older, and the surrounding players are getting younger… what direction is this team trying to head in? looks like the Minnesota of the east…
10. MAGIC
NUCLEUS	Howard, Lewis… and that’s all they’ll be able to afford for the next 6 years
SURROUNDING PLAYERS	Jameer Nelson, JJ Reddick, Trevor Ariza, Carlos Arroyo- a few nice wing players, but not enough size or experience
STRENGTH	The sheer physical presence of Dwight Howard is going to open things up for the numerous shooters on the Magic roster
WEAKNESS	Howard’s offensive game has matured slowly so far. If they take any more steps forward with this team, it will have to be after he takes a couple of LEAPS forward offensively
11. HAWKS
NUCLEUS	Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Al Horford, Acie Law IV. By far the youngest nucleus in the eastern conference, but a talented group
SURROUNDING PLAYERS	Josh Childress, Tyronn Lue, Shelden & Marvin Williams… a bunch of tweeners who were picked higher than they should’ve been
STRENGTH	Their young nucleus gives them some time to find the right veteran combination and also draft a few additional talents to build this team into a dynasty. I don’t think they’ll be in the playoffs this year or next, but they’re moving forward for sure
WEAKNESS	Total lack of experience. Acie & Horford will each go against some of the best players in the league out east – Billups, Bosh, D Howard, DWade, Jason Kidd—so they’ll probably have to take this as a “learning experience”-type season
12. KNICKS
NUCLEUS	Curry-Marbury-Randolph-Crawford – 4 guys whose #1 attribute is scoring! Well designed, Isiah
SURROUNDING PLAYERS	David Lee, Renaldo Balkman, and Nate Robinson might be the three players that hold this team together. Each of them will need to play a significant role for this team to win ANY games
STRENGTH	TALENT. Boy, they’ve got lots of that!
WEAKNESS	COHESION. The Knicks are being assembled in the same way the USA Teams were a few years ago—without thought for chemistry or production, just stats. And on defense, I don’t exactly know what they plan to do…
13. 76ERS
NUCLEUS	Iquodala-Miller-Korver-Carney – Really, their nucleus is a bunch of 2 or 3 players for quality teams, but they are forced to be the #1 options on a lacking Sixers squad
SURROUNDING PLAYERS	A very, very, very young supporting cast—almost as young as the Hawks, but not quite. There is a good amount of potential there, however.
STRENGTH	They have a team full of players who know their role. They can look to Korver for shooting, Iquodala for defense & slashing, and Andre Miller keeps the ball moving.
WEAKNESS	They’re a young, inexperienced team with very little experience playing together. Outside of pure competitive will, they don’t have much going for them.
14. BUCKS
NUCLEUS	Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut, and the oft-injured Charlie Villanueva
SURROUNDING PLAYERS	Mo Williams, Bobby Simmons, Desmond Mason, and *HOPEFULLY* Yi Jianlian (I don’t know where I’d rate them if he came—I don’t know what I think about him!)
STRENGTH	Many of these guys have spent the last two years on this squad, so they’ve got some continuity. However, there aren’t many groups of players more prone to injury than this Bucks squad… I wouldn’t bet on them finishing their season with everyone intact
WEAKNESS	Oh… I guess I put their weakness in the strength box… ah well!
15. PACERS
NUCLEUS	Jermaine O’Neal, Danny Grainger, and Jamal Tinsley…??? I don’t know how they can explain this one…
SURROUNDING PLAYERS	Marquis Daniels, Ike Diogu, Mike Dunleavy, Kareem Rush, Troy Murphy, and an All-Star cast of guys who have not and will likely NEVER fulfill their potential
STRENGTH	Uh… hmmm… they have Darrell Armstrong in their locker room?
WEAKNESS	O’Neal is NOT a #1 player, but they think he is, Grainger is grossly misused, Tinsley is a headcase, O’Brien hasn’t EVER really coached well, the bench is shoddy, the experienced players aren’t talented, the talented players aren’t experienced, and the rest of the eastern conference is just flat-out better… but otherwise, a promising season awaits them!