Southeast Division Preview

Taking a look at what may be one of the more interesting divisions in the NBA this year.

The saying goes: "keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer." That's what we're doing here today. The Hornets will play each team in their division four times, for a total of 16, making up 20% of their season. Here's a quick preview of what to expect for each of the Hornets division opponents.

Miami Heat

2021-22 Record: 53-29 (1st in Southeast, 1st in East)

Projected Starters:

PG: Kyle Lowry

SG: Tyler Herro

SF: Caleb Martin

PF: Jimmy Butler

C: Bam Adebayo

Key Reserves: G Victor Oladipo, G Max Struss, G Gabe Vincent, G Duncan Robinson, F Nikola Jovic

The Heat are rocking a new starting lineup after finishing with the best record in the East last year and making the conference finals.  Out are PJ Tucker and Max Strus, in are Tyler Herro (with a massive new contract) and (former Hornet) Caleb Martin.

Miami is led by head coach Erik Spoelstra, perennial all-star Jimmy Butler, stalwart Kyle Lowry, and the ascending Bam Adebayo. 

By any estimation, this isn't the most talented starting five in the East, but Spoelstra always has Miami performing well above expectations. However, there has to be a drop off at some point, right? Lowry is one of the oldest players in the league. Butler has a ton of miles on his body. Outside of their starting lineup, where are the buckets going to come from?

Those are valid statements and questions, but Miami always seems to have answers. Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, and Duncan Robinson are all elite shooters off the bench. A Victor Oladipo renaissance isn't out of the question. Nikola Jovic might be a thing? Who knows.

The thing we do know, is that Spoelstra deserves the Bill Belichick blind belief until we see otherwise, and until we see otherwise, Miami will be a factor in the Eastern Conference.

Atlanta Hawks

2021-22 Record: 43-39 (2nd in Southeast, 9th in East)

Projected Starters:

PG: Trae Young

SG: Dejounte Murray

SF: De'Andre Hunter

PF: John Collins

C: Clint Capela

Key Reserves: G Aaron Holiday, G Bogdan Bogdanovic, G Justin Holiday, F Onyeka Okongwu, 

2022-23 Outlook: The Hawks took a big swing this summer in trading for Dejounte Murray. Murray, an All-Star combo guard who started his career in San Antonio, will lead the backcourt alongside All-NBA guard Trae Young. Murray and Young will make up one of, if not the most, talented starting backcourts in the NBA. They'll be joined in the starting lineup by three long, athletic, and versatile players in De'Andre Hunter, John Collins, and Clint Capela. 

Young has his defensive deficiencies, and Murray may be a little too small to defend shooting guards, but Hunter, Collins, and Capela give the Hawks a solid defensive floor. Hunter, the fourth overall pick in 2019, was just rewarded with a contract extension, and the Hawks are hoping that he can be the "three and D" player they drafted him to be. He's armed with a 7"2" wingspan and the ability to swallow up opposing guards on top of defending bigger, bruising wings.

Capela led the league in rebounds in 2021 and averages 1.5 blocks per game. He's not much of an offensive threat outside of catching lobs, but his defensive presence is valuable.

The Hawks lack depth behind their starters, but Bogdan Bogdanovic is a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, and Hawks fans are expecting a leap from young center (and high school teammate of LaMelo Ball) Onyeka Okwogwu.

Overall, the Hawks are young, talented, and they seem to fit well. It's not out of the question to predict them as a top four team in the East.

Charlotte Hornets

2021-22 Record: 43-39 (3rd in the Southeast, 10th in the East)

Projected Starters:

PG: LaMelo Ball

SG: Terry Rozier

SF: Gordon Hayward

PF: PJ Washington

C: Mason Plumlee

Key Reserves: G Dennis Smith Jr., G/F Cody Martin, G, Kelly Oubre, F Jalen McDaniels, C Mark Williams

The longest offseason in the history of the franchise has mercifully come to an end.

Steve Clifford is at the helm of what was once an ascending young team, that is now a team stuck at a crossroads. The Hornets are firmly entrenched on the treadmill of mediocrity and they need to make a decision about their future before it's too late. 

Veterans Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward and PJ Washington are above-average pieces alongside superstar LaMelo Ball, but that's all Charlotte has on the roster. Cody Martin and Jalen McDaniels are useful NBA players, but they top out as solid bench pieces on a good NBA team. Mark Williams and Kai Jones *might* have bright futures ahead of them, but they're not ready to be key players on a contender right now.

Eventually, I think the Hornets will blow it up and enter the race to the bottom for Wembanyama. For now, this is a team that will defend well under Clifford, but will struggle to score points (especially sans LaMelo for a few weeks). 

Washington Wizards

2021-22 Record: 35-47 (4th in the Southeast, 12th in the East)

Projected Starters:

PG: Monte Morris

SG: Bradley Beal

SF: Will Barton

PF: Kyle Kuzma

C: Kristaps Porzingis

Key Reserves: G Delon Wright, G Johnny Davis, G Corey Kispert, F Deni Avdija, F Rui Hachimura, C Daniel Gafford

The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team. That's all there really is to say about this lineup.

Beal is a flat-out star and one of the best scorers in the NBA right now. Outside of that, the Wizards have a ton to sort out. Monte Morris has only started 105 games in his five year career, and he'll be thrust into a role that he's only seen once in his career.

Will Barton is a career journeyman (who I'm a huge fan of), who hasn't been super successful anywhere as a starter.

Kyle Kuzma had some really nice moments last year, but he isn't a good enough scorer to be Beal's second banana if the Wizards are trying to compete. 

Kristaps Porzingis is a walking question mark. When he's on the floor, he's an impact player, but his history of lower-body injuries makes his impact hard to project.

The Wizards bench is full of high-upside lottery picks (Johnny Davis, Deni Avdija, Corey Kispert, Rui Hachimura), but none of these guys have become solid NBA players and the Wizards are spinning their wheels because of it. 

The Wizards are closer to the Wembanyama sweepstakes than the play-in conversation.

Orlando Magic

2021-22 Record: 22-60 (5th in the Southeast, 15th in the East)

Projected Starters:

PG: Cole Anthony

SG: Jalen Suggs

SF: Franz Wagner

PF: Paolo Banchero

C: Wendell Carter Jr.

Key Reserves: G Markelle Fultz, G Gary Harris, G Terrance Ross, F Jonathan Isaac, C Mo Bamba

The Orlando Magic are fun. 

Paolo Banchero has the ability to step into the NBA and be a high-level scorer from day one. The combo of Banchero and Wagner is perfectly complimentary and they should give opposing teams headaches every night. 

Wagner is an ascending two-way player that could merit some all-star discussion this year. 

Combine those two with a solid guard pairing and another ascending center in Wendell Carter Jr. and you have the ingredients for a team that could surprise some people this year.

The Magic are the third youngest team in the league. As stated, they are very talented, but their lack of veteran presence handicaps their ceiling. The three most seasoned players on their roster are Terrance Ross, Gary Harris, and Markelle Fultz. Ross and Harris are both midseason trade candidates if the Magic find themselves in a position to tank for Wembanyama.

Orlando may not win a load of games, but their treasure trove of assets and young players make them a sleeping giant in the east. It may not manifest in 2022-23, but Orlando's future is bright and the flashes this year will be palpable.