It's 2020 and I don't know about you, but I'm more than happy to cast off the previous year (ahem, decade) and like multitudes of others, I've set my sights on becoming the best version of myself in 2020. I more than understand how cliche and redundant it sounds, you don't need a "new year" to make positive change in your life, I get it. To be honest my resolutions actually began at the beginning of December, but I felt I needed that runway to take off into the new year and so far, it's worked! I'm proud of what I've accomplished so far, and have a renewed spirit that I can't wait to share! Sometimes you're just ready, and boy was I ready. I've decided to take this spirit of resolution making and channel it into some analysis of the NBA, and what NBA teams should be challenging to change in 2020. After all, whatever you're not changing, you're choosing, I'm looking at you Cleveland Cavaliers! I'll give you the Eastern Conference teams in my first installment, and follow up with the Western Conference to close out the week! Enjoy!
Atlanta Hawks - "Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change" - Brene Brown. We've all felt it and man, the Atlanta Hawks must feel that way! It's been a shameful performance thus far! "Where do we even start?", they have to be saying to each other. They are currently last in the league in offensive rating, and 3rd last in defensive rating. Last place in the East by record, and have a points margin of roughly -10 points per game! Their 3 highest paid players, (Parsons, Turner and Crabbe, owed 50+ million this season combined!) are averaging less than 12 combined points per game! Vince Carter is the perhaps the biggest reason to tune into this team, in 2000 that was fine, but it's 2020. (Shout out to old man VC!) The good news is those salaries come off the books, the bad news is, who's going to want to play here? The Atlanta Hawks need to resolve to play their young core of Trae Young, John Collins, and De'Andre Hunter as many minutes as possible in the hopes that they can create some kind of asset energy (perhaps the 1st overall pick) to lure a free agent to Atlanta in the off season. They should have financial freedom this off season, but they'll need to exercise discipline in a market that seems a little down this summer. Would a guy like Andre Drummond be the answer? I think they'd be wise to shore up their depth instead, avoid over spending this summer, and hit the 2021 market with a stronger case to land a big fish!
Boston Celtics - The Celtics have been one of the most overlooked and underrated teams thus far into the 19-20 campaign. Despite being 25-9 and 2nd in the East, it seems they are often mentioned as "the other team", outside of the Bucks and the Sixers in the East. With the hype that surrounded the team in 2018-19, and the high profile disappointment that led to the farewell of Kyrie Irving, I think the under the radar status is just what this team of youngsters (Kemba aside) and Brad Stevens would like. Theis and Kanter haven't been bad up front, and I think the Celts can compete for the title as is, but they'd be wise to resolve to shore up the center position if they'd like to vault themselves into the conversation with the best the league has to offer. Is that Tristan Thompson? It's not Kevin Love (contract reasons). What about Derrick Favors? The Cavs and Pelicans have to be sellers! Is Wanamaker enough depth at the guard position? Would Igoudala make sense in Boston? These are just a few questions Boston might look to answer in the new year!
Brooklyn Nets - Speaking about how much a year can change things, the Brooklyn Nets quickly went from the feel good story of last season, into one of the more confusing teams of this season. While their peak always seemed a year off .(KD's return) There has to be some reservations about going 'all in' on the KD and Kyrie twosome. Not because of KD, but because of the enigma that is Kyrie Irving. Kyrie started off strong, but hasn't played in two months. Interestingly, Spencer Dinwiddie, one of the heroes of last season, has played amazing in Kyrie's absence. Dinwiddie looked totally lost to start the season, struggling mightily while playing off the ball with Kyrie's heavy isolation style of basketball. While Kyrie thrived early on, the tables have since turned. Now Kyrie is suggesting he will put off surgery in an attempt to return before the end of the season. My guess is that doesn't happen, and if it does, it will only be briefly. This season is a sunk cost for the Nets, they can't complete with the juggernauts of the East or West. With that in mind, the Nets should resolve to let Dinwiddie continue to assert himself, with the motive to trade him at his peak in the summer. That way they can add a more appropriate 3rd/4th option to play with Kyrie, KD and Levert in 2020-21. I just don't see how Irving and Dinwiddie can play together and maximize the talents of both. Neither is a particularly good defender, and both need the ball to be effective offensively. Dinwiddie has a good contract, and would be easy to move for a solid big wing option that will be needed if they hope to build a title contender heading into next season.
Charlotte Hornets - The Hornets have had a predictably bad season, but that's where the predictability ends in my opinion. Devonte Graham has exploded into a viable future cornerstone for this team. Team mainstays like Marvin Williams and Nicholas Batum have been rendered expendable and are perpetually fading into obscurity. Unfortunately, Batum's 25M/season contract isn't going anywhere just yet. Williams 15M comes off the books this summer. Rozier has been passable at the point, and the youth movement of PJ Williams and Miles Bridges should be the focus for the remainder of the season. I'd resolve to figure out what I have in Malik Monk before the end of this year. If he's not worth keeping around, then that's another wasted lottery pick on a team that has more than it's fair share. I'd encourage them to to try and sell some of their pieces (Zeller, Biyombo,etc) but I'm pretty sure no one is buying. Check out Devonte Graham if he's still an unknown to you!
Chicago Bulls - "Be aware of your weaknesses, but play to your strengths", should be the mantra of the Chicago Bulls in 2020. Unlike the Hornets, the Bulls have been wholly unpredictable in 2019-20, I mean I didn't expect them to be good, and they're not - but it's the 'why' that I find so surprising. Currently 7th in defensive rating in the league, something I never thought possible with players like Zach Lavine and Laurie Markannen leading the way. After an acrimonious start, the Bulls seem to have bought into Coach Jim Boylen's hard-nosed defensive focused system and there appears to be real growth on that end of the court. The Bulls should resolve to double down on this positive development in 2020, knowing that they're likely still an impact player or two away from being truly competitive. The fact that Bulls have begun to establish an identity, however unlikely, has to be cause for excitement in the windy city. Wendell Carter Jr. continues to prove he's the real deal and Kris Dunn may not have been a bust after all.
Cleveland Cavs - The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the most confounding teams in recent seasons. When Lebron and Kyrie left it seemed the Cavs were destined to burn it to the ground and start over (they should have!). Vowing to make a quick rebuild, the Cavs quickly inked aging 'star' Kevin Love to a long term deal, citing they'd be adding to Love in subsequent seasons. Except that hasn't happened, instead they've tortured him with point guards who loathe to pass, and a team that flat out refuses to defend. Now, we all (Cavs included) want to see Love move on to a contender and the Cavs finally accept their fate, and start over! The Cavs should resolve to move Kevin Love to the highest bidder for far into the future assets. In addition, they should attempt to impose a more ball movement friendly style upon guards Colin Sexton, and Darius Garland. Otherwise they're building castles in the sand in my opinion.
Detroit Pistons - "If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading", the wise and perhaps obvious words of Lao Tzu can provide a vision statement for the Detroit Pistons in 2020. The Piston's decided to roll the dice and partner up an unlikely tandem of Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond. In a league that seemingly only gets smaller and faster year to year, the Pistons chose to zig while others zagged. I don't fault the philosophy so much, but it's time to pull the plug. Blake has had another lost season, injuries continue to be one of his biggest issues and are one of the reasons people were critical of the trade to acquire Griffin (and his whopping contract) in the first place. A classically mediocre team, the Pistons have limited options for development; an aging roster, immovable contracts, slightly too much talent to tank. It might be time to see what future assets they could acquire for Andre Drummond. The Pistons should resolve to move on from 2 of the following 3 players, Drummond, Jackson, and Griffin. I'd say all 3, but I'm not sure how you can move either Jackson or Griffin without giving up another asset in the process.
Indiana Pacers - The Pacers and coach Nate McMillan continue to be one of the more underrated stories of the NBA, seemingly year in, year out. When you consider that they've played most of the season without their best player, their 6th place standing in the East is all the more laudable. With the continued ascension of Domontas Sabonis into a force inside the Pacers appear primed to make a run in the playoffs. Oladipo has begun a G league rehabilitation process which seems promising in getting him back on the court by the time the all star break comes around. If Oladipo can even get close to the player he was before his knee injury, the Pacers now have a much stronger roster to support their star of seasons passed. Malcolm Brogdon has proven himself to be more than worth the money the Pacers spent on him in the off season and I've already mentioned Sabonis. (one of the best contracts in basketball) Throw in quality depth in players like Turner, Lamb and Warren, and this Pacers team is going to make for a very difficult out for one of the favourites in the playoffs. The Pacers should resolve to ease Oladipo back into action and take the load off of the Hoosier until winning time in April and May.
Miami Heat - How great is Erik Spoelstra? Once a young coach that seemed destined to be pushed out of Miami because he tried to coach LeBron James, Spoelstra has become one of the absolute best coaches in the NBA! Second to only Poppovich for the longest tenured coach with the same team, Spoelstra has turned this Miami Heat team into unlikely contender with his team's relentlessly aggressive pace attacking on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. Free agent signing Jimmy Butler seems to have finally found a culture that matches his work ethic and abrasively challenging mentality. What's more is 3rd year center Bam Adebayo has emerged as the Heat's most valuable player this season and is making a case for an all star game invite. In a league that seems preoccupied with super teams and building around 'studs', the Heat represent an alternative approach. A team, that appears to be greater than the sum of their parts. The Heat should resolve to acquire one more big wing to play alongside Bam, allowing him to log more minutes at the 5. Currently Duncan Robinson and Meyers Leonard are playing nearly 48 minutes per game between them, some of those minutes could go to Winslow when he returns, but would this be a good landing spot for Tristan Thompson or Derrick Favors? I think a Chris Paul acquisition is possible, but represents an unnecessary shake up at too great an expense.
Milwaukee Bucks - There isn't much I can say to improve the Bucks, at 32-6 they sit atop the entire league in win percentage. They are first in defensive rating and 3rd in offensive rating. Winning by an average margin of nearly 12 points! Perhaps they already are the best version of themselves? They've got the reigning MVP leading the way and he seems to be continually improving. That said, the loss to the Sixers on Christmas Day highlighted what seems to be a lack of 3 point shooting around Giannis at times. Middleton has been much maligned for his underwhelming status as the second option on an obvious title contender, but he isn't the problem. It will depend on Bledsoe, Divencenzo, and Connaughton to knock down open 3's when teams load up to take away the drive in hopes of containing Giannis. The Bucks should resolve to add another knock down shooter or two in the hopes that they make an important shot or two when it matters most in the playoffs. In addition, I'd be considering the next move at center as Brook Lopez seems to be nearing the end of his productivity. (3pt% hovering around 30% this season) Nitpicking sure, but it could be the difference between a trip to the finals or another tough out when the pace slows down and the half court execution amps up in the playoffs.
New York Knicks - "Proper prior planning prevents pitiful poor performance." Don Meyer. Tthe Knicks must not have considered this last off season. As such, I'm sick of my squad. When I set about cutting all of the negative places that I expend my energy back in December, I somehow overlooked the black hole that is the NewYork Knickerbockers. The Knicks poor planning has led to an entirely predictable pitifully poor performance. The free agent signings (Randle, Portis, Morris, Gibson) pretty much all play the same position and rarely defend. Morris has been acceptable at the 3, but is better served as a small ball 4. The Porzingas trade continues to look worse every time Dennis Smith Jr. takes the court. The team management doesn't appear to be buying into a youth movement as everyone can agree that guys like Elf Payton, Morris and Randle give them the best chance to win, but the ceiling is still 25 wins, so who cares! This team should resolve to come to grips with how poor of a drafting team they've been of late, let's truly find out if Frank Ntilikina, Ignas Brazdeikiz, and Kevin Knox are players, busts or bench players. Let's get players like RJ Barret and Mitchell Robinson as many competitive minutes as possible. I understand that the results may be ugly, but what's the alternative?
Orlando Magic - Similar to what I've said above about Chicago, certainly applies to Orlando, perhaps more so. The Magic have established themselves for some time now as one of the leagues best defensive units. 2nd in the league in points allowed per game and 6th in defensive efficiency. Players like Johnathan Issac, Markelle Fultz! and Aaron Gordon highlight their individual match ups and the scheme seems to have elevated the defense of average defenders like Fournier, Vucevic and Augustine. The Magic were willing to take a chance on Fultz and the while the early returns are perhaps still not quite what you'd like to see for a first overall pick, that's not what Orlando gave up to get him. The Magic should resolve to implore Aaron Gordon to change his game, or move on from the athletic wing. Gordon has seen his points per game dip from 16 and 17 points per game in successive seasons, all the way down to 13 points per game this year. He's also shooting a career low 40% from the field and 27% from 3 point range. For a player in his 6th season in the league, it's safe to say that the 'potential' label has reached an expiry date. Gordon needs to slide into a more efficient role within the offense as a defender/finisher, and no longer consider himself a 'play-maker'. The Magic should resolve to have that hard discussion, or move on from the once promising wing.
Philadelphia Sixers - The Sixers continue to be one of the most interesting teams in the NBA. After some moves in the off season the Sixers are still dabbling with different roster compositions and lineups to close out the game. In a league that has gone small and is playing at breakneck pace, the Sixers represent a throwback with their size and slow down style of play. Interestingly, that always seems to be the lean of the league come playoff time, and the Sixers look like a team built for the half court playoff grind. That said, you still need shooting and I'm not so sure they have it. But with a line up like Simmons, Richardson, Harris, Horford and Embiid it's going to be awfully hard for the opposition to find space to shoot either. The Sixers should resolve to add some depth at the trade deadline in the form of defensive wing shooters, easier said than done. The other resolution that comes to mind is a "best version of himself" Joel Embiid. For a player that calls out the opposition so gleefully and frequently on social media, I'm floored that very few have called Embiid out for his lack of conditioning. Granted, he's still one of the leagues best, I can't help but wonder how overwhelming Embiid could be if he improved his conditioning. Throw in a conscious effort to avoid settling for 3 pointers and attack the low block game in, game out. We saw what he's capable of on Christmas Day when he went head to head with Giannis and won the match up, and the game. The Sixers should look to add some shooting and Embiid should look to improve his self discipline if he and the Sixers want to get over the top in 2020!
Toronto Raptors - The defending champs have been a story of resilience all season long, once again showing they have the heart of a champion! It seems every time a key player returns from injury, (Lowry) another one goes down. (Siakam) Given they lost Leonard in free agency, and have lost the most games to injury among projected playoff competitors - you have to tip your hat to the Raps and coach Nick Nurse. One has to ask how much longer can the Raptors keep this up? The tandem of Lowry and Van Vleet seem to be willing the team to victory in recent weeks, but how sustainable is this with Gasol, Powell and Siakam still out? The Raptors continue to find great efforts from their bench in the form of Ronde Hollis Jefferson and Chris Boucher. The Raptors have been one of the best defensive teams in the league (2nd in defensive efficiency), nearly holding opponents to under 105ppg. (4th in the league) The Raptors should resolve to do whatever is within their power to get their team healthy so they can truly see what they are capable of. The talk that they should move on from Lowry or Gasol is nonsense. At 4th place in the East, the Raptors are still very much a competitor, and we still haven't seen a prolonged run of the best version of the 2020 Raptors. Being cautious with Gasol and Siakam until the all star break, and reducing the overwhelming minute workload for their starters down the stretch might be the answer to getting this team back to health.
Washington Wizards - The Washington Wizards are the bizarro Orlando Magic. Undeniably the league's worst defensive team, the Wizards have been among the best at the offensive end! Scott Brooks has the Wiz playing at one of the fastest paces in the league. Bradley Beal continues to prove himself as more than just a scorer, becoming a complete play-maker in the continued absence of John Wall and his exorbitantly large contract! Davis Bertans has been a flamethrower from behind the arc all season long! The Wiz seem to have developed some of their young talent in the form of Thomas Bryant, Jordan McRae and Mo Wagner. Is the lack of defense a systematic thing, or just a reluctance to dig in on that end of the floor? That said, the Wiz need to resolve to make a conscious effort on the defensive end in 2020 if they want to see a cultural shift within the organization for the better. The offense is strong and should remain so despite the lack of big name talent on this roster, but the major improvements will come with an effort to collect stops and stay in front on the defensive end. Until that happens, the Wiz will continue to be a fun team to watch, but nothing more.
That's it for now! Stay tuned later this week for my look at the team's in the Western Conference!
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