The NBA season is just around the corner – time for the annual Previews Division!We present all teams, look at the best and worst case and make a forecast.Today: The Southeast Division.
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Point Guard: Dennis Schröder, Malcolm Delaney, Quinn Cook
Shooting Guard: Kent Bazemore, Marco Belinelli, Tyler Dorsey, Nicolas Brussino
Small Forward: Taurean Prince, DeAndre’ Bembry
Power Forward: Ersan Ilyasova, John Collins, Luke Babbitt
Center: Dewayne Dedmon, Miles Plumlee, Mike Muscala
The young players are fun.John Collins turns out to be a draft steal, the No. 19 pick quickly takes down Ersan Ilyasova’s starting spot on the Fourth and establishes itself as the cornerstone of the future.Taurean Prince confirms his good performances from the playoffs and the preseason on the grand piano and lets Marco Belinelli help him with the throw.Just like Dennis Schröder, he raises the distance throw to just under 40 percent and becomes the 3 and D player that Kent Bazemore was supposed to be.
For Schröder, the year is going very well for himself.The German raises his statistics again and minimizes the ball losses – in addition, he is also more and more a leader in Atlanta.The Hawks don’t win many games, but their achievements are rewarded with an invitation to the All-Star Game as a reservist.The harmony of Lobs with Dewayne Dedmon leads to several appearances in the SportsCenter.
After the playoffs are expected to be missed, the Hawks are lucky in the lottery and receive a top 3 pick.The Free Agency avoids wrong decisions a la Dwight Howard, the development of the Hawks is clearly pointing in the right direction.
After all veterans have left the team, Schröder demands that younger players address him with “Herr Schröder” and show loyalty to FlexGang.Mike Budenholzer is annoyed by this, but he has problems to reach his team anyway.
Since the Hawks play only for the Lottery, they will also be confronted with further leaks of bad players with trades during the season, and the promising talents of Prince, Collins, Tyler Dorsey and DeAndre’ Bembry will disappear behind Belinelli, Ilyasova and Co.in rotation.Schröder puts on good figures, but this hardly earns him any credit, especially since the Hawks seem to be so dysfunctional as if Howard was still employed by them.
Despite finishing last in the NBA overall, Atlanta only gets the No. 4 pick.The expiring contracts of Belinelli, Ilyasova and Luke Babbitt will be extended on a long-term and lucrative basis.
Forecast: 5.Place in the Southeast Division.
Page 1: Atlanta Hawks
Page 2: Charlotte Hornets
Page 3: Miami Heat
Page 4: Orlando Magic
Page 5: Washington Wizards