In search of the new sheriff in the NBA Eastern Conference

The whistle is heard in the background. The dust rises, the leaves fly, people rush to hide in the houses. The cowboys are at odds, but they are ahead. It is not yet the appointed time. The sunlight does not reveal the faces, not even the outfits.

“Too early to die,” thinks the gravedigger in the distance, ready to engrave the epitaph of the fallen man in stone. A sound, in the distance, fragments the afternoon. The birds fly. The gallop attracts glances and brings anticipation. The sun is blinding when it bounces off the sheet metal. The two brave men see him coming and abandon their purpose. It won’t be now.

It’s him. The new sheriff of the East.

The “other” NBA Conference is preparing to learn a new law. Without Jayson Tatum in Boston Celtics and without Tyrese Haliburton in Indiana Pacers, an inevitable change is emerging. Who has what it takes to break through and make it to June to challenge for the Larry O’Brien Trophy? In the realm of expectations, we prepare to bring answers.

Behold, five candidates ready to come to the fore.

He signed again: Sam Merrill
Reinforcement: Lonzo Ball (trade), Thomas Bryant (free agent), Larry Nance Jr. (free agent)
Draft: Tyrese Proctor (49th pick), Saliou Niang (58th pick)
Departures: Javonte Green (free agent), Ty Jerome (free agent), Chuma Okeke (outside), Isaac Okoro (trade)
Unsigned free agents: Tristan Thompson

He was the revelation of last season, with a remarkable record of 64-18. First in the East, they lost to the Indiana Pacers in the Conference Semifinals. But now, without Hali, Indiana is something else.

And Cleveland, with Kenny Atkinson honoring his Coach of the Year award, has more experience at key positions. Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland (recovering from surgery) make up a luxury perimeter, Jarrett Allen is size and performance in the painted area and Evan Mobley He is decisive, Defensive Player of the Year and X Factor of a team that aspires to compete in June as a realistic goal.

The Cavaliers, however, are not individuals: they are a team. The arrival of De’Andre Hunter last season enriched them and gave them greater vitality for the last stretch of the competition.

The objective, then, is to move to the consolidation stage. Once the surprise is behind us, the best offensive efficiency of last season should crown the expectation with a ticket to the Finals. Anything else will taste insufficient..

They signed again: Mikal Bridges (extension), Ariel Hukporti (exercised team option)
Reinforcement: Jordan Clarkson (free agent), Guerschon Yabusele (free agent)
Draft: Mohamed Diawara (51st pick, acquired via trade)
Departures: nobody
Free agents: Precious Achiuwa, Cameron Payne, PJ Tucker, Delon Wright

Jalen Brunson and Tom Thibodeau were the New York Knicks’ bread and butter. The coach who had known him since he was a child and the new king of the Big Apple. With the departure of Thibs, Brunson will have to reposition himself as leader with Mike Brown at the helm.

That said, we will be in the presence of a new Knicks, not so much because of what Jordan Clarkson and Guerson Yabusele, new reinforcements, can provide from the second unit, but because we look forward to seeing a deeper rotation to reach the last stretch of the season with legs to compete for everything. Now… Do they have names to extend minutes? The challenge will be to find those soldiers who are sympathetic to the cause.

The two stones in New York’s shoe last season are no longer the same. They defeated the Celtics once Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles tendon (although he had already been more competitive than his rival before that misfortune) and then lost to the Pacers, who may not have Haliburton active this season. For these reasons, and because the poker of Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Karl Anthony-Towns and OG Anunoby already has more flight hours together, the Knicks can go for the big prize.

A weakness to overcome in the next year? The defense. They were the 16th most efficient without the ball in the entire NBA. Not acceptable for a team seeking its first Larry O’Brien trophy since 1973.

They signed again: Paolo Banchero (extension), Mo Wagner
Reinforcement: Desmond Bane (trade), Tyus Jones (free agent)
Draft: Jase Richardson (25th pick), Noah Penda (32nd pick, acquired via trade)
Departures: Cole Anthony (trade), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (trade), Gary Harris (free agent), Caleb Houstan (free agent)
Unsigned free agent: Cory Joseph

If the NBA were an evolutionary race, or a ladder step by step, We could say that Magic is knocking on the doors of heaven. Jamahl Mosley’s team had, what is said, a perfect progression. Reconstruction, evolution and now it is going for consolidation. For the extra step that makes him compete for everything. Do you have what? It is the big question we ask ourselves.

Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, young leaders of the team, are going through one of the best moments of their careers. The arrival of Desmond Bane brings new offensive options with distance shooting and also more hunger to a team whose voracity has been there for years. in crescendo.

The topics to follow here are group health, an asset that Orlando rarely enjoyed despite the youth of its pieces, strength in the painted area to accompany Banchero, and the extra that is needed to finally beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, Magic’s bete noire in the last few seasons of the playoffs. Oh, I forgot: the attack. Will Bane serve to unlock the goal and make the team grow from the fateful 27th place in offensive efficiency?

They signed again: Chris Livingston, Kevin Porter Jr., Bobby Portis, Taurean Prince, Ryan Rollins, Jericho Sims, Gary Trent Jr.
Reinforcement: Thanasis Antetokounmpo (free agent), Cole Anthony (free agent), Gary Harris (free agent), Myles Turner (free agent)
Draft: Bogoljub Marković (47th pick)
Departures: Pat Connaughton (trade), Damian Lillard (released from Blazers), Brook Lopez (free agent), Vasilije Micić (outside)

Unsigned free agent: nobody

The rescue to keep Giannis in the structure is already taking on desperate overtones: Now they signed the other missing brother, Alex, to stay. The situation comes days after Shams Charania communicated his flirtation with the New York Knicks on his social networks. Today’s world, in terms of agents, suspicions, rumors and sporting infidelities, is truly unbearable.

The truth is that Antetokounmpo is for the Bucks for now and to stay over time they will have to be competitive. Fight for big things. The arrival of Myles Turner, replacing the outgoing Brook Lopez, goes along those lines, but they must, after the departure of Damian Lillard, find in the arrival of Cole Anthony and the continuity of Kevin Porter Jr., some decent third sword to accompany both inmates.

Of the batch of Eastern sheriff candidates, Milwaukee is the most unpredictable of all. Lighting candles for Giannis, and fulfilling all his wishes, will be the board’s mission this season.

As sad as it is real.

He signed again: nobody
Reinforcement: Nickeil Alexander-Walker (sign and trade), N’Faly Dante (free agent), Luke Kennard (free agent), Kristaps Porziņģis (trade)
Draft: Asa Newell (23rd pick, acquired via trade)
Departures: Kobe Bufkin (trade), Clint Capela (trade), Caris LeVert (free agent), Terance Mann (trade), Larry Nance Jr. (free agent), Georges Niang (trade), David Roddy (released)
Unsigned free agent: Garrison Mathews

I suspect this is the team we won’t see coming. The one who flies under the radar with who is, perhaps, the player with the most character in the entire NBA: Trae Young. The Hawks have been flirting with the playoffs for a while and the current season that begins may finally be the launching pad for Quin Snyder’s team.

The arrival of Kristaps Porzingis, weakening the candidate of the last five years Boston Celtics, comes with a label of doubt: Is he healthy? Can he go a full season without injury? Difficult, but not impossible. The signing of Nick Alexander-Walker strengthens the balance at the forward position, while the departure of Clint Capela will make him lose explosion in the paint.

There are three players who can be kryptonite for rivals, with great potential in the NBA: Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson and the number one pick in the 2024 Draft, Zaccharie Risacher. The difference between achieving it or not is often in the flight hours collected, an experience that these three musketeers already have.

Atlanta’s goal will be to finally cross the Rubicon towards the playoffs. Of course: if they achieve it, it is very possible that they will not just stay at the front door. Everyone is duly notified.