We already told you who we believe will make the playoffs in the Western Conference. The picture in the Eastern Conference is a bit different. Just like the West, the East has six teams that are locks to play in May. They are the defending champion Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets, who last season weren’t in (a) Brooklyn or (b) the playoffs. You can find whatever real or imagined faults you’d like with those
UNDER CONTRACT: F Kevin Durant, G Russell Westbrook, C Kendrick Perkins, G James Harden, G Thabo Sefolosha, G Daequan Cook, F Nick Collison, C Cole Aldrich, G Eric Maynor, F-C Serge Ibaka, G Reggie Jackson, F Lazar Hayward, C Hasheem Thabeet, C Daniel Orton DRAFT PICKS: F Perry Jones FREE AGENTS: G Derek Fisher MOVES: The Thunder were very quiet during the moratorium period. They did sign free agent center Hasheem Thabeet to a two-year deal at less than $2 million. The erstwhile
UNDER CONTRACT: F Ryan Anderson, G Eric Gordon, F Al-Farouq Aminu, F Jason Smith, G Xavier Henry, G Greivis Vasquez, C Robin Lopez, F Hakim Warrick, G Roger Mason, G Brian Roberts DRAFT PICKS: F-C Anthony Davis, G Austin Rivers, F Darius Miller FREE AGENTS: F Lance Thomas MOVES: The Hornets are taking this rebuilding thing very seriously. Before they even began looking at next season’s roster, they created some flexibility for the 2013-14 squad by trading Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza – two starters
With the opening of training camps in late September, there is now more offseason behind us rather than in front of us. With six weeks to go, many teams are looking to fill the final spot or two on their rosters. And as we pointed out last week, there is not much to choose from. Although there has been talk about some of these teams possibly adding another player, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Golden State, Indiana, the Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis, New York, Oklahoma City
UNDER CONTRACT: G Arron Afflalo, F Al Harrington, F Hedo Turkoglu, F Glen Davis, G Jameer Nelson, G J.J. Redick, F Moe Harkless, C Nikola Vucevic, C Gustavo Ayon, G-F Quentin Richardson, G Christian Eyenga, F Josh McRoberts, F Justin Harper, G Ish Smith, G E’Twaun Moore DRAFT PICKS: F Andrew Nicholson, C Kyle O’Quinn FREE AGENTS: None MOVES: After holding firm in his desire to get fair – not equal – value in trading Dwight Howard, new GM Rob Hennigan deserves some criticism. He turned
UNDER CONTRACT: C Marcin Gortat, F-C Channing Frye, F Luis Scola, G Jared Dudley, F Markieff Morris, G Goran Dragic, F Michael Beasley, F Wesley Johnson, G Shannon Brown, F-C Jermaine O’Neal, G Sebastian Telfair, F P.J. Tucker DRAFT PICKS: G Kendall Marshall FREE AGENTS: G Michael Redd MOVES: The Suns did pretty well for a team whose biggest offseason splashes were the departure of the face of the franchise and a maximum offer sheet being matched. They moved on from Steve Nash, stunning the
UNDER CONTRACT: F Danilo Gallinari, C JaVale McGee, G-F Andre Iguodala, F Wilson Chandler, G Andre Miller, G-F Corey Brewer, C Kosta Koufos, C Timofey Mozgov, F Anthony Randolph, G Ty Lawson, F Kenneth Faried, F Jordan Hamilton DRAFT PICKS: G Evan Fournier, F Quincy Miller FREE AGENTS: F-C Chris Andersen MOVES: It was a somewhat expected offseason for the Nuggets until GM Masai Ujiri shoehorned his way into the Dwight Howard deal, landing do-it-all swingman Andre Iguodala from Philadelphia while sending Arron Afflalo,
UNDER CONTRACT: F Dirk Nowitzki, F Shawn Marion, G Vince Carter, C Chris Kaman, G Darren Collison, G Dahntay Jones, F Elton Brand, G O.J. Mayo, G Delonte West, G Roddy Beaubois, G Dominique Jones, F-C Brandan Wright DRAFT PICKS: G Jared Cunningham, C Bernard James, F Jae Crowder FREE AGENTS: F Brian Cardinal MOVES: After moving dispassionate Lamar Odom to the Clippers in a three-team deal that brought an $8.2 million trade exception from Utah, the Mavericks had the framework of their plan in place