The Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets all finished tied for the best record in the Southeast Division last season at 48-34. The Southeast Division will have a much different look in 2016-17 and it will be interesting to see if any of those three teams is able to contend for a division title. Here is a look at the biggest burning question for each NBA Southeast Division team.
Miami Heat – How Will The Remaining Pieces Fare?
Dwyane Wade left town to sign with the Chicago Bulls, Luol Deng signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, Joe Johnson moved to the Utah Jazz and Chris Bosh was told he will never play another game with Miami. That is a lot of veteran talent for one team to lose in a single offseason. How will the remaining pieces fare for the Heat this season? This is now Hassan Whiteside’s team but there might not be enough talent around him to contend for a playoff spot. Miami will rely heavily on youngsters like Justice Winslow and Josh Richardson to play bigger roles but even if they thrive this roster might not be deep enough to clinch a playoff spot in 2016-17.
Atlanta Hawks – How Dominant Can Dennis Schroder Be?
The Hawks have gone all-in on Dennis Schroder as their starting point guard and how successful they are in the Central will depend heavily on his performance this season. Jeff Teague was traded to the Indiana Pacers so it will be on Schroder to lead the way in head coach Mike Budenholzer’s system while maximizing the potential of players like Dwight Howard and Paul Millsap. Atlanta is talented enough to contend for a Southeast Division title this season but they will need Schroder to play at an All-Star level in order to reach their potential.
Charlotte Hornets – What Does MKG Bring To The Table?
Charlotte did not bring back Jeremy Lin or Al Jefferson and they will take a different approach this season while relying on the returning pieces they have in place to carry the load. One of those players is Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who is extremely talented but will need to improve his jumper in an effort to spread the floor in order to maximize his potential. MKG will be a key piece for the Hornets this season but it will be for better or for worse as they try to work him in to a more prominent role on a club where depth took a hit in the offseason. He’s a former lottery pick and the Hornets need him to be more than just an inconsistent wing piece if they’re to make some noise in the Southeast Division this year.
Washington Wizards – Who Steps Up As Option C?
The Wizards turned a lot of heads when they missed the postseason altogether last year and there will be no excuses for not reaching the playoffs this year. John Wall and Bradley Beal have the potential to be one of the best guard tandems in the NBA but they will need an option C to step up and help them carry the load. Otto Porter Jr. could be the best option although Markieff Morris still has a lot to give after disappointing last season. Washington has the talent to contend for the playoffs but the question is who steps as the locked in third-best offensive option behind Wall and Beal?
Orlando Magic – Is Too Much Of One Thing A Bad Thing?
Orlando shocked the basketball world with the trade that sent Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova and Domantas Sabonis to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Serge Ibaka. Things became that much more confusing when they followed up that move by bringing in Bismack Biyombo, Jeff Green and rookie Ryan Zimmerman in addition to Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic. The result is an absolutely loaded cast of frontcourt players mixed with a severe lack of capable guards. Is too much of one thing a bad thing? The Magic have talked about Aaron Gordon playing small forward but how will he stretch the floor? There is no doubt about Orlando’s depth up front but a lack of guard help could be the team’s major weakness that keeps it from taking a step forward in the Eastern Conference this season.
