#5 - Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets are young, but they have some great potential. LaMelo Ball is a former NBA All-Star, which is way more than what we can say about his brothers or his father. However, he's inconsistent and his supporting cast has been underwhelming to say the least. Now, Ball does have some legitimate help in Brandon Miller who made the all-rookie team after a superb first year. Nobody expected that out of him. Miles Bridges was supposed to be completely done for after his off-the-court issues, but he's returned to high potential. Who knows, maybe he'll be an all-star in the near future. The team also welcomes in a great veteran in Grant Williams who helped the Celtics make the NBA Finals in 2022.
Unfortunately, this team lacks the size and star-power that their young players can't give them yet. Mark Williams is not a starting big man in this league yet, but he'll have to do for Charlotte because I wouldn't in my right mind start the guys behind him. Tre Mann has not shown that he's anywhere near as good as advertised and Seth Curry is 34 years-old and has never been a first-oprion.
The Hornets have some potential, but it may be a year or two before they're a contender.
#4 - Washington Wizards
Washington has been in trouble for a while, but they may have found some daylight. They're rebuilding and Alex Sarr might just be the guy to save them. Sarr was the highest rated player in the draft this year and many feel that he will be Rookie of the Year. He will make an impact, but his team will not be as helpful. Yet he is going to learn next to two of the most experienced big men in the game: Jonas Valančiūnas and Richaun Holmes.
While working on Alex Sarr's development, the Wizards have a number of veterans that can run the show. Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole are former NBA champions that are proven playmakers. The signing of Malcolm Brogdon to run the point gives Washington a veteran who knows how to win. Combine that with all that young talent from Saddiq Bey, Bilal Coulibaly, Corey Kispert, Johnny Davis, and Marvin Bagley III.
While the team lacks star power today, give them a few years to develop and they could be a major contender down the road.
#3 - Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks got lucky this offseason. They drafted Zaccharie Risacher number one overall and they don't even need him to be their star player. Trae Young is still the superstar that we've come to know over the last few years. With the addition of Risacher to the Hawks lineup, Atlanta should be a contender for a playoff spot and much more down the road.
Now, that only works if Atlanta can put together the right pieces around these two. They do have a decent core with Clint Capela, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and DeAndre Hunter, but that's all the Hawks have right now. They don't have the bench to carry them through the postseason. However, they have the ability to go get great players in the future once Risacher is fully developed and dangerous.
The Hawks will be fun to watch, but this team is looking towards the future when it comes to contention.
#2 - Miami Heat
Could Erik Spoelstra possibly lead the Heat to another NBA Finals and another championship. I'm not putting all of my chips in that bag yet, but anything is possible, right? Jimmy Butler has been after that championship for his entire career and he's been so close so many times. There's just a different level in playoff Jimmy Butler than there is in regular season Jimmy Butler. He's dominant in the playoffs.
On top of that, the Heat have a trio of the best wings in the league. We all knew Tyler Herro was a beast when he dominated the Eastern Conference in the bubble. Jaime Jaquez Jr. went from the best player on UCLA to first team all-rookie. Duncan Robinson has had his struggles, but he's a sharpshooter that can only benefit the team that he's on.
And how can we forget about Bam Adebayo. A top 5 center in a big man heavy league, this guy can flat out play in the middle. Teams should really be afraid of him. Kevin Love will keep defenses on their toes with his ability to grab offensive rebounds and step outside for threes.
Sure, their not the best team in their division, but don't sleep on them. They could go far still.
#1 - Orlando Magic
The Magic have two players who will be all-stars this year in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Banchero is an all-star with potential that I think is higher than everyone thinks. He could be a multi-time champion with the Magic when it's all said and done. Wagner has surprised some people with his ability to complement Banchero on the offensive end. This is a one-two punch that teams will have real trouble dealing with.
On top of that, this team is DEEP. They have both Wendell Carter Jr. and Jonathan Isaac competing for the big man starting spot. Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, and Cole Anthony will all be fighting for the point guard spot as well. The smart thing that Orlando did was sign two-time NBA champion shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. He just seems to win wherever he ends up.
The Magic are a young team just coming into their primes. Look for this team to make some noise in the playoffs this year.
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