Atlanta Hawks

Let Young Go

It’s time to just blow up the whole roster. The Trae Young experiment hasn’t worked at all other than the 2021 NBA playoffs. Even though Trae Young is having one of his best seasons of his career, it is not translating to wins. The Hawks should move on from Young and get the maximum amount of draft capital that they can get. Realistically, they would get roughly 6-8 1st round picks from an organization. This whole scenario is very unlikely but the Hawks should transition to a different brand of basketball.       

Miami Heat 

Is Rozier Enough?

Recently, the Miami Heat traded away Kyle Lowry and a future 1st round pick for Terry Rozier. This was a phenomenal trade for the Miami Heat. They eliminated a huge contract for a solid player and a great scorer. The Heat were one of the worst half court offenses in the league. Adding Terry Rozier will drastically change that, but will this take them over the hump? Will this trade elevate the team over the 76ers, Celtics, Bucks, and Knicks? The 2nd half of this season will be very important for the Heat because the Heat are known for being a playoff team. The team needs to get their chemistry back so they can contend.     

Orlando Magic 

Way Too Quick

It felt like yesterday when the Orlando Magic blew up their roster. It is currently Year 3 of their rebuild, and they are exceeding expectations. The Magic have a 24-22 record and are the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. They are only 3.5 games back from the 6th seed, and they are a very scary team to face in the playoffs, but is it too soon? Their star player, Paulo Banchero, is only in year 2, and will he be able to carry that load and win a playoff series? The team has no veteran presence other than Joe Ingles. The team is too young, but they are a year or two away from being championship contenders.       

Charlotte Hornets

Top Young Core

The Charlotte Hornets are the 13th seed with a 10-34 record. It might not show, but they are one of the top young cores in the NBA. This season, the Hornets were dealt with injuries, but when they play together, you can see potential. 

Lemalo Ball, this season, is averaging 23.9 points per game (PPG), 8 assists per game (APG), and 5.1 rebounds per game (RPG). Lemalo is the Hornets cornerstone and is the catalyst of the Hornets offense.

Brandon Miller averaging 14.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 2.3 APG. On draft day, everyone booed him when the Hornets drafted him, but surprisingly enough, they made the right pick. Miller has been playing amazing this year and has a bright future on the team. 

Finally, Mark Williams is averaging 12.7 PPG, 9.7 RPG, and 1.1 blocks per game (BPG). Williams is the perfect pick-and-roll partner for Lemalo. He does all the dirty work in the paint. If he keeps doing what he is doing, then the Hornets will be set. 

These 3 young players are some of the best, and with the right pieces around them, the Hornets will win many games.   

Washington Wizards 

Tank For Topic

The Washington Wizards have an 8-37 record and are 14th in the Eastern Conference. If the Wizards decide to move on from Tyus Jones at the deadline, they will be left with no starting point guard. The Wizards are projected to have the  2nd overall pick and this is where they would select Nikola Topic. He is a 6’6 point guard who has player comparisons to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Topic is the perfect guard for the Wizards to build around.