NBA Divisional Previews- The Central Division

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

Has there ever been a team more of a lock to win their respective conference than the Cavaliers are? The team not only has the best player in the entire NBA with LeBron James, but they also have immense talent surrounding him. Kyrie Irving is among the best point guards in the league, Kevin Love is a top-five power forward, J.R. Smith is one of the best shooters in the league, and their bench is full of role players who understand the role that they play.

The only major offseason addition this team made was acquiring Mike Dunleavy from the Bulls, who is another playoff proven veteran. Although I think the bench is a little weaker than in the previous two seasons, it is by no means poor from a talent perspective. Given the talent in the starting lineup the bench can survive.

I expect the team to improve their bench with their Anderson Verajao trade exception that they currently own. That exception will allow them to bring in another proven veteran. I expect them to target a few veteran players such as Ersan Ilyasova, Lou Williams, or Spencer Hawes.

Unlike in previous seasons I expect the Cavaliers to dominate the regular season this year. During the past two seasons the Cavaliers have looked vulnerable at times, but this year, they have momentum from their NBA finals championship that will likely carry over into the regular season. Don’t be shocked to see a return to All-Star form for Kevin Love and an uptick in scoring from Kyrie Irving, who could very well take over as the team’s leading scorer.

2. Indiana Pacers

I absolutely loved the Pacers’ offseason moves. Not only did they bolster their depth, but they also improved in terms of pure basketball talent. Bringing in Al Jefferson to play with the second unit was arguably the most underrated signing of the offseason. Big Al dealt with injuries all of last season, but playing in Indiana, in a role that will only require him to play around 15–20 minutes per game will only maximize his talent as a player. Getting Thaddeus Young for a low-first round pick was highway robbery. Young is a capable starting power forward and will do wonders for the Pacers’ offense. The addition of Jeff Teague is a major a upgrade at point guard over George Hill. Over the last few seasons the Pacers have been derailed by poor play from the point guard position. Teague is a proven All-Star caliber player; his acquisition will only improve both the offense and defense.

Paul George, who is coming off of a career year, is only going to improve. George is unarguably one of the best overall players in the league and could very well end up in the top-three of the league MVP voting by season’s end. George looked better as the season went along, and I only see that continuing as the time since his brutal leg injury passes.

3. Detroit Pistons

The Pistons are one of the youngest teams in the NBA, with their core group of players having a median age of about 24. Led by their superstar Andre Drummond, the Pistons are one of the best rebounding teams in the NBA, finishing second in offensive rebounds per game as a team. I expect that rebounding efficiency to continue this season. The team’s offense output will likely see an increase in production as their group of players come into their prime.

I loved the addition of Ish Smith. Last season the Pistons struggled to find a second unit point guard, but now, with Ish Smith on the roster, they have finally found a second unit guard capable of playing in a similar style to that of Reggie Jackson, the team’s first unit point guard. The second unit should be much more efficient this season than last, which was a huge problem last season.

The Pistons are a young, up-incoming team. I still think they’re a year or two away from being a legitimate contender in the East, but could I see them over achieving? Possibly, but we’ll have to wait and see.

4. Chicago Bulls

It was a tail of two stories this offseason for the Bulls- at first, it appeared as if they were rebuilding, but after acquiring Dwyane Wade, they changed their mindset, deciding to try to win now. Not only did they bring in Wade, but they also brought in Rajon Rondo.

Unlike the moves by the Pacers and Pistons, the moves the Bulls made were head scratching to say the least. Their backcourt is one of the worst shooting backcourts in the NBA. Rondo and Wade are abysmal at three-point shooting. Their small forward, Jimmy Butler (the team’s best player), also struggles at shooting the three point shot. In a league that values the three-point shot as much as the NBA does, the Bulls might be the worst at team at that aspect of the game.

The depth of the Bulls is also very problematic. The team’s second unit lacks a definitive scorer, who in crunch time can get a bucket at will. The lack of a competent scorer on their second unit will be detrimental to the team’s playoff chances this season.

5. Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks are coming off of a disappointing season, one in which they not only failed to reach their expectations, but also failed to resemble anything close to a competent basketball team.

This past offseason the Bucks failed to make any significant moves, their biggest move being the addition of Mathew Dellavedova to run the second unit. They failed to trade Greg Monroe, which was the team’s number one priority heading into the offseason.

The biggest bright spot for the Bucks is the continued development of their best player Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is just entering his prime. The Bucks are far from that of a playoff team; their biggest goal this season should be building around the Greek Freak. In other words, they should look to unload players such as Michael Carter-Williams and Greg Monroe.