One year after reaching the NBA Finals for the fourth straight season, the Miami Heat took a major step back thanks to LeBron’s departure and Chris Bosh’s health, and actually finished outside of a playoff spot. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks paced the NBA’s Southeast division with 60 wins and finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference while the Washington Wizards took a step forward as the only other team from the Southeast to make the playoffs. The Heat, Hawks and Wizards are all expected to contend for playoff spots this season but that doesn’t mean they don’t have their weaknesses. Here is a look at the biggest hole for each of the Southeast division teams:
Atlanta Hawks: Small Forward
Atlanta matched a franchise record with 60 wins last season but money restraints kept them from brining back one of the unsung heroes of their success in DeMarre Carroll at the small forward position. Carroll is an excellent defender that showed flashes at the offensive end while serving as a cleanup guy as well as someone who could shoot the three-ball. However, the Hawks were up against it financially and elected to instead bring back Paul Millsap.
Thabo Sefolosha will get the opportunity to fill the void left by Carroll’s departure but he is still recovering from a broken right fibula along with the ligament damage he suffered in April. He’s also 31 years old. Kent Bazemore, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Justin Holiday are in the mix but Atlanta could definitely use an upgrade at the small forward position.
Washington Wizards: A Stretch 3 Or 4
It took some time for the Wizards to realize how valuable a forward that could stretch the floor would be to their offense but they finally figured things out in the playoffs when Paul Pierce propelled them. Pierce left for the Los Angeles Clippers this offseason and while Washington attempted to fill the hole with a trade for Jared Dudley, they could use a more skilled player at the position. The Wizards drafted Aaron White in the second round but he is still at least a year away, so it would make sense for the team to pursue a 3 or 4 that could stretch the floor with three-point shooting.
Miami Heat: Depth Across The Board
Miami hit it big this summer when Goran Dragic signed a long-term deal and Justise Winslow fell to them at No. 10 in the NBA Draft but they weren’t done there. The Heat managed to sign veterans Amar’e Stoudamire and Gerald Green to minimum contracts and when you factor in those four additions with the healthy return of Bosh as well as the return of Wade and Luol Deng, and Miami suddenly looks like a contender.
The Heat would benefit from another veteran guard or forward to cement their depth but a starting five that includes Dragic, Wade, Winslow, Bosh, Deng and Hassan Whiteside has the potential to be very dangerous this season.
Charlotte Hornets: Perimeter Scoring
The Hornets reloaded this summer with the additions of Nicolas Batum, Frank Kaminsky, Jeremy Lin, Spencer Hawes, Jeremy Lamb and Aaron Harrison while moving out Lance Stephenson, Noah Vonleh, Gerald Henderson and Bismack Biyombo. That’s a lot of turnover for one season. The hope is that the shake up can help Charlotte contend for a playoff spot after settling for 33 wins last season. However, offense is still an Achilles’ heel for this group. The Hornets finished 28th in offensive efficiency last season and while Batum and Kaminsky can help, they aren’t the type of impact players that will carry this team to the postseason. Charlotte appears set at guard and on the wing but they could certainly use an upgrade at one of the three positions.
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Orlando Magic: Veteran Big Man
Orlando has assembled some impressive young talents in Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo and Aaron Gordon, and they bring back Nikola Vucevic as a skilled scorer and rebounder. However, they could use a veteran big man that can help them protect the rim and provide a strong presence in the paint at the other end of the floor as well. The Magic tied for the sixth-highest field-goal percentage allowed at the rim last season and with Payton and Oladipo on the perimeter, they could really use a veteran big man that can make things tougher on opponents in the paint. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Gordon took over the starting power forward job ahead of Channing Frye as the latter is not a defensive deterrent. The Magic could use somebody who adds toughness and makes opponents think twice about driving the lane.
