In October, it would’ve seemed strange to say that Portland and Utah were nearing locks as playoff teams with two-thirds of the season complete. However, both teams have been on a tear as of late, and with Houston falling apart lately, it’s not such a bold prediction to imagine them both playing in May.
Speaking of Houston, they have a problem. Well, problems. Ty Lawson is what most critics of his deal believed he would be: a bust. Dwight Howard is solid, but aging. James Harden plays defense as well as I do, and honestly, I probably try harder than he does. Houston General Manager Daryl Morey is well-known for his NBA 2K style of GM moves, trading players and picks like cards at the elementary school lunch table. It will be interesting to see if he decides to blow up the team or make a wholesale move to improve their chances. With Howard on an expiring contract and Lawson getting up there in age, it’s hard to imagine this team being primed for a lot of deep playoff runs in the future.
So what bold predictions can be made for the rest of the season?
Charlotte will win their first playoff series since 2002
The Hornets are surging at what appears to be the best time. They’re 9-4 over their past 13 games, including a 5-2 run since Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s return from injury. The downside? MKG just reinjured the same shoulder that cost him the first three months of the season. The upside? Kemba Walker has been playing at an All-Star level. Also, Al Jefferson should be back soon. While he hasn’t been as effective this season as the previous two seasons, he has 20-10 potential on a team with Cody Zeller starting at the five in his absence.
The biggest reason to think that they have a shot at winning their first series since Baron Davis outdueled T-Mac is that the teams immediately ahead of them, Chicago and Indiana, are in varying states of disarray, with Chicago going through tough battles with the injury bug and Indiana going 6-9 over their past 15 games. If Charlotte can climb the ladder to 6th, then they may get to face off against a young Boston team or a division rival such as Miami or Atlanta. While they have a 1-2 record against both foes this season, both of their wins have come in blowout fashion while their losses have been by an average of 4.5 points. At near full health, especially if MKG rehabs in time for the playoffs, I could bet that Charlotte is able to steal a game or two on the road.
Dwight Howard will be a member of…
The Boston Celtics. Or maybe Chicago. Or Dallas. At this point, I’m guessing, but Boston does seem to make some sense. It would give the Celtics a low-post threat the likes of which they’ve not seen since Garnett left for Brooklyn. Despite his “lack of production” lately, Howard is still capable of All-Star numbers, and if the chemistry can be figured out quickly, he could help the Celtics battle the top tier of the East. Toronto and Cleveland both have low-post defenders (Biyombo and Mozgov, respectively), but neither are technically full-time starters, so Boston could really carry an advantage down low.
Chicago doesn’t really make sense to me. In fact, forget I even wrote it. Dallas, on the other hand, could get a heck of a consolation prize from their Deandre saga over the offseason. Howard would immediately pair with Dirk for one of the most effective offensive frontcourts in the league (Howard sits at 61.2 percent from the field, third best in the NBA).
All in all, I think that if Howard is moved, it’ll likely be to the Celtics as they have more than enough assets and cap space to make a trade work. Atlanta and Indiana are dark horses in my mind.
Brooklyn will finish with the worst record in the NBA
Here’s how it will happen:
- Brooklyn trades Thaddeus Young somewhere that he can win.
- Brooklyn enters tank mode.
In all reality, Thaddeus Young is their second-best, or best, player. However, he probably won’t fit into the long-term plans for the Nets. Any playoff-bound team in need of a productive power forward would salivate over the chance to get Young in a trade. So it seems very likely that he’ll be moved by Thursday.
Aside from that, Joe Johnson may get the boot if the Nets can find a trade partner desperate enough for an expiring contract. Ideally, Brooklyn would turn his $24 million into a young asset that could be groomed into a starter or role player. It still remains more likely that he will finish out his contract and become a free agent this summer.
Devoid of Young and any major talent outside of Brook Lopez to speak of, Brooklyn will probably continue their trend of falling down the standings. They are 5-17 in 2016 and don’t seem to be trending any better in the near future.
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