The Eastern Conference

[Wurider05]

It looking like Cleveland will waltz their way to the ECF again next year.  While over in the West they are equipping themselves for war while the Eastern Conference may actually have a team with under 30 wins make the play offs. It is looking that bad. As of today, regardless of what moves are made I think that the Kings are the only team in the West that have no shot of making the playoffs. Even when MJ was dominating the East was no cake walk. What the hell happened? Its like everyone is waiting for Lebron to retire or get hit by a bus. Maybe someone will step up and challenge the Cavs. The Hawks even in rebuilding mode will still make the playoffs. That us how bad the east is. It maybe a long time before we see an eastern conference team win the championship. Again I know that  its early in free agency but only a fool would can't see what his going on. Schlenk wants to be competitive in a conference where a losing record can get you a playoff berth. Even if someone gets past the Cavs it is a murderer's row in the west.

[DS5]

At least the Celtics weren't able to trade for anyone. 

[REHawksFan]

18 minutes ago, Wurider05 said:

It looking like Cleveland will waltz their way to the ECF again next year.  While over in the West they are equipping themselves for war while the Eastern Conference may actually have a team with under 30 wins make the play offs. It is looking that bad. As of today, regardless of what moves are made I think that the Kings are the only team in the West that have no shot of making the playoffs. Even when MJ was dominating the East was no cake walk. What the hell happened? Its like everyone is waiting for Lebron to retire or get hit by a bus. Maybe someone will step up and challenge the Cavs. The Hawks even in rebuilding mode will still make the playoffs. That us how bad the east is. It maybe a long time before we see an eastern conference team win the championship. Again I know that  its early in free agency but only a fool would can't see what his going on. Schlenk wants to be competitive in a conference where a losing record can get you a playoff berth. Even if someone gets past the Cavs it is a murderer's row in the west.

Here's the obvious problem with the system....as it looks right now, you could have Western teams miss the playoff that win 10-15 more games than some East playoff teams.  Which means that they will be in the Lottery while the unlucky east playoff teams - the ones that NEED the lottery - won't be.  A team like the Hawks absolutely COULD win 32-33and make the East playoffs and then draft behind a team like Denver that wins 45-46 games.  Completely possible with this idiotic draft system and the extreme imbalance between the two conferences. 

Edited July 1, 2017 by REHawksFan

[Flight]

Yeah I think it's really the West trying to compete with the Warriors arms race style. Everyone's trying to load up their teams with talent. In the East all we got is youth and aspirations. I'm surprised Cleveland ain't considering trading LeBron, cause I doubt they're winning it all next year anyways barring injuries. 

[CP61]

To everyone saying we will make the playoffs even though the team is rebuilding, I still think that unless there are major moves, ten teams in the east are better than us. 

Cle, Bos, Was, MIL, Tor, Mia, Det, Char, Knicks, and 76ers..

The only worse teams assuming we don't get a lot better are the Nets who will be looking to throw money at players, Magic who have a chance to be better, Pacers, And Bulls.

[Alex]

Are there odds to make NBA finals yet?  Cavaliers would definitely be - something as far as betting goes, but talk about easy money.

[REHawksFan]

1 hour ago, CP61 said:

To everyone saying we will make the playoffs even though the team is rebuilding, I still think that unless there are major moves, ten teams in the east are better than us. 

Cle, Bos, Was, MIL, Tor, Mia, Det, Char, Knicks, and 76ers..

The only worse teams assuming we don't get a lot better are the Nets who will be looking to throw money at players, Magic who have a chance to be better, Pacers, And Bulls.

I really hope you are correct.  It would be the most Atlanta thing ever to TRY to suck in order to get a lottery pick and still end up 7/8 in the East and miss the lottery.  I'm not so sure Charlotte, NYK, and Phi are clearly better than the Hawks.  So, imo, they could still be a reasonable bet to make the playoffs as an 8 seed. 

[CP61]

Just now, REHawksFan said:

I really hope you are correct.  It would be the most Atlanta thing ever to TRY to suck in order to get a lottery pick and still end up 7/8 in the East and miss the lottery.  I'm not so sure Charlotte, NYK, and Phi are clearly better than the Hawks.  So, imo, they could still be a reasonable bet to make the playoffs as an 8 seed. 

 I want to make it clear that Dennis Schröder is my favorite player, and he will be our best player. That being said, him being our best player is a terrible thing for the team. Like top 3 pick bad. I think Charlotte Winn kemba, Batum, Dwight, and Zeller are a lot better. The Knicks still have Melo and Porzingis should only get better. The Sixers have Embiid who, when healthy, looks to be an elite center, the last two number one picks , and money to burn on someone like JJ Reddick. We have Dennis and Taurean. Unless Schlenk pivots and spends on some difference making few agents, this team wins 20 something games tops.

[Diesel]

2 hours ago, CP61 said:

To everyone saying we will make the playoffs even though the team is rebuilding, I still think that unless there are major moves, ten teams in the east are better than us. 

Cle, Bos, Was, MIL, Tor, Mia, Det, Char, Knicks, and 76ers..

The only worse teams assuming we don't get a lot better are the Nets who will be looking to throw money at players, Magic who have a chance to be better, Pacers, And Bulls.

Knicks  = No.

Det. - No.

Mia = Wait and see. 

Then there's injury.

20 minutes ago, REHawksFan said:

I really hope you are correct.  It would be the most Atlanta thing ever to TRY to suck in order to get a lottery pick and still end up 7/8 in the East and miss the lottery.  I'm not so sure Charlotte, NYK, and Phi are clearly better than the Hawks.  So, imo, they could still be a reasonable bet to make the playoffs as an 8 seed. 

Before a tank strategy..  Who is there worthy of tanking for?

[CP61]

12 minutes ago, Diesel said:

Knicks  = No.

Det. - No.

Mia = Wait and see. 

Then there's injury.

Before a tank strategy..  Who is there worthy of tanking for?

Doesnt matter who I think is worth tanking for since clearly Schlenk has a plan in mind. I think a lot of people will be surprised at how bad the Hawks are. We were bad last year. We were outscored and took advantage of really easy stretches of schedule. Take Millsap's, THJ (maybe), Dwight, Moose (maybe), And Ilyasova away and the Hawks would are a basement team. i don't see any indication of that changing yet.

[Buzzard]

Miami, Boston, Toronto, Washington, and Cleveland will win 50 games if nothing else changes After that it is just scraps.

[High5]

Cleveland, Boston, Washington, Toronto, Milwaukee, Charlotte, and Miami will all be better than us. Philly just signed Redick. They'll be better if Embiid can play a reasonable amount of games. I haven't followed anything with Detroit, but they should be better. 

We barely made the playoffs with Sap and Dwight. I don't think we have anything to worry about.

[REHawksFan]

2 hours ago, Diesel said:

Knicks  = No.

Det. - No.

Mia = Wait and see. 

Then there's injury.

Before a tank strategy..  Who is there worthy of tanking for?

No idea. I just want them to either commit to tanking or commit to winning. The status quo of being a 1st or 2nd rd playoff team is not working. 

 

Go all in and spend or make trades to get a star or commit to tanking. Pick a strategy and go for it. That's all I'm saying.

[thecampster]

4 hours ago, DS5 said:

At least the Celtics weren't able to trade for anyone. 

Again, it is not a surprise. The Celtics need be be conservative in their moves due to the large number of players heading into free agency this year and next. Their cap space isn't completely legit.