Re-seeding the East: Boston Celtics have real competition after splashy NBA offseason

Has the Eastern Conference caught up to the Boston Celtics?
Indiana Pacers v New York Knicks - Game Five
Indiana Pacers v New York Knicks - Game Five / Sarah Stier/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 9
Next

The Play-In Tournament hopefuls

10. Atlanta Hawks - The Atlanta Hawks may not be as bad as some people believe they will be. Even though they traded Dejounte Murray away this offseason, Trae Young is still on the roster and he's going to complicate things if Atlanta wants to tank this season. If Zaccharie Risacher is more ready to play than initially thought, the Hawks could be a surprise team in the East.

9. Toronto Raptors - As the Toronto Raptors continue to retool around Scottie Barnes, it's entirely impossible to predict just how good the team will be this season. However, they do have a talented trio of Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett. How far that trio can take them remains to be seen.

8. Orlando Magic - The Orlando Magic are in a tough spot heading into this season. They have certainly improved their roster but there's a chance they take a slight step back this season due to how much the rest of the conference has improved. Make no mistake, the Magic will still be a problem this season.

7. Miami Heat - The Miami Heat is trending in the wrong direction but they're still incredibly talented and if they're healthy, it's hard to count this team out in the Eastern Conference. In a contract year, I believe Jimmy Butler could be in for a huge season.