Offseason Moves: Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics

Who's Coming:Tyler Zeller (trade), Marcus Thornton (trade), Evan Turner (FA), Marcus Smart (6th overall), James Young (17th overall)

Who's Going:Jerryd Bayless (FA), Kris Humphries (FA)

The reconstruction of the Celtics roster – which started last summer with the departure of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce – is very much a work in progress. General manager Danny Ainge continues to acquire assets – young, inexpensive players and draft picks –in the hopes of putting together a deal to bring in a superstar or two.

The next phase of Ainge's job will likely be completed closer to next February's trade deadline with a resolution of Rajon Rondo's status. The trade buzz was noticeably quiet this summer, but with the All-Star point guard facing free agency next summer, Ainge will be looking to get some return if he can't – or doesn't want to – lock Rondo up long-term. There was one report that Rondo – who will hit free agency during the summer of 2016 – has already requested a trade, but all the parties involved have denied that. Ainge is also reportedly shopping several other veterans, including Jeff Green (who has a $9.2 million player option for the 2015-16 season), Gerald Wallace (signed through the 2015-16 season at over $10 million per), and Brandon Bass. Ainge's desire to dump one of those salaries may be the reason Evan Turner's deal with the Cs still isn't official.

So, who is part of the Celtics' plans? Rookie point guard Marcus Smart, who could wind up with a much more important role if Rondo is traded during the season. Same goes for rookie wing James Young, who would become a much more important part of the rotation should Ainge move Jeff Green. Avery Bradley got a strong vote of confidence during the offseason, in the form of a four-year, $32 million contract.

The Celtics will also be deep – and young – in the frontcourt, with Tyler Zeller joining a rotation that already includes Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk. Olynyk suffered a wrist injury while playing for Team Canada in FIBA World Cup preps this summer but should be healthy in time for training camp.

Brooklyn Nets

Who's Coming:Bojan Bogdanovic (Europe), Jarrett Jack (trade), Sergey Karasev (trade)

Who's Going:Shaun Livingston (FA), Paul Pierce (FA), Marcus Thornton (trade)

Nets general manager Billy King took a huge risk in the summer of 2013, giving up much of his team's short-term flexibility in the trade that brought Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn. This season, we'll see the aftermath of that decision. Pierce is gone, having signed with Washington, and Garnett is a shell of his former self, a 20-minute-per-game player now. Being as capped-out as they are, the Nets were unable to re-sign Shaun Livingston or Andray Blatche this offseason. (In fairness, it's unclear if the Nets would have wanted Blatche back at any price.)

Also gone is coach Jason Kidd, who attempted to leap-frog King in the Nets' front-office hierarchy, came up short, and wound up taking the head coaching job in Milwaukee. Kidd will be replaced by Lionel Hollins as coach of the Nets. Hollins is best known for his tenure as head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies.

In the best-case scenario for the Nets, Hollins will implement the same sort of tough defense and "pound the ball inside" mentality that has made the Grizzlies a very tough team to knockout in the playoffs, but that plan will rely heavily on Brook Lopez, who is working his way back from foot surgery, having missed the majority of two of the last three seasons due to multiple foot surgeries. Mason Plumlee - coming off an impressive rookie campaign – will also figure heavily in the frontcourt rotation. Bojan Bogdanovic – originally drafted by the team in 2011 – will join the Nets this season and could help offset the loss of Pierce. Sergey Karasev will also be in the mix, especially considering Andrei Kirilenko's chronic health issues.

Joe Johnson proved last season that he's still an elite scoring threat, but Deron Williams' health status is uncertain. Chronic ankle injuries have robbed Williams of his explosiveness and limited his playing time last couple seasons. The team is hopeful that offseason surgeries on both of his ankles will lead to improvement in Williams' health and production. Jarrett Jack will be the third guard, a role in which he's excelled playing over his career.

New York Knicks

Who's Coming:Jose Calderon (trade), Shane Larkin (trade), Samuel Dalembert (trade), Travis Outlaw (trade), Quincy Acy (trade), Cleanthony Early (34th overall), Jason Smith (FA)

Who's Going:Tyson Chandler (trade), Raymond Felton (trade), Jeremy Tyler (trade)

With Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher calling the shots, the Knicks will be a very different team this season, but at this point, "different" doesn't necessarily mean "better."

Jackson accomplished his most important task of the offseason, getting Anthony's signature on a five-year, $120 million contract. The Zen Master also rid the team of ineffective and controversial point guard Raymond Felton, sending him and center Tyson Chandler to Dallas in exchange for guards Jose Calderon, Shane Larkin and Wayne Ellington, along with veteran big Samuel Dalembert. Then he shipped Ellington and Jeremy Tyler to Sacramento for a pair of three-and-D forwards, Quincy Acy and Travis Outlaw. Free agent center Jason Smith will add more size and flexibility to the frontcourt. And on draft night Jackson added forwards Cleanthony Early and Thanassis Antetokounmpo. (Giannis' older brother is likely to spend the 2014-15 season in Europe or the D-League.)

Fisher reportedly plans to use Anthony primarily as a small forward in the triangle; Anthony spent much of his time at power forward during the last two seasons. That opens up the four spot for a complementary scorer – either Stoudemire or Bargnani, most likely. Fisher has several options at center, including a rim protector (Dalembert) or a stretch big in Jason Smith, and can also use Stoudemire or Bargnani at that spot. That alignment also gives the Knicks a very big – though not particularly imposing – front line. The addition of Acy means Early probably won't have a big role in his first year.

Calderon is a lock to start at point guard, with either Pablo Prigioni or Shane Larkin as backup. Iman Shumpert and JR Smith will split time at the two.

Also worth noting: the Knicks plan to be active in free agency next summer, so Jackson won't hesitate to make another deal or two, particularly if he can bring in a draft pick or clear a long-term salary.

Philadelphia 76ers

Who's Coming:Joel Embiid (3rd overall), Dario Saric (12th), KJ McDaniels (32nd), Pierre Jackson (2013 2nd round pick), Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (trade), Alexey Shved (trade)

Who's Going:Thaddeus Young (trade), James Anderson (waived)

The 2013-14 Sixers won just 19 games. This year's version might actually be worse. That's by design, of course. General manager Sam Hinkie isn't trying to hide his intentions; he's stocking up on as many high draft picks as possible as part of a major rebuilding effort.

We can debate the pros and cons of tanking in another space. For now, what's important is the actual on-court product, and in Philadelphia, that product could be cover-your-eyes bad. Hinkie used two lottery picks on players who almost certainly won't suit up for the Sixers this year: injured center Joel Embiid and Euro-stash forward Dario Saric. Then he turned the most productive veteran on his roster – stretch forward Thaddeus Young – into yet another future draft pick, as part of the trade that sent Kevin Love to Cleveland. He certainly won't be standing pat. Jason Richardson – who missed all of last season while rehabbing from a knee injury – and Arnett Moultrie are the last remaining Sixers that weren't acquired by Hinkie. Both seem likely to finish the season with some other team.

Investments in players that will miss most, if not all, of the upcoming season – Embiid, Saric and Pierre Jackson included – will leave the Sixers laughably thin this year. In the backcourt, promising point guard Michael Carter-Williams will likely team with Tony Wroten, with undersized backup Casper Ware, journeyman Elliot Williams and Shved competing for minutes off the bench. Nerlens Noel looked great during the summer league, but he lacks ideal center size and will probably end up at the four when Embiid is ready to play. Mbah a Moute is a good "dirty work" guy, but you'd rather have him as the seventh man in a contender's rotation than as a starter here. Hollis Thompson figures to get significant minutes at small forward, as Richardson will likely be limited to around 20 mpg.

Toronto Raptors

Who's Coming:Bruno Caboclo (20th overall), Lucas Nogueira (trade), Lou Williams (trade), Jordan Hamilton (FA)

Who's Going: Nando de Colo (FA), Steve Novak (trade), John Salmons (trade)

The Raptors had an uneventful postseason, but that was by design. After a 48-win season and Atlantic Division title, their biggest (only?) priority of the offseason was re-signing Kyle Lowry. With his name on a four-year, $48 million extension, general manager Masai Ujiri was free to make minor tweaks.

The Raptors let guard Nando de Colo walk, and gave up little-used veterans Steve Novak and John Salmons in minor trades. The only additions of note are a pair of Brazilians – center Lucas Nogueira and wing Bruno Caboclo.

Nogueira was a first-round pick in 2013 whose draft rights have already passed through the Celtic, Maverick and Hawk organizations; he'll likely be in the mix – along with Tyler Hansbrough - for backup minutes behind Jonas Valanciunas and Amir Johnson. Caboclo, on the other hand, was the surprise of the 2014 draft. When Adam Silver announced the pick, analysts went diving for their notes. Just 18 years old, Caboclo could be the South American version of Giannis Antetokounmpo – a long, athletic wing and a menace on the defensive end, but that's a lot to ask in his first NBA season; he's far more likely to spend much of the year shuttling back and forth to the Raptors' D-League affiliate in Bakersfield. Another new arrival, journeyman wing Jordan Hamilton will compete with Landry Fields and James Johnson for the right to be Terrence Ross' backup. Lou Williams will provide some scoring punch off the bench.

Ujiri has the luxury of gambling on a player like Caboclo because his roster is, for the most part, just entering its collective prime. DeMar DeRozan is just 25 and emerged as an All-Star caliber shooting guard last season. Valanciunas is 22 and coming off a very strong finish to the 2013-14 season. Ross is 23. The elder statesmen of the group are Lowry, just 28 and coming off his best season as a pro, and Amir Johnson (27).

If the Raptors have a weakness, it is size at the forward spots. Johnson (6-9, 210) is undersized for the four spot, and Ross is probably best-suited to play the two. Ujiri could look to upgrade at one or both positions during the season.

Central Division

Chicago Bulls

Who's Coming:Doug McDermott (11th overall), Pau Gasol (FA), Nikoka Mirotic (2011 1st round pick), Aaron Brooks (FA)

Who's Going: DJ Augustin (FA), Jimmer Fredette (FA), Anthony Randolph (trade), Carlos Boozer (amnesty waiver), Ronnie Brewer (waived)

With all due respect to Pau Gasol, Nikola Mirotic and Doug "Dougie Buckets" McDermott, the most significant addition the Bulls made in the offseason is the return of Derrick Rose. If Rose can rebound from two lost seasons and play at a level approaching his MVP year, the Bulls will be a heavy favorite to reach the East finals. If not… well, they might still reach the conference championship series, because Tom Thibodeau is that good.

That's not to say that the Bulls' other offseason moves weren't significant. Pau Gasol was a terrible fit in Mike D'Antoni's system, which explains his poor play in recent seasons, but he should represent a major upgrade over Carlos Boozer at the four spot. McDermott should thrive on the receiving end of Rose's drive-and-kick passes and remind an awful lot of people of Kyle Korver. And while he won't be as good as Luol Deng on the defensive end, the long-awaited arrival of Nikola Mirotic gives Chicago another offensive weapon on the wing, which means Rose won't have to shoulder quite as much of the scoring load.

Of course, if you're skeptical about Rose's ability to stay healthy all season – and there have already been some reports of knee pain during his work with Team USA at the FIBA World Cup – the sneaky pick for this season would be Aaron Brooks, who could become the latest journeyman to thrive for the Bulls when Rose is sidelined.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Who's Coming:LeBron James (FA), Kevin Love (trade), James Jones (FA), Shawn Marion (FA), Mike Miller (FA), Brendan Haywood (trade), John Lucas III (trade), Erik Murphy (trade), Malcolm Thomas (trade)

Who's Going:Luol Deng (FA), Spencer Hawes (FA), CJ Miles (FA), Anthony Bennett (trade), Andrew Wiggins (trade), Tyler Zeller (trade), Alonzo Gee (trade)

Not to go out on a limb or anything, but I suspect Cavs fans are pleased with the offseason. LeBron James is back, and he brought friends!

The trio of James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving is potentially the most devastating offensive trio this league has seen in a very long time – and I'm including LeBron's last "Big Three" in that assessment. Chris Bosh developed into a very good outside shooter, but Love is even better, which should create no end of space for the King to operate. And while Kyrie Irving isn't as good as Dwyane Wade was in his prime, Irving is significantly younger and has healthier knees.

Throw in the other additions – ex-Heatles Mike Miller and James Jones and veteran "glue guy" Shawn Marion – and new coach David Blatt will have the ability to throw a very wide range of lineups at opponents. The default lineup will likely feature James and Love at the three and four with Anderson Varejao in the middle, along with Irving and Dion Waiters in the backcourt.But we could see the Cavs go "small" at times, with Love and James sliding to the four and five and Miller or Jones on the wing as another shooter… or use an extra-large set with Miller at the two. Veteran center Brendan Haywood is a nice insurance policy should Varejao miss time. And the team has some flexibility for additional moves: young players like Tristan Thompson and Matthew Dellavedova have some trade value, as do the three non-guaranteed deals Cleveland picked up in a trade with the Jazz over the summer.

This team does appear to have a significant weakness, and that's on the defensive end. James, obviously, has defensive player of the year potential, but he appeared to take a step back last season. Love isn't as bad as his reputation would suggest, but he's no Dennis Rodman, either. Still, the backcourt is the biggest concern; Irving and Waiters are both below average on D, and none of the potential backups are much better. It's not hard to see this team steamrolling the Eastern Conference and then running out of ways to stop a Tony Parker or Russell Westbrook in the Finals. If Blatt can't address that potential weakness with his scheme, perimeter D may be something the Cavs will address at the trade deadline.

Detroit Pistons

Who's Coming: DJ Augustin (FA), Caron Butler (FA), Jodie Meeks (FA), Cartier Martin (FA), Aaron Gray (FA)

Who's Going:Rodney Stuckey (FA), Josh Harrellson (waived)

The NBA management textbooks of the future will point to the 2013-14 Pistons as a classic example of how not to build a roster. Joe Dumars started with a very promising young tandem at the four and five spots in Andrew Drummond and Greg Monroe. He added Josh Smith – an All-Star caliber power forward that frequently masquerades as one of the league's worst threes – and Brandon Jennings, a speedy point guard who's best when he can break down a defense with his dribble and kick to open shooters, but he failed to include even one adequate three-point threat in the mix. That left Smith and Jennings to indulge their worst basketball instincts all season, jacking up ill-advised threes, and allowing opposing defenses to collapse into the paint without the slightest worry about defending the perimeter. The fact that they managed 29 wins is a minor miracle and a testament to the fact that – awful fit aside – the Pistons do have some pretty good ballplayers.

Stan Van Gundy took over the team in the offseason and immediately addressed the biggest hole on the roster, paying (overpaying?) for perimeter shooters like Jodie Meeks, DJ Augustin, and veteran forward Caron Butler. The focus on perimeter shooting is a good indication that Van Gundy's Pistons will set up the same way SVG's best Orlando teams did – with Drummond taking the role of Dwight Howard.

Unfortunately, he has yet to address the Smith/Monroe conflict. The Pistons opted to let the market set a price for Monroe; as a restricted free agent, they have the right to match any offer he receives, but as of this writing, Monroe hasn't received any offers. He could opt to play out the season on a one-year contract and become an unrestricted free agent next summer, but Van Gundy might not want to wait that long to break up the log jam at the four spot. Expect to hear a lot of trade rumors involving Monroe as the season approaches.

Indiana Pacers

Who's Coming: CJ Miles (FA), Rodney Stuckey (FA), Damjan Rudez (FA)

Who's Going:Lance Stephenson (FA), Evan Turner (FA)

The Pacers' offseason went off the rails long before Paul George wrecked his leg in a Team USA scrimmage. The problems started at last February's trade deadline, when Larry Bird brought in Evan Turner. According to a number of reports, Turner was intended as a hedge against the possibility of losing Lance Stephenson in free agency. Turner didn't play well as a Pacer and – perhaps unfairly – has gotten a lot of blame for the team's late-season swoon. That made retaining Stephenson even more important – Bird called Stephenson his "top offseason priority." But for reasons that remain more than a little fuzzy, "Born Ready" opted for a three-year deal with the Charlotte Hornets instead.

That leaves the Pacers with glaring holes at the two and three spots. Free agent signee Rodney Stuckey was originally intended as Stephenson's replacement at sixth man, but at this point he seems likely to start in the backcourt alongside George Hill. Second-year pro Solomon Hill, who appeared in 28 games for Indy last season, is the favorite to take over at small forward. Veteran wing CJ Miles, coming off an ineffective season with a bad Cleveland team, then slots into sixth man and backup wing role, but none of those fill-ins are at George or Stephenson's level when it comes to initiating an offense, which will create even more pressure on George Hill – who really isn't a natural point guard – and his backup, CJ Watson. And problems in the backcourt certainly won't help Roy Hibbert break out of his deep season-ending slump.

There's already speculation that the loss of offense on the wing will force Frank Vogel to adjust his frontcourt rotation, which could mean more playing time for little-used three-point specialist Chris Copeland.

Milwaukee Bucks

Who's Coming:Jabari Parker (2nd overall), Jerryd Bayless(FA), Jared Dudley (trade), Kendall Marshall (waiver claim)

Who's Going:Jeff Adrien (FA), Carlos Delfino (trade)

The Bucks were big spenders during the summer of 2013, locking up promising big man Larry Sanders and signing free agent guard OJ Mayo in the hopes of making a playoff run. Things didn't go exactly as planned. Mayo was quite possibly the worst acquisition of the season. Sanders missed most of the season due to a combination of legal trouble and injury. And instead of a playoff berth, the Bucks finished the season with an NBA-worst 15-67 record. They actually finished four games behind the Sixers – a team specifically constructed to lose as many games as possible – in the Eastern Conference standings.

Unlike the Sixers, the Bucks could be primed for a quick turnaround. With the second overall pick in the draft, they landed Jabari Parker, who should provide an immediate boost on the offensive end. Parker may be a liability on the defensive end, but with Sanders – assuming he returns to form – and John Henson in the frontcourt and Giannis Antetokounmpo at the two, the Bucks have options to pick up the slack. And don't rule out a return to form for OJ Mayo, who is still just 26 years old and who had a laundry list of injuries that contributed to his awful 2013-14 season.

The point guard spot remains a problem. The depth chart reads "Brandon Knight, Nate Wolters, Kendall Marshall and Jerryd Bayless" in whatever order you prefer; new coach Jason Kidd is probably a better option than any of the above.

Southeast Division

Atlanta Hawks

Who's Coming:Thabo Sefolosha (trade), Adreian Payne (15th overall), Kent Bazemore (FA)

Who's Going: Lou Williams (trade), Lucas Noguiera (trade), Cartier Martin (FA), John Salmons (waived)

With Al Horford appearing in just 29 games due to a torn pectoral muscle, the Hawks squeaked into the eight seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. With Horford at full health, Atlanta should have a much more prominent role in the 2015 postseason.

Horford's injury – a torn pectoral muscle, suffered in late December – wasn't the Hawks' only problem last season. Horford's primary backup, Pero Antic, suffered a laundry list of injuries and played in just 50 games. Point guard Jeff Teague struggled to adapt to coach Mike Budenholzer's offense and was wildly inconsistent, though he did post a career-best 16.5 ppg scoring average and a very impressive performance against the Pacers in the first round. On the plus side, Paul Millsap cemented his reputation as one one of the most effective fours in the league, Kyle Korver was outstanding from long range, and DeMarre Carroll posted his best season as a pro.

General manager Danny Ferry is bringing back last year's team more or less intact, with defensive specialist Thabo Sefolosha, scoring wing Kent Bazemore and first-rounder Adreian Payne as the only additions of note. Bazemore and Sefolosha could become a very nice offense/defense tandem for the second unit, in roles similar to those of Korver and Carroll. Payne won't get a ton of run, but provides some insurance against frontcourt injuries.

Charlotte Hornets

Who's Coming:Lance Stephenson (FA), Brian Roberts (FA), Marvin Williams (FA), Noah Vonleh (9th overall), PJ Hairston (26th overall)

Who's Going:Josh McRoberts (FA), Luke Ridnour (FA), Anthony Tolliver (FA), Scotty Hopson (trade), Brendan Haywood (trade)

The Charlotte Hornets (and MAN does it feel good to type that team name again) have a deep, talented team that should return to the playoffs this season. If this keeps up, we may have to retire all the "Michael Jordan is a dismal executive" jokes.

Charlotte's marquee acquisition is Lance Stephenson. The move wasn't risk-free, as "Born Ready" has a fair amount of knucklehead behavior on his ledger, but if he can keep his head on straight he's a great fit for this team. His playmaking ability will take some of the heat off talented but undersized point guard Kemba Walker, and his scoring will make it easier to keep a defensive specialist/glue guy like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in the starting five.

General manager Rich Cho's other offseason moves seriously improved this team's depth. Marvin Williams may never play up to his draft status (second overall in 2005) but he's a quality stretch forward who figures to log time at the three and four spots. Ex-New Orleans Pelican Brian Roberts, who posted very good numbers filling in for the injured Jrue Holiday last season, slots in as Walker's primary backup.

The improved depth also means that neither of Charlotte's first-round picks, power forward Noah Vonleh or shooting guard PJ Hairston, are expected to play significant roles. Though Clifford has told reporters that both are "starter-quality" talents, the team is expected to bring them along slowly.

Miami Heat

Who's Coming:Shabazz Napier (24th overall), Luol Deng (FA), Danny Granger (FA), Josh McRoberts (FA), Shannon Brown (FA), Shawne Williams (FA)

Who's Going:LeBron James (FA), James Jones (FA), Rashard Lewis (FA), Shane Battier (retired)

It's hard not to feel bad for guys like Shabazz Napier, Danny Granger and Josh McRoberts. They thought they were signing up to play with LeBron James on a team that would almost certainly make another run to the NBA Finals. Instead, LeBron is in Cleveland with his new "Big Three," and the new look-Heat seem destined for a seed in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

With James opting for the whole "prodigal son" treatment in Cleveland, it would have made sense for Pat Riley to let Chris Bosh sign in Houston and rebuild through the last few years of Dwyane Wade's career. Instead, he's built about the best roster possible, given the circumstances. With Wade clearly on the down side of his career, Bosh will become Miami's alpha dog. Bosh did a remarkable job of adjusting to a complementary role during his partnership with LBJ; it will be interesting to see how he fares back in the spotlight. He'll log the bulk of his minutes at center, with McRoberts serving as the primary power forward. Deng will slot into James' place. That's a massive downgrade on the offensive end, but it does mean Miami will still be very tough defensively. Granger has clearly lost a step and will likely serve as a stretch forward on this team, a role that was opened due to the departures of Rashard Lewis and Shane Battier.

Point guard play could be a concern. Without James to initiate the offense from the wing, playmaking responsibilities will fall to some combination of Mario Chalmers, Norris Cole and rookie Napier – with Wade taking control for some portion of each game. The Chalmers/Cole duo really struggled to deal with Tony Parker in the Finals, and while Napier's NCAA Tournament heroics were impressive, he's on the small side. It will be very interesting to see how Erik Spoelstra divides the minutes among that group.

Orlando Magic

Who's Coming:Aaron Gordon (4th overall), Elfrid Payton (10th overall), Channing Frye (FA), Ben Gordon (FA), Luke Ridnour (FA), Evan Fournier (trade), Willie Green (waiver claim)

Who's Going:Jameer Nelson (waived), Arron Afflalo (trade), Jason Maxiell (waived), Doron Lamb (waived)

The Magic seem to be moving in several directions at once. Consider: general manager Rob Hennigan waived Jameer Nelson and traded Arron Afflalo in a fairly obvious salary dump, theoretically paving the way for youngsters like Victor Oladipo and 2014 draft picks Elfrid Payton and Aaron Gordon, but then he filled out his roster with thirty-somethings like Channing Frye (31), Ben Gordon (31), Luke Ridnour (33) and Willie Green (33).

But there may be a method to Rob Hennigan's apparent madness. Most of the veteran additions are on short-term contracts and are clearly intended as stopgaps until the youngsters are ready for prime time. Frye, signed for four years and $32 million, is a notable exception, but his stretch-the-floor game fits nicely as a complement to players like Nikola Vucevic and Tobias Harris, and his deal is economical enough to be moved in a year or two. (Ben Gordon, on the other hand, is a head-scratcher. He's now nine years removed from his Sixth Man of the Year season and completely fell out of Steve Clifford's rotation in Charlotte last season. Some are calling Gordon a low-risk, high-reward signing; I think there's significant risk putting an established player who has clashed with coaches in the past on an inexperienced squad with an inexperienced coach.)

But even with all the vets on the roster, Orlando's kids will get lots of run. The addition of Payton likely means they've given up on the idea of making Oladipo a point guard, but Oladipo will still run the offense on a very regular basis. Evan Fournier – acquired from Denver in the Afflalo deal – will also have the ball in his hands very regularly. Coach Jacque Vaughn will have a lot of options in the frontcourt, where he can use some combination of Maurice Harkless and Tobias Harris at small forward, Harris or Frye at power forward, and Vucevic, Frye, Kyle O'Quinn or Andrew Nicholson in the middle. Fourth overall pick Aaron Gordon should be the long-term solution at one of the forward spots, but he was the youngest player in this year's draft and won't be forced into a big role before he's ready.

Washington Wizards

Who's Coming:Paul Pierce (FA), Kris Humphries (trade), DeJuan Blair (trade)

Who's Going:Trevor Booker (FA), Al Harrington (FA), Trevor Ariza (trade), Melvin Ely (waived)

The Wizards are looking to build off last season's run to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. That's unfamiliar territory for a team that hadn't reached the postseason since 2008, and hadn't seen the second round since 2005.

With Miami taking a major step backwards, the Southeast Division race is wide open, and Washington has as good a chance as anyone to win it. The team's starting lineup returns mostly intact. The starting backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal is among the league's most dynamic. Marcin Gortat – re-signed this summer to a five-year, $60 million deal – really solidified the center spot, and last season, Nene played his best all-around ball in years, but small forward Trevor Ariza – and his career-best 40.7 percent three-point shooting – priced himself out of Washington's plans and landed in Houston via a sign-and-trade. In his place is future hall-of-famer Paul Pierce, but Pierce's resume – impressive as it is – doesn't make him an upgrade. Ariza's athleticism and defense were vital to the Wizards' run last season. Pierce is still very good on offense and one of the league's savviest players, but he did his best work last season playing as an undersized four. He may not have the quickness to stay with the league's better wings at this stage of his career.

Pierce probably won't see much playing time at the four this year, as the Wizards are absolutely stacked at that position. General manager Ernie Grunfeld added Kris Humphries and DeJuan Blair to a mix that also includes veteran big Drew Gooden and Kevin Seraphin (who is entering his fifth season in the league but is still just 24).

Otto Porter's rookie season was a washout, but he's still got tons of potential and should have a much more significant role in his sophomore year. Same goes for shooter Glen Rice Jr., who was one of the most prolific scorers at the Las Vegas Summer League, but wing Martell Webster's status is uncertain, as he's coming off June back surgery.