All-Star Weekend Questions: Southeast Division

By Brett Goldman

All-star weekend has passed by, and the break was much needed. Unfortunately, the lack of fans at the event combined with a lot of injuries and a poor dunk contest really made this one of the least entertaining all-star weekends we've had. Nevertheless, the second half of the season is upon us. Every team has one question they have to answer, and I'm here to ask them, continuing with the Southeast Division. If you haven't seen any of my other articles, check them out here.

Orlando Magic: Who do we like in the draft?

The Magic have been in NBA purgatory for the last few years. Not good enough to make a playoff run, but not bad enough to be one of the worst teams in the league. This year, the tides have turned. Almost every good player on this team besides all-star Nikola Vucevic has gotten injured and this team is spiraling down towards the top of the draft lottery. Jonathan Isaac, Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony, Aaron Gordon, Chuma Okeke, and Michael Carter-Williams have all missed a significant amount of time and a most of them have a lot of recovery still to do. The Magic are in a position to add a very talented player who may be able to put them into the playoff conversation. In all likelihood, they will have a top 5 or so pick. Hopefully they don't mess it up like they did with Mo Bamba and Mario Hezonja.

Washington Wizards: Are we back?

After trading for Russell Westbrook, the Wizards were a dark horse team to make the playoffs. However, Thomas Bryant's injury and a 6-17 start have lowered their expectations. They still have the leading scorer in the league in Bradley Beal. While Westbrook is not who he once was, he still brings intensity every night. Between those two and decent role players such as Rui Hachimura and Davis Bertans, this team can definitely make the playoffs in the weaker East. The Wizards won 8 of 11 to go into the all-star break, so the question will be if they can keep that momentum going in the second half.

Atlanta Hawks: Why are we so bad?

The Hawks are another team who had high expectations going into the season. While they have suffered a lot of injuries to start the season, they are much lower in the standings than the public thought they would be. At 11th in the East, they decided to fire their Head Coach Lloyd Pierce. Nate McMillan will take over, and he will have to right the ship of a team who has plenty of talent. Trae Young is an elite scorer and passer, Clint Capela is a great rebounder, and there are plenty of talented role players such as Danilo Gallinari, John Collins, and Cam Reddish to surround them with. It doesn't look like De'Andre Hunter is coming back any time soon, but Bogdan Bogdanovic has returned and with him back, the Hawks will need to figure out how to make their way to the playoffs.

Charlotte Hornets: How do we maximize LaMelo Ball's prime?

The Charlotte Hornets, with assistance from the Timberwolves and Warriors, lucked into the best player in the 2020 NBA Draft with the 3rd overall pick. LaMelo Ball has been the clear-cut rookie of the year, averaging about 20 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals per game since he became a starter. He isn't inefficient either, as his true shooting percentage is at almost 60% over that stretch. The problem for the Hornets is that they don't really have a whole lot of talent to grow with LaMelo. Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier are good players having great seasons, but by the time LaMelo becomes ready to win, they will be past their primes. Miles Bridges and Malik Monk are decent, and I think PJ Washington has a lot of potential, especially as a small-ball 5. This team is certainly good enough for the play-in game, but their focus should be on surrounding their franchise player with as much young talent as possible over the next couple years.

Miami Heat: We're good, right?

The Miami Heat are fine. They have dealt with a ton of injuries, COVID absences, and a short offseason, yet they're 6th in the East and are just 1.5 games out of the 4 seed. They might not be where they want to be right now, but when Jimmy Butler plays, they're 14-8. That winning percentage would put them in 3rd in the East right now. The Heat's main focus should be getting everyone back healthy and maybe trading for another good player if one becomes available in the next couple weeks.

That's it for the penultimate article in this series. Be sure to check out the rest of the divisions!