Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks – Potential playoff contenders in the Eastern Conference next NBA season
For the last few years, the Eastern Conference has been extremely top heavy with the likes of Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic and the Chicago Bulls way ahead of the pack. This off season though, there have been many developments
which indicate the rise of new playoff contenders.
Let’s take a look at the teams which have turned themselves into genuine contenders during the off season.
Brooklyn Nets
Owned by the Russian billionaire Mickhael Prokhorov, the Brooklyn bound Nets have by far been the most active team in free agency. Through a series of potent acquisitions, they have turned themselves into not only a playoff contender
but a formidable title contender in the Eastern Conference.
The Nets started the free agency by re-signing veteran power forward Gerald Wallace and then pulled off a block buster trade with the Atlanta Hawks to land Joe Johnson. That was enough to convince Deron Williams, the most valuable
possession in the free agency, to re-commit with the Nets for a five year deal.
The franchise did not stop there and roped in Reggie Evans, Kris Humphries, Brook Lopez, Jerry Stackhouse and Mirza Teletovic, and are also believed to be in negotiations with Russian forward Andrei Kirilenko, who won the Euroleague
MVP while playing with CSKA Moscow last season.
By pulling off these moves, the Nets have not only assembled a fearsome starting lineup, they have loaded their bench with a bevy of talented and proven role players. With Orlando Magic in chaos due to the Dwight Howard saga, and
the Chicago Bulls likely to take a slide in the absence of Derrick Rose for nearly half of next season, the Nets are expected to end as one of the top three seeded team in the East.
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards were expected to take the NBA by storm, when they drafted in first draft pick John Wall back in 2009. However, there’s has been a story of struggle and bitter disappointment, one that is highlighted by Wall’s
own performances.
Till the last season, the Wizards considered Wall, JaVale McGee and Nick Young as the three pillars of the franchise. But, the continuous under achievement and sometimes selfish play of the latter two forced the capital city club
to trade them last season and in exchange they brought in Nene and some role players. Their biggest catch however came in the form of shooting guard Bradley Beal, whom the Wizards selected at number 3 in this year’s draft.
Beal was prolific during the recently concluded Summer league and his backcourt combo with Wall can work wonders for the Wizards come next season and pretty much push them in the top eight of the conference.
Milwaukee Bucks
The only major move that the Bucks have pulled off this off-season has been the re-signing of power forward Ersan Ilyasova.
That move alone however is enough to ensure a top eight finish for the Bucks next season. Ilyasova had a spectacular last season, in which he averaged 13 points and 8.8 rebounds. Drew Gooden also showed that he belongs last time
around and in the coming season, they will also have Samuel Dalembert in the front court.
Their main weapon however will be a back court combination of Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings, and if the duo gets going, the Bucks can spring some huge surprises next season.
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