What the Heck Happened in the Southeast Division?

The Southeast might be the most anonymous division in the NBA. While every other division seems to be in an arm-race of headline grabbing, the Southeast can’t even get traction when major things happen. Miles Bridges was the (in)famous character in the NBA for two days before the Hornets were completely forgotten. The Wizards gave Bradley Beal $250 million and I’ve probably read more headlines about Jose Alvarado stealing inbound passes this offseason. Atlanta might be secretly combustable, the Hornets might be secretly terrible, the Heat secretly dangerous, the Magic secretly fun, and the Wizards not-so-secretly depressing. Let’s recap.

Photo by Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images

Atlanta Hawks

Offseason in 5 words or less

Dejounte (and Trae) or bust

Big Changes

The Atlanta Hawks swung a giant trade this offseason, and it seems like most people have forgotten about it because of all the other giant trades that came after. But before the Utah Jazz decided to go full OKC, the Hawks traded three first-round picks and a pick swap to the Spurs for up-and-coming guard Dejounte Murray.

The bet is Murray, always flying under the radar in San Antonio, could be Robin to Trae Young’s Batman and cement the Atlanta Hawks as perennial playoff participants who are dangerous enough to make serious noise in the East.

The bug in that prototype might have also been a feature — Murray’s San Antonio anonymity. Because once Murray left the buttoned-up confines of Pop’s franchise, he sure has been talking an awful lot, and not all of it is making him look like a winner. The restraints are off, and Murray sure is enjoying his freedom, maybe even a little too much. It makes me question whether Murray is really that guy who can happily defer to Young and also be accountable enough to help a franchise that seems to suffer from a lack of leadership to take that serious step toward contention. The Hawks gave up so many assets that this better work.

Better or Worse?

Murray is clearly a better player than Kevin Huerter, who the team sent away in a trade to recoup some draft assets, but this wasn’t just A move the Hawks were making, it was THE move. And I’m skeptical. Add to that the fact that John Collins is still on the team. Collins is super productive, but the Hawks have seemed desperate to move for a while, for possibly knuckle-headedness reasons, and I don’t really have faith in that core. As much as I love De’Andre Hunter and Onyeka Okongwu, this franchise just seems a couple steps away from another significant shakeup.

Playoff Contender?

This team still feels like first-round fodder to me.

---

Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Charlotte Hornets

Offseason in 5 words or less

Depth, what depth?

Big Changes

Miles Bridges went from one of the most coveted free agents entering the summer to his future in the league in question following a disturbing domestic violence arrest. He is not expected to play at any point this season, and everything beyond that is in doubt. Unfortunately, their offseason is more about subtractions than additions. They lost Bridges, they lost Montrezl Harrell and replaced them with .... rookie center Mark Williams? Their big free agent additions have been Dennis Smith Jr. (former Piston alert) and LiAngelo Ball.

The team has paper thin depth, and will be relying on an atypically healthy season from Gordon Hayward, a rock-steady season from Mason Plumlee and for PJ Washington to take that next step.

Better or Worse?

The Hornets were above .500 but barely clinging to a play-in spot, and it’s hard not to argue they’ve taken a significant step back this offseason. They added no players and replaced their coach with a coach they’d already fired years earlier in Steve Clifford.

Playoff Contender?

If there was a team that was going to surprise by switching gears and going full tank-mode for Victor Wembanyama, I’d put my money on the Charlotte Hornets.

---

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Miami Heat

Offseason in 5 words or less

Holding out for a Herro

Big Changes

Miami continues to play it pretty close to the chest and their only significant move this offseason was to invest heavily in Tyler Herro to the tune of a four-year, $140 million deal. That’s certainly a choice. Herro’s been on the edge of breaking out for a couple years now, but might be a player who has a few fundamental flaws and is who he is forevermore. If the latter is true, that’s not a $140 million player. But if Herro figures out the boundaries of his game and how to maximize his effectiveness, and also starts to give a damn about defense, he could be worth every penny. The tl;dr version is — there is a reason Max Strus starts and Herro comes off the bench.

In addition to Herro, Miami took care of its own business by re-signing Victor Oladipo and Caleb Martin. Another quiet offseason has to have Pat Riley feeling a bit antsy.

Better or Worse?

Kyle Lowry is a year older and Jimmy Butler can’t keep carrying franchises on his back at 33 years old can he? I suppose you can count on Herro, Bam Adebayo, Caleb Martin and Max Strus to get marginally better, but the downside risk of the vet’s aging curve would seem to eclipse that hope. Then again, if there is anything I’ve learned over the years it is to not bet against Erik Spoelstra or Jimmy Butler. They know how to work magic through brilliance and sheer force of will.

Playoff Contender?

In a more crowded and competitive East, I wouldn’t say you can pencil in the Miami Heat for the Eastern Conference playoffs. Then again, they can take any franchise to seven games and send any of them home.

---

Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images

Orlando Magic

Offseason in 5 words or less

A backcourt away from relevance

Big Changes

The Magic surprised many with their selection of Paolo Banchero at No. 1 overall, but as a Banchero believer it made all the sense in the world to me. A plus-passing big man who could score at several levels and never halted the flow of the offense? Sign me up. Add him to a forward with a do-a-little of everything upside like Franz Wagner, the maybe significant return of Johnathan Isaac (remember him?), and a versatile center combo in Wendell Carter Jr. and Mo Bamba, and you’re cooking with gas.

Better or Worse?

They got better, but their big issue is the positional group not mentioned above — the guards. The Magic have some funky guard pieces that might not fit together, might never develop into long-term answers, and whose development might clash as they bounce off each other like bumper cars.

It’s possible to squint and like Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, RJ Hampton and Markelle Fultz separately, but it seems impossible to like them together. They will have Gary Harris and Terrence Ross to be the adults in the room at the wing, but two of those young guards probably have to move on so you can invest wisely and complement their skills.

Playoff Contender?

Playoffs aren’t even in the Orlando vocabulary this season, and that is OK. There is a reason for hope and players worth building around. That’s all you can ask for.

---

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Washington Wizards

Offseason in 5 words or less

A rebuild 4 years overdue

Big Changes

Speaking of hope, I can’t imagine Wizards fans having much hope in the future direction of this franchise. The team not only didn’t trade Bradley Beal at any point in the past three seasons when they should have, they doubled and tripled down on the error by giving him a new high-cost running mate in Kristaps Porzingis and rewarded Beal with a five-year deal worth roughly $250. As fans of a team who saw Blake Griffin turn to dust before our eyes like Thanos had just snapped his fingers, I think we all know how this new contract is going to turn out.

The team traded former Pistons Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith for Will Barton and Monte Morris, and signed former Piston Delon Wright. That is an overall talent upgrade for Washington, but in service of what exactly?

Better or Worse?

The Wizards are committed to paying more than $150 million to Beal and Porzingis for the next two seasons. They have not drafted well enough to compensate for having invested so much on two oft-injured players. Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija, Johnny Davis and Corey Kispert do not instill a ton of confidence. But even if those developmental players don’t blossom, the Wizards are too competent with veterans in Barton, Kyle Kuzma and Morris to be truly terrible. It is the dreaded treadmill of mediocrity for years to come.

Playoff Contender?

The Wizards are going to have a sad year, and it won’t at all involve the playoffs. But it will probably involve a number in the W column that starts with 3. Good for them.