Southeast Preseason Rankings

LeBron James and the Miami Heat hope to take that elusive step to winning an NBA Championship, but Atlanta and Orlando loom close behind. We preview the NBA Southeast Division. By Matt Rose 

(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

1. Miami Heat: Perhaps no team has ever received as much criticism after a NBA Finals appearance as the Heat. While it took the “Big Three” some time to mesh last season, expect them to enter 2011 on a mission to silence their critics. Veterans Mike Bibby and James Jones are unrestricted free agents, but there is no shortage of players who will flock to South Beach in hopes of cruising to the finals with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.
2. Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks are always an enigma: They have three All-Star-caliber players in SG Joe Johnson, C Al Horford, and PF Josh Smith, but they lack the consistency at point guard and off-the-bench to make much noise in the playoffs. Jamal Crawford is a free agent and patience is running short with underachievers Marvin Williams and Kirk Hinrich. The Hawks match up well with the Heat, but they need to add depth and find a more capable backcourt to elevate them to a legitimate contender. 

3. Orlando Magic: Orlando is nearing a crisis with speculation that Dwight Howard is discontent heading into his last season under contract. The franchise is currently paying backup point guard Gilbert Arenas nearly $20 million in 2011–far above what his 2010-11 performance warranted. A reshuffling in Orlando should be expected as the Magic are aging and at risk of losing arguably the most dominant center in the league.
4. Washington Wizards: For the first time in quite a while, there is a buzz in Washington about the young and talented Wizards. John Wall lived up to, if not exceeded, all the expectations of a first overall pick. JaVale McGee demonstrated potential last season. The additions of rookie C Jan Vesely and F Chris Singleton only add to the promising future of the Wizards. We wouldn’t be surprised if the Wiz found themselves in the playoff race sooner rather than later. 
5. Charlotte Bobcats: After trading F Gerald Wallace at the trade deadline last year, the Bobcats went into complete rebuilding mode. Rookies Bismack Biyombo and Kemba Walker are talented prospects, but with little veteran leadership surrounding them, the Bobcats face a long uphill battle.