NBA Southeast Division Preview: Hawks are feeling the Heat after playoff success

The 2021-22 NBA campaign is nearly upon us. To get you primed for the upcoming season, we’ll be running through season previews of each NBA division. Today we tackle the Southeast Division, home to multiple teams with big expectations.

ATLANTA HAWKS

2020-21 record: 41-31
Key additions: Gorgui Deng, Jalen Johnson, Sharife Cooper
Key departures: None

Critics suggested that the Atlanta Hawks went all-in on free agency too soon last year, but their investments paid off with an Eastern Conference Finals berth and a now promising future.

Continuity and health will determine the heights this team can reach, that, and whether or not Trae Young can take yet another leap toward superstardom. The Hawks boast an absurd amount of wing depth, and too many good young prospects to pay. A consolidation trade, their true last "all-in" move, will be coming sooner or later.

Their difficulty will be managing expectations. This team could reach as high as third in the East, but barring injury, they have little chance of advancing past the Brooklyn Nets or Milwaukee Bucks.

MIAMI HEAT

2020-21 record: 40-32
Key additions: Kyle Lowry, PJ Tucker
Key departures: Goran Dragic, Precious Achiuwa

The Miami Heat were another team struck by COVID-19 to a disastrous degree, with their record not properly representing the strength of last year’s team. Jimmy Butler proved he’s still All-NBA caliber, but when it came to their first-round matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Heat couldn’t recapture that Bubble magic. So they upgraded at point guard and on the wing by bringing in PJ Tucker and Kyle Lowry.

Tucker will boost their already formidable defense, but he also worsens their shooting woes. If the Heat are looking for another Cinderella trip to the NBA Finals, it will depend on a resurgent Lowry as well as a leap from sixth-man Tyler Herro.  

WASHINGTON WIZARDS

2020-21 record: 34-38
Key additions: Spencer Dinwiddie, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma
Key departures: Russell Westbrook

The Washington Wizards are on one hell of a roller coaster. They have shifted from a John Wall team to a Bradley Beal team to Russell Westbrook team, and now to a new version of a Beal team in just a few short seasons. This year’s group, built to surround Bradley Beal with greater offensive and defensive balance, is an exciting pivot from last year’s squad, which was constrained by Westbrook's ball-dominating tendencies.

Spencer Dinwiddie is an underrated passer and a good catch-and-shoot player, meaning he’ll be effective running the offense or playing off of Beal. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kyle Kuzma give them legit shooting and size on the wings.

Defensively, this team will be looking for answers, but this version of the Wizards has a whole lot more flexibility going forward whether Beal ultimately stays or leaves.

CHARLOTTE HORNETS

2020-21 record: 33-39
Key additions: Mason Plumlee, James Bouknight
Key departures: Cody Zeller, Devonte’ Graham

The Charlotte Hornets were one of last year’s pleasant surprises. It took all of a week for the whole world to realize they had overthought the LaMelo Ball draft pick, as he revealed all the makings of a future NBA star. They’ll need him to build on that this year, with the loss of both Cody Zeller and Devonte’ Graham in the offseason, and an influx of rookies who will look to get developmental time.

Gordon Hayward also had an All-Star caliber campaign, but once more was laid low by injury, which all but torpedoed the Hornets' playoff hopes later in the season. The Hornets didn’t do a lot to get worse, but the East has grown stronger around them. Just to tread water they’ll need more from Ball, better health, or both.

ORLANDO MAGIC

2020-21 record: 21-51
Key additions: Jalen Suggs, Robin Lopez
Key departures: None

After years mired in mediocrity or worse, the Orlando Magic finally pulled the plug and entered a full rebuild at last year’s trade deadline. They’ve said goodbye to Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, Evan Fournier, and head coach Steve Clifford. The only veteran still stranded on the team is Terrence Ross (and likely not for long). The Magic are now looking at a new era, with a lot of losing, but also a glimmer of real hope on the horizon.

They’re firmly in evaluation and development mode for the foreseeable future. It certainly helps that Jalen Suggs fell to them at four, giving them at least one solid brick as they lay their new foundation.

The Magic might well be the worst team in the NBA this year, and that’s a good thing for now.

SOUTHEAST DIVISION PREDICTION 

While I believe Miami has the potential to make some playoff noise, the Atlanta Hawks are deeper and younger and should win the division this year.

NBA Southeast Division PICK: ATLANTA HAWKS (+125)