Did you miss the NBA offseason?: What to expect from each team in the Atlantic Division

Without making much noise despite being located on bustling 34th Street in New York, the Knicks had a season of progress that raised the hopes of fans in the Big Apple. They finished the regular season with a 47-35 record, won their first playoff series since 2013, and were stopped in the Eastern Conference semifinals by the Miami Heat, the conference’s representative in the NBA Finals. New York acquired free agent Jalen Brunson this offseason, who ended up being one of the best summer purchases in the league.

New York also didn’t make much noise this offseason, but they did acquire Donte DiVincenzo, who should add depth to the second unit and winning spirit to a core that already knows. DiVincenzo, Brunson and Josh Hart have proven they know how to win together: The trio has been crucial to Villanova’s run to the NCAA Tournament, with DiVincenzo being the most outstanding player in the Final Four.

The Knicks were cautious about adding that number that could turn them into true title contenders. Will it be the season before the trade deadline? Unlike other years, they have draft assets, players who can be key chips and salary cap space. But while that happens, New York has enough personnel to accomplish more in 2023-2024. For now, they’re betting on another great season from Brunson and Julius Randle, and on the progress of their young standouts Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett. (Hiram Martinez)

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics have made some strong moves on their roster. He brought in Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday and parted ways with Marcus Smart, Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon and Grant Williams. Contrary to mathematics, this number two minus four does not, in principle, give a negative result for Joe Mazzola’s team.

Holiday’s arrival represents a step forward after Smart’s departure caused more regret than joy. The point guard, a champion with the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2020-2021 season, is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. Last season, he was selected to the All-Star team for the second time and the fifth time to the defensive team during his 14-year career.

For his part, Porzingis would bring more scoring power to an already fearsome Celtics team. The most important thing for the Latvian is that he will not carry the weight of the team on his shoulders but he will be an important option but not the star that everyone will look to if something doesn’t work out.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will continue as leaders of a team that includes six players who will be mainstays all season (Al Horford and Derrick White round out the six) and three or four others who should take a step forward to bolster the group. Boston’s title contender position in the forecast. (Pablo Cormic)

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors elected to renew for the 2023-24 season after finishing 10th and playing in the game by finishing the previous regular season with a 41-41 record and then being eliminated 4-2 by the Philadelphia 76ers.

After the exclusion, the Canadian office took the decision to exclude coach Nick Nurse, with whom he won the title, and was replaced by 44-year-old Serbian Darko Rajakovic, who will appear for the first time as a substitute chief in the NBA.

Among the franchise’s most notable casualties was Fred VanVleet, who went to the Houston Rockets. Dalano Panton, Will Barton and Joe Wieskamp were other casualties of the team.

With Pascal Siakam at the helm, the Raptors will welcome newcomers from Germany and new World Cup champion Dennis Schroder, Jalen McDaniels, Marquise Noel, Jarrett Temple and rookies Grady Dick and Javon Freeman. -freedom.

Coach Rajakovic’s starting five could consist of Dennis Schröder, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam and Jakob Poeltl and with this first unit, the Raptors will try to become Eastern Conference contenders again and improve on their 41-41 record. From the year before to go straight into the playoffs and make a long run in that state, something that sounds complicated on paper given the number of moves and depth of the bench. (Roland Jungle)

Brooklyn Nets

Away from the spotlight after the drama of the past few seasons, the Nets are heading into the season with low expectations after the departures of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving started the franchise over.

Brooklyn ranked sixth in the East in 2022-23 thanks to wins under KD and Irving, but the decline in playing competition is more real this season. Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson should continue to contribute as key pieces to the franchise after arriving in the Durant trade — especially now after a full camp — while Ben Simmons continues to be the key factor on the team.

Coach Jacques Vaughn has shown he can get the best out of the group, and this version of the Nets should have better chemistry and play together, but a drop in the standings seems inevitable. (Victor O. Lopez)

Philadelphia 76ers

Joel Embiid did it all in 2022-23, except lead his team to a championship. The Philadelphia 76ers won the MVP award, was a scoring champ and led his team to a 54-28 record, third in the Eastern Conference, but lost in an up-and-down seven-game second-round series to Boston. Celtics.

The 76ers are in win-now mode with what’s being called “The Process,” but this season it doesn’t look like they’ll get beyond the Eastern Conference semifinals they did last season.

First, because Embiid fails to take the lead in the big moments in the playoffs, where great players like him are set apart…from legends.

The second to request a change from the team’s second captain James Harden, who did not want to continue with the franchise but the 76ers management did not listen to him and kept him on the roster. It seems that it will be a long series with an unhappy ending because it does not appear that “The Beard” will return to playing in a Philadelphia uniform.

And the reinforcements they signed in the offseason don’t appear to be the answer to taking them to the title: Mo Bamba, Patrick Beverley, Ricky Council, David Duke Jr., Danny Green, Kelly Oubre, Filip Petrusev, Javonte Smart, Terkavion Smith. And Azulas Tubelis.

The hope is that new coach Nick Nurse can put all the pieces together on the field and make the “process” a reality rather than a promise. (Luis Salazar)