The NBA never fails to disappoint.
This summer, we had a flurry of activity, headlined by Giannis Antetokounmpo getting dealt to the Miami Heat, and LeBron James signing with the Philadelphia 76ers after eight seasons with the LA Lakers.
As the dust settles, it’s clear the East is far more competitive than it was last year, even if it’s not as top-heavy as the Western Conference, spearheaded by the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets.
There are questions the Miami Heat must answer. But they now have their guy in Antetokounmpo, a top-5 player in the sport when he’s healthy, at worst. How do they currently stack up against the rest of the East? Let’s examine!
As teams around the Eastern Conference reshape their rosters, fans are already looking ahead to projected standings, championship futures and preseason odds. Those interested in following the latest markets can also learn more about Crypto basketball betting, including how cryptocurrency is being used for NBA wagering and what betting options are available ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Which teams around the Heat improved?
Philadelphia 76ers:
Skinny: The 76ers were the biggest winners this summer.
Coming off a second-round exit in the postseason, they (somehow) snatched Jaylen Brown away from the Boston Celtics and were ultimately able to land LeBron James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, recently in free agency.
They are still going to have to iron out the fit on both ends, but a four-headed horse of Tyrese Maxey, James, Brown and Joel Embiid (plus VJ Edgecombe) will be one to reckon with if they’re able to figure it out, while staying healthy, of course.
Atlanta Hawks:
Skinny: Don’t sleep on the Atlanta Hawks.
He still needs to improve as a creator, but Jalen Johnson showed how dynamic of an all-around player he was last year, in addition to key play from CJ McCollum and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
They added Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins in two separate trades with the Oklahoma City Thunder at inexpensive costs. Kingston Flemings is a great add in the draft, and they bought low on a favorite of mine, Devin Carter (I still have stock!).
I’m not quite sure they’re in the upper echelon of East teams. But they have an ample amount of flexibility to swing for a premier talent and still maintain a strong base. I love what Onsi Saleh is building.
Indiana Pacers:
Skinny: The Pacers are better by virtue of Tyrese Haliburton being healthy. The star point guard missed all of last season with a torn achilles, but now is back alongside Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac, who only suited up for a handful of games after being acquired at the deadline.
The Pacers’ biggest move of the summer was adding Kelly Oubre Jr. as their Bennedict Mathurin replacement. Assuming his long-range shooting remains consistent, Oubre should fit perfectly into their scheme. Last year, he averaged 14.1 points and 5.0 rebounds on 36.0 percent shooting from 3-point range.
This team is good — sneaky very good — who can pose plenty of problems if they remain healthy.
Toronto Raptors … with one caveat:
Skinny: The Raptors’ improvement is pending the Kawhi Leonard trade, which is currently on hold amid the Aspiration probe.
Seven years after helping the Raptors win their first-ever title, Leonard was traded back. But the pending investigation, which alleged he and the Los Angeles Clippers attempted to circumvent the cap, has not been finalized with no timetable. Until then, there is no trade.
Leonard, 35, was a top-5 player from Jan. 1 onward. He finished seventh in MVP voting, and tallied 28.0 points and 6.3 rebounds on 50.8/38.7/85.5 shooting splits over that timeframe. He’s still an elite two-way player if he’s healthy — which is a big if at this stage of his career. And if he is, Toronto will be quite formidable.
Which teams around Heat either flattened out or got worse?
Boston Celtics:
Skinny: For reasons that remain unknown, the Celtics shipped Brown to the 76ers for a bag of peanuts and some string — evidently being Paul George and his ludicrous contract (plus a pair of measly first-round picks). Boston’s roster is still good enough to squeeze 45-plus wins with a healthy Jayson Tatum. But the trade was indefensible.
However, I do really like the Mitchell Robinson addition; contrary to popular belief, Mazzulla-ball is just as much attacking the offensive glass and creating second-chance opportunities as it is chucking threes! But the Celtics are unquestionably worse without Brown, the headliner of a parade of cost-cutting moves over the last two summers.
Orlando Magic:
Skinny: Orlando did essentially nothing to change its roster that finished 45-37. Its biggest change came on the sideline, replacing head coach Jamahl Mosley with Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney, who orchestrated their gigantic turnaround defensively last year.
The Magic’s core of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs was lethal in the limited amount of time they were together last year. But Wagner missed most of the season with a lingering ankle injury, and Suggs plus Banchero both battled lower-body injuries.
Orlando still doesn’t have the necessary shooting to survive in a seven-game series. But if Sweeney can maximize them offensively — a tall task — then the Magic could compete for a top-6 seed in the East.
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Skinny: Similarly to Orlando, the Cavaliers are largely bringing back the same team, minus Dean Wade, who signed a four-year deal in Philadelphia. The Cavaliers were ravaged by injury before trading Darius Garland at the deadline … but how much better are they with James Harden?
I would argue not by much — no matter how many more games the Cavaliers think they will win “analytically.” Their foremost concern should be trying to maximize a Mobley-Allen frontcourt, which they were not able to successfully do last summer.
Meleek Thomas will add an unquestionable scoring punch off the bench. Though teams around them got better, and they didn’t.
How Heat stack up with the East’s best teams:
I say all of this to say the Heat are directly in the mix for a homecourt in the East.
Teams that I did not mention include the reigning champion New York Knicks, in addition to the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets, who sent the Heat home in the play-in.
New York ducked below the second apron by letting Robinson walk; the Hornets improved their frontcourt and floor spacing, but traded LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves; the Pistons are embroiled in a restricted free agency fiasco regarding Jalen Duren.
The East is up for grabs, and the Miami Heat are well-equipped to make noise, assuming Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo both remain healthy.
There are at least nine teams competing for eight spots — is if you exclude the play-in. In today’s NBA, where wear-and-tear are magnified, health with govern the standings.
But assuming full health across the board, it’s difficult to envision the Heat not finishing in the top-6. They still need more shooting, playmaking and size in the frontcourt with a finite amount of resources. But an Adebayo-Antetokounmpo-led frontcourt is capable of shifting a lot of games night-to-night, and head coach Erik Spoelstra knows how to maximize star talent.
It will be easier to evaluate when training camp opens in late September. The Miami Heat have three roster spots to still fill, two of which have to be used by opening night; they can add to 21 bodies for training camp, but must trim it down to 15.
But here are my way-too-early 2026-27 regular season standings prediction:
- Philadelphia 76ers
- New York Knicks
- Detroit Pistons
- Miami Heat
- Indiana Pacers
- Toronto Raptors
- Orlando Magic
- Atlanta Hawks
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when u have the best player in the east u have a chance.still little short on talent level but hopefully that will change soon or next year.greek timeline 3-5 maybe 6 7 8 years.
I like it!