... it’ll be an interesting season to say the least. Here’s how I score the East with all the moves now …

1.) Boston – Reigning champs.
2.) Detroit – Last I checked, they’re still the Pistons.

After that, though, things get real hazy.

Orlando – The way our roster is currently constructed, I believe strongly we’re at minimum, a 50 win team.
Cleveland – They’ll hover around the #4 or #5 seed.
Toronto – A front-court of Bosh & O’Neal, as well as a full season with Calderon makes them a potential 50 win team.
Philly – Adding Brand makes them very potent now. I’ve always been an admirer of the Sixers and having EB makes them dangerous. How dangerous? 50 win dangerous. Speights is a star in the making too.
Washington – With the Big Three intact, if they stay healthy the whole season, they can win 45-50 games.
Miami – They’ll be back in the mix with Beasley and a healthy Wade. If they keep Marion for the year, they’ll be an interesting team to watch. Add the fact Chalmers looks to be a steal in the 2nd Rd. and this is definitely a playoff team again.
Chicago – Should improve from last year’s debacle. Still need a superstar but having Rose will help. Possible playoff team.

I can go on, but nevertheless, the East is going to be much tougher next season. I still think we’re the favorites to win our division, but we’re going to have to earn it this time as opposed to have it handed to us last year. I’m optimistic we’ll be an contender in the East, but we’ll have our work cut out for us.

I don’t think the day was so miserable Ben. The reason we needed Dooling so bad was because he could defend the oppositions best perimeter player. Pietrus will now be that guy and he’ll be good enough to start. Yes, we do have a big hole at the backup point spot. But is Williams all that bad? He may be out of his prime but he can still be a servicable bench player. It wasn’t too long ago that he was the starting pg for a championship winning team.

If we can get Pargo for cheap he would be a great addition. I can’t understand why he isn’t being taken seriously by anyone.

So Otis had his targets, as far as we know, ranked Duhon and then Pietrus. We also know he wanted to bring Dooling back. Now here is what I think, Dooling was not ever considered as the back up point guard that this team needed, but instead was looked at as the perimeter defender ace in the hole type of guy. Once the best free agent point fell off the market Otis said screw it and took an even better perimeter defender in Pietrus, a guy who can start and guard a few more positions than Dooling to boot. Now he’ll go after a one dimensional back up, most likely Williams or Arroyo, to run the team in limited minutes or in emergencies. Dooling just isn’t a good enough point guard to risk as being the primary backup.

BTW, I am a much bigger fan of Williams than Dooling, so needless to say getting Pietrus and possibly getting Williams will make me very happy.