The Hoops Nerd gives the pre-season MIP Awards to the most intriguing player in each team before the start of the season. Today, I go over the Southeast Division, home of the latest NBA Champions, the Miami Heat. Southeast will not be even remotely close this year, yet it has its load of intriguing players. Most teams in that division are looking for a leader, somebody to lead them out of the hole they dug themselves in with subpar management. So the pre-season MIP Awards in Southeast Division go to...
ATLANTA HAWKS
Poor Teague. Poor, lonely Jeff Teague. He is in a position every self-righteous dreamer wants to be : coming off a good season, resented yet signed by his team. GM Danny Ferry drafted the talented Dennis Schröeder to eventually drive him out of town. Teague is merely mid-term trade bait in Atlanta, yet he has the opportunity to prove he's the man. If he can run the Hawks' offense this season, Teague might earn himself a new home and shake off the perception that he's the next coming of Mo Williams. I believe that at this point, this is all he wants. We're rooting for you, Jeff Teague!
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
The Bobcats fucked up again last entry draft and picked Cody Zeller over Ben McLemore. That killed a lot of enthusiasm everyone had for seeing Charlotte dig themselves out of the hole. But Jeff Taylor re-ignited the flame in Summer League with stellar play and displays of athleticism that probably made several GMs regret not picking him in the 1st round in 2012. Seriously, the Bobcats lucked out selecting him and found a nice complement to Michael Kidd-Gilchrist on the wing. I don't think Charlotte is out of the gutter for another 2-3 years AT LEAST, but I'll be watching Jeff Taylor gleefully dunk on fools this season. It was between him or McBob, really.
MIAMI HEAT
Even when he's not trying, LeBron always his the most magnetic, fascinating guy. As a self-avowed hater, I'll admit he scares me. This passed two seasons, LBJ seemed to have moved passed the ridiculous confidence issues that plagued him in the past. He can take over a game with the same style and gusto as the greatest players and he can now do it in the clutch. As much as I want to see LeBron's reign challenged, unless Chris Bosh or Dwyane Wade get injured this year, the Miami Heat are on target for a trifecta of championships. It pains me to admit it, but they're still the toughest kid on the block in 2013.
ORLANDO MAGIC
Everybody is excited about the Oladipo Show in Orlando. Even the fans of other teams. Oladipo is a super athletic, smart, mature two-ways player. What's not to like? The snake tongues are saying his offensive game won't translate well to the NBA and that he'll become the equivalent of Tony Allen, but everybody wants him to become more. I have a fondness for the Magic that goes back to the Shaq & Penny days, so I'll monitor Oladipo's evolution closely. I'm not expecting he'll be handed the keys and asked to turn the franchise around right away though, because the Magic clearly want a top 5, if not top 3 selection in the reportedly exceptional 2014 Draft.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Last season, few headlines were as invigorating as John Wall's Jesus Christ Superstar-like comeback. The man literally re-animated the dead and walked on the waters. He turned the franchise around, shocked young Bradley Beal to life and gave an aura of respectability to the Wizards for the first time since the Gilbert Arenas days. I believe he'll get the better out of his new wing player Otto Porter and make Washington relevant again. I don't expect the Wizards to make the playoffs yet, but I expect John Wall to finally claim his place as NBA royalty by the end of the season.
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