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· collected 2026-09-03 · by Doug Smith
This opinion piece ranks the top teams in the Eastern Conference before the start of the NBA season, despite no team having had an official practice or game. The article lists the New York Knicks as its number one team, citing their strong starting five and veteran rebounder Andre Drummond. Other ranked teams include the Philadelphia 76ers (2nd), Toronto Raptors (3rd) - which is predicted to have a "defensive monster" with Kawhi Leonard on board, and the Indiana Pacers (4th).
Written by the local model on 2026-09-03,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
It’s less than a month until NBA training camps open, the free agency group has been picked bare and after the league ruling against the L.A. Clippers on Wednesday, just one significant outlying issue left to be resolved.
asserted
issue → ’ → Wednesday
Going on the assumption that Kawhi Leonard will eventually land in Toronto with the Raptors and Jalen Duren will ultimately land back in Detroit, it’s time to see who ranks where.
asserted
who → go → Detroit
Of course, no team has had so much as one official practice, let alone played a game, so this is all subjective.
asserted
this → have → game
But it’s at least food for thought until there’s action on the court.
asserted
it → ’ → court
Key players in: Andre Drummond
Key players out: Mitchell Robinson, Ariel Hukporti
What it all means: You’re the champs until someone takes the title away from you so respect lands the Knicks atop the rankings before any games start.
asserted
games → mean → rankings
It’s as good a starting five as there is in the NBA and it returns intact; Drummond’s a veteran who is as good a rebounder as Robinson and Drummond is Steph Curry as a shooter compared to Robinson.
asserted
Drummond → ’ → Robinson
Maybe complacency knocks the Knicks down a peg or two but New York’s still the best until some team proves it’s better.
asserted
it → knock → peg
Philadelphia
In: LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Dean Wade, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Ariel Hukporti
Out: Paul George, Andre Drummond, Kelly Oubre Jr., Quentin Grimes
What it all means: The Sixers are stacked.
asserted
Sixers → mean → What
Wade’s a great addition under the radar and, well, James is still James and Brown’s got something to prove.
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Brown → ’ → something
But … chemistry matters, the Sixers don’t have any yet and heaven knows how many games Joel Embiid will be healthy enough to play.
asserted
Embiid → matter → any
If the Sixers figure it out, watch out.
asserted
Sixers → figure → it
If they don’t, if the personalities don’t fit, it could be gruesome.
uncertain
it → do → ?
It will, either way, be fun to watch.
asserted
It → watch → ?
In: Kawhi Leonard
Out: Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick
What it all means: We’re operating under the assumption that Uncle Dennis’s favourite nephew will be a Raptor in time to start the season.
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nephew → mean → season
His presence makes Toronto’s a defensive monster and Leonard’s also the kind of lethal late-game closer they need.
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they → make → closer
I’m of the opinion that both Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl are quite capable NBA players — who cares what their salaries are, anyway? — who round out a veteran, proven group that will benefit from having played together for now three seasons.
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that → ’m → seasons
Oh, Scottie Barnes has all-NBA written all over him.
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Barnes → have → him
Out: None of significance
What it all means: Go on, sleep on the Pacers.
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it → mean → Pacers
I dare ya.
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I → dare → ya
Maybe it takes Tyrese Haliburton a minute to get back up to game speed and he’s a year older, as is Pascal Siakam.
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Siakam → take → speed
But the Pacers were really good two seasons ago and there’s no reason they won’t be really good once again.
asserted
they → ’ → ?
And there’s just something about coach Rick Carlisle that instills some measure of confidence in how they’ll play.
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they → ’ → confidence
The East is much deeper than it was when the Pacers won it in 2025 but they’ve still got enough talent to be right in the conversation as this season begins.
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season → win → conversation
What it all means: No, it makes absolutely no sense that the Celtics would (a) trade Brown, (b) trade him to a division rival and (c) trade him for the remnants of George.
asserted
Celtics → mean → George
But Jayson Tatum should once again be in the MVP conversation, Derrick White should recover his shooting chops and who knows what kind of zany ideas coach Joe Mazzulla might come up with the motivate a proven winner.
uncertain
Mazzulla → recover → winner
Maybe they won’t take 50 three-pointers a game and bombard teams from the arc but the Cs know how to win.
asserted
Cs → take → arc
That counts.
asserted
That → count → ?
Out: Dean Wade, Max Strus, Keon Ellis, Larry Nance Jr.
What it all means: Losing Wade and Strus will hurt.
asserted
it → mean → Wade
There’s just a nagging feeling that the Cavaliers are less than the sum of their parts; there’s just something untrustworthy about them in the big games and big moments.
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Cavaliers → ’ → games
I don’t think they defend well enough as a team, I’m still not convinced Donovan Mitchell and James Harden are a workable twosome.
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Mitchell → think → team
They’re dangerous and talented but there’s just something that’s lacking.
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that → ’re → ?
What it all means: Adding Antetokounmpo to Bam Adebayo gives the Heat the most imposing frontcourt on the East and maybe the best four-five grouping in the entire NBA.
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Adding → mean → NBA
But I have no confidence in their shooting and backcourt depth and no matter what skills Erik Spoelstra has as a coach — and they’re proven and impressive — the Heat probably can’t make up for what’s missing.
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what → have → coach
Still, Antetokounmpo and Adebayo are going to win a lot of games.
asserted
Antetokounmpo → go → games
What it all means: With Dort, Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the Hawks are certainly well stocked in defensive stoppers and they have proven to be a better team without Trae Young than they were often with him.
asserted
they → mean → him
The Hawks are going to be a tough out and should absolutely challenge for a top-six seeding but I don’t know if they’ve done enough to keep up with the other changes and improvements in the conference.
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they → go → conference
I do expect Wiggins to make an immediate impact given a role larger than he had in Oklahoma City.
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he → expect → City
What it all means: The Jalen Duren situation remains unresolved and if, as expected, the all-star centre comes back maybe the Pistons need to be ranked higher.
asserted
Pistons → mean → What
But maybe he comes back ticked off about having no contract extension and maybe the Pistons really miss the leadership and shooting that Harris provided?
asserted
Harris → come → that
Then, it’s trouble time.
asserted
it → ’ → ?
…and 5 more, not listed.
