NBA Preview | Team capsules

Western Conference

Nice ring to it

San Antonio Spurs

Division: Southwest.

Last season: 58-24, second in division.

In the house: Ime Udoka, Ian Mahinmi.

Out the door: Jackie Butler.

My take: Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was right. The Riverwalk really is a muddy mess. It must be from all those championship parades the Spurs stage through the heart of the city. San Antonio is the team of the decade, but can it ever win back-to-back? This team is better suited to do that than previous versions.

Phoenix Suns

Division: Pacific.

Last season: 61-21, first in division.

In the house: Grant Hill, Brian Skinner, Alando Tucker.

Out the door: Kurt Thomas, James Jones, Jalen Rose.

My take: Will the Suns continue to entertain and tease, or will they finally break through and win a title? Amare Stoudemire's health, Shawn Marion's mood and the Suns' defensive commitment will determine. One other thing. Could everyone who thought Steve Nash would break down by now admit they're wrong?

Dallas Mavericks

Division: Southwest.

Last season: 67-15, first in division.

In the house: Trenton Hassell, Eddie Jones, Brandon Bass.

Out the door: Austin Croshere, Greg Buckner.

My take: Coach Avery Johnson loves high expectations. His players? Not so much. Playoff collapses against Miami and Golden State prove this team can't handle the favorite's role. Guess what: They're not favorites any more. It's a position that usually brings out the best in this team.

Next in line

Houston Rockets

Division: Southwest.

Last season: 52-30, third in division.

In the house: Steve Francis, Luis Scola, Mike James.

Out the door: Juwan Howard, Vassilis Spanoulis.

My take: Tracy McGrady is pumped about this team and believes it can contend for a title. Maybe it can. But McGrady will have to get the Rockets out of the first round before anyone takes them seriously.

Utah Jazz

Division: Northwest.

Last season: 51-31, first in division.

In the house: Jason Hart, Morris Almond, Kyrylo Fesenko.

Out the door: Derek Fisher, Dee Brown, Rafael Araujo.

My take: Andrei Kirilenko wants out. Well, he makes too much and is playing too bad for that to happen. The forward has lost his confidence. Now, he needs to lose the ego and get to work to make this team even more dangerous.

Denver Nuggets

Division: Northwest.

Last season: 45-37, second in division.

In the house: Chucky Atkins, Steven Hunter.

Out the door: Steve Blake, Reggie Evans.

My take: There was never a question about Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony's ability to play together. The questions are: Will this team ever get around to playing defense, and can Kenyon Martin make it back?

Golden State Warriors

Division: Pacific.

Last season: 42-40, tied for second in division.

In the house: Marco Belinelli, Brandon Wright, Troy Hudson.

Out the door: Jason Richardson, Adonal Foyle.

My take: There may not have been a better player in the first two rounds of the playoffs than Baron Davis. He responded by dropping 20 pounds in the offseason and returning to camp in the best shape of his career.

Los Angeles Lakers

Division: Pacific.

Last season: 42-40, tied for second in division.

In the house: Derek Fisher, Javaris Crittenton.

Out the door: Smush Parker, Shammond Williams.

My take: Will Kobe clean out his locker and declare he's had enough? Will owner Jerry Buss ever move past his hurt feelings? Will Phil Jackson and Jeanie Buss ever get married? Will this ever end?

Could sneak in

New Orleans Hornets

Division: Southwest.

Last season: 39-43, fourth in division.

In the house: Julian Wright, Morris Peterson.

Out the door: Desmond Mason, Cedric Simmons.

My take: New Orleans is known as the city that time forgot. Well, the guess here is that the city forgot it once had an NBA team. The Hornets' return to New Orleans won't be anything like their stay in Oklahoma City.

Los Angeles Clippers

Division: Pacific.

Last season: 40-42, fourth in division.

In the house: Ruben Patterson, Brevin Knight, Al Thornton.

Out the door: Jason Hart, James Singleton.

My take: If Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston were healthy, this team would scare some people. But they're not healthy, so this team scares nobody. Even Billy Crystal will have a hard time staying interested.

Winning lotto number

Portland Trail Blazers

Division: Northwest.

Last season: 32-50, fourth in division.

In the house: Channing Frye, Steve Blake, Josh McRoberts.

Out the door: Zach Randolph, Jamaal Magloire.

My take: All Portland can do is wait and hope Greg Oden is no Sam Bowie. In the meantime, look for LaMarcus Aldridge to come on strong.

Sacramento Kings

Division: Pacific.

Last season: 33-49, fifth in division.

In the house: Mikki Moore, Spencer Hawes.

Out the door: Corliss Williamson, Vitaly Potapenko.

My take: We know Reggie Theus can act. No one could forget his role in "Hang Time." But can he coach? We're about to find out.

Memphis Grizzlies

Division: Southwest.

Last season: 22-60, fifth in division.

In the house: Darko Milicic, Mike Conley.

Out the door: Chucky Atkins, Dahntay Jones.

My take: Pau Gasol appears to have made peace and is content to stay in Memphis.

Seattle Sonics

Division: Northwest.

Last season: 31-51, fifth in division.

In the house: Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Kurt Thomas.

Out the door: Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis.

My take: Nothing against Oklahoma, but who would move a team from Seattle to Oklahoma City?

Minnesota Timberwolves

Division: Northwest.

Last season: 32-50, third in division.

In the house: Al Jefferson, Antoine Walker, Sebastian Telfair.

Out the door: Kevin Garnett, Mike James, Ricky Davis.

My take: Al Jefferson is no Kevin Garnett. But he's pretty good, and it will be fun to watch his development.

Eastern Conference

Nice ring to it

Chicago Bulls

Division: Central.

Last season: 49-33, third in division.

In the house: Joakim Noah, Joe Smith.

Out the door: P.J. Brown, Michael Sweetney.

My take: If you knew a small forward born in the Sudan would follow in the footsteps of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen to help resurrect this franchise, raise your hands. That's what I thought. Luol Deng is the real deal. These Bulls are young, athletic and tough. All they lack is a strong inside game.

Detroit Pistons

Division: Central.

Last season: 53-29, first in division.

In the house: Rodney Stuckey, Jarvis Hayes, Arron Afflalo.

Out the door: Chris Webber, Carlos Delfino, Dale Davis.

My take: My sense is that this team has run its course. The Pistons can still compete for a championship, but they no longer have what it takes to win one. That said, I trust Joe Dumars' judgment on these matters more than my own, and the Pistons' president of basketball operations believes this group has a shot.

Boston Celtics

Division: Atlantic.

Last season: 24-58, fifth in division.

In the house: Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, James Posey.

Out the door: Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Wally Szczerbiak.

My take: No team has generated more excitement entering the season than Boston. But don't get carried away. The Celtics have a chance to advance to the East finals, but it's not a lock. That's because this team won't lock down anyone on the perimeter with its defense.

Next in line

Cleveland Cavaliers

Division: Central.

Last season: 50-32, second in division.

In the house: Devin Brown, Cedric Simmons.

Out the door: David Wesley, Scot Pollard.

My take: Young teams that advance deeper than anyone expect often take a step back the next season. That could happen here. Ask Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic. Oh wait, you can't. They're holding out.

Toronto Raptors

Division: Atlantic.

Last season: 47-35, first in division.

In the house: Jason Kapono, Carlos Delfino.

Out the door: Morris Peterson.

My take: Were the Raptors a fluke last season or do they have staying power? It all depends on the health of Chris Bosh. His knee and foot have bothered him in the preseason. If he isn't right, neither is Toronto.

New Jersey Nets

Division: Atlantic.

Last season: 41-41, second in division.

In the house: Jamaal Magloire, Sean Williams, Darrell Armstrong.

Out the door: Mikki Moore, Clifford Robinson, Eddie House.

My take: Part of me thinks this team can win the conference with Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson. Then part of me takes into account their age and erratic defense and thinks it won't happen.

Miami Heat

Division: Southeast.

Last season: 44-38, first in division.

In the house: Ricky Davis, Smush Parker, Mark Blount.

Out the door: James Posey, Antoine Walker, Gary Payton.

My take: Shaquille O'Neal is one of our favorites. But the Old Aristotle no longer has what it takes to carry a team for an extended period. Without a healthy Dwyane Wade, this team is first-round fodder again.

New York Knicks

Division: Atlantic.

Last season: 33-49, fourth in division.

In the house: Zach Randolph, Wilson Chandler.

Out the door: Channing Frye, Steve Francis.

My take: Isiah Thomas has issues. Stephon Marbury is a nut. So is Zach Randolph, but he's a beast down low. Randolph should transform the Knicks into a playoff team. How long they stay around is another matter.

Could sneak in

Orlando Magic

Division: Southeast.

Last season: 40-42, third in division.

In the house: Rashard Lewis, Adonal Foyle.

Out the door: Grant Hill, Darko Milicic.

My take: Coach Billy Donovan should do a great job with this team. Sorry. I meant to say that Stan Van Gundy should do a great job with this team. Any coach who has Dwight Howard in the middle will look good.

Washington Wizards

Division: Southeast.

Last season: 41-41, second in division.

In the house: Nick Young, Oleksiy Pecherov.

Out the door: Jarvis Hayes, Calvin Booth.

My take: Is there a more entertaining player in the game than Gilbert Arenas? But as we all know, playing defense isn't fun. Arenas and the Wizards do very little of that.

Winning lotto number

Indiana Pacers

Division: Central.

Last season: 35-47, fourth in division.

In the house: Travis Diener, Kareem Rush.

Out the door: Keith McLeod, Orien Greene.

My take: Jermaine O'Neal appears to be happy. Check back in a few months. At least he can get tickets to the Colts.

Charlotte Bobcats

Division: Southeast.

Last season: 33-49, fourth in division.

In the house: Jason Richardson, Jared Dudley.

Out the door: Brevin Knight, Jake Voskuhl.

My take: The Bobcats had a chance to challenge for a playoff spot before losing Adam Morrison and Sean May for the season.

Philadelphia 76ers

Division: Atlantic.

Last season: 35-47, third in division.

In the house: Reggie Evans, Thaddeus Young.

Out the door: Steven Hunter, Joe Smith.

My take: The Sixers weaned themselves off Allen Iverson and finished strong. But this team still has a long way to go.

Milwaukee Bucks

Division: Central.

Last season: 28-54, fifth in division.

In the house: Yi Jianlian, Desmond Mason, Jake Voskuhl.

Out the door: Earl Boykins, Brian Skinner, Ruben Patterson.

My take: Yi wasn't all that excited about playing in Milwaukee. We doubt that anyone will be all that excited to watch this team, either.

Atlanta Hawks

Division: Southeast.

Last season: 30-52, fifth in division.

In the house: Al Horford, Acie Law.

Out the door: Royal Ivey.

My take: The Hawks are on the rise with some good, young players. Give them another five years and they might return to the playoffs.