NBA: New Year’s Resolutions For All 30 Teams

New Year’s Day is almost here and it’s a great time to make resolutions we hope to keep for the entire year. In the NBA, the New Year brings the second half of the NBA season and, just like us, every NBA team should have resolutions they keep for the New Year. This list of resolutions should be simple enough to follow, but resolutions are often quickly broken.

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics – To end the fantasy of competing for an NBA title and to start an earnest rebuilding. Age and complacency have caught up with this team and planning for the future should start now.

Brooklyn Nets – To end their delusions that they are a championship contending team and look into blaming management for the team’s subpar roster construction. Billy King as GM has received a pass for his questionable offseason moves and that should end right away.

New York Knicks – To quickly put an end to the speculation of whether Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony can co-exist. If not, the team should prepare to send Stoudemire elsewhere as soon as possible.

Philadelphia 76ers – Hope for a quick and healthy return of Andrew Bynum to the form he showed in 2011-12. Without Bynum, the Sixers will regress from the progress they made last season in an Eastern Conference that has improved.

Toronto Raptors – Trade Andrea Bargnani and decide who stays and goes between Kyle Lowry and Jose Calderon. Just mentioning those options is only scratching the surface of the Raptors’ issues.

Central Divison

Chicago Bulls – Discover if a potential second superstar can be obtained via the trade market to pair with the eventual return of All-Star Derrick Rose. As currently constructed with Rose, the Bulls do not have enough firepower to beat Miami.

Cleveland Cavaliers – Continue to sell their fans on the continuing rebuilding project now underway. The Cavs are not a playoff contending team this season and they should not sell their fans on a second-half turnaround that won’t get them there. Unfortunately for the Cavs, the upcoming NBA draft doesn’t appear to contain any franchise level players.

Detroit Pistons – Aim for the first pick in the 2013 draft and get Shabazz Muhammad of UCLA. The playoffs are out of reach for this team and the goal should be to bring in young talent to supplement Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond.

Indiana Pacers – To successfully integrate Danny Granger in the lineup when he returns from injury without stifling the growth of Paul George.

Milwaukee Bucks – Re-sign both Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings to long-term contracts. The Bucks have an all-star backcourt with both players and re-signing them ensures a stable foundation to further build upon.

Southeast Division

Atlanta Hawks – Find a way to sign Dwight Howard in the offseason. The Hawks have surpassed expectations this season, but are one dynamic player away from being a contending team. The addition of an Atlanta-born superstar in Howard would bring them that player.

Charlotte Bobcats – Obtain as many picks as possible in the 2013 draft. This team still suffers from a lack of quality players and it needs to bring in more young talent.

Miami Heat – The Heat’s resolution for 2013 should simply be to stay hungry. If the team isn’t complacent and doesn’t revel in its title, there is no reason it should not repeat as NBA champions.

Orlando Magic – Find a new home for veterans Glen Davis, J.J. Redick and Jameer Nelson. The Magic are not a playoff team and are not bad enough to get a top-five pick in the next draft. Hanging on the fence as a 30- to 40-win team is a hard way to build a championship-level roster.

Washington Wizards – Fire Ernie Grunfeld and bring in new management. This season, the Wizards are an absolute disaster and the team’s questionable decisions in the offseason are not paying off. Grunfeld is nearing his 10th year in charge of the Wizards and the farthest the team has gone under his tenure is the second round. It’s hard to justify keeping the same management in place with such a mediocre track record.

Southwest Division

Dallas Mavericks – Entice Dwight Howard to sign a long term deal during the offseason. The team struck out on signing Deron Williams during the last summer and can ill afford to lose out on another big name free agent.

Houston Rockets – Trade or sign a second superstar to pair with James Harden. The Rockets have the cap space to outright sign a major free agent, and they have the assets to trade to obtain a superstar.

Memphis Grizzlies – Keep on doing everything exactly the same. They have set themselves up nicely to make a run and it would be foolish to make a change for the sake of change.

New Orleans Hornets – To get a star point guard that will enable them to bring Greivis Vasquez off the bench. The Hornets bench is one of the weakest benches in the league, and bringing Vasquez off the bench goes a long way to strengthen the unit.

San Antonio Spurs – The Spurs resolution is a simple one. Rest their star players as much as possible for the postseason regardless of the fines that might be given by David Stern. After 4 championships under Gregg Popovich, the regular season means nothing for this team.

Northwest Division

Denver Nuggets – Start the search for a coach to begin the post George Karl era pending how the season ends. The Nuggets are one of the most disappointing teams in the league this season so far, and a 1st round loss or missing the playoffs might lead to a new coach taking over.

Minnesota Timberwolves – Find a new home for Derrick Williams by the trading deadline preferably for a shooting guard. Williams has not performed up to expectations in Minny and he needs a new start.

Portland Trail Blazers – Try again to get a All-Star level Center. The Blazers failed to obtain Roy Hibbert over the summer, and the Center position is still their biggest hole.

Oklahoma City Thunder – Hope that the Toronto Raptors finish with the 4th pick in the upcoming lottery. As a result of the James Harden trade, the Raptors pick will go to the Thunder as long as it’s not a Top 3 pick. Adding a excellent lottery player will give the Thunder the ability to create a dynasty.

Utah Jazz – Trade Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap by the trading deadline preferably for backcourt help. The Jazz are not going to win the championship this year barring a miracle and it makes no sense not to pick up assets for two good players who do not fit in their long term plans.

Pacific Division

Golden State Warriors – To bring back Andrew Bogut only when he’s completely healthy. A healthy Bogut is a Top 10 center in the league and puts the Warriors closer to being a championship contender.

Los Angeles Clippers – Sign Chris Paul to a max extension. All the accomplishments this season will end up meaning little if Paul finds a new home with another team.

Los Angeles Lakers – Sign Dwight Howard to a long term extension. A Howard departure would be catastrophic to a roster already one of the oldest in the NBA.

Phoenix Suns – Start a massive rebuilding project. The team’s mismatched roster features no potential franchise players, reclamation projects, and a bleak future outlook if even looking for a playoff roster. The Suns need to focus on getting as high a lottery pick as possible.

Sacramento Kings – Decide if they’re staying in Sacramento or moving to Seattle, Virginia Beach, etc. Basketball decisions mean little for a team that’s not even sure where their home city will be for the foreseeable future.

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