NBA Futures - Atlantic Division: Most interesting division in NBA?

Things get even more interesting when you factor in that four teams from the Atlantic made the playoffs last season and they all met in the first round. Philadelphia eliminated Toronto while Boston swept the Nets on the way to the NBA Finals ... then the Celtics were rumored to be in on Durant as a way to get over the hump. (Yet another fascinating storyline).

I am not even sure what you can say about the New York Knicks but as we approach the 2022-2023 NBA season there are a lot of quality teams and storylines to this group. 

Let's take a look at the futures market and see where some values may lie. 

NBA Atlantic Division Futures

Boston Celtics +110

It is easy to make the Celtics the favorites in the Atlantic coming into the season. They made it all the way to the Finals last year and their two best players, Jayson Tatum and Jaylon Brown are All-Stars with room to grow. During the offseason they made a couple of key moves bringing in guard Malcolm Brogdon and shooting big man Danilo Gallinari. Both were lauded but Gallo is already out for the season and now center Robert Williams III is going to start the season on the shelf too. Even with the best collection of wing talent in the league, the regular season might have some rough spots if they are getting beaten up inside.  To make Boston even harder to predict this regular season, Celtics coach Ime Udoka is facing a possible suspension for taking part in an "improper relationship."

Futures Take: As a title contender Boston is still up there, but the grind of the division might be too much to expect, and the value is not great. 

Brooklyn Nets +210

It is hard to know where to start when assessing Brooklyn. In terms of talent, they are among the best teams in the league. Durant and Irving might be the 2 best scorers in the league and for all of his "quirks," Ben Simmons does have some value on the court (if he ever gets out there; his injury status is hard to predict). There is shooting too with the likes of Joe Harris, Patty Mills, and Seth Curry. Even with the obvious positives, it is still hard to see how it all comes together, especially during the regular season. There are just too many ways for this to go off the rails both on and off the court.

Futures Take: Similar to Boston above, their chances of an NBA Championship run look better than their chances of taking the division (plus I will be rooting against them every night like the rest of you). 

Philadelphia 76ers +350

Boston and Philly finished tied last season with a record of 51-31. The Celtics had the tiebreaker and thus took the division, and the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Philly had a wild season last year with the "Simmons Saga" and then ultimately added Harden in that trade. Amidst all that Joel Embiid had a wonderful year, and Tyrese Maxie emerged, especially in the playoffs. Heading into this season, things feel a lot more settled. They have added major toughness in the form of PJ Tucker and Montrezl Harrell. The addition of backup PG/strong wing defender D'Anthony Melton is underrated too. Their true success rate will be determined in the playoffs where they have struggled in the past but having a strong regular season looks good.

Futures Take:  Embiid's health is the thing here. If he plays a "regular" amount of games, I like Philly to take the division. The payoff is solid too. 

Toronto Raptors +1000

Toronto is always a hard team to forecast. They lack a true superstar but are so well-coached and seem to place more emphasis on regular-season success than some other franchises. Last year they were just a few games behind the Atlantic co-leaders in a season marred by cascading injuries.

They have mostly run it back with the exception of adding shooter Otto Porter, off a championship season with the Warriors. Toronto's approach, for better or worse, is to have as many interchangeable pieces as possible. Their kryptonite are teams with true big men. Young players like Scottie Barnes and Precious Achiuwa offer hope for improvement, especially Barnes!

Futures Take: Toronto is still a bit of an experiment. They were close last year and should be better/healthier so they might be worth a flyer. This is a great value. Maybe stack them with Philly. 

New York Knicks +6500

The Knicks regressed badly last season. They are one of the most talked about teams, but it never seems to translate into wins. Are they better than a year ago?  Probably, lead guard Jalen Brunson was a solid add but all of the offseason talk was about how they blew it in not getting Donovan Mitchell. I don't see it that way even though there was no doubt he would have made them better. They still would have been the worst team in the division and the odds show just how big the gap really is. The Knicks need to find their identity.

Futures Takeaway: Nothing to see here. Even if they are improved it is not enough. 

Best Bet:  Philadelphia +350