NBA Previews: Dallas Mavericks 4th Place: Southwest Division

by James Finneral

The Dallas Mavericks along with the Spurs are the only teams to take down the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals in the past four years. Although they won a title fairly recently, this is a very different Maverick team with veterans mixed with a decent amount of young players.

This summer the Mavericks were actually pretty productive in the free agency market by signing Dirk Nowitzki and snagging a frustrated Chandler Parsons. Parsons felt undervalued by the Houston Rockets and winded up in Dallas. Parsons should fit in nicely with the Mavericks because they need a quality small forward. However Parsons knows that this Maverick team does not have the talent to win a championship. Parsons is one of those guys desperately coveting an NBA championship and that is why he made such a big push to get Dwight Howard to Houston. That being said if Parsons does not believe in his teammates he may not perform to the best of his abilities.

Potential Starting Lineup:

PG: Raymond Felton

SG: Monta Ellis 

SF: Chandler Parsons

PF: Dirk Nowitzki 

C: Tyson Chandler 

The Mavericks have an excellent starting lineup for a team that will probably not make the playoffs. They have strong players at each position except center, but this Southwest division is filled with more talented, younger and more athletic teams making the road for the Mavericks very difficult. Where the Mavericks really struggle is their bench. They really have no depth aside from Shawn Marion and DeJaun Blair, who are not exactly prime options off the bench.

This is a pretty mature team that knows how to win, but the Chandler Parsons addition might not be as crucial as people have made it out to be. Just based on the strength of the Western Conference the Mavericks will not be a premier team in the league.  

Two Players Who Could Make a Big Difference for the Orange

by James Finneral

Many people do not believe the Orange are bringing in any great talent next year, but what they do not know is that Syracuse has two players within the ESPN Top 100 coming in that could make a big impact in their freshman season.

Chris McCullough, PF, Brewster Academy:
Chris McCullough is a a big time talent and one of the more underrated players within the top thirty. McCullough currently sits 24th on ESPN Recruiting Nation's Top 100 list. The reason he is underrated is that he is a model NCAA power forward standing at 6'10", 220 pounds.

McCullough's athleticism is what separates him from most players at his position. He is quick for his size and can go by defenders with ease. When he gets to the rim, McCullough can rise above the defense and have easy finishes near the basket. He has an extremely high upside coming into Syracuse. There is still room for him to develop his body and could become a real force down low in the ACC. With Jerami Grant and Baye-Moussa Keita leaving, the Orange are in need of some bodies down low. McCullough will fit the system well and can develop into a NBA caliber forward.

Kaleb Joseph, PG, Cushing Academy:

Kaleb Joseph is the second highly profiled player coming into the Orange program. He is ranked 50th in the nation for the class of 2014. He is a point guard standing at 6'3", 165 pounds to go along with a tremendous amount of athleticism.

Joseph is a facilitator on the court and is always looking to improve his teammates. Along with making plays for his teammates Joseph is a natural scorer as well. He can score both by using his quickness to blow by defenders as well as shooting from any range. Joseph could be an extremely quality player at the college level because of how Jim Boeheim and the Syracuse coaching staff have developed point guards in the last few years. Two years ago it was Michael Carter-Williams who was a standout in the Big East and went on to win Rookie of the Year in the NBA in 2013-2014. This past year Tyler Ennis blossomed into an excellent point guard and made the All-ACC Second Team. Joseph is equally as talented as Ennis so there is no reason why he cannot be successful in the ACC this year.

These two guys can drive Syracuse to another successful season, but they need to live up to their expectations.

NBA Draft Winners: Orlando Magic

by James Finneral

Ever since Dwight Howard left the Magic they have not been the same team. A competitive team who could challenge anyone in the Eastern Conference has turned into a sub-par team who had the third worst record in the league last year. Despite the awful record, the Magic showed many glimpses of potential. They are a young team with a large amount of talent and they drafted three players that could give them a spark to compete again.

 No. 4: Aaron Gordon, PF, Arizona: 

Being referred to as a younger Blake Griffin means you are doing something right. Although those are great expectations for newly acquired Magic forward Aaron Gordon, he certainly has the potential to live up to them. Gordon is one of the most athletic players in the draft to go along with a progressing jump shot. He is a high flyer who can rise above defenders and finish with ferocious slam dunks. Gordon is in nice condition and should be ready to make the physical transition to the NBA.

Power forward is the position the Magic lack the most. With Glen Davis out of shape and younger power forwards not working, Gordon seemed like a nice fit for Orlando. It is pretty safe to say Gordon will start on opening night unless he performs poorly in the summer league. Playing alongside Nikola Vucevic, Gordon will complete another dynamic front court in the Eastern Conference. If he can live up to his expectations than the Magic will have a solid player for a while and most likely a franchise guy down the road.

No. 10: Elfrid Payton, PG, Louisiana Lafayette:

Although this young man had issues putting on his draft hat, Elfrid Payton is a great young talent with a lot of upside. Coming out of Louisiana Lafayette many NBA scouts were not sure of how Payton would stack up against more intense competition, but his sheer quickness, ball handling and ability to get to the rim is enough for the Magic to draft him in the top ten. Payton is a decent shooter, but could still definitely improve. He has a number of moves that get him to the basket allowing him to score or pass to a teammate.

This was a nice second pick for Orlando because Payton will be very useful for the Magic in a couple of years. No one really knows how long Jameer Nelson will still be around, but he will be a nice mentor for Payton because he has played with the Magic all of his career. Payton will be able to learn the system from a guard with a lot of experience on the Magic and will eventually take over the starting spot when Nelson leaves. This pick added more depth to the Magic and do not be shocked if you see Elfrid Payton get some minutes this year.

No. 56: Roy Devyn Marble, SF, Iowa:

To cap off their draft the Magic took a very polished small forward in Roy Devyn Marble from Iowa. His draft stock was not very high because he is older than many other players in the draft, but he would still be an asset for any team who selects him. Marble's offensive game is where he thrives. He can score at will both by driving to the basket as well as shooting the ball. Right now his body is not at the point where he can stick with some of the premier small forwards in the league, but that does not mean he will never get there.

The Magic have been lacking a pure small forward for a little while. Tobias Harris stepped it up last year and will most likely be the starter at the small forward position. Harris is still young, but he will be a nice guy for Marble to learn from. Marble is a solid second option at small forward for the Magic and will probably get some time if he is productive in the summer league. Marble has a ton of potential and it could pay off for the Magic.

Do not expect immediate results for the Magic, but they definitely have the potential to be successful in the future.