NBA Eastern Conference team capsules

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

Coach: Tyronn Lue (2nd season)

Last year: 57-25 (won championship)

Outlook: Sure, the Cavaliers are a heavy favorite to repeat in the East, but don't forget they must find a way to replace C Timofey Mozgov, who was snared by the Lakers a minute into free-agency. Actually, once SG J.R. Smith finally re-signed, things looked pretty solid here. Cleveland is a city of winners.

2. Boston Celtics

Coach: Brad Stevens (4th season)

Last year: 48-34

Outlook: This team probably overachieved last season. Now Stevens has a legit big man to work with in former Hawks C Al Horford. The backcourt mix is unconventional with undersized PG Isaiah Thomas serving as top scorer and undersized SG Avery Bradley the defensive stopper.

3. Toronto Raptors

Coach: Dwane Casey (6th season)

Last year: 56-26

Outlook: The Raptors are coming off the best season in franchise history (by far). Now there's more room to fall than rise. SG DeMar DeRozan didn't even look around before re-signing this summer. Now Toronto can get to work pushing C Jonas Valanciunas into a better playoff performance.

4. Indiana Pacers

Coach: Nate McMillan (1st season)

Last year: 45-37

Outlook: The Pacers did an impressive job of adding new faces without spending a fortune. Ex-Hawk Jeff Teague gives Indiana and more conventional PG, while the Pacers also snagged C Al Jefferson and PF Thaddeus Young. If second-year PF Malik Turner pans out, the Pacers should be tough.

5. Charlotte Hornets

Coach: Steve Clifford (4th season)

Last year: 48-34

Outlook: Clifford did a magnificent job last year with a roster that appeared to have a few weak spots. PG Kemba Walker continues to impress. Clifford's main job this fall might be making sure Frank Kaminsky's Cub-hating jerseys and Skittles dispenser does not become a distraction.

6. Detroit Pistons

Coach: Stan Van Gundy (3rd season)

Last year: 44-38

Outlook: PG Reggie Jackson will miss the first month or so with a sore knee. The pick-and-roll with Jackson and C Andre Drummond is the foundation of the Pistons' attack. PF Marcus Morris was a better addition than expected last season, now the key might be turning SF Tobias Harris into an efficient scorer without being a ball-stopper.

7. Atlanta Hawks

Coach: Mike Budenholzer (4th season)

Last year: 48-34

Outlook: The Hawks lost all-star Al Horford and replaced him with Atlanta native Dwight Howard. He might make the Hawks even better defensively, but Howard hasn't done much to help team success in a while. Dennis Schroder takes over at PG for Jeff Teague.

8. Bulls

Coach: Fred Hoiberg (2nd season)

Last year: 42-40

Outlook: The Bulls' floor-to-ceiling potential probably spans a top-four finish or missing the playoffs by a wide margin. No one can be completely certain how the Rajon Rondo, Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler combo will work. Still, team success could depend more on the younger guys like Doug McDermott and Niko Mirotic.

9. New York Knicks

Coach: Jeff Hornacek (1st season)

Last year: 32-50

Outlook: The superteam of the East Coast might actually be decent if Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah stay healthy. The problem is, they may have sacrificed their bodies too much in their Bulls years to ever return to peak form. Also, PF Kristaps Porzingis is really skinny.

10. Washington Wizards

Coach: Scott Brooks (1st season)

Last year: 41-41

Outlook: Remember when John Wall and Bradley Beal were claiming to be the NBA's best backcourt? If not, just think back to the Wizards' first-round playoff beatdown of the Bulls in '14. Wall is keeping up his end, but Beal keeps getting hurt and missed 27 games last season. After saving their cap room, Wizards' big signing last summer was former Indiana C Ian Mahinmi.

11. Milwaukee Bucks

Coach: Jason Kidd (3rd season)

Last year: 33-49

Outlook: The Bucks have plenty of length, might need more shooting. After trading Michael Carter-Williams to the Bulls, expect 6-11 Giannis Antetokounmpo to be the primary ballhandler. SG Khris Middleton will miss most of the season with a torn hamstring.

12. Miami Heat

Coach: Erik Spoelstra (9th season)

Last year: 48-34

Outlook: The Heat might be in serious rebuild mode with Dwyane Wade moving home to Chicago and PF Chris Bosh still having blood clot issues. The new Miami stars are C Hassan Whiteside, PG Goran Dragic and SF Justise Winslow, which might mean plenty of beach time in April.

13. Orlando Magic

Coach: Frank Vogel (1st season)

Last year: 35-47

Outlook: Scott Skiles bailed out before completing a full season, now another hard-nosed defensive coach will try to mold the Magic's young core. Trading Victor Oladipo to OKC for Serge Ibaka was a questionable move, but at least that's one veteran with winning experience. The wait continues with PG Elfrid Payton, SG Evan Fournier and PF Aaron Gordon.

14. Philadelphia 76ers

Coach: Brett Brown (4th season)

Last year: 10-72

Outlook: C Joel Embiid has looked great walking the hallways the past two years and now he's finally played in some preseason games. But first-rounder Ben Simmons is hurt, C Nerlens Noel and PF Jahlil Okafor need to mesh with Embiid, SF Dario Saric is an unknown and the backcourt is thin. The process continues.

15. Brooklyn Nets

Coach: Kenny Atkinson (1st season)

Last year: 21-61

Outlook: What does a team do when it's bottoming out in the standings, but owes three-straight first-round picks to Boston? Sign PG Jeremy Lin to be the centerpiece player, of course. Lin actually played well in Charlotte last year and the Nets knew they couldn't really aim high, so no need to knock the plan. Also, C Brook Lopez is still around.