Man, this team is actually fun to watch this year, some observations:
The 2nd unit has been killing it out there. They were in at the beginning of the 4th and basically extended the lead then put the game away against the charlotte starting unit. Yeah, it was Charlotte's, but still. They're developing a cohesiveness and chemistry which will definitely serve well during this super-fast pace season.
Kyrie looks good, especially on offense. Doesnt turn the ball over, knows how to score, can distribute and handle the ball. One knock so far has been defense, but he looks like he has the quicks to hang with most anyone. Lets give him the year to get used to things going at NBA speed and with the NBA (accelerated) number of games. TT is like a young Andy out there. Will get you points around the basket, cant shoot for crap, provides hustle and 50:50 balls, and is going to be a defensive monster. The difference is hes a legit shot blocker, and though hes 6-9, hes got the ups and athleticism to effectively add a couple inches.
Could this team make the playoffs? Yeah. We havent played anyone "good" yet, this is true. The problem is there are less "good" teams. With the condensed season and no off season, the elite teams are going to run away from the pack, but the rest of the league is going to have more parity. Any team with high turnover during the offseason is going to be in about the same boat, and there isnt practice time to really make any headway. So if you have a deep team with the right attitude, you're going to be competitive in every game. I expect Miami, Chicago, Orlando (until Dwight is traded), Boston, New York, and Atlanta to be playoff teams, but that leaves two spots wide open and this team looks competitive enough to get one. Now it is early and I might have said the same last year, so yeah we could still he headed to lotto land, but I dont think we're looking at bottom 3 territory at all. Basically, hope this draft is as deep as everyone says it is.
Theres a debate about if AV belongs. Right now I'd say hes kind of the MVP of this team. Is he part of the teams long term plan? I have no idea. He could be though. His game relies on hustle; he's not incredibly athletic, he's not particularly fast or strong. As long as he stays in shape and healthy he can keep contributing the way he does for the next 5 years or so I would think. The key is not getting injured for him. Would he help a contender over the hump? Hell yeah. Would we get an equivalent piece with a late 1st rounder? Doubt it.