Atlanta Hawks: Eastern Conference Power Rankings, Nov. 26

Orlando is close, but still a year or so away. They have the right coach in Scott Skiles that can hopefully get this young club over the top. The Magic have so many intriguing young pieces Skiles has to feel happy about his coaching situation. Not to mention his best days as a former point guard were in the late 1980’s to early 1990’s playing for the expansion Orlando Magic.

The oddest thing about the 2015-16 Orlando Magic so far is that their best player hasn’t been anyone we would have expected. It’s been 23-year-old Evan Fournier, who is averaging 18.6 PPG. He’s shooting a very high clip from three-point range (.398). If Fournier is the answer for Skiles in finding an outside shooting threat, then Orlando can start to have more balance on offense. The Magic aren’t there yet, but I don’t think they’re a bad team this season. Too many promising young players.

The Washington Wizards have played fewer games than anyone (12) and they haven’t taken advantage of their easy early schedule in 2015-16. Washington could have played in the ECF last season and through their first 12 games, I felt like this team would have been no worse than 8-4.

I sense that three things are holding the Wizards back: 1. They are missing the veteran leadership of Paul Pierce, now with the Los Angeles Clippers. 2. Bradley Beal and Otto Porter Jr. aren’t taking the needed leap forward. 3. Randy Wittman just isn’t a good regular season coach. If the Wizards don’t make it out of the second round in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, assuming they get there, then management will want to part ways with Wittman as their head coach. The backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal should win playoff series easily in the East.

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Kristaps Porzingis is taking over the Big Apple in a way reminiscent to what Lin-Sanity was like only a few years back. I can’t recall the last time a rookie has been effective this early on a major market team. Porzingis is averaging 13.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game as a 20-year-old playing for the New York Knicks.

GM Phil Jackson possibly has a franchise-caliber piece to build around in Porzingis, but having a selfish player like Carmelo Anthony could stunt his growth. I’d be all for trading Anthony to a contend for the kitchen sink and stock pile assets while trying to contend for a playoff spot in the East. In essence, do what Boston did last year. Just don’t let the Triangle or Derek Fisher mess things up for the Zinger.

Next: Tier III: Likely First Round Exit