8) Orlando Magic
The Magic surprised a lot of people last year when they posted a 47-35 and grabbed the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. So far this offseason, they’ve managed to keep their core in tact while only losing Joe Ingles and potentially Markelle Fultz to free agency. The addition of Kentavious Caldwell Pope provides the team with veteran leadership and postseason experience, both of which are important for a young Orlando team. The drop in the rankings is not due to talent, but more of a nod to the talent that other Eastern Conference rivals have added over the course of the offseason.
7) Miami Heat
As long as Jimmy Butler stays healthy, the Heat will always be a sneaky pick to make a deep postseason run. Miami has an intriguing trio of Butler, Bam Adebayo and Terry Rozier that can cause nightmares for opposing defenses. Having only played ten games together last season, this trio will only get better once they gel. The loss of Caleb Martin will affect the team offensively, especially from long range, and they will have to their depth to fill that void. It all comes down to health and durability for the Heat and if they can manage to keep their stars on the court, they will be a fun team to watch in 2024.