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Milwaukee Bucks: Examining the offseasons to date of playoff rivals

By Adam McGee

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 16: A close up of the NBA Playoff logo is seen before the game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Washington Wizards during the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2017 NBA Playoffs on April 16, 2017 at Verizon Center in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 16: A close up of the NBA Playoff logo is seen before the game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Washington Wizards during the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2017 NBA Playoffs on April 16, 2017 at Verizon Center in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – FEBRUARY 17
NEW ORLEANS, LA – FEBRUARY 17 /

The Rest

The Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks all stand out as playoff teams who look set to regress significantly having lost stars to the West this summer. With Paul George, Jimmy Butler and Paul Millsap all playing on new teams, the teams in the upper echelon of the East automatically have an easier ride.

That doesn’t just count when the playoffs come round, but also in the regular season itself. The East’s best teams will have a much easier run of things throughout the year when it comes to schedule, and should be able to maximize that in the battle for postseason seeding.

The addition of Avery Bradley is intriguing for the Pistons, but they still have greater issues to resolve if they are to become a force.

The 76ers’ additions of veterans like J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson to an outstanding young core makes them an obvious breakthrough candidate, but we’re yet to see if they can hold up health-wise.

The Heat have placed their trust in the group that charged late last season, re-upping the likes of James Johnson and Dion Waiters. Considering they came up short last season, can Kelly Olynyk really push them over the edge?

The Hornets will be hoping to find a revitalized Dwight Howard leading their charge back to the playoffs, and although they will likely realize that goal, achieving anything beyond that may still be a tall order.

Meanwhile, the Nets will be better than they have been for a long time, the Magic are still searching for a leading light, and the Knicks are continuing to wrestle with their own dysfunction.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks: 5 keys to challenging for a top-4 seed next season

The Bucks haven’t made any real noise this summer, but a change of fortune in terms of health and continued internal growth could be enough to see them take advantage of the openings that are there for the team. With less dominant teams than ever, the Eastern Conference is up for grabs.

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