NBA midseason grades: Southeast Division

With more than half the NBA having reached the halfway point of their seasons, it’s high time we assess how teams are traveling in relation to their internal expectations. To that end, these grades are relative: The Milwaukee Bucks have a better record than the Utah Jazz, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will receive a higher grade.

The West has been won: Northwest, Pacific and Southwest. We’ve looked East with the Atlantic and Central divisions. Today, we finish with the Southeast.

Atlanta Hawks (20-23): C

What to make of the Hawks? They oscillate between stunningly bad losses and magnificent wins. At least they’ve managed to pick a path between offensive artistry and devastating defense by trading Trae Young.

That makes the Hawks Jalen Johnson’s team, the 24-year-old responding to the extra responsibility by supplying 24.1 points, 10,1 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.3 steals. Gaudy numbers, indeed.

Whilst the addition of Kristaps Porzingis hasn’t worked out, they’ve more than made up for it through Nickeil Alexander-Walker, enjoying a career year. Corey Kispert and CJ McCollum will supplement their squad better than Trae ever did.

Keep an eye on rookie Asa Newell. He’s impressed in limited minutes.

Charlotte Hornets (15-26): B

Don’t look now, but do the Hornets have … an identity?

As you might expect from a rebuilding team, Charlotte is painfully thin at every position. They don’t play anything close to acceptable defense. But when you face the Hornets, now, you know what you’re getting: a ton of movement, threes, and basket attacks.

The trio of Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball and star rookie Kon Knueppel are worthy of building around, especially if Ball can eliminate some of the less serious parts of his game. Those three have a net rating of +11 when sharing the floor this season.

Finding help in the frontcourt — Ryan Kalkbrenner is not the answer — is the next step.

Miami Heat (21-20): C+

At the beginning of the season, it looked like Erik Spoelstra had done it again, the Heat coach installing a new, equal opportunity offense that took the NBA by storm. Now, with a few months of scouting under their belts, defenses have adjusted, Miami falling from first in offensive rating over the first month of the campaign to 22^nd overall since that point.

Still, there are positives. Jaime Jaquez Jr. has looked great, and the addition of Norman Powell has proved a masterstroke, especially with Tyler Herro’s availability on ongoing concern. He has, at times, kept the team afloat. Getting Bam Adebayo back to something approaching his best could only help.

Orlando Magic (23-18): C+

Injuries have again curtailed the Magic, who never seem to be able to get their full team on the floor. Their on-court chemistry concerns have been well documented, but it’s always difficult to build anything lasting with an ever-shifting lineup.

Individually, this team is incredibly talented. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are each potential top options, though both tend to leave you wanting more. Desmond Bane is an elite shooter. Jalen Suggs is Orlando’s two-way barometer and Anthony Black is enjoying a breakout season.

The question remains, though: do the pieces fit together? Are Franz and Paolo too similar? Does the lack of shooting from Suggs and Black sludge up the offense too much?

This writer also questions the offensive chops of coach Jamahl Mosley. Is Orlando’s lack of movement and creativity a coaching issue or player-dependent?

Washington Wizards (10-30): B-

The Wizards are always going to grade out better than their record suggests, given that their goal is not necessarily to win games of basketball. So, let’s throw away the win/loss element and focus on development.

Alex Sarr might not quite be a generational defender, but he’s on track to be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate for years to come. Offensively, he’s still a work in progress but is making strides. Around him, Tre Johnson’s shooting has been outstanding, whilst Kyshawn George and Bilal Coulibaly look like they are worth building around.

How Trae Young impacts this team upon his return will be fascinating. Does his playmaking open up the offense? Or does his monopolization of the rock stymie the development of the Wizards' young crew?