re: Rate your level of optimism for a good season 1-5

Going into the season with no expectations.

All depends on health. Our team could win a chip when healthy but is one delicate cookie monster injury away from missing the playoffs.

Pretty high, but I can't quite give the Pels a 4, so like a 3.8 as far as expectations go. Questions at the 5, shooting and depth stop me from going higher. For sure, BI and Zion will be good if they can just stay healthy, I said after the horrible third preseason game, that they are both high IQ players and know/have played well together (in an albeit limited sample). I'll measure them collectively and feel the duo is top 5 in the league, which should get them a playoff berth but not much further if the roster construction isn't addressed.

I like Val but he is not a starter on this type of team, he's just too slow, not just perimeter defense, but as an offensive roll man, and ball distribution ~ in sets and transition, particularly outlet passing off rebounds.

TM3 being out exposes the lake of shooting, aside from CJ, I don't have confidence that they can or are willing (BI ... cough, cough) to shoot from 3. Pels counting on a rookie to give them volume shooting at the 3 is dicey at best. Can't trade 2s for 3s throughout the game.

Second line of Larry, Jose, Kira, and Daniels is not a lot of offense off the bench. Pels will likely have to stagger BI and Zion's minutes to alleviate their lack of bench scoring until TM3 comes back.

Pels, regardless of how they perform in the first half, will have to make roster moves, preferably now but at least before the deadline. Either to take a good team and try to make a push for contention or to start salary planning. Ideally, they keep a core of BI, Zion, Herb, TM3, Jose, and Dyson with everyone else available to get a modern 4/5 and a vet shooter.

3.50