ATLANTIC DIVISION

1. NEW JERSEY NETS

Roster moves: Traded C Todd MacCulloch and F Keith Van Horn to Philadelphia for C Dikembe Mutombo. Signed F Rodney Rogers (Boston) and PG Chris Childs (Toronto).

Lineup issues: Although he's close to qualifying for Social Security, Mutombo gives the Nets their best center in years, following such luminaries as Benoit Benjamin, Evan Eschmeyer and Dwayne Schintzius. And New Jersey has quality backups in Aaron Williams and Jason Collins. The Nets could afford to trade the erratic Van Horn because of the emergence of second-year forward Richard Jefferson and the luring of Rogers from Boston. Kenyon Martin returns at PF, with Williams in reserve. Childs, who was signed to back up Kidd at PG, was suspended indefinitely for being out of shape. Kerry Kittles/Lucious Harris comprise a capable tag team at SG, with Brandon Armstrong also available.

The skinny: No, Mutombo isn't going to stop Shaq. But GM Rod Thorn has boosted his franchise's chances of returning to the Finals by acquiring Mutombo and Rogers. The Jefferson/Rogers tandem will be more than enough to compensate for the loss of Van Horn. And Mutombo, even at his advanced age, is superior to MacCulloch. The biggest question is whether Kidd will re-sign as a free agent next summer or join Tim Duncan in San Antonio, where the Spurs are positioned to clear ample cap space. Kidd says he's happy in New Jersey, but won't make a decision until after the season.

Prediction: Lose in NBA Finals.

2. BOSTON CELTICS

Roster moves: Traded PG Kenny Anderson, C Vitaly Potapenko and SG Joseph Forte to Seattle for F Vin Baker and PG Shammond Williams. Signed C Bruno Sundov (Indiana) and PF Ruben Wolkowyski (Dallas). Lost F Rodney Rogers (New Jersey) and G Erick Strickland (Indiana).

Lineup issues: Anderson wasn't an All-Star, but his departure leaves a huge void at point guard. Williams and Tony Delk are skilled shooters, but neither is a distinguished playmaker. PF Antoine Walker will handle the ball a lot in a point-forward role. Eric Williams plays SG, with Paul Pierce sliding over from SF at times. Baker's a more natural PF, but he will have to make do at center, backing up Tony Battie for now. Baker (14.1 points, 6.4 rebounds) posted solid numbers last year, but he's a soft player whose weight and fragile psyche are issues. Pierce and Walker form perhaps the best forward tandem in the league. Forwards Walter McCarty and Kedrick Brown come off the bench.

The skinny: The Celtics took a huge risk by taking on the last four years of Baker's seven-year, $86.7 million contract and by trading their only established natural point guard. Plus, the Celtics needed a defensive-oriented center, not another scorer, to complement Pierce and Walker. The competition for shots could get ugly among Baker, Walker and Pierce. What's worse, Williams and Delk are shoot-first PGs. Meanwhile, former owner Paul Gaston, concerned about the luxury tax, lost Rogers to the rivals Net before selling the team to New England businessmen. Still, the Atlantic is so muddled that Pierce and Walker might be enough for another second-place finish.

Prediction: Lose in first round.

3. ORLANDO MAGIC

Roster moves: Signed PFs Shawn Kemp (Portland) and Olumide Oyedeji (Seattle) and PG Jacque Vaughn (Atlanta). Drafted C Curtis Borchardt and traded him to Utah for rookie F Ryan Humphrey. Traded C Don Reid and No. 1 pick to Denver for second-round pick. Lost SF Monty Williams (Philadelphia) and C Patrick Ewing (retirement).

Lineup issues: Orlando is so weak at the power positions that the Magic is relying on 37-year-old Horace Grant, who nearly retired, and Kemp, who nearly ate himself out of the league before accepting a buyout from the Blazers. Making matters worse, second-year C Steven Hunter is out until February after knee surgery. Pat Garrity and Humphrey are hustlers and good shooters, but neither has the beef to bang with many of the other PFs. Andrew DeClercq backs up Grant at center, and Kemp will play PF and C. At SF, Grant Hill's return from two years of ankle problems will help greatly, even if he's no longer All-Star caliber. SG Tracy McGrady has become one of the five best players in the NBA. Vaughn and Darrell Armstrong share minutes at PG. Hill can also play PG some, which would create more minutes for G/F Mike Miller.

The skinny: The Magic hoped to clear enough cap space to make another run at Tim Duncan next summer, but Orlando probably won't be able to do it unless it trades Miller. And Duncan appears increasingly likely to stay in San Antonio. If Hill can make it until February injury-free, the Magic will need to consider dealing Miller for help at PF or C. If Kemp makes one of the most remarkable comebacks in NBA history, a conference finals berth isn't out of the question.

Prediction: Lose in first round.

4. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Roster moves: Traded C Dikembe Mutombo to New Jersey for C Todd MacCulloch and F Keith Van Horn. Signed SF Greg Buckner (Dallas), SF Monty Williams (Orlando), PF Brian Skinner (Cleveland), PG William Avery (Minnesota), C Olden Polynice (sat out last season) and PF Efthimios Rentzias (Europe). Traded PG Speedy Claxton to San Antonio for rookie SG John Salmons, rookie F Randy Holcomb and C Mark Bryant. Lost SF Matt Harpring (Utah), PG Vonteego Cummings (Cleveland), SF Derrick McKey and SG Raja Bell (Dallas).

Lineup issues: The starting group seems simple enough: Eric Snow and Allen Iverson at guard, Van Horn and Coleman at forward and MacCulloch at center. The bench has several athletic swingmen (Buckner, Aaron McKie, Salmons and Williams), but not enough quality size (Alvin Jones, Bryant, Samuel Dalembert, Skinner, Polynice and Rentzias are mediocre stopgaps). If Coleman's knee remains a problem, there's no other NBA-quality starting PF on the roster.

The skinny: Iverson doesn't like to practice - perhaps you've heard. But that's not the reason the Sixers are no cinch to make the playoffs. With Coleman's knee giving him problems, the 76ers have neither enough depth nor defense at the power positions. And while Van Horn is a decent player, he's too soft and erratic to dominate consistently. The Sixers have too many swingmen with similar skills (Buckner, Salmons, McKie) but no second franchise-caliber player to take pressure off Iverson. A .500 season looms.

Prediction: Lose in first round.

5. WASHINGTON WIZARDS

Roster moves: Traded SG Richard Hamilton, SF Bobby Simmons and SG Hubert Davis to Detroit for SG Jerry Stackhouse, PF Brian Cardinal and C Ratko Varda. Traded G Chris Whitney for G/F George McCloud. Later re-signed Simmons, who was released by Detroit. Signed G Larry Hughes (Golden State), SF Bryon Russell (Utah) and PF Charles Oakley (Chicago). Drafted F Jared Jeffries and PG Juan Dixon. Lost F Popeye Jones (Dallas), F Tyrone Nesby.

Lineup issues: The Wizards have re-invented themselves again, but a playoff berth is still not likely, even with Michael Jordan pushing his 39-year-old body through another season. Stackhouse is a lower-percentage shooter than Hamilton (39.7 to 43.5), but a better defender, rebounder, passer and penetrator. Jordan and Stackhouse will play together at times, but coach Doug Collins prefers using Jordan off the bench to cut down his minutes. Hughes, who struggled at times in his move from SG to PG in Golden State, will start the season at PG, backed up by Tyronn Lue and Dixon. At center, Brendan Haywood and Jahidi White are functional at best. Over-the-hill Oakley, Christian Laettner, Etan Thomas and slow-developing former No. 1 overall pick Kwame Brown share time at PF. Brown has thrived in training camp.

The skinny: No team will shoot more jump shots - or more bricks - than the Wizards. Stackhouse, Hughes and Russell all had sub-standard shooting percentages last season, and the older, jump-shooting Jordan (41.6 percent last season) misses far more often than he converts. There are too many mediocre point guards and not enough polished talent at the power positions. But because of Jordan and Stackhouse, and hard-pushing Collins, the Wizards cannot be entirely discounted.

Prediction: Miss playoffs.

6. MIAMI HEAT

Roster moves: Signed PG Travis Best (Indiana). Drafted SFs Caron Butler, Rasual Butler. Lost C Chris Gatling (Russia), F Kendall Gill (Minnesota), PG Rod Strickland, G/F Jim Jackson.

Lineup issues: With Alonzo Mourning sidelined again by kidney disease, coach Pat Riley will make ample use of two lineups, one with Brian Grant at PF and one with Grant at C. When Grant's at PF, Vladimir Stepania and Sean Marks play C. When Grant's at C, Malik Allen and LaPhonso Ellis share PF. The lineup with Grant at power forward is better defensively and on the boards. The unit with Grant at center has more offense. Best has never been a starter on a good team and tends to squander much of the shot clock at times. But without Mourning's scoring, Best's perimeter touch and penetration skills will be an asset. Eddie Jones won several games midway through last season before fading late. The Butlers share SF. Anthony Carter, Mike James and Eddie House compete for playing time behind Best and Jones.

The skinny: With Mourning, this was a team capable of returning to the playoffs and possibly advancing a round. Without him, the Heat could have one of the worst records in the conference. Unless Caron Butler becomes an overnight star, the Heat's offense will be worse than last year's team, which finished last in the league in scoring at 87.2 points per game. Aside from Caron Butler, Grant and Jones, the roster is filled with mediocrity. And unlike during Mourning's absence two years ago, Grant doesn't have Anthony Mason to share the load down low.

Prediction: Miss playoffs.

7. NEW YORK KNICKS

Roster moves: Traded No. 1 draft pick (seventh overall), C Marcus Camby and G Mark Jackson to Denver for PF Antonio McDyess and No. 25 draft pick (PG Frank Williams). Signed C Michael Doleac (Cleveland) and C Mark Pope (Milwaukee).

Lineup issues: McDyess' season-ending knee injury leaves the Knicks with a worse team than the one that wheezed to a 32-50 finish last season. Without their most accomplished low-post player, coach Don Chaney must resort to an undistinguished power rotation featuring Kurt Thomas, Othella Harrington, Clarence Weatherspoon and Doleac. Latrell Sprewell, out the first two weeks with a broken finger, again plays out of position at SF, with Allan Houston and his obese contract at SG. Shandon Anderson plays SF in Sprewell's absence. Howard Eisley and Charlie Ward share PG while erratic-shooting Williams develops. Lavor Postell, Travis Knight round out the bench.

The skinny: What a mess. Even with McDyess, this was a roster with too many power forwards, no quality natural center and no starting-caliber point guard. Without him, another lottery appearance is practically assured. This team didn't play defense for Chaney last year, and there's no reason to think that will change. Sprewell's feud with management over not reporting his hand injury quickly enough created another distraction and could lead to a trade.

Prediction: Miss playoffs.