Miami Heat: Who will rule the Eastern Conference in 2018-19?

Will the Miami Heat reach the playoffs in 2018-19?

On July 1, Magic Johnson had a conversation that would change the trajectory of the Eastern Conference for the foreseeable future.

Armed to the teeth with knowledge of the most talented basketball player on the planet, Johnson’s negotiation skills needed only 17 hours to resonate with LeBron James.

When Klutch Sports announced that James would join the Los Angeles Lakers on a four-year, $154 million deal, it was done without the fanfare and pyrotechnics that usually accompany Lakers news.

A simple white text document was all it took to reshape basketball:

James, who was the headliner of the NBA’s 2018-19 free agency class, deflated the excitement of the summer. Subsequent moves in the Eastern Conference paled in comparison to the James’ acquisition.

That is, until the Kawhi Leonard trade.

The Toronto Raptors made noise of their own, driving a stake through any remaining sense of loyalty in the NBA. Shipping DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs brought a wealth of bad publicity, but in return, the Raptors remixed their future, hoping to run through the East in James’ absence.

Now, with the Cleveland Cavaliers likely out of the playoff picture – unless Tristan Thompson’s aspirations of stardom come to fruition – where does the rest of the East stand?

Does Leonard really make the Raptors into a contender, or was the move entirely lateral? The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers have a say in who is included in the East’s top teams, but will they find as much success as they did in 2017-18?

And of course, the Miami Heat exist as one of the conference’s many dark horses. In 2015-16 they benefited from a four-way tie to secure the third seed and first round home court advantage, but will they find similar success with a healthy Dion Waiters?

Let’s rank the Eastern Conference.