Despite what the voters at the local sports asylum would have you believe, not everyone cares about baseball and the fact that some Chiacgo team has made the playoffs. Stunning. Shouldn’t that happen all the time? It certainly used to, in the NBA.

So as Training Camps prepare to open, we preview the Central Division and grade their summertime activities.

Indiana Pacers

Offseason Mark = B+
Indy have owned among the most potent collections of talent in the game over the past couple of seasons, but they have nothing to show for it except for the free set of steak-knives removed from Isiah Thomas’ back. Under-achievement is un-acceptable. That’s the new standard. Larry Bird has never stood for it, and now that he’s back on board, no-one else in the franchise will either. Apropos of nothing, other pale-faces added over the summer were Danny Ferry and Scot Pollard.

Question Mark = Jermaine O’Neal
The obvious choice for this category is Ron Artest, but, to put it mildly, O’Neal hasn’t been a happy hippo since Zeke’s assassination. Encouragingly, despite his frank and repeated expressions of personal disappointment, O’Neal has vowed to be professional and continue to play at his highest level, which is what he should be expected to do anyway. But, until proven otherwise, it remains a risk.

Exclamation Mark = Depth
Even with offseason off-loads of E Strickland, B Miller and R Mercer, the Pacers’ roster is 2 deep at every position. And unless Bird swings a 3-for-1 deal for, say, Bonzi Wells or Kenyon Martin, it’s going to stay that way. This abundance of attacking weapons can be fool’s gold if, as in the playoffs, everyone is firing blanks, but awesome talent plus proven coach usually equals wins.

2003/04 Mark = 52 wins ? 4

Detroit Pistons

Offseason Mark = A-
It should be illegal – a reigning Conference Champion getting the 2nd overall pick and coming away with a EuroStud – but it happened, and the Pistons will be, if it’s possible, even better this season. The most curious move of the entire summer, meanwhile, was Detroit’s unceremonious dumping of the exceedingly successful Rick Carlisle, and his subsequent trashing in the press. In comes Larry Brown, with a roster stacked enough to be able to achieve the high hopes of the motor city.

Question Mark = Michael Curry
The most under-rated player in the league, and a Piston stalwart, was recently shipped to the Raptors in exchange for the recidivist Lindsey Hunter. Detroit have at least 3 other options for the starting small forward spot, but Curry was a large part of the spark that made the Pistons what they are/were. Not that anyone is foolish enough to publicly criticise Joe Dumars, no, no, not at all.

Exclamation Mark = D
Detroit, a tough team, are also a smart team. Smart in the way they control the tempo, smart in the way they exploit their role players. But most of all, smart in the way they have created a team identity of relentless defense that intimidates opponents even before the games are played. Ben Wallace, of course, is a large part of this Piston mystique that acts an extra player, especially at home.

2003/04 Mark = 51 wins ? 3

New Orleans Hornets

Offseason Mark = C
The Bugs are an annual quiet achiever, always in the playoff race but never strong enough to break into to the excitement of Conference Final status. Injuries always seem to be a factor – last year Jamal Mashburn played all 82 games for the first time in his career – but Baron Davis only 50, and was slowed in several others. If everyone’s healthy, New Orleans will again figure in the playoff washing machine, whether or not former NBA coaching failure Tim Floyd is an NBA coaching failure.

Question Mark = David West
At one point during 2003, the Hornets actually had fewer than their franchise-mandated four F/C’s on their roster. But then they added Sean Rooks via free agency and re-signed PJ Brown, and all was put right. However, this predilection with muscle is the reason Bob Bass passed on some flavorsome Euro draft prospects to choose West fresh from the same factory that built Tyrone Hill and Brian Grant.

Exclamation Mark = Mashburn
Name the only 2 players to average 20+ points, 6+ rebounds and 6+ assists per game last season? Well, it was actually Steve Francis and Kevin Garnett, but Monster Mash was mighty close. Not only did Mashburn have a consistently excellent regular season, he came close to exorcising those nagging whispers of playoff stage-fright as he stepped up his game courageously as the Bugs went down to the Sixers.

2003/04 Mark = 46 wins ? 4

Toronto Raptors

Offseason Mark = B-
The Raptors’ new coaching duo of head man Kevin O’Neill and key assistant Jay Triano have been taking up most of the offseason column inches. This is not a bad thing, except that it means they have added next to nothing by way of playing talent, although 19 year old stud Chris Bosch was an excellent pick-up on draft day. Still, it was poignant that, when put on the spot at his first ever press conference, O’Neill refused to state that he believed the Raptors are a playoff contender.

Question Mark = Vince Carter
They say “never bet against a man with something to prove”, but, chances are, they haven’t met Vince Carter. One of the top 5 athletic talents in the L, VC could go on to be one of the greats, but he could flame out with injuries and pressure robbing him of his confidence and his game. Once again, Vince sounds ready to come back more motivated then ever, but there always seems to be something in the way.

Exclamation Mark = Role Players
The Raptors, even allowing for the loss of their best player for half the season, simply did not play defense last year, and that is inexcusable. Even for Lenny
Wilkens. So in comes O’Neill, with a reputation somewhere between ‘demonstrative’ and ‘confrontational’. Toronto are a team of bit parts built around a
superstar, and for them to win they need all the sub-units firing together. Not easy, but not out of the question, either.

2003/04 Mark = 39 wins ? 7

Chicago Bulls

Offseason Mark = B
With Pippen, Paxson and Cartwright all re-united in the Windy City, Chicago’s young squad now has a strong and valuable resource to draw upon as they attempt to continue their impressive re-growth. All they need now is for the peripatetic Michael Jordan to come back, and they’ll really have something. Although Jason Williams’ motorcycle accident has taken some shine off things, the additions of Pippen and Kendall Gill should offset the lukewarm selection of Kirk Hinrich on draft day.

Question Mark = Jason Williams
With his career now likely to progress more along the lines of Bobby Hurley than Gary Payton, Williams’ physical recovery is the major, possibly only, priority for himself and the Bulls. From the team’s point of view, at least the bubbling uncertainty of who would be their point guard has been resolved, with Jamal Crawford now formally given the keys.

Exclamation Mark = Eddy Curry
Very quietly, Curry has been establishing himself as a premier Center/Power Forward, not just in the under-sized East but throughout the L. With beautiful hands and his ability to learn and improve, this is a guy not far away from All-Star status. As he, and the team, grow, they’ll win the away games they had trouble with last season and be even harder to beat at home.

2003/04 Mark = 36 wins ? 3

Cleveland Cavaliers

Offseason Mark = A+
Can you actually credit a franchise for being appallingly coached and administrated for years, and then striking gold in the lottery? Even a quick sip of LeBron James tonic cures all ills. Already, James has revitalised the decrepit state of pro basketball in Ohio, and put a smile on all those people who bought ‘Miles 21’ jerseys last season in the process. The Cavs didn’t have to do much else over the summer, but did anyway, hiring Paul Silas to be LeBron’s father, mentor and guide.

Question Mark = 1/2/3
Where will he play? Speculation is that LeBron will be cast as point guard for his NBA debut, due as much to the lack of play-making ability on the roster as his own ball-handling skills. Alongside Miles, Ricky Davis and Dajuan Wagner, James would be awesome on the break, and if they had a true PG they’d be even more unstoppable. When he perfects his jumper, look out.

Exclamation Mark = Athleticism
The Cavs are fun, young, and have talent to burn – kind of like the Clippers of a couple of seasons ago, but with much higher expectations. Silas should keep the boat steady, and may even get some defense being played in the process. Add Carlos Boozer, coming off an impressive rookie campaign, and a healthy Zyndrunas Ilgauskas, and the days of 17-win seasons are already a distant memory.

2003/04 Mark = 30 wins ? 2

Milwaukee Bucks

Offseason Mark = C+
The house that George built had the wreckers in over summer, and the new construction crew is already in and learning on the job. All that became of the big 3 that went within a game of the Finals just 2 years ago is draft picks, Desmond Mason and Joe Smith. For the record, that’s not good. But by biting the bullet and firing it at Karl, even with one year left on his deal, the Bucks do earn some marks. The drafting of point guard extraordinaire TJ Ford will also help their rebuilding plans.

Question Mark = Leadership
In discarding their 3 best players – plus Gary Payton – in the past 12 months, these new Bucks have, among other issues, a severe leadership vacuum. Who steps up to guide them, on and off the court? Kukoc? Thomas? Mason? The other Mason? The Bucks have an odd mix of youth and gnarled veterans, and unification will be a challenge if they have plans to sneak into the playoffs again.

Exclamation Mark = Terry Porter
Precisely how does an unproven, under-qualified, local ex-player win a Head Coaching job over half a dozen low-risk, long-term assistants? Simply by becoming the fresh, public face of a team that is structured and supported by the aforementioned slew of nameless, faceless bench specialists. At one point over the summer, Milwaukee had more assistant coaches than players.

2003/04 Mark = 28 wins ? 3

Atlanta Hawks

Offseason Mark = C-
After a 2003/03 campaign where they stood a hope of winning only if they out-scored their opponents, the Hawks gave up on Glenn Robinson’s 21 points (and 3? turnovers) for a broken point guard who’s only attractive because they don’t have to pay him past Christmas. Couple that with their rudder-less offseason search for a new owner, and the non-co-incidental alienation of their one backcourt rock, Jason Terry, and things look like getting worse before they get better in atLanta.

Question Mark = DerMarr Johnson
The young, multi-talented forward suffered a nasty accident prior to last season, putting his immediate future (as, as a free agent, his long-term future) at risk. If, as expected, he is fit and if, as planned, he is re-signed, Johnson has the tools to be the Hawks’ new starting small forward. And a part of their entire new era, believed to be now scheduled for sometime around 2007.

Exclamation Mark = Offense
Last season, the Hawks impressively out-shot their opponents from the floor, the line and the stripe, but were, on average, out-scored by 2? points per game. And this is even with Theo Ratliff’s 3+ blocked shots in 81 games. After a summer in which they largely have the same old players, they need a rejuvenation in attitude to even think about the playoffs. Which they’re not.

2003/04 Mark = 26 wins ? 5