EARLY OFF-SEASON

9. WASHINGTON

2015–16 finish: 41-41 Coming: Coach Scott Brooks, Ian Mahinmi, Trey Burke, Andrew Nicholson, Jason Smith. Going: Jared Dudley, Ramon Sessions, Nene, Alan Anderson.

The Wizards hoped to be a big player in free agency last summer, putting in bids for Kevin Durant and Al Horford. After striking out, their biggest acquisition was career backup center Ian Mahinmi, who could miss six weeks after knee surgery. With a roster full of average big men, Mahinmi doesn’t figure to be the piece to push John Wall and Co. back into the playoffs.

10. CHARLOTTE

2015–16 finish: 48-34

Coming: Marco Belinelli, Roy Hibbert, Ramon Sessions. Going: Al Jefferson, Courtney Lee, Jeremy Lin, Troy Daniels.

The Hornets were the surprise sixth seed in the East last season, but will struggle without Jefferson’s inside scoring. The center’s departure will force the Hornets to space the floor and let Kemba Walker and Michael KiddGilchrist attack the rim. This team is very active on the defensive end, which will help while sorting out its offensive identity.

11. ORLANDO

2015–16 finish: 35-47 Coming: Coach Frank Vogel, Serge Ibaka, Bismack Biyombo, Jeff Green, D.J. Augustin. Going:

Victor Oladipo, Andrew Nicholson, Brandon Jennings, Jason Smith.

The Magic have one of the most puzzling rosters with so many bigs and only so many minutes to go around. Ibaka, Biyombo and Green joined a frontcourt that already included the young and talented 7-footer Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon. Meanwhile, third-year point guard Elfrid Payton is a solid game manager but isn’t much of a scorer.

12. MILWAUKEE

2015–16 finish: 33-49

Coming: Mirza Teletovic, Michael Beasley, Matthew Dellavedova, Tony Snell, Thon Maker (rookie), Jason Terry. Going: Jerryd Bayless, Michael Carter-Williams, Greivis Vasquez, Tyler Ennis.

The Giannis Antetokounmpo-point forward experiment will start without coveted swingman Khris Middleton, whose torn hamstring might keep him sidelined until after the All-Star break. Middleton will be sorely missed as the Bucks try to create room for center Greg Monroe and others inside.

13. MIAMI

2015–16 finish: 48-34 Coming: Dion Waiters, James Johnson, Derrick Williams, Wayne Ellington. Going: Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Joe Johnson, Gerald Green, Amare Stoudemire. Wade’s departure for Chicago at the back end of free agency forced Pat Riley to spend his money on mid-level (at best) replacements. Then Chris Bosh (blood clots)

14. PHILADELPHIA

2015–16 finish: 10-72 Coming: Ben Simmons (rookie), Dario Saric (rookie), Gerald Henderson, Jerryd Bayless. Going: Isaiah Canaan, Kendall Marshall, Elton Brand. Big man Joel Embiid will make his NBA debut two years after he was drafted, but No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons will be sidelined for about three months with a fractured foot. The 76ers haven’t made too many strides away from former general manager Sam Hinkie’s era, as signings of veterans Bayless and Henderson form nothing more than a stopgap backcourt.

15. BROOKLYN

2015–16 finish: 21-61

Coming: Jeremy Lin, Randy Foye, Greivis Vasquez, Caris LeVert (rookie), Luis Scola, Trevor Booker, Anthony Bennett. Going: Thaddeus Young, Jarrett Jack, Wayne Ellington.

The lowly Nets missed out on a top-five pick in June because of a trade that netted them Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry from Boston in 2013. Pierce is playing his final NBA season with the Clippers, Terry is on the Bucks and Garnett has retired. As for the Nets? They’re trying to rebuild without draft picks, and you can imagine how that is going.