Meyers

Here she breaks down the Eastern Conference and analyzes each team's offseason moves and chances for the summer ahead.

Teresa Weatherspoon, Becky Hammon and Vickie Johnson hope to lead New York back to the top of the East. MSG Photos

1. New York (2002 – 18-14, tied for first place in East)
This is a team that’s looking to repeat in the East. They have the players who know how to get it done. New York made itself stronger with the pick-up of Elena Baranova in the dispersal draft. Coming off a season as MVP of the European League, she gives them size on the outside and inside and she can shoot the three. Teresa Weatherspoon, Vickie Johsnon, Crystal Robinson and Becky Hammon are the old reliables, but this was not the oldest team in the league last year (S.A. was). The addition of Molly Creamer and Sonja Mallory at 6-5 gives New York more depth on the inside along with Tari Phillips and Tamika Whitmore. New York has been known for its defense, but this team is looking to put more points on the board this year.

2. Washington (2002 – 17-15, third place in East)
Marianne Stanley, Coach of the Year in 2002, has added a solid backcourt player, Sonja Henning, at point guard to go along with one of last year’s top rookies Stacey Dales-Schuman, Annie Burgess, Helen Luz and Most Improved Player Coco Miller. They picked up 6-5 Jenny Mowe in the dispersal draft. And with the retirement of All-Star veteran Vicky Bullett, Mowe gives Washington size in the middle. They’ve got one of the best players in the league in Chamique Holdsclaw, as she proved in the first half of the season last year, putting up MVP numbers before she got hurt. With Holdsclaw healthy, Murriel Page and the addition of rookie Aiysha Smith, they’ll be fast and quick on the boards. Washington will be an exciting team. Look for them to run.

3. Cleveland (2002 – 10-22, seventh place in East)
The Rockers won the draft lottery and selected LaToya Thomas with the number one pick. And with Helen Darling pack from delivering triplets, it gives the Rockers a great one-two punch. Add Betty Lennox from the dispersal draft on the perimeter with Merlakia Jones and you’ve got two big-time scorers. Ann Wauters, Chasity Melvin and Rushia Brown give them physical, defensive play inside. Dan Hughes is always able to bring them up to a defensive edge that a lot of teams don’t have, and they’re hoping to get back to the defense of 2001, when they won the Eastern Conference.

Nikki McCray and Tamika Catchings welcome All-Star Natalie Williams to Indiana. Ron Hoskins WNBAE/Getty Images

4. Indiana (2002 – 16-16, fourth place in East)
Indiana is the most improved team with last year’s Rookie of the Year Tamika Catchings. Returning from a gold medal in the world championships, Catchings is one of the best players in the league. With the addition of Natalie Willams, it gives Nell Fortner the ability to put Catchings at her more natural, effective position at the three, but she can play anywhere. Williams gives them size, along with Kelly Shumacher, especially with the injury to Olympia Scott-Richardson. Williams’ style of play might be better suited for the East. Along with Catchings on the perimeter, Alicia Thompson, Nikki McCray, and Coretta Brown give them outside shooting. And they have two veteran guards with Niele Ivey coming in in great shape after her pregnancy last year and Coquese Washington. Nell Fortner believes that she’s got a team this year that can do some damage.

5. Detroit (2002 – 9-23, eighth place in East)
Bill Laimbeer seems like he went on a fire sale with all his trades, but I think he’s a sly fox. He knows what he’s doing. Swin Cash was one of the top rookies last year, and she made an immediate impact in the league and is a tough player to stop inside but needs to work on her outside game. In the backcourt, they return Elaine Powell and Deanna Nolan and also have new additions with Kedra Holland-Corn and Allison Curtin who give them outside shooting. Laimbeer got Ruth Riley in the dispersal draft and as a big man himself, he’s looking to improve the post play of Riley, Ayana Walker and rookies Cheryl Ford and Petra Ujhelyi. This is a physical team that’s looking to improve their outside shooting. Detroit could make some noise this year.

All-Stars Nykesha Sales, Shannon Johnson and Taj McWilliams-Franklin are at the heart of the Sun roster. Jennifer Pottheiser WNBAE/Getty Images

6. Charlotte (2002 – 18-14, tied for first place in East)
Charlotte had a great year last year, but they were a perimeter team that as well as they shot the ball during the regular season (setting a WNBA record of 40% from three-point range), they disappeared in the playoffs. With new ownership and new leadership with coach Trudi Lacey, they will look inside for Tammy Sutton-Brown, Summer Erb and Pollyanna Johns Kimbrough to rebound and bang in the middle. Dawn Staley, Andrea Stinson and Allison Feaster, along with Kelly Miller, Erin Buescher and rookies Jocelyn Penn and Dana Cherry look to continue to shoot the ball from the outside and penetrate. Sheila Lambert is looking to back up Dawn Staley. Did Charlotte make themselves stronger in the middle to go along with their perimeter game? We’ll see.

7. Connecticut (2002 – 16-16, fifth place in East)
The pick-up of Debbie Black is a big plus for Connecticut as it allows Pee Wee Johnson to have the ability to either play at the point or the two position. If these two play together in the backcourt, they will give teams trouble with their aggressive defense. With Adrienne Johnson and Nykesha Sales along with Black and Johnson, it gives them a solid backcourt. Taj McWilliams Franklin is back in the middle, which will help Wendy Palmer and Jessie Hicks and give them better inside play. Rookie Courtney Coleman from Ohio State led the nation in field goal percentage last year, which should help Connceticut’s shooting percentage.