It has been 120 days since MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder raised the Larry O’Brien Trophy in a grueling seven-game Finals against the Indiana Pacers.
Now, there is only one day until the start of the 2025-26 NBA season, and excitement looms as players and teams prepare for the long road to the postseason.
The league, as always, looks a lot different than a season ago. Superstar Kevin Durant will make his Houston Rockets debut, and Damian Lillard, who will miss the season because of a torn Achilles, has returned to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Injuries have also shaken up both conferences. Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton are out for the season after tearing their Achilles tendons, leaving the East wide open. And Kyrie Irving, after tearing his ACL last season, has no firm timeline for when he’ll be back for the Dallas Mavericks.
However, Dallas is ready to debut 2025 first overall pick Cooper Flagg who has already been turning heads. Along with Flagg, there is a plethora of rookies ready to impact the league this season, including San Antonio Spurs No. 2 pick Dylan Harper.
But we can’t forget about the superstar veterans. LeBron James enters his NBA-record 23rd season, looking to add a fifth championship to his accomplishments. But who is on deck to make that next-level leap?
Our NBA insiders previewed all 30 teams for the 2025-26 NBA season, broke down what they’ll be watching, detailed every team’s biggest strength and concern and added their bold (but realistic) predictions.
Note: Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Michael C. Wright, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Ohm Youngmisuk, Kevin Pelton, Vincent Goodwill, Zach Kram and Anthony Slater) think teams belong heading into this season. ESPN Research’s Matt Williams also contributed to this story.
Jump to a team:
ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GS
HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MEM
MIA | MIL | MIN | NO | NY
OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX | POR
SAC | SA | TOR | UTAH | WAS
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 100%
Projected wins: 57.8
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: Is a dynasty blooming in Bricktown? After becoming the second-youngest championship team in NBA history, the Thunder signed league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and All-NBA players Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren to long-term contract extensions. Alex Caruso is the only Thunder player older than 27 who averaged at least 10 minutes per game during the playoff run. General manager Sam Presti will face some difficult roster decisions next summer — when starters Luguentz Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein have team options in their contracts — but the Thunder are as deep as any team in the league and loaded with future draft picks to replenish the supporting cast.
Biggest strength: The Thunder had the stingiest defense in the league last season, holding opponents to 106.6 points per 100 possessions, 2.5 fewer than any other team. It wouldn’t be surprising if OKC is even better defensively this season. Dort, Williams and Caruso have all been named to the All-Defensive teams in their careers, but Holmgren is arguably the Thunder’s most impactful defensive force. He missed more than half of last season because of a fractured pelvis. Guard Cason Wallace, 21, is already one of the most disruptive young perimeter defenders in the league and has plenty of room for improvement under Caruso’s tutelage.
Biggest concern: Could complacency set in coming off a championship? That’s as big a concern as any for such a talented team, but it’s not a major worry due to the maturity of the young roster. The Thunder are doubling down on their culture, as Presti emphasized during his precamp media availability that OKC’s daily priority is “chasing improvement.” — Tim MacMahon
Bold (but realistic) prediction: The Thunder become the third 70-win team in NBA history. Oklahoma City won 68 games with a record-setting point differential last season, despite Holmgren and Hartenstein missing a combined 75 games. The Thunder might regress because of championship complacency, but this is a young, hungry team with tremendous depth and a chance to be better in 2025-26. — Zach Kram
Number to watch: 13.2
There are plenty of ways to showcase the Thunder’s defensive dominance from last season, and one is to look at how they turned defense into offense. Oklahoma City averaged 13.2 points off possessions starting from live-ball turnovers in 2024-25, the most by any team in a season since player tracking began in 2013-14.
Fantasy nugget: The Thunder led the league in defensive rating during the regular season and excelled at capitalizing on turnovers. Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Wallace all finished in the top 10 in steals last season, showcasing Oklahoma City’s defensive depth and intensity, and that shouldn’t change this season. — Eric Moody
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 96.1%
Projected wins: 50.3
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: This could be the best supporting cast Nikola Jokic has had since emerging as a perennial MVP candidate. The Nuggets’ revamped front office, led by executive vice presidents Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace, addressed Denver’s longstanding depth issues this summer with a series of moves, starting with trading Michael Porter Jr. and a first-round pick for Cameron Johnson in a deal that created financial flexibility. Proven veterans Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas will join recent first-round picks Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther in the second unit. Can the Nuggets finally stop bleeding points when Jokic rests? If so, they could be the Thunder’s primary challenger.
Biggest strength: The Nuggets still have the player who is widely considered the best basketball player in the world. As long as the incredibly durable Jokic remains healthy, Denver has hope of contending. The three-time MVP is coming off his best statistical season, averaging career bests of 29.6 points and 10.2 assists in addition to 12.7 rebounds.
1:30
Are the Nuggets the biggest threat to Thunder this season?
Marc Spears and Brian Windhorst break down the Nuggets vs. Clippers preseason game and how much of a threat both teams are to the Thunder.
Biggest concern: The Nuggets need to overachieve on the defensive end, which will always be a challenge, given Jokic’s athletic limitations as an anchor. Denver had the worst defense of any playoff team last season, allowing 115.1 points per 100 possessions, which ranked 21st in the league. — MacMahon
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Two Nuggets make the All-Star team. Jokic has never had a teammate who has been named an All-Star, but that changes in 2025-26, as either Jamal Murray or Aaron Gordon is rewarded for a stellar first half with a trip to the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles in February. — Kram
Number to watch: minus-9.3
Last season, the Nuggets were outscored by 9.3 points per 100 possessions with Jokic off the floor. When he was on the court, the Nuggets had a plus-10.5 net efficiency, which would have ranked second in the NBA.
Fantasy nugget: Jokic became the first player in NBA history last season to finish in the top three in points, rebounds and assists. He is projected to finish in the top five in these categories on a per-game basis again this season. Jokic remains a fantasy dynamo, though the Nuggets added Valanciunas to back him up, which could lead to Denver reducing Jokic’s workload a bit. — Moody
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 99.9%
Projected wins: 54.9
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: What will happen next spring? For the Cavaliers and star Donovan Mitchell, the only thing that matters is — finally — reaching the conference finals and beyond. After winning 64 games last season, nothing short of a Finals appearance will be acceptable now that the East is wide open.
Biggest strength: The defensive duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Cleveland’s offense should be strong again, but what immediately gives this group a high floor is that it has two durable, excellent defensive big men in Mobley and Allen, enabling the Cavs to maintain solid defense throughout an 82-game season with nearly any lineup combination.
Biggest concern: Health. The Cavs have a lot of depth, but they also have several injury questions. The club is planning not to play Lonzo Ball in back-to-back sets. Darius Garland will miss the start of the season because of a toe injury, and Max Strus is out for months because of a fractured foot. De’Andre Hunter and Dean Wade have lengthy injury histories, too, and Mitchell has worn down in the playoffs the past couple of years. That’s a lot of questions as the season progresses. — Tim Bontemps
Bold (but realistic) prediction: The Cavaliers finish with a below-average defense. Allen and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Mobley are stellar at protecting the paint, but Cleveland’s perimeter rotation could pose a problem because of injuries; meanwhile, Mitchell and Sam Merrill aren’t lockdown stoppers. — Kram
Number to watch: 1.08
The Cavaliers had the top offense last season thanks to their pick-and-rolls. According to GeniusIQ, Cleveland averaged a league-best 1.08 points per direct pick last season while running the fourth-most on-ball screens per 100 possessions.
Fantasy nugget: The Cavaliers were fourth in the NBA in 3-pointers made and second in 3-point percentage last season. They run an offense predicated on getting their team high-quality looks from behind the arc. From a fantasy perspective, this makes the Cavaliers a good source of 3-pointers. This is worth keeping in mind when drafting, but also when preparing to scour the free agency wire when bench players get more opportunities at various points in the season. — Andre Snellings
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 98.8%
Projected wins: 50.8
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: The expectations. Not since Michael Jordan’s mid-’90s hiatus has there been realistic expectations for June basketball at Madison Square Garden. The Celtics and Pacers taking a step back for this season has opened a pathway for the Knicks to reach the Finals. Even the smallest blip — a three-game losing streak, a bad month — will send the starved fan base into a panic. The rumors about Giannis Antetokounmpo becoming a Knick will not go away. And even though the West is rightfully viewed as the superior conference, there’s a belief that winning a championship is realistic.
Biggest strength: Jalen Brunson, the reigning Clutch Player of the Year, rescued the Knicks many times last season. It might’ve obscured some real concerns, but knowing he leads this top-heavy roster has to give coach Mike Brown some ease as he adjusts to the expectations of his new role. Brunson embraces everything that comes with being a Knick.
Biggest concern: Health. Mitchell Robinson is slated for a bigger role that should help last season’s middle-of-the-road defense, but he has played just 107 of a possible 246 games in the past three seasons. Josh Hart is an iron man, but his right ring finger will likely bother him all season, even if he comes off the bench. Regardless of their depth, the Knicks need their top seven players to be healthy. — Vincent Goodwill
Bold (but realistic) prediction: The Knicks finish third in the East in the regular season … but still reach the Finals. This two-part prediction assumes that the Knicks take a step back in the regular season, as Brown doesn’t play his starters as much as the departed Tom Thibodeau. But Brown’s regular-season lineup experiments might position the Knicks for greater playoff success, and Cleveland’s injury concerns could pave a path for New York to reach its first Finals since 1999. — Kram
Number to watch: 17
How much faster will the Knicks play in the half court under Brown? Over the past seven seasons, two teams have had an average half-court possession length of 17 seconds or longer: the 2023-24 Knicks and 2024-25 Knicks.
Fantasy nugget: Brown helped the Kings, his former team, improve from 25th in team offensive rating to first in his first season in Sacramento. The Knicks were fifth in ORTG last season, but with Brown at the helm, they could be even more efficient this season. An efficient team offense leads to players who can generate points and 3-pointers at good percentages, relative to players of similar talent on less efficient offenses. — Snellings
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 95.8%
Projected wins: 50.1
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: There’s a reason that the NBA’s GMs in the league’s annual survey picked Kevin Durant as the offseason acquisition likely to make the biggest impact. Durant’s importance to the Rockets increased when veteran point guard Fred VanVleet suffered a season-ending knee injury. Given the results while playing with his previous two teams and his résumé as one of the league’s most lethal scorers of all time, Durant will be under heavy scrutiny as the best player leading a young, hungry team looking to contend for a title. Durant’s fit in Houston appears to be tailor-made, but things change fast during an 82-game season.
Biggest strength: They’re humongous. “We’re probably one of the biggest teams in the history of the league,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. Imagine a lineup featuring Amen Thompson (6-7), Durant (6-11), Jabari Smith Jr. (6-10), Alperen Sengun (6-11) and Steven Adams (6-11). Houston is also arguably the most physical team in the NBA.
Biggest concern: VanVleet’s experience and veteran savvy will be missed as Houston heads into the season without a true point guard. But Udoka has expressed confidence in his team’s ability to facilitate offense in a nontraditional way through versatile players such as Durant, Sengun, Thompson and Reed Sheppard. Early returns have been promising. — Michael C. Wright
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Sengun finishes top 10 in MVP voting. Expect a massive season from the Houston center, who was an All-Star last season, excelled at EuroBasket and will have more of a playmaking role this season with VanVleet out. Sengun averaged 16 points and 9.5 assists in just 22.5 minutes in his first two preseason games — Kram
Number to watch: 43.8%
The Rockets had a 43.8% effective field goal percentage on off-the-dribble jumpers last season, 27th in the NBA. Durant will make a difference after ranking top five in that category last season among players to attempt at least 300 off-the-dribble jump shots, according to GeniusIQ.
Fantasy nugget: Durant has averaged 27.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists over the past six seasons. However, the 37-year-old has played an average of only 46 games per season during that span, which is important to consider regarding the future Hall of Famer. — Moody
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 91.3%
Projected wins: 48.3
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: While the NBA’s investigation into the Clippers’ and Kawhi Leonard’s sponsorship deals with Aspiration is ongoing, there will be speculation about how a potential punishment could submarine their season. However, the day-to-day conversation regarding this Clippers team is centered on Leonard’s health and how long he can sustain it. He closed out last season averaging 25.7 points on 52.6% shooting (42.9% from 3), 7.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.9 steals in 19 games in March and April. That’s two-time Finals MVP-type production. If he can be that guy all season, the Clippers’ championship aspirations shouldn’t be considered a long shot.
Biggest strength: Their depth. The Clippers added Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez, John Collins and Chris Paul to a team that won 50 games last season. Add that to a team with a returning core of Leonard, James Harden, Ivica Zubac, plus role players Bogdan Bogdanovic, Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn and Nicolas Batum, and that makes for a stacked roster.
Biggest concern: Their age. ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins said jokingly that the Clippers are the “nursing home for the NBA” after they assembled their squad this summer, and his skepticism is not unfounded. Four of their players — Harden, Batum, Lopez and Paul — are 36 or older, while Leonard (34) and Beal (32) have been in street clothes as often as they’ve been in uniform in recent years. — Dave McMenamin
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Zubac finishes in the top three in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Victor Wembanyama is a shoo-in for the top spot if he stays healthy, but Zubac — who placed sixth in the voting last season — has as good a shot as anyone to finish as a top runner-up. The Clippers’ defense ranked third last season and should be excellent again, with Zubac as the mainstay in the middle. — Kram
Number to watch: 209
Harden assisted on 209 Zubac buckets last season, 41 assists more than any other passer-scorer combination.
Fantasy nugget: Harden averaged 9.7 assists with Leonard on the court last season, compared with 7.8 assists without him, something to note given Leonard’s injury history. Don’t overlook Harden and Zubac, though; this duo thrives together. Zubac’s elite screen-setting and paint presence perfectly complement Harden’s cerebral, methodical style. Last season, Harden totaled 687 assists, with 30% going to Zubac, highlighting the effectiveness of their on-court partnership. — Moody
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 85%
Projected wins: 46.8
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: Anthony Edwards. An ascending superstar trying to get over the hump always makes for an interesting storyline, and after back-to-back conference finals appearances, Edwards is trying to get over the hump. He added to his game last season, taking and making a career high on 3-pointers. What will he add to his game this season? And will it take him from the perennial All-Star, All-NBA player to someone who can compete for an MVP award or perhaps lead a team to the Finals?
Biggest strength: Continuity. The Wolves return seven of their eight top scorers from last season, and most of their core spent the summer together in Minnesota, a move led by Edwards, who is taking more of a leadership role. The Wolves were already a top-10 team in offense and defense last season. After deep playoff runs in consecutive seasons, they are hoping that familiarity and the rise of a young superstar will get them over the hump.
Biggest concern: Lack of playmaking. If the Wolves have a weakness, it’s at point guard. Mike Conley is still a solid veteran, but he didn’t have it during certain games in the playoffs last season. But Minnesota doesn’t have many options behind him. Edwards’ playmaking isn’t his strongest trait, and the rest of their potential playmakers lack experience. — Jamal Collier
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Conley loses his starting spot. Conley, 38, is still a reliable game manager, but he has lost several steps and played just 25 minutes per game last season. Donte DiVincenzo would be a more dynamic fit in the Timberwolves’ starting lineup — especially if they feel comfortable giving Edwards more control of the offense as his ascent continues. — Kram
Number to watch: 15%
Edwards was blitzed 15% of the time when using an on-ball screen as the ball handler last season, the highest rate among players to run at least 500 plays, per GeniusIQ.
Fantasy nugget: DiVincenzo is one of the Timberwolves’ best catch-and-shoot threats, a capable defender and one of the rare players who embraces coming off the bench after starting earlier in his career. With Conley potentially seeing a reduced role, DiVincenzo could become even more valuable. He averaged 14.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 10 starts last season. — Moody
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 77.2%
Projected wins: 45.5
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: Stephen Curry’s growing legacy. ESPN just ranked him as the seventh-best player in the NBA entering his 17th season. He will turn 38 before the playoffs, and nobody is predicting a notable dip in production. Curry made 311 3s last season, his sixth season with more than 300. Nobody in league history has done it more than once. Jimmy Butler III’s arrival should continue to ease Curry’s burden. He should be able to throttle back for short stretches, depending on his fatigue level. But if he puts up another volcanic seasonlong stat line and then takes out another young playoff opponent — as he did with a fifth playoff elimination of the Rockets last April — his résumé will continue to grow. The best point guard of all-time conversation is already beginning to bubble.
Biggest strength: The brains of the operation. The Warriors have a coach (Steve Kerr), guard (Curry) and forward (Draymond Green) combination that has worked together for 12 consecutive seasons. That type of institutional knowledge and stability means plenty in a league that is in constant upheaval. The Warriors were the league’s best statistical defense after the Butler trade, and they added center Al Horford, who is entering his 19th season and known for his chops in every type of scheme. They believe defensive brainpower will take them where they want to go.
Biggest concern: Can they win enough of those midseason games when their veteran headliners are rested or injured? Kerr said it last week. The Warriors can’t expect Curry, Butler, Green and Horford to play more than 65 to 70 games. The third and eighth seeds in the West standings last season were separated by two losses. Every result matters in a logjam. So, Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga and that young core need to get wins on days when losses are presumed. — Anthony Slater
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Golden State earns home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Warriors were one of the NBA’s best teams after trading for Butler last season, and they retained every perimeter player while adding Horford. They will finish with a top-four seed for the first time since they won the title in 2021-22. — Kram
Number to watch: 28.1%/82.2%
Before Butler’s debut Feb. 8, the Warriors ranked 28th in free throw attempt rate and last in free throw percentage. After his debut, they were second in free throw attempt rate (28.1%) and third in free throw percentage (82.2%).
Fantasy nugget: Butler averaged 17.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists for the Warriors last season. However, he hasn’t played more than 65 games since 2016-17. The Warriors posted the league’s third-best net rating overall after Butler arrived in San Francisco in 2024-25. — Moody
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 95.5%
Projected wins: 47.9
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: Are the young Magic ready to take the next step and be an East contender? Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner have not made it out of the first round. And Orlando hasn’t been past the first round since 2010. But the Magic shook things up when they traded four unprotected first-round picks and a first-round pick swap for Desmond Bane, giving Banchero and Wagner a legitimate shooter to ease the offensive burden and free up space. The Magic will have to wait for Jalen Suggs to return from knee surgery, but Orlando should be in the mix for a top-three seed in the East behind the Cavs and Knicks.
Biggest strength: Banchero, Wagner and Bane could be one of the league’s better trios. Bane would appear to be an ideal fit alongside Banchero and Wagner, and should give them more room to operate with his shooting. Banchero averaged 25.9 points and Wagner averaged 24.2 points last season. If both can shoot more efficiently, the Magic can take big strides this season.
Biggest concern: Orlando must stay healthy to compete in the playoffs. Banchero and Wagner dealt with oblique injuries and missed a combined 58 games last season. They started camp participating fully and are healthy. Suggs, however, is still slowly returning from left knee surgery. And Moe Wagner remains out because of a torn left ACL suffered in late December. The Magic heavily rely on Suggs’ presence and importance on the court. Orlando will need its point guard healthy in the playoffs. — Ohm Youngmisuk
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Orlando is a bottom-three team in 3-point percentage, even with sharpshooter Bane joining the rotation. The Magic finished 30th last season, and other than Bane and fellow newcomer Tyus Jones, they don’t have a player who shot better than 33.5% last season. Bane’s a solid spacer, but he’s not so extraordinary that he can fix such a severe problem by himself. — Kram
Number to watch: 31.8%
The Magic shot 31.8% on 3-pointers last season, the worst by any team in a season since the 2015-16 Lakers. Orlando also ranked last in catch-and-shoot and off-the-dribble 3-point field goal percentage last season, per GeniusIQ.
Fantasy nugget: After finishing last in the NBA in 3-pointers made and 3-point percentage last season, the Magic signaled their intention to shoot more from downtown by bringing in Bane. In today’s NBA, it is difficult for an offense to be efficient without being a sufficient threat from behind the arc. The Magic leaning more into 3-point shooting as a team, led by a proven high-volume/high-efficiency option like Bane, could open space and improve the field goal percentage for all players in the Magic rotation. — Snellings
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 88.1%
Projected wins: 47.6
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: Same as it was the past few seasons. LeBron Jaaaaammeeessss. From the moment James opted into his $52.6 million contract for a record-setting 23rd season in June, intrigue followed. “LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Rich Paul told ESPN’s Shams Charania in June after the contract decision. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. … We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career.” Was Paul’s statement setting up an eventual exit from L.A. for James? With sciatica sidelining him to begin the season, will Father Time finally usher James toward retirement, or does he have a final flourish for his career?
Biggest strength: The offensive production of the starting backcourt. Luka Doncic is in his prime and coming off a successful EuroBasket run for Slovenia, helped by his improved physique. Austin Reaves, who has steadily improved in his first four seasons, is entering a contract year with a huge payday potentially next summer. There won’t be many backcourts L.A. faces with more playmaking capabilities.
Biggest concern: After Rudy Gobert ended the Lakers’ season with 27 points and 24 rebounds in the deciding game of the first round last spring, the center position was clearly a need for L.A. Surprisingly, Deandre Ayton was bought out of his contract in Portland, allowing the Lakers to sign him for $8.1 million. If he produces, he’s a bargain. If he doesn’t, the Lakers are left again with Jaxson Hayes and Jarred Vanderbilt at the small-ball 5, which didn’t get it done last season. — McMenamin
1:26
When will LeBron return to the court?
Shams Charania reports on the timetable for LeBron James to return for the Lakers.
Bold (but realistic) prediction: The Lakers fall to the play-in tournament. There are reasons for optimism in Los Angeles, which finished third in the West last season, improved its center rotation and, most importantly, has Doncic for the full season. But James’ absence because of sciatica underscores the Lakers’ lack of depth, which could cost them crucial games in a competitive West. Doncic hasn’t played more than 70 games since his rookie season, and the Lakers could be in a lot of trouble if he misses time. — Kram
Number to watch: 16
Last season, the Lakers outscored opponents by 16.0 points per 100 possessions in 417 minutes when Doncic was on the floor without James.
Fantasy nugget: James recorded at least 30 points 10 times after turning 40 on Dec. 30 last season, and added another such game in the playoffs. The only other players to record any 30-point games while 40 or older are Michael Jordan and Dirk Nowitzki. The Lakers will start the season without James (sciatica). Doncic averaged 30.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 8.8 assists in five games without James last season. — Moody
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 95.4%
Projected wins: 48
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: Is Trae Young ready to lead the Hawks to a deep postseason run and back to the Eastern Conference finals? The Hawks have surrounded Young with their most talented roster yet, with the additions of Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Luke Kennard. Jalen Johnson looks ready to resume his breakout, Dyson Daniels — last season’s most improved player — is one of the league’s elite defenders, and Onyeka Okongwu and Zaccharie Risacher are emerging talents. It will be up to Young to fuel the Hawks and make all the players mesh. Young, who is eligible for a massive contract extension, is excited about this roster and eager to see what he can do with this group.
Biggest strength: The Hawks are loaded with potential, have depth and length, and can defend while trying to push the tempo and spread defenses. Young averaged a league-leading 11.6 assists last season. With Porzingis, Alexander-Walker and Kennard spreading the floor, and Johnson cutting to the basket, Young smiled when asked if he could average 12 assists this season with the talent around him.
Biggest concern: The Hawks’ health will be a major factor in developing chemistry and realizing the team’s potential. Porzingis says he is over the mystery ailment that caused him to play more than 20 minutes in one of his six games in last season’s conference semifinals against the Knicks. But Porzingis has played 65 or more games in a season once since 2016-17, his second year in the league. Atlanta will need a healthy Porzingis and Johnson at full strength after Johnson’s season was cut short last January because of left shoulder surgery. — Youngmisuk
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Johnson makes the All-NBA third team. Johnson was in the midst of a breakout season in 2024-25 — 18.9 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists per game — before tearing his labrum. If he can stay healthy this season, then the combination of Johnson’s improvement and Atlanta’s presumed leap up the Eastern Conference standings should make the young forward a prime candidate for end-of-season honors. — Kram
Number to watch: 87.8
Johnson averaged 87.8 touches per game before getting injured Jan. 23, the seventh-most touches through games on that date, according to GeniusIQ. Young and Johnson were the only duo to each rank in the top 10 in touches per game in that span.
Fantasy nugget: The Hawks played at the third-fastest pace in the league last season. They like to push the pace off the rebound, with Young good at getting his teammates down the floor and into scoring opportunities quickly. This makes the Hawks a potentially good source of fantasy streamers because when players sub in, they tend to get more shots and counting-stat opportunities than slower teams. — Snellings
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 77.8%
Projected wins: 43.6
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: This team is not catching anyone by surprise this season. The Pistons’ young players have proven to be big contributors after last season, led by Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren, and if fully healthy, Jaden Ivey. The internal growth of their young players was a big reason the organization resisted overextending itself in the trade market, and there’s enough space for Thompson, Duren and Ivey to take the next step.
Biggest strength: Cade Cunningham is comfortable taking the big shots and being labeled as the top guy, even at 24. He seems to relish walking into a road arena and silencing the crowd. Of all the under-25 players, he looks as ready as any to make an MVP push, especially if the Pistons get close to 50 wins.
Biggest concern: Losing Malik Beasley and trade-deadline addition Dennis Schroder will have an effect. Beasley had one of the most prolific 3-point shooting seasons in history, and he and Schroder brought a lot of moxie. Can Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert fill in the blanks left by veterans? — Goodwill
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Ausar Thompson joins his brother on the All-Defensive team. Amen Thompson and Tari Eason might be the Rockets’ “terror twins,” but the actual terror twins are the Thompsons, who are both among the fiercest perimeter defenders in the league. Amen made the All-Defensive first team last season, and with a full season, Ausar should reach similar heights. — Kram
Number to watch: 5th
The Pistons ranked fifth in paint points per game and in opponent paint points per game last season. They were the only team to rank top five in both categories last season and the third team to do that in the past 10 seasons.
Fantasy nugget: The Pistons tend to run a deep rotation; only Cunningham and Tobias Harris played more than 30 minutes per game last season. Their bench gives them quite a bit of consistent production, while also providing occasional spurts. On the fantasy front, this makes the Pistons a regular source of streamers, even if injuries aren’t causing larger roles than usual. — Snellings
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 50.6%
Projected wins: 41.9
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: One of the most hyped No. 1 picks in recent memory joins a franchise that desperately needed some excitement. Cooper Flagg is only 18, but he expects to impact winning immediately with his all-around skill set and beyond-his-years basketball IQ. Flagg won’t have the burden of being a go-to guy as he begins his career alongside 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis, but the Mavs hope Flagg can fill a lot of their playmaking void while Kyrie Irving recovers from knee surgery, which will sideline him for a significant chunk of the season.
Biggest strength: The Mavs can say that they have the biggest, most athletic and deepest frontcourt in the league. Flagg, 6-foot-9, joins a group that already featured three-time shot-blocking leader Davis as a power forward, a tag team of lob-catching, rim-protecting centers Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford, as well as physical forwards P.J. Washington and Naji Marshall.
Biggest concern: As long as Irving is sidelined, the Mavs will be light on offensive creation, which was one of the many risks of trading Doncic months after he won a scoring title and led Dallas to the NBA Finals. Dallas signed D’Angelo Russell to a one-year deal to serve as a stopgap solution, but teams’ interest in his free agency was deflated after he averaged a career-low 12.9 points on 39.0% shooting last season. — MacMahon
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Washington starts at least half of Dallas’ games. Washington is projected as a sixth man to start the season. But he should start every time that the oft-injured Davis misses games, and Washington could also enter the starting lineup if Jason Kidd decides that the Russell-Klay Thompson backcourt is so woeful defensively that he needs to go super-big with Washington. — Kram
Number to watch: 26
It is a two-game sample size in the preseason, but the Mavericks had Flagg playing point guard at times. Against the Hornets and Jazz, Flagg brought the ball up the floor for 26 possessions. He also had 92 touches in those two games, tied with Davis for most on the team.
Fantasy nugget: Flagg is a heavy favorite to be named Rookie of the Year. Over the past 25 seasons, 15 winners have led their rookie class in points per game. We project Flagg to average 19.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.4 blocks, which are reasons to feel confident about having the No. 1 pick from the 2025 NBA draft on your fantasy team. — Moody
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 79.2%
Projected wins: 43.8
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: What will the future hold for Giannis? Even though Antetokounmpo reiterated his current commitment to Milwaukee coming into the season, he firmly left the door open to playing elsewhere after this season if the Bucks can not prove to be a winner. The speculation will continue this season, putting pressure on the team to start the season strong, which could quiet the questions regarding Antetokounmpo’s ability to win in Milwaukee.
Biggest strength: Shooting. The Bucks had the best 3-point percentage in the league last season, but ranked 18th in attempts, something they’d like to increase this season. Antetokounmpo’s first preseason game last week against Chicago was a glimpse of what the Bucks hope to achieve. In the first 5½ of the game, Milwaukee generated 3-point attempts on six of its first 10 shots, knocking down four of them. Myles Turner and Antetokounmpo were also already raving about their potential as a pick-and-roll combo, and the mismatches they could create with two bigs playing off each other.
Biggest concern: Guard play and depth. The move to cut Damian Lillard allowed the Bucks to sign Turner, but it didn’t give them much flexibility to improve the backcourt. Milwaukee will be counting on a few players — Kevin Porter Jr.. Ryan Rollins and AJ Green — to provide useful guard minutes and shotmaking each game. The roster’s lack of depth makes it so the Bucks can’t afford an injury that sidelines one of their starters for extended periods of time, especially Antetokounmpo. — Collier
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Rollins is the Bucks’ best guard. The former two-way player is behind a bunch of better-known players in Milwaukee’s depth chart. But Rollins is already the best defender in Milwaukee’s backcourt, and his 3-point stroke is promising enough (41% on relatively low volume last season) that he can be a viable two-way contributor. This is partially a prediction about believing in Rollins — and partially a prediction about not believing in Milwaukee’s other perimeter players. — Kram
Number to watch: 38.9
It is a small sample size, but the Bucks outscored their opponents by 38.9 points per 100 possessions in 111 minutes when Antetokounmpo, Gary Trent Jr., Porter and Green shared the floor last season. That ranked in the top five among quartets to play 100 minutes together.
Fantasy nugget: The Bucks had the highest team 3-point percentage in the NBA last season. This isn’t surprising, given the way opponents defend Antetokounmpo by packing the paint. That makes rotation players on the Bucks a good source of 3-pointers, which can help out in category leagues. — Snellings
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 51.8i%
Projected wins: 40.1
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: What is the plan for what should be a gap season? The Celtics are a proud bunch, and coach Joe Mazzulla and Co. believe they can be a factor while Jayson Tatum recovers from a torn Achilles. But without Tatum and experienced bigs in the rotation, how competitive can this team be — and what happens if Derrick White and/or Jaylen Brown miss time?
Biggest strength: Brown and White on the wing. They both could be All-Stars this season at small forward and shooting guard, respectively. If they are healthy for 70-plus games, Boston will have a chance to surprise people.
Biggest concern: Interior presence. The Celtics lost Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet and replaced them with Luka Garza. It’s a huge opportunity for Neemias Queta to establish himself as a quality NBA big, but it’s a questionable center rotation for a team that hopes to be in the playoff picture. — Bontemps
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Boston attempts 70 3-pointers in a non-overtime game. The NBA record is 63 (in an overtime game, it’s 70), and the Celtics took 60-plus shots from distance five times last season. If they embrace an even more 3-heavy strategy to increase variance with a less talented roster in 2025-26, they could blow away that record. — Kram
Number to watch: 96.6
The Celtics’ pace has been a topic of discussion this preseason, with the changes to their roster. They had a 96.6 pace last season — the second slowest in the NBA, ahead of only the Magic.
Fantasy nugget: The Celtics shattered the NBA record for most 3-pointers taken and made last season, averaging more 3-point attempts than 2-point attempts. With this philosophy, players on the Celtics can be expected to either flirt with or establish career-best marks in 3-pointers if given the court time and opportunity. — Snellings
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 7.1%
Projected wins: 41.8
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: Victor Wembanyama’s clean bill of health and a whirlwind offseason of physical and mental sharpening place him at the forefront of San Antonio’s conversations. He had a 5×5 game, a 10-block performance and a 50-point showing during a 2024-25 campaign in which he played just 46 games and still averaged as many blocks (3.8) as the Miami team combined. In Year 3 for Wembanyama, the Spurs are expected to make a real push to end a six-year postseason drought. Expect Wembanyama to join the top of the MVP conversation.
Biggest strength: The plethora of youth and athleticism jumps off the page with highlight-reel producing guards such as De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and No. 2 pick Dylan Harper. San Antonio will lean on youth and skill to ramp up the pace and run opponents off the floor. Tip-top conditioning has been an offseason point of emphasis.
Biggest concern: The Spurs will find workarounds to minimize their lack of consistent outside shooting. In the preseason, Wembanyama passed up 3-pointers to find Spurs marksmen Harrison Barnes, Julian Champagnie and Devin Vassell for open looks that they’re hitting. That needs to continue when opponents pack the paint for Wembanyama. — Wright
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Wembanyama will have the NBA’s first quadruple-double since David Robinson in 1994, and just the fifth in recorded history. The points and rebounds should come easily for the third-year center, and he has already tallied double-digit assists and blocks in a game. Now, it’s just performing both of those feats in the same game. — Kram
Number to watch: 5×5
Two seasons into his career, Wembanyama already has two 5×5 games. The only other players with multiple 5×5 games in an NBA career are Hakeem Olajuwon (six) and Andrei Kirilenko (three).
Fantasy nugget: Fox is one of just three players since the start of 2023-24 with at least 800 assists and 200 steals, joining Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic. Fox has always been a dynamic offensive producer, and his two-man game with Wembanyama this season could become one of the league’s best. — Moody
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 52.4%
Projected wins: 42.3
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: The spotlight in Memphis always shines brightest on Ja Morant, and the Grizzlies need a resurgent season from their two-time All-Star guard, who has been limited to 59 games over the past two seasons combined. The Grizzlies made a $240 million commitment to Jaren Jackson Jr. this summer, but have not signed Morant to a contract extension despite his eligibility. “This is a big season for Ja,” Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman told reporters at media day. “I think it is fair to say as we continue to build this team, to be able to achieve a high-end outcome, we need Ja to be a consistent All-NBA-caliber player.”
Biggest strength: Memphis visits might not be much fun for the league’s best wing scorers. The Grizzlies have accumulated a deep group of ferocious wing defenders and a premier shot blocker behind them in Jackson. Recent second-round picks Jaylen Wells and Vince Williams Jr. have proven to be pests, and newly acquired veteran Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has a long track record of guarding stars. Lottery pick Cedric Coward has the traits to also excel defensively.
Biggest concern: Desmond Bane’s trade to Orlando was an admission that the Grizzlies weren’t good enough to contend in the West, netting a return headlined by four first-round picks that will help reconstruct the roster in the near future. It also created a significant offensive void, as Bane averaged 20.2 points per game and shot 40.7% from 3-point range over the past four seasons. — MacMahon
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Caldwell-Pope outshoots Bane from 3-point range. The Grizzlies didn’t just get picks from the Magic in the Bane trade; they also acquired Caldwell-Pope, who suffered an aberrant down season in Orlando (8.7 points per game and 34% on 3-pointers). But over the previous four seasons, KCP made 41% of his 3s, and this is a bet that he bounces back in a better offensive situation — Kram
Number to watch: 73.7
Last season, the Grizzlies ran the fewest on-ball screens and handoffs per game by any team since player tracking began in 2013-14. However, those numbers jumped from 49.7 with Taylor Jenkins to 73.7 in nine games with Tuomas Iisalo.
Fantasy nugget: Zach Edey averaged 9.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in just 21.5 minutes per game last season. He also led all rookies with a 58% field goal percentage. He is expected to be out until November as he recovers from offseason ankle surgery, but his scoring, rebounding and shot blocking all stand to rise if he plays more minutes in his second NBA season. — Moody
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 35.3%
Projected wins: 38.2
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: How will the Heat do without a star presence like Jimmy Butler III? Last season, Miami was discombobulated before, during and after the Butler trade drama. The Cavs blowing out the Heat in the first round was stunning, given the franchise’s competitive history. Bam Adebayo will look to stabilize the Heat, especially while Tyler Herro is out, and get back to his 2023 form when Adebayo averaged 20.4 points and 9.2 rebounds on 54% shooting en route to a Finals appearance. Andrew Wiggins will also have a full season in Miami after coming via the Butler trade.
Biggest strength: The Heat are pros at exceeding expectations because of Erik Spoelstra, one of the best coaches in the game. Odds are Spoelstra will get the Heat and team culture back on track while squeezing every ounce out of this roster. He has some new players to incorporate. Norman Powell seems to be an ideal fit in Miami and can help carry the offensive load while Herro is out. And Spoelstra has rookie guard Kasparas Jakucionis to develop. A major key will be Spoelstra getting the best out of Kel’el Ware; Spoelstra has tried to motivate the talented center this summer.
Biggest concern: The Heat will have to wait until mid- to late November for Herro to recover from surgery after he injured his left foot and ankle. Herro was an All-Star last season, averaging 23.9 points, 5.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds. He emerged as the Heat’s most potent offensive player, and they will need their emerging star back strong to try to stay out of the play-in. — Youngmisuk
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Ware averages 15 points and 10 rebounds. This would represent an achievable but important developmental step for Ware, who averaged 10.7 points and 9.7 rebounds after joining the starting lineup last season. Whether Ware fits next to Adebayo remains a long-term question in Miami, but Ware’s talent at center does not. — Kram
Number to watch: 42.5%
Adebayo took more 3-pointers last season than he did in his first seven NBA seasons combined, and he found his groove once Ware became a consistent starter Jan. 21. From that date to the end of the regular season, Adebayo shot 42.5% on 3-pointers.
Fantasy nugget: With leading scorer, usage and offense generator Herro sidelined for the first part of the season, the Heat must rely on getting production from previously unproven sources. That makes the Heat a good place to look for fantasy draft sleepers and/or potential streamers/pickups once the season begins. — Snellings
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 89.7%
Projected wins: 45.9
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: How much will Joel Embiid play — and what will he look like when he does? That has been the dominant question in Philadelphia for years, and it is yet again after he played just 19 games last season and is coming back from yet another knee surgery. If Embiid can regain his MVP form, the 76ers could be a factor in the East. If he can’t? Well, it could be another long season in Philly.
Biggest strength: Backcourt depth. Not only do the 76ers have Tyrese Maxey, but they’ve also got Quentin Grimes, Jared McCain and VJ Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick in June’s draft. This team is light up front but has a lot of perimeter firepower and should play fast and find success in the open floor.
Biggest concern: What else could it be but health? Embiid and Paul George are questions, and McCain already is out for the start of the season after a thumb injury. This team’s health (or lack thereof) has been a central storyline for a decade, and it could derail another Sixers season. — Bontemps
1:13
Shams: Paul George expected to miss 76ers’ opener
Shams: Paul George expected to miss 76ers’ opener Shams Charania joins “NBA Today” to discuss Paul George’s timeline for returning to the 76ers.
Bold (but realistic) prediction: The 76ers finish 41-41. For the past 12 seasons, Philadelphia has been either terrible or very good in the regular season, either losing at least 54 games or winning at least 47 games (extrapolating shorter seasons to 82 games), with no in between. So, wouldn’t it be something if the 76ers are average in 2025-26? It’s certainly possible, given the strong talent but overwhelming injury questions on this roster. — Kram
Number to watch: 15
The 76ers played 15 games last season in which Embiid, George and Maxey were all available, going 7-8. Philadelphia outscored its opponents by just two points in the 294 minutes all three players were on the floor together.
Fantasy nugget: The 76ers forced the most turnovers in the Eastern Conference last season. This shows they play an aggressive style of defense that could result in more per-capita steals among the 76ers’ rotation players. The 76ers also have three strong rebounding options at center this season, and if they combine good defensive rebounding with solid turnovers generated, it could lead to more fast breaks and easier looks for their perimeter players. — Snellings
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 34.10%
Projected wins: 38.2
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: Tyrese Haliburton’s recovery. The Pacers have already ruled out Haliburton for the season, which should eliminate any suspense about a late-season push. But everything Indiana does this season will still be viewed through a lens of how it fits when Haliburton returns — from the starting center position to how well Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin adjust to their new roles.
Biggest strength: Identity and coaching. Even without Haliburton, the Pacers will stick to the identity that has defined them over the past few seasons. They will adhere to that play style as best they can with a coaching staff that has prided itself on getting the best out of its players in recent years. The Pacers are used to being overlooked and they’re comfortable in that position.
Biggest concern: Playmaking. Haliburton was the engine that made the team go, and the Pacers will struggle to replace that. Even though they have capable guards in Nembhard and T.J. McConnell, who will miss the first month because of a hamstring injury, neither of them can match Haliburton’s offensive capability, which was the key to leading them to the Finals. — Collier
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Jay Huff is the best Pacers center. Advanced stats like Huff, who enjoyed a mini-breakout in Memphis last season while making 41% of his 3-pointers and supplying plenty of dunks. After joining the Pacers in a minor summer trade, the stretch big will be the best internal answer as Indiana searches for a proper replacement for Myles Turner. — Kram
Number to watch: 127
With Haliburton out for the season, Nembhard will see a larger role as the primary ball handler. Last season, he averaged 127.0 touches per 100 possessions when Haliburton was off the floor, compared with 89.2 when he shared the court with Haliburton.
Fantasy nugget: The Pacers finished third in the NBA in assists last season after finishing first the season before. Some of that is due to Haliburton’s distribution abilities, but a lot of it is due to coach Rick Carlisle’s motion offense. Even with Haliburton out this season, the Pacers’ offense should continue to generate assists from the guards and good 3-point looks for any players who get rotation minutes. — Snellings
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 7.1%
Projected wins: 35.1
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: The trade availability of the Kings’ veterans. They overhauled their front office again and brought in new general manager Scott Perry for the cleanup job. DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk were included in discussions at various points in the summer. Both profiled as deadline targets, particularly DeRozan, who recently called last season’s experience (his first in Sacramento) a “s—show” and has only $10 million guaranteed following the season. Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine have larger contracts, which can be more difficult to move, but a rebuild could be brewing if the Kings sputter heading into 2026.
Biggest strength: Durability and scoring ability. Sabonis and DeRozan have appeared in 461 of a possible 492 games in the past three seasons. They rarely sit. DeRozan and LaVine are capable of scoring 30 to 40 points any given night. Monk can explode off the bench. There’s some proven individual talent on this roster, even if the puzzle pieces don’t seem to fit.
0:58
What does Russell Westbrook signing mean for the Kings?
Kendrick Perkins weighs in on Russell Westbrook signing with the Kings in what is a loaded Western Conference.
Biggest concern: They don’t have a rim protector or modern length on the wing. They just learned their best young player and perimeter defender, Keegan Murray, tore the UCL in his left thumb and will miss four to six weeks. Doug Christie, now the full-time head coach, continues to preach competitive toughness and a defensive mindset as his mantra, but the requisite personnel for even a decent defensive unit is lacking. — Slater
Bold (but realistic) prediction: The Kings will make the play-in tournament. Say what you will about the Kings’ roster decisions, but Sabonis and DeRozan are still high-caliber offensive players who rarely miss games, and LaVine, Monk and Schroder add more offensive oomph. Sacramento has attracted plenty of doubters due to its recent roster moves, but it should still have enough consistent scoring to nab a shot at the postseason. — Kram
Number to watch: 1.07
The Kings will look to improve their defense with Doug Christie as head coach, especially around the rim. Sacramento allowed 1.07 points per direct drive last season, worst in the NBA, according to GeniusIQ. The Kings were also 27th in opponent blow-by rate on drives.
Fantasy nugget: Sacramento finished 22nd in points allowed per 100 possessions last season but ranked ninth in points scored per 100 possessions. With wings such as LaVine and DeRozan, this team is built for high-scoring shootouts. Both veterans are excellent individual scorers, though their defensive limitations make the Kings prone to giving up points. — Moody
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 34.8%
Projected wins: 38.2
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: The Raptors could be the most trick-or-treat, hard-to-project team in the Eastern Conference this season. It feels like they’ve been irrelevant for a long time, but it’s been just three losing seasons following a decade-long run of consistency. They finally get to see Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram play together, and that adds to the intrigue. Will they be a team to watch around the deadline, though?
Biggest strength: They have wings. Long and versatile. Barnes. Ingram, assuming health. RJ Barrett continues his understated consistency, and playing with the smooth Ingram should only help. After being a trade candidate for years, Ingram has a home and can easily score 25 a night. Again, that length, if deployed, can cause headaches for opposing offenses every night.
Biggest concern: Health, yes. But in terms of the franchise player, Barnes, there’s so much invested in him, but you wonder where his development takes him. His efficiency and shooting have taken a dip, and if the Raptors are to emerge from the muck, he has to take the leap. — Goodwill
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Toronto earns a top-six seed. In terms of sheer talent, the Raptors have one of the best rosters in the Eastern Conference, and although their ceiling looks low, their floor is a lot higher than those of the other injury-decimated rosters in the East. Even a win total in the low 40s could be enough to avoid the play-in tournament. — Kram
Number to watch: 109.7
The Raptors went 20-20 in their last 40 games of the 2024-25 season and had a 109.7 defensive efficiency during that span, the best in the NBA. Before Jan. 21, Toronto ranked 28th in defensive efficiency.
Fantasy nugget: In Immanuel Quickley, Barrett, Ingram and Barnes, the Raptors are starting four players this season who each have averaged more than five assists per game. With five players who can create team offense off the dribble, this offense has the potential to be a free-flowing, efficient unit if everything goes as planned. It also suggests that no one on the team is likely to produce strong assist numbers as an individual, since the total dimes will be split four ways. — Snellings
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 4.4%
Projected wins: 33.9
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: Whether their young core will rise in time to make the fading seasons of Damian Lillard’s career at least mildly competitive in a playoff sense. Shaedon Sharpe, their bouncy fourth-year wing, looked excellent in his preseason debut. Team insiders say he has been dropping jaws regularly behind the scenes in training camp. If he makes a leap, if Scoot Henderson flashes as the future star Portland needs and if Donovan Clingan proves to be a reliable center, then Lillard will return next season from his Achilles tear to a refreshed Blazers team that could perhaps give him one final clutch moment on the brightest stage.
Biggest strength: Their defense. In 27 games after the All-Star break last season, the Blazers quietly had the fourth-best defensive rating in the NBA. Toumani Camara was named All-Defense second team on the wing. Clingan is an anchor on the back end. Jerami Grant and Deni Avdija provide requisite length. Portland added Jrue Holiday (a defensive pest) and traded Anfernee Simons (a liability) this summer. If the Blazers are to surprise and challenge for at least a play-in spot, they’ll do it through a top-10 defense.
Biggest concern: How will they score enough? The Blazers finished with the 22nd-ranked offense last season and then traded their leading scorer, Simons, to Boston. It makes sense to lean into their defensive identity, but points are needed to win games. Sharpe averaged 18.5 last season on subpar efficiency. Portland will need him to spike the points and raise the percentages, in addition to mini offensive leaps from Henderson, Avdija and others. — Slater
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Portland finishes with a top-five defense and a bottom-five offense. The Trail Blazers were already better on the defensive end last season, with wing stopper Camara leading the way. That imbalance should be even more skewed this season, after Portland traded Simons for Holiday and waived Deandre Ayton to elevate Clingan to the starting lineup. Defensive aces Matisse Thybulle and Robert Williams III could also play more after combining for just 35 games last season — Kram
Number to watch: 1.19
The Trail Blazers had a top-five defense in the second half of the season, thanks in part to their transition defense. They allowed 1.19 points per possession in transition in their last 41 games, third best in the NBA during that stretch.
Fantasy nugget: Avdija was superb over the final 16 games last season, averaging 24.9 PPG and 10.6 RPG. He’s a versatile player who can contribute on both ends of the court, entering his second full season in Portland after notching career highs in points, rebounds, assists, steals and 3s in 2024-25. — Moody
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 6.1%
Projected wins: 32.7
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: The development of Matas Buzelis. The team’s 2024 first-round pick (No. 11) has already shown the most upside among its collection of young players, but whether Buzelis, who turned 21 earlier this month, can continue developing into a leading option for the Bulls on offense will be worth keeping an eye on this season. Chicago has been eliminated in the play-in tournament the past three seasons and hasn’t been out of the first round of the playoffs in a decade. That almost certainly won’t change this season, but Buzelis has shown glimpses of being the kind of player who can help change that fortune in the future.
Biggest strength: Pace. The Bulls completely transformed their style of play last season, going from one of the slowest teams in the league to one of the leaders in pace. It’s a model that led to a lot of success for Indiana, and the Bulls are trying to model the same style: multiple ball handlers, shooting everywhere and an offense built on randomness to put pressure on opposing defenses from all angles.
Biggest concern: Lack of direction. The Bulls are youthful and play fast, leading to a fun, competitive team that has hovered a few games below .500 in recent years. But even in a down Eastern Conference, the Bulls are still in a similar position entering this season, not good enough to hang with the true contenders at the top of the conference, but not bad enough to expect a pick near the top of the draft next summer. — Collier
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Josh Giddey flirts with averaging a triple-double. Only five players in NBA history have averaged at least nine assists and nine rebounds per game in a season: Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, Russell Westbrook, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic. But after the All-Star break last season, Giddey averaged 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game; extrapolate those numbers over 82 games, and the newly extended guard will look like an offensive star for the Bulls, even if his stats don’t translate to a winning record. — Kram
Number to watch: 21.1
The Bulls ran 21.1 transition possessions per game last season, the most by any team in a season since player tracking began in 2013-14, according to GeniusIQ.
Fantasy nugget: The Bulls like to get out and run; they played with the second-fastest pace in the NBA last season. The fast pace leads to more shots and counting-stat opportunities for Bulls players, making them a friendly team for fantasy streaming options. — Snellings
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: .1%
Projected wins: 32.9
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: As long as Zion Williamson remains a Pelican, he’ll always generate most of the headlines in New Orleans through explosive play or a lack of availability due to injuries. New executive vice president Joe Dumars and general manager Troy Weaver have administered some tough love to Williamson since taking over, and the forward has been receptive. Pelicans officials pointed out that Williamson was a regular at the team facilities over the offseason, and teammates noticed the former No. 1 pick’s slimmer physique. Williamson’s health will play a major role in determining the overall fate of a team that hasn’t won a playoff series in seven seasons.
Biggest strength: No doubt, the Pelicans are a deep team. In fact, Dumars envisions using a rotation that features up to 12 players, “so if that generational talent isn’t [playing] for two weeks, we still win. You can’t build a team, especially in professional sports, where you’re dependent on one guy.”
Biggest concern: Williamson hasn’t played in more than 70 games in an NBA season, but a good portion of this team has been snakebit by injury, making overall health a major concern. Four starters (Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III, Herbert Jones and Williamson) were lost last season to injuries. All but Murray are back healthy. — Wright
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Derik Queen rarely shares the court with Williamson. The Pelicans’ much-panned draft night trade for Queen was controversial mostly because of the expected value of the unprotected 2026 first-rounder they sent to Atlanta — but it also didn’t make much sense because of Queen’s strange fit with Williamson, who remains the Pelicans’ franchise player. Both players are undersized centers with defensive questions and little shooting range. Here’s a guess that Pelicans coach Willie Green won’t want two players with that description sharing the court very often, and that’s without even accounting for Queen’s offseason wrist surgery. — Kram
Number to watch: 25%
Since player tracking began in 2013-14, there have been eight instances of a player getting double-teamed 25% of the time on his touches while recording at least 1,000 touches in a season. Williamson has five of those eight seasons, including 2024-25.
Fantasy nugget: Murphy finished last season with a career-high 21.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG and 3.5 APG. The 25-year-old wingman is well-positioned for another strong season as he enters his fifth campaign in New Orleans thanks to his improving skills on both ends of the court. — Moody
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 1.5%
Projected wins: 31.8
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: Is Devin Booker on board with the direction of the franchise? It’s hard to believe that just four years ago, Booker had back-to-back 40-point games in the NBA Finals and the Suns were just two wins away from their first championship. Playing for his seventh different coach in Jordan Ott since being drafted in 2015, Booker, who turns 29 on Oct. 30, said he is ready to take on the challenge of leading Phoenix in the fiercely crowded Western Conference. “We have unfinished business here,” Booker said before the Suns’ preseason opener. “Obviously a younger team and I’ll have more of a leadership responsibility. And that’s fine with me. I’ve pretty much seen it all and I’m going to give my two cents when I feel like I fits in.”
Biggest strength: Youth and athleticism. After relying on aging stars such as Chris Paul, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal in recent seasons, Booker is now flanked by a handful of fresh faces in Jalen Green (23), Dillon Brooks (29), Mark Williams (23) and Khaman Maluach (19). They are built to run.
Biggest concern: With this much turnover from last season, not only in the roster but with Ott taking over for Mike Budenholzer on the sidelines, it’s going to take time for this group to come together. And a preseason trip to China, cutting into training camp, didn’t help. Plus, playing in the West, there won’t be many nights when Phoenix will get a break. — McMenamin
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Phoenix finishes 14th in the West. The Suns have shooting guards, centers and just about nothing else on their roster, and a lack of playmaking and defense will make it hard for them to win with any consistency in such a deep conference. Utah’s a near lock to finish last in the West, but second to last is a realistic possibility for a team that, until recently, was all-in for a title. — Kram
Number to watch: 26.2
With a change in personnel and head coach, how much will the Suns attack the rim? Last season, 26.2% of their shots were layup or dunk attempts, the lowest rate by any team in a season since player tracking began in 2013-14.
Fantasy nugget: Booker could see the highest usage rate of his career with Durant and Beal both traded away this offseason. Booker averaged 20.1 FGA and 27.3 PPG in games without Durant and Beal last season. — Moody
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 1.5%
Projected wins: 29.6
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: Can LaMelo Ball be the leader and star the Hornets franchise needs? Ball has played a total of 105 games over the past three seasons combined due to injuries. When healthy, he can put up prolific numbers. But the Hornets haven’t won more than 21 games in each of their past two seasons. The Hornets are still rebuilding, but they would love to see Ball, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges healthy together. Ball spent time in the weight room this offseason in an attempt to get stronger. Ball remains one of the more exciting players in the league, but he will also have to be more efficient.
Biggest strength: The Hornets have some rising talent. Ball has Bridges, Miller and now No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel as a young core to build with. Miller showed flashes, averaging 21 points before his second season was cut short due to injury. Knueppel should have plenty of opportunities in Charlotte to show what he can do. Second-year coach Charles Lee will try to develop his young talent and build winning habits.
Biggest concern: The Hornets have to find a way to stay healthy. Ball has missed 35, 60 and 46 games the past three seasons, respectively. Miller played just 27 games before suffering a season-ending wrist injury. And Tre Mann played just 13 games last season due to a back disk injury. The Hornets did add veterans such as Collin Sexton, Pat Connaughton and Collin Sexton for more depth at guard. — Youngmisuk
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Two Hornets — Knueppel and Ryan Kalkbrenner — make the All-Rookie team. Knueppel, the No. 4 pick in June’s draft, is a natural candidate to impress as a rookie. And the 7-foot-1 Kalkbrenner, the No. 34 pick, could get a lot of run given Charlotte’s center situation. He impressed in the preseason, averaging 9.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game on 77.8% shooting. — Kram
Number to watch: 3-32
The Hornets went 3-32 when Ball did not play last season. After playing 75 games in 2021-22, Ball has played just 43% of the Hornets’ games in the past three seasons (105 of 246).
Fantasy nugget: The Hornets’ starting backcourt of Ball and Miller missed a combined 90 of 162 games last season, and Ball has missed 141 of 246 potential games in the previous three seasons. This season, the Hornets brought in quality perimeter depth in proven players such as Sexton, Spencer Dinwiddie and Tre Mann, in addition to a lottery pick in Knueppel. If injuries remain an issue among the starters, the newcomers are poised to offer strong fantasy streamer or pickup options. — Snellings
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: .1%
Projected wins: 24.7
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: It’s clear, and if it wasn’t, team governor Joe Tsai laid it out on the “All-In” podcast: “We have one [first-round] pick in 2026, and we hope to get a good pick. So, you can predict what kind of strategy we will use for this season.” That means the tank is on. And everything this season will be aimed at player development — hence the five first-round draft picks being on the roster. Maintaining flexibility is GM Sean Marks’ MO here.
Biggest strength: If your favorite stat is FGA, the Nets are the team for you. Between Michael Porter Jr. getting all the freedom he never had in Denver and Cam Thomas playing for his next contract after signing the qualifying offer, the offense can be potent and streaky some nights. And some nights, the Nets will make enough shots to surprise a good team on a lull.
Biggest concern: Who will provide the veteran leadership on a team with so many players having four years or fewer of NBA experience? With so many first-round picks vying for playing time, surely someone will emerge with opportunity, but is it the best environment for player evaluation? Marks has done it before with limited resources, but can lightning strike twice? — Goodwill
Bold (but realistic) prediction: The Nets lead the league in turnovers. The easiest way to commit lots of turnovers in the NBA is to give the ball to rookies, and Brooklyn is stocked with rookie ball handlers in an obvious tanking situation. In their four preseason games against NBA competition, the Nets averaged 24 turnovers. — Kram
Number to watch: 13.9%
The Nets blitzed 13.9% of the time when defending on-ball screens last season, the highest rate in the NBA and the highest percentage by any team since the 2020-21 Heat, according to GeniusIQ.
Fantasy nugget: The Nets had 10 players average in double-digit scoring, and 24 players registered minutes last season, a nod to the injuries and roster turnover. They set an NBA record during the draft by taking and keeping five players in the first round. The merry-go-round of production is a hallmark of very young, rebuilding teams, which, when factored in with the Nets’ lack of established talent, suggests the team should be worth watching on the waiver wire as a potentially ever-fresh source of streamer or pickup options. — Snellings
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 0%
Projected wins: 23.6
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: Utah’s future will become a major topic as the season unfolds. The Jazz are attempting to develop their younger talent to accelerate a rebuild that began in 2022. They have 11 incoming future first-round picks and seven future second-round picks. Utah added some vets in the offseason. But right now, developing young talent such as No. 5 pick Ace Bailey, Walter Clayton Jr., Keyonte George, Isaiah Collier, Kyle Filipowski and Taylor Hendricks is this team’s No. 1 priority as it looks to identify players it plans to move forward with in the next phase of the rebuild.
Biggest strength: Coach Will Hardy wants Utah’s youth to be its biggest strength. “We have to use youth as our advantage,” he said. “We can’t only look at the downsides of youth. We want to try to flip the narrative on its head. Sure, there are negatives to being young. But there are also a lot of positives.”
Biggest concern: Injuries are already starting to pile up with Collier (hamstring), Filipowski (lower back), Walker Kessler (left shoulder), Lauri Markkanen (left wrist) and Georges Niang (left foot). Markkanen is Utah’s top player and is coming off a season in which he played a career-low 47 games. He has averaged just 56.3 games per season during his eight-year career. — Wright
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Ace Bailey will lead all rookies in scoring. That doesn’t mean he’ll make anywhere near the same all-around impact as Flagg, but as a starter for a bad team with a shoot-first mindset, Bailey will have the opportunity to rack up bushels of points. Bailey’s 45 points across his first two preseason games showed his potential as a first-year scorer. — Kram
Number to watch: 17
The Jazz turned the ball over on 17% of their possessions last season, the highest rate by any team in a season since the 2015-16 Suns.
Fantasy nugget: Kyle Filipowski was named Summer League MVP after averaging 29.3 PPG and 7.7 RPG and is one to watch this season. He was one of only two rookies last season to post at least 650 points, 400 rebounds and 100 assists. Filipowski, Utah’s second-round pick out of Duke in 2024, closed the season strong, averaging 14.8 PPG and 10.1 RPG over the Jazz’s final 11 regular-season games. — Moody
Schedule | Roster | Best Bet
Chances to make playoffs: 0%
Projected wins: 23.8
Biggest thing we’ll be talking about this season: The team’s ongoing youth movement. There are few teams more committed to playing young, developing players than the Wizards, who have the majority of their roster on first-round rookie-scale deals. The development of Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, Keyonte George, Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly and others will be their only storyline this season.
Biggest strength: It almost certainly won’t translate to wins, but this is going to be a fun team. The Wizards should play fast and use their athleticism to create easy shots in transition — if their defense can create the turnovers to get out and run.
Biggest concern: The lack of proven point guards or bigs. The quickest way to lose games in the NBA is to have uneven point guard play or interior defense. And, with such a young roster, Washington is likely to have both. As a result, expect this to be another long season for the Wizards. — Bontemps
Bold (but realistic) prediction: Cam Whitmore leads the team in scoring. Whitmore never quite found his footing in Houston, but he joined the Wizards in an under-the-radar trade this summer, and his scoring prowess should fit much better on a young team not trying to win. Whitmore has averaged 22 points per 36 minutes across the past two seasons — the same as Julius Randle, Anfernee Simons and Darius Garland over that span. Among players in Whitmore’s draft class, only Victor Wembanyama has scored at a greater rate. — Kram
Number to watch: minus-12.2
The Wizards had a minus-12.2 net efficiency last season, the worst by any team in a season since the 2011-12 Bobcats, who went 7-59.
Fantasy nugget: The Wizards are currently slated to start three players age 21 and under, and two players age 34 and older. Four of their top players off the bench are also age 22 and under. This suggests a team in full rebuild mode that plans to get its very young players plenty of experience this season. Although veterans CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton can help instill professionalism in the young lineup, it is also worth keeping an eye on whether they will get traditional starter minutes for the full season when the Wizards seem to otherwise be so committed to the youth movement. — Snellings
