Rankings, predictions and what to know for all 30 teams
Oct 20, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
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.
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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.
The 2025-26 NBA season, which tips Tuesday, marks the 80th campaign of the league. ESPN Illustration
Jump to a team:
ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHICLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSHOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MEMMIA | MIL | MIN | NO | NYOKC | ORL | PHI | PHX | PORSAC | SA | TOR | UTAH | WASH
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.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became the fourth player in league history to win the scoring title, NBA MVP and NBA title in the same season. (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
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.
play1:30Are 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
Donovan Mitchell, second from left, is the first guard since Allen Iverson to average 20-plus points per game in his first eight seasons. (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)
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
Jalen Brunson averaged a career-high 7.3 assists last season. He also became the first player to average 25 points and seven assists in a season in Knicks history. (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
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
Kevin Durant was sixth in the league in scoring (26.6 PPG) last season with the Phoenix Suns. (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)
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
Anthony Edwards was fourth in the league in scoring last season (27.6 PPG). (Photo by Zoe Davis/Getty Images)
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.
Golden State was the No. 7 seed last season and bowed out in five games in the second round of the playoffs. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
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
play1:26When 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.
প্রকাশিত: 2025-10-21 22:25:00
উৎস: www.espn.com
