We’re less than a week away from the start of the 2024-25 NBA regular season, so it makes sense to take stock of the league before all the action starts. This is the only point of the year where all 30 teams are truly optimistic about the upcoming season, where the trade machine isn’t a constant topic of conversation and fans can have a positive approach about their favorite squad.
In keeping with that positive theme, it feels right to point out one reason to be excited about every team in the league — from the excitement of contending for a championship to the prospect of landing a generational talent in next year’s draft.
While every team’s outlook may vary, there’s still at least one reason to be excited about each team this season.
You could argue that Johnson already had a breakout year after averaging 16 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists last season. But not too many people paid attention to his performance, as the Hawks won just 36 games. Atlanta could be on pace for another losing season, but Johnson’s ascension could be the reason they actually improve on last year’s mark. He stands out on defense and was usually tasked with more difficult matchups last season. He’ll only be asked to do more on that end, and offensively he should thrive even more now that Dejounte Murray isn’t there. Johnson should be in the running for Most Improved Player, though he probably should’ve won it last year.
Celtics: Prime to repeat as champions
Boston returns its entire championship rotation, has extended a few of them and is primed to be in a position to repeat as champions. What could be more exciting than that? Even with other teams making blockbuster moves in the East — namely the Knicks and 76ers — the Celtics are still the team to chase. And just like it was last year, it’s going to be incredibly difficult to get past them. The Celtics could be the first team to repeat as champions since the 2018 Warriors, and we could see an MVP season from Jayson Tatum after not getting as much love in that category as he probably should have last season.
Nets: Tanking will yield positive results
The Nets had a great offseason by scooping up five first-round picks from the Knicks in exchange for Mikal Bridges. It sets the team up for the future. While selling fans on tanking is hard, when the possible prize at the end of all that losing is a generational talent like Cooper Flagg in the 2025 NBA Draft, you can stomach some bad basketball. And if that doesn’t sell it enough, watching Cam Thomas consistently flirt with 30-plus point-scoring nights should be entertaining enough to keep the despair at bay.
Hornets: LaMelo Ball-Brandon Miller pairing will be potent
Brandon Miller had a great rookie season, even if it wasn’t quite under the circumstances Charlotte expected. Miller was supposed to be playing off LaMelo Ball, but injuries to the latter changed that course, and it ended up being a blessing in disguise. Miller developed in a variety of ways, and now with a healthy Ball, he’ll be more equipped to slot in next to him as someone who now has experience playing both on and off the ball. The Hornets have a roster worthy of contending for a play-in spot, as long as everyone remains relatively healthy.
Bulls: The team finally chose a direction … sort of
There are still a few questions that remain about Chicago’s chosen path, primarily how long Zach LaVine will be on this roster, but it’s evident that Chicago is moving toward the rebuilding route. That should excite fans, even if the current roster doesn’t instill many reasons to cheer. We may see a more unleashed version of Coby White after finishing as a Most Improved Player finalist, and a stable of young guys will have ample opportunity to prove themselves while Chicago figures to be near the bottom of the standings. Losing sucks, but Chicago should be firmly in the Flagg sweepstakes at season’s end, and that’s reason alone to be excited.
Cavaliers: A new coach could get the best out of this roster
There’s a clear line between the top of the East, the middle men and the bottom dwellers. Cleveland sits in that middle group, where it has been for several years now. But one big difference — and reason for optimism and excitement — is the hiring of Kenny Atkinson as the new head coach. Perhaps Atkinson can do what J.B. Bickerstaff couldn’t: get this team to the Eastern Conference finals. They’ve got buy-in from Donovan Mitchell in the form of a freshly signed three-year extension, and there are still moves that could be made to improve the roster. But Atkinson is a great hire who has experience coaching a couple of guys on the Cavs and is known for leading teams past expectations.
Mavericks: This roster is better than the NBA Finals team
The talent disparity was evident between the Mavericks and the Celtics in the NBA Finals last season. So Dallas went out and got one of the best sharpshooters in NBA history in Klay Thompson. They then added a 3-and-D weapon in Naji Marshall to address the absence of Derrick Jones Jr. and brought in Quentin Grimes, who can provide valuable minutes off the bench. Questions remain about Thompson’s true ability to significantly impact this team amid an obvious decline at 34 years old, and Marshall doesn’t provide the same level of athleticism as Jones. But this feels like a more balanced, deeper and better team than the one that won the West last season.
Nuggets: This is still a title team
A lot has been said about the lack of moves the Nuggets made as they lost a key member of their championship team and plan to rely heavily on younger guys. But at the end of the day, this is still a team that is going to contend for a championship. It’s a team that still has three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and a motivated Michael Porter Jr. whose goal is to ensure he can create easier scoring opportunities for himself. The depth may not be what it was when this team won it all in 2023, but their starting group is among the best in the league. We just saw how difficult it was for Minnesota to beat the Nuggets in the playoffs last season, and that should remain the same this year, too.
Pistons: A new coach and culture
It only took one season of Monty Williams for the Pistons to realize they needed to move on. Enter J.B. Bickerstaff, who parted ways with the Cavaliers but will now head up a team desperate for a culture change. Bickerstaff has already worked on rebuilding that culture, vetoing players from wearing hoodies up at practice. That may sound like a silly statement, but Bickerstaff is trying to instill some professionalism among the young guys in Detroit, preaching a “you practice how you play” mentality. The Pistons have talent, but they need someone like Bickerstaff who can lead and hold guys accountable as they continue to develop.
Warriors: This team’s depth is exciting
Klay Thompson will be suiting up for a different team for the first time ever. That will be a major talking point for Golden State to start the season, but in his absence, they built a roster that should be better than last year. They brought in Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson and De’Anthony Melton, with Hield serving as the best replacement for Thompson’s 3-point shooting. He’s been among the best 3-point shooters on the planet in the past few seasons (nearly 41% on 7.5 attempts per game the past two seasons), and now he gets to play with Stephen Curry. Hield has never experienced the kind of shot creation he’s about to get.
There are a couple of other reasons why you should be excited about the Rockets this season: they could legitimately challenge for a play-in spot with the natural progression of Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith, and Jalen Green. But all eyes should be on No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard. He was the best shooter in the draft, and he figures to be a key player in the Rockets rotation. His shooting should provide the spacing needed for Green and Amen Thompson, and could put him in the driver’s seat for Rookie of the Year if he gets enough minutes.
Pacers: The offense will still be dangerous
The Pacers made no notable changes to the rotation, which means this is still one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the league. They had a historic offense and made it to the Eastern Conference finals, and while they’re not talked about in the same conversation as the Celtics, Knicks and Sixers, we saw what happens when they’re underestimated. Tyrese Haliburton is among the best point guards in the league, Pascal Siakam fit seamlessly as soon as he was traded last season and Indiana has a slew of reliable role players who will once again aid in creating a highly potent offense that no one should want to face in the playoffs.
Clippers: The defense is going to be awesome
The Clippers are going to start the season in a tough spot with Kawhi Leonard expected to be sidelined as he continues to rehab from offseason knee surgery. But his recovery aside, the Clippers should have one of the best defensive units in the league. Sure, they lost Paul George, but they added Derrick Jones Jr., who was the best defender on an NBA Finals team. They also added Kris Dunn, who is known for being a reliable perimeter defender. Add that to Ivica Zubac, Terance Mann and Leonard when he returns and you have a squad that’s going to be difficult to score on.
Lakers: A move could still be on the horizon
The Lakers’ biggest move of the offseason was bringing in JJ Redick as head coach. Redick has been praised for having the potential to be a great coach, but even he can’t take this roster incredibly far. But fret not, the Lakers still have two first-round picks that can be traded for someone(s) of quality who could vault them higher in a sardine-packed Western Conference. There are reports that the Lakers could be on the hunt for a center, which would certainly help Anthony Davis, who has been adamant on his preference of playing power forward.
Morant’s return is certainly on everyone’s radar because prior to his suspension and injury, he was being touted as the next face of the league, not Anthony Edwards. The Grizzlies are just a completely different team when Morant’s on the floor using his freakish athleticism to test anyone standing in his way at the rim. And he’ll surely be motivated to show everyone that he’s back with a vengeance. The way Morant can collapse a defense and open up opportunities for guys like Desmond Bane, Brandon Clarke and Jaren Jackson Jr. makes Memphis’ offense electrifying. With Morant back healthy, the Grizzlies should be back in the conversation of playoff contenders.
Butler reportedly didn’t want to sign an extension before the summer of 2025 with the Heat or any other team that could’ve potentially traded for him this offseason, meaning he’s hoping to have a monster year to get an even bigger payday. Butler has a player option for next summer worth $52.4 million, and could opt out to get a longer, more lucrative deal. While Butler never really needs extra motivation, he’ll certainly be using this season as a way to show Miami and every other team that he’s worth another max contract. That’s a positive for the Heat, as we’ve seen what a fully healthy, locked-in Butler is capable of doing — leading Miami to two NBA Finals appearances since 2020.
Bucks: Meaningful shooting depth
The attention is going to be on Year 2 of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, but the excitement here should really center on the addition of Gary Trent Jr., who the Bucks were able to get on a minimum deal. He’s a reliable 3-point shooter, and is going to thrive playing off Antetokounmpo. He’s also got experience playing alongside Lillard in Portland, which had positive results once already. There’s also the addition of Delon Wright, a proven defender who can knock down 3s on a low volume. The same with Taurean Prince, who is coming off a 39.6% 3-point shooting season with the Lakers. The Bucks painfully needed more depth last season, and they addressed that need this summer, which should yield better results this time around.
There’s going to be a bunch of handwringing about the Julius Randle-Karl-Anthony Towns trade. And while Towns is the better player in the deal, Randle should fit a bit better on this roster. Randle may not be the 3-point shooter Towns is, but he’s a better shot creator, something the Timberwolves are lacking outside of Anthony Edwards and an aging Mike Conley. Donte DiVincenzo’s shooting should cover for Towns’ absence, and while the Timberwolves are coming off a conference finals run and probably didn’t need to make a change this massive, it should create a more balanced offensive attack going forward.
Williamson straight up said he’s attacking the upcoming season with “straight vengeance,” as he knows he hasn’t been as consistent as he could have been over the years. Injuries have certainly played a role in that, but Williamson’s conditioning also played a role, and he revamped his body this offseason to ensure he’s ready to come out the gates strong this season. With that in mind, we could be in store for a massive season from Williamson. And given that he’s one of the best 15-20 players when he’s operating at his best, there’s no telling how far he can rise — and how far the Pelicans can go — after committing himself to improving this summer.
Knicks: All in for a championship
We thought the Knicks were done after pulling off the massive trade for Mikal Bridges. And then they went ahead and made sure everyone knew they were fully going for it all this season after trading for Towns. The Knicks are here to win it all, and nothing less. They have a roster capable of making the Celtics sweat. If they can get through the East, you could put them head-to-head with just about anyone in the West and pick them. This is the kind of excitement the Knicks franchise hasn’t had in a really long time. And while there will be a learning curve for everyone involved, New York should be in store for a very long postseason run.
Thunder: The team to beat in the West
The Thunder lost in the second round of the playoffs and then quickly assessed what they needed and went out and got two of the most valuable role players on the market. Isaiah Hartenstein gives them an elite rim protector, and Alex Caruso ensures there won’t be a weak spot in the closing lineup on defense. Those two moves immediately made the Thunder the best team in the Western Conference. It’s also important to note that the Thunder still have a bunch of draft capital to build the ideal roster in whichever way they see fit down the line. So if they find another weakness before the trade deadline in February, they can go out and address it immediately.
Orlando ranked 29th in 3-point attempts last season and 24th in 3-point percentage. They’ve sorely needed some quality shooters, so they added a guy in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who is averaging 41.5% from deep over the last two seasons. KCP’s a two-time champion whose defense will only add to a unit that ranked third on that end of the floor a season ago. Caldwell-Pope is the perfect player for the Magic, and while he won’t fix everything for Orlando, he’ll address the major pain points for a team that figures to be a playoff team again.
Sixers: The best roster around Joel Embiid
This is, without a doubt, the best roster assembled around Embiid. They added Paul George, a third star who can fit into any role. They bolstered their depth by adding Caleb Martin and Eric Gordon, and reunited with Andre Drummond to be Embiid’s backup. Embiid’s said that he likely won’t play in a back-to-back ever again, and while that probably should’ve been instituted a couple of years ago, the Sixers have the roster to allow him to rest, especially with Drummond back on the roster. Philly may not win as many regular season games with this approach to Embiid — and likely George now after his bone bruise — but they should be right up there with the Celtics and Knicks when the playoffs start.
Suns: Underdogs with a sneaky good roster
It feels silly to look at a roster that features Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal and utter the word “underdogs.” But Phoenix isn’t getting nearly the same amount of buzz as other teams in the West. I get it, they got swept in the playoffs last season, and had an ultra thin roster that relied heavily on their Big 3. But they addressed those weaknesses and added Tyus Jones and Monte Morris, who can slot in at point guard. Mason Plumlee is a solid backup center. They retained Royce O’Neale and Josh Okogie, two guys who were part of a 49-win team. The depth is better than last year, and Durant and Booker are two of the most dangerous scorers on the planet. This isn’t a team anyone should take lightly.
Henderson’s rookie season got off to a rocky start, but he showed flashes of becoming a quality NBA player. It’s difficult to assess exactly what his trajectory is, but that’s why this season should be exciting for him and Portland. He’s got a year of NBA experience under his belt, so he knows what to expect and what he needs to work on. He’s also got some more weapons around him with Donovan Clingan joining the fold after being taken No. 7 overall in the draft, as well as Deni Avdija, who the team traded for this summer. It’s a rebuilding year for the Blazers, but the hope is that Henderson can show more of the thrilling highlights that made him the third pick in the 2023 draft compared to last year.
There’s fair criticism of the DeRozan move, but he makes the Kings’ offense better. The questions about how he’ll fit into an offense where two guys already need the ball are overblown after he made things work with Zach LaVine in Chicago. He’s on the older side, but he’s also one of the most efficient mid-range scorers and clutch guys in the league. He’s an upgrade from Harrison Barnes in that position, as he can provide some additional shot creation outside of De’Aaron Fox. He certainly doesn’t aid in Sacramento’s need for better defenders, but the Kings may once again put up historic offensive numbers, and DeRozan will be a big reason why.
Wembanyama is going to be in line for Defensive Player of the Year, All-NBA, and, heck, maybe even MVP if he and the Spurs take that much of a leap. He’ll certainly break through to earn his first All-Star appearance, so individually, it will be an exciting year for the young Spurs star. That excitement could extend to the whole team if those around him develop enough to make San Antonio a team that could contend for one of the final play-in spots. Sure, it’s early to look at the Spurs as playoff contenders, but Wembanyama’s ascension is going to dictate the expectations for this team. Right now, they should expect to be far more competitive than last year.
Raptors: A full season of Barnes, Barrett and Quickley
We got a small sample size of the core the Raptors hope can bring them success down the line after trading OG Anunoby for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. But in that sample size, we got career numbers from both guys next to Scottie Barnes, who earned an All-Star appearance. The intrigue is in what that trio can do with 82 games together, and that will determine what the ceiling for this core is. There were positive results in the 22 games they played together, posting a 2.9 net rating during the minutes they shared the floor. But not much can be gleaned from a mere 22 games.
Jazz: A fun, young roster that could surprise
In hindsight, it made sense why Utah didn’t trade Lauri Markkanen. He wants to be on the Jazz, he’s an All-Star and while he can’t be traded for a year because of the timing of his extension, his trade value figures to be just as high a year from now. Markkanen makes the Jazz competitive, and the stable of young players they’ve added through the draft as well as players already on the roster could put the Jazz in the category of contending for one of the final play-in spots. Whether that’s the right approach is a different conversation, but Utah’s roster on paper, with Keyonte George, Walker Kessler, Kyle Filipowski, Isaiah Collier and Cody Williams, should be an entertaining one to watch.
Wizards: Tanking with a side of development
The Wizards are probably going to be the worst team in the league. That’s really sobering to read, but there are positives in that! They have Alex Sarr, who they took with the No. 2 pick in the draft, and will serve as the focal point of the team’s attention. He had a poor showing during the summer league, and it’s clear he needs serious development before being a quality NBA player. But watching how he develops along the way should be an exciting prospect for a team that has a bunch of random guys on a team who feel like they’re just waiting to get traded. As the losses pile up, the Wizards are closer to the possibility of drafting Flagg if they land the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft.
