(Approximately) 30 Thoughts On 30 NBA Teams, 2024-’25 Edition

Hello.

Did we enjoy a summer of Olympic basketball, and did we dip our toes into the WNBA for the first time? (Not separate questions, by the way, until it is: Brittney Griner, 2024 gold medalist). When it isn’t your battle, it isn’t worth fighting: just know where they get their weapons. Fighting ain’t for peace.

On the way to never letting people watch basketball in real time again, the NBA signed broadcast deals with various partners who will continue to divide and devour the broadcast schedule, causing a big problem for the league’s streaming partners, which will once again rise: cable television. Who are we kidding? This NBA season will have no direction without the protagonists of every season: Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe, both formerly of ESPN. The Inside The NBA gang, however detrimental to actual basketball they may be, remain a reason to tune in, yet their presumptive farewell tour begins tonight. Come on, save us.

Atlanta Hawks: Getting John Collins out of the (literal) paint meant they were in a position to win the number one overall pick in this year’s draft, power forward Zaccharie Risacher. Larry Nance Jr. should prove to be a worthy mentor; the Hawks will be play-in fodder unless some things change, and some other things accelerate.

Boston Celtics: The defending champions seem to believe they’re coming into this season with a target on their back; they’re right – the Sixers and Knicks don’t make trades like they did without sitting down before a rumble. There’s a part of me that thinks the Celtics can’t repeat without an MVP-esque season from Jayson Tatum, which might be coming but would also make Jaylen Brown perturbed, at best.

Brooklyn Nets: Ben Simmons is back to All-Star level? Excellent. I believe the reports because I woke up from a hundred-year coma a week ago and have never heard of Ben Simmons, but he sounds like somebody us Americans can all get behind. Can’t wait to see his set shot on the basket ball court.

Charlotte Hornets: Just keep waiting for LaMelo to come around, and stick around! (Long enough to remember that Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges have weapons and domestic assault charges against them, respectively, but there are always other teams, as George Shinn demonstrated to us once upon a time). Believe in the Hornets at your will. That said, between Nick Richards, Tre Mann and Tidjane Salaün, there should be a lot of fun to go around. Seth Curry: still a better career shooter than his brother, and presumably still happy to be home and wearing his pop’s number. Let’s check back in on this group in 2-3 years, because it does have the potential to turn into something. Cody Martin remains a welcome presence: maybe they’re an 7-8 seed.

Chicago Bulls: …well, alright, Josh Giddey, sure. He’s an uncomfortable presence for a lot of the same shades of why the recently-retired Derrick Rose was. It’s hard to envision a world in which they “win” the Giddey-Caruso trade. Therefore, the #SaveVuc campaign begins in earnest.

Cleveland Cavaliers: This is the last year, if not the last half-season, of Jarrett Allen + Evan Mobley. Younger and more versatile on both ends, if also more catastrophic, Mobley seems like the logical player to stick with going forward, except, eh, he doesn’t. Allen will always be a disruptive interior presence and reliable lop threat while also being able to knock down elbow jumpers and corner threes. Mobley has a lot of these capabilities, but hasn’t put many of them together. Let’s see how Donovan Mitchell and his massive extension feel about either of them. 

Dallas Mavericks: Once again in a minimal movement, striker’s position from three, Klay Thompson should be of service. The defending conference champions shipped off Tim Hardaway Jr. but have so much ball movement between Luka and Kyrie that it shouldn’t be a problem. Klay as an exclusive spot-up threat remains the kind of shooter against which you send a second defender.

Denver Nuggets: All eyes on Jamal Murray, who hasn’t looked his usual self for most of the past two years. Dario Šarić enters the fold, soon the recipient of many catch-and-shoot attempts off of various elbow actions, as does Russell Westbrook: obviously, I have my loyalties in the liberated NBA economy, and I do think Brodie’s chaotic energy, even as a soon-to-be 36-year-old point guard whose game rested largely in athleticism, can help in bench minutes. Even so, yes, one wonders how his bulldozing play might interact with Nikola Jokić in mixed and, potentially, closing lineups: they can use Westbrook’s dynamism, but.

Detroit Pistons: Congratulations: you now employ Tim Hardway Jr. Oddly, I expect him to help Cade’s playmaking to a certain degree, but this defense figures to be horrendous.

Golden State Warriors: Kyle Anderson is about to enter the Shaun Livingston period of his career, and Steve Kerr is going to ensure that he loves it. I fear that Buddy Hield is also in for a great time that he’s never going to remember, given his advanced age of [REDACTED].

Houston Rockets: They’re on the way. With Jalen Green having re-upped on the rookie extension, and Alperen Şengün having also extended, Houston has the framework in place to at least be an irritant on any given night. To that end: I think they make the West play-in.

Indiana Pacers: Ex-New York Knick Obi Toppin has landed, and will soon launch off from, the right place. Watch Tyrese Haliburton average a cool 21-and-11, generating two or three highlight assists in the delivery of packages to Toppin. Run run run run run, take a drag or two: this Pacers team should once again be the best offense and, by default, the most fun team to watch in the NBA on any given night. Their defense should continue to gel around a confident Myles Turner, making the Eastern Conference Finalists even more lethal.

Los Angeles Clippers: All this for a new team in a new arena, and then Paul George leaves. No matter: If Kawhi’s intent, Steve Ballmer’s intent. Until and unless he isn’t, we won’t know otherwise. Terance Mann is the next man up to watch, but they added ex-Maverick Derrick Jones Jr., Nic Batum and the recently-revived Kris Dunn. Part of this looks like a roster Kawhi could will to a title, but too many health risks exist to presume they’ll be there after the first or second round. Still: it’s possible.

Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron is playing with his kin, Anthony Davis. His son, Bronny, is also on this roster. There’s a part of me that will always think LeBron can simply will his way to a championship if he locks in for the right month, at the right time. I don’t know that it’s ever going to arrive like 2016 again, but the guy’s on the brink of 40 and playing with his literal adult son who, aided and abetted though he may be by his name and his size, was nevertheless brought onto an NBA roster. Then again: it was the Lakers roster, always in search of the brightest lights possible. The play-in seems feasible, with the playoffs as a goal. Imagine that: LeBron yelling at his first born in the playoffs. What a privilege for us all.

Memphis Grizzlies: Ja’s back, which means it’s time to reestablish a primary Western contender. While their sights are set on the Mavs, Thunder and Nuggets, as a young team with a dynamically athletic point guard (and with some playoff history already baked in from a few seasons ago), they will no doubt be looking to go straight at the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Grizz stand as a conference semifinals-type of team until and unless Ja leaves the switch after he hits it, with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Marcus Smart to keep things together. Desmond Bane’s back, and Zach Edey is on a possible Rookie of the Year warpath. The bad news: GG Jackson is out until at least December.

Miami Heat: Especially now, but the moon is waning: do not bet against Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Sure, Butler’s 35, forever inching toward NBA antiquity, and Adebayo is fresh off an Olympic gold medal run with Team USA men’s basketball. The latter spells danger for the rest of the league: Olympic runs tend to yield some of the best individual seasons of any participating NBA player’s career. As for Butler? He was left off of Team USA this cycle – exactly the kind of fuel he’s always looking for to keep his barbecue alight.

Milwaukee Bucks: Remember when the Hornets refused to trade the draft rights to Justise Winslow to Boston for a six draft pick package that Hornets fans will always swear didn’t exist (and so will Danny Ainge)? He’s here now. Wouldn’t it be something if he, still just 28, suddenly became the player many expected he’d be coming out of college a decade ago? Anyway, Giannis might be onto something when he says this team is title or bust, with “bust” meaning “rebuild.”

Minnesota Timberwolves: Congratulations on making the Western Conference Finals, first of all, but much more importantly: congratulations on getting Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo! I have no idea if they’re going to help Rudy Gobert feel any better about himself, but there will be some nights when you think anything is possible: I guarantee that (assuming health). 

New Orleans Pelicans: Excited isn’t exactly the word I would use for a Trey Murphy III contract extension, but that’s what the Pellies have as good news right now: if, when and how they deal with, or simply deal, CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram is the big question. It avoids the biggest question, involving other noun-related self-asks: who and what is Zion at this point? I have a feeling this team looks very different come February, but if they look the same, then everything’s gone according to the entire plan. It’ll all work out, maybe. I’m still a little freaked out.

New York Knicks: My brain still struggles with this. A dominant, offensive point guard, who doesn’t have anything but tenacity to offer on defense given his stature, is now going to pair with a dominant  power forward, one with the height of a center, and one who proclaims himself the greatest shooting big man of all-time. In between them: a gaggle of the actual best wing defenders around, essentially able to cover for any of the mishaps. When once the Mikal Bridges trade was the most important, now, we have the KAT trade, with massive apologies to Donte. I wanted to see the Nova Knicks in action, at least once, just to see how a college dynasty could try and work it out in the NBA. Alas: if things go according to a good plan, this expects to be a top-three offense in the league (Thibs has never done that, but he’s gotten a couple of teams into the top four in offensive rating: the 2017-’18 Timberwolves, and the 2022-’23 Knicks. He can let others coach offense, when he wants). 

Oklahoma City Thunder: If this team has its wits about it, the Thunder will be the NBA champions come June (It won’t, and they likely won’t, but a 60-win season seems in the cards before some catastrophic injury derails Jalen Williams’ – Jalen, not Jaylen, the other one – Most Improved Player campaign. They figure to be the most fun team to watch in the league on a night-to-night basis). 

Orlando Magic: Picture this: the Wagners come together, Paolo figures it out enough on the defensive end, and Jamahl Mosley is the Coach of the Year.

Philadelphia 76ers: No reason not to believe in Playoff P, who once went 2-16, including 0-6 from three, for five points and six turnovers in an elimination game. Whenever a news outlet – of which we have vanishingly few that humans run and continue to capably edit – compares your rebuild to anything Kawhi Leonard has taken on himself, you are in for a good time. Just look at the Clippers. 

Phoenix Suns: Barring something extraordinary from, perhaps, the Spurs, this might be the best offense in the NBA this side of the Pacers. Tyus Jones is a defensive liability in a pool of them, but he will also unlock this city’s edition of the Big 3 in ways even they don’t yet realize. As with every team, but especially with this one: health is key.

Portland Trail Blazers: Donovan Clingan figures to be a fun player to watch. With Scoot and co. trying to grow into themselves, the random and suspiciously efficient 30-point Clingan night will likely draw Rookie of the Year votes. With apologies to everyone involved except for their impending draft slot, this Blazers team is a prospective worst record in the league-type of team, but only if the Wizards inexplicably figure anything out.

Sacramento Kings: Light. The. Beam: this edition of Mike Brown’s Kings has the talent in a stacked West to end up in the upper echelon of the conference, which is to say, under the current playoff structure, that they could be avoiding the play-in. After that, they have the talent, youth and, now, postseason experience to reach toward something like the conference finals.

San Antonio Spurs: Adding Chris Paul to a roster including Big Vic is a masterstroke for an organization well known for masterstrokes. All the Spurs do and have done under Gregg Popovich is either win, or figure out how to win: for a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs proper since before the pandemic – yes, this is true – it has never felt like it was anything but the Spurs’ world in which we happen to be living, and from which we were all getting a temporary reprieve until the sleeping (and, as it turns out, literal) giant awoke. The lottery victory last year was a stroke of luck, but given the run of David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard and, now, Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs remain a charmed franchise. This pick-and-roll is going to look like it was run by Rocky and Bulwinkle, and I cannot wait to see it.

Toronto Raptors: They’re lucky to have Immanuel Quickley, an immediate Most Improved Player candidate. RJ Barrett, the other RJ, also found himself growing last spring, turning into a catch-and-shoot threat from three and penetrating into the areas prohibited by Julius Randle prior to the trade last year, is prepared to step up and help Scottie Barnes, the be-all, end-all current Raptor (at least now that Vince Carter is inducted into the Basketball Hall Of Fame). 

Utah Jazz: Probably still a year away, but the Jazz should be a much better, or at least much less miserable, team to watch this year. Fresh off of a team option exercised (score), Walker Kessler is almost already a patron saint of interior defense, and Keyonte George is consistently worth a look. That said, this team’s sights are set on Cooper Flagg and the 2025 draft (Yes! So glad you asked: Danny Ainge remains in charge of the front office here, and the ‘86 Celtics will live forever).

Washington Wizards: *Standing outside Madam’s Organ, possibly whistling, definitely snapping fingers and hitting clenched palms to each other, you know the motion* Soooooooo…Alex Sarr? Nice. I saw some of his highlights on YouTube. 

Malcolm Brogdon’s here? Well, for how much? Or, wait, no: for how long? …Oh, that’s fine. He’s a good player to have. Kyle Kuzma had the best season of his career last year, but, ahh, so did Kristaps Porziņģis. See? No one cares. The Poole party, however, might not outlive Draymond Green’s career.

Happy hooping, folks.