There’s nonetheless about three months left within the NBA offseason earlier than groups report back to coaching camp for the beginning of the 2025-26 season, however the championship image is already beginning to take form.
The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder will enter the season because the favorites to repeat, and the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets seem like their two largest challengers within the West. The East feels utterly broad open with Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum each out for the season whereas recovering from Achilles tears. There are a variety of groups who consider they’ll push the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks because the favorites within the convention getting into the season.
There are most likely nonetheless a couple of extra notable trades coming this summer season, however right here’s a take a look at the groups who can already say they’ve improved since final season ended. This listing may have included the Dallas Mavericks for including Cooper Flagg, however shedding Kyrie Irving for the season as he recovers from ACL surgical procedure limits how a lot better they may truly be subsequent season. The Knicks’ rotation obtained stronger with Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson becoming a member of the bench, however their head teaching change from Tom Thibodeau to Mike Brown stays a query mark. The next groups can definitively say they obtained higher, and we ranked by how a lot better they really obtained.
7. Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers received 50 video games final season and took the Denver Nuggets to a Recreation 7 within the first spherical of the playoffs. Los Angeles will most likely have some age-related regression from stars Kawhi Leonard (34 years previous) and James Harden (soon-to-be 36 years previous), however the rotation obtained slightly stronger with one sensible signing to deal with an issue space. Brook Lopez agreed to a two-year, $18 million deal, and he can nonetheless be efficient at age-37 in a backup function to Ivica Zubac. Zubac emerged as among the finest facilities within the league final season, and now he has an ideal veteran backup in Lopez who can maintain the Clippers’ protection buzzing with rim safety whereas additionally including further spacing as a stretch 5 offensively. The Clippers solely wanted to be slightly bit higher final season to advance within the playoffs, and they are going to be an element within the Western Convention once more as a group that feels prefer it has one other transfer or two left to make.
6. Portland Path Blazers
The Trial Blazers began to look slightly feisty within the second half of final season, seeming to seek out an identification as an enormous, defense-first group with Donovan Clingan, Toumani Camara, and Deni Avdija manning the entrance courtroom. Portland’s entrance workplace appears able to speed up their rebuild after buying and selling for Jrue Vacation over the offseason. Vacation began to look slightly washed final season in Boston, and taking up the three years, $103 million remaining on his contract is a daring transfer. Vacation can nonetheless assist a group win at age-35, and he provides the Blazers a lockdown perimeter defender who will help maintain the offense going together with his connective passing, offensive rebounding, and pinch of scoring. Portland hasn’t finished a lot else apart from reduce Deandre Ayton and take Yang Hansen within the NBA draft. This can be a roster that actually wants Scoot Henderson or Shaedon Sharpe to take a significant leap, as a result of the shot creation and capturing seem like the 2 issues holding this group again.
5. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs are principally going to get higher as a result of Victor Wembanyama will presumably be wholesome after struggling a season-ending blood clot in his shoulder after final season’s All-Star break. Including two rookies taken within the lottery, together with No. 2 total choose Dylan Harper, and filling one other key gap in free company makes San Antonio’s outlook for subsequent season much more engaging. The Spurs signed Luke Kornet away from the Boston Celtics on a four-year deal, and he quietly turned one of many higher backup facilities within the league final 12 months. Kornet is an elite rim protector and extremely environment friendly low-volume scorer who ought to unlock a two-big look with Wemby. I’d anticipate Harper to be an impression rookie, and No. 14 total choose Carter Bryant may play a small function as a 3-and-D wing off the bench, too. Simply making the playoffs can be a pleasant step ahead for the Spurs.
4. Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks saved each their current and their future in a single offseason. They acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the Celtics for an inexpensive commerce bundle, signed one of the best free agent to alter groups by prying Nickeil Alexander-Walker from the Minnesota Timberwolves, and added some much-needed capturing by inking Luke Kennard to a one-year deal. In a large open East, you’ll be able to discuss your self into Atlanta as a critical contender to win the convention with Jalen Johnson coming again wholesome and Zaccharie Risacher hopefully bettering in 12 months two. The Hawks’ greatest transfer of the offseason — stealing the New Orleans Pelicans’ unprotected first-round choose in a loaded 2026 NBA Draft — doesn’t even issue into this train, however could possibly be an unbelievable commerce chip at mid-season. I’m nonetheless being slightly warning on Atlanta’s potential enchancment for this season simply because Porzingis’ availability is so unreliable, however there’s little doubt the Hawks get an A++ for this summer season, and must be arrange effectively to compete within the East this 12 months and past.
3. Houston Rockets
The Rockets’ Kevin Durant commerce was a no brainer. Jalen Inexperienced was already handicapping Houston on each ends of the ground together with his inefficient scoring and lackluster protection, and Dillion Brooks was strong, however the Rockets have sufficient younger depth at ahead to make up for his loss. The Rockets’ rotation obtained even stronger in free company by including Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela. The interior enchancment Houston is predicted to get from its younger core shouldn’t really matter for this listing, however it’s additionally has the potential to take the Rockets to the subsequent stage. Houston already completed with the No. 2 seed within the West final 12 months, so any enchancment must come within the playoffs after a first-round exit. The strikes the Rockets made this offseason makes them higher, and if Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, or Reed Sheppard takes a soar, this could possibly be a powerful championship contender.
2. Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets took the eventual champion Thunder to seven video games within the second spherical of final 12 months’s playoffs, and even yet another succesful rotation participant may have made all of the distinction. New GM Ben Tenzer had even larger concepts: he upgraded at small ahead and saved on payroll together with his daring Michael Porter Jr. (and an unprotected 2032 first-round choose) for Cam Johnson, then he stuffed out the rotation in free company with Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Jonas Valanciunas. Johnson will give Denver a knockdown shooter with a way more various offensive recreation than MPJ, and it’s scary to consider how his scoring effectivity can stage up subsequent to Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets have 5 excellent starters and a strong bench heading into subsequent 12 months. Jokic ought to nonetheless be one of the best participant on this planet, and he has a a lot better supporting forged round him. This shall be a classy championship choose for subsequent season.
1. Orlando Magic
The Magic went .500 final season regardless of being one of many worst three-point capturing groups in league historical past relative to period whereas additionally watching their three greatest gamers miss substantial time with the identical muscle harm. Orlando relied on an elite protection simply to be a median group, and their job this offseason was determining the right way to enhance the offense with out sacrificing protection. The Desmond Bane deal completed each, which is why he was value 4 first-round picks to Orlando. Bane is without doubt one of the greatest off-ball scoring guards within the recreation, and he’s additionally perimeter defender. He’s not the standard level guard some have clamored for the Magic to signal, however he’ll kind a superb backcourt subsequent to Jalen Suggs that may complement star ahead Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner effectively. Olando additionally added two gamers I like within the draft in Jase Richardson and Noah Penda, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see each get rotation minutes as rookies. The Magic most likely nonetheless want yet another shooter within the rotation, however this appears like a legit Jap Convention contender this 12 months. That’s fairly wild for a group that was the seventh seed in a disappointing convention final season.
