NBA’s 3 most overrated and underrated groups, starring Celtics, Spurs, Nuggets, and extra

The canine days of the NBA offseason have set in. Nearly the one factor hanging over the league proper now’s the frozen restricted free agent market protecting 4 younger gamers from agreeing to new offers. It’s introduced the remainder of the NBA’s summer time exercise to a halt with it. There’s nonetheless loads of time left for an enormous commerce or two earlier than coaching camps open league-wide on Oct. 1, however for now it looks like we now have a fairly good deal with on the hierarchy of the league heading into subsequent season.

ESPN dropped a way-too-early energy rankings for the 2025-26 season this week. A nine-person panel of writers got here up with consensus rankings getting into the season, and it does a fantastic job outlining what the championship race, tank race, and middle-class of the league all appear like. In fact, affordable minds can disagree over the precise placement of those groups.

We’ll have our personal rankings nearer to the beginning of the brand new season. For now, listed here are the groups we predict are overrated and underrated heading into the season, primarily based on ESPN’s rankings.

Underrated: No. 3 Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets examine in behind the Thunder and Rockets in these rankings. OKC deserves to be the favourite getting into the season, however to me the Nuggets are their largest competitors. Denver nailed the offseason by including Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Jonas Valanciunas. A group that was so reliant on under-developed younger gamers lastly has the veteran depth it all the time wanted. The improve from Michael Porter Jr. to Johnson can also be a considerable one: if Johnson was one of many league’s most effective scorers with Cam Thomas passing him the ball in Brooklyn, simply think about how he’ll be taking part in off Nikola Jokic’s gravity. In fact, this all comes again to Jokic, who has been the perfect participant within the league for 5 years working and is displaying no indicators of slowing down. The Nuggets have an actual likelihood to win the championship with a greater supporting solid round their mega-star, and to me it makes them the league’s second-most-likely champion getting into the season.

Overrated: No. 13 Dallas Mavericks

Kyrie Irving could be very probably out of the 12 months as he rehabs a torn ACL. In his absence, Dallas has a notable lack of ball dealing with, with free agent addition D’Angelo Russell and holdover Dante Exum being the one issues resembling a degree guard on this roster. ESPN has the Mavericks because the eighth greatest group within the West, forward of the Grizzlies, Spurs, and Path Blazers. My guess is 2 of these three groups end with a greater report than Dallas, and the Mavs will probably be again within the lottery this season. Cooper Flagg goes to be superior as a rookie, but it surely’s vital to recollect he’ll be the youngest participant within the NBA this season. The Anthony Davis-Dereck Full of life II entrance line is tremendous intriguing, however I’m a bit apprehensive in regards to the spacing, in addition to AD’s persistently inconsistent availability. That is probably going to be among the many worst three-point capturing groups within the league, and I’m not assured that the protection could make up for it. I laid out my most well-liked highway map for the Mavs after they received the lottery for Flagg, and I nonetheless imagine Dallas ought to take extra of a long-term view of their construct round their new star.

Photograph by Justin Casterline/Getty Pictures

Overrated: No. 14 Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks’ try and hold Giannis Antetokounmpo glad this summer time was equal components determined and inventive. Waiving Damian Lillard (and stretching his cap hit over 5 years) to signal Myles Turner was a transfer nobody noticed coming. Turner is a pure substitute for Brook Lopez (now a Clipper) as a stretch-five subsequent to Giannis, and at age-29, he ought to have loads of good years left. I’m simply unsure if it’s actually shifting the needle sufficient to make the Bucks the No. 6 group within the East, as ESPN predicts. Milwaukee has nothing resembling a place to begin guard on this roster: Cole Anthony, Ryan Rollins, and Kevin Porter Jr. every present a distinct ability set, but it surely’s not making up the lack of a wholesome Lillard. The wing room right here is fairly horrible too barring a significant bounce-back season from Kyle Kuzma, who was terrible final 12 months. Depth is extra vital than ever within the NBA as of late, and except Giannis offers the Bucks 82 video games of super-human play, I don’t see how this group will get a protected playoff seed within the East.

Underrated: No. 16 San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs are able to make a push up the Western Convention standings. Victor Wembanyama is reportedly able to go after a blood clot in his shoulder ended his season early final 12 months, and he’s poised to certify himself as a top-10 participant on the planet in Yr 3. Wemby solely performed 5 video games with De’Aaron Fox earlier than the damage final 12 months, and a full season of Fox must be extremely helpful for San Antonio. Stephon Fortress must be higher in Yr 2 — can he enhance as a shooter even slightly bit? — and Dylan Harper is an on the spot affect rookie in my eyes. Luke Kornet and Kelly Olynyk give San Antonio extra entrance courtroom depth and lineup flexibility than they’ve ever had within the Wemby period, and for as soon as it looks like this group can grasp powerful when its 7’5 French superhuman goes to the bench. This rating has the Spurs at No. 10 within the West, and I feel they may simply be higher than that.

Photograph by Brian Babineau/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures

Overrated: No. 17 Boston Celtics

The Celtics received’t simply be lacking Jayson Tatum as he recovers from a torn Achilles this season, they are going to be lacking Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Vacation, Al Horford, and Kornet, too. This must be the worst entrance courtroom within the league with Neemias Queta and Sam Hauser slated to begin, and Luka Garza in all probability taking part in large minutes as a backup middle. The Celtics are already mendacity the groundwork for a stealth tank that may get them a premium draft decide whereas Tatum recovers. Don’t be stunned when Jaylen Brown and/or Derrick White get shutdown early, Boston bombs the second half, and crosses its fingers for some good luck on lottery night time. I don’t assume the Celtics are making the playoffs.

Underrated: No. 27 Charlotte Hornets

Oh no, I’m speaking myself into the Hornets once more. I used to be excessive on the Hornets final season, and that completely blew up in my face. For Charlotte to take a leap up the standings this 12 months, LaMelo Ball has to remain accessible and play rather less selfishly, Brandon Miller must take a leap, and Kon Knueppel must be an on the spot affect rookie. I can see all of these issues taking place, and in a down 12 months for the East, I feel the Hornets can win extra video games than it looks like getting into the 12 months. Including Collin Sexton for nothing for a pleasant transfer for the bench, and final 12 months’s top-10 decide Tidjane Salaun can’t be any worse than he was as a rookie. The massive rotation scares me, however I may see Charlotte being slightly extra aggressive than this with a strong younger head coach in Charles Lee, and sufficient shot-creation and capturing to construct a good offense.