The most (and least) entertaining NBA teams to watch this season
When the NBA season opens Tuesday, it will launch with subtle shifts rather than seismic changes.
The 15 all-NBA selections stuck with their incumbent teams over the summer, the 2024 draft class lacked a Victor Wembanyama-like headliner, and the biggest trade of the offseason, the New York Knicks’ acquisition of Karl-Anthony Towns, didn’t exactly create a new super team. For the time being, the league’s new salary cap rules appear to be increasing parity and encouraging superstars to stay put.
A stable chessboard favors the methodical Boston Celtics, who are well positioned to become the first repeat champions since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018. Nevertheless, a group of top challengers made intriguing tweaks: The Oklahoma City Thunder added defense and hustle with Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein, the Denver Nuggets rolled the dice with Russell Westbrook, the Knicks loaded up by trading for Towns and Mikal Bridges, the Minnesota Timberwolves turned Towns into more depth, the Dallas Mavericks snagged Klay Thompson in free agency, and the Philadelphia 76ers broke the bank for Paul George.
Other title hopefuls, such as the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns, are counting on improved chemistry to get over the hump. Trades for Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal didn’t pay immediate dividends, but more time together could help.
Granting that basketball’s most recognizable faces remained in familiar places, here’s how the 30 teams compare when it comes to entertainment value. As in previous editions, this ranking considers substance and style, with star power, fresh faces, intriguing additions and novel philosophies earning bonus points.
Oklahoma City Thunder: The young and formidable Thunder boasts candidates for MVP (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), defensive player of the year (Chet Holmgren) and most improved player (Jalen Williams), but its chief selling point is its unshakable unity. Coach Mark Daigneault oversees a determined group that is two-deep at every position, turns good shots into great shots with unselfish passing and works relentlessly on defense.
New York Knicks: Even though the Knicks occupy center stage for the first time in decades thanks to all-in trades for Bridges and Towns, their margin for error is thin. Jalen Brunson should lead a top-five attack loaded with perimeter firepower, but a thinned-out bench and the need to develop chemistry while facing inflated expectations could leave a metropolis heartbroken.
San Antonio Spurs: On his best nights, Wembanyama breaks every major law of physics; on his off nights, he is still capable of doing things no one has seen before. San Antonio wisely added Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes to provide structure around its 20-year-old “Alien,” who turned in a gripping performance at the Paris Olympics and looks poised to make his first all-star team.
Dallas Mavericks: Dallas’s unexpected Finals appearance rang out like a tornado siren: Watch out; one of these years Luka Doncic is going to win his first ring because there is no one capable of stopping him. The Mavericks are no longer a one-man story because Kyrie Irving picks up the pace, Dereck Lively II adds a vertical threat and Thompson’s arrival in free agency kicks up the expectations another notch.
Phoenix Suns: The Suns offer name talent and backfire potential: Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Beal are a high-octane core, and Tyus Jones, Monté Morris and Mason Plumlee are quality hole-pluggers. However, Phoenix’s restive owner and astronomical payroll create a pressure-packed environment that will prevent new coach Mike Budenholzer from getting comfortable.
Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Celtics were too dominant for their own good last season, winning a whopping 42 games by double digits. Blowouts aren’t always a turnoff, but Boston’s formulaic obsession with three-pointers sometimes obscures its defensive discipline and consistent effort.
Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic, the NBA’s best showman, increasingly finds himself fighting with one hand tied behind his back as crucial teammates depart. The divine pleasure of watching the three-time MVP thread passes through impossible angles is undercut when his targets miss wide-open jumpers or can’t finish at the rim.
Indiana Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton doesn’t own Indiana like Caitlin Clark, but he did lead a run to the Eastern Conference finals that no one saw coming by orchestrating the NBA’s second-fastest and second-most-efficient attack. The Pacers’ fun-and-gun style, which made the most of Pascal Siakam’s midseason arrival, encourages a new hero every night.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Although trading Towns for Julius Randle will inevitably make a clunky offense even clunkier, Anthony Edwards and newcomer Donte DiVincenzo already feel like two ultracompetitive peas in a pod. The Rudy Gobert-led defense wreaks havoc, but age concerns for key players could slightly dampen the raucous mood that followed a rare trip to the Western Conference finals.
Memphis Grizzlies: Acrobatic guard Ja Morant could turn the unpredictable Grizzlies into the NBA’s most electric show, or another rash of injuries could drop them to the bottom five of this list. Let’s hope Memphis enjoys the boom scenario: Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane form a potent and well-balanced core trio, and 7-foot-4 rookie center Zach Edey will attract his share of gawkers.
Golden State Warriors: With the Thompson saga finally settled and new opportunities available for Golden State’s understudies, the Warriors faithful can expect more of the joy that Coach Steve Kerr prizes. Kyle Anderson’s nifty passing and Buddy Hield’s marksmanship will fit right in, but a Stephen Curry injury or a Draymond Green suspension could prove catastrophic for a remade team with playoff hopes.
Los Angeles Lakers: The first time LeBron and Bronny James take the court together might wind up as the most memorable moment of the NBA season. Unfortunately, the Lakers will play 81 more games, and new coach JJ Redick will be working with most of the same ingredients that landed in last year’s play-in tournament.
Houston Rockets: While a consolidation trade would improve their playoff chances, the Rockets will still be intriguing if their buffet of young talent participates in a “Hunger Games” competition for minutes. Alperen Sengun could make an all-star push, and rookie sharpshooter Reed Sheppard might have the highest upside on the roster.
Orlando Magic: A defense filled with pit bulls and a passable offense led by Paolo Banchero have the Magic on the rise, but this group won’t captivate until it has a backcourt playmaker who keeps opposing coaches awake at night. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will help loosen up the spacing around Banchero and German forward Franz Wagner, who might be an all-star in a few years.
Milwaukee Bucks: Rinse, repeat: The Bucks’ summer of minor moves failed to reverse the negative momentum that has built since their 2021 title. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard played my-turn, your-turn ball in their first run together, and they will leave viewers wondering why everything looks so difficult if their chemistry problems persist.
New Orleans Pelicans: The Big Easy is cooking up an awfully weird gumbo: a resurgent Zion Williamson mixed with a trade for Dejounte Murray, a healthy dose of Brandon Ingram trade rumors and a crop of athletic wings who all deserve touches. There isn’t a quality center to be found, which will lead to some unorthodox undersized lineups and plenty more chatter coming before the trade deadline.
Sacramento Kings: DeMar DeRozan comes to town as a reliable third scorer to help buoy De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis during the regular season, though cramped spacing will probably be a concern if the Kings get back to the playoffs. For Sacramento to vault to the top of watch lists, third-year forward Keegan Murray must blossom into a more dynamic threat.
Cleveland Cavaliers: New coach Kenny Atkinson inherits a dependable, defensive-minded group that returns all of its key pieces around franchise guard Donovan Mitchell. For Cleveland to do more than win ugly, Evan Mobley will need to spread his wings as a playmaker and Darius Garland must bounce back from an injury-plagued campaign.
Philadelphia 76ers: With Joel Embiid planning to pace himself, George going down with a knee injury in the preseason and several geriatric millennials playing bench roles, the new-look 76ers should pace themselves as they attempt to build chemistry during the regular season. Even so, Tyrese Maxey is lightning in a bottle and capable of thrilling regardless of who is around him.
Miami Heat: Terry Rozier brings more offensive oomph to Miami’s backcourt than it has had in years past, but Erik Spoelstra’s gritty teams are never must-see television until they’re pulling off upsets in the playoffs. Star forward Jimmy Butler is playing for a new contract, which should bring increased night-to-night intensity and maybe a little bit of drama.
Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young will be running a Lob City remix with a bevy of athletic frontcourt targets after the Hawks wisely ended his broken partnership with Dejounte Murray over the summer. With any luck, Zaccharie Risacher, the most slept-on No. 1 pick in recent memory, will make enough of an early impact to become a favorite of basketball hipsters everywhere.
Toronto Raptors: Trading Siakam and OG Anunoby opened the door for a Scottie Barnes breakthrough, which would give the wayward franchise a clear direction and ease tensions within an impatient fan base. While Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett are decent running mates, the 23-year-old Barnes will be largely responsible for the excitement factor from this roster in transition.
Charlotte Hornets: First-time coach Charles Lee will have to scour his talent-deficient roster to find anyone who genuinely wants to play defense. On the bright side, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller are entertaining scorers who dazzle in different ways and should build chemistry as the season unfolds.
Chicago Bulls: This mishmash group would be more appealing if lackluster holdovers Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine weren’t obstructing the energetic young guard of Coby White, Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis. Midseason trades could resolve that conundrum and help Chicago keep its 2025 first-round pick, which must be sent to San Antonio if it falls outside the top 10.
Detroit Pistons: Twenty-eight consecutive losses forced an overdue overhaul: General manager Troy Weaver and coach Monty Williams were let go, and the new regime imported Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. to prevent another round of record-setting ineptitude. Unless 2021 No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham pops in a big way, the draft lottery drawing will be the highlight of the season.
Utah Jazz: Listening to hard-charging coach Will Hardy rip into his team after uninspired losses was way more fun than watching the uninspired losses. While Lauri Markkanen is quite the scoring talent, his contributions probably will be squandered without major progress from second-year guard Keyonte George.
Los Angeles Clippers: Intuit Dome is a certified palace, but a chronically injured Kawhi Leonard, a past-his-prime James Harden and a mostly anonymous supporting cast don’t qualify as a royal family. Come for the fancy halo-style video board; stay for the road team.
Portland Trail Blazers: Coach Chauncey Billups is on the hot seat after three demoralizing seasons because he hasn’t been able to fashion a team out of disappointing parts. Portland appears headed for another shameless tank unless Anfernee Simons can finally stay healthy, Deandre Ayton can step forward as a more effective leader and Scoot Henderson can look much less lost than he did as a rookie.
Brooklyn Nets: In three years flat, Durant, Irving and Harden have given way to Cam Thomas, Nic Claxton, the ghost of Ben Simmons and a shot at drafting Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. The agony that comes with the launch of another losing cycle will be compounded if Bridges thrives following an offseason trade to the crosstown Knicks.
Washington Wizards: This hopefully will be rock bottom for the rebuilding Wizards, who are gradually accumulating lottery talent and piecing together a core for the future. A preseason full of lopsided losses suggests things will be even uglier than last year’s 15-67 debacle, though rookie center Alex Sarr from France is worth monitoring as an international man of mystery.