Team-by-team NBA season win total predictions and biggest concerns

The 2024-2025 NBA season is just around the corner!

Before it gets underway, we’ve gone through all 30 teams to determine their strengths, weaknesses and predict their wins for the season.

Last year, we made some bold calls. Most good, some not as great.

Lakers to win 56 games? Bad! Timberwolves to jump straight into contention? Great!

We called Houston’s jump, Memphis’ fall, Boston’s dominance, the Pacers’ rise and the bottom of both conferences.

We weren’t high enough on Orlando and OKC and overrated the Lakers and Raptors on the flip side.

With full transparency out of the way, here’s what we’re thinking for the 2024-2025 NBA season!

See them all below!

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Nic Negrepontis

Oklahoma City Thunder

Why they can be better this season

The additions of Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso has rounded out what was already a loaded roster, addressing arguably their two most pressing needs – size and a defensive point guard who doesn’t need the ball to succeed.

Hartenstein will miss some time with a hand injury, but this OKC roster is built to dominate the regular season.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is an MVP favourite, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are capable of making leaps this season into superstardom and Caruso, Lu Dort, Hartenstein, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins provide incredible depth. You could argue they have an 8th man in Joe who would play 40 minutes a night for the Nuggets.

Weak spots

The Thunder were incredibly healthy last season and that kind of injury luck can be fleeting. They’ve already lost Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams, leaving them thin at centre to start the season.

They could also potentially run into a situation where they have too many quality rotation players and not enough minutes to go around, which can be tough to manage.

Season predictions

The Thunder absolutely dominate the regular season as the only team in the West to win 60+ games and the first to do so since the Suns in 2021-2022.

Verdict: 63 wins

Phoenix Suns

Why they can be better this season

Despite having literally zero cap space, the Suns somehow managed to add the perfect point guard for this team in Tyus Jones, as well as a handy backup in Monte Morris, a backup centre with Mason Plumlee, kept Royce O’Neale and hired one of the great regular season coaches in Mike Budenholzer.

Ticks all-round for a team that simply needs some luck on the injury front to take full control of the Western Conference during the regular season.

Weak spots

Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are so rarely all together that it feels like a luxury when the Suns are all available. Even when they were, they felt so beaten up by the playoffs it didn’t matter.

Durant is 36 and while he’s one of the 15 greatest players of all-time, even he won’t be able to continue at an All-NBA level forever.

Season predictions

We’re going optimistic. Durant and Booker not only stay healthy, but their teamwork is elevated by their time working together at the Olympics. The Suns’ depth carries them when needed and they finish 2nd in the Western Conference.

Verdict: 56 wins

Minnesota Timberwolves

Why they can be better this season

The Timberwolves made one of the big moves of the off-season, trading Karl-Anthony Towns to New York for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.

Many are down on how this move will affect Minnesota this season, but it does simplify things for their rotation. Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid is still an elite big rotation, with Reid likely to overtake the French veteran this season.

Randle and DiVincenzo will give them ball-handling and scoring options to take some weight off of Anthony Edwards, who is one of the league’s ascending stars.

Can you win a title with Randle and Gobert in your starting five? Unsure. But you can win a bunch of regular season games.

Weak spots

Mike Conley is old. Rudy Gobert is old. Randle is injury prone. Joe Ingles is somehow still going around!

Injuries could cripple them, while there are also spacing concerns surrounding Edwards with Conley, McDaniels, Randle and Gobert.

Season predictions

Edwards should lead the Timberwolves to 50+ wins, establishing themselves as one of the contenders in the West. Randle and DiVincenzo will provide a ton of scoring, while they remain one of the top defensive teams overall.

Verdict: 55 wins

Dallas Mavericks

Why they can be better this season

The Mavs were one of the dominant teams of the second half of last season, following their trades for P.J Washington and Daniel Gafford, ultimately making the NBA Finals.

They won 50 games last season and with a full season with this roster, they should get back to that mark, especially with the additions of Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall.

Expect Luka Doncic to be one of the MVP frontrunners and they will be hoping for another drama-free season from Kyrie Irving.

Weak spots

The Mavs were one of our misses in this article last year, though they hadn’t made their big trades and Irving remains a complete wildcard capable of derailing things.

There’s every chance Klay Thompson is just washed and beyond the point of being a starter on a title contender, while the loss of Derrick Jones Jr makes it hard to see how their best starting five can stop any guards or wings.

Season predictions

The Mavs have great weapons and both an incredibly high ceiling and low floor if injuries and drama hits them. Ultimately, they should be in the upper tier of the Western Conference.

Verdict: 53 wins

New Orleans Pelicans

Why they can be better this season

The Pelicans added Dejounte Murray, giving them a quality point guard to run things and help set up Zion Williamson, who looks like he is in the best shape of his career.

Despite attempting to trade Brandon Ingram, he returns to the team and will have to share the offensive load alongside Williamson, Murray and CJ McCollum – who at least no longer has to play point guard.

The Pelicans should be tough to stop offensively, especially when Trey Murphy returns from injury.

Weak spots

They don’t really have a centre on their roster? Which feels like an oversight? Herb Jones is listed as their starting centre an while he is an outstanding point of attack defender, he’s only 6’7.

Yves Missi and Daniel Theis are their only real size, but one is a rookie and the other is 6’8 too. They really need to add some size.

Season predictions

The Pelicans trade Brandon Ingram mid-season, bring in a centre and some depth pieces and carry a balanced roster to the border of 50 wins this season.

Verdict: 51 wins

Sacramento Kings

Why they can be better this season

Upgrading from Harrison Barnes to DeMar DeRozan in their starting line-up instantly makes this a significantly more dangerous team. The Kings won 46 games last season, how many more is DeRozan worth?

We know he can be a regular season weapon and he will take some load off De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk. They have depth at every position and if this was the Lakers’ roster, people would be talking about them as a contender.

Domantas Sabonis is always leading the way in the regular season, Keegan Murray is capable of making a leap and Kevin Huerter is handy scoring off the bench. Don’t sleep on these Kings.

Weak spots

They could be exposed defensively. Fox and DeRozan aren’t great defenders and Sabonis has been trending in the wrong direction in that category as well.

This could certainly work against them. They’ll be hoping Kevin Huerter and Keegan Murray both have better seasons than last year as well.

Season predictions

The Kings are the team that sneak up on everyone, winning 50 games and jumping above a few potential contenders in the Western Conference, led by clutch scorers Fox and DeRozan.

Verdict: 50 wins

Denver Nuggets

Why they can be better this season

The Nuggets won 57 games last season as reigning champs and were a Devonte Graham bucket away from the one-seed … how do they do better this season? It really just comes down to success in the playoffs.

It’s tough to see Denver winning 57 games this season. They’ve lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown from their championship side and not replaced either of them.

They’ll win enough games to be in the mix, will they make a trade to add depth and can Jokic carry them in the playoffs once again – those are the questions.

Weak spots

Russell Westbrook still doesn’t get why he’s had no playoff success, judging by every interview he’s done this off-season. Have fun with that, Denver.

Jamal Murray looked horrific for Canada at the Olympics, coming off another injury interrupted season. Can he still reach the peaks we saw in 2023 or is he simply in another phase of his career?

The Nuggets do not have room to wait around and find out, though. Michael Porter Jr hasn’t broken out like they would’ve assumed when they paid him a max contract, Christian Braun is a nice rotation piece (but that’s about it), and Aaron Gordon isn’t going to be the number two option on this team.

Assuming Murray is 80 per cent of his peak, they still have optimistically five players you would trust in a playoff series, unless someone like Julian Strawther or Peyton Watson jumps into the Most Improved Player race.

Season predictions

Jokic carries the Nuggets to the verge of 50 wins through sheer willpower once again, but does not have enough help to elevate the Nuggets safely out of the play-in mix.

Verdict: 48 wins

Golden State Warriors

Why they can be better this season

The Warriors enter a new era without Klay Thompson, but despite his absence they certainly don’t lack depth.

They’re still entirely tied to Steph Curry and what he can produce, but they will hope Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski can make leaps and become second and third scoring options.

Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, De’Anthony Melton, Buddy Hield, Gary Payton, Kyle Anderson, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Moses Moody, Kevon Looney – these are all NBA quality rotation players who can carry the load across a long season.

Weak spots

As mentioned, everything relies on Steph. He played 74 games last season and stayed relatively healthy, but that was the first time he’s played 70 games in a season since 2016-2017.

The Warriors have always had a genuine second (and sometimes third) star who can carry the scoring load without Curry, but now they don’t. They will go as far as the superstar point guard takes them.

Season predictions

The Warriors won 46 games last season with a worse roster, but a healthy Curry. Weighing those two factors, we’re expecting a similar finish this season.

Verdict: 47 wins

Memphis Grizzlies

Why they can be better this season

Well for starters, their whole team isn’t injured – which is nice. Memphis’ last season was completely derailed by injuries, led by what has been a tumultuous 12 months for Ja Morant.

If they can keep this roster together, there’s no reason why the Grizzlies can’t return to being one of the top teams in the Western Conference and a 50-win side.

They're always well coached and always find gems in the draft as well.

Weak spots

They do still lack size, with rookie Zach Edey set to carry a heavy role as potentially the team’s starting centre. If he isn’t capable of making the adjustment to NBA level, they don’t really have another option at centre other than going small with Jaren Jackson Jr or Brandon Clarke.

Morant, Bane, Jackson and Smart have all also missed significant time with injury in recent years. It’s hard to trust them to keep it all in one piece.

Season predictions

The Grizzlies rebound and look excellent while healthy, but ultimately once again have to deal with Morant, Smart, Jackson and Bane all missing chunks of the season.

Verdict: 47 wins

Houston Rockets

Why they can be better this season

The Rockets – as we predicted last year – were one of the surprise packets of last season, jumping up to a 41-41 record – can they make another leap? It’s entirely possible with another year in the system for Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr plus the wildcards that are Amen Thompson and Reed Shepherd.

Shepherd is one of the favourites to win Rookie of the Year and will provide another scoring option off the bench.

The Rockets attempted to trade for Kevin Durant in the off-season and are a contender to make a big swing this season as well.

Weak spots

Can Alperen Sengun sync with Green on offence? Both were better without the other last season it seemed.

Can this team make the leap from 41 wins to 50ish and become a top six seed? It will entirely depend on how their young stars evolve and whether they can pull off a trade mid-season.

Season predictions

The Rockets do improve across the board and add to last season’s win total, without breaking through the ceiling and locking down a top six spot in the West.

Verdict: 45 wins

Los Angeles Lakers

Why they can be better this season

We were among those all-in on the Lakers last season and while they rebounded late to win 47 games, it was a bumpy road and LeBron James and Anthony Davis played way more games than anyone expected them to.

They’ll need that again this season from their All-NBA duo, while hoping new head coach JJ Redick can provide them with a new offensive system that takes them over the top.

Is this the year the Lakers make a big trade and add a third piece? It might have to be. We know what this roster’s ceiling is at this point.

Weak spots

Can you really trust anyone on the Lakers beyond James and Davis? Austin Reaves has been a capable role player, but he won’t be the third best player on a title team.

D’Angelo Russell’s limitations are well know, same with Rui Hachimura, while flyers on Christian Wood, Cam Reddish and Gabe Vincent have not worked whatsoever.

They have another distraction to deal with in Bronny James, who will likely end up spending the majority of the season in the G-League, you would think.

Season predictions

The Lakers will be stuck around the play-in mark in a deep Western Conference, unless they find the perfect trade – ideally not a panic play for Zach Lavine or Brandon Ingram. They feel a bit stuck in that bracket.

Verdict: 45 wins

Los Angeles Clippers

Why they can be better this season

Paul George is gone, Kawhi Leonard is already injured … what are the positives for the Clippers this season? Well, could they survive playing some 2017-Rockets-esque James Harden iso ball, surrounding him with the likes of Norman Powell, Terance Mann and Derrick Jones Jr?

They have a new stadium which looks cool … that’s about it, really.

Weak spots

Without Leonard and George, how do the Clippers consistently put up winning scores? Can James Harden still carry an offence?

This feels like a middling roster that will struggle to keep up in a loaded Western Conference.

Season predictions

The Clippers enter the Intuit Dome without much fanfare as Kawhi Leonard once again sits most of the season and Harden-ball struggles to keep them afloat.

Verdict: 35 wins

San Antonio Spurs

Why they can be better this season

Victor Wembanyama….. that’s it, that’s the whole section.

How far can he take them up the standings this season? Could he be the best player in the NBA as soon as this year? It doesn’t feel particularly unrealistic.

Chris Paul will be able to take Wemby under his wing, deliver him crisp entry passes and help put him in a position to succeed, while Harrison Barnes is another steady veteran head in the locker room.

Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan and Stephon Castle are quality young players to build around as well.

Weak spots

The roster still isn’t quite good enough you’d think to see this team breaking 40 wins, even with Wembanyama leading the way.

The Spurs are a patient organization and haven’t made any big swings as of yet.

They’re a Wemby injury away from a 15-win season, in all honesty.

Season predictions

While they will be competitive, it’s hard to see them becoming a playoff team this year.

Verdict: 33 wins

Utah Jazz

Why they can be better this season

The Jazz won 31 games last season, but got off to a red-hot start before going ice cold and plummeting down the table.

They still boast quality players in Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson and John Collins, all of whom can put up numbers and swing games.

Weak spots

However, it feels like the Jazz will want to be in the mix for Cooper Flagg this season and it won’t take much fiddling to once again find themselves below 30 wins.

Could they trade away depth pieces for assets as the season goes along? It feels likely.

Season predictions

Expect the Jazz to commit to the tank at some point as they attempt to be in the race to draft Flagg.

Verdict: 26 wins

Portland Trail Blazers

Why they can be better this season

If Scoot Henderson makes the leap from ‘geez this is really concerning’ to ‘okay, this is what we hoped for at the draft’, then Portland could hypothetically make a small jump in 2024-2025.

Couple that with the fact that they have some great size to throw at opposition sides with Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams and our boy Duop Reath and you’ve got a strong rotation there.

Anfernee Simons is a scorer, Deni Avdija is a quality rotation player, Jerami Grant can get you a bucket and lead a team’s offence and Shaedon Sharpe could still be anything.

Weak spots

It’s unclear just how much this team will be trying to win, however. They feel like one of the league’s prime tank candidates and will surely trade the likes of Williams, Grant, Matisse Thybulle or all of the above.

Season predictions

They really could be a 30-35 win team if that was their aim, but it does feel unlikely. Expect Portland to be leading the way in the race for Cooper Flagg.

Verdict: 24 wins

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Jack Makeham

New York Knicks

Why they can be better this season

After a series of blockbuster trades, the Knicks have put together one of the best starting fives in basketball over the last 12 months.

The group of Brunson-Bridges-Hart-Anunoby-Towns is a terror on both sides of the ball and should be looked at as a true championship contender, provided they all stay healthy.

Weak spots

In order to put together such a formidable unit, the Knicks sacrificed plenty of their depth, mainly in the form of Julius Randle and super-sub Donte DiVincenzo.

That leaves them with just Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride, Cam Payne and Precious Achiuwa as viable contributors off the bench.

Robinson is the only one of those that jumps off the page, and he’s likely to miss his fair share of the season with injury.

Season prediction

Tom Thibodeau rides his star-studded starting five to the best record in the Eastern Conference, even if it sees them be completely gassed come playoff time.

Verdict: 59 wins

Boston Celtics

Why they can be better this season

After 64 wins and a championship last season, it seems almost impossible for these Celtics to reach loftier heights. Yet a Jayson Tatum MVP effort might just do the trick.

Tatum will come into the season with a chip on his shoulder, having copped plenty of flak for being outperformed by Jaylen Brown during Boston’s championship run and subsequently being benched during USA’s Olympics campaign.

If he doesn’t come out firing, there simply isn't a way for Boston to improve.

Weak spots

The Celtics are essentially unchanged from last season, with no reason to fix what isn’t broken. That leaves Kristaps Porzingis as the only hole in their roster, having had ankle surgery over the off-season that will keep him out until at least December.

They’ve got more than enough depth to cover for his absence, but through the early days their firepower won’t be quite as ludicrous as usual.

Season prediction

Boston takes the foot off the gas for the regular season, cruising to a light 50-odd wins and entering the playoffs as the best team in basketball once again.

Verdict: 57 wins

Philadelphia 76ers

Why they can be better this season

Even at 34 years old, bringing in a proven star like Paul George makes you a better team.

The nine-time All-Star has missed playoffs just three times in his 14-year career, and his blend of staunch defence and deadly shot creation is the perfect complement to the superstar duo of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

With Kelly Oubre Jr. and Caleb Martin rounding out the starting five, these 76ers have plenty of firepower on both sides of the ball.

Weak spots

Just exactly how far can you go with Joel Embiid as your franchise centrepiece?

The injury-prone superstar played just 39 games in the regular season last season and has already ruled out playing in games on consecutive nights for the rest of his career.

That puts a cap on how many games Philadelphia can win in the regular season, which then makes things harder for themselves come playoff time.

He’s one of best players in the world, yet his inability to stay on the court makes Embiid a yearly paradox.

Season prediction

The 76ers play some of the best basketball in the conference when healthy, but their injury troubles stop them from making a true push for the coveted 1-seed.

Verdict: 52 wins

Cleveland Cavaliers

Why they can be better this season

Putting their faith in the roster, the Cavaliers’ front office turned their attention to the coaching staff over the off-season, bringing in veteran coach Kenny Atkinson to replace J.B. Bickerstaff.

They’ll be counting on Atkinson’s creativity to improve a Cleveland offence that has surprisingly floundered with Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland at the helm, while also maintaining the staunch defence led by Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.

The pieces to the puzzle are all here, whether or not they slot together is a different question entirely.

Weak spots

While boasting plenty of talent, the fit of the roster itself leaves a lot to be desired.

The frontcourt duo of Allen and Mobley lakes any semblance of a perimeter game, drastically reducing the spacing for the undersized backcourt pairing of Mitchell and Garland that is already prone to being stifled by rangy defenders.

Atkinson has his work cut out to turn this into an above-average offence.

Season prediction

It’s déjà vu for these Cavaliers, once again riding their defence to a playoff berth, all while internally battling the clunkiness of their own offence.

Verdict: 49 wins

Milwaukee Bucks

__Why they can be better this season __

The pairing of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard is simply too talented to toil away in the middle of the pack.

The Bucks fell short of the expectations set for them once they traded for Lillard last season, with his fit with Antetokounmpo looking surprisingly clunky as their offence failed to mesh.

Yet after a full season under their belt together, they’ve now had more than enough time to build the chemistry to take the league by storm.

Weak spots

If anybody on this roster takes a step back, their chances of contending in the East drop significantly.

Once you look past the 29-year-old Giannis, Milwaukee’s next three most important players, Lillard, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, are all pushing into their mid-30s and are serious regression chances.

Middleton in particular is an uneasy watch for Bucks fans, having battled through injury and form woes over the last two seasons.

There is a very real chance this Milwaukee squad returns to the days of Giannis-or-bust.

Season prediction

The Antetokounmpo-Lillard connection reaches its full potential, yet setbacks to Middleton and Lopez see the Bucks fall short of making a serious push for the East’s crown.

Verdict: 48 wins

Orlando Magic

Why they can be better this season

This is one of the most promising young cores going around, and after taking two gigantic leaps over the past two seasons, is it so hard to believe they’ll take another?

Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner suiting up on the wing is far from a finished product, yet they’re already one of the more potent duos in the league, while Jalen Suggs is rapidly becoming a notorious defensive hound on the perimeter.

To support these young guns, the Magic made one of the more underrated moves of the off-season by bringing in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, whose shooting prowess will provide some much-needed spacing for a squad that desperately needs it.

Weak spots

Even with the addition of Caldwell-Pope, Orlando will still have trouble on offence due to their poor spacing, with Franz Wagner being their only main source of outside scoring.

This issue is further compounded by starting Suggs at the point, considering he’s yet to develop into an above-average playmaker.

Season prediction

The leap to the next level doesn’t quite come for Orlando yet, essentially repeating their ’23-24 season as they grind wins out on defence.

Verdict: 47 wins

Indiana Pacers

Why they can be better this season

Indiana was nothing short of a whirlwind last season, debuting a ludicrous hyper-offensive style that took the league by surprise, trading for All-Star Pascal Siakam mid-year, making little effort to integrate him into said hyper-offence, then making an improbable run to the Eastern Conference Finals.

After all that, it’s safe to say they’ll be in search of a little more stability, with the answer being in front of them all along.

A heavier focus on Pascal Siakam will likely slow down the Pacers’ run-and-gun approach, but will also undoubtedly shore up their defensive woes, bringing them far closer to a sustainable game style.

Weak spots

Even if the Pacers decide to slow things down a smidge, they’re still very a vulnerable side on the defensive end, lacking a top-tier stopper on that side of the ball.

While Pascal Siakam is still a strong defender, despite taking a step back on that end, and Myles Turner is a capable rim protector, the rest of Indiana’s roster aren’t standouts on defence.

Season prediction

The run-and-gun magic starts to wear off for Indiana, getting the Pacers a positive record but not thriving enough to keep them out of the play-in.

Verdict: 44 wins

Miami Heat

Why they can be better this season

Bringing back essentially the same roster to last season, the Heat are counting on a cleaner bill of health and internal development to see them push up the Eastern Conference standings.

A full season of Tyler Herro would work wonders for a Miami roster that is crying out for scoring punch, while another year under the belts of Jaime Jaquez Jr and Nikola Jovic could see them become proper contributors throughout the season.

It would be helpful if Jimmy Butler decides to take the regular season seriously this time too…

Weak spots

Every game, the Heat make an effort to slow the pace down and grind out a win, harkening back to an era gone by.

It’s mainly because they don’t have the firepower to put up more than 110 points on any given night. Miami had seven players average over 10 points per game last season, however this communal approach is more due to their lack of go-to scorers rather than a coaching philosophy.

Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro are capable of being those players and taking over a game, however Butler usually reserves it for the playoffs and Herro can’t stay healthy.

Season prediction

In typical Heat fashion, Miami grinds their way to the play-in and attempts to kick-start their season months after everyone else.

Verdict: 42 wins

Atlanta Hawks

Why they can be better this season

Last season was a struggle for the Hawks, unable to work things out defensively and falling short of all of their pre-season expectations.

Yet in the big picture it was arguably a net positive, lucking into the top draft pick which they used to draft Zaccharie Risacher, and witnessing the breakout of Jalen Johnson.

With these young stars shining alongside the existing offensive dynamo that is Trae Young, and the rock-solid depth names such as Clint Capela, Larry Nance Jr and Bogdan Bogdanovic, there is no reason that the Hawks can’t be a competitive team this season.

Weak spots

As with any Trae Young-led roster, the Hawks will undoubtedly have defensive issues this season.

While Jalen Johnson, Clint Capela, De’Andre Hunter and Dyson Daniels are all capable defenders, there’s only so much a team can do to make up for Young’s shortcomings.

Season prediction

The Hawks make some noise and find their way into the play-in, but they’re more focused on figuring out what they have in Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher.

Verdict: 39 wins

Chicago Bulls

Why they can be better this season

The perennial play-in tournament contenders are shooting to make it back their once again, but for the first time in years they’ll do it while healthy.

Pre-season saw the first appearance of Lonzo Ball since 2022, bringing back with him his unique blend of playmaking chops and defence that the Bulls have sorely missed, while Zach LaVine looks fit and firing after playing just 25 games last season.

Adding these two back in the mix alongside Coby White, who has shown some serious breakout potential, and new recruit Josh Giddey could see Chicago surprise some people this year.

Weak spots

Potent on neither side of the ball, the Bulls once again sit with a ceiling on their season.

Boasting too much talent to bottom out but nowhere near enough to content, Chicago have found themselves in play-in purgatory, doing just enough to stack up some wins each season before being eliminated.

Something has to change with this franchise’s direction, but it doesn’t look like it’s happening anytime soon.

Season prediction

Once again, the Bulls limp their way into the play-in tournament and once again the Bulls find themselves with an immediate start to their off-season.

Verdict: 37 wins

Charlotte Hornets

Why they can be better this season

A healthy LaMelo Ball completely changes the direction of this franchise, and if the hefty ankle braces he debuted in pre-season are anything to go by, this might be the season where it finally happens.

Ball is an offensive dynamo that warps defences with his creativity and pairing him alongside rookie sensation Brandon Miller could define the Hornets for years to come.

This season should be the first proper look at a future of competitiveness.

Weak spots

Simply put, the Hornets were rough on both sides of the ball last season.

Having LaMelo back will revive their offence, but they don’t have anybody coming to save their defence.

Short of a miracle from new head coach Charles Lee, Charlotte will be a welcome sight for opposition teams looking to jumpstart their offence all season long.

Season prediction

Things look less dire for the Hornets with Ball and Miller running the show, but they’re still a ways away from being truly competitive.

Verdict: 33 wins

Toronto Raptors

Why they can be better this season

The young core of Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and R.J. Barrett is one that Toronto’s front office clearly believes in, and it could be primed for a true breakout.

Barnes has proven himself as one of the game’s young stars since his Rookie of the Year campaign in ’21-22, poising himself to take that next leap into All-NBA contention.

While not quite on the same tier as Barnes, Barrett and Quickley shone in new threads since arriving from New York midway through last season and could be in for bigger and better things in their first full campaign in Toronto.

Weak spots

Should the Barnes-Barrett-Quickley combination falter, the remainder of Toronto’s roster seems haphazardly thrown together, with Jakob Poeltl, Kelly Olynyk, Bruce Brown and Gradey Dick all in line for consistent minutes.

It’s a roster clearly in the development stages of a rebuild, focused on finding pieces for the future, regardless of how said pieces fit together.

Season prediction

Despite looking clunky, the amount of talent between Barnes, Barrett and Quickley drags a rebuilding roster to a surprisingly respectable win total.

Verdict: 33 wins

Brooklyn Nets

Why they can be better this season

Cam Thomas can flat-out score the ball, and it’s looking like he’ll be the only man standing between Brooklyn and their aspirations for the top draft pick.

The 23-year-old averaged 22.5 points last season in his first year as the top dog at the Nets, a steep jump from his 10.6 the season before.

With the rest of the roster looking more like prime trade assets than contributors, Brooklyn is shaping up to be the Cam Thomas show all season long, and it might just win them some games.

Weak spots

Outside of Thomas, the Nets have some proper NBA-calibre players, such as Cam Johnson, Nic Claxton and Dorian Finney-Smith… the likelihood they’ll be on the roster after the trade deadline is not high.

This is undoubtedly a team with its eyes on the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, and they’ll likely look to make their entire roster a week spot in order to get there.

Season prediction

The Nets could rack up a few wins before they recommence culling the roster, but they’ll be hunting a place near the top of the lottery odds, even if it’s tricky with to compete with some of the more experience tanking teams.

Verdict: 27 wins

Detroit Pistons

Why they can be better this season

Honestly, could they possible be any worse?

The Pistons were easily the worst team in the league last season, winning just 14 games and tying the all-time record with a 28-game losing streak.

With Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Tobias Harris and Jalen Duren on the roster, the bones of a competent team are here, they just need a competent coach to bring it all together.

After sacking Monty Williams and bringing in former Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff, the Pistons front office will be praying that they’ve finally found their man.

Weak spots

The Pistons were poor in essentially every aspect of the game last season, and while bringing in Tobias Harris helps remedy their offensive woes, they still have a long way to go on the defensive end.

J.B. Bickerstaff has been a solid defensive coach during his time in the NBA, but he’s got his work cut out for him in turning Detroit around.

Season prediction

There’s light at the end of the tunnel for the weary Pistons faithful, as Detroit finally puts together some stretches of competent basketball, saving themselves from being the worst team in the league once again.

Verdict: 24 wins

Washington Wizards

Why they can be better this season

Could Alex Sarr make a run for the Rookie of the Year crown?

Can Jordan Poole rediscover his Warriors magic?

Will Corey Kispert and Bilal Coulibaly develop into true contributors?

If the Wizards are to save themselves from being the worst team in the NBA, one of those questions simply must have ‘yes’ for an answer.

Weak spots

The Wizards are an offence-first squad that are mediocre offensively and historically bad defensively.

It’s a combination that puts you right at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and makes you a prime target for any player that wants to drop 50.

Season prediction

This is going to be a very long year for Washington…

Verdict: 15 wins