Ranking What Each NBA Team's Future Holds

In the modern NBA there's generally three spots a team is in. First off, they can be competing for a title or at least feel they're on the verge of it. These are the teams always looking to get better and often willing to sacrifice draft picks for win-now guys. In some cases, they'll really jeopardize their future for the chance at a championship right then and there. There's also the rebuilding teams, the tankers. They're stacking up young talent and picks with the hope that in a few years down the line it'll all come together, and that random Monday night road game doesn't mean much of anything to them. It's hard as a fan to get behind that team on a nightly basis, but it often leaves some reason for optimism for the future. The final possible position is the worst one to be in, the in-between. Teams in this area aren't serious contenders for the title but aren't quite rebuilding either, and they're stuck in this no-man's land with decent talent that might get them to the postseason but not nearly compete, but it's still too much talent to bottom-feed and get a top pick. Pretty much every team will fall into one of these categories, so let's rank them all. Not all contenders are built equally, as age, contracts, and history are certainly essential factors, and neither are all rebuilding teams. Front offices approach these situations differently, some wisely like the Thunder and some in a disastrous manner like the Pistons, and it's why some franchises reload first while others have felt like they've been rebuilding for more than a decade. And as for those in the middle like say the Bulls, well they might be worse off than any. The future is a loose term, and it largely puts into perspective the ceiling this team might have with the core it has or is working on/capable of putting together, coupled with how likely it is that they reach said ceiling. Let's get started with the rankings.

1 - Boston Celtics

Winning a title is no guarantee the next few years will be bright with how quickly things change in this league, but I wouldn't bother telling that to the Boston Celtics. The Celtics have done an admirable job keeping evAfter rolling through everyone in their path on the way to a championship this past season, the Celtics ensured just about another half-decade of prosperity locking down Jayson Tatum and Derrick White on long-term deals this offseason. With that done, Boston has successfully secured their entire core for the long-haul, with the outstanding starting five of Holiday-White-Brown-Tatum-Porzingis now all under contract through 2025 at the earliest, and everyone but Porzingis in there until at least 2027. This team will be contenders no matter who is coming off the bench with a starting lineup like that, and Boston has done an admirable job keeping everyone content in their role, everyone invested for the long run, and most importantly, everyone paid. Oh, and everyone but Holiday is still under 30 years old. With no egos to overcome, no trouble paying everyone, and still a very youthful core, they seem to have evaded all of the issues that may plague champions. There's not a team in this league set up better for the future than the Boston Celtics.

2 - Oklahoma City Thunder

Sam Presti really couldn't have done a more perfect job with his rebuild of the Thunder, as after contending or close to it for just about the entire 2010s, they're already back in the picture after a few years reloading. The Paul George trade gifted them the backcourt of the future in SGA and Jalen Williams, and a year of tanking landed them a franchise cornerstone at center in Chet Holgrem. They've done a fantastic job adding hidden gems in the draft and free agency as well, with Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, and more, and they're still somehow far from done with all their draft capital. Oh, and signing Isaiah Hartenstein was a massive addition towards building an identity, and pretty perfectly solves their issue of strength and rebounding underneath. With a bonafide superstar running the show, a clear-cut No. 2 that's only going to get better, a rising star of a big man, and effective young role players across the board, this team is set up for a ton of success over the next 5+ years. Outside of the reigning champion Celtics, the Thunder are the best positioned for the future, running a rebuild to perfection to get to this point.

3 - Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks exceeded everyone's greatest expectations last season with a trip to the Finals, coming together at the perfect time though looking largely overmatched down the stretch against Boston. Luka is a 25-year-old with five first-team All-NBAs. With the right help, this is a contender every year. Kyrie worked really well alongside him, and Dereck Lively looks like one of the steals of the draft and looks capable of developing into an elite center over the next few seasons. That alone gives Dallas tons to look forward to, and a lengthy championship window if they get the proper role players as well. Klay Thompson, with less attention on him and one of the game's best passers by his side, should be a huge help in a spot like that Finals series where the Dallas wings couldn't make anything. I'll give the franchise the benefit of the doubt that they'll continue to do a better job surrounding Luka with shot-makers after what happened this season. Like the TWolves with Ant, if Luka is around, the Mavs are title contenders, and I think Dallas is forming a more suitable roster to Luka than Minnesota is to their star. The shooters and athletic big men are beginning to come together, and there's more flexibility with the guys you can give Luka. as long as they'll make an open shot and catch a lob. That's scary news for the rest of the West. We know what we'll get from their star-studded backcourt, and that alone creates a lengthy championship window in Dallas, and with a budding versatile center and an experienced sharpshooter in Klay Thompson, the Mavericks are closing in on a title formula with who they'll have under contract these next two to three seasons. And with Luka Doncic at the forefront, that window could certainly extend a lot further.

4 - Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets rolled to a title in 2023 but ever since then, the league has began to catch up while Denver has remained stagnant. Now don't get me wrong this is still a a legitimate championship contender that certainly could've won it last season, but this is now back-to-back offseason losing a key starter with no real additions to show for it. Still, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray remain, as do their next two biggest pieces in Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. With those four in the mix this team is still undoubtedly elite, and I could see Christian Braun filling the KCP void nicely, but the Nuggets have been awfully complacent as of late while teams like the Thunder, TWolves, and Mavericks continue to stack up assets. There's not much else to say about Denver, though they could use some additional help off the bench, as while this remains a great team that should compete for a title, adding a couple three-and-d guys or another interior presence might give them a better shot at capitalizing on the Jokic championship window.

5 - New York Knicks

It's hard to find a better move in recent memory than the Knicks signing Jalen Brunson in 2022. What was viewed by many as a bad deal for New York has vaulted the Knicks into title contention just two years later, and after a huge 2023-24, they're in as good a position going into a season as they have at any point this century. Injuries ruined this past season, but the narrative of that having anything to do with Tom Thibodeau's coaching is downright ludicrous. With this team healthy plus the addition of Mikal Bridges, the sky is the limit for the Knicks going forward. Brunson is a superstar, last year proved that, and Mikal Bridges and Julius Randle are both All-Star caliber players that should shine as the next best options. My only concern there would be Randle's willingness to take on a bit of a lesser role. Worst case scenario, they move him. They won a ton of games without him last season. The rest of the roster fills out almost perfectly. Anunoby, Hart, DiVincenzo, and McBride all fit the high-intensity defensive-minded identity the Knicks are trying to perfect. Mitchell Robinson is a good enough center and while Hartenstein leaving stings, I'm confident the Knicks can fill that void. That's the only weakness with the roster I can really imagine. The chemistry literally couldn't be better with a core that largely played together in college, and we saw Anunoby fit in seamlessly with this group last season. Everyone is young - not a single player on their current roster is over 30, and I don't get any sort of vibe from this team that contract issues will be a concern anytime soon. The buzz is palpable in New York, and they'll be serious players in the East for years to come.

6 - Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves heavily exceeded expectations a year ago, winning their first playoff series in 20 years and then winning another against the defending champs. Anthony Edwards has as good a chance as anyone to be the next face of the league, and what he did this postseason at 22 years old was downright special. The rest of the roster meshed well enough this season to generate real success, though I'm not sure it's a group that can do much better. I have my doubts on Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert's places as individuals on a championship team, and pairing them doesn't ease that. I just can't quite get behind Towns in a big moment, and Gobert has been played off the floor in more postseason moments than just about anyone ever with the accolades he possesses. He's a great defender sure, but let's not forget how badly Jokic abused him last postseason. Sure, Jokic does that to everyone, but Gobert is sacrificing spacing and a fifth offensive threat to provide strong defense. I'm not convinced it's worth it in the postseason when Jokic is doing that and the Mavericks are throwing alley-oops at will. I think that duo has to go or this team is maxing out its ceiling too early. If I'm keeping one, it's Towns - he's younger and spaces the floor - that's what matters. Naz Reid is a great bench weapon and if Jaden McDaniels can get a little more consistent with his shot, they'll have something special there as well for many more years. This Minnesota team put it together last season with Ant Edwards at the forefront and good young pieces around him, though I don't think this team quite gets over the hump until this big man situation changes. Nevertheless, as long as Edwards is in the mix and there's talent around him, the Timberwolves will be an elite team for many years and a brutal matchup for anyone out West. I've said my piece about the roster, and I think Edwards will be ready to lead a champion sooner than later.

7 - Philadelphia 76ers

When you think of the Sixers you think of playoff disappointments, but they've successfully lured a lot of people, including myself, back in with the signing of Paul George this free agency. The step forward Maxey took last season was enormous for this franchise, giving them the best scoring counterpart Joel Embiid has ever had and making them an enticing destination for Paul George to enter. The playoff track records for Embiid and PG aren't great, but it's hard to argue there's a better big 3 in basketball right now than Embiid, Maxey, and George. The time is now for Philly, with Embiid 30 years old with a deep injury history and George now 34 years of age. Neither have lost much of a step though, and there's still a window of a few more years where that duo can compete for a championship. And as for Maxey, he's continued to get better with each year and once he's 25 or 26 could be a 30-point scorer himself. There's real depth on this team as well, and if they keep this core intact should continue to be a hot spot for a lot of free agents looking for a winning situation. This team was never going to truly compete with Ben Simmons as the next-best option or with the mess that was James Harden, but with an MVP in Embiid, Maxey progressing the way he is, and a huge free agent boost in Paul George, this is the best chance Philaelphia has had to bring it home. This is a complete team and a legitimate contender in the East, and should be for the next few seasons.

8 - Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks went for it all when they acquired Damian Lillard last offseason, a move that's hard to call a failure given the injuries they endured but certainly closer to a failure than a success. With Lillard set to be 34 years old next season, and coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, it's abundantly clear that the Bucks have to make this work now. The good news is that Giannis remains the absolute monster he's been for so many years now, and that alone can take a team a long way. There's reason to believe that transitioning to a new team for the first time plus his off-the-court issues played a role in Lillard's drop-off last season, but the age is certainly still a factor and it's hard to imagine he has more than a couple All-Star caliber years left in him. Middleton fell off a bit last season too, so the reality for the Bucks is with two of their three stars working against the clock, it's suddenly a small window that isn't getting any favors from the rest of the East's growth. The role players were an interesting group of characters last season, filled with aging veterans past their peaks and not quite looking fully prepared for big postseason minutes. The only one that didn't fit that description was Bobby Portis, who the Bucks are reportedly looking to move. It's hard to count out a team with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, and a bounce-back for Dame and this team as a whole wouldn't really be too surprising. However, there's not great evidence this team is quite on par with the other powers in the East, let alone the league as a whole. And with Lillard 34 and on the potential decline, that window of even being in the conversation could be closing fast.

9 - San Antonio Spurs

Two words: Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs ensured years on this list when they won last year's lottery, and the generational prospect was all we expected and then some in his rookie year. Already a borderline top-15 player, Wemby should crack the top-10 over the next year or so and the sky is the limit from there, and still just 20 years old we are going to be hearing this guy's name for a long, long time. At the moment it doesn't really matter who the Spurs put alongside him - they tested that to the max last season - but they'll have to put some pieces around him eventually and should become instant contenders when they now. Luckily, I think San Antonio instantly becomes an intriguing destination for any guard that might be looking for a new home. After all, it only took a year of Wemby to lure legendary point guard Chris Paul over for what may be his final NBA season, so I have no doubt that the opportunity to play with Wemby becomes a major draw or even a bucket list item for a lot of high-quality players. This roster still largely feels in tank mode, and not many guys from a year ago should be in the long-term plans, but I'm a fan of the Stefon Castle pick and having Wembanyama alone makes this team's future very bright. If the front office does their part, there is a contender in San Antonio sooner than later.

10 - Indiana Pacers

The Pacers took a bigger leap than expected in the 2023-24 season with a strong regular season and a deep run to the Eastern Conference Finals, and they're quietly set up very nicely going forward after getting an early start to this new era. Haliburton is a budding star, who when fully healthy was excellent last season and had a number of huge playoff performances, and he looks ready to take the reins of this franchise for many years to come. Having Pascal Siakam as the No. 2 worked very well since they acquired him midseason, and as a guy with championship experience and a strong postseason track record, he's a very nice complement to a younger star in Haliburton and an effective duo to work around. They're surrounded by an established center in Myles Turner and a pair of intriguing young talents in Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard, both of which should only improve and grow to be above-average role players over the next few seasons. We've seen flashes of greatness out of Haliburton, who was a first-team All-NBA player for the first half of last season, and there's a real chance we're only a season or two a way from seeing that over a full year. With that, a proven second option, and a solid mix of rising young players and useful veterans around them, the Pacers should be taken seriously as contenders in the East and likely have a longer window than the likes of the Bucks or Sixers.

11 - Memphis Grizzlies

Last season was a throwaway year for the Grizzlies after Ja Morant's suspension and subsequent injury, so it's easy to forget how well-positioned Memphis looks for the forseeable future. The trio of Morant-Jackson Jr.-Bane took them to the No. 2 seed in 2023, and these guys will only get better as time goes on. And a major plus for their future outlook is that they've all gotten their big extensions The role players around them have come and gone, but as long as those three are in the picture, this team can compete. Not many teams can match the athleticism and defense Memphis will throw at you, and Ja Morant still hasn't reached his full potential. If he puts it all together, I truly believe he can be the best player on a championship team and be a surefire top-5 player in this league. There's other random factors like Brandon Clarke making a full recovery, G.G. Jackson emerging into a star, or Zach Edey exceeding expectations that would go a long way for the Grizzlies but the bottom line is with their three stars locked and loaded for a long while, the future is bright in Memphis after a year out of the spotlight.

12 - Orlando Magic

The Magic broke through sooner than expected last season, finally feeling like a real playoff team for the first time since all the way back in the Dwight Howard days, They've got a star to build around in Paolo Banchero, who's already a Rookie of the Year, an All-Star, and led his team to the postseason all in just two years. There's no doubt he's good enough for a great team to build around There's youth that can perform all around him, as the guys like Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and Cole Anthony are all going to grow up together and should evolve awesome complementary pieces. Wagner is a jump shot away from All-Star status. There's palpable buzz in Orlando that we saw all throughout last season, with as strong a defensive identity as anyone and a promising youth movement it's easy to want to be a part of. Orlando might suddenly be a free agent destination again, as they landed a big one in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and just being in the running for Paul George is a win in itself. KCP adds some much needed shooting, but with this Magic team so young and growing up so fast, I don't worry about issues like finding spot-on shooters or who the 8th guy off their bench will be. They've got the star and the core to build around, and it's a group that has already proven they can find success. The rest will come. Orlando broke through this past season, and no one in the Eastern Conference can say they've got a core as good and as young. They'll be a brutal matchup as any in just a few years.

13 - Sacramento Kings

The Kings have finally given their fans a product they can get behind, with an All-Star caliber duo leading the way in Fox and Sabonis and some very capable complementary options across the roster. Both Fox and Sabonis are stars, there's no doubting that, but they're going to need another high-level wing if they want to get serious about competing. Luckily for them, there's a California native on the open market dying for a new home in DeMar DeRozan, and the Kings would be foolish not to pounce on this. Keegan Murray is a great fit with this roster, and Malik Monk is a scoring boost off the bench that every team would do a lot to get ahold of. Surrounding this team with shooters like Monk and Kevin Huerter are what can make the horse run in Sacramento, and I believe this team is about one addition away from seriously competing. They're not quite there yet, but the potential is there and the Fox-Sabonis pairing is one I can get behind over this next half-decade or so.

14 - New Orleans Pelicans

I've always thought the Pelicans' future has looked like one of the brightest in this league, with the x-factor always the health of Zion Williamson. Five years into his career my point still stands, though I'm a whole lot less convinced he can do it. When he's been in his element he's looked as unstoppable as anyone, but with an average of 36.8 minutes/game played over his first five seasons plus zero playoff games, it's screaming red flag as a franchise cornerstone. Nevertheless, you have to keep him around, and they're putting together a nice core alongside him if he does end up sticking around on the floor. C.J. McCollum still hasn't lost a step and should have a few more solid seasons in him, and Trey Murphy and Herb Jones fit the modern swingman prototype to a tee, enough to make Brandon Ingram expandable. Oh, and they just picked up their point guard of the future in Dejounte Murray, a player I'm a huge fan of in most situations not sharing a backcourt with Trae Young. These are the core pieces of this roster, which I am confident can be a serious force if they all stay healthy. Now will we see a healthy Zion? That's not something I'd feel very good gambling on, but it's enough of a possibility for me to view this team's future positively. That is what it will come down to.

15 - Houston Rockets

The Rockets entered full rebuild mode once they traded away James Harden in early 2021, and they've quietly put together a capable roster mixed with young talent and veterans that was able to go .500 in the mighty Western Conference last season. The question becomes whether or not this young core can seriously contend in the West in a few years against a ton of proven superstars. Jalen Green and Jabari Smith were both No. 2 overall picks but neither were too impressive over their first two seasons. Green definitely took a big step forward last season, but he still struggles with efficiency though his ceiling remains high. Smith remains largely unproven through two years but there's a lot to work with as just a 21-year-old and Amen Thompson, while very versatile and athletic, will be a major offensive liability as long as his jump shot looks like it does. Sengun is my favorite of the bunch, and has shown the most promise thus far, so let's hope the knee injury that ended his past season doesn't interfere with his continued growth. And then there's the guys like Reed Sheppard and Cam Whitmore, who Houston can at the least count on as rotational guys for a number of years. The Rockets aren't contending anytime soon, but it's going to come down to how the young talent develops alongside one another. It's a good problem to have as a rebuilding team with most of their long-term assets already set in stone, giving them real hope to be contenders down the line with a core that showed the ability to win games sooner than expected last season.

16 - Portland Trail Blazers

The Trail Blazers finally packed it in on the Damian Lillard era last offseason, sending them into a rebuilding phase for the first time in over a decade. It didn't take long for them to throw some pieces together, as they've quickly assembled a decent young core that gives them real hope going forward just a year into the rebuild. Scoot Henderson, would've been the top pick in most drafts and had a much better second half to his rookie year, so I'll be nice and give him the benefit of the doubt that at his peak can be the face of a franchise. I'm a firm believer that with the right coaching and system Deandre Ayton can be a great center in this league, and the pairing of he and Donovan Clingan down low has serious potential to cause a lot of problems for many years to come. Clingan was the steal of the draft at No. 7. The rest of the roster is a work in progress, as it doesn't look like Jerami Grant has too much of a future in Portland and Anfernee Simons is a bit of a wild card, but they did fleece another young asset from Washington in Deni Avdija. The bottom line for the Trail Blazers is that this rebuild is going to be a long, perhaps gruesome process, but I can get behind this trio of Henderson, Ayton, and Clingan as something to work with from the start. It's easy to forget how highly touted Henderson was entering the draft because of everything that surrounds Wemby, but this guy has legitimate star potential. If they piece together a few more long-term assets down the line, this group in Portland could evolve into something legitimate once we get deep in the 2020s.

17 - Miami Heat

The Heat had their two magical Finals runs this decade but they seem to have been lapped by the other contenders in the East over the past year, and an underwhelming 2023-24 has left the franchise in limbo on what it's future should look like. Jimmy Butler has earned the right never to be counted out, but let's look at this realistically. He's turning 35, and while 2020 and 2023 were incredible runs through the Eastern Conference, the Celtics, Knicks, 76ers, and Bucks all have more talent right now than they did at those points. Miami simply hasn't kept pace. It gets especially interesting when you realize the word rebuild won't resonate with Pat Riley in this stage of his career - and life - so the Heat are going to throw out a competitive team no matter what. However, relying on Jimmy to take over the way he has in the past just doesn't seem feasible with this new East, leaving Miami with a roster build to contend but not good enough to. Of this whole roster, only Bam Adebayo seems like he's a lock to be there more than one more year. Don't expect Jimmy to opt into his player option if the Heat don't make noise next season, and the rest of the roster is a weird mix of veterans and youngish guys whose roles never seem clear. It's always been tough to get a read on Tyler Herro. Is he a building block for the future? Does Pat Riley even want him? And I bet a lot of you forgot Miami gave up next year's first-rounder to get Terry Rozier. These are win-now guys, but the makeup isn't quite good enough. I know what Jimmy Butler has done in the past, but the situation as it stands is just too insurmountable for the Heat. They're destined for play-in territory with not much of a way out, and with this strange mix of big-name assets they've got plus Pat Riley in charge, it's hard to see this team going into a rebuild. The future is as bleak for Miami as it's been in some time, though there's still value up and down the roster.

18 - Golden State Warriors

The dynasty as we know it officially came to an end once Klay Thompson signed with the Mavericks, and reality is beginning to set in on the future of this Warriors franchise. Stephen Curry is still incredible, but at 36 years old, the window is closing. Now it's not really the fault of the Warriors given how successful their core was but now, with Klay and Draymond's performances slowly dropping off, Golden State is now left with no backup plan. Kuminga and Podziemski are solid young talents, but their timelines don't exactly align with Curry's, who would probably need All-Star caliber seasons out of them in the next two years for this group to have any chance of competing. And outside of them, it's admittedly a roster without much solution. It's very difficult to imagine the Warriors trading Stephen Curry, and I'm under the impression whatever goes down these next few years will still include him. They wouldn't pull the trigger on a Paul George deal and try to capitalize on the final years of superstar Curry, and more opportunities like that probably aren't going to present themselves anytime soon. And what are the Warriors as they stand? Are they even a play-in team? They were completely embarrassed in the 9-10 game last season and there's nothing about what's gone down recently to make me think they've made up any ground. And as long as Curry's there, they aren't landing any top picks either. This team has quickly fallen from grace all the way into no-man's land and unless they act fast and string together a package to land another star, Curry's final years of greatness won't include much to write home about.

19 - Los Angeles Lakers

It was once again blatantly obvious that the Lakers' roster as it was constructed was nowhere near a championship contender, yet for a second straight offseason they're standing pat with what they have, missing out on the game-changing free agents and failing to maneuver any trades. And as LeBron James finishes out his career with this uninspiring crew, there's really not much reason for optimism for this franchise as a whole. Barring any massive changes, this roster maxes out at a first round exit, maybe the second round if they get the perfect matchup. There's literally no one consistently reliable on this team outside of LeBron and AD, yet there's a good six or seven teams in the West that seem to get a good amount better each offseason and the Lakers are never one of them. Realistically we have one, maybe two more years of LeBron. The odds this franchise is able to surround with him with a championship-caliber roster in that time is slim to none, so these next couple years should be quite reminiscent of 2024. That's no fun, and things really get scary when you start imagining life post-LeBron. Anthony Davis is still under contract through the 2027-28 season, where he will be 35 years old. Davis is certainly not carrying a team on his own, let alone as a guy with his injury history getting into his mid 30s. And with this strategy the Lakers have taken on of stacking serviceable role players up and down the roster to win 40-45 games and nothing more, there's no talent to work around. And Anthony Davis' trade value surely won't be any higher by the time LeBron leaves. The Lakers' inability to surround their two superstars with sufficient help has been their downfall these past few seasons and figures to continue for the rest of LeBron's career, and they're in for a rude awakening once that era ends and a full-blown rebuild completely from scratch is their only option.

20 - Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets have been in rebuild mode for quite a bit at this point, and pieces are slowly beginning to emerge that could give some direction to their long-term plans. LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller make up a young backcourt that could be a nightmare to defend for years to come, and is a good starting point in their road back to contention. There's some issues with LaMelo's defense as well as reasonable concerns with his health, but they're all in on him and there's no going back. So far, though, LaMelo Ball doesn't strike me as the go-to guy on a winning team in the NBA, and he's played a total of zero seconds of meaningful basketball since entering the league. Even with all these rough years in the past, the young talent isn't really there outside of those two, so it's probably looking like at least a few more years at the depths of this league before the win column sees much progress. Mark Williams has shown decent promise, but with less than a full season of games under his belt I'm not ready to count on him yet. Miles Bridges isn't anything too special either. Charlotte has a few pieces to work with, but they're still a few years away from making any sort of noise and I have my doubts on LaMelo Ball's place on a winning team.

21 - Utah Jazz

The Jazz are in a weird spot right now, with a fringe franchise player they seem half-interested in trading and a pleethora of draft picks to work with these next few years. If I'm them I'm dealing Lauri Markkanen as soon as I can, striking while the iron is hot when he's still young and his trade value is this high. Utah has their eyes on the future, and keeping a 27-year-old around for one more year before hitting free agency doesn't make much sense. The reality is that when the Jazz have what they want, little to nobody on this current roster should still be around. The Jazz were rewarded with the great draft picks of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell with what they were able to get for them when it came time to trade them both, and with a combined 9 first-rounders plus what should be a top-10 pick at the least over the next few years, a few timely selections can quickly land this team back on its feet. It'll take some time, as this current roster doesn't have many guys that scream build a franchise with, but Utah is stocked up very nicely in draft capital that could grow even more with Markannen, setting themselves up well for a smooth rebuild over the next few seasons.

22 - Cleveland Cavaliers

Many believed Donovan Mitchell played his last game as a Cavalier this past postseason, but he put those rumors to bed with the long-term extension he signed just days ago. So where does that leave Cleveland? The core of Mitchell, Garland, Allen, etc. is never getting over the hump in the East, not to mention the elephant in the room that Mitchell and Garland simply did not like playing with each other. Something has to give there, and it's going to be Garland. He'll require a solid return, but what's the ceiling of a team whose best player is Donovan Mitchell? He's more like a guy you add to make a team championship-caliber rather than a guy the other stars go to if they want to win, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. And where are the other pieces going to come from? They used all their draft picks to land Mitchell, and has this city ever landed a big free agent outside of someone that was or had something to with LeBron James? Cleveland to me is just the Bulls and Hawks with a more talented star but no draft picks either. As it stands, this team won't win the title, or come close to it, but they probably won't be embracing the rebuild any time soon. Their ceiling may be the second round instead of the play-in, but when it's all said and done, it's not the ideal spot to be in either.

23 - Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks' failed experiment of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray left them in a tough spot looking ahead, and while dealing Murray was a move they had to make, the future isn't going to be bright until long after they rip the bandaid on and trade Trae Young. As of now, this team's ceiling is the first round, and they couldn't even get that far a year ago. With Young running the show, this team is locked into play-in territory, and the odds of landing a compatible star via trade or free agency are slim to none. They lucked into the No. 1 pick this year which could've been the lifeline to save this franchise, but there was one problem - it may have been the worst draft ever. This team and the Bulls - not coincidentally the two that met in the 9-10 play-in this year - continue to delay the inevitable by holding onto their stars, and for what? A first round exit? If that? The team has a few decent pieces, with De'Andre Hunter a solid option and Jalen Johnson a pleasant surprise, and they could turn Trae Young into a nice package of picks with the right suitor. A perfect storm helped them get to the Conference Finals back in '21, but those days are far gone in Atlanta, and until they pull the plug on the roster it stands, their future will continue to look as bleak as any.

24 - Brooklyn Nets

The Nets had to get rid of Mikal Bridges and finally pulled the trigger, opening the door for their full-blown rebuild to get underway with some draft picks to help move it along. Brooklyn doesn't have much of any keepers on the roster as it stands now outside of Nic Claxton and maybe Cameron Thomas, but finally putting a few bad trades in the past in the rear-view mirror, they can focus on building from the ground up and finding themselves an identity again. There's not much to say about Brooklyn right now other than Cameron Johnson isn't nearly being shopped actively enough, as they're beginning to accumulate enough picks to make a difference and should be in the running to draft Cooper Flagg next June. These next few years won't be pretty in Brooklyn, but it's a process they need to go through after the way these last couple seasons have gone.

25- Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers had a championship window and it failed, with a multitude of factors playing into that but the bottom-line being that it simply didn't work out. With Paul George now gone, this team is entering a new chapter, one with far less direction and hope than the last. Here's the issue the Clippers have right - they can't rebuild. With this new transformative and breath-taking Intuit Dome set to open next season, it's no secret Los Angeles has to put out a good product to debut it. The Kawhi-PG duo just wasn't it. Injuries got in the way just about every time, and the only time it didn't they absolutely embarrassed themselves in the bubble. For years it was at least worth talking about what the Clippers could be if they stayed healthy, but with Paul George gone even a healthy group doesn't stand much of a chance to compete in the West. Oh, and that's now four straight postseasons Kawhi hasn't finished, so is it even a conversation worth having? With Leonard still under contract through 2027 and soon-to-be 35-year-old James Harden signing a new deal just days ago, they're sticking it out with crew to at least give the fans something to cheer for in their first chance at breaking out of the Lakers' shadow in this new arena. In the year 2024, though, that's not a duo that is scaring any of the major players in the West, and the disastrous Paul George trade that got them nothing in the end is a major reason why they don't have a first-round pick until 2030. So yeah, it's not pretty. The Clippers' title window has closed, and with aging stars. and no draft capital, there's not much optimism of the future in store for a franchise that still can't get out of its own way.

26 - Phoenix Suns

Many dubbed the Suns a superteam one they acquired Bradley Beal last summer, a notion that was quickly put to rest and became almost comical when they endured a first-round sweep this April. There's two main issues with this team, and they're in some way directly related. Number one is they need a point guard and number two is they've got Bradley Beal on a $50M contract. Beal can't stay healthy and it's hard to even call him a star in this league anymore after this past season, and that contract largely handicaps any flexibility the Suns might have had to improve this roster. Devin Booker can't play point guard if this team wants to succeed, that became loud and clear last postseason, and any replacement they'd plug in there would have to come very cheap. So while signing Monte Morris isn't really moving the needle, it's probably step in the right direction to add least have a point guard out there to maybe create an offense that thinks to move around. He only averaged 5.6 PPG last season, and who knows if he'll even start. But yeah, the Beal move pretty much locked them into making it work with this core, something that it's hard to see happening after their dud last postseason and a cap situation preventing any significant additions. Oh, and the trade drained their entire draft capital as well. Durant and Booker's trade value are only going down as the years progress, and the Suns seem pretty accepting that with this talented a roster and no picks to work with, it's now or never with this group. And coming off a first-round sweep and still not really solving their point guard issue, it's looking more like never. The lack of draft picks on top of this makes their future appear even more bleak.

27 - Toronto Raptors

The Raptors blew it up last season dealing away Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby midseason, and they embraced the tank in the second half to officially kick off this rebuilding phase. Toronto probably needed to do this, but I can't say I agree with the way it's being done. Scottie Barnes gets his big contract, sure, but I certainly have my doubts on a franchise he's at the head of. His 2022-23 season showed very little growth, and from what I've seen so far, I don't think his ceiling is all that much higher than where he was last season. He's being looked at to lead this team, and I just can't see him as the 25-point, 12-rebound guy that it takes to be a star at his position. The Anunoby trade landed them R.J. Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, a pair of nice pieces as maybe a fourth or fifth option on a high-level team, but they're going to be asked to take on roles far above what they can win games in. Barrett is another guy whose ceiling isn't all that much higher than where he is now, and Quickley is a dynamic scorer with limitations just about everywhere else. These are the pieces they're building around, and I don't think either will get over the hump to an All-Star level. The rest of the roster seems transparent, with Bruce Brown likely gone within the next year and Davion Mitchell and Gradey Dick the only other guys that seem like locks to stick around. All things considered the Raptors did the right thing by rebuilding, but I can't sell myself on the players they're building the early part of this rebuild around. I have a feeling they'll be running in circles over the next few years, locked into some bad contracts they won't be able to get out of.

28 - Chicago Bulls

If you really want to learn about no-man's land, look no further than the Chicago Bulls these last few seasons. You may remember that fun first half the Bulls had back in 2021, but since that went south they've stuck with their core and defined mediocrity sine. A regular spot in the play-in isn't where you want to be, yet Chicago is coming off back-to-back trips. The best thing that can happen to this team would be losing everyone over 25 and starting completely fresh. DeMar DeRozan's pending departure will help this ranking because there was no future with him, though losing the awful contracts of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic will be far tougher tasks. The bright spot of this team is Coby White, who broke through this past season and looks like a piece to build around, and they committed to Patrick Williams last month to be an important asset going forward. Throw Josh Giddey in there, whose acquisition was wildly overhated, and there's at least something to work with as far as a core goes. The Bulls' biggest problem was that they wouldn't accept a rebuild, and the best thing that's happened to them isn't something they did, but instead DeRozan's contract expiring. This team needs to put all hands on deck to get rid of LaVine and Vucevic, and maybe then they can get this long overdue rebuild underway.

29 - Detroit Pistons

The Pistons haven't exactly put together a model rebuild, as despite a plethora of atrocious seasons and top draft picks, there simply doesn't seem to be much progress being made. With that being said, they've accumulated enough young talent that there's at least some reason for optimism, even if it'll take a few more brutal years to see any of the fruits of this labor. They'e committed to Cade Cunningham as the face, which is a start. It's hard to judge him on the team's performance over his first few seasons given what's around him, and there's some other pieces around that could help make it work. Ivey, Thompson, and Duren are all valuable assets. Duren quietly averaged a double-double as a 20-year-old last season, and Ivey and Thompson should get better with time. I don't really see either turning into All-Stars at any point, though I do like the Ron Holland pick at No. 5. The Pistons' front office hasn't done them any favors over the years, and neither has the lottery, but after so many years in the gutter they were bound to have a few guys to plug into the rebuild. Is it a core that can carry itself on its own for the next 5-7 years? Not even close, but with a few more brutal seasons that shouldn't be hard to come by, maybe it'll evolve into something by the late 2020s.

30 - Washington Wizards

There's not a team in this league I can reason with less than the Washington Wizards, who have made inexplicable move after inexplicable move in recent years and have as bleak a future as anyone in basketball. The Wizards are terrible, and have been for a few years now, but the roster has nothing to show for it. My first order of business - why in God's name did they just trade Deni Avdija? He had a nice breakthrough year and seemed like one of the few guys they have worthy of keeping around, still just 23 with the potential to get a lot better. And to trade him for what? Malcolm Brogdon and a late lottery pick in the worst draft ever? It just doesn't make sense. The Wizards' core as it stands consists of Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole, and now Jonas Valanciunas. Talk about directionless. Just like they did with Beal and Porzingis to an extent, they're holding onto Kuzma for too long. Why keep these guys around when you need to tank? Any why bother signing Valanciunas? There's no reason for positivity for the Wizards right now, with not much of any young talent to build around and a roster that simply makes no logical sense to run with. Even as a team that's been bad for years with some trade assets coming and going, they've done a remarkably bad job stocking up draft picks for a rebuild. That includes a few big misses in the draft and trading away one of their hits. This team needs a complete overhaul from the top down, with no exceptions.