Which Team Has The Brightest Future in the NBA?
Today, I will evaluate every team’s young talent pool and future draft assets to find the teams with the brightest future in the league.
Who has the brightest future in the NBA?
It’s a difficult question to answer. There are a lot of ways to go about finding the answer. Is it young talent on hand? Is it future draft assets. It depends on who you ask. Today, I’m trying to rank every team, best to worst, based on their future outlook for the next three years.
#30 – San Antonio Spurs
I think the Spurs finally realized the situation their in. Sure, Gregg Popovich is the winningest coach in NBA history and one of the best coaches to have ever lived. But, his last years won’t be a blaze of glory. He won’t ride off into the sunset with the contending teams like Jackson or Riley.
San Antonio got a boatload of picks in return for Dejounte Murray. They now have their eyes on Victor Wembanyama, the highly touted French superhuman in the upcoming draft. But, even if they get Wembanyama, they still have a long road back to where they were.
Devin Vassell has progressed nicely, and I quite like Keldon Johnson. But, for the next three seasons, the Spurs are going to be very, very bad.
#29 – Charlotte Hornets
Can we talk about the Hornets? For the past two years, they’ve had an electrifying offense filled with talented players. Now, they’re on the verge of falling apart. Like always, this franchise can’t put things together.
Miles Bridges may never come back to basketball again. Other youngsters haven’t panned out as well as Charlotte has hoped. Bringing back Steve Clifford doesn’t exactly sound like a move a team on the rise would make.
Lamelo Ball is this team’s saving grace. While he needs to improve his two-point scoring, he’s an All-Star. He’s the glimmer of hope this Hornets squad desperately needs because, right now, they’re a team without a direction. Or a center.
(Paying Gordon Hayward $30+ million a season isn’t great, either)
#28 – Indiana Pacers
The Pacers haven’t fully hit the reset button yet. Sure, Tyrese Haliburton is their new franchise cornerstone. Ben Mathurin was selected sixth overall to be his running mate. Indiana has other nice youngsters, but they haven’t even started rebuilding.
According to recent reports from The Athletic, “everybody on the planet, not to mention some distant constellations, knows the Pacers are trying to trade Myles Turner and Buddy Hield.” But we haven’t heard much buzz around those two names.
In a perfect world, the Pacers will manage to find a trade before the season starts. Instead, it’s looking like the Pacers will have to wait to officially rebuild for just a bit longer. Once that happens, the Pacers have a long road back to competitiveness. But they have Tyrese Haliburton, so I don’t think they’re complaining.
#27 – Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are always good. They were contenders in the 90s with Stockton and Malone. They were good in the 2000s with Boozer and Deron Williams. And in the 2010s? You get the gist. Danny Ainge doesn’t care about that. Ainge saw a team that “didn’t believe in each other,” last season. So, he went to work.
In a matter of months, he dealt the two faces of the franchise, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. This roster is barren, setting Utah up for success in the future. Utah is another team trying to get their hands on Victor Wembanyama in 2023.
Ainge isn’t done making moves, either. Utah still has plenty of veterans that don’t fit into their new timeline. It’s a time of great change for a franchise that isn’t used to that. It’ll take them a while to regain competitiveness in the Western Conference. And I’m not complaining one bit.
#26 – Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are in the beginning stages of their rebuild. They’ve accrued a nice collection of young talent. But we still don’t know what they are just yet. Think of them like clay. Will they become a nice little pot or some ugly vase? Nobody knows.
Jalen Green ended his rookie season on a tear. Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith are two of the most interesting young bigs in the NBA. This team will be bad for a few more seasons, but they’re on the right track.
Houston’s biggest question mark heading into the future is Kevin Porter Jr. He failed as a point guard last year, but he still has a ton of potential. I’m very interested to see how the Rockets utilize him going forward.
#25 – Orlando Magic
The Magic are in the same boat as Houston. We don’t know what they are right now. But I think they’re closer to being competitive than the Rockets. The best way to describe the Magic right now is a buffet. There’s a bit of everything.
From talented, do-it-all forwards like #1 overall pick Paolo Banchero and reigning first-team all-rookie member Franz Wagner to talented playmakers like Jalen Suggs and Markelle Fultz, Orlando is filled with weird players to get behind.
The only problem I envision this team having is that they may have too many players who deserve minutes. These next three years will be an interesting mix of tryouts and development for Orlando. We’ll have to wait and see what the finished product is.
#24 – Detroit Pistons
Why are the Pistons ahead of Orlando and Houston? It’s simple. They’ve already found their #1. Cade Cunningham did everything he could with one of the worst rosters in the NBA. This season, he’ll have some more help.
Jaden Ivey, the fifth overall pick, gives this team another legitimate scoring threat. Jalen Duren is the new franchise center. Bagley, Bey, Stewart, and Hayes round out an impressive young core. But, here’s what sets the Pistons apart from other rebuilding teams.
Detroit has impactful veterans. Olynyk, Lyles, and Alec Burks are all competent role players. So, at all times, the Pistons have good players on the floor. That matters. If Cade Cunningham continues to blossom, the Pistons will start to be competitive sooner rather than later.
(why is Dwane Casey still here?)
#23 – Washington Wizards
I will say this until the day I die. I don’t understand what the heck the Wizards are doing. I don’t get why they won’t just rebuild. They continually just settle for mediocrity. And instead of trying to get younger and retool, they gave 29-year-old shot chucker Bradley Beal $251 million dollars.
Logic
So, for the next few seasons, the Wizards will continue to tread water. They’ll win 35-42 games and occasionally make the play-in tournament. They’re destined to be mediocre for all eternity. And they’re too stupid to change their ways.
#22 – LA Lakers
After their disastrous 2022 car wreck, the Lakers had to tear things down to go forward. Instead, they changed nothing and (somehow) got worse. They have no depth, no picks, and no future. It’s amazing how quickly they fell apart after winning the title in 2020.
Even if Anthony Davis stays healthy, this team is nowhere close to contending. Nothing suggests that they will avoid repeating all that happened last season. It’s going to be a mess for the next few seasons. The hopes of winning one last title with Lebron is all but gone.
So, if you’re a person who likes to make fun of this team (me!), sit back, and watch the circus.
#21 – OKC Thunder
Chet Holmgren’s injury is a bummer, but the Thunder are still making strides with their rebuild. The big three of SGA, Josh Giddey, and Holmgren is scary. Sam Presti has done a great job finding hidden gems over the years.
OKC is filled with promising young prospects who will develop over the next few seasons. Another huge advantage the Thunder have is that they have all the draft picks in the world.
OKC can continually replenish themselves for years to come. They’re a neverending engine of youth. If Holmgren becomes the generational star I think he can become, this team will immediately be competitive.
#20 – New York Knicks
The Knicks are like Marvin Dorfler from Midnight Run. Always falling for the antics of savvier, better-run organizations. Nothing is new in New York. Overpaying for the solid Jalen Brunson doesn’t move the needle for this team. Neither does extending the polarizing RJ Barrett.
If I had to guess, this team will go through another extensive rebuilding project in the next few years. This new front office doesn’t seem any different from previous regimes. Tom Thibodeau may be out of the door, too.
All of this is to say that it’s business as usual for the Knicks. Their streak of overall uncompetitiveness will continue for the foreseeable future. This, of course, means that they’ll continue to hog a Christmas Day game.
#19 – Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers are making one more ill-fated attempt to be competitive around Damian Lillard. What could possibly go wrong? I had no problems with Portland’s offseason – in which they added a lot of solid role players. If Dame and Nurkic stay healthy, the Blazers will be competitive for the foreseeable future. They’ll make the playoffs or come close every year. Sound familiar?
As a Blazers fan, getting to the playoffs isn’t that cool. Losing in the first round has become a ritual. And that’s what this team is headed for. Barring a Shaedon Sharpe mega-explosion that single-handily saves this franchise, this team will be the same as they’ve always been.
It’s contend or bust. And with an aging Damian Lillard, who showed his first signs of slowing down last year, this team’s expiration date is rapidly approaching.
#18 – Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are a weird team to gauge. DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, two of their best players, are aging. Lonzo Ball’s knee injury is a lot more serious than first thought. And Patrick Williams hasn’t unlocked his sky-high potential yet.
With all that being said, remember when the Bulls were the best team in the East? Their small-ball linuep was wreaking havoc on opposing teams. Ball, Caruso, Lavine, and DeRozan were a +16.3 when they shared the floor together, albeit in a small sample size.
So, while the Bulls aren’t contenders or aren’t on the rise by any means, they’re going to be good for the next few seasons. If Zach Lavine is allowed to take the reigns, the playoffs will be a formality for this team if they can stay healthy. The only question is, are the Bulls satisfied with being good enough?
#17 – Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are still trying to break their playoff drought, which now stands at 16 seasons. But, I think the Kings have a good shot at breaking said curse over the next few seasons. Even without Tyrese Haliburton, this team is starting to put things together.
The combination of Sabonis and Fox worked well to end last season. Some much-needed shooting was added during the offseason. New head coach Mike Brown will hopefully get this team to play some defense. The biggest reason for Kings fans to be optimistic, however, is their young talent.
Keegan Murray, the controversial fourth overall pick, looks like a gem. And so does Davion Mitchell, their first round pick from last season. The Kings are set up for success in a brutal Western Conference for once. Now we’ll see if they can finally put things together and get to the playoffs.
#16 – Brooklyn Nets
Amazingly, this team hasn’t turned into a reality TV show yet. Brooklyn’s offseason couldn’t have been written up by even the most ambitious seekers of chaos. But, when the dust settled, the Nets were still standing.
Kevin Durant is still in town, and so is Kyrie Irving. All signs point to them playing together, joined by Ben Simmons, who will make his long-awaited return to the court after a 16-month hiatus. They remain one of the best trios in the NBA.
The Nets have the star power and decent enough depth to be contenders. But they’re a tightrope act. One wrong move and they’re back to nearly trading everybody. It’s impossible to predict this team’s future, other than saying it’s going to be complicated and messy.
#15 – Philadelphia 76ers
Getting to the playoffs is no longer a cause for parades in the streets of Philadelphia. For the next few seasons, anchored by about 60 games of MVP-level play from Joel Embiid, the 76ers will be amongst the top teams in the East. But I don’t know if they’re going much further than that.
If the 76ers want to contend, they need James Harden. The real James Harden. Whether it be injuries or fitness, Harden hasn’t been the same since leaving Houston. If Harden continues to struggle, so will the 76ers. We saw what happened in the postseason against Miami when that was the case.
And it’s not like the 76ers can improve much, either. They’re paying Tobias Harris too much money. And, with a potential Maxey extension on the horizon, Philly is stuck with what they have right now.
#14 – Miami Heat
The Miami Heat always feel like they’re good. It’s in their culture. They’re a talented group and one of the smartest organizations in the entire league. Here’s why you should be worried about these next few seasons.
Tyler Herro is good, but he can’t perform in the playoffs. Neither can Duncan Robinson. Bam Adebayo hasn’t stepped up in big moments when they’ve needed him to. Miami’s young nucleus could have taken them to the Finals last season. Instead, they came up just short. Either that or Max Strus’ shoes are too big.
Kyle Lowry looked like a shell of his former self in the postseason. How long can this team keep finding undrafted gems to keep themselves at the top of the East? Older teams often have ugly unseating’s. I fear this Heat team is heading down the same path.
#13 – Toronto Raptors
The Raptors are a superstar away from contending. It’s just a matter of where that superstar comes from. Masai Ujiri and the Raptors hope it’s their reigning Rookie of the Year, Scottie Barnes. If Barnes can become a lethal two-way bowling ball, the Raptors will be good for a long time.
Toronto’s core has been together for ages. They’re like the previous regime of the Utah Jazz in many ways. Good, but not great. When he wants to, Pascal Siakam is amazing. Streaky shooters like VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. are solid, too.
But, this team’s future is dictated by Scottie Barnes. How good he becomes will dictate this team’s future postseason success.
#12 – Atlanta Hawks
After being the darling of the postseason in 2021, Atlanta gutted their way through the 2022 season. Their offense revolved too heavily around Trae Young, and their defense sucked. Injuries also didn’t do them any favors, either.
So, the Hawks decided to do something about it. Their blockbuster acquisition of Dejounte Murray cost a lot, but it solved their needs. Atlanta remains a young team that can make some noise in the Eastern Conference. But they’re far from a finished product.
I like some players on this team, but the front office will have to make more tough decisions to reach contending status. They’ll have to start with De’Andre Hunter and Clint Capela first.
#11 – LA Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are living proof that there can be too much of a good thing. Their roster is filled with so many good veterans. I don’t know how Tyronn Lue is going to manage this roster. But that’s a story for another time.
The Clippers, like the Heat, are older. Guys like Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have serious durability concerns at this point in their careers. LA will only go as far as their stars, or their bodies, are willing to take them.
I can’t foresee what this team will do over the next three seasons. It’s easy to imagine this team winning a title. But, when injuries get involved, any team can fall apart, and this team is no stranger to that.
#10 – Phoenix Suns
It still doesn’t seem real. How did the Phoenix Suns, a 64-win juggernaut, get unseeded by the less talented Mavs? This team disappointingly exited the playoffs for the second straight season. They had two golden chances to win it all and blew them both. And now it’ll only be harder to get back to the top.
Chris Paul getting one year older won’t do this team any favors. While Booker, Bridges, and Deandre Ayton will be fine, the Suns aren’t the same without Chris Paul. Speaking of Ayton, the Suns finally decided to pay him what he deserved. Phoenix will remain a top seed in the West. But we already know they can do that.
It’s time for them to put everything together and win it all. I just don’t know if Phoenix can do it. We’ll see if they have any heartbreak hangover in 2023.
#9 – Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves aren’t playing around. For the first time in eons, they have a roster that’s good at basketball. So, new GM Tim Connelly took one look at that and gave up the farm for Rudy Gobert, ruining the NBA trade market in the process.
You can argue if Minnesota gave up too much for Gobert, but he fixes this team’s defensive and rebounding shortcomings from last season. Offensively, he won’t have to do much. Karl “I’m the greatest ever,” Towns and Anthony “Republican” Edwards can take care of things on that end.
Minnesota is a sure-fire postseason team. That means they’ll have to fix their most glaring flaw. Their inability to close out games. If they can do that, there’s nothing between this team and a deep postseason run.
#8 – Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic will take the Denver Nuggets to the playoffs every season, no matter who’s around him. That’s just how good he is. But we already know that. For Denver to be competitive in the near future, they need to get healthy.
That means that Jamal Murray and MPJ have to be on the floor. Both of them had lost seasons last year, playing a total of nine games combined. If Denver wants to get back to the Conference Finals and beyond, they’ll need those two guys healthy.
Murray, in particular, is the key to Denver’s success. His actions with Jokic are so hard to stop. If he can come back and return to form, there’s no telling how dangerous this Nuggets team can be.
#7 – Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are getting older. They lost a lot of depth this offseason thanks to a little thing called the salary cap. And, despite past fortunes, winning titles in succession is one of the hardest things to do in all of basketball.
That’s why I expect the Warriors to remain elite. Against all odds, this team always finds ways to win. Steph Curry will continue to lead this team, proving to be one of the most dangerous weapons in league history.
But, it’ll be Jordan Poole who will define these next few years for the Warriors. Assuming Golden State chooses him over Andrew Wiggins in their little extensions war, Poole has the chance to keep the Warriors going for longer than expected. If that happens, you best believe I will jump out of the nearest ten-story building.
#6 – Dallas Mavericks
If not for Luka Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks would be one of the worst teams in the league. Thankfully, the Mavericks have him, and they’re not one of the worst teams in the league.
Doncic is the center of Dallas’ universe. Everything on offense revolves around him. He’s an offensive wonder, able to manipulate defenders and defenses like no other 23-year-old should. In recent years, Dallas has added more acceptable talent around him.
But, losing Jalen Brunson this offseason was big. The Mavericks will miss his steady presence in the backcourt next to Doncic. We all know Luka can’t do everything on his own because if he could, he’d already be doing that. The question is, ‘can Dallas help Doncic enough to win it all?’
#5 – Memphis Grizzlies
Donovan Mitchell may have fallen out of their grasp, but the Grizzlies are the Western Conference’s upstarts. They gave the Warriors a courageous fight in the second round, and if not for a Ja Morant injury, who knows?
The Grizzlies are breaking the mold of how modern basketball is played. Memphis is traditional by no means. They don’t shoot a lot of threes, they get out in transition, bully teams on the boards, and play tough defense.
Ja Morant, their fearless leader, is here to stay. One of the most cohesive and electrifying teams in the NBA isn’t going anywhere. Good luck to everybody who has to get in this team’s way.
#4 – Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks aren’t filled with exciting prospects. They aren’t a team on the rise, as they’ve been near the top of the Eastern Conference for the past few seasons. So, why are they so high on this list?
Giannis
That sums it up. While his reign of terror in Europe is now over, Giannis heads back to the states where he will be just as dominant. He’s the best player in the league and perhaps one of the most dominant forces the game has ever seen. The Bucks will a-ok as long this guy is healthy.
#3 – New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans started 2022 with a 1-12 record with their franchise centerpiece out with injury and unlikely to sign an extension. Now, the future couldn’t be brighter with Williamson under contract.
Led by new head coach Willie Green, New Orleans is one of the most fun teams in the league. They are teeming with young talent and house one of the deepest lineups in the league. Hanging with the Phoenix Suns is no easy feat, but that’s what they managed to do last season.
IF Williamson can stay healthy, this team will make the playoffs every year. I can say that confidently. While this franchise is known for turmoil, the next few seasons will offer some much-needed stability.
#2 – Cleveland Cavaliers
Before trading for Donovan Mitchell, this team already had a bright future. But after? This team will be good for a long, long time. Their new big four of Garland, Mitchell, Allen, and Mobley will terrorize the East. And I couldn’t be happier.
For the first time since Lebron left, this city and franchise have hope. They’re also trying to be the first successful Cavs teams since the late 80s and 90s. It’s been a long time coming for this franchise, and they deserve every bit of success they’re going to get.
But, as you all know, I’m excited for Evan Mobley. I already talked about him at length last week, but I can’t stress enough how he’s going to be one of the best players in the league. The Cavs building around him is a great thing. Don’t be surprised to see this team contending in a few years.
#1 – Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics finally put everything together in their Tatum/Brown era. After years of coming up short in the playoffs, the Celtics exploded under new head coach Ime Udoka. The Celtics were unstoppable for the last six months of the season.
While their finals loss to the Warriors was ugly, this team will be good for the foreseeable future. It’s hard for them not to be. All of their best players are under contract for the next few seasons. Their defense, anchored by Timelord, will remain elite.
The hardest thing this team will have to do over the next few seasons is getting back to the top. Adding guys like Malcolm Brogdon will make it easier for them to do that. This is Boston’s window. Let’s see if they can cash it in and give this city a long-awaited title.
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