2026-27 NBA Season Predictions

I was hoping to get this post off before the regular season started, but that didn’t happen.  That said, I have yet to watch any regular season games or highlights but have been following headlines on Yahoo and NBC.  And even then, they only focus on a handful of teams, i.e. the most popular.  So the following predictions have not been really influenced by anything that has happened in the regular season thus far and in fact, if anything, have been buttressed by them.  Outside of those handful of teams, I don't know who's won or loss yet.  And the records you see below are from the preseason, not the regular season.

ATLANTA HAWKS (4-1)

There isn’t much to see here.  They may overachieve again, you know, make it to the First Round type shit.  But in the improved EC, it isn’t as likely.

Dudes got bullied out the building last postseason and, instead of bulking up, may have gotten even smaller.  It’s obvious, at least to me, that they aren’t really trying to win or if anything aren’t under any type of win-now pressure.  And it’s all good, if dudes can preserve their health until whenever the roster becomes more formidable.

JALEN JOHNSON

Can once again be an allstar, considering that there really aren’t any other on the roster

BOSTON CELTICS (4-0)

Yes, I was feeling salty about the whole Jaylen Brown thing for awhile.  And based on conventional logic, you wouldn’t expect a team to willingly part ways with its best player and then try to compete for a championship the following season.  So I was like yeah, fuk the Celtics.

But when I really started looking at their roster, I noticed that they had depth across the board and therefore shouldn’t be hastily written off, even tho, you know, I’m not on their dicks like some other pundits.  But Derrick White, who’s arguably their best all-around player, isn’t a spring chicken, nor is the undisputed alpha, Jayson Tatum, nor is Brown’s replacement, Paul George, nor is their biggest free agent acquisition, Mitchell Robinson.  So I mean, yeah.  With that in mind, it’s more understandable why they gave Pritchard that contract.  There’s going to be a lot asked of him.

BROOKLYN NETS (3-1)

The Nets have looked pretty competitive in the preseason, definitely not like pushovers.  The roster lacks starpower but is rich in young dudes who, in theory, should be able to run older teams down.  In fact, they're the youngest team in the NBA.  So let's hope they can at least use that to their advantage.

JULIUS RANDLE

Please try to stay in the post, where you're more needed, like damn already

CHARLOTTE HORNETS (1-3)

I have high hopes for the Hornets.  They have a deep, talented roster, which honestly I can’t remember them possessing since like the 1990s or, you know, last season.

You always hear people talking about ‘the Sixers need to sacrifice, with all their talent’.  That’s truer for Charlotte’s roster, even if they aren't as talented, especially when it comes to the point.  No use letting LaMelo "the Travel Agent" Ball go if you’re just going to replace him with another chuck.

CHICAGO BULLS (3-2)

Damn, I almost forgot about the Bulls, like deadass.  I'm anticipating they'll be a good watch at least.  It's bug like to this day, when this team is mentioned, the first thing to come to mind is Jordan.

And that rookie dude, Caleb Wilson, the one time I did watch him play looked kinda smallish on court.  So I don't know if the onus they're putting on him is really realistic at this point.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (1-2)

With teams like the Cavs, who I’ve criticized a lot in recent years, I don’t want to be redundant and sound like I’m bullying.  I’ve already been saying that one of the things they appear to lack is favor from on high, and I recently came across a conspiracy theory, concerning last season’s ECF, which supported that idea.  And you know, if that is the case, I don’t think the Beard is the type of player you bring over to solve it.

Oh well. At least we can say that, roster-wise, Cleveland has done an expeditious job rebounding post-Lebron.  They haven’t remained in obscurity into virtual perpetuity, like the post-Jordan Bulls.  So I’m sure we’re looking at another noteworthy regular season, concluding with another postseason flunking, tho I think this year’s iteration may have a worst record than last.  Peyton Watson may be the type of starting 3 they’ve longed for.  But now, what about the bench?

DALLAS MAVERICKS (1-3)

I think Kyrie is more humble than a lot of people give him credit for, like other proven superstars of his caliber would never agree to play on a roster like this.  I now doubt even Flagg’s status as the next great white hope can save this team, considering the Lakers new makeup.

It's sort of a strange situation like okay, Irving is not on the new timeline.  But concurrently, this team lacks talent compared to competitors and clearly needs him.  I think Adam Silver and them more or less killed tanking, so it isn't as logical to intentionally be garbage anymore.

DENVER NUGGETS (3-2)

I feel sorry for Braun, in that he's entering this season with arguably the worst contract in the league, and that'll be pointed out at every opportunity, of which I'm presuming they'll be many, especially if he remains a starter. DeRozan should definitely, undoubtedly get the call over him, but Denver's braintrust isn't always that wise.  They're the committed types, though at least not as bad as the Warriors.

DETROIT PISTONS (3-1)

A couple of weeks ago when I listed the plethora of contenders in the East, the Pistons sorta slipped my mind.  That Duren situation was a big mess, but it seems that they've since moved on.  I don't know the intricacies of everything, but considering how sharp he looked in the preseason, I'm thinking that maybe dude shoulda just signed for a couple of years, three at most, instead of a whopping five at that price.

Anyway, Detroit does have a couple of advantages over its competitors. Off the top of my head, I'd say they have a higher degree of continuity than any other team in East, besides maybe the Magic.  And unlike any other squad in the entire league, they have an identity which arguably dates back 30+ years.

But still, all things considered, for some reason I can't fully explain, it's easier not to believe in the dudes than to believe in them to win it all.  Playing musical chairs every offseason without noticeably upgrading isn't moving the needle, unless the core develops better than competitors.

JOHN COLLINS

One of the better acquisitions of the entire offseason

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (4-2)

The way I feel about the Warriors, by this point, is that they overbelieve in Curry.  That said, I also felt that way a few years back, i.e. 2022, and they proceeded to win a championship.  And like, if you must have faith in anybody in the NBA, it’d have to be Steph.

But, you know, dude isn’t Lebron.  And even if you’re going to keep him around, okay, at least put him on a roster that’s like respectable without him.

That said, I can totally envision this team making noise if healthy, which is a big if, and I can also understand why they’d pay to keep Draymond around, all things considered.  What I can’t understand tho and why they gave dudes so much money, clearly cognizant of the fact that the rest of the roster needed better fleshing out.

Maybe Lebron snubbing them is like symbolic of how all stars currently feel about GSW, so why not just blow the money?  The Dubs had their dynasty, but they aren't super-popular like the Lakers.

KRISTAPS PORZINGIS

They're now trying to trade him, lol/smh

HOUSTON ROCKETS (2-1)

The Rockets may be lacking size compared to some competitors, but they have everything else, arguably in abundance.  The big question is if a leader can emerge, not a diva or a chuckin’ PG, but someone more level-headed who can run the show and make the pieces fit - potentially Amen Thompson, all things considered.  And see, this is the kind of confusion you have when you already have a promising roster but insist on infusing it with legendary talent that it may not necessarily need.  You know, this ain’t like when dude went to the Dubs.

KEVIN DURANT

Needs to get off his high horse, but that isn’t likely

INDIANA PACERS (1-3)

I’m definitely glad Haliburton is back but like, I don’t know.  But that said, no one, including me, really believed in this team a couple of seasons ago.  Yet they were on the verge of winning the championship and maybe even blowing OKC out, at home, in Game 7, until Tyrese got hurt.

But now, at least to me, he has sort of that PG13 vibe about him.  Like everytime I’m watching, I’m afraid he’s going to slip over a banana peel or some shit, and there it goes.

LA CLIPPERS (2-1)

One thing you have to give to the Clippers is that at least they have pride (tho, according to a couple Lob City stars, aren't particularly loyal).  And despite having arguably the least-impressive roster in the West, I don’t think they’re going to be anyone’s pushover unless, you know, somewhere along the lines they get demoralized.

DARIUS GARLAND

In position to be an allstar yet again

LA LAKERS (2-3)

I’ve been Laker bashing so much these past few years that now I’m gonna chill out.  But just to note, my beef hasn’t been with the players, even GM Lebron per se but really the braintrust, you know, who have more authority and make the actual roster decisions.

That said, as I pointed out a short time ago, well, I won’t really get into it here.  But let’s say that with their new racial and political makeup, LAL is in a position to benefit from even more rigging, if you will, than they have traditional. 

Kessler 12-for-12 in his debut?  Lol.  Okay, he went 10-for-10 in a game last year.  But still, that performance yesterday is kinda shocking, or let's more aptly say convenient.

So I'm expecting them to win more games than their talent and depth imply, and you know, that wouldn't be the first time that's happened to LAL in recent memory.  But maybe, Luka really is that guy(?).

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (3-1)

Well, at least there’s some buzz again.  And they have a promising, up-and-coming roster which, you know, isn’t as newsworthy as it used to be, now that tanking has been outlawed. 

These days, unless you can pull an OKC and overachieve sooner rather than later, a promising lineup is more likely to fall apart after three years than remain intact.  That was even true before, when you look at their team from 2022 for instance.  So here's to hoping that dudes can at least make some noise.

MIAMI HEAT (3-2)

The Heat are one of my sentimental favorites, and yes, I do feel they have enough talent to make the Finals, even with their balance issues.  The onus, in a strange sorta way, is actually on Andrew Wiggins, the man smackdab in the middle of the starting lineup, and that’s actually fitting or karmic, considering he’s the only number one pick on the roster.  So to me, considering his past and all, he's already the scapegoat if things go wrong.

NICK RICHARDS

Another x-factor, if he wants to be

MILWAUKEE BUCKS (2-3)

The Bucks have always been one of the more obscure teams, to the point that now, that championship from a few years back feels increasingly like an anomaly,  I feel kinda sorry for dudes, as I incepted the Dame trade tho am pretty sure I also intimated in the process that they shouldn't get rid of Holiday.  Anyway, that move more or less began the chain of slapping them back down into obscurity.  I was kinda excited about this team before the preseason began but as it currently stands have little to no interest in watching them, you know, unless they're upsetting dudes.

KEL'EL WARE

Let him be the cornerstone instead of trading him

KEVIN PORTER JR.

Surprised he got cut, but they also did the same thing to Cam Thomas (which was less surprising)

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (3-1)

By this point, the elephant in the room is Zion.  And it’s funny how things work out sometimes because at first, it was like he couldn’t stay healthy.  But now, it’s like his health is okay, yet dudes still aren’t winning and don’t seem particularly likely to pull off a miracle.

If he suffers another major injury, it may be time for NOP to cut their losses and let Williamson try his luck elsewhere.  Or, you know, they can keep him around into perpetuity and at least maintain the starpower.

NEW YORK KNICKS (1-4)

All things considered, I understand why NYK decided to run it back.  If it ain’t broke(?), then don’t fix it.

But with Robinson gone, amongst other factors, they may have lost or minimized their wembyproofing.  And those other factors include, oh shit, dudes haven’t gotten any younger.

I’m an Anunoby fan, even before that tip-in, and wouldn’t mind seeing him make allstar.  But he isn’t necessarily aging gracefully in NBA terms.

And to me, that’s the elephant in the room with NYK - their age.  It can be advantageous sometimes against younger teams, if you play bully ball right.  But if, for instance, the powers-that-be did favor them in Game 4, as many people believe (and which I prolly would’ve done also if I were in charge, for like the biggest celebrity crowd in NBA history), they shouldn’t expect to receive that kind of grace two years in a row.

I'd say now that their ace in the hole - i.e. the one who has yet to exhibit his full potential on this roster and the player that really pushes them over the edge, all talent considered - is Mikal Bridges.  So here's to hoping that they'll develop a strategy to give him more room to show out, i.e. force him to be a number one option, if you will.

BRUCE BROWN

Too bad, but you can’t airball a gamewinner during the preseason lol

JAMES WISEMAN

All things considered, greater opportunity now than with the Dubs

OKC THUNDER (1-4)

Last season, to my remembrance, I picked the Thunder to win it all, you know, since Haliburton was hurt.  And, well, at least they made it to the Game 7 of the WCF.

But I have to be honest with my conscience and pick them again.  But that said, even the greatest teams have their kryptonite.  The Jordan Bulls really would've had a big problem for instance if somehow they met the Lakers in the 1998 Finals.

OKC’s kryptonite last season, with out without Wemby if I remember correctly, was the Spurs.  But as I said about a month or so ago, I do believe Holmgren will come back more focused after being exposed like that.  Also yes, I do believe that Mara, the rookie, can prove a sound extra layer of wembyproofing, at least in the interior.

I can also envision a couple of teams out East, most specifically the Wizards and Heat, potentially besting the Thunder in the postseason.  But for now, I'm going with OKC as champions.

ORLANDO MAGIC (3-1)

The Magic have kinda grown on me, and I think Vucevic can prove to he one of the most impactful, slept-upon acquisitions of the offseason.  Their talent and depth doesn’t jump off the page, but this core has more or less been together what, even longer than the Pistons?  And they also have the advantage, if you will, of not being under as much pressure as other Eastern Conference teams.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (1-3)

It's hard to really feel confident about the Sixers.  If this were still the smallball era, it'd be easier to say they'd take the East, but it isn't.  So basically when they're up against bigger teams, of which there are quite a few these days, the strategy is apparently going to be outgunning them.  That may work in some instances, but not all.

For instance, Andre "KFC" Drummond was reportedly having a field day against them before "running out of steam".  On the low, he's still one of the better Cs in the league.  That type of size, no man can take from him. But he's on the older side, and others Philly face will have more energy.

Also, even when he isn't GMing, having Lebron presents its own set of unique problems.  We're once again faced with this situation where he's arguably the best passer on the team, while concurrently being the healthiest bigman.  But you can't play the point and the post at the same time(?).

Oh well.  I've always questioned why the Sixers have been so adamant in paying Embiid so much money, considering his persistent injuries.  But the funny thing is, based on the above argument, even with this stacked starting lineup, the onus is very much on him.

VJ EDGECOMBE

Should feast with the attention on everyone else

JOEL EMBIID

Should be looking at this as his last season (as a starter)

PHOENIX SUNS (1-4)

The Suns are sorta the NBA epitome of 'the more things change, the more they stay the same'.  This org has adopted the run-and-gun style for more or less 20 years going, even though it's never won them shit.  Oh, wait - they did make the Finals once this century, when they fielded a roster bookended by a traditional PG (CP3) and a traditional big (Ayton).  So yeah, I can kinda understand why the ownership is still salty post-KD.  But if anything, they should be blaming at themselves for blowing up that roster to accomodate him.

DEVIN BOOKER

Should start thinking about demanding a trade

JALEN GREEN

Scary, in both a good and bad way, at the point

MARK WILLIAMS

More or less the onus or at least the team's greatest rarity, in terms of size + talent

PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS (3-1)

This is my sleeper pick of the West, not to make the Finals but to at least finish fourth place, maybe even higher with some luck.  The roster makeup may not be perfect, but I would argue it’s the best or deepest Dame ever experienced in Portland.  And you know, that’s how aged superstars are supposed to go out when they’re loyal to a franchise, with as little onus stress as possible - not stuck on some bottom dweller, like LAL did to Kobe.  Also, having Holiday and Lillard together are what the Bucks were supposed to do instead of getting rid of the former to acquire the latter.

ROBERT WILLIAMS III

Needs to have a renaissance season

SACRAMENTO KINGS (0-5)

Damn, like how are they the only team to lose every preseason game this year?  Fukin Kings.

I was looking forward to watching Ben Simmons reestablish himself and… oh well.  Now, finally, I would agree it’s time for dude to retire from the NBA.

Also, I kinda feel sorry for Acuff Jr. because first of all, I would venture to say that no consensus lottery pick would actually want to go to the Kings. And secondly, dude already has so much Scootish pressure on him, and that isn’t fair with a PG and especially one drafted by such an ass-backwards organization.  This is the kinda team NBAers are supposed to be stuck on when no one else will take them.

ZACH LAVINE

May reestablishes himself as an allstar(?)

SAN ANTONIO SPURS (2-3)

A couple of days ago, the league's GMs or coaches or whatever voted Tobias Harris the biggest acquisition of the offseason?  I don't feel that way.  Did dude even play in the preseason?

My beef isn't with Harris but the fact that the team didn't really need another stretch 4 but rather someone more imposing in the middle.  I was thinking someone more lebronish.  Or even Kawhi, who's smaller than Tobias, would have been preferable in that regard.

Meanwhile their man competition, the Thunder, has gotten bigger.  The Spurs did just draft a few bigs, and I'm presuming that at least one of them is going to get a real playing time this season.

That said, if the powers-that-be did gyp them in Game 4 versus the Knicks, then all things considered I think it's safe to say their time will come sooner or later.  And they're like my second-sentimental favorite though more likely, again all things considered, to win than the Wizards.

TORONTO RAPTORS (2-3)

If healthy, honestly I don't see any reason why the Raptors can't take the East, tho the bench is gonna have to step up.  Out of all of the smallish teams out there, they're best suited to take on bigger squads defensively.  That's the Kawhi factor, and they better make things click fast, because dude is aging, and he ain't exactly what you would call an ironman.

UTAH JAZZ (3-1)

Damn, almost forgot about the Jazz.  I did watch them play once during the preseason, and I mean, well...

They have formidable veteran bigs and good diversity.  But the young dudes in the backcourt are going to have to really show out for this to work.  And considering they are the Jazz, one of the most obscure teams in the league outside of a brief run in the 1990s, it's kinda hard to believe in or even remember them.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS (2-2)

Go, Wizards!  Remember how these dudes were getting their asses bust last year?  No one is going to be dropping 80pts on them again anytime soon!

They are my sentimental favorites for 2026-27, even more than the Spurs though, all things considered, I wouldn’t bank of them immediately winning it all, whether they have the talent or not.

But here’s a couple of interesting things to think about.  They’re arguably more wembyproof than even OKC.  And AD, if he remains healthy  - which I know is a big if, but still - wouldn't he be like the best C in the East by default?

Every Team's X-Factor (Pacific Division)

I did more or less tune out of the preseason after the first few days.  And yes, for some teams, such as the Spurs for instance, I would say that it doesn't really matter.  But for some of those older squads, it most definitely does.  Within the next decade, I'm predicting that all contenders are going to have cores that are like younger than 25 on average.

But in the meantime, we still have to deal with the likes of the aged Dubs trying to make noise in the game.  And as the "Every Team's X-Factor" series plods on, we will continue to try to identify the player that most needs to represent in the name of pushing his current team over the edge.

In most of these cases, I'm not talking about a franchise player, a star or even a respected role player per se.  I'm talking more about that guy who most fills an easily-recognizable deficiency in the current makeup of the roster, regardless if he's known or not.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: KRISTAPS PORZINGIS

After saying all that, I have to backpedal a bit and start off with Porzingis, who would be an A-list player, if only his body allowed.  Is this braintrust so committed to (over)developed players that they don't respect the future and to some extent even the present?  Yes.  But that doesn't mean they're stupid per se.  For instance when Butler was playable, they looked formidable, despite lacking size.

Kristaps is, on paper, perhaps the ultimate x-factor, like on any team you plug him in.  He may not be as agile was Wemby, but he is a really-tall dude who plays like a G.  The thing is, it's already been proven, time and time again, that you can't rely on his health, to the point that by now, yeah, it is kinda stupid or at least questionable to bank on it.

A few years back, the Celtics were able to win a championship while load managing Porzingis, one of their key starters, during the playoffs(!).  The current Dubs roster doesn't have that type of luxury, as proven last postseason, in a way.  But here's to hoping that dude is available at least play like a third of the season, all games included, and thus is able to vault this team ahead a bit.

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS; YANIC NIEDERHAUSER

So the Clippers have no backup C or even a hands-down PF, at all, to speak of, unless you consider Ingram or Hachimura as one, which I don't.  To me, those guys are more like tall 3s.  This isn't ideal in a conference led by Wemby and the Thunder.

Wait a minute - they do have a backup C, some guy named Yanic Niederhäuser, a rookie last season who got hurt in March and has yet to return.  He was getting some burn but not necessarily putting up inspiring numbers.

According to Google, he will be back in November.  After him and Lopez, the next tier of tallest dudes on this roster are 6'8", i.e. Ingram and Hachimura.  And as for Brook, he looked pretty sharp in the preseason, but we can't realistically expect that to last.  So like it or not, Niederhäuser is currently the one of the most important players on this roster and indeed the most important as far as the bench is concerned.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS: BRONNY JAMES

Let me just get this off my chest sooner rather than later.  Yes, I do believe there are at least some analysts in the mainstream media who are getting paid or being commanded by their superiors to speak of the Lakers as if they have a chance.

Luka is an exceptional talent, and I'm not biased against him.  Back when he was a rookie, I was saying something like he had more promise than Lebron (by default of age).  But he really, really, really needs the right type of roster around him, and that isn't a B-list 2guard, an overrated center and a slew of journeymen wings.

It's hard to overstate just how bad this braintrust has become.  Selecting Bronny wasn't such a big deal, in that you don't really expect anything from a late second-rounder anyway.  But don't forget that earlier in that draft, they picked Dalton Knecht who now, according to headlines, they're about to cut or some shit.  They don't know what they're doing, besides having developed a preference for white players for some reason.

Things are so bad that the coach even called out Bronny for bad play - during the preseason.  When have we ever seen something like this?  Does Reddick still have beef  with Lebron(?)?

I think it's generally understood that these young, 'developing' guys need encouragement, not vice versa.  But yeah, I did watch him play a couple of times this October, and it wasn't inspiring at all, tho I feel sorry for dude sometimes, like the (unrealistic?) pressure he's under.

NBC sorta intimated that he my be cut, you know, which would be no-brainer, if he weren't the second-most popular player on the team(!).  So it doesn't look like he's going anywhere anytime soon.  And with that, with the spotlight on him and with it now being more firmly established that he doesn't belong, dude needs to step up or step down.

LAL already has three backup smallish Gs more proven than James, so the greater roster need is in the  frontcourt.  But based on the above argument, he's still earned x-factor status.

PHOENIX SUNS: COLLIN GILLESPIE

The Suns could definitely use more respectable size.  They're obviously going smallball this season, i.e. four wings and a C, despite lacking a Wemby.

But I'd like to focus more on the 1, because lack of a floor general is something this team has suffered from since the departure of Chris Paul.  And they actually have a number of tall dudes who, if someone steps up - which presumably will happen given the sheer number of options(?) - could prove a viable backup for Williams.

Yes, Phoenix epitomizes positionless basketball, but that doesn't mean they should.  When you have a team full of chucks, ideally there'd be someone to run the show.

I'm not saying that Gillespie is that someone, but he may be.  He had a career year last season, including averaging nearly 5asts, second only to Booker.  Also, whereas I don't really know his style, I have noticed that he is white and therefore probably more level-headed than the average 3pt-chucking PG.

I don't think anyone in their right mind is actually putting the onus on dude.  But in any event, hopefully Phoenix will find someone to temper their, let's say erratic personalities.

SACRAMENTO KINGS: BEN SIMMONS

Holy crap, this dude again?

The Kings' upper-frontcourt definitely leaves something to be desired in terms of depth, but that's the good thing about having someone like Simmons, who can play the 1 through 4.  You'll also notice that now that the season has started if you will, we've been hearing less and less about Acuff Jr.  And you'll also notice that for better or worse, this is a veteran, not rebuilding, team.

"Ben", all things considered, has been their biggest acquisition this offseason.  On a win-now squad by default, it's more logical to put the onus on someone with proven potential that someone with potential potential, lol.

The one thing that has me kinda concerned is that he doesn't look particularly strong, though in his case, it's hard to tell if that's mental or physical.  Either way, it may be best if they let Darius play off the ball, sorta like Edgecombe, like let opponents forget he's even out there type shit.  For a player like Simmons who's such a head case, being sort of a throwaway on the last couple of teams he was on, it's funny how those same rosters, almost any team in the league really, could use his skillset, even though he doesn't shoot threes.

Every Team's X-Factor (Northwest Division)

I recently came across this article on Yahoo! where the author vehemently argued that the NBA preseason doesn't matter, at all.  I don't feel that way, and if you can read in between the lines, there's already a lot being revealed about the upcoming season.

But I'd be lying if I said that up until this point, I've been intimately following the preseason.  That won't really be necessary for some teams until it comes time to make the actual predictions for next season.

Also, that's not what the Every Team's X-Factor series is about.  Rather, I'm trying to identify the biggest deficiency on each roster and therefore point out the player, no matter how obscure, who most needs to perform to mitigate that gap, based on each organization's current setup, according to Wikipedia.

DENVER NUGGETS: ZEKE NNAJI

In all of these years of the Nuggets' Jokic era, one thing they've never been able to do is get a backup C to mitigate Nikola's defensive deficiencies, and so it appears to be entering this season also.  Their wing rotation is pretty solid, and depth at the 4 also seems to be more or less straight.  But when it comes to interior defense, I don't think Denver is intimidating anybody.

Like let's say Wemby is killing them.  Who are they going to put in specifically to defend him?  I guess we're in for another round of 'the best defense is a good offense'.

That said, if Jokic goes down, then there's really going to be a problem, because you wouldn't want Gordon or Bagley trying to hold down the post against a bigger team.  So, enter Zeke Nnaji.  I can't confidently say I ever heard of dude before, but get this - he's already been on the Nuggets for six seasons(!).  And last time around, he had a career year of sorts, averaging roughly 4pts and 3rbs.

Nnaji is tied for second-tallest person on the roster with Coleman Hawkins and Trevon Brazile.  The latter is a (second-round) rookie and apparently is going to get a chance to prove himself this season.  So he's a honorable mention as the x-factor.  But either way, it doesn't appear that Nnaji is going anywhere any time soon.  And since he's the vet, the onus has to be more on him.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: JOAN BERINGER

Beringer has already been singled out by the mainstream as the player the Wolves are banking on making a sophomore leap, so I'm not going to deviate from that.  He's a tall, yellow dude from France, which are like in high demand these days.

Minnesota's G rotation appears to be straight, especially once DiVincenzo comes back.  But the frontcourt depth leaves something to be desired.

Kuminga, as athletic and lengthy as he may be, has already proven that he's not an actual big.  So by the looks of things, there are currently none of particular note behind Gobert . The T-wolves just drafted a couple of dudes, but neither one of them can play C.

OKC THUNDER: JAYLEN WILLIAMS

Even after losing two or three rotation players this summer, including a starter, while not really getting anyone of note in return, OKC remains one of the deepest squads.  Both of their starting bigs are two-positional, besides Jaylin Williams and rookie Aday Mara (who I'm kinda high on) backing them up.  And as for their G rotation, if healthy there doesn't appear to be any lack there.  Dort is a celebrated defender, but I would argue that Caruso is even more effective on that end.

One thing about their plethora of 2s tho is that they aren't that tall, thus not making ideal 3s, even in the increasingly-positionless age.  And considering that the Thunder's main nemesis is Wemby, size does matter.  Even Holmgren and Hartenstein, with an average height of 7'1"(!), couldn't stop him.

So I'm gonna go with Jaylen (not to be confused with Jaylin) Williams.  He's a big, versatile body who would definitely make a difference against bigger teams if he regains allstar form.

He played sparingly last postseason, and things all considered, it may have been better if he didn't.  A healthy Jaylen has to be x-factor, as it's possible that OKC would have made to the Finals two years in a row if he wasn't hobbled.

PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS: MICAH POTTER

Speaking of shorts Gs, the Blazers have four who may be starter worthy, but height-wise you wouldn't want to move any of them to the 3.  I would imagine that maybe Sharpe would end up starting at SF, and Avidja would be slotted over to the 4(?).

This roster has depth, even at the 5, which is rare in today's NBA.  But only a couple of bigs on that list have name recognition, and none are stars.  So one of them is going to have to fill the void.

And I'm gonna go with Micah Potter because, besides Williams III, he's the only other player listed as both a forward and center.  I'm not going to go with Robert himself because even though he is more or less a highlight machine, we pretty much already know his limitations and what he's going to bring to the table.

Potter meanwhile had sort of a career year last season.  He averaged 10pts, 5rbs, 20mins and 47 games, all highs.

The implication, if he could actually remain on the court, is that he could excel, especially on a roster like this, where so much defensive attention is going to focused on smaller players.  And unlike Williams III, Potter appears to have a three-point shot that demands respect.  Man, could the Blazers use this dude, which is likely why they picked him up.

UTAH JAZZ: JOSH OKOGIE

The Jazz has been 'one of the most promising teams' in the NBA for years now ,only to inevitably end up bottom feeding.  Some of that was tanking, which has now been disincentivized or whatever.  And unlike previous iterations, for the first time ever Utah appears to be mostly young and speedy(?).

That said, their depth isn't really anything to write home about.  But the good news is, in terms of bigs, they appear to be pretty straight, even after the departure of Kessler.

On the smaller side, they have, excuse me to say, promising guys who have yet to definitively prove themselves.  Man, could they use a veteran amongst the wings.  And on that note, I'm going to go with Josh Okogie.

Besides being a 2, he's one of the older players on this team.  All things considered,  he probably ain't gonna get a lot of run.  His stats don't jump off the page, but he has carved out a permanent place in the league, being about to enter his tenth season.  And I think he's also known as somewhat of a defensive specialist(?), which is going to be needed amongst a bunch of young scorers.

Either way, whenever his number is called, he needs to make an impact.  28 year olds are like old-timers in today's NBA.  And in the backcourt/wings, he's going to be surrounded by a bunch of dudes with a lot less experience than he has.