6 NBA teams who will be way better than last year

There’s no time for optimism in the NBA quite like mid-August, a beautiful stretch when every team is undefeated, most teams are healthy, each rookie is poised to be a steal, and every free agent signing is still conceivably a masterstroke.

Some teams have more reason to be hopeful than others. There’s already a group of teams that seem poised to fall behind their rivals next season. On the flip side, there are also three teams in each conference who seem like a good bet to make a big leap up the standings when the 2024-2025 season officially opens.

Some of these teams had star players miss a lot of time with injuries last year. Some added impact rookies, while others acquired proven veterans who are ready to win right away. Here are six teams that are going to win way more games in the upcoming season than they did last year.

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies won 56 games and 51 games in the two seasons preceding last year’s 27-win disaster. Everything that could go wrong for Memphis did go wrong: Ja Morant served a 25-game suspension and then got hurt, Steven Adams missed the entire campaign after knee surgery, and Brandon Clarke was out almost the whole year with an Achilles tear. The Grizzlies may have had a lost year, but they still discovered some gems who can help their future. GG Jackson broke out as a second round rookie as an oversized, off-ball scoring forward, Vince Williams started to emerge as a potential 3-and-D wing, and the team used its top-10 draft pick to fill its hole in the middle with Purdue center Zach Edey.

With Morant set for a full return this year, the Grizzlies should reassume their winning ways. Morant can be as electric as any guard alive if he’s at the top of his game. Edey should set bone-crushing screens and finish efficiently inside. Jaren Jackson Jr. should be more comfortable playing next to a traditional big man again, and the young wings will have every opportunity to take another step forward. The West is even scarier than the last time the Grizzlies were at their peak, but don’t be surprised if they figure into the top half of the conference’s playoff picture once again.

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Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers were 31-8 with Joel Embiid on the floor last year. The only problem: they were 16-27 when he was hurt. Embiid’s meniscus tear in late Jan. doomed the Sixers to the play-in tournament, which ultimately led to a first-round exit. Just getting a healthier Embiid season would have made a massive difference for Philly this season, but of course team president Daryl Morey didn’t stop there. The Sixers absolutely nailed the offseason, signing a max free agent in Paul George and adding Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson, and reportedly Guerschon Yabusele on bargain deals. Philly still probably needs a starting caliber player at the four next to Embiid, but it has assets to work with as the February trade deadline nears.

The hope is that George’s arrival means Embiid will have to shoulder the workload less in the regular season, allowing him to be at his peak for the playoffs. Morey did an incredible job turning over this roster (he owes the Clippers a fruit basket for low-balling George). The Sixers haven’t reached the conference finals since Allen Iverson’s heyday, but they will have every opportunity to finally breakthrough in the East this year.

Sacramento Kings

The Kings have won 48 games and 46 games respectively the last two seasons, which feels incredible coming off a 16-year playoff drought. Sacramento knew it needed a bold move to keep pace in the West, and it made one when it acquired DeMar DeRozan from the Chicago Bulls. DeRozan just turned 35 years old and plays a ball dominant style without much defense, but he’s still very good. There are few players alive with a steadier hand in crunch-time (and one of them may be his new teammate, De’Aaron Fox), he remains fantastic at getting to the foul line and protecting the ball, and he specializes in making the types of shots opposing defenses want to give up. The Kings may seem like a bit of an odd fit on paper with the DeRozan addition, but the talent upgrade from Harrison Barnes is undeniable. Add in Sacramento’s brilliant re-signing of Malik Monk, and this team has enough speed and shooting on the perimeter to cause real fits for opponents.

It’s a huge bummer that rookie Devin Carter is out for six months, but he still should see some time in the second half of the season, and he’s poised to be a great fit for this team. If Keegan Murray takes another step and/or Kevin Huerter returns to form, Sacramento could be cooking. The Kings have a legitimate Big 3 with DeRozan, Fox, and Domantas Sabonis and a better collection of role players than most teams with so much top end talent. There are no off-nights in the West, but the Kings feel like a playoff team.

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New York Knicks

The Knicks looked unbeatable after trading for OG Anunoby around the new year last season, going 20-3 with him on the floor. One elite 3-and-D wing wasn’t enough for the front office, so they double-down by making an absurd trade for Mikal Bridges. It felt like the Knicks gave up a Giannis package for a player who has never made an All-Star team, but he fits this year’s roster like a glove — and not just because he went to Villanova like Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo. Bridges will be a key floor spacer on offense who can also add a pinch of shot creation they’re missing next to Brunson. No team in the league has a better set of wing stoppers than Bridges and Anunoby. This roster feels custom-built to push the Celtics in the East, and there’s a real chance it happens if head coach Tom Thibodeau doesn’t burn them out before the playoffs start.

The big question for the Knicks is how they handle the loss of Isaiah Hartenstein at center. There’s now a ton of pressure on Mitchell Robinson to stay healthy, and that’s never a good bet. One underrated factor in this year’s optimism is the return of Julius Randle, who was having an All-NBA caliber season before going down with an injury last year. The Knicks will need to make an addition to fortify their big man room, but for now this looks like an elite team that should win more than 50 games.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets made their big leap up the standings last year in head coach Ime Udoka’s first season, going from 22 wins to 41 wins. Expectations will be even higher this year based on nothing but internal development. Houston has the deepest young core in the league, and added another key piece to it with No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard. Sheppard feels like the Rookie of the Year favorite alongside Edey in Memphis heading into the season, and his skill set is a perfect match for a Rockets team full of big-time athletes but a little light on shooting.

The Rockets know they will be built around Alperen Şengün, but how the rest of the pieces shake out is anyone’s guess. Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore, and Tari Eason each have unique skill sets in the front court. Amen Thompson has the potential to explode in his sophomore season, but it’s possible his lack of shooting ability will defer his leap for another year. Was Jalen Green’s hot stretch in March actually sustainable? There’s a lot left to determine for the Rockets, but this team is so athletic around Şengün that there should be a pathway to an above .500 season.

Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Charlotte Hornets

It feels hard to remember now, but LaMelo Ball was an NBA All-Star in his age-20 season only two years ago. Since then, Ball has played 36 and 22 games respectively in the last two seasons, and the Hornets have been dreadful without him. Ball doesn’t have to carry the franchise by himself anymore, not after the Hornets drafted another potential star in Brandon Miller with the No. 2 pick last year. Ball and Miller can form the best young foundation in the East if both can somehow stay on the court. With the Bulls and Nets willingly dropping back in the pack this year to chase their Cooper Flagg dreams, there’s a big opportunity for the Hornets to make the play-in tournament and maybe even the playoffs. The Hornets still have a lot of questions, but they should win more than last year’s 21 games if they get even decent health.