Training camp has arrived.
On Tuesday, all 30 NBA teams will be clocking in to work to officially begin their preparations for the 2026–27 NBA season. It’s time to hoop.
Here is one thought on all 30 teams as players officially report to training cam:
Atlanta Hawks
I think the Hawks have the right outlook for the future, but I’m not sure the roster is enough to compete in the suddenly stacked Eastern Conference. Atlanta pivoted away from Trae Young last season and Jalen Johnson thrived as the true franchise player with his first All-Star nod and All-NBA honors. CJ McCollum was great and Nickeil Alexander-Walker shined in his Most Improved Player campaign. Atlanta got better over the offseason by adding Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins, plus there’s upside with first-round rookies Kingston Flemings and Zuby Ejiofor. However, after splashy offseasons across the East, the Hawks could fall victim to the improved competition. — Blake Silverman
Boston Celtics
I think of all the questions still lingering around Boston’s decision to trade Jaylen Brown, how well Paul George will fit with these Celtics is not one of them. As the man himself pointed out in his introductory press conference, George found great success playing alongside another alpha wing in Kawhi Leonard. Furthermore, he recognizes his job this season (even more so than his Clippers tenure) is to help Jayson Tatum do what he does best. As an elite off-ball shooter with outstanding defensive awareness, George has the tools to be a better No. 2 to Tatum than Brown ever was in terms of accentuating his game. Whether that makes the Celtics better is the ultimate question. — Liam McKeone
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Brooklyn Nets
I think the Nets will surprise people with their performance this upcoming season, and it’s all due to one man: Jordi Fernandez. I believe Fernandez is a serious coach who has been forced to oversee a rather unserious operation over the last two seasons. Brooklyn does not have control over its first-rounder in 2027, though, which means the organization is incentivized to compete for the first time since Fernandez was hired. He now has a full tool kit to work with after the front office landed Julius Randle to pair with Michael Porter Jr. and lottery pick Mikel Brown Jr. The Nets have played disciplined, intelligent basketball for short spurts under Fernandez. A whole season’s worth of his philosophy being executed by an NBA-caliber rotation with no overarching tanking goals will result in more wins Brooklyn fans have seen since Steve Nash was at the end of the bench. — Liam McKeone
Charlotte Hornets
I think Naz Reid will put up big numbers this season. Reid was beloved in Minnesota—so much so that thousands of Timberwolves fans got his name tattooed on their bodies—and he now begins a new chapter in Charlotte. The 2024 Sixth Man of the Year is finally in a starting role on a team with plenty of shots to go around. I’m expecting a career year for Reid as the Hornets search for a new identity without LaMelo Ball. — Tom Dierberger
Chicago Bulls
I think the Bulls had a sneaky good offseason and could sniff around the play-in tournament. Caleb Wilson’s arrival brings Chicago one of the league’s most exciting rookies and he could be right next to AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Darryn Peterson as one of the top players from this draft class. Adding Nic Claxton for nothing and signing Norman Powell off an All-Star campaign is good business. Surrounding Wilson, Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey with high-level vets is a great recipe. Plus, the Bulls recently added more shooting off the bench in Buddy Hield. — Blake Silverman
Cleveland Cavaliers
I think the Cavaliers will have some tough decisions to make if they don’t reach the NBA Finals this year. Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, James Harden, Jarrett Allen and Peyton Watson are all locked down through 2028–29, at least, with Mitchell set for an estimated $76.4 player option in the 2030–31 season. I feel pretty comfortable that he’ll pick that up. After Cleveland made a run to the Eastern Conference finals, maybe the move for Watson is enough to get it over the hump. If the roster isn’t good enough to make a legitimate push for the title, though, someone has to go. — Blake Silverman
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Dallas Mavericks
I think the Mavericks are the surprise playoff team out of the Western Conference this year. Cooper Flagg is a superstar. What if the pairing with Kyrie Irving works out? The roster is a little clunky, no doubt. Too many forwards, not enough on-ball creation. However, Irving is elite in that sense and could minimize those concerns himself. That’s a lot to put on a guy coming off a torn ACL that forced him to miss a full year of basketball. But we haven’t seen the Irving-Flagg pairing yet. There’s potential that it’s awesome from the jump. — Blake Silverman
Denver Nuggets
I think the Nuggets need to do some soul searching this season. They’ll always have a chance with Nikola Jokić on the floor—and it sounds like he plans to stick around for a while after saying at media day that he’ll sign a contract extension next summer. But who will be playing next to him? DeMar DeRozan doesn’t quite move the needle, and I think the Nuggets will really feel the loss of Peyton Watson, especially when the playoffs arrive. — Tom Dierberger
Detroit Pistons
I think Detroit will still be a top-four seed in the East despite an odd offseason centered around Jalen Duren’s difficult restricted free agency negotiations. Duren remains unsigned and if the result is a sudden trade elsewhere, Detroit’s season could get blown up depending on a potential return. However, the Pistons still hold the leverage with the restricted status and the most likely outcome is that Duren is on the team this season. If the relationship is fractured, that could play a part with an unhappy All-Star playing somewhere he doesn’t want to be. Should he decide to play out the year on his qualifying offer, though, he will need to maintain a high level to get paid next summer. Cade Cunningham is an MVP candidate, and maybe some additional spacing with John Collins and Isaiah Joe does wonders. — Blake Silverman
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Golden State Warriors
I think Steph Curry was well within his rights Monday to have that reaction to a question about how nobody is picking the Warriors to make the playoffs. “That's how bad it is—to make the playoffs?! It went from championship to playoffs?! Damn,” Curry said at media day. It must be hard for a four-time champion to fathom Golden State scraping its way into the playoffs. But who are you picking the Warriors over in the West? The Spurs? Thunder? Timberwolves? Lakers? Nuggets? Rockets? I don’t think so. Golden State will be treading water until Jimmy Butler returns, and another trip to the play-in tournament seems likely. — Tom Dierberger
The man was too stunned to speak 😅 pic.twitter.com/LG8iRJSPwy
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) September 28, 2026
Houston Rockets
I think Amen Thompson will be an All-Star this season. He got a five-year, $208 million contract extension over the summer and he’s only on the rise as a true anomaly in the league. Fred VanVleet’s return allows Thompson to return to his best role on the floor—a tertiary on-ball guy who makes things happen near the rim. The attention on VanVleet and Kevin Durant will help Thompson thrive offensively and, at just 23 years old, he’s Houston’s main building block for the future. — Blake Silverman
Indiana Pacers
I think the NBA should have a Comeback Player of the Year award. The NFL and WNBA do! The NBA did, actually, give out the award for seven years in the 1980s but took it away because a few of the award winners were returning from drug issues, not injuries, and the league didn’t like the optics. Anyway, 40 years later, we should bring it back and hand it to Tyrese Haliburton for what he’s about to do this season. I don’t think the Pacers will make it to the Finals à la 2025 (hot take, I know), but they’ll make some noise in the East. — Tom Dierberger
Los Angeles Clippers
I think the Clippers should thank their lucky stars that the Kawhi Leonard trade went through as planned. The two unprotected first-round draft picks (in 2031 and 2033) Los Angeles secured from Toronto as part of the deal are now the franchise’s most valuable assets in light of the NBA’s plan to strip them of five first-rounders from 2029 to ‘33. Those negotiations would have gone much differently if the Raptors knew the Clippers would be desperate for picks in that range and wanted to put Leonard in the rearview as swiftly as possible. But I imagine reopening negotiations in light of the cap circumvention punishment would have inspired numerous issues for Toronto and so the deal was pushed through as-is. Fortunately for L.A. — Liam McKeone
Los Angeles Lakers
I think we’re about to see the best of Austin Reaves. He got paid over the summer with a four-year, $184.8 million contract extension as priority No. 1 of the Lakers’ offseason. Yeah, Rob Pelinka was busy retooling the roster to ensure it catered to Luka Dončić with some big swings, but locking down Reaves was the most important move for the Lakers. As the true second option, I think Reaves will benefit from all the attention on the Dončić and Walker Kessler pick-and-roll. He averaged 23.3 points per game last year, and I think he’ll improve on that number. On a reshuffled roster, Reaves feels bound to make his first All-Star appearance. — Blake Silverman
Memphis Grizzlies
I think Cameron Boozer will win Rookie of the Year. The No. 3 pick in the 2026 NBA draft should easily put up big numbers. I mean, who else on this roster is going to take shots? Memphis has a long, long rebuild ahead of it, but Boozer will provide a reason for Grizzlies fans to tune in every night. — Tom Dierberger
Miami Heat
I think the Heat’s season could spiral into disaster much quicker than we might expect. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s recent injury history is not an under-discussed topic, but it bears reminding that if he goes down for an extended period, Miami is in rough shape. Last year’s team barely finished over .500 (in a much weaker conference, mind you) when injuries resulted in a roster made up of Bam Adebayo and a group of role players. This year’s squad still has Bam but worse depth after the Giannis trade cost half the rotation. Few teams can survive without their best player, but the Heat are particularly thin behind their superstar. If nagging injuries force Miami to play without Antetokounmpo consistently this season, the losses could pile up swiftly. — Liam McKeone
Milwaukee Bucks
I think the Bucks will have a rough season, but they still made the right decision with the Giannis trade. Milwaukee chose Miami’s future-forward trade package of young players and draft capital over Boston’s offer centered around Jaylen Brown. Brown seemingly would’ve helped the Bucks stay afloat immediately, but instead, Milwaukee nicely jumpstarted its rebuild. Kel’el Ware, Brayden Burries, Nate Ament and Kasparas Jakučionis are building blocks who get the freedom to develop in a low-pressure environment. Ryan Rollins still has room to grow, plus Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. bring immediate help. The Bucks don’t have the guy to stay in the mix in this post-Giannis world. But I’m excited to watch them on League Pass. — Blake Silverman
Minnesota Timberwolves
I think the Timberwolves’ new Anthony Edwards-LaMelo Ball duo will be, at worst, must-watch television. I think it’s going to work. Last year’s roster made things tough on Ant, especially when Donte DiVincenzo went down with injury, because there wasn’t a secondary creator on offense if shots weren’t falling. That’s different now with Ball in town. Ant can thrive off the ball and should be living above the rim, finishing off Ball alley-oops all year. Send the posters to the printers now. — Tom Dierberger
New Orleans Pelicans
I think I am excited to see Zion Williamson dunk the basketball again. Plenty of space (both here and otherwise) has been dedicated to the questionable offseason of inactivity in New Orleans and what, exactly, the plan is supposed to be under Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver. All valid concerns. But I am merely a man who wants to see thunderous dunks and no matter the holes in his game otherwise, Williamson consistently delivers that when healthy. The dunks will continue until morale and overall play improves! — Liam McKeone
New York Knicks
I think owner James Dolan needs to bite the bullet and go into the second apron. The Knicks won’t do so this season—plans that Dolan made very clear by announcing in June that he wouldn’t go into the second apron to keep the champion Knicks together. That decision cost the Knicks Mitchell Robinson, who signed with the rival Celtics. But next year and beyond, Dolan needs to go ahead and do it. Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart are all due extensions. Why should any of them take less money to protect Dolan’s pocketbooks? Knicks fans went 53 years without a championship. Dolan is really going to break this championship core up? — Tom Dierberger
Oklahoma City Thunder
I think Chet Holmgren is the player to watch in OKC this season. The former Gonzaga star put up a strong regular season last time out but got dominated by Victor Wembanyama in the Western Conference finals, one of the primary reasons the Thunder failed to defend their title. Nobody should expect Holmgren to go toe-to-toe with Wemby on opening night, but how a player responds to getting vastly outplayed in the postseason says everything we need to know about their work ethic and desire to improve. Holmgren has to use last season as a lesson to take a step forward this year, otherwise doubts will persist about his ability to be the star Oklahoma City expects him to be. — Liam McKeone
Orlando Magic
I think the Magic need to go and get a true point guard who can enhance the core of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane. Jalen Suggs is there and although he’s coming off a season with career-high assist numbers, he’s more of a perimeter defender who can space the floor. Anthony Black has room to grow and he has better vision, but he could be more similar to Suggs than he is to a guy like Jamal Murray. Which begs the question, would Orlando be better off if it exchanged one of Bane, Wagner or Banchero for an elite facilitator? — Blake Silverman
Philadelphia 76ers
I think one name is going underdiscussed when it comes to the 76ers: Adem Bona, Philly’s 23-year-old backup center. Joel Embiid will inevitably miss games, but the Sixers have too much riding on this season for their championship hopes to be derailed by his balky knees again. That means there will be a lot of pressure on Bona to step in and deliver reliable minutes at the five. If he can’t, Philly’s only alternative right now is free agent signee Ariel Hukporti, who played fewer than 500 minutes for the Knicks last season. Bona was thrust into the spotlight in the playoffs against the Celtics in Embiid’s stead and played as well as could be expected—can he do so again with the entire NBA watching all season long? The answer will go a long way towards what Philadelphia looks like as a team when Embiid isn’t on the floor, which is likely to be a regular occurrence. — Liam McKeone
Phoenix Suns
I think Phoenix will miss Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale pretty severely. They were sent out in the deal that netted the Suns Miles Bridges—an undeniable upgrade, but the trade sent two high-level role players elsewhere. The missing depth is offset by commitments to Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin, plus the arrival of Luke Kennard in free agency. Both Allen and O’Neale were constants for Phoenix over the last three seasons with the ability to knock down big shots when called upon. Kennard is one of the NBA’s best three-point shooters, but there’s a lot of added pressure on Devin Booker’s younger supporting cast. — Blake Silverman
Portland Trail Blazers
I think it’s now or never for Ja Morant. The Trail Blazers would not have been the first, second or fifth team to come to mind when guessing who would make a bet on Morant’s talent, but the fact remains that he’s in Portland and pretty much out of chances. Morant doesn’t just have to prove he can scrape the heights he reached a few years ago. He must again prove he is a viable NBA player, hard stop, after failing to string together a strong stretch of games at any point since 2023. If Morant doesn’t pan out this season, his career will be close to over. — Liam McKeone
Sacramento Kings
I think the Kings will finally trade Domantas Sabonis at some point this season. I’m not a huge fan of the rumored Jalen Duren-for-Sabonis swap, but Sacramento needs to find a decent return after not getting much in exchange for De’Aaron Fox. Sabonis has a tough contract to move—he’s on the books for $45.2 million in 2026–27 and $48.6 million next season. But at 30 years old, Sabonis still has great years ahead of him. He can be a nice complementary piece on a playoff team. — Tom Dierberger
San Antonio Spurs
I think the Spurs are too clear of a champion pick that I fear something may go wrong. Victor Wembanyama’s time is here and with Finals experience for him, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, it appears the only thing that can stop the Spurs is themselves. That was the case against the Knicks last season with untimely turnovers and bad decisions. Those should be cleaned up with experience, and the addition of Tobias Harris is huge. But no champion is a foregone conclusion over the course of a long season, especially since the Thunder have revenge on their mind. — Blake Silverman
Toronto Raptors
I think that the Kawhi Leonard praise is deserved, but the Raptors’ success still mostly rides on Scottie Barnes. Leonard is a huge upgrade as a scorer over last year’s No. 1 option, Brandon Ingram, but Toronto’s offensive ceiling will still ride on Barnes’s distribution and improving ability to score on his own. He’s shown signs of being able to lift the whole unit and must take advantage of the attention his new All-NBA teammate will draw to do so, otherwise the Raps will merely be a slightly more dangerous version of themselves from last season—still a very good team, but one that will struggle against opponents whose talent works more cohesively together offensively. — Liam McKeone
Utah Jazz
I think no team will have a bigger increase in wins year-over-year than the Jazz. Last year’s 22–60 disaster should feel like ancient history by the end of the season. The core of Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Keyonte George should win plenty of games and allow No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson a stress-free environment to develop on his own time. — Tom Dierberger
Washington Wizards
I think we are going to find out what Brian Keefe is made of very quickly. The Wizards’ 50-year-old coach hasn’t faced any kind of expectations since taking the reins halfway through the 2023–24 season and his lifetime record of 43–160 is, on the surface, a reflection of Washington’s tanking rather than any shortcoming of Keefe’s. This year, though, he’s under the spotlight with numerous, difficult challenges for any coach (much less one with his experience). Keefe will have to balance the wants and desires of his All-NBA talents along with his high-profile rookie, on top of an organizational mandate to finally win some games. The pressure is on and how he navigates the inevitable choppy waters will be quite revealing. — Liam McKeone
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