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    "parsed_content": "Caleb Wilson wants to have a strong rookie season in Chicago, LaMelo Ball is ready to make plays in Minnesota, and Tyrese Haliburton is set to return for Indiana after an Achilles injury in 2025. Illustration: Will Tullos \/ The Athletic; photos: Zach Barron, Jason Miller and David Sherman \/ Getty ImagesDon\u2019t look now, but the 2026-27 NBA season is right around the corner.Regular-season games are only a month away. With a revamped Eastern Conference, injury returns and much more to pique our interest, a few members of The Athletic\u2019s NBA staff rounded up 30 reasons for excitement \u2014 one for each team \u2014 as the clock ticks toward Oct. 20.Atlanta HawksThe defense: This will be a case of whiplash for Hawks fans who spent the past eight seasons watching a team built around Trae Young try to guard people. Atlanta finished last season ninth in defensive efficiency \u2014 amazingly, the Hawks\u2019 first top-10 finish since 2016-17! They have a good chance of being even better after acquiring Lu Dort to join fellow wing stoppers Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. \u2014 John HollingerBoston CelticsJayson Tatum: After last season\u2019s first-round playoff ouster and Jaylen Brown\u2019s ugly exit, there has been plenty of skepticism around a team that still has a perennial MVP candidate in the middle of his prime. The basketball world will be watching to see how Tatum responds when he has to be more of an emotional leader and get that message across without his longtime co-star. There\u2019s arguably no one in the NBA with more to prove than Tatum. \u2014 William GuilloryWhy did the Celtics trade Jaylen Brown?Jay King and Jeshua KiddBrooklyn NetsEgor D\u00ebmin-Mikel Brown Jr. backcourt: D\u00ebmin had a productive rookie season, and the Nets added one of the best point guard prospects in this year\u2019s draft in Brown. It\u2019ll take a few years before Brooklyn decides whether it has a backcourt it trusts, but this could be the foundational season for a tandem that eventually gives the Nets hope. \u2014 Hunter PattersonCharlotte HornetsA new face of Charlotte: After years of having LaMelo Ball as the face of the franchise, Charlotte has handed over the keys to Brandon Miller. He has struggled to stay on the court the past two seasons, but Miller has shown flashes of being an All-Star wing. It\u2019ll be fascinating to see how he operates and how the young teammates follow him as the No. 1 guy. \u2014 GuilloryChicago BullsThe YouTube clips: I don\u2019t expect this team to be good, but highlights from Bulls games might be elite. Rookie Caleb Wilson is an explosive forward who should produce one of the league\u2019s best dunk-and-block montages, and the Bulls already have a strong contender in that category with the exploits of fellow forward Matas Buzelis. Throw in another above-the-rim big man in Nic Claxton and the periodic Norman Powell heater, mix in Tiago Splitter\u2019s preference for a frenetic pace, and \u2026 well, they might not be good, but there\u2019s a decent chance these Bulls will be fun. \u2014 HollingerCleveland CavaliersA resolution, one way or the other: I imagine this is a make-or-break season for the Cavs. James Harden will have his first full season in Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell is entering his fifth year since being traded from Utah, and Evan Mobley will be in Year 6. If they don\u2019t accomplish whatever the front office defines as success, it seems inevitable the Cavs will be in for either a slight or total rebuild. \u2014 PattersonDallas MavericksThe Sergio show: Cooper Flagg is the main event in Dallas, and Kyrie Irving\u2019s recovery from a torn ACL will be a major story. But as far as pure fun goes, I\u2019m not sure I can do better for Mavs fans than getting their eyes on Sergio de Larrea, a spicy-passing Spaniard who I believe was one of the steals of the draft, and someone I\u2019m guessing will crack the rotation immediately. Among him, import sharpshooter Tarik Biberovi\u0107, French forward Zaccharie Risacher and Spanish big man Santi Aldama, the post-Luka Mavs have some newfound international flair. \u2014 HollingerDenver NuggetsCam Johnson: I\u2019m bullish on Johnson having a much better campaign than his disappointing 2025-26. The first year on a new team often is hard, especially with Johnson joining an established unit, and he had trouble finding his shots in the first half of the season. But after the All-Star break, he upped his usage and scoring and posted a torrid 65.3 true-shooting percentage. He also averaged 14.8 per game with strong efficiency in the playoffs. As the team\u2019s most dangerous shooting threat (43 percent from 3 in 2025-26, 39.6 percent for his career), he\u2019s a hugely important player, and he\u2019ll find his spots more easily this season. \u2014 HollingerDetroit PistonsSpacing! This is the most spacing Cade Cunningham has had on any Pistons roster, at least on paper. Duncan Robinson, Isaiah Joe, John Collins, Taurean Prince and Gary Harris all shot at least 40 percent from 3-point range last season. Pistons fans who may have been frustrated that the front office didn\u2019t make a big-swing trade this offseason could be in for a pleasant surprise with how that spacing benefits the offense. \u2014 Patterson\n Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference last season.Daniel Kucin Jr. \/ Imagn ImagesGolden State WarriorsOne last ride \u2026 or first step: With Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Steve Kerr all back in the fold for potentially their final season together, the Warriors are holding out hope that this dynasty has one more title run left. But the more interesting plotline is that, should it fall short, Golden State will have about $146.9 million in expiring contracts coming off the books among Curry, Green and Jimmy Butler \u2014 and that number could grow even larger. With aggressive ownership and a front office that has a lot to prove, I\u2019m expecting the Warriors to be very active next summer. \u2014 GuilloryHouston RocketsGrown-up point guards: As beneficial as it was for Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard to get thrown into the fire the way they did last season after Fred VanVleet tore his ACL, the Rockets desperately needed some experience in the backcourt. With VanVleet returning and Marcus Smart coming over via free agency, Houston is adding 177 games worth of playoff experience to its rotation, which should make the Rockets look much more functional in crunch time. \u2014 GuilloryIndiana PacersTyrese! As much as I like what Ivica Zubac can add, this is all about Tyrese Haliburton\u2019s return from the Achilles injury suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. The Pacers were a lottery team without Haliburton, but they can once again become a factor in the Eastern Conference with him healthy. I can\u2019t wait for him to return to Madison Square Garden. \u2014 Jason JonesLA ClippersTy the Great: The NBA punished the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard is headed back to Toronto. But they still have Tyronn Lue, one of the best coaches in the NBA. That means the Clippers won\u2019t be pushovers, but it\u2019s hard to be hyped while wondering if there\u2019s more reporting that could make things uncomfortable for the Clippers. \u2014 JonesThe Kawhi Saga: What the NBA's investigation into the Clippers revealedMike Vorkunov and Jeshua KiddLos Angeles LakersFree throws: I don\u2019t know if you can get \u201cexcited\u201d about free throws, but I\u2019m expecting the Lakers to take an awful lot of them and likely lead the league. Luka Don\u010di\u0107 and Austin Reaves had two of the NBA\u2019s highest rates a season ago and will only have the ball more this campaign with LeBron James gone. Walker Kessler\u2019s career free-throw rate exceeds what Deandre Ayton did last season. Even noted foul-grifter Marcus Smart\u2019s free-throw rate pales badly beside that of his replacement: Collin Sexton. Enjoy the breathers, Lakers fans. You\u2019ve earned it. \u2014 HollingerMemphis GrizzliesHealth: I don\u2019t want to taunt Grizzlies fans with more \u201cimagine if Zach Edey stays healthy\u201d content, but this goes a lot deeper than Edey. Scotty Pippen Jr. is back after missing nearly all of last season, as is Ty Jerome. On paper, that\u2019s the starting backcourt. Sophomore Cedric Coward didn\u2019t get a full campaign last season but now is likely entrenched as a starting wing. If the Grizzlies\u2019 starters stay healthy this time around, it\u2019s not unreasonable for them to stay in Play-In contention. \u2014 HollingerMiami HeatA superstar has arrived: Since things went sideways with Jimmy Butler, the Heat have been looking to add a new star. They found a big one with Giannis Antetokounmpo. After a season full of injuries and drama in Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo will play in a new uniform for the first time in his 14th NBA season. The two-time MVP will be reinvigorated and eager to prove that he is still one of the best players in the world. \u2014 Eric NehmMilwaukee BucksBrightest hope in a new era: The Bucks selected Brayden Burries with the 10th pick in June\u2019s draft. Burries was the last remaining guard in a group of five projected to be drafted in the top 10. Some believed his off-ball ability and defensive prowess might mean he\u2019d be only a complementary offensive contributor in the NBA, but he quickly dispelled that notion by becoming one of the breakout stars of Las Vegas Summer League. If Burries can build on that, he could end up in the Rookie of the Year conversation. \u2014 NehmMinnesota TimberwolvesThe NBA\u2019s most fun backcourt: This isn\u2019t just about Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball on the court. But if there isn\u2019t some kind of online show following these two together away from the court, we\u2019re all being deprived of top-notch entertainment. The censors might be on edge during their postgame interviews, but Edwards and Ball will be fun at all times. \u2014 Jones\n \n \n \n \n What You Should Read Next\n \n \n \n \n Timberwolves\u2019 roster revamp brings a lot of variables. Will they find success?\n \n \n When Minnesota opens the season in Miami next month, it is hoping a summer of connection results in success on the court.\n \n \n \n \n \n New Orleans PelicansDifference-maker at helm: Hiring Jamahl Mosley as head coach wasn\u2019t just a move to address the team\u2019s awful defense last season. It was about getting a voice in the building that will get through to the newest building blocks in New Orleans \u2014 Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen \u2014 and persuade them to focus on winning basketball more than individual glory. Fears and Queen showed as rookies that they have plenty of offensive talent, but they need an influential presence capable of getting them to prioritize defense the way Mosley did with his Orlando Magic teams. \u2014 GuilloryNew York KnicksBasking in championship glory: Trying to go back-to-back is a long, arduous journey. This team has played more basketball than anybody else recently, and slogging through another regular season to reach the playoffs for a title defense is difficult. But every night, every broadcast team will refer to the Knicks as the \u201cdefending champions,\u201d and that will be a sweet reminder of the banner hanging in Madison Square Garden. \u2014 NehmAfter Knicks title, are Brunson and KAT now HOF locks?Mike Vorkunov and Jeshua KiddOklahoma City ThunderRevenge and disrespect: The Thunder had to watch San Antonio celebrate in their arena after Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. Some declared talk of a dynasty over. The pundits have already handed the league to Victor Wembanyama, even though Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has won the NBA\u2019s past two regular-season MVP awards. The Thunder should be angrier than they were after falling short in 2024, which should be bad news for the rest of the league. \u2014 JonesOrlando MagicA new energy: Sean Sweeney has been one of the hottest names on the assistant coach market, and some folks around the league are expecting him to step in from Day 1 and become one of the top head coaches. Sweeney\u2019s defensive mind played a massive part in San Antonio\u2019s run to the NBA Finals last season, and he also orchestrated the defense of the Mavs team that reached the 2024 finals. Mosley helped Orlando gradually improve in recent seasons. Sweeney is the exact kind of hire that helps a team like this, one that has felt stagnant at times but can reach the next level. \u2014 GuilloryPhiladelphia 76ersChampionship window: This is Philly\u2019s best chance to win, or even compete for, an NBA title since Hall of Famer Allen Iverson carried it to the finals 25 years ago. Joel Embiid has the best roster he\u2019s ever had around him, and LeBron James and Jaylen Brown have hung their hats on being available throughout their careers. Health will be the biggest question, but we\u2019ve had a new champion each of the past eight seasons. Why can\u2019t this be the year for the Sixers? \u2014 PattersonPhoenix SunsCollin Gillespie\u2019s growth: Only six NBA players took at least seven 3-pointers per game and shot better than 40 percent from behind the line last season. Gillespie, at 40.1 percent on 7.1 attempts from deep, was one of them. In his third NBA season, Gillespie averaged 12.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists to establish himself as a real NBA rotation player. When you watched a Suns game last season, the brilliance of Devin Booker always stuck out, but so did Gillespie\u2019s ability to make an impact in a variety of ways. \u2014 NehmPortland Trail BlazersReturn of a legend: It remains to be seen how Damian Lillard will play following a torn Achilles that unceremoniously ended his time in Milwaukee. But he\u2019s back in black and red, and it will be comforting to see Lillard once again knocking down 30-foot 3s in a Trail Blazers jersey. \u2014 Nehm\n Despite being injured, Damian Lillard won the 3-point contest at NBA All-Star Weekend last season.Kirby Lee \/ Imagn ImagesSacramento KingsDarius Acuff Jr.: The Kings once had De\u2019Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton and Davion Mitchell all on the same team! That\u2019s three lottery picks at point guard between 2017 and 2021. The Kings have been searching for a young guard, because they eventually traded all three. Acuff, Sacramento\u2019s first-round draft pick in June, gives the Kings a glimmer of hope amid the chaos of rebuilding. \u2014 JonesSan Antonio SpursBattle-tested Wemby: Victor Wembanyama with an edge could very much be the best player in the league. San Antonio didn\u2019t lose any rotational players from the team that made last season\u2019s finals, so the continuity will be there. You can pencil in a healthy Wemby as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate for roughly the next decade, but 2026-27 could be the season he becomes a perennial MVP candidate to round out his game. \u2014 PattersonToronto RaptorsKawhi Leonard: The two-time NBA Finals MVP immediately becomes Scottie Barnes\u2019 most talented teammate the moment the duo steps on the hardwood together. Depending on Leonard\u2019s availability, the tandem could blossom into one of the best in the league. There should be optimism among Raptors fans that their team has the talent to build on last season\u2019s success and advance to the second round of the postseason. \u2014 Patterson\n \n \n \n \n What You Should Read Next\n \n \n \n \n Kawhi Leonard not \u2018championship chasing\u2019 in Toronto: \u2018I took a liking to this city\u2019\n \n \n In a video released by the Raptors, Leonard reflected on his return to Toronto and said he wants to \"do whatever it takes to help.\"\n \n \n \n \n \n Utah JazzNo tank: The Jazz should be in the mix for the Play-In. That means the trade deadline should be about improving for the 2026-27 season, not preparing for the lottery. Utah has too much talent to be in tank mode. It\u2019s time to play meaningful games in March and April. \u2014 JonesWashington WizardsTrae Young\u2019s wizardry: It\u2019s tough to remember because he played only 15 games last season, but Young led the league with 11.6 assists per game in his last full season with the Hawks. It was his third straight season averaging 10 or more assists. With elite cross-court passing and creative alley-oops, few players in the league conduct an offense at a higher level than Young, and that will be fun to watch. \u2014 Nehm\nEric Nehm|Senior Writer, HeatFollow Hunter Patterson|Staff Writer, NBAFollow Jason Jones|Staff Writer, CultureFollow John Hollinger|Senior Writer, NBAFollow William Guillory|Staff Writer, Rockets and PelicansFollow Sep 24, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports termsPlay today's puzzleWhat did you think of this story?MEHSOLIDAWESOMETop",
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