NBA Team Names in 2024/2025

Here you can find all of the NBA team names in alphabetical order so you can learn about each of the teams competing this upcoming season. Along with a snapshot of each of these basketball teams, we’ll also give you some tips on how to place bets on the National Basketball Association in this 2024/2025.

NBA Teams List Alphabetical Order

NBA Team Name	Location	Conference	Division	Year Founded
Atlanta Hawks	Atlanta, Georgia	Eastern Conference	Southeast Division	1946 (1)
Boston Celtics	Boston, Massachusetts	Eastern Conference	Atlantic Division	1946
Brooklyn Nets	New York City, New York	Eastern Conference	Atlantic Division	1967 (2)
Charlotte Hornets	Charlotte, North Carolina	Eastern Conference	Southeast Division	2004 (3)
Chicago Bulls	Chicago, Illinois	Eastern Conference	Central Division	1966
Cleveland Cavaliers	Cleveland, Ohio	Eastern Conference	Central Division	1970
Dallas Mavericks	Dallas, Texas	Western Conference	Southwest Division	1980
Denver Nuggets	Denver, Colorado	Western Conference	Northwest Division	1967 (4)
Detroit Pistons	Detroit, Michigan	Eastern Conference	Central Division	1937 (5)
Golden State Warriors	San Francisco, California	Western Conference	Pacific Division	1946 (6)
Houston Rockets	Houston, Texas	Western Conference	Southwest Division	1967 (7)
Indiana Pacers	Indianapolis, Indiana	Eastern Conference	Central Division	1967 (8)
Los Angeles Clippers	Inglewood, California	Western Conference	Pacific Division	1970 (9)
Los Angeles Lakers	Los Angeles, California	Western Conference	Pacific Division	1946 (10)
Memphis Grizzlies	Memphis, Tennessee	Western Conference	Southwest Division	1995 (11)
Miami Heat	Miami, Florida	Eastern Conference	Southeast Division	1988
Milwaukee Bucks	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Eastern Conference	Central Division	1968
Minnesota Timberwolves	Minneapolis, Minnesota	Western Conference	Northwest Division	1989
New Orleans Pelicans	New Orleans, Louisiana	Western Conference	Southwest Division	2002/2007 (12)
New York Knicks	New York City, New York	Eastern Conference	Atlantic Division	1946
Oklahoma City Thunder	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma	Western Conference	Northwest Division	1967 (13)
Orlando Magic	Orlando, Florida	Eastern Conference	Southeast Division	1989
Philadelphia 76ers	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Eastern Conference	Atlantic Division	1947 (14)
Phoenix Suns	Phoenix, Arizona	Western Conference	Pacific Division	1968
Portland Trail Blazers	Portland, Oregon	Western Conference	Northwest Division	1970
Sacramento Kings	Sacramento, California	Western Conference	Pacific Division	1923 (15)
San Antonio Spurs	San Antonio, Texas	Western Conference	Southwest Division	1967/71 (16)
Toronto Raptors	Toronto, Ontario	Eastern Conference	Atlantic Division	1995
Utah Jazz	Salt Lake City, Utah	Western Conference	Northwest Division	1974 (17)
Washington Wizards	Washinton, D.C.	Eastern Conference	Southwest Division	1961 (18)

1. 1946 (NBL, Buffalo Bison) 1946 (NBA, Tri-City Blackhawks) 1951 (NBA, Milwaukee Hawks) 1955 (NBA, St. Louis Hawks) 1968 (NBA, Atlanta Hawks)
2. 1967 (ABA, New Jersey Americans) 1968 (ABA, New York Nets) 1976 (NBA) 1977 (NBA, New Jersey Nets) 2012 (NBA, Brooklyn Nets)
3. (Charlotte Bobcats) 2014 (Charlotte Hornets)
4. 1967 (ABA, Denver Rockets) 1974 (ABA, Denver Nuggets) 1976 (NBA)
5. 1937 (Semi-Pro, Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons) 1941 (NBL) 1948 (BAA/NBA) Fort Wayne Pistons) 1957 (Detroit Pistons)
6. 1946 (Philadelphia Warriors) 1962 (San Francisco Warriors) 1971 (Golden State Warriors)
7. 1967 (San Diego Rockets) 1971 (Houston Rockets)
8. 1967 (ABA) 1976 (NBA)
9. 1970 (Buffalo Braves) 1978 (San Diego Clippers) 1984 (Los Angeles Clippers)
10. 1946 (NBL, Detroit Gems) 1947 (NBL, Minneapolis Lakers) 1948 (NBA) 1960 (NBA, Los Angeles Lakers)
11. 1995 (Vancouver Grizzlies) 2001 (Memphis Grizzlies)
12. 2002/2007 (New Orleans Hornets) 2005 (New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets) 2013 (New Orleans Pelicans)
13. 1967 (Seattle Supersonics) 2008 (Oklahoma City Thunder)
14. 1947 (NBL, Syracuse Nationals) 1949 (NBA) 1963 (NBA, Philadelphia 76ers)
15. 1923 (Rochester Seagrams) 1942 (Rochester Eber Seagrams) 1943 (Rochester Pros) 1945 (NBL Rochester Royals) 1948 (NBA) 1957 (NBA, Cincinnati Royals) 1975
16. 1967/71 (ABA, Dallas Chaparrals) 1970 (Texas Chaparrals) 1973 (ABA, San Antonio Spurs) 1976 (NBA)
17. 1974 (New Orleans Jazz) 1979 (Utah Jazz)
18. 1961 (Chicago Packers) 1962 (Chicago Zephyrs) 1963 (Baltimore Bullets) 1973 (Capital Bullets) 1974 (Washington Bullets) 1997 (Washington Wizards)

How Many Teams Are in the NBA?

There are currently 30 NBA teams. On each NBA team they typically have 15 players on their active roster, with several other players rostered through their G League development system on two-way contracts.

Each of these 30 teams belong to one of two conferences and one of the three divisions within each conference. The NBA is divided between the Eastern and Western Conference, with the Atlantic, Central, and Southeast divisions residing in the East, while the Northwest, Pacific, and Southwest division exist in the West.

Each NBA division features five teams respectively, bringing the total of each conference to 15 teams.

NBA Playoff seeding is conference based, with the top six teams from each conference earning automatic bids to the postseason. The teams that finish 7th-10th will then faceoff in the Play-in Tournament to determine the final two seeds in the postseason.

In the play-in tournament the 7th and 8th-seeded teams will face each other with the winner earning the 7th seed in the NBA playoffs. Meanwhile, the 9th and 10th-placed teams will square off in order to earn a shot to play the loser of the 7 vs 8 seed matchup. The loser of the 7 vs 8 seed game then faces the winner of the 9 vs 10 seed matchup in order to determine who will claim the final playoff spot in each conference.

Betting on NBA Teams

One of the best ways to take the excitement of watching the NBA to the next level is by betting on it!

Placing bets on NBA teams provides you with more investment into a matchup’s outcome, regardless if you’re a fan of the teams playing or not. There’s a variety of ways to bet on the NBA, all of which come with their own unique winning criteria and value.

First, make sure you open an account with a good NBA sportsbook. For daily NBA bets, you can place moneyline bets (picking the winner), point spread bets (betting a team to win by a set amount), point total bets (the total combined points scored in a game), as well as prop bets (bets on specific events or milestones in the game) on any game taking place.

Along with traditional game lines, NBA bettors can also look toward the end of the season with NBA futures bets. Futures bets allow you to wager on events that are yet to occur such as who will win the MVP trophy, who will lead the league in scoring, as well as picking the winner of the NBA Championship.

If you’re new to sports betting and want to learn more about how you can win while wagering on the latest NBA odds, check out our NBA news page to get daily picks, predictions, and expert analysis to help you boost your bankroll while betting on the NBA in 2025.

NBA Teams List

Learn more about each of the NBA teams in alphabetical order below such as their top players, coaches, a recap of their performance last season, and a forecast on what to expect from them in the 2024-25 season. If you’re an NBA bettor, you can use this information to help you determine how you want to place your next bet on each squad heading into the regular season.

Atlanta Hawks 

After a disappointing finish to their 2023-24 season, the Atlanta Hawks are hopefully up for a resurgent season this year.

The Hawks kicked off their retooling period with Lady Luck on their side as they won the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery with just a 3% chance to nab the top pick. With the first overall selection, the Hawks selected Zaccharie Risacher, a forward out of France.

In the offseason the Hawks stayed busy, trading All-Star guard Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for G Dyson Daniels, F/C Larry Nance Jr., F E.J. Lidell, Cody Zeller, and Two Future 1st Round Picks.

Looking to enter into a new era of Hawks basketball around All-Star point guard Trae Young, the Hawks are projected to have another mediocre season in 2025, but are moving in the right direction with the future in mind.

Boston Celtics 

The Boston Celtics finally went the distance with their star-studded roster, claiming the franchise’s record-setting 18th NBA Championship, their first since 2008.

After returning their entire championship core from a season ago, the Celtics are currently the favourite to win the 2025 NBA Championship. Featuring All-Star talents in Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holliday, and Derrick White, the Celtics are truly the team to beat this season.

Led by Head Coach Joe Mazzula, the Celtics will look to become the first team to win back-to-back NBA Championships since the 2017-2018 Golden State Warriors.

Brooklyn Nets

Currently in the middle of a rebuild, expectations are low for the Brooklyn Nets in 2025. The Nets made their intentions clear heading into this season after trading away star player Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks in exchange for a boatload of draft capital.

With their eyes set toward the future, the Nets have made it clear that their ambitions aren’t focused on winning basketball games this season.

Hoping to build around young talent in C Nic Claxton and G Cam Thomas, the Nets are looked at as sellers in the NBA. With valuable NBA veterans like Dorian Finney-Smith, Denis Schroeder, and Bojan Bogdanovic all under contract, the Nets will look to collect draft capital this season as they look to swing for the fences in the upcoming NBA Draft.

In what’s sure to be a development season for the Nets, look for wins to come at a premium for the Nets in their upcoming campaign.

Charlotte Hornets

Desperate to make their return to the NBA Playoffs, the Charlotte Hornets are looking to finally take a step in the right direction. Built around All-Star guard LaMelo Ball, the Hornets paired the young star with one of the best rookies from last season in Brandon Miller to make a dynamic scoring backcourt in Charlotte.

Having failed to make the postseason in eight-straight seasons, the Hornets will be hungry to finally string together a competitive campaign in 2025.

While expectations are low on this young team, don’t sleep on the upside of the Hornets as they could be on the verge of breaking out if they can remain healthy and focused on winning this season.

Chicago Bulls 

Sitting in no-mans land, the Chicago Bulls need to find a direction to go in heading into the 2025 season. Still rostering standout talents in Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, and Lonzo Ball, they could be sellers ahead of the trade deadline.

Alternatively, if Head Coach Billy Donovan can find a way to make this roster work, the Bulls still possess plenty of talent that could have them making a run at a playoff birth. After acquiring budding-star Josh Giddey from the Oklahoma City Thunder this offseason, the Bulls have added another strong young piece to go along with Coby White, Patrick Williams, and rookie Matas Buzelis.

The Bulls 2024-25 NBA season could go a number of ways, with oddsmakers projecting them to only win around 27-29 games this year. Regardless of what they decide to do, it’s going to be a drama-filled season for the Bulls.

Cleveland Cavaliers 

Coming off of a solid 2023-24 season, the Cleveland Cavaliers will look to continue growing as Championship contenders in the Eastern Conference.

After taking down the Orlando Magic in a hard-fought seven-game series in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs, the Cavs fell to the Boston Celtics in five games. While it was a disappointing way to end their year, the Cavaliers did manage to take a game of the Celtics who only lost three total games throughout their 2024 playoff run.

While speculation remains with the Cavaliers as they still sport an unusually constructed roster with the backcourt of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, as well as the frontcourt with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, the Cavs are sure to once again be a top team in the East this season.

Dallas Mavericks 

After finally breaking through and reaching the NBA Finals as the 5th-seed in the Western Conference, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks may be the team to beat in the West this season.

Paired alongside co-star Kyrie Irving in the backcourt, many believe superstar Luka Doncic to be the best basketball player on the planet. With their immense talent, as well as the addition of one of the best three-point shooters in NBA history, Klay Thompson, to the mix, the Mavericks are going to be a ferocious offensive squad.

While there are still uncertainties surrounding their defensive abilities, the star power, championship experience, and overall team chemistry possessed by the Mavs have them poised to make another deep run in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

Denver Nuggets 

Looking to reclaim their NBA Championship after getting knocked out of the postseason at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves in a thrilling game seven matchup, the Denver Nuggets are as motivated as ever heading into the 2024-25 season.

Led by arguably the best basketball player in the world in three-time NBA MVP, Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets will always have a chance to win on a nightly-basis. However, this year’s roster is far weaker than those in recent years, sporting one of the worst bench units across the NBA.

While the Nuggets were able to go out and secure former-MVP Russell Westbrook, he will not be enough to take the Nuggets back into Championship glory. Look for the Nuggets to take as step back this season as they have gotten worse, while the rest of the West has gotten better.

Detroit Pistons 

Hot off the heels of yet another bleak season, things aren’t getting any brighter for the Detroit Pistons as they continue to be bottom dwellers in the Eastern Conference heading into the 2024-25 season.

While the Pistons have struck gold in the draft having added G Cade Cunningham and C Jalen Duren to their roster in recent years, they still have struggled mightily to string together wins. After falling to the fifth-overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft after having the best odds to win the lottery outright, the Pistons seemingly can’t catch a break.

There’s still plenty of time for the Pistons to grow as a team, but something is going to have to give in order for their front office to have faith in the current construction of their roster.

Golden State Warriors 

In the 2023-24 NBA season, the Warriors failed to make the playoffs amidst a dramatic and turbulent regular season. After the Jordan Poole VS Draymond Green saga came to an end, the drama continued in San Francisco as the Warriors would reward Green with a massive extension, snubbing longtime star Klay Thompson in the process.

Due to this, Thompson became frustrated with the team, leading to his departure in the offseason. Additionally, Head Coach Steve Kerr continued to bump heads with his younger talent as they felt they weren’t being given enough opportunity to showcase their skills.

Even with their poor regular season last year, the Warriors still have one of the best players to ever step foot on a basketball court in Stephen Curry. Curry has the skills to keep the Warriors afloat this year, as budding stars Jonathan Kuminga and Brandon Podziemski will look to step up and emerge as top players on the new-look Dubs.

Hoping to go for one last title run, look for the Warriors to be a formidable force in the West once again as they look to rid the bad taste of last season out of their mouths.

Houston Rockets 

Having made strides in the right direction last season, the Houston Rockets appear to be on an upward trajectory in 2025.

Led by Head Coach Ime Udoka, the Rockets seemed to finally begin clicking last season. With standout young talents in Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun, paired with proven veterans in Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, the Rockets were in the postseason mix throughout last season.

With legitimate playoff aspirations, the Rockets hope to continue elevating their game as they make their return to the Western Conference playoffs for the first time since 2020.

Indiana Pacers 

One of the biggest risers in the NBA a season ago, the Indiana Pacers crushed expectations set for them as they went all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2014. While they ultimately ended up getting swept by the Boston Celtics, the Pacers proved that they’re one of the top teams within the Eastern Conference.

Led by their All-Star duo of Tyrese Halliburton and Pascal Siakam, the Pacers sport a well-rounded roster that is electrifying to watch on the offensive end. While they leave more to be desired defensively, when it comes to putting the ball through the hoop, nobody does it better than the Pacers.

Set to prove last year was no fluke, the Pacers are prepared to continue building around their current roster as they aim to remain in the top of the East in the 2024-25 season.

Los Angeles Clippers 

After having several seasons with championship aspirations, the Los Angeles Clippers for lack of better words are a dumpster fire right now.

The Clippers were eliminated in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks, leading to their overall implosion in the offseason.

Longtime star Paul George packed his bags and shipped off to the Philadelphia 76ers in hopes of finally capturing the elusive NBA Championship, meanwhile franchise cornerstone Kawhi Leonard is once again down and out indefinitely with yet another injury.

Leaving 35-year-old James Harden to carry the Clippers subpar roster for the first half of the 2024-25 NBA season, the Clippers are sure to struggle this year. To make matters worse, even if they were to finish in the bottom of the NBA standings, they don’t own their own first round pick until 2030.

As they continue to move out of the shadow of their Los Angeles counterparts, the Lakers, the Clippers will be playing their first season in their newly constructed arena in Inglewood, the Intuit Dome. While owner Steve Balmer has invested no shortage of time and money into this team, the Clippers latest saga has been an utter failure and the ball might just be beginning to roll.

Los Angeles Lakers 

When you’ve got LeBron James on your roster, you can never truly be counted out. With the clock ticking on his NBA tenure, this may be a make-or-break season for the current Lakers roster.

In the offseason the Lakers put more of their focus on keeping The King happy rather than creating a winning basketball team. After selecting Bronny James (LeBron’s son) with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Lakers might be looking for more sentimental success rather than title contention this season.

While the Lakers are still sure to be one of the better teams in the West with the ageless James and co-star Anthony Davis, they are more of B-list playesr in the conference when compared to the upper echelon of the NBA.

Memphis Grizzlies 

Primed to bounce back in a big way in the 2024-25 NBA season, the Memphis Grizzlies may be one of the biggest sleeper squads in the league this year.

With superstar point guard Ja Morant finally back and fully healthy, the Grizzlies are hungry to reclaim their spot among the best in the Western Conference. The last full season the Grizzlies had with Morant, they finished second in the conference with 51 wins. Now equipped with an improved supporting cast since that time, the Grizz are fully equipped to make a run this season.

Out of hibernation and ready to rumble, the Grizzlies are set to exceed expectations this season and could be ready to make a deep run in this year’s playoffs.

Miami Heat 

Struggling to maintain consistent play over their last few seasons, the Miami Heat are still one of the toughest teams in the Eastern Conference.

With a never-say-die attitude, the Heat exemplified their ability to play hard against all forms of adversity, stealing a game in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs against the eventual NBA Champions, the Boston Celtics. The Heat managed to do this without their top player in Jimmy Butler in their lineup to boot.

While the Heat certainly still hold high upside, they still have several exploitable holes within their current roster construction. Needing to make a big move in order to become legitimate title contenders, this could wind up being yet another lacklustre season for the Heat.

Milwaukee Bucks 

It wasn’t long ago that the Milwaukee Bucks sat atop the NBA world, but since then have failed to recapture the same momentum. After looking to go-for-broke last offseason by acquiring All-NBA point guard Damian Lillard, the first season of Dame in Milwaukee was a bust.

While the pairing of Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo seemed to be a no-brainer fit, the two failed to develop chemistry throughout the season. The Bucks also made a puzzling move by firing Head Coach Adrian Griffin ahead of the All-Star break despite his 30-13 record at the helm. They would then replace him with Doc Rivers, a coach who has struggled to get the most out of his teams in recent years.

Capping off their rough season with a first round exit as Giannis missed the postseason due to injury, the Bucks will need to do more in order to get back to the promised land in 2025.

Even though last season was a down year, don’t count out the Bucks just yet as they made strong moves in the offseason making them super equipped to make another title run in 2025.

Minnesota Timberwolves 

Nearly punching their ticket to the NBA Finals last season, the Minnesota Timberwolves have emerged as top contenders in the Western Conference. Led by superstar guard Anthony Edwards and four-time Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert, the T-Wolves have everything you need in a championship ball team.

The Timberwolves made a splash in the offseason, dealing longtime Timberwolf, Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks in exchange for G Donte DiVincenzo, F Julius Randle, F Keita Bates-Diop, and a future first round pick.

This move provides the Timberwolves with increased depth, as well as a more traditional fit at the power forward position with Randle.

Time will tell how the new-look T-Wolves will perform, but as of right now oddsmakers view them as one of the top teams in the NBA this season.

New Orleans Pelicans

Still trying to find their footing among the loaded Western Conference, the New Orleans Pelicans hope that their offseason moves are enough to push them back into the NBA Playoffs.

New Orleans took a risk this offseason trading for Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks as they looked to create a star-studded lineup alongside Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum. While these four are a sensational grouping of talent, basketball is played with five players on the court, and that includes a centre.

This is a fact that the Pelicans seemed to overlook this season as they have zero depth when it comes to big men this year. While they were able to centre select Yves Missi with the 21st pick in the NBA Draft, he is not ready to be thrust into a starting role on a would-be contender.

With this disproportionate lineup, the Pels have announced that six-foot-seven Herb Jones will be starting at the 5 for the beginning of their 2024-25 campaign. This can’t be a long term solution so keep a close eye on the Pelicans to make another move this season as they look to bring in a legitimate centre to sure-up their roster.

The Pelicans are still a terrific team overall, but until they address this issue they can’t be viewed as legitimate threats in the West.

New York Knicks 

After a thrilling postseason run, the New York Knicks have gone all-in on the 2024-25 season. Continuing to add former Villanova Wildcats to their lineup, the Knicks acquired Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets as they added valuable wing-depth to their lineup.

The Knicks also traded mainstay Julius Randle and sixth-man Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves for All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns.

With their newly-formed squad, the Knicks appear to be ready to make a run at the NBA Finals this season. Led by superstar point guard Jalen Brunson, the Knicks title aspirations will largely depend on the team’s overall health, something that has plagued teams coached by Tom Thibodeau historically.

Oklahoma City Thunder 

The top finishing team in the Western Conference last season, the Oklahoma City Thunder may just be scratching the surface of their potential.

Holding the best NBA Championship odds of any team in the West, the Thunder are rightfully projected to be a standout squad in the league. Returning MVP candidate (and Canadian) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, alongside emerging stars in Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, the Thunder are as complete a team as they come.

Along with top-end role players such as Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso, and Lu Dort, Oklahoma City is a perfectly well-rounded squad. After notching the top record in the West a year ago, the Thunder may be ready to explode for 60+ wins in the 2024-25 season.

Orlando Magic 

One of the biggest Cinderella stories of the 2023-24 NBA season, the Orlando Magic sped up their rebuild after capturing the fifth-seed in the Eastern Conference last year. Led by their star duo of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, the Magic still have untapped potential to pull from.

Sporting one of the best team defences under Head Coach Jamahl Mosley, the Magic play solid team basketball in order to win games. While they are still lacking in the scoring department, the Magic are quickly growing into one of the top teams to watch in the Eastern Conference this season.

Having earned their first taste of playoff basketball last season, look for the Magic to build off the momentum gained from their last campaign and come back even stronger this year.

Philadelphia 76ers 

Another squad that feels they have what it takes to claim the Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2025, the Philadelphia 76ers made a home run play this offseason. Going out and getting All-Star G/F Paul George, the 76ers now have one of the best starting fives in the league.

Pairing PG13 (now 8 I guess?) with former-MVP Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, the 76ers are sure to be one of the best teams in the league this season. Possessing terrific two-way play, the Sixers are built for playoff hoops.

Along with their star power, they also sport reliable veterans such as Kyle Lowry, Eric Gordon, and Andre Drummond to help put them over the edge. If the 76ers are able to stay healthy this season, they could be set for a deep postseason in 2025.

Phoenix Suns 

Seemingly having realized the errors of their ways from a season ago, the Phoenix Suns are back and ready for action this season. After struggling to pick up wins with their poorly-constructed roster, the Suns have righted some of their wrongs by creating a more sensible roster this season.

Still sporting their superstar duo of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, the Suns solved their point guard issue by nabbing Tyus Jones on a team friendly deal. While their bench unit is still fairly thin, the Suns are a much more conventionally functional squad that could be a handful to play in the postseason.

Ready to move past being swept in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, nobody will want to see the Suns once we reach the postseason thanks to their top-end talent.

Portland Trail Blazers 

Abandon all hope: this season is sure to be one to forget for fans of the Portland Trail Blazers. With a logjam at the centre position, failed young prospects, and no real direction to indicate where this team is headed, the Blazers are in a rough spot heading into the 2024-25 season.

Rostering several players who simply don’t fit their current mold such as Jerami Grant, DeAnde Ayton, and Robert Williams III, the Trail Blazers need to draw a line in the sand and start to build toward the future.

While they still have young players to build around like Scoot Henderson and Donovan Clingan, they will need to see some indisputable development as Head Coach Chauncey Billups seemed lost at times behind the bench in 2024.

Potentially the worst team in the Western Conference in 2025, don’t go hitching your wagon to the Trail Blazers this season.

Sacramento Kings 

Locked and loaded with a new and improved roster, the Sacramento Kings are looking to cement themselves as one of the top teams in the Western Conference in 2025.

After coming up short of the NBA Playoffs last year, the Kings made a splash in the offseason by bringing in top-tier bucket-getter, DeMar DeRozan. Adding DeRozan to an already talented team featuring All-Star talents DeAaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, the Kings are hopeful to make their return to the postseason this year.

While the West is loaded with competitive squads, the Kings certainly have terrific upside and could be a dark horse contender in 2025.

San Antonio Spurs 

After landing generational talent Victor Wembanyama in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Spurs appear to be back on track to competing for an NBA title in the next few years.

With a legitimate franchise cornerstone in Wembanyama, the Spurs have positioned themselves well to build around the 20-year-old French phenom. Along with him, the Spurs also bolster several other intriguing young prospects such as Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, and Stephen Castle.

The Spurs made a smart move in the offseason by bringing in on of the best point guards in NBA history, Chris Paul to help add a veteran voice in the locker room, as well as a floor general on the court.

While they are still a few years away from being a postseason threat, the Spurs may surprise people this season and make a push to the playoffs if their young talent can continue to develop at their current rate.

Toronto Raptors 

Celebrating their 30th year as an NBA franchise, the Toronto Raptors are in desperate need of a positive season. Fully embracing the rebuild last year, the Raptors traded longtime members of the roster Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers, and OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks.

Now constructing their roster around All-Star swingman Scottie Barnes, the Raptors 2024-25 season could go a number of ways. While the Raptors have plenty of proven talent scattered across their roster, this team is still incredibly inexperienced overall and lacks on-court chemistry.

In what is likely going to be the first of several rebuilding years, the Raptors will be looking to the future, rather than competing for a playoff spot in 2025.

Utah Jazz 

The offseason provided no shortage of speculation for the Utah Jazz as they were prominently featured in trade talks surrounding their All-Star forward, Lauri Markannen. After turning down all possible suitors, the Jazz handed the Finn Reaper the keys to the franchise with a 5-year contraction extension.

Still in the early stages of a rebuild, the Jazz have several valuable trade pieces on their roster that could be used to help bolster a contending teams roster, as well as add some valuable draft capital to their war room.

While the Jazz may not be gunning for the postseason in 2025, they still have a competitive team that has the possibility to exceed expectations if they stand pat.

Washington Wizards

Long gone are the days of John Wall, Bradley Beal, and playoff basketball, as the Washington Wizards project to be the worst team in the NBA this season.

After only managing to win 15 games a season ago, things could potentially be even worse in 2025. Relying on Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma to lead the charge for them is never a good sign. Mixed in with their overall inexperience and lack of fire on the court, the Wiz are set to be the punching bag of the NBA this season.

It’s going to be a rough year for fans in the DMV this season, look away while you can because the 2025 Wizards season is going to get ugly quick, and stay that way.

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