Our player preview series for the 2026 Clippers continues with All-Star James Harden, the Clippers’ locker room leader and chief ballhandler.

Basic Information

Height: 6’5

Weight: 220 pounds

Position: Point Guard

Age: 36

Years in NBA: 16

Regular Season Stats: 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 4.3 turnovers in 35.3 minutes per game across 79 games played (all starts) on 41.0/35.2/87.4 shooting splits (8.5 3PA, 7.3 FTA) with 58.2% TS

Contract Status: Signed a two-year, $81.5M deal this summer with a $39.2M salary this season and a $42.3M player option next summer

Expectations

James Harden blew all of last year’s expectations out of the water with a frankly incredible 2025 season where he carried the Clippers on offense just about the entire year until Kawhi returned to full health towards season’s end. He had some down stretches, but the totality of his numbers is still very impressive considering his age, miles, and lack of offensive support for much of the year.

However, all that said, there seems to be a pretty open understanding in the Clippers front office, coaching staff, and even with Harden himself that a repeat of the 2025 season is unlikely. Harden simply can’t play that many games with that minutes and creation load again, and the Clippers took steps to ensure he wouldn’t have to by signing Chris Paul and Bradley Beal to bolster their ballhandling and playmaking. Thus, I’d say expectations for Harden are much more in line with his 2024 campaign, with scoring in the mid to high teens, assists in the eight to 10 range, and lower turnovers than last year while being a more efficient scorer. He is locked in as the Clippers’ starting point guard and lead playmaker, and I have every expectation he will be good in that role this year, even if his numbers go down from last season.

Strengths

For all of Harden’s capabilities as a scorer, his passing ability is what will be most valuable on this Clippers team. Harden is 13^th all-time in the NBA in assists, and has an outside chance at getting to 10^th this season. He’s a brilliant passer that can manipulate the defense in all manner of ways to create open shots. This year, with the addition of both a thunderous rim-runner (John Collins) and a shooting big man (Brook Lopez), Harden will have even more avenues to success as a playmaker. There are only a few players in the league who are better at making offense easier for their teammates than Harden, and if the Clippers are going to have a good offense this year they will need Harden to keep the trains running on time.

While not nearly the scorer he was in his prime (when he led the league in scoring three years in a row), James is still a major scoring threat, averaging close to 23 points per game on excellent efficiency. He doesn’t take nearly as many threes or get to the line as much as earlier in his career due to a decrease in explosiveness, but players who take as many threes and get to the line as much as him per game can still be counted on the fingers of one hand. The mid-level scoring remains a bit hit-or-miss, and I wish Harden would get that 15-foot midrange jumper down, but there’s no denying he can still get buckets. On nights when the three-point shot is humming, Harden can still look almost unstoppable.

There’s no doubt that Harden was the leader of the 2025 Clippers. Some might scoff and say that very fact is why the Clippers floundered in the Nuggets series and capitulated completely in Game 7. Maybe. Yet, there’s no denying that Harden was the most accountable player on the Clippers last year, for better or worse, and that the team’s identity and culture (almost entirely positive) were attributed to Harden’s leadership. Nothing seems to have changed so far, with Harden organizing a mini-camp before the Clippers training camp and clearly being discussed as the head of the team. There might be some downside to Harden being the team leader, but it’s also refreshing to have a star player being the actual face of the team after five years of Paul George and Kawhi dodging that burden.

James Harden has been an iron man most of his career. He dealt with some injuries from 2021 to 2023 when on the Nets and Sixers, but rarely missed games during his prime in Houston, and has played 72 and 79 games in his two years with the Clippers. That availability was a big part of the Clippers’ success last year, both in terms of Harden’s ability to carry the offense and on-court chemistry. Hopefully the Clippers will be able to rest Harden a bit more this year to decrease his minutes per game as well as maybe his games played a tad, but compared to many of the Clippers’ other players Harden has a big edge for availability.

Weaknesses

On a game-in, game-out basis, the main flaw in James Harden’s game is that he can be a subpar defender. During the grind of an 82-game season, his effort can wax and wane, and there are nights where it is just noticeable he isn’t putting in a lot of work on that end. Even when he is trying, Harden’s just not quick laterally anymore, which means he will get picked on by quicker guards when cross-matched. He is strong and good at checking larger players, and his quick hands allow him to rack up steals, so he’s not a total zero on that end. However, Harden’s defense will be an issue come playoff time should the Clippers get there, and there will be a good chunk of regular season games where his defense will be a frustration.

Harden’s biggest criticism throughout his career might be his checkered playoff history. While most players’ performance declines in the playoffs (better game planning, higher quality of opponents, increase of pressure, etc.), Harden’s issues go a bit beyond that. His numbers do dip in the postseason (though on the whole they’re still quite good), but the pattern of his play is what’s unfortunate, as he generally plays well early on in series and wilts as the games mount in importance. Some (maybe even a lot) of that is fatigue due to the immense load that Harden has had to carry on offense for most of his teams. But there’s just no denying that Harden tightens up in those moments, revealed most consistently by his lack of aggression. It’s something that the Clippers will have to deal with if they reach the playoffs, though Harden has also had several incredible playoff performances for the Clippers.

Summary

James Harden is one of the Clippers’ most important players for the 2026 season. If he can be just as effective as he was last year, albeit in a somewhat lesser role, the Clippers will probably be in decent shape. His ability to floor raise on offense is critical for a Clippers’ roster that’s still relatively short on playmaking and explosiveness, and they’ll need him to be a playoff team. While there’s a chance that this season could be the end of the road for Harden with the Clippers (he has a player option for next year that he could decline if he has another great season), their two-year partnership has been an overall very positive one, and I’d imagine that continues into this third year.

2026 Clippers Player Preview: James Harden
Robert Flom

Our player preview series for the 2026 Clippers continues with second-year Cam Christie, who is likely in for another season of being a deep bench fixture with extensive stints in the G-League.

Basic Information

Height: 6’5

Weight: 195 pounds

Position: Shooting Guard

Age: 20

Years in NBA: 1

Regular Season Stats: 1.4 points, 0.9 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.2 turnovers in 4.5 minutes per game across 13 games played (0 starts) on 29.2/15.4/50 shooting splits with 34.9% TS

Contract Status: Is in the second year of a four-year deal making $1.96M this year with non-guaranteed money next year and a team option the following season

Expectations

Cam Christie’s expectations are the same this year as last year, which is to say he has just about none. Still only 20 years old on a deep, veteran team, a lot of players would need to get injured for Cam to have a real role on the Clippers. Instead, it’s most likely that he spends a lot of the year in the G-League once more, and rides the pine when up in the NBA. I hope that his shot falls more this year than his first season in the pros, and that he continues to get stronger to be more effective on offense and defense. Still, it’s very unlikely we see any of that in NBA games that matter.

Strengths

Cam’s biggest strength as a prospect is his three-point shooting, as he has a beautiful, natural, and clean outside shot with fairly good results to match. That shot did not go in at a high rate in the G-League or in his brief NBA stints, but the Clippers have given no indication that they’ve lost trust in him as a shooter. If Cam is to have a real NBA career, it will probably be on the back of his jumper turning out to be a legitimate weapon.

Cam offers full shooting guard size at 6’5 with a solid wingspan, and as a frame that should fill out as he gets older. Thus, even if he’s not a plus defender now, there are no physical limitations on him becoming a competent defender as he gets more experience and adds more strength.

Weaknesses

Right now, Cam’s weaknesses are that he has not shown anything as an NBA player. He’s not a tremendous athlete, which limits his upside on both ends of the court. Cam’s handle is fairly rudimentary, mitigating his ability to create shots for himself off the dribble. And, finally, he’s just not strong enough to push past players on offense when attacking the rim or keep in front of opposing drivers on defense. Even though the tools are there, Cam is not ready to be an NBA rotation player yet. And, for a player his age that was drafted in the second round in a bad draft, that’s fine!

Summary

This is sneakily an important year for Cam, even though it’s his 2^nd season and he’s only 20. After this season, his next contract year is non-guaranteed, and the year after is a team option. Thus, if he disappoints or does not progress, the Clippers can very easily move on from him. Cam is young, has a gorgeous looking shot, and pedigree, but your chance in the NBA can evaporate quickly. Even if Cam doesn’t really get a shot in the NBA this season, I think he will be on next year’s Clippers’ roster as long as he continues to improve and do what the coaching staff asks of him. Hopefully he makes strides in his sophomore campaign.

2026 Clippers Player Preview: Cam Christie
Robert Flom

Our player preview series for the 2026 Clippers continues with Bogdan Bogdanovic, who will hopefully be providing a scoring punch off the bench this year.

Basic Information

Height: 6’5

Weight: 220 pounds

Position: Shooting Guard

Age: 33

Years in NBA: 8

Regular Season Stats (with Clippers): 11.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.2 turnovers in 25.5 minutes per game across 30 games played (4 starts) on 47.4/42.7/87.5 shooting splits (4.8 3PA, 1.1 FTA) with 60.8% TS

Contract Status: Has two years left on a four year, $68M deal – $16.02M this year and a team option for the same amount next year

Expectations

I’d say Bogi has some of the more unclear expectations on the Clippers this year. The stars are the stars, the deep bench guys have no expectations, and a lot of the other role players have fairly set roles. Bogi, however, is a bit up in the air. The Clippers have 11 rotation-caliber players, and of them, 7 seem very locked into big roles. Bogi is one of the four who is not, making it theoretically plausible that he’s out of the rotation when the Clippers are fully healthy. On the other hand, if he’s healthy and playing well, it’s quite possible that he’s a key part of the rotation. When he does play, fans and the Clippers will expect a scoring punch off the bench with strong off-ball shooting, catch-and-shoot threes at volume, and tertiary ball-handling and creation.

Strengths

Bogi’s best strength as an NBA player is undoubtedly his three-point shooting. For his career, Bogi has made 38.2% of his threes while averaging 6.4 attempts per game. Neither number is elite, but both are very good, and in his best seasons Bogi has bettered those averages by significant margins. Bogi can shoot off the catch, off movement, and off the dribble, and has ability to shoot all around the arc. He’s not an A+ shooter, but he’s probably in the A- range, and that has real value.

The rest of Bogi’s offensive game is not too shabby either. While he’s never been great at getting to the rim or drawing fouls, Bogi is very capable of hitting pullup midrangers when given space to operate in the pick and roll, and is quite adept at attacking closeouts. Bogi also averages 3.2 assists per game for his career, not a bad number for a guy most people think of as a gunner. He can definitely be a secondary playmaker when paired with someone like James Harden or Trae Young, and is ability to do some creation and handling relieves the pressure on star players.

Weaknesses

Never a particularly good defender, Bogi looked downright creaky at points last season. He’s simply too slow to defend against the quicker guards, and is not strong enough to body up bigger players. Bogi is a smart player, tries hard, and knows where to be on defense, so he’s not truly awful over the course of an 82-game season, but there are certainly games and matchups where he can look overwhelmed.

Like so many other Clippers, Bogi’s availability is a real concern. He injured his hamstring playing in Eurobasket and is limited to start the Clippers’ training camp. Over the past five years, he’s played in 54, 79, 54, 63, and 44 games, which means he usually misses at least 20 games per year. The Clippers do have more guys who can create and handle the ball this year compared to last season, what with the additions of Brad Beal and Chris Paul (and a healthy start to Kawhi Leonard’s campaign), so Bogi getting injured is not as impactful, but it’s still something to consider.

Summary

Depending on how the Clippers play and who on the team stays healthy all year, Bogi could be an essential part of the team – or he could be an afterthought. Along those lines, Bogi is a fairly likely candidate to be moved due to his mid-sized salary and team option next year. I’ve always liked Bogi’s game and I think he’s a great fit personality-wise on this team, so I hope it works out for him. The median outcome is that he’s a solid bench player that helps the Clippers get some regular season wins but fades from the rotation in the playoffs, and that’s a perfectly fine end result if that’s what happens.

2026 Clippers Player Preview: Bogdan Bogdanovic
Robert Flom

Our player preview series for the 2026 Clippers begins with Bradley Beal, the Clippers’ highest-profile offseason addition.

Basic Information

Height: 6’4

Weight: 207 pounds

Position: Shooting Guard

Age: 32

Years in NBA: 14

Regular Season Stats: 17.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.9 turnovers in 32.1 minutes per game across 53 games played (38 starts) on 49.7/38.6/80.3 shooting splits (5.0 3PA, 2.6 FTA) with 59.8% TS

Contract Status: Signed a 2 year, $11M deal this summer with a player option for 26-27

Expectations

The expectations are for Bradley Beal to be a key player on the 2026 Clippers, a team that is hoping to make a real playoff run. Most people expect Beal to start, though some would prefer he come off the bench to both give the bench more juice as well as balance the starting lineup with more defense. Regardless, Beal is expected to score for the Clippers somewhere in the high teens or low 20s, and probably serve as their third or fourth-leading scorer behind Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and maybe Ivica Zubac (or maybe Harden’s scoring takes a backseat and he moves to fourth in scoring). People hope that Beal will provide more of a balanced offensive punch compared to Norm Powell, with added passing and ballhandling making up for a deficit in straight up scoring.

Strengths

Beal’s biggest strength by far is his overall scoring package. While not nearly as dynamic as he was in his prime, when he averaged 30 points per game in consecutive seasons, Beal still averaged 17 points per game last year on excellent efficiency. He shot well from three in his two seasons in Phoenix after a few years of down three-point shooting, is money from midrange, and a good finisher around the rim. In short, while he doesn’t get to the line much anymore, he’s a very solid three-level scorer for a player who is no longer a star.

Beal’s other strengths are that he’s been a relatively well-rounded producer for much of his career. While his rebounds (3.3) and assists (3.7) in 2025 were the lowest they’ve been since the 2017 season, even those numbers are significantly higher than those of recent Clippers’ starters at shooting guard like Norm Powell and Amir Coffey. Beal is certainly not someone who is good enough to be a lead playmaker or ballhandler, but he’s competent enough to handle secondary actions and run pick and rolls when called upon. Even on nights when his shot is off, he will probably give the Clippers a bit more in other areas than their other scoring guards in the past few years.

Weaknesses

Beal’s biggest weakness is very simple: his availability. In the past six years, Beal has played in 53, 53, 50, 40, 60, and 57 games, and even with the earliest two seasons being COVID-shortened campaigns, that’s a lot of missed time. Beal has not really had truly serious injuries like a torn Achilles or ACL, but he gets banged up a lot and has just constantly been in and out of lineups over the past four years in particular. That lack of availability doesn’t just mean he’s not on the court, but it also damages rotation cohesion and on-court chemistry with other players. Even though he was decent his first year in Phoenix and had fine-enough production stats in his second year, his consistent inability to remain in the lineup for long stretches was a big reason those teams underperformed (among many other reasons, to be fair). Beal is already limited in camp due to a minor knee procedure he held in May, but hopefully that doesn’t linger too long.

Secondly, Beal’s defense has not been good for years. He was a decent defender for the first half of his career, and has the frame and strength to be competent at that end of the floor, but too often gets beat off the dribble or falls asleep off-ball. At least some of those issues are correctable, and the hope is that with Jeff Van Gundy in his ear and the Clippers’ culture of defense hopefully still carrying over from last year, Beal will be at least fine on that end this year. It’s certainly possible that he improves on that end compared to prior years, but defense has been a soft spot for some time now and there’s a good chance it remains that way this season.

Finally, I think there has to be at least some wariness at adding Beal from a locker room perspective. Despite the disastrous nature of his tenure with the Suns, there was never anything open about his clashing with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, or other Suns players, and he seems generally well-liked around the league. Suns reporters have told me that he was good to deal with in the media and seems like a solid guy. However, there’s no denying that his effort was bad most of last year, and even if there were reasons for that, that kind of poor effort can be contagious. I don’t anticipate this being an issue, but it does have to be mentioned. Along those lines, I think there are real arguments to be made that Beal should come off the bench for the Clippers, and he would probably not be very happy about that.

Summary

Bradley Beal is going to be an interesting bellwether for the Clippers this year. Not necessarily because he’s mission-critical on the court: I don’t think he will be. However, he’s a good litmus test for the overall team, as his biggest weaknesses – age, injury history, and potential locker-room drama – are the things that are most likely to plague the Clippers and prevent their season from being a success. I’m relatively high on Beal having a good season with the Clippers this year, but there’s also plenty of downside.

2026 Clippers Player Preview: Bradley Beal
Robert Flom

My NBA preview for the 2026 season will conclude with the Pacific Division, which should be one of the strongest in the league.

Los Angeles Clippers

Additions: John Collins, Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez, Chris Paul, Yanic Konan Niederhauser (30^th pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Norman Powell, Amir Coffey, Drew Eubanks, Ben Simmons, Patty Mills

Other: Re-signed James Harden

Outlook: It’s been a while since we’ve written or talked about the Clippers as an actual basketball team, as all discussion around the team for the past few weeks has been related to the Kawhi Leonard-Steve Ballmer-Aspiration story. After examining every other team’s depth chart for this exercise, it really does stand out how incredible the Clippers’ depth is. The Clippers go 11 deep in actual, good NBA rotation players, which is pretty much unheard of in the modern NBA. The Clippers’ biggest issue, once more, is age, as Harden, Kawhi, Brook, Batum, and CP3 are all in their mid to late 30s with Beal, Bogi, and Dunn in their early 30s. That makes age-related decline and injury woes more likely for the Clippers than other teams. Of course, depth makes it so that even if one or two players get injured the Clippers should weather the storm, but the Clippers are certainly precarious in that regard. On the court, there would be related worries about athleticism and ability to keep up with younger teams. I think the Clippers should once again be an excellent regular season squad, but I am skeptical about them making a long playoff run.

Prediction: 51-31 (Last year predicted 43-39, actually 50-32)

Los Angeles Lakers

Additions: De’Andre Ayton, Jake LaRavia, Marcus Smart, Adou Thiero (36th pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Dorian Finney-Smith, Jordan Goodwin, Shake Milton, Trey Jemison

Other: Signed Luka Doncic to a max extension, re-signed Jaxson Hayes

Outlook: The Lakers will have Luka Doncic, one of the best floor-raising players in the entire NBA, on their roster for a full season. They still have LeBron James and Austin Reaves. JJ Redick acquitted himself quite well in his coaching debut last year. The Lakers did a solid job in rounding out the roster with competent veterans who make sense around their stars. So why am I not higher on this team? Well, for as good as Luka is, historically his teams have been better in the postseason than in the regular season. LeBron was still awesome last year, but he’s one year older and he consistently misses games nowadays. I love Marcus Smart, but he has not been particularly healthy or effective the past two seasons. Ayton should be solid enough on both sides of the ball, but relying on him for heavy-duty center minutes with the backups being Hayes and small-ball with Jarred Vanderbilt is not super encouraging. On the whole, I think the Lakers will be quite good, and if they get to the playoffs healthy will be a fearsome opponent.

Prediction: 50-32 (Last year predicted 42-40, actually 50-32)

Golden State Warriors

Additions: Al Horford (predicted), De’Anthony Melton (predicted)

Subtractions: Kevon Looney, Lindy Waters III, Kevin Knox

Other: Jonathan Kuminga is still in restricted free agency, predicted to re-sign Gary Payton II

Outlook: The Warriors are nearly impossible to predict this season, as they currently just have 10 players on their roster (one of which is a two-way) with less than two weeks until training camp begins. The hold up is Jonathan Kuminga, who sits in limbo in restricted free agency, and at this point seems likely to accept the qualifying offer to return for one year. The Warriors have other moves lined up, the most notable being the signing of Al Horford, but none of it can be official until the Kuminga business is over. The Warriors have a strong core and some promising young players, but the Kuminga drama seems like it will carry on throughout the season, and that tension plus the age of Steph, Draymond, and Jimmy Butler makes it hard for me to imagine this team as a regular season juggernaut.

Prediction: 46-36 (Last year predicted 44-38, actually 48-34)

Sacramento Kings

Additions: Dennis Schroder, Nique Clifford (24^th pick in 2025 Draft), Maxime Raynaud (42^nd pick in 2025 Draft), Drew Eubanks, Dario Saric

Subtractions: Trey Lyles, Jonas Valanciunas, Jake LaRavia, Markelle Fultz, Jae Crowder, Terence Davis

Other: Re-signed Doug McDermott

Outlook: The Kings seem determined to be as thoroughly middle-of-the-road as possible, bringing in a roster that has some promising young players (Keegan Murray, Keon Ellis, Nique Clifford) but is overwhelmingly dominated by floor-raising yet ceiling-limited veterans (Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine). The Kings definitely have talent, and there’s way too much veteran competence for them to be awful. At the same time, there are major fit issues with their key players, defense feels like it will be a major struggle, and the West has gotten better while the Kings have stagnated. The Kings could win anywhere from 32 to 42 games and it wouldn’t surprise me, but this franchise seems on a direct line towards irrelevance once more.

Prediction: 37-45 (Last year predicted 47-35, actually 40-42)

Phoenix Suns

Additions: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Mark Williams, Khaman Maluach (10^th pick in 2025 Draft), Rasheer Fleming (31^st pick in 2025 Draft), Nigel Hayes-Davis, Jordan Goodwin, Jared Butler

Subtractions: Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, Tyus Jones, Mason Plumlee, Monte Morris, Bol Bol, TyTy Washington, Vasilije Micic, Cody Martin

Other: Signed Devin Booker to a max extension, replaced Mike Budenholzer with Jordan Ott as head coach, Re-signed Collin Gillespie

Outlook: The Suns have pivoted to a new phase around superstar Devin Booker, and their moves this summer were not all bad. Sure, trading away Kevin Durant hurt – and getting the overpaid, chucking Jalen Green back as one of the centerpieces of that deal hurts just as much. However, I liked the Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming picks in the draft, and the Suns seem to be re-orienting to younger pieces. There are still veterans on this roster, like Royce O’Neale, Grayson Allen, and the newly arrived Dillon Brooks, but more attention will be on players with upside, like Mark Williams, Ryan Dunn, and their rookies. The Suns will probably be pretty bad but not one of the worst teams in the league, and might even be an entertaining watch. After a couple of years of brutal disappointment, Suns fans could honestly be pleased with that result.

Prediction: 29-53 (Last year predicted 48-34, actually 36-46)

2026 NBA Season Preview: Pacific Division
Robert Flom

My preview for the 2026 NBA season continues with the Southwest Division, home to several very intriguing teams as well as the Pelicans.

Houston Rockets

Additions: Kevin Durant, Dorian Finney-Smith, Clint Capela, Josh Okogie

Subtractions: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Jock Landale, Cam Whitmore, Nate Williams Jr.

Other: Re-signed Jae’Sean Tate, Re-signed Aaron Holiday, Re-signed Jeff Green

Outlook: No team in the NBA made a clearer upgrade at a rotation spot than the Rockets, who dumped an inefficient, inconsistent, ball-stopping scorer in Jalen Green for Kevin Durant. The Rockets were an excellent defensive team last year that struggled on offense, and while KD won’t fix that issue himself, his electric scoring and shooting will make a huge difference. The Rockets not only added KD and other veterans, but can count on likely improvements from young players like Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr., and Tari Eason as well. The Rockets might still be a tad short on ball-handling and playmaking, but they are going to be a nightmare to play against on a nightly basis and should be a monster regular season team.

Prediction: 56-26 (Last year predicted 43-39, actually 52-30)

Dallas Mavericks

Additions: Cooper Flagg (1^st pick in 2025 Draft), D’Angelo Russell

Subtractions: Olivier Maxence-Prosper, Kessler Edwards

Other: Extended Kyrie Irving, Extended PJ Washington, Re-signed Daniel Gafford, Re-signed Dante Exum

Outlook: In my opinion, the Mavericks are one of the hardest teams to predict in the entire NBA. This is not just because there’s a looming question of when Kyrie Irving (their best scorer, ballhandler, and playmaker) might return. It’s also because the Mavericks got Cooper Flagg 1^st in the draft, and while Flagg is awesome, rookies are very, very rarely actually “good” in terms of helping teams win games. Flagg has the skillset to be one of those exceptions, as he’s extremely well-rounded and has an NBA body already. If Flagg pops right away, Anthony Davis stays healthy, and Kyrie returns towards the end of the season, the Mavs could be a 50+ win team. There is maybe an equally likely scenario where Davis is injured for long stretches, Flagg goes through typical rookie struggles, and Kyrie either doesn’t return or is only a shell of himself for the last handful of games. Splitting the difference, the Mavs will probably be competent, and I’d guess their record within a few games of .500.

Prediction: 44-38 (Last year predicted 51-31, actually 39-43)

Memphis Grizzlies

Additions: Ty Jerome, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cedric Coward (11^th pick in 2025 Draft), Jock Landale

Subtractions: Desmond Bane, Luke Kennard, Jay Huff, Lamar Stevens, Marvin Bagley

Other: Signed Jaren Jackson Jr. to a max extension, Re-signed Santi Aldama, Re-signed Cam Spencer

Outlook: After looking like an up-and-coming contender in 2022 and 2023, the Grizzlies backslid in 2024 and then plateaued last year. Accepting that the team was not where it needed to be, the Grizzlies made some massive changes, with their most significant move sending Desmond Bane to Orlando for a large haul of picks. The Grizzlies should still be decent this year – they have Ja Morant (when healthy), Jaren Jackson Jr., and a core of competent veterans with good depth – but the Bane trade was an admission that it was time to reload and plan for the longer term. If all breaks right for the Grizzlies, they’ll probably be a lower-end play-in team.

Prediction: 42-40 (Last year predicted 49-33, actually 48-34)

San Antonio Spurs

Additions: Dylan Harper (2^nd pick in 2025 Draft), Carter Bryant (14^th pick in 2025 Draft), Luke Kornet, Kelly Olynyk, Jordan McLaughlin, Lindy Waters III

Subtractions: Chris Paul, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Blake Wesley, Malaki Branham, Charles Bassey

Other: Signed De’Aaron Fox to a max extension, Re-signed Bismack Biyombo

Outlook: The Spurs are in an interesting spot. Victor Wembanyama is the highest-upside young player in the NBA, a virtual lock for Defensive Player of the Year if healthy and a likely All-NBA nominee. Going into his third season, the Spurs should be in no rush. However, they did trade for Fox last season and signed him to a massively overpriced extension this summer. That speeds up the Spurs timetable a little, though Fox is young enough that it doesn’t put them in too much of a rush. Conversely, the Spurs got draft lottery luck, moving up the 2^nd pick and selecting explosive guard Dylan Harper. There are some fit issues with Fox, Harper, and Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, but also a lot of talent. If Harper is really good right away, or if other young players besides Wemby take big steps forward, the Spurs could be an actual playoff team, but I think there’s not enough shooting or perimeter defense for them to get there this year.

Prediction: 39-43 (Last year predicted 31-51, actually 34-48)

New Orleans Pelicans

Additions: Jeremiah Fears (7^th pick in 2025 Draft), Derik Queen (13^th pick in 2025 Draft), Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, Kevon Looney, Jaden Springer, Jalen McDaniels

Subtractions: CJ McCollum, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Javonte Green, Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, Antonio Reeves, Lester Quinones

Other: Extended Herb Jones

Outlook: The Pelicans were one of the most disappointing teams in the NBA last year, with Dejounte Murray, Zion Williamson, and Brandon Ingram all missing extended time before Ingram was traded at the deadline. The Pelicans further “blew up” their roster of the past few years by moving on from another mainstay, CJ McCollum, and bringing in the younger Poole. However, the Pelicans’ biggest offseason move was trading their first round pick in 2026 to move up 10 picks in the 2025 draft to select Derik Queen. While I like Queen and Fears just fine as prospects, the value of getting Queen was outrageously high even before accounting for Queen’s awful fit with Zion. The Poole, Bey, and Looney pick-ups are all fine enough, but between Zion’s health woes, poor roster fits, and general franchise misery, it’s tough to see the Pelicans being good this year.

Prediction: 27-55 (Last year predicted 46-36, actually 21-61)

2026 NBA Season Preview: Southwest Division
Robert Flom

Next up in my 2026 NBA season preview is the Northwest Division, which is probably the strongest division in the entire NBA.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Additions: Thomas Sorber (15^th pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Dillon Jones

Other: Signed Jalen Williams to a max extension, Signed Chet Holmgren to a max extension, Re-signed Jaylin Williams, Signed Ajay Mitchell to an extension

Outlook: The Thunder are the defending NBA champions. After an insanely dominant regular season, the Thunder had some difficulties in the playoffs, getting taken to the bring by both the Nuggets and Pacers. However, they won nevertheless, and now bring an almost identical roster back for 2026 with almost no downside (Alex Caruso is their only main rotation player over the age of 30) and plenty of upside (Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, Nikola Topic, Ajay Mitchell, and more are all candidates for improvement). I don’t think the Thunder will go quite as hard in the regular season now that they’ve proven themselves, but they remain title favorites until we see otherwise.

Prediction: 63-19 (Last year predicted 61-21, actually 68-14)

Denver Nuggets

Additions: Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown, Jonas Valanciunas, Tim Hardaway Jr.

Subtractions: Michael Porter Jr., Russell Westbrook, Dario Saric, Vlatko Cancar

Other:

Outlook: The Nuggets undoubtedly had one of the better offseasons in the NBA. After a season where young players failed to take steps forward and older players showed their limitations in the playoffs, the Nuggets completely remade their bench. Cam Johnson will be an offensive upgrade over Michael Porter Jr. with more ballhandling and playmaking juice while being less prone to defensive slip-ups. Jonas Valanciunas is on the downside of his career, but he’s still much better than DeAndre Jordan, Zeke Nnaji, or Dario Saric as a backup center. Bruce Brown is a proven with Jokic and Hardaway was a key piece to a good Pistons team in 2025. The Nuggets are definitely better than last year. How much that will translate to regular season wins is a bit more questionable, especially considering how impactful Russell Westbrook was (not joking) last season. So, I think the Nuggets will be a better regular season team, but will be much more dangerous in the playoffs. I have the Thunder over them, but the Nuggets are probably the second-best team in the NBA.

Prediction: 54-28 (Last year predicted 52-30, actually 50-32)

Minnesota Timberwolves

Additions: Joan Beringer (17^th pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Josh Minott, Luka Garza

Other: Re-signed Julius Randle, Re-signed Naz Reid, Re-signed Joe Ingles

Outlook: The Timberwolves are mostly running back their 2025 roster, which is not a bad play considering that team won nearly 50 games and made the Western Conference Finals for the second year in a row. The foundation of the Wolves – Anthony Edwards driving the offense with mostly defensive-minded players around him – has a fairly proven track record of success. The reasons for concern are simple: Mike Conley is 38 and Rudy Gobert is 33, and the Wolves don’t really have replacements for either of their skillsets. At the same time, Ant is still on the upswing, and players like Jaden McDaniels, Terrance Shannon Jr., and Rob Dillingham could all take steps forward. I think the Wolves will be very good, but I’d be a bit surprised if they made the WCF for a third consecutive year.

Prediction: 47-35 (Last year predicted 51-31, actually 49-33)

Portland Trailblazers

Additions: Jrue Holiday, Yang Hansen (16^th pick in 2025 Draft), Damian Lillard, Blake Wesley

Subtractions: Anfernee Simons, DeAndre Ayton, Jabari Walker

Other:

Outlook: The Blazers are in an interesting spot. They haven’t been good in years, and most of their key players (Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Donovan Clingan, Yang Hansen) are young. However, there is still clear pressure on the front office to be more competitive, especially after a strong second half of the 2025 season. To that point, the Blazers added Jrue Holiday as a defensive ace and backcourt complement to Henderson and Sharpe as well as brought in franchise legend Lillard as a mentor (he’s out for the season with a torn Achilles). Other veterans like Jerami Grant, Robert Williams, and Matisse Thybulle are all still lingering on the roster as well. Thus, it seems likely that the Blazers will be fairly competent but also somewhat likely that they won’t be a true playoff competitor. If a couple of their young guys take further steps (especially one of Scoot or Sharpe) the Blazers could make a leap into the mid-40s in wins, but I think that might need another year.

Prediction: 38-44 (Last year predicted 26-56, actually 36-46)

Utah Jazz

Additions: Ace Bailey (5^th pick in 2025 Draft), Walter Clayton Jr. (18^th pick in 2025 Draft), Kyle Anderson, Georges Niang, Kevin Love, Jusuf Nurkic

Subtractions: John Collins, Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson, Johnny Juzang, Jaden Springer

Other:

Outlook: The Jazz were one of the worst teams in the NBA last year and project as a similar caliber squad this season. In fact, the Jazz actually got rid of a couple of productive veterans (Collins, Sexton) and replaced them with rookies or washed up older guys, so their roster is actually possibly worse this year. The reason I’m betting that the Jazz stay around the same win total is that at least one or two of their young guys will probably improve enough to help the team, and the tanking might not be as shameless as last year. Still, the Jazz are going to be very, very bad in their quest to get a top 3 pick in the loaded 2026 draft.

Prediction: 18-64 (Last year predicted 27-55, actually 17-65)

2026 NBA Season Preview: Northwest Division
Robert Flom

My preview of the 2026 NBA season continues with the confusing Atlantic Division, home of some of the NBA’s most stories franchises.

New York Knicks

Additions: Guerschon Yabusele, Jordan Clarkson

Subtractions: Cam Payne, Precious Achiuwa, Landry Shamet, Delon Wright

Other: Replaced Tom Thibodeau as head coach with Mike Brown Extended Mikal Bridges for four years

Outlook: The Knicks maybe slightly disappointed in the regular season last year, but more than made up for it in the playoffs by making their first Eastern Conference Finals since the 1990s. The Knicks are returning their top-seven rotation players and adding a competent forward in Yabusele along with what will probably be an overused depth piece in Clarkson. The Knicks are thin – one injury trims a very good 8.5 man rotation to a somewhat shakier 7.5 in a hurry – but the top of their rotation is talented, fits well, and in their collective primes. It’s tough to see the Knicks not finishing as a top-three team in the East next year, and they’re right there with the Cavs in terms of winning the Conference outright. Could this be the year the Knicks finally break through? I wouldn’t bet against it.

Prediction: 52-30 (Last year 51-31, predicted 53-29)

Philadelphia 76ers

Additions: VJ Edgecombe (3^rd pick in 2025 Draft), Trendon Watford, Johni Broome (35^th pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Guerschon Yabusele, Ricky Council IV, Jeff Dowtin Jr., Jared Butler

Other: Quentin Grimes is still hanging in restricted free agency limbo, Re-signed Kyle Lowry, Re-signed Justin Edwards, Re-signed Eric Gordon

Outlook: I have no idea what to do with the Sixers – but neither does anyone else. They won just 24 games last year in a campaign that went about as badly as possible. Even with the Sixers’ bad luck, there is bound to be some regression: Maxey, PG, and Joel Embiid will all probably play more games (52, 41, and 19 respectively last year), Jared McCain likely won’t get a season-ending injury after 1.5 months, and the team’s spirit will be less broken. Still, it’s also impossible to predict them as being a true contender like everyone thought they would be last year, not after Embiid’s injuries and Paul George’s steady decline. I thus forecast them to be somewhere in the middle, a team that might look quite good on certain nights when Embiid is in the lineup and PG is healthy, but will also have stretches without key guys where young players and washed vets will have to play far too many minutes. At the very least, Maxey, McCain, and Edgecombe are three youngsters to be excited about.

Prediction: 42-40 (Last year 24-58, predicted 51-31)

Boston Celtics

Additions: Anfernee Simons, Chris Boucher, Josh Minott, Luka Garza, Hugo Gonzalez (28^th pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet, Torrey Craig

Other:

Outlook: This might seem like a very low wins projection for the heavyweight Boston Celtics, but have you taken a look at their depth chart? Neemias Queta and Chris Boucher might well be starting for them in the frontcourt on opening night, and if not them, it’s going to include someone from the Josh Minott, Luka Garza, and Xavier Tillman pupu platter. Yes, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser are still around from their championship team. And yes, Joe Mazzulla is a good coach. That’s why I think the Celtics are going to be mediocre instead of outright awful – a real feat considering their macabre frontcourt.

Prediction: 38-44 (Last year 61-21, predicted 58-24)

Toronto Raptors

Additions: Collin Murray-Boyles (10^th pick in 2025 Draft), Sandro Mamukelashvili

Subtractions: Chris Boucher, Colin Castleton, Jared Rhoden

Other: Extended Jakob Poltl for three years, Re-signed Garrett Temple

Outlook: I’m not sure what the Raptors have been doing over the past three years, but I don’t like any of it. Their projected starting lineup of Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Brandon Ingram (acquired last season but did not play), Scottie Barnes, and Poltl has a lot of talent, but is an awful fit with poor spacing and too many guys who need the ball in their hands. Add in the unfortunate fact that every single one of those players is overpaid (extending Poltl for an additional three years to carry him through his age 35 season might have been the most inexplicable move of the summer) and you have a mess. The Raptors have too much veteran competence to be truly bad, but not enough high-end talent to be very good, and none of their younger players seem like high-upside swing pieces (I did love the Collin Murray-Boyles pick, however). The Raptors might be better than this, but I’m betting against their fit and in favor of either younger, hungrier squads or more put-together teams that have better chemistry.

Prediction: 35-47 (Last year 30-52, predicted 32-50)

Brooklyn Nets

Additions: Michael Porter Jr., Terance Mann, Haywood Highsmith, Egor Demin (8^th pick in 2025 Draft), Nolan Traore (19^th pick in 2025 Draft), Drake Powell (22^nd pick in 2025 Draft), Ben Saraf (26^th pick in 2025 Draft), Danny Wolf (27^th pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Cam Johnson, D’Angelo Russell, Trendon Watford, Maxwell Lewis, Tosan Evbuomwan, Cui Yongxi, Jaylen Martin

Other: Re-signed Cam Thomas, Re-signed Day’Ron Sharpe, Re-signed Ziaire Williams

Outlook: The Nets are one of the easiest teams to predict heading into this season – they are going to be very, very bad. Jordi Fernandez is a good coach, and the Nets have just enough veteran competence – Porter Jr., Mann, Highsmith, and Nic Claxton – to not be historically bad. Add in a record-breaking five first round draft picks and you have a team that might actually be fun to watch, but will probably be bottom-five on both ends of the court. Of their youngsters, I’m most intrigued by Traore and Wolf, but we will see how the prospects shake out over the course of their rookie seasons. If any of them look like future stars, the Nets’ future would get a whole lot brighter.

Prediction: 21-61 (Last year 24-58, predicted 20-62)

2026 NBA Season Preview: Atlantic Division
Robert Flom

The next division in my 2026 NBA preview is the Central Division, probably the strongest overall division in the Eastern Conference.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Additions: Lonzo Ball, Larry Nance Jr., Tyrese Proctor (49^th pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Ty Jerome, Isaac Okoro, Tristan Thompson

Other: Re-signed Sam Merrill

Outlook: The Cavaliers have had three straight impressive regular seasons followed by playoff disappointments, marring the Donovan Mitchell era to this point. Still, after winning the East last season (in the regular season) by a wide margin, the Cavs (probably smartly) decided to not adjust their roster much, bringing back largely the same team. Lonzo is a good upside swing compared to the limited Okoro, but losing Ty Jerome (the best backup guard in the NBA last year) hurts. The Cavs have an incredible top four, a solid supporting cast, and a very good head coach. They are a lock to be a top team in the East barring injury disaster, and this is their best chance yet to make a deep playoff run considering the injuries to Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton. Maybe they finally break through.

Prediction: 58-24 (Last year predicted 51-31, actually 64-18)

Detroit Pistons

Additions: Caris LeVert, Duncan Robinson, Chaz Lanier (37th pick in 2025 Draft), Javonte Green

Subtractions: Malik Beasley, Dennis Schroder, Tim Hardaway Jr., Simone Fontecchio

Other: Re-signed Paul Reed

Outlook: I was more off on the Pistons last year than any other team – after years of being too high on them, I went low, and was resoundingly wrong. In fact, the Pistons were probably the best story in the NBA last year after the championship-winning Thunder, winning an incredible 30 more games than the prior season. The Pistons did lose some of the key pieces to their playoff push, especially Malik Beasley, who was the second-best shooter in the league last year, but did bring in a couple helpful veterans in LeVert and Robinson. More importantly, the Pistons have one of the best young cores in the NBA: star ballhandler Cade Cunningham, athletic freak Jalen Duren, defensive whiz Ausar Thompson, secondary scorer Jaden Ivey, and energetic swing man Ron Holland are just the best of the bunch. In an Eastern Conference with only three true playoff locks, there’s no reason the Pistons can’t be a top-four seed this year given some internal improvement – and I think they will be.

Prediction: 49-33 (Last year predicted 20-62, actually 44-38)

Milwaukee Bucks

Additions: Myles Turner, Cole Anthony, Gary Harris, Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Subtractions: Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez, Pat Connaughton

Other: Re-signed Bobby Portis, Re-signed Gary Trent Jr., Re-signed Ryan Rollins, Re-signed Taurean Prince, Re-signed Kevin Porter Jr., Re-signed Jericho Sims, Re-signed Chris Livingston

Outlook: The Bucks were one of the three teams (along with the Pacers and Celtics) that were devastated by torn Achilles to star players in the playoffs. Unlike the other teams, the Bucks jettisoned their injured star, waiving and stretching Damian Lillard’s contract to clear cap space to sign Myles Turner. It was a bold move for a team that seemed completely without options to really improve, and Turner is an excellent fit as a Brook Lopez replacement. However, the Bucks really didn’t sign anyone to replace Dame himself, and it’s tough to see a similar Bucks roster to last season win as many games considering the drop-off from Dame to Cole Anthony or Kevin Porter Jr. A healthy Giannis plus a deep-ish roster of veterans is enough for a low-level playoff berth, but not much more – the Bucks’ second-best player is Turner, and their third is one of Bobby Portis or Gary Trent Jr., who are sixth-man level talents. Unless one or two of the Bucks’ precious few young guys really make strides, this is a team with a limited ceiling.

Prediction: 43-39 (Last year predicted 52-30, actually 48-34)

Indiana Pacers

Additions: Jay Huff, Kam Jones (38^th pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Tyrese Haliburton (out with Achilles tear), Myles Turner, Thomas Bryant

Other: Re-signed Isaiah Jackson, Re-signed James Wiseman

Outlook: The Pacers were one game away from winning the NBA Championship. Unfortunately for them, Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in Game 7 of the Finals, they subsequently lost to the Thunder, and now their short-term future is in doubt. Letting Myles Turner walk might be a smart play in the long-term, but it hurts in the medium-future, forcing the Pacers to replace the two most important spots in the starting lineup. Pascal Siakam is a star-level player, Andrew Nembhard is good and can continue to improve, and Rick Carlisle is a top-tier coach – the Pacers will certainly be competent. But without Haliburton on offense and Turner on defense, it’s tough to see them being more than a play-in squad, maybe a low-tier playoff team at the absolute best. Their best bet is that young guys like Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker seize the opportunity for minutes and step up in a big way.

Prediction: 40-42 (Last year predicted 48-34, actually 50-32)

Chicago Bulls

Additions: Noa Essengue (11^th pick in 2025 Draft), Isaac Okoro

Subtractions: Lonzo Ball, Talen Horton-Tucker

Other: None

Outlook: The Bulls continue to flounder in no-mans land. Rather than accepting the writing on the wall and going into a tank in a good 2025 draft, the Bulls fought their way to yet another play-in berth and inevitable loss before the playoffs proper. I like the Noa Essengue pick, and Matas Buzelis showed quite a bit of promise last year down the stretch of the season. Outside of that, the Bulls’ roster is pretty grim, especially if they cave to Josh Giddey and overpay him in restricted free agency (I believe almost none of his stretch run play is legitimate). There’s enough talent to keep the Bulls out of the cellar, but not enough for them to be even a remote threat in the Eastern Conference. Maybe they finally trade Nikola Vucevic and Coby White and embrace the tank, but I’ll believe it when I see it.

Prediction: 30-52 (Last year predicted 28-54, actually 39-43)

2026 NBA Season Preview: Central Division
Robert Flom

The Southeast Division was by far the weakest in the NBA last year, with no teams attaining a record of over .500. That does not seem like it will be the case this season, with up to three teams making postseason pushes, including a potential top seed in the East in Orlando.

Orlando Magic

Additions: Desmond Bane, Tyus Jones, Jase Richardson (25^th pick in 2025 Draft), Noah Penda (32^nd pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, Caleb Houstan, Gary Harris, Cory Joseph

Other: Extended Paolo Banchero for 5 years $239M, Re-signed Mo Wagner

Outlook: The Magic had one of the best offseasons in the entire NBA. While they paid a lot to acquire Desmond Bane, Bane is a perfect fit next to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner as an exceptional off-ball shooter that adds downhill scoring juice. Tyus Jones has been overrated for much of his career, but as a backup point guard he’s still a steadier option than Cory Joseph, Markelle Fultz, or other Magic options in recent years. The Magic’s defense under Jamahl Mosley has been consistently excellent, setting a nice floor on a nightly basis. Add in a strong draft with Jase Richardson and Noah Penda plus a young roster full of developing players and you have a team that should be very good in the regular season with potential upside as a legitimate contender. I don’t think they quite get there this year, but third-best team in the East seems like a very reasonable goal.

Prediction: 51-31 (Last year predicted 49-33, actually 41-41)

Atlanta Hawks

Additions: Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard, Asa Newell (23^rd pick in 2025 Draft), N’Faly Dante

Subtractions: Clint Capela, Caris Levert, Terance Mann, Georges Niang, Larry Nance Jr.

Other:

Outlook: The Hawks had a very good offseason. That being said, I think people are getting a bit over their skis with them. The Hawks’ best move this past summer will not have an impact on their 2026 roster, as it involved swindling the Pelicans out of their 2026 first round pick just to move back 10 spots in the 2025 Draft. Kristaps Porzingis is theoretically a good fit, but I don’t trust him to stay healthy and I also don’t believe he’ll be as impactful outside of Boston. Nickeil is a very nice wing, but is he really a needle mover? Hawks believers would point to rising star Jalen Johnson, second-year wing Zach Risacher, and fifth-year big Onyeka Okongwu as candidates for internal improvement, and that’s certainly fair, but I can’t get to contender status with them. Still, they should be pretty good, and in the East maybe that’s enough.

Prediction: 46-36 (Last year predicted 37-45, actually 40-42)

Miami Heat

Additions: Norman Powell, Kasparas Jakucionis (20^th pick in 2025 Draft), Simone Fontecchio, Ethan Thompson

Subtractions: Duncan Robinson, Haywood Highsmith, Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson, Alec Burks

Other: Re-signed Davion Mitchell, Re-signed Dru Smith

Outlook: The Heat’s roster sure looks a lot different than when I last did this exercise last summer. Jimmy Butler is gone, as are other long-time mainstays like Duncan Robinson and Haywood Highsmith. Picking up Norm Powell for cheap is a good movie, and Jakucionis was a theoretical steal in the draft, but are those moves strong enough to turn around a Heat team that seems sunk in mediocrity? I don’t really think so. Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Powell, Andrew Wiggins, and decent depth plus Erik Spoelstra as coach is certainly enough for competence, but there’s not much upside here outside of Kel’el Ware or maybe Nikola Jovic. It’s possible the Heat get into the mid-40s in wins, but I think they’re going to be in the play-in.

Prediction: 40-42 (Last year predicted 44-38, actually 37-45)

Charlotte Hornets

Additions: Kon Kneuppel (4^th pick in 2025 Draft), Collin Sexton, Liam McNeeley (29^th pick in 2025 Draft), Mason Plumlee, Pat Connaughton, Ryan Kalkbrenner (33^rd pick in 2025 Draft), Sion James (34^th pick in 2025 Draft)

Subtractions: Mark Williams, Seth Curry, Jusuf Nurkic, Vasilije Micic, Josh Okogie, Taj Gibson

Other:

Outlook: In terms of pure talent, the Hornets should be better than they are. Unfortunately, they’re the Hornets, and things just don’t seem to work out well for them. LaMelo Ball’s health is the most important variable for them – he’s played 36, 22, and 47 games in the past three years, and they just aren’t going to be good without him having a healthy season. I like Kon Kneuppel, and Brandon Miller remains a very promising young wing, but the rest of the Hornets roster doesn’t have a ton of upside without LaMelo. There is also the rather large issue that the Hornets have the worst center rotation in the NBA, consisting of an ancient Mason Plumlee, the hungry but limited Moussa Diabate, and rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner. Even if Kalkbrenner is ok as a rookie, the Hornets are going to be outplayed at that position almost every night, and that’s a major disadvantage. Between that, LaMelo’s health, and too many guards, I just don’t see this as being close to a winning season.

Prediction: 27-55 (Last year predicted 29-53, actually 19-63)

Washington Wizards

Additions: Tre Johnson (5^th pick in 2025 Draft), CJ McCollum, Cam Whitmore, Will Riley (21^st pick in 2025 Draft), Marvin Bagley, Malaki Branham

Subtractions: Jordan Poole, Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon, Saddiq Bey, Richaun Holmes, Colby Jones

Other: Re-signed Anthony Gill

Outlook: The Wizards are in year three of their long-term rebuild and this season is probably going to be just as bad record-wise as the previous two. The Wiz have added a lot of young talent, but still don’t have a north star to build around (unless one of their youngsters pops) and are clearly trying to tank for the loaded 2026 draft. I think they’ll probably be fun to watch for diehard NBA fans – Tre Johnson is a bucket, Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly both flash potential, and CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton are still good – but are definitely going to compete for a bottom-three record in the NBA with the Nets and Jazz. Tre is the young guy I’m going to have my eye on the most; he doesn’t do much besides score, but he’s tremendous at putting the ball in the hoop and his heaters are legendary.

Prediction: 19-63 (Last year predicted 20-62, actually 18-64)

2026 NBA Season Preview: Southeast Division
Robert Flom