It solely took about 20 video games for the 2024-2025 NBA season to fully reshape what we thought we knew coming into the yr. The Boston Celtics and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder rising because the championship favorites in every convention was to be anticipated, however there are many surprises after that.
The Cleveland Cavaliers appear like a juggernaut, the Orlando Magic are nonetheless pummeling groups with out the injured Paolo Banchero, and the Houston Rockets are going from a enjoyable, younger workforce to an actual contender. The highest of the league image nonetheless wants extra time to return into focus, however the backside is already turning into clear.
The 2025 NBA Draft has an enormous prize on the high in Duke freshman ahead Cooper Flagg. With such a powerful No. 1 total prospect on this class, groups close to the underside of the standings are going to begin prioritizing their draft place over maximizing their wins in the event that they haven’t already. Right here’s an up to date take a look at which groups might land the primary choose within the 2025 NBA Draft, damaged up into tiers.
Learn our full 2025 NBA mock draft right here. Learn our characteristic on how Flagg grew right into a future No. 1 total choose right here.
Must dump items quickly
Brooklyn Nets: I pegged the Nets because the second worst workforce within the league coming into the season. If the season ended on Monday morning, Brooklyn’s draft choose wouldn’t even be contained in the top-10. The Nets have seemed downright competent underneath new head coach Jordi Fernandez throughout a 9-12 begin, with Cam Thomas stockpiling factors on higher than anticipated effectivity, and Dennis Schröder handing over one of many higher years of his profession. It looks like Nets management continues to be on the identical web page about chasing Flagg this season, however they’re going to have commerce items off effectively earlier than the Feb. commerce deadline to truly have a shot at him. Dorian Finney-Smith and Cameron Johnson are the most certainly commerce candidates right here, however don’t be stunned if Thomas and Schröder are moved too — particularly if the wins maintain piling up.
Chicago Bulls: The Bulls are taking part in on the NBA’s quickest tempo, and have gone from the league’s most hesitant three-point capturing workforce to one among its most keen. Chicago can pull some upsets when the threes are falling, however there’s nonetheless not a lot hope right here for the long run. The Bulls can level to Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic each taking part in close to an All-Star degree for why they’ve remained aggressive. Each gamers have been on the buying and selling block since a minimum of final summer season, and now there may lastly be a marketplace for their providers after sizzling begins to this season. LaVine’s contract continues to be monumental, and groups must resolve if his high-volume three-point capturing (43 % from deep on the yr) is definitely worth the monetary ache. Vucevic figures to be simpler to maneuver along with his three-point shot turning into computerized (almost 47 % from three!) and just one extra season at $20 million on his deal. If the Bulls can transfer LaVine, Vucevic, and Lonzo Ball quickly, they’re going to get proper again within the Flagg sweepstakes. If not, the veteran trio may have Chicago flirting with shedding its top-10 protected draft choose to the San Antonio Spurs. The Bulls wouldn’t thoughts if the youthful groups within the East (the Hornets, Pistons, and Hawks amongst them) began taking part in with extra consistency.
Portland Path Blazers: The Blazers earned some stunning wins in Nov., together with two over the Timberwolves, a win towards the Rockets, and a victory towards the Sacramento Kings. It looks like this roster is cut up into two timelines: there’s the veterans productive sufficient to push for the play-in event (Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant, Deni Avdija), then there’s the youthful core who’re displaying indicators of life however in all probability wants a minimum of yet another yr of improvement (Shaedon Sharpe, Donovan Clingan). Scoot Henderson seems like an enormous disappointment to this point, however a minimum of Toumani Camara seems good? The Blazers have a historical past of tanking onerous after the All-Star break, and I’d anticipate the identical to occur once more regardless of an 8-13 begin. There’s simply not a lot room to maneuver upwards within the West, and that can make Portland’s pivot a straightforward selection as soon as once more.
One damage away from tanking
Philadelphia 76ers: I ranked the 76ers as a championship contender coming into the season. Whoops. Philly has been a practice wreck from the very begin, with Joel Embiid trying like a shell of himself, Paul George being unable to regain high kind after a preseason knee damage, and the depth round them trying worse than anticipated. The Sixers are 4-14 regardless of Jared McCain taking part in like the straightforward Rookie of the Yr to begin the season. Philly’s aim all alongside has simply been to get to the playoffs wholesome, and that’s theoretically nonetheless on the desk. It actually all comes again to Embiid: does the participant who was breaking per-minute scoring information final yr nonetheless exist, or have accidents taken him away for good? The Sixers’ draft choose is top-6 protected, which suggests they’ll be flirting with the catastrophe of shedding their choose in the event that they don’t flip it round. Proper now, the Sixers are squarely in place to maintain their choose and choose a high prospect …. however this workforce has to show it round in some unspecified time in the future, proper? The Sixers may not be on this record a month from now, but when Embiid doesn’t come again at full power quickly, the thought of tanking for Flagg gained’t appear so loopy.
Charlotte Hornets: LaMelo Ball is having a incredible yr, but it surely wasn’t resulting in many wins for the Hornets even earlier than his newest calf damage that can maintain him out a pair weeks. Ball performs with such excessive utilization that it’s onerous to think about what Charlotte’s offense will appear like with out him. Brandon Miller or Tre Mann are able to selecting up extra of the offense, however this workforce nonetheless lacks a vital diploma of physicality inside. Charlotte’s 6-14 begin has occurred regardless of new head coach Charles Lee transferring the protection from No. 29 to No. 15 in the beginning of this yr. Charlotte has had so many excessive draft picks through the years that it will in all probability prefer to attempt to make the playoffs within the East, however the losses are already piling up with Ball now out of the lineup. The Hornets nonetheless have loads of time to go on a run as soon as Ball will get again, however his fixed sturdiness points might push this workforce into the tank race as soon as once more.
New Orleans Pelicans: The Pelicans get crushed by the damage bug yearly, and it’s occurred once more to an virtually comical diploma. Zion Williamson stays out indefinitely with a hamstring damage, and at this level it feels silly to anticipate him to return to being a productive participant any time quickly. The Pelicans are lastly getting another guys wholesome, with Dejounte Murray and Trey Murphy III every returning to the lineup after lengthy accidents to begin the yr, and Brandon Ingram coming again quickly. The Pelicans felt like they may have been a protected playoff workforce this yr if issues went proper, however not by no means appears to occur. After a 4-17 begin with the league’s third hardest remaining schedule within the brutal Western Convention, New Orleans may simply be too far again for Williamson’s potential return to matter. This workforce can completely get into the combo for No. 1 total.
Toronto Raptors: The Raptors even have some comfortable vibes for a six-win. Gradey Dick is taking good leap in his sophomore season, R.J. Barrett is having a profession yr, and even Jakob Poeltl is balling. With Scottie Barnes getting back from damage and the East trying as pathetic as ever, you’ll be able to speak your self into the Raptors making a run for the play-in event. Poeltl’s media day remark about not likely attempting to win this yr continues to be sticking with me, although. Toronto actually wants a future star to construct round, and that makes tanking their greatest transfer. Buying and selling Poeltl would instantly make this workforce smooth inside, and except Immanuel Quickley turns round his season in a dramatic vogue, this Raptors offense isn’t going out-score groups recurrently. The Raps appear to be a workforce dedicated to the little bit of tanking, and yet another commerce or prolonged damage absence may have them proper within the Flagg combine.
The favorites
Utah Jazz: The Jazz are proving they’ll nonetheless blatantly tank regardless of signing Lauri Markkanen to a virtually $240 million extension earlier than the season. Markkanen is having a down yr by his requirements, however the workforce round him is just too younger and too uncooked to be aggressive within the West each night time. Keyonte George is placing up numbers however his effectivity is horrid, rookie Cody Williams has been simply concerning the worst participant within the league to date, and the protection is pathetic even with Walker Kessler having a bounce-back yr. Head coach Will Hardy had this workforce trying aggressive within the first half of the season the final two years, however Danny Ainge has traded away too many items. This workforce is downright unhealthy and may head into the lottery tied for the highest odds at Flagg.
Washington Wizards: The Wizards gained their final two video games of Oct., each towards the Atlanta Hawks. They haven’t gained a recreation since. Washington went 0-for-November with their younger draft picks taking part in large minutes and the veterans (Kyle Kuzma, Malcolm Brogdon, Jonas Valanciunas) all in-and-out of the lineup. Bilal Coulibaly has been a revelation in his second yr, No. 2 total choose Alex Sarr is obstructing tons of photographs, and fellow rookie Bub Carrington has had his moments of encouraging creation flashes. Nonetheless, this workforce is as far-off from being aggressive as any within the NBA. Washington can be proper again on this place once more subsequent season forward of a loaded 2026 lottery, however having Cooper Flagg on the roster certain would make one other rebuilding yr extra tolerable.
