1 Big Question for Every NBA Team at 2024 Training Camp
NBA training camps are just days away from opening, which means we've hit the home stretch of the offseason.
If you think that means all 30 teams have their affairs in order, you haven't been paying attention.
Every squad enters camp with a rough idea of what the season will bring, but the specifics are harder to forecast. Here, we'll isolate a pressing issue that every team needs to get a handle on in camp. From uncertain roles in the rotation to overarching franchise directions to financial minutia, we've got questions.
After months of wondering, we're entering a portion of the NBA calendar where we might finally get some answers.
Atlanta Hawks: Can They Fix the Defense?
1 of 30
The Atlanta Hawks have some big-picture questions to answer, not the least of which being the long-term viability of Trae Young as their cornerstone. They may not need to get quite that existential if head coach Quin Snyder can finally figure out how to address a problem area that has persisted for years.
In five of the last seven seasons, Atlanta has finished with a bottom-five defensive rating. Not since 2016-17, when the roster and coaching staff were completely different, have the Hawks graded out above the league average in defensive efficiency.
Rookie Zaccharie Risacher has the length and smarts to become a quality contributor on that end, but can he be ready immediately? Will either Clint Capela or Onyeka Okongwu shut down the paint and control the glass? Does last year's breakout forward Jalen Johnson have another gear on D?
Young is what he is: a vulnerable point-of-attack target who has never capably defended his position. The Hawks will always have to cover for him, and that'll mean plenty of scrambling, switching and extra work by the other four players on the floor.
Can Snyder coax passable defensive work out of a group that allowed a franchise-worst 119.4 points per 100 possessions in 2023-24? If not, another 30-something wins will be the result, after which those existential questions will creep to the forefront.
Boston Celtics: Who'll Fill the Porzingis Void?
2 of 30
Luke Kornet used to let it rip from long range, but his tenure with the Boston Celtics has been decidedly free of threes.
Maybe that'll change with starting center Kristaps Porzingis sidelined for at least the first couple of months of 2024-25.
One way or another, Boston will have to adjust to Porzingis' absence. He provided the size-and-stretch combo platter that unlocked the best version of the Celtics during their championship run. Al Horford brings some of that, but he can't be relied on to play major minutes early in the year if Boston wants the 38-year-old in one piece in June.
Neemias Queta brings athleticism, and Xavier Tillman Sr. can defend. But it might be Kornet who does the best KP impression. Once upon a time, Kornet fired away from beyond the arc at extremely high rates. Across the first four years of his career, the 7'1" center ranked no lower than the 90th percentile in non-corner attempt rate from deep. Scan your memory, and you'll recall him casting away from above the break for the Knicks and Bulls from 2017-18 to 2020-21.
The Celtics should look into whether Kornet's perimeter game is still as sharp as it used to be.
Brooklyn Nets: How Should They Manage Ben Simmons?
3 of 30
As is tradition, the offseason videos and proclamations about Ben Simmons' resurgence are here.
This is absolutely a "fool me once..." situation, and skepticism should be the default reaction. But the Brooklyn Nets don't have the same luxury the rest of us do. They can't just dismiss whispers of Simmons' readiness.
They're paying the guy $40.3 million and should be heavily invested in figuring out how to prevent all of that cash from being a sunk cost.
Brooklyn has control of its 2025 first-rounder and will work hard to lose as many games as possible. Simmons could actually hamper that endeavor if he's healthy and motivated because the Nets are in desperate need of facilitators. Perhaps the only thing no one's ever knocked about Simmons' game is his willingness to pass.
Can Brooklyn find a way to play Simmons, who could help set up young players like Noah Clowney for success? Might they be able to rehab his value enough to actually trade him for some middling asset with bad long-term money attached?
Simmons should probably be an afterthought for the Nets, who could justify benching him all year and letting his contract expire. But what if there's a way for Brooklyn to squeeze some value out of him before he's gone?
Charlotte Hornets: How Will LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller Mesh?
4 of 30
Brandon Miller's draft projection, which pegged him as a jack-of-all-trades role player, made him seem like a low-ceiling, somewhat unambitious pick when the Charlotte Hornets selected him at No. 2 in 2023. Of course, that player type also seemed like a solid one to pair with on-ball dynamo LaMelo Ball.
LaMelo could be the high-usage star, and Miller figured to spot up and defend as a supporting piece. Easy enough, right?
Now, in the wake of a rookie season that revealed Miller had much more game than some believed, the Hornets need to figure out how to divvy up touches and roles between two young talents who deserve them.
This is a good problem. The only way it could be better is if last year had hinted at a solution.
Unfortunately, Ball's ankle injury cut his season short. He and Miller appeared in just 19 games together, only a half-dozen of which came after November. With a new head coach in Charles Lee, a new system and several new players surrounding them, Ball and Miller are effectively starting at zero.
Training camp will offer the first glimpses of their partnership's potential.
Chicago Bulls: How Big Is Josh Giddey's Role?
5 of 30
The Chicago Bulls could have gotten draft picks back when they traded Alex Caruso, one of the league's elite perimeter defenders, to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Sam Presti has hoarded so many extra future firsts that surrendering a couple of them would have amounted to a rounding error from the Thunder's perspective.
Instead, Chicago prioritized Josh Giddey, a 21-year-old guard with great size, impressive box-score production over his three seasons and major questions about his long-term fit with the Thunder. Giddey's poor shooting means he's best utilized on the ball, which could get tricky in Chicago, where the Bulls not only have 2023-24 breakout guard Coby White to consider, but also Zach LaVine.
If Chicago wants to get anything of value in trade for LaVine, it should be invested in letting him play and produce.
Giddey is also eligible for a contract extension, which means the Bulls face some urgency to figure out his fit.
Do they hand him the keys to the offense, marginalize White and potentially devalue LaVine? Or do they use him in the more limited role that never quite made sense in OKC and ultimately got him traded in the first place?
Cleveland Cavaliers: What's the Plan on Offense?
6 of 30
Was it just the injuries that submarined the Cleveland Cavaliers' offense last season, or does new head coach Kenny Atkinson have structural problems to address as he tries to get the team's attack up to the standards set by its defense?
After ranking a stellar seventh in offensive efficiency two years ago, the Cavs fell all the way to 18th last season. It certainly didn't help that Donovan Mitchell (55), Darius Garland (57) and Evan Mobley (50) all played fewer games than they did in 2022-23 (69, 68 and 79, respectively), but even when those three shared the floor with Jarrett Allen, Cleveland's offensive rating of 113.6 was only good enough to rank in the 40th percentile of scoring efficiency. In 2022-23, that number was 120.8, good for the 92nd percentile.
Atkinson needs to figure out how to recapture some of that 2022-23 magic and/or innovate in ways that improve on it. He'll have to navigate the sometimes clunky pairing of Mitchell and Garland, determine what level of involvement Evan Mobley has in the playmaking department and try to ensure last year's gains in three-point frequency stick.
Dallas Mavericks: What's the Closing Lineup?
7 of 30
Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving are locks to close every Dallas Mavericks game, and second-year center Dereck Lively II seems like a logical big man to toss out there in critical situations. He showed enough defense and lob-catching prowess as a rookie to inspire confidence he can become a non-negotiable closer over Daniel Gafford in 2024-25.
After that, the Mavs can mix and match the other two positions depending on the opponent and any hot streaks their top options may be enjoying that night.
Klay Thompson, no stranger to game-altering heaters, will probably be out there if he's got it going on offense. Dallas acquired him to keep defenses honest; Thompson cannot be ignored on the perimeter even when he's 0-of-10—because the 11th shot is going up the second he touches it, and history suggests he's going to make it.
Then again, Thompson's defense has slipped to the point where he's essentially only usable against larger forwards. Dončić typically needs someplace to hide on D, and Thompson might occupy that spot.
Naji Marshall and PJ Washington are the three-and-D (emphasis on D) role players who could shove Thompson to the bench on certain nights.
This is ultimately a good problem, but it's not ideal. Dallas has options. The only thing better than that is knowing beyond doubt which five players should close every night.
Denver Nuggets: Is Jamal Murray Healthy?
8 of 30
Christian Braun needs to prove he's ready for a starting gig, and other members of the Denver Nuggets' young cohort have to show signs in camp that they're also prepared for role increases. But those are small-time concerns compared to Jamal Murray's health.
It's easy to get deep in the weeds during season-preview time, and it's true that some of the Nuggets' less-proven players need to step up if this group is going to make another title run. But Braun's ability to replace what Kentavious Caldwell-Pope provided won't matter if Murray isn't in top form.
Denver's no different from any other team in that sense. It has plenty of down-rotation issues to sort out, but stars still determine its ceiling.
Murray set or tied career highs with 21.2 points, 6.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game on 42.5 percent shooting from long range last year, but he floundered in the playoffs and looked nothing like himself while playing for Team Canada in the Paris Olympics. Calf and elbow injuries explained some of Murray's struggles, but blaming his slippage on injuries only halfway assuages concern.
Murray has played fewer than 60 games in three of his last four "healthy" seasons while missing 2021-22 entirely as he recovered from a torn ACL. His availability could be an issue going forward, and the Nuggets should worry that so many health issues mean even the "fit" version of Murray is diminished.
The $208 million extension Denver handed its No. 2 option suggests the organization has at least some confidence Murray will be fine. But he's going to need to prove it in camp.
Detroit Pistons: Can Jaden Ivey Find His Shot?
9 of 30
Fit issues abound among the Detroit Pistons' best young players, with the most immediate being Jaden Ivey's next to Cade Cunningham.
Cunningham put together the most complete season of his career in 2023-24, confirming beyond doubt that he's the closest thing the Pistons have to an on-ball alpha who deserves the most touches and highest usage rate on the team. His career-best averages of 22.7 points and 7.5 assists across 62 games also provided certainty about many of his teammates' roles.
Put simply, none of them will have the ball in their hands as often as Cunningham. That means any guards or wings sharing the floor with him had better be able to space and shoot.
Ivey, picked fifth in 2022, will be eligible for an extension next summer. So far, his career 33.9 percent knockdown rate from deep suggests he's not that type of player. Though he can get downhill in a hurry, the combo guard has yet to prove he warrants attention away from the ball.
If Ivey showcases an improved stroke in camp, we can turn attention to how other young Detroit players like Amen Thompson and Ron Holland mesh with Cunningham. If he doesn't, it could mean the Pistons start thinking about a future that doesn't involve him at all.
Golden State Warriors: Is Jonathan Kuminga Ready?
10 of 30
The Golden State Warriors don't have anyone with a track record that suggests he can offer second-star support to Stephen Curry as the franchise icon enters his 16th season.
Unless Jonathan Kuminga is ready to take on that mantle.
A 6'8" forward with breathtaking athleticism and physical strength, Kuminga looks exactly like that type of player. Watch the 21-year-old streaking down the floor in transition or overwhelming defenders with his physicality near the basket, and you'll catch yourself feeling certain Kuminga is destined for stardom.
Watch him overdribble in isolation, forget to rebound and lose track of the action as an off-ball defender, and you understand why head coach Steve Kerr withheld a guaranteed starting role for as long as he did.
Kuminga has a heap of highlights on his career resumé, but he has yet to demonstrate the consistency and two-way play required of the league's top stars. His career hit rate of 34.1 percent from deep on only 2.2 attempts per game doesn't scare anyone, and Kuminga hasn't ever shown much facility as a passer.
That's not to say a well-rounded game is beyond his reach. Kuminga tantalizes because, when he's at his best, it seems like he can do anything on a basketball court. The flashes have always been there.
Golden State just needs to see them turn into steady, sustained, spectacular play.
Houston Rockets: Which Young Combos Work?
11 of 30
The Houston Rockets have seven legitimately intriguing prospects still playing on their rookie contracts. The key to success this season may be determining which of them bring out the best in the others when sharing the floor.
This is an issue that affects not only the upcoming season but also the ones beyond it. Both Alperen Sengün and Jalen Green are eligible for extensions now, and Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason will come due next summer. After them, Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore can add new money in 2026. Those six players, plus rookie Reed Sheppard, won't all be on the Rockets forever.
It's dramatic to say Houston needs to make decisions now, but tough calls aren't all that far off.
Last year, Thompson and Sengün were effective offensively only when playing with Green and Fred VanVleet in the backcourt. Removing the veteran point guard from the mix turned things ugly—to the tune of a minus-12.7 net rating in the most-used lineup featuring that configuration.
Can Whitmore and Smith share the floor if both of them are probably best utilized as power forwards? Does Sengün need a spacer next to him? Will Sheppard lose minutes to Green? How does Eason fit back into the mix after missing most of last year with injury?
Most teams would gladly trade their problems for Houston's, which could be boiled down to "we have too many good, young players." But it's still the case that the Rockets need to figure out which of their up-and-comers make the most sense together.
Indiana Pacers: Is Myles Turner Part of the Future?
12 of 30
Myles Turner has been in the league since 2015-16 and is the only player to amass at least 1,200 blocks and 600 made threes during that nine-year span.
That's production the Indiana Pacers need and should be happy to pay for. Too bad they can't.
Because the last extension Turner signed was for only two years, he can't ink another one with Indiana ahead of unrestricted free agency this summer. So while his combination of rim-protection and stretch is undeniably vital to Indiana's success, the team will have to at least consider trading their starting center at some point this season. Allowing Turner to reach free agency is a major risk because almost every team in the league will have interest in someone with his uncommon skill set.
The Pacers handed out new money left and right this offseason. Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, Obi Toppin and TJ McConnell all got new deals or extensions. Does that mean Indiana will continue to spend freely, perhaps even going into the tax the franchise has historically avoided next summer? Or might Turner need to be moved ahead of a free-agent bidding war the Pacers can't be sure they'll win?
Los Angeles Clippers: Is Kawhi Leonard Healthy?
13 of 30
Kawhi Leonard played 68 games last year, his highest total since his age-25 season in 2016-17. And yet here we are tagging his health as the most pressing question ahead of Los Angeles Clippers training camp.
General skepticism should be the default setting when it comes to Leonard holding up physically; it's been seven years since his health and durability were non-issues. But his exit from Team USA in Paris, which came after knee inflammation cost him the final eight games of the regular season and limited him to just two playoff contests, was a giant red flag.
Wishy-washy comments from Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank have been anything but reassuring. When asked whether Leonard had any medical procedures or treatment on his troublesome knee prior to joining Team USA at camp, he told reporters: "I'm not going to get into the specifics of kind of what's been happening."
The day before USA Basketball determined it wanted someone other than Leonard on the roster in Paris, the six-time All-Star told reporters his knee was in "a neutral state."
Neutral! Oh, well then. No concerns here. Everything seems fine, right? Right?!
The Clippers may be drawing dead in the West after Paul George's departure anyway. But they have absolutely no shot at playing competitive ball against the conference's best teams if Leonard isn't ready to match or beat last year's 68 appearances.
If he's limited or on a pitch count in camp, it's going to be a brutal season in L.A.
Los Angeles Lakers: What Will JJ Redick Bring to the Table?
14 of 30
The Los Angeles Lakers hired JJ Redick because they believed he could get the most out of Anthony Davis and LeBron James, develop the youth, nurture a healthy team culture and embrace cutting-edge strategic thinking.
Newsflash: He won't be able to do all of that.
No coach with his experience level, which is to say "none," should be expected to hit for the cycle in his first at-bat. If Redick connects on one or two of those expectations, we should count it as a win.
Training camp will give observers their first look at what defines a Redick-led squad.
Will the Lakers really feature Davis in a different offensive role than he's filled in the past? Can youngsters like Max Christie find the breathing room necessary to grow on a team with a win-now window dictated by a 40-year-old LeBron James?
What about the whole Bronny James piece of the puzzle? How can Redick navigate a level of scrutiny no second-round pick has ever faced?
Given the expectations, attention and complicating factor of James' presence, this might be the most unenviable coaching position in sports. Redick gets his first shot at proving he's up for it when camp begins.
Memphis Grizzlies: All Hands on Deck?
15 of 30
The 27-win Memphis Grizzlies were bad last year because, well...almost everyone who was good missed a ton of time.
Ja Morant was suspended for the first 25 games of the year, returned to play just nine and then went down for good with a shoulder injury. Marcus Smart suited up just 20 times, Desmond Bane missed 40 games and the Grizzlies set a record by fielding the most different starting lineups in a single season.
Is it as simple as assuming the Grizzlies will be right back to their 50-win ways if everybody is healthy and ready to roll?
Maybe so. Memphis has one of the most accomplished young trios in the league in Morant, Bane and JJJ. If Zach Edey can give the Grizz 80 percent of what Steven Adams used to, top-10 rankings in both offensive and defensive efficiency could be realistic.
Then again, Bane and Jackson made real strides as playmakers with Morant out last season. How do they feel about scaling back? And where does Smart fit into the mix?
The most important issue for Memphis in camp is making sure all of the principal pieces are ready to take on a full season together. Though there are some ancillary questions about roles and fit, nothing matters more than making sure all hands are on deck after a season wrecked by unavailability.
Miami Heat: Is a Jimmy Butler Trade Coming?
16 of 30
Nobody's arguing it's likely, but a Jimmy Butler trade wouldn't exactly come as a shock.
There are enough loose threads dangling out there to tie together into legitimate suspicion that something could be afoot sooner than later.
Start with The Athletic's Sam Amick reporting on The TK Show that the Golden State Warriors have interest in Butler. Add to that the extension he was eligible for but didn't get from the Miami Heat, and then toss in the six-time All-Star's potential free agency in the summer of 2025.
That's a pretty standard set of circumstances that, in the past, have often led to blockbuster deals.
The Heat may be interested in moving on from their 35-year-old star before potentially losing him for nothing in free agency, the Warriors are desperate for someone with the game to support Stephen Curry and we know Golden State has been ambitious in pursuing such an upgrade. The Dubs were in on Paul George before he went to the Sixers and were the most frequently mentioned trade suitors for Lauri Markkanen.
If any team is willing to take the gamble of onboarding Butler in a walk year, it's the Warriors. And even if it's not Golden State, several other teams would love to add one of the best postseason performers of his generation to the roster.
Milwaukee Bucks: Can Dame and Giannis Click?
17 of 30
The Milwaukee Bucks ultimately had a disappointing 2023-24 that concluded with another first-round out, but they throttled opponents by a margin of 16.3 points per 100 possessions whenever Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez were on the floor together.
That number should kindle hope that this group is still an elite title-contender. In fact, there's even reason to believe Milwaukee could improve to a degree you wouldn't normally expect from a veteran squad with so many known commodities.
Imagine what the Bucks' net rating might look like if Dame and Giannis develop consistent chemistry in what should be one of the league's most unstoppable two-man actions?
Last year, those two were expected to form the most devastating pick-and-roll tandem in the league. Inconsistent usage and surprising ineffectiveness in those sets made the Dame-Giannis two-man game a constant discussion topic. It got to the point that even a single conspicuous instance of Milwaukee successfully running that action could trigger 24-hour news cycles and fervent "it's finally working!" writeups.
Head coach Doc Rivers is a notorious pick-and-roll spammer. He ran Chris Paul-Blake Griffin and James Harden-Joel Embiid team-ups into the ground at previous stops, and we should expect him to make Dame and Giannis' interactions the focal point of camp.
If the Bucks show more facility with Rivers' pet actions, they could have one of the simplest, yet hardest-to-contain offenses in the league.
Minnesota Timberwolves: How's Rob Dillingham Looking?
18 of 30
Rob Dillingham has a tough job ahead of him, and training camp will offer the first signs as to whether he's up for it.
The rookie joins a Minnesota Timberwolves team that won 56 games a year ago en route to the Conference Finals. Their goals are at least that high this coming season, and the rookie guard will have an outsized role in deciding whether the Wolves reach them.
The cost to acquire Dillingham alone, a future first-rounder and an additional swap, pressurizes the situation. And his potential importance to a team that looks short on offensive organizers only adds to the burden.
Starting point guard Mike Conley is entering his age-37 season, a stage at which nagging injuries and planned rest have to be part of the recipe. Unless Anthony Edwards is fully prepared to run the show much more than he did last year, Dillingham is going to find himself occasionally captaining an offense with legitimate championship aspirations.
Rookies aren't typically asked to take on that sort of gig, but Minnesota wouldn't have coughed up the assets necessary to land Dillingham if it didn't believe he could handle it.
New Orleans Pelicans: What's Up With Brandon Ingram?
19 of 30
Let's not dump on Brandon Ingram for wanting to be appreciated, but let's also agree that his response to an apparent extension stalemate between him and the New Orleans Pelicans has been something less than subtle.
He was one of just two Pels players who skipped a voluntary minicamp in Southern California, per The Athletic's Will Guillory. Next came the passive-aggressive venting through social media.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst laid out the issue on ESPN Cleveland earlier this summer: "The reason that the Pelicans want to trade Brandon Ingram isn't because he's not a good player. It's because he wants a $200 million contract extension and they don't want to give it. And whatever team trades for him inherits the exact same situation—a player who wants a $200 million contract extension."
Current circumstances suggest all 30 NBA teams are aligned on one issue: They don't want to give Ingram $200 million on his next deal.
Is this just a situation that quiets down until it resolves itself at the trade deadline? Or are the Pelicans in for distractions from the jump?
New Orleans isn't without other problems. It's a shock we've gone this far in discussing them without mentioning their lack of a capable starting center.
But the Ingram situation is going to be the most covered aspect of the Pelicans' season until closure arrives via a trade or a contract extension.
New York Knicks: Who's Playing Center?
20 of 30
Necessity is the mother of invention, and if the New York Knicks' lack of center depth forces head coach Tom Thibodeau to get more inventive than he usually is, it might be for the best.
As it stands, the oft-injured Mitchell Robinson and the unproven Precious Achiuwa make up New York's center rotation. Robinson won't be ready to start the season after going down with an ankle injury in the 2024 playoffs, per NBA reporter Yaron Weitzman.
Julius Randle, projected to be ready for the season after missing significant time with a shoulder injury last year, per ESPN's Chris Herring, is the intriguing alternative option at the 5.
Thibodeau has always preferred conventional bigs who control the paint and dominate the glass, and Randle doesn't fit that mold. The two-time All-NBA forward can, however, provide elite secondary creation from a frontcourt spot. The Knicks defense and league-leading boardwork would suffer if Thibs broke from tradition and downsized with any regularity. But man, it'd be fun.
In 12 games together last year, Randle, OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson racked up an 11-1 record with a preposterous plus-26.1 net rating when sharing the floor. Only two of the 582 possessions those three share featured Randle at center, so it's not a guarantee those looks will work. But given their dearth of options behind Robinson, training camp seems like the perfect opportunity to test drive Randle-at-center looks.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Is Jalen Williams A Star?
21 of 30
The Oklahoma City Thunder are going to field an exceptional defense with Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein joining a group that finished fourth on that end a year ago, but anyone who watched OKC fall short against the Mavs in the Western Conference semifinals knows it's the other end that may determine this team's ceiling.
Jalen Williams is already one of the biggest rising stars in the league, but his potential to grow into a shot creator on a level close to that of teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be worth watching in camp and throughout the season.
After scoring via assists on 41.6 percent of his twos and 90.4 percent of his threes as a rookie, J-Dub cut those rates to 40.4 percent and 74.8 percent, respectively, in his second season. That growth must accelerate, and Williams has to show more facility as an isolation threat if the Thunder are going to hit their offensive apex.
If it feels harsh to nitpick a player who just racked up 19.1 points, 4.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds on 62.1 percent true shooting, understand that scrutiny of Williams is a compliment. His excellence to this point creates the expectation that even more growth—perhaps into the realm of superstardom—is possible.
Ahead of his third year, J-Dub is one of the biggest x-factors in the league.
Orlando Magic: Is the Offense Good Enough?
22 of 30
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope helps, but the veteran free-agent signing can only do so much to lift the Orlando Magic's offensive ceiling. This is a 31-year-old veteran who's averaged more than 10.0 shot attempts per game just once in the last six years.
Anyone expecting him to be the missing piece in an attack that ranked 22nd in scoring efficiency last year has another thing coming.
Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero are premium shot-creators at the forward spots, and both tote extremely high assist rates for their positions. But the Magic didn't add a playmaker over the summer, so those two will again be taxed with setting up buckets for others and generating plenty for themselves.
Can Jalen Suggs make a facilitating leap as big as the one he made in the shooting department last year? Will Anthony Black contribute anything useful on offense in his second season? Could Wendell Carter Jr. provide spacing by upping his three-point volume from the center spot?
Extra offensive juice has to come from somewhere. If it's not clear in camp that the Magic's attack is better than it was a year ago, one of the top defenses in the league won't count for much.
Philadelphia 76ers: Is Joel Embiid Healthy?
23 of 30
What else is there to discuss when it comes to the Philadelphia 76ers?
The only possible alternative to wondering about Joel Embiid's current health is raising the question of what state he'll be in come playoff time. The former is the more immediate concern, as a season that starts with a hampered Embiid probably won't end with a fully healthy one.
The 2022-23 MVP was banged up in last year's playoffs and looked to be, charitably, in something less than peak physical condition when playing for Team USA in Paris. As was the case when Embiid reeled off a 50-point playoff performance at less than full strength, he also managed to pepper in some dominant play amid an otherwise ground-bound and listless showing at the Olympics.
The fact that Embiid can occasionally dominate when injured or out of shape should not console the rebuilt Sixers. He needs to be in peak form throughout the regular season and playoffs if Philly hopes to have a chance against the league's top title threats.
If Embiid comes to camp looking like the guy who slogged through the postseason and mostly underwhelmed in Paris, all of the Sixers' brilliant offseason maneuvering will count for nothing.
Phoenix Suns: What Changes Will Coach Bud Bring?
24 of 30
New Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer has a checkered playoff track record that includes one NBA championship but also four first-round eliminations.
Nobody's ever questioned what he can do during the regular season.
Whether turning a star-less Atlanta Hawks team into a 60-win juggernaut or molding the Milwaukee Bucks into a perennial contender for half of a decade, Budenholzer has shown himself to be an ace at seeing the best theoretical version of the team in front of him and designing systems to make that a reality.
It'll be fascinating to see what tactics he unveils for the Suns on offense and defense, but the expectation should be for some kind of basic, regimented system to yield results on both ends.
The Suns are prohibitively expensive and burdened by high expectations. It won't be a success if they finish first in the conference and bow out in the opening round of the playoffs, something Budenholzer's teams have done in the past.
Still, it seems likely that Budenholzer will get the most out of Phoenix during the year. From there, he'll either have to prove he's more adaptable to specific matchups than he's been in the past, or the Suns' glut of high-end star talent will step up.
Portland Trail Blazers: Is Scoot Henderson Primed for a Leap?
25 of 30
Scoot Henderson closed out 2023-24 looking like the guy the Portland Trail Blazers thought they were going to get from the moment they picked him third in the 2023 draft. With averages of 19.4 points and 9.4 assists in seven April games, Henderson did what he could to assuage fears that the larger sample of his rookie season was going to be the norm going forward.
Seven games against checked-out opponents at the end of the year is about as meaningless as it gets, but anything was better than the impression Henderson left prior to April. Even with that productive coda, Henderson's overall effort was hugely disappointing. He posted a 48.9 true shooting percentage for the season, the lowest rate of anyone who took at least 700 shots.
If Henderson arrives in camp with confidence in his status as Portland's ace, and if his play backs up the attitude, everything will get simpler for the Blazers. If he continues to post ghastly individual efficiency figures and can't consistently set up teammates for success, the Blazers' rebuild could go back to square one.
Sacramento Kings: Is Keon Ellis for Real?
26 of 30
If you filter out stars, it's hard to come up with anyone who can swing the season for their team more than Keon Ellis of the Sacramento Kings.
Ellis sits way below De'Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and new addition DeMar DeRozan on the marquee, but his two-way play is going to be absolutely critical to the Kings improving on last year's Play-In elimination. A roster that could consistently field lineups with four offense-first, ball-dominant weapons will need Ellis to drill threes, defend and do all the dirty work.
Last year, the 6'6" guard striped it at 41.7 percent from three and routinely caused havoc on defense. By March, that role-playing work was earning Ellis over 25.0 minutes per game.
Can he sustain his scoring efficiency and defensive hustle if his role in the rotation is at least that large going forward? And can he also pull it off while facing tougher competition as a potential starter and closer?
Ellis does things on the margins that no one else on Sacramento's roster can. He's not the team's best player by any stretch, but he somehow seems indispensable.
San Antonio Spurs: How Good, How Soon?
27 of 30
The only bad thing about Victor Wembanyama is that his unprecedented skills and production make him difficult to plan around.
Normally, a 22-win team just one year removed from making the No. 1 selection in the draft would enter the subsequent season with modest expectations and an intention to focus on young talent—by developing what it has on hand and searching for more, perhaps in next year's draft.
But the San Antonio Spurs added veterans Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes to the roster over the summer and aren't so easy to write off as just another rebuilder ready to pile up losses with a couple of veteran influences to keep the locker room professional.
Wembanyama is the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year and wouldn't shock anyone by hanging around the top five of the MVP discussion. Windows open and close quickly in the NBA, and while the Spurs shouldn't assume they're playoff contenders, they need to be ready to pivot toward that thinking if Wembanyama somehow defies even the most outlandish expectations.
Toronto Raptors: How Thin Is the Bench?
28 of 30
Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl are locks to start for the Toronto Raptors, and Gradey Dick probably has an inside track on being the fifth member of that unit.
After that, things get hazy.
Bruce Brown was in the rotation mix prior to knee surgery that'll cause him to miss the start of camp. A short-timer likely to be traded, it's unclear how or when he'll work his way back onto the floor.
One-way contributors like Kelly Olynyk, Davion Mitchell and Ochai Agbaji join untested rookies lie Ja'Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead and Jonathan Mogbo to form an extremely iffy non-starter portion of a roster that doesn't have anyone in line for guaranteed minutes.
Head coach Darko Rajaković will need to figure out how to cobble together a second unit that doesn't get hammered on one end of the floor or the other (or both, if he trots out multiple rookies), and that's not going to be easy with the current personnel.
The Raptors' starters should be able to stay in games against most opponents, but unless several players emerge in camp, it could get ugly when injuries arise or reserves get on the floor.
Utah Jazz: What's the Goal?
29 of 30
The $238 million renegotiation and extension Lauri Markkanen agreed to with the Utah Jazz this past offseason was a microcosm of the team's predicament.
Markkanen, 27, is an objectively good player on a fair deal who makes the Jazz better, just not to the degree that anyone should believe he's a cornerstone. In other words, he doesn't fit either an immediate or long-term timeline.
Zoom out, and similarly disjointed dynamics emerge.
The Jazz will enter camp with veterans like Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton and John Collins in line for big minutes. But they'll also try to work in youngsters Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, Walker Kessler, Brice Sensabaugh, Cody Williams, Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski.
If the last two years are any indication, Utah will also try to compete early in the year before pivoting into a tank midway through. Last year's 5-21 mark after the All-Star break is a repeatable blueprint.
Do the Jazz want to secure a top-five pick in the 2025 draft? Do they want to compete for wins, despite no real hope for a playoff spot? Can they prop up their vets' trade value while developing the next generation?
Ideally, the Jazz will settle on a direction in camp. Knowing them, they'll choose one and pivot to another midstream because they've saddled themselves with too many good players to be bad and too many bad players to be good.
Washington Wizards: What Will Alex Sarr's Role Be?
30 of 30
Alex Sarr has the height and length to play center, which would amplify his perimeter skills and athleticism, but he's never really been much of a rim-protector at heart. His fluid mobility and comfort with the ball mark him as an intriguing offensive threat at the 4, but his jump shot simply hasn't looked accurate enough to justify playing him on the perimeter.
Obviously, Sarr's youth and inexperience mean all of these observations could become obsolete as he develops. But his potential usage is still a huge question for the Washington Wizards.
The answer, which may only be faintly perceptible in camp, will inform how the Wizards go about organizing the rest of their roster. Even if everyone agrees Sarr was an iffy pick near the top of an underwhelming draft, he's nonetheless Washington's most important project at the moment. OK, maybe he's tied with Bilal Coulibaly. But you get the idea.
Sarr is probably going to have someone ahead of him in the rotation, regardless of what position he looks best suited to play. Jonas Valanciunas is a standard stopgap center, and Kyle Kuzma should see most of the minutes at the 4. Maybe a trade will open up more opportunities once the season starts.
For now, Sarr's role and position remain uncertain.
Stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass. Salary info via Spotrac.
Grant Hughes covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter (@gt_hughes), and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, where he appears with Bleacher Report's Dan Favale.
.jpg?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Report: Falcons, Jags Make DT Trade")
.jpg?w=600 "SmackDown Before WrestleMania 🔠")
.jpg?w=600 "WWE Hall of Fame Recap 👏")
