New Goals for Every NBA Team Down the Stretch
Believe it or not, we're down to just 10-ish games left in the 2025-26 NBA regular season.
While some fan bases (looking at you, Indiana Pacers) have been wanting to fast forward through this entire year, there's still a lot that can be accomplished for all 30 teams.
Whether it be player, team, skill or draft related, these are the goals every NBA team should be striving for with just a few weeks remaining.
Atlanta Hawks: Determine Jonathan Kuminga's Value
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Finally free from Steve Kerr's doghouse, Jonathan Kuminga is thriving with the Atlanta Hawks. The 23-year-old is averaging 14.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steals and shooting 58.3 percent from three with his new team.
The two sides have mutual interest in not picking up his $24.3 million player option and finding a new, long-term deal instead according to The Stein Line's Jake Fischer.
An 11-game winning streak has the Hawks in the hunt for a top-5 seed in the East, although they should also be using this time to determine a fair contract for Kuminga and keep him as part of this new-look core.
Boston Celtics: Get Jayson Tatum Playoff-Ready
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The No. 1 seed in the East is still very much in play for the Boston Celtics, as a four-game separation from the Detroit Pistons doesn't seem as intimidating with news that Cade Cunningham will miss extended time with a collapsed lung.
Still, Boston shouldn't be as concerned with seeding as they should with the continued recovery of superstar Jayson Tatum from a torn Achilles. The six-time All-Star is starting to see an increase in minutes and is shooting the ball better as well.
Tatum went 5-of-11 (45.5 percent) from three in a March 18 win over the Golden State Warriors after previously connecting on just 27.1 percent in his first five games.
Tatum playing at 100 percent by the start of the playoffs is the most important factor for these Celtics, who have renewed title hope with their star forward back.
Brooklyn Nets: Throw Rookies Into the Deep End
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It's been a rough year for the Brooklyn Nets, who somehow aren't even in the bottom two teams of the East.
Even No. 8 overall pick Egor Dёmin, currently the leading candidate for future franchise player, has been lost for the season due to plantar fasciitis. On a team with Michael Porter Jr., Nic Claxton and other veterans, it's time to unleash the rest of the rookies for better or worse.
None of the Nets' first-year players are averaging more than 24.4 minutes per game since the All-Star break. One could make the argument that none have deserved a big jump in playing time, but getting extended court time is still the best way to develop.
With nothing else to look forward to until the draft lottery, it's time to feed players like Danny Wolf, Nolan Traoré, Drake Powell and Ben Saraf 30-plus minutes a night.
Charlotte Hornets: Help Kon Knueppel Win Rookie of the Year
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Along with chasing a top-6 seed in the East, the Charlotte Hornets need to turn up the heat on the Kon Knueppel Rookie of the Year campaign.
Either he or former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg are going to win the award, and both are certainly worthy candidates. Flagg has the advantage of being his team's primary offensive option, however, while Knueppel ranks just third in field-goal attempts per game since the All-Star break behind LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.
With averages of 20.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 45.7 percent shooting from three, Knueppel has proved he can handle a larger offensive load. Especially after trading for Coby White, the Hornets should do everything in their power to make sure that Knueppel is getting plenty of shots and securing that ROY trophy.
Chicago Bulls: Identify Guards to Build Around
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The Chicago Bulls picked up A LOT of guards at the trade deadline. With free agency rapidly approaching for some, the next few weeks are going to be crucial for evaluation.
Collin Sexton and Anfernee Simons will be unrestricted free agents and have complete freedom to sign wherever they want. Jaden Ivery is restricted, so the Bulls will have the right to match any offer sheet he receives from opposing teams. Rob Dillingham is also in the mix now, although he'll still have two years remaining on his rookie deal.
Chicago needs to determine which guard or guards fits best alongside Josh Giddey, who's strengths lie in his size, passing and rebounding. Finding fair value on Ivey will be difficult as well, a former top-5 pick who's dealt with injuries in his young career.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Establish Playoff Rotation
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Head coach Kenny Atkinson has a good problem on his hands with the return of Max Strus from a broken foot, as this is the healthiest his wing rotation has been all year.
Atkinson admitted to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com that he probably won't be able to play 10 guys in the playoffs, meaning the next few weeks will determine who sees postseason minutes.
Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, James Harden and Jarrett Allen are all locked in. Dennis Schröder is safe as a backup point guard and Strus will have a spot. That leaves Jaylon Tyson, Sam Merrill, Dean Wade, Keon Ellis and Thomas Bryant to fill the final three roles.
As Cleveland tries to climb as high as possible in the East while still getting everyone acclimated to Harden, the playoff rotation should take shape.
Dallas Mavericks: Evaluate Point Guard Options
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The Dallas Mavericks rank dead last in made passes this season (261.3) and are 29th overall in points created off assists (63.2). Obviously, point guard will need to be addressed this summer.
Cooper Flagg is not the answer, no matter how talented he may be. Undrafted rookie Ryan Nembhard has been a pleasant surprise (9.4 points, 6.3 assists in 21 starts), although he's one of the smallest players in the league at 5'11" and 180 pounds. He doesn't scream full-time starter moving forward, yet could become a reliable backup in Dallas.
Brandon Williams continues to play a role, although he's also on the smaller side and has struggled from three (24.5 percent). Do the Mavs bring back a 34-year-old Kyrie Irving coming off a torn ACL, turn to the younger options on the roster or look for outside help?
The next few weeks will help give us this answer.
Denver Nuggets: Play Championship-Worthy Defense
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A sizable gap exists between the way the Denver Nuggets perform on offense vs. how they stop other teams from doing the same.
Denver has the No. 1 scoring attack this season (120.1 rating), which is no surprise given the greatness of Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray enjoying the best year of his career and a newfound depth assembled this past summer.
Defensively, however, the Nuggets rank just 21st overall (115.8 rating). That's the worst mark of any playoff or play-in team in the entire NBA.
If 6'8" wing Peyton Watson can return soon from a hamstring injury, that will certainly help. It's on the rest of this roster and coaching staff to prove this team can play championship level defense before the actual playoffs begin.
Detroit Pistons: Keep the No. 1 Seed in the East
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The big lead that the Detroit Pistons have spent building all year in the East will certainly be tested now.
All-star point guard Cade Cunningham could miss the remainder of the regular season with a collapsed lung, putting a lot of pressure on this offense to produce without him. Detroit's scoring improves by 8.1 points per 100 possessions with Cunningham in the game (95th percentile, via Cleaning the Glass).
Currently up four games on the Boston Celtics and five-and-a-half on the New York Knicks, there isn't a whole lot of room for error for the Pistons. Keeping the No. 1 seed likely means avoiding both teams until the Eastern Conference Finals, which should be a priority for Detroit.
Golden State Warriors: Get a Healthy Stephen Curry Back
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Even at age 38, everything the Golden State Warriors do still revolves around Stephen Curry.
Golden State is 23-16 with their superstar this season and just 10-20 overall when he doesn't suit up. Curry has been out since the end of January with a knee injury, yet could return sometime this month according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
The Warriors aren't in danger of falling further than the No. 10 seed in the West thanks to the tanking teams underneath them, but any hope of getting out of the play-in tournament and into the playoffs will depend solely on the health of Curry.
Houston Rockets: Unleash Reed Sheppard
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The Houston Rockets are just 8-7 overall since the All-Star break with an offense that ranks 17th overall, even below the Memphis Grizzlies. Guard play has been an issue all season, with Kevin Durant asked to bail the Rockets out far too often.
One solution? Unleash Reed Sheppard.
The Rockets are 8-2 with Sheppard as a starter, as the second-year guard is averaging 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.0 blocks in these 10 games.
Houston should have made a move for point guard help at the deadline. Sheppard isn't a true floor general, but he's the closest thing the Rockets have to one. Ime Udoka should make the 21-year-old a full-time starter and help unlock this struggling offense.
Indiana Pacers: Play the Pups
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The Indiana Pacers have been less tanky than most bad teams this season, which is admirable.
Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell have all played 50-plus games. Even Ivica Zubac has made his return to the court recently, even though the Pacers don't need his services until next year.
Rick Carlisle should thank them for their service during this difficult time and turn them all into full-time coaches for the rest of the year.
Playing time should be elevated for guys like Jarace Walker (22), Kam Jones (24), Ben Sheppard (24) and the two-way players, letting them spread their wings before a return to health next season inevitably cuts down on playing time.
Los Angeles Clippers: Determine Bennedict Mathurin's Value
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Bennedict Mathurin has long had the look of a potential All-Star wing in the NBA, an athletic wing with good size who can score in bunches.
As he approaches restricted free agency this summer, both he and the Los Angeles Clippers need to get to know each other better before making an official commitment.
The 23-year-old is averaging 19.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals in 16 games with the Clippers, with all but one contest coming as a reserve. Los Angeles is likely limiting his role now for future negotiating purposes.
The Clippers are still fighting to make the playoffs, although acclimating a new core that features Darius Garland and Mathurin around Kawhi Leonard is more important long-term.
Los Angeles Lakers: Hold Tight to the No. 3 Seed
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One of the hottest teams in the NBA right now, the Los Angeles Lakers have moved from the No. 6 seed in the West to No. 3 in just over a week.
Getting to this spot is one thing. Keeping it, especially in this ultra-competitive West, is quite another.
The good news? The remaining schedule for the Lakers is favorable, as they have the 11th-easiest SOS of any NBA team. They see the Oklahoma City Thunder twice more, yet are already done playing the San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets.
If Los Angeles stays at No. 3, they wouldn't have to face the Thunder until the Western Conference Finals, giving other West teams two rounds to try and take down the defending champs.
Memphis Grizzlies: Improve Ja Morant's Trade Value
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A UCL sprain in his elbow has sidelined Ja Morant since Jan. 21. Even with the franchise pivoting towards a rebuild, the Memphis Grizzlies need Morant to try and return this season.
The trade deadline told us how the rest of the league values Morant, as only the Sacramento Kings and Miami Heat showed any kind of interest in the two-time All-Star. Obviously, the Grizzlies weren't thrilled with any potential offers they received.
Trade value can rise and plummet in the NBA, however. Kawhi Leonard is a prime example of that, as he's looked untradeable at times due to injuries yet has been one of the league's best players this season.
If Morant can return and posts 20-plus points and 8-plus assists on good shooting efficiency over a five-ish game stretch, even a small sample size may encourage more teams to show interest in the 26-year-old.
Miami Heat: Decide if This Core is Worth Investing In
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The Miami Heat continue to ride the fence between playoff and play-in team in the East, chasing win streaks with mini losing ones.
They're going to need to make some big financial decisions this summer, however, as Norman Powell will become an unrestricted free agent. Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell and Jaime Jaquez Jr. will all be going into the final year of their contracts, with the latter being extension eligible for the first time.
Is this core truly worth investing in? Or is this just another lukewarm team in the middle of the East that's going to get bounced in the first round?
The next few weeks should help tell us.
Milwaukee Bucks: Shut Down Giannis Antetokounmpo
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According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Milwaukee Bucks "want to shut down Giannis Antetokounmpo for the remainder of the season after his latest injury and their postseason chances dwindled, but the two-time NBA MVP has refused the team's requests and wants to play again".
Kudos for Antetokounmpo to want to keep playing, but the Bucks are right here.
At 28-41, Milwaukee isn't making the playoffs. Getting as high of a draft pick as possible should be the primary goal, one that Antetokounmpo would hurt by returning.
The Bucks are 11-22 without their two-time MVP and could pull off enough of a tank job to make this record even worse. With Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee is nearly a .500 team at 17-19 overall.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Secure Homecourt Advantage in 1st Round
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The Minnesota Timberwolves don't have enough time to try and catch the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs for a top-2 seed in the West, although staying in the top-4 is a good and realistic goal.
Given the mess of teams fighting in the middle (Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns), the Wolves securing a spot at No. 3 or No. 4 would let them open a playoff series in Minnesota, where the team is 24-12 overall this year.
Anthony Edwards is expected to miss 1-2 weeks with right knee inflammation, so this will be no easy task. Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels and company will need to shoulder the load until their superstar shooting guard can return.
New Orleans Pelicans: Prioritize Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears
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The New Orleans Pelicans are 10-5 with a plus-4.1 net rating since the All-Star break, which doesn't make any sense at all considering the team went 15-41 before this abrupt turnaround. Sorry, Atlanta Hawks fans.
The Pelicans don't have any incentive to lose, yet are getting their priorities mixed up. This season should now be about developing rookies Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears, both lottery picks in the 2025 draft.
Instead, New Orleans continues to bring both off the bench in limited minutes, even playing DeAndre Jordan and Jordan Poole over Queen and Fears at times.
After investing so much draft capital into both rookies, the Pelicans need to actually be playing them more.
New York Knicks: Improve Success of Starting Five
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Individually, Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart are all All-Stars or high-level starters. Together, something just isn't clicking.
This five-man unit had a modest net rating of plus-4.1 (51st percentile, via Cleaning the Glass) last season. Even with more reps together, however, this number has actually dropped to plus-2.6 (46th percentile) this year.
Yes, the New York Knicks are still a healthy 45-25 this season and could climb as high as No. 2 in the East. The bench is better than last year and a title is a reasonable expectation.
As games become more important and rotations shrink, however, the Knicks will need more out of this starting unit, one that's surprisingly struggled together.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Get Jalen Williams Playoff Ready
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No team can cover for the loss of its second-best player quite like the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are 36-8 without Jalen Williams this season.
Currently riding a 10-game win streak and once again sitting atop the West, the Thunder have to need a healthy and productive Williams at some point, right?
OKC could still breeze through a first-round series without their 24-year-old All-Star, although they may see the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets or Los Angeles Lakers as early as Round 2. Having a big, two-way wing who can guard players like Kevin Durant, Luka Dončić and LeBron James will come in handy.
Getting Williams back from a hamstring injury and returning to his 2024-25 form will be crucial to the Thunder's title repeat hopes.
Orlando Magic: Get Paolo Bachero Back to All-Star Level
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Paolo Banchero's rise to superstardom has seemingly been paused, as the 23-year-old is averaging the lowest scoring and three-point shooting numbers since his rookie season.
After being named Rookie of the Year and an All-Star in his first two seasons, Banchero is putting up 22.3 points on 31.3 percent shooting from deep this year. The Orlando Magic are 7-3 when he doesn't play this season, vs. 31-28 when Banchero does suit up.
This is concerning for the No. 1 overall pick, who looked like he was on his way to becoming one of the best players in the NBA just two years ago.
With a usage rate that stands as the lowest since his rookie year, Orlando needs to refocus its offense around Banchero's talents for the betterment of its present and future.
Philadelphia 76ers: Return to Full Strength Before Playoffs
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Even though their playing time together has been limited, the Philadelphia 76ers have a good net rating of plus-6.1 (78th percentile, via Cleaning the Glass) with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Paul George together this season.
The bad news? All three are currently out with injuries or a 25-game anti-drug suspension.
The good news? All three could be back before the playoffs begin.
Maxey will be reevaluated from a tendon injury in his right pinkie finger near the end of March. Embiid could return any time from an oblique injury and George will make his way back to the court when his suspension runs out on March 25.
As messy as this season has been for the Sixers, a fully-loaded roster is a real possibility come April.
Phoenix Suns: More Reps for the Big 3
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Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green represent the Phoenix Suns' top three leading scorers this season. Remarkably, the trio has shared the floor for just 86 total possessions all year.
The Suns have stayed afloat in the West despite their injuries, with a 39-31 record putting them at the doorstep of a top-6 seed. Green missed significant time to begin the season and now Brooks is out with a broken hand.
We're roughly a month removed from Brooks' 4-to-6 week return diagnosis, which should be encouraging for Suns fans. Phoenix will want to get in as many reps as possible for their new Big 3 before the playoffs begin.
Portland Trail Blazers: Improve 3-Point Shooting
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Three-point shooting has plagued the Portland Trail Blazers all year and is especially concerning now as they look to climb up the West standings.
The Blazers are shooting just 33.9 percent from deep as a team, which ranks 29th overall in the NBA. Only the Sacramento Kings are worse.
For context, 14 of the top 16 teams in three-point efficiency are either in the current playoff or play-in picture. Long-range shooting matters, especially in 2026. Damian Lillard isn't walking through that door (at least not this season), meaning there needs to be a lot of internal improvement before the play-in tournament begins.
Sacramento Kings: Finish With Best Draft Odds
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Respect is owed to the Sacramento Kings, who organically tanked this season by playing good, old-fashioned terrible basketball.
No team needs a franchise savior more than the Kings, whose fans deserve a prospect they can truly rally behind.
The Kings have tried to play their way out of a No. 1 pick recently, however, going 4-3 over their last seven games. This has them just outside a bottom-three record and tied for the best odds at the No. 1 overall pick, a place they need to try and get to.
A top-3 selection would do wonders for Sacramento and should be their primary goal this season.
San Antonio Spurs: Win the West
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At 28-9, the San Antonio Spurs have the best record in the NBA since the calendar flipped to 2026. Unfortunately, even this hasn't made much of a dent in their separation from the Oklahoma City Thunder and the No. 1 seed in the West.
Currently three games behind OKC, there's still a chance that Victor Wembanyama and company can get to the top of the conference, especially if the Thunder prioritize resting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and others towards the end of the regular season.
With a sparkling 27-7 record at home this season, making opponents come to San Antonio would be a major boost to the Spurs' title chances.
Toronto Raptors: Keep the No. 5 Seed in East
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After failing to make the playoffs last season, clinching the No. 5 seed would be a huge jump for the Toronto Raptors now.
It would also mean a more favorable matchup for the Raptors, who would likely draw the Cleveland Cavaliers in Round 1 instead of beginning the postseason against the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden or Boston Celtics with a healthy Jayson Tatum.
The Cavs are a good team, yet they've had their postseason struggles in recent years, failing to make it out of the second round with Donovan Mitchell. James Harden's playoff meltdowns are well documented as well.
Getting the No. 5 seed and Cleveland in Round 1 gives the Raptors a far better chance to make a postseason run.
Utah Jazz: Identify Biggest Draft Need
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The surprising trade for Jaren Jackson Jr. at the deadline meant the Utah Jazz have their power forward of the future. Keyonte George looks like a franchise point guard and Ace Bailey has shown enough to warrant a starting job next season as well.
Still, questions remain.
Does Lauri Markkanen, who's set to turn 29 in May, still have a future with this team? Will Walker Kessler and the Jazz strike a new deal in free agency? Where does the rest of this core fit in moving forward?
Where Utah lands in the draft lottery will impact who stays this offseason and the final few weeks will help determine what position is needed the post.
Washington Wizards: Determine Trae Young's Next Contract
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Trae Young owns a $49 million player option for next season. The rest of the Washington Wizards' year will help dictate what both sides will want to do this summer.
Young is averaging 15.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists in just 20.8 minutes while making 76.2 percent of his twos and 42.9 percent of his threes. A five-game sample size is tough to draw conclusions from, but this kind of production and efficiency has been encouraging.
Young isn't going to make $49 million per season on a new deal, but could get more overall money on a long-term contract. This is the evaluation period not only for Young, but how much he can elevate the young core around him.
