Every NBA Team's Biggest Fear Right Now
Life is going great for a number of playoff-bound NBA teams. Even rebuilding franchises have something to look forward to with the draft lottery just a few weeks away.
Still, there's at least one big fear in the back of every NBA coach, general manager or owner's head that just won't go away.
Whether it be a key player hitting free agency this summer, a glaring team weakness entering the postseason, future second apron concerns or other fears, all 30 teams have something they should be worried about.
As we enter the final few weeks of the 2025-26 NBA season, this is what your favorite franchise should be afraid of.
Atlanta Hawks: Will Jonathan Kuminga Contract Talks Get Ugly?
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Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors went through their share of contentious contract talks, something the Atlanta Hawks now have to be wary about this summer.
Atlanta holds a $24.3 million team option on Kuminga but should prefer to work out a new, long-term deal instead. The now 23-year-old reportedly wanted a full five-year, $224 million max extension from the Warriors back in 2024. The two sides couldn't agree to a deal, which led to Kuminga ultimately signing a two-year, $46.8 million deal last offseason.
Finding fair value will be tricky.
The athletic wing got off to a hot start in Atlanta, but is now averaging just 6.8 points on 32.3 percent shooting over his last four games. The Hawks don't even have a spot available in their starting lineup unless something changes this summer.
Atlanta has to hope they can reach common ground on an extension number before things get ugly again.
Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum Won't Be Close to 100 Percent for Playoffs
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The Boston Celtics were arguably title contenders before Jayson Tatum made his return from a torn Achilles. With the six-time All-Star, Boston is absolutely in the handful of teams who can win the 2026 title.
Still, there has to be some concern about how quickly the 28-year-old can get back to 100 percent.
Tatum is shooting just 38.8 percent overall from the field and 29.3 percent from three en route to his 19.1 points per game. Boston's offense is 4.9 points per 100 possessions worse with Tatum on the floor, ranking in the 19th percentile via Cleaning the Glass.
None of this should be surprising given the severity of his injury, although Tatum's shooting struggles should be a concern with the playoffs just weeks away.
Brooklyn Nets: Did They Miss Selling High on Michael Porter Jr?
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Michael Porter Jr. looked like one of the hottest names at the trade deadline, as the 27-year-old was enjoying the best season of his career as a No. 1 option. Now sidelined with a hamstring injury, it's fair to wonder if the Brooklyn Nets made a mistake by not selling high on Porter when they had the chance.
Here's Porter's before and after trade deadline splits:
Porter's overall production and shooting efficiency have plunged since the deadline, taking a little shine off of his value.
The Nets may not get the same level of value this summer as they would have in early February.
Charlotte Hornets: Missing Playoffs
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The Charlotte Hornets have the NBA's best net rating (plus-13.7) since the All-Star break, riding a 12-5 record to climb back above .500 and now knocking on a top-6 seed in the East. It's been a remarkable turnaround for a team who began the 2025-26 season just 4-14 overall.
Still, there's a real chance that Charlotte misses the playoffs for the 10th straight year, something that would be devastating considering just how well the Hornets have played over the last few months.
Currently at No. 9 overall in the standings, the Hornets will need to get to No. 6 to guarantee a playoff spot. One or two bad games in the play-in tournament will mean another early exit and a summer of wondering what could have been.
Chicago Bulls: Not Having a Plan
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For the sixth straight year, the Chicago Bulls will win between 30-46 games. This will mark the fifth time in those six seasons that they fail to make the playoffs. Barring a draft lottery miracle, Chicago will also fail to secure a top-3 pick in any of these years as well.
So, what exactly is the plan?
The Bulls continue to be too good to draft a franchise-altering superstar and too bad to reach the postseason. In the NBA, this is the absolute worst place to be.
Chicago traded away two of its top-three leading scorers at the deadline, yet didn't get a single first-round pick in return. Anfernee Simons and Collin Sexton could both leave as unrestricted free agents and Jaden Ivey's future as a restricted free agent is unclear.
Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis aren't enough to build a long-term winner around. Chicago needs to have a firesale this summer or become big-time buyers.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Donovan Mitchell Won't Sign Extension This Offseason
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Trading 26-year-old Darius Garland for 36-year-old James Harden was a desperation move by the Cleveland Cavaliers, pushing their chips in now in hopes of finally making it past the second round of the playoffs and proving to Donovan Mitchell that this team is making real progress.
Mitchell will have just one guaranteed year remaining on his contract ($50.1 million in 2026-27) with a $53.8 million player option the season after. The seven-time All-Star will be eligible to sign a four-year extension this offseason projected at $275 million.
If Mitchell refuses to sign, the Cavs will have a difficult decision to make. Cleveland can't afford to lose him in free agency, as the franchise still doesn't have control of its first-round picks until 2030.
Another first or second-round exit and Mitchell eyeing a better situation should be the Cavs' biggest fear right now.
Dallas Mavericks: Not Finding Cooper Flagg a Running Mate
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Outside of Cooper Flagg, there's little young talent on the Dallas Mavericks' roster.
Dereck Lively II is the next closest thing to a building block, yet the 22-year-old center played just seven games this season due to foot surgery and has amassed a total of 98 contests over three years. Finding another future star in the 2026 draft is imperative to building a long-term winner around Flagg.
Unfortunately, this may be the Mavericks' last chance. Their 2027 first-round pick is owed to the Charlotte Hornets and is only top-2 protected. The Oklahoma City Thunder own swap rights on the Mavs' 2028 selection and the 2029 first-round pick was sent to the Brooklyn Nets as part of the Kyrie Irving trade with no protections.
Dallas currently has the sixth-best odds at the No. 1 overall pick. They need another future All-Star to complement Flagg to compete with the rest of the powers in the West.
Denver Nuggets: Wasting Nikola Jokić's Prime
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Nikola Jokić has been the NBA's best player for roughly six years now, a significant period of time on the mountaintop that we haven't seen from anyone since LeBron James.
James won four titles at the height of his powers, however. Jokić and the Denver Nuggets are still sitting at one.
Now, even winning a single championship is far, far better than winning none at all. Ask any number of NBA legends who went ringless in their Hall of Fame careers.
If Jokić, a three-time MVP (who has a shot at number four this season), only takes home a single Larry O'Brien trophy, however, it should be viewed as a disappointment given how long he's been so incredibly dominant.
Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham Will Miss Start of Playoffs
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Two-time All-Star point guard Cade Cunningham is currently sidelined with left lung pneumothorax, also known as a collapsed lung. He's out at least two weeks before his next evaluation.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, "there is some optimism that Cunningham will be back in time for the start of the playoffs, which begin on April 18".
Just some? This should be alarming for Pistons fans, as any real playoff run will depend on a healthy Cunningham running the show. The 24-year-old is averaging a team-high 24.5 points and is second in the NBA with 9.9 assists.
Even a first-round series without Cunningham won't be easy. This could mean facing a healthy Philadelphia 76ers team, a red-hot Charlotte Hornets squad or an Orlando Magic team desperate to advance.
Here's hoping Cunningham can make a healthy return to the court before the playoffs begin.
Golden State Warriors: The Stephen Curry Title Era is Over
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The Golden State Warriors can truly label themselves a dynasty, the first franchise to be able to do so since Tim Duncan's San Antonio Spurs. Warriors fans hoping to match the Spurs' five titles will be severely disappointed, however.
At 34-38 this season, even the Warriors' playoff hopes are on life support. Stephen Curry hasn't played since January with a knee injury. Jimmy Butler is out with a torn ACL. Steve Kerr's contract is up this summer.
It feels more and more like the Curry title era is finally over.
Kudos to the Warriors front office for at least trying to do right by their superstar, as an offer of four unprotected first-round picks for Giannis Antetokounmpo was significant. There's a chance Golden State could sign the two-time MVP outright in the summer of 2027, although Curry will be 39 by then.
Unfortunately, the greatest era in the history of the Warriors is quickly coming to an end.
Houston Rockets: Kevin Durant Runs Out of Gas
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The good news? Kevin Durant has played in 68 of 71 games this season for the Houston Rockets. The last time he missed fewer contests was during his MVP season in 2013-14.
The bad news? This is a lot of wear and tear for the 37-year-old, who's also third in the NBA in minutes per game (36.5) and second in total minutes (2,480). Durant and DeMar DeRozan are the only players older than 31 to rank in the top-25 players in total minutes. Unlike Durant, DeRozan doesn't have to worry about a long playoff run, however.
The Rockets are fighting every night to win games and stay in the top-6 seed in the West, which means even more work for Durant. He's logged at least 30 minutes or more in 61 of his 68 games, passing 40 minutes 11 times and counting.
Don't be surprised if we start seeing some real fatigue from the 19-year veteran sometime soon.
Indiana Pacers: Top-5 Pick Going to the Clippers
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The Indiana Pacers essentially agreed to flip a coin to see whether they get to keep their 2026 top-5 pick…on Ivica Zubac.
This was a baffling trade, as the Pacers also agreed to part with a future unprotected first-round pick and Bennedict Mathurin, who's averaging nearly 20 points per game with the Los Angeles Clippers now.
The 2026 pick owed to Los Angeles is top-4 protected. If the Pacers finish with the NBA's worst record, they can select no worse than No. 5 overall, however this is almost an even split. As it stands, Indiana has a 52.1 percent chance at landing a top-4 selection and keeping their pick and a 47.9 percent chance that it goes to the Clippers.
If the Pacers end this season with the worst record in the NBA and don't get to make a single selection in the 2026 draft, this could be a historically bad year for any franchise.
Los Angeles Clippers: A Kawhi Leonard Regression
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We may be seeing the best basketball from Kawhi Leonard since the 2019 NBA Finals.
His 28.3 points per game this season are a career high. The 34-year-old is shooting the ball extremely well (50.4/38.5/90.1 percent splits) and his defense is still really, really good.
If Leonard can stay healthy and play at this level, the Clippers will have a lot of great options this offseason. They should feel confident building a winner around him now with Darius Garland, Bennedict Mathurin and a few extra first-round picks to mold the roster with. Los Angeles could also try to sell high, as Leonard's $50.3 million salary for next season now looks like a good value.
The Clippers just have to hope no regression or injury is coming and that Leonard can remain at this level for the next few weeks.
Los Angeles Lakers: Defense Dooms a Title Run
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The Los Angeles Lakers are 13-5 since the All-Star break, riding a red-hot offense that ranks No. 4 in the NBA over this span.
Unfortunately, the defense continues to be a real concern, as playing Luka Dončić and 41-year-old LeBron James big minutes isn't exactly a recipe for getting stops.
The Lakers have a defensive rating of 117.3 (38th percentile, via Cleaning the Glass) when Dončić and James share the court this season. Both are only going to see an increase in minutes when the playoffs begin.
With a pair of elite defensive teams at the top of the conference in the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers simply don't look like they'll be good enough on that side of the ball to make a run to the Finals.
Memphis Grizzlies: Ja Morant Trade Market Will Remain Cold
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The Memphis Grizzlies collected a whopping seven first-round draft picks in trades for Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. It's safe to say that the market for Ja Morant hasn't been quite as robust.
According to The Stein Line's Jake Fischer, only the Sacramento Kings and Miami Heat showed any kind of interest at the trade deadline, with Miami only interested in a Trae Young-like return (CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, no draft picks).
Morant has yet to play after the deadline with an elbow injury and now has been ruled out for the remainder of the regular season. The Grizzlies have to hope more teams will develop point guard needs this offseason or the Morant trade market won't warm up.
Miami Heat: Mediocrity Continues
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The Miami Heat look like they'll finish in the East play-in tournament for the fourth straight season. Since LeBron James left in 2014, Miami has finished between 37 and 48 wins in 11 of 12 years, leaving this organization stuck in mediocrity.
Jimmy Butler has willed the Heat to the NBA Finals twice in this span, although he's long gone. Tyler Herro, Norman Powell and Bam Adebayo (when he's not facing the Washington Wizards) are all good complementary pieces, but there's no alphas here.
Miami got demolished in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers last spring and could face a similar ending if they face the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics or New York Knicks in the playoffs now.
Something needs to change.
Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo Will Pick His Next Team
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The Milwaukee Bucks have already stated that Giannis Antetokounmpo will be traded if he refuses to sign an extension this offseason.
What if the two-time MVP forces his way to a specific organization, however? We saw De'Aaron Fox do the same just last year.
"There was one team. I wanted to go to San Antonio. So, a lot of people are mad at me, saying I handcuffed the team by giving them a destination. Well, this is my career. If anybody else is in my position, you'd do the same thing. It's not my job to help build your team. I'm not about to just go where they want me to go. I wanted to have a destination," Fox told ESPN's Michael C. Wright last year.
Fox forcing his way to one team ruined his trade value for the Kings, who ended up with Zach LaVine and (maybe) one good first-round pick as the main return.
If Antetokounmpo makes it known he wants to be traded to just one or two teams and won't sign an extension with anyone else, his value will plummet and the Bucks will be in a world of trouble.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Supporting Cast Isn't Good Enough
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Anthony Edwards has had one teammate make the All-Star game in his six seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves. That player is now a member of the New York Knicks.
While Edwards has cemented himself as a superstar in the NBA and is averaging a career-high 29.5 points per game, does he have enough help around him?
There's a reason why Minnesota was trying to trade for Kevin Durant both at the 2025 deadline and last summer. They were also "very aggressively trying" to land Giannis Antetokounmpo two months ago. Clearly, this front office is big game hunting.
There's a lot of good players on the Wolves. Not having a second All-Star may end up killing any kind of Finals run, however.
New Orleans Pelicans: 'Win' Draft Lottery
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The New Orleans Pelicans have actually been playing some good basketball lately, going 10-7 since the All-Star break. Unfortunately, they've already dug too deep a hole to reach the West play-in tournament and don't own their first-round pick this season due to the Derik Queen trade.
The Pels currently have the eighth-best odds at "winning" the No. 1 overall pick, which is unprotected and would convey to the Atlanta Hawks.
This has to be the franchise's greatest fear. If New Orleans ends up with the No. 10 overall pick or so, Queen may easily go on to have a greater career. If this selection even ends up in the top four (currently a 26.3 percent chance), fans will be grieving the loss of a player like Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer or Caleb Love instead.
New York Knicks: Not Making the Conference Finals
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Expectations are sky high for the New York Knicks right now after reaching the conference finals in 2025. Anything short of making the NBA's Final Four again would be a colossal disappointment.
The East is as open as it's ever been, especially with Cade Cunningham currently out with a collapsed lung, Jayson Tatum working his way back to full strength from a torn Achilles and the Cleveland Cavaliers adjusting to a major roster shakeup with James Harden.
New York should have a Finals-or-bust attitude, as this team is talented enough to win a championship. At the very minimum, this team needs to reach the East Finals once again.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Looming Second Apron Concerns
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The Oklahoma City Thunder are once again breezing their way through the regular season with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looking like the favorite to bring home a second-straight MVP.
The defending champions are even ducking the luxury tax this season, although next year's financial projections look much different.
Both Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren will make the leap from rookie contracts to max deals, an increase of a combined $62.7 million. OKC will go from zero players making over $40 million to three.
If team options are picked up for Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort and Kenrich Williams, the Thunder are projected to fly $38.3 million over the second apron.
Thunder fans should put blinders on and enjoy this season, as big changes will inevitably come this summer.
Orlando Magic: Another First-Round Loss
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The Orlando Magic are in danger of losing in the first round of the East playoffs for the third straight season, a real concern for a franchise who will be flirting with the second apron in 2026-27.
Orlando's last two first-round exits were justified. In 2024, the Magic pushed Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in their initial postseason appearance. Last year, the Magic had to face the defending champion Boston Celtics and were forced to use Cory Joseph as the team's starting point guard with Jalen Suggs sidelined.
The Magic still have a chance to climb to the No. 5 seed in the East and avoid the Celtics, New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons in Round 1. They won't be favored against the Cavs, although more James Harden playoff hiccups would give Orlando a real chance to advance for the first time.
A max deal for Paolo Banchero is set to kick in next season, pushing the Magic to just $4.4 million below the second apron with three roster spots left to fill. If Orlando bows out in the first round again, changes will be coming.
Philadelphia 76ers: Financial Prison
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Philadelphia is home to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and the two worst contracts in the entire NBA.
Paul George will turn 36 in May and is owed $110.7 million over the next two seasons. Joel Embiid, 32, will just be starting a three-year, $187.1 million extension that should have never been offered and has a chance to become the worst deal in NBA history. Paying someone an average of over $62 million a year moving forward who's averaged just 30.3 games the past three years is going to cripple the cap sheet in Philly until 2029.
An estimated 67.6 percent of the entire salary cap will go to Embiid and George alone next season, severely limiting the 76ers options in free agency and even their ability to retain their own free agents.
There's zero chance either of these former stars gets traded, not with their lack of production, durability or both. Philly will be stuck working around these massive contracts for the next two-to-three years.
Phoenix Suns: Dillon Brooks Doesn't Fully Recover From Broken Hand
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Dillon Brooks has been a big part of the Phoenix Suns' success this season, as the team is 30-20 with its starting forward vs. just 10-13 without him.
A broken hand suffered in late February came with a 4-to-6 week return date. This could have Brooks out until the first week of April, if there are no setbacks.
The Suns are still fighting for a top-6 seed in the West, although their play without Brooks as of late may have doomed these chances. For Phoenix to make it out of the play-in tournament and have any real playoff success, they'll need a healthy Brooks.
Portland Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson Becoming a Bust
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The Scoot Henderson experience in Portland hasn't exactly been what the Trail Blazers had hoped for.
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 draft has yet to even establish himself as a full-time starter and missed the majority of this season with a torn hamstring. He's averaged a modest 13.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists on 40.3 percent shooting overall and 33.9 percent from three for his career.
The Blazers are trying to win and develop their young talent at the same time. Minutes will be more difficult to find next season for Henderson with the return of Damian Lillard, the player Henderson was selected to replace.
No one should be ready to call Henderson a bust just yet, although it would be surprising to see Portland offer him a big rookie extension this offseason, either.
Sacramento Kings: Not Landing a Top-5 Pick
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The Sacramento Kings desperately need a franchise savior. There's been little young talent coming in the past few years, as Sacramento hasn't made a top-10 pick since 2022.
A prospect like AJ Dybantsa or Cameron Boozer could give the Kings their best player to build around in the draft since Tyrese Haliburton back in 2020. Sacramento may need to lose a few extra games, however, as they're just outside the worst three records in the NBA and the best odds at taking home the No. 1 overall pick.
Missing out on a generational pick by falling to fifth or sixth overall in the draft would be devastating for Sacramento, a team that needs a true pillar perhaps more than any other NBA team.
San Antonio Spurs: Inexperience Killing Playoff Run
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As good as the San Antonio Spurs have been this season at 54-18 overall, history tells us that this team isn't going to win a title this year.
This young core has yet to go through a playoff run together, as San Antonio hasn't even reached the postseason since 2019. Even a veteran like De'Aaron Fox has played in just one playoff series in his career.
Of course, Victor Wembanyama is the great equalizer here. Trading playoff experience for a 7'4" defensive monster who can score from all three levels is a trade off any franchise would make.
Going against a team like the Los Angeles Lakers or Denver Nuggets in the second round featuring stars who have won championships would be tough for San Antonio, however.
Toronto Raptors: Is the Ceiling Too Low?
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The Toronto Raptors are a tough-nosed defensive team with a lot of wing talent who could finish as high as No. 5 in the East. It's fair to question if this team has the ceiling necessary to win a championship, however.
There's a lot of young-ish talent on the roster, although we already have a good idea of how great players like Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Scottie Barnes will be. All are already in their fifth-to-10th season in the NBA and none were ranked in B/R's top-20 players this season, with only Barnes finishing in the top-50.
This roster just screams good, but not great, much like the Houston Rockets of a year ago. The Rockets recognized this and responded by trading for Kevin Durant. If the Raptors lose in the first round, this could be a franchise to watch for a potential star trade.
Utah Jazz: Roster Getting Too Expensive Too Fast
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For a team that's finished near the bottom of the West for the past four years, the Utah Jazz are becoming awfully expensive awfully fast.
Lauri Markkanen is still on the books at $46 million next year. The trade for Jaren Jackson Jr. added $49 million to the team's payroll and Walker Kessler will need a big deal to return as a free agent. Utah can also offer Keyonte George an extension, one that won't be cheap thanks to his averages of 23.6 points and 6.1 assists per game this season.
The Jazz need to start competing next year to justify being a potential apron team in 2027-28.
Washington Wizards: Committing to a Future of Anthony Davis and Trae Young
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The Washington Wizards could be paying a combined $107.5 million to Anthony Davis and Trae Young next year, depending on what the latter chooses to do with his player option. Given the injury concerns of the first and defensive weaknesses of the second, Washington needs to be extremely careful with their financial commitments.
Young can opt out and sign a new, long-term deal with the franchise. It's difficult to determine a fair value, as the four-time All-Star has played just five total games following his trade from the Atlanta Hawks.
Davis is eligible to sign a new max extension, one that could start at over $70 million annually. The Wizards need only look at Joel Embiid's next deal with the Philadelphia 76ers to decide if this would be a good decision.
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