Bold Predictions for Every NBA Team's Best New Weapon

The 2026 NBA offseason delivered external additions to all 30 rosters.

We'll be just as generous by extending a bold prediction around the best new weapon on all of those franchises.

Before starting, it's worth noting what a bold prediction is and is not. It is an optimistic (but still realistic) look at what could happen if everything breaks right. It is not, however, leaning into the absurdity for the purpose of doing so.

Accuracy is still the overall objective, even if the application of it looks a bit rosier than normal. These may not all be things that we think will happen, but they are things we can envision with some best-case-scenario kind of good fortune.

Atlanta Hawks: Lu Dort

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Bold prediction: Dort makes an All-Defensive team

Some will question the boldness of this prediction, which is fair given that Dort was an All-Defensive first-teamer in 2024-25. That said, he just finished his seventh season in the NBA, and that stands as the lone All-Defensive selection of his career.

He must be at his most powerful and most disruptive best to earn a second honor. Being cast away by the Oklahoma City Thunder—where he started for a championship team just two seasons back—might maximize his motivation. Plus, Atlanta should be filthy on defense with chaos-creators like Dort, Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker all around the wings.

Boston Celtics: Paul George

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Bold prediction: George averages 20-plus points

The Jaylen Brown-less Celtics have a standing need for a new Jayson Tatum co-star. George might be most comfortable filling that role, even if Derrick White and Payton Pritchard have big advantages when it comes to institutional knowledge.

But White and Pritchard have always handled support roles; George has legitimate experience in the spotlight. And as a superstar's sidekick, a role he handled alongside Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City and with Kawhi Leonard in L.A. George's scoring volume has dialed down in recent seasons (hence the boldness of this prediction for a career 20.5 points per game scorer), but shifting back into a more prominent offensive role than the one he had in Philadelphia should reverse that trend.

Brooklyn Nets: Mikel Brown Jr.

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Bold prediction: Brown will lead rookie rotation regulars in assist-to-turnover ratio

Shrewd decision-making isn't the first thing that comes to mind with Brown, who plays a flashy, risk-reward style. But if he had more scoring help than he did at Louisville or with the summer league Nets, he would be better able to pick his spots. And the creative passes he throws and prowess in pick-and-roll plays suggests there are some pretty awesome quarterbacking skills at play.

It would still be pretty stunning to see Brown paces rotational rookies in assist-to-turnover ratio after averaging 4.7 assists against 3.1 giveaways in college (and 4.0 against 2.7 this summer). But that feels like a reasonable (if optimistic) wager on his developmental growth and ability to maximize an offense featuring a couple of proven high-end scorers in Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr.

Charlotte Hornets: Naz Reid

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Bold prediction: Reid averages a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double

Reid arrives in Buzz City as, objectively speaking, the best backup big man in basketball. The Hornets clearly see an even brighter future in front of him. He was by far the most significant player they received for their stunning subtraction of franchise face LaMelo Ball.

The Hornets will feature Reid in ways to help justify that change-of-direction to fans still on the fence about it. And if he's getting 30-plus minutes on the regular—he'll be featured at both the 4 and 5 spots—he should be a double-double machine. To this point, his career per-36-minutes averages sit at 19.7 points and 8.5 rebounds.

Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson

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Bold prediction: Wilson will win Rookie of the Year

There are certainly bolder R.O.Y. candidates than the draft's No. 4 pick, but it's not like Wilson is the favorite for the award. He doesn't have the polish of Cameron Boozer, the shotmaking of Darryn Peterson or the scoring bag of AJ Dybantsa. And if defensive playmaking is Wilson's greatest strength right now, that's not exactly a trait that traditionally wins over award-voters.

So, why even bother making this prediction? Because Wilson has the right blend of explosive athleticism, competitive fire and unwavering confidence that makes you want to believe. He also appears primed for success with this roster. His transition scoring should perk up alongside a pass-first point guard like Josh Giddey, Wilson's defensive activity should be emboldened by the interior protection provided by Nic Claxton and Norm Powell's scoring support should keep Wilson from having to force the issue, which could be big for his shooting rates.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Peyton Watson

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Bold prediction: Watson tallies 150-plus three-pointers

The Cavs are convinced that Watson will be the one who finally stops their revolving door at small forward. Well, that or they at least deemed him the most capable of doing that among wings they could afford to acquire and pay.

Either way, they're now fully pot-committed to the fifth-year swingman, losing access to both tradeable first-round picks and tradeable mid-sized salaries. Opponents will do everything they can to challenge the wisdom of this commitment by packing the paint against Cleveland's bigs and crowding their guards. Watson should get a ton of open looks from three, and he could use all of these chances to nearly double the career-high 81 threes he made last season.

Dallas Mavericks: Morez Johnson Jr.

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Bold prediction: Johnson plays the fewest minutes—by a wide margin—of the top 10 picks

In theory, Johnson shouldn't be hurting for playing time. He is joining a team that just lost 56 games and has all of its present and future hopes wrapped around a 19-year-old (Cooper Flagg). You'd think opportunities would be abundant, especially since Dallas took Johnson, the No. 9 pick, earlier than expected.

In reality, Johnson is set to join a crowded frontcourt that may not have an obvious place for him right now. Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II are still manning the middle. The forward spots are overloaded with established vets, like PJ Washington, Naji Marshall and Santi Aldama, plus a few developmental priorities, like Flagg and 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher. Dallas won't completely forget about Johnson, but it will find it difficult to give him major minutes, especially if his outside shooting doesn't dramatically outperform expectations.

Denver Nuggets: DeMar DeRozan

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Bold prediction: DeRozan averages the fewest points since his rookie season

It took the Nuggets until the latter half of August to make their first splash of the offseason. And even then, it's been several seasons since the signing of DeRozan would qualify as anything close to a canonball. It speaks to Denver's lack of depth—which feels unforgivable with this club being the league's lone resident in the second apron—that getting the 37-year-old version of DeRozan feels like a pretty big deal.

In some ways, it sort of is, because this bench unit was begging for buckets, and DeRozan can provide them in bunches. That said, the Nuggets can only afford to find him so many minutes, because defense was a pressing concern even before his arrival. Something around 15 points per outing feels reasonable and would be his lowest scoring output since he was an NBA first-timer back in 2009-10.

Detroit Pistons: John Collins

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Bold prediction: Collins averages at least two three-pointers

A 28-year-old veteran like Collins feels pretty well cemented into a career by now. You wouldn't look for major changes in his statistical profile, because his stat lines generally feel like they've been churned out by the same assembly line. Save for a half-season spike on a brutally bad 2024-25 Utah Jazz team, his production hasn't deviated much over the past six seasons.

After signing with the Pistons, though, one number seems set to spike—well beyond where it's ever been before. That would be Collins' three-point makes, which have never gone above 1.5 per game and sit at 1.1 for his career. Detroit will need a lot more than that, though, both to offset the spacing constraints of their other frontcourt spots and to keep Collins as a viable offensive threat when he presumably may not have as many chances to hammer home some finishes as a pick-and-roll screener if Jalen Duren ever re-signs.

Golden State Warriors: Yaxel Lendeborg

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Bold prediction: Lendeborg lands on the All-Rookie first team

Is this low-hanging fruit? You could maybe call it that. Lendeborg is pretty well-regarded, and he doesn't have to elevate too far from this summer's No. 11 pick to the upcoming season's All-Rookie first team.

Still, history holds a lot of cautionary tales for prospects who are this old (23) and drafted this high very well. Lendeborg would need to be a norm-breaker, in other words, and do so while handling the spotlight run-off from teaming with Stephen Curry, plus the roster uncertainty of having several key players working their way back from injury and the front office being forever on the lookout for trade-market upgrades.

Houston Rockets: Bogdan Bogdanović

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Bold prediction: Bogdanović logs 1,500-plus minutes

Financially speaking, the Rockets aren't beholden to Bogdanović, who needed just a one-year, minimum deal to come to Houston. The 34-year-old has recently battled both injury issues and general ineffectiveness, so it's a low-cost flier that may never amount to much.

Except for the fact that, basketball speaking, Houston kinda really needs a lot of what Bogdanović does. Spacing is a pressing concern, and he's a career 38.1 percent three-point shooter. Playmaking is another, especially if Fred VanVleet looks rusty after a season lost to ACL recovery, and Bogdanović has long been a reliable secondary table-setter. If his body holds up, he could wind up filling a much larger role than anticipated.

Indiana Pacers: Kelly Oubre Jr.

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Bold prediction: Oubre is a Sixth Man of the Year finalist

If you listed the many reasons for Pacers fans to feel optimistic for this upcoming season, it'd take a little while before you got around to their signing of Oubre. He is a solid option, he's just not as big of a talking point as, say, the return of Tyrese Haliburton or the full integration of Ivica Zubac.

But Oubre should fill a prominent role in this rotation. And he just might fill it awfully well, since his athleticism, downhill scoring and ignitable outside shots should all be system fits for an offense that operated at a top-10 pace the last time a healthy Haliburton was behind the wheel.

Los Angeles Clippers: Keaton Wagler

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Bold prediction: Wagler won't make an All-Rookie team

No, this is not an overreaction to Wagler's shaky showing on the summer circuit. It does, however, share some of the same athletic concerns that contributed to those aesthetically unpleasing exhibitions.

"Wagler's struggles might keep me up at night...if I were his employer," The Athletic's John Hollinger wrote in July. "He scored at a high rate but not very efficiently and made almost no impact across the rest of the box score. In particular, he struggled with ball pressure and was invisble defensively."

To be fair to Wagler, summer league never felt like the right environment for his cerebral, one-step-ahead play style. That said, his physical struggles were predictable given his athletic limitations, and those challenges will only grow more difficult against actual NBA defenders. He needs time to adapt his body and his approach, not to mention things could be wonky at first figuring out his fit alongside Darius Garland.

Los Angeles Lakers: Walker Kessler

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Bold prediction: Kessler splashes 80-plus three-pointers

The Lakers had reasons for aggressively pursuing—and paying a premium for—Kessler this offseason, and his outside shooting almost certainly wasn't one of them. Still, they should allow him to dabble from distance, since he has experimented with an outside shot since his days at Auburn and finally saw some proof of concept during the previous campaign.

Granted, the sample size was tiny, but he still got off to a hot start by hitting 6-of-8 three-pointers over the five games he played. If he can be even a semi-viable threat from deep, then this offense will be that much harder to handle. And it pretty much needs to be top-notch given the rather glaring defensive concerns with this roster construction.

Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer

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Bold prediction: Boozer scores 1,000-plus points, shoots 50-plus percent

Given the sky-high expectations tied to Boozer, this year's No. 3 pick, those numbers probably don't jump off your screen. For an NBA rookie, though, they definitely should. Only 45 freshman have ever hit both marks, and all but nine of them debuted before the 2000s.

This would not at all be normal for a rookie, in other words, but Boozer doesn't look normal. He is polished beyond his years and has a seasoned veteran's feel for the game. Even as a potential focal point in Memphis, he won't force bad shots and will make full use of his wide-reaching skill tree.

Miami Heat: Giannis Antetokounmpo

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Bold prediction: Antetokounmpo will be an MVP finalist

The boldness here needs context, because a healthy Antetokounmpo is almost perpetually locked into a top-three finish in MVP voting. Still, predicting him to land even higher would seem reckless when Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander all exist.

Those players could all have better team-success arguments than Antetokounmpo, too, as the depth of the Eastern Conference (and Miami's lack of depth after its blockbuster buy) could force the Heat into their fifth consecutive Play-In appearance. Antetokounmpo would have to be individually awesome to overcome that and still be a top-three MVP candidate, but our crystal ball can't wait to see all the fun ways Erik Spoelstra will use his new superstar.

Milwaukee Bucks: Tyler Herro

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Bold prediction: Herro will earn his second All-Star selection

Between incoming stars (LeBron James, seemingly Kawhi Leonard) and those returning from injury (Tyrese Haliburton, Jayson Tatum in a way), the bar for what's required to be an Eastern Conference All-Star has clearly elevated. A motivated Herro still has a chance to clear it.

Herro's return to his home state of Milwaukee offers a "fresh start for everyone," as he told The Athletic's Eric Nehm. It should also be an open invitation for Herro to feast on offensive opportunities buffet-style. His volume could be in line for a sizable boost, and he is a good enough shooter to maintain respectable conversion rates.

Minnesota Timberwolves: LaMelo Ball

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Bold prediction: Ball averages three times more assists than turnovers

There are a million and one unknowns for Ball's first go-round in the Gopher State and a million and one ways in which things could go very right or horribly wrong. Even in a bold world, it would be precarious to try to make sense of all of these uncertainties.

But here's one thing that is known: Ball is no longer atop of the offensive hierarchy. He is a true second option to Minnesota's megastar Anthony Edwards and should operate accordingly. That means less forcing the issue and more selectively picking his spots. It also means there should be more threatening weapons on the receiving end of Ball's passes, which, when paired with his vision, should allow him to record the first 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio of his career.

New Orleans Pelicans: Trendon Watford

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Bold prediction: Watford scores 500 points

A sleepy summer for the Pelicans almost excluded them from this exercise and certainly gives Watford a by-default feel for his best-weapon status. He might not even hold it for long since his $2.4 million salary is only partially guaranteed.

Given New Orleans' injury history, though, and the quiet nature of this front office, Watford has a decent chance to stick around for the whole season. Even if the plan is to keep him behind emergency glass, there's a good chance that glass will be broken often enough for the sixth-year swingman to clear the 500-point threshold for the first time.

New York Knicks: Andre Drummond

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Bold prediction: Drummond will average 15 points and 15 rebounds per 36 minutes

Don't be fooled by New York's minimal investment in Drummond; the Knicks really need this to work. With Mitchell Robinson in Boston, and Ariel Hukporti off to Philadelphia, the backup big man plans for the 'Bockers start and stop with Drummond.

He needs to be more of an innings-eater, too. He has to be hyperactive on the glass and reliable around the rim on both ends. With this projected role and the support he'll have around him, he could be in line for his best per-36-minutes marks since 2023-24.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Aday Mara

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Bold prediction: Mara isn't a rotation player until 2027, still ranks top three among rookies in blocks

Despite making multiple financially motivated cuts to the roster, the Thunder don't have an obvious place to put Mara right now. Which might be just as well, since he hardly appeared rotation-ready at Summer League.

Once he gets settled, though, he might find OKC's depth chart fairly easy to climb at center. The size and shot-blocking he can provide just aren't a part of Jaylin Williams' arsenal. And who knows how much Thomas Sorber will play? An optimistic read on Mara would have him cracking the rotation in January or February—just in time for the 7'3" paint protector to compile a top-three block total among rookies.

Orlando Magic: Nikola Vučević

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Bold prediction: Vučević shoots 40-plus percent from three

Vučević's second tour of duty with Orlando will look nothing like the first. He used to be a centerpiece; now, he'll be an ancillary source of size, strength and spacing on the second unit.

That will torpedo his volume production—he averaged just 9.7 points in 21.1 minutes after his deadline move to Boston—but it could be a big boon for his efficiency. Playing off the likes of Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane and Franz Wagner will allow Vučević to be much more selective, perhaps setting the stage for only the third 40-plus three-point percentage of his career.

Philadelphia 76ers: Jaylen Brown

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Bold prediction: Brown averages his fewest points since 2019-20

Brown arrives in Philadelphia fresh off the most productive campaign of his career. And he clearly enjoyed his time in the mostly Jayson Tatum-less spotlight last season, which he described as his "favorite" multiple times this summer. Still, his numbers are about to come way down with the star-laden Sixers, and he sounds fine with that.

"My focus is winning," Brown said at his introductory presser. "...How do we win night in and night out? Sometimes it may look different. Whatever it takes. At this point in my career, nothing else really moves me."

Hopefully, he means what he said, because the ball won't find him nearly as often in Philly. He is going from a two-star system in Boston to now sharing the floor with LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. (Not to mention 2025-26 Rookie of the Year finalist VJ Edgecombe.) Calling for fewer than 20 points per game would still feel like a slight toward Brown, but he may not have the touches to land far above that.

Phoenix Suns: Miles Bridges

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Bold prediction: Bridges is the Suns' second-highest scorer

There are big fans of Bridges in Phoenix. Maybe his alma mater helped with that, or perhaps this was as simple as the Suns noticing a hole at power forward and a need for more scoring power. Either way, they saw enough in him to be willing to sacrifice two key rotation players (Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale) and an unprotected 2023 first-round pick to pry Bridges out of Buzz City.

Bridges' best skill is volume scoring, so look for Phoenix to give him chances to provide as much of that as he possibly can. Bridges may not be the most efficient scorer around, but he could definitely be more efficient than the other leading candidates for this gig (Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks).

Portland Trail Blazers: Ja Morant

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Bold prediction: Morant paces Portland's point guards in minutes

Of all the predictions made here, this might veer the closest to being reckless. Morant has played 79 games the past three seasons combined. Expecting any kind of consistency from him is asking a lot, especially given the inherent challenges of Portland's overcrowded backcourt.

Then again, he is only 27 years old, so you'd love to think there's a chance he can put his injury issues behind him. And he did look pretty great right before being shut down last season (21.8 points and 8.8 assists over his final eight outings). So, maybe things can fall in his favor. He can't be any bigger of an availability risk than Damian Lillard (a 36-year-old returning from an Achilles tear), and Morant's track record is clearly richer than Scoot Henderson's. If Jrue Holiday suits up elsewhere (he could see more time at the 2 and 3), this could happen.

Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff Jr.

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Bold prediction: Acuff is a R.O.Y. finalist

Summer league was largely an eyesore for Acuff, who left a barrage of bricks and little separation between his assists and turnovers in Las Vegas. The Kings may have already forgotten and forgiven those struggles, if only because they so desperately need him to carry into whatever comes next for the organization.

Trades involving Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine and Malik Monk are long overdue. The young core developing behind those vets has some intrigue, but lacks star power. Everything is aligned for Acuff to be among the rookie leaders in points and assists, and if he ranks highly in both categories, then he'll be among the last three standing in the Rookie of the Year race.

San Antonio Spurs: Tobias Harris

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Bold prediction: Harris is top-five on the team in clutch minutes

The Spurs just won 62 games and reached the NBA Finals. Nearly every member of their rotation is still ascending. It would be tricky for any newcomer to make a meaningful dent in the rotation, but San Antonio sought out Harris for a reason.

Is that reason big enough to lock Harris into the closing lineup? That would lead to some uncomfortable omissions—probably two of Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie and Dylan Harper—but Harris' blend of shooting, off-the-dribble creation and experience could force the issue.

Toronto Raptors: Allen Graves*

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Bold prediction: Graves makes an All-Rookie team

Blame the snag in the Kawhi Leonard trade talks for denying us the chance to make a much more significant bold prediction, but at least Graves is a fascinating rookie. It isn't often that a freshman reserve at Santa Clara becomes a top-20 pick, but here we are.

Graves' athletic limitations are worrisome, and his path to major playing time is tricky to plot with the forward glut in Toronto. Still, the skill versatility and IQ are major selling points—and things that have worked for a lot of other lanky forwards in this organization. It might be a slow burn just as it was with Collin Murray-Boyles last season, but Graves could similarly emerge as a crucial piece of the rotation and an All-Rookie performer by season's end.

Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson

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Bold prediction: Peterson outscores his new backcourt mate

Between Peterson's arrival as the No. 2 pick, and Keyonte George's ascension as one of the 2025-26 season's breakout stars, Utah's backcourt appears in tremendous shape. The Jazz should have a wealth of scoring and playmaking production from their new perimeter pairing, perhaps providing the perfect counterbalance for the Lauri Markkanen-Jaren Jackson Jr. tandem up front.

While Peterson and George will be working alongside one another, this prediction pits them against one another and tasks Peterson with clearing a pretty high bar, as George averaged 23.6 points last season. Even amid the outburst, though, he never generated the kind of hype Peterson already has, and the rookie should have ample opportunities to live up to it as both an on-ball three-level scorer and off-ball shotmaker.

Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa

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Bold prediction: Dybantsa leads a postseason charge in Washington

OK, maybe this is more a team prediction than an individual one, but it was hard to think of a bold prediction for Dybantsa. Locking the No. 1 pick into a R.O.Y. finish would've been too obvious. Calling for an All-Star spot would've been reckless.

So, let's instead pair this prediction of a smooth transition for Dybantsa with a wild ride up the East standings for Washington. Few teams have a youth collection this deep and compelling, let alone two legitimate stars to lead it (Trae Young and Anthony Davis). This conference looks as competitive as ever, but the Wizards can at least wiggle their way into the top 10 with Dybantsa playing a primary role in that ascension.