1 New Goal for Every NBA Team This Season

1 New Goal for Every NBA Team This Season0 of 30

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Three weeks into the 2024-25 NBA season, it’s time for all 30 teams to do some self-reflection.

Whatever targets they set out to hit in the preseason have probably moved by now, given the glut of injuries, surprisingly fast or slow starts and general unpredictability of a topsy-turvy campaign.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, for example, should probably be reconsidering their potential to dethrone the Boston Celtics as the East’s top seed. On the other end of the competitive spectrum, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks are in desperate need of a shakeup.

Circumstances are different now than they were when organizations established their priorities over the summer. In light of that, we’ve come up with new full-season goals for every NBA team.

Atlanta Hawks: Keep Trae Young Moving1 of 30

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The last thing an NBA offense should be is predictable. Though it hasn’t produced meaningful change yet, the Atlanta Hawks should continue to work on varying how they use leading scorer Trae Young.

“Something the Hawks haven’t utilized before is Trae’s gravity,” center Larry Nance Jr. told Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “Him being on the court means 1.5 guys need to know where he is at all times defensively. … We’re excited to start using decoy Trae Young a little bit.”

Young has been an on-ball, heliocentric, high-usage threat for most of his career, but the Hawks are trying to use him in ways that elevate the play of his teammates while making it harder for defenses to establish a plan.

This season, a slightly higher share of his shots are of the catch-and-shoot variety (as opposed to off the dribble), and he’s scoring a higher percentage of field goals via others’ assists than ever. Though those tactics haven’t produced meaningful change yet—the Atlanta Hawks are 11th in offense, just like they were a year ago—it’s still worth finding more ways to make Young dangerous when he doesn’t have the ball.

Boston Celtics: Keep the Edge2 of 30

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The Boston Celtics started their title defense with a very public undressing of the New York Knicks on opening night and haven’t really looked back since. That they’ve run up a 10-3 record without Kristaps Porziņġis available speaks to their glut of top-end star power and the under-appreciated depth of the roster.

For example, there weren’t many preseason writeups about the potential value of 25-year-old big man Neemias Queta, who’s started a couple of games at center and consistently brought size and athleticism on both ends. Boston’s best lineup (minimum 80 possessions) features Queta at the 5.

With things going so well, the only concern for the Celtics is malaise. A few of the other purported powers in the East look impotent, and other than the Cleveland Cavaliers, it’s hard to find a squad in the conference that seems ready to give Boston a run.

Joe Mazzulla is as detail-oriented and focused as any head coach in the league, so complacency feels unlikely. But if we have to pick one goal for a team this good, it has to basically be some version of “don’t take your foot off the gas.”

Brooklyn Nets: Trade for 3 1st-Round Picks3 of 30

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Maybe this seems like a confusing goal for a Brooklyn Nets team that has already racked up five wins before the season is a month old, vastly exceeding expectations. But we need to make sure the Nets stay focused on the big picture.

This is still a team in the infancy of its rebuild. Bereft of a cornerstone star and recently having come back into possession of its 2025 first-rounder following an offseason swap with the Houston Rockets, Brooklyn needs to be in the market for maximum draft equity.

Dorian Finney-Smith could get the Nets one of their desired three first-rounders. Cam Johnson is averaging a career-high 16.5 points per game and is shooting it well enough to entice any contender in need of an offense-first combo forward. If DFS only nets a middling future first, Johnson could bring in an even higher-quality pick.

From there, trade candidates like Dennis Schroder and perhaps even the recently re-signed Nic Claxton will have value. A dark-horse possibility: Ben Simmons, who piled up a dozen assists in a 107-105 win over the Pelicans on Nov. 11 and might be useful as a massive expiring salary to get another team out of a longer contract it doesn’t want.

It’s hard to acquire even a single first-rounder, but the Nets have exceeded expectations on the floor this year, so maybe they can do the same transactionally.

Charlotte Hornets: Draw Some Fouls4 of 30

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A low free-throw attempt frequency isn’t fatal to an offense. The Cleveland Cavaliers are near the bottom of the league and score more points per possession than anyone but the Boston Celtics. The Charlotte Hornets don’t have the overwhelming offensive talent to match the East-leading Cavs and Celtics, though, so they need to focus on finding ways to get to the stripe.

Through their first 11 games of the season, the Hornets made just 16.0 free throws per 100 field-goal attempts, the lowest rate in the league.

LaMelo Ball is doing high-volume work from beyond the arc, and most of Charlotte’s top offensive threats lack reliable foul-drawing craft. But it’s odd that the Hornets aren’t drawing more contact, despite being among the league’s most voracious offensive rebounders. You’d think hauling in boards in traffic would lead to some and-1 putback opportunities, or at least the occasional loose-ball foul.

If Charlotte is going to make a Play-In push as the season progresses, it’ll need to improve the offense by picking up a few more freebies.

Chicago Bulls: Make Sure Buzelis Plays More than Vučević By Season’s End5 of 30

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This is a true full-season goal with a long runway, as rookie Matas Buzelis already has hundreds of minutes to make up on starting center Nikola Vučević. But the fact remains that the former has a clear place in the Chicago Bulls’ long-term plans (as most lottery picks hopefully do), while the latter has already been on the team for what feels like two years too long.

Vooch looks like an appealing trade candidate at the moment. He’s shooting 43.2 percent from beyond the arc, and plenty of teams need experienced big men to man the 5. Looking long and hard at you, New Orleans Pelicans and, as a stopgap, Oklahoma City Thunder.

If Chicago can move Vučević, it’ll hopefully be as part of a broader teardown that also includes sending out Zach LaVine and maybe even recently (and foolishly) re-signed forward Patrick Williams. Once the Bulls rid themselves of bad contracts and/or players who don’t fit what should be a multiyear rebuild timeline, they can pivot to a tank that gets Buzelis into the rotation for much more than his current 8.1 minutes per game.

He won’t be ready for a role of that size, but that’s kind of the point. Chicago should stack losses and develop its youth.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Finish 1st in the East6 of 30

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Before the season, there was a good case for the Cleveland Cavaliers finishing with the East’s No. 2 seed.

New head coach Kenny Atkinson would bring offensive innovation and stability, Donovan Mitchell’s extension would eliminate the distraction of his impending free agency, Darius Garland would get to chew meals instead of drink them through a straw like he did after a season-wrecking broken jaw and Evan Mobley would take a major step forward.

Compared to the questions facing the Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers and any other potential threats outside of the Celtics, Cleveland seemed like a safe, all-upside operation.

Basically everything that pointed toward the Cavs as a threat to finish second has come to pass, and now it might be time for them to aim higher.

The Celtics are a machine. They’re going to win the math game by shooting more threes than their opponents almost every night. They have championship experience, superstar wings, elite backcourt defenders and a gaggle of role players who always seem to play crisper, more focused ball then the opposing reserves they face.

But Cleveland is healthier, has more to prove and, so far, appears every bit as committed to dominance as the reigning champs. The last undefeated team left standing, the Cavs may have to be nearly perfect to outrace Boston. Early returns suggest that’s now a real possibility.

Dallas Mavericks: Stay the Course7 of 30

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Klay Thompson isn’t shooting the lights out like many hoped when he signed on to catch passes from Luka Dončić, but the Dallas Mavericks can’t let themselves get too concerned with the early-season numbers.

Sure, it’d be nice if Thompson weren’t posting the worst three-point hit rate of his career and lowest scoring average since his rookie season. But those concerning individual numbers obscure the fact that Dallas’ offense hums with the veteran sharpshooter in the game.

Thompson’s gravity still matters, as his minutes coincide with positive bumps to his teammates’ accuracy around the rim and from the mid-range area. It’s hard to know how long Thompson will need to produce at these poor individual levels before defenses treat him as something other than a five-alarm fire with a headband, but we’re clearly not there yet. The Mavs should trust in the team they’ve built, even if some of the numbers for their new pieces aren’t great.

Denver Nuggets: Solve the Non-Jokić Minutes8 of 30

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Does it count as good news that Christian Braun has nearly as positive of an on-off split as three-time MVP Nikola Jokić?

Perhaps, if only because it breaks up the years-long monotony of Jokić’s presence or absence being the lone statistical determinant of the Denver Nuggets’ success. Still, Jokić remains the be-all, end-all for his team.

The question is whether or not Denver can do anything to keep the splits from being so extreme. So far, the Nuggets have been outscored by 28.5 points per 100 possessions in the minutes Jokić has rested (and there haven’t been many of those, as he’s averaging a career-high 38.1).

With Jokić in the game, Denver smashes foes by 11.3 points per 100 possessions.

Braun’s continuing emergence as a shooter is encouraging, and Peyton Watson has shown flashes, mostly on defense, in relief of the injured Aaron Gordon. But even when this group gets back to full strength, it’ll still be hard to trust it with Jokić on the sidelines.

Maybe that’s not a critical issue in the playoffs when Jokić will rarely rest. But the Nuggets still need to worry about postseason positioning, which is determined by regular-season success.

Detroit Pistons: Try the Trio9 of 30

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Signs are clearer than ever that Jaden Ivey’s the right guy to team with Cade Cunningham in the Detroit Pistons’ backcourt of the present and future. Now that Ausar Thompson is cleared for action after getting shut down late last season because of blood clots, it’ll be up to him to join Ivey as a fixture in Detroit’s plans.

Thompson is an exceptionally athletic and mobile defensive weapon, capable of changing games as a shutdown cover man on one end and as a transition finisher on the other. Last year, he became just the fourth rookie in NBA history listed at 6’7″ or shorter to amass at least 50 blocks and 50 steals in fewer than 1,500 minutes.

As it was for Ivey, shooting is the swing skill for Thompson. He hit just 18.6 percent of his 113 three-point attempts last year and will need to prove he can approach league-average accuracy if he’s going to secure his spot next to Cunningham and Ivey going forward.

Detroit should spend the rest of the year playing all three together as often as possible.

Golden State Warriors: Be Ready to Pounce on the Right Kuminga Deal10 of 30

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This hasn’t been the breakout year many expected for Jonathan Kuminga, whose 56.6 true shooting percentage is a career-low and whose slow-to-develop feel stands out starkly against a cast of Golden State Warriors teammates thriving in a fast-paced, read-and-react offense.

If you’ve watched much of Golden State, you’ve seen the breathtaking athletic flashes from the fourth-year forward, but you’ve also noticed the way his individual talents seem to exist outside so much of what the team is doing well, collectively, on both ends.

That might not be enough to justify moving on from an obviously talented 22-year-old on its own, but factor in impending restricted free agency and the fact that JK’s desire to become a primary on-ball scoring threat won’t go away, and there’s more than enough reason to get something for him via trade as soon as the getting is good enough.

You don’t just give away a player with talent like this, and retaining Kuminga on a fair contract this summer should still be in play. But for the right price, Golden State should be ready to move him at the drop of a hat.

Houston Rockets: Put the Clamps On11 of 30

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There’s nothing wrong with the Houston Rockets’ starting lineup. Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Şengün are outscoring opponents by 5.4 points per 100 possessions and driving an 8-4 start.

It’d still be nice to see defensive menaces Amen Thompson and Tari Eason in the first unit, or at least alongside the other members of Houston’s youth brigade more often. Green, Thompson, Eason, Smith and Şengün have shared the floor for a grand total of five possessions so far this year.

While it’s understandable that head coach Ime Udoka might want to lean on a starting group with a couple of vets in it, the work Thompson and Eason are doing on D could lift the Rockets to another level. Houston absolutely dominates (plus-17.1 net rating; 94th-percentile defensive rating) whenever those two are on the court together.

At the very least, the Rockets need to acknowledge that both Thompson and Eason are bigger parts of the team’s long-term plans than VanVleet and Brooks. More immediately, the defensive upside alone is worth exploring more.

Indiana Pacers: Create More Scoring Chances12 of 30

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The Indiana Pacers aren’t going to be an elite defensive team, and that was true before they lost two centers—James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson—to Achilles tears. This is an offense-first operation that doesn’t have the personnel or the makeup to shut opponents down consistently.

That’s why Indy needs to maximize its scoring opportunities. If winning games on D is out of the question, this team needs more chances to win them on the other end.

Through the first few weeks of the season, Indiana is just 26th in offensive rebound rate. Too often, possessions are one-and-done affairs. There’s nothing wrong with punting on offensive boards in the interest of getting everyone back on defense, but it’s almost impossible to win the possession battle when a team that doesn’t crash the glass also can’t force mistakes.

The Pacers are 21st in opponent turnover rate.

Indiana scores the ball efficiently, but if it can’t add extra volume in the form of additional possessions, it’ll face an uphill climb all season.

LA Clippers: Take Care of the Ball13 of 30

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The LA Clippers rank ahead of only the youth-driven and mistake-prone Utah Jazz in turnover percentage, and it’s contributing to an underwhelming offense that has so far wasted one of the season’s most surprisingly competent defenses.

A lot of the blame falls at James Harden’s feet. Re-installed as a ball-dominant lead guard and posting a usage rate north of 30.0 percent for the first time since he was a perennial All-Star with the Houston Rockets, Harden’s turnover rate is a career-high 19.8 percent.

Maybe we should have expected this. Harden is in his age-35 season, possesses nothing close to his peak levels of athleticism and foul-drawing craft and can no longer manufacture high-percentage shots from nothing. He’s clearly overburdened with Paul George gone and Kawhi Leonard injured.

Still, ball security isn’t that complicated, and Harden is savvy enough to be better at assessing risk. If he and the Clippers can clean up their turnover issues, a playoff trip isn’t out of the question.

Los Angeles Lakers: Trade D-Lo for Positive Value14 of 30

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Already jettisoned from the starting lineup and shooting a career-worst 31.3 percent from three, D’Angelo Russell looks less and less like a valued part of the Los Angeles Lakers’ rotation. The final straw may have been a stretch of bad shots and non-competes on defense that drew enough ire from head coach JJ Redick to go viral.

Russell was a candidate to be moved from the moment he signed his two-year deal in 2023, waiving an implied no-trade clause in the process. After surprisingly lasting through 2023-24 in Los Angeles, Russell picked up his option and is now an $18.7 million expiring salary.

The Lakers aren’t exactly flush with shot-creators, but their offense has been among the league’s top 10 due to a high free-throw rate and Anthony Davis’ increased involvement. Russell, an offense-only player, is expendable.

The only question now is whether L.A. can move him for an asset that could improve the team in the short term. With a pair of first-rounders and movable salary to add to a deal involving Russell, the Lakers have the ability to think big…as long as someone views D-Lo as something other than a negative asset.

Memphis Grizzlies: Give the Scouts a Raise15 of 30

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For the second straight season, injuries are the leading story for the Memphis Grizzlies. The difference this time around: Reinforcements are keeping the team afloat during a season in which Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. have played just 39 possessions together.

Rookie Jaylen Wells is the biggest story, as the 6’8″ wing is flashing three-level scoring chops and stands out every night for his second-effort plays on defense. A starting job was never part of the plan for the No. 39 pick, but Wells has done more than enough through his first handful of professional games to carve out a no-questions-asked spot in the rotation once the Grizz get healthy.

Wells is averaging 11.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists on 37.0 percent shooting from deep, but his numbers are all far better than that since slotting in as a starter following injuries to Bane and Marcus Smart.

Jay Huff and Scotty Pippen Jr. are also playing major roles, with the latter showcasing highly disruptive tendencies on D.

Whoever’s identifying these hidden gems for Memphis needs a raise and a promotion.

Miami Heat: Trade Jimmy Butler16 of 30

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Some teams get niche goals related to their shot diets or defensive disruption; others get straightforward marching orders to trade a star. The Miami Heat fall into the latter camp, as their need to turn the page on the Jimmy Butler era becomes more obvious with every passing week.

Only part of this has to do with Butler’s performance, which has been below his career standards but is basically what you’d expect from a star with a long injury history playing his age-35 season. At 16.1 points, 4.9 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game on a 56.3 true shooting percentage, Butler is nowhere close to the player he was a couple of years ago.

Butler can enter free agency by declining his player option after this season. While his relatively poor play might tempt him to pick up $52.4 million for next year before trying the market again in 2026, Butler can still make the Heat sweat by retaining the ability to leave for nothing.

Better for the Heat to make Butler’s contract status and declining play somebody else’s problem. It’s been a good run, and the Heat developed a “we can beat anybody” mindset largely because of Butler’s presence. But his age, production and contract status should have the Heat scoping out trade options.

Milwaukee Bucks: Run up the Phone Bill17 of 30

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With or without Damian Lillard, it shouldn’t take 59 points from Giannis Antetokounmpo and overtime (arrived at only because rookie Ron Holland missed two free throws at the end of regulation) for the Milwaukee Bucks to get past the Detroit Pistons.

A Bucks team that has won just four of its first 12 games will take every victory it can get, but this roster is quite clearly too old, unathletic and ill-fitting to even dream of contending. When you’ve got a perennial MVP candidate in his prime, that’s not good enough.

The Bucks are hamstrung by the second apron, which means they can’t aggregate salary or take back more money than they send out in trades. They also have virtually no draft equity to offer interested teams. That’s part of the reason why an Antetokounmpo trade feels likelier than it has at any point in the last decade, even if Milwaukee swears up and down it doesn’t want to move him.

Holding onto Giannis is the right move. Everyone else—from Lillard, to Brook Lopez, to Khris Middleton to the locker room attendants—should be on offer. The Bucks need to get on the phone and relentlessly harass the other 29 teams in pursuit of some kind of trade. Fail to do so, and this season is going nowhere.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Find the Fire18 of 30

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There was always going to be a tricky adjustment period after a late-offseason trade swapped out Karl-Anthony Towns for Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle, but a lack of familiarity doesn’t seem to be the main issue with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“What has come as a surprise is not the Timberwolves’ underwhelming 6-5 record,” The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski noted, “It is that almost everything about the Timberwolves has been underwhelming. Their defense. Their energy. Their competitiveness. It has been a season of meh to this point, which stands in such stark contrast to the ferocity of last season’s team.”

Criticisms that focus on effort and energy often feel overbroad and are difficult to act on. As coaching advice goes, for example, “try harder” is pretty lame.

The numbers back up the feeling that Minnesota isn’t bringing maximum intensity, though. The Wolves are allowing far more shots at the rim than they did a year ago, and their lackadaisical approach to transition play is a major reason for slippage from last year’s No. 1 spot in defensive efficiency.

The Towns trade made Minnesota deeper and shouldn’t have produced this year’s throttled-back aggression levels. If the Wolves can lock in on preventing shots at the basket and make more of an effort to get back on defense, they’ll get where they need to be.

New Orleans Pelicans: Survive19 of 30

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There’s bad injury luck, and then there’s whatever the New Orleans Pelicans are enduring right now—a relentless cascade of truly rotten misfortune on the health front. It’s enough to make you wonder if the Pels found some kind of cursed amulet in training camp and are now suffering a supernatural punishment.

Trey Murphy went down before the season with a hamstring injury, and he’s just recently returned to find a roster ravaged by injuries. Dejounte Murray fractured his hand on opening night, Herb Jones suffered a shoulder injury, Zion Williamson is out indefinitely with a hamstring issue, Jose Alvarado is out for six weeks with his own hamstring strain…and the list just keeps growing.

Coming into the year, the Pels were without a starting-caliber center. In hindsight, it’s quaint to think that was viewed as a major issue. Compared to having virtually an entire rotation’s worth of talent on the shelf, trusting Daniel Theis to hold down the 5 suddenly seems like a breeze.

This is no longer an NBA season for the Pelicans. It’s a war of attrition, and they’re losing.

New York Knicks: Keep Bucking Injury Trends20 of 30

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The New York Knicks got a scare when Jalen Brunson sprained his right ankle mere seconds into the third quarter of their 111-99 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 12, but the All-NBA point guard rubbed some dirt on it and returned to the floor in a matter of minutes.

His continued presence in the starting lineup preserved a surprising trend as injuries ravage the rest of the league: New York has used the same starting five in every game so far, and Deuce McBride, the team’s only reliable bench threat, hasn’t missed a contest either.

Considering Tom Thibodeau’s reputation for running players into the ground, and in light of what’s clearly some kind of hex causing injuries to key players on the other 29 teams, it’s remarkable that the Knicks have held up like this.

While it’s also clear New York, and particularly Karl-Anthony Towns, needs to defend the rim better going forward, the bigger goal should simply be to keep this anomalous injury luck going for as long as possible.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Keep That Offensive Rating in the Top 1021 of 30

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It’s an old but startlingly reliable tenet that true championship contenders need to rank among the top 10 in both offensive and defensive rating. We’ve seen some outliers recently, as the 2022 Golden State Warriors got the job done with an offense that ranked 17th during the regular season, and the 2023 Denver Nuggets went all the way with the 17th-ranked defense. Those are the exceptions that prove the rule.

With a defense on pace to rate among the best of all time, the Oklahoma City Thunder need to keep their offense, currently ranked ninth, where it is if they want to get on the right side of a historical precedent.

That could start with drawing a few more fouls, as OKC ranks in the bottom five in free-throw attempt rate. It might also help if the Thunder could generate a few second-chance points by getting their offensive rebound rates up. They’re also in the bottom five there.

Even with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge and Jalen Williams more than capable of handling secondary scoring duties, this could be a problem. Sure, OKC had the NBA’s third-best offense a year ago, but Chet Holmgren is now out for 8-10 weeks with a hip injury, and most of the bench reinforcements skew toward defense.

Orlando Magic: Trade for Shooting, Playmaking or Both22 of 30

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The Orlando Magic lost their first four games after Paolo Banchero tore his oblique, predictably struggling to score without their top offensive threat. They won four straight after that skid, though, so clearly everything’s fine!

Except not.

The Magic came into this season with offensive questions. They added Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency but still needed more dynamic shooters and playmakers to take the next step in their progression toward reaching the league’s “contender” tier. Banchero’s absence only highlights the severity of that need.

At 109.8 points per 100 possessions, Orlando’s offensive rating lags well behind last year’s 113.9. Lest anyone mistakenly blame the dip on Banchero’s injury, the Magic were at 113.7 through five games before their All-Star forward got hurt.

Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner aren’t premier shooters or distributors, and Orlando doesn’t exactly rack up points when Banchero is healthy, either. But then, we knew that after last season, and the Magic didn’t do enough to fix it.

It’s time to get serious about addressing such an obvious need.

Philadelphia 76ers: Play the Big 3 Together in 30 Games23 of 30

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Almost a month into the season, we have yet to see Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey on the floor together for the Philadelphia 76ers. Not coincidentally, Philly is off to a wildly disappointing 2-9 start that would have already turned their playoff dreams to dust if the rest of the East weren’t also bumbling around and riddled by injuries.

With Embiid *very* slowly ramping up after missing the first three weeks of the season and Maxey (hamstring) still multiple weeks away from returning, it’s possible the Sixers won’t show their full form until 2025.

If we go with that arbitrary date of Jan. 1, Philadelphia will still have 53 games left on its schedule. It’s unrealistic to expect Embiid, George and Maxey to be on the floor for all of them, especially with 11 back-to-back sets between Jan. 1 and the end of the season, but more than half would be nice.

Any less than that will mean real trouble on several fronts, including potentially missing the playoffs altogether and failing to develop chemistry between the three stars. This team is dead in the water as a postseason threat if it can’t get its top talent on the court together often enough to clear a very low 30-game bar.

Phoenix Suns: Get to the Rim24 of 30

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It’s not 2013 anymore, which means we’re now fairly sure that so-called “jump-shooting teams” can win championships.

That said, the Phoenix Suns are playing a style of offense so extreme as to potentially reopen discussion on that subject.

Phoenix ranks dead last in rim attempt frequency this season, familiar territory for a team that is on pace to finish in the cellar for the fourth time in five years.

The problem seems to be intensifying, as the Suns are currently attempting just 24.7 percent of their field-goals near the basket, a much lower share than last year (30.1 percent) and significantly below the 25.9 percent, 25.3 percent and 27.2 percent last-place rates they posted from 2020-21 to 2022-23.

Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are all stellar shooters, and you can get away with a jumper-heavy shot diet with talent like that. Eventually, though, Phoenix will have to show it can create looks near the bucket. Otherwise, the Suns might prove the pundits of a decade ago correct.

Portland Trail Blazers: Turn Things Over to Scoot25 of 30

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Not every lineup configuration involving Scoot Henderson wins its minutes, but the Portland Trail Blazers’ top two offensive fivesomes feature the second-year point guard at the controls.

With Henderson at the point next to Anfernee Simons, Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija and Deandre Ayton, the Blazers put up 127.8 points per 100 possessions and post a plus-24.1 net rating. Somewhat remarkably, a group that features Henderson and four completely different players—Kris Murray, Jerami Grant, Jabari Walker Jr. and Donovan Clingan—is Portland’s second-best high-usage offensive lineup, posting a 126.1 offensive rating and a plus-28.1 net rating.

It’s early enough for these samples to be almost meaningless. One hot shooting night can still skew data in strange ways. But considering the Blazers’ investment in Henderson, these numbers should be enough to get the 20-year-old into the starting lineup.

And if Scoot’s wretched shooting produces worse results over longer stretches, leading to a heap of losses, that’s a win-win. Portland is in rebuilding mode and should take the opportunity to amass losses while getting its most important young player reps.

Sacramento Kings: Cover the Corners26 of 30

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NBA defense is a trade-off. You can’t cover every spot on the floor, and concessions have to be made somewhere.

The Sacramento Kings are better than anyone at walling off the rim, as opponents attempt a league-low 25.4 percent of their shots in that high-value area. The cost of so effectively preventing attempts at close range seems to be surrendering them from another dangerous location.

The Kings allow the highest share of opponent shots from the deep corners in the league. Not only that, but they’re also second-to-last in opponent three-point attempt frequency overall.

In some ways, this is probably a win. Among the Kings’ top players—Domantas Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox, Keegan Murray and DeMar DeRozan—only Murray rates as a plus individual defender. It’s impressive that they’ve schemed their way to successfully defending at point-blank range. Ultimately, though, Sacramento has to figure out how to trim opposing three-point attempts. If it can’t, a league that is increasingly fixated on firing from deep could exact a heavy toll, possibly costing it a playoff spot.

San Antonio Spurs: Keep an Open Mind with Wemby27 of 30

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Defensively, there’s no question Victor Wembanyama is going to be a dominant force all over the floor. But anyone who claims to know what kind of offensive player he’ll become is either a certified psychic or a liar.

It’s going to take years for one of the most unusual prospects in league history to settle into his ultimate role on that end. That’s why the rest of the San Antonio Spurs’ 2024-25 campaign should be one long experiment.

We’ve seen some changes in Wemby’s shot profile from last year, as he’s getting up more above-the-break threes and long twos at the expense of looks at the rim. He drilled at least six triples in three straight games this past week, peaking with an eight-make night that produced his first 50-point effort.

That might seem strange if you assume Wembanyama’s height means he should focus his scoring near the basket. But what if he’s really just a 7’5″ guard who’s best utilized 26 feet from the basket? His recent perimeter binges suggest the Spurs need to keep an open mind.

Chris Paul’s arrival was supposed to create endless easy buckets for Wembanyama in the pick-and-roll, but his roll-man frequency is right where it was a year ago. And guess what? That’s fine!

Nobody knows what this guy is going to be on offense yet. Let him explore all his options.

Toronto Raptors: Ask the Tough Questions28 of 30

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The Toronto Raptors handed Immanuel Quickley a contract worth up to $175 million because they believed he could be a high-end starting point guard. But while Quickley has been sidelined by a pelvic injury suffered on opening night, interesting developments by other players might force Toronto to reconsider its decision.

RJ Barrett has looked like a different player since joining the Raptors late last season via trade. His development into a legitimate playmaker this season stands out as the most surprising growth area yet. He’s averaging 5.7 assists and making slick pocket passes you’d expect from a standard floor general, not a hard-driving wing whose principal job is scoring.

What’s more, second-year wing Gradey Dick is showcasing a well-rounded offensive game that, in addition to dangerous movement shooting, features smart attacks off the dribble and clever reads on the move.

If we assume the Raptors want Scottie Barnes to handle a significant share of the playmaking when he returns from a fractured orbital, and if the contributions of Barrett and Dick are for real, that kind of turns Quickley into a $175 million spot up shooter—and an undersized one at that.

The presence of too many playmakers isn’t necessarily a problem, but the Raptors still need to figure out who they want making decisions on offense. The answer could alter Quickley’s role enough to make them consider a move.

Utah Jazz: Get Back on Defense29 of 30

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If we assume the Utah Jazz are interested in winning basketball games this season (a dubious proposition) or at least want their young players to form good habits (less dubious), the best way to do that would be getting back on defense once in a while.

The Jazz are dead last in opponent transition frequency, which means they allow teams to get out and run against them at league-high rates.

That’s a problem, because transition offense generates points so much more efficiently than half-court sets. The leaguewide offensive rating in transition is 123.8 points per 100 possessions, laughably higher than the average half-court offensive rating of 96.3.

On the one hand, this is understandable. Utah’s inexperienced players are going to make loads of mistakes, lose track of their assignments and suffer lapses in intensity. On the other, shouldn’t all these spry, young rookies and second-year players have the energy to turn and sprint back after turnovers or missed shots?

Head coach Will Hardy has his work cut out for him with this roster, but getting players to hustle back on D shouldn’t be this difficult.

Washington Wizards: Maximize Minutes for the Core 430 of 30

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Kyle Kuzma’s back in the starting lineup after missing five games with a groin injury, and Jordan Poole is quietly putting together his best offensive season ever, marked by a career-high 22.2 points on 61.3 percent true shooting.

Frankly, none of that matters beyond its impact on Kuzma’s and Poole’s trade markets. In fact, the Wizards might consider aggressively shopping both players before injury or regression, respectively, diminish their value.

This season is still all about Washington’s youngest pieces, namely Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington, Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George. The only goals this year should be playing those four together as much as possible, hoping for a few bright flashes of development and chemistry, and being more than OK with watching as the losses mount.

The only thing better than having four promising young players is getting a fifth with a high pick in the 2025 lottery.

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.