The Hornets and Spurs both have a young star and oodles of talent to build around for 2025-26.
There’s no next game for 14 teams. Instead, it’s all about next season for those non-playoff teams with plenty of time on their hands to survey their situations and examine what went wrong.
Or perhaps, what’s going right.
That’s correct — most of these teams own their No. 1 picks in the June draft, boast a collection of young players on the rise and bring flexibility under the salary cap to add free agents or swing deals this summer.
Such is the silver lining of missing the playoffs. Cap numbers tend to be low and draft position tends to be high. Everyone must start somewhere. It wasn’t too long ago when the Oklahoma City Thunder were stuck near the basement and searching for solutions. As we saw in the 2024-25 regular season, the Thunder found a few.
Here’s some reason for hope with the 14 teams sitting at home as they begin resetting for next season:
(Editor’s note: Teams listed in alphabetical order)
Atlanta Hawks
Record: 40-42
The Hawks bring an impressive collection of 23-and-unders as Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher, Dyson Daniels and Mouhamed Gueye will support star guard Trae Young. Add Onyeka Okongwu, and this is a team that flirts with playoff potential.
They must decide on Young’s future, though, either with a rich contract extension or a trade that would bring multiple assets. That decision will help determine if the Hawks can break through the middle class in the East.
Trae Young talks to the media postgame after the Hawks lose at home and have their season ended in the SoFi Play-in Tournament.
Brooklyn Nets
Record: 26-56
They have young players, up to $45 million in cap space and a batch of draft capital to work with. In that sense, the Nets are in better shape than some teams that reached the playoffs in 2024-25.
They have options this summer, and that’s exactly what a rebuilding team needs. They’ll need to nail the Draft decision, maybe add a veteran through free agency or a trade, then exercise patience while it all comes together.
Charlotte Hornets
Record: 19-63
LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Tidjane Salaun and Mark Williams are all 23 and under. That gives the Hornets an important young core that needs maturity. Miller could be an All-Star one day, and Ball is already a top NBA scorer who’s just starting a long-term extension.
All that’s missing is a foundational player, and obviously, those types aren’t in abundance or easy to find. Meanwhile, the Hornets have the Draft assets to keep adding to the core and hope they get lucky with one.
Chicago Bulls
Record: 38-43
Coby White, Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis are good pieces. Given the trio’s age and growth potential, the Bulls are virtually set at those positions.
Now the star search begins. The Bulls’ salary cap is flexible for trades, and they can extend their important players. There’s a pressing need for them to hit the bullseye in the Draft, though. Perhaps getting Buzelis is a good omen for the future.
Dallas Mavericks
Record: 39-43
Lost in the rubble of the Luka Dončić trade was the reality that the Mavs were too injured to compete this season. So that’s the biggest positive going into next season — except Kyrie Irving, they should be completely healthy on opening night.
Irving projects to return at some point in 2026. Assuming he’s fine by then, the Mavericks are a playoff team at the very least — maybe a contender if another piece is added this summer.
Klay Thompson came up big in the Mavs' opening win in the SoFi Play-In Tournament.
New Orleans Pelicans
Record: 21-61
The Pelicans are under new management with Joe Dumars. His first order of business will be to decide on Zion Williamson’s future in New Orleans. A healthy Williamson makes the Pelicans a playoff contender.
Dejounte Murray is their best veteran, and Trey Murphy III is their most reliable young talent. Compared to other rebuilding teams, Dumars doesn’t need to do any heavy lifting with this roster, though it would help if he could land a rookie as promising as Yves Missi in the Draft.
Philadelphia 76ers
Record: 24-58
Everyone knows the Sixers aren’t as troubled as their record shows. Joel Embiid is a dominant center who’ll use the summer to allow his body to heal, which is what he should’ve done last summer instead of playing in the Olympics. Paul George wasn’t impressive in his first season in Philly, but he deserves the benefit of the doubt.
And Jared McClain, if not for a season-ending injury, could’ve won Kia Rookie of the Year. A good nucleus, including Tyrese Maxey, means the Sixers have 50-win potential. But with their big contracts, they need to capitalize starting next season.
Phoenix Suns
Record: 36-46
Having been stripped of much of their Draft capital for the next half-decade, the Suns must work magic to avoid being in the basement for the foreseeable future, because poor finishes won’t result in high Draft picks.
They do have a trade trump card: Kevin Durant. All it takes is one team that craves him, and the Suns will at least recoup a few assets. The nuclear option is Devin Booker. Trading him will cause the fan base to ache, but his value is higher than Durant’s.
Portland Trail Blazers
Record: 36-46
Despite missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season, the Blazers were competitive over the last two months. Because of that, coach Chauncey Billups and GM Joe Cronin earned extensions. By all accounts, the young players — Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija, Donovan Clingan and even Scoot Henderson — showed growth as the season progressed.
That took the Blazers out of the running for best odds for the top pick, but by adding young talent over the last few years and increasing their asset pool, the Blazers are positioned to swing a deal that could fetch a centerpiece player.
Sacramento Kings
Record: 40-42
There is a new general manager. There might be a new coach. The fallout for the Kings’ regression was swift, and maybe necessary if Sacramento plans to regain the traction of a few years ago. That starts with a decision on Domantas Sabonis. Can they get a haul in return for the league’s reigning rebounding king? Or do they keep him and rebuild around him, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine?
This isn’t a franchise facing a total rebuild. There’s talent and perhaps an All-Star (Sabonis, LaVine) on the roster. Their next move needs to be their best move, though.
San Antonio Spurs
Record: 34-48
How many playoff teams would swap rosters with the Spurs’? More than a few, actually. San Antonio, as constructed, isn’t your typical lottery team, and they happen to be in the lottery because they’re a developing team.
But you start with Victor Wembanyama, then add De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Jeremy Sochan, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell … the Spurs are in good shape. They’re one trade or one excellent Draft pick from making noise in the West.
Victor Wembanyama was ruled out for the season in late February with deep vein thrombosis.
Toronto Raptors
Record: 30-52
Toronto’s biggest plus is having multiple established players (such as Brandon Ingram, Immanuel Quickley, Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl) under contract through next season. So, from a talent standpoint, the Raptors already have pieces in place to make a playoff run next season. That means their offseason to-do list doesn’t have negotiations with a crucial player as a key item.
Here’s what’s missing: An All-NBA type player. Without one, the Raptors will be at a disadvantage against the upper-level teams in the East. They’ll need to assemble a trade package to get one, or hope Barnes becomes him.
Utah Jazz
Record: 17-65
Utah is one of three teams with the best odds of getting the No. 1 pick, is blessed with plenty of cap space moving forward, and holds multiple Draft capital. All that, along with Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler, is the basis of encouragement for the Jazz.
Next up: What to do with the batch of veterans in the rotation. Collin Sexton, John Collins and Jordan Clarkson all have value to a degree. If Utah scores the top pick, expect the Jazz to make several instant moves to rapidly set the table for the future.
Washington Wizards
Record: 18-64
Michael Winger and Will Dawkins are on to something, even if the Wizards weren’t very competitive this season. Those front office execs are thinking big picture, cleansing the team of bloated contracts and giving playing time to the youngsters. Bub Carrington and Alex Sarr developed nicely after the All-Star break.
The Wizards have two selections in the June Draft, and one of them will have the highest odds of landing the top pick. Should the Wizards get that pick, they’ll suddenly be a radar team with a shortened rebuilding period.
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
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