The NBA season is finally upon us and it’s never felt more unpredictable.
The parity the fans have been asking for for years is alive and well. It feels like well over half of the NBA’s teams are going to make a playoff push this season. They legitimately think they can compete and make some noise.
Of course, many of them will be wrong. That’s just how the NBA works. Not everyone can have a successful season — somebody has to fail. And no team is perfect — there’s no “super team” out there ready to run through the league. There’s not a single team in the league that is without its warts. They all have questions.
If they can answer them? It’s probably a sign that their season is going well. If not? Maybe it’s time to think about going winless for Wembanyama. Maybe.
As for what those questions are, we’ve got the biggest one broken down for all 30 teams below. Enjoy.
1
Atlanta Hawks: Can Trae Young give up the ball?
There’s no question how good Trae Young was for the Hawks last season. They were the 2nd most efficient offense in the league and it’s largely because of Young’s exploits. He literally carried Atlanta’s offense to the point where it was the 2nd most efficient in the league.
But, as effectively as Young played in that role, he wound up being their only source of offense. No one else on the team could create a shot. The Hawks paid for that in the playoffs when the Heat hounded him. To solve that problem, they went out and traded for Dejounte Murray.
Can Murray and Young work together well? More specifically, can Trae Young give up the ball and still be effective? His usage rate through the last 3 years has floated at 33% and over. Only 15% of his 2-point attempts and 29% of his 3-point attempts have been assisted on, per Basketball Reference. He’s never had to play without the ball before.
He’ll have to do a bit of that with Murray in the fold. If he can, the Hawks’ offense should remain potent while their defense improves behind Murray’s addition.
2
Boston Celtics: Can Joe Mazzulla steady the ship?
The Celtics came into the season as a legitimate title favorite. They were already stacked with All-Star level talent, then they just added Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari to the mix.
But then the hits started coming. Gallinari tore his ACL. Robert Williams needed surgery. The team suspended Ime Udoka for the season.
The Celtics’ promoted Joe Mazzulla as the interim head coach with Udoka temporarily (maybe?) out of the picture. These are all things he’s going to have to manage.
Their depth on the wing behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown remains thin. They lost one of their biggest impact defenders for weeks at a time in Williams. Mazzulla is not Udoka, who had his hand on the pulse of this team.
Whether Mazzulla can find that same rhythm himself is the question. We’ll know the answer by the season’s end.
3
Brooklyn Nets: What Ben Simmons are they getting?
This Brooklyn Nets season completely depends on how much weight the shaky shoulders of Ben Simmons can handle.
Say what you want about him — he is the ultimate connecting player in today’s NBA. He wants to do all of the dirty things that make your team better.
Not only will he defend, he’ll guard the opposing team’s best player. He doesn’t need or want to shoot — he’ll pass up shots to get the best players the ball. In transition, he’ll get right to the rim. And he’ll create a ton of great 3-pointers for your team just off his penetration alone.
Will the Nets be getting that Simmons? Will he be the supercharged Draymond Green they need to make things click on both ends? He could be. If he is, they’ll be one of the NBA’s elite teams.
4
Charlotte Hornets: Can LaMelo Ball become a better scorer?
LaMelo Ball has had a spectacular career through just two seasons so far. He’s already one of the best passers in the league and has put himself in the same sentences as LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
This dude is good. Really good. But he can be better. And that starts with his scoring. He just hasn’t been an efficient scorer at all throughout his career. His 2-point field goal percentage is well below average at 46% and that’s where he can use the most improvement. He’s never been a good finisher in the paint.
Nekias Dunkan of The Basketball News illustrated this perfectly here.
Really, really, really want LaMelo to take the next step as a scorer, and that begins with him growing as a finisher.
His gather point is too far off for my liking; isn't getting deep enough into the paint. Not sure how much of it is strength-based vs general decision making. pic.twitter.com/2FfewHNbRi
— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) October 8, 2022
If he can improve that, he’ll take that next step.
5
Chicago Bulls: Can their defense hold up?
Last season was a tale of two Chicago Bulls teams. From the start of the season through Christmas Day, the Bulls had a 107.5 defensive rating, which was 9th in the NBA. From Christmas until the end of the year, that dropped to 116.3 which was good for 27th. They fell off a cliff.
A ton of that was losing Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso at the point of attack. Ball is still dealing with that same knee injury. Caruso is healthy, but is also more of an offensive liability than ball.
The Bulls will try to steady their defense with more Patrick Williams minutes and an increased role for Ayo Dosunmu at point in Ball’s absence, but there’s no question they’ll miss their starting point guard. If they can’t find their defensive stride again without him, they won’t be good.
6
Cleveland Cavaliers: Who do they play at small forward?
This is the most obvious question here. The Donovan Mitchell trade was the biggest swing made this offseason — the Cavs are clearly all-in on this group of players. There are questions about his fit, but it should work with the core of Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
But the 5th player the Cavs play with that group will determine how far they go. Caris LeVert could be it, but his shot creation strength is a bit redundant with Mitchell and Garland in the lineup. Isaac Okoro seems like the natural fit, but he shot 35% on wide open 3-pointers last year. Dean Wade is good, but he doesn’t raise their ceiling at all.
Maybe they go ultra big with Kevin Love in a starting role like they did with Lauri Markkanen last season. It’s difficult to say, but this position will determine the trajectory of their season.
7
Dallas Mavericks: Who replaces Jalen Brunson?
The big question mark for the Mavericks is the replacement of Jalen Brunson.
Brunson was the perfect secondary ball handler for the Mavericks alongside Luka Doncic last season. He was excellent in catch-and-shoot situations, made defenses pay on kick outs and could create his own shot.
The Mavericks will rely on some combination of Spencer Dinwiddie and Tim Hardaway Jr. to replicate that production. Neither of them are as good as Brunson, but maybe together they can approximate the value he brought to Dallas.
8
Denver Nuggets: Can Michael Porter Jr. stay healthy?
The biggest question for the Nuggets is going to be Michael Porter Jr.’s health.
This has been the question for him throughout his entire career. Teams legitimately passed on him in the 2018 draft because of big medical red flags. Those concerns came to fruition last season.
But he’s a potent scorer when he’s available. He’s an elite shooter with solid size and a big weapon for Nikola Jokic on the wing. If he’s healthy, he’s a potential All-Star and the Nuggets are a championship contender.
9
Detroit Pistons: Does Cade Cunningham have a leap in him?
One could reasonably argue that the Detroit Pistons have drastically improved their roster from last season.
Jaden Ivey brings massive talent to the table at the guard position. Bojan Bogdanovic is an elite shooter and very capable as a small-ball power forward. Jalen Duren brings athleticism at center they didn’t have before.
But Cade Cunningham has to be the straw that stirs all of it together. The ball will be in his hands as their point guard. After a slow start last year, he came on late and made a push for rookie of the year.
If he can continue that, the Pistons should be a very good team.
10
Golden State Warriors: Can the Warriors heal from the Draymond Green-Jordan Poole altercation?
This is a no-brainer. The Warriors were one of the few title favorites in the league this year — which totally makes sense considering they won the whole thing last year.
But Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole just wiped away all of the positive vibes that came with them into the season.
The Warriors opted to fine Green instead of suspending him, allowing the players to heal at their own pace. Green will return before the end of the preseason.
He might be back, but only time will tell how this will impact the Warriors moving forward.
11
Houston Rockets: Just how bad can the Rockets be?
The Houston Rockets don’t want to win this year. Of course, they want improvements from Jalen Green and they’d love to see Jabari Smith Jr. being a big player for them.
But they’re tanking. And rightfully so — Victor Wembanyama is a basketball alien and he’s on his way.
The Rockets will likely end up dealing more players to teams looking to compete this season. Eric Gordon, Kenyon Martin Jr. and more are going to be on their way out.
They’re going to be bad. Really bad. Hopefully bad enough to get them a top 3 pick — that’s what Rockets fans are hoping for, anyway.
12
Indiana Pacers: Will they continue to tank?
We saw the Pacers take a really odd step last season when they decided to trade Domantas Sabonis. They decided to tank.
It was obviously a bit late in the season and not soon enough for them to vie for a top 3 pick, but they did a good enough job to get a talent like Bennedict Mathurin.
The question is will they do it again to give themselves a better shot this year? Obviously, this year’s draft is stacked. But the thing about the Pacers is that they never ever ever tank. They’ve never had the No. 1 pick in the draft. That’s why it was so shocking when they did it last season.
They don’t seem bad enough to get into the top 3 this year, but they could certainly give themselves a chance with a few trades.
13
Los Angeles Clippers: Can John Wall still be good?
The obvious question here is whether Kawhi Leonard can be healthy. When he is, he’s a top 5 player in the NBA and there’s no debating that.
He’s healthy now so we’ll pencil him in for 60 games at least. Outside of that, though, the biggest question on the Clippers’ roster is John Wall. The former Wizards point guard hasn’t played professional basketball in a season and a half. No one knows what to expect from him.
He’s impressed this preseason. His athleticism isn’t what it once was, but it’s still there. And his shot making seems to have advanced, too. If the Clippers get a Wall that can even bring back a smidge of his former All-Star level, they’re going to be scary.
14
Los Angeles Lakers: What do they do with Russell Westbrook?
Westbrook is the elephant in the room for the Lakers. They were obviously trying to deal him this offseason and didn’t find success with it.
He’s still on the team and things are already off to an awkward start. This situation feels like one that deteriorate quickly if he’s not on board — especially with him still playing a pivotal role as a starter.
The Lakers could attempt to move him, but it’ll likely cost them the last of their draft compensation with first-round picks from 2027 and 2029. The team is hesitant to do that.
Regardless, they’ll need to make a call on this soon. Because they can’t waste another year of LeBron James.
15
Memphis Grizzlies: Can they withstand Jaren Jackson's absence?
Ja Morant gets all the headlines for the Grizzlies and rightfully so. But Jaren Jackson Jr. was a Defensive Player of The Year candidate last season and was the anchor for their 6th-ranked defense last season.
Jackson will miss the start of the season after having a procedure on his foot in the offseason. Not only do we not know exactly when he’ll return, but we also have no idea how he’ll perform once he does return.
The Grizzlies will have to find a way to survive without the elite defense they had last season — at least to start the year. It’s hard to say whether they can or not.
16
Miami Heat: Who replaces PJ Tucker?
It’s easy to overlook how valuable an asset PJ Tucker was for the Heat last season.
There are very few players who could legitimately guard Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo in the NBA. Tucker is one of them and the Heat might need to go through all 3 of those players to get to the Finals. Losing him was huge.
They’ll have to replace him one way or another, whether it’s another step forward defensively from Bam Adebayo or via trade with another 3-and-D wing-big combination player. Obviously, that isn’t easy to find.
17
Milwaukee Bucks: Who guards Jayson Tatum?
That’s generally last season’s matchup with the Boston Celtics came down to. The Bucks needed somebody to credibly guard Jayson Tatum while Giannis Antetkounmpo and Brook Lopez took care of things on the back end. They didn’t have that.
That was once PJ Tucker, who has now gone to two different contenders in the East since leaving Milwaukee. Maybe it’s trading for Jae Crowder to make it happen. Maybe it’s finding an answer on their roster. Maybe it’s just having Khris Middleton healthy again.
Whatever the answer is, they’ll need to find it. Because they’re probably going to have those problems again this year.
18
Minnesota Timberwolves: Does the Rudy Gobert experiment work?
This question feels less dependent on Rudy Gobert and more dependent on Karl-Anthony Towns.
For the first time in his NBA career, he won’t exclusively be playing center with Gobert in the fold. Towns has literally played nearly every minute of his career at the 5, according to data from Basketball-Reference. This is going to be a huge shift for him.
It could be a positive one, though. Gobert is the best rim protector in the NBA and Towns was legitimately one of the worst. This is a burden off his plate. The Wolves’ defense should be better because of it.
19
New Orleans Pelicans: How does the Zion Williamson-Brandon Ingram duo work now?
The duo of Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson is unquestionably the Pelicans’ best, but it’s no secret that they weren’t the perfect match when they played together two seasons ago.
They largely both needed the ball for their maximum output. Together as a combination, they were solid — their net rating of 2.8 points per 100 possesions was good but not great.
For the Pelicans to get where they want to get, the two of them are going to need to be spectacular as a combination. Whether they can do that or not remains to be seen.
20
New York Knicks: Who is the real Julius Randle?
People are talking about all the different ways the Knicks can be good this season. Jalen Brunson ascends to an All-Star caliber talent. RJ Barrett takes the leap and becomes an elite scorer.
What I’d like to know is which Julius Randle is the real one? Is it the guy who we saw last season that wasn’t an efficient scorer, took a ton of needless jumpers and didn’t seem all that interested in sharing the ball. Or is it the All-Star who we saw the year prior?
Whichever version of Randle that we see will determine what next season looks like for the Knicks.
21
Oklahoma City Thunder: Will they try to be bad again?
The Thunder have amassed enough talent to the point where they can easily quit the whole process Sixers cosplay they’ve been doing for the last two seasons and seriously try to win some games.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a player who is ready to compete now. There are several young — but talented — players on the roster between the last two drafts where they could make a legitimate push for the play-in around him. Plus, they have Chet Holmgren who could legitimately be a building block moving forward.
But, again, Victor Wembanyama is out there. So is Scoot Henderson. And these could be two of the best prospects ever that we’re witnessing. The Thunder will still probably tank things out.
22
Orlando Magic: What is Paolo Banchero in the NBA?
The Magic took a huge swing by going against the grain and taking Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 pick.
He’s got a ton of potential as a 6-foot-10 big who can handle the ball, but it’s hard to find what exactly in his skillset makes him special. He’s no elite shooter. He has shot creation ability, but he’s only shown flashes as a legitimate shot creator for others as well. It’s just hard to tell what he’ll be molded into at this point.
The journey for Paolo and the Magic start this year and it’ll be an exciting one to watch.
23
Philadelphia 76ers: Can Joel Embiid stay healthy when the time comes?
The 76ers have a ton of questions surrounding them, but Joel Embiid is the answer to most of them. Dude is that good.
But he just hasn’t been able to stay on the court once the 76ers have hit the postseason for the last two years. Even when he’s returned, he’s been hampered by injury.
He had a knee issue in the 2020-21 season when the 76ers were eliminated by the Hawks. Last season he suffered a facial fracture that knocked him out for half of the series against the Heat and also had thumb issues.
It’s pretty simple. If Embiid can be healthy, the 76ers are title contenders. They just need a stroke of good luck to make it happen.
24
Phoenix Suns: Are the vibes still good?
Two seasons ago when Jae Crowder was salsa dancing all over the place on the Suns’ run to the NBA Finals, things were great. The team’s chemistry seemed incredible. Everyone seemed to be ascending.
Last year completely destroyed that, though. Their embarrassing loss to the Suns to end their season seems to be at the root of it. And it’s something they still haven’t recovered from.
We still don’t know if Deandre Ayton and Monty Williams have spoken. Jae Crowder wants out. They lost to the Adelaide 36ers. The vibes just aren’t good with the Suns right now.
Winning can change that and it’ll change quickly. But we’ve got to see them do it first.
25
Portland Trail Blazers: What sort of player is Anfernee Simons?
When he’s healthy, Damian Lillard can absolutely carry the Trail Blazers to being a top-10 offense regardless of who is around him. That’s how potent he is as a scorer.
However, the problem over the last few years for Portland has been when Lillard sits. Who keeps the offense afloat? Can they maintain their regular clip without their superstar player?
CJ McCollum was up and down in that role for Portland. Anfernee Simons steps into his spot as a younger, promising talent. The Blazers are hoping he’ll be a better, more consistent option next to Lillard than what they’ve had in the past.
26
Sacramento Kings: Can they finally figure out something defensively?
It feels like last season we only got a glimpse of what the Kings could potentially be.
The pairing of De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis looked promising. Fox assisted on 22 of Sabonis’ field goals in just 13 games played together and they had an offensive rating of 115.2 as a pairing. As a core duo, they were sharp offensively.
But the Kings just didn’t have it defensively last year. Their most played lineup with Sabonis had a defensive rating of 120.7 through 8 games played. That’s awful.
They hired Mike Brown to fix it, but it’s hard to figure out how they improve based on personnel alone. We’ll see how they manage it.
27
San Antonio Spurs: Just how bad can they be?
Just like the Rockets above, the Spurs are very clearly waving the white flag on the season before it even starts. The Dejounte Murray trade was the first signal.
They want Victor Wembanyama just like everyone else. Expect the Spurs to make more in-season deals with players like Jacob Poeltl, Josh Richardson and more as they tank the season away.
Hopefully, Gregg Popovich has one more good year left in him.
28
Toronto Raptors: Can Scottie Barnes keep climbing?
After sneaking in at the last minute to steal Rookie of the Year away from Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes looks like he could be a legitimate star moving forward.
He’s got all the goods. He’s long and lanky and is already very good defensively. He can handle the ball in the halfcourt, is a great finisher at the rim and is developing his jump shot. He’ll be an All-Star sooner than later.
The question is how high does he ascend this year? The quicker he gets to star status the quicker the Raptors move into that title-contending conversation. If he takes another massive leap this year, watch out.
29
Utah Jazz: Who else will they trade?
The Jazz are also in the Wembanyama sweepstakes at this point. The list is starting to get pretty crowded and, by season’s end, it’ll probably be packed. That’s why it’s good for the Jazz to get this head start.
They’ve already traded Bojan Bogadnovic, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. Patrick Beverly was shipped out after that movement, too. They’re unquestionably going to do more.
In the immortal words of Hip Hop Harry: Who’s Next? That’s the big question for the Jazz. We’ll find out eventually.
30
Washington Wizards: Can Bradley Beal shoot again?
Bradley Beal is still one of the most gifted scorers in the NBA. He averaged more than 30 points per game two seasons in a row and nearly led the league in scoring two seasons ago. That doesn’t just happen for anyone.
But his production dropped last season. And it wasn’t just because of his injury — he also just completely lost his shooting touch from deep. Beal shot a career-low 30% from deep in 40 games for the Wizards last season. That’s why his production dipped so drastically.
If Beal is able to hit at a decent clip from deep next season, it raises the Wizards’ ceiling significantly. If not, they might want to think about going winless for Wimby.
