NBA Swing: A Question for Every Team: Eastern Conference

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With the 2024-25 NBA preseason just a few weeks away, the NBA offseason is reaching its end. Ahead of the season, there are questions for every team that should be asked, ranging from personnel issues to team performance to goals beyond the 2024-25 season.

Atlanta Hawks: Is this Trae Young’s last season in Atlanta?

After several seasons of the Trae Young and Dejounte Murray experiment, the Hawks decided to move on from Murray after not seeing the results they were looking for. The Hawks would trade Murray to the Pelicans, landing two first-round picks as a part of the package. Despite being in rumors for several years, the Hawks chose to keep Trae Young. Rumors and Reports have suggested there is no market for the Hawks All-Star. With the Hawks easing towards another rebuild and Young under contract through the 2026-27 season (that season being a player option), could the Hawks try to move on from him, or could he request a trade? With numerous teams in the Eastern Conference getting better around them and the team taking another step back, the Hawks may have to bite the bullet and move on from Young to get a draft pick or two, which they are desperately lacking as they look to become a playoff contender once again.

Boston Celtics: How Does Kristaps Porzingis’ injury affect the team?

Even though the Boston Celtics won their 18th championship this past season, it did come at a cost. Kristaps Porzingis would suffer from a lower leg injury in the Finals after missing most of the playoffs with another leg injury. It would be reported in late June that Porzingis would undergo a successful surgery, repairing a torn retinaculum and a dislocated posterior tibialis tendon. He was expected to be back on the court in 5-6 months, and he is looking at a potential return in December or January at the earliest. Porzingis would play a significant role in the Celtics championship season, averaging 20.1 PPG and 7.2 RPG in 57 games. While the Celtics are already seen as the favorites to win the 2025 championship, will they struggle a little out of the gate missing their third star?

Brooklyn Nets: Will they finish with the worst record in the league?

After a rough 2023-24 season that saw the team win 32 games, the Brooklyn Nets are expected to be one of the worst teams in the East, if not the worst team in the entire league. The Nets would make a big trade early in the offseason, trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks. While they have promising young players including Cam Johnson and Cam Thomas, the Ben Simmons contract still looms over the team for the next season. With the 2025 NBA Draft being seen as a stacked draft, many teams are looking to get a chance at Cooper Flagg. Rumors have suggested the team could move on from their young stars in an attempt to further better their odds at Flagg. Recent rumors have suggested Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler is fond of the Nets, suggesting the Nets possibly landing a star again. In a perfect scenario for the Nets, finishing as the worst team would help them land Flagg in the 2025 Draft, then add Butler next to him, immediately turning Brooklyn into a playoff contender.

Charlotte Hornets: If healthy, can the team sneak into the playoffs?

In the LaMelo Ball era of the Charlotte Hornets, the team has struggled to stay healthy. LaMelo Ball has been an All-Star but has not been able to stay on the court. In three of his four seasons in the NBA, Ball has played 52 games or more in one season, playing 36 and 22 games in the last two seasons, respectively. In addition to Ball, the team has several young and promising stars including Miles Bridges, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams. While the team has shown promise, injuries have held them back. Having landed in the Play-In on two separate occasions, the team got blown out in both games. With several Play-In teams taking a step back, could a healthy Hornets team not only squeeze their way back into the Play-In but legitimately make the playoff?

Chicago Bulls: Can the team promote the vets while focusing on a bottom-10 finish?

Trading both DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso this offseason, the Chicago Bulls have moved toward a rebuild whether management wants to admit it or not. While the Bulls are looking to focus on their young stars including Coby White, Josh Giddey, and Matas Buzelis, the team still has multiple vets on the team preventing a full rebuild. Zach Lavine’s contract is seen as one of the most untradable in the league while Nikola Vucevic has declined in recent seasons. If the Bulls could move on from either player, it would put the team in a much better position as they look to move on to their next era. For the Bulls, building the trade value of Lavine and Vucevic should be a priority at the beginning of the season only and they should focus on keeping the top 10 protected 2025 draft pick owed to the San Antonio Spurs. If head coach Billy Donovan and the Bulls can successfully do both, they may have a better future ahead. If not, the Bulls could be stuck with their vets while losing their draft pick in the stacked 2025 draft.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Do they move on from a member of their core?

Despite having a promising core including Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley, the team has not seen much success outside of the regular season. Following their second-round exit from the 2024 playoffs, reports of frustration within the team and players began to leak out. A report suggested the team was frustrated with Jarrett Allen sitting out with an injury he suffered during the playoffs. Other reports suggested that Darius Garland may force the team to choose between him and Mitchell, but both players remain on the team today with Mitchell signing an extension with the team this offseason. The team would move on from head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, hiring Kenny Atkinson as their new head coach. Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Cavs are expected to be one of the better teams in the East, but there are several teams around them that are better and contenders. If the team sees another season like the last couple, will they make a move and who will be the person to be moved?

Detroit Pistons: Does Cade take the next step this season?

While the Pistons have struggled for years now, the biggest bright spot has been Cade Cunningham. In his three seasons in the league, the first pick of the 2021 draft has improved every year. Unfortunately for Cunningham, he has missed a lot of games early in his career. He’s played 60+ games in two of his three seasons with the Pistons, but only played 12 games in his second season. He would agree to a five-year, $224 million extension with the Piston, having his best season to date with a career-high in points and assists. Despite Cunningham’s play, the Pistons are still one of the worst teams in the league. Can Cunningham take the next step for the Pistons and become an All-Star? Averaging 22.7 PPG and 7.5 APG, Cunningham has already shown he’s one of the better guards in the East but still has some ways to go to be one of the best. If he can take that next step and become an All-Star, it not only increases his value but shows players around the league he’s a young star they want to play with.

Indiana Pacers: Does the defense improve?

While the Indiana Pacers have a strong offense in the league that helped lead them to the Eastern Conference Finals, the team did struggle on the defensive end. The Pacers would have a middle-of-the-pack offense, posting a 114.6 offensive rating, while having the 7th worst defense in the league, posting a 118.0 rating. Led by Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, the Pacers offense was quick running offense, but their near bottom-of-the-league offense has been their weakness. Even though they made a run to the Eastern Conference Finals, many saw that run as a fluke due to the injuries to the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks. An improved defense would be the key for a deep playoff run but the team has not made many moves to improve their defense.

Miami Heat: Does the Jimmy Butler situation loom over the team?

With two seasons left on his current contract, (including a player option for the 2025-26 season) Jimmy Butler is nearing the final chapter of his career. Despite lower performances in the regular season, Butler has been one of the best players come playoff time, leading the Heat to the Finals twice since 2020 and leading the Heat to the Eastern Conference Finals three times since 2020. The 2024 playoffs saw Butler miss the first round due to an injury, with tensions between Butler and Heat team president Pat Riley following Butler’s comments on the Celtics following the Heat’s playoff exit. Currently 34 years old, Butler is seeking one more max contract, with Pat Riley and the Heat unsure of what to do with Butler. With Butler being linked to the Brooklyn Nets, do the rumors of a potential Butler trade affect the Heat over the course of the season, or does it push the Heat to make a move for another superstar in hopes for another run to the championship with Butler still on the team?

Milwaukee Bucks: Who steps up behind Giannis and Dame?

When the Bucks traded for Damian Lillard right before the beginning of the 2023-24 season, many immediately saw the Bucks as championship contenders. The team would struggle throughout the season, firing head coach Adrian Griffin after a 30-13 start, before finishing 17-19 with Doc Rivers. Dame would take a step back, with rumors that he was unhappy in Milwaukee taking center stage during the playoffs and following their playoff exit. Since winning their championship in 2021, the Bucks have struggled in the playoffs, with the team having two first-round exits in 2023 and 2024. Giannis Antetokounmpo would miss both playoff series, playing a significant role in those early playoff exits. Now heading into the 2024-25 season, who can the Bucks depend on outside of Giannis and Dame? Khris Middle is aging and has a history of injuries, Brook Lopez is also aging, and younger players have not been the priority for the team. A significant signing for the team this offseason, Gary Trent Jr. took a massive pay cut to join the Bucks. Averaging 13.7 PPG last season, Milwaukee hopes Trent could be that player.

New York Knicks: Can they take the next step?

The New York Knicks had a fantastic 2023-24 season, losing in the second round of the playoffs. If the team did not face injuries to key players including Jalen Brunson, the Knicks very well could’ve reached the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks would make significant moves this offseason, including a massive trade for Nets star Mikal Bridges and Brunson taking a pay cut to stay with the team and help build the roster. Having four Villanova players together on the team, the chemistry is great. Finishing with 50 wins last season, the Knicks have everything possible to improve on last season. With more defense and a significantly healthier team, the expectation is the Knicks will not only improve on last season but have a strong chance of reaching the Eastern Conference Finals this upcoming season.

Orlando Magic: Is KCP the missing piece?

The Orlando Magic took a significant leap last season, completely missing the playoffs the season prior to finishing fifth in the East and losing in seven games in the first round. Paolo Banchero is becoming the star Orlando believed him to be while Franz Wagner had a strong season showing All-Star potential. Despite strong play from Wagner and Jalen Suggs alongside Banchero, the Magic felt like they were a piece away from going further. It felt like they were lacking a veteran. The Magic would make a big signing this offseason, luring Kentavious Caldwell-Pope away from the Denver Nuggets. KCP would have a strong season in Denver, putting up 10.1 PPG, 2.4 RPG, and 2.4 APG on shooting splits of 46 from the field and 40% from three. With the Magic being a bottom-five three-point shooting team last season, adding one of the better three-point shooters as well as a champion in KCP could give the Magic the pieces needed to take that next step forward.

Philadelphia 76ers: Are they true contenders or will injuries play their role?

No team had a better off-season than the Philadelphia 76ers. Signing former Clippers All-Star Paul George was the biggest signing of the offseason, adding him alongside former MVP Joel Embiid and Most Improved Player Tyrese Maxey. Following the signing of PG, the expectations of the team went to championship contention. Despite being seen as a championship contender the last handful of seasons, the Sixers have always fallen apart due to injuries. Embiid would miss much of last season, looking like he was going to win his second MVP award prior to the injury. PG would only miss 8 games during the 2023-24 season but had not played 57 or more games since the 2018-19 season. Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Sixers are once again seen as contenders, but will they be healthy? If Embiid or George gets injured over the course of the season, it could result in a similar finish to the team last season.

Toronto Raptors: What direction do they go this season?

Over the last several years, the Toronto Raptors have been on the decline. For back-to-back years in 2022 and 2023, the Raptors reached the Play-In Tournament only to be eliminated in their first matchup. This past season, the Raptors would miss the playoffs completely, finishing 12th in the East with a 25-57 record. Scottie Barnes would have another solid year while new additions RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley had strong seasons, putting up 21.8 PPG and 18.6 PPG respectively. Quickley would sign a five-year, $162.5 million contract this offseason, making him a core member for the Raptors going forward. What are the Raptors’ hopes for the 2024-25 season though? While there are several teams in the East that are expected to take a step back in hopes of landing Cooper Flagg in the 2025 Draft, they could give the Raptors the opportunity to make the Play-In. They could also try to tank for Flagg with numerous other teams.

Washington Wizards: Can they rehab Jordan Poole’s value and trade Kyle Kuzma?

Posting the second-worst record in the NBA last season, the Wizards struggled on both ends of the floor. Many believed Jordan Poole would have an All-Star caliber season after being traded from the Golden State Warriors but would have his worst season in a few years. While he averaged 17.4 PPG and 4.4 APG, Poole would shoot his lowest percentages from the floor and beyond the arc since his rookie season. In the second year of his four-year, $128 million deal, Poole has a big contract, but it is still tradable. If Washington can rehab his value, he could bring them a solid return as they are expected to be one of the worst teams in the league this upcoming season. On the other hand, Kyle Kuzma is another player that should be on the move. In the first year of his four-year, $90 million deal, Kyle Kuzma had a career year. In 70 games, Kuz would average 22.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 4.2 APG while shooting a career-high from the field. Kuzma would reportedly turn down a trade to the Dallas Mavericks last season, wanting to remain with the team. Like Poole, Kuz could bring back a promising return for a team destined to be near the bottom of the East.