We’re around the quarter-way mark of a marathon NBA season.

And so it’s the perfect time to hit the pause button and reflect on how all 30 teams have fared through the first 20 or so games.

Taking into account the expectations for every team, front office decision-making and broader positives and negatives, here’s how we’ve graded the entire league through the first quarter.

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ATLANTA HAWKS (13-9) – B+

A legitimate wildcard in the East. You were worried about how they’d fare after Trae Young went down with an MCL injury in the second week of the season. But the Hawks have gone 11-6 without the star guard and Jalen Johnson has flourished as the No. 1 option in an All-Star rise, while team has taken on a different, more intimidating identity with added size. Could it make their front office consider Young trades? Off-season recruit Nickeil Alexander-Walker has also picked up the slack and shone in a bigger role in the starting line-up. Dyson Daniels has averaged a career-best six assists with extra ball handling responsibilities without Young, but the Aussie is yet to find his groove scoring the ball.

BOSTON CELTICS (12-9) – B+

Travelling as well as any could’ve hoped without Jayson Tatum including a top five offensive rating led by Jaylen Brown. It’s easier to be glass half full on Boston, despite the Celtics’ flaws and off-season trades signalling this is very much a gap year. Unless they do opt to pack it in at some point to try and boost their lottery odds. They still have Brown, who’s averaged a career-best 29 points, and Derrick White, while Neemias Queta has been a pleasant surprise. And with so many weak teams in the Eastern Conference, you could understand Boston talking itself into giving this season a nudge, given it’s hard to see the C’s dropping below the likes of Charlotte, Brooklyn, Washington and Indiana in the standings.

Brown leads Celtics to win over NYK | 01:13

BROOKLYN NETS (4-16) – C-

It’s been bad, but largely by design. The Nets went into this season with a much younger team after taking five players in the draft – though no one inside the top seven – where the clear best players of the class have emerged. One of the clear tanking teams that will fight it out with the likes of Washington and Indiana for the worst record in the East. Michael Porter Jr. has been the clear standout, averaging a career-best 24.9 points per game with full rein on offence. Noah Clowney has been a bright spot recently too, but there’s not a whole lot of youth to get excited about for a team in a rebuild. They would’ve loved a rookie like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe and Kon Knueppel – and need them more than those teams that drafted them.

CHARLOTTE HORNETS (6-15) – D

Is the wheel ever going to turn for the Hornets? Their seemingly never-ending cycle of struggles has continued, even though there’s things to like. No one more so than Pick 4 draftee Kon Knueppel, who’s probably been the Rookie of the Year over Cooper Flagg through the first quarter of the season in a slam dunk selection. Fellow rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner has also shown a bit as their starting centre. But Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball have again been sidelined by injury and trade rumours are starting to engulf Ball. And the team is underachieving again and defensive concerns remain. Despite Charlotte having enough pieces, at least on paper, to be more competitive and a promising coach in Charles Lee.

CHICAGO BULLS (9-11) – C

After a red-hot 5-0 start to the season – their best start to a season since the Michael Jordan era — the Bulls have crashed back down to earth in recent times. They’re on a four-game skid and have won just three of their past 13 games. The biggest win has been Josh Giddey. The Aussie has averaged 20.6 points per game, 9.9 rebounds and 9.1 assists in a career-best season with the keys to Billy Donovan’s offence. It puts the Aussie in the All-Star discussion, with only Nikola Jokic tallying more triple-doubles so far this season. But Giddey had a much stronger case when the Bulls were up and about. He’s spearheaded one of the most fun offences when its clicking, including Chicago playing with the second-fastest pace in the NBA. You feel like they’re still a piece short though from being a bona fide playoff side. Could Anthony Davis be the missing piece?

NBA Wrap: Doncic fires LA past Pelicans | 01:28

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (13-9) – C-

Are we ever going to see this team healthy for a meaningful stretch? The Cavs have again battled injuries in an indifferent start to the season for a side that was considered the frontrunner in the East. They’ve dropped three of their last four and something just looks off after coach Kenny Atkinson installed the league’s most explosive offence last season. Well, after posting the best offensive rating in the NBA last campaign, Cleveland is currently just inside the top 10. It comes despite Donovan Mitchell averaging career-highs in 30.6 points per game and true shooting percentage (64.6), though it’s largely because he’s had to do more. A toe issue has restricted Darius Garland to only seven games and 14.7 points per game – his lowest return since his rookie season. It’s certainly not panic stations, but a team coming off a 64-win season – second only to OKC – and considered the hot favourite to come out of the East is just a handful of games above .500. They probably have a better roster this year too with a full season of De’Andre Hunter and the addition of Lonzo Ball. And can we find more minutes for Aussie rookie Tyrese Proctor, please?

DALLAS MAVERICKS (7-15) – D

What a brutal nine months it’s been in Dallas including a sluggish start to this season. Anthony Davis continues to miss time through injury and Kyrie Irving remains sidelined while rehabbing a torn ACL. Sure, you can blame injuries for their woes. But getting back an injury-prone star was part of the criticism of the Luka Doncic trade, that’s only ageing worse. And it’s been far from the “defence wins championships” vision former general manager Nico Harrison projected after orchestrating the disaster deal. At least not the ‘wins’ or ‘championships’ part. Dallas’ defence has in fact ranked among the best in the NBA, but Jason Kidd’s side sits dead last in offence rating. Harrison has been fired to help clear a dark cloud hanging over the franchise after intense fan backlash. In a silver lining, however, Cooper Flagg is starting to find his groove after the 18-year old’s indifferent start to the season. If not for the No. 1 pick, which Dallas miraculously had a 1.8 per cent chance of getting, it would be a particularly dire situation. Because this is the last season the Mavs have control of their first-round pick for the rest of the decade.

DENVER NUGGETS (14-6) – B+

Did Josh Giddey’s Bulls break the Nuggets? It was a strong start to the season for the Nuggets, until they suffered a shock home loss to Chicago, who was coming off a double overtime back-to-back. It kickstarted an active run of three more consecutive home losses to Sacramento, a Victor Wembanyama-less San Antonio and Dallas. That’s not games you can afford to drop in your own building. Even Nikola Jokic bluntly said “we are not that good” a couple of weeks ago and injuries to Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun are big blows. Of course, this is a team that many consider OKC’s biggest threat, so there’s big expectations in the Mile High City after a great off-season where they added much-needed depth. Jokic is playing out of this world good and seems to have levelled up again, if that was even possible. The superstar centre has averaged 29 points per game and leads the NBA in rebounds (12.8) and assists (11) on 62 (field goal percentage)-85 (free throws)-43 (3-pointers) shooting splits to go with 1.5 steals … that’s unheard of! The three-time MVP is also posting the best Player Efficiency Rating (35.8) of all time. The unassuming, 6-foot-11 Serbian might be the only thing that can get in the way Thunder’s quest for back-to-back titles at this point. Jamal Murray is also producing a career-best season and the Nuggets have the No. 1 offence in the NBA and No. 3 net rating. But their defence has really fallen off from where it was earlier in the campaign and they’re precariously placed with injuries.

Giddey denied call in heartbreaking loss | 00:45

DETROIT PISTONS (17-4) – A+

Their rise to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and genuine contender status has perhaps been the story of the season. Detroit has very much looked like the real deal, mainly thanks to its top five ranked defence and a potent Cade Cunningham-Jalen Duren two-man game. While those two have been the leading stars, the Pistons have more depth than ever before and a gritty and tough identity the whole team buys into. They tied their franchise winning streak of 13-straight wins, matching the same run as their championship 2004 and 1990 seasons. Could it be an omen? And it comes just two years removed from a 14-win season. A massive tick to JB Bickerstaff as the rightful frontrunner for Coach of the Year.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (11-11) – C-

After a promising 4-1 start, the Warriors have been up and down. And looked like, well, roughly a .500 team, which they are! Steve Kerr’s squad hasn’t had the same spark as during their 23-8 run after acquiring Jimmy Butler at last season’s trade deadline. Their offence is languishing in the bottom third of the NBA and it’s just hard to trust a team that’s core three players – Steph Curry, Butler and Draymond Green – are aged 37, 36, and 35 respectively. Beyond those three, the rest of the roster drops off quickly. Plus, Curry is hurt ahead of a tough road trip and Butler’s body is hard to trust, despite the All-Star forward missing just two games so far. The Warriors also have a Jonathan Kuminga headache as a trade looms. Just not quite on the same level as some of the other Western Conference powerhouses and you sense they’ll look for another piece/s ahead of the deadline for a last hurrah with Curry.

HOUSTON ROCKETS (13-5) – A

We knew the Rockets were going to be good after a busy off-season including the addition of Kevin Durant. But this good!? Houston sits top three in both offensive rating and defensive rating. OKC is the only other team top five in both areas. And the Rockets’ size is dominating teams on the glass. In fact, the Rockets’ 38.5 per cent offensive rebounding percentage sits fifth all-time in NBA history. The loss of Fred VanVleet was clearly a big blow and leaves a void at point guard, but it’s made the Rockets a bigger, more athletic team in a unique identity that sets Ime Udoka’s squad apart. Plus it’s given Reed Sheppard more opportunity and the former No. 3 pick is only getting better with increased responsibilities. Led by Durant, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson, there’s just so many weapons on this team and so much line-up flexibility, with arguably the most depth of any team bar OKC. Many thought it’d be Denver, but could the Rockets in fact be the biggest threat to the Thunder in the West? Houston could well finish with the second-best record in the NBA.

Fan ejected after clash with Giddey | 00:46

INDIANA PACERS (4-17) – C-

It’s been all downhill since Tyrese Haliburton went down with that heart wrenching Achilles injury in Game 7 of the NBA Finals after Indiana’s miracle run. Along with several more injuries and the departure of Myles Turner – without replacing him – the Pacers are suddenly a contender to have one of the biggest ever win total drop offs after amassing 50 victories last season. Given the circumstances, you can’t be too hard on them, and it’s in their broader interests to be bad. This is clearly a gap year for the Pacers and you’d think they’ll very much embrace tank mode to get the best possible draft pick/young player to add to their squad next year along with the returning Haliburton. There’s frankly nothing else to achieve this season. Indiana crucially got back its 2026 first-round pick in a trade with New Orleans around a week before Haliburton’s injury in a major stroke of luck.

LA CLIPPERS (5-16) – F

A horror start to the season, with only New Orleans below them in the West. After the veteran squad went into the campaign with a rarely healthy Kawhi Leonard and some interesting new pieces, things couldn’t be going much worse. It’s been a struggle on both ends of the floor, including the Clippers dropping from the No. 3 defensive rating to currently in the bottom five. They clearly underestimated the impact that the loss of Norman Powell would have. Powell’s replacement, Bradley Beal, played just six games before getting ruled out for the season with a fractured hip. There’s been too much reliance on 36-year old James Harden and you can’t bank on Leonard staying on the court. And suddenly Chris Paul’s NBA send off in his Clippers homecoming has come to an abrupt end, with the legendary guard unexpectedly axed amid reports he clashed with Tyronn Lue. It’s one thing after another! You sense Lue could be the next coach facing the exit door if things don’t improve. You do have to wonder what toll, if any, the NBA’s investigation into allegations the Clippers circumvented the salary cap, is having. Oh, and they owe their first-round pick to OKC and are nearly completely out of future draft picks for the rest of the decade.

LA LAKERS (15-5) – A-

The Lake Show is back up and running, with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves leading the way. Many thought this would be something of a gap year for LA as it transitions from the LeBron James era into the Doncic era and finds the ideal pieces to surround the Slovenian superstar with. But JJ Redick’s team is an offensive machine including a superstar breakout campaign from Reaves. Father time might be catching up to James, who turns 41 later this month, after he missed the first 14 games of his record 23rd season with a sciatica issue. But even a diminished version of James is a valuable third option and will help this team win plenty of games. Hard to say exactly what the ceiling is and if the Lakers are real contenders in the West, but they’ve surpassed expectations so far. Any team led by Doncic should never be underestimated (shout out to Nico Harrison).

Celtics end Pistons winning streak | 03:28

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (9-13) – C-

Had the potential to be a disaster season after injuries and more Ja Morant drama has engulfed the Grizzlies. And it still could. But the return of Zach Edey has helped inject some positive momentum into Memphis’ campaign, with a 5-4 record since the centre got back from off-season ankle surgery. Morant, who’s been well below his best form, is on the shelf again and been at the centre of trade speculation. He received a team-imposed one-match for a heated post-match exchange with coach Tuomas Iisalo and there’s clearly friction between the two. Jaren Jackson Jr., signed to a jumbo $205 million contract, has also had a poor start to the season in a curious drop off. But Cedrick Coward has been one of the most promising rookies and looks a steal with the No. 8 pick. The production from Coward and Edey are wins as young building blocks for the future and means you can’t be too down on the team overall. Could still see the wheels coming off and Memphis going into seller mode at the trade deadline for a proper reboot without Morant and/or Jackson Jr.

MIAMI HEAT (14-7) – A

A surprise bolter in the East, with the Jimmy Butler trade circus now firmly behind them. You can never count out Erik Spoelstra and the Heat. The two-time championship coach has installed a new offensive system that relies more on pace and movement, as opposed to traditional pick and rolls. It’s seen them rise to having a top 10 offensive rating to go with a top five defensive rating – where they’ve always been reliable – and No. 6 net rating. And Miami’s strong start has come despite Tyler Herro, arguably its best player, missing the first several weeks of the season, with new addition Norman Powell helping fill the offensive void and then some. The double big pairing of Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware also looks like a great point of difference. Maybe still a key move away from being a real threat, but Miami isn’t going anywhere.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS (9-13) – D

It’s Giannis or bust. That was bleedingly obvious when the Bucks, after a promising start to the season, dropped seven games in a row when the Greek superstar was sidelined with an adductor strain. Suddenly the Greek Freak’s future in Milwaukee looks more uncertain than ever with fresh trade reports. In a positive, Ryan Rollins has been a real find after taking over as starting point guard when Kevin Porter Jr. went down. Along with the addition of Myles Turner, who’s an upgrade on Brook Lopez, there’s seemingly enough there for Milwaukee to be a frisky team in the wide-open East. But again, it all rests on Antetokounmpo’s shoulders. And waiving Damian Lillard and stretching his $113 salary over the next five seasons is going to make it tricky to build a real contender around Antetokounmpo again, particularly with the modern salary cap constraints. So it’s no wonder why he’s potentially looking to jump ship.

Doncic, James & Reeves combine for 99 | 00:55

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (13-8) – B

Coming off consecutive Western Conference finals appearances, Minnesota feels a level below that, despite a perfectly solid start to the season. The loss of Nickeil Alexander-Walker has hurt their depth and former No. 8 pick Rob Dillingham just hasn’t evolved into the point guard this team needs. Don’t be shocked if they make a move for a more established point guard on the trade market, with general manager Tim Connelly never afraid to shake things up. Anthony Edwards is heating up in a big way after being hampered by injury early in the season and Jaden McDaniels is showing signs of star potential. But the Wolves have struggled against the best teams and have imploded badly late in several games. All that said, they still sit top six in the West and have a proven system under Chris Finch and superstar in Edwards

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (3-19) – F

Zion Williamson is injured again. And the Pelicans are languishing dead last in the West with the worst record in the entire NBA. Despite owing their first-round pick to the Hawk. They also gave Indiana its pick back around a week before Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles injury in the NBA Finals, which could be another top five pick … yikes. It’s unfortunately been the same old story in New Orleans, who fired coach Willie Green less than a month into the season. They have pieces that can make them a dangerous team and some promising young players, gut something always goes wrong. At this point, it’s fair to say any hope of Williamson living up to the immense hype when he entered the league as the No. 1 pick is long gone. Injuries have sadly plagued his career. And with the likelihood that the Pels hand over a high-end lottery pick to Atlanta, they better hope Derik Queen, who New Orleans moved up in the draft for at the expense of their 2026 pick, works out for them. Queen and fellow rookie Jeremiah Fears have had some bright moments, but it’s been an absolute mess for a team that audaciously bet on itself.

NEW YORK KNICKS (13-7) – B

With Cleveland looking shaky and Detroit still unproven, the Knicks might be the most trustworthy team in the East. When’s the last time you could say that!? Under new coach Mike Brown, New York’s potent offence is again blowing teams away. Brown has modernised the offence with a higher volume of 3-point shots and more ball movement and pace. It’s a big reason why they have the No. 4 net rating in the NBA. The Knicks feel less reliant on Jalen Brunson on the offensive end, and that should hold them in good stead come the playoffs. Plus, the starters’ minutes are all slightly down, compared to the heavy workload under Tom Thibodeau, and they run deeper than last season. That should also bode well for their post-season hopes. Need to replicate their form at home (10-1) on the road (3-6).

Orlando lock horns with Sixers | 01:24

OLHAHOMA CITY THUNDER (21-1) – A++

What a team. Seventy wins is very much in play for the defending champs in a scary good start to the season, currently posting the best net rating in NBA history (15.1) after having the second-best last season (12.8). The Thunder aren’t just beating teams either, they’re smashing them. OKC has the highest average point differential per game ever (15.32), topping last season’s previous best mark (12.87). It comes despite Jalen Williams, their second-best player, only returning from injury last week. The defence is again on a whole other level to any other team in the Thunder’s greatest superpower. In fact, the difference between OKC’s defensive rating (103.6) and the No. 2 ranked Detroit (110.6) is a bigger difference between the Pistons and the No. 23 ranked Milwaukee (116.8). Along with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander further establishing himself as the best guard in the league in another MVP calibre season and the Thunder having more depth and a stronger bench than anyone, Mark Daigneault’s squad is an out and out juggernaut and the hot favourite to go back-to-back. And they’ve somehow added more depth with Ajay Mitchell stepping up in a bigger role when Williams and others were sidelined. Looking to join the most elite of elite companies and be the third team to win 70-plus games alongside the 1995/96 Bulls (72 wins) and 2015/16 Golden State Warriors (73 wins) – arguably the best two teams in NBA history. You wouldn’t put it past this team setting the all-time record in scary times for the rest of the league.

ORLANDO MAGIC (13-8) – B+

A sluggish 1-4 start to the season and some fleeting whispers around coach Jamahl Mosley’s future is now a distant memory. The Magic are back in business and look like a real contender in the East. In fairness to them, any team that brings in a new key piece usually takes some time to figure things out. And Desmond Bane is starting to look like Desmond Bane after a slow start to his Magic tenure including consecutive 37-point explosions in his last two outings and eight 22-plus scoring performances from his last 13 games. The bizarre elephant in the room is the Magic have a 7-2 record and top five offensive rating – the side of the ball that’s been their biggest issue – since Paolo Banchero went down with injury. And they’ve probably looked better without the former No. 1 pick, as Bane, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Anthony Black have all thrived with greater offensive responsibilities. Orlando also had a better record without Banchero last season (20-16) than with him (21-25). Surely there’s a version of Orlando where Banchero enhances it. The 3-point shooting is still an issue, though slightly improved on last season, when they ranked dead last in the NBA.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (11-9) B+

After a rollercoaster ride for Sixers fans across this decade, basketball looks and feels fun again in Philadelphia. Even if they’re a rung or two below the top teams in the East. A big reason for that is Tyrese Maxey ascending his game yet again and playing at an All-NBA level in shades of Allen Iverson. It’s Maxey’s team now. Meanwhile, backcourt partner and No. 3 pick V.J. Edgecombe has produced a strong rookie season including a particularly red-hot start. Maxey and Edgecombe are this team’s future and provide serious reason for optimism long term. Philly is crucially above .500 despite Joel Embiid and Paul George barely playing. If the pair ever get healthy, this team could get a seat at the table with the big dogs in the East.

Daniels inches closer to MJ’s record | 01:29

PHOENIX SUNS(13-9) – A-

Another team where the vibes are back. And one of the big surprise packages. It was widely thought the Kevin Durant trade would see Phoenix plunge. But through the first couple months of the campaign, the Suns under new coach Jordan Ott have played better than last season. Their collection of talented role players have more than made up for Durant’s departure, while Mark Williams is a clear upgrade at centre. It comes despite Jalen Green, who was effectively slated to fill the Durant scoring void, playing just two games so far. As much as Phoenix underperformed last season, it wasn’t that bad, finishing with a 36-46 record. So with a few tweaks, you can see why things have turned around.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (8-13) – C

A turbulent start to the season following the arrest of coach Chauncey Billups as Tiago Splitter stepped into the top job after just one game. Looked like one of the big improvers after a 4-2 start including the only team to beat OKC so far. But they’ve been up and down since including injuries to the likes of Jrue Holiday and Shaedon Sharpe hurting them. More specifically, the loss of Holiday given the 35-year old guard was in the midst of his best season in several years and added a valuable veteran presence to an otherwise young group. And because it’s left them without a traditional point guard with Scoot Henderson still sidelined and Damian Lillard out for the season. Deni Avdija (averaged 25.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game) has been a revelation as the best player on this team in a career-best campaign. The Wizards sure would love him on their roster now! It’s been a particularly bad stretch for Portland including three-straight losses and just two wins from its last 10 games since Holiday went down. But if the Blazers can tread water until they get healthy, you sense they’re capable of going on a run.

SACRAMENTO KINGS (5-16) – F

From teams that got their vibes back, to one that’s had the energy sucked out of its arena since those glorious ‘light the beam’ days first became a thing. How do you go from having Tyrese Haliburton and De’Aaron Fox to becoming the 2020s Chicago Bulls plus Russell Westbrook? Once one of the most fun sides to watch that played at a breakneck speed with a high-octane offence under Mike Brown has become a shadow of itself in a spiralling situation. It’s a weirdly constructed roster with too many players that need the ball in DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Dennis Schroeder, Malik Monk and Westbrook. Sacramento’s best player, Domantas Sabonis, has had his role pulled back and he’s now sidelined. And it’s hard to say exactly what the team’s broader plan is. Keegan Murray has been a shining light since returning from injury and the Kings should prioritise the forward as their main option moving forward over a bunch of 30-plus year olds whose best days are behind them.

Giddey surpasses Kobe Bryant record | 00:50

SAN ANTONIO SPURS (14-6) – A

More than kept their head above water since Victor Wembanyama went down with a calf strain in mid-November. San Antonio has a top four seed in the West and Wembanyama, who was playing at an MVP level, and De’Aaron Fox have barely played together. It makes sense that the Spurs will be extra cautious with Wembanyama. Furthermore, Stephon Castle, who was having his own breakout campaign, has also been sidelined the past couple of weeks. The Spurs are well built to mitigate injuries with depth at every position in a promising start to Mitch Johnson’s first full season as head coach. The makings of a really dangerous team when they get healthy and a rising force in the West. A particularly brutal upcoming schedule will test them including a four-game road trip with visits to Orlando, Cleveland and LA against the Lakers. That’s followed by back-to-back meetings with OKC and another matchup with the Cavs to close out December.

TORONTO RAPTORS (15-7) – A-

Basketball is back in the Great White North! Not that it ever left in a literal sense, but the Raptors are a serious basketball team again. And mounting a case to be a contender in the East in a strong start to the season to currently sit in the No. 2 seed. If Toronto can keep rolling, this would be its first season above .500 since 2022. The Raptors’ first 50-plus win season since the turn of the decade is also on the cards. Scottie Barnes continues to find ways to round out and improve his game and Brandon Ingram has reminded the basketball world what he can do. Darko Rajakovic has this team playing the right the way and the group buying in on the defensive end, with the Raptors posting the No. 6 defensive rating in the NBA.

UTAH JAZZ (7-13) – C+

A bounce-back year from Lauri Markkanen has led Utah to an encouraging start to the campaign. The Jazz are surprisingly in the play-in mix, despite Walker Kessler going down with a season-ending shoulder injury a few games in. Though Utah surpassing expectations is perhaps also because several sides in the West have underperformed, such as Dallas and the Clippers. You’d imagine The Jazz go more into tank mode as the campaign wears on and prioritise getting another high lottery pick in with what’s been touted as a stacked 2026 draft. That could include the possibility of a Markkanen trade. The Keyonte George breakout is happening, with the second-year guard averaging 22.7 points and 6.9 assists per game. No. 8 pick Ace Bailey has shown promising signs too and you expect his role will only grow as the season progresses. There’s enough to like.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS (3-17) – D-

After adding veterans to a young nucleus with some promising pieces, you thought the Wizards at least had potential to make some inroads. Yet they sit dead last in the East including a recent 14-game losing streak. It’s going to be another long season in Washington where fans will hope they at least get access to a franchise star in the 2026 draft as a result. They do, however, already have some young guns levelling up their games as real building blocks for the future. Alex Sarr looks like a different player to his rookie season and has traits that can make him a bona fide star centre some day. And Kyshawn George, 21, is a fun player with plenty of tricks. If not for those two, it’d be really dire. There’s at least a core starting to develop to give some reason for optimism, even if the win-loss record is grim right now.