March 24, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) and guard Damian Lillard (0) during their game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Image by Jeff Hanisch-Imagn 1. MILWAUKEE BACKS
Predicted 2024-25 record: 57-25
Last season: 49-33, 3rd in Eastern Conference
last time…
The Bucks reached the playoffs for the second time in 2022, deciding to make a pair of disappointing first-round exits since then. Milwaukee is also just four seasons removed from a championship.
FanDuel championship odds: +1400
Phone roll list
Draft Options:
No. 23, SG AJ Johnson, Australia
No. 33, PF Tyler Smith, G Ignite League
DEPARTURES: G Malik Beasley, G Patrick Beverley
ADDITIONAL VETERANS: G Gary Trent Jr., G Delon Wright, F Taurean Prince
The big picture
Pairing Damian Lillard with Giannis Antetokounmpo seemed to promise big dividends for Milwaukee last season, but the Bucks went home early after falling to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs. A calf strain held Antetokounmpo out for the entire series, while Lillard missed two games with an Achilles problem. Injuries aside, it never really felt like the Bucks were fully clicked at the end of the season, probably due in part to the coaching change in January. Adrian Griffin was fired, Joe Prunty took over on an interim basis and Doc Rivers was hired shortly after. Now Milwaukee can only hope for stability in 2024-25.
Know: G AJ Green
The Bucks are at their best when they surround Antetokounmpo with high-percentage shooters, and Green fits that bill. He has hit 41.2 percent of 274 3-point attempts in two seasons (91 games) with Milwaukee, giving the Bucks a quick offense off the bench. It won’t happen overnight, but this could be the season that Green passes Pat Connaughton on the depth chart. Poor perimeter shooting has often killed Milwaukee in the playoffs, and perhaps Green is the long-awaited solution.
2. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Predicted 2024-25 record: 49-33
Last season: 48-34, 4th in Eastern Conference
last time…
Kenny Atkinson coached the Brooklyn Nets, and he resigned after a 28-34 season in 2019-20. He then spent time as an assistant for the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors before the Cavaliers hired him as their head coach in June.
FanDuel championship odds: +4000
Phone roll list
Draft Options:
No. 20, SG Jaylon Tyson, Cal
DEPARTURES: None
ADDITIONAL VETERANS: F JT Thor
The big picture
Although Cleveland hasn’t made it past the playoffs twice in each of the past two seasons, the Cavaliers showed they plan to stick with their core by signing Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen to extensions this offseason. Seeding for the postseason could end up being how healthy Mitchell is. The 28-year-old missed 27 games last season, leaving many wondering what Cleveland’s real ceiling is. At full strength, the Cavaliers could be the third seed in the East, despite a tougher conference in 2024-25.
Attn: G/F Caris LeVert
LeVert didn’t crack the starting lineup thanks to Cleveland’s top-tier backcourt (Darius Garland and Mitchell), but he still finished with stellar averages (14.0 points, 5.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds) last season. Don’t be surprised if there is a Man of the Year award in LeVert’s future. If things don’t go well when Mitchell is injured, LeVert is the perfect plug-and-play option that should keep the Cavaliers from losing.
3. INDIANA PACERS
Predicted 2024-25 record: 45-37
Last season: 47-35, 6th in Eastern Conference
last time…
A team averaged as many points per game as the Pacers last season (123.3) was in 1983-84, when the Denver Nuggets put up 123.7 points per contest. The run-and-gun offense took Indiana all the way to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2014.
FanDuel championship odds: +5000
Phone roll list
Draft Options:
35, SG Johnny Furphy, Kansas (acquired from Spurs)
No. 49, SG Tristen Newton, UConn
No. 50, PF Enrique Freeman, Akron
DEPARTURES: F Jalen Smith
VETERAN ADDITIONS: C James Wiseman
The big picture
Indiana managed to blow the expectations for the last season out of the water, but is it necessary to stay relevant in the conference that is now Paul George and Karl-Anthony Towns? Pascal Siakam is back with the Pacers on a four-year deal after joining in January via trade. He and Tyrese Haliburton provide star power for Indiana, which is a mismatch against teams like the Celtics, Knicks, 76ers and Bucks. Last season’s big leaps from Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith give the Pacers reason to be optimistic.
Know: C James Wiseman
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft, Wiseman has yet to find a position in the NBA. He had a promising rookie season with Golden State but never made the jump we’d like to see out of a lottery pick, with the Warriors and Detroit Pistons both being let down by big men. Maybe a fresh start with a playoff-bound team once again is exactly what Wiseman needs. The 7-footer is still only 23.
4. CHICAGO BULLS
Predicted 2024-25 record: 37-45
Last season: 39-43, 9th in Eastern Conference
last time…
The Bulls had the top 15 pick in the draft, they went out and took Patrick Williams at No. 4 in 2020. This time, Chicago selected Matas Buzelis at No. 11.
FanDuel championship odds: +100000
Phone roll list
Draft Options:
No. 11, SF Matas Buzelis, Liga G Ignite
DEPARTURES: G/F DeMar DeRozan, G Alex Caruso, C Andre Drummond, F Javonte Green
VETERAN ADDITIONS: G Josh Giddey, F Jalen Smith, G/F Chris Duarte
The big picture
It’s not quite a rebuild, but it’s certainly not a push for the title, either, for the Bulls, who traded star DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings back in July. Chicago still has more talent than any truly rebuilding team, putting them in a state of purgatory — should they start stockpiling picks or pursue something special as the season progresses? Perhaps the decision was made easier based on how Lonzo Ball was guarded. Ball has not taken the floor since January 14, 2022. The Bulls once looked like a powerhouse with people directing the offense, and maybe it’s not too late for them to rediscover that form.
Know: G Josh Giddey
Giddey is the return in the deal that sent Caruso to the Thunder, and he should help get Chicago’s offense going that is sometimes happy when the ball finds Zach LaVine’s hands. Giddey averaged 5.7 assists per game over three seasons in Oklahoma City. He also established himself as a triple-double threat. With Giddey, Ball and Coby White, the Bulls will have a solid team in the backcourt.
5. DETROIT PISTONS
Predicted 2024-25 record: 28-54
Last season: 14-68, 15th in the Eastern Conference
last time…
The Pistons finished anywhere but last in the Central Division in 2019-20. The downward spiral worsened, with the team failing to win more than 20 games in four of the past five seasons.
FanDuel championship odds: +100000
Phone roll list
Draft Options:
No. 5, SF Ron Holland II, G League Ignite
No. 37, SF Bobi Klintman, Australia (acquired from Timberwolves)
DEPARTURES: C James Wiseman, F/C Taj Gibson, G Quentin Grimes
VETERAN ADDITIONS: F Tobias Harris, G Malik Beasley, G/F Tim Hardaway Jr., SG Wendell Moore Jr., C Paul Reed
The big picture
For a team that drafts as close to the top as Detroit often does, the Pistons have been bad. They finished with the worst record of the entire NBA last season, and one has to wonder when – or if – Detroit will finally start clicking with all its young talent. JB Bickerstaff enters his first season as Pistons coach after leading Cleveland to the postseason two years in a row. Having that type of playoff experience in the building is great and all, but Detroit needs to focus on reaching the 30-win plateau before even thinking about playing basketball in May.
Know: F Ausar Thompson
Thompson, the fifth overall pick in the 2023 draft, saw his rookie season end prematurely due to a blood clot. Still, he was able to show that he has an integral role in the future of the Pistons through 63 games (38 starts) in 2023-24, averaging 8.8 points and 6.4 boards. Bickerstaff must be eager to coach the 21-year-old into his second season.
–Field Level Media
