NBA Teams Head to Training Camp With One Lingering Question Each Must Answer
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As the 2025-26 NBA preseason approaches, every franchise has at least one unresolved roster concern. Below is a team-by-team look—listed alphabetically—at the most pressing gap each club still needs to address.
Atlanta Hawks
Issue: Second-unit playmaking. Atlanta’s offense dipped by 10 points per 100 possessions whenever Trae Young sat last year. Newcomer Nickeil Alexander-Walker bolsters depth but is not a primary ball-handler, leaving reserve creation to be shared with Dyson Daniels and Luke Kennard.
Boston Celtics
Issue: Two-way center. With Al Horford, Luke Kornet and Kristaps Porzingis gone, the club is starting over in the middle. Neemias Queta offers rim protection and finishing, while Luka Garza provides skill and touch, yet neither projects as a playoff-caliber starter.
Brooklyn Nets
Issue: Experienced playmaking. Brooklyn, coming off the league’s sixth-worst record, allowed D’Angelo Russell to depart and will rely on teenage rookies Egor Demin and Nolan Traore at point guard.
Charlotte Hornets
Issue: Starting center. After trading Mark Williams to Phoenix, Charlotte likely turns to second-round pick Ryan Kalkbrenner or two-way success story Moussa Diabate—both better suited to limited minutes.
Chicago Bulls
Issue: Defensive disruption. Chicago ranked 29th in opponent turnovers and traded its steals leader Lonzo Ball. Isaac Okoro replaces him but has never averaged even one steal per game.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Issue: Perimeter depth. Darius Garland is coming off toe surgery and Max Strus is sidelined until at least December with a Jones fracture, stretching Cleveland’s backcourt reserves early in the season.
Dallas Mavericks
Issue: Playmaking. Despite adding Anthony Davis inside, someone must feed the frontcourt. Until Kyrie Irving returns, that task falls to D’Angelo Russell, who lost favor in Los Angeles last spring.
Denver Nuggets
Issue: Backup point guard. Denver trusts second-year guard Jalen Pickett behind Jamal Murray. Veteran Bruce Brown could slide over during the postseason, but Pickett remains the regular-season fallback.
Detroit Pistons
Issue: Secure ball-handling. Detroit ranked 21st in turnover rate and parted with Dennis Schroder (4.2 assist-to-turnover ratio). Jaden Ivey is now slated as backup point guard, and projections peg the Pistons for the league’s second-worst turnover mark.
Golden State Warriors
Issue: Signed contracts. While Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency drags on, Golden State has only 10 players under contract. Agreements with Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton await resolution of Kuminga’s deal.
Houston Rockets
Issue: Point-guard depth. The club hopes 2024 No. 3 pick Reed Sheppard claims the role after logging just 654 rookie minutes. Veteran Aaron Holiday is the fallback option.
Indiana Pacers
Issue: Two-way center. With Myles Turner heading to Milwaukee following Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles injury, Indiana must choose between Jay Huff’s shooting and Isaiah Jackson’s defense; neither has proven starter-ready.
LA Clippers
Issue: Young contributors. The Clippers loaded up on veterans—Bradley Beal, John Collins, Brook Lopez, Chris Paul—but after their top 11 players, only Kobe Brown, Cam Christie and rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser remain.
Los Angeles Lakers
Issue: On-ball defense. The offensive trio of Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves lacks perimeter-stopper prowess. Marcus Smart arrives, but at 31 may be better suited for bigger matchups than point-of-attack duties.
Memphis Grizzlies
Issue: Wing size. Last season’s search for a Dorian Finney-Smith type continues. No. 11 pick Cedric Coward, a physical 6-foot-6 forward, is the hopeful answer but faces a steep learning curve.
Miami Heat
Issue: Foul drawing. Post-Jimmy Butler III, Miami finished next-to-last in free-throw rate after the break and averaged 13.3 attempts in a first-round sweep. Norman Powell (4.4 attempts per game) should provide relief.
Milwaukee Bucks
Issue: Reliable point guard play. With Damian Lillard waived following an Achilles tear, Milwaukee counts on Kevin Porter Jr., Ryan Rollins and newcomer Cole Anthony—none of whom profiles as a championship starter.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Issue: Wing depth. After losing Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Minnesota looks to recent draftees Terrence Shannon Jr., Rob Dillingham and Jaylen Clark to absorb minutes.
New Orleans Pelicans
Issue: Center. The Pelicans traded up for Derik Queen at No. 13 and signed Kevon Looney, but 2024 first-rounder Yves Missi may still end up starting despite shooting just 55% on attempts averaging 2.8 feet.
New York Knicks
Issue: Overall depth. New coach Mike Brown prefers a larger rotation, and while Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele were added, the Knicks still have only nine proven options. Landry Shamet re-signed, and Malcolm Brogdon remains a possibility.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Issue: New arena. The defending champions return their full rotation; their biggest gap is off the court, with construction on a new building set to start in early 2026 and open in 2028.
Orlando Magic
Issue: Three-point shooting. Orlando’s 32% from deep was the NBA’s worst since 2015-16. Adding Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones should help, yet long-range accuracy remains the most notable weakness.
Philadelphia 76ers
Issue: Power forward. Health aside, Philadelphia lacks a true starter between 6-foot-8 Paul George and 7-foot Joel Embiid, forcing small lineups whenever George sits.
Phoenix Suns
Issue: Point guard. Reports indicate Jalen Green will start next to Devin Booker, revisiting the playmaking void from 2023-24. Collin Gillespie, who averaged 9.6 points and 4.1 assists in nine starts, may be a steadier option.
Portland Trail Blazers
Issue: Point-guard depth. With Damian Lillard rehabbing an Achilles tear, only Scoot Henderson and newcomer Jrue Holiday are proven. If either is sidelined, Deni Avdija could serve as a point forward ahead of Blake Wesley.
Sacramento Kings
Issue: Frontcourt reserves. After moving Jonas Valanciunas, Sacramento must rely on Drew Eubanks or rookie Maxime Raynaud behind Domantas Sabonis, while DeMar DeRozan likely becomes the backup power forward.
San Antonio Spurs
Issue: Guard shooting. The frontcourt offers spacing with Kelly Olynyk and Victor Wembanyama, but De’Aaron Fox (31% from three), Stephon Castle (28.5% as a rookie) and No. 2 pick Dylan Harper (33% at Rutgers) do not threaten from deep.
Toronto Raptors
Issue: Efficient shot creation. Only Immanuel Quickley and the departed Chris Boucher topped league-average usage and .550 true shooting last year. Brandon Ingram’s .576 mark in New Orleans should help, and better overall health could raise percentages.
Utah Jazz
Issue: Backcourt experience. Utah traded Collin Sexton, bought out Jordan Clarkson and now features first-round pick Walter Clayton Jr. (22) alongside 21-year-old Keyonte George and 20-year-olds Isaiah Collier and Cody Williams.
Washington Wizards
Issue: Power forward. Washington’s rebuild produced no natural fours. Marvin Bagley III trends toward center minutes, so the position may fall to wings Justin Champagnie, Kyshawn George, Khris Middleton and Cam Whitmore.
Training camps will reveal how—and whether—each organization can close these gaps before the regular season begins.
Source: ESPN
