NBA: Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers
NBA: Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers
This NBA offseason has been an unforgettable one. Both Jaylen Brown and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been traded. LeBron James is on a new team. So much has happened. While there can only be one NBA champion each season, there are a handful of teams that believe they are best suited for the job. On the other end of that equation are the teams who know they don’t have what it takes to win the championship, and that’s ok.
Each season, rosters around the NBA change drastically. Players get traded, they sign to a new team, or get drafted. Some teams make good moves, some make bad. Some make a lot, some make none. It all depends on the state of your team. Whether it looks like a good move or a bad move, only time can tell. It happens every year when teams and fans get ahead of themselves, thinking they are better than they truly are.
So while some teams may fit in that boat, let’s take a look at teams that seem to be heading in the right direction going into the 2026-27 season.
Chicago Bulls
NBA: Draft5
Jun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; The fourth pick in the 2026 NBA draft, North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson after he was selected by the Chicago Bulls at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Chicago Bulls have finally begun trending in the right direction, and it all started at the draft lottery. While the Bulls were projected to have around the 9th pick in the 2026 draft, they jumped all the way to the fourth spot and selected Caleb Wilson. A very fortunate beginning to new General Manager Bryson Graham’s career. Wilson is exactly what the Bulls needed and what most teams search for. A young player who has star potential that they can build around. In summer league, Wilson looked extremely polished. He is super athletic, proved he can stretch the floor, and truthfully did everything you could ask for in a 20-year-old.
On top of all this, they drafted Dailyn Swain in the first round, another guy who seems to be ready to make an impact on day one. They have a new Head Coach in Tiago Splitter, Noa Essengue should return healthy, and players like Rob Dillingham and Leonard Miller who are fighting to stay on the roster.
Outside of their franchise player, they also acquired Nic Claxton for next to nothing. Essentially, the Bulls were a third team in a trade between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Brooklyn Nets just to make the money work. Chicago’s center spot was wide open, and for them to acquire Claxton, who will play defense and doesn’t need the ball in his hands, is perfect for this team moving forward. They also signed Norman Powell to a team-friendly two-year deal, which will help their offense tremendously.
Utah Jazz
NBA: Draft5
Jun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the second pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson after he was selected by the Utah Jazz at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Utah Jazz seem to be ending the prototypical rebuild. For the past few years, they have been intentionally bad, but are finally changing their course of action. Utah struck on the trade market when the time was right, when they acquired Jaren Jackson Jr., and will be a different team with him in their lineup. Jackson Jr should be their starting center day one, with Lauri Markkanen by his side in the frontcourt.
One of the highlights of Utah’s roster is their abundance of young talent. They drafted Darryn Peterson second overall in June, Ace Bailey fifth last year, and Cody Williams and Isaiah Collier the year before. They also have guys like Brice Sensabaugh, Keyonte George, and Kyle Filipowski. All of these players are 22 years old or younger. Their starting lineup of George, Peterson, Bailer, Markkanen, and Jackson Jr. is practically set moving forward, making the direction of this team clear.
While they are still young, establishing a group of guys this early to grow with is all you can ask for. With Danny Ainge making the decisions, this team should be back in the playoffs very soon.
Dallas Mavericks
NBA: Dallas Mavericks-Press Conference5
Apr 29, 2026; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Maverick Cooper Flagg speaks to media, teammates, Mavericks staff and family at a press conference in his honor for being named the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
The Dallas Mavericks have Cooper Flagg, and while that is solid, there are many other things they have done right recently. First off, Flagg is a Swiss Army knife type of player, and the ideal mold of guy you want to build your team around. The reigning Rookie of the Year will be back next season with a much more competitive cast around him.
Kyrie Irving will play a huge part in Flagg’s development. Not only to teach him more about the game but also to pose as another scoring threat for the Mavericks. Dallas also made a massive coaching decision this offseason. They fired Jason Kidd after five seasons and hired Michigan University coach Dusty May. May’s course of action was clear on the night of the draft when they selected Morez Johnson Jr. ninth overall
Their frontcourt is set now with Johnson, newly acquired Santia Aldama, and returning Derrick Lively and Daniel Gafford. One sneaky move Dallas made was trading for Zaccharie Risacher, the first overall pick just two years ago. Risacher will have plenty of chances to prove why he was drafted first with Dallas. The last move this team should look to make is to move on from Klay Thompson. Unfortunately, he doesn’t quite fit in with this team and is probably looking to contribute elsewhere at this point in his career.
Washington Wizards
NBA: Washington Wizards-Press Conference5
Jun 25, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards first round draft pick and number one overall pick AJ Dybantsa poses for a photo with his jersey during a press conference at InterContinental Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
The Washington Wizards had maybe the best offseason of any NBA team simply because they landed AJ Dybantsa. Dybantsa instantly transforms Washington into a more competitive team and is just one more wing to a never-ending wing rotation. Last season, Washington acquired Anthony Davis and Trae Young before the deadline. While the new contract they gave Young may not age well, he is still an elite point guard in this league.
Last season, the Wizards finished 17-65, putting them dead last in the NBA. Despite their many losses, there were still some bright spots. Two of them were the development of Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George. Both players took massive leaps in their second year and should excite Wizards fans everywhere. Washington has their core moving forward, which not many teams can say.
On top of that, they have Tre Johnson, the sixth overall pick from last year’s draft, as well as Bilal Coulibaly, Will Riley, and Bub Carrington. Washington has the perfect mix of veterans and young players, and should continue to grow in the near future.
Indiana Pacers
NBA: Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers5
Jan 10, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) in the second half against the Miami Heat at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Despite missing out on receiving a top draft pick, the Indiana Pacers are still in a great position. Much of this lies in the return of Tyrese Haliburton, the man who willed them to a Game 7 of the NBA Finals in 2025. Haliburton has stated he is fully healthy and ready to play at 100%, already putting this team on the right course.
The great thing for Indiana is that he will now be playing with Ivica Zubac, an underrated center and a perfect big man to fill out the Indiana roster. When they acquired Zubac, that’s exactly what they had in mind; they just never got the chance to share the court last season. When you add him to the starting lineup, Indiana certainly looks like a contender.
Finally, they added Kelly Oubre Jr. as well, one of the more underrated pickups of the offseason. With an already thin wing rotation, Oubre will take a lot of pressure off Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard, both offensively and defensively. When Haliburton went down with a torn ACL, Indiana didn’t panic. They simply took a gap year and strengthened the roster for when their superstar returned.