Apr 30, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Certain NBA teams generate an incredible amount of hype after a good season, or the front offices make a blockbuster trade/signing. Some of that excitement is justified, but expectations can quickly get out of hand. Whether it’s depth concerns, an aging roster, or chemistry issues, here are three teams who are way too overhyped headed into this next season.
Miami Heat
Apr 12, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo looks on after the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
There’s no denying adding Giannis Antetokounmpo makes Miami better, but the rest of the roster raises a lot of questions.
The Heat gave up much of their future to make the blockbuster move, leaving them with no future and very little depth. While their frontcourt is probably the league’s best, the backcourt lacks perimeter scoring and, I can confidently say, they are the worst backcourt in the league.
Losing depth in the Giannis trade hurt Miami a ton. The Heat essentially replaced no one, so their team is subpar everywhere else.
Giannis alone raises Miami’s ceiling, but this roster has too many flaws for the amount of hype it’s receiving.
Denver Nuggets
As long as Nikola Jokic is on the roster, Denver will always be competitive. However, the supporting cast continues to get worse and worse.
The Nuggets already looked like they were trending in the wrong direction, with the East getting stronger and their core getting older. Now, this offseason they lost key role players like Jonas Valanciunas and Bruce Brown, which makes things increasingly more difficult.
Jokic and Murray can will this team to be a competitor; I just think their championship days are behind them. The two can cover up a lot of weaknesses, but expecting them to carry this Nuggets team deep in the playoffs is foolish.
Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) dribbles the ball down court
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) dribbles the ball down court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
The Lakers arguably had the busiest offseason in the NBA and made several quality additions. The problem is that winning the offseason doesn’t always translate to winning during the regular season.
There are a lot of new faces, meaning chemistry could take time to develop. On top of that, we’ll also see how much LeBron James played a role in the team’s success.
The talent is there, but it’s too early to crown this team as a legitimate title contender.
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