A large part of the NBA offseason is focused on who’s gotten better and who’s in the “inner circle” of title contenders. Yet every season, at least one team comes out and shocks the league with its play. This previous season had many surprise teams, with the Thunder seizing the one seed out West and the Pacers making an Eastern Conference Finals run. So, which teams have a chance of going from going outside the playoffs to making noise in the postseason?
Two Teams Ready To Make Noise Next Postseason
On the Rise Out East
Two seasons ago, the Charlotte Hornets finished the year with a 43-39 record and made the Play-in Tournament. LaMelo Ball had made his first all-star team, and the Hornets seemed like a team on the rise. Since the 2021/22 season, the Hornets have won just 48 games, with Ball having played in only 58 out of 164 games over that two-season stretch. While not ideal, it has allowed Charlotte to add more talent to the roster. Brandon Miller is coming off a great rookie campaign where he averaged 17/4/2 and made All-Rookie First Team. The team added another lengthy wing this draft, taking Tidjane Salaun sixth. When Ball has been healthy the previous two seasons, he has put up impressive numbers, averaging 23/6/8 while shooting 37% on 10 threes per game. The team is noticeably better, with Ball winning 10% more of their games.
With how the Heat, Bulls, and Hawks have all gotten worse this offseason, the last playoff spot is wide open. The Hornets, while young, have a true All-Star in Ball and a sneaking good rotation around him. With Grant Williams, Miles Bridges, Nick Richards, Josh Green, Tre Mann, Vasilije Micic, and Miller filling out the team’s top eight, the Hornets might surprise a lot of people and be this year’s Orlando Magic.
Taking Off Out West
The Houston Rockets came up just short last season of the Play-in Tournament, finishing five games behind the Warriors. The West is going to be a bloodbath once again this coming season, but the Rockets are equipped for the scrap, with Alperen Sengun leading the way after a breakout season. Sengun put up 21/9/5 last season, playing at a near All-Star level, and looks to be on the rise. Houston is stacked with young talent besides Sengun. Jabari Smith Jr, Jalen Green, Cam Whitmore, and Amen Thompson all played well last season. Green in particular, had a great end to the season, putting 23 points over the last 22 games and leading the Rockets to a 15-7 record to end the season. The Rockets added more young talent at the draft, selecting Reed Shepperd third overall.
Houston, in addition to having a wealth of young talent, has a blend of veteran leadership. Fred VanVleet and Dillion Brooks are in the starting lineup, while Jeff Green and Steven Adams come off the bench. The team is also being led by Ime Udoka, an elite coach. With the amount of young talent the team has plus their leadership, the Rockets are taking off next season. The question is just how high are they getting.
