The 2024 NBA Draft was lackluster from the start, with no consensus No. 1 player. The 2024 class was terribleBut this felt more like a role player draft than a future franchise cornerstone draft, and the fact that it came right after Victor Wembanyama’s class made it feel even more underwhelming.
As the NBA turns the page to next season, the draft hype is likely to heat up again. Duke freshman forward Cooper Flagg is one of the most likely No. 1 overall picks to enter the league in the 10+ years I’ve covered the draft. The hype for Flagg was further fueled by the fact that at just 17 years old, he dominated a scrimmage with the U.S. Basketball Team for the 2024 Paris Olympics. He may not have the alien-like athleticism of Wenbayama, but his ability to contribute to winning both defensively and defensively could ultimately make him just as impactful as Wenbayama.
With true franchise talent waiting at the top of the 2025 NBA Draft, many teams have already begun shuffling their roster in hopes of getting lucky in the lottery. The team that acquires Flagg will have one of the best long-term foundational players in the NBA for years to come. To learn more about why Flagg is so special, check out our first 2025 NBA Mock Draft and last year’s rankings of elite high school players. These are the teams that will start the season as potential next big things in the NBA.
Preseason favorites to land Cooper Flagg in the 2025 NBA Draft — Worst team in basketball.
The Nets pivoted to a complete rebuild in time to compete for the flag, and Brooklyn made a surprising trade, trading their best player (Mikal Bridges) to a city rival for future draft picks (originally in 2021 for James Harden). Houston RocketsThe Nets have a clear direction to go, and that is to be as bad as possible. They still have some talented players to let go — Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, even Dennis Schroder — so don’t get too comfortable. But everyone inside the Nets seems to be on the same page. This team has two years to fight before Houston gets swap rights in 2027, which means they need to make the most of their chances to get the flag now.
It will still be years before the Wizards’ rebuild bears fruit. No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr has the potential to be a long-term player in the frontcourt, but his struggles in Summer League proved he can’t help Washington win this year. Kyle Kuzma is one of the most obvious trade candidates in the league heading into the season, and there’s also a market for Corey Kispert if the Wizards want to trade him. This team will probably be the worst team in the league because of the backcourt. Jordan Poole is still here for some reason, and first-round pick Babb Carrington will be one of the youngest guards in the NBA. The Wizards did acquire two veterans in Macolm Brogdon and Jonas Valanciunas, but neither will make a big difference. This team is bad and really, really needs Flagg.
The Trials Blazers look to be the worst team in the West for the fourth straight year. Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant are very good players at the peak of their careers, but the future of the franchise rests on three previous draft picks: Shaydon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, and Donovan Clingan. Henderson’s rookie year was a major disappointment, but a slight upturn in his production would provide some much-needed positive momentum. That said, the Blazers have a history of making bold cuts after the All-Star break, and it’s hard to imagine that strategy changing with Flagg at the top of the draft. Even after three straight top-seven picks, Portland still lacks a franchise player, and Flagg could be the guy who helps pull it all together.
Second worst NBA team
The Pistons made a lot of changes during the offseason. They hired JB Bickerstaff as their new head coach, signed Tobias Harris, acquired Tim Hardaway Jr. in a trade, re-signed Simone Fontecchio, and took a chance on Malik Beasley. They finally have a bona fide NBA shooter on the team, but their growth will ultimately depend on their young core, led by Cade Cunningham. The Pistons have talented players, but they only won 14 games last season. Even adding 10-15 wins would put them firmly in the flag zone.
Yes, the Jazz re-signed star forward Lauri Markkanen and cannot be traded until the summer of 2025. This move alone will not prevent them from being one of the worst teams in the West. Utah has the youngest roster in the league, with Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, Isaiah Collier, Cody Williams, Kyle Filipowski and Bryce Sensabaugh all potentially being part of the rotation as players entering their first or second year in the league. Will Hardy is a great head coach, but I feel the direction from Danny Ainge’s front office will be to replace Flagg later in the season. Don’t be fooled by Markkanen’s contract extension. The Jazz will be a very bad team.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls The best clutch luck of any team in the last decade The Bulls debuted a year ago, but still managed just 39 wins. Chicago traded their two best players, DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso, during the offseason and is preparing for a soft reset ahead of a strong draft. Josh Giddey was the Bulls’ big addition during the offseason, but he won’t solve the shooting slump that has plagued the team in recent years. Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic will remain with the team until other teams decide to take a chance on their huge contracts. Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu are solid NBA players, and Patrick Williams can develop into an NBA player if healthy, but it’s hard to imagine the Bulls becoming anything other than a bottom-flight team in the Eastern Conference. Chicago’s 2025 draft pick is due if San Antonio falls outside the top 10, which should motivate them to prioritize their draft position at the end of the season.
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets could be an interesting team this year… if LaMelo Ball stays healthy. Ball only played in 22 games last year and 36 the year before. He’s one of the best young guards in the league when he’s on the court, but that hasn’t happened much. Charlotte has a second young star in Brandon Miller, who is in his second season, and this could very well be his team. If Charlotte wants to climb into play-in territory, they’ll also need some big man power, led by Mark Williams. With Josh Green, Miles Bridges (nope!) and Grant Williams, they have a decent veteran chemistry here. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Hornets make a run for the 8th seed, but one injury to Ball could make it awful again.
Cooper Flagg’s dark horse team
The Spurs have been getting all the praise for their offseason, but I just don’t get it. How could they come out of the draft with two top-eight picks and then just have 39-year-old Chris Paul, Harrison Barnes and one rookie who can’t shoot? San Antonio was supposed to make a breakthrough with Victor Wembanyama, but it seems they haven’t made enough yet. The Spurs should be pushing for big wins now, but they seem willing to switch to another tank if Wembanyama gets hurt for a while or the supporting cast falls apart. San Antonio is also Atlanta Hawks‘ An unprotected first-round pick, which gives them multiple chances to land the No. 1 pick.
The Raptors didn’t want to completely dismantle, and now they’re in a scary no-man’s land of having a fair amount of talent on the roster but no path to true competitiveness. Scottie Barnes is a great young anchor, and RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley are solid players, but there’s not a ton of potential on this roster. The Raptors would have been better off drafting OG Anunoby and trying to build a team through the draft. At the moment, this team looks pretty directionless.
