Five NBA Teams Most Likely to Take a Step Back This Season

The NBA’s offseason was highlighted by a myriad of stars finding new homes, thus shifting the league’s power balance.

Philadelphia formed a true title contender out of nowhere. The Raptors added Kawhi Leonard to firmly put themselves in the mix, and the Heat made their own splash with Giannis Antetokounmpo to compete the suddenly loaded Eastern Conference.

Big moves swing the pendulum both ways, though. On the flip side, a number of teams decided to look toward the future by sending out star players for young talent and draft capital. Not only that—additional teams head into the year in danger of falling below the improved competition level.

An offseason this dramatic—through big trades and certain sanctions handed out—immediately shifts the NBA’s landscape. Teams that retooled to make a run at the title are clear, but what about the opposite?

Here’s a look at five teams across the league who could take a step back in the upcoming season:

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks will begin their post-Giannis Antetokounmpo era with a mix of intriguing young players like 2026 lottery pick Brayden Burries | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

2025–26 record: 32–50 (missed playoffs)

The Bucks were bad last year as Antetokounmpo played a career-low 36 games due to leg injuries that eventually shut him down for the season, which put him more at odds with the franchise. Milwaukee’s longtime superstar was at the center of the trade deadline discussion, but the Bucks decided to hold onto him and see if they could make it work. The messy breakup came to an end ahead of the NBA draft once Giannis was dealt to the Heat for a haul of young players and draft picks.

General manager Jon Horst chose Miami’s future-forward package instead of Boston’s offer that was centered around Jaylen Brown. Acquiring Brown would’ve positioned the Bucks to remain competitive without Antetokounmpo, but the franchise made the right decision to firmly press the rebuild button. Milwaukee’s immediate future looks bleak, although the additions of Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakučionis make the new roster interesting enough to watch on League Pass. The development of lottery picks Brayden Burries and Nate Ament this season is key, plus another step forward for Ryan Rollins would help Milwaukee adjust to its new normal.

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Without a true star, though, the Bucks are bound to bottom out even further. Let’s not forget the franchise is under investigation for potential cap circumvention after the strange Gary Trent Jr. contract, too.

Los Angeles Clippers

Darius Garland should lead the way for the Clippers | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

2025–26 record: 42–40 (No. 9 seed, lost first play-in game)

Another obvious candidate to regress, the Clippers will have some semblance of a basketball team this season after the massive punishments handed down by the league following its investigation into salary cap circumvention surrounding Leonard. Beyond that, Los Angeles has traded its three stars over the past year: Leonard, James Harden and Ivica Zubac.

Darius Garland was good when available after his arrival through the Harden trade at the deadline. Now, the Clippers add Brandon Ingram and his massive contract from the deal that sent Leonard back to the Raptors. Garland and Ingram will score, but the duo won’t cut it in a loaded Western Conference. The prior trades and sanctions completely pivot the Clippers’ outlook anyway. Keaton Wagler, the No. 5 pick in the draft, is the lone bright spot for the franchise but he’s nowhere near ready as a 19-year-old guard.

The Clippers should take on additional bad contracts like Ingram’s from teams that want to open up flexibility. In exchange, L.A. can replenish its cupboard of picks, like the franchise did through the Leonard trade. That path inevitably leads to losses piling up. Over the course of the NBA’s punishments, the Clippers could open up a ton of cap space and overpay players in an effort to compete. Anywhere outside of the West’s basement seems off the table this year, though.

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Atlanta Hawks

2025–26 record: 46–36 (No. 6 seed, lost in first round to the Knicks)

Somewhat surprisingly, Atlanta’s two playoff wins against the Knicks last season were more than any other team. CJ McCollum played the hero to get the Hawks out to a 2–1 series lead against New York, but the eventual champs shut the door on a potential upset in six games. McCollum is back on a one-year deal to provide his high-level scoring around Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Other than that, Atlanta’s offseason is highlighted by the additions of Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins from the Thunder.

The moves brought the Hawks even more perimeter defenders, but Atlanta may suffer from the increased competition out East after the splashy offseasons by the 76ers, Raptors and Heat. Plus, Indiana will be healthy once again with Tyrese Haliburton’s return and the addition of Zubac at the February trade deadline. Johnson is a star, but the Hawks may struggle to keep up with the rest of the conference.

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Phoenix Suns

Dillon Brooks and Jalen Gree — The Suns signed Dillon Brooks to an extension to keep him in the core of Devin Booker, Jalen Green and the newly acquired Miles Bridges. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

2025–26 record: 45–37 (No. 8 seed through play-in, lost in first round to the Thunder)

Phoenix surprised last season and finished seventh place in the West after the franchise traded Kevin Durant to Houston over the offseason. The Suns lost their first play-in tournament game to the Trail Blazers, but eliminated the Warriors in the final game to enter the playoff field as the eighth seed. That brought a meeting with the Thunder, who took care of Phoenix in a clean sweep.

Dillon Brooks’s career year to complement Devin Booker, plus Jalen Green’s added scoring kept Phoenix afloat. All three are back and Brooks got a long-term extension thanks in large part to his breakout as a scorer. The Suns traded for Miles Bridges and gave up two key role players in Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale in the process. Bridges is a better player, but Phoenix will miss Allen’s shooting. The Suns’ frontcourt is a big question mark, especially with Mark Williams slated to miss considerable time.

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Commitments to Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin help the team’s depth, and a potential step forward for 2025 lottery pick Khaman Maluach could minimize the concerns down low. However, multiple teams that finished below the Suns last year should improve, which will make it tough for them to replicate or improve on last year’s record.

Charlotte Hornets

Brandon Miller will be tasked with leading the Hornets after the franchise traded LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges over the offseason | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

2025–26 record: 44–38 (No. 9 seed, lost second play-in game)

Charlotte’s decision to part with LaMelo Ball and Bridges won’t hinder the franchise in the distant future. In fact, it’s the opposite. The Hornets moved off Ball’s money and got two solid role players plus an intriguing future first-round pick from Phoenix for Bridges. Plus, Naz Reid came to town along with another future first and additional draft capital in the Ball deal.

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The Hornets are set up well for the future and the roster is interesting enough to remain decent in the Eastern Conference, but I do wonder whether the team has the star power to make a playoff push. Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller have the keys to the franchise. This will be a critical year for Miller specifically, without a contract extension and headed for restricted free agency next summer if he doesn’t get a deal done. He was solid last season, but he has to prove he can be the guy without Ball in the mix. As Knueppel enters his second season, he’s already an elite three-point shooter who led the entire league in threes as a rookie. And he can do more than knock down triples.

Coby White is back on a nice new contract as the Hornets’ new starting point guard. Reid, Allen and O’Neale will help the Hornets win games, no question. However, it’s unknown whether they can truly compete in the reloaded Eastern Conference where top teams all improved, while Charlotte went the other way in favor of the future.

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