By Tim Bontemps | ESPN, 2025-03-20 20:22:00
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
本周将迎来一年一度的NCAA疯狂三月，头号种子杜克大学——在预计将成为2025年状元秀的库珀·弗拉格(Cooper Flagg)的带领下——希望能在圣安东尼奥夺冠。
在NBA，接下来的一个月将展示几支重建球队，包括位于圣安东尼奥的球队。马刺队正在为五月的选秀乐透做准备，希望获得最好的机会选中弗拉格，从而加速他们的争冠之路。
但有些重建球队比其他球队走得更远。在2023年选秀中选中维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)并在二月份交易得到搭档德阿隆·福克斯(De’Aaron Fox)之后，马刺队已经走在通往西部冠军的道路上。底特律活塞队在上赛季以14胜的成绩排名联盟垫底后，如今已成为实力较弱的东部联盟中的一支季后赛球队。与此同时，布鲁克林篮网、夏洛特黄蜂和犹他爵士等球队继续囤积资产，通过选秀进行重建，或者等待联盟中下一位不满的球星出现。
因此，我们将审视11支处于不同重建阶段的球队的未来发展道路，评估他们的进展情况，以及他们何时能够跃升为争冠球队。我们还将深入研究三支季前赛争冠球队的未来，这些球队的赛季已经脱离了正轨——要么是由于球星受伤，要么是阵容构建不佳，要么是因为他们交易走了一位MVP级别的控球后卫——以及他们是否应该考虑自己的重建。
注意：我们的重建排名并非基于目前的阵容实力，而是着眼于每支球队的重建战略和争冠之路。例如，底特律队在全明星后卫凯德·康宁汉姆(Cade Cunningham)的带领下，正处于近20年来最好的赛季。但这并不意味着活塞队在长期争冠方面比爵士或华盛顿奇才等球队更有优势，这两支球队都在为最差战绩而战，但却有更好的提升途径。
跳转至球队：
ATL | BKN | CHA | CHI
DET | NO | POR | SA
TOR | UTAH | WAS
三支外卡球队
1. 圣安东尼奥马刺
25岁以下球员： 8
休赛期薪资空间： 无
可交易的首轮选秀权： 5
新秀合同球员： 5（维克托·文班亚马、斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)、杰里米·索汉(Jeremy Sochan)、马拉基·布兰纳姆(Malaki Branham)、布雷克·韦斯利(Blake Wesley)）
战略： 马刺队是一个典型的例子，说明一个选秀权如何改变一支球队的一切。通过在2023年以状元签选中维克托·文班亚马，圣安东尼奥的整个方向都发生了改变。现在，再加上去年的首轮选秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔、后卫德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)以及交易截止日获得的德阿隆·福克斯，马刺队希望他们已经拥有了一个新的核心，可以迅速重返联盟的顶端。即将到来的选秀将有助于这一追求，马刺队不仅拥有自己的前十顺位选秀权，而且可能从亚特兰大老鹰队获得另一个乐透签。（圣安东尼奥控制着亚特兰大未来三次选秀权。）
是否奏效？ 假设文班亚马能够顺利从上个月结束他赛季的肩部深静脉血栓中恢复过来——马刺队预计他会完全康复——圣安东尼奥的重建之所以奏效，原因很简单：文班亚马的存在。在他前两个赛季里，他已经成为了他所宣传的一切，甚至更多。他是联盟中每支球队都会选择作为建队基石的球员。
预计重返巅峰： 假设文班亚马的健康状况良好，下赛季马刺队有望成为一支季后赛球队，并且应该在未来几年内成为西部的一支不可忽视的力量。
2. 夏洛特黄蜂
25岁以下球员： 8
休赛期薪资空间： 无
可交易的首轮选秀权： 8
新秀合同球员： 5（布兰登·米勒(Brandon Miller)，蒂贾尼·萨劳恩(Tidjane Salaun)，马克·威廉姆斯(Mark Williams)，特雷·曼恩(Tre Mann)，尼克·史密斯(Nick Smith Jr.)）
战略： 这是夏洛特新的管理团队——篮球运营执行副总裁杰夫·彼得森(Jeff Peterson)和教练查尔斯·李(Charles Lee)——的第一个完整赛季。球队老板里克·施纳尔(Rick Schnall)和盖布·普洛特金(Gabe Plotkin)聘请他们是为了使球队现代化。在过去的几个赛季里，夏洛特因为进行了一系列精明的交易，开始建立资产基础，并为球队增加更多的年轻球员而受到联盟的称赞。到目前为止，在2023年选中布兰登·米勒看起来像是一次成功的选择，而球队今年选秀的首轮签蒂贾尼·萨劳恩是一名19岁的前锋，在做出最终评判之前还需要时间来培养。本赛季，夏洛特目前排在第三位，也是获得状元签几率最高（14%）的球队中的最后一个。
是否奏效？ 黄蜂队拥有这份名单中最好的天赋储备之一，包括拉梅洛·鲍尔(LaMelo Ball)、米勒和马克·威廉姆斯。到目前为止，夏洛特已经采取了几乎所有正确的奠基性举措，使球队走上了坚实的基础。但是今年的选秀乐透将在很大程度上决定这项计划的进展情况。而且在某个时候，需要决定鲍尔（他正处于一份五年2.04亿美元合同的第一年）是否是一个真正的基石球员。
预计重返巅峰： 如果库珀·弗拉格最终来到夏洛特，那么人们有理由期望黄蜂队最早在下赛季就能争夺季后赛席位。然而，一些糟糕的选秀运气很容易让黄蜂队再花一年时间追逐A.J. 迪班察(A.J. Dybantsa)和2026年选秀中的其他顶级新秀——这将推迟这个团队的时间表。
3. 华盛顿奇才
25岁以下球员： 7
休赛期薪资空间： 无
可交易的首轮选秀权： 6
新秀合同球员： 6（亚历克斯·萨尔(Alex Sarr)，比拉尔·库利巴利(Bilal Coulibaly)，巴布·卡林顿(Bub Carrington)，科里·基斯珀特(Corey Kispert)，AJ·约翰逊(AJ Johnson)，基肖恩·乔治(Kyshawn George)）
战略： 自从篮球运营总裁迈克尔·温格(Michael Winger)和总经理威尔·道金斯(Will Dawkins)在上赛季之前接手以来，目标一直很明显：将奇才队彻底拆除，并通过选秀进行重建，遵循雷霆队总经理萨姆·普雷斯蒂(Sam Presti)使用的模式，这两位都曾在俄克拉荷马城为他工作。因此，奇才队已经采取了一些行动来获得未来的选秀资本，并且拥有一支由五名在2023年和2024年首轮选秀中被选中的球员组成的阵容。六月份的选秀中还有两个首轮签即将到来，其中最重要的是华盛顿自己的选秀权。由于拥有联盟最差的战绩，预计不会低于第五顺位。
是否奏效？ 这个问题的很大一部分答案将取决于奇才队是否能在五月份走运，并获得今年选秀中的前几名。（公平地说，这份名单上的几支球队都可以这么说。）华盛顿已经在几位潜力新秀身上冒险——从比拉尔·库利巴利到巴布·卡林顿再到亚历克斯·萨尔——但时间会证明这些尝试是否会成功。
预计重返巅峰： 即使奇才队在今年六月选中库珀·弗拉格，华盛顿也需要再过一两年才能成为东部的一支重要力量。如果他们没有选中他，那么这段时间很容易再延长几年。
4. 布鲁克林篮网
25岁以下球员： 9
休赛期薪资空间： 4500万美元
可交易的首轮选秀权： 13
新秀合同球员： 5（齐亚尔·威廉姆斯(Ziaire Williams)，诺亚·克劳尼(Noah Clowney)，达里克·怀特海德(Dariq Whitehead)，卡梅隆·托马斯(Cam Thomas)，戴龙·夏普(Day’Ron Sharpe)）
战略： 当篮网队将米卡尔·布里奇斯(Mikal Bridges)交易给竞争对手纽约尼克斯队以换取大量选秀权，然后又将其他一些选秀权送给休斯顿火箭队以换取布鲁克林之前交易的2025年和2026年的选秀权时，计划很明确：沉沦两个赛季，收获连续两次选秀大年的回报，然后尝试扭转局面。不过到目前为止，篮网队还没有完全沉沦到足够低的程度，约尔迪·费尔南德斯(Jordi Fernandez)令人印象深刻的执教目前使布鲁克林队坐在选秀乐透区的中游。
是否奏效？ 聘请费尔南德斯只能被视为布鲁克林的一次成功。但是，在NBA，执教只能带你走这么远。篮网队缺乏天赋，这是有意为之。凭借他们所有的选秀权和薪资空间，篮网队有很多选择。但是对于一支自2012年搬到布鲁克林以来就没有获得过乐透签的球队来说，一切都始于几个月后的选秀乐透中的一些运气。
预计重返巅峰： 几年时间，除非篮网队在今年夏天全力以赴，并通过交易获得一两个球星。在这种情况下，布鲁克林重返季后赛可能会立即实现，因为东部联盟有足够的空间容纳另一支争冠球队。
5. 犹他爵士
25岁以下球员： 10
休赛期薪资空间： 无
可交易的首轮选秀权： 7
新秀合同球员： 7（泰勒·亨德里克斯(Taylor Hendricks)，科迪·威廉姆斯(Cody Williams)，基昂特·乔治(Keyonte George)，沃克·凯斯勒(Walker Kessler)，以赛亚·科利尔(Isaiah Collier)，布莱斯·森萨博(Brice Sensabaugh)，凯尔·菲利波夫斯基(Kyle Filipowski)）
战略： 在过去的两个赛季里，爵士队在赛程的前三分之二中都在为季后赛席位而战，但在最后几个月里又完全回到了输球模式，以提高选秀顺位。然而，本赛季，爵士队从一开始就打算处于选秀的顶端，因此正在与奇才队争夺NBA最差的战绩。爵士队阵容中没有太多高端的年轻天才。沃克·凯斯勒已经成为NBA最好的内线防守者之一，但除此之外，人们仍然对球队其他首轮选秀球员的潜力存在疑问：基昂特·乔治、布莱斯·森萨博、以赛亚·科利尔和科迪·威廉姆斯。泰勒·亨德里克斯可能是爵士队阵容中最有希望的新秀，在十一月份遭遇了赛季报销的腿部伤病。
是否奏效？ 可以肯定的是，爵士队拥有一位优秀的教练威尔·哈迪(Will Hardy)，他被广泛认为是联盟中最好的年轻战术家之一。而且，就像这支混合球队中的许多球队一样，如果库珀·弗拉格最终来到盐湖城，而不是获得第五或第六顺位的选秀权，那么这一切看起来会大不相同——即使在今年被认为是选秀大年的情况下。
预计重返巅峰： 无论犹他州的选秀权最终落入何处，预计爵士队下赛季仍将在选秀乐透区的上游。而且，在目前的西部联盟中，提升排名的挑战是艰巨的。
6. 多伦多猛龙
25岁以下球员： 6
休赛期薪资空间： 无
可交易的首轮选秀权： 5
新秀合同球员： 4（斯科蒂·巴恩斯(Scottie Barnes)，格雷迪·迪克(Gradey Dick)，奥凯·阿巴吉(Ochai Agbaji)，贾科比·沃尔特(Ja’Kobe Walter)）
战略： 当猛龙队去年放弃帕斯卡尔·西亚卡姆(Pascal Siakam)和OG·阿奴诺比(OG Anunoby)时，公开的预期是多伦多将在乐透区停留很短的时间。多伦多在阿奴诺比交易中获得伊曼纽尔·奎克利(Immanuel Quickley)并在去年夏天给他一份五年合同就是证明。交易截止日之前，猛龙队交易得到布兰登·英格拉姆(Brandon Ingram)并给他一份价值1.2亿美元的续约合同到2028年也是如此。现在，球队正在竭尽所能地最大化其选秀顺位，尽管根据ESPN的篮球实力指数，由于联盟剩余赛程最轻松，多伦多队预计将在赛季结束时升至第八顺位，此前球队大部分时间都位列联盟垫底。
是否奏效？ 很明显，猛龙队应该回到争夺季后赛席位的行列，而不是乐透区。按照这个定义，这个计划是奏效的。但目标不仅仅是成为一支季后赛球队，而是要争夺东部季后赛的主场优势。
预计重返巅峰： 就季后赛而言？应该是在下个赛季。就成为东部的一支重要力量而言？可能至少还需要几个赛季。如果多伦多没有在选秀乐透中获得丰厚的回报，那将取决于巴恩斯是否能够再次飞跃到稳定的全NBA水准。
7. 新奥尔良鹈鹕
25岁以下球员： 8
休赛期薪资空间： 无
可交易的首轮选秀权： 6
新秀合同球员： 3（乔丹·霍金斯(Jordan Hawkins)，伊夫·米西(Yves Missi)，特雷·墨菲(Trey Murphy III)）
战略： 这不是篮球运营总裁大卫·格里芬(David Griffin)和鹈鹕队在本赛季开始时的预期。毕竟，新奥尔良在去年夏天交易得到了德章泰·穆雷(Dejounte Murray)，以帮助球队在三年内第二次首轮失利后继续前进。相反，这个赛季是一场灾难，穆雷、锡安·威廉姆森(Zion Williamson)和布兰登·英格拉姆从未一起上场。穆雷在一月份跟腱断裂，而英格拉姆在2月6日交易截止日几周后被交易到多伦多猛龙队。因此，新奥尔良可能会在选秀中再次获得另一位精英级的、改变比赛的天才，此前他们曾获得克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)（2005年）、安东尼·戴维斯(Anthony Davis)（2012年）和威廉姆森（2019年）。库珀·弗拉格或迪伦·哈珀(Dylan Harper)会是下一个登陆大容易城的年轻球星吗？
是否奏效？ 新奥尔良似乎是一支介于多个时代的球队。28岁的穆雷在从跟腱伤势中恢复的过程中将错过下赛季的很大一部分时间。24岁的威廉姆森已经回到鹈鹕队的赛场，但在他六年的职业生涯中，平均每个赛季的出场次数不到40场。24岁的特雷·墨菲是一名优秀的年轻球员，但由于肩部受伤而赛季报销。伊夫·米西看起来像是去年第21顺位选秀的一个成功选择，但如果没有今年选秀中的另一个高顺位选秀权，很难看到球队的排名有明显的提升。
预计重返巅峰： 在这个团队中增加一个高水平的选秀权可能会创造一条回到附加赛的道路。但是由于穆雷受伤，英格拉姆离开，并且没有明确的途径来弥补任何一位球星的产量，因此2025-26赛季似乎将是新奥尔良的另一个乐透区赛季。这还不包括对威廉姆森的未来做出决定的情况，他正处于一份五年1.97亿美元合同的第二年。
8. 底特律活塞
25岁以下球员： 8
休赛期薪资空间： 2000万美元
可交易的首轮选秀权： 4
新秀合同球员： 6（凯德·康宁汉姆、罗恩·霍兰德(Ron Holland II)，奥萨尔·汤普森(Ausar Thompson)，杰登·艾维(Jaden Ivey)，贾伦·杜伦(Jalen Duren)，马库斯·萨瑟(Marcus Sasser)）
战略： 在多年的挣扎之后，活塞队聘请特拉扬·兰登(Trajan Langdon)来负责前台工作。然后他聘请了J.B. 比克斯塔夫(J.B. Bickerstaff)担任教练，并让前状元秀凯德·康宁汉姆周围聚集了经验丰富的射手（马利克·比斯利(Malik Beasley)，蒂姆·哈达威(Tim Hardaway Jr.)和托拜厄斯·哈里斯(Tobias Harris)），以给他更多的发挥空间。所有这些都使底特律队锁定了东部的前六名，并且有可能升至第四名，并自2008年以来首次举办季后赛系列赛。除了康宁汉姆之外，底特律队还拥有一批有趣的年轻天赋，包括杰登·艾维、奥萨尔·汤普森、贾伦·杜伦和2024年首轮选秀罗恩·霍兰德。
是否奏效？ 为什么活塞队即将进入季后赛，但排名却如此之低？很难否认底特律队组建了近20年来最好的赛季，并且拥有一位年轻的全明星球员康宁汉姆，他还有很大的潜力。但是球队本赛季的成功使底特律队失去了在一个选秀大年中的首轮选秀权——作为先前交易的一部分，它将归于明尼苏达。这个团队仍然需要另一位真正的全明星球员，而且很难看到活塞队如何得到他。
预计重返巅峰： 尤其是在球队过去几年表现不佳的情况下，底特律队可能已经在本赛季重返巅峰。但是就成为一支真正的分区决赛争夺者而言？对于这个团队来说，这仍然似乎遥不可及。
9. 亚特兰大老鹰
25岁以下球员： 8
休赛期薪资空间： 无
可交易的首轮选秀权： 5
新秀合同球员： 4（扎卡里·里萨谢(Zaccharie Risacher)，戴森·丹尼尔斯(Dyson Daniels)，科比·布夫金(Kobe Bufkin)，杰伦·约翰逊(Jalen Johnson)）
战略： 当亚特兰大在2022年交易得到德章泰·穆雷时，他们将连续三次选秀权让给了圣安东尼奥，并为球队设置了现在所处的局面：停留在中游，在2027年这些义务到期之前没有真正的出路。因此，老鹰队正试图增加年轻天赋，以更新阵容，同时仍然试图尽可能多地赢得比赛。亚特兰大通过与新奥尔良队进行了一项精明的交易朝着这个方向迈出了一步，获得了NBA抢断王戴森·丹尼尔斯，他很可能入选最佳防守阵容一队，以及两个未来的首轮选秀权，以换取今年七月将穆雷交易给鹈鹕队。在戴森·丹尼尔斯、杰伦·约翰逊和去年的状元秀扎卡里·里萨谢——以及可能在今年选秀中获得的两个首轮选秀权——之间，老鹰队拥有了一个可以继续发展的基石。
是否奏效？ 老鹰队囤积了年轻天才，并且将在选秀中获得更多的机会。但是，这支球队需要时间才能真正向前迈出一步。关于特雷·杨(Trae Young)的未来，仍然存在疑问。这位全明星控球后卫可以在2026年成为自由球员。
预计重返巅峰： 鉴于他们周围的竞争，老鹰队应该期望在接下来的几个赛季中继续争夺季后赛席位。然而，在没有获得另一位高水平球星的情况下，通往争夺东部主场优势的道路更加难以看到。
10. 波特兰开拓者
25岁以下球员： 8
休赛期薪资空间： 无
可交易的首轮选秀权： 4
新秀合同球员： 5（斯库特·亨德森(Scoot Henderson)，多诺万·克林根(Donovan Clingan)，谢登·夏普(Shaedon Sharpe)，克里斯·穆雷(Kris Murray)，贾巴里·沃克(Jabari Walker)）
战略： 自从18个月前放弃达米安·利拉德(Damian Lillard)以来，很难辨别波特兰的总体战略，尤其是在开启后利拉德时代的首个赛季以21胜61负的战绩结束后。开拓者队在利拉德和小朱·霍勒迪(Jrue Holiday)的交易中获得了一批选秀权和球员，并且从菲尼克斯太阳队签下了有前途的年轻前锋图马尼·卡马拉(Toumani Camara)，这是从菲尼克斯获得德安德烈·艾顿(Deandre Ayton)的代价的一部分。但是，在上个休赛期交易一个乐透选秀权和另一个未来的选秀权以获得丹尼·阿夫迪亚(Deni Avdija)（他在波特兰表现出色）是一种着眼于当下胜利的举动——而不是重建。仍然拥有艾顿、杰拉米·格兰特(Jerami Grant)、罗伯特·威廉姆斯三世(Robert Williams III)和安芬尼·西蒙斯(Anfernee Simons)等人也与这支球队目前所处的位置难以协调，而且开拓者队在至少一个赛季内几乎没有薪资灵活性。
是否奏效？ 波特兰在过去几周赢得了一系列比赛可以被认为是事情朝着正确方向发展的迹象。但是通过这样做，波特兰已经离开了选秀乐透区的前10名，这可能会阻止这个团队增加另一位高水平球员。亨德森已经有所进步，克林根在他的新秀赛季中表现出色，控制了油漆区，但是怀疑波特兰的下一个基石球员是否目前在这支球队中是合理的。
预计重返巅峰： 波特兰在赛季后半段将自己确立为一支真正健全的防守球队。但是，要攀登西部联盟的排名，还需要更多。目前，尚不清楚如何获得天赋上的提升。
11. 芝加哥公牛
25岁以下球员： 6
休赛期薪资空间： 无
可交易的首轮选秀权： 6
新秀合同球员： 3（约什·基迪(Josh Giddey)，马塔斯·布泽利斯(Matas Buzelis)，达伦·特里(Dalen Terry)）
战略： 不明确。在交易截止日后的新闻发布会上，公牛队篮球运营执行副总裁阿图拉斯·卡尼索瓦斯(Arturas Karnisovas)表示：“我认为你可以尝试不同的结构来赢得总冠军。有两种或三种明星球员，然后有很多角色球员，或者你可以用九个、十个非常优秀的球员来构建它。我认为现在我们倾向于拥有许多稳固、优秀的球员——九个、十个可以持续整个赛季的球员，因为会发生伤病。我认为越来越多的球队正在这样做。”对于公牛队来说，薪资帽的灵活性将在2026年到来，但今年夏天没有。新秀马塔斯·布泽利斯拥有一些有趣的工具，但距离为一支优秀的球队做出贡献还很遥远。亚历克斯·卡鲁索(Alex Caruso)、德玛尔·德罗赞(DeMar DeRozan)和扎克·拉文(Zach LaVine)在过去的几个月里被交易走了，在所有这些交易中，唯一返回的首轮选秀权是芝加哥之前交易的受前10保护的六月份选秀权——公牛队从来没有真正处于失去它的危险之中。
是否奏效？ 在过去的八个赛季（包括本赛季）只产生了一次季后赛出场和一次季后赛比赛胜利之后，公牛队似乎终于致力于重建。由于目前在东部排名第九，芝加哥不太可能在本赛季的选秀乐透中跃升，这意味着理论上下赛季将是真正重建周期的开始。
预计重返巅峰： 公牛队已经有10年没有赢得过季后赛系列赛了。很难看到这一纪录在本十年结束前结束。五月份的运气显然会大大促进这一时间表。
他们会还是不会？
费城76人
25岁以下球员： 7
休赛期薪资空间： 无
可交易的首轮选秀权： 5
新秀合同球员： 2（贾里德·麦凯恩(Jared McCain)，昆汀·格莱姆斯(Quentin Grimes)）
他们应该重建吗？ 在NBA中可能没有一个更棘手的问题要回答了。如果费城保留自己的选秀权——尤其是如果他们增加像库珀·弗拉格或迪伦·哈珀这样的天才——并且乔尔·恩比德(Joel Embiid)和保罗·乔治(Paul George)恢复到上赛季的状态，76人队最早在下赛季就可能成为东部联盟的实力球队。但是如果老将们无法重拾那种水平的表现，并且如果76人队失去了他们受前六保护的选秀权——根据BPI的预测，他们目前将以第五顺位结束——那么对于费城来说，2025-26赛季将是非常漫长的。这就是为什么联盟中的一些人认为76人队现在应该尝试摆脱恩比德和乔治的合同，并围绕后卫泰雷斯·马克西(Tyrese Maxey)和其他年轻天才（包括新秀贾里德·麦凯恩和受限制自由球员昆汀·格莱姆斯）进行重建。但是恩比德和乔治欠了很多钱，而且他们本赛季的表现并没有真正为他们的服务创造一个进步的市场。
菲尼克斯太阳
25岁以下球员： 2
休赛期薪资空间： 无
可交易的首轮选秀权： 2
新秀合同球员： 1（瑞安·邓恩(Ryan Dunn)）
他们应该重建吗？ 在我的同事蒂姆·麦克马洪(Tim MacMahon)上周关于菲尼克斯的故事中，球队老板马特·伊什比亚(Mat Ishbia)嘲笑了他会重建的想法，所以太阳队是否应该重建可能已经是一个没有意义的问题。自2023年2月伊什比亚接手以来，很难看到这支球队将如何摆脱自己挖的坑。人们普遍认为凯文·杜兰特(Kevin Durant)将在下个赛季去其他地方，但是菲尼克斯会通过交易这位36岁球员获得巨额回报的想法更多的是基于杜兰特的名声而不是现实。布拉德利·比尔(Bradley Beal)拥有一份不可交易条款，这抵消了他可能拥有的任何最小的价值。由于德文·布克(Devin Booker)和太阳队都宣布他不会去任何地方，这并没有留下太多途径来改善一支已经不足以进入本赛季季后赛的球队的阵容。
达拉斯小牛
25岁以下球员： 4
休赛期薪资空间： 无
可交易的首轮选秀权： 3
新秀合同球员： 3（德雷克·莱夫利(Dereck Lively II)，奥利维耶-马克西斯·普罗斯珀(Olivier-Maxence Prosper)，杰登·哈迪(Jaden Hardy)）
他们应该重建吗？ 很难相信会问出这个问题，因为小牛队在去年六月进入了NBA总决赛。但是在交易了卢卡·东契奇(Luka Doncic)并看到一次ACL撕裂结束了凯里·欧文(Kyrie Irving)本赛季的剩余比赛以及他2025-26赛季的大部分比赛之后，这是一个合理的故事线。在交易东契奇以换取安东尼·戴维斯之后，总经理尼科·哈里森(Nico Harrison)宣布这支球队有三到四年的窗口期，因此小牛队失去了几个未来的选秀权。这个窗口期的前两年现在几乎肯定会在没有真正争冠机会的情况下结束。如果达拉斯队在今年夏天改变主意并交易戴维斯，它可以获得巨大的回报。就目前的情况来看，小牛队将试图围绕他继续发展，资产有限，同时试图取代欧文在后场的产量，这使得原本已经很细的针眼变得更加难以穿过。
点击查看原文：NBA rebuild rankings - Where Spurs, Nets, Blazers, more check in
NBA rebuild rankings - Where Spurs, Nets, Blazers, more check in
This week kicks off the annual dose of madness that is the NCAA tournament, where No. 1-seeded Duke – led by freshman phenom and projected 2025 No. 1 draft pick Cooper Flagg – will hope to cut down the nets in San Antonio.
In the NBA, the next month will showcase several rebuilding teams, including the one residing in San Antonio, as the Spurs position themselves for the best odds ahead of May’s draft lottery for the chance to draft Flagg to jump-start their paths to contention.
But some rebuilds are further along than others. The Spurs are well on their way to Western Conference title contention after landing Victor Wembanyama in the 2023 draft and trading for running mate De’Aaron Fox in February. The Detroit Pistons, one season after finishing last in the league with 14 wins, are a playoff team in a weak Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, teams such as the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets and Utah Jazz continue stockpiling assets as they build through the draft or wait on the league’s next disgruntled star to become available.
With that, we’re examining the paths forward for 11 franchises in varying stages of their rebuilds, how well it’s going and how soon each could vault into contender status. We’re also diving into the futures of three preseason contenders whose seasons have gone off the rails – either due to injuries to stars, poor roster construction or because they traded away an MVP-caliber point guard – and whether each should consider a rebuild of their own.
Note: Our rebuild rankings are not based on where rosters stand right now, but rather look at each team’s rebuilding strategy and path to contention. Detroit, for example, is in the midst of its best season in a generation behind All-Star guard Cade Cunningham. But that doesn’t mean the Pistons are better positioned for long-term contention than teams such as the Jazz or the Washington Wizards, two teams fighting for the worst record but with far better avenues to improve.
Jump to a team:\
**ATL | BKN | CHA | CHI\
DET | NO | POR | SA\
TOR | UTAH | WAS\
Three wild card teams**
1. San Antonio Spurs
Players under 25: 8\
Offseason cap space: None\
Tradeable first-round picks: 5
Players on rookie-scale contracts: 5 (Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley)
The strategy: The Spurs are a prime example of how one draft pick can change everything for a franchise. By landing Victor Wembanyama first overall in 2023, San Antonio’s entire direction changed. Now, paired with last year’s first-round pick, Stephon Castle, guard Devin Vassell and trade deadline acquisition De’Aaron Fox, the Spurs hope they have a new core in place for a speedy return to the league’s upper echelon. That pursuit will be aided by an upcoming draft in which the Spurs have not only their own top-10 selection, but possibly get another lottery pick from the Atlanta Hawks. (San Antonio controls Atlanta’s next three drafts.)
Is it working? Assuming Wembanyama has no complications recovering from the deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder that ended his season last month – the Spurs expect a full recovery – San Antonio’s rebuild is working for one simple reason: Wembanyama’s existence. He has been everything he was advertised to be, and then some, in his first two seasons and is the player every team in the league would pick to begin a franchise.
Estimated return to relevance: Assuming Wembanyama’s health, the Spurs will be expected to be a playoff team next season and should be a force to be reckoned with in the West for years to come.
2. Charlotte Hornets
Players under 25: 8\
Offseason cap space: None\
Tradeable first-round picks: 8
Players on rookie-scale contracts: 5 (Brandon Miller, Tidjane Salaun, Mark Williams, Tre Mann, Nick Smith Jr.)
The strategy: This is the first full season for Charlotte’s new regime of executive vice president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson and coach Charles Lee, whom owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin brought in as part of an effort to modernize the franchise. Charlotte has been praised across the league over the past couple of seasons for making a series of shrewd trades to start building an asset base and add more young players to the mix. Picking Brandon Miller second overall in 2023 is so far looking like a win, while the team’s first-rounder in this year’s draft, Tidjane Salaun, is a 19-year-old forward who will need time to develop before a verdict can be reached. This season, Charlotte is currently in the third and final spot with the highest lottery odds (14%) of claiming the top overall pick.
Is it working? The Hornets have one of the better talent bases on this list between LaMelo Ball, Miller and Mark Williams. And, so far, Charlotte has made just about all the right foundation-building moves to put the franchise on solid footing. But this year’s lottery will play a significant role in determining how well the plan is working. And at some point, a decision will need to be made on whether Ball, who is in the first year of a five-year, $204 million contract, is a true foundational piece.
Estimated return to relevance: If Cooper Flagg lands in Charlotte, it would be reasonable to expect the Hornets to be competing for a playoff spot as soon as next season. Some bad lottery luck, however, could easily see the Hornets spending another year chasing A.J. Dybantsa and the other top prospects in the 2026 draft – pushing this group’s timeline back.
3. Washington Wizards
Players under 25: 7\
Offseason cap space: None\
Tradeable first-round picks: 6
Players on rookie-scale contracts: 6 (Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington, Corey Kispert, AJ Johnson, Kyshawn George)
The strategy: Since president of basketball operations Michael Winger and general manager Will Dawkins took over before last season, the goal has been obvious: Tear the Wizards down to the studs and rebuild through the draft, following the model used by Thunder GM Sam Presti, whom both men previously worked for in Oklahoma City. As a result, the Wizards have made several moves to take on future draft capital and have a roster featuring five players who were drafted in the first round in 2023 and 2024. Two more-first rounders are coming in June’s draft, the most important of those being Washington’s own pick. It’s projected to be no lower than fifth by virtue of having the league’s worst record.
Is it working? Much of that answer will be determined by whether the Wizards get lucky in May and land one of the top few spots in this year’s draft. (To be fair, that can be said about several teams on this list.) Washington has taken fliers on several high-upside prospects – from Bilal Coulibaly to Bub Carrington to Alex Sarr – but time will tell whether those swings will connect.
Estimated return to relevance: Even if the Wizards land Cooper Flagg this June, it’s going to be another year or two before Washington becomes a factor in the East. It could easily be a couple of years longer than that if they don’t.
4. Brooklyn Nets
Players under 25: 9\
Offseason cap space: $45 million\
Tradeable first-round picks: 13
Players on rookie-scale contracts: 5 (Ziaire Williams, Noah Clowney, Dariq Whitehead, Cam Thomas, Day’Ron Sharpe)
The strategy: When the Nets traded Mikal Bridges to the rival New York Knicks for a heap of draft picks, and then sent a few others to the Houston Rockets in exchange for the rights to Brooklyn’s previously traded picks in 2025 and 2026, the plan was clear: Sink to the bottom for two seasons, reap the rewards of two consecutive deep drafts, then try to turn things around. So far, though, the Nets haven’t quite sunk far enough, with the impressive coaching of Jordi Fernandez currently leaving Brooklyn sitting in the middle of the lottery.
Is it working? Hiring Fernandez can be seen only as a success for Brooklyn. Coaching, though, can take you only so far in the NBA. The Nets are short on talent, which has been by design. Between all of their draft picks and cap space, the Nets have a lot of options. But for a franchise that hasn’t had a single lottery pick since moving to Brooklyn in 2012, it all starts with some lottery luck in a couple of months.
Estimated return to relevance: A couple of years, unless the Nets put the pedal to the floor this summer and acquire a star or two via trade. In that case, Brooklyn’s return to the playoffs could be immediate in a conference with plenty of room for another contender.
5. Utah Jazz
Players under 25: 10\
Offseason cap space: None\
Tradeable first-round picks: 7
Players on rookie-scale contracts: 7 (Taylor Hendricks, Cody Williams, Keyonte George, Walker Kessler, Isaiah Collier, Brice Sensabaugh, Kyle Filipowski)
The strategy: The past two seasons have seen the Jazz compete for the first two-thirds of the schedule, only to fully ratchet back to losing mode over the final couple of months to improve draft positioning. This season, however, the Jazz were intent on being at top of the draft from the beginning, and as a result are in a battle with the Wizards for the NBA’s worst record. Utah doesn’t have a lot of high-end, young talent on the roster. Walker Kessler has become one of the NBA’s better interior defenders, but outside of that, questions remain about the upside of the team’s other first-round picks: Keyonte George, Brice Sensabaugh, Isaiah Collier and Cody Williams. Taylor Hendricks, perhaps the most promising prospect on the Jazz roster, suffered a season-ending leg injury in November.
Is it working? What’s working for sure is that the Jazz have an elite coach in Will Hardy, widely regarded as one of the league’s best young tacticians. And, like so many teams in this mix, all of this will look far different if Cooper Flagg winds up in Salt Lake City, as opposed to landing the fifth or sixth pick – even in what is considered to be a very deep draft this year.
Estimated return to relevance: Regardless of where Utah’s pick winds up in the draft, the expectation is that the Jazz will be somewhere in the high lottery again next season. And the challenge of moving up the standings in the current Western Conference is daunting.
6. Toronto Raptors
Players under 25: 6\
Offseason cap space: None\
Tradeable first-round picks: 5
Players on rookie-scale contracts: 4 (Scottie Barnes, Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, Ja’Kobe Walter)
The strategy: When the Raptors moved on from Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby last year, the stated expectation was that Toronto would endure just a short stint in the lottery. Toronto acquiring Immanuel Quickley as part of the Anunoby trade and giving him a five-year contract last summer was proof of that. So, too, was the Raptors trading for Brandon Ingram at the trade deadline and then giving him a $120 million extension through 2028. Now, the team is doing all it can to maximize its draft slot, though having the league’s easiest remaining schedule has Toronto projected by ESPN’s Basketball Power Index to move up to the eighth pick by season’s end, after spending most of the year among the league’s worst teams.
Is it working? What’s clear is the Raptors should be back among the teams fighting for playoff positioning, rather than a lottery spot, next season. By that definition, the plan is working. But the goal isn’t just to be a playoff team, it’s to contend for home court in the East playoffs.
Estimated return to relevance: In terms of the playoffs? It should be next season. In terms of being a factor in the East? That’s likely at least a couple of seasons away. If Toronto doesn’t strike it rich in the lottery, it’s going to come down to whether Barnes can make another leap to consistent All-NBA territory.
7. New Orleans Pelicans
Players under 25: 8\
Offseason cap space: None\
Tradeable first-round picks: 6
Players on rookie-scale contracts: 3 (Jordan Hawkins, Yves Missi, Trey Murphy III)
The strategy: This is not the position president of basketball operations David Griffin and the Pelicans expected at the start of the season. After all, New Orleans traded for Dejounte Murray last summer to help push the franchise forward after losing in the first round for a second time in three years. Instead, the season has been a disaster, with Murray, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram never playing together. Murray ruptured an Achilles in January, while Ingram was dealt to the Toronto Raptors a few weeks later at the Feb. 6 trade deadline. As a result, New Orleans could be in position to land yet another elite, game-changing talent in the draft, after previously getting Chris Paul (2005), Anthony Davis (2012) and Williamson (2019). Could Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper be the next young star to hit the Big Easy?
Is it working? New Orleans seems like a team caught between multiple eras. Murray, 28, will miss another large chunk of next season as he recovers from his Achilles injury. Williamson, 24, is back on the court for the Pelicans but has averaged fewer than 40 games per season over his six-year career. Trey Murphy, 24, is a good young player but was just lost for the season because of a shoulder injury. Yves Missi looks like a hit at center as last year’s 21st pick, but absent another high pick in this draft, it’s hard to see a significant push up the standings.
Estimated return to relevance: Adding a high-level pick to this group could create a path back to the play-in next season. But with Murray injured, Ingram gone and no clear route to replacing either star’s production, it seems like 2025-26 will be another lottery-bound season in New Orleans. And that’s before a decision is made on the future of Williamson, who is in the second year of a five-year, $197 million contract.
8. Detroit Pistons
Players under 25: 8\
Offseason cap space: $20 million\
Tradeable first-round picks: 4
Players on rookie-scale contracts: 6 (Cade Cunningham, Ron Holland II, Ausar Thompson, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, Marcus Sasser)
The strategy: After years of floundering, the Pistons hired Trajan Langdon to run the front office. He then hired J.B. Bickerstaff as coach and surrounded former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham with veteran shooting (Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Tobias Harris) to give him more space to operate. All of that has locked Detroit into a top-six spot in the East with the chance to potentially rise to fourth and host a playoff series for the first time since 2008. Detroit also has an interesting collection of young talent beyond Cunningham, led by Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren and 2024 first-round pick Ron Holland.
Is it working? Why are the Pistons this low despite being headed for the playoffs? It’s hard to knock Detroit putting together arguably its best season in nearly 20 years, and it has a young All-Star in Cunningham with plenty of further upside. But the team’s success this season has cost Detroit its first-round pick in a deep draft – it’s going to Minnesota as part of a prior trade. This group still needs another bona fide All-Star, and it’s hard to see how the Pistons get one.
Estimated return to relevance: Detroit has arguably already returned to relevance this season, particularly after how moribund the team has been for the past several years. But in terms of being a legitimate conference finals contender? It still seems far from reality for this group.
9. Atlanta Hawks
Players under 25: 8
Offseason cap space: None\
Tradeable first-round picks: 5\
Players on rookie-scale contracts: 4 (Zaccharie Risacher, Dyson Daniels, Kobe Bufkin, Jalen Johnson)
The strategy: When Atlanta traded for Dejounte Murray in 2022, it gave up rights to three consecutive drafts to San Antonio and set up the franchise for the situation it finds itself in now: stuck in the middle with no real path to escape until those obligations expire in 2027. As a result, the Hawks are trying to add young talent to refresh the roster while still trying to win as many games as possible. Atlanta took a step in that direction by making a shrewd trade with New Orleans to get NBA steals leader Dyson Daniels, who is a likely first-team All-Defense selection, as well as two future first-round picks in exchange for dealing Murray to the Pelicans this past July. Between Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson and last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Zaccharie Risacher – plus potentially two first-round picks in the middle of this year’s draft – the Hawks have a foundation to build on moving forward.
Is it working? The Hawks have stockpiled young talent and will get a few more bites at the apple in the draft. But it’s going to take time for this team to be positioned to truly take a step forward. Questions remain about Trae Young’s future, as well. The All-Star point guard can become a free agent in 2026.
Estimated return to relevance: Given the competition around them, the Hawks should expect to remain in the hunt for a playoff spot the next couple of seasons. The path to competing for home-court advantage in the East, however, is harder to see without landing another high-level star.
10. Portland Trail Blazers
Players under 25: 8\
Offseason cap space: None\
Tradeable first-round picks: 4
Players on rookie-scale contracts: 5 (Scoot Henderson, Donovan Clingan, Shaedon Sharpe, Kris Murray, Jabari Walker)
The strategy: Since moving on from Damian Lillard 18 months ago, it has been difficult to discern the overall strategy for Portland, especially after a 21-61 season to kick off the post-Lillard era. The Blazers got a haul of draft picks and players back in the Lillard and Jrue Holiday deals and they added promising young forward Toumani Camara from the Phoenix Suns as part of the price of getting Deandre Ayton out of Phoenix. But trading a lottery pick and another future pick last offseason for Deni Avdija, who has played well in Portland, was a win-now move – not a rebuilding one. Still having the likes of Ayton, Jerami Grant, Robert Williams III and Anfernee Simons on the roster is also hard to square with where this team is sitting, as is the fact the Blazers have little cap flexibility for at least another season.
Is it working? Portland winning a bunch of games over the past few weeks could be taken as a sign of things moving in the right direction. But by doing so, Portland has moved out of the top 10 spots in the draft lottery, likely preventing this group from adding another high-level player. Henderson has improved and Clingan has had a fine rookie year patrolling the paint, but it’s fair to wonder whether Portland’s next foundational player is currently on this roster.
Estimated return to relevance: Portland established itself over the back half of the season as a legitimately sound defensive team. But it’s going to take a lot more than that to climb up the West standings. Right now, it’s unclear how the talent boost is going to arrive.
11. Chicago Bulls
Players under 25: 6\
Offseason cap space: None\
Tradeable first-round picks: 6
Players on rookie-scale contracts: 3 (Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, Dalen Terry)
The strategy: Unclear. At his post-trade-deadline news conference, Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said, “I think there’s different structures that you can try to get to a championship. There’s two or three star players and then a lot of role players, or you can build it with nine, 10 very good players. And I think now we’re leaning toward having a lot of solid, good players – nine, 10 that can last through a season, because there’s going to be injuries. I think more and more teams are doing that.” For the Bulls, there is salary cap flexibility coming in 2026, but none this summer. Rookie Matas Buzelis has some intriguing tools but is far away from contributing to a good team. Alex Caruso, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine were traded away in the past several months, and the only first-round pick that came back between all of those deals was Chicago’s previously dealt top-10-protected pick in June – one the Bulls were never in serious danger of losing.
Is it working? It appears the Bulls are finally committed to a rebuild after the past eight seasons (including this one) produced one playoff appearance and a single playoff game victory. It’s unlikely Chicago jumps up in the lottery this season as the current 9-seed in the East, meaning next season, theoretically, would be the start of a true rebuilding cycle.
Estimated return to relevance: It has been 10 years since the Bulls won a playoff series. It’s hard to see that streak ending before the end of the decade. Stroke of luck in May would obviously be a big boost to that timeline.
Will they or won’t they?
Philadelphia 76ers
Players under 25: 7\
Offseason cap space: None\
Tradeable first-round picks: 5
Players on rookie-scale contracts: 2 (Jared McCain, Quentin Grimes)
Should they rebuild? There might not be a trickier question to answer in the NBA. If Philadelphia keeps its pick – and especially if it adds a talent such as Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper – and Joel Embiid and Paul George bounce back to their form from last season, the 76ers could be a factor at the top of the Eastern Conference as soon as next season. But if the veterans can’t recapture that level of performance, and if the 76ers lose their top-six-protected pick – they are currently projected by the BPI to finish with the fifth selection – it’s going to be a very long 2025-26 season in Philadelphia. That’s why some around the league argue the 76ers should try to shed Embiid’s and George’s deals now, and rebuild around guard Tyrese Maxey and their other young talent (including rookie Jared McCain and restricted free agent Quentin Grimes). But Embiid and George are owed a ton of money, and their play this season hasn’t exactly created an advancing market for their services.
Phoenix Suns
Players under 25: 2\
Offseason cap space: None\
Tradeable first-round picks: 2
Players on rookie-scale contracts: 1 (Ryan Dunn)
Should they rebuild? In my colleague Tim MacMahon’s story on Phoenix last week, owner Mat Ishbia scoffed at the notion that he would ever rebuild, so whether the Suns should might be a moot point. It’s extremely difficult to see how this team is going to dig out of the hole it has dug for itself since Ishbia took over in February 2023. It is widely believed that Kevin Durant will be elsewhere next season, but the idea that Phoenix will get a massive return for trading the 36-year-old is based more on Durant’s name than reality. Bradley Beal has a no-trade clause, negating any minimal value he would have. And with Devin Booker and the Suns both declaring he won’t be going anywhere, that doesn’t leave many paths to improve a roster that already wasn’t good enough to make the playoffs this season.
Dallas Mavericks
Players under 25: 4\
Offseason cap space: None\
Tradeable first-round picks: 3
**Players on rookie-scale contracts:**3 (Dereck Lively II, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Jaden Hardy)
Should they rebuild? It’s hard to believe this question could be asked given the Mavericks were in the NBA Finals last June. But after trading Luka Doncic and seeing an ACL tear end the rest of Kyrie Irving’s season and likely most of his 2025-26, it’s a legitimate storyline. The Mavericks are out several draft picks moving forward, as general manager Nico Harrison declared this team had a three- to four-year window when he traded Doncic for Anthony Davis. The first two years of that window will now all but certainly end without a real shot at contention. If Dallas turned around and moved Davis this summer, it could get a ton in return. As it stands, the Mavericks will try to build around him moving forward with limited assets while attempting to replace Irving’s production in the backcourt, making an already thin needle even more difficult to thread.
By Tim Bontemps | ESPN, via ESPN