By ESPN | ESPN, 2025-09-29 20:15:40
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。
NBA新赛季已不足一个月，25支球队于本周一举办了媒体日，其余球队则已于上周完成。
这个休赛期充满了起伏：交易、合同僵局和伤病仅仅是联盟各队面临的其中一部分障碍。尽管季前赛距离揭幕战还有22天，但并非每支球队休赛期的焦点问题都已尘埃落定。
审视NBA各队的现状与新赛季的前景，我们的记者们针对每支球队在2025-26赛季季前赛开始之际面临的最大疑问，提出了问题并给出了解答：乔纳森·库明加 (Jonathan Kuminga) 的风波将如何渗透到金州勇士队的赛季中？洛杉矶快船将如何处理联盟对科怀·伦纳德 (Kawhi Leonard) 的调查？以及印第安纳步行者本赛季的期望值如何？这些只是进入新赛季前最值得关注的几个焦点话题。
以下是所有30支球队在这个季前赛面临的最大疑问——以及答案。
球队按字母顺序排列。
跳转至球队：
亚特兰大 | 波士顿 | 布鲁克林 | 夏洛特 | 芝加哥 | 克利夫兰
达拉斯 | 丹佛 | 底特律 | 金州 | 休斯顿 | 印第安纳
洛杉矶快船 | 洛杉矶湖人 | 孟菲斯 | 迈阿密 | 密尔沃基 | 明尼苏达
新奥尔良 | 纽约 | 俄克拉荷马城 | 奥兰多 | 费城 | 菲尼克斯
波特兰 | 萨克拉门托 | 圣安东尼奥 | 多伦多 | 犹他 | 华盛顿
亚特兰大老鹰
老鹰和特雷·杨准备好在东部展开竞争了吗？
随着波士顿、印第安纳和密尔沃基等球队预计将因伤病实力有所下滑，亚特兰大认为现在是在东部崛起的最佳时机。老鹰队引进了克里斯塔普斯·波尔津吉斯 (Kristaps Porzingis)、尼基尔·亚历山大-沃克 (Nickeil Alexander-Walker) 和卢克·肯纳德 (Luke Kennard) 作为援军。这三人将有助于拉开场上空间，为卫冕助攻王特雷·杨 (Trae Young) 提供更多火力点。随着杰伦·约翰逊 (Jalen Johnson) 肩部手术后回归，并有望延续其爆发表现，加上戴森·丹尼尔斯 (Dyson Daniels)、奥涅卡·奥孔古 (Onyeka Okongwu) 和扎卡里·里萨谢 (Zaccharie Risacher) 的持续成长与进步，杨可能拥有了他生涯至今最具天赋的阵容。同时，他也将力图证明自己配得上一份他有资格获得的四年2.29亿美元的续约合同。 – 奥姆·扬米苏克 (Ohm Youngmisuk)
波士顿凯尔特人
波士顿本赛季的目标是什么？
在过去十年的大部分时间里，凯尔特人队都有一个单一的目标：努力在TD花园球馆的上空悬挂更多的总冠军旗帜。但本赛季，随着杰森·塔图姆 (Jayson Tatum) 的跟腱撕裂，以及朱·霍勒迪 (Jrue Holiday) 和克里斯塔普斯·波尔津吉斯在夏天为节省开支而被交易，波士顿正在规划一条不同的路线。但这条路线究竟是什么？凯尔特人是会继续在杰伦·布朗 (Jaylen Brown) 和德里克·怀特 (Derrick White) 的带领下争夺一个季后赛席位，还是会尝试一个“过渡年”？ – 蒂姆·邦坦普斯 (Tim Bontemps)
布鲁克林篮网
进攻端是否有足够的空间和机会给卡姆·托马斯和迈克尔·波特？
卡姆·托马斯 (Cam Thomas) 此前经历了一个饱受腿筋伤病困扰的赛季。这让他仅出战了25场比赛，随后在受限制自由球员市场的经历也令人失望，最终接受了一份600万美元的资质报价。小迈克尔·波特 (Michael Porter Jr.) 是在七月初通过与丹佛的交易换来卡梅伦·约翰逊 (Cameron Johnson) 而得到的，他此前在那支球队的进攻体系中只是第三选择。两人都是极具侵略性的进攻球员，渴望自由发挥，而波特场均出手从未超过13.6次。当篮网寻求自身定位时，观察这两者之间的平衡将会非常有趣。 – 文森特·古德维尔 (Vincent Goodwill)
夏洛特黄蜂
拉梅洛·鲍尔能成为黄蜂迫切需要的球星吗？
对于拉梅洛·鲍尔 (LaMelo Ball) 来说，过去三个赛季相当艰难，由于伤病，他职业生涯仅出战了105场比赛。毫无疑问，健康的鲍尔天赋异禀，上赛季他在47场比赛中场均得到25.2分、7.4次助攻和4.9个篮板。但鲍尔不仅需要证明他能保持健康，还必须展现出他能成为夏洛特所需要的领袖。他能提高自己的投篮效率和防守吗？布兰登·米勒 (Brandon Miller) 的第二个赛季因伤仅出战27场。尽管夏洛特将迎来又一个重建赛季，但二年级主教练查尔斯·李 (Charles Lee) 希望看到他的两位年轻球星与迈尔斯·布里奇斯 (Miles Bridges) 和4号秀康·克努佩尔 (Kon Knueppel) 在一起打满一个完整赛季后能有何作为。 – 扬米苏克
芝加哥公牛
队里的年轻球员有人能实现突破吗？
告别德玛尔·德罗赞 (DeMar DeRozan) 与扎克·拉文 (Zach LaVine) 时代后，公牛队已将阵容转变为一批他们认为仍有上升空间的年轻球员，包括约什·吉迪 (Josh Giddey)（22岁）、科比·怀特 (Coby White)（24岁）、马塔斯·布泽利斯 (Matas Buzelis)（20岁）和诺阿·埃森格 (Noa Essengue)（18岁）。但对于一支在过去八个赛季中仅进过一次季后赛——包括连续三次在附加赛中失利——的球队来说，他们需要一名球员成长为球星，否则球队将继续深陷附加赛的泥潭。 – 贾马尔·科利尔 (Jamal Collier)
克利夫兰骑士
骑士能跨过他们的季后赛这道坎吗？
队史最成功的赛季之一过后，紧接着是队史最令人失望的季后赛失利之一，而2025-26赛季的骑士队将根据他们如何从这次失利中反弹来被评判。他们引以为傲的核心四人组——多诺万·米切尔 (Donovan Mitchell)、埃文·莫布里 (Evan Mobley)、达里厄斯·加兰 (Darius Garland) 和贾勒特·阿伦 (Jarrett Allen)——悉数回归，同时回归的还有那支以64胜战绩领跑东部的大部分成员。伤病无疑在他们的季后赛失利中扮演了重要角色，但在季后赛系列赛中被印第安纳步行者横扫后，骑士队明白他们需要在打法和心态上做出一些调整。骑士是东部压力最大的球队之一，他们必须取得成功，否则关于他们阵容未来的疑问声可能会越来越大。 – 科利尔
达拉斯独行侠
凯里·欧文何时回归，他能多快恢复状态？
今年九月，凯里·欧文 (Kyrie Irving) 告诉TMZ，他从前交叉韧带撕裂中的康复过程“进展得非常好”，这为独行侠球迷带来了一线希望。因此，人们乐观地认为欧文最早可能在一月份复出。在此期间，达拉斯需要想办法为欧文的回归创造理想的条件。要做到这一点，从休赛期眼部手术中恢复的安东尼·戴维斯 (Anthony Davis) 需要在攻防两端扛起球队。状元秀库珀·弗拉格 (Cooper Flagg) 的成长也至关重要，因为主教练杰森·基德 (Jason Kidd) 计划让这位新秀频繁持球。 – 迈克尔·C·莱特 (Michael C. Wright)
丹佛掘金
掘金的深度和防守足够吗？
尼古拉·约基奇 (Nikola Jokic) 正值巅峰，掘金不能浪费他的黄金时期。新加入的约纳斯·瓦兰丘纳斯 (Jonas Valanciunas)、小蒂姆·哈达威 (Tim Hardaway Jr.) 和布鲁斯·布朗 (Bruce Brown) 将增强掘金一度薄弱的替补深度。但尽管约基奇才华横溢，丹佛上赛季的防守每百回合失分高达115.1分，排名联盟第21位。如果掘金无法在那一端有所提升，那么任何深入季后赛的希望都将破灭。 – 巴克斯特·霍姆斯 (Baxter Holmes)
底特律活塞
杰登·艾维在这个新体系中处于什么位置？
在元旦遭遇左腓骨骨折之前，杰登·艾维 (Jaden Ivey) 正打出职业生涯最佳赛季，接球就投的三分球命中率高达45%。当时活塞战绩为14胜18负，而在艾维缺阵后，奥萨尔·汤普森 (Ausar Thompson) 在首发阵容中崭露头角，球队也随之起飞。汤普森的防守为首发阵容解锁了新的可能性，而艾维的得分和速度则与凯德·坎宁安 (Cade Cunningham) 的风格相得益彰，这就提出了一个问题：艾维新赛季是会重返首发，还是会扮演第六人的角色？另外值得注意的是：艾维和杰伦·杜伦 (Jalen Duren) 都有资格获得新秀合同续约。 – 古德维尔
金州勇士
他们能避免乔纳森·库明加的合同闹剧影响到新赛季吗？
库明加问题的解决方案很可能将同时决定他赛季初的投入度以及他在交易截止日前的交易价值。这就是为什么这个问题拖累了勇士整个夏天并制造了如此多头条新闻的原因。如果双方能达成一个合理的妥协，那么尴尬的局面很可能迅速消散。库明加是一名有用的轮换侧翼，他要么被球队使用，要么作为补强筹码被交易，以充实这支需要增援的老化轮换阵容。但是，如果他最终接受了资质报价，或者心怀不满并走向2026年的完全自由球员市场，那将对球队的轮换、灵活性和整体氛围造成巨大打击。 – 安东尼·斯莱特 (Anthony Slater)
休斯顿火箭
在弗雷德·范弗利特可能赛季报销的前交叉韧带撕裂后，火箭在西部还是竞争者吗？
是的。他们拥有凯文·杜兰特 (Kevin Durant)，大量年轻且渴望证明自己的天才球员，以及强大的教练团队。ESPN的鲍比·马克斯 (Bobby Marks) 解释说，除非进行交易，否则火箭无法用自由球员填补他们唯一的阵容空缺，因为他们的薪资距离第一奢侈税线只差125万美元。因此，注意力转向了现有阵容中的潜在替代者，如神射手且防守进步的里德·谢泼德 (Reed Sheppard)、身材偏矮的资深球员阿龙·霍勒迪 (Aaron Holiday) 以及攻防一体的超新星阿门·汤普森 (Amen Thompson)，后者很可能将率先获得替代范弗利特的机会。汤普森在休赛期大部分时间都致力于提升组织和控球能力，有望在本赛季实现飞跃。 – 莱特
印第安纳步行者
本赛季对步行者应有何期待？
印第安纳在NBA总决赛抢七大战中的失利不仅因错失总冠军而令人心碎，更因为泰瑞斯·哈利伯顿 (Tyrese Haliburton) 的跟腱撕裂对2025-26赛季的步行者而言是一个巨大的挫折。球队还在自由球员市场失去了中锋迈尔斯·特纳 (Myles Turner)。这使得这支卫冕东部冠军在进入新赛季时没有任何外界的期望。步行者阵容中有四名中锋可以尝试替代特纳的位置。在哈利伯顿缺阵期间，他们会让安德鲁·内姆哈德 (Andrew Nembhard) 更多地作为控球后卫来处理球。对外界来说，这是一个缺少了最佳球员的球队的过渡年，但对于一支在上赛季季后赛中以打破预期为乐的、仍然天赋异禀的球队来说，步行者对于自己本赛季能有多出色，或许有不同的看法。 – 科利尔
洛杉矶快船
快船将如何处理又一桩涉及科怀·伦纳德的NBA调查？
NBA最近对该队展开的、也是最引人瞩目的调查，将给他们的赛季蒙上一层阴影。该调查旨在查明球队是否规避了工资帽——这是联盟的基本原则性错误之一。如果在调查完成前有新的爆料出现，情况可能会变得更加棘手。总的来说，NBA的调查可能会分散球队的注意力，或者球队也可能将其与比赛分离开来，静待结果，无论结果如何。但是，这支球队也是围绕着一群处于职业生涯暮年的球员组建的，包括40岁的克里斯·保罗 (Chris Paul)、37岁的布鲁克·洛佩斯 (Brook Lopez) 和36岁的詹姆斯·哈登 (James Harden)，甚至考虑到他的伤病史和整体消耗，34岁的伦纳德也是如此。一场潜在的重建在不远的将来若隐若现，这意味着球队不能浪费这可能是他们从伦纳德时代榨取一些有意义成功的最后机会。 – 霍姆斯
洛杉矶湖人
这会是 勒布朗·詹姆斯 在湖人的最后一个赛季吗？
在常规赛收官阶段，当勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James) 和卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Doncic) 同时在场时，湖人队取得了15胜8负的战绩。虽然他们及时的联手在最后阶段为洛杉矶锁定了西部第三的种子席位，但詹姆斯和东契奇在首轮却被明尼苏达以五场比赛淘汰。考虑到西部预计将比上赛季有更强的竞争，湖人的世界级二人组及角色球员们能否让洛杉矶在可能是詹姆斯最后征程之一的赛季里保持在积分榜前列？而如果他们无法赢球，詹姆斯是否会满足于在洛杉矶结束这个赛季？ – 戴夫·麦克梅纳明 (Dave McMenamin)
孟菲斯灰熊
孟菲斯突然决定重组阵容，是否更有利于灰熊的长远成功？
总经理扎克·克莱曼 (Zach Kleiman) 值得一些赞扬，他审慎地评估了阵容，并认定其不足以在西部持续竞争。这导致了主教练泰勒·詹金斯 (Taylor Jenkins) 被解雇，助理教练图奥马斯·伊萨洛 (Tuomas Iisalo) 被提拔。他们还将德斯蒙德·贝恩 (Desmond Bane) 交易至奥兰多，换回了一系列不错的选秀权，这帮助灰熊向上交易得到了塞德里克·考沃德 (Cedric Coward)。与此同时，克莱曼和灰熊并没有严重影响俱乐部当下的竞争力，他们通过引进泰·杰罗姆 (Ty Jerome) 和肯塔维奥斯·考德威尔-波普 (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope)，继续围绕贾·莫兰特 (Ja Morant) 和小贾伦·杰克逊 (Jaren Jackson Jr.) 进行边缘补强。 – 莱特
迈阿密热火
热火能否反弹并洗去上赛季的苦涩？
吉米·巴特勒三世 (Jimmy Butler III) 在去年二月的交易截止日转投勇士。但是，热火从未从那场混乱的分手中真正恢复过来，最终在首轮被克利夫兰横扫出局。迈阿密引进了诺曼·鲍威尔 (Norman Powell) 和西蒙尼·丰泰基奥 (Simone Fontecchio)，并选中了卡斯帕拉斯·雅库西奥尼斯 (Kasparas Jakucionis) 来增加进攻火力。但就在训练营开始前，热火已经遭遇了艰难的开局，泰勒·希罗 (Tyler Herro) 因左脚手术将缺席八周。上赛季初，当科怀·伦纳德因伤为快船缺阵时，鲍威尔展现了当他获得更多机会时能打出全明星级别的水平。热火将需要鲍威尔帮助巴姆·阿德巴约 (Bam Adebayo) 和安德鲁·威金斯 (Andrew Wiggins) 分担进攻重任。但如果说有谁能稳住局面，帮助热火从上赛季的低谷中反弹，那非主教练埃里克·斯波尔斯特拉 (Erik Spoelstra) 莫属。 – 扬米苏克
密尔沃基雄鹿
雄鹿能否在扬尼斯·阿德托昆博的带领下再次成为竞争者？
雄鹿在2024-25赛季享受了扬尼斯·阿德托昆博 (Giannis Antetokounmpo) 完整而健康的一季，他在67场常规赛中打出了MVP竞争者级别的表现，然后在季后赛中将自己的比赛提升到了另一个层次。然而，密尔沃基仍然连续第三个赛季在首轮出局。距离阿德托昆博赢得他第一个MVP奖项已经过去了七年，雄鹿年复一年地积极重组阵容，试图保持竞争力。但即使在一个实力有所削弱的东部，雄鹿仍在努力寻找重新打开他们争冠窗口的方法，给阿德托昆博再次在密尔沃基争夺总冠军的机会。 – 科利尔
明尼苏达森林狼
明尼苏达的年轻球员准备好挺身而出了吗？
在连续第二次止步西部决赛——这次是败给了更年轻、阵容更深的俄克拉荷马城雷霆——之后，明尼苏达主教练克里斯·芬奇 (Chris Finch) 誓言在即将到来的赛季扩大他的轮换阵容，并考察他球队内部已有的潜力球员。随着迈克·康利 (Mike Conley) 下月将满38岁，以及尼基尔·亚历山大-沃克在自由球员市场签约亚特兰大，芬奇为球队注入新血的计划是明智的。问题是，明尼苏达的年轻小将们准备好迎接这个任务了吗？后卫罗布·迪林厄姆 (Rob Dillingham)、特伦斯·香农 (Terrence Shannon Jr.) 和杰伦·克拉克 (Jaylen Clark)，以及前场选择伦纳德·米勒 (Leonard Miller) 和新秀中锋琼·贝林格 (Joan Beringer) 都尚未证明自己。鉴于森林狼的核心安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards)、朱利叶斯·兰德尔 (Julius Randle)、鲁迪·戈贝尔 (Rudy Gobert)、杰登·麦克丹尼尔斯 (Jaden McDaniels)、纳兹·里德 (Naz Reid) 和丹特·迪温琴佐 (Donte DiVincenzo) 都已是成熟球员，明尼苏达在寻求外部升级之前，对这批新人的耐心能有多久，将是一个有趣的看点。 – 麦克梅纳明
新奥尔良鹈鹕
鹈鹕能保持健康吗？
避免伤病对每支球队都很重要，这是当然，但只需看看上赛季鹈鹕的遭遇就知道了：锡安·威廉姆森 (Zion Williamson) 只打了30场比赛，德章泰·默里 (Dejounte Murray) 打了31场，赫伯特·琼斯 (Herbert Jones) 更是只打了20场。如果他们最好的球员本赛季遭遇类似的命运，那么鹈鹕将重返选秀乐透区。目前来看，后卫乔丹·普尔 (Jordan Poole) 和新秀后卫杰里迈亚·菲尔斯 (Jeremiah Fears) 的加入引人注目，同时人们也希望萨迪克·贝 (Saddiq Bey) 在上赛季因前交叉韧带撕裂缺席后能够强势回归。但是，以史为鉴，球队的伤病报告很可能会决定他们的战绩。不过，现在的风险更高了，因为鹈鹕为了得到2025年选秀的13号秀德里克·奎恩 (Derik Queen)，将一个2026年的无保护首轮签交易给了亚特兰大。这意味着又一个糟糕的赛季将不会在选秀中得到回报。 – 霍姆斯
纽约尼克斯
新教练迈克·布朗会改变首发阵容吗？
去年春天的季后赛中，米切尔·罗宾逊 (Mitchell Robinson) 在东部决赛的最后四场比赛中首发担任中锋，这使得万金油球员约什·哈特 (Josh Hart) 被移至替补席。罗宾逊能在进攻篮板上占据统治地位，从而让卡尔-安东尼·唐斯 (Karl-Anthony Towns) 能在更适合他的大前锋位置上打球。哈特上赛季为尼克斯出战的77场比赛全部首发，并且出场时间领跑全联盟，或许汤姆·锡伯杜 (Tom Thibodeau) 对他的依赖有些过度了。由于这个尼克斯赛季承载了太多期望，布朗的每一个决定都将被放大，而这从首发五人组的选择开始。 – 古德维尔
俄克拉荷马城雷霆
会有冠军后遗症吗？
雷霆队保留了三个月前赢得总冠军的那支队伍的每一位轮换球员。他们最好的三名球员分别是23岁（切特·霍姆格伦 (Chet Holmgren)）、24岁（杰伦·威廉姆斯 (Jalen Williams)）和27岁（谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)）。在他们之下，还有一批年轻球员正在崛起。所以，没有合理的理由去怀疑他们的人员配置；事实上，这支世界上最好的球队理应只会变得更好。问题更多在于心态。他们从猎人变成了猎物。在一个短暂的夏天过后，卫冕赛季的动力和疲劳感可能会有所不同。这是否会导致常规赛表现出现某种程度的下滑？ – 斯莱特
奥兰多魔术
德斯蒙德·贝恩能帮助保罗·班凯罗和弗朗茨·瓦格纳迈出下一步吗？
魔术队感觉到，现在是采取行动力争在东部胜出的时候了。奥兰多为了得到贝恩，付出了四个无保护首轮签和一个首轮签互换权，他们希望贝恩是帮助班凯罗、瓦格纳和萨格斯 (Suggs) 赢得东部的最后一块拼图。首先，魔术必须保持健康：班凯罗上赛季只打了46场，瓦格纳打了60场，而萨格斯因伤只打了35场。但是，如果这个年轻的三人组能够健康强势地回归，他们将拥有贝恩来提升球队的三分投射能力。27岁的贝恩正值巅峰，有能力承担进攻重任，并拥有季后赛经验（班凯罗时代，奥兰多还未突破过首轮）。泰厄斯·琼斯 (Tyus Jones) 也为控球后卫位置提供了资深的板凳深度。 – 扬米苏克
费城76人
乔尔·恩比德会健康吗？
这可能是联盟中最大的疑问之一。如果乔尔·恩比德 (Joel Embiid) 状态良好，费城有现实的可能成为东部冠军的有力竞争者。但如果他状态不佳，76人队将连续第二个赛季毫无胜算。届时，人们将会切实地质疑恩比德是否还能重返他职业生涯巅峰时期的高度，包括他在2022-23赛季赢得MVP时的水平。 – 邦坦普斯
菲尼克斯太阳
太阳的重建将如何影响德文·布克？
自从2015年被菲尼克斯以第13顺位选中以来，德文·布克 (Devin Booker) 拥有联盟中任何球员都难以比拟的独特职业生涯轨迹。新上任的乔丹·奥特 (Jordan Ott) 将是布克在球队11个赛季中的第八位教练。尽管教练席上人事变动频繁，布克已成长为太阳队的队史得分王，得分达到16452分并且还在不断增加。他帮助球队四次进入季后赛，包括2021年的一次总决赛之旅。但是，在过去两个赛季，菲尼克斯在2023年首轮被横扫，并在2024年完全错过了季后赛，这促使管理层拆散了由布克、凯文·杜兰特和布拉德利·比尔 (Bradley Beal) 组成的那个构想不周的三巨头。下个月就满29岁的布克，会有多大的耐心等待太阳的重建步入正轨？ – 麦克梅纳明
波特兰开拓者
斯库特·亨德森能否在达米安·利拉德回归前实现飞跃？
考虑到外界的期望，斯库特·亨德森 (Scoot Henderson) 的前两个赛季可以说略显令人失望。但是，在他二年级的最后几个月里，他的表现呈现出上升趋势，这与开拓者在13胜28负的开局后以23胜18负收官的战绩相吻合。进入他的第三个赛季，开拓者正在让亨德森上“控卫速成班”——昌西·比卢普斯 (Chauncey Billups) 是他的教练，朱·霍勒迪是他的后场搭档，而达米安·利拉德 (Damian Lillard) 则作为资深声音，在养伤（跟腱撕裂）的同时，大概也在指导亨德森。当利拉德回归开启他在波特兰的最后篇章时，亨德森会看起来像他的王位继承人吗？这个开局将会受阻。亨德森撕裂了腿筋，将缺席4-8周。 – 斯莱特
萨克拉门托国王
进攻能掩盖国王严重的防守缺陷吗？
这支球队的阵容中有一些极具个人进攻天赋的球员。扎克·拉文上赛季场均得到23分，三分命中率接近45%。德玛尔·德罗赞是史上仅有的27位得分超过25000分的球员之一，多曼塔斯·萨博尼斯 (Domantas Sabonis) 刷数据如探囊取物，而马利克·蒙克 (Malik Monk) 两个赛季前也因其得分爆发力差点赢得年度最佳第六人。但关于如何将这些球员融合成一个胜利的组合，存在一些严重的问题。过往的样本让人心生疑虑：该队上赛季的防守效率排名联盟第22位（115.3）。假设他们的防守将是联盟后十名的水平，那么他们可能需要排名前十左右的进攻才能打出超出预期的表现。 – 斯莱特
圣安东尼奥马刺
圣安东尼奥能否克服围绕维克托·文班亚马的三分投射能力不足的问题？
这是有可能的，前提是马刺能够充分利用他们最大的优势之一：众多能够冲击篮下、在突破路线上命中高命中率投篮的后卫。文班亚马的牵制力以及他投射三分的意愿将持续将对方大个子拉出禁区，这应该会为像德阿龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox)、斯蒂芬·卡斯尔和新秀迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 这样的突破手打开突破路线。同样值得注意的是，福克斯和文班亚马上赛季只共同出战了五场比赛。可以期待本赛季两人在挡拆配合中展现出更强的杀伤力，以及福克斯外线投射的进步。 – 莱特
多伦多猛龙
多伦多本赛季会是什么样子？
本赛季的猛龙是联盟中最大的未知数之一。布兰登·英格拉姆 (Brandon Ingram) 在二月份被交易而来，但因脚踝伤势一场未打。自从伊曼纽尔·奎克利 (Immanuel Quickley) 和RJ·巴雷特 (RJ Barrett) 到来近两年以来，他们总共只一起打了724分钟（相比之下，仅上个赛季，OG·阿奴诺比 (OG Anunoby)、约什·哈特和米卡尔·布里奇斯 (Mikal Bridges) 的共同出场时间就比这多了1000多分钟）。主教练达尔科·拉贾科维奇 (Darko Rajakovic) 如何将这些球员捏合在一起，以及他们在场上会呈现出何种面貌，不仅将定义这个赛季，也可能定义他在多伦多的执教生涯。 – 邦坦普斯
犹他爵士
爵士会在重建过程中再前进一步吗？
爵士相信他们找到了指导重建的合适人选——主教练威尔·哈迪 (Will Hardy)，他在五月份签下了一份多年续约合同，负责执教这支上赛季结束时拥有联盟最年轻阵容的球队。哈迪将在一些新加入的老将的帮助下，推动犹他迈向下一步。俱乐部在休赛期送走了老将乔丹·克拉克森 (Jordan Clarkson)、约翰·科林斯 (John Collins) 和科林·塞克斯顿 (Collin Sexton)，并增加了凯尔·安德森 (Kyle Anderson)、优素福·努尔基奇 (Jusuf Nurkic)、凯文·乐福 (Kevin Love) 和乔治·尼昂 (Georges Niang) 等更有经验的球员，以辅助由劳里·马尔卡宁 (Lauri Markkanen) 领衔的年轻核心。犹他的前场看起来很有希望。但球队的整体前景将取决于后场球员的发展。 – 莱特
华盛顿奇才
在又一个重建赛季，年轻的奇才能否继续成长并变得更具竞争力？
奇才已经摆脱了凯尔·库兹马 (Kyle Kuzma) 和乔丹·普尔 (Jordan Poole) 的合同，为一个充满发展天赋的阵容释放了大量的出手机会和成长空间。而且，华盛顿预计在下个休赛期将有超过8000万美元的薪金空间可供使用。虽然球员发展是奇才进程的关键，但这支球队在过去两个赛季中分别经历了输掉64场和67场比赛的惨淡战绩。年轻核心亚历克斯·萨尔 (Alex Sarr)、比拉尔·库利巴利 (Bilal Coulibaly)、布巴·卡林顿 (Bub Carrington)、凯肖恩·乔治 (Kyshawn George)、特雷·约翰逊 (Tre Johnson)、卡姆·惠特莫尔 (Cam Whitmore) 和威尔·莱利 (Will Riley) 在本赛季的比赛中必须更具竞争力，毕竟上赛季华盛顿有25场比赛输了20分或更多。像CJ·麦科勒姆 (CJ McCollum) 和克里斯·米德尔顿 (Khris Middleton) 这样的老将会尝试指导年轻人如何去赢球。奇才可能将迎来又一个漫长的赛季，但看到年轻核心在激烈竞争的比赛中奋力拼搏，可能是他们持续发展的关键所在。 – 扬米苏克
点击查看原文：NBA 2025-26 preseason: Biggest question for all 30 teams
NBA 2025-26 preseason: Biggest question for all 30 teams
The NBA season is less than a month away, with 25 teams hosting their media days on Monday while the rest held theirs last week.
This offseason was full of ups and downs: Trades, contract stalemates and injuries were just some of the hurdles facing the league’s teams. And despite 22 days separating the preseason from opening night, not every team’s offseason storylines have been resolved.
Looking at the current state of each NBA team and the season ahead, our reporters asked and answered the biggest question facing each team to start the 2025-26 preseason: How will the Jonathan Kuminga saga trickle into the Golden State Warriors’ season; how the LA Clippers will handle the league’s investigation involving Kawhi Leonard; and what are the expectations for the Indiana Pacers this season are just some of the largest storylines to follow entering the season.
Here are the biggest questions – and answers – facing all 30 teams this preseason.
Teams are listed in alphabetical order.
Jump to a team:
ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE
DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND
LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN
NO | NY | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX
POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTA | WAS
Atlanta Hawks
Are the Hawks and Trae Young ready to contend in the East?
With teams such as Boston, Indiana and Milwaukee all expected to take a step back because of injuries, Atlanta decided this is the time to strike in the East. The Hawks acquired reinforcements in Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard. Those three will help stretch the floor and provide Young, the reigning assists leader, with more weapons. With Jalen Johnson returning from shoulder surgery and expected to resume his breakout, and Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu and Zaccharie Risacher continuing to develop and progress, Young might have his most talented roster yet. He will also be looking to prove that he is worthy of a four-year, $229 million extension that he is eligible for. – Ohm Youngmisuk
Boston Celtics
What is Boston’s objective this season?
The Celtics – for most of the past decade – have had a singular focus: try to hang more championship banners in the TD Garden rafters. But this season Boston is charting a different course with Jayson Tatum’s torn Achilles and both Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis having been traded in cost-saving moves this summer. But what, exactly, is that course? Will the Celtics still try to compete for a playoff spot behind Jaylen Brown and Derrick White – or will this be an attempted “gap year”? – Tim Bontemps
Brooklyn Nets
Will there be enough space and opportunity in the offense for Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr.?
Thomas comes in after a season full of nagging hamstring injuries. It limited him to 25 games and a subsequent disappointing run through restricted free agency, resulting in him taking a $6 million qualifying offer. Porter was acquired from Denver for Cameron Johnson in early July, after being a third wheel in that offense. Both are aggressive offensive players who relish freedom, and Porter has never taken more than 13.6 shots per game. Watching the balance between those two will be interesting as the Nets search for an identity. – Vincent Goodwill
Charlotte Hornets
Can LaMelo Ball be the star the Hornets desperately need?
It has been a rough three seasons for Ball, who has played in only 105 career games because of injuries. There is no denying Ball’s talent when healthy, as he averaged 25.2 points, 7.4 assists and 4.9 rebounds in 47 games last season. But Ball not only has to show he can stay on the court, but can he be the leader Charlotte needs him to be? Can he improve his shooting efficiency and defense? Brandon Miller’s second season was limited to 27 games because of injury. While Charlotte is in store for another rebuilding season, second-year coach Charles Lee will want to see what his two young stars can do together over a full season alongside Miles Bridges and No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel. – Youngmisuk
Chicago Bulls
Will any of the team’s young players take the next step?
After moving on from the DeMar DeRozan-Zach LaVine era, the Bulls have transformed their roster into a collection of young players who they believe still have upside, including Josh Giddey (22), Coby White (24), Matas Buzelis (20) and Noa Essengue (18). But for a team that has made the playoffs once in the past eight seasons – including three straight losses in the play-in tournament – they’ll need a player to blossom into a star or the team will remain stuck in play-in purgatory. – Jamal Collier
Cleveland Cavaliers
Can the Cavs get over their playoff hump?
One of the most successful seasons in franchise history was followed by one of its most disappointing playoff losses, and the 2025-26 Cavs will be judged by how they bounce back from that. Their vaunted core four of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen all return with most of the team that led the East with 64 wins. Injuries certainly played a role in their playoff loss, but after being blitzed by the Indiana Pacers during their playoff series, the Cavs knew they were going to need some tweaks in both their play style and mentality. The Cavs are one of the teams in the East under the most pressure to get it done, or questions about their roster’s future could start to get louder. – Collier
Dallas Mavericks
When does Kyrie Irving return, and how soon can he get back to form?
Irving provided a glimmer of hope for Mavericks fans in September when he told TMZ his rehabilitation from a torn ACL is going “incredibly well.” So, there’s optimism for a potential Irving return as soon as January. In the meantime, Dallas needs to find a way to position itself for ideal conditions upon Irving’s return. To do that, Anthony Davis, who is back from offseason eye surgery, needs to carry the Mavericks on both ends of the court. The development of No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg will be key, too, as coach Jason Kidd plans to put the ball in the rookie’s hands often. – Michael C. Wright
Denver Nuggets
Will the Nuggets’ depth and defense be enough?
Nikola Jokic is in his prime, and the Nuggets cannot afford to waste it. The new additions of Jonas Valanciunas, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown will boost the Nuggets’ once-shallow depth off the bench. But for all of Jokic’ brilliance, Denver’s defense gave up 115.1 points per 100 possessions last season, ranking 21st. If the Nuggets don’t improve on that end, then any hopes of a deep postseason push will be dashed. – Baxter Holmes
Detroit Pistons
Where does Jaden Ivey fit in this new equation?
Ivey was having a career season, shooting 45% on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers before fracturing his left fibula on New Year’s Day. The Pistons, 14-18 at the time, took flight after Ausar Thompson emerged in the starting lineup in Ivey’s absence. Thompson’s defense unlocks things in that first unit while Ivey’s scoring and speed complement Cade Cunningham’s style, posing the question of whether Ivey will begin the season back in the starting lineup or as a sixth-man type. Also of note: Ivey and Jalen Duren are up for rookie-scale extensions. – Goodwill
Golden State Warriors
Can they avoid the Jonathan Kuminga contract drama bleeding into the season?
The resolution on the Kuminga front will very likely determine both Kuminga’s early-season buy-in and his deadline tradeability. There’s a reason it has held the Warriors’ summer hostage and generated so many headlines. If the two sides come to a reasonable compromise, there’s a world where the awkwardness subsides swiftly. Kuminga is a helpful rotation wing and is either used or moved as a player to bulk up an older rotation in need of reinforcement. But, if it’s the qualifying offer or he is unhappy and on a path to 2026 unrestricted free agency, that could be a huge hit to the team’s rotation, flexibility and vibe. – Anthony Slater
Houston Rockets
Are the Rockets still contenders in the West after Fred VanVleet’s potentially season-ending torn ACL?
Yes. They’ve got Kevin Durant, loads of young, hungry talent and strong coaching. ESPN’s Bobby Marks explained that, barring a trade, Houston can’t fill its lone roster spot with a free agent since it is $1.25 million below the first apron. So, the attention goes to potential replacements on the current roster such as Reed Sheppard, a sharpshooter and improved defender, undersized veteran Aaron Holiday and two-way phenom Amen Thompson, who probably will get first crack at replacing VanVleet. Thompson is poised to make a leap this season after devoting most of the offseason to improving as a playmaker and ball handler. – Wright
Indiana Pacers
What should be expected of the Pacers this season?
Indiana’s Game 7 loss in the NBA Finals was not just crushing because of the missed opportunity for a championship, but because Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles was a huge setback for the 2025-26 Pacers. The team also lost center Myles Turner in free agency. It sets up the defending conference champions to enter a season without expectations. The Pacers have four centers on the roster to try out for Turner’s replacement. They’ll allow Andrew Nembhard to handle the ball more as point guard in Haliburton’s absence. To the outside world, it’s a gap year for a team missing its best player, but for a still-talented team that relished in defying expectations last postseason, the Pacers might have different ideas on how good they can be this season. – Collier
LA Clippers
How will the Clippers handle another NBA investigation involving Kawhi Leonard?
The NBA’s latest and most high-profile investigation into the team and whether it circumvented the salary cap – one of the league’s cardinal sins – will cast a shadow over its season. And if new revelations emerge before the investigation is complete, it could become even more uncomfortable. Overall, the NBA’s inquiry could serve as a distraction, or the team could compartmentalize it and wait for the results, whatever might come. But, this is also a team built around players in the winter of their careers, including 40-year-old Chris Paul, 37-year-old Brook Lopez and 36-year-old James Harden, and given his injury history and overall mileage, even the 34-year-old Leonard. A potential rebuild looms in the near future, which means the team cannot afford to waste what might well be their last chance to squeeze some meaningful success out of the Leonard era. – Holmes
Los Angeles Lakers
Will this be LeBron James**’ last season with the Lakers?**
The Lakers went 15-8 with both James and Luka Doncic on the court together to close out the regular season. While their timely team-up secured L.A. the No. 3 seed down the stretch, James and Doncic were bounced by Minnesota in five games during the first round. With the West projecting even stronger conference competition than last season, will the Lakers’ all-world tandem and supporting cast be able to keep L.A. near the top of the standings in what could be one of James’ last go rounds? And if they aren’t winning, will James be content to finish out the season in L.A.? – Dave McMenamin
Memphis Grizzlies
Does Memphis’ abrupt decision to retool better position the Grizzlies for long-term success?
General manager Zach Kleiman deserves some credit for taking a hard look at the roster and determining it simply wasn’t strong enough to compete consistently in the West. That led to the firing of coach Taylor Jenkins and elevating assistant Tuomas Iisalo. They also traded Desmond Bane to Orlando for a nice package of picks that helped the Grizzlies move up to land Cedric Coward. At the same time, Kleiman and the Grizzlies didn’t drastically impact the club’s ability to compete now, as they continued to build on the edges around Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. with the additions of Ty Jerome and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. – Wright
Miami Heat
Can the Heat rebound and erase the bad taste from last season?
Jimmy Butler III moved on to the Warriors at the trade deadline last February. But, the Heat never truly recovered from a tumultuous divorce, culminating in Miami being blown out in the first round by Cleveland. Miami went out and acquired Norman Powell and Simone Fontecchio, and drafted Kasparas Jakucionis to add more offense. But already, the Heat are off to a tough start before camp with Tyler Herro out for eight weeks after undergoing surgery on his left foot. Powell displayed what he can do with more opportunity when he played at an All-Star level to start last season when Kawhi Leonard was sidelined because of injury for the Clippers. The Heat will need Powell to help Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins shoulder the offensive load. But if there is anyone who can keep it together and help the Heat rebound from last season, it’s coach Erik Spoelstra. – Youngmisuk
Milwaukee Bucks
Can the Bucks become a contender again with Giannis Antetokounmpo?
The Bucks enjoyed a full, healthy season from Antetokounmpo in 2024-25, playing like an MVP contender in 67 regular-season games and then raising his game to another level in the playoffs. Yet, Milwaukee still lost in the first round for the third consecutive season. It has been seven years since Antetokounmpo won his first MVP award, and the Bucks have aggressively retooled their roster year after year in an attempt to remain in contention. But even in a weakened Eastern Conference, the Bucks are trying to find a way to reopen their window and give Antetokounmpo another chance to compete for championships in Milwaukee. – Collier
Minnesota Timberwolves
Are Minnesota’s young players ready to step up?
After a second straight Western Conference finals defeat – this time at the hands of the younger, deeper Oklahoma City Thunder – Minnesota coach Chris Finch vowed to expand his rotation in the coming season and explore the prospects his organization already had in-house. With Mike Conley turning 38 next month and Nickeil Alexander-Walker signing with Atlanta in free agency, Finch’s plan to infuse new talent into his team is prudent. The question is, are Minnesota’s young pups ready for the task? Guards Rob Dillingham, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Jaylen Clark and front-court options Leonard Miller and rookie center Joan Beringer are all unproven. With the Wolves’ core of Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo all established, it will be interesting to see how much patience Minnesota will have with the new crew before looking elsewhere for upgrades. – McMenamin
New Orleans Pelicans
Can the Pelicans stay healthy?
Avoiding injuries matters for every team, of course, but just consider what happened to the Pelicans last season when Zion Williamson played 30 games. Dejounte Murray played 31 and Herbert Jones played 20. If their best players suffer a similar fate this season, then the Pelicans will be back in the draft lottery. For now, the additions of guard Jordan Poole and rookie guard Jeremiah Fears are compelling, and there’s hope that Saddiq Bey can bounce back after sitting out last season because of a torn ACL. But, using history as a guide, the team’s injury report probably will dictate their record. The stakes are higher, though, because the Pelicans traded an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to Atlanta for Derik Queen, the No. 13 pick in the 2025 draft. Which means that another bad season won’t end in them being rewarded in the draft. – Holmes
New York Knicks
Will new coach Mike Brown change the starting lineup?
Last spring’s playoffs had Mitchell Robinson starting the last four games of the conference finals at center, sending utility man Josh Hart to the bench. Robinson can dominate on the offensive glass, enabling Karl-Anthony Towns to play a more natural fit as power forward. Hart started all 77 games he played for the Knicks last season and led the league in minutes, perhaps being relied upon too much by Tom Thibodeau. With so much riding on this Knicks season, every decision by Brown will be magnified, starting with the first five. – Goodwill
Oklahoma City Thunder
Will there be a championship hangover?
The Thunder return every rotation player from a team that won the championship three months ago. Their three best players are 23 (Chet Holmgren), 24 (Jalen Williams) and 27 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander). They have a layer of youth rising below them. So, there’s no plausible reason to doubt their personnel; in fact, the best team in the world should only be getting better. The question is more about mindset. They go from hunter to hunted. Motivation and fatigue can hit a bit different in a title defense season after a short summer. Could that lead to any type of regular-season dip? – Slater
Orlando Magic
Can Desmond Bane help Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner take that next step?
The Magic sensed this was the time to make moves to try to win the East. Orlando, which banked four unprotected first-round picks and a first-round pick swap for Bane, is hoping he is the missing player that will help Banchero, Wagner and Suggs win the East. First, the Magic have to stay healthy: Banchero played only 46 games, Wagner logged 60 games and Suggs was only able to play in 35 games because of injuries. But, if that young trio can come back healthy and strong, it will have Bane to improve the team’s 3-point shooting. Bane, 27, is in his prime and is capable of taking the offensive burden and has playoff experience (Orlando has yet to get out of the first round in the Banchero era). Tyus Jones provides veteran depth at point guard as well. – Youngmisuk
Philadelphia 76ers
Will Joel Embiid be healthy?
There might not be a bigger question in the league than this one. If Embiid is right, Philadelphia could realistically be a threat to contend in the Eastern Conference. But if he’s not, the 76ers would be drawing dead for a second straight season. There would be realistic questions about whether Embiid will ever return to the heights he reached during the prime of his career, including when he won the MVP award in 2022-23. – Bontemps
Phoenix Suns
How will the Suns’ rebuild affect Devin Booker?
Since being selected by Phoenix with the No. 13 pick in 2015, Booker has had one of the more distinctive career trajectories of any player in the league. The newly hired Jordan Ott will be Booker’s eighth coach in his 11 seasons with the franchise. Despite the turnover on the sidelines, Booker has blossomed into the Suns’ all-time leading scorer with 16,452 points and counting. He helped lead the team to four playoff appearances, including a trip to the Finals in 2021. But, in the past two seasons, Phoenix was swept in the first round in 2023 and missed the postseason altogether in 2024, prompting the front office to dismantle its ill-conceived big three with Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. How keen will Booker, who turns 29 next month, be waiting for the Suns’ rebuild to take hold? – McMenamin
Portland Trail Blazers
Can Scoot Henderson make the leap before Damian Lillard’s return?
Henderson’s first two seasons could be categorized as mildly disappointing, considering the expectations. But, the last several months of Year 2 saw an upward trendline, coinciding with a 23-18 Blazers finish after a 13-28 start. Entering his third season, the Blazers are putting Henderson in point guard school – Chauncey Billups is his coach, Jrue Holiday is his backcourt mate, Lillard is the veteran voice rehabbing his torn Achilles while presumably mentoring Henderson. By the time Lillard returns for his final Portland chapter, will Henderson look like the heir to his throne? The start will be stunted. Henderson tore his hamstring and is out for 4-8 weeks. – Slater
Sacramento Kings
Can the offense hide the Kings’ serious defensive flaws?
There’s some serious individual offensive talent on the roster. Zach LaVine averaged 23 points and made nearly 45% of his 3s last season. DeMar DeRozan is one of 27 players ever to score 25,000 points, Domantas Sabonis racks up numbers like a slot machine and Malik Monk nearly won Sixth Man of the Year two seasons ago because of his scoring punch. But there are some serious questions about how it fits together into a winning mix. The past samples generate skepticism: The team ranked 22nd in defensive rating last season (115.3). Assuming they’ll have a bottom-10 defense, a top-10ish offense is probably required for them to overachieve. – Slater
San Antonio Spurs
Can San Antonio overcome its lack of 3-point shooting around Victor Wembanyama?
It’s possible if the Spurs lean into one of their biggest strengths: the multitude of guards capable of attacking downhill to nail high percentage shots in the driving lanes. Wembanyama’s gravity and willingness to shoot 3-pointers will consistently pull opposing bigs out of the paint, which should open driving lanes for slashers such as De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and rookie Dylan Harper. It’s also worth noting that Fox and Wembanyama played only five games together last season. Expect more lethality this season between the two in pick-and-rolls and improved outside shooting from Fox. – Wright
Toronto Raptors
What will Toronto look like this season?
This season’s Raptors are one of the league’s biggest unknowns. Brandon Ingram was acquired in February but never played a game because of an ankle injury. Since Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett arrived close to two years ago, they’ve played a total of 724 minutes together (by comparison, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges played more than 1,000 more minutes than that last season alone). How coach Darko Rajakovic can put these players together, and what they look like on the court, will not only define this season but could define his tenure in Toronto. – Bontemps
Utah Jazz
Do the Jazz take another step forward in the rebuilding process?
The Jazz believe they have the right man to guide the rebuild in coach Will Hardy, who signed a multiyear extension in May to oversee a team that finished last season with the league’s youngest roster. Hardy will push Utah to the next step with help from some veteran additions. The club jettisoned vets Jordan Clarkson, John Collins and Collin Sexton in the offseason, and added more experience with Kyle Anderson, Jusuf Nurkic, Kevin Love and Georges Niang to help a young core led by Lauri Markkanen. Utah’s frontcourt looks promising. But the team’s overall prospects will be determined by development in the backcourt. – Wright
Washington Wizards
In another rebuilding season, can the young Wizards continue to develop and be more competitive?
The Wizards have shed the contracts of Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole, freeing up plenty of shots and room to grow for a roster full of developing talent. And Washington is expected to have over $80 million in cap space available to use next offseason. While player development is key to the Wizards’ process, the franchise has suffered through 64- and 67-loss campaigns the past two seasons. The young core of Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Cam Whitmore and Will Riley have to be more competitive in games this season after Washington dropped 25 games by 20 or more points. Vets such as CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton will try to mentor the youngsters on how to win. The Wizards might be in for another long season, but seeing the young core fight in contested games could be a massive key to the ongoing development. – Youngmisuk
By ESPN | ESPN, via ESPN