# \[The Athletic\] NBA 2026-27赛季希望指数：30支球队球迷乐观度排名

**URL:** https://chinaspurs.com/t/topic/48950
**Category:** 环球刺讯
**Tags:** 2026-27赛季
**Created:** [2026 年10 月 23 日 11:21 UTC](https://chinaspurs.com/t/topic/48950 "2026-10-23T11:21:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

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### 作者： ![TheAthletic](https://chinaspurs.com/user_avatar/chinaspurs.com/theathletic/32/124_2.png) [@TheAthletic](https://chinaspurs.com/u/TheAthletic)
#### 发布日期： [2026 年10 月 23 日 11:21 UTC](https://chinaspurs.com/t/topic/48950/1 "2026-10-23T11:21:44Z")

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By Zach Harper / The Athletic, 2026-10-23 17:30:21

![Image](https://i.ibb.co/qL557Cf7/4215c47d9c74.jpg)

欢迎来到2026-27赛季NBA希望指数（Hope-O-Meter）！小提示：如果你像读“速度计（speedometer）”那样读它，会顺口得多。

上个赛季开始前，我们在The Bounce和The Pulse——[两份你还没订阅就赶紧订上的免费新闻邮件](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5803046/2025/12/31/the-athletic-newsletters-sign-up/)——中做了一次球迷调查，以衡量各队球迷群体的希望值。结果显示，俄克拉荷马城雷霆、丹佛掘金、奥兰多魔术和休斯顿火箭的球迷[希望值最高](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6733611/2025/10/22/nba-hope-o-meter-thunder-warriors-lakers-knicks/)。纽约尼克斯和圣安东尼奥马刺分别排在第六和第八位，而这两队最终——当然——在2026年NBA总决赛中会师。

我们再次进行了这项调查，包含以下三个问题/提示：

- 从下拉菜单中选择你最喜欢的球队。
- 以1-10分评价你的乐观程度。可以想象，1分最低，10分最高。
- 如果愿意，可以留下几句话介绍你自己并解释你的打分。（为什么？因为我们想在这里用上！）

我们共收到1,511份回复，30支球队都有球迷参与（谢谢！），所以我们希望这份调查能反映各队球迷群体进入新赛季时的心态。

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https://hub.chinaspurs.com/iframe?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdatawrapper.dwcdn.net%2FD6tpn%2F2%2F&key=5c363501

自去年以来，费城76人、多伦多猛龙、华盛顿奇才、犹他爵士和迈阿密热火的乐观度出现了大幅波动。掘金、火箭、金州勇士、魔术和洛杉矶快船则出现了大幅下滑。现在，让我们看看哪些球迷群体最乐观、为什么，以及每支球队的一些解释。（部分回复经过语法和表达上的编辑。）

## 1. 圣安东尼奥马刺 — 9.27/10

_上赛季：8/10，排名第八_

**乐观派Aaron Smith（10/10）：** “文班。卡斯尔。哈珀。邓肯、吉诺比利、帕克Z世代版——（亵渎警告）甚至有潜力更上一层楼！”

**乐观派Scott：** “我已经准备好看看总决赛的失意会如何激励他们。我想我们会看到愤怒的文班。”

**悲观派Bill（3/10）：** “对文班遭遇毁灭性伤病的恐惧算悲观吗？去年我的马刺万事顺遂，从因果报应的角度讲，他们走得可能已经超出了应得的程度，所以我吓坏了。”

## 2. 俄克拉荷马城雷霆 — 8.97/10

_上赛季：9.6/10，排名第一_

**乐观派Lee Mayhew（10/10）：** “雷霆上赛季伤病很多，我‘希望’他们今年能避开伤病，并把它们传给掘金和马刺这样的球队。”

**乐观派Tiz（10/10）：** “两届MVP，三巨头健康，I-Hart（以赛亚·哈滕斯坦）续约了，切特憋着一股劲。”

**悲观派Gonçalo Leite（7/10）：** “本可以更高，但我们被第二土豪线坑惨了。”

## 3. 纽约尼克斯 — 8.6/10

_上赛季：8.2/10，排名第六_

**乐观派Jordan（10/10）：** “乐观的理由很简单：杰伦·布伦森 (Jalen Brunson)。一支刚刚打出篮球史上最佳季后赛之旅之一的球队，居然还有人看衰，我实在无法理解。”

**乐观派Ariel Bernet（10/10）：** “杰伦·布伦森下赛季会拿MVP；他是目前NBA最好的球员，只是因为长得不像超级巨星而被低估（我的意思是，他没有凯里那种花哨的运球技术，投篮不如库里，身材也不占优）。”

**悲观派匿名评论者（5/10）：** “我对场上球员（和替补席）很有信心，但多兰已经在提醒我们他的‘混乱制造者’身份。从他在续约/第二土豪线问题上的固执立场，到他（可能）向球队施压要求访问白宫，我担心他会遮蔽我们的橙蓝天空。（不过#knicksinfive永远。）”

## 4. 费城76人 — 8.29/10

_上赛季：3.8/10，排名第24_

**乐观派John Farley（10/10）：** “这是我所见过的天赋最高的76人首发五人组。我从1973-74赛季开始关注76人，纸面上这是76人历史上天赋最强的阵容。如果他们新赛季能保持相对健康，76人将成为东部霸主！”

**乐观派Pat（10/10）：** “我们这代人的标志性球员、可以说拥有这项运动史上最伟大职业生涯的人，选择在费城结束职业生涯，试图击败那些被赶走的总经理的幽灵、正常尺寸的衣领、投篮恐惧症、投篮伤病、大豆过敏、被冷落的母亲、四连弹压哨球、消化道问题、贝尔氏面瘫、假冒的企业赞助商、撒谎的总统以及道格·里弗斯。让我相信他能做到吧。”

**悲观派Wendell（4/10）：** “管理层在老布朗尼（勒布朗）身上捞钱。恩比德依然没有真正的替补，整体深度也不足。”

## 5. 印第安纳步行者 — 8.14/10

_上赛季：6.3/10，并列第15_

**乐观派Stan Spinola（10/10）：** “新援加入，球队健康；迫不及待想看泰瑞斯重返麦迪逊广场花园。老爹回来了！”

**乐观派Daniel Ludwig（10/10）：** “我非常期待哈利伯顿从跟腱撕裂中复出，以及伊维察·祖巴茨的加盟。这支球队被严重低估了，在我看来，他们应该被视为分区第二好的球队（仅次于尼克斯）。”

**悲观派Tanner Dean（5/10）：** “我给步行者5分的乐观值，因为这套阵容应该能打出流畅的传导球，但缺乏防守韧性。”

## 6. 明尼苏达森林狼 — 8.09/10

_上赛季：8.1/10，排名第七_

**乐观派Aaron L.（10/10）：** “送走朱利叶斯·兰德尔、换来拉梅洛·鲍尔，球队化学反应大幅提升。不过我知道最后我还是会失望——这就是明尼苏达体育的宿命。”

**乐观派Chris（10/10）：** “对90年代就看球的人来说，这有点不可思议，但如今达不到西部决赛就算失败。对这支球队的期望高得让人痛苦，祝他们有个好赛季。”

**悲观派Ryan（4/10）：** “我理解狼队为什么冒险押注拉梅洛；我只是想不出他能成为一支击败雷霆或马刺的球队中第二好球员的场景。”

## 7. 多伦多猛龙 — 7.85/10

_上赛季：5.6/10，排名第19_

**乐观派Mitch（8/10）：** “去年我打了7/10，从赛季走势看还算合理。我觉得得到科怀（伦纳德）值得加两分，但我只打8/10，因为我们仍然缺乏外线投射。”

**乐观派Greg Frankson（9/10）：** “拥有联盟（甚至可能是历史）最凶悍的防守之一，加上阵容延续性和‘爪子级’的进攻升级，这支球队（再次）成为联盟最被低估的巨人。回想一下2018-19赛季被低估的程度吧，对手们最好做好被恐龙撕碎的准备。”

**悲观派Matt K.（6/10）：** “总体上对NBA感到失望。联盟干预太多，太依赖裁判的主观判断；2019年那种奇迹再也不会发生了。对再次为科怀加油感觉平平，不过对交易英格拉姆和格雷迪没有意见。我喜欢阵容中的很多球员，但对追随他们的热情不高，上赛季结束后放弃了我持有多年的四分之一份额季票。”

## 8. 底特律活塞 — 7.51/10

_上赛季：7.8/10，排名第九_

**乐观派Robert Davis（8/10）：** “活塞最终留下了自己的核心球员，补充了拼图，距离成为分区顶级强队只差奥萨尔/杜伦的进一步成长。”

**乐观派Bret Wallin（9/10）：** “我觉得上赛季60胜被低估了。他们的核心依然非常年轻，而他们的成长进步还没有被市场充分定价。”

**悲观派Owen K.（6/10）：** “我相信凯德会继续进步，也很高兴杜伦的闹剧得到解决，但很难看出我们自由市场的引援能提升上赛季那支球队的上限。尽管东部竞争在加剧，我还是倾向于谨慎乐观，期待球队拼下一个靠前的季后赛席位。”

![](https://files.seeusercontent.com/2026/10/23/Shc0/261023-e02129276d0b188c433179d67.jpg)  
_热火球迷的乐观可以用两个字概括：扬尼斯。（Sam Navarro / Imagn Images）_

## 9. 迈阿密热火 — 7.36/10

_上赛季：5.5/10，排名第20_

**乐观派Billy（9/10）：** “我们得到扬尼斯了！我们不再原地打转，而是要全力争胜。”

**乐观派Rene Castillo（10/10）：** “不需要两句话，扬尼斯·阿德托昆博 (Giannis Antetokounmpo) 就够了。”

**悲观派Gabe（4/10）：** “我只是不觉得扬尼斯能给我们带来总冠军。”

**悲观派Thanasis A.（1/10）：** “热火需要一个硬汉打手。”

## 10. 犹他爵士 — 7.1/10

_上赛季：3.1/10，并列第28_

**乐观派Andrew Buxton（8/10）：** “达伦·彼得森和阿斯·贝利为这支拥有劳里和JJJ的经验阵容带来了有趣的天赋。在经历了四年的摆烂篮球后，我很高兴看到爵士重新投入竞争！”

**乐观派Steve（9/10）：** “我没打10分的唯一原因是我是个死硬悲观主义者。”

**悲观派Brad Bugger（3/10）：** “我不认为可以像按开关一样，从故意输球一下子变成季后赛竞争者。”

## 11. 克利夫兰骑士 — 6.96/10

_上赛季：8.3/10，排名第五_

**乐观派Jeff（8/10）：** “休赛期磨合詹姆斯·哈登应该有助于球队流畅度。这套核心阵容必须和球迷一样——甚至更——渴望突破到总决赛。”

**乐观派Sarah（9/10）：** “克利夫兰就是克利夫兰。这座城市一次次被看衰、被唱衰，而我们一次次挺过来；我们可能赢不下全部，但我们会掀起一番风浪。”

**悲观派Clark（4/10）：** “我们还是会在季后赛再次掉链子。米切尔会入选最佳阵容二阵，在莫布利和哈登的帮助下场均25分，我们会拿到50胜，首轮艰难晋级，然后第二轮六场出局。”

## 12. 洛杉矶湖人 — 6.86/10

_上赛季：7/10，排名第12_

**乐观派Rich Severa（8/10）：** “从勒布朗（詹姆斯）的过渡比预期顺利。他们拥有年轻核心：一个真正的内线大个、一个超级得分手和一位崭露头角的年轻主教练。”

**乐观派Adam Irizarry（10/10）：** “凯斯勒可以缠住西部的大个子们，让卢卡施展魔法。比起SGA或者福克斯/哈珀/随便谁，我选卢卡。”

**悲观派Jesse（5/10）：** “防守不够：防守不足，血性也不足。”

## 并列13. 亚特兰大老鹰 — 6.76/10

_上赛季：7.5/10，排名第10_

**乐观派Sam（8/10）：** “我真的觉得我们今年有机会在季后赛走远，尤其是杰伦·约翰逊有望——在我看来是大概率——在持球创造上实现飞跃，还有我希望金斯顿·弗莱明斯随着赛季推进能赢得的那个有些意外的角色。我认为我们的外线防守会令人窒息，弥补内线高度的不足，而随着卢·多特、阿隆·威金斯和二年级生阿萨·纽厄尔的加入，我们的锋线深度将证明是联盟最好的锋线群之一，带领我们拿到东部前五的种子席位。”

**乐观派Shaughn（10/10）：** “天哪，我们要成为其他球队进攻端的噩梦了。”

**悲观派Brian Unell（5/10）：** “乐观程度中等，就像老鹰在我人生的大部分时间里（52年）一样。我希望杰伦·约翰逊能继续成长为超级巨星，希望新成员（新秀和老将）能产生化学反应，在后特雷·杨时代掀起一番作为。”

## 并列13. 华盛顿奇才 — 6.76/10

_上赛季：3.2/10，并列第26_

**乐观派Greg K.（10/10）：** “我们为一支充满有趣年轻人的球队增加了一位最佳阵容球员、一位全明星和一位来自选秀大年的状元。天空才是极限，我们终于摆完烂了！”

**乐观派Sebastian Jakubowski（10/10）：** “在平庸中度过了一辈子——除了看迈克尔·乔丹在一支烂队执教/打球的那点兴奋——我们终于有了些东西。过去一年得到的这些拼图，也许真的能拼出一件我们奇才球迷闻所未闻的事：赢球！”

**悲观派David Peikin（5/10）：** “对阵容中的年轻天赋（AJ、威尔·莱利、巴布、特雷、亚历克斯）感到乐观，但想不通为什么我们引进了这么多会抢走他们上场时间的老将。我们会很烂，但至少这次不会烂得可笑。”

## 15. 丹佛掘金 — 6.68/10

_上赛季：8.9/10，排名第二_

**乐观派Randy（9/10）：** “我本来就是个乐观的人，而且只要我们还有约基奇，就有机会走得很远。另外，尽管大家忧心忡忡，我觉得我们休赛期的阵容搭建做得不错。”

**乐观派匿名评论者（8/10）：** “约基奇看起来精瘦健壮，季前赛刚送出我见过最伟大的传球之一。另外，希望那位中投先生能返老还童，开始投进三分，而不是变成‘三分命中率低得要命的德安德烈’。”

**悲观派Michael O.（2/10）：** “从去年开始球队实打实地变差了，还失去了佩顿·沃森。你怎么可能带着一支被伤病缠身的森林狼踩在脚下的球队原班人马再来一年？”

## 并列16. 休斯顿火箭 — 6.57/10

_上赛季：8.4/10，排名第四_

**乐观派Jeff C.（8/10）：** “弗雷德回来了，所以情况肯定会更好……对吧？在德州人0胜4负、太空人被芝加哥淘汰出局（表现糟糕但不出意料）之后，他们是我对休斯顿竞技体育的唯一希望。”_（编者注：德州人本周末前的战绩为2胜4负。）_

**乐观派Matt from Austin（9/10）：** “去年，年轻人有点被媒体吹捧冲昏头脑，直到现实给了他们一击。现在几乎每个人都拿到了大合同，并且锁定目标要赢球。”

**悲观派Sam（5/10）：** “这是一支好球队。但杜兰特和范弗利特都老了，化学反应一团糟，年轻人最多也就到‘相当不错’的水平，这不足以击败雷霆和圣安东尼奥。”

**悲观派Shawn（4/10）：** “队里最好的球员已经38岁了。”

## 并列16. 奥兰多魔术 — 6.57/10

_上赛季：8.8/10，排名第三_

**乐观派Mike Duffy（10/10）：** “我们不可能永远是被诅咒的球队。希望我们终于驱散了格兰特·希尔的幽灵……”

**乐观派匿名评论者（9/10）：** “健康的时候，这支球队真的、真的、真的非常强。问问底特律就知道了。”

**悲观派Zach（3/10）：** “考虑到我们在这套核心上砸了多少钱，要么前四种子，要么完蛋，而且自德怀特·霍华德离开后，我们的进攻就没达到过联盟平均水平。”

**悲观派Cody（3/10）：** “未来缺乏首轮签，年轻核心的成长停滞（更别提三分球又投得惨不忍睹）。”

![](https://i.ibb.co/yBywfFcm/d4cd446f1e48.jpg)  
_在交易走杰伦·布朗之后，凯尔特人球迷必须决定是否相信保罗·乔治。（Bob DeChiara / Imagn Images）_

## 18. 波士顿凯尔特人 — 6.55/10

_上赛季：5.7/10，排名第18_

**乐观派Sean O.（9/10）：** “我觉得他们通过交易换来了更好的防守，并且拥有联盟最深的替补席。如果乔治能保持大致健康，我们将冲击总决赛。”

**乐观派Johnathan（9/10）：** “虽然失去杰伦·布朗让我很不爽，但如果把这支球队和上赛季对比，看作是用布朗换来了一个（希望）健康的塔图姆，再加上PG-13和罗宾逊，那还是让我充满希望。普里查德获得更多球权应该是好事（但布朗成为76人无论如何都不可能对我们有利）。”

**悲观派Frank（1/10）：** “用一个又老又容易受伤的球员换来杰伦·布朗，外加一个同样容易受伤、还罚不进球的自由球员。”

**悲观派Jim（4/10）：** “我明白现代NBA中改变不可避免，但我们看着双J一起成长，现在就这么结束了？JB是这支球队的心脏和引擎——这太糟了。”

## 19. 夏洛特黄蜂 — 6.50/10

_上赛季：4/10，排名第23_

**乐观派Jordy（7/10）：** “他们下半赛季表现出色，虽然起初我不喜欢拉梅洛那笔交易，但现在看来他们似乎在尝试一种新的球队定位并全力投入。我可以支持这个方向！”

**乐观派Justin（7/10）：** “我愿意相信球队正朝着正确的方向前进，但他们还会像以前那样好看吗？”

**悲观派Robbie（3/10）：** “我不乐观，因为我们交易走了队史门面，还交易走了迈尔斯·布里奇斯。”

## 20. 达拉斯独行侠 — 6.42/10

_上赛季：6.3/10，并列第15_

**乐观派Brian K.（10/10）：** “趁我们还拥有凯里，今年必须把乐观值拉满，哪怕现实上我们最多是一支40胜的球队。如果马刺能上演黑马之旅，库珀、凯里和这群大个子也可以。”

**乐观派Jimmy（8/10）：** “这正是最佳状态——没有期望，却潜力无限。”

**悲观派Pete Oppel（3/10）：** “我不乐观的原因是担心凯里本赛季能打多少场比赛、阵容中内线大个过多，以及后场/持球天赋和深度的匮乏。我预计又是一个乐透赛季，尽管这个排名可能高达西部第11。”

## 21. 波特兰开拓者 — 6.17/10

_上赛季：6.1/10，排名第17_

**乐观派Don Jeskey（8/10）：** “我知道他年纪大了，但利拉德的回归将为开拓者带来他们上赛季极度匮乏的外线投射。尽管我们的新老板在公关上一窍不通，我仍然期待开拓者赢下接近50场，轻松打进季后赛。”

**乐观派匿名评论者（8/10）：** “我们拥有一个憋着劲要证明自己的贾·莫兰特、利拉德的荣耀回归，以及以德尼·阿夫迪亚为基石的球星。等谢登复出后，这支球队的高光集锦应该会源源不断！”

**悲观派Sam（4/10）：** “一方面，也许贾能重回巅峰。另一方面，谢登赛季报销，斯库特的发展被自我破坏到我从没见过的程度，还有，哦对了，新老板似乎铁了心要剥掉这支球队仅存的尊严。”

**悲观派Dustin L.（3/10）：** “一个糟糕透顶、还把糟糕摆在明面上的新老板，加上一个充其量平平无奇的休赛期。不确定这赛季我还会看这支球队多少比赛。”

## 22. 菲尼克斯太阳 — 6.00/10

_上赛季：3.6/10，排名第25_

**乐观派Erik（8/10）：** “现在球队已经建立了拼抢文化，所以即使面对天赋更强的球队，太阳也应该有竞争力和观赏性。每年只有一支球队能夺冠，所以只要我的球队有竞争力、有观赏性，我就不能要求更多了。”

**悲观派Noah Burnett（2/10）：** “晚上入睡时，我梦见我们还是那支2021年总决赛的球队，然后醒来想起我们为了首发四个小个锋线、每晚被血洗50分、手里一个首轮签都没有，送出了一堆筹码换迈尔斯·布里奇斯。”

**悲观派Sean（4/10）：** “他们上赛季的表现好于预期（尽管还在从布拉德利·比尔的灾难中恢复），但缺少出成绩的拼图。希望这套阵容进入合作的第二年（还是同一位主教练），能产生吸引最后几块拼图的化学反应。”

## 23. 芝加哥公牛 — 5.36/10

_上赛季：3.2/10，并列第26_

**乐观派匿名评论者（10/10）：** “对整体战绩零期望，只是享受球队转向的方向，能看到未来的愿景，而且看起来不错。”

**乐观派Zak（8/10）：** “年轻天赋意味着至少会好看。再说，白袜都能做到，公牛为什么不行？”

**悲观派匿名评论者（4/10）：** “这是重建的开始，所以虽然我对本赛季的胜负战绩不乐观，但长期来看我是乐观的。”

**悲观派Zach（2/10）：** “自从罗斯受伤以来，似乎就是同样的故事反复上演。我们总说未来会更好，结果只是看着前公牛球员在全联盟各地首发并取得成功（巴特勒、马尔卡宁、邓恩、卡特）。”

## 24. 孟菲斯灰熊 — 5.00/10

_上赛季：5.3/10，排名第21_

**乐观派Wes（8/10）：** “对布泽尔和埃迪一起打球/抢篮板/得分感到乐观。”

**悲观派Asher A.（3/10）：** “我认真考虑过打1分，因为我们很可能打出和上赛季差不多的战绩。但我认定卡姆·布泽尔多少能带来一些娱乐性或兴奋点，‘牛排炖’（布兰登·克拉克/斯玛特）也肯定会闹出些花样，所以我打了3分。”

**悲观派Sam（2/10）：** “灰熊把我们最激动人心、最受爱戴的球员全都白白交易走了。他们根本不致力于赢球，唯一的亮点就是布泽尔。”

![](https://i.ibb.co/HfMv4kdx/8fdfdd97a2db.jpg)  
_斯蒂芬·库里足以成为勇士球迷乐观的理由吗？（David Gonzales / Imagn Images）_

## 25. 金州勇士 — 4.46/10

_上赛季：7.3/10，排名第11_

**乐观派匿名评论者（9/10）：** “希望的理由：该死的斯蒂芬·库里。”

**悲观派Bruce（1/10）：** “邓利维没展现出什么，吉米也要缺席一段时间。”

**悲观派Christian（1/10）：** “伦德伯格和库里扛不起所有活。追梦老了，巴特勒又老又伤。我们处境最糟。2022年我们帮库里拿了最后一冠。现在邓利维束手束脚，不知道该怎么办。实际上，那最后一冠反而让我们变得更差了。”

## 26. 布鲁克林篮网 — 3.87/10

_上赛季：2.8/10，排名第30_

**乐观派Andy（9/10）：** “他们还是会很烂，但这将是大约三年来第一次值得一看，而这真的就是我对球队的全部要求。”

**悲观派匿名评论者（1/10）：** “不管有多少首轮签（五个！），这支球队连一半的比赛都赢不了。肖恩·马克斯和蔡先生根本不在乎球迷。”

**悲观派Mike W.（2/10）：** “才10月6日，我们的首轮选秀状元就伤了。”

## 27. 密尔沃基雄鹿 — 3.55/10

_上赛季：6.6/10，排名第14_

**乐观派Cody（7/10）：** “雄鹿不会很强，但在扬尼斯时代结束后，年轻且还过得去听起来也挺有意思。”

**悲观派Jared（1/10）：** “我得看着泰勒·希罗、凯尔·库兹马和迈尔斯·特纳一起打篮球。不用多说了。”

**悲观派Andrew（2/10）：** “我的主队交易走了我们的球星，还和加里·特伦特 Jr. 续约四年；我身上没有一丝乐观。”

## 28. 洛杉矶快船 — 3.27/10

_上赛季：6.8/10，排名第13_

**乐观派匿名评论者（10/10）：** “连续15年胜率五成或以上——在全队在交易截止日被卖光之后，41胜41负的赛季即将到来。”

**悲观派Noah S.（1/10）：** “就像进商店只待了五分钟，出来时外面雷雨交加，你纳闷这一切怎么就崩塌得这么快。”

**悲观派Ethan（2/10）：** “我们得到了基顿·瓦格勒。但我们还是快船，连摆烂都摆不明白。”

## 29. 新奥尔良鹈鹕 — 3.21/10

_上赛季：4.4/10，排名第22_

**乐观派Andy（7/10）：** “伤病潮总不可能比上赛季还严重吧？首发和替补阵容都有很好的——虽然有些奇怪——拼图。”

**悲观派匿名评论者（1/10）：** “也许是我无知，但这支球队看起来根本不把自己当回事，也不想赢球。”

**悲观派匿名评论者（1/10）：** “如果你需要我为什么不乐观的完整分析，那你肯定没看过新奥尔良鹈鹕的比赛。新教练会多赢几场，但阵容和去年一样（大个位置高度不足），还有每年那句‘哇！锡安在训练营和照片里看起来状态太棒了！’的虚假希望……这部电影我们看过太多次了。结局都不好。然而，我还是会傻傻地看这部电影，希望它能给我惊喜。”

## 30. 萨克拉门托国王 — 3.19/10

_上赛季：3.1/10，并列第28_

**乐观派匿名评论者（9/10）：** “阿库夫，冲啊！！！！！而且没人对这支球队抱有希望，所以打好了也没有压力，虽然我们会打好的。”

**悲观派匿名评论者（1/10）：** “我在连续持有季票20年后放弃了，但不是因为输球。而是这支球队的核心深处有什么东西在腐烂，正在从内部摧毁它。”

**悲观派Scott（1/10）：** “我对国王毫无乐观，因为我有眼睛、耳朵和一个正常运转的大脑。球队老板和管理层做出了所有可能的错误决定，甚至对中等程度的成功都过敏。”

_由生成式 AI 翻译，翻译内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。_

> **查看原文：NBA Hope-O-Meter 2026-27: Ranking fans’ optimism for all 30 teams**
>
> ## NBA Hope-O-Meter 2026-27: Ranking fans’ optimism for all 30 teams
> 
> ![Image](https://i.ibb.co/qL557Cf7/4215c47d9c74.jpg)
> 
> Welcome to the 2026-27 NBA Hope-O-Meter! Pro tip: If you pronounce it like “speedometer,” it’s a lot cleaner and more fluid.
> 
> Before last season, we conducted a fan survey in The Bounce and The Pulse, [two free newsletters you should subscribe to](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5803046/2025/12/31/the-athletic-newsletters-sign-up/) if you haven’t already, to measure the hope of each fanbase. The results showed that Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets fans [had the most hope](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6733611/2025/10/22/nba-hope-o-meter-thunder-warriors-lakers-knicks/). The New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs finished sixth and eighth, respectively, in hope but, of course, met in the 2026 NBA Finals.
> 
> We’ve done that survey once again with the following three questions/prompts:
> 
> - Pick your favorite team from the dropdown menu.
> - Rate your optimism on a scale of 1-10. As you can imagine, 1 was the lowest level, and 10 was the highest.
> - If you want, leave a couple of sentences sharing who you are and explaining your score. (Why? Because we wanted to use it here!)
> 
> We received 1,511 responses and had fan representation from all 30 teams (thanks!), so we hope the survey offers a snapshot of how each fanbase felt entering the season.
> 
> * * *
> https://hub.chinaspurs.com/iframe?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdatawrapper.dwcdn.net%2FD6tpn%2F2%2F&key=5c363501
> 
> Since last year, we’ve seen massive swings in optimism for the Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz and Miami Heat. We’ve also seen a big-time move the other way for the Nuggets, Rockets, Golden State Warriors, Magic and LA Clippers. Now, let’s see which fanbases have the most optimism and why, along with a few explanations for each team. (Some responses have been edited for grammar and clarity.)
> 
> ## 1. San Antonio Spurs — 9.27/10
> 
> _Last season: 8/10, ranked eighth_
> 
> **Optimist Aaron Smith (10/10):** “Wemby. Castle. Harper. Gen Z version of Duncan, Ginobili, Parker — with (blasphemy warning) potential to be even better!”
> 
> **Optimist Scott:** “I’m ready to see how the disappointment from the finals fuels them. I think we’ll see angry Wemby.”
> 
> **Pessimist Bill (3/10):** “Does fear of a catastrophic Wemby injury count as pessimism? Everything broke right for my Spurs last year, and they went further than they probably deserved, karmically speaking, so I’m petrified.”
> 
> ## 2. Oklahoma City Thunder — 8.97/10
> 
> _Last season: 9.6/10, ranked first_
> 
> **Optimist Lee Mayhew (10/10):** “The Thunder had a lot of injuries last year, which I am ‘hopeful’ they will avoid and pass on to other teams like the Nuggets and the Spurs.”
> 
> **Optimist Tiz (10/10):** “Two-time MVP, big three healthy, I-Hart re-signed, Chet has a chip on his shoulder.”
> 
> **Pessimist Gonçalo Leite (7/10):** “It could be higher, but we are being f—ed by the aprons.”
> 
> ## 3. New York Knicks — 8.6/10
> 
> _Last season: 8.2/10, ranked sixth_
> 
> **Optimist Jordan (10/10):** “The optimism comes from a pretty simple place: Jalen Brunson. How people are still sleeping on a team that just went on one of the best playoff runs in the history of basketball baffles me.”
> 
> **Optimist Ariel Bernet (10/10):** “Jalen Brunson is winning the MVP next season; he is by far the best player in the NBA and is getting slept on because he doesn’t look like a superstar (what I mean by that is he doesn’t have crazy bag work like Kyrie, he doesn’t shoot like Curry and he doesn’t have the size).”
> 
> **Pessimist anonymous commenter (5/10):** “I have plenty of faith in the guys on the floor (and the bench), but Dolan is already reminding us of his Chaos Agent status. Between his stubborn stance — re: extensions/second apron — and his (probable) pressuring of the team to visit the White House, I fear he will cloud our orange and blue skies. (#knicksinfive forever tho.)”
> 
> ## 4. Philadelphia 76ers — 8.29/10
> 
> _Last season: 3.8/10, ranked 24th_
> 
> **Optimist John Farley (10/10):** “The 76ers have the most talented starting five I have ever seen from a Sixers squad. I have been following the 76ers since the 1973-74 season, and on paper, this is the most talented roster the 76ers have ever put together. If they can stay reasonably healthy this upcoming season, the Sixers will be the Beast of the East!”
> 
> **Optimist Pat (10/10):** “The defining player of my generation, who has arguably had the greatest career in the history of the sport, chose to finish his career in Philadelphia in an attempt to defeat the ghosts of ousted GMs, normal-sized collars, shot phobias, shot ailments, soy allergies, spurned mothers, quadruple-bounce buzzer beaters, digestive tract issues, Bell’s palsy, fake corporate sponsors, liar presidents and Doc Rivers. Let me believe he can do it.”
> 
> **Pessimist Wendell (4/10):** “Ownership cash grab on Bronny Sr. Still no real backup for Embiid or depth generally.”
> 
> ## 5. Indiana Pacers — 8.14/10
> 
> _Last season: 6.3/10, ranked tied for 15th_
> 
> **Optimist Stan Spinola (10/10):** “New additions and the team is healthy; can’t wait for Tyrese to return to the Garden. Daddy’s Back!”
> 
> **Optimist Daniel Ludwig (10/10):** “I’m really excited for Haliburton’s return from his Achilles tear and the addition of Ivica Zubac. This team is being heavily slept on and, in my opinion, should be viewed as the second-best team in the conference (behind NYK).”
> 
> **Pessimist Tanner Dean (5/10):** “I have a 5 optimism for the Pacers because this roster should be able to move the ball well but lacks defensive fortitude.”
> 
> ## 6. Minnesota Timberwolves — 8.09/10
> 
> _Last season: 8.1/10, ranked seventh_
> 
> **Optimist Aaron L. (10/10):** “Getting off Julius Randle and on LaMelo Ball has improved team chemistry enormously. Still, I know I’ll be disappointed in the end — it’s a Minnesota sports thing.”
> 
> **Optimist Chris (10/10):** “For anyone who watched in the '90s, this is confusing, but anything less than the WCF is a miss. Expectations are painfully high for this squad, and I wish them a good season.”
> 
> **Pessimist Ryan (4/10):** “I get why the Wolves decided to take the risk on LaMelo; I just don’t see a scenario where he can be the second-best player on a team that beats OKC or SA.”
> 
> ## 7. Toronto Raptors — 7.85/10
> 
> _Last season: 5.6/10, ranked 19th_
> 
> **Optimist Mitch (8/10):** “Last year I said 7/10, which feels about right with how the season went. I think adding Kawhi is worthy of a two-point bump, but I’m at an 8/10 because we still lack outside shooting.”
> 
> **Optimist Greg Frankson (9/10):** “Having what will definitely be one of the league’s (potentially all-time) nastiest defences, plus continuity and a Klaw-sized upgrade on offence, has this team (once again) as the most slept-on giant in the league. Simply recall the level of sleep back in 2018-'19, and competitors should prepare to be dino-mauled.”
> 
> **Pessimist Matt K. (6/10):** “Overall down on the NBA. Too much league interference, too much reliance on ref judgment; 2019 was an anomaly that will never happen again. Feeling meh about cheering for Kawhi again, though I have no qualms about Ingram and Gradey being dealt. I like a lot of the roster but am not that enthused about following them and gave up my quarter-share of season tickets that I had for many years after last season.”
> 
> ## 8. Detroit Pistons — 7.51/10
> 
> _Last season: 7.8/10, ranked ninth_
> 
> **Optimist Robert Davis (8/10):** “The Pistons ultimately signed their guys, added supplemental pieces and are an Ausar/Duren step away from being the class of the conference.”
> 
> **Optimist Bret Wallin (9/10):** “I think last year’s 60 wins is getting slept on. Their core is still extremely young, and I don’t think an advance in their development is being priced in.”
> 
> **Pessimist Owen K. (6/10):** “I believe in Cade continuing to ascend and am glad the Duren mess was resolved, but it’s hard to see our free-agency pickups raising the ceiling from what last year’s team could do. Despite the improving competition in the East, I lean cautiously optimistic and expect the team to grind for a top playoff spot.”
> 
> ![](https://files.seeusercontent.com/2026/10/23/Shc0/261023-e02129276d0b188c433179d67.jpg)  
> _Heat fans’ optimism can be summed up in two words: Giannis Antetokounmpo. (Sam Navarro / Imagn Images)_
> 
> ## 9. Miami Heat — 7.36/10
> 
> _Last season: 5.5/10, ranked 20th_
> 
> **Optimist Billy (9/10):** “We’ve got Giannis! We’re not just spinning our wheels, and we’re going for it.”
> 
> **Optimist Rene Castillo (10/10):** “Do not need two sentences, just Giannis Antetokounmpo.”
> 
> **Pessimist Gabe (4/10):** “I just don’t think Giannis is gonna bring us a championship.”
> 
> **Pessimist Thanasis A. (1/10):**“The Heat need an enforcer.”
> 
> ## 10. Utah Jazz — 7.1/10
> 
> _Last season: 3.1/10, ranked tied for 28th_
> 
> **Optimist Andrew Buxton (8/10):** “Darryn Peterson and Ace Bailey bring some fun, young talent to an experienced roster with Lauri and JJJ. After four years of losing basketball, I am excited to see the Jazz compete again!”
> 
> **Optimist Steve (9/10):** “The only reason I didn’t rate my optimism a 10 is because I am a die-hard pessimist.”
> 
> **Pessimist Brad Bugger (3/10):** “I don’t think you throw a switch and go from intentionally losing games to all of a sudden being a playoff contender.”
> 
> ## 11. Cleveland Cavaliers — 6.96/10
> 
> _Last season: 8.3/10, ranked fifth_
> 
> **Optimist Jeff (8/10):** “An offseason integrating James H. should help their flow. This core has to be as hungry as, if not more than, the fans to break through to the finals.”
> 
> **Optimist Sarah (9/10):** “Cleveland is gonna Cleveland. At every turn, this city is counted down and out, and we come through; we may not win it all, but we’ll make a run.”
> 
> **Pessimist Clark (4/10):** “We are just going to choke in the playoffs again. Mitchell will be second-team All-NBA and average 25 with help from Mobley and Harden, and we will hit 50 wins, narrowly advance in the first round and get eliminated in six in Round 2.”
> 
> ## 12. Los Angeles Lakers — 6.86/10
> 
> _Last season: 7/10, ranked 12th_
> 
> **Optimist Rich Severa (8/10):** “Inevitable transition from LBJ has gone better than expected. They have a young core, with a legit big man, a superstar scorer and a budding young head coach.”
> 
> **Optimist Adam Irizarry (10/10):** “Kessler can keep the West bigs busy while Luka works his magic. I’ll take Luka over SGA or Fox/Harper/whoever.”
> 
> **Pessimist Jesse (5/10):** “There’s not enough D: not enough defense, not enough dog.”
> 
> ## T-13. Atlanta Hawks — 6.76/10
> 
> _Last season: 7.5/10, ranked 10th_
> 
> **Optimist Sam (8/10):** “I really think we have a chance to make a playoff run this year, especially with the hopeful and, in my opinion, probable Jalen Johnson shot-creation leap and the somewhat unexpected role that I hope Kingston Flemings will earn as the season goes on. I think our perimeter defense will be suffocating, which will make up for our lack of size on defense, and our wing depth with the additions of Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and the second-year Asa Newell will prove to be one of the best wing rooms in the league, leading us to a top-five seed in the East.”
> 
> **Optimist Shaughn (10/10):** “Holy hell, are we going to be a problem for other offenses.”
> 
> **Pessimist Brian Unell (5/10):** “Optimism is middle of the road, just like the Hawks have been for the majority of my life (52 years). I am hopeful Jalen J. will continue to grow into a superstar and the new members (draft and veterans) will gel and make a run in the post-Trae Young era.”
> 
> ## T-13. Washington Wizards — 6.76/10
> 
> _Last season: 3.2/10, ranked tied for 26th_
> 
> **Optimist Greg K. (10/10):** “We added an All-NBA, All-Star and No. 1 pick from a loaded draft to a team full of interesting young guys. Sky is the limit, and we’re finally done tanking!”
> 
> **Optimist Sebastian Jakubowski (10/10):** “After a lifetime of mediocrity, minus a bit of excitement to see Michael Jordan coach/play on a bad team, we finally have something. All these pieces acquired in the last year may actually come together to do something unknown to us Wizards fans: win!”
> 
> **Pessimist David Peikin (5/10):** “Optimistic about all the young talent on the roster (AJ, Will Riley, Bub, Tre, Alex) but wondering why we leaned into so many veterans who are going to take away their playing time. We will be bad, but we won’t be laughable for once.”
> 
> ## 15. Denver Nuggets — 6.68/10
> 
> _Last season: 8.9/10, ranked second_
> 
> **Optimist Randy (9/10):** “Basically an optimistic person anyway, but as long as we have Jokić, we have a chance to go deep. Plus, despite all the hand-wringing, I think we did a good job of putting together the roster in the offseason.”
> 
> **Optimist anonymous commenter (8/10):** “Jokić has been looking fit and lean and just dropped one of the greatest dimes I’ve ever seen in the preseason game. Also, hopefully the middy man will turn back the clock and start making 3s instead of being De3pt% DeSucks.”
> 
> **Pessimist Michael O. (2/10):** “Literally got worse since last year, losing Peyton Watson. How can you possibly run it back with a team that got stomped by the heavily injured Timberwolves?”
> 
> ## T-16. Houston Rockets — 6.57/10
> 
> _Last season: 8.4/10, ranked fourth_
> 
> **Optimist Jeff C. (8/10):** “Fred’s back, so it’s got to be better … right? They’re my only hope for a competitive Houston sports team with the Texans 0-4 and 'Stros outta the playoffs after a terrible but expected showing against Chicago.” _(Editor’s note: The Texans enter the weekend 2-4.)_
> 
> **Optimist Matt from Austin (9/10):** “Last year, the young guys were feeling themselves a little bit reading their press clippings when reality hit. Now just about everyone has their money and is locked in to go win.”
> 
> **Pessimist Sam (5/10):** “It’s a good team. But Durant and VanVleet are old, chemistry is a mess, and the young guys are maxing out at ‘really good,’ which isn’t going to beat OKC and San Antonio.”
> 
> **Pessimist Shawn (4/10):** “The best player is 38.”
> 
> ## T-16. Orlando Magic — 6.57/10
> 
> _Last season: 8.8/10, ranked third_
> 
> **Optimist Mike Duffy (10/10):** “We can’t be the jinxed franchise forever. Hopefully we finally expelled the ghost of Grant Hill …”
> 
> **Optimist anonymous commenter (9/10):** “When healthy, this team is really, really, REALLY good. Just ask Detroit.”
> 
> **Pessimist Zach (3/10):** “Considering how much money we’ve sunk into this core, it’s top-four seed or bust, and we haven’t played offense at a league-average level since Dwight Howard left.”
> 
> **Pessimist Cody (3/10):**“The lack of first-round picks in the future and stunted growth of our young core (not to mention the 3-point shooting was gross again).”
> 
> ![](https://i.ibb.co/yBywfFcm/d4cd446f1e48.jpg)  
> _Celtics fans have to decide if they believe in Paul George after trading away Jaylen Brown. (Bob DeChiara / Imagn Images)_
> 
> ## 18. Boston Celtics — 6.55/10
> 
> _Last season: 5.7/10, ranked 18th_
> 
> **Optimist Sean O. (9/10):** “I think they traded for better defense and have the deepest bench in the league. If George stays healthy-ish, we will contend for the finals.”
> 
> **Optimist Johnathan (9/10):** “While I’m not at all happy about losing Jaylen Brown, if I compare this team with last year and view it as trading Brown for a (hopefully) healthy Tatum, plus adding PG-13 and Robinson, that gives me plenty of hope. More touches for Pritchard should be a good thing (but still no way that Brown being a Sixer can be good for us).”
> 
> **Pessimist Frank (1/10):** “One old, injury-prone player in exchange for Jaylen Brown and a free agent who is also injury-prone and can’t shoot free throws.”
> 
> **Pessimist Jim (4/10):** “I get change is inevitable in the modern NBA, but we watched the Jays come up together, and now it’s just over? JB was the heart and engine of this team — this sucks.”
> 
> ## 19. Charlotte Hornets — 6.50/10
> 
> _Last season: 4/10, ranked 23rd_
> 
> **Optimist Jordy (7/10):** “They were terrific in the second half, and while I didn’t love the trade of LaMelo initially, it does seem like they are trying on a different identity now and committing to it. I can get behind that!”
> 
> **Optimist Justin (7/10):** “I want to believe the team is heading in the right direction, but will they still be as fun to watch?”
> 
> **Pessimist Robbie (3/10):** “I’m not optimistic because we traded our franchise player, and we traded Miles Bridges.”
> 
> ## 20. Dallas Mavericks — 6.42/10
> 
> _Last season: 6.3/10, ranked tied for 15th_
> 
> **Optimist Brian K. (10/10):** “We have to max out the optimism this year while we still have Kyrie, even if we’re realistically a 40-win team tops. If the Spurs could make a surprise run, so can Cooper, Kyrie and all these bigs.”
> 
> **Optimist Jimmy (8/10):** “This is the sweet spot — no expectations but tons of potential.”
> 
> **Pessimist Pete Oppel (3/10):** “My lack of optimism is the result of a concern over how many games Kyrie will play this season, the top-heavy amount of bigs on the roster and the lack of backcourt/ballhandling talent and depth on the team. I see another lottery finish, although that finish could be as high as 11th in the Western Conference.”
> 
> ## 21. Portland Trail Blazers — 6.17/10
> 
> _Last season: 6.1/10, ranked 17th_
> 
> **Optimist Don Jeskey (8/10):** “I know he is older, but Dame coming back will give the Blazers the outside shooting they sorely missed last year. Even though our new owner is clueless on public relations, I still expect the Blazers to win close to 50 games and easily make the playoffs.”
> 
> **Optimist anonymous commenter (8/10):** “We’ve got a motivated Ja Morant with something to prove, Dame making his triumphant return and a cornerstone star with Deni Avdija. When Shaedon’s back, the highlights should be plentiful with this squad!”
> 
> **Pessimist Sam (4/10):** “On one hand, maybe Ja is good again. On the other, Shaedon’s out for the year, Scoot’s development has been self-sabotaged to a degree I’ve never seen, and oh, yeah, the new owner seems determined to strip whatever dignity this organization had.”
> 
> **Pessimist Dustin L. (3/10):**“A s—ty new owner who flexed his s—tiness and an offseason that was neutral at best for the roster. Not sure how much I’ll watch this team this season.”
> 
> ## 22. Phoenix Suns — 6.00/10
> 
> _Last season: 3.6/10, ranked 25th_
> 
> **Optimist Erik (8/10):** “There is a play-hard culture now in place, so even against teams with superior talent, the Suns should be competitive and entertaining. Only one team wins each year, so if my team is competitive and entertaining, I can’t really ask for much more.”
> 
> **Pessimist Noah Burnett (2/10):** “When I go to sleep at night, I dream that we still have that 2021 finals team, and then I wake up and remember we gave up a haul for Miles Bridges so that we can start four small wings and get blown out by 50 every night while having absolutely zero draft capital.”
> 
> **Pessimist Sean (4/10):** “They did better than expected last year (despite recovering from the Bradley Beal fiasco), but are missing pieces to excel. Hopefully having the unit go into its second year together (with the same head coach) will create synergy that can attract the last missing pieces.”
> 
> ## 23. Chicago Bulls — 5.36/10
> 
> _Last season: 3.2/10, ranked tied for 26th_
> 
> **Optimist anonymous commenter (10/10):** “Zero expectation of their overall record, just enjoying the direction they have turned to and can see a vision of the future, and it looks good.”
> 
> **Optimist Zak (8/10):** “Young talent means it’s going to at least be fun. And heck, if the White Sox can do it, why not the Bulls?”
> 
> **Pessimist anonymous commenter (4/10):** “It’s the beginning of a rebuild, so while I’m not optimistic about this season’s win/loss record, I am optimistic long-term.”
> 
> **Pessimist Zach (2/10):** “It seems to be the same story repeatedly since Rose got hurt. We will be better in the future, but instead we just watch former Bulls players start and succeed all over the league (Butler, Markkanen, Dunn, Carter).”
> 
> ## 24. Memphis Grizzlies — 5.00/10
> 
> _Last season: 5.3/10, ranked 21st_
> 
> **Optimist Wes (8/10):** “Optimistic about Boozer and Edey playing/rebounding/scoring together.”
> 
> **Pessimist Asher A. (3/10):** “I strongly considered 1, because we will likely finish similar to last year. But I decided that Cam Boozer will bring SOME form of entertainment or excitement, and Beef Stew is bound to cause some antics, so I landed at 3.”
> 
> **Pessimist Sam (2/10):** “The Grizzlies have traded away all of our most exciting and beloved players for nothing. They are not committed to winning, and the only bright spot is Boozer.”
> 
> ![](https://i.ibb.co/HfMv4kdx/8fdfdd97a2db.jpg)  
> _Is Steph Curry enough reason for Warriors fans to be optimistic? (David Gonzales / Imagn Images)_
> 
> ## 25. Golden State Warriors — 4.46/10
> 
> _Last season: 7.3/10, ranked 11th_
> 
> **Optimist** **anonymous commenter (9/10):** “Reason for hope: Steph Effing Curry.”
> 
> **Pessimist Bruce (1/10):** “Dunleavy hasn’t shown much, Jimmy won’t be back for a while.”
> 
> **Pessimist Christian (1/10):** “Lendeborg and Curry cannot carry all the work. Draymond is old, Butler is old and injured. We are in the worst spot. We got Curry his last championship in 2022. Now Dunleavy is handicapped and has no idea what to do now. In reality, that last championship made us worse.”
> 
> ## 26. Brooklyn Nets — 3.87/10
> 
> _Last season: 2.8/10, ranked 30th_
> 
> **Optimist Andy (9/10):** “They are still going to be bad, but they will be watchable for the first time in, like, three years, and that is literally all I want out of my team.”
> 
> **Pessimist anonymous commenter (1/10):** “Regardless of the number of first-round draft picks (five!), the team cannot win even 50 percent of its games. Sean Marks and Mr. Tsai do not care about the fans.”
> 
> **Pessimist Mike W. (2/10):** “It’s Oct. 6, and our No. 1 draft pick is already injured.”
> 
> ## 27. Milwaukee Bucks — 3.55/10
> 
> _Last season: 6.6/10, ranked 14th_
> 
> **Optimist Cody (7/10):** “The Bucks won’t be good, but after the end of the Giannis years, being young and OK sounds fun.”
> 
> **Pessimist Jared (1/10):** “I have to watch Tyler Herro, Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner play basketball together. Enough said.”
> 
> **Pessimist Andrew (2/10):** “My franchise traded our star player and extended Gary Trent Jr. for four more years; no part of me is optimistic.”
> 
> ## 28. LA Clippers — 3.27/10
> 
> _Last season: 6.8/10, ranked 13th_
> 
> **Optimist anonymous commenter (10/10):** “Fifteen straight years of .500 or better — 41-41 season inbound after the entire team gets traded at the deadline.”
> 
> **Pessimist Noah S. (1/10):** “It’s like going into a store for five minutes and when you come out, there’s a thunderstorm, and you’re left wondering how the hell it went downhill so fast.”
> 
> **Pessimist Ethan (2/10):** “We got Keaton Wagler. But we are still the Clippers, and we can’t even do fraud well.”
> 
> ## 29. New Orleans Pelicans — 3.21/10
> 
> _Last season: 4.4/10, ranked 22nd_
> 
> **Optimist Andy (7/10):** “There’s no way the injury bug can be as bad as last season, right? Both the first and second lines have very good, even if odd, pieces.”
> 
> **Pessimist anonymous commenter (1/10):** “Maybe it’s my ignorance, but the team does not seem to take itself seriously at all or want to win.”
> 
> **Pessimist anonymous commenter (1/10):** “If you need a full breakdown of why I’m not optimistic at all, you haven’t watched the New Orleans Pelicans. A new coach will produce a few more wins, but the same roster as last year (not enough size at the big positions) and the yearly ‘Wow! Zion looks great at camp and in photos!’ false hope … we’ve seen this movie many times. It doesn’t end well. Yet, I’ll still watch the movie, foolishly hoping it surprises me.”
> 
> ## 30. Sacramento Kings — 3.19/10
> 
> _Last season: 3.1/10, ranked tied for 28th_
> 
> **Optimist anonymous commenter (9/10):** “ACUFF, BABY!!! And no one has any hope for this team, so there’s no pressure to play well, even though we will.”
> 
> **Pessimist anonymous commenter (1/10):** “I gave up my season tickets after 20 consecutive years, but not because of the losing. There’s just something rotten at the core of this franchise that is destroying it from within.”
> 
> **Pessimist Scott (1/10):**“I have no optimism about the Kings because I have eyes, ears and a functioning brain. Team ownership and management have made every bad decision possible and are allergic to even moderate success.”

By Zach Harper / [The Athletic](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7696626/2026/10/23/nba-hope-o-meter-2026-27-knicks-sixers-spurs-lakers/)