Who will help out Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee? Is Deandre Ayton the Los Angeles Lakers’ missing piece? Can the Memphis Grizzlies count on Ja Morant to return to form?

The Athletic Staff

Analysis

The Athletic asked its NBA staff for one burning question facing each team ahead of the beginning of the regular season next week, and those were just a few of the enticing storylines we heard about in response. Here are the other big questions we have before the action starts.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlanta Hawks

Is Zaccharie Risacher a playoff-level starter?

It was one thing to let the top pick in the 2024 draft start all season and take his lumps as a mediocre Hawks team tried to find its way. It’s quite another to have him penciled in as the starting small forward in Year 2 — with no trustworthy alternative — for a team with expectations of a top-four seed. Risacher was good for a 19-year-old, but the production was more fringe rotation than starting caliber. The bar in Atlanta is much higher this season. — JOHN HOLLINGER

Boston Celtics

Will anyone step up in the frontcourt?

The Celtics’ frontcourt lost two former All-Stars in Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis, plus one of the NBA’s best backup big men in Luke Kornet. And the most established player they acquired was Chris Boucher, a 32-year-old with 23 career starts on his résumé. Neemias Queta, the probable starter, operated as Boston’s fourth-string center last season. Luka Garza, who figures to be a significant rotation piece, played 219 total minutes last season in Minnesota. The Celtics need at least one of their centers to step up in a big way. — JAY KING

Brooklyn Nets

Where will they pick in the draft?

The Nets are in the second year of their rebuild. The first year was complicated. They were too good early on and then out-tanked by the Philadelphia 76ers down the stretch. They landed the No. 8 pick in the draft, which is nice but not high enough. Will they be able to triangulate their draft position a little better this season so they can get a player with elite talent in the top-three picks? We will see in mid-May. — MIKE VORKUNOV

Charlotte Hornets

How good is Tidjane Salaün?

Salaün was the No. 6 pick in the 2024 draft but had a slow rookie season — 5.9 points and 20.7 minutes per game. He is one of the clear building blocks for the Hornets, and they need to see him make progress so their rebuild can move forward. They still desperately need talent, and Salaün is one of the lottery tickets they are waiting on. He was always supposed to be a long-term investment, but surely Charlotte is hoping to see signs of progress in Year 2. — MIKE VORKUNOV

Chicago Bulls

Who will emerge from the youth movement?

As the Bulls aim to run faster, the roster looks understandably younger. While Arturas Karnisovas, the vice president of basketball operations, looks to competitively build, he asks for continued patience. The best way to buy that from Bulls fans is with assets emerging from the roster. Matas Buzelis’ rise could do wonders for Chicago’s build. If Coby White takes another leap, it could provide some clarity for his future. If Josh Giddey whittles down his limitations, he could remove doubts about the terms of his deal. Will Chicago see someone else turn into a legitimate asset on the wing? — JOEL LORENZI

Cleveland Cavaliers

What does it all mean?

There are smaller, more specific questions. How long will Darius Garland (and Max Strus) be out? Will Lonzo Ball hold up, and will Evan Mobley take another step? But the Cavs do indeed have an existential question in front of them. They have been one of the best regular-season teams in the NBA over the past three seasons, and each campaign was followed by fairly substantial playoff flops. Assuming that the talent assembled on the shores of Lake Erie is enough to survive the injuries to Garland and Strus, the question before the Cavs is, again: How can they make their success over six cold months translate into something meaningful when the temperature rises in the playoffs? — JOE VARDON

Detroit Pistons

How will they handle winning expectations?

The Pistons won’t be taking anyone by surprise this year. This will be the first season since drafting Cade Cunningham that Detroit is expected not only to reach the postseason but to be competitive once it gets there. Cunningham is an All-NBA talent who is capable of competing with the league’s elites. Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren continued to improve as last season progressed, and Jaden Ivey was having a stellar year before fracturing his fibula. How the Pistons handle winning expectations will ultimately boil down to how well the young core meshes and how J.B. Bickerstaff builds on the concepts he introduced during his first season as coach. — HUNTER PATTERSON

Indiana Pacers

Can Andrew Nembhard rise to the occasion?

The Pacers believe that giving Nembhard an opportunity to be their primary ballhandler will allow him to showcase his skills, and they expect to see offensive growth from him this season. During last season’s playoffs, Nembhard’s defensive abilities were on display against high-level scorers, so it’s safe to assume that he will continue to bring that while taking on more responsibilities. While Tyrese Haliburton’s ability to create pace will be missed, Indiana does not plan to make any changes to its identity or style of play. — SHAKEIA TAYLOR

Miami Heat

Can Nikola Jovic become a consistent option?

The 22-year-old capped his third season with a wrist injury, but he showed great flashes before finishing with career highs in scoring average, minutes per game, assists and touches, and he spent the summer on an impressive EuroBasket run. At 6-foot-10, Jovic should help Miami withstand Tyler Herro’s early absence and give the Heat’s frontcourt, with Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware, an added element of versatility. Jovic’s combination of shooting, driving ability, passing and transition activity makes him one of Miami’s most important pieces. — JAMES JACKSON

Milwaukee Bucks

Who is going to help Giannis?

As the only player to finish in the top four of NBA Most Valuable Player Award voting in each of the past seven seasons, Antetokounmpo is arguably the league’s most consistent superstar. He is the only player in NBA history to average at least 30 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists per game while shooting at least 60% from the field, and he’s done it each of the past two seasons. This season, the Bucks plan on letting Antetokounmpo play point forward, and that will give him a chance to put up even more ridiculous individual numbers. But he will need some help if the Bucks want to finish in the top four in the East. — ERIC NEHM

New York Knicks

Who will start?

Last season’s starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns played significantly more minutes than any other five-man group in the NBA. Overall, the five had a (barely) positive net rating, but it was negative from Jan. 1 until the end of the regular season. That group was even worse in the playoffs. Tom Thibodeau, the former coach, switched it in the Eastern Conference finals, replacing Hart with Mitchell Robinson. Will Mike Brown, the new head coach, make a similar choice? — JAMES L. EDWARDS III

Orlando Magic

Do the Magic have enough 3-point shooting?

The additions of Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones will improve the Magic’s 3-point shooting. But even when Bane and Jones are on the court simultaneously, will Orlando have enough high-level 3-point shooters to be able to space the floor fully? And what about lineups in which Bane and Jones play separately? The Magic made only 31.8% of their 3s last season. The franchise will need internal shooting development from players such as Franz Wagner and Anthony Black for the offense to make the jump necessary to a deep playoff run. — JOSH ROBBINS

Philadelphia 76ers

How healthy will they be?

Nobody knows, which is a reason that the Sixers may be one of the biggest wild cards in the Eastern Conference. If Joel Embiid and Paul George play a decent number of games, then the Sixers are talented enough to theoretically compete at the top of the conference. If Embiid plays only 19 games and George 41, as they did last season, the Sixers can again be one of the worst teams in the league. It’s a talented roster, but a volatile one in terms of health. In a big way, that makes Philadelphia a fascinating watch. — TONY JONES

Toronto Raptors

Do Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes make sense together?

This question could be extended to the whole presumptive starting lineup, as the group, with Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl, did not play a minute together last year because of Ingram’s ankle injury. It mostly comes down to the Raptors’ two highest-paid players, though. In theory, Ingram provides some of the shotmaking that Barnes lacks, and Barnes’ passing and screen-setting augment Ingram. However, they are similarly sized players who often function from the same spots on the floor. We will need to see proof of concept sooner rather than later. — ERIC KOREEN

Washington Wizards

Will any of their youngsters develop into elite players?

The Wizards have an intriguing mix of youngsters, with rookie first-round picks Tre Johnson and Will Riley joining a nucleus that includes Bilal Coulibaly, Alexandre Sarr, Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George, AJ Johnson and Cam Whitmore. Washington’s front office has cast a wide net in the hope that some of the prospects will emerge as upper-level players. No one expects such transformations to occur overnight; after all, many of the youngsters have always been considered long-term projects. But it is fair to wonder how high some of the prospects’ ceilings are. — JOSH ROBBINS

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Dallas Mavericks

Can they score enough?

Yes, this is one of the major questions surrounding a team that began last season with a Luka Doncic-Kyrie Irving backcourt. In a five-week span, Doncic was traded, and Irving blew out his knee. (The Mavericks signed D’Angelo Russell this summer to be a stopgap solution until Irving is back.) Dallas does not have a ton of ball-handling, and its 3-point shooting numbers in the nine games Anthony Davis played last season were not pretty. Davis’ preference is to play power forward, but the Mavericks may ask him to play center more than he would like to make it easier on everyone in the half-court. — CHRISTIAN CLARK

Denver Nuggets

Can Denver’s depth bring it another title?

On paper, it looks like the Nuggets — and their new front office led by Jon Wallace and Ben Tenzer — finally gave Nikola Jokic a quality supporting cast again. Cam Johnson is an upgrade over Michael Porter Jr. Jonas Valanciunas is the most accomplished backup big man of the Jokic era. Bruce Brown was an invaluable member of the 2023 title team. Tim Hardaway Jr. can score in bunches. If Jokic’s co-stars Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon can be at their best — Christian Braun, too — another title could be in the cards. — SAM AMICK

Golden State Warriors

How will Jonathan Kuminga fit in?

Kuminga has to prove to Steve Kerr and the rest of the coaching staff that he can be a consistent piece off the bench. He also has to prove to the rest of the league that he is ready to take the next step in his game, one that would allow for the big contract he has been seeking. Kerr could not have been much clearer with what he’s looking for: He said that he wants the 22-year-old Kuminga to defend, rebound and run the floor. No matter where Kuminga may land next, he would be wise to follow the basketball directions. — NICK FRIEDELL

Houston Rockets

How will they handle the hole at point guard?

The news about Fred VanVleet’s torn anterior cruciate ligament was devastating for Houston, and not only because he played a pivotal role as a veteran point guard. It hurts even more because this team does not have a lot of great options behind him and even fewer avenues to add someone else who can soak up those minutes. Now, a team with championship expectations will be looking to 22-year-old Amen Thompson and 21-year-old Reed Sheppard to be ballhandlers who can organize the offense and knock down timely shots. Thompson and Sheppard are talented players, but will they be ready to step in, added scrutiny and all? — WILLIAM GUILLORY

Los Angeles Clippers

Who is the fifth starter?

James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac and Bradley Beal seem to be locks in this lineup. John Collins is an athletic big with skill, but do the Clippers need five starters who all average more than 16 points per game playing the majority of their minutes together? Or will the Clippers be better off trusting that they will have enough scoring with Harden and Leonard playing together, while balancing the offense with the kind of point-of-attack defense that helped LA win 50 games last season? Derrick Jones Jr. should be a candidate to start, which would allow the Clippers to begin games with a complete defensive mindset. — LAW MURRAY

Los Angeles Lakers

Will Deandre Ayton make all the difference?

The Lakers, more than anything else, needed a starting center, and in Ayton, they got a talented one. But he has to prove that he can impact winning at the highest level again. No Laker is under more pressure than their center; it’s on him to pick which way his career goes next. Is he a player with the talent of a No. 1 pick without the drive, or is he a player who has not found himself with an opportunity to redo things in a perfect situation? — DAN WOIKE

Memphis Grizzlies

Can they count on Ja Morant?

The Grizzlies enter the season with several questions, but the team-defining one is whether Memphis is building around the right player. The Grizzlies are still deep and young, but Morant’s lack of durability, tepid defense and off-court issues have raised questions. Between injuries and suspensions, he has played only 120 games over the past three seasons, while his level of play tailed off sharply from his electric 2021-22 campaign. Can Morant regain his All-Star form, or do the Grizzlies need to make some hard decisions? — JOHN HOLLINGER

Minnesota Timberwolves

How will they handle point guard?

How is coach Chris Finch going to maximize creation and ball movement from the point guard spot? He could stick with Mike Conley, the team’s smartest player who turns 38 soon, in the starting lineup and see how he holds up. He could put Donte DiVincenzo in that role next to Anthony Edwards. It seems unlikely that Rob Dillingham will start right away while he works to understand the pro game and compensate for his size deficiency on defense. Finch could pivot to give Edwards the ball even more. Julius Randle can help with playmaking on offense as well. Finch has options, but if he can’t find a reliable formula, the Wolves will likely have to hit the trade market. — JON KRAWCZYNSKI

New Orleans Pelicans

Can they stay healthy?

It’s always the same question with the Pelicans. New Orleans is not as deep as it has been in the past, and longtime reliable pieces like Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum are no longer in the building. However, with Zion Williamson at the forefront and Trey Murphy III stepping into a bigger role, the Pelicans have enough talent to be competitive on a night-to-night basis. At the very least, they should be good enough to prevent their draft-day trade to acquire Derik Queen from looking like a disaster. But if Williamson or any of the other main characters miss significant time, that equation changes. — WILLIAM GUILLORY

Oklahoma City Thunder

Can they win 73-plus games?

After the Thunder became the youngest champions in league history, what question burns brighter than this one? Oklahoma City won 68 games during an imperfect 2024-25 season. The young star Chet Holmgren missed 50 games. The group’s other center, Isaiah Hartenstein, was hurt at times, too. What if the Thunder have a healthier season? What if the 23-year-old Holmgren makes a leap? What if the 24-year-old All-NBA wing Jalen Williams continues to improve? How about the other pre-prime performers, like Cason Wallace? Do the Thunder win as many games as any team ever? — FRED KATZ

Phoenix Suns

Can Mark Williams stay healthy?

The Suns should have a solid backcourt in Devin Booker and Jalen Green. They will have a defensive pest in Dillon Brooks. But the key to their success is Williams. Over three seasons in Charlotte, the 7-foot center was productive when healthy. But that was not often. Since entering the league in 2022, Williams has played in only 43% of games. Coach Jordan Ott says Phoenix has an “intentional plan” for Williams, one designed to maximize his availability. If it works, the Suns could be better than expected. — DOUG HALLER

Portland Trail Blazers

Who is the backup point guard?

While Scoot Henderson recovers from a significant hamstring injury, likely sidelining him for months, who will Portland use to back up the 35-year-old Jrue Holiday? Right now, the candidates are Blake Wesley and the two-way rookie Caleb Love, which does not exactly scream stability. General Manager Joe Cronin said he isn’t “overly concerned” with the dilemma, pointing to the ball-handling of established players like Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe, but right now, those 18 minutes or so per game that Holiday rests seem precarious at best. — JASON QUICK

Sacramento Kings

Can Doug Christie make his mark?

The Kings’ decision to give Christie the job in late April was controversial, as the first-timer replaced an accomplished coach in Mike Brown and entered at a time of great discomfort after the De’Aaron Fox saga. Now Christie will have to find a way to teach his old dogs new tricks. The roster is loaded with score-first veterans such as Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk, yet Christie is preaching improved defense. If the newcomer Dennis Schröder can play like he did during EuroBasket, all while convincing his talented teammates to play with some synergy, that would help a great deal. — SAM AMICK

San Antonio Spurs

How will Victor Wembanyama’s return from a blood clot affect him?

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said last week that the team is built in Wembanyama’s image. He is the franchise, even if the Spurs have assembled a promising cast around him, led by the former All-Star De’Aaron Fox. But how will the deep vein thrombosis diagnosis that sidelined Wembanyama last season affect his load management throughout the year? There is so much unknown about this situation beyond his being ready to go. — JARED WEISS

Utah Jazz

Did they find their young star?

Utah has been in this rebuilding mode for a couple of years now, but none of its young draftees have looked the part of an absolute cornerstone. Ace Bailey, whom the Jazz drafted with the No. 5 pick, might be the franchise player the Jazz have been looking for. How does this team develop him and test out that potential? And do they think that should affect how they handle Lauri Markkanen on their roster? — ZACH HARPER

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By The Athletic Staff

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