NBA Eastern Conference: Analyzing Each Team’s Biggest Issue for the 2024-25 Season

As the NBA enters October, fans eagerly anticipate the return of basketball with media day signaling the beginning of training camps. It’s been a busy offseason, full of trades, signings, and team restructuring. Yet, despite all the moves made, no team enters the season without weaknesses. In this article, we break down the biggest issues each team in the Eastern Conference faces as they prepare for the 2024-25 NBA season.

1. Atlanta Hawks: Stuck Between Timelines

The Atlanta Hawks are struggling with a roster that is torn between rebuilding and competing. After the failed experiment of pairing Trae Young with Dejounte Murray, the Hawks traded Murray but are still left with a roster that isn’t good enough to compete seriously. They also secured the first overall pick in the draft, selecting Zachary Rasay, who represents the future. Unfortunately, the Hawks are stuck in a position where they’re not fully rebuilding but also not forming a competitive team for Trae Young’s prime years, leaving them in limbo.

2. Boston Celtics: Lack of Frontcourt Depth

The defending champions, Boston Celtics, appear strong going into the season, but the depth at the big-man position remains their biggest question mark. Kristaps Porziņģis is expected to miss the first couple of months due to injury, leaving Al Horford as the main option at center. Beyond Horford, the Celtics’ options are more questionable. Xavier Tillman struggled in Memphis before arriving in Boston, and Luke Kornet’s play has been inconsistent, particularly on defense. This lack of reliable depth means the Celtics will have to rely heavily on small-ball lineups.

3. Brooklyn Nets: Balancing Veterans and Development

After a turbulent few years, the Brooklyn Nets are in rebuilding mode. However, they face a challenge with balancing minutes between their young players and veteran talent. While players like Cam Thomas show great potential, veterans such as Ben Simmons and Dennis Schröder may take significant playing time, potentially hindering the development of the younger core. The Nets need to ensure that their young talents receive enough opportunity to grow in what is expected to be a developmental season.

4. Charlotte Hornets: Lack of Floor Spacing

Despite having a dynamic playmaker in LaMelo Ball, the Hornets’ offense could struggle due to poor floor spacing. While Ball is capable of creating opportunities, his teammates’ shooting abilities may not stretch defenses enough to give him the space he needs. Players like Brandon Miller, Grant Williams, and Miles Bridges are average shooters at best, while the rest of the roster struggles from beyond the arc. Unless these players improve, the Hornets may find it difficult to optimize their offense around Ball.

5. Chicago Bulls: Navigating Zach LaVine’s Future

The Chicago Bulls enter the new season with an unresolved issue surrounding star guard Zach LaVine. Over the summer, rumors swirled about LaVine being on the trade block, but no deal materialized. LaVine is coming off an injury and the worst season of his career, leaving his trade value low. While holding onto him to increase his value is a viable strategy, it leaves the Bulls in a precarious position of not fully committing to either winning now or rebuilding.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers: Maximizing Darius Garland

The Cleveland Cavaliers signed Donovan Mitchell to a contract extension, ensuring stability for the team. However, the issue now revolves around Darius Garland. Garland was an All-Star before Mitchell arrived, but his production has declined since the trade. The Cavaliers must figure out how to better integrate Garland’s playmaking and shooting with Mitchell to unlock their backcourt’s full potential and maintain Garland’s confidence as a key player.

7. Detroit Pistons: Finding the Right Lineup Combinations

The Pistons are another young team trying to find the right balance between developing their core and utilizing veteran additions. Detroit added veterans like Tim Hardaway Jr. and Tobias Harris to provide shooting and stability, but playing them too much could stifle the development of younger players like Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. Figuring out the best lineup combinations will be crucial for the Pistons to take a step forward in their rebuild.

8. Indiana Pacers: Perimeter Defense Concerns

The Indiana Pacers’ perimeter defense remains a glaring issue. While adding Pascal Siakam improved their frontcourt defensively, the backcourt continues to struggle in preventing penetration. As the Pacers roll into the new season with a similar roster to last year, significant improvements will be needed from the guards defensively if they want to be a more balanced team.

9. Miami Heat: Keeping Jimmy Butler Happy

The Miami Heat have a history of success with Jimmy Butler at the helm, but recent reports suggest that Butler is becoming dissatisfied with the team’s direction. After a lackluster offseason, where the Heat failed to make any significant moves to improve their roster, Butler’s frustrations have grown. With his contract nearing its end, Miami needs to keep an eye on this situation, as any further rifts could derail their season.

10. Milwaukee Bucks: Team Chemistry Issues

The Milwaukee Bucks had an unusual year last season, capped off by Damian Lillard joining the team. However, Lillard’s enthusiasm for being in Milwaukee has been questioned, and the Bucks made a midseason coaching change by hiring Doc Rivers. The team’s chemistry was further disrupted by injuries. As Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo continue to acclimate to each other’s playstyles, the Bucks’ chemistry remains a concern, especially with their key players not getting any younger.

11. New York Knicks: Interior Defense Challenges

The New York Knicks’ interior defense took a hit when they lost Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency. While they added Karl-Anthony Towns, who is a significant upgrade offensively, Towns is a subpar defender, and Mitchell Robinson’s health is still a question mark. The Knicks are no longer the defensive force they were a year ago, and their defense in the paint could be their Achilles’ heel.

12. Orlando Magic: Lack of Playmakers

Despite having strong individual talents like Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, the Orlando Magic’s offense ranked poorly last season due to a lack of true playmakers. They’ve improved defensively, but without a natural point guard or creator to orchestrate their offense, the Magic may once again struggle to compete with more dynamic teams.

13. Philadelphia 76ers: Power Forward Weakness

The 76ers had a productive offseason, but the power forward position remains a question mark. The team is expected to run small-ball lineups with Kelly Oubre or Caleb Martin playing the four, but they may struggle defensively with that size. They also have the option of integrating Gerson Yabusele, but he remains unproven at the NBA level.

14. Toronto Raptors: Youth and Inexperience

The Toronto Raptors are fully committed to their rebuild, so their biggest issue—youth and inexperience—is not necessarily a problem. However, it does mean that fans should temper expectations, as their young core is likely to be inconsistent throughout the season. Veteran leadership will help, but the Raptors are in for a long developmental year.

15. Washington Wizards: Defining Jordan Poole’s Role

Jordan Poole was expected to take a leading role after joining the Washington Wizards, but his first season was marred by inefficiency and poor defense. The Wizards now face the challenge of figuring out whether to keep Poole in the starting lineup, bench him, or explore trade options. His performance this season will be crucial in determining his long-term fit with the team.

As the NBA season approaches, each of these teams will need to address their respective weaknesses to find success in the highly competitive Eastern Conference.