1. Orlando Magic
2024-25 record: 41-41, first in the Southeast
Head coach: Jamahl Mosley, fifth season with Magic (144-184 record)
Coming and going: The addition of Desmond Bane from Memphis should give the Magic someone to run the offense and they added to the stock at that position by tacking on well-traveled Tyus Jones as well. Bane’s presence should give the backcourt a different vibe with a point guard intent on distributing yet still arriving with scoring averages of more than 18 points in each of the past four seasons. Cole Anthony looked like a player to build around, but the Magic unloaded him after his uneven tenure with the team.
Numbers to crunch: The Magic have finished first in the division in back-to-back seasons, but they haven’t won 50 games since 2010-11.
Season snapshot: Paolo Banchero (25.9) and Franz Wagner (24.2) are established players with their best years still ahead, though they combined to average 50 points per game last season. Now it’s a matter of seeing how the complementary pieces come together.
There’s plenty on the plates for Banchero and Wagner as they’ve also been among the team’s leaders in rebounding and assists. Adding Bane makes it a threesome of potent scorers.
2. Atlanta Hawks
2024-25 record: 40-42, second in Southeast
Head coach: Quin Snyder, fourth season with the Hawks (86-99)
Coming and going: With Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker coming on board, there were instant suggestions that the Hawks could be on a higher flight pattern. They’ll count on Porzingis providing a championship mindset developed from his time with the Celtics. Luke Kennard gives them another outside shooter, averaging 43.8% on 3-pointers in his career. Porzingis, who averaged 19.5 points last season, gives Atlanta size to balance the departure of Clint Capela.
Numbers to crunch: The Hawks have played beyond the regular season for four years in a row, but each time they were assigned to the play-in portion of the postseason and that makes for a tough climb.
Season snapshot: Guard Trae Young is entering his eighth NBA season and many observers might be leery of his ability to take the Hawks to the next level. He still produces at a good clip, leading the NBA in assists (a career-high 11.6 per game) last season while also averaging 24.2 points per outing. But Atlanta and Young are tabling negotiations toward a long-term contract for now, which props open the door for his potential exit if Atlanta slips out of the gate.
In 2 1/2 seasons with the Hawks, Snyder hasn’t achieved a winning mark though he developed a pattern of winning (three 50-win campaigns) during his tenure with the Utah Jazz. He could be under the microscope if the season isn’t successful.
3. Miami Heat
2024-25 record: 37-45, third in Southeast
Head coach: Erik Spoelstra, 18th season with the Heat (787-572 record)
Coming and going: It’s hard to determine how offseason moves will turn out given the volume and the departures of contributors such as Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson, Duncan Robinson and Alec Burks. Norman Powell comes on board with the reputation as being able to light it up from the perimeter. It will be worthwhile to monitor what the Heat get out of Simone Fontecchio after his decline in production last season with Detroit. The Heat plucked guard Kasparas Jakucionis with the 20th pick in the draft, but there’s no guarantee he’s ready for a major impact right away.
Numbers to crunch: It has been more than two decades since the Heat had back-to-back losing seasons (2001-02, 2002-03), but that status could be threatened if they don’t get off to a solid start.
Season snapshot: It will be noteworthy to see what Davion Mitchell offers now that he’s with the Heat from the get-go. The backcourt is well-tested with veteran Terry Rozier and eventually Tyler Herro (team-high 23.9 points last season), but how things shake out without Jimmy Butler – good and bad – will be telling in determining the level of success the Heat achieves.
Bam Adebayo is set for his ninth season and is a double-double threat every night out. Herro will miss the start of the season after undergoing foot surgery in mid-September but is hopeful of returning by December.
4. Charlotte Hornets
2024-25 record: 19-63, fourth in Southeast
Head coach: Charles Lee, second season with the Hornets (19-63 record)
Coming and going: The Hornets will expect plenty out of first-round draft pick Kon Knueppel, who might have been overshadowed as Cooper Flagg’s college teammate and classmate at Duke. It looks like a wise move to have added Collin Sexton as he provides a potential offensive spark. Center Mason Plumlee has returned to the Hornets, with more experience than his first go-around.
Numbers to crunch: Former first-round draft pick LaMelo Ball has played fewer than 50 games in each of the past three seasons, diminishing the potential impact of averaging more than 23 points per game in each of those seasons.
Season snapshot: The core of the team is in place with Ball, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges, but getting them all on the same page and in the lineup on a consistent basis will be among the priorities. All three players averaged more than 20 points per outing a season ago.
There has been one winning campaign in the past nine seasons for Charlotte. A lot of things would have to go right for one to occur this season.
5. Washington Wizards
2024-25 record: 18-64, fifth in Southeast
Head coach: Brian Keefe, third season with the Wizards (26-95 record)
Coming and going: There’s a chance that Khris Middleton’s presence will provide a steady hand, but his acquisition last February came at a cost by sending away Kyle Kuzma, who had been a reliable contributor. If experience means anything, bringing on CJ McCollum will be a plus. Marvin Bagley III is back for his second go-around with the team. Jordan Poole and his 20.5 points per game are gone off to New Orleans.
Numbers to crunch: Even in the downtrodden Southeast Division, three teams posted more victories last season than the Wizards have in the past two seasons combined. They’ve won 33 games in that span.
Season snapshot: The Wizards were in the NBA cellar in numerous statistical categories, and were one of the lowest-scoring offenses at 108 points per game. While there will be interest and intrigue with AJ Johnson, it’s unclear if the second-year pro is ready to ignite enough offense.
Maybe Washington will get more out of veteran Corey Kispert, who has been a double-figure scorer in the past three seasons and has 179 3-pointers in four seasons. McCollum loves firing away from 3-point range and is just 11 away from 2,000 for his career.
–Field Level Media
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