The start of the 2023–24 NBA regular season is almost here, and teams are beginning to round into form. With training camp now complete and the preseason underway, many teams are still trying to figure out who will be in their rotation, let alone their starting five.
For some, that will be an easy choice, while for others, they will need preseason to figure out who gives them the best chance to win. With that in mind, let’s take a look at all 30 NBA teams’ projected starting lineups for the 2023–24 season.
NBA Projected starting lineup: Atlanta Hawks
Point Guard: Trae Young
Shooting Guard: Dejounte Murray
Small Forward: Bogdan Bogdanovic
Power Forward: Saddiq Bey
Center: Clint Capela
After finally trading John Collins this summer, the Hawks will have a new power forward, and it is likely to be Saddiq Bey. Bey may actually be a better fit considering he is a superior shooter to Collins, giving Atlanta better spacing and more perimeter threats around stars Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.
Otherwise, Atlanta will likely have the same starting lineup as last season, and while they only went 41-41, they did push the Boston Celtics to six games in the first round of the playoffs. With less drama and head coach Quinn Snyder having a training camp and preseason to instill his system after being hired mid-season, they should be better over a full season. That difference could add a few wins and give them a better seed after the Hawks finished seventh in the Eastern Conference last season.
Even then, with the Milwaukee Bucks, Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, and Miami Heat, the Hawks have a ceiling as is. That is unless they manage to pull off a rumored trade for a third star. But, at the moment, their starting lineup appears to be set for this season.
NBA Projected starting lineup: Boston Celtics
Point Guard: Jrue Holiday
Shooting Guard: Jaylen Brown
Small Forward: Jayson Tatum
Power Forward: Al Horford
Center: Kristaps Porzingis
After a disappointing playoff finish where they lost to the Miami Heat at home in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics seemed eager to make changes. The biggest changes involved trading Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies in a 3-team deal for all-star Kristaps Porzingis and recently adding Jrue Holiday.
Porzingis had a bounceback year with the Wizards, proving that he could still play while Holiday had a career-best season for the Bucks. While there are injury concerns that come along with the Unicorn, he’ll still help to bolster the Celtics’ front court, playing alongside fellow starter Al Horford.
Horford is entering his 17th season and definitely slowing down, so Porzingis should be a welcome addition on both ends of the floor. Meanwhile, the Celtics’ backcourt got a makeover after swapping up Smart and Brogdon and upgrading with Holiday, who’s a lockdown defender and an improved shooter, making him a perfect fit.
Still, the Celtics starting lineup will revolve around superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who each had career years last season. If they can continue to play at a high level, then the addition of Porzingis and Holiday could be enough to get the Celtics back to the NBA Finals.
NBA Projected starting lineup: Brooklyn Nets
Point guard: Spencer Dinwiddie
Shooting Guard: Royce O’Neale
Small Forward: Mikal Bridges
Power Forward: Dorian Finney-Smith
Center: Nic Claxton
This time last year, the Brooklyn Nets had a starting lineup that featured three All-Stars: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons. Now their starting lineup is dramatically different following trade deadline deals. Mikal Bridges now is far and away their best player and their best hope at a quick retooling after the Big 3 era ended in failure.
At the moment, a starting lineup of Spencer Dinwiddie, Royce O’Neale, Bridges, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Nic Claxton is a decent lineup but not one that can take them very far in a loaded Eastern Conference.
Brooklyn likely knows that, and they are all but certain to upgrade in some shape or form during the season. Especially with Dinwiddie and O’Neale’s big expiring contracts. They also still have Simmons and his unsightly contract, with $80 million remaining over the next two seasons.
He may be much harder to move, but with all of the picks they received for Durant and Irving, they could entice a team to take him off their hands and exchange for rotation players. Better yet, they could use him to help match salaries in a trade for a star. As a result, the lineup that starts the season for the Nets probably won’t be the only one that ends the season for them.
NBA Projected starting lineup: Charlotte Hornets
Point Guard: LaMelo Ball
Shooting Guard: Terry Rozier
Small Forward: Brandon Miller
Power Forward: PJ Washington
Center: Mark Williams
Charlotte rightly decided to tank after bad decisions and bad luck derailed their season. Miles Bridges missed all of last season, while Lamelo Ball played just 36 games. That resulted in them finishing with the fourth-worst record in the NBA and getting the second pick. Brandon Miller wasn’t perhaps the popular choice to be taken second, with Scoot Henderson still on the board, but he could still prove to be a great player.
His size as a 6’9 wing and his scoring ability should pair well with Ball. Both should create positional mismatches with their height, and with Bridges back as well as Washington, Charlotte could be surprisingly competitive on the offensive end of the floor.
Behemoth Mark Williams is expected to anchor their starting lineup. With Ball back to toss him lobs and more scoring punch in general, he should thrive in the role of roll-man as well as provide shot blocking and be able to corral rebounds. Charlotte probably still isn’t a playoff team this season. But their starting five feature more talent than one might expect from a team that won 27 games last year.
Projected starting lineup: Chicago Bulls
Point Guard: Alex Caruso
Shooting Guard: Zach LaVine
Small Forward: DeMar DeRozan
Power Forward: Patrick Williams
Center: Nikola Vucevic
Chicago definitely underperformed given their talent level last season, and unfortunately, they didn’t improve over the summer. That puts the Bulls in sort of limbo going into the 2023–24 season. As is, they aren’t bad enough to get a high lottery pick and aren’t good enough to be more than a play-in team.
Worse yet, two bad trades have handcuffed their ability to improve their situation and even resulted in them losing the lottery pick to the Orlando Magic. They even have terrible injury luck, with point guard Lonzo Ball being ruled out for the year. The last time he was fully healthy, the Bulls had a 22-13 record and looked like a legit playoff team.
Compare that to their record of 126-222 without Lonzo, and it’s clear that they miss his playmaking. Without many other options, re-signing Vucevic and running it back was probably the best option on the table. However, the Bulls may decide to go for an in-season teardown if things don’t improve this season, which appears likely at this point.
Projected starting lineup: Cleveland Cavaliers
Point Guard: Darius Garland
Shooting Guard: Donovan Mitchell
Small Forward: Max Strus
Power Forward: Evan Mobley
Center: Jarrett Allen
The Cavaliers’ starting lineup should look mostly the same as last season but with a key difference. Former Miami Heat wing Max Strus was acquired in a sign-and-trade and is expected to start as a small forward. There, he will hopefully fill Cleveland’s biggest hole and give them a good shooter and a decent defender who will benefit from the shots that Garland and Mitchell create. By addressing their biggest question mark, Cleveland should be better for it.
They will also be counting on continued growth from rising star Evan Mobley, who gives them their best chance at internal development. That would give Cleveland their best chance to become one of the three best teams in the Eastern Conference and advance past the first round.
A deep playoff run would not only give them a chance to make the NBA Finals, but it could also help them in their effort to re-sign Mitchell next summer. Mitchell can become an unrestricted free agent, and there are several Eastern Conference rivals who would love to sign him, particularly since it would weaken the Cavs. In the meantime, Cleveland has improved their starting five, which could lead to more success in 2023–24.
Projected starting lineup: Dallas Mavericks
Point Guard: Luka Doncic
Shooting Guard: Kyrie Irving
Small Forward: Tim Hardaway Jr.
Power Forward: Grant Williams
Center: Dwight Powell
What a difference a year makes for the Mavericks! Their starting lineup looked much different heading into the 2022–23 season than it does heading into the 2023–24 season. Change isn’t always good, but it should be in their case with Dallas having dramatically upgraded. Instead of solely relying on superstar Luka Doncic, they now have seven-time all-star Kyrie Irving, who was acquired at last season’s trade deadline.
Although they didn’t make the playoffs last season, he still averaged a terrific 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists in 20 games with the team. With a full training camp to get used to his new teammates, Irving could be even better and prove to be a difference-maker this season by giving Dallas one of the best one-two punches in the NBA.
In addition to Luka and Irving, Dallas also added Williams in a sign-and-trade with Boston. Williams is an above-average shooter at power forward, which should help increase their spacing along with Hardaway Jr. He also proved to be a capable defender during his time in Boston.
The Mavs have even sought to upgrade at center But for the time being, they should be fine with long-time center Dwight Powell continuing to start, and Dallas as a whole should be much improved.
Projected starting lineup: Denver Nuggets
Point Guard: Jamal Murray
Shooting Guard: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Small Forward: Michael Porter Jr.
Power Forward: Aaron Gordon
Center: Nikola Jokic
The Nuggets enter the 2023–24 season as defending champions and will have the benefit of having the same starting lineup. Their starting five is, of course, headlined by Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic. Both of them had stellar postseasons and proved that they were an all-time great pick-and-roll pairing by blowing the doors off any team that tried to stop them.
Nothing has changed, and while the Nuggets might not be as deep, they still also have Caldwell-Pope, Porter Jr., and Gordon to rely on. That type of continuity might not grab the attention of the average fan, but it can maximize an already very good team and give them an edge over a cobbled-together team like the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns have overhauled their roster this summer in hopes of knocking off the Nuggets, but Denver still has arguably the best player in the NBA. They will also have to learn on the fly with so many new players and even a new coach, whereas Denver can hit the ground running.
That familiarity could be enough to ensure that they will have home-court advantage throughout most of next year’s NBA playoffs, and considering how well the Nuggets play at home, that could put them in a position to make it back to the NBA Finals.
Projected starting lineup: Detroit Pistons
Point Guard: Cade Cunningham
Shooting Guard: Jaden Ivey
Small Forward: Bojan Bogdanovic
Power Forward: Isaiah Stewart
Center: Jalen Duren
The Pistons likely ranked as the most disappointing team last season after having a strong 2022 draft and offseason. They won just 17 games last season and had the worst record in the NBA, with 2021 number-one overall pick Cade Cunningham missing all but 69 games. Worse yet, despite finishing with the worst record, they ended up with the fifth pick and missed out on drafting top prospect Victor Wembanyama.
Instead, they added Ausuar Thompson, though he may not start this season. All things considered, with the Pistons back to full strength and not tanking—at least to start the season—they actually appear to have a good starting lineup. Cunningham being back should help them significantly with his size, court vision, and ability to slither into the paint and finish.
He’ll also have enough shooting around with Ivey and Bogdanovic, as well as Stewart, who can knock down open threes. They’ll also have second-year center Jalen Duren, who was very productive during his rookie season.
He projects to be a very good shot blocker and rebounder who can catch Cunningham-thrown lobs. Ultimately, the Pistons probably won’t come close to making the playoffs, but they have a capable starting lineup that could potentially double their win total from last season.
Projected starting lineup: Golden State Warriors
Point Guard: Steph Curry
Shooting Guard: Chris Paul
Small Forward: Klay Thompson
Power Forward: Draymond Green
Center: Kevon Looney
Golden State’s starting lineup will look a little different this season, and it could dramatically affect how they play. Recently acquired future Hall of Famer Chris Paul is expected to start, which could push all-star Andrew Wiggins to the bench. Paul would take the ball out of Curry’s hands some, which would free him up to play more off-ball where he is equally as dangerous.
Paul can play off-ball too, though they wouldn’t be starting him just to have him spot-up the entire time. Defensively, the Warriors starting five could struggle to start halves with Paul and Curry forming a small backcourt. Neither are bad defenders, but Paul is 38 and Curry has a tendency to get targeted. Meanwhile, Thompson will be tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best offensive wing, which could give him problems.
There will definitely be a trade-off: Paul might make Curry’s life easier on offense and help get him and Thompson the ball in the right spots. On the other end of the floor, Golden State may not be able to stop teams until they make substitutions. Still, their starting five should be a plus, though perhaps they would be better off running back their starting lineup from last season.
Projected starting lineup: Houston Rockets
Point Guard: Fred VanVleet
Shooting Guard: Jalen Green
Small Forward: Dillon Brooks
Power Forward: Jabari Smith Jr.
Center: Alperin Sengun
The Houston Rockets have been among the worst teams in basketball for the last three seasons, going just 59-177 during the span. That brutal stretch led to them changing their rebuilding strategy and choosing to sign Fred Van Vleet and Dillon Brooks in hopes of making them more respectable. On paper, they should definitely be better, with a much-improved starting lineup that makes a lot more sense.
Van Vleet should help improve the Rockets’ offense by creating better shots, while Brooks should help their defense by guarding the opposing team’s best wing. Factor in some internal improvement by Green, Smith Jr., and Sengun, and this might not be a terrible team this season.
Even then, the Western Conference appears to be deeper than last season, so they may still be one of the worst teams in the conference. But after winning just 33% of their games over the last three seasons, anything that gets them closer to .500 should be considered a win.
Projected starting lineup: Indiana Pacers
Point Guard: Tyrese Haliburton
Shooting Guard: Benn Mathurin
Small Forward: Bruce Brown
Power Forward: Obi Toppin
Center: Myles Turner
Aside from drafting Jarace Walker 7th overall and a couple of minor moves, the Pacers will apparently rely on internal development to improve. That may only get them so far in the Eastern Conference, especially after finishing 12th and out of the play-in tournament last season. However, they are in a better position than many of the teams in the same boat.
Halliburton and Turner are both top-10 players in their respective positions. Meanwhile, Mathurin is an up-and-coming prospect, Brown was a crucial cog on the Nuggets championship team, and Toppin has shown flashes but has gotten little opportunity after serving as the backup to an All-Star in New York.
He, like the Pacers as a whole, could surprise, especially with so many young players in their rotation. If they do indeed overperform, they could look to make a win-now move, such as acquiring Raptors star Pascal Siakam.
However, Indiana should go with their tried and true method of putting together the best possible roster, competing, and relying on their drafting and player development to get them back into contention. It’s what’s worked time and time again for them, and it looks like they are well on the way toward that goal of quietly building another good team.
Projected starting lineup: LA Clippers
Point Guard: Russell Westbrook
Shooting Guard: Paul George
Small Forward: Kawhi Leonard
Power Forward: Nic Batum
Center: Ivica Zubac
On paper—or on-screen—the Clipper’s starting lineup looks to be very solid, but it is largely dependent on health. Stars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard have struggled with injury issues since joining the Clippers back in the summer of 2019, but there is reason to be optimistic that each will play more this season. If that is the case, then LA could be several games better than their 45-37 record last season simply by having their stars play more.
Additionally, Westbrook, who was brought in late last season, played surprisingly well down the stretch and in their first-round playoff series against the Suns. With a full season there and a chance to play a lot with Kawhi and George, that might be just as impactful as any move the Clippers could have made.
Rounding out their starting five with veteran Nic Batum and Ivica Zubac. Batum is entering the final season of his career but can still contribute in bursts, while Zubac is an above-average center who helps anchor the Clippers. Overall, this is a very good starting lineup; it is just a question of how much their two stars will be able to play.
Projected starting lineup: Los Angeles Lakers
Point Guard: D’Angelo Russell
Shooting Guard: Austin Reaves
Small Forward: LeBron James
Power Forward: Anthony Davis
Center: Christian Wood
After several years in which they chose to remake their team in the offseason, the Lakers opted to largely bring back the same roster—at least the same starting lineup. Russell, Reaves, LeBron, and Davis are all expected to start, with the only change potentially being the addition of recently signed center Christian Wood.
Wood was a value-signing for the Lakers, and with Davis preferring not to play center, it makes sense to start Wood. Wood is a highly productive stretch five, though he has bounced around the league. Still, he could be a terrific offensive player for the Lakers.
As for the starting five as a whole, the Lakers should have better shooting thanks to their backcourt of Russell and Reaves, as well as Wood, to complement LeBron and Davis. They will also have plenty of size, with both of their guards being 6’4, a 6’8 small forward, and two 6’11 big men.
After finishing 11th in defensive rating last season, starting big should help them slow the game down and use their size and length to force opposing teams into tough half-court shots. Overall, this should be a very competitive starting five for the Lakers.
Projected starting lineup: Memphis Grizzlies
Point Guard: Ja Morant*
Shooting Guard: Desmond Bane
Small Forward: John Konshar
Power Forward: Jaren Jackson Jr.
Center: Steven Adams
* After serving a 25-game suspension
After finishing with the second-best record in the Western Conference last season, the Memphis Grizzlies will start this season in a bit of a hole. Star Ja Morant will miss the first 25 games of the regular season due to suspension, so new arrival Marcus Smart will start. All things considered, that is a good stopgap option and should help him integrate into Memphis much sooner.
There’s also hope that a healthy Jackson Jr. and Bane will be able to hold down the fort. Jackson Jr. missed the first several weeks of the season, which allowed Bane to show out before he too got injured. With both ready to start this season and a good point guard rotation in Smart and former MVP-turned-role player Derrick Rose, the Grizzlies should be able to make up for a potentially slow start.
Even then, Memphis may still feel the long-term effects of Morant’s suspension. Last season, they finished as the second-seed in the West, only to run into the Lakers, who completely remade their team in the second half of the season.
Had they not run into a team that was on a tear, they could have perhaps made the West Finals. As a lower seed, the chances of them making that run in next year’s playoffs would be even tougher, though not impossible. The Grizzlies are definitely talented enough, but will they be able to make up for missing their best player for nearly 1/3 of the season?
Projected starting lineup: Miami Heat
Point Guard: Kyle Lowry
Shooting Guard: Tyler Herro
Small Forward: Jimmy Butler
Power Forward: Kevin Love
Center: Bam Adebayo
The Heat’s roster is a big question mark after failing to acquire Damian Lillard. Now they are left to essentially run back their starting lineup from last season, with Herro also back starting at shooting guard after nearly being traded. Meanwhile, the starting frontcourt of Butler, Love, and Adebayo will remain unchanged from late last season.
While their bench looks a bit different, there will still be continuity in the starting five. However, Miami’s goal for this summer wasn’t to bring the same team back; it was to chase a star to help them get over the hump after losing in the NBA Finals twice in four years.
While they definitely did chase a star, they fell short of getting the star power that they were hoping to get. Failing to upgrade could prove costly come playoff time, but even without Lillard, their starting five is surprisingly good.
Projected starting lineup: Milwaukee Bucks
Point Guard: Damian Lillard
Shooting Guard: Grayson Allen
Small Forward: Khris Middleton
Power Forward: Giannis Antetounkmpo
Center: Brook Lopez
After a disappointing end to their 2022–23 season, the Bucks initially had a messy offseason. They fired their head coach, nearly lost starting center Brook Lopez to the Houston Rockets, and have seen their best player, Giannis Antetounkmpo, suggest that he was open to leaving Milwaukee.
Then the Damian Lillard trade happened. Now, all of that is seemingly forgotten with the Bucks pairing Giannis with a top-15 player who is under contract for the next four seasons. They didn’t even give up all that much to get him, with Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, two pick swaps, and an unprotected first being worth it to acquire one of the best offensive players in the NBA.
It’s not entirely without risk; they aren’t as deep, though adding Cam Payne for the minimum helps, and it’s possible that Lopez could regress this season with him turning 36. On the other hand, Middleton missed long stretches of last season and didn’t play nearly as well as he normally has. Better health from him, and Giannis and Dame will have plenty of help, and the Bucks will have a strong chance in a crowded East.
Projected starting lineup: Minnesota Timberwolves
Point Guard: Mike Conley
Shooting Guard: Jaden McDaniels
Small Forward: Anthony Edwards
Power Forward: Karl-Anthony Towns
Center: Rudy Gobert
The Wolves mostly struggled through the 2022–23 season with fit issues involving their then-newly acquired center Rudy Gobert. All-star Karl-Anthony Towns also missed significant time, making it harder for the team to gel when not at full strength. They then made a big mid-season trade in which they moved then-starting point guard D’Angelo Russell as well as Malik Beasley in a three-team deal for Mike Conley.
Despite Conley nearing his mid-30s, he proved to be a better fit for the starting five, leading to hope that the lineup will play much better together over a full season. After all, Towns hopefully won’t miss most of the season again, though he may be traded during the season so that the Timberwolves can retool around rising superstar Anthony Edwards,
Barring that, a healthy Towns as well as Edwards taking another step toward superstardom could be big. As would Conley and his shot creation, helping to make Gobert more of an offensive threat in pick-and-roll situations, and McDaniels continuing to make strides on the offensive end. The talent is definitely there for Minnesota, and hopefully, things will come together much better than they did last season.
Projected starting lineup: New Orleans Pelicans
Point Guard: CJ McCollum
Shooting Guard: Trey Murphy
Small Forward: Brandon Ingram
Power Forward: Zion Williamson
Center: Jonas Valanciunas
New Orleans had a turbulent 2022–23 season; at one point, they were 10 games above .500 but finished the season with a 19–28 record. That was mainly due to their avalanche of injuries, with their two best players missing a combined 90 games. If healthy, the Pelicans could be a top-4 seed in the Western Conference, but starting shooting guard Trey Murphy is already expected to miss the start of the season with an injury.
So is backup point guard Jose Alvarado, though more importantly, star Zion Williamson should be ready to play. That would be huge for the Pelicans, who simply don’t have enough without him to compete in the West.
When healthy, he gives them a bruising and highly efficient 25+ ppg scorer. And, when paired with other talented scorers like McCollum and Ingram, it gives them a three-headed offensive threat. Unfortunately, over the last season and a half, that trio has played just 10 games together. Getting those three to stay healthy is the key for their starting lineup, and their team as a whole, to live up to expectations in 2023–24.
Projected starting lineup: New York Knicks
Point Guard: Jalen Brunson
Shooting Guard: Quinton Grimes
Small Forward: RJ Barrett
Power Forward: Julius Randle
Center: Mitchell Robinson
The New York Knicks might not have made big off-season moves, but they should still be good heading into the 2023–24 season. The Knicks made it all the way to the East Semifinals as a fifth seed in a tough conference and came within two wins of the Conference Finals. Given how well things went, bringing back largely the same team with minor tweaks could lead to a similar or better outcome.
The Knicks added Josh Hart at the trade deadline and Donte DiVincenzo this summer, and both are likely to play big roles for their team. While they may not have as big of an impact as the Celtics adding Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday or the Bucks adding Damian Lillard, it allows the Knicks to remain good while keeping their options open to improve with a big trade.
New York is likely in the best position of the teams that made the playoffs last season to trade for a star, and there could be several available at the trade deadline.
Projected starting lineup: Oklahoma City Thunder
Point Guard: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shooting Guard: Josh Giddey
Small Forward: Lo Dort
Power Forward: Jalen Williams
Center: Chet Holmgren
The Oklahoma City Thunder were one of the big surprises from last season. After tanking for the past several seasons, the Thunder finished within two games of making the play-in tournament. That was primarily due to the stellar play of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Gilgeous-Alexander made the all-NBA first team, beating out more established stars such as Steph Curry and Damian Lillard.
With a certified superstar on their roster, things are looking up for the Thunder, especially with several other talented young players, including Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams, and 2022 second-overall pick Chet Holmgren. Holmgren missed all of his true rookie season, but he is expected to be a contender for Rookie of the Year. At Gonzaga, he established himself as an elite shot blocker with terrific defensive instincts.
That usually translates well to the NBA, and he’s also shown the ability to knock down threes, suggesting that he could be a stretch five that can also anchor the Oklahoma City Thunder’s defense. If he has the impact that many expect him to, then the Thunder could level up and make the playoffs outright this season.
Projected starting lineup: Orlando Magic
Point Guard: Markelle Fultz
Shooting Guard: Gary Harris
Small Forward: Franz Wagner
Power Forward: Paolo Banchero
Center: Wendell Carter Jr.
After a promising 2022–23 season, the Orlando Magic are hoping for a big jump in the standings. There’s a lot of potential for this group, but their offense surprisingly held them back last season. Part of the problem was that they were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA last season. They finished third from last in the league in 3-point attempts and 24th in 3-point percentage.
That might still be an issue, with only three above-average shooters in their starting five, with Fultz a low-volume shooter, and 2022 number-one overall pick Paolo Banchero not yet hitting those difficult stepbacks. Still, he had a strong showing during his rookie season, and in year two, Orlando will need Banchero to take a big step forward.
The same goes for Franz Wagner, who had a career year and spent part of the summer playing against high-level competition at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. Those two players will determine how successful the Magic’s starting lineup and team as a whole are this season.
Projected starting lineup: Philadelphia Sixers
Point Guard: James Harden
Shooting Guard: De’Anthony Melton
Small Forward: Tobias Harris
Power Forward: PJ Tucker
Center: Joel Embiid
As of now, the 76ers appear likely to run things back, though a lot depends on the James Harden situation. If they manage to smooth things over enough, then he will start at point guard again for the Sixers. If they can’t, then they will have a big problem. Harden doesn’t seem to have much trade value at the moment. That is probably partly why they signed Patrick Beverly, though they would be in big trouble if they had to rely on him due to Harden holding out.
Even at full strength, the Sixers have another problem. The Bucks and Celtics, the two best teams in the NBA last season, got much better over the offseason. Factor in the Heat, and the Sixers are the fourth-best team in their own conference despite having the reigning MVP.
Keeping Joel Embiid happy should be a top priority, but their team can’t feel good about how their summer has gone. Their second-best player vowed never to play for the team again, and while they’ve made a couple of solid signings, their rivals have gotten far better.
Projected starting lineup: Phoenix Suns
Point Guard: Devin Booker
Shooting Guard: Bradley Beal
Small Forward: Keita Bates-Diop
Power Forward: Kevin Durant
Center: Jusuf Nurkic
It is hard to believe just how different the Phoenix Suns’ roster is compared to the same time last season. Currently, Devin Booker is the only player left over from the 2022–23 team, with a series of trades having led to dramatic changes. Now they will have a star-studded starting lineup consisting of three multi-time NBA all-stars: Booker, Bradley Beal, and Kevin Durant.
Those three players should give Phoenix all the offensive firepower that they could ever need, with their new big three potentially combining to average as many as 75 points this season. The Suns’ offense might not be the only thing that is scary this season.
The Suns will boast one of the biggest frontcourts in the NBA, with Durant, Bates-Diop, and Nurkic all at least 6’9 with length for days. Durant is still a good defender who can cover a lot of ground, as can Bates-Diop, giving Phoenix two incredibly versatile defenders. The Suns could be elite this season.
Projected starting lineup: Portland Trail Blazers
Point Guard: Scoot Henderson
Shooting Guard: Anfernee Simons
Small Forward: Shaedon Sharpe
Power Forward: Jeremi Grant
Center: Deandre Ayton
After most of the offseason fielding calls for star Damian Lillard, they finally moved him in a 3-team deal to the Milwaukee Bucks. It won’t necessarily affect their starting lineup much, with 2023 third-overall pick Scoot Henderson stepping in at point guard for Lillard. Meanwhile, Deandre Ayton will replace Jusuf Nurkic, and there is hope that a change of setting and less pressure on him could help the former number-one overall pick reach his full potential.
Scoot is about 14 years younger than Lillard and Ayton is four years younger than Nurkic. That will reset the Blazers’ clock and make it much easier for them to rebuild. Especially now that they could be one of the worst teams in the NBA.
They’ll have young talent with Scoot, who will have plenty of opportunities, as well as Simmons, who had a breakout year last year and will likely have free reign to bomb away from three. However, Grant, who recently signed a 5-year, $160 million contract, could be the team’s leading scorer in his absence. That likely means that the Blazers have a low ceiling for this season. But with Lillard gone, the goal should be player development and getting a high pick, not just wins.
Projected starting lineup: Sacramento Kings
Point Guard: D’Aaron Fox
Shooting Guard: Kevin Huerter
Small Forward: Keegan Murray
Power Forward: Harrison Barnes
Center: Domantas Sabonis
The Kings were the surprise team of the 2022–23 season. They not only snapped a 16-year playoff drought, but they also had a historic offense that propelled them to 48 wins and the third seed in the Western Conference. That feel-good season came to an early end against the Golden State Warriors, but there is no reason to believe that the Kings were a one-off success story.
In fact, they have made sure to bring back their same starting five from last season, including re-signing star Sabonis to a long-term deal and bringing back vet Harrison Barnes. Sabonis proved crucial to their success with his ability to operate as a playmaker out on the perimeter, allowing shooters to maneuver around him and find them for open shots.
Additionally, Fox took a step forward, finally living up to his potential by leading the team in scoring and ranking second in assists. He also came up big late in numerous games, resulting in him winning the first-ever Clutch Player of the Year.
In addition to Sabonis and Fox, there are also Huerter and Murray, both of whom proved to be among the best shooters at their positions last season. Huerter developed terrific chemistry with Sabonis and drained an impressive 40.2% of his 6.8 threes.
As for Murray, he knocked down 41.1% of his 6.3 attempts as a rookie, and following a strong Summer League showing, he could make a big leap in year two. More continuity and Murray’s further development should result in an even better 2023–24 season for the Kings.
Projected starting lineup: San Antonio Spurs
Point Guard: Tre Jones
Shooting Guard: Devin Vassell
Small Forward: Keldon Johnson
Power Forward: Victor Wembanyama
Center: Zach Collins
The Spurs’ starting lineup will look surprisingly similar to the one from last year’s 22-win team, with one exception. Number one overall pick Victor Wembanyama will slot in as a power forward this season, replacing 2022 10th overall pick Jeremy Sochan. He’ll likely serve as the Spurs’ sixth man, while Wembanyama could be the player that they’ve been desperate to find since Kawhi Leonard forced his way out of San Antonio.
He’ll give San Antonio’s offense a focal point, which should make the lives of last season’s leading scorers, Keldon Johnson, and Devin Vassell, much easier. Both players could thrive with the increased spacing that starting two stretch big men can provide. Additionally, Wembanyama is certain to draw attention when playing near the basket, with opposing big men attempting to front him and teammates ready to sprint over and help.
That will free up Vassell, Johnson, and Collins for open threes and Jones for backdoor layups and hopefully some threes. Speaking of Jones, he was brought back on a two-year deal, likely because the Spurs failed to upgrade at point guard. He is a good playmaker and tries to make himself more of a scoring threat despite not being a 3-point shooter.
He’ll be key to getting Wembanyama the ball in the right spots, and his lack of shooting might not matter as much as a result. However, if he can shoot at least 35% from three on high volume, his value to the team would go way up. Nevertheless, the Spurs’ success will depend on how good Wemby is as a rookie.
Projected starting lineup: Toronto Raptors
Point Guard: Dennis Schroder
Shooting Guard: Scottie Barnes
Small Forward: OG Anunoby
Power Forward: Pascal Siakam
Center: Jakob Poeltl
After toying with the idea of trading for Damian Lillard, he was ultimately moved to the Milwaukee Bucks. Had they been willing to include OG Anunoby or Scottie Barnes, they perhaps could have acquired him, but their unwillingness to do so makes the Raptors a bit confusing.
They missed the playoffs last season, despite making a win-now move to re-acquire center Jakob Poeltl and they also haven’t improved this summer. In fact, they lost their starting point guard, Fred VanVleet. Now they are set to start this season with a slightly worse version of their starting five and don’t appear likely to make the playoffs.
There have been rumors that they could trade star Pascal Siakam, who is entering the final year of his deal, and look to rebuild. But no trade has happened, and it is possible they may instead look to move him near the trade deadline. That would give them enough time to see how this team performs this season before tearing down their roster.
That may be risky because they could miss the playoffs this season and also give up a high lottery pick to San Antonio, which owns their top-six protected pick through 2025. In the meantime, the Raptors have plenty of size and length, which could make them hard to score against.
However, one of their problems was a lack of shooting last season, which they didn’t do enough to address this offseason. For a likely non-playoff team, their starting lineup actually has a lot of talent, but there is a clear ceiling for the Raptors as is.
Projected starting lineup: Utah Jazz
Point Guard: Colin Sexton
Shooting Guard: Jordan Clarkson
Small Forward: Lauri Markkanen
Power Forward: John Collins
Center: Walker Kessler
At this point last summer, the Utah Jazz looked as though they were going to be one of the worst teams in the NBA for the foreseeable future. After all, they had traded their two best players, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, and it appeared as though they were gearing up to tank for the number one pick in the draft.
Instead, the Jazz exceeded expectations and even finished within five games of the play-in tournament, even after trading away several rotation players at the deadline. While they didn’t make many moves this summer, they should be even better this season.
They have an offense-first backcourt featuring Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson. While neither are typical playmakers, their ability to score is nonetheless useful. Markkanen is coming off a breakout season and is clearly their best player heading into this season. Meanwhile, John Collins came over from Atlanta and is expected to start. He’s known as a stretch four who is also an explosive athlete.
The Jazz acquired him for surprisingly little, though he isn’t the same player he was when he earned his massive contract, so he’s definitely a flyer. Rounding out the starting five is Walker Kessler, who had a surprisingly strong rookie season, even finishing 4th in the NBA in blocked shots.
Kessler’s rim protection proved to be a solid replacement for what Gobert brought to the table. Ultimately, while the Jazz have a talented starting lineup, they may have a tough time making the playoffs this season.
Projected starting lineup: Washington Wizards
Point Guard: Tyus Jones
Shooting Guard: Jordan Poole
Small Forward: Corey Kispert
Power Forward: Kyle Kuzma
Center: Daniel Gafford
It’s hard to argue that the Wizards don’t have the worst starting lineup heading into the new season. Only two of their five starters have a case for being in the top 20 at their respective positions, and Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma are sure to have the green light as a result.
They may put up plenty of points, but it probably won’t be pretty or particularly efficient. At least they have a good playmaker in Jones, which is a luxury that most bad teams don’t have. Even then, no one in their starting five should scare opposing defenses, and they probably won’t stop teams from scoring either.
After trading stars Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis, this was the likely outcome, and at least the Wizards have chosen to rebuild. Unfortunately, they probably should have chosen to tank last season given the talent in the top 3 of this year’s draft. Landing the number-one pick in 2024 would still help. And based on this starting five, they could be well on their way.
The “what if” moment that changed every NBA team forever
For every NBA champion or dynasty, there have been equally as many "what if" moments that changed every NBA team forever.