9. Atlanta Hawks
Talk about an impressive 180 last season. With the rise of Jalen Johnson, the Hawks suddenly became a factor in the East. They were the only team to hand the Knicks two losses in the playoffs, which says a lot about the caliber of their roster post-Trae Young.
This offseason has been equally promising. In addition to retaining Johnson, the Hawks re-signed CJ McCollum and Jock Landale, and extended Dyson Daniels. They also added Aaron Wiggins and Devin Carter via trades while drafting Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor, and Henri Veesaar.
The only player in the wind right now is Jonathan Kuminga, who will likely be moving on. That wouldn't be a major loss to the Hawks given the high level of talent on the roster. All Atlanta has to do is keep the trains moving, cut one specific player, and they'll be a force to be reckoned with this season.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers
Donovan Mitchell is one of the best players in the league today, and he has a solid team around him. The problem is that what Cleveland has built just isn't good enough to get past the top teams in the Eastern Conference, let alone the league. Look what the Knicks did to them in the ECF.
So far, the Cavs have only lost Dean Wade and Keon Ellis to free agency. That's not too bad, as they seem to be maintaining the core. They only had one pick in the draft and used it to pick up guard Meleek Thomas at 34. There's also the possibility that LeBron James may come home.
The biggest problem is James Harden. He's an unrestricted free agent but is expected to sign a long-term contract with the team. The reality is that he always falls apart in the playoffs, and he did it again in 2026 to the Cavs. That's not changing. Cleveland is good, just not good enough to offset Harden.
7. Toronto Raptors
The Raptors made a huge leap forward last season by making the playoffs without going through the Play-In. It was a huge moment for the team led by Scottie Barnes. After recently making the second-biggest trade in the history of the franchise, the rest of the Eastern Conference should be scared.
Toronto successfully traded Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick to the Clippers in exchange for Kawhi Leonard. The biggest trade in Raptors history was the first time they brought Leonard in, which led to a championship. The Raps were the only team outside of California Leonard wanted to play for.
Ingram is a good player, but Leonard is amazing. If he stays healthy, he will take this roster to the next level. And if they solve their center problem either this season or next, expect more titles in Toronto's future. This has been a revolutionary offseason for the Raptors, and there are still months to go.
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