Football season is around the corner, but it is never too early to talk hoops. It is only August, and the NBA won’t officially tip off until the fall, but an active offseason only gets us more excited.
In our last piece, we outlined the three teams that set themselves up for success after great offseasons. Now, here are the three teams that are set up to underachieve after interesting offseasons.
3. Los Angeles Clippers
Next season, the Clippers will have the oldest roster in the NBA. They have five players on the roster that are 34 years old or older: Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Chris Paul, Brook Lopez, and Nicholas Batum. The combined age of that quintet is 37, and it could be a lineup LA leans on next season.
They also brought in Bradley Beal, who is 32 and has shown decline over the last couple seasons. He does bring in the scoring punch the team needs, and his contract is very low-risk. Trading for John Collins in the offseason shores up their frontcourt and brings more overall size to the Clippers.
The roster fits together nicely, but the age is a concern, which could lead to another signature Clippers breakdown in the postseason. The West is going to be a bloodbath every night. Younger teams like the Thunder, Rockets, Timberwolves, and others will have the youth advantage over the Clippers.
Yes, LA does have the veteran advantage, but their older legs could run out of gas when it comes to the playoffs. This is a team that hasn’t won a playoff series since 2021, so the pressure is on in the Intuit Dome.
2. Philadelphia 76ers
The East is in the weakest shape that it has ever been in, and the Sixers may not be able to take advantage.
For starters, both Joel Embiid and Paul George are already hurt. Both are recovering from knee surgeries, with Embiid looking unlikely to be available when training camp opens next month.
Philly also didn’t make any major offseason moves besides drafting VJ Edgecombe. The roster is largely the same as last season, so without their stars, Philly is set up to fail in a weak East.
The Sixers’ hopes rest on the shoulders of Embiid and George. These two guys were projected to be the pillars of the franchise, but both are struggling to stay healthy. This will leave Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, and Edgecombe to shoulder the load, which is not ideal.
1. Milwaukee Bucks
Apparently, Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn’t even fully decided that he wants to remain a Buck this season. We have seen September blockbusters in the past, but an Antetokounmpo trade would be the biggest of them all.
Regardless of if he stays or not, the Bucks are in no condition to make meaningful noise next season. Their guard rotation of Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr., Cole Anthony, and Ryan Rollins is one of the most underwhelming groups in the league.
They shockingly waived Damian Lillard in order to sign Myles Turner, who is an upgrade over Brook Lopez but has the exact same rebounding weakness as him. Even in a weak East, Milwaukee is not set up to contend, even if Antetokounmpo continues his Superman-level play.
The Bucks do not have a great long-term outlook, and Antetokounmpo has been clear about his desire to compete for a championship. This will be a crucial year in the Cream City after an underwhelming offseason.