American Media Evaluates Teams with the Most Improved Strength for the New Season: Teams Benefit from George, Thunder and Mavericks Expected to Improve Further

With the mid-August off-season, and the schedule for the 2024-25 season announced, most NBA teams have completed a significant portion of their summer reinforcement and roster adjustments. Compared to last season, which teams are expected to show a noticeable improvement in strength this new season? Recently, Bleacher Report has expressed optimism about the Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Philadelphia 76ers achieving better results than last season.

Regarding the Mavericks, despite losing Tyus Jones, the team’s defensive flexibility and athleticism may decline slightly, but his departure will not significantly impact the team as a whole. Moreover, the team has added Klay Thompson this summer. Considering that Luka Doncic has never played alongside a top-tier shooter before, and given the shooting selection issues Thompson faced with the Warriors, these problems no longer exist now that he is with the Mavericks. It is believed that the Mavericks’ offense will see substantial progress in the new season. Additionally, the arrival of Naji Marshall can also provide some defensive assistance to the team. Quentin Grimes demonstrated excellent defensive ability in the past two seasons and hit a large number of three-point shots. Furthermore, Dru Smith II and P.J. Washington are likely to contribute more after a full training camp.

The Memphis Grizzlies’ strength improvement mainly stems from their draft picks this summer, along with Desmond Bane, Luke Kennard who recently renewed his contract, Ja Morant, and Marcus Smart all expected to perform better than last season, which will have a significant impact on the Grizzlies. The core of the Grizzlies team had won 50 games in consecutive years before the 2023-24 season, so they are sure to achieve better results than last season. This is not just about winning more games, but also about them becoming a top threat in the West again.

For the Knicks, many people doubt whether their strength has truly improved after losing Isaiah Hartenstein. Hartenstein’s departure indeed left a significant gap in the frontcourt, but a healthier Mitchell Robinson offset the defensive value he took away. In addition, the Knicks can enhance their offensive vitality by building a frontcourt lineup centered around Julius Randle and OG Anunoby. Of course, there is also Mikal Bridges. Although he is not a traditional superstar, his strong adaptability itself is an ability. His arrival upgraded New York’s perimeter defense, shooting, off-ball running, organizing, and lineup flexibility. Therefore, overall, the Knicks are stronger in depth and core strength compared to last season.

The Thunder won 57 games last season and became the first in the West, but there were three “weak spots” in their lineup that ultimately “plagued” them, such as poor interior defense and weak bench scoring ability. However, at least two of these weaknesses will no longer exist in the new season. Trading Giddey for Alex Caruso provides the Thunder with a shooter that opponents will respect, not to mention that he is a formidable defender. Signing Isaiah Hartenstein increases their aggressiveness on the boards and allows them to play a big lineup with Chet Holmgren when the game demands or allows it. Additionally, Josh Giddey will improve, possibly benefiting more from last season’s playoff experience than anyone else on the roster. With Giddey’s departure, Holmgren should have more space and time to explore more countermeasures in his breakthroughs. The Thunder also have countless first-round draft picks that they can use for trades.

For the 76ers, simply signing Paul George is enough to list the Philadelphia 76ers among the top five teams in terms of strength improvement. Moreover, they have added depth to their roster, elevating their competitiveness to a new level. Tobias Harris, Paul Reed, and the 35-year-old Nicolas Batum ranked in the top five for total playing time in Philadelphia last season. This season, George, Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond, and potentially Eric Gordon will compete for these playing time positions. Of course, Embiid always carries injury risks, but he still has the potential to play more than half of the games, especially since the continued growth of George and Tyrese Maxey can partially alleviate his offensive burden. Therefore, the 76ers are expected to evolve from a very good team into a potential superpower.