2025-2026 NBA preview part 3

The division features a couple of teams looking to push for the top of the Eastern Conference. At the same time, there are a couple of teams looking to build on some positives from a season ago. 

Atlanta Hawks 

PG: Trae Young | Vit Krejci | Keaton Wallace 

SG: Dyson Daniels | Nickeil Alexander-Walker | Nikola Djurisic

SF: Zacharrie Risacher | Luke Kennard | Jacob Toppin | Caleb Houstan 

PF: Jalen Johnson | Asas Newell | Mouhamed Gueye | Eli Ndiaye 

C: Kristpas Porzingis | Onyeka Okongwu | N’Faly Dante | Charles Bassey 

The Hawks, by some, including me, have been crowned the offseason champions. They’ve been able to revamp the roster around Trae Young, who is extension eligible, by adding a ton of wing depth that includes shooting and defense. A trade with the Celtics allowed them to add Kristaps Porzingis. They added Luke Kennard and Nickiel Alexander-Walker through free agency to round out much of the roster. The health of Jalen Johnson and jumps from Risacher, and hopefully, another one from Dyson Daniels, will help the Hawks try to compete in the Eastern Conference. Daniels still has a rookie extension deal to get done this summer, but I love what the Hawks are doing, how they are building out the roster. Porzingis gives Young spacing from the 5 spot that he hasn’t had in his career before. Pair him with Kennard and Alexander-Walker in the lineups, and it looks great. 

Charlotte Hornets 

PG: LaMelo Ball | Spencer Dinwiddie | Tre Mann | Antonio Reeves

SG: Brandon Miller | Collin Sexton | Liam McNeeley | KJ Simpson 

SF: Kon Knueppel | Josh Green | Pat Connaughton | Sion James 

PF: Miles Bridges | Grant Williams | Tidjane Salaun | Drew Peterson
C: Moussa Diabate | Mason Plumlee | Ryan Kalkbrenner | Ibou Badji 

The Hornets have assembled an intriguing roster heading into training camp this season. Many of the additions have come from trades and the draft. Pat Connaughton and Collin Sexton joined the team through trades with the Bucks and Jazz, while four rookies in Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeeley, Ryan Kalkbrenner, and Sion James joined the team. The Hornets will get back Tre Mann and Grant Williams after they missed significant time last season. Brandon Miller will also return this season after missing much of the previous year with a wrist injury. The Hornets start the season with three centers, a position they had almost no depth in about 3 months ago. Overall, the Hornets will look to facilitate a good season in Charles Lee's second season at the helm.  

Miami Heat 

PG: Davion Mitchell | Kasparas Jakucionis | Dru Smith | Jahmir Young 

SG: Norman Powell | Pelle Larsson | Terry Rozier | Trevor Keels 

SF: Andrew Wiggins | Jaime Jaquez | Simon Fontecchio | Ethan Thompson 

PF: Bam Adebayo | Nikola Jovic | Kesahd Johnson | Dain Dainja

C: Kel’el Ware | Precious Achiuwa | Vladislav Goldin | Myron Gardner

Injuries: Tyler Herro (8-12 weeks Foot/Ankle)

The Heat will look to build on a year where they finished 10th in the Eastern Conference before being knocked out after 4 games by the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Heat will miss All-Star Tyler Herro for the first few months of the season due to ankle and foot injuries sustained in the offseason. The Heat added Norman Powell in a trade that sent out beloved Kevin Love, and added Simon Fontecchio in another trade involving the Pistons. Rookie Kasparas Jakucionis will show how he was undervalued in the draft after being selected 19th overall this past season, and Nikola Jovic recently received a rookie extension deal, giving him some security with the franchise. Overall, the Heat are in a little bit of a holding pattern and are looking to make the most of the post-Jimmy Butler era. 

Orlando Magic 

PG: Jalen Suggs | Tyus Jones | Anthony Black | Reece Beekman 

SG: Desmond Bane | Jase Richardson | Jett Howard | Lester Quinones 

SF: Franz Wagner | Tristan Da Silva | Noah Penda | Justin Minaya

PF: Paolo Banchero | Jonathan Isaac | Orlando Robinson | Jamal Cain 

C: Wendell Carter | Moritz Wagner | Goga Bitadze | Colin Caslteton 

The Orlando Magic made the biggest swing in the Eastern Conference, adding Desmond Bane via trade with the Grizzlies, which saw 4 first-round picks exchange hands. The idea of this swing is to help the horrendous offensive numbers the Magic have put up in recent years, who have the longest streak with an offense ranked 20th or worse in the league. The Magic added Tyus Jones in free agency to help the point guard depth. They return Jalen Suggs, who missed the end of last season with various injuries, and will also return Mo Wagner. They added both Noah Penda and Jase Richardson in the draft and will look to make a charge in the Eastern Conference this upcoming season. Much of the scrutiny will be placed on Jamal Mosley, a defensive-minded coach, and his staff if they aren’t able to produce a better offense. However, there should be some fun basketball being played in Orlando this season. 

Washington Wizards 

PG: Bub Carrington | Tre Johnson | Malaki Branham | Sharife Cooper 

SG: CJ McCollum | Corey Kispert | AJ Johnson | Alondes Williams 

SF: Khris Middleton | Justin Champagnie | Will Riley | Jamir Watkins 

PF: Kyshawn George | Cam Whitmore | Anthony Gil | Dillon Jones | Akoldah Gak 

C: Alex Sarr | Marvin Bagley | Jonathan Pierre

Injuries: Bilal Coulibaly (Thumb 6-12 weeks)

The fighting Washington Wizards have done a good job of building on the margins and around their young core of players. While it remains to be seen whether Sarr and Coulibaly are the studs the organizations want them to be, there’s still a lot to be excited about. They added some veteran presences through CJ McCollum, who saw Jordan Poole head out to New Orleans. The Wizards also took a couple of fliers on Malaki Branhan, Cam Whitmore, and Dillon Jones. Outside of these changes, the Wizards will have one of the youngest cores in the NBA, and we have Middleton in the final season of his contract, along with McCollum. This gives the Wizards flexibility heading into the 2026-2027 season. The Wizards drafted Will Riley and Tre Johnson to round out the new faces for the roster. As much as Wizards fans want to win now, they’ll need to guarantee themselves a top-8 draft pick, as they owe their first-rounder to the New York Knicks. In a loaded draft class, this isn’t the worst thing in the world.