2023-24 NBA Season Preview

The Phoenix Suns’ recent acquisitions of guard Bradley Beal and forward Kevin Durant have put the team in a great position to compete for an NBA Championship this season (Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images).

The 2023-24 National Basketball Association (NBA) season started this past week with opening night occurring on Tuesday, Oct. 24. This season already has plenty of storylines to follow after a busy offseason around the league. 

While there are many competitive teams in the league this year, only a select few teams will make the playoffs and ultimately compete for a championship. Before the NBA season begins, we should look at each conference and preview each team's expectations for the upcoming season.

The Eastern Conference looks to be extremely competitive this season, especially considering the fact that the juggernaut Milwaukee Bucks traded for star point guard Damian Lillard in the offseason. The pairing of Lillard and perennial candidate for Most Valuable Player (MVP), Giannis Antetokounmpo, should have the Bucks near the top of the standings in the regular season. 

With the acquisition of center Kristaps Porzingis, the Boston Celtics aren't far behind the Bucks in terms of talent, and definitely shouldn't be underestimated. 

To round out the top three, the Donovan Mitchell-led Cleveland Cavaliers will improve upon their solid season last year and finish top three in the conference. 

After the top-three, it seems that the Philadelphia 76ers are destined to take a slide in the standings this year. The New York Knicks, on the other hand, will look to build upon a surprise season that saw them win a playoff series for the first time since the 2012-13 season. 

The defending Conference Champion Miami Heat are still a formidable presence, as well, with shooting guard Jimmy Butler and company hoping that they can make another surprise run to the finals. 

Moving on to Atlanta, the dynamic duo of guards Trae Young and Dejountae Murray will look to avoid the play-in and clinch a playoff spot outright. Another team in a similar spot will be the Toronto Raptors, who seem to be a borderline play-in team; the loss of point guard Fred VanVleet in free agency is certainly a blow, but an impressive array of young talent should keep Toronto competitive. 

Further down the standings, star forwards DeMar DeRozan and Zach Lavine should be able to carry the Chicago Bulls into the play-in for the second straight season. Along with the Bulls, another team that should be exciting for years to come are the Brooklyn Nets; while the Nets don’t have quite the same starpower in previous years, they have a solid young core of forwards Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, and Ben Simmons and could sneak their way into this year’s play-in tournament.

The Western Conference looks to be just as competitive as it was last year, with the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns seeming to be the best teams with each possessing loaded rosters. The Suns newly formed “Big Three” consisting of guards Bradley Beal and Devin Booker, and forward Kevin Durant, will look to capture the Suns’ first championship in franchise history. 

The defending champion Denver Nuggets led by superstar center Nikola Jokic and guard Jamal Murray will definitely be near the top of the conference standings this season, as they were the top-seed last year.

In Los Angeles, the Clippers have an extremely talented roster on paper, led by All-Star forwards Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, however the duo’s history of injuries may cost the team another chance at a title. The Lakers, on the other hand, will most certainly be in the mix with the other Western Conference heavy-hitters. It will be interesting to see how Los Angeles’ revamped roster performs this season. 

Last season, the Sacramento Kings made the playoffs for the first time since 2004, breaking a historic 16-year drought. Their playoff run ended quite prematurely however, as they lost to the Warriors in the first round. Star point guard De'Aaron Fox, skilled big-man Domantas Sabonis, and the rest of this young team will look to make a deeper run this year. 

Teams close to making a playoff push will be the Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Dallas Mavericks. Point guard Ja Morant and the Grizzlies should still be competitive in the Western Conference, even with Morant’s suspension looming. Young guard Anthony Edwards should comfortably lead the Timberwolves to a spot in the play-in, as well, while a backcourt duo of Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving is a scary sight for any opponent, even if lack of depth might be the Mavericks downfall. 

The New Orleans Pelicans will most likely be competing for one of the final spots in the play-in; the squad’s ability to take the next step towards a championship will be dependent on forward Zion Williamson’s ability to stay healthy, though. Right behind New Orleans, the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder will most likely be competing for the last play-in spot. 

No matter who wins the championship in the 2023-24 NBA season, this year looks to be another great campaign that will keep fans engaged throughout.