1. New York Knicks
2025-26 record: 53-29, second in Atlantic, won NBA Finals
Head coach: Mike Brown, second season with Knicks (53-29 record)
Coming and going: The Knicks had to make a financial decision involving defensive-dynamo center Mitchell Robinson and he ended up with the Boston Celtics on a three-year, $47.4 million deal. Veteran rebounder Andre Drummond was added to fill the hole. Seeing Jeremy Sochan leave wasn’t an issue, particularly with New York re-signing guards Jose Alvarado, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson. The starting five of the championship team is intact.
Numbers to crunch: That 53-year championship drought is over and Karl-Anthony Towns wants his piece of the financial pie. The two sides are at an extension stalemate with New York’s top offer being $200 million over four years while Towns is seeking $276 million. Jalen Brunson scored a combined 113 points in the final three games of the NBA Finals and was named Finals MVP. He will go down in Knicks lore in the same manner as 1970s franchise legends Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere and Bill Bradley.
Breakout player: It’s hard to pinpoint a new standout when Brunson and Towns take so many shots, so perhaps OG Anunoby can shoot and score the way he did in the postseason. Anunoby averaged 20.1 points and shot 56.1 percent from the field (including 48.9 percent from 3-point range) in 17 playoff games. For comparison, he shot 38.6 percent behind the arc and averaged 16.7 points during the regular season.
2. Philadelphia 76ers
2025-26 record: 45-37, fourth in Atlantic, lost to Knicks in Eastern Conference semifinals
Head coach: Nick Nurse, fourth season with 76ers (116-130)
Coming and going: LeBron James and Jaylen Brown rank as pretty stellar offseason acquisitions. James craves another title before retirement and took a two-year, $8 million deal to come to Philly, while the 76ers stole Brown from the Celtics simply by getting rid of Paul George in the process. Adding James and Brown to Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe would be sufficient, but gaining guards Anfernee Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as depth and drafting guard Labaron Philon Jr. also were solid moves. Drummond, Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre Jr. joined George on the headed-out-of-town list.
Numbers to crunch: Embiid played in 38 games last season and 96 over the past three campaigns, meaning he has averaged 50 missed contests during the span. His three-year, $187.9 million extension kicks in this year. Perhaps the influence of James will lead to more appearances. Brown averaged a career-best 28.7 points for Boston last season while hoisting 21.7 shots per game. Both will be hard to match with James, Embiid and Maxey on the same team.
Breakout player: Edgecombe finished third in Rookie of the Year balloting last season while averaging 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. It was an impressive all-around season for the player drafted third overall in 2025. If the 21-year-old can improve on his 35.4 percent shooting from 3-point range, he can take another step forward despite the increase in surrounding talent level.
3. Boston Celtics
2025-26 record: 56-26, first in Atlantic, lost to 76ers in Eastern Conference first round
Head coach: Joe Mazzulla, fifth season with Celtics (238-90 record)
Coming and going: The trade of Brown was the culmination of the five-time All-Star’s frustration over not being fully appreciated despite carrying the squad last season while Jayson Tatum was out with the Achilles injury he suffered in the 2025 postseason. Whether George is a good fit with Tatum remains to be seen. Adding Robinson improves the interior defense, while Mike Conley was signed for point guard depth. Boston also lost center Nikola Vucevic in free agency.
Numbers to crunch: Tatum played in 16 regular-season games and six postseason games. The six-time All-Star should be back in top form. George, 36, is a nine-time All-Star, but he played in just 78 games the past two seasons for the 76ers and 56 or fewer in six of the past seven seasons. Robinson has 690 blocks and 362 steals in his eight NBA campaigns.
Breakout player: Payton Pritchard averaged 17.0 points and knocked down a team-high 212 3-pointers in 79 games (50 starts) last season. His role as a shooter could expand with Brown gone. Pritchard made a career-best 255 treys in 2024-25 while shooting 40.7 percent from long range. He also is a fine passer who averaged a career-high 5.2 assists last season.
4. Toronto Raptors
2025-26 record: 46-36, third in Atlantic, lost to Cavaliers in Eastern Conference first round
Head coach: Darko Rajakovic, fourth season with Raptors (101-145)
Coming and going: Kawhi Leonard led the Raptors to the 2019 NBA title in a one-and-done tenure; now, he’s back to help revive Toronto. Leonard is a two-time Finals MVP (the other with the San Antonio Spurs) and the Raptors are excited about teaming him with two-time All-Star Scottie Barnes. Toronto also added veteran Kyle Anderson and first-round draft pick Allen Graves to spruce up the forward depth. Forward Brandon Ingram and swingman Gradey Dick went to the Los Angeles Clippers in the Leonard deal.
Numbers to crunch: Leonard averaged a career-high 27.9 points while playing in 65 games last season, his second-most contests since the 2016-17 campaign. Toronto will be happy if the 35-year-old plays in 65 games this season. Immanuel Quickley made a career-high 178 3-pointers last season, his third with the Raptors. Barnes scored 20 or more points on 28 occasions last season.
Breakout player: Collin Murray-Boyles averaged 8.5 points and 5.0 rebounds last season while being a second-team All-Rookie selection. He shot 57.9 percent from the field, so getting him more shots could see him bump his scoring up to 12 or 13 points per game. The 21-year-old could be a good fit for a small-ball frontcourt with Leonard and Barnes. The 6-foot-7 Murray-Boyles also has the athleticism to play in a traditional post role to spell Jakob Poeltl.
5. Brooklyn Nets
2025-26 record: 20-62, fifth in Atlantic, missed playoffs
Head coach: Jordi Fernandez, third season with Nets (46-118)
Coming and going: Julius Randle arrived in a four-team deal, giving the Nets another credible veteran. Teaming Randle with Michael Porter Jr. means Brooklyn has two players who could combine for 50 or more points in a game. Guard Keon Ellis and forward Moritz Wagner were added as free agents, while first-round draft choice Mikel Brown could be an immediate standout contributor. Big man Nic Claxton and forward Ziaire Williams were departures. Forward Joshua Jefferson (No. 28 overall) was another solid draft pick.
Numbers to crunch: The 62 losses last season tied for fourth-most in the franchise’s NBA history. A big reason for the struggles was that Brooklyn averaged a league-low 105.9 points and tied with the Sacramento Kings (34.0 percent) for worst 3-point shooting. The Nets tallied below 100 points on 26 occasions, bottoming out with outputs of 66 and 77.
Breakout player: Brown was the sixth overall pick out of Louisville. He could be a big-time scorer someday. Brown was limited to 21 games with the Cardinals due to a back injury but averaged 18.2 points and made 55 3-pointers. If he clicks as a rookie, Brooklyn’s offensive potential will be intriguing. He is entering the season on a minutes restriction due to an ankle injury. Brown didn’t land too many plaudits from scouts for his defense.
