The vast majority of NBA teams enter the 2025-26 season with at least a perceived chance to make the postseason. The advent of the Play-In Tournament widened the berth of postseason contenders on an annual basis and, with few exceptions, teams are at least angling toward competitiveness as the regular season approaches.
With that said, the betting market paints a rather dire postseason picture for six teams. The Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, and Washington Wizards all enter the campaign with consensus betting odds of at least -800 to miss the 2026 NBA Playoffs, putting those squads in a different realm than the other 24 teams in the league. To be fair to New Orleans, Phoenix, and Charlotte, there is another mini-tier of Utah, Brooklyn and Washington in that those teams are seen as wild longshots to make the postseason but, in the aggregate, six teams seem destined for lottery-level performance.
In this space, we'll highlight a bright spot for each of those six squads, acknowledging that the present is not exactly the priority. Here they are in alphabetical order.
Brooklyn Nets - A bevy of interesting rookies
The Brooklyn Nets famously made five (!) first round selections in the 2025 NBA Draft. While those choices were not universally popular, Brooklyn did stock the cupboard and at least take some high-upside angles for the future. Egor Demin is perhaps the poster child for that approach, and the former BYU ball-handler will seemingly have the ball in his hands plenty during his rookie campaign. The results may be ugly, but the Nets have youth and, importantly, full access to their 2026 draft pick.
Charlotte Hornets - Brandon Miller
It didn't come with uber-elite efficiency, but former No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller did seem to take a leap forward in his second season. He averaged 21.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game for the Charlotte Hornets, and Miller attempted a whopping 10.9 3-pointers per game in his second campaign. Unfortunately, Miller only played in 27 contests due to injury, but he is on track to be ready to go in 2025-26. Charlotte certainly swings on whether LaMelo Ball can be healthy and good, but Miller is a guy that Hornets fans can be tangibly excited about as the season looms.
New Orleans Pelicans - Zion Williamson
The New Orleans Pelicans made a draft night trade with the Atlanta Hawks that was universally blasted in a way that NBA observers don't often see. That cast a shadow over the proceedings and, unlike some teams on this list, the Pelicans don't have their 2026 pick to look forward to. However, there is positive buzz around Zion Williamson as the season nears, especially when it comes to his physical makeup. Williamson, at his best, is an elite talent, and if he can stay healthy and in shape this season, he can make up for a lot of the shortcomings elsewhere in New Orleans.
Phoenix Suns - Two Real Centers
The center position has been a well-documented mess for a while in Phoenix, and the Suns took grand steps to address that problem this summer. Mark Williams comes over from Charlotte after a substantial trade, and the Suns also invested a lottery pick in Khaman Maluach. Williams is still getting healthy, but Maluach greatly impressed on a preseason game on Tuesday, putting up 17 points, eight rebounds, three steals, two blocks, and two assists against the Los Angeles Lakers. That isn't a sustainable projection for the immediate future, but Suns fans can take solace in the 5 spot this season.
Utah Jazz - Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler
Utah is projected to be the worst team in the West, and that is understandable. The Jazz have a bevy of young, unproven players, and some of them may not work out. However, Utah does have two clearly productive young veterans in Markkanen and Kessler, which definitely helps the night-to-night viewing experience. Markkanen looked very strong this summer at EuroBasket. Kessler is a defensive anchor that most bad teams simply don't have. Even if it is possible that one or both are traded within the next year, they help to make the Jazz more watchable.
Washington Wizards - Alex Sarr
It might be another long season in Washington, but the Wizards are excited about Alex Sarr ... and they should be. His offensive efficiency was truly woeful at times during his rookie season, but Sarr's appeal as a versatile, two-way big man persists. He suffered an injury during EuroBasket, but Sarr returned with 12 points, eight rebounds, and two blocked shots in only 17 minutes in his preseason debut. Unlike a few teams on this list, Washington has a prospect that they invested a premium pick in, and Sarr remains an intriguing prospect with a clear path to take a second-year leap.