Four fun NBA teams to watch for the 2023-24 season

Surrounding Wembanyama are some interesting players who have already spent years in the Spurs’ development plan and have a chance to thrive next to him. Devin Vassell recently signed a five-year, $146 million extension and is developing into a lethal 3-and-D wing with one of the smoothest jump shots in the league.

Jeremy Sochan is starting to mold himself into this team’s version of Dennis Rodman and has a hairstyle that matches his play on the court. He’s a tenacious rebounder and defender, while also being a capable ball-handler and playmaker.

But everything that will make this team so fun to watch starts with Wembanyama. When he’s on the court, you can’t keep your eyes off him. The fluidity of his movements at his size is something no one has seen before, and you can be rest assured that when you have a Spurs game on, you’re going to see something spectacular.

Phoenix Suns

The Suns have taken the concept of going all in and amplified it to the highest possible level. After selling the farm to acquire Kevin Durant, the team doubled down and traded Chris Paul — who played a major role in the team’s resurgence — for Wizards guard Bradley Beal.

Adding another elite scorer in Beal to the already potent offensive duo of Durant and Devin Booker is a bold gamble and one that could pay off if the three are able to coexist on the court. These three have aesthetically pleasing games, especially in the midrange, and have enough playmaking skills to get the ball to one another.

The preseason has already shown us glimpses of what this offense could look like.

Regardless of whether or not this trio can be successful, it will still be an incredibly entertaining season for the Suns. The roster doesn’t have many defensive-minded players, so the the team will likely have to sizzle on offense to win. More points mean more fun, and there’s also the drama factor to consider should things turn south on this three-headed monster.

Milwaukee Bucks

After shocking the NBA world by trading for All-Star Damian Lillard, the Milwaukee Bucks have the deadliest duo in the entire league. Pairing Lillard, one of the most talented offensive players in the league, with a two-time MVP in Giannis Antetokounmpo is the perfect match stylistically speaking. Lillard can be the pick-and-roll partner who Antetokounmpo desperately needs and that defenses will fear. 

Going over the screen frees Antetokounmpo up at the rim, and dropping back to cover leaves Lillard free to shoot from deep. In transition, teams will now have the difficult choice of preventing a Lillard three or defending an easy shot at the rim for Antetokounmpo.

With so much attention directed at Antetokounmpo and Lillard, this leaves Khris Middleton with the least amount of defensive attention in his entire Bucks tenure. Can he take advantage of this newfound offensive freedom, or will he regress due to a lack of touches? Can Brook Lopez maintain his First-Team All-Defense level of play going into his 16th season?

Expectations will be high for this Bucks team, and it will be up to Lillard and Antetokounmpo to lead them to the promised land.

Oklahoma City Thunder

After a 40-42 record last season, the Oklahoma City Thunder are ready to take the next step in their rebuild. First-Team All-NBA guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander cemented his role as one of the league’s top players, and the team has a talented young core of players in Josh Giddey (21), Jalen Williams (22) and Chet Holmgren (21), who still have plenty of room to grow.

Giddey is already one of the best passers in the league and capable of pulling off a highlight-worthy pass at the drop of a hat.

Holmgren is in the Wembanyama zone of players and will be a huge upgrade for a Thunder team that was often forced to go ultra-small due to a lack of size on the roster. Williams started coming on following the All-Star break last season, averaging 18.6 points, 5.4 rebounds 4.3 assists and 1.7 steals.

The Thunder have an excess of tall, rangy wings at their disposal and can smother opposing players with their unique combination of size and athleticism.

This team has the potential to take the league by storm this season, similar to the Warriors in 2015, which might seem like high expectations, but this team has all the tools to make it happen.