Tim BontempsNov 21, 2025, 06:30 AM ETCloseTim Bontemps is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com who covers the league and what’s impacting it on and off the court, including trade deadline intel, expansion and his MVP Straw Polls. You can find Tim alongside Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective podcast.Follow on X
play0:53Tim MacMahon: Mavs will explore trade market for Anthony DavisTim MacMahon reports that Mavericks are exploring trading Anthony Davis when he’s healthy as they build their team around Cooper Flagg.
play1:24Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Game HighlightsHouston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Game Highlights
play1:48What is the Lakers’ ceiling with LeBron? Stephen A. weighs inStephen A. Smith explains why the conference finals are the ceiling for the Lakers this season with LeBron James back.
play0:55Stephen A.: You have to pay attention to the Heat right nowStephen A. Smith weighs in on whether the Heat or the Magic are a bigger threat in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
play0:56Shams: OKC viewed as best-positioned franchise in all of sportsShams Charania explains why the Thunder might be in the best position of any sports franchise.
Perk lays out his concern with the Knicks (1:18)Kendrick Perkins wants to see the Knicks utilize more post-ups on offense and believes they’re relying on jump shots too much. (1:18)
Tim MacMahon: Mavs will explore trade market for Anthony DavisTim MacMahon reports that Mavericks are exploring trading Anthony Davis when he’s healthy as they build their team around Cooper Flagg.
Tim MacMahon reports that Mavericks are exploring trading Anthony Davis when he’s healthy as they build their team around Cooper Flagg.
Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Game HighlightsHouston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Game Highlights
What is the Lakers’ ceiling with LeBron? Stephen A. weighs inStephen A. Smith explains why the conference finals are the ceiling for the Lakers this season with LeBron James back.
Stephen A. Smith explains why the conference finals are the ceiling for the Lakers this season with LeBron James back.
Stephen A.: You have to pay attention to the Heat right nowStephen A. Smith weighs in on whether the Heat or the Magic are a bigger threat in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
Stephen A. Smith weighs in on whether the Heat or the Magic are a bigger threat in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
Shams: OKC viewed as best-positioned franchise in all of sportsShams Charania explains why the Thunder might be in the best position of any sports franchise.
We are one month into the 2025-26 NBA season — a campaign already featuring plenty of spectacular moments. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets played arguably the game of the year in the first battle of the season, and things haven’t slowed since.
With that in mind and after speaking with league insiders across the country over the past week, we’re examining one lesson learned for each of the 30 teams.
What I’m hearing: Young going down with a sprained knee on Oct. 29 has provided the Hawks with a chance to see what this roster could look like if he left as a free agent — or via trade — next summer, when he has a $48.9 million player option. The early returns are promising. Atlanta has gone 7-2 without its All-Star guard and — most interestingly — ranks fourth in defensive efficiency in that span. Atlanta has never finished better than 18th in Young’s seven NBA seasons.
“I think the Trae Young situation is fascinating,” a Western Conference executive told ESPN. “They’re a totally different team with and without him.”
The situation underscores the delicate dance between the longtime face of the franchise and a team potentially in transition. And, with several more weeks until Young returns, this stretch will only ramp up interest in whether his long-term future lies in Atlanta or elsewhere.
What I’m hearing: League insiders praised the way Fernandez kept the Nets competitive during a 26-56 season, which hovered around .500 through Thanksgiving last year before bottoming out. But no amount of coaching acumen will be able to boost a roster designed to ensure Brooklyn lands a top prospect in the loaded 2026 draft. Multiple executives told ESPN this is the league’s least talented roster, with early returns on the five first-rounders the Nets took in June’s draft being mixed, at best.
What I’m hearing: No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg entered the season expected to win the league’s top rookie honor in a runaway, but the Dallas phenom’s biggest challenger could be his former Duke teammate. Knueppel, behind a rookie class-leading 18.3 points per contest and his 40% clip from 3, has already impressed scouts with his shooting stroke and feel for the game.
What I’m hearing: The Bulls are in a fascinating in-between place. Coach Billy Donovan has done a great job with this group, but the Bulls lack a star to build around. Second-year forward Matas Buzelis has shown intriguing flashes — and the club has the ability to open a bunch of cap space this summer — but Coby White and Nikola Vucevic are set to become free agents.
“I could see it,” a West executive, who recently saw Chicago play, said. “[Josh] Giddey has worked well with Vucevic, but he could use a roll man to throw it up to.”
What I’m hearing: In essentially replacing 2025 Sixth Man finalist Ty Jerome with Lonzo Ball, the Cavaliers knew they were risking a lower regular-season ceiling in favor of a higher one in the playoffs. That’s exactly what league insiders are seeing through the first month of 2025-26. The departure of Jerome and the absence of Darius Garland, who has played just 73 minutes while dealing with a big toe injury, has dropped last season’s top-ranked offense to outside the top 10.
“They’re not great right now, but they’re down at least two starters,” a West scout said, referring to Garland, Max Strus and Sam Merrill all missing time. “Lonzo hasn’t been great.
“Are they better [than last year]? Probably not. They’ve always needed Evan [Mobley] to get even better, and he’s not there yet.”
Tim MacMahon: Mavs will explore trade market for Anthony Davis
Several other sources struggled to produce a deep list of suitors for Davis, who is set to make $54.1 million, $58.4 million and $62.7 million across the next three seasons.
What I’m hearing: Murray has long been seen by opposing scouts and executives as a player who eases his way into the season. But if the guard’s first handful of games is any indication, Murray could be changing that narrative. The 28-year-old is averaging a career-high 22.5 points, production Denver will need to continue with Christian Braun out until around the new year with a serious left ankle sprain.
“He’s moving well, his body looks good. … I’ve been impressed with him,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “He’s been a huge part of their hot start. They’re in the inner circle of contenders in large part because of the work he’s been doing next to Jokic.”
What I’m hearing: It wouldn’t be a Warriors season without drama surrounding the future of Kuminga, who, as ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported, remains in limbo with the team. While Kuminga’s role has again fluctuated from starter to reserve before dealing with a knee issue, the same underlying inconsistencies that have followed him through his first few years have cropped up yet again.
“He is who he is, even though he’s on the younger side,” an East scout said. “He has looked better, and has been trying to fit in, but he still falls back into his old habits.”
The calculus for a potential Kuminga trade remains complicated since Golden State isn’t going to give him away, and with the Warriors being right up against the second apron, there’s difficulty in finding value for him and a team that will acquire the 23-year-old.
“Who is going to take him?” the scout said. “And are they going to move him for stuff they don’t want, or just wait? It’s very hard to find a trade that makes sense for everyone.”
Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Game Highlights
Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Game Highlights
What I’m hearing: The Rockets are grabbing more than two out of every five shots they miss. To put their absurd 40.5% offensive rebound rate into perspective: The gap between Houston and second-place Portland is the same between the Trail Blazers and the 16th-place Nets. No team since 1996-97 has eclipsed 38% across a full season. This is how the Rockets have the league’s best offense while being dead last in 3-point shooting volume as the only team taking fewer than 30 per game.
What is the Lakers’ ceiling with LeBron? Stephen A. weighs in
What I’m hearing: It has been a fascinating opening month in L.A. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have put up gigantic numbers, and LeBron James has basically missed all of it. Deandre Ayton has been productive … but the Lakers are several points better per 100 possessions with him on the bench than they are with him on the court.
Opponents are having a field day at the rim, with the Lakers giving up 69% shooting inside of 5 feet (fourth worst in the NBA). While they have an 11-4 record, they have middling overall efficiency numbers (11th in offense, 17th in defense, 14th in net rating). Add it up, and while it has been an impressive opening few weeks in the standings, it’s still unclear just how high this team’s ceiling really is — which was reflected in conversations this week with sources around the league.
“Are they up there with Oklahoma City, Denver and Houston? No,” an East scout said. “But they’re clearly in the top six. Their depth overall isn’t good, but their top-line talent makes them a team I wouldn’t want to see in the playoffs.”
A West scout, though, was much more optimistic: “They’re top three for sure. When you have Luka, you’re always going to be in the mix.”
What I’m hearing: There’s one very easy way to prove the above statement: the percentage of Morant’s shots that are taken inside of three feet.
Stephen A.: You have to pay attention to the Heat right now