Several NBA teams have made big strides this offseason through a combination of smart draft, trades and free agent signings.
However, when selecting the top five, I only consider the changes that teams have made and not players returning from injury. For example, the Memphis Grizzlies could see the biggest jump in wins (27-55 last season), but that's mostly because Ja Morant and other players are healthy, not because Zach Eddy will add another 25 wins on his own (though he looks like he'd be a good fit).
Win numbers, in and of themselves, aren't necessarily the only evidence of improvement. We also look at specific team weaknesses that were addressed and how far a franchise can go in the playoffs going forward.
Based on offseason acquisitions (taking losses into account), here are the five most improved teams so far.
Notable additions: G/F Ron Hollard II, F Tobias Harris, SG Malik Beasley, SG Tim Hardaway Jr., F/C Paul Reed, HC JB Bickerstaff
Notable losses: SG Quentin Grimes, C James Wiseman, HC Monty Williams
2023-24 Record: 14-68
Detroit may be the only team that can realistically double its win total in 2024-25, so surpassing last year's 14 wins shouldn't be too difficult.
Detroit added several rotation players this offseason and will look like a capable NBA franchise for the first time in years, but no one is going to mistake the Pistons for a playoff contender next year.
The Pistons needed a major boost in shooting, and they've improved greatly with the additions of Beasley (41.3% 3-pointers, 2.8 3-pointers per game), Tobias Harris (35.3% 3-pointers, 1.3 3-pointers per game) and Hardaway Jr. (35.3% 3-pointers, 2.7 3-pointers per game). Detroit was tied for last in 3-point shooting percentage (11.0 3-pointers per game) last season and was 26th in accuracy (34.8%).
Cade Cunningham is a high-level playmaker with his size and passing ability, and having a bona fide NBA veteran around him who can make shots would greatly improve an offense that is only ranked 27th overall (109.0 rating).
Though Holland doesn't contribute much to the team's shooting, he is ranked No. 1 by Bleacher Report draft expert Jonathan Wasserman in the 2024 class. He's only 18 years old, but he's a big, athletic wing who could be an All-Star if he can shoot three-pointers.
New head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has had success developing young players with the Cleveland Cavaliers, doubling the team's win total from 22 wins in the 2020-21 season to 44 wins in the 2021-22 season before the team traded for Donovan Mitchell.
Detroit has recruited some real NBA players, acquired another top draft prospect and found a better head coach, this team is finally trending in the right direction and should be much improved this season.
Notable additions: G/F Mikal Bridges, PG Cameron Payne, F Keita Bates-Diop, F Pakom Dadier, PG Tyler Kollek
Notable losses: C Isaiah Hartenstein, F Bojan Bogdanovic, G/F Alec Burks
2023-24 Record: 50-32
Winning 50 games and finishing as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Division will be tough to top, but adding one of the best two-way wings in the NBA and re-signing OG Anunoby could put the Knicks in a position to win 60 games this season.
New York went 26-6 in the regular season and playoffs with Anunoby and the Knicks, and they were even better when he was the small forward (plus-25.3 net rating per Cleaning the Glass) than when Anunoby was the power forward (plus-17.0). With Julius Randle healthy, Anunoby should see more time on the wing, adding size and length overall to the Knicks' starting lineup.
Mikal Bridges, a big shooting guard who stands 6-foot-6 with arms that stretch 7-foot-1 and shot 38.5 percent on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers last season, should get many more open shots playing alongside Jalen Brunson and Randle. Bridges and Anunoby are the perfect counter to the Boston Celtics' wings in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and the Knicks front office has designed this team to dethrone the reigning champions.
Outside of the center position, this roster has real depth, especially with Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo likely to come off the bench in place of Randle and Bridges. Rookie Tyler Kollek is 23 and could be primed for an immediate rotation role, with both he and Cameron Payne helping keep Brunson's minutes at a reasonable level before the playoffs begin.
The trio of Brunson, Randle and Anunoby posted a net rating of plus-26.1 (100th percentile, via Cleaning the Glass) on 582 combined possessions, giving us a glimpse of what this team could be.
Losing Isaiah Hartenstein will hurt, but acquiring Bridges, re-signing Anunoby and adding some good pieces on the wing should put the Knicks in contention for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Notable additions: C Isaiah Hartenstein, G Alex Caruso, PG Nikola Topic, F Dillon Jones
Notable losses: G Josh Giddy
2023-24 Record: 57-25
Only the Boston Celtics won more games than the Oklahoma City Thunder last season, but the young team that was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs still has plenty of room to grow.
The Thunder could stick with the status quo and rely on the internal reinforcements of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren to still make a leap, but adding proven veterans like Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso should propel Oklahoma City to a Finals run next season.
The best defenders at their respective positions, Hartenstein (plus-11.1 swing rating, 95th percentile per Cleaning the Glass) and Caruso (minus-7.0 defensive swing rating, 93rd percentile) were hugely impactful in their former teams' wins last season, and both are low-usage players, meaning they don't need the ball in their hands to make a difference and won't hinder the development of the Thunder's young core.
OKC was 28th in rebounding last season and 13th out of 16 playoff teams, and Hartenstein (18.5% total rebounding percentage, 13th in the NBA) should help them improve in that area. Caruso will replace Josh Giddey in the rotation and help the team improve with his excellent defense and 3-point shooting.
Nikola Topic may not play this season as he recovers from a partially torn ACL, but OKC's selection of him 12th overall could be a bargain in the draft. A potential top-five pick when healthy, the 6-foot-6 point guard could slowly develop on this highly talented team and provide the Thunder with a valuable backup for Gilgeous-Alexander or a future trade chip.
OKC may not improve on their win total from last season's 57 wins, but they are a much better team overall and should be considered one of the favorites to win the championship.
Notable additions: G/F Paul George, F Caleb Martin, C Andre Drummond, G/F Eric Gordon, PG Reggie Jackson
Notable losses: G/F Buddy Hield, F Nic Batum, G De'Anthony Melton, F/C Paul Reed, PG Cameron Payne, F/C Mo Bamba
2023-24 Record: 47-35
The primary factor in the success of the Philadelphia 76ers will always be the health of Joel Embiid, as the 76ers went 31-8 with Embiid on the court but just 16-27 without the former MVP.
The addition of Paul George would serve as at least some sort of safety net against further injury to Embiid, assuming, of course, the 34-year-old wing can stay healthy.
George is the first player to change teams in free agency following an All-Star season since Kawhi Leonard in 2019, and he should have a few good years before his four-year, $212 million max contract starts to look pretty bad. The 76ers' strength in the offseason was due not only to the addition of George (plus-13.8 swing rating, 98th percentile per Cleaning the Glass) but also the impressive cap work Daryl Morey and company did to fill out the roster around three stars.
The acquisition of Caleb Martin to a four-year, $35 million contract was one of the biggest bargains of free agency, and Andre Drummond is one of the best backup centers in the NBA and is likely to start for a large portion of the season when Embiid is sidelined.
Gordon and Jackson are veteran guards who can still make shots and create opportunities for others, and Kyle Lowry's leadership will be felt again.
Assuming they stay reasonably healthy, this team could win 55 games in the regular season and have a shot at a championship.
Some teams have star players, others have depth, and this 76ers team has done a very respectable job of establishing both.
Notable additions: PG Chris Paul, G Stephon Castle, F Harrison Barnes
Notable losses: PG Devonte Graham
2023-24 Record: 22-60
We learned last season that having Victor Wembanyama and a solid point guard on the court at the same time is enough to win basketball games.
When Wenbainama and Tre Jones shared the court, the San Antonio Spurs had a net rating of plus-5.2 (79th percentile per Cleaning the Glass) on 2,697 total possessions. When both players left the game, that rating plummeted to minus-12.6 (9th percentile).
Chris Paul may be nearing the end of his career, but he can still orchestrate an offense and take on a playmaking role beyond Jones. The 39-year-old Paul averaged 11.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists while shooting 44.2% from the 3-point line in 18 starts for the Golden State Warriors last season and has yet to post a negative swing rating in his 19-year career.
Stephon Castle was the No. 4 overall draft pick and gives Wenbanyama another guard who can play in the pick-and-roll and has the size and skill set to make an immediate impact defensively.
The addition of Harrison Barnes (12.2 ppg, 38.7% 3-point shooting) should significantly improve San Antonio's 3-point attack (28th in accuracy last season), especially with Paul and Castle creating open opportunities for others.
The Spurs are sure to win at least 10 games total and likely remain in the play-in zone for most of the year.
