NBA Watchability Rankings: The top 15
If expected success was the lone reason to watch an NBA team, only a handful of squads would make for must-see TV. In a highlight-heavy world, even long shots provide plenty of entertainment. With that in mind, here's our ranking of how watchable all 30 teams are, culminating with the top 15.
Check out the bottom 15 here.
The Magic have the makings to become a force for years to come. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are versatile offensive weapons, both only scratching the surface. Meanwhile, the defensive tenacity of Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac sets the tone for one of the NBA's stingiest squads.
Jayson Tatum is the centerpiece in Boston, but the defending champs play perfect team-oriented basketball that also had Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis average north of 20 points last season. Their meticulous attention to detail under Joe Mazzulla isn't necessarily flashy, but it's undeniably potent.
Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo are each capable of show-stopping moments, but we didn't seem to get many from either during the Bucks' tumultuous 2023-24 campaign. With the former presumably settled in Milwaukee, Dame Time and the Greek Freak should be the thrilling one-two punch we expect this year.
Few teams can match the Pelicans' athleticism and entertainment value when they're at full strength. Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy III represent the kind of dynamic core teams dream of, and adding Dejounte Murray only makes them that much more electric to watch.
Anthony Edwards, with his stellar two-way play and endless soundbites, makes for an elite show on his own. Put him beside the lockdown defense of Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert as well as Naz Reid's energy off the bench and you've got a delightful viewing experience.
Stephen Curry remains prime television even as he enters Year 16 in the Association. His constant movement without the ball and chemistry with Draymond Green in the two-man game is poetry in motion. As Curry proved this past summer at the Olympics, he can still single-handedly tilt a matchup in his favor with his shotmaking ability.
We're running out of ways to describe Nikola Jokic's excellence. Whether he's launching full-court dimes or running the pick-and-roll with Aaron Gordon, it seems like the three-time MVP is adding new passes to his arsenal every season. And, just when you think Jokic's done it all, he delivers another mind-blowing highlight that defies the norm for his position.
Take two in the desert. Despite winning 49 games last season, the Suns' Big Three experiment felt like a failure even before the Timberwolves swept them in the first round. They should be more enjoyable to watch this year, though; Tyus Jones gives their offense a more balanced approach as a distributor, allowing new coach Mike Budenholzer to optimize the talents of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal.
There's no denying Kyrie Irving has been the near-perfect backcourt partner for Luka Doncic, both in terms of on-court success and simply playing aesthetically pleasing basketball. With P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford aboard for the full year, the Mavs should be riveting once again - especially if Klay Thompson can occasionally turn back the clock.
Take what everyone loved about the Thunder last season - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP-caliber play, Luguentz Dort's shutdown defense, Chet Holmgren's ludicrously lanky game, and all the postgame interview high jinks - and toss in fan-favorite in Alex Caruso. The latter raises their ceiling, sure, but he should seamlessly fit in with their team chemistry, too.
Expect Ja Morant to pick up where he left off after an early-season suspension and a shoulder injury limited him to just nine appearances in the 2023-24 campaign. Morant's jaw-dropping athleticism, fearless drives, and willingness to speak his mind were certainly missed. Now that the Grizzlies' main star is back in the fold, it'll also be intriguing to see how he meshes with Marcus Smart and 7-foot-4 rookie Zach Edey.
Unless you've been cryogenically frozen over the summer, you're aware of the multitude of reasons to watch the Lakers in 2024-25. At some point, Bronny and LeBron James will be the first father and son ever to share an NBA court. But there's also JJ Redick's coaching debut and the ambiguity of whether this could be the elder James' final season. Will they be good? Who knows! But there's still plenty to look forward to.
If you like a lot of scoring, the Pacers are again slated to satisfy your cravings. Expect Indiana to return to that frenetic uptempo style that registered as both the second-quickest pace in the league last season and also the second-most efficient offense. Whether they can top their 120.5 offensive rating or not, they'll be appealing for neutrals to watch.
New York's front office has assembled a unique roster built around a nucleus of longtime friends who genuinely enjoy playing with one another. It just so happens that they're all really good at basketball. Factor in the stoic OG Anunoby and charismatic 7-footer Karl-Anthony Towns, and you have one of the most entertaining starting fives in the NBA.
If the prospect of Victor Wembanyama as a rookie wasn't enough to reel you in last year, the towering 7-foot-3 prodigy now gets to learn from - and play alongside - all-but-guaranteed future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul. But the Spurs also have so much more to offer beyond their dynamic duo; Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, and rookie Stephon Castle all had exhilarating preseason slams over the last week. No team defines watchability better than Gregg Popovich's squad this year.