Roundball Roundtable: Award dark horses, expansion ideas

With another All-Star break in the rearview, theScore's NBA editors answer some of the biggest questions around the league.

Who is a dark horse award candidate?

J.B. Bickerstaff for COTY: He probably won't finish in the top three, but Bickerstaff's work with the Pistons deserves some proper recognition. Detroit was stuck with a miserable eight wins and all alone in last place in the East this time last season. Yet much of that same roster occupies a playoff spot and is vying for home-court advantage in the first round. Bickerstaff isn't the only person responsible for that year-over-year glow-up - Cade Cunningham's rise to superstardom is coming at the right time, and new vets like Tobias Harris and Tim Hardaway Jr. have helped. But the 45-year-old head coach has his squad operating as a confident, cohesive unit, with yesteryear's embarrassing campaign essentially forgotten. - Jonathan Soveta

Malik Beasley for 6MOY: Beasley signing a one-year contract with the Pistons was largely viewed as a short-term signing to help improve the team along the margins. Instead, the 28-year-old has put together one of his best offensive campaigns. Beasley is averaging 16.6 points with a 59.4% effective field-goal percentage, his best output since his 2020-21 season with the T-Wolves. The sharpshooter is second to Anthony Edwards in made 3-pointers (226) and is in the top 15 in percentage from deep (42.3%), knocking down four threes a game. If the Pistons return to the playoffs, Beasley could be rewarded with some new hardware and a new contract. - Donald Higney

Lu Dort for DPOY: Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama won't hit the 65-game threshold to qualify for the annual awards, meaning a dark horse could capture a Defensive Player of the Year trophy. Dort's argument is simple: He's the best defender on the most suffocating NBA defense since 2019-2020. Dort is forcing opponents to shoot just 61% at the rim and 33% from three while defending primary playmakers every night. His on-ball defense allows Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams to act as free safeties, targeting weaker ballhandlers to help OKC get into fastbreak situations. It's that kind of resume that could make Dort only the sixth guard to win a DPOY and just the second since 2000. - Thomas Tittley

Which team needs a post-All-Star reset the most?

Houston Rockets: The Rockets went 2-7 in their final nine games entering the All-Star break, and two of those losses came at the hands of the 24th-place Brooklyn Nets. Houston ranked 29th in field-goal percentage (42.7%) and 30th in free-throw percentage (71.7%) during that stretch. The franchise was also without two of its starters, with Fred VanVleet missing seven games with an ankle sprain and Jabari Smith Jr. being sidelined from Jan. 3 with a fractured hand. Amen Thompson has been a bright spot during this time, averaging 14.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.6 steals, and two blocks since Jan. 30. If his energy can radiate to his teammates, the Rockets should bounce back well. - Joseph Luca Casciaro

Phoenix Suns: Phoenix's only win in its last seven matchups before the All-Star Game was an overtime victory at home over the bottom-dwelling Jazz. The Suns dropped three straight after that, all of which came against top-four teams in the West: the Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Rockets. And in their first game back from the break, they were brushed aside by the Spurs, who were playing without 7-foot-3 phenom Victor Wembanyama. The Suns simply can't crack that final play-in seed, and with ex-trade target Jimmy Butler now helping the Golden State Warriors climb the standings, that gap will only continue to grow if Phoenix's stars can't quickly right the ship. - Soveta

Orlando Magic: Orlando's enchanting first third of the season seems like a distant memory. The Magic are now in a play-in spot after beginning the season 17-10 and looking like a potential challenge to the top teams in the conference while playing without Paolo Banchero. Teams that had slower starts have put together longer, sustained positive stretches, like the Pacers and Pistons. While Jamahl Mosley's squad has been outstanding defensively, Orlando ranks above only the Wizards and Hornets in offensive rating. Finding a balance between Banchero's ball-dominant play and the rest of the team should hopefully bring the team back into the playoff race. - Higney

Which team outside the playoff picture has the brightest future?

Portland Trail Blazers: Do yourselves a favor and start tuning into Blazers games. They're fun, athletic, and, most importantly, they're winning. Portland is 11-5 over its last 16 games and recently smashed the Hornets by a franchise-record 53 points. Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, still only 20 and 21, respectively, look like the backcourt of the future. Toumani Camara is in the hunt to make an All-Defensive team in just his second season, and Donovan Clingan has been a per-36 machine. Portland also has flexibility moving forward. The Blazers control most of their upcoming draft picks, and the high-paid duo of Anfernee Simons and Deandre Ayton will be on expiring deals next season. - Tittley

San Antonio Spurs: Even with Victor Wembanyama sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a blood clot issue, the Spurs have a very bright future. Beyond Wemby, the Spurs boast Stephon Castle, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, and Devin Vassell. All four are 25 or younger and averaging double-digit points this season. And Wemby himself is recording 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 3.8 blocks. The Spurs' front office also added De'Aaron Fox, who should be the perfect complementary piece for these young stars. Fox is averaging 21.8 points, 4.8 boards, 7 dimes, and 2 steals since joining San Antonio. - Casciaro

New Orleans Pelicans: The Pelicans' saving grace after a miserable season will be how well-equipped they are for the draft. Their own pick is highly likely to be in the top four, and they also control the Bucks' selection. New Orleans could potentially supplement a talented core of Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Trey Murphy, Herbert Jones, and Yves Missi with another rising star, like Ace Bailey or Dylan Harper - or the Pels could even hit another Duke jackpot in Cooper Flagg. Despite their miserable season, keep in mind McCollum is their only rotation constant older than 28. Williamson, as unlucky as he's been, is still only 24 and under contract through 2027-28 - the ideal long-term partner for a promising rookie next season. - Soveta

Which expansion option is the most viable?

Seattle: Talk of NBA expansion was again prominent as part of All-Star Weekend. Out of all of the options, Seattle remains the most deserving destination. Fans desperately want to see the team back in place. Commissioner Adam Silver said it would be a "dream" for the league to return to The Emerald City. The Blazers and Clippers played a preseason contest at Climate Pledge Arena, the third straight year an NBA exhibition game took place there. The venue will also host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament later in March, another indication that basketball fans are ready to have another team in the Pacific Northwest. - Higney

Las Vegas: Professional sports had long spurned Sin City, distancing themselves from the gambling world before the NHL made the leap in 2017. But now that sports gambling is legal in 39 states - plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. - leagues are sprinting into partnership deals with major casinos and betting sites. Both MLB and the NFL have decided to relocate their Oakland organizations to the desert, leaving the Association as the lone major sports league without a team in, or committed, to Vegas. The NBA has a longstanding history with the city: The final and semifinal of the NBA Cup are hosted in Vegas, the WNBA has the Las Vegas Aces, and the NBA's Summer League is played at UNLV's Thomas and Mack Center. LeBron James has explicitly said he wants to own a Vegas expansion team, making it seem inevitable that a squad will end up in Nevada shortly. - Tittley

Montreal is known for its passionate fans, as was seen when the Raptors held training camp there this past offseason and during the NHL's recent 4 Nations Face-Off. It only seems right to give such vocal supporters an NBA team of their own. Canada was the most-represented country outside of the U.S. this past opening night, with 21 Canadian players on NBA rosters to begin the season. Canada also showed out at the 2024 FIBA World Cup, taking home a bronze medal. It's time the NBA brings a second team to the Great White North. - Casciaro