Each NBA team has a timeline they try to keep in order to win that ever-elusive Larry O’Brien trophy. While it always doesn’t work due to different circumstances, it’s still an admirable goal for most teams as everybody just hates losing.
Some teams have the advantage due to being bigger markets over others, thus stars are lining up to play for them. However, the best avenue to win the title is through drafting and developing young assets.
In today’s list, we will discuss the 5 teams that won’t win an NBA Championship in the next 10 years and the 5 teams that will have a shot to win it all.
Won’t Win A Championship: Phoenix Suns
Is the Kevin Durant curse real? After leaving a perfect situation with Golden State, Durant has struggled with injuries and multiple playoff shortcomings. With Phoenix, he has another superteam in tow but the struggles are still there.
While Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are capable of helping KD any given night, there’s certainly an uncomfortable feeling that the trio will fall short of their ultimate goal when it’s all said and done.
Will Win A Championship: Boston Celtics
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Boston’s young core of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will be enough to propel them into a championship within the next 5 years. Brown is a perennial all-star while Tatum has been in the discussion of the MVP award within the last couple of years.
While the duo has had their fair share of shortcomings in the postseason, they are just too good not to win at least one for the Celtics before they decide to split up or hang it up. Their current starting five is mostly bulletproof, save for their weakness at the bench.
Won’t Win A Championship: Miami Heat
While it’s hard to bet against Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat, sadly, winning a championship may be out of the cards for them for the next 10 years.
Erik Spoelstra is one of the best coaches in the league but without top-tier superstars like LeBron in the past, they are going to experience multiple shortcomings in the future. You can count on them to be contenders yearly but not enough to get over the hump.
Will Win A Championship: Oklahoma City Thunder
The current young core of OKC is something to watch out for. Led by their MVP-caliber superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, this team’s potential is limitless. They have the right mix of young talent and everybody knows their role within the team.
If they can keep their core intact, OKC might have the right pieces to contend for a championship within the next 5 to 10 years. Youngsters like Jaylen Williams and Chet Holmgren will someday grow into stars in their own right. Plus, with a plethora of draft picks, the future certainly looks bright for OKC.
Won't Win A Championship: Philadelphia 76ers
This is a controversial take, but Embiid’s injury history will definitely play a huge part in why the Sixers may not hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy anytime soon. Embiid has missed a ton of games throughout his career due to various injuries and that’s not a good sign for a team who’s aspiring to win it all.
While Tyrese Maxey’s emergence has become a surprising revelation for the Sixers, it’s quite obvious that he alone cannot steer this team toward the NBA’s mountaintop.
Will Win A Championship: New York Knicks
This is a bold prediction as the Knicks haven’t won it all since 1973, but with their current roster makeup, they might surprisingly get one trophy soon. Jalen Brunson has been fantastic for the Knicks since signing with them in 2022.
In addition, they have the right mix of veteran players in their core which all share the same goal – to deliver a championship at the Garden.
Won’t Win A Championship: Atlanta Hawks
Sorry Hawks fans but it’s quite hard to imagine that Trae Young could lead Atlanta to a championship. Young is an excellent player but he’s still a tier below the likes of Embiid, Jokic, Doncic and Curry. While he’s one of the better point guards in the entire league, his defense has always been subpar due to his small stature as a player.
Atlanta isn’t also a premier destination for high-profile free agents. Their only avenue to add talent is through trades and the draft, which makes it a little bit harder for them to assemble a contending team.
Will Win A Championship: Milwaukee Bucks
It’s relatively safe to assume that Giannis will win another title within the next two or three years. The Lillard-Antetokounmpo duo is one of the best in the league and it’s hard to fathom that this experiment will end up as a failure.
The huge problem for them right now is probably their head coach, Doc Rivers. Many are skeptical about his ability to steer this team within the next few years due to his tendency to be out coached in the playoffs.
Won’t Win A Championship: Los Angeles Clippers
It feels like it’s destined that no matter how good the Clippers’ lineup is, some unseen circumstance will swoop in and topple them out in the playoffs. It’s not necessarily a curse but it’s just how the world works for them.
With their current lineup, they have all the superstars you can imagine. However, the so-called ‘basketball gods’ mostly do not reward shortcuts in the NBA. Titles are appreciated when teams are formed organically, not superficially.
Will Win A Championship: Dallas Mavericks
People tend to forget that Luka is still a young superstar who hasn’t hit his prime yet. He’s getting a ton of flak because aside from that he’s European, and he doesn’t look like an elite athlete according to NBA standards.
Doncic will inevitably deliver a championship for the Mavs in the future. That’s a guarantee. It won’t be just one title but we’re talking about multiple rings in a Maverick uniform for Luka sooner rather than later. This will be his league soon and we’re just in for the ride.
