Reasons for optimism for every NBA team, Part III

Checking in on the remaining 10 teams

New season, new hopes. Not every squad will be a championship contender, but every team has at least one thing to feel excited about for the upcoming year.

Part I is here, and Part II is here.

You know what we’re doing by now; no more preamble.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Optionality

Longtime BP readers know my personal teambuilding philosophy emphasizes optionality. The playoffs have become more and more matchup-dependent (just ask the Nuggets), and having the personnel available to counter your opponent is vital to a long postseason run.

The offseason additions of Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso are perfect examples of improving optionality. Neither will always be on the floor for the Thunder, but both give OKC a new on-court identity to wear when they choose. They can go big or small, play bully ball or run out five knockdown shooters. Last year’s Thunder team had one style; this year’s squad will need a walk-in closet for all their looks.

Caruso can defend anyone one through four on the other team and showcased newfound aggression with the ball. Hartenstein provides high-post playmaking for the Thunder to mess around with when they go away from their five-out style. He might be the best positional passer on OKC:

The nice thing is that the Thunder don’t have to use either of these players, as they still return the core of a West-winning rotation from last season. If Hartenstein proves an awkward fit? Put him in storage unless he’s needed. Caruso battling injuries all season long? Bubble-wrap him until the playoffs.

The West is rugged, but the Thunder will enter the season as the consensus favorite to win the conference again. This year, they come far better prepared for the playoffs.

Orlando Magic

Honest-to-god shooting!

The Magic have several variables that should improve the team’s shooting around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner next season, so I couldn’t limit myself to just one.

1. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

The Magic inked Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency after it became clear Paul George was signing with Philly. Although Caldwell-Pope isn’t quite as trigger-happy as I’d like (4.6 3PA/36 is actually below the positional average), he’s shot 39% or better from deep in each of the last four seasons across three different teams. Defenses will stick to him like glue, so even if he isn’t the sort of high-volume marksman the Magic really need, he’ll still be a huge help.

2. Jett Howard and Tristan da Silva

I wrote about these two in my Summer League diaries, but the second-year Howard and the rookie da Silva look ready to fire away. Cerebro Sports’ C-RAM metric listed da Silva, who shot 59% from three, as the second-most productive Summer League player (min. two games played), while Howard shot 10-for-21 from beyond the arc in just three games.

The Magic have a crowded rotation, but they need three-point threats. If either player can carry over their aggression and accuracy to the big leagues, they’ll find minutes.

3. No Markelle Fultz (probably)

I like Fultz, and I’m impressed by how he remade his NBA career after such a baffling and injury-plagued start. But the Magic have little enough shooting as it is, and they can’t afford to play a point guard who averaged 0.4 threes per game last season, no matter what else he does.

As of this writing, Fultz is still a free agent, so a return is technically possible. I hope he lands on his feet… somewhere else.

Philadelphia 76ers