Rising from the Ashes: A Postmortem of the NBA's Forgotten Franchises

While the playoff spotlight shines on title contenders, the 10 teams eliminated before the play-in tournament offer compelling narratives of resilience and reinvention. Let’s break down their silver linings and strategic paths forward.

Toronto Raptors: Depth Over Drama

• Emerging Playmakers: RJ Barrett’s leap to 5.4 APG (+65% career high) anchors a youth movement alongside Gradey Dick (12.1 PPG) and Ochai Agbaji (10.8 PPG).
• Defensive Anchor: Jakob Poeltl ranked top-10 among centers in blocks (1.9 BPG) and FG% allowed at the rim (54.3%).
• 2025 Outlook: Scottie Barnes + Brandon Ingram (healthy) + projected $28M cap space = East’s sleeper contender.

Brooklyn Nets: Asset Accumulators

• War Chest Acquired: 5 future FRPs via Mikal Bridges trade + regained control of 2025/2026 picks.
• Cap Flexibility: $41M in space this summer – enough to chase Donovan Mitchell-tier stars.
• Coaching Upgrade: Jordi Fernandez (Kings’ former associate HC) brings top-5 offense pedigree.

Philadelphia 76ers: Youth Movement Reshapes ‘The Process 2.0’

• Rookie Revelation: Jared McCain’s 15.3 PPG led all first-year players pre-injury – highest since AI in 1997.
• Grimes’ Breakout: 21.9 PPG post-trade (+8.4 vs DAL stats) with 38% from deep.
• Maxey’s Next Step: Tyrese’s 29.1 usage% primes him for All-NBA leap alongside emerging backcourt.

Phoenix Suns: Durant’s Twilight, Dunn’s Dawn

• Trade Leverage: Durant’s 64.2% TS (2nd to Jokic) could net 3+ FRPs in summer deals.
• Bright Spots: Ryan Dunn’s 1.7 stocks/gm as rookie; Collin Gillespie’s 4.8 APG in 12 starts.
• Cap Relief: Shedding Nurkic’s $54M guarantees through 2026 opens flexibility.

San Antonio Spurs: Wemby’s Kingdom Rises

• Historic Defense: Wembanyama’s 3.4 BPG + 1.2 SPG before DVT diagnosis – first player with 250+ blocks/75+ steals since Hakeem (1994).
• Fox’s Arrival: De’Aaron’s 8.2 APG with Spurs (career-high) unlocks Wemby’s P&R dominance.
• Rookie ROY Frontrunner: Stephon Castle’s 16.4 PPG/4.1 APG mirrors Deron Williams’ Utah prime.

Portland’s Wing Revolution

• Avdija’s Breakout: 17/7/4 line with 39% 3PT – first Blazer since Lillard with 15+ PPG and 40%+ from deep.
• Camara’s 3&D Emergence: 1.8 3PM/gm at 37.6% + 94th percentile wing defense per BBall Index.
• Henderson’s Growth: Post-All-Star splits: 19.2 PPG (+5.1), 6.8 APG (+2.3), 45.1% FG (+9.2%).

Draft Lottery Dark Horses

The Road Ahead

While these franchises won’t raise banners in 2025, their blueprints range from immediate contention (Raptors/Spurs) to long-term asset plays (Nets/Jazz). The true victory lies not in lottery balls, but in cultivating the next generation of superstars – a race already led by Wembanyama’s generational promise and Durant’s enduring excellence.