Charlotte Hornets

What a potential Celtics sale tells us about NBA ownership right now

What a potential Celtics sale tells us about NBA ownership right now

When Wyc Grousbeck put the Boston Celtics up for sale this summer, it was just days after Boston won its 18th NBA championship, and Grousbeck was riding high. His surprise decision to make the franchise available for sale may be less surprising because it is in line with many of Grousbeck’s peers around the league. […]

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NBA early-season surprises: Victor Wembanyama’s start, Klay Thompson’s fit and more

NBA early-season surprises: Victor Wembanyama’s start, Klay Thompson’s fit and more

The 2024-25 NBA season is less than two weeks old, but some noteworthy trends are starting to emerge across the league, including some we perhaps weren’t expecting. What has been each team’s biggest surprise so far, good, bad or ugly? The Athletic posed that question to its NBA staff. Here’s what they said. Atlantic Division

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NBA Power Rankings: Celtics and Thunder at the top, plus a big question for all 30 teams

NBA Power Rankings: Celtics and Thunder at the top, plus a big question for all 30 teams

For the first time in the 2024-25 season, we bring you NBA Power Rankings here at The Athletic. You may remember me from such films as the 213 LA Clippers era, the Epitome Game Series, Justin Bieber’s teammate, The Reliability Tiers and Positionless is a Scam. This year, I’ll be your Power Rankings caretaker. Week 1

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Anthony Davis, Zion Williamson and 9 other NBA players ready for big years

Anthony Davis, Zion Williamson and 9 other NBA players ready for big years

Let me apologize in advance for cheating a bit. We use the term “breakout” like it’s just spontaneous combustion, but that’s rarely how it happens. Like most reactions, usually they require a catalyst. Thus, the inherent issue about calling a “breakout” in advance is that often the term isn’t quite what we’re describing. Instead, the

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NBA parity debate: Are dynasties and super teams good or bad for the league?

NBA parity debate: Are dynasties and super teams good or bad for the league?

Part V of a five-part series ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season, chronicling how the league reached this era of parity and the key questions that remain.• Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV Going back to the days of George Mikan’s Minneapolis Lakers and continuing through to Stephen Curry’s Golden

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How much parity is there in the NBA? Will it stick? The how and why of the current era

How much parity is there in the NBA? Will it stick? The how and why of the current era

• Part II of a five-part series ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season, chronicling how the league reached this era of parity and the key questions that remain. Part I | Welcome to our new era of NBA parity, where one team in each conference is favored by Vegas to lap the field by several games.

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NBA predictions: How bottom of the Eastern Conference will play out in 2024-25

NBA predictions: How bottom of the Eastern Conference will play out in 2024-25

I always like to start my NBA previews at the bottom and work my way up. And when it comes to bottoming out, nobody does it better than the lottery teams in the Eastern Conference. Last season, four East squads lost at least 57 games, and overall, the conference had seven of the league’s 11

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2025 NBA mock draft: Cooper Flagg leads strong group of prospects. But is it a ‘superclass’?

2025 NBA mock draft: Cooper Flagg leads strong group of prospects. But is it a ‘superclass’?

The 2025 NBA Draft cycle is officially here. International teams have tipped off their regular seasons, and college teams have started preseason practices. NBA scouts and executives are out and about, seeing teams practice and traveling worldwide to find players. Much has been written about excitement regarding the 2025 draft. It does look drastically better

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Bold predictions for each NBA team in 2024-25: Jalen Brunson MVP? All-NBA Zion Williamson?

Bold predictions for each NBA team in 2024-25: Jalen Brunson MVP? All-NBA Zion Williamson?

The New York Knicks have a new star in the Big Apple after trading for four-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns. But don’t be surprised if their steady hand in the backcourt — point guard Jalen Brunson — leads the race for the NBA’s top individual honor. That’s just one of The Athletic NBA staff’s bold predictions

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Can Karl-Anthony Towns help Knicks topple Celtics? Analyzing the NBA’s Eastern Conference

Can Karl-Anthony Towns help Knicks topple Celtics? Analyzing the NBA’s Eastern Conference

The Eastern Conference may not be the stronger of the two NBA conferences, but its intrigue level rises above the West going into the season. The Boston Celtics are the defending NBA champions. The New York Knicks had a loud offseason following their best season in quite some time. The Philadelphia 76ers added Paul George

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