NBA 2026/27 season preview: Breaking down what happened during pre-season
With the NBA season set to tip-off, teams managed to get an idea of what their best starting squads could look like in pre-season, with new players adjusting to life under new coaches and new team-mates.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Lorenzo Gagliotta covers what you missed in the pre-season ahead of the start of the 2026-27 season.
Same faces, different teams
The pre-season gave us the perfect teaser of what to expect ahead of the start of the 2026-27 season, ahead of what was an exciting offseason in the NBA.
A lot of eyes were on the Philadelphia 76ers, with their newly star-studded squad with the likes of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, who look to bring the Sixers back to the conference finals since 2001.
They look to impress in an incredibly competitive Eastern Conference, hoping the additions compliment star center Joel Embiid, who looks to have a healthy season ahead of him.
The league also got their first taste of the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo in Heat colours and Kawhi Leonard’s return in the Raptors uniform.
The Atlanta Hawks impressed in their pre-season bout, going on a four-game winning streak as they set the tone for the start of the new season.
Building an identity
With coach Quin Snyder looking to rely on forward Jalen Johnson and guard Dyson Daniels, who had stellar seasons last year as the Hawks aim to build their identity as the season grows.
Many rookies got starts in the matchups, with many excelling and putting big expectations ahead of the tip-off of the new season.
Chicago Bull’s latest addition Caleb Wilson, drafted from North Carolina, looked in great form and ready to take the regular season, with some impressive defensive displays as well as being an offensive threat.
Sacramento Kings’ draftee Darius Acuff Jr. is set to hit the ground running for his team, as he is set to be an important asset to rely on this season for coach Doug Christie.
Many Kings fans were hopeful from what they saw from forward Ben Simmons, however his season start is set to be interrupted with a sustained Achilles injury during practice.
Who’s set to impress
Fans across the league are projecting the San Antonio Spurs to excel this season, with their first NBA Finals appearance since 2014, narrowly missing out to coach Mike Brown and the New York Knicks, expertly led by Jalen Brunson.
They have managed to retain the services of the cast from last season and added depth from free agency and the draft, with Tobias Harris joining from the Detroit Pistons and UCONN’s big man Tarris Reed Jr. being a late first round pick.
Coach Mitch Johnson, set to start his second spell with the Spurs, looks to finetune their collective game with the likes of Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle at the helm and be at the top of the Western Conference.
The Minnesota Timberwolves hope to ruffle a few feathers, going rogue in the offseason to offload Naz Reid and Julius Randle, and focus more on what they can do now to contend for a Championship.
Mixed messages
Despite a pre-season with mixed messages, it’s exciting times for Timberwolves fans as they’ll see how the dynamic of Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball will grow as the season progresses and how they can bounce off each other to help the team deliver convincing performances.
Many are looking at how the Oklahoma City Thunder could bring themselves right back into contention in somewhat the end of a cycle for this core of players, lead by two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous Alexander.
Despite losing the likes of Andrew Wiggins and Luguentz Dort to the Hawks, they’ve added to their youthful core across all positions, profiting from the draft, bringing in center Aday Mara and guard Bennett Stirtz.
With the Thunder hoping for a year of health, they can definitely see themselves back in the mould to be the best in the West and in the league.
Who’s most likely to struggle
Racking up impressive numbers in his rookie season, guard Cooper Flagg is only set to get better, however coach Dusty May and his Dallas Mavericks roster hope to build on a disappointing season with an incredibly young core.
The Mavs were injury-stricken in key positions throughout most of last season, with a positive being that Kyrie Irving is back after missing the entire season through injury.
With a heavy loss at home in their last pre-season game, the biggest question remains whether coach May can look to turn around their poor offense from last season, from improving their shot selections to more efficient scoring in and around the paint.
Whilst now being the perfect time to excel, the Boston Celtics’ star man Jayson Tatum is set to carry the load of responsibility in a somewhat new-look Celtics team, following the departure of Jaylen Brown.
A struggle for coach Joe Mazzulla may be far-stretched, considering their remarkable run in the second half of last season, however they face many question marks around the center position.
Defensive depth
After moving Brown from the equation, it saw Paul George join forces in Boston.
With fans dubious of the reliance to bring in a player capable of putting up Brown’s MVP-calibre numbers, it left them lacking in that defensive depth.
The real problem the Golden State Warriors face is their aging squad via low durability, with big man Kristaps Porzingis and forward Jimmy Butler incredibly injury-prone.
They struggled a lot throughout their pre-season, especially shown on the defensive end with Draymond Green having to be suitor to multiple roles, as the Warriors are missing out on true defenders in their squad.
Superstar Stephen Curry can only bring so much to the table, with his incredible shooting and on-court IQ, but may need to shift more of the load to the likes of Brandin Podziemski and Yaxel Lendeborg.
It helps that there’s been positive signs though, with the younger players in the roster, like Lendeborg, willing to learn from the veteran leadership around him.
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