What Every NBA Team Got Wrong This Season
The 2024-25 NBA regular season is in the books, and no team made it through without at least one decision they’d like back. Between shaky trades, missed opportunities, and roster moves that never quite paid off, regrets came in all shapes and sizes. This article lists the decisions that still have front offices and fan bases shaking their heads.
Dallas Mavericks: Trading Luka Dončić
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No one saw it coming, least of all Luka Dončić himself. The Mavericks stunned the league by shipping out their five-time All-Star without warning. Luka didn’t demand the move. The front office simply decided it was time, and it backfired spectacularly. The fallout will haunt the franchise for years.
Utah Jazz: Locking in Lauri Markkanen Early
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Utah thought they were playing it safe by extending Lauri Markkanen in August, but the decision came at a cost. Because of the timing, he was ineligible to be traded all season. With his numbers dipping and only 47 games played, the Jazz missed their best window to cash in.
Golden State Warriors: Waiting Too Long for Jimmy Butler
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Golden State finished strong, sure, but an earlier move could’ve secured them a playoff spot without the play-in stress. In hindsight, the front office should’ve been more aggressive. Once Butler arrived, they went 22-5 when he shared the court with Curry, Green, and Podziemski.
Philadelphia 76ers: Nearly Everything
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A 24-win season for a team that paid Joel Embiid $193 million and signed Paul George? That says enough. The Sixers bottomed out hard while finishing 13th in a weak Eastern Conference. Maxey gave the most diplomatic take possible, saying the only way left to go is up.
Toronto Raptors: Refusing to Rebuild
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Toronto went 12-10 in the final stretch and clung to veterans like Jakob Poeltl. This resulted in no playoffs and a 7.5 percent shot at the No. 1 pick. For a team with no real shot at contention this year, that’s the worst place to end up.
Los Angeles Lakers: Standing Pat at Center
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The Lakers rolled into the postseason with a center rotation led by Jaxson Hayes. Not ideal. Their midseason deal for Mark Williams fell through after a failed physical, and they never pivoted. Hayes did his best, but LeBron playing small-ball five is not a long-term fix.
Chicago Bulls: Not Extending Josh Giddey
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Giddey wanted $30 million per season, and the Bulls balked. By the end of the year, that number looked like a bargain. Over the final two months, he nearly averaged a triple-double and led Chicago to a winning record. Now, teams like the cap-rich Brooklyn Nets are eyeing him.
Charlotte Hornets: Taking Tidjane Salaün Sixth Overall
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The Hornets knew Salaün was a project. Still, his rookie year offered little encouragement. His shooting was rough all season, and he finished with just five points in 36 minutes against Boston’s second unit. Players like Clingan, Knecht, and Buzelis went later and made more of an impact.
Orlando Magic: Ignoring the Point Guard Problem
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Orlando’s front office knew playmaking was a weak spot, but still did nothing about it at the deadline. Their offense sputtered all year and ranked in the bottom five in assist rate and scoring efficiency. Banchero and Franz need someone to get them the ball, and the Magic just didn’t find that guy.
Houston Rockets: Delaying Amen Thompson’s Promotion
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Once Jabari Smith Jr. went down, Amen Thompson got his shot and thrived. The Rockets went 13-5 with him in the starting five, and his performance boosted their pace. It’s clear Thompson should’ve been starting from day one. Houston might have earned a better seed if they made the switch earlier.
New Orleans Pelicans: Winning Just Enough to Miss Out
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Their 9-22 finish was too successful to land the top lottery odds and too bad to sniff the playoffs. The Pelicans now sit with the fourth-best chance at No. 1. Falling behind teams like Utah and Charlotte might cost them a shot at Cooper Flagg.
Memphis Grizzlies: Creating a Coaching Mess
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Memphis kept Taylor Jenkins but forced him to fire five assistants. Then, nine games before the season ended, they fired Jenkins, too. His replacements were people he’d never worked with. It created an awkward, fractured environment for a team already reeling from injuries.
Los Angeles Clippers: Rolling the Dice on Ben Simmons
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In 18 games, Ben Simmons barely scored and tanked their on-court efficiency. His two-point shooting dipped far below his career average, and the team was significantly worse with him on the floor. The Clippers gave Ben Simmons a shot off the buyout market, and it flopped.
Boston Celtics: Not Getting One More Big
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The Celtics had a nearly perfect regular season, but frontcourt depth might be the one soft spot. Kristaps Porziņģis and Al Horford missed time, and backups like Kornet and Queta aren’t playoff-caliber starters. Adding one more solid big could’ve provided peace of mind.
Indiana Pacers: Not Developing Jarace Walker
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The Pacers leaned heavily on veterans, which meant limited minutes for former lottery pick Jarace Walker. With a first-round matchup against Milwaukee, Indiana could use his size and shooting. But after a quiet sophomore season, no one’s sure if he’s ready. They might’ve missed a key development window.
Atlanta Hawks: Failing to Pick a Direction
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Trading Dejounte Murray signaled a youth movement, but the Hawks never committed. Instead, they shuffled around role players and ended up in the play-in again. Now, Trae Young’s free agency is looming, and they’re running out of time to figure out who they are.
Brooklyn Nets: Holding Onto Cam Johnson
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At the deadline, Cam Johnson looked like prime trade bait. He was 29, averaging over 19 points, and knocking down 41% from deep. Brooklyn held onto him, and his numbers dropped sharply post-deadline. Johnson should be playing playoff ball elsewhere, and the Nets should have more draft picks.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Facing a Financial Crunch
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Cleveland did nearly everything right en route to 64 wins and a No. 1 seed. The issue now is money. De’Andre Hunter’s trade added salary, and Mitchell and Mobley are about to start max extensions. The Cavs are already projected to be $11 million over the second apron.
Denver Nuggets: Keeping Calvin Booth Too Long
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Firing general manager Calvin Booth with three games left felt late because it was. Booth made poor roster calls all season, including overpaying Reggie Jackson, handing Zeke Nnaji $32 million, and giving away second-round picks to correct those mistakes. His earlier exit might have salvaged more.
Detroit Pistons: Sitting Out the Deadline
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Despite having cap space and assets, Detroit did almost nothing at the deadline. That silence cost them when matched up against a battle-hardened Knicks squad. New president Trajan Langdon played it cautiously, but it left the Pistons underpowered when it counted.
Miami Heat: Not Trading Jimmy Butler Sooner
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Tensions with Jimmy Butler started brewing as early as last summer. By the time they made the trade, Miami got a middling return and finished with just 37 wins. Had they acted earlier, they might’ve landed more draft capital and given new players time to gel.
Milwaukee Bucks: Banking on Kyle Kuzma
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The Khris Middleton era ended with a quiet trade that brought in Kyle Kuzma, a move meant to complete the Bucks’ trio with Giannis and Lillard. Kuzma was fine, but not Finals material. Milwaukee had one big swing left and used it on the wrong guy.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Betting Big on Rob Dillingham
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Giving up unprotected picks to draft Rob Dillingham was a gamble for a contending team. The rookie barely cracked the rotation and averaged under 11 minutes a night. With veteran contributors already in place, Dillingham couldn’t help much this year.
New York Knicks: Running Their Starters Ragged
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The Knicks played hard, but they also played a lot. Three starters ranked in the top five in minutes per game. Tom Thibodeau has always leaned heavily on his stars, but it could come at a cost this postseason. Fatigue and injury are real threats when depth is ignored.
Phoenix Suns: Mishandling Kevin Durant Trade Talks
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The Suns stumbled through another chaotic season, topped off by failing to tell Kevin Durant about his own trade rumors. The story leaked, and Phoenix eventually admitted they mishandled it. It strained trust between the franchise and a 15-time All-Star.
Portland Trail Blazers: Leaving Questions Unanswered
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Portland played better than expected, but did so while keeping vets like Jerami Grant and DeAndre Ayton. That meant less time for Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, the actual future. They won games, but didn’t learn what they needed. Now they face another offseason, unsure of who to build around.
Sacramento Kings: Taking on Zach LaVine’s Contract
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The Kings were forced to move De’Aaron Fox, but bringing in Zach LaVine and his massive deal wasn’t the answer. LaVine’s impact was underwhelming, and the Kings are now stuck with his salary. They locked in a player who hasn’t proven he can lead a winning team.
San Antonio Spurs: Trying to Win Without Wemby
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After Victor Wembanyama’s season ended early due to injury, the Spurs could’ve gone full tank. Instead, they kept playing vets like Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes. It was admirable, but now they’re projected to pick eighth with just a 6% chance at No. 1.
Washington Wizards: Holding Onto Too Many Vets
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Washington tried to blend a young rebuild with experienced veterans, but didn’t move pieces like Marcus Smart or Khris Middleton at the deadline. They have already waited too long on Kuzma and risk repeating that with others. Draft picks are gold in a rebuild, and the Wizards didn’t collect nearly enough.
Oklahoma City Thunder: No Regrets
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It’s rare, but the Thunder played everything perfectly. They got a league-best 68 wins, top defense, an MVP favorite in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and solid roster moves across the board. They signed Isaiah Hartenstein, who fit seamlessly, and Lu Dort played elite defense. There’s nothing they should regret—and not many can say that.