{
  "id": 14963775,
  "title": "4 NBA teams that will surprise in 2026-27 season",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/4-nba-teams-that-will-surprise-in-2026-27-season",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-16T13:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/4-nba-teams-surprise-2026-133000556.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The 2026-27 NBA season promises to be filled with untapped potential. Four teams stand poised to surprise as they harness the power of a fresh roster and seasoned veterans.\n\nFirst up, the Portland Trail Blazers have exploded onto the scene with the addition of dynamic guard Ja Morant and the return of Damian Lillard. With Morant's explosive playmaking and Lillard's clutch shooting, the Trail Blazers now boast an impressive roster of stars including Donovan Clingan, Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson, Jeremy Sochan and Robert Williams. Despite losing star player Shaedon Sharpe to injury, Portland still possesses enough talent to compete and potentially make a deep playoff run in the Western Conference.\n\nNext, the Utah Jazz are poised for a resurgence under their new leadership. The team drafted Darryn Peterson second overall in October, a potential cornerstone that joins Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Ace Bailey and Keyonte George. Complementing Peterson on the court are Bryce Sensabaugh, Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski, who provide promising defensive depth. If Peterson makes an immediate impact, the Jazz could turn things around and challenge for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.\n\nThe Washington Wizards have long been a team near the bottom of the standings, but they are determined to turn things around. The Wizards acquired first overall pick AJ Dybantsa and expect Trae Young and Anthony Davis to return from injury. Dybantsa joins a talented roster featuring young players such as Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington and Bilal Coulibaly. Veterans Khris Middleton and Deandre Ayton provide invaluable experience. If Washington stays healthy, their combination of young talent and veteran leadership could propel them into the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.\n\nFinally, the Boston Celtics are a team facing a potential regression following the trade of Jaylen Brown for Paul George. George's experience is undoubtedly valuable, but replacing Brown’s scoring will be a challenge for the Celtics. However, the return of superstar Jayson Tatum brings the team a spark needed to compete. Mitchell Robinson provides a much-needed center, while Tatum's leadership is crucial for the young roster to build chemistry. If Boston stays healthy and the team chemistry improves, the Celtics could still finish in the top four of the Eastern Conference.",
  "summary": "Watch out for these 4 teams this NBA season.",
  "key_points": [
    "Portland Trail Blazers combine Ja Morant and Damian Lillard for potential playoff run",
    "Utah Jazz draft Darryn Peterson and aim to challenge in Western Conference",
    "Washington Wizards acquire AJ Dybantsa and hope to improve with Trae Young and Anthony Davis"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}