Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals will take place tonight in New York City, which means we are quickly approaching the end of the 2025-26 season. For the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, it has clearly been a successful campaign, as both are competing for the Larry O'Brien Trophy. For the other 28 teams in the National Basketball Association, we need to determine if this year was a success or a failure.

Atlanta Hawks: Success

Right off the bat, we can say that the Hawks had a good year. It looked like Atlanta was giving up on the 2025-26 season after trading away its best player (Trae Young). As it turned out, that was the spark the team needed to find a little bit of postseason success because the Hawks got back CJ McCollum in the deal, who was excellent in the playoffs. They improved on their record from last season, and - as of this writing - they're the only team to have beaten the New York Knicks in the 2026 NBA Playoffs. With the continued ascension of Jalen Johnson, coupled with their first playoff appearance since 2023, it was a good year in the ATL.

Boston Celtics: Failure

I do not subscribe to the "gap year" line of thinking that the Celtics faithful assigned to this campaign before the season began. Jayson Tatum might have been injured for most of the regular season, but he still was able to return to the lineup before the playoffs started. Plus, the C's had the second-best record in the Eastern Conference behind the leadership of Joe Mazzulla, the 2025-26 NBA Coach of the Year. Boston made the postseason and had a chance to once again eliminate their longtime rivals in a Game Seven at home, but they didn’t. The Celtics have dominated the 76ers for so long that this season is a failure simply because Boston lost its first Game Seven to the Philly in 44 years.

Brooklyn Nets: Failure

This was a disastrous year for the Nets. They had the third-worst record in the NBA and didn't even land a top-four pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. If they had gotten a top pick, then maybe we could view this season a little bit more favorably, but there was absolutely nothing redeeming that happened in Brooklyn this year. The biggest indictment on this team is that they had FIVE first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, and none of them showed superstar potential. On top of all that, the Knicks' success has made the Brooklyn Nets look even more pathetic. There's not even a rivalry between the Nets and the Knicks, even though they both play in New York. Brooklyn is genuinely an afterthought in New York City.

Charlotte Hornets: Success

It seems strange to label a season that doesn't end in a playoff appearance a success, but when you're as bad as the Hornets have been in recent years, you need to take any signs of growth as a step in the right direction. Charlotte finished the season with a winning record for the first time in four years and even had a shot to make some noise in the playoffs after beating the Miami Heat in the first round of the Play-In Tournament. Though they lost to the Orlando Magic and missed out on the postseason, there is something to build on in Charlotte. Rookie Kon Knueppel looks like the second-best player in the 2025 draft class, and LaMelo Ball got to show off his skills on a big stage with a game-winning shot against the Heat. For the first time in forever, the arrow is pointing up for the Hornets, which is why this was a successful season.

Chicago Bulls: Failure

This was a bad year for the Bulls in terms of record, but off the court, they did some good things. It started with a respectful jersey retirement for Derrick Rose. Then, Chicago dismantled its consistently mediocre core by parting ways with Coby White, Nikola Vucevic, Ayo Dosunmu, and Kevin Huerter. Those guys might have done better outside of Chicago, but they had long been disappointing in the Windy City. They also cleaned house in the front office by getting rid of executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and GM Marc Eversley. The on-court product makes this season a failed one for the Bulls, but it feels like they actually executed a proper rebuild for the first time in a while.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Failure

The way the season ended is very unfortunate because the Cavaliers had success and did get over the proverbial hump. A major criticism of the Cavs is that they have not gotten past the second round of the NBA Playoffs. However, this year, they slayed that beast by winning two Game Sevens! Sadly, all of the positive vibes surrounding this season went the way of the dodo after Cleveland was crushed in the Eastern Conference Finals by the Knicks. If they had just taken the loss on the chin, we could call this year a success, but the way the Cavaliers responded to their sweep was pathetic. Between head coach Kenny Atkinson saying they're analytically 2-0, and James Harden claiming the Cavs were the "better team,” this is a really bad look for Cleveland.

Dallas Mavericks: Failure

I am not being facetious when I tell you that I genuinely believed the Mavs would be a playoff-caliber team before the season. Had Kyrie Irving returned to the lineup, the combination of him, Cooper Flagg, and Anthony Davis would've been potent enough to at least earn this squad a spot in the Play-In Tournament. Boy, was I wrong. After starting the season 19-27, Dallas would finish the year with a 7-29 record that featured three different losing streaks of at least five games. The good news is that Cooper Flagg is a certified stud after he was named the 2025-26 Rookie of the Year. They don't have the sexiest draft pick in the world after falling to ninth in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, but - with two first-rounders - the Mavericks have some flexibility to move up a few spots and potentially land a good prospect outside of the top four.

Denver Nuggets: Failure

We are now three years removed from the Nuggets winning their first championship in franchise history, and they have shown no signs of evolving into the dynastic team we expected them to be. In fact, Denver has seemingly gone backwards since winning the 2023 NBA Finals. They were knocked out of the first round of the playoffs after Nikola Jokic had another historically great season in which he averaged a triple-double by leading the league in assists per game (10.7) and rebounds per game (12.9). It seems that the Nuggets are wasting Jokic's best years. Considering I had Denver making the Western Conference Finals, this is a massive failure and missed opportunity for the Nuggets. With the emergence of the Thunder and Spurs, things are only going to get harder for Denver out West.

Detroit Pistons: Success

J.B. Bickerstaff has completely changed Detroit's basketball culture and NBA identity. Before he was hired, the Pistons were 14-68. Since then, they're tied for the fourth-best record in the NBA (104-60). This year, they were the top-seeded team in the Eastern Conference after going 60-22. They also won a Game Seven for their first playoff series victory in 18 years. Not to mention, Cade Cunningham looked fantastic in the biggest moments of the playoffs. He made several clutch shots and is still the leading scorer this postseason with 28.1 points per game. They have a tough decision to make with Jalen Duren this off-season, but the foundation has been laid for this team to be a championship contender for the next few years at the very least.

Golden State Warriors: Failure

The window for the Warriors to win one more championship with this core is quickly closing. Granted, losing Jimmy Butler for the season and Steph Curry for several weeks understandably hurt this group's chances of making the playoffs. However, the fact that they lost to the offensively inept Phoenix Suns by 15 points in the Play-In Tournament is inexcusable for a team that has long been the gold standard of winning in the NBA. The Warriors' hopes of winning another title are quickly fading with the way the team is currently constructed. It would not be surprising to see this team move on from Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler to make one more push with Steve Kerr and Steph Curry leading the charge.

Houston Rockets: Failure

After finishing with the second-best record in the Western Conference last year, the universal belief was that the Rockets were one superstar away from being a legitimate championship contender. So, Houston made a move to acquire Kevin Durant, who is still one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA, even at 37 years old. Not only did Houston fail to meet expectations with KD, but the team took a step back from where they were during the 2024-25 season. They finished this year with the same exact record but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 4-2 in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. This was particularly embarrassing since Luka Doncic didn't play a single minute in that series. The Rockets broke up their young core to land Durant, who did not make them any more competitive.

Indiana Pacers: Failure

This squad was in Game Seven of the 2025 NBA Finals! However, the trajectory of this franchise changed when Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles tendon. He is obviously the most important player on the team, but the fact that they went 19-63 the year after going 50-32 is a clear sign of tanking. Indy finished with the second-worst record in the NBA ahead of only the Washington Wizards. There was some hope that this team would land a top-four pick in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, but instead, they ended up with the fifth overall pick, which was then automatically transferred to the LA Clippers after a midseason trade for Ivica Zubac. Now, they have no first-round draft pick and have to pay Zubac $42 million over the next two years before he becomes a free agent. This was a wasted season for the Pacers.

Los Angeles Clippers: Failure

This could have been an entirely different campaign if the Clips didn't get off to such a terrible start. They were 6-21 on December 18th, yet they still found a way to finish the year with a winning record. However, their shortcomings in the Play-In Tournament were inexcusable. Going against a hobbled and older Warriors squad should've been an easy ticket to at least the eighth vs ninth game in the Western Conference. Yet, they lost to Golden State by five points, and their season came to an abrupt end. When your team has Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland, Benedict Mathurin should not be your leading scorer. Now, they have a tough decision to make with Kawhi, whose contract expires next off-season. It might be time to move on from him while his trade value is still high.

Los Angeles Lakers: Failure

This was supposed to be the year where it all came together for the Lakers. They fixed their center issues by signing Deandre Ayton. LeBron James no longer had to be the most important player on the team with Luka Doncic leading the league in scoring (33.5 points per game). And Austin Reaves had finally taken that step forward as a reliable third scoring option. But it all came crashing down late in the season when Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic both had to miss extended time due to injury. Reaves came back for the postseason as the Lakers knocked off the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs. However, LA suffered an embarrassing sweep at the hands of an OKC squad that didn't even make it back to the NBA Finals. For most teams, this would be a good season. But in Los Angeles, where the expectation is to always be competing for a title, the Lakers came up short this year.

Memphis Grizzlies: Failure

It looks like Ja Morant has one foot out the door in Memphis. He only played in 20 games in a season that was hampered by injuries. In the few contests he played, the Grizzlies went 7-13. Based on the direction the team was headed, Memphis blew up its young core by trading away Jaren Jackson Jr., who signed a five-year, $240 million contract extension less than a year ago. We also should recognize that the Grizzlies suffered a tragic loss with the unexpected passing of power forward Brandon Clarke, which made a bad campaign emotionally gut-wrenching. With everything that happened on and off the court, this was arguably the worst season in Memphis Grizzlies history.

Miami Heat: Failure

The Heat have struggled to make it back to the upper echelon of NBA competition ever since that Finals loss to the Denver Nuggets in 2023. Up until this year, their last two playoff appearances resulted in first-round exits. This season, which was the team's first full one without Jimmy Butler on the roster, marked the first time since 2019 that Miami failed to make the playoffs. Now, it seems like Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra are ready to make a major move for an elite talent like Giannis Antetokounmpo or somebody else. Either way, the desperation coming out of South Beach is a clear indication that this was not a good showing for the Heat.

Milwaukee Bucks: Failure

Speaking of Giannis, this was probably the Greek Freak's last season in Milwaukee, and it was a forgettable one. By the time Antetokounmpo was shut down for the year, the Bucks were well out of a playoff spot with a 28-39 record. Without Giannis in the lineup, Milwaukee finished the season on a 4-11 run and missed the postseason for the first time in 10 years. The addition of Myles Turner was supposed to be a positive, but by airing out the Bucks' dirty laundry, there are already rumors that Milwaukee might move on from him after he signed a four-year, $108 million deal last off-season. The only good thing to come out of the 2025-26 campaign is the departure of Doc Rivers from the team.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Failure

Another season has come and gone for the T-wolves, and they appear no closer to getting over the hump and winning the Western Conference. They might actually be further away from that goal with the ascension of the San Antonio Spurs, who defeated Minnesota in the Western Conference Semifinals. What makes this even worse is the fact that Karl-Anthony Towns is playing in the NBA Finals and looking dominant just two years after the Timberwolves traded him away. It's like a bad breakup for Minnesota. They wanted to end the relationship, thinking they would come out on the other side better off. Instead, their ex is on the verge of getting married while the Timberwolves are still trying to find their next partner. Injuries derailed what could've been a successful season, but - based on how everything is playing out - this feels more and more like a failure for Minnesota.

New Orleans Pelicans: Failure

They might have won five more games than they did the previous year, but who cares? The Pelicans are no closer to becoming a good NBA team. They went 26-56 this season and don't even have a first-round pick to show for their ineptitude. That selection, the eighth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, belongs to the Atlanta Hawks, who already had a successful season, as we discussed previously. Zion Williamson appeared in 62 games this year, the most he has had in a single season as a pro. Coincidentally, this season also marked his lowest average scoring output in the NBA (21 points per game). There's also the expectation that leading scorer Trey Murphy III might get traded this off-season. This was another year in which New Orleans fielded an inferior basketball team.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Failure

I debated whether to label the 2025-26 season as a success or a failure. On the one hand, the Thunder had the best record in the NBA and made it all the way to Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals. However, they lost that Game Seven at home to an incredibly young and inexperienced San Antonio Spurs squad. For a team that was seen as the clear-cut favorites to repeat as champions, it's hard to view this season as a success when they weren't able to beat what is likely the weakest version of Victor Wembanyama's Spurs. Also, they went out with a whimper in Game Seven. Chet Holmgren looked unplayable, and it felt like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had no help in that contest. With that being said, I can respect why some people would call this season a success.

Orlando Magic: Failure

If the Magic had simply lost a competitive series to the top-seeded Detroit Pistons, then this could be viewed as a successful season that was cut short by injuries. But the way in which they lost their first-round matchup with Detroit makes this year a failure. They were up 3-1 in the playoffs! All they needed to do was win one more game, and they would've advanced past the first round of the postseason for the first time since 2010. Instead, they fell flat on their faces and lost their next three games in a row to get bounced out of the playoffs. They had a 24-point lead in Game Six and couldn't close the series out! They would go on to get their doors blown off in Game Seven, which ultimately led to the dismissal of former head coach Jamahl Mosley. A silver lining is that Paolo Banchero elevated his play in the postseason, so at least the Magic have an elite young player to build around.

Philadelphia 76ers: Success

The 76ers might have gotten swept in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, but that doesn't undo the win they had in Game Seven against the Boston Celtics, their first against the C's since 1982. It looked like Philly was going to do what it always does against Boston: go down early, make the series competitive, and then lose in a devastating Game Seven. This time around, that's not what happened. Joel Embiid left it all on the court as the 76ers downed the Celtics in Boston, 109-100. We also got a glimpse of the future with VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey playing crucial roles in that victory. Right now, the 76ers can say they are better than the Boston Celtics, which is something they haven't been able to do for a long time.

Phoenix Suns: Success

For what they were supposed to be coming into this year, the Suns exceeded expectations during the 2025-26 season. After moving on from star players like Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, Phoenix's record improved from 36-46 to 45-37. Dillon Brooks became a reliable number-two scoring option after finishing second on the team in points per game (20.2). They also showed some backbone in a win-or-go-home situation by beating the Warriors in the eighth vs. ninth game of the Play-In Tournament. They obviously were swept by the Thunder, but OKC probably would've done that to whoever ended up being the eighth seed in the West. Phoenix needs to spend the offseason improving the offense, but it had a good year overall. We certainly can't call the 2025-26 season a failure for them.

Portland Trail Blazers: Success

There were no expectations for this team to do anything after former head coach Chancey Billups was arrested one game into the season for his alleged involvement in an illegal gambling scheme. But when things were looking their bleakest, the Trail Blazers didn't waver. They put together their first winning season in five years, going 42-40. After earning a spot in the Play-In Tournament, Portland locked up the seventh seed in the Western Conference Playoffs by defeating the Phoenix Suns, 114-110. They even managed to steal a game against the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs! The emergence of Deni Avidja as an All-Star has the future of this franchise looking bright for the first time in a few years.

Sacramento Kings: Failure

This was yet another season of mediocrity for the Kings. This was also the third straight year since making the playoffs that Sacramento finished with a worse record than the season before. There was even a point where the Kings lost 16 games in a row. They went over a month without winning a game before that streak came to an end against the Memphis Grizzlies on February 23rd. And did they get a high-value draft pick out of this terrible season? No! They fell to the seventh pick in the NBA Draft despite being tied with the Utah Jazz for the fourth-worst record in the league. There is no end in sight for the Kings' continued failures.

Toronto Raptors: Success

After going 30-52 in 2024, it did not feel like the Raptors were in a position to make any kind of postseason push. However, they defied the odds and put together a nice 46-36 campaign that eventually resulted in them earning the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. Hell, they even forced a Game Seven against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who would go on to be the second-best team in the East behind the Knicks. They have a solid core of young players that is led by Scottie Barnes, R.J. Barrett, and Brandon Ingram. As this group develops more chemistry and continues to show improvement under third-year head coach Darko Rajakovic, they should be in the playoff mix next year, especially if they can add a difference-making center in free agency or through the draft.

Utah Jazz: Failure

I mean, they successfully tanked their season, right? Despite finishing tied for the fourth-worst record in the league, they still managed to secure the number-two overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. But we don't use Draft Lottery luck to evaluate a team's success because that’s a complete crapshoot. Rookie Ace Bailey was decent, but you would've liked to have seen more from a guy who was touted as the second-most talented player in the 2026 NBA Draft. Also, the addition of Jaren Jackson Jr. didn't seem to make any difference in the win column. They might be good next season, but they were a failure this year.

Washington Wizards: Failure

And last but not least, we have the Wizards, who were the worst team in the NBA record-wise, going 17-65. From February 21st to the end of the season, Washington won ONE game! That means they finished the year by going 1-26. That doesn't happen by accident. They were blatantly tanking. The good news is that they got two former All-Stars in Anthony Davis and Trae Young out of this abysmal season. Pairing those two guys with the number-one overall pick will make the Wizards watchable next year. But for now, the 2025-26 campaign was a miserable failure.