The 2024-25 NBA season is seven weeks away, and leading up to the start of the regular season we’re taking a look at the biggest question for each team in the league. We already tackled the Atlantic division, discussing if the the Celtics will be the first repeat champion in six years, if this is the year the 76ers get over the hump and plenty more on the Knicks, Raptors and Nets. Now we’ll dive into the Central division, where there’s a wide array of expectations, from championship aspirations to teams in the midst of a rebuild.
The Pacers are coming off an Eastern Conference finals appearance, but getting back there is no guarantee. The Cavaliers are hoping a new coach will be the needed change to jolt this team, while the Bucks will enter Year 2 of the Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard partnership. And while the Bulls and Pistons figure to be lottery teams, there’s plenty of important questions worth discussing when it comes to those squads. Some of these questions may not get answered until the end of the season, or even a couple years from now, but they’re worth thinking about as the 2024-25 season nears.
Bulls: What will Lonzo Ball’s return look like?
The Bulls kind of, sort of, made a decision on what path they wanted to take after letting DeMar DeRozan walk for nothing in free agency and trading Alex Caruso — their most valuable trade chip — to the Thunder for Josh Giddey. That paves the way for guys like last season’s breakout star Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and 11th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Matas Buzelis. But there’s still some holdovers in Chicago, namely Zach LaVine, whom the Bulls tried to trade, but injuries and LaVine’s pricey contract made that difficult. There’s also Nikola Vucevic, who the team is paying $20+ million in each of the next two years. Both could potentially be trade targets again this season if anyone is willing to take on those contracts.
And then there’s Lonzo Ball. He hasn’t played since January 2022, but after setbacks and three knee surgeries, this may finally be the year we see him make a return to the court. The only issue is it seems like the Bulls have already moved on from him. By trading for Giddey the Bulls effectively said he’s their starting point guard going forward. But does that change if Ball returns and looks somewhat like his former self (who was averaging 13 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists in the 2021-22 season)? Giddey’s shown before he’s capable of putting up those numbers, and he’s a gifted passer, but he’s also nowhere near the 3-point shooter Ball had turned himself into before the knee surgeries, and does not possess the same defensive capabilities that gave the Bulls one of the best defensive backcourts in the league when Ball and Caruso shared the floor together.
Obviously this all hinges on if Ball can return to what he was prior to all the surgeries, but if he’s able to, do the Bulls consider giving him the keys in the starting lineup again? Do they keep bringing him off the bench regardless of how he does and eventually move on? It’s essentially a developmental year for the Bulls, so Giddey would have to be lousy for him to not get the start given what they gave up for him, but Ball was one of the better point guards in the league when he went down. Giddey’s coming off a playoff run where he saw his minutes diminish. How head coach Billy Donovan manages this situation is going to be intriguing to watch on a team that has several important questions to answer this season.
Cavaliers: How do you keep Donovan Mitchell happy?
We’ll be entering Year 3 of Donovan Mitchell in Cleveland when this season tips. He signed a massive three-year, $150.32 million contract extension this summer, showing he’s committed to the Cavaliers…at least for now. He’s got a player option on that final year, and you can bet that if Cleveland doesn’t get anywhere further than the second round of the East playoffs, he’ll be looking at other teams to join. So this season — and next year — are paramount for the Cavs. They brought in Kenny Atkinson to replace JB Bickerstaff, hoping he can be the coach to get this core of guys over the hump. But the Cavs are on a bit of a tight timeline. Atkinson likely won’t have the luxury of having two years to feel things out with these guys. Mitchell wants to win now, and his contract showed the Cavaliers how long they have until he considers playing elsewhere.
There’s a hierarchy in the East right now, with the Celtics, Knicks and Sixers occupying the group of real title contenders, and then there’s everyone else. Cleveland falls into that second category, and they should be thinking of how they can vault themselves into that first one if they want Mitchell to stay around longer than just those two guaranteed years. That means looking at guys to trade this season. Fortunately for the Cavaliers, they have some players with positive trade value, specifically Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland. Allen missed a majority of Cleveland’s postseason appearance due to a rib injury, but in his absence Evan Mobley showed that he can be the team’s primary center for the future. Mobley averaged 16 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.2 blocks in the playoffs, including 33 points in Cleveland’s final postseason game. He’s an All-Defensive level player, has grown offensively and at 22 years old he’s only going to get better.
Now might be the opportune time to consider finding a new home for Allen with Mobley’s rise. In addition, pairing Mitchell with a more defensive-minded backcourt mate could benefit the Cavaliers, as neither him nor Garland excel defensively. If Mitchell becomes unhappy or the team underperforms, Cleveland should be proactive in upgrading the roster.
For the Pistons, the focus is on which young players will step up this season. With a new coach in charge, there is hope for growth and development among the team’s talented prospects. Identifying the breakout stars will be crucial for Detroit moving forward.
As for the Pacers, the challenge lies in navigating a healthier Eastern Conference. With improved teams all around them, Indiana will need to elevate their game to match last season’s success. Retaining their core players is a positive, but additional upgrades may be necessary to compete in a more competitive conference.
The Bucks’ strength lies in scoring, but their defense remains a concern. With elite point guards in the East, Milwaukee lacks a reliable defender to counter them. Despite their offensive prowess, the Bucks will need to address their defensive deficiencies to make a serious playoff run this season. It remains to be seen if the same strategy will propel them further this season, but having someone like Jrue Holiday on their team would certainly be a welcome addition.