8 teams primed for success in the next decade of the NBA

While the Warriors regained the throne this past season, it's evident that a new wave of players, coaches, and executives are slowly but surely beginning to stamp their marks as some of the best in the league. Teams that began rebuilding in the 2010s are starting to see success, and like the Bucks in 2021, we should expect to see newer, younger faces hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophies in the coming years. Here are eight teams that should be able to make championship runs in the coming decade.

1) Celtics

Probably the most obvious answer. While there are certainly kinks to figure out, the C's are coming off of a historic playoff run that unfortunately ran out of gas against Golden State. Their star duo of Jayson Tatum, 24, and Jaylen Brown, 25, brings scoring, shooting, defense, and versatility, four features that perfectly fit the positionless modern game. Boston seemed to find their long-term coach in Ime Udoka, who turned what seemed like a dud season into a legendary one.

Pieces like Robert Williams III, Grant Williams, and Payton Pritchard should also have long-term impacts. So long as Boston keeps Tatum, Brown, and Udoka, this is a yearly contender out East with general manager Brad Stevens' ability to bring in competent vets (i.e., Al Horford) that fit the culture. The C's also recently acquired Malcolm Brogdon, an excellent piece that nicely fills their need for a true facilitating point guard. Boston gets that much scarier.

2) Hawks

Atlanta started the offseason with a bang by acquiring Dejounte Murray in exchange for three first-round picks, Danilo Gallinari, and a bit more. I love this move for both teams, but for the Hawks, they get a guard that addresses many of Trae Young's weaknesses. Murray is long and quick, making for the versatile perimeter defender that Young is not. Murray can take the load off of Young defensively, and with Deandre Hunter also on the floor, Young will be able to match up against the worst opposing offensive player, which should pay massive dividends for the Hawks.

Murray can also take some of the load off of Young offensively. During the play in and against Miami in the first round, Young was exhausted, in large part because he was Atlanta's only shot creator. Murray changes all of that. With the acquisition of Murray, the Hawks jump right back up to tier one and could really shake things up out East.

3) Mavericks

Since trading Kristaps Porzingis, the Mavs catapulted from barely above average to a spot in the Western Conference finals in half a year. While the Suns completely collapsed on their home floor in Game Seven, this Dallas team was incredible and continues to get better. Luka is an offense with his elite scoring and playmaking. Dallas complimented that with shooting and perimeter defending. Dallas should be near the top of the West for the next decade, and if they can find a long-term center that protects and runs the rim, Dallas could be competing for a title very soon.

4) Grizzlies

Memphis is well-coached, balanced, and young. Ja leads the pack as an uber-athletic point guard that slays in transition. Don't forget about the others, though. Jaren Jackson Jr., Dillon Brooks, and Desmond Bane are gritty youngins that bring defense, intensity, and shooting. Memphis also has solid depth. Coach Taylor Jenkins has also impressed, taking Memphis to the second round in his third year at the helm. I like Memphis to contend out west for most of the upcoming decade.

5) Timberwolves

A young KAT and Anthony Edwards core is about as good as you can get offensively. Edwards is a big, athletic wing who can score on all three levels and is someone who I think can eventually lead the league in scoring. KAT is a multidimensional, offensive center who can score in the post and from beyond the arc. I love Minnesota going forward, but they need to figure out their point guard situation. Is D-Lo the long-term answer? If not, do you acquire a facilitator through the draft or free agency?

The addition of Rudy Gobert is intriguing, as it vastly improves Minnesota's interior defense – something that plagued them all season – while also allowing KAT to operate more on the perimeter, where his skill set is more comfortable. However, the T-Wolves gave up a haul for Gobert that included four first-round picks and Jarred Vanderbilt, a 23-year-old who showed his versatility on the defensive end. It'll be interesting to see how the trade plays out in the coming years.

6) Cavaliers

The Cavs have transitioned very nicely from the LeBron/Kyrie era into this new chapter of Cleveland basketball. Darius Garland has been everything Cavs fans could've asked for: a three-level scorer, shot creator, and facilitator. Garland will continue to grow and further refine his game. Evan Mobley, who Cleveland selected with the third pick in 2021, has also been phenomenal. The Cavs also found their longtime head coach in JB Bickerstaff, who has been excellent thus far.

The Collin Sexton question is something to note, however. Garland is clearly the franchise guy, so what should Cleveland do with Sexton? Should they trade him before his value declines or try to fit him with Garland? Both options have pros and cons, so this is an interesting storyline that could impact the future of the Cavs.

7) Hornets

In a similar fashion to Cleveland, the Hornets have found their cornerstone in the form of LaMelo Ball, who I actually like more than Garland in the long term. Miles Bridges looked like a star in the making for Charlotte until his recent domestic violence arrest, which will probably end his NBA career. However, as long as Ball is there, they deserve to be on this list. Perhaps the return of Steve Clifford as head coach will finally push the Hornets over the hump of the play-in and into the playoffs.

8. Pistons

As a Pistons fan, I couldn't be more glad about where this organization is at right now. This team has been stuck from horrible to barely straddling mediocrity for over a decade. Now, it seems like things are finally starting to come together. Cade Cunningham, the first overall pick in 2021, made the absolute best out of a bad situation during his rookie campaign. Only 20, he already has flashed superstar potential with his versatile offensive game, rugged defense, and leadership.

General manager Troy Weaver has built around Cunningham nicely a year later by trading for Marvin Bagley and drafting Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren. Saddiq Bey, a durable, consistent three-and-D player, and Isaiah Stewart, a gritty big, were drafted in 2020 and have complemented Cunningham nicely. Although it's still early in the rebuild, the Pistons have the NBA world on notice and should be exciting to watch for years to come.