Keeping an eye out for competition in the NBA is something that a lot of fans and recruiters alike will look forward to because it is a chance for some of the strongest players, as well as emerging talents, to make their mark and bring something fresh and new to the table in order to become not only the next big player but also make their mark as a team player as well. 

From college basketball to honing their skills to try and secure their spot in the NBA draft and go on to play in the big leagues, every player dreams of playing big. Every player also hopes that their team is one that can work together to ensure the team’s success. With such high stakes, it’s always an anticipating waiting game keeping a score of the NBA Odds to see which teams are securing a spot to win.

We’ve rounded up some of the top NBA teams we think you should definitely keep an eye out for, who are bound to make a mark in the near future, so keep reading below!

Washington Wizards

Although the Washington Wizards have found themselves starting off a bit shaky and not quite finding their feet, what with missing playoffs for the third time now in the fourth season, we still think that their performance in the offseason, as well as the midseason, could just be enough to get their head back in the game and in for a chance to win.

Signing on players such as Taj Gibson as well as Delon Wright will hugely impact their team performance in a positive way, and with existing players such as Deni Avdija in the small forward position, they definitely have a solid team who could make a comeback, so we would definitely keep an eye out for them.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Perhaps the team with the youngest and best-emerging group of players, the Cleveland Cavaliers, is also one to watch out for. With four of their top scorer players all being under the age of 25, they evidently have a long way to go and are more than capable of making leaps and strides along the way.

Players such as Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland were both selected for the NBA All-Star game, granting the Cavaliers the title of being the only team that had not one, but two All-Stars, and that were both under the age of 25… looks promising for sure!

And with a few established players on the team as well, like Cedi Osman in the small forward position, Donovan Mitchell, nicknamed the ‘Spida’ playing shooting guard, and four-time NBA All-Star, we’re sure that the younger players are in good hands.

Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets have definitely made their mark for more than a few reasons. With players such as Kevin Durant keeping the Nets on their A game, despite knee injuries last year, and James Harden, one of the best shooting guards in NBA history, amongst other notable names, it comes as no surprise that fans are in full anticipation to see how the Nets will perform in the upcoming year.

Taking down the Denver Nuggets recently, with literally seconds to spare, the Nets managed to work together and win against Nikola Jovic by a neck and neck 122-120, making it an extremely close call. It’ll be worth seeing whether the Nets manage to gain comfortable wins in the near future or whether they’ll be just as tense and close as this round.

New Orlean Pelicans

The New Orlean Pelicans managed to make heads turn in a positive way in their first-round playoff against the Phoenix Suns, especially as their performance this time around was based on the fact that one of their biggest players – Zion Williamson – was not playing due to illness.

Some of the emerging stars made excellent debuts in both shooting and defense, with Jose Alvarado and Herbert Jones being two names that stood out to us. Jonas Valanciunas also made his presence known on the shooting side of things, totaling 14.5 points and 14.3 rebounds.

With Williamson hopefully back in the game sooner rather than later, we’re expecting big things from the New Orlean Pelicans!

Phoenix Suns

The team to play against the New Orlean Pelicans, the Phoenix Suns, find themselves in an interesting position. Although their season started off strong, and they seemed to be in a comfortable position, a series of losses in combination with Kevin Durant’s knee injury, which will mean he’s off for at least three weeks, makes their future slightly rocky.

Although not out of the winning completely, the Suns would have to ensure that they win most, if not all, of their games to ensure they don’t get knocked out, whereas a team like the Sacramento Kings wouldn’t have to work as hard because of their wins from earlier in the series. This tense situation makes the Suns an interesting team to watch out for, as, at the moment, it really could go either way for them…