NBA: Reasons for all 30 teams to be optimistic heading into 2021-22

Orlando Magic: Breakout candidates everywhere

Okay, I know this is about “All 30 teams being optimistic”, but man it’s hard to have any short-term optimism for the Magic.

But what Orlando does have is a lot of players who have shown something and may be on the verge of bigger things. My Jonathan Isaac stock has been admittedly bleeding for a couple of years, but there are other guys like Chuma Okeke, RJ Hampton, Markelle Fultz, and of course, Jalen Suggs, that could all shine in the low-pressure developmental atmosphere that they’ll have in Orlando.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Draft picks are fun (albeit probably overrated) and OKC has a lot of them, but the picks don’t really excite me. What should excite Thunder fans everywhere is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Shai just turned 23 and is fresh off of a season (35 games) where he averaged nearly 24 points on over 50 percent from the floor and 40 percent from three while displaying a much-improved passing feel.

He’s one of the best young players in the NBA and the only real non-draft pick asset they have. For all the losing they’ll go through, Shai is the bright spot.