24. Chicago Bulls
As one would expect, the Chicago Bulls haven't been particularly all that improved overall as a team this season. However, the strides and consistency that Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic have shown so far this year do give the team some hope. Perhaps not in the way of opening the door for the Bulls to compete in the Eastern Conference but to find a path toward blowing up the roster and jump-starting their much-needed rebuild. This is a long time coming and this may be the season where it all begins to come to fruition.
For the Bulls, I'm not bothered by the wins and losses. As far as I'm concerned, this season will be considered a success or failure based on whether they could successfully begin to turn the page on the previous era of Bulls basketball or not. Right now, the odds of that don't look all that positive considering there's still a lack of market for their two big veterans. However, the hope is that over the final two months before the trade deadline, that begins to change.
23. Detroit Pistons
Even though I wouldn't say the Detroit Pistons have had an incredibly successful season, you can't deny the fact that they've improved so far this year. And considering the lack of progress that the Suns have had over the past few years, that has to be considered a huge success for the team overall. From all indications, the Pistons have two cornerstone building blocks for the future with Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. They have a few more intriguing young prospects on the roster but nothing of certainty can be assumed just yet on those fronts.
No matter how this season ends, it appears as if the Pistons are back on the right track. If they're able to add another quality pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, this is a team that will have the potential to truly take off next season. If there is one area in which the team will need to improve, it's finding consistency from their young group in the frontcourt. Jalen Duren has taken a bit of a step back when it comes to overall production so far this season. A little boost from him down the stretch could make all the difference for the Pistons.