After a ton of player movement and roster reshuffling that took place across the league this summer, there are now a plethora of NBA teams that are looking to make a playoff comeback in 2022, including the Golden State Warriors. Given that the regular season can be tiresome and daunting to the more inexperienced teams in the league, there will only be a select few teams who are able to accomplish this feat.
Going from lottery team to playoff contender requires patience, discipline, and a level of persistence that only a few teams can truly master. With a completely different outlook on the NBA landscape, there'll be a ton of new and exciting teams to look out for during the 2021-22 NBA season. So with no further ado, let's check out the Golden State Warriors and three other teams that are best suited to make a playoff comeback next season, ranked.
4. Charlotte Hornets
Looking to make their first playoff appearance since the 2015-16 NBA season, the Charlotte Hornets have revamped their roster and are looking to become a legit playoff threat next season just like the Warriors, especially after 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball took the league by storm. Ball has showcased his wide array of scoring and playmaking skills in his first season in the NBA, and yet, he's barely scratched the surface of his full potential.
This is what made the Hornets one of the most exciting teams to watch in the NBA last season. Now that Gordon Hayward is expected to be back at full strength and Terry Rozier will look to build off of his career resurrection from last season, the Hornets will have a lot going for them heading into the 2021-22 NBA season.
Add to that the continually improving and expanding game of Miles Bridges and the Hornets will showcase a perfect balance of youth and athleticism with sound veteran leadership. This is something that could make them a tough out in the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. Come next season, watch out for this up-and-coming Hornets squad that'll look to shock the world and live up to the expectations of team owner Michael Jordan.
3. San Antonio Spurs
After 22 straight years of deep playoff runs and winning NBA championships, the San Antonio Spurs have fallen from grace the past few seasons. Coming off a solid offseason where they put in a ton of work to re-tool and rebuild their roster, Gregg Popovich and company are looking to get back into the thick of the Western Conference playoff race that could include the Warriors as well next season.
With the Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker, and Derrick White getting better each season to go along with the additions of Bryn Forbes and Doug McDermott, the Spurs are slowly but surely building a well-rounded roster that can surprise the basketball world next season. Especially with the newly drafted Australian wunderkind Jock Londale making a strong impression on the Spurs' coaching staff. So the rest of the league better take notice, cause this Spurs team will be ready for a deep playoff run sooner than expected.
2. Chicago Bulls
Coming off a highly productive 2021 NBA offseason where they successfully conducted a complete roster overhaul to surround franchise stars Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic with more talent, the Chicago Bulls are positioned nicely for a surprise playoff run in 2022. This team definitely made a ton of progress and showed signs of improvement under first-year head coach Billy Donovan last season.
After the additions of Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso, Derrick Jones Jr., Tony Bradley, and Stanley Johnson, the Bulls now boast one of the deeper rosters in the league with a perfect blend of seasoned veterans and young superstars who are ready to elevate this team into a legit playoff contender in 2021. With a ton of change in the works and a new regime set in place for the Bulls next season, things are finally starting to look up in Chicago.
1. Golden State Warriors
Just two seasons removed from their last NBA Finals appearance, the Golden State Warriors are going to be back at full strength and ready to make another title run in 2022. In a deep and talented Western Conference, the Warriors will definitely have their work cut out for them, but with a top-notch coach in Steve Kerr, and their superstar trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green set to be back fully healthy, the Dubs will be back in full swing next season.
Not to mention James Wiseman will be returning to their starting line-up to go along with two-way swingman Andrew Wiggins. Juan Toscano-Anderson and Jordan Poole will also be back for them and both players were major contributors for the Dubs during their playoff run last season. They'll also play a crucial part in their quest to return to title contention in 2022.
The addition of veteran forward Otto Porter Jr. will also be beneficial for them and provide them with another reliable scorer and defender on the wing. Looking to bounce back huge next season and make a deep playoff run, this Warriors squad has shown that they've still got plenty left in the tank and can run with the best of them.
You can definitely count on 2021 NBA scoring champ Steph Curry to run it back in the hopes of leading this team to the promised land alongside partners-in-crime Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Aiming to put the league on notice once again and win back the Western Conference in 2022, the rest of the NBA better watch out cause this Warriors squad is re-tooled and ready to take down the entire NBA.
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