NBA’s Budding Eastern Conference Teams Are Underrated

Even the Portland Trailblazers, who have a relatively young roster, still employed the likes of Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard this summer, both 35-year-olds on the last legs of their careers. 

East on the Come-Up

While the Western Conference is filled with more established players, the Eastern Conference, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. The East boasts young stars and up-and-coming teams on the hunt to prove themselves in the league.

The New York Knicks, for instance, are a team most expect to have a big year. Their star Jalen Brunson has just entered his prime. After undergoing a major coaching change this offseason, the Knicks looked primed for deep playoff pushes for a few more years. 

The Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons, and Orlando Magic are just a few teams in the East led by stars in their 20s — hoping to pull their teams out of the lottery into legitimate championship contention. 

Paolo Banchero made his first All-Star and playoff appearance in 2024. Cade Cunningham spearheaded Detroit’s shocking turnaround last season, tripling his team’s win total from the previous year. These two stars are looking to make major strides this season and push through a conference that will be without a key member of the reigning Champions of the East — Tyrese Haliburton. 

These players, along with several others, are dazzling with the potential of superstardom — the kind that raids the West; however, because of their smaller resumes and unproven status, they are considered afterthoughts when discussing championship candidates.

All of the greats in their rival conference were once in their place — young players with potential to make their mark on the league. Most of these stars-in-the-making have been given the keys to their franchise since Day 1: Scottie Barnes, Cunningham, Banchero, LaMelo Ball.

Ultimately, their success won’t boil down to which conference they are in, but their ability to take over when the lights shine the brightest. Only then, will they earn their respect.

Wide Open East

With Haliburton sidelined for the entirety of the 2025-2026 season, it will be up to the rest of the Pacers’ young cast to pick up the pieces to remain competitive. This gives room to several other young teams who have just cracked open the door to their franchises’ bright futures to take on an Eastern Conference that only appears weaker, not only because of Haliburton’s injury, but also Jayson Tatum’s. 

Experience comes with time, but for the young stars of the East, this year provides the ultimate training ground. Teams such as the Magic, Hawks, Knicks, and Pistons, who oddsmakers see as shoo-ins to make the playoffs, can use all 82 games of the regular season to experiment, gain confidence and prepare for the postseason, where they will duke it out amongst each other to gain valor.

The West on the other hand will be a blood bath from start to finish. Can the aging vets, who need nights off and have their roles and skills cemented at this stage of their careers, make it through the NBA’s regular season gauntlet ready for a postseason run?

Many of the East’s budding stars have suffered through years of franchise embarrassments and painful losses. They have paid their dues, waiting in line to be crowned among the the best in the NBA. In their eyes, their time is now.

West vs East Showdown

There’s no way to guess which two teams will end up in the finals, or who will rise and fall this season. The Oklahoma City Thunder have one of the youngest rosters in the league, and could be one of the few young teams in the West who win it all (again). One thing is for certain: young doesn’t mean unprepared, and aging doesn’t mean finished. Both Conferences have a lot to give, but the battle of the two sides looks to be one for the ages.