The importance of a well-rounded roster cannot be understated. It can be argued that in the

NBA

, it is the least important, as the league has seen top-heavy teams bash their way to titles before. But there is no doubt that without a strong roster, the team will fail.

For a team to succeed in the NBA, they must possess top-heavy star power, but it must be balanced with a well-rounded roster. Teams that are too top-heavy will struggle mightily when the stars rest, or are rendered ineffective, as they will lack the firepower to fight back.

Additionally, a team that lacks star power but features a collection of gritty, mid-level players may find short-term success. But when push comes to shove on the big stage, they are often exposed. That, in essence, is the importance of having a well-rounded roster, and these five teams feature the best rosters heading into the 2024-25 NBA season.

5

Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers have stepped up their roster with the addition of Paul George

It is not easy to assemble an all-around roster full of talent, but the

Philadelphia 76ers

are one of the teams that have managed to do so. Specifically, their lineup revolves around

Joel Embiid

,

Tyrese Maxey

, and new addition

Paul George

, who brings them up significantly.

Last season, the 76ers starting lineup outscored opponents by 34 points per 100 possessions, and were 33-8 when leading after the first quarter. They strike early and quickly, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

Rounding out their rotation should be

Caleb Martin

and

Kelly Oubre Jr.

, both solid wing contributors. While the 76ers are more top-heavy than some other contenders, there is no doubt that they also possess a strong overall roster, with

Kyle Lowry

being the biggest piece off the bench.

The Sixers also feature

Eric Gordon

, Reggie Jackson, and Andre Drummond, who should be effective reserves this year. With a steady cast of veterans surrounding their big three, the Sixers have a good chance to contend in the East.

4

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks made improvements to an already capable roster

It takes a strong roster to reach the NBA Finals, and that is exactly what the

Dallas Mavericks

did last season. While they fell short of their goal of winning the championship, losing to a more stacked team in the

Boston Celtics

, the Mavericks did not stay complacent.

Despite losing a key piece in

Derrick Jones Jr.

, who signed with the

Los Angeles Clippers

, the Mavericks were able to replace the 3-and-D wing with a flurry of offseason additions.

Klay Thompson

was perhaps their biggest get. Thompson ended his 13-year run with the

Golden State Warriors

and will now bring his elite shooting and off-ball movement to a Mavericks offense run by the best offensive backcourt in the league in

Luka Dončić

and

Kyrie Irving

.

In addition, they also brought in

Naji Marshall

, whose defense, length, and three-point shooting should fill in for Jones’ departure.

Moreover, they also acquired

Quentin Grimes

, who has been inconsistent to begin his career but has shown flashes of 3-and-D potential. Dallas also brought back guard

Spencer Dinwiddie

, who played for the team from 2022 to 2023.

Of course, the Mavs will continue to feature their three additions from last year,

P.J. Washington

,

Daniel Gafford

, and

Dereck Lively II

, in significant roles as Dallas looks to make a return trip to the NBA Finals.

3

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder made some tremendous additions this offseason

The

Oklahoma City Thunder

surprised the NBA world last year when they finished the regular season as the first seed in a stacked Western Conference. That was certainly a notable accomplishment, especially given the youth of their team. This offseason has only seen the Thunder improve, building an even stronger roster for next year.

Their record of 57-25 last season was the best of any team who had the majority of their minutes come from rookies in the last 20 years. They also had nine players who shot above average from deep last year, the most in the NBA.

The majority of that success was led by

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

, who finished second in MVP voting last year. With a promising young core that includes

Chet Holmgren

,

Jalen Williams

, and

Luguentz Dort

, the Thunder should be a force to be reckoned with for many seasons to come.

Oklahoma City also made terrific additions this offseason by acquiring defensive stalwart

Alex Caruso

from the

Chicago Bulls

and prying away

Isaiah Hartenstein

from the

New York Knicks

. They will bring even more deadly defense to the Thunder. Hartenstein, likewise, will address one of their main flaws from last year: rebounding.

The Thunder also possess one of the deepest benches in the NBA. Jaylin Williams, Cason Wallace, and Isaiah Joe are all serviceable players who star in their roles. They also scored one of the best prospects in this year’s past draft in Nikola Topic.

2

Boston Celtics

The defending champions need not change much to their roster

Not much changed for the defending champion Boston Celtics this offseason. If anything, they were able to lock up the majority of their important pieces to long-term deals, making them title contenders for the foreseeable future.

After signing

Jaylen Brown

to the then-largest contract in NBA history last year, they did the same for Jayson Tatum, inking him to a historic five-year $314 million supermax contract this July.

Boston also retained key piece

Derrick White

to a $125.9 million extension.

Jrue Holiday

is under contract until the 2027-28 season, while

Kristaps Porzingis

is signed for two more seasons.

With their starting five intact, the Celtics aren’t going away anytime soon. Veteran

Al Horford

remains a reliable presence despite being in his late 30s.

Payton Pritchard

and

Sam Hauser

also proved they can be solid contributors off the bench.

And despite featuring the last pick in the first round of this past NBA Draft, the Celtics managed to strike gold by drafting Baylor Scheierman out of Creighton, 30th overall. He is a rebounding machine, recording double-digits in that category in 17 NCAA games last season, and is also known for his strong outside shooting ability.

When a team’s roster is already near perfect, and has proven its ability to win a title, changes need not be made, and that is the case for the Celtics. Their strengths have already been well-documented, and by running it back the Celtics will automatically have one of the best rosters in the league next season.

1

New York Knicks

The Knicks possess the deepest bench and overall roster in the league

In terms of overall roster, there is one team that has the Celtics beat, and that is the

New York Knicks

. While their roster could hardly be appreciated due to it faltering on the big stage because of injuries, the Knicks easily have the deepest roster in the NBA, from top to bottom.

Jalen Brunson

proved himself as the king of the Knicks last season, and he will lead the team once again. Right by his side will be fellow All-Star

Julius Randle

, as well as

OG Anunoby

, whom the Knicks locked up with a max extension this offseason as well.

The Knicks desperately needed another starter when the injuries began to pile up. They address that need by acquiring

Mikal Bridges

from the

Brooklyn Nets

, reuniting him with his former Villanova brothers in Brunson,

Josh Hart

, and

Donte DiVincenzo

.

Bridges’ durability will come into play as he has never missed a game in his career, and will mesh extremely well with the rest of the ‘Nova Knicks.

Last season, the Knicks ranked in the top ten in both offense and defense, for the first time in 28 years. They were 45-4 when leading by double-digits, the best mark in the NBA, including going 39-0 in games which they led by 15 or more points. That was thanks to both their starters and deep bench.

The Knicks possess the deepest bench in the game, which became apparent when the majority of their bench players stepped up as starters in the wake of injuries. Hart, DiVincenzo, Precious Achiuwa, and Miles “Deuce” McBride all saw starting time due to desperation, and if all goes well, they will headline the bench next season.

The only major departure from the Knicks this offseason was Isaiah Hartenstein, but the Knicks have the players necessary to replace him.

Mitchell Robinson

will step in to serve Hartenstein’s role, and Tyler Kolek should also see some playing time in that role as well.

New York was at its peak in January, when they were fully healthy and meshing. They went 14-2 that month, and it was a microcosm of what could have been if not for the injuries. That will be the one factor holding them back, and if they can manage to stay healthy next season, the Knicks will have the best roster in the NBA.

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