LaMelo Ball, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic: NBA Starters Ranked

Bleacher Report graded every NBA starting five and found the chaos of tanking, load management, and injuries has produced some startling extremes. Some groups shine — Charlotte’s starters earn an A+ as the league’s most potent offense, Detroit and OKC also score elite marks — while others flounder, like Brooklyn’s experiment that grades out as an F. The snapshot shows rosters revealing their true aims across a league that feels, as the piece put it, "a real mess" on opening night. Merlin sees a shifting tapestry. Contenders will patch lineups around health, rebuilders will keep rotating youngsters, and a few surprise units will force coaches’ hands. Charlotte’s scoring feast looks magical now but may face a defensive reckoning. The Spurs’ small-ball around Wemby is a spell that could last.