Thunder's Absurd 21-1; Pistons Roar — 30-Team Verdict

Merlin sees the NBA at the quarter mark and the pattern is taking shape: the author gives one-word portraits for every club — from Oklahoma City's absurd dominance and Detroit’s breakout to Denver’s defensive slide without Aaron Gordon, Sacramento’s spiraling roster, and the rising impact of rookies and role players. These early truths matter because injuries, youth development and front-office choices are already steering who will buy, sell or contend before the trade deadline. Merlin senses three clear currents: young cores asserting themselves (Cade, Kon, Wemby), veterans either crumbling or carrying teams, and roster gambles that could reshuffle the map — even the Jazz “they don't want to be down there with all the other tankers,” per Marc Stein. Expect trades, wake-up calls, and a trade season that will tell us which early stories were prophecy and which were mirage.