2021-22 NBA Season: 5 Lottery teams from last year that could push for the NBA Playoffs this time

#3 Charlotte Hornets

LaMelo Ball is expected to lead the Charlotte Hornets to the NBA Playoffs in the upcoming season.

The Charlotte Hornets surprised everyone with the way they played last season. Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball and other stars like Terry Rozier, Miles Bridges and Gordan Hayward played some really great basketball to make it to the NBA play-in tournament. Akin to many other teams, the Hornets saw their playoff hopes diminish after injuries hurt them towards the end of the season.

They were also in the running to grab a top-six spot at one stage. Nonetheless, the upcoming season seems a lot more promising. Ball will be entering his sophomore year and is expected to make a significant leap. The Hornets have also acquired a solid 3-and-D player in Kelly Oubre Jr., who is expected to play a key role alongside veterans Gordan Hayward, Terry Rozier and Mason Plumlee.

The Hornets have great depth this time around. The likes of PJ Washington, Miles Bridges and rookies James Bouknight and Kai Jones are all looking set to go, which once again makes the Hornets look like one of the most fun youthful teams to keep an eye on.

#2 Chicago Bulls

Chicago Bulls have had the busiest offseason so far.

The Chicago Bulls have been trying to get to the playoffs for the longest time now and have shown the urgency to improve their roster to make it happen. They finished with a 31-41 record and failed to make the cut for the play-in tournament, despite acquiring Nikola Vucevic at the trade deadline.

Adding Vucevic evidently did not solve their problems, and the Bulls had to make sure they made the best use of their resources in the 2021 NBA Offseason. That is exactly what they did.

They have acquired some of the biggest free agents like Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso, who will be suiting up for them next season. Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic have a very talented squad to work with, which makes them one of the favorite lottery teams from last season to make it to the NBA Playoffs in the 2021-22 NBA campaign.

The Bulls now have three or four All-Star caliber players in their ranks, something that hasn't happened in the longest time. They look like the team that has improved the most. It would be surprising not to see them play some playoff basketball next season.

#1 Golden State Warriors

Golden State Warriors are one of the favorites to make it to the NBA Playoffs next season.

Despite one of the best seasons of Stephen Curry's career, the Golden State Warriors failed to make it to the playoffs in the 2020-21 campaign.

They looked like the favorites to grab one of the two remaining playoff spots post the play-in tournament, but an OT loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in the play-in tournament elimination game saw their second consecutive season end without them making it to the postseason.

Klay Thompson's absence hurt the team massively after the sharpshooter missed his second full season due to injury. The Warriors had to rely on Curry to carry them, and he did all he could, amassing 32 points per contest, finishing third in the MVP voting. He also won the scoring title.

The Warriors will see Thompson return next season and have also added some really intriguing prospects from the 2021 NBA Draft like Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga to their squad.

They have also acquired veteran Andre Iguodala, who won the Finals MVP award in their 2015 NBA championship run along with veteran wing Otto Porter Jr. in free agency.

Two straight years without playoff basketball will be a motivating factor for Stephen Curry and his crew for next season. As per rumors, the Warriors' three leading players, Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green, are all eyeing to win their fourth championship together this time around, which is a clear indication of what one can expect from the former NBA champions.