The Title-less Team Tiers
The Florida Panthers are off the hook. Who might be next?
There’s a first time for everything, but I imagine few moments rival the exhilaration of clinching a first championship. Sports history celebrates its greatest victors, but every franchise started with an empty trophy case. Today, the Patriots boast more Super Bowls than anyone but the Steelers, and the Bulls trail only the Celtics and Lakers in NBA championships, but neither franchise had won anything before Tom Brady and Michael Jordan arrived. If you’re a fan of a bottom-feeding franchise, remember—you’re always one transcendent player away from rewriting the narrative.
Across America’s top four professional leagues—the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL—39 franchises are still awaiting their first championships. Many of these teams linger in perpetual obscurity, while several have suffered near misses, tormented by the agony of being good, but not quite good enough. Others remain in a honeymoon phase, too young to know the pain that comes with decades of disappointment.
Professional sports thrive on unpredictability, but recent decades have seen a consistent emergence of first-time title winners:
2010s: 11 first-time winners
2000s: 11 first-time winners
1990s: 12 first-time winners
With the Florida Panthers securing the Stanley Cup last week, there are now five first-time champions this decade: the Los Angeles Rams, Denver Nuggets, Texas Rangers, Vegas Golden Knights, and the newly crowned Panthers. If history serves as a guide, we can expect more breakthroughs before the 2030s. Today, I’ll assess the 39 remaining “title-less” teams, grouping them into tiers based on their prospects for future glory.
My evaluation considers the following criteria:
Roster Strength: I focused on the performance and durability track records for the key players on each franchise. Since I’m projecting the rest of the decade, factors like contract length and player age were also crucial to consider. The ideal roster for this exercise is not only currently successful but built to last.
Draft Capital: Teams with a wealth of high-quality draft picks have more opportunities to improve their rosters. For baseball teams, I focused on farm system quality instead of draft pick quantity, considering the MLB draft spans something like 97 rounds.
Competition Strength: The caliber of great players and teams that stand in the way of these franchises is significant. It’s a tough break for the Los Angeles Chargers to be in the same division as Patrick Mahomes. Conversely, a baseball team in the weaker NL Central division may get more opportunities for postseason success.
Vibes: Although it’s the most overused term in the internet lexicon, the aura surrounding a franchise matters. There are franchises that lack it entirely, and others that carry so much baggage that only an ancient curse could explain their woes. Consider this the “gut feel” criteria.
A few other ground rules: relocation and rebranding reset the historical title count. For instance, the Oklahoma City Thunder inherited the legacy of the Seattle Supersonics, but how many OKC residents can name the Finals MVP from the ’79 Sonics championship? The Thunder are title-less in my book. There are also cases like the Seattle Kraken, the first professional hockey team in Seattle in almost 100 years. Even though the Seattle Metropolitans won the 1917 Stanley Cup, I’m setting the Kraken’s title count to zero given the fresh coat of paint and lengthy absence from the Seattle sports culture. I will count historical titles for teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, who moved cities but retained most of their branding and fan base, and the Ottawa Senators, who left the NHL for over 50 years before returning with the same namesake.
I’m also considering modern titles only. If the trophy changed, like when NFL Championships became Super Bowls, then the title count reset to zero. Apologies to the Cleveland Browns, who will be a part of today’s proceedings.
And away we go, starting with the lowest tier and working our way up!
Tier 9: What If It Never Happens?
Title-less Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Columbus Blue Jackets, Colorado Rockies, Sacramento Kings
If I offered you $100 if any team on this list wins a championship in my lifetime, but you must pay my future offspring $1,000 if none of them ever do, would you take that bet? Most of these teams lack significant historical achievements, and none look poised for success this decade. Only the Colorado Rockies, despite never winning their division in the regular season, have reached a championship round, getting swept by the Red Sox in the 2007 World Series. The Sacramento Kings were an officiating controversy away from winning the 2002 NBA title, while the Charlotte Hornets and Columbus Blue Jackets have never made it to a conference final, let alone competed for a championship.
The Atlanta Hawks franchise claims the 1958 title they won in St. Louis, but we’ll focus on their time in Atlanta, where at one point they failed to advance past the second round of the playoffs for 48 straight years. Despite a recent uptick in success, including two conference finals appearances in the last decade, the Hawks have rarely, if ever, felt like genuine title threats. To think all their fortunes could have been different if they had simply kept Luka Doncic when they drafted him.
Historical shortcomings aside, the immediate issue for these teams is that none of them have a player who projects as the leader of a championship team. Brandon Miller has shown promise for the Hornets as a recent top-three draft pick, but his ceiling is unclear. This is also the Hornets we’re talking about—they’ve been fumbling the bag all century and are fresh off a $200 million commitment to LaMelo Ball, who has played 58 games combined in the past two seasons. Trae Young has the charisma of a superstar for the Hawks, but no sane person believes a 6’1” guard that doesn’t play defense can lead an NBA team to a title. The Hawks selected French wing Zaccharie Risacher with the number-one overall pick in last week’s NBA Draft, but he projects as more of a complementary player than a transformative star.
After 16 consecutive losing seasons, the Kings have experienced a recent rejuvenation, fueled by the marketing brilliance of “The Beam”. The exciting play style of stars De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis has yet to result in the franchise’s first playoff series victory since 2004. A roster that couldn’t secure a playoff spot in the competitive Western Conference last season will only get more expensive with Keegan Murray’s extension looming. The Blue Jackets signed their potential franchise savior Johnny Gaudreau in 2022. While it dispelled the notion that Columbus is an undesirable location for star players, the team hasn’t surpassed 70 points since the acquisition. The Rockies, sporting a 29-55 record this season, haven’t been above .500 since 2018. Owner Dick Monfort’s claims of prioritizing winning clash with the Rockies’ middling payroll, average farm system, and inability to leverage their unique home field advantage.
Tier 8: We Suck, But We Have Enough Assets and Flexibility to Stop Sucking in the Future
Title-less Teams: Brooklyn Nets, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Panthers, San Jose Sharks, Utah Hockey Club (previously the Arizona Coyotes), Utah Jazz
To sniff contention this decade, the teams in this tier will need dramatic turnarounds, but we know this is possible in professional sports. Take the Utah Jazz, run by Danny Ainge, who once transformed the Celtics from a 24-win bottom feeder into a 66-win champion in one season. Though Utah lacks Boston’s market appeal to attract marquee players like Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, their 13 first-round picks through 2029 offer another avenue to acquire stars. Ainge’s decision to dismantle the Donovan Mitchell/Rudy Gobert core is proving to be shrewd from an asset standpoint—the Jazz now have six former first-round picks on rookie contracts, while holding plenty of valuable picks to trade for an undervalued star or continue capitalizing on the draft. The challenge is for the franchise to pick a direction to move towards, especially when reaching the top of a stacked Western Conference is such a daunting climb.
Speaking of Utah teams loaded with draft assets, the yet-to-be-named Utah Hockey Club got to work during the NHL draft last week, bringing in Tij Iginla, son of NHL Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, and trading for 2-time Stanley Cup winning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev. The influx of talent provides optimism that they can quickly erase the stench of the franchise’s miserable tenure in Arizona. If they choose a kick-ass name like the Yeti, even better. The San Jose Sharks are also ready to turn the page after selecting star center Macklin Celebrini with the first overall pick in the draft. They also drafted defenseman Sam Dickinson in the first round and have two more first round picks in 2025. Could it be destiny that a man named Celebrini will have San Jose celebrating a title for the first time in franchise history one day?
Picking first in the draft isn’t always a golden ticket. Ask the Carolina Panthers, who’s selection of Bryce Young hasn’t shifted their fortunes. Despite a challenging rookie season, it’s premature to draw definitive conclusions on Young’s abilities until the Panthers bolster their offensive line and provide him real receiving threats. You can forgive Panthers fans for lacking patience though, given the opportunity cost of their draft day trade to select him. These are dark times for the Panthers franchise, but they have a history of hitting rock bottom before rebounding. They finished 1-15 in 2001, then made the Super Bowl two seasons later. In 2010, they went 2-14 before making another Super Bowl in the 2015-16 season.
The Brooklyn Nets are blowing it all to pieces after trading Mikal Bridges last week, now possessing a war chest of draft picks to rebuild. When the time comes, they’ll hope to leverage the magnitude of their prime market to attract stars and become competitive again. Let’s not forget about the poor Buffalo Sabres, currently holding the longest playoff drought in NHL history at 13 seasons. They’ve come close to breaking the streak in the last two seasons and have most of their key players under long-term contracts. With plenty of upcoming draft picks to strengthen their roster, the pieces are in place to end the franchise’s prolonged nightmare.
Tier 7: We Don’t Know What We Have, and There Are Only So Many Years Left in the Decade
Title-less Teams: Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Kraken, Tennessee Titans
For the Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings, the rest of the decade hinges on the quarterback position. The Vikings brought in J.J. McCarthy with a top-10 draft pick this spring, and his development will be critical to keep pace in an increasingly competitive NFC North division. He’ll have an elite weapon to work with on day one in Justin Jefferson, who signed a four-year, $140 million extension this offseason. The Titans also face uncertainty at quarterback with Will Levis, and it’s unclear how much confidence they have in him given their lack of a top-tier draft investment. Making matters worse is a severe lack of skill position talent following the departures of AJ Brown and Derrick Henry. They signed Calvin Ridley this offseason and hope Treylon Burks can justify his first-round selection.
Former Titans coach Mike Vrabel’s departure was puzzling, given his consistent overachievement with the team, but Tennessee has remained successful through previous coaching changes this century. If Levis is the guy, they’ll have an effective and affordable asset to build around, at least until his rookie contract expires in 2026. If not, Titans fans should prepare to consume a lot of Arch Manning highlights.
Questions about the Seattle Kraken extend beyond their personnel, touching on their very identity as a franchise. They just completed their third full season since joining the NHL in 2021, making their lone playoff appearance in 2023. They haven’t found a superstar yet, instead relying on solid players with mid-level contracts. After making five selections in the first three rounds of last week’s draft, the future face of the franchise could be waiting in the wings.
Tier 6: We’re All In, and It’s Not Working
Title-less Teams: Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, San Diego Padres
At the start of the decade, a first championship felt well within reach for these three teams. Three years ago, the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns were right on the cusp, facing off in the 2021 Western Conference Finals. Since then, the Clippers haven’t won a playoff series, mired in the eternal uncertainty of Kawhi Leonard’s injury status. Meanwhile, Devin Booker is the only remaining player from the Suns team that made the 2021 NBA Finals.
Luka’s Game 7 demolition of the championship-favorite Suns in the 2022 playoffs might have set the franchise back a decade. Matt Ishbia took ownership of the franchise and stripped down the depth of their contending roster in search of a Big 3. His mission was “successful”, trading for Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal in back-to-back seasons, but the team has only one playoff series victory to show for it. The Suns have their Big 3 under contract for at least two more seasons, but they’re struggling to retain key role players with all their money tied up in their star trio.
The Clippers also made a big swing last season with the James Harden trade, but it failed to change their disappointing trajectory. Now Paul George is off to Philadelphia, potentially closing their window of contention. If either the Clippers or the Suns choose to start over, rebuilding through the draft isn’t an option, as neither team owns a first-round pick for the rest of the decade.
The future is less bleak for the San Diego Padres, despite disappointing results from General Manager A.J. Preller’s spending sprees. The Padres’ payroll ranked in the MLB’s top-six from 2021-2023, but their only playoff appearance was in 2022, when they lost in the NLCS. Unlike the Clippers and Suns, the Padres have a solid farm system (ranked 13th out of 30 teams by FanGraphs) to supplement their current roster with young talent. Top prospect Ethan Salas is expected to get the call as soon as next season, and former top-15 prospect Jackson Merrill is already making an impact for the big-league team. They’ve treaded water this season with a 46-42 record, but they have the talent to make noise if they can sneak into an expanded postseason.
Tier 5: We Think We Have Our Key Pieces in Place, But We’re Waiting on the Results
Title-less Teams: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic, Seattle Mariners
Our largest tier contains nine teams, all facing critical junctures in their development timelines. Each team has drafted or acquired the stars they believe will lead them to the promised land, but potential must convert to results to propel them forward.
Teams like the Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals may already be questioning their roster construction decisions. Deshaun Watson’s tenure has been disastrous in Cleveland, both on and off the field, and key skill positions players like Amari Cooper and Nick Chubb are nearing free agency. Kyler Murray has had an injury-riddled existence with the Cardinals, but they’ll hope he can establish a potent combination with promising rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. to lead them back into the playoffs.
Others in the group, such as the Houston Texans, Orlando Magic, and Seattle Mariners, may believe future success is preordained. The Texans found their franchise QB in CJ Stroud, who took the league by storm during his electric rookie campaign. The Magic must be thrilled with Paolo Banchero’s early development, showcasing a Jayson Tatum-like combination of size, agility, and physicality. Julio Rodriguez has revitalized the entire Mariners organization, and a playoff spot looks imminent this year with the team leading the AL West.
However, success is rarely a linear path, as the Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Pelicans can attest to. Despite promising play from Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, and Zion Williamson, these teams have struggled with consistency due to ill-timed injuries (poor Zion) and coaching malpractice (looking at you, Brandon Staley). The Chargers hired Jim Harbaugh to address their coaching woes, but the roster has plenty of work to do in order to compete with the most talented quarterback of all time. The Jaguars and Pelicans will continue to rely on Lawrence and Zion to get them over the hump, but significant team-building challenges lie ahead, like Lawrence’s massive $275 million extension, and Brandon Ingram’s uncertain status with the Pelicans.
The Falcons have heavily invested in their offense, using top-ten draft picks on Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts. With the core of the team under contract, they now turn to 35-year-old Kirk Cousins, recovering from a torn Achilles, for stability at the quarterback position. If the Cousins experiment fails, their future may depend on Michael Penix, who they selected in the top-10 of this past draft.
By the 2030s, some of these teams will experience moments of serious contention, while others will be in disarray. Such is life in the middle tier.
Tier 4: Our Sports Are Whacky. With Enough Chances, Maybe It’ll Finally Happen?
Title-less Teams: Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Rays, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets
The MLB and NHL postseasons are the most chaotic in American professional sports. Last year’s World Series featured the 5th-seeded Texas Rangers against the 6th-seeded Arizona Diamondbacks. One year ago, the 2022-23 Boston Bruins, who set an NHL record with 135 points, lost in the first round to the 95-point Florida Panthers. Anything can happen in these sports; the key is to make it to the playoffs and hope the chaos balances in your favor.
Every team in this tier has made multiple playoff appearances this decade. Only the Tampa Bay Rays have come close to a title, losing the 2020 World Series. Despite their low payroll, the Rays consistently make the playoffs by coaxing star performances from players on affordable contracts, building a robust pitching pipeline, and developing a farm system rich with young talent. The approach is hitting a snag this year, as the Rays sit near the bottom of the AL East. The off-field situation involving Wander Franco is particularly debilitating, as the player poised to be the face of the franchise may never play another game in the MLB.
The Milwaukee Brewers have also been playoff regulars, winning the NL Central two out of the past three years, and currently holding 6-game division lead this season. It hasn’t translated to playoff success, but they finally have the difference-making offense (3rd in the NL in total runs scored) to contend deeper into the postseason.
The Vancouver Canucks, who have made the Stanley Cup Finals in three different decades, lost in the second round this year but have all their top scorers under long-term contracts. Nashville also has most of their core locked up and a bundle of draft picks (3 second-round picks in 2024; 2 first-round picks in 2025) to elevate their group. Minnesota Wild fans may feel a level of existential dread. Minnesota has watched professional hockey for a long time, but only the franchise’s previous iteration, the North Stars, made a Cup Final in 1991. They’ll continue to build around star winger Kirill Kaprizov (T-8th in the NHL with 46 goals in 2023-24) and hope their luck finally turns.
I recently met a group of Winnipeg Jets fans on vacation, and they were an incredibly dedicated group. The type of people who watch all 82 games with their families, no matter the quality of the team. I came away understanding that merely having a professional team in Winnipeg means the world to their local fan base. Their fans know what it’s like to lose their franchise— the Jets moved to Atlanta in 1996 before eventually returning to Winnipeg in 2011. Despite a first-round exit this year, they had the second-most points of any team in the Western Conference and should continue to knock on the door.
Tier 3: Exciting, Young and Promising, But Is the Ceiling High Enough?
Title-less Teams: Detroit Lions, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies
These three teams burst onto the scene this decade with success that many deemed premature. The Memphis Grizzlies’ star trio of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane led them to the 2-seed in the Western Conference playoffs for two straight years. Ja’s off-court issues derailed their last two seasons, culminating with a 25-game suspension and a disastrous 6-19 start in 2023-24. Despite the recent setbacks, the full-strength Grizzlies boast a strong core that was recently the envy of the league and can make noise in the Western Conference.
The Indiana Pacers are fresh off a surprising Eastern Conference Finals appearance, where they were competitively swept by the Celtics. They extended Pascal Siakam last week, solidifying a long-term partnership with Tyrese Haliburton. Supported by a strong cast of role players, with potential improvements from recent top-ten picks in Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker, the Pacers look poised for growth. Whether this season signifies the start of something special in Indianapolis or a flash in the pan remains to be seen.
If you replay the Detroit Lions’ second half against the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game 100 times, how often do they win? 95 out of 100 times? More? Setting aside questionable game management, they were plain old unlucky. They’re returning much of the same team for another title push in a wide-open NFC, but managing the mental side of such a devastating loss will be key. There’s also the Jared Goff question. Viewed as a bridge quarterback following the Matthew Stafford trade, Goff has emerged as a hero in Detroit, recently signing a 4-year, $212 million extension. Surrounded by a talented offense and the guidance of wunderkind offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Goff’s next challenge lies in proving himself during those crucial off-script moments; the ones that define the difference between winning a playoff game and winning a championship.
Tier 2: As Long as We Have Player X, We’re in Contention
Title-less Teams: Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Timberwolves
The equation is straightforward— if your team has Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, or Anthony Edwards under contract long-term, you’re going to be in the mix. For Bills and Bengals fans, an elusive championship would be a long time coming, with seven combined Super Bowl appearances between the two franchises. The Timberwolves are charting new territory. Since their establishment in 1989, they had only won two playoff rounds (both in 2004) before their run to the 2024 Western Conference Finals. Despite the disappointing loss to Dallas, the future has never been brighter for the once floundering franchise.
While having a superstar player positions your team as a contender, championships aren’t won by a single individual. All three franchises will need to navigate fluctuations in roster quality while managing the challenges of the salary cap. The Timberwolves face a significant financial reckoning this offseason as they absorb substantial contract extensions for Anthony Edwards and Karl Anthony-Towns, which will raise their combined cap hit from $43 million to $91 million. They’re projected to exceed the second luxury tax apron, imposing punitive consequences that could restrict roster flexibility. They’ll face excruciatingly tough decisions: should they build around the Edwards/Gobert/Towns trio and sacrifice depth, or consider moving Gobert or Towns to reshape the roster around Edwards?
The Bills and Bengals are familiar with the challenges of transitioning franchise players from rookie contracts to big-time paydays. Josh Allen’s cap hit jumps from $30 million in 2024 to $61 million in 2025, which prompted the Bills to let their top two receivers walk this offseason. Now more than ever, the Bills need Josh Allen to wear the Superman cape to sustain their Super Bowl aspirations. Similarly, Joe Burrow’s impending salary increase has compelled the Bengals to contemplate parting ways with star receiver Tee Higgins.
Salary cap management is a delicate balancing act, requiring foresight and strategic planning. In the NFL, the salary caps each season depends on the league’s projected annual revenue, divided among the 32 teams. The NBA’s salary cap landscape will be impacted by the new media rights deal, set to take effect in the 2025-26 season. Front office savvy could be the difference between a first championship, and continued pain for these franchises. Nevertheless, each team can take comfort in having the foundational players who make success possible.
Tier 1: Barring Severe Misfortune, They Are Winning a Championship This Decade
Title-less Team: Oklahoma City Thunder
In my best Charles Barkley voice, I GUARRAAANTEEE the Oklahoma City Thunder will hoist a championship banner before the decade is through. Okay, okay, nothing is a guaranteed in professional sports, and the Thunder understand this better than anyone. Remember their NBA Finals run in 2012? A future title felt inevitable. Then came the trades, the untimely injuries, and an opposing player hitting 11 three-pointers in a must-win game.
Shit happens. As a front office, all you can do is optimize your hand, and the Thunder are holding pocket aces. They already have a championship-caliber roster today, led by a potential MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, surrounded by a young supporting cast that should make major performance leaps. Add to that their staggering arsenal of 13 first-round picks and 16 second-round picks through 2029, and you can understand my confidence. That’s before mentioning incoming first round picks Nikola Topic (#12 overall) and Dillon Jones (#26 overall). If they were in a Vegas casino, they’d be getting the Danny Ocean treatment from security.
GM Sam Presti has limitless options for improving this already formidable team. They offloaded Josh Giddey, a talented young player with an awkward fit on the roster, for the excellent 3-and-D wing Alex Caruso. With SGA under control for three more years at a bargain $36 million average annual value, and potential Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren extensions not kicking in until the 2026-27 season, they were even able to add Isaiah Hartenstein to the rotation. Additional trades may become necessary, as they’ll eventually struggle to find enough spots on their G-League roster, let alone their top-flight team, to store all their upcoming draft picks.
Regardless of their competitors, the Thunder look set to field a championship-contending roster for the rest of the decade, barring any catastrophic setbacks. With six chances to take the ultimate bite of the apple, I’m betting on it happening at least once.
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