1) ’20-’21 Suns (10 years)
2) ’19-’20 Lakers (six years)

It’s becoming a real trend, isn’t it? Unfortunately for the Suns, they also kept up the franchise habit of reaching the NBA Finals and losing in an all-time thrilling series. But Phoenix fans can hardly complain about the ’20-’21 season, as the team reached the NBA Finals after missing the postseason the prior 10 years. It was by far the longest drought in franchise history, breaking the previous record of five seasons from the budding days of their history in the early ’70s. Along the way, they eliminated the defending champion Lakers, who broke their own playoff-less streak with a title in the ’19-’20 season. Missing the postseason was certainly an implausible outcome for most of the Lakers’ history. In fact, before this six-year stretch, Los Angeles (and previously Minneapolis) had fallen short of the playoffs just five times total in 65 years. As we’ll see below as well with the Cavaliers, the best solution possible to ending a playoff dearth is to add an all-time talent like LeBron James, who joined the Lakers as a free agent in 2018 and within two years led them to the 17th title in franchise history.

3) ’76-’77 Trail Blazers (six years)

Not only did this title run break a playoff drought for the Trail Blazers, it was actually the first postseason appearance in franchise history. Starting play in ’70-’71, the same year the Clippers and Cavaliers were inaugurated, Portland got off to a slow start, losing 50+ games in each of their first four seasons. They drafted Bill Walton first overall in 1974, then in the summer of 1976, beefed up their supporting cast by adding Maurice Lucas (via ABA dispersal draft), Dave Twardzik (via free agency), and Johnny Davis (via NBA Draft). A focused, (mostly) healthy Walton led the Blazers to a 49-33 record to reach the playoffs, then followed it up with upsets over the Lakers in the Conference Finals and the 76ers in the NBA Finals. This kicked off a stretch where the Trail Blazers, despite numerous roster rebuilds, reached the postseason 26 times in 27 years but did not win another title, losing in the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992.

4) ’07-’08 Celtics (two years)

This certainly doesn’t qualify as a long drought for most franchises but for the Celtics it sure is. In the franchise’s 75 year history, they’ve missed the playoffs three or more years in a row just twice, with a six-year stretch starting in 1947 and another six-year span starting in 1996. The early ’00s included a Conference Finals appearance in 2002 but were otherwise a tumultuous time for Boston, with Rick Pitino flaming out as coach and general manager, followed by his replacements, Jim O’Brien and Danny Ainge, clashing over personnel decisions while All-Star centerpiece Paul Pierce toiled away with weak supporting casts. Things changed drastically in the 2007 offseason, with the Celtics trading for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, spurring a turnaround from 24 wins to 66. They entered the playoffs as title favorites and despite some struggles (including the Hawks forcing them to seven games in the first round) came through with a championship. In addition to breaking their postseason drought, the ’07-’08 Celtics also snapped the longest stretch in franchise history without an NBA Finals appearance (21 years) and without a title (22 years).

5) ’55-’56 Warriors (three years)

When Paul Arizin missed two years of his career to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps, he left a Warriors team (then based in Philadelphia) coming off its sixth consecutive playoff appearance. Arizin rejoined one in a three year drought and turned things around for them in a hurry. Teaming up with three-time scoring champ Neil Johnston, All-Star Jack George, and rookie phenom Tom Gola, Arizin didn’t miss a beat, finishing second in MVP voting in ’55-’56 while leading Philadelphia to the league’s best record. They defeated the rival Syracuse Nationals in the Conference Finals and then crushed the Pistons in the NBA Finals for the second title in franchise history.

6) ’01-’02 Nets (three years)

It may not have brought them their first championship, but the trade for Jason Kidd in 2001 was arguably the biggest NBA moment in Nets franchise history. The team had previously been in complete disarray, 17 years removed from their last playoff series victory, and losing 56 games in ’00-’01 to finish in 12th in the Eastern Conference. With Kidd’s steady hand at the helm in ’01-’02 (he was acquired in exchange for Stephon Marbury), Kenyon Martin, Kerry Kittles, and Richard Jefferson had breakout years and New Jersey finished with 50+ wins for the first time since joining the NBA in 1976. They then reached the NBA Finals for the first time ever, defeating the Celtics in a thrilling Conference Finals. Kidd led the way to another NBA Finals appearance in ’02-’03 but the franchise is still without a championship.

7) ’14-’15 Cavaliers (four years)

Call this one the LeBron James effect. When the Akron-born superstar led Cleveland to the playoffs in 2006, it broke the franchise’s longest playoff drought at seven years. James then carried the Cavaliers to their first ever NBA Finals trip in 2007 but after disappointing early playoff exits in 2008, 2009, and 2010, he skipped town to win championships with the Heat. Unsurprisingly, the Cavaliers were a disaster in the wake of James’ departure, struggling to rebuild from scratch despite winning the draft lottery in 2011 and 2013. They received the ultimate windfall in 2014, when James opted to return home in free agency, promising he’d finally bring a championship to the long suffering Cleveland fans. That prophecy would finally come true in 2016 but in the meantime, James broke the Cavs’ four year playoff drought in 2015. Despite injuries sidelining All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, James managed to almost single-handedly carry the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals, just as he had in 2007.

8) ’75-’76 Suns (five years)

Almost a half-century before Chris Paul and Devin Booker, the Suns had an improbable turnaround led by Alvan Adams and Paul Westphal. Both joined Phoenix in the 1975 offseason, Westphal via trade from the Celtics and Adams as the #4 pick out of Oklahoma in the draft. They both made an instant impact as the Suns’ top two leaders in both points and assists, and Adams was second on the team in rebounds as well. An undersized but highly skilled center, Adams was named Rookie of the Year and an All-Star for his efforts and eventually put on an incredible postseason performance, matching up almost evenly against former MVP Dave Cowens in the NBA Finals. That unbelievable playoff run came after the Suns qualified with a pedestrian record of 42-40 in the regular season. By contrast, they had finished with 48 wins in ’70-’71 and 49 wins in ’71-’72 but missed the playoffs against much more stronger Western Conference competition. 1976 would mark Phoenix’s second playoff appearance, first playoff series win, first Conference Finals appearance, first NBA Finals appearance, and first real heartbreak for a franchise now steeped in them, as they lost a thrilling Finals series against a much more talented and vaunted Celtics team.