NBA Power Rankings: Ranking All 30 Teams (2026-2027)
by Zak Drapeau and Joel Piton
Sportz Nation - 10/2/2026
The wait is over. A new NBA season is on the horizon, and all 30 teams enter the year with a clean slate and something to prove.
Some teams are seemingly playoff bound. Others are trying to force their way into contender conversation and prove everyone wrong. But before the season actually starts and everything we think we know gets thrown out the window, it's the perfect time to take an actual look at the league's picture.
From the bottom to the top, let's rank all 30 NBA teams based on just how high their potential is.
Thirty teams. One title. Let the games begin.
Philadelphia 76ers
This looks like somebody turned off the trade sliders in NBA 2K. Embiid. Tyrese Maxey. Jaylen Brown. LeBron. Come on. There are great rosters, there are superteams, and then there's whatever this is. From a pure firepower standpoint, you'd have to go back to the 2021 Brooklyn Nets to find a group that look this ridiculous on paper.
41-year-old LeBron James is preparing for Year 24. Just typing that feels surreal. LeBron isn't the freight train he once was, but that's the beauty of this situation: Philadelphia doesn't need him to be. He averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds last season and with this squad, he can do even less. He can pick his spots, organize the offense, attack mismatches and save his body for the moments when the Sixers actually need OG LeBron.
Then Philadelphia went and added Jaylen Brown, who is coming off arguably the best individual season of his career. Brown averaged a career-high 28.7 points in Boston and now arrives as a proven championship player. The Sixers gave up Paul George and draft capital to get him, but if Brown resembles the player we just watched carry Boston last season, it's hard to complain about the price. And somehow Tyrese Maxey might still be the most explosive guard on the roster. Maxey officially graduated from exciting young player to full-blown superstar last season, averaging 28.3 points and 6.6 assists while earning All-NBA honors. He's a firecracker with the ball in his hands—one of the quickest players in basketball from one end of the floor to the other—and now defenses have to decide how aggressively they can focus on him or Brown, LeBron and Embiid.
Which brings us to Joel Embiid. He's an MVP-caliber player when healthy. Even during another injury-riddled season, he still averaged 26.9 points in only 38 appearances. The frustrating part is that health has become the qualifier attached to virtually every conversation about him. Over the last three seasons, Embiid has appeared in only 42% of Philadelphia's games. At Media Day, though, he arrived noticeably slimmer and made it clear that the entire plan is centered around keeping him healthy and peaking in April and May. Overall, right now, I don't see another roster with this much offensive power. Philly doesn't need LeBron to be 2013 LeBron or Embiid to play 82 games. It just needs all four of them healthy when the games matter. If that happens? Good luck.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder didn't make it back to another Finals last season but there's no debating they are still one of the best teams in the league. After an awesomely competitive, 7-game series the Thunder came up just short to an extremely good Spurs team. This is a matchup we'll likely see again in May or June so when judging both teams, it's all about the Playoffs.
To make it back to the Playoffs and in their mind, making it back to the Finals, the Thunder prioritized keeping their Big 3 and plugging in pieces around them. They did have to play the salary cap game by trading away Lou Dort and allowing Hartenstein to leave, but they also replaced them with rising stars.
We saw Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace and Jared McCain turn it on in the Playoffs last year and average about 15 points per game each. They should be a much bigger part of this offense moving forward as the team's top Shooting Guards. We also saw the Thunder reload through the draft by taking Center Aday Mara and trading for the draft rights to PG Bennett Stirtz. Mara will be huge for them but not right away; Holmgren showed that he can not guard Wemby for a playoff series but Mara is a much better matchup as a 7'3" shot blocker. Plus adding Stirtz just gives them more depth after losing Dort.
This roster is still very much dependent on the team's Big 3 but it is the best trio in the league. Shai is coming off back-to-back MVP seasons and his 4th straight season of averaging 30+ points per game. Chet may have been a liability against Wemby but he is a lock to average 17 and 9 with 2 blocks again and J Dub does everything 1 3rd wing should as a shooter, facilitator and defender.
This team is not only stacked up top, not only has built depth this offseason but they are young and experienced and EASILY a Top-2 team in the league.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
New York Knicks
Putting the defending NBA champions at No. 3 might get us cooked. So be it.
The New York Knicks are the head honchos until somebody knocks the crown off their heads. They just completed one of the most memorable postseason runs in recent memory, winning 13 consecutive playoff games, steamrolling Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals and defeating San Antonio in five games to bring New York its first championship in 53 years. They even finished the postseason with the highest point differential in NBA playoff history. This wasn't a fluke, they obliterated teams.
And honestly, there was something almost cinematic about how they did it. Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart—the Villanova boys—finally climbed the mountain together at the NBA level. Throw OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns into that group and it almost felt like something out of Hoosiers: a collection of guys who completely bought into one another, sacrificed where necessary and became a team that was incredibly easy to root for. Brunson has officially been knighted the King of New York. He won both Eastern Conference Finals MVP and Finals MVP, then capped the championship run with 45 points in the title-clinching Game 5. At this point, Madison Square Garden belongs to him. When New York needs somebody to create something late in the clock, everybody in the building knows where the basketball is going.
Ultimately this team is willing to sacrifice whatever personal numbers to win. Karl-Anthony Towns didn't need to put up twenty. His scoring actually dipped during the postseason, but he compensated by rebounding, facilitating, spacing the floor and doing the dirty work New York needed. O.G. is a monster defender and somehow became even more lethal offensively than Towns during the title run, averaging 20.1 points while shooting 48.9% from three. And Knicks fans will probably be watching that Finals Game 4 tip-in for the next 50 years. Then you have Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart, two players whose value goes so far beyond scoring averages.
Eleven of New York's 12 most-used players from last season return. The biggest loss is Mitchell Robinson, with Andre Drummond arriving to help absorb those backup-center minutes. Otherwise, the championship core is essentially intact. These guys already know exactly how to win together. So why only No. 3? Because I can look at Oklahoma City and Philadelphia from a tactical standpoint and see a batter standalone squad. But the Knicks are still the team standard in basketball right now.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
4. San Antonio Spurs
The defending Western Conference Champions had an incredible season in 2026 and followed it up with an almost-perfect offseason. They extended Wemby at a discount to keep cap flexibility, resigned Champagnie and Barnes to key rotation deals, then bringing in Tobias Harris in Free Agency and drafting Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed in the draft for added Frontcourt depth.
This team is absolutely loaded going into 2026-27 season but they fall to #4 because of their lack of experience and their poor showing in the Finals to the Knicks. There's no question this team is great and getting better, and to get to the Finals with such a young team is eerily reminiscent to the Thunder 2 years ago but they still showed their age against a much better team in the Knicks.
This team is obviously headlined by Wembanyama but the supporting cast of Castle, Harper, Champagnie, Johnson and now Quaintance and Reed is the best and youngest in the league. Add veterans like De'Aaron Fox, Harrison Barnes and now Tobias Harris and it would be shocking to see these Spurs not make it back to the WCF barring any serious injuries.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Cleveland Cavaliers
I feel like we've reached the point where nobody cares what the Cleveland Cavaliers do in the regular season anymore. We've already seen them dominate. We've seen the 60-win seasons. Last year wasn't quite as dominant—they slipped to 52-30 and the fourth seed in the East—but they finally pushed deeper into May, surviving consecutive seven-game series against Toronto and Detroit before everything came crashing down. The Knicks swept them in the Eastern Conference Finals.
And that's really the only question left with this team. Can Cleveland finally look as dominant in the biggest moments as it so often does over an 82-game season? Twelve of its 18 playoff games last year featured the Cavaliers falling behind by at least 10 points. You can get away with constantly digging yourself out of holes during the regular season, but not in the playoffs. Still, it's difficult to find many holes in this starting lineup. James Harden is officially sticking around after signing a three-year, $97 million deal, meaning Cleveland will finally get a full training camp to develop the Harden-Donovan Mitchell partnership. The Cavaliers took a gamble when they shipped Darius Garland to Los Angeles for Harden at the deadline, but it's easy to see the logic. Harden gives Cleveland one of the best pick-and-roll operators of his generation.
And Mitchell doesn't need much introduction anymore. He averaged 27.9 points last season, earned Second Team All-NBA honors and remains Cleveland's guy. The Twin Towers of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley make up an insanely competitive frontcourt.
The new variable is Peyton Watson. Cleveland invested heavily into the 24-year-old after his breakout season in Denver, giving him a four-year deal and potentially inserting him directly into the starting lineup. Watson averaged 14.6 points last year, but his numbers as a starter were far more interesting: 17.3 points while shooting 49.9% from the floor and 43% from three.
You could easily convince me that, on paper, this is a top-three roster. But at this point, I'm done crowning Cleveland based on what the roster looks like in October. It's time for them to prove it when losing actually sends you home.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Detroit Pistons
Is it just me... or do these Pistons remind you of the Pistons of the late-80's. Not in the physical style of play from the Bad Boys but the make up of the team, an All-Star Center and Shooting Guard led by a generational Point Guard. Not to mention the team gets better and manages to go deeper in the playoffs every year.
Do the Pistons have a Top-5 roster in the sport... No. Do they have an ultra veteran roster made for the Playoffs... No. What they do have is possibly the best Point Guard and Head Coach duo in the league and a team that has grown together for years and thus has incredible chemistry. J.B. Bickerstaff has made the Playoffs 5 seasons in a row dating back to his tenure with the Cavs and has turned Cade into a bonafide MVP-contender in his 2 seasons in Detroit.
At only 24-years old, Cade Cunningham is not only one of the players I'd hang my hat on as the future of the league but he's already the present as well. Finishing 7th and 5th respectively in the last 2 years' MVP voting, Cade has a special quality of leadership on the court. There is nothing he can't do on the court and continues to get better and better as the heart and soul of his team.
One thing to really watch within Detroit this season is the contract situation surrounding Center Jalen Duren. It was reported that Duren rejected a 5yr/ $200 Million deal this month. The current cap price eligible to Duren would be $287 Million over 5 years so it would seem the two parties are far apart. If this effects Duren's play, that would definitely be a blow in who should be the best offensive option after Cade in Detroit this year.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat turned the tide of the Eastern Conference overnight. Giannis Antetokounmpo is in South Beach, giving Erik Spoelstra another legend. Giannis was limited to just 36 games last season, but when he actually played, he put up 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists while shooting an absurd 62.4% from the field. And defensively, this could get nasty. Giannis and Bam might form the most intimidating frontcourt in basketball. Both can switch, protect the rim, recover in space and completely wreck an opponent's game plan. Andrew Wiggins gives Spoelstra another long wing defender, Davion Mitchell can make opposing guards miserable, and Bobby Portis adds shooting.
My concern is the other end. This roster feels like it's built 75% around defense and 25% around offense, and pairing Giannis with Bam naturally raises spacing questions. Neither one consistently forces defenses to respect him from three, which means Miami absolutely needed shooting this summer. Thankfully, Pat Riley knew it.
Tim Hardaway Jr. knocked down 40.7% of his threes last season while making 224 of them. Bobby Portis somehow shot 45.6% from deep. Andrew Wiggins hit a career-best 41.4%, and then Miami went out and added one of the greatest shooters the sport has ever seen in Klay Thompson, who still buried 202 threes at a 38.3% clip last year. Whether Klay starts or comes off the bench, his job is pretty obvious: punish anybody who thinks they can pack the paint against Giannis.
Miami sacrificed Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis and a mountain of draft capital to get Giannis and Portis. This isn't some patient five-year plan. The Heat looked at their window, looked at a Giannis and shoved everything onto the table. The ceiling is a championship. Miami went from a 43-win Play-In team to having Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo anchoring the same frontcourt. That's the kind of move that can change up a conference in a single summer.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
8. Denver Nuggets
There has been a running pattern so far in this list of teams that are either extremely young or did work in the offseason. The first team to buck that trend is going to be the Nuggets who may not be as flashy or interesting as the others but can be just as good on any given night.
Murray, DeRozan, Gordon and Jokic is as dependable of a starting lineup in the league period. They may have the 24th oldest roster in the sport with age comes maturity and experience, the latter of which this team has in spades.
The age is certainly going to be a huge factor for the Nuggets this season because after their Top-4 players is NOT much. One injury and this team could be severely undermanned.
That being said, if they can stay healthy they have everything you'd need to make another run at the Finals. Jokic is Jokic and still probably the best player in the league or at the very least the most well-rounded. Jamal Murray has long been one of if not THE best complimentary pieces and offensive leaders in the league. Aaron Gordon has long been underrated and is far from just a dunker like he was in his youth. Adding DeMar was a sneaky addition this offseason; he is 37 now and not as athletic or as much of a threat driving the lane but he is consistent and will be looked over in favor of the other threats on this roster.
At the end of the day the Nuggets likely won't be winning the Finals this year, but can they make a Top-3 seed and win 50+ games for the 5th season in a row? Absolutely. Could they even make the WCF and upset one of the big boys of their conference? I mean not very likely, but with Jokic and the veterans around him it's certainly possible.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are officially out of excuses. Kevin Durant is suiting up for Year 20 after somehow continuing to laugh in Father Time’s face. At 38 years old, KD remains one of the most effortless scorers basketball has ever seen. But that's also exactly why Houston needs to go for it now. Durant can still perform at an All-NBA level, but nobody knows how many seasons like this he has left. The championship window is open, and the Rockets can't afford another early exit. Thankfully, these guys look promising.
Amen Thompson is one of the most terrifying perimeter defenders in basketball. At 6'7" with absurd athleticism, length and versatility, he can legitimately harass players across multiple positions while still giving Houston 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists. Alperen Sengun earned his second consecutive All-Star appearance last season while averaging 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists. He isn't Nikola Jokic, but he doesn't need to be. He's already developed into one of the NBA's most skilled centers in his own right, capable of scoring on the block and creating offense at 6'11". And one of Houston's biggest additions technically isn't an addition at all. Fred VanVleet is finally back after missing the entire 2025-26 season with a torn ACL. Houston survived without him, but bringing back a veteran point guard with championship experience is key. The Rockets also added Marcus Smart, and I think that's one of the sneakier moves of the offseason.
Reed Sheppard deserves his flowers too. Everybody had jokes after Houston selected him third overall and he averaged just 4.4 points as a rookie. Then Year 2 happened. Sheppard played all 82 games, jumped to 13.5 points per night, drilled 39.4% of his threes and finished sixth in Sixth Man of the Year voting. Suddenly, the tiny Kentucky sharpshooter people were ready to label a reach looks exactly like the type of floor-spacing guard this roster desperately needed. Jabari Smith Jr. has also settled into exactly what Houston needs him to be. He doesn't have to be the star you want out of a third overall pick. But give him the rock from long range and he'll knock it down.
Houston has won 50-plus games and been bounced in the first round two years in a row. Durant didn't come here so everybody could celebrate another good regular season. At Year 20, there isn't time to keep talking about potential. The Rockets need to start cashing it in.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
10. Minnesota Timberwolves
I fought hard for the T-Wolves to be closer to the Top-5 in this list but a #10 spot probably makes more sense. Here's the thing, a backcourt duo of Ant and LaMelo with Gobert holding down the paint and Kuminga and McDaniels around them is scary. Their depth is pretty shallow to be honest even if rookie Isaiah Evans's shooting comes together.
But for me, it all comes down to Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. I mentioned earlier that Cade Cunningham is one of the players that should be the Future of the league but Edwards leads that charge in my mind. As the clear #1 option on offense Edwards' bag is limitless and has improved his scoring every year to 29 PPG last season. Now he gets a creative passer and deadly shooter like Melo in his backcourt and I really think he cracks 30 in 2026/27.
One man does not a team make and I understand that. Edwards is clearly the top scorer and LaMelo will run the offense but Gobert is still a Top-3 rim protector in the league while also being a consistent double-double machine. McDaniels has also carved a great role in this team as well as an elite defender and an improving shooter. Adding Kuminga is a good move as well to add another scoring outlet as well as rebounding.
Potentially, I think the Wolves could legitimately challenge the Thunder and Spurs for #1 seed this season. They certainly are a top-heavy roster and don't have the veteran presence or depth to be a real threat at the NBA Championship and that's why they fall to #10 on this list but don't underestimate the.
And especially don't underestimate Ant... who I will go out on a limb and predict will win the 2027 NBA Most Valuable Player.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Los Angeles Lakers
For the first time in a decade, Los Angeles is truthfully building a new identity. With James taking his talents to Philadelphia and his massive salary finally coming off the books, Luka Doncic essentially has the keys to the city. And honestly? The Lakers did a phenomenal job surrounding him with reinforcements. Doncic led LA to 53 wins, captured his second scoring title and earned First Team All-NBA honors last season. Now the question is whether or not he can take this squad to the promised land.
Walker Kessler might be the biggest addition here, literally. Los Angeles paid a hefty price to acquire the 7'2" center from Utah, and it's easy to understand why. Kessler gives the Lakers a solid rim protector, rebounder and lob threat. Opponents have shot just 52.7% at the rim against him over his career, one of the best marks in basketball over that span. The Lakers also completely reshaped their perimeter depth. Collin Sexton brings instant offense after averaging 15.4 points last season. Quentin Grimes gives them another two-way wing who can defend and knock down open looks. Jaden Hardy, Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams add even more options to a roster that suddenly looks significantly younger and deeper than it did a year ago.
The Lakers acquired Cameron Carr, a wildcard, with the 24th pick after Carr averaged 18.9 points at Baylor while shooting 49.4% from the field and 37.4% from three. He's another young piece who absolutely could force his way into JJ Redick's rotation. But the biggest reason I'm willing to put Los Angeles this high isn't actually any of the new additions. It's Austin Reaves. Reaves took an All-Star-caliber leap last year, averaging a career-high 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 49% from the field. He had twelve 30-point games and three 40-point performances, and Los Angeles went 30-11 when both Reaves and Doncic were available. After years of being viewed as the really good undrafted role player who exceeded expectations, Reaves has officially become something of a star which is enormous for LA.
Luka is entering his prime. Reaves has become a standout scorer. Kessler addresses a glaring need inside, and the Lakers suddenly have way more athleticism, shooting and depth than any fan could have hoped for. You could absolutely convince me this is a top-10 team. For now, I've got them knocking on the door at No. 11.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Toronto Raptors
Welcome to Toronto, legitimately one of the best starting lineups in the entire league and also one of the worst benches. This team could be a sneaky dark horse to get to the Eastern Conference Championships this season but it's lack of bench could also mean that one injury means one and done, and two injuries could land them out of the Playoffs altogether.
The big story is Kawhi's second tenure in Canada after the Clippers sage came to a merciful end and the trade was finally accepted. Kawhi completely rounds out their lineup alongside Quickley and Barrett in the backcourt and Barnes and Poeltl in the frontcourt. Then again, their best role players like Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick went to LA for Kawhi so they better hope their starters can carry the weight.
With the 76ers, Knicks, Cavs, and Pistons looking to lock up their spots in the Playoffs, the Heat, Raptors and Celtics should be vying for the automatic get in 5 and 6 seeds in a very crowded Eastern Conference. I said it before and I'll say it again but this team's health will make or break a team I could legitimately see winning a few playoff series next year.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
13. Boston Celtics
I can already hear Celtics fans yelling at me for this one. But losing Jaylen Brown is a massive deal. Boston somehow won 56 games last season despite Jayson Tatum missing the first 62 games while recovering from a torn Achilles, and a huge reason why was Brown putting this team on his back. He averaged 28.7 points, earned another All-Star selection and helped the Celtics be among the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Now Brown is in Philadelphia, and suddenly Tatum is being asked to fulfill that same burden.
Boston is tough to rank. When Tatum returned last season, he was averaging 21.8 points, 10 rebounds and 5.3 assists over his 16 regular-season appearances. But he also logged only 22 total regular-season and playoff games after returning from the Achilles tear before another injury ended his postseason. I'm not questioning Tatum's ability. I'm questioning how much Boston can reasonably ask from him immediately.
And now the player being asked to help him the most is a 36-year-old Paul George.
George is a nine-time All-Star, still a talented two-way wing and still capable of giving Boston nights where he looks like a star. He averaged 17.3 points last season and enters this year saying he feels healthier than he has in quite some time. But he has played at least 70 games only once in his last seven seasons. Going from Jaylen Brown in his prime to hoping a 36-year-old George stays healthy is an enormous gamble.
Virtually, in barely two years, the team that raised Banner 18 has been almost completely revamped with a handful of holdovers. Boston did add Mitchell Robinson, but Robinson isn't stretching anybody away from the basket. For a coach whose offense has historically lived and died by the three-pointer, that's a notable limitation.
Then there's Derrick White. His shooting completely abandoned him last season. After shooting 38.7% from three over the previous three years, White dropped all the way to 32.7%, then shot just 27.3% from deep during the playoffs. But he earned All-Defensive First Team honors, led every NBA guard with 98 blocks and became the first Celtic since Kevin Garnett to record at least 75 steals and 75 blocks in the same season.
I can't completely bury the C's, but everything has to go right. And after watching Jaylen Brown hold this team together while Tatum was gone, we're now asking Tatum to do essentially the same thing. If everybody stays healthy, Boston could do something special. But health isn't a footnote with this Celtics team anymore. It's the entire season.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks are literally just missing experience on their roster from being a bonafide unit this season. Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels is as good of a back-to-back group of Wings as in the entire league and Jalen Johnson.... might be the best up and coming Power Forward in the league? Add to that incredible 3-headed monster Lou Dort from OKC, Onyeka Okongwu and rookie Kingston Flemmings and they're seriously on the cusp of being an elite team.
2026/27 will be a turning point for this franchise that could see them get past the 1st round for the first time in six years. Johnson should be the offensive focus both inside and out of the paint with Alexander-Walker being their sharpshooter and Daniels and Onongwu holding down their defense on the perimeter and inside respectively.
Adding Lou Dort gives them at least one player with experience and they still have CJ McCollum who is way past his prime but at least has been to the Playoffs. If I had to make a hot take, I'd say the Hawks could actually pull of a Top-3 record in the East this season but lose in the 2nd round EERILY similar to what we saw from the Pistons last season and get themselves ready for a real push in 2 years time.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers mean business. Damian Lillard is officially back, and after missing all of last season while recovering from his ruptured Achilles, he entered training camp without restrictions. And now he has a new partner in crime. Ja Morant is a Trail Blazer, and everything points toward Portland at least attempting to start him alongside Lillard. Dame himself said that, as far as he knows, both he and Morant will start with Deni Avdija. That's a fascinating backcourt experiment. Lillard is one of the greatest shooters ever, Morant is one of basketball's most explosive downhill guards, and new head coach Micah Nori now has the unenviable job of figuring out whether these two can coexist defensively while maximizing all that offensive firepower.
But here's the thing: Portland was already pretty good without them. Deni Avdija became the guy last season. He exploded for 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game, earned his first All-Star selection and proved that Portland's investment in him wasn't just wishful thinking. At 6'8", Avdija can score, rebound, create for others and bully smaller defenders while remaining versatile enough to slide across multiple positions. He's starting to look a lot more like one of the faces of the franchise.
The supporting cast makes this team even more interesting. Toumani Camara has already earned All-Defensive recognition and gives Portland a wing capable of taking the toughest perimeter matchup every night. Donovan Clingan took a massive sophomore leap, averaging 12.1 points and 11.6 rebounds while starting all 77 games he appeared in. Clingan's development became even more important because Yang Hansen hasn't been ready to take over a major role. The former first-round pick averaged just 2.2 points in seven minutes per game as a rookie, so anything Portland gets from him this season should probably be viewed as a bonus rather than a necessity. Scoot Henderson, meanwhile, quietly averaged 14.2 points last year. He's no longer being asked to save the franchise, and honestly, that might be the best possible environment for his development.
The major blow is Shaedon Sharpe. Sharpe underwent surgery in August to repair a torn lateral meniscus and won't even be reevaluated until roughly six months later, putting a huge portion—if not essentially all—of his season in jeopardy. Still, No. 15 might end up looking disrespectful. This team made the playoffs last season without Lillard playing a single game. Now you're adding him, Ja, and an All-Star version of Avdija: the talent is scary.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Indiana Pacers
I'm actually a bigger fan of the Pacers than most this year and I was begrudgingly talked into putting them deeper on the list than I liked. I understand that they've lost a lot of pieces that brought them to Game 7 of the NBA Finals only 16 months ago but the biggest piece they're getting back is Tyrese Haliburton. Finally ready to go after a year plus of injuries, Hali is the piece this team sorely missed last season and not only a scoring threat especially in the clutch but one of the best creators off the dribble for himself and teammates.
Teammates like Nembhard and Nesmith that saw a significant drop in their shooting percentage last season because their offense wasn't even close to the same without Hali. With the problems the Pacers had around the salary cap, they haven't been able to build their roster as they should've and that definitely brings them down. This is definitely one of the more shallow teams in the Top-20 on this list but I really have a sense that their star power and chemistry will be able to beat a lot of teams lacking one or the other.
We know what Haliburton and Siakam will bring; 40 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists per game. What the rest of the guys bring will be the difference in a 6-seed or maybe even missing the Play-In. Guys like McConnell who always seems to come up clutch or Nembhard and Nesmith who can take over a game instantly with their 3-point shooting could have this team back in the Playoffs and maybe even scoring an upset against one of these make shift teams that don't have the playoff experience or leaders like Indiana does.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Orlando Magic
I keep coming back to the same question with Orlando: when? How far away is Paolo Banchero from taking that next leap? And honestly, it might not be very far.
Banchero already gives you 22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists per night, but the efficiency still leaves room for another level. He shot just 30.5% from three last season, and if he can tighten up the jumper and become a more efficient scorer overall, I genuinely believe Orlando has the pieces to become strong in the East.
Franz Wagner played only 34 games last season. When healthy, Wagner is a problem child—a 6'10" wing capable of creating his own offense, attacking mismatches and giving Orlando another 20-point threat. Jalen Suggs was limited to 57 games, and getting both of those guys healthy could do as much for Orlando as any offseason acquisition. Wendell Carter Jr. is quiet, but he rebounds, defends, provides size and stays within his role. Suggs gives Orlando its defensive-minded lead guard, while Anthony Black continues to develop into another big, athletic backcourt option. Desmond Bane, meanwhile, was an absolute iron man last season, starting all 82 games while averaging 20.1 points and drilling 39.1% of his threes.
And then they went out and brought Nikola Vučević home. Vooch is 35 now, so nobody should expect the version that made two All-Star teams in Orlando, but this is still a beloved former franchise center who averaged 15.1 points and 8.4 rebounds last season. On a minimum deal, asking him to provide behind Carter is a pretty easy win.
Orlando is difficult to dismiss, and No. 17 might actually be conservative. But until Paolo makes that leap, Franz and Suggs prove they can stay healthy and Orlando turns all this potential into a legitimate postseason run, I'm keeping them here.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Washington Wizards
Like the Pacers, I thought the Wizards should've been higher on this list and like the Raptors, it's because of their starting lineup. With Trae, George, Dybantsa, AD and Sarr they're set up to be one of better starting-5s in the league. There are two slight problems that I can see happening, the first being Anthony Davis' health and the fact he's played less than 45 games per season over the last 6 years and AJ Dybantsa potentially not living up to his AMAZING hype entering the league.
The backcourt in Washington is good but also not spectacular with Trae Young finally healthy but showing a decline in scoring and Kyshawn George looking promising but still only 22 and unproven.
As mentioned earlier though, the Frontcourt of Dybantsa, Davis and Sarr has a wealth of potential this season both offensively and defensively. If Davis can stay healthy that's an automatic 23 and 10 this season alongside one of the better defensive bigs in Alex Sarr who's still only getting better at 21-years old. Then there's Dybantsa, who was insane in college and showed the ability to score from anywhere. If their forwards play how they should there's no reason this team doesn't make a post season run.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Golden State Warriors
Year 18 for Stephen Curry. Year 15 of Curry and Draymond Green sharing an NBA court. At this point, just seeing those two still wearing Warriors jerseys together feels special. Unfortunately, nostalgia doesn't win basketball games.
Golden State went just 37-45 last season, stumbled into the Play-In and went home without a playoff appearance. And after an offseason that produced virtually no roster-altering additions, I'm struggling to find the reason we're supposed to expect a drastically different outcome this time around. Curry remains Curry—he still averaged 26.6 points while shooting 39.3% from three last season—but he's now 38 years old, and asking him to single-handedly drag an aging roster through the Western Conference feels unfair. Jimmy Butler could change the equation, but that's assuming he's actually available. Butler tore his ACL in January and will begin the season still working his way back, leaving Golden State without its second-best player for an indefinite period. If he returns ahead of schedule, maybe that playoff window cracks back open. Just maybe.
The Warriors did use the No. 11 pick on Yaxel Lendeborg, and I actually like the gamble. The 24-year-old rookie comes in more physically developed than your typical prospect, helped Michigan win a national championship and has already impressed enough for Steve Kerr to say he's going to play major minutes. But again—if the biggest source of optimism surrounding an aging win-now roster is a 24-year-old rookie, what exactly changed? Kristaps Porzingis gives them size and shooting. Brandin Podziemski and Gui Santos are solid on the swing. De'Anthony Melton and Al Horford will go out there and hustle. There are useful players everywhere you look.
Big whoop. None of that solves the fundamental issue that Golden State is trying to extend a championship window built around players who are on borrowed time. Curry and Draymond can will still have those vintage Warriors moments, and as long as No. 30 is on the floor, I'm never completely counting this franchise out. That's honestly the biggest reason I don't have them even lower. But calling this a contending team is a leap of faith. Could Steph make me look stupid again? Absolutely. He's done it before.
I'm just not betting on it this time.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Phoenix Suns
So are you ready to find out just how good Book and Jalen Green can be? because we're going to in 2026. Jalen Green has been good but maybe hasn't lived up to what we thought he'd be when he was drafted #2 overall in 2021 and this season should be the year he puts it all together after his hamstring injury kept him out for more than half the season last year.
We know what we have with Booker who hasn't averaged under 25 points per game since 2018. Adding Green who's slashing should compliment Booker even more for a full season could bring both of these guys to top scorers in the league.
The Frontcourt is where Phoenix will run into trouble. Having Miles Bridges as your Power Forward and Dillon Brooks as the annoying perimeter defender is a decent start but they don't have "That" guy to command down low. Maybe rookie Koa Peat can be the shot blocker they need but without a rim protector of any note on this team yet, they'll be looking for Booker and Green to go off and win a bunch of shoot outs this season while they also give up 120 points per game.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Utah Jazz
All of a sudden, the Utah Jazz are fun again. Landing Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 pick immediately gives Utah must-watch status. The former Kansas guard enters the league projected to be one of the most gifted scorers in draft history. But Peterson isn't the only reason to be excited.
The addition of Jaren Jackson Jr. was massive. Utah only got three games out of him after acquiring him from Memphis last season before a knee issue shut him down, but a healthy Jackson completely changes the complexion of this roster. Pairing a former Defensive Player of the Year with Lauri Markkanen gives Utah one of the most unusual frontcourts in the league. Teams now have to deal with Jackson's length and rim protection while also accounting for a 7'1" Finnish unicorn who can stretch the floor well beyond the arc.
And honestly, I might be just as intrigued by Utah's depth. Ace Bailey is a wildcard. There was plenty of noise surrounding him not wanting to be in Utah after the draft, but more than a year later, there hasn't been much evidence that Bailey has any issue being there. After a slow start to his rookie season, Bailey averaged 16.2 points from January onward and now looks like a dangerous weapon off the bench. Brice Sensabaugh averaged 14.9 points last season while knocking down nearly 37% of his threes, and Kyle Filipowski gives Utah legitimate size at seven feet while also possessing a rare combination of shooting touch and passing ability.
And then there's Keyonte George, who might be an All-Star this season. George exploded for a career-high 23.6 points and 6.1 assists per game last season while shooting 45.6% from the field and 37.1% from three, earning himself a five-year extension in the process. At 23 years old, he's gone from promising young guard to someone Utah can build around. That's why I have the Jazz all the way up here despite a 22 win season. The Jazz probably aren't ready to scare the West just yet. But for the first time in this rebuild, you can actually see how they eventually might.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Los Angeles Clippers
Okay, this team will have to overcome a LOT of noise both in the media and hanging around this team to get to the point that they're a Playoff team but I think they can manage it with a still-decent roster. With one of the oldest rosters by average age, this team will rely on a lot of veteran talent that knows how to block out the noise and go ball, but finding their identity without Kawhi Leonard will be important if they want to make anything of themselves this season.
Darius Garland will have the reigns for this team and should rise to the occasion. I also really like rookie Keaton Wagler as his compliment in the backcourt this season as another slashing Guard who like Garland, can kick the ball out to one of the many shooters still on the roster.
The elephant in the room is the absolute crapshoot left in the wake of Kawhi's departure and league investigation into the organizations' salary cap maneuvers. With the loss of their next FIVE 1st-rounders, this team has no future to plan for and relatively no Free Agency marketability. This team needs players like Garland, Wagler and even Gradey Dick to emerge as stars or this may be the first of what could be a decade of miserable seasons in LA.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
New Orleans Pelicans
Most people look at New Orleans and see another Western Conference bottom-feeder. I’m not quite there yet. Yes, New Orleans finished just 26-56 last season and missed the postseason altogether. And yes, we are now entering Year 8 of the Zion Williamson experience without Zion ever stepping onto the floor for a playoff game. At some point, things become impossible to ignore. For almost a decade, the Pelicans have seemingly been paying for what Zion could become rather than what his availability has actually allowed them to accomplish. Still, there was one genuinely encouraging development last season: he played 62 games. For Zion, simply being available is huge. But thankfully for New Orleans, this isn't a one-man operation.
Dejounte Murray is expected to enter the season healthy after missing the first 58 games of last year while recovering from his Achilles injury. Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen both earned All-Rookie Second Team honors, with Fears averaging 14.3 points across all 82 games while Queen flashed some seriously scary all-around ability as a scorer, rebounder and passer. Herb Jones is back to anchor the defense, and suddenly there are legitimate young studs surrounding Zion instead of everyone simply waiting for him to save the franchise.
And then there's Trey Murphy III, who might quietly be becoming the safest player to believe in on this entire roster. Murphy averaged 21.5 points last season after putting up 21.2 the year before, looking like a low-maintenance three-level scorer. Saddiq Bey was another massive bright spot, returning from a lost season to average a career-high 17.7 points, while Jordan Poole remains capable of catching fire on any given night. New Orleans even added Bennedict Mathurin. This team is not lacking guys who can put the ball in the basket.
I have a hard time viewing the Pelicans as hopeless. The talent is there. What hasn't been there, seemingly ever—is health.
And that's the entire gamble with New Orleans. If Zion, Murray, Murphy, Jones and the rest of this core can actually spend most of the season on the floor together, number 23 could look way too low. But given this franchise's history, expecting perfect health would almost be asking for a miracle.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Dallas Mavericks
Cooper Flagg. Cooper Flagg. Cooper Flagg.
The Mavericks have made a lot of moves this offseason both in the front office and on the court and it all centers around building this team around their star-Forward who they plan to be a superstar in the league for the next 15 years. Flagg is coming off a very good ROTY-winning 2026 season with 21-7-4 averages and giving all the signs of a future Top-5 player in the league.
The Mavericks moves in their front office included bringing in Massai Ujiri as their new President of Operations from the Raptors and Mike Schmitz as GM from Portland. Two very intriguing moves of very smart and established executives for the next chapter of Dallas basketball. On the court, the Mavs are getting a healthy Kyrie Irving back for this season as well as former #1 pick Zaccharie Risacher from a trade wit the Hawks to hopefully resurrect his now-disappointing career.
The Mavericks are fully out of rebuilding mode and are now on the clock. Flagg is their center piece and they have plenty of pieces both for the future and as veterans around him. They may not have the best odds to make the Playoffs in the West this year but they are certainly done with trying to tank and look to reload in the draft, without a 2027-1st rounder anyway. The Mavs will look for Flagg to grow into a superstar immediately with Kyrie to play facilitator and ball handler and for the other guys around them to step up when asked to. The Mavs probably will be a Play-in team this season but if Flagg can make a jump in his 2nd season they might make a real push for a Top-6 seed.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Chicago Bulls
Call me crazy, but I have a pretty good feeling about this Bulls team. Caleb Wilson is obviously has the consensus of being a "not-miss" prospect after Chicago selected him fourth overall, and for good reason. The kid played only 24 games at North Carolina and still did enough to qualify for getting his jersey honored in the rafters averaging 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds a night. Chicago also brought in veteran All-Star Norman Powell, fresh off a 21.7-point-per-game season. But I really don't think Chicago's improvement will ultimately come down to either of those additions. I'm intrigued by what the Bulls already have.
Josh Giddey continues to look more comfortable every year with the ball in his hands. Last season, he averaged 17.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 9.1 assists, finishing third in the NBA in assists per game. He recorded 13 triple-doubles in only 54 appearances and became the first player in Bulls history to average at least 17 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists in a season. At this point, you expect Giddey to flirt with triple-double numbers nightly. Then there's Matas Buzelis, who might be the player that ultimately determines Chicago's future. Buzelis jumped to 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game during his sophomore season, became a full-time starter and showed exactly why the Bulls were so excited about him in the first place. He's long, incredibly mobile, plays well above the rim and knocked down 173 three-pointers last season. He even finished 10th in the league in blocks.
This isn't a veteran team desperately trying to squeeze out one more playoff appearance. Wilson is 20. Buzelis is 21. Giddey is 23. Chicago also added Nic Claxton and Powell to give that young core some actual veterans. After winning only 31 games last season, I'm not ready to suddenly call them a contender, which is why they sit all the way down here. But this might be the first team on this list where I can genuinely see the upside becoming something much bigger. It's possible that the Bulls will make this ranking look very conservative very quickly.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets have a very wide range to expect this season, both in terms of development and team success. There is a LOT of good for this team both in the present and future with cornerstones like Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel and a young and burgeoning Frontcourt duo of Moussa Diabate and rookie Hannes Steinbach.
What they don't have is any kind of real leader on this team. LaMelo Ball was just starting to really live up to that role before Charlotte's unexpected trade, (which landed Charlotte 4, 1st-rounders) and now the team needs Miller to step up sooner than they planned and guys like Coby White to lead the offense from the Point.
In a perfect world for the Hornets, they make the Play-In tournament again with Miller averaging 25 and 6, Knueppel improving on his rookie season with another 18-20 point per game season and Steinbach has a great showing defensively in his rookie season. But then again, this team also has the capability of being one of the worst in the Eastern conference which could happen if even one of their best players gets injured.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Sacramento Kings
It got ugly in Sacramento last season. The Kings stumbled to just 22 wins, tying for the worst record in the Western Conference and matching the franchise’s second-lowest win total since moving to Sacramento in 1985. They lost a franchise-record 16 consecutive games, and we’re talking about a roster that still featured Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis. Injuries deserve a massive share of the blame—LaVine played in just 39 games while Sabonis managed only 19—but even when available, this duo doesn't feel like a pairing meant to compete at the highest level. In fact, there’s a legitimate chance the Sabonis era is nearing its end. The three-time, now fully healthy, All-Star remains one of the biggest names on the roster, but after changing representation this summer, reports have continued to swirl that he wants out of Sacramento. The Kings themselves have explored his trade market, making it difficult to look at this situation and see anything other than a franchise preparing for another reset.
Former standout No. 4 pick Keegan Murray who broke the NBA rookie record for made three-pointers looked like one of Sacramento’s brightest young building blocks, but injuries limited him to only 23 games last season, and the long-awaited jump into stardom still hasn’t arrived. Meanwhile, 36-year-old DeMar DeRozan was the most consistent offensive player but left for Denver this summer. So now, Sacramento turns toward the kids. Darius Acuff Jr. might be the most exciting reason for optimism after the Kings selected the electric Arkansas guard seventh overall. Maxime Raynaud wildly outperformed his second-round draft slot, averaging 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds while earning All-Rookie honors. Malik Monk drained 40% of his threes and former No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons could be the veteran they need. I'd be lying if I sad this team didn't have talent. And if everyone stays healthy, Sacramento could definitely make No. 27 look disrespectful.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Milwaukee Bucks
The new look Bucks will be a stark change from year's past now that Giannis is gone after 13 seasons. The team seems to have found a good core to build around thanks to the trade and some moves this offseason but there goals will definitely be long term being that their best player for the 2026 season will probably be Tyler Herro.
Herro, along with Myles Turner and Kyle Kuzma will be the "Big 3" for this team in 2026 but would be best served as first 3 off the bench on any legitimate squad. The real kicker for this team will be the youth they've brought in and plan to bring in thanks to the draft. With two, Top-10 picks in SG Brayden Burries and SF Nate Ament, the Bucks should be willing to give their youth a lot of playing time this season in what is one of the deeper depth charts in the league with guys like Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr, Jamie Jaquez Jr and Kel'el Ware.
The Bucks will also have to contend with the Pistons and Cavaliers in the Central division all season along with an Eastern Conference that has gotten much, much better. Players like Rollins could really step up to a 20-points per game player without Giannis this season but even so will be leading a team that at the very best would finish around the 30-win mark.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Brooklyn Nets
There's definitely more talent here than your typical team ranked THIS low. Michael Porter Jr. was damn near an All-Star last season, exploding for 24.2 points per game before injuries cut his year short, and now Brooklyn has added Julius Randle, another 20-point scorer who gives this team some badly needed muscle down low. On paper, having Porter and Randle together should at least give Jordi Fernández two legitimate offensive weapons to lean on. But what exactly are the Brooklyn Nets right now?
Last season, they became the first team in NBA history to select five players in the first round of the same draft. Egor Dëmin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf all showed potential in their own ways, but not one cracked either All-Rookie team. Now Brooklyn is throwing another major prospect into the experiment with sixth overall pick Mikel Brown Jr., a 20-year-old Louisville guard who could immediately make this crowded young backcourt a lot more fun to watch. But clearly one (or multiple) exciting rookies—or even two twenty point scorers—isn’t enough to fix a team that went 20-62 and finished dead last in offensive rating last season.
Brooklyn has accumulated an absurd amount of youth, draft capital and promising upside, but it still feels like the Nets are collecting ingredients without knowing what meal they’re trying to make. Maybe Brown, Dëmin or one of these other youngsters eventually becomes the player you want to build everything around. Maybe Porter or Randle helps accelerate the process. But until somebody separates himself and gives this franchise an actual star? Brooklyn remains exactly what it looks like: a massive collection of prospects under 25, a couple of veteran scorers, and a whole lot of waiting.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Memphis Grizzlies
The wooden spoon of this list goes to the Grizzlies as they get ready for what should be a VEEEEERY long season. The first season post Ja Morant will be all about exposing their youth to playing time with the long term hopes of adding to that youth with another top pick in the 2027 draft.
Cameron Boozer was the #3 pick this season and should be the franchise player moving forward as an all-around Power Forward with stretch abilities and a good defensive base. Zach Edey will be entering his 3rd year in the league after a very good 2026 that saw him average almost 14 and 11. Meanwhile players like Scotty Pippen Jr and Cedric Coward are still 25, full of potential and putting up 13 or 14 a game.
Veterans like Ty Jerome and Jerami Grant will lead this team during the season while Boozer adjusts to the NBA but won't do nearly enough for this team to escape a Top-3 pick next offseason. A 20-25 win season seems imminent but then again that might be exactly what Memphis wants with 3 first round draft picks this season and 16 total picks in the next five seasons.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
All 30 teams are on the board. Will the unpredictability of the NBA make us eat our words? Let's find out.
NBA Preseason kicks off October 3rd at 7PM (EDT) 🚨 Can't keep up with the hype? Be sure to stay tuned into Sportz Nation for your sports updates on all things basketball.
Thanks for reading!
-Z.D.
-J.P.
Comments