The post-draft, post-free agency NBA team power rankings

Hope you were not anticipating to see one other staff on this prime slot. The reigning champs will enter the 2025-26 season because the heavy championship favorites, and have locked up MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, All-NBA wing Jalen Williams, and rising star Chet Holmgren to long-term offers, max contracts. This mainly ensures that the Thunder have the very best Massive Three within the NBA for the remainder of the last decade.

After taking the eventual champs to seven video games within the second spherical of the playoffs, the Denver Nuggets went out and addressed their greatest subject from the previous few seasons: depth. They shipped Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn for Cameron Johnson, giving them the same shooter and higher defender. Additionally they signed two legit wings in Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. Lastly, they discovered a superb backup massive man in Jonas Valančiūnas. Having the very best participant on the planet and having an A-plus offseason provides the Nuggets the very best shot at dethroning the Thunder as NBA champions in 2025-26.

Exterior of the Thunder the Rockets are the franchise that’s finest set as much as compete within the current and much out future. They acquired future Corridor-of-Famer Kevin Durant and signed Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela in free company, and nonetheless have the property to make a powerful supply for the subsequent massive famous person to hit the commerce market (Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker, and many others.). They’re squarely within the legit contender tier, however, on the identical time, are going to be fairly reliant on an oft-injured Durant for late-game offensive creation. 

Whereas their efficiency within the playoffs will in the end decide the legacy of the Cavaliers’ core 4 – Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen – the staff ought to as soon as once more be a Juggernaut within the common season. They’ve basically returned the very same staff that had an Jap Convention-best 64-18 document, swapping out Ty Jerome and Isaac Okoro for Lonzo Ball. Ball, in idea, must be a greater playoff participant than these two if he can keep on the courtroom. Cleveland hopes that continuity will set them aside within the East in 2025-26.

Talking of continuity, the Knicks are operating again the identical squad, plus two key bench gamers: the “Dancing Bear” Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson. Talking of the bench, in addition they swapped out the ever-rigid Tom Thibodeau for a extra versatile coach, Mike Brown. Whereas Brown is a little bit of a parallel transfer, he will definitely make the most of his depth greater than Thibs, who, if he had the selection, would play his finest 5 gamers 48 minutes an evening. 

Let’s simply take an enormous chill capsule in the case of the Lakers. Until LeBron James will get purchased out or traded – each of which appear not possible this offseason – they’ll have two of the very best 10 gamers within the NBA, plus Austin Reaves and newly signed reclamation undertaking Deandre Ayton. They are going to win quite a lot of video games, and no person goes to be thrilled to match up with them within the playoffs, particularly now that Luka is supposedly in the very best form of his life. Heck, I plan on betting a reasonably penny that Luka wins his first MVP this season. Lakers overs all day.

The T’Wolves have made back-to-back Western Convention Finals appearances, however have been despatched residence packing in 5 video games every time. They’ve an ascending famous person in Anthony Edwards and a staff of defensive-minded, tough-nosed canines round him. Sadly, they misplaced Nickeil Alexander-Walker in free company and Mike Conley can be 38 years previous, so they may want a few their younger pups like Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark and Rob Dillingham to step up and produce so as to get again to the Convention Finals once more.

Man, the West is LOADED. The Clippers took the Nuggets to seven video games, who then took the Thunder to seven video games, so you might argue that the Clippers had been the third-best staff within the Western Convention and probably even the NBA final season. But, they’re beginning the season eighth in these energy rankings just because they’ll be overly reliant upon Kawhi Leonard‘s well being and James Harden’s (sixteenth season) sustaining his All-NBA manufacturing.

The Magic made the primary massive splash of the offseason, buying stud two-guard Desmond Bane from the Grizzles, which is able to lastly give them a sharpshooter on the perimeter to area the courtroom for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. This was clearly a “let’s degree up” transfer, they usually paid a reasonably penny for it (4 first-round picks, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Cole Anthony), and I count on them to be a contender for Jap Convention supremacy. 

The Warriors are actually the one staff that hasn’t made a transfer this offseason, principally as a result of Jonathan Kuminga restricted free company scenario. As soon as that clears up (he’ll nearly definitely be sign-and-traded), most individuals count on the Dubs to make some strikes across the edges like signing Al Horford. Even with Jimmy Butler having a full offseason to construct chemistry with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, Golden State, as presently constructed, in all probability has a second-round ceiling.  

Have a look at Nico Harrison and that unearned ear-to-ear grin. Appears to be like like a man who made the largest blunder in NBA historical past (buying and selling Luka Doncic) and received the lottery a number of months later and getting the chance to draft a generational prospect (Cooper Flagg). The Mavericks even have a reasonably fascinating staff and superior entrance courtroom, including Flagg to Anthony Davis, Dereck Vigorous II and Daniel Gafford. Their weak spot is the purpose guard/playmaker place till Kyrie Irving returns, however they’re taking a swing with D’Angelo Russell. If he is usually a cheap facsimile of Irving for the primary half of the season till Kyrie returns, this might be a harmful staff getting into the postseason.  

The Pistons had been top-of-the-line feel-good tales of the 2024-25 season and had the Knicks on the ropes within the first spherical of the playoffs. Cade Cunningham was an All-NBA performer and plenty of of their younger gamers like Jalen Duren confirmed some critical promise transferring ahead. This offseason, they successfully changed Malik Beasley and Dennis Schöder with Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert. With some continued enchancment from their core of Cunningham, Duren, Jade Ivey, and Ausar Thompson, they will simply be a second-round staff and really powerful out within the playoffs.

Name me loopy, however I might see this 12 months’s 76ers being the “no person believes in us” staff. Accidents crippled them final season. Joel Embiid is all of the sudden a whole afterthought on account of his harm historical past regardless of being an MVP frontrunner for almost all of the 2020s. Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes, VJ Edgecombe and Jared McCain ought to make for an electrical backcourt. And Paul George critically can’t be as dangerous as washed as he appeared final season. Perhaps this season, their harm luck evens out they usually’re extra like the perimeter contender folks anticipated them to be final season.

After touchdown the second decide within the 2025 NBA Draft, the Spurs opted to pick Dylan Harper as a substitute of providing the decide as much as the best bidder in an try and fast-forward their timeline round Victor Wembanyama. It was in all probability the precise transfer from an enormous image standpoint as a younger nucleus of Wemby, Harper and Stephon Citadel is about nearly as good as it may well get. Nevertheless, a part of me wished to see them push their chips to the middle of the desk and speed up getting Wemby some critical postseason expertise. As presently constructed (keep in mind they’ve De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell and others), the Spurs ought to not less than be a play-in staff and will outright make the playoffs if Wemby makes one other leap into top-10 participant vary. 

After a surprising the NBA by signing Myles Turner and waiving and stretching Damian Lillard’s contract (over the subsequent 5 seasons), it is protected to say that the Milwaukee Bucks are ALL-IN. It is also protected to say that, except Giannis Antetokounmpo can summon a 2018 LeBron James-type of season-long efficiency subsequent season, this Bucks staff in all probability will not make it out of the primary spherical, not to mention contend for the Jap Convention Championship. As traditionally nice as Giannis is, 2018 LeBron was the best participant I’ve ever seen play basketball, so Giannis would wish to make one other leap to get there.

The Hawks had a wonderful offseason and must be a frisky Jap Convention playoff staff this 12 months. Along with signing Nickeil Alexander-Walker, they made the very best commerce of the offseason by benefiting from the Pelicans’ ridiculous commerce supply to provide away an unprotected 2026 first-round decide to maneuver up a dozen or so spots within the draft to pick Derik Queen. With the energy of the Western Convention, that decide might very properly land within the prime 5 of what’s presupposed to be a fully loaded draft class. 

Earlier than their sneaky (and basically free) acquisition of Norman Powell, I used to be prepared to carry a funeral for Warmth Tradition. That they had a roster constructed round Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro with out a lot in the way in which of rising stars on their roster. Adebayo and Herro stay underqualified as the 2 finest gamers on a contending staff, however if you add in Powell, and add in Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell, then account for Erik Spoelstra’s wizardry, and all of the sudden you could have not less than the define of a staff that might be a troublesome matchup for any staff within the East. 

Think about me bullish on the Celtics this season. They will seemingly be with out Jayson Tatum your complete season whereas he rehabs his Achilles. They usually needed to commerce away Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday for tax functions. They usually let Al Horford and Luke Kornet stroll in free company. However…they nonetheless have two wonderful wings of their prime in Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, the reigning Sixth Man of the Yr in Payton Pritchard who might excel with a higher position, and a fully insane head coach hellbent on profitable each recreation and squeezing each drip out of life in Joe Mazzulla. Assuming good well being, I simply cannot see that core lacking the playoffs on this comparatively weak Jap Convention subsequent season.

For a minute, it appeared just like the Grizzlies had been about to blow it up after they dealt Desmond Bane for a bunch of draft picks. Nevertheless, held onto Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and after that, they gave Jaren Jackson Jr. an enormous extension and drafted a really intriguing wing in Cedric Coward, whose physique, wingspan, and quick rise within the draft give a little bit of a whiff of Kawhi Leonard. Whereas they will not contend within the West, they are going to be respectable sufficient to be within the play-in vary and probably playoffs (which is definitely one thing to be happy with this season!)

Life ain’t all the time truthful. The Pacers had a legit shot at profitable the championship earlier than Tyrese Haliburton tore his achilles. They in all probability would have entered the 2025-26 season as the favourite within the Jap Convention. They usually in all probability would have re-signed Myles Turner as a substitute of letting him stroll after the Bucks outbid them. Now, they’re going to be in the midst of the pack at finest till Haliburton hopefully returns at full energy in 2026-27.

The Blazers made a few fascinating strikes this offseason. First, they traded Anfernee Simons for Jrue Vacation. Vacation will present them with some wanted management and elite protection (two expertise Simons lacked). Then, they made a surprising, but intriguing draft night time deal for Yang Hansen – a super-skilled, however vastly unknown middle from China. Lastly, they purchased out malcontent Deandre Ayton, paving the way in which for Donovan Clingan and Hansen to extra minutes. If the Blazers can proceed to develop upon what they had been constructing on the finish of final common season, they may simply be within the combine for a play-in spot come subsequent spring.

As described within the Hawks’ slide, the Pelicans made one of many riskiest trades in latest NBA historical past, transferring within the draft to pick Derik Queen and making a gift of their unprotected first rounder in subsequent 12 months’s draft. Maybe Queen can be a stud and can staff up with the staff’s different first-round decide, Jeremiah Fears, to type one of many NBA’s finest pick-and-roll combos. I hope it occurs, however the issue is, these two in all probability will not drive profitable for not less than a number of seasons. That implies that Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy, Herb Jones and newly acquired Jordan Poole had higher all keep wholesome and mesh collectively to make sure that New Orleans would not miss the playoffs and doubtlessly hand over the decide that turns into AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer as a result of that will be an absolute disaster. 

Suns proprietor Mat Isbia is the strolling definition of “new proprietor syndrome” and has turned a Finals contender right into a weird assortment of gamers that can be greedy for a play in place, seemingly from the surface trying in. This offseason has been a busy one for the Suns. They’ve traded Kevin Durant for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the decide that grew to become Khaman Maluach. Additionally they traded for giant man Mark Williams. Lastly, they inked Devin Booker to a max extension. Perhaps Inexperienced makes a leap, or Maluach or Williams is significantly better than anticipated instantly, however these appear extra like pipe goals than actuality for this coming season in Phoenix.

What a clown present of a corporation. It is like they’re actually making an attempt to complete within the Play-In each season. Do you notice that over the previous few seasons, they’ve traded away DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball with out receiving any robust draft capital in return? What are they doing? Why did they signal Patrick Williams to a five-year, $90M deal final summer season? Who was providing him even half of that? Why did not they commerce Nikola Vucevic when he had first-round worth? 

As of this writing, they have not signed restricted free agent Josh Giddey to a contract, however are anticipated to take action in some unspecified time in the future this summer season. Hopefully they not less than study their lesson about leverage and do not overpay Giddey as a result of no person else has cap area proper now.

The NBA has had some actually dangerous homeowners, and, regardless of not having any main organizational or private scandals, Vivek Ranadivé, is etching his face onto the Mount Rushmore of horrible homeowners. He is extremely impatient and has fired legitimately good coaches (Mike Malone, Mike Brown) and basic managers (Monte McNair), and traded away two elite level guards (Tyrese Haliburton and De’Aaron Fox) in trade for 2 offense-only gamers who do not drive profitable within the playoffs (Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine). Ranadivé must let the folks he hires do their jobs and step manner again if he ever desires to have success. In any other case, I am unable to see the Kings profitable a playoff sequence the remainder of the last decade.

For the primary time in a very long time, the Hornets’ arrow as a franchise is pointing up. They drafted a few actually strong gamers in Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley. They moved on from the perpetually injured Mark Williams. They usually acquired Collin Sexton for basically nothing. Now, they will see if their core of LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, Knueppel and McNeeley has the juice to make a run on the Play-In. If not, they will contemplate flipping Ball and/or Bridges for added draft capital and proceed the rebuild.

The very best transfer the Raptors made this offseason was eliminating President/GM Masai Ujiri. After profitable the 2019 NBA Championship on the again of an all-time high-risk, high-reward commerce for Kawhi Leonard, Ujiri had completely misplaced his manner and made a sequence of perplexing trades and signings that each one however assured that the Raptors would stay on the hamster wheel of mediocrity for the whole lot of the 2020s. 

It is a sluggish rebuild – you may thank John Wall‘s achilles and former GM Tommy Sheppard’s pea-brain choice to provide Bradley Beal a supermax with a no-trade clause for that – however not less than they’re taking steps in the precise route. This offseason, they landed Tre Johnson, a flamethrower taking pictures guard with Ray Allen’s upside, within the draft and purchased CJ McCollum in a deal for Jordan Poole to provide themselves one other grownup to assist mildew a few of their younger expertise. 

Jordie Fernandez was such a superb coach final season that he form of screwed up the Nets possibilities at getting a decide on the prime of the lottery. This offseason, the Nets entrance workplace appears intent on ensuring that that does not occur once more. First, they traded their finest all-around participant in Cameron Johnson in trade for Michael Porter Jr. and a 2031 first-rounder. MPJ will present some scoring pop however not a lot else. Additionally they let D’Angelo Russell stroll in free company. Subsequent, as a substitute of consolidating their 5 first spherical picks and buying and selling for one more piece or up within the draft, they grew to become the primary staff in NBA historical past to pick 5 gamers within the first spherical. And the 5 gamers they chose are all pretty uncooked tasks. The purpose this season is to determine whether or not any of those rookies are studs and to complete with one of many worst data within the NBA forward of a loaded 2026 draft class.

A lot for Austin Ainge’s “we’re not tanking” proclamation a number of weeks in the past at his introductory press convention. Since that assertion, the Jazz have drafted Ace Bailey (a massively gifted, however extraordinarily uncooked 18-year-old), traded Collin Sexton for Jusuf Nurkic (huh?), purchased out Jordan Clarkson, and traded John Collins for basically nothing. The Jazz can be horrendous once more this season and possibly commerce Lauri Markkanen in some unspecified time in the future by February’s commerce deadline.