By: Justin Dedrick
NBA Basketball returns this month after an unexpectedly wild offseason so that means it’s time to rank every team before the first game of the season on October 21st. I will be putting all 30 teams into a power rankings list, taking into account injuries, offseason moves, and some personal predictions.
30. Charlotte Hornets
There isn’t much redeeming about the Charlotte Hornets at the moment. LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller have had their young careers plagued by injuries so far, and the surrounding talent isn’t very promising. They traded away starting C Mark Williams, leaving them with a huge weakness on the roster. They are relying on rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner and veteran Mason Plumlee to try and fill that void. Drafting Kon Knueppel at No. 4 is by far their best move of the offseason, as the rookie provides instant impact shooting and passing to a largely hero-ball styled lineup. I don’t expect much at all from Charlotte and this could very well be LaMelo Ball’s last year in Buzz City.
29. Utah Jazz
Ace Bailey fell into Utah’s lap during draft night, and they are banking on him developing a lot this upcoming season. Returning vets Markkanen, George, and Kessler provide some leadership and promising talent, but the rest of the supporting cast is largely unproven. Cody WIlliams and Brice Sensabaugh are two players I expect to take a jump this year, but I don’t think it will be enough for Utah to threaten a playoff spot. WIth that being said, this is still a very fun and intriguing young team, and Jazz fans should just be happy watching a developmental season.
28. Brooklyn Nets
The Nets team governor Joseph Tsai basically admitted that they will be tanking this year “in hope of getting a good pick in 2026”. Not exactly what Nets fans want to hear. Brooklyn made a splash trade, sending Cam Johnson to Denver in return for Michael Porter Jr. They brought Cam Thomas back on the qualifying offer as well. Those 2 together should provide all the shot taking and shot taking needed to win about 20 games. The Nets also made 5 first round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, with the highest being Egor Demin at No. 8. They are banking on his development into a full time PG this upcoming season, along with solid rookie campaigns from other draft picks Danny Wolf, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, and Ben Saraf.
27. Washington Wizards
I actually really like the direction that the Wizards are going, but it’s still hard to slot them any higher than 27. They drafted Tre Johnson at No. 6, hoping that his elite shot creation and scoring from Texas will carry over to the NBA. Washington also added some key veterans like CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton, who should add shooting and leadership to their young core. The main thing Wizards fans should be excited about however, is expected jumps from Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly. Sarr has what it takes to be a versatile PF/C with elite defensive chops, athletic ability, and promising shooting. Coulibaly just needs to be more consistent and stay healthy. The Wizards may still not be very good this season, but in a few years I believe they will be back in the NBA Playoffs.
26. Chicago Bulls
There is not much for Bulls fans to be excited about unfortunately. Nikola Vucevic is still on the tea, after being shopped for 3 years straight. Patrick Williams is on an extremely large contract for his minimal production and development. Who knows how much longer Coby White will be in the Windy City, and their biggest offseason acquisition was an underwhelming player in Isaac Okoro. With all that said, there still are a few positives to look at. Josh Giddey is coming off of a career year and signed a 4 year deal to stay in Chicago. Matas Buzelis will look to build off a promising rookie campaign, and new rookie Noa Essengue is a mystery of intrigue.
25. New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans had a very interesting and polarizing offseason. They have a lot of talent, but injuries and question marks prevent me from placing them higher. When on the court, Zion Williamson is a superstar, but he has struggled to stay healthy. Dejounte Murray has also struggled to stay on the court and who knows how he will look. They are super guard heavy, featuring Murray, newly acquired Jordan Poole, Jordan Hawkins, rookie Jeremiah Fears, and Jose Alvarado. Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones are very good versatile wings, but they can’t make up for the lack of depth in the frontcourt. Yves Missi had a solid rookie campaign, showing off defensive chops and athleticism, but they brought in Kevon Looney from Golden State, and made a blockbuster draft day trade to acquire Derek Queen. I personally love Derek Queen and think he will have a long NBA career, but they gambled with their future to acquire him.
24. Toronto Raptors
Toronto doesn’t seem to have a direction. RJ Barrett, Jakob Poetl, Brandon Ingram, and Scottie Barnes are all talented players, but not enough of a core to compete for a championship. Scottie has not shown significant improvements in recent seasons which is not a good sign for Raptors fans. Gradey Dick had a solid but inconsistent 2025. Ja’Kobe Walter and Jonathan Mogbo have yet to show they can be everyday players. Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles brings toughness and defense, but has a limited ceiling. They are caught between winning now and developing young talent. Toronto leadership needs to figure out which direction to take this mediocre roster, or dark years will fall upon them.
23. Sacramento Kings
The Kings are a mess of talented players, past stars, and middling role players. Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis are good, but nowhere near great. Devin Carter was limited in his rookie season and has yet to show he can be their PG of the future. Keegan Murray has continued to decline since his rookie year. Malik Monk is good but that’s about it with him. They also added Dennis Schroeder and Russel Westbrook to try and fill the PG hole left by Fox. None of what I just mentioned is intriguing whatsoever. They do have some underrated rookie however, in Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford. Both were prolific players in college, bringing toughness, shooting, and efficiency to the league. Watching those two grow will be fun, but the rest of this King’s roster is not fun.
22. Portland Trailblazers
I think Portland has a real chance to come out and surprise people, but it is just hard to place them higher. Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe have real talent and will continue to develop. Donovan Clingan and rookie Yang Hansen have real promise and will be a very fun big man rotation this season. Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday will provide veteran leadership. Toumani Camara remains one of the most underrated players in the NBA. There’s a lot to like about the Blazers but it all hinges on the development of Scoot Henderson. He has yet to show significant improvement in shooting or efficiency, and will hold Portland back if he stays stagnant in his development.
21. Phoenix Suns
Phoenix made a blockbuster trade this offseason, sending Kevin Durant to Houston in exchange for Jalen Green. Jalen Green is a talented player, but has not contributed to a winning environment just yet in his young career. They brought in Mark Williams who is a very solid lob threat center as well as athletic rookie Khaman Maluach. Devin Booker is still a superstar player and will have a lot of touches this season. I question the fit of Booker and Green in the backcourt together, and the supporting cast around them is lacking. Dillon Brooks and Grayson Allen are just ok. Their bench depth is going to need a lot of help before Phoenix is back competing for a championship.
20. Miami Heat
I honestly wanted to have Miami lower, but Erik Spoelstra and the raw talent on the Heat kept me from lowering them. Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo are very good NBA players who can at least take Miami to a play-in spot. Kel’el Ware is looking to have a breakout year 2. Jaime Jaquez needs to bounce back big time. Davion Mitchell showed a lot of promise and I expect him to play a big role for Miami going forward. Kasparas Jakucionis fell into their lap during the draft, and I absolutely love his fit for this team. They needed a PG with size to pair with Herro, and Jakucionis not only is tall for his position, but he also is a good passer with a developing shot. I think Spoelstra will be able to unlock his full potential.
19. Boston Celtics
Please, let me explain. Jayson Tatum will likely be out the entirety of the 25-26 season. Without him, this roster is lacking. Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Joe Mazzula will be enough to stay competitive, but not enough to compete for a championship. They traded Jrue Holiday to Portland, and lost Al Horford to Golden State in free agency. Anfernee Simons is a really good player, but he does not fit Joe Mazzula’s defensive scheme well. Payton Pritchard is a solid player, but he may be thrust into a starting role this year. Outside of those guys, this roster is bad. They have no premier rookies. Their big man depth is maybe the worst in the league. One of Neemias Queta or Luka Garza will start at center. That is bad.
18. Memphis Grizzlies
I’ve had Memphis in consideration going all the way back to spot 25, so why are they all the way here at 18? I just like their roster. Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. are very good players, but Ja needs to get back to his superstar self. They traded away Desmond Bane for a haul of first round picks, but replaced him the best they could. Ty Jerome comes in after a career year in Cleveland. Rookie Cedric Coward has a lot of scoring upside. Scotty Pippen Jr., Vince Williams Jr., and Cam Spencer are all solid young guards. Jaylen Wells had an incredible rookie year. GG Jackson is hoping to get back to form after an injury riddled 24-25 campaign. Zach Edey needs to develop a bit, but this is a good young roster with potential to surprise people.
17. Milwaukee Bucks
This roster has Giannis Antetokounmpo. That’s really about it. Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis, and Gary Trenty Jr. do not spark fear in the opponent. Kevin Porter Jr. is an ok addition. There is absolutely no intriguing young talent here. Myles Turner was their biggest offseason move, but to acquire him, they lost Damian Lillard and had to eat a significant amount of money. Turner is a good player and an upgrade over Brook Lopez, but take Giannis away and this roster wins 10 games.
16. Indiana Pacers
Coming off of an insane NBA Finals Game 7 run in which they fell to Oklahoma City, I really wish I could have them higher. Tyrese Haliburton will miss the entire season, and that is why they are here at 16. They were the surprise team of the playoffs, got hot at the right time, and went on a tear. Had Haliburton not gotten injured, I believe they would be NBA champions. Now looking at the 25-26 seasons, it looks grim. No Haliburton, and the loss of Myles Turner are significant blows to this team. Benedict Mathurin, Aaron Nesmith, and TJ McConnell will need to replicate their playoff success to keep this team relevant. Jay Huff will have to do his best to replace Myles Turner. Siakam is very good, but he’ll need help. Andrew Nembhard has to be the guy to step up. Many expect a huge jump from him this year as he will be the lead ball handler. This is still a deep and talented team, but I don’t think it will be all sunshine and roses after the finals heartbreak.
15. Philadelphia 76ers
As a 76ers fan myself, I would like to have them higher, but I know better than that. Some new injury that doctors have never seen before will fall upon Joel Embiid and the season will end right then and there. In all seriousness, Philly is underrated this year, but it all hinges on health. I fully expect Embiid to start the season, but how long he lasts is anyone’s guess. Paul George is old but still solid. They brought back Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre Jr. who are solid role players. VJ Edgecome was their No. 3 overall pick, and a lot will also hinge on his play and development. Jared McCain will look to return to his good play before his rookie season was cut short with injury. Tyrese Maxey continues to be the most underrated player in all of basketball. He has never had a consistent team around him, faced countless double teams last year, played injured, and still put up numbers. He has gotten better every year and is a bonafide superstar in my mind. I could talk about this team all day, but for the sake of space, if Embiid is healthy then it’s a playoff run for Philly. If he’s not healthy, then it’s a lottery pick, a blockbuster trade, and a rebuild.
14. Golden State
Golden State was much better last year once Jimmy Butler got to the team. Surely the front office would use the offseason to improve and bring in new talent to boost the roster. Right? Well, they did not. Jonathan Kuminga is back against his will, and 39 year old Al Horford was their premier signing. They still have Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green who should tackle this team to the playoffs at minimum. Kuminga, Hield, Podz, and Horford are good supporting players. They really lack in big man depth however. Horford is old. Looney is gone. Trayce Jackson-Davis is alright. Quentin Post doesn’t inspire me. There is clear talent, but not enough to be serious contenders in this current NBA landscape.
13. San Antonio Spurs
This team has so much young talent and promise. As long as Victor Wembanyama stays healthy, they will be competing for years to come. Fox is an All-Star talent, Wembanyama is a budding superstar, Castle and Harper are young guards with a lot of raw talent, Vassell is a capable 3 and D wing, and Jeremy Sochan plays defense. They have so many solid role players surrounding their top guys. Add in Luke Kornet for center depth, Keldon Johnson for scoring, Harrison Barnes for shooting, and rookie Carter Bryant for potential, they have it all. This is still a development year, but they can take both roads of winning and developing at the same time, and be even more dangerous next season.
12. Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks had one of the best offseasons in the league, spending a lot of money and bringing in loads of talent. They signed Nickeil Alexander-Walker from Minnesota, Luke Kennard, and traded for Kristaps Porzingis. They also drafted talented big Asa Newell who will sure up their defense and rebounding. Risacher had a quietly good season, and I expect him to take a leap forward. Dyson Daniels was competing for the DPOY award, and fits well next to Trae Young. Speaking of Trae Young, he’s been so good over the last few years, with efficient shot making, passing game, and control of pace. He has so much talent around him now, and all he needs to do is steer the ship. It also helps that breakout star Jalen Johnson should be healthy this year, and will be a good running mate for Young. The Eastern Conference is so open this year, and Atlanta has the pieces to make a far run into the playoffs.
11. Dallas Mavericks
Dallas is in a much better spot than they should be after trading Luke Doncic at last season’s trade deadline. GM Nico Harrison basically had his job saved by landing the No. 1 overall pick in Cooper Flagg. Flagg is such a versatile player with extensive defensive talent and a progressing offensive game. Anthony Davis is still a very good NBA star, and pairing him with Flagg should lead to a top 10 defense. Klay Thompson can still shoot. Dante Exum, PJ Washington, and Dereck Lively are difference makers. I think that D’Angelo Russel and Max Christie should be good enough to make up for the loss of Kyrie Irving due to injury. This team has a lot of talent and upside. Expect them in the playoffs.
10. Detroit Pistons
I did not think I would have Detroit in my top 10 but here we are. Cade Cunningham has continued to blossom into a superstar and he is the one to lead Detroit back to relevancy. Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson are great supporting players that fit well with Cade. Tobias Harris, Duncan Robinson, and Caris LeVert provide veteran leadership and shooting on the wing. Isaiah Stewart and Paul Reed are good big man depth as well. Add in an expected jump from Ron Holland II after a good Summer League, and the expected return of Jaden Ivey, this is a team primed for yet another leap.
9. Los Angeles Clippers
They may be the oldest team in the NBA, but they are still very talented. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden are still good players and good leaders in their age. They added Bradley Beal who will provide extra scoring and shooting. Ivica Zubac had a breakout year and stands tall down low. Chris Paul is back in LA and his leadership and passing will add to the dynamic. Brook Lopez is a solid addition for more shooting. John Collins comes in as a great lob threat and down low scorer. There is so much depth on this team that I believe they will coast through the regular season and be a force in the playoffs.
8. Los Angeles Lakers
After the blockbuster trade for Luka Doncic last year, they finally had a chance to construct a better roster around him and LeBron this offseason, and I believe they did a good job. Deandre Ayton will pair well with Luka as a pick and roll threat. There are shooters around Luka and LeBron like Dalton Knecht and Maxi Kleber. Bronny James should actually be a solid 3 and D guard. Marcus Smart brings defense and grit. Austin Reaves is still a very good player with his efficient scoring. Any Luka and LeBron led team will always be in a good spot to compete, and the Lakers will be a fun watch this year.
7. Orlando Magic
Orlando has been solid for a few years now, but I think this is the year they take the jump to being a true contender. They brought in Desmond Bane from Memphis who should help fill the complete void of shooting on this team. Paolo Banchero is an electric star and Franz Wagner is a solid running mate on the wing. Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black, and rookie Jason Richardson is an intriguing guard rotation with a lot of defense and explosiveness. Wendell Carter Jr. is still a good center. Tristan da Silva can take a second year leap and become a reliable wing shooter. They have all the pieces, but now it is time to step up in a weaker Eastern Conference.
6. Denver Nuggets
As long as Nikola Jokic is on the team they’ll be competitive. The trade to bring in Cam Johnson makes them even more deadly as Johnson is a more consistent shooter than Michael Porter Jr. Jamal Murray and Christian Braun are a good backcourt tandem. Aaron Gordon fits really well next to Jokic as always. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas are good veteran bench additions. I do think they’ll need one of Julian Strawther, Peyton Watson, or Jalen Pickett to step up if they are going to have enough bench depth. Denver hasn’t been the best at developing young players in recent years, but now it is imperative to do so.
5. New York Knicks
Starting out the top 5, we have the Knicks. New York has such a solidly constructed roster. Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart fit so well together. Bridges and OG have so much size and shooting on the wing. KAT is playing some of his best basketball over the past few years and his shooting is so elite. New Head Coach Mike Brown should have some fun offensive schemes he can run with this team. My only concern is the depth. McBride, Clarkson, Yabusele, and Robsinson make up their bench unit. It is pretty good but after those guys it falls off completely. If injuries strike New York, I fear for how they will adapt. Even with those concerns, this is still a great team and they are my personal pick to win the Eastern Conference.
4. Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota has been one of my favorite teams to watch in recent years and I don’t expect that to change. Anthony Edwards has continued to grow and has this team in perennial championship contention. Mike Conley, Donte DiVencenzo, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, and Bones Hyland are all good players who fit well and will contribute a lot. Terrance Shannon Jr. is expected to take a jump and fill the void left by Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Rob Dillingham needs to prove he can be the future lead point guard. Julius Randle and Rody Gobert hold down the frontcourt. This is just a really well constructed team, but do they have enough juice to win the West?
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland is coming off of a second disappointing playoff exit in a row, and they need to break through. Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland have proved they can play together. Hunter and Strus on the wing are good fits. They brought in Lonzo Ball to replace Ty Jerome. Cleveland also finally invested in a backup center with Thomas Bryant. Evan Mobley has developed into a premier player and a perennial DPOY contender. Tyrese Proctor and Jaylen Tyson are solid young pieces as well. This team has all the skill and chemistry to have another great regular season but can they get over their playoff woes? I think this could be the year they do that, but I’ll continue to question the fit of Mobley and Allen together until they prove me wrong and make it to the Conference Finals.
2. Houston Rockets
Houston was already a great team last year, but they just brought in Kevin Durant. He elevates this team to true contender status. Sengun and Thompson are great secondary stars. Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., Clint Capela, and Steven Adams are a very strong frontcourt core with Sengun. The only major question I have is the guard depth. Thompson is good. Reed Sheppard will have to step up with Fred VanVleet out. If they can get even solid point guard play, they’ll be a top threat for the NBA Championship.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
Who else but the reigning champs. This team is the definition of a roster with perfect fit. Shai and JDub are a superstar duo. Chet is a very good center. Dort, Caruso, and Wallace all provide wing defense and some shooting. Hartenstein is a very good backup big. We will see how Nikola Topic looks this season but he’ll provide size and passing. I also can’t forget the man who saved basketball, Aaron Wiggins. Nothing significant changed about this team, and they should remain the championship favorites for now.