Whoever came up with the phrase, "don't judge a book by its cover" has clearly never hastily perused the Audible Store seconds before their plane takes off. Or picked out a craft beer. Or engaged in the dangerously exhilarating art of Preseason NBA Power Rankings!
Sure, it's hard to determine the strength or weakness of a team based on its roster, but that's half the fun of sports -- using your knowledge to make baseline predictions so that you have a reason for bravado ("I told you!") or surprise ("Wow, didn't see that coming!") once the hierarchy becomes clear around midseason.
Luckily, this time the Power Rankings provided an absolutely clear, unquestioned No. 1 with the defending champion Boston Celtics. They got the band back together and, factoring in potential improvement from stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, should bulldoze through the regular season just like they did last year. Behind them are last season's Western Conference champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who should be even better thanks to a couple of shrewd offseason signings.
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Making their way into the top three are the New York Knicks, who made a King Kong-sized thud with trades to bring in Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, getting even more dangerous after last year's success. They're followed by two familiar West powers in the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets, respectively led by MVP candidates Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic.
Conspicuously absent from the upper echelon are the Los Angeles Lakers, who made no significant moves in an offseason that saw teams around them improve their stock. They land in the middle of the pack, and will hope that LeBron James and Anthony Davis can stay healthy to have any prayer at contention under new head coach JJ Redick.
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The NBA season starts in less than a month, so bookmark this page and see how differently things look as things progress. Happy preseason!
Biggest Movers
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| Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | -- | 13-3 | |
The champions who plowed through every foe have gotten the band back together this offseason, so there's no reason to think their dominance won't continue. Everyone knows about Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and their vaunted top six (when Kristaps Porzingis is healthy), but they were also able to hang onto crucial role players like Sam Hauser, Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman in case of emergency. Seemingly the only things that can stop this team are devastating injuries or unforeseen chemistry issues.
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| 2 | -- | 12-4 | |
After last season's (maybe?) surprising ascent, OKC beefed up its roster with two of the league's best role players in Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein. The only significant loss is Josh Giddey, who was positionally redundant and clearly not part of the team's future plans. Factoring in likely improvement from all their young talent, the Thunder should be among the favorites to win the West and legitimately contend for a title.
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| 3 | 3 | 9-6 | |
Fun little upstart team on the rise? That's cute and all, but the Knicks said, "screw that" by acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges this offseason to complete one of the most fearsome starting fives in the league. The breeze flowing through the Knicks' championship window went from a faint whistle to an all-out windstorm, as they're now poised to seriously contend for years to come behind unflappable leader Jalen Brunson. There are depth questions, to be sure, but a top end like theirs should result in a lot of regular-season wins.
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| 4 | 5 | 9-7 | |
It was impossible to watch the Mavericks' incredible NBA Finals run without thinking, "man, imagine if they had someone in the corner who could shoot!" Enter Klay Thompson, arguably the second-best shooter of all time, who even in his post-injury state averaged 18 points per game last season for the Warriors while making 39% of his nine 3-point attempts per game. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving with a legitimate floor spacer is a ghastly image for defenses, and if the Mavericks can continue to stifle opposing offenses the way they did in the playoffs, they're going to be extremely difficult to beat.
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| 5 | 2 | 8-6 | |
Denver's season ended in devastating fashion with a second-half collapse in a home Game 7 against the Timberwolves, and they lost a crucial piece of the best starting lineup in basketball when Kentavious Caldwell-Pope elected to take his talents to Orlando. That said, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are enough to make you a contender, and if a couple of their young players hit -- Christian Braun and Peyton Watson come to mind -- or the Russell Westbrook gamble pays off, they could be in business. That said, it seems like the West's other heavy hitters got better, while the Nuggets may have gotten slightly worse.
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| 6 | 6 | 3-12 | |
Replacing Tobias Harris with Paul George seems like a pretty decent upgrade for the 76ers, who hope that Joel Embiid can continue the utter dominance he displayed before injuring his knee last season. Embiid, PG and Tyrese Maxey comprise one of the most dynamic "Big Threes" in the NBA, while Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon and Reggie Jackson could turn out to be sneaky-good signings, particularly if and when injuries rear their ugly head. There's no way to keep the Sixers out of the championship conversation with George entering the fold.
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| 7 | 3 | 8-7 | |
Dealing Karl-Anthony Towns didn't seem like a move Minnesota necessarily WANTED to make, but rather a deal they felt they HAD to make. Landing Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo is probably as good of talent return as they could hope for, however, and the Wolves should still be considered among the league's elite thanks to MVP short-lister Anthony Edwards. Towns wasn't a stopper by any sense, but it will be interesting to see how much, if any, the league's leading defense suffers by replacing the "Twin Towers" look with a more traditional power forward-center pairing.
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| 8 | -- | 7-9 | |
Last season was a bitter disappointment, but at the end of the day the Bucks have Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard heading into training camp. Could be worse. The defense improved slightly under Doc Rivers, but there's a general lack of athleticism and dynamism on that end. What Milwaukee lost in Malik Beasley can easily be made up for with Gary Trent Jr. and Taurean Prince, so there should be optimism that the ship can be righted offensively. Khris Middleton will be brought along slowly -- what else is new -- after surgery on his ankles, so the Bucks can't be considered among the elites of the top-heavy East to start the season. Of course, all they care about is how the season ends.
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| 9 | 1 | 9-7 | |
The disaster of being swept in the first round last season could be somewhat salved by the fact that the Suns put up an impressive 120 points per 100 possessions with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal on the floor last season. That efficiency dropped to a horrific 107 offensive rating in the playoffs, but this team is still more than capable of being a regular-season juggernaut. Adding Tyus Jones and Monte Morris should help solve the point guard issue, while Mason Plumlee is a solid backup big who can help with playmaking. Plus, Mike Budenholzer has a better offensive track record than Frank Vogel. Look, this team has yet to prove it can sustain greatness for any significant period of time, but you simply can't ignore the theoretical glory with a trio that talented.
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| 10 | 3 | 4-13 | |
The Pelicans made a big move this offseason, and it somehow didn't include First Team All-Trade Machine forward Brandon Ingram. Instead they brought in Dejounte Murray for picks and role players, giving them a slightly truer point guard than CJ McCollum -- though he's also someone else who needs the ball in his hands, which means less time in Zion Williamson's. And while Jonas Valanciunas wasn't the best fit, New Orleans now appears to have no starting center on the roster? Seems like there's another move to be made, but for now the Pelicans are an intriguing, if not a bit clunky, contender in the West.
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| 11 | -- | 16-1 | |
The numbers suggested that the Cavs needed to eliminate some redundancy this offseason by breaking up the Donovan Mitchell-Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen-Evan Mobley pairings. That hasn't happened yet (Mitchell, Allen and Mobley were all extended), so Cleveland will return a largely unchanged roster that was close to securing the East's No. 2 seed last season. New coach Kenny Atkinson will look to improve an offense that went from eighth in 2022-23 to 16th last season.
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| 12 | 12 | 9-7 | |
Don't be surprised if last season ends up being a fever dream hallucination, and the Grizzlies are right back in the West playoff picture this season. Ja Morant's absence allowed Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. to each take impressive leaps, while role players like Santi Aldama, Vince Williams Jr. and GG Jackson gained invaluable reps in big minutes. Zach Edey will step right in as a rebounder and screen setter, and if Marcus Smart stays healthy they'll get all the defense they missed from Dillon Brooks last season. Stock up, Memphis.
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| 13 | 1 | 10-7 | |
The Magic made about as perfect an addition as they could hope for by bringing in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a knock-down 3-point shooter who won't disrupt Orlando's rugged defensive tenacity. If Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner can make another leap this season to help improve their 22nd-ranked offense, the Magic could be in the mix at the top of the Eastern Conference.
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| 14 | 1 | 6-10 | |
One of last season's best stories enters the year with new expectations after re-signing Pascal Siakam to be Tyrese Haliburton's running mate. It's hard to consider them in the East's elite given their atrocious defensive rating last season, so that will be Rick Carlisle's primary area of improvement in training camp. Given how well this team can score, however, they might end up in the top five even if they finish 24th in defense again.
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| 15 | 2 | 8-8 | |
The Kings wanted to get De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis some help, so they took a big swing on DeMar DeRozan, who fits in theory but generally needs the ball in his hands to do damage (his usage rate was significantly higher than Sabonis' last season). DeRozan could also hurt their defense, which made legitimate strides last year but still landed in the middle of the pack. It's going to be interesting to see how the fit works, but it's understandable to be skeptical that bringing in DeRozan suddenly makes the Kings contenders in the West.
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| 16 | -- | 12-3 | |
It still feels weird thinking of Klay Thompson in a different jersey, but the Warriors made some solid moves to fill in for him, bringing along Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson and De'Anthony Melton. Chris Paul's departure means Golden State lacks a true backup point guard behind Steph Curry, but Anderson, Draymond Green and Brandin Podziemski are all high-IQ playmakers who can help piece it together. GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. said this roster could lead to "a wide range of outcomes," and he couldn't be more spot on. They're deep, but one of the problems last year was that Golden State lacked a go-to starting and closing unit, and it seems like that will still be an issue.
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| 17 | 2 | 10-5 | |
Finishing 15th in offense and 17th in defense last season, the Lakers were about as mediocre as you can get. They made no significant changes this offseason (OK bringing in Bronny James was significant, but he likely won't contribute much this year), so it's hard to see how LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Co. can suddenly vault into title contention as currently constructed. That means another move is likely on the way (D'Angelo Russell trade rumors? WHAAAAT!), but to start the season the Lakers are looking like a .500 team in the West.
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| 18 | -- | 6-7 | |
It's nearly impossible to imagine the Heat ever being BAD, but this roster doesn't exactly instill confidence. If Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are all on the court, they should be able to compete no matter the opponent -- but that only happened 27 times last season. We all know Erik Spoelstra will work his magic and get this team to the playoffs, but it's fair to ask whether Miami's days of being a scary postseason opponent are in the past.
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| 19 | 14 | 10-7 | |
This certainly isn't the way Steve Ballmer wanted to open the first season of the Clippers having their own arena in 25 years. Paul George left them high and dry for greener pastures in Philly, while Kawhi Leonard reportedly underwent offseason knee surgery -- and who knows what that means for his eventual (possible?) return. So a team with three stars is now potentially down to one in James Harden, who is certainly no stranger to carrying an entire offense by himself. Entering the season, however, you simply cannot view the Clippers as a legitimate title contender, and even getting to the playoffs may prove challenging given Leonard's injury history and the depth of the West.
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| 20 | 1 | 12-5 | |
The Rockets finally added some shooting by drafting Reed Sheppard, and he'll work spacing wonders for a team that finished 20th in offense last season. The story from last season, of course, was Ime Udoka's defense, which jumped into the top 10 from 29th the year before -- simply remarkable stuff -- largely due to the addition of Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks. Houston is a sexy pick to contend this season, and that will all depend on the continued progression of Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green.
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| 21 | 5 | 8-8 | |
The Spurs are hard to predict this season because Victor Wembanyama could legitimately become a top-five player over the next few months. If that happens, they're a trade away from becoming extremely interesting, even in the rugged Western Conference. Chris Paul is the perfect mentor for a young team, while No. 4 overall pick Stephon Castle should add a perimeter stopper to a defense that was 12th in the NBA last season after the All-Star break. San Antonio might have the widest range of outcomes of any team in the league, but we'll all be watching regardless to see what Wemby does next.
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| 22 | 1 | 7-10 | |
Atlanta decided the Trae Young-Dejounte Murray thing wasn't working, so they sent Murray to New Orleans for a couple of role players and draft capital. The team is clearly skewing younger after drafting relatively raw talent Zaccharie Risacher No. 1 overall, but how will Young feel about that direction? It's hard to see the Hawks competing for a playoff spot, and you'll certainly hear Young's name in trade rumors throughout the season, particularly if the losses come early and often.
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| 23 | 3 | 7-10 | |
The Bulls are slowly starting to pick a direction, saying goodbye to DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso and Andre Drummond while welcoming in 21-year-old Josh Giddey and 19-year-old rookie Matas Buzelis. They still have Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, for now, so that should keep them in the Play-In Tournament hunt as long as they're healthy and on the roster.
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| 24 | 1 | 3-12 | |
The Jazz have still yet to fully embrace a direction, but extending Lauri Markkanen means that trade chatter will be hushed for at least this season. In theory they should be better than last year, but players like Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton could be sent packing if Danny Ainge decides he's had enough winning and wants to stock up on lottery balls. This team is going to need to score a ton of points with a defense that finished 30th in the NBA last season.
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| 25 | 5 | 7-10 | |
For the first time in a while, there's reason for optimism in Detroit this season. Cade Cunningham finally has at least a couple of shooters around him with the addition of Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. (even Tobias Harris has shot near 40% in the past), and the talent of Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson and Jaden Ivey is undeniable. We'll see if J.B. Bickerstaff can put it all together, but the pieces are there to compete for a play-in spot after years of bottom-dwelling.
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| 26 | 1 | 4-12 | |
The Raptors aren't going to be good this season, but if RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley play like they did after coming to Toronto last season and Scottie Barnes builds off a tremendous third year, the future is bright. Outside of those three, there's no telling who will be part of the future, but Gradey Dick and Ja'Kobe Walter are intriguing prospects.
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| 27 | -- | 6-10 | |
Portland has a lot of talented young pieces -- it's just a matter of getting them all on the court at the same time. Listen, they're not going to be good, but a starting lineup of Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton should at least be competitive from night to night. Rookie Donovan Clingan won't need much of a learning curve, and if Robert Williams III can give them anything, Chauncey Billups will be able to present some matchup nightmares with his lineup options.
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| 28 | 6 | 6-10 | |
It was pretty clear from last season that Mikal Bridges didn't have "No. 1 option" stuff -- not yet anyway -- so landing FIVE first-round picks was an incredible return for one of the league's most coveted role players. Keep that in mind as you watch the Nets lose a lot of games this season while try to figure out which players (Nic Claxton? Cam Thomas?) are in the long-term plans and which are just fodder for the next trade.
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| 29 | -- | 2-12 | |
Trading Deni Avdija -- one of the few Wizards who actually looked good last season -- was a head-scratcher, but maybe they were afraid of winning too many games. Let's keep it at 15 or fewer, all right people? After a horrific start, Jordan Poole was actually decent to finish last season, averaging 21 points and six assists on 44/37/91 splits in his final 27 games. So he and Kyle Kuzma, plus the addition of Jonas Valanciunas, will make sure Washington has "bucket-getters" on the court at all times. The defense is going to be really bad again, but maybe No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr can solve some of those issues -- probably not this season, though.
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| 30 | 2 | 6-9 | |
We'd advise you not to look at the Hornets' roster if you're planning on operating heavy machinery in the next few hours. They clearly need a full season from LaMelo Ball to have any shot at being competitive, and it's not great that Mark Williams is injured already... again. The good news is, Brandon Miller looked like the absolute real deal last season and should only get better. That being said, the ceiling for this team is so low that a toddler would have to crouch. Keep your eye on the future!
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