NBA Power Rankings: Post-Trade Deadline Edition
With a wild trade deadline week that included deals for Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook in the rearview, it's time to once again take stock of the NBA.
As always, we'll use the tried-and-true cocktail that includes championship chances, numbers, recent performance and subjectivity as our guides.
But this week, there's an extra ingredient. Of course, the Phoenix Suns will get a boost for adding KD (even though he's not back from injury yet). A number of other trades will impact where teams land too. In fact, that has to be one of this week's bigger factors.
So, with the typical pleasantries out of the way, it's time to dive in.
30. San Antonio Spurs (14-41)
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Previous Rank: 30
Net Rating: -10.0
The NBA's worst team (at least by net rating) got worse on Thursday when it traded Jakob Poeltl to the Toronto Raptors for Khem Birch, a top-six-protected 2024 first-round pick, a 2023 second-round pick and a 2025 second-round pick.
Since he joined the Spurs before the 2018-19 season (thanks to another, more notable deal with the Raptors that included Kawhi Leonard), San Antonio is plus-1.3 points per 100 possessions with Poeltl on the floor and minus-4.6 without him.
This team was already hunting good lottery odds pretty aggressively, and this move only helps in that pursuit.
29. Houston Rockets (13-42)
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Previous Rank: 28
Net Rating: -8.0
The Houston Rockets finally found a trade for Eric Gordon, and they managed to ship off Garrison Mathews and Bruno Fernando in a separate deadline-day deal, as well.
What they got back in return were some veterans who don't figure to help much in the short term and various draft considerations.
The Rockets have already been at or near the bottom of the standings all season, and Thursday's moves all but guarantee they stay there.
This season is almost entirely about the pursuit of Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson or some other top 2023 prospects now.
28. Detroit Pistons (14-42)
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Previous Rank: 29
Net Rating: -7.6
The Detroit Pistons surprisingly kept Bojan Bogdanović through the trade deadline, but they were able to make some moves that might pay off down the road.
In a deal that cost them Kevin Knox II and Saddiq Bey, Detroit landed 2020 No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman.
He's probably not as good as either forward who went out right now (hence Detroit still hanging out at the bottom of the power rankings), and he's entering a logjam that includes Marvin Bagley III, Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren, but this is a low-risk swing at some upside.
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27. Charlotte Hornets (15-41)
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Previous Rank: 27
Net Rating: -6.7
The Charlotte Hornets didn't have quite the fire sale that their record maybe suggested they should, but they still moved on from Jalen McDaniels (perhaps to avoid his free agency this summer) and Mason Plumlee.
And both of those moves should make the already bad Hornets even worse.
McDaniels had a positive net-rating swing (meaning Charlotte's net points per 100 possessions was better with him on the floor), and Plumlee is a solid center and underrated distributor.
Losing them should ensure the Hornets stay in the chase for a bottom-three record and a 14 percent chance to land the top pick in the draft.
26. Indiana Pacers (25-31)
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Previous Rank: 25
Net Rating: -2.5
For a while, it looked like the Indiana Pacers might need to move Buddy Hield and Myles Turner to get into the mix for the top odds in the draft lottery.
But the current 2-13 stretch they're in obviously changed the arithmetic, and Indiana was essentially a bit player on deadline day.
The Pacers were essentially a facilitator in the deal that sent Jae Crowder to the Milwaukee Bucks, and they picked up Serge Ibaka (who'll be bought out), Jordan Nwora, George Hill and three second-round picks for their troubles.
That deal probably isn't slamming the brakes on Indiana's cruise down the standings, which is fine. Adding a high-end lottery pick to Tyrese Haliburton should be the priority now.
25. Orlando Magic (23-33)
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Previous Rank: 26
Net Rating: -2.6
The Orlando Magic dominated the West's top seed on Thursday. Despite falling down 12-0 in the opening minutes of the game, Orlando won by double digits and completely overwhelmed the Denver Nuggets with length and athleticism.
And Denver is far from the only team the Magic have caught by surprise.
Last week, they beat the Philadelphia 76ers. They're 3-1 this season against the Boston Celtics. And since a 5-20 start, Orlando is 18-13 in its last 31 games.
24. Chicago Bulls (26-29)
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Previous Rank: 22
Net Rating: +0.2
Despite a thoroughly underwhelming 2022-23 campaign, the Chicago Bulls decided to sit out the trade deadline.
Then, on Thursday night, they laid an egg against the Brooklyn Nets, who didn't have Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges available from the Kevin Durant trade.
There's still a chance for something of a shake-up in Chicago, though.
23. Washington Wizards (25-29)
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Previous Rank: 20
Net Rating: -0.4
The Washington Wizards made their not-so-splashy move a few weeks ago when they sent Rui Hachimura to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Thursday, they stayed out of the fray, despite having lost three of their last four games and being on the fringe of the play-in range.
Standing pat suggests Washington thinks it can climb the standings. And if that's the case, it could've used an upgrade to the bench.
On the season, the Wizards are plus-12.5 points per 100 possessions (98th percentile) when Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porziņģis, Kyle Kuzma and Monte Morris are all on the floor, but their overall net rating is obviously lagging far behind.
22. Utah Jazz (27-29)
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Previous Rank: 15
Net Rating: +0.7
The Utah Jazz sent out three rotation players (Mike Conley to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley to the Los Angeles Lakers) and didn't get anyone back who's likely to play much for them this season.
Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damian Jones weren't in the rotation for a team with a worse record, and it was clear from the moment the trade was made that Russell Westbrook would be bought out.
And even if two of the players shipped out (Vanderbilt and Beasley) had negative net-rating swings (meaning the team's net points per 100 possessions was worse with them on the floor), the loss of Conley alone should accelerate Utah's race to the bottom of the standings.
During his three-plus seasons there, the Jazz were plus-7.3 points per 100 possessions with Conley on the floor and plus-2.9 with him off.
21. Toronto Raptors (26-30)
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Previous Rank: 24
Net Rating: +0.7
The sub-.500 Toronto Raptors have been all over the rumor mill of late. O.G. Anunoby, in particular, seemed to pop up in a new report every day.
But by the time the trade deadline came and went, Toronto turned out to be surprise buyers. And the addition of Jakob Poeltl should bring stability to the bench and versatility to the team as a whole.
The Raptors' pursuit of truly positionless basketball has been admirable, but Poeltl now allows them to adjust to teams that want to bully them with more traditional bigs inside.
With Poeltl in the rotation, there's time for Toronto to drag itself to a record more in line with a point differential that's been positive all season.
20. Oklahoma City Thunder (26-28)
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Previous Rank: 21
Net Rating: +0.9
The Oklahoma City Thunder rained on LeBron James' parade when he broke the all-time scoring record on Tuesday. Behind 75 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey, OKC got the win.
That big scoring performance from the Thunder's playmaking trio is further evidence the team is onto something with those three.
19. Portland Trail Blazers (27-28)
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Previous Rank: 18
Net Rating: +0.1
The Portland Trail Blazers had sort of a curious trade deadline day, dealing Josh Hart and Gary Payton II while getting back Matisse Thybulle, Kevin Knox II, Ryan Arcidiacono, Cam Reddish and draft compensation, including a 2023 lottery-protected first-round pick.
To put it mildly, there's just a lot less certainty with Thybulle, Knox and Reddish than there was with Hart and GPII. From that perspective, these feel like the moves of a team steering toward a rebuild.
But, of course, the Blazers aren't. They still have Damian Lillard (having one of the best seasons of his career), Jerami Grant and Jusuf Nurkić.
Instead of finding deals to supplement those three, they seem more or less content to tread water.
18. Los Angeles Lakers (25-31)
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Previous Rank: 23
Net Rating: -1.1
The biggest story of the week for the Los Angeles Lakers happened on Tuesday when LeBron James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the league's all-time scoring mark.
Shortly thereafter, they took part in a three-team trade that landed them D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt and cost them Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones and a top-four-protected 2027 first-round pick.
It's that second paragraph that got them this little boost into the top 20. It certainly hasn't been their play on the court, where they went 0-3 this week.
Now six games under .500, the Lakers' shot to make the playoffs is in dire trouble. But the supporting cast now includes more shooting (from Russell and Beasley) and is a significantly better fit next to LeBron and Anthony Davis.
If the Lakers are going to make a run, it's a lot more likely now than it was before the deal.
17. Atlanta Hawks (28-28)
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Previous Rank: 19
Net Rating: -0.4
Another deadline has come and gone with scores of rumors and no John Collins trade.
Instead, the Atlanta Hawks decided to be buyers and acquired Saddiq Bey, Garrison Mathews and Bruno Fernando.
Adding a pair of passable three-point shooters and a little frontcourt insurance to the bench makes sense for the Hawks, whose starting five (Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, De'Andre Hunter, Collins and Clint Capela) has a plus-11.9 net rating.
16. Minnesota Timberwolves (30-28)
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Previous Rank: 17
Net Rating: +0.7
The Minnesota Timberwolves made one of the more interesting deals of deadline week when they joined in a three-team trade with the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz that cost them D'Angelo Russell and landed them Mike Conley.
They got about eight years older at the point guard position, but Conley is less prone to mistakes on offense and lapses on defense. And he'll take less usage from Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns than Russell did.
Perhaps most importantly, though, Conley could serve as something of a Rudy Gobert whisperer. Those two developed plenty of chemistry over the three seasons prior to this one in Utah, and Gobert's fit with the Wolves has been far from seamless.
15. Brooklyn Nets (33-22)
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Previous Week: 12
Net Rating: +2.4
When you trade Kevin Durant, you pretty much "lose" the deal by default. But given the situation he and Kyrie Irving put the team in, the Brooklyn Nets did pretty well.
Kyrie, Markieff Morris, T.J. Warren and KD are out, while Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson and five future first-round picks are in.
Now, the Nets suddenly have one of the league's deepest groups of switchable forwards, with DFS, Bridges, Johnson, Royce O'Neale and Ben Simmons.
They're not contenders anymore, but the Nets will remain competitive. And the incoming haul of picks sets them up for a two-track rebuild that doesn't require process-Sixers-like losing seasons.
14. Golden State Warriors (28-27)
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Previous Rank: 13
Net Rating: +0.2
For the second time this season, the Golden State Warriors are going to be tested without Stephen Curry for an extended period of time.
On deadline day, the team announced that he "suffered partial tears to his superior tibiofibular ligaments and interosseous membrane" and will be reevaluated after the All-Star break.
Given the Warriors' spot in the standings (ninth place, with only a game-and-a-half separating them from 11th) and net rating without Curry this season (minus-4.8), a playoff berth seems far from a given.
On the bright side, the Warriors swung a pair of deals on Thursday that cost them James Wiseman but also returned fan-favorite defensive stopper Gary Payton II and saved the team $7 million in luxury-tax payments.
13. New Orleans Pelicans (29-27)
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Previous Rank: 16
Net Rating: +1.9
The New Orleans Pelicans spent some time in first place in the West in December, but they recently rode a 10-game losing streak to a sub-.500 record.
This week, though, they got back on track.
New Orleans went 3-0, with wins over the Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks. And while Brandon Ingram appears to be back (he scored 65 points in the two games he played this week), it may be the emergence of Trey Murphy III that has greater long-term implications.
We already knew Ingram could score, but Murphy dropping 30 points on 9-of-11 shooting in the win over Sacramento shows there may be more explosiveness off the Pelicans bench than we previously realized.
The addition of Josh Richardson (in exchange for Devonte' Graham and multiple second-round picks) on deadline day should help the reserves on the other side of the floor too.
12. Miami Heat (30-25)
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Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: 0.0
There had been plenty of rumors about the possibility of Kyle Lowry being moved, but the Miami Heat wound up sitting out deadline day.
And while the bench probably could've used an upgrade, it's not that difficult to justify keeping the team's three highest-paid players together.
After Wednesday's win in which Bam Adebayo dropped 38 points on the Indiana Pacers, the Heat are now plus-5.4 points per 100 possessions when Lowry, Adebayo and Jimmy Butler are all on the floor.
11. New York Knicks (30-26)
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Previous Rank: 9
Net Rating: +1.8
The New York Knicks opened the week with a loss, but they closed it with back-to-back wins in which they surrendered fewer than 100 points.
For the year, though, New York has generally had more success on the other end of the floor, where Jalen Brunson has led them to a top-10 attack.
Over his last six games, Brunson is averaging 29.8 points, 6.0 assists and 2.2 threes, pulling his season-long marks up to 23.1, 6.2 and 1.8.
And after Thursday, he'll get to play with his former Villanova teammate, Josh Hart, an acquisition that could put even more pep in his step.
10. Sacramento Kings (31-23)
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Previous Rank: 6
Net Rating: +2.6
The Sacramento Kings' 2-2 week could've looked a lot worse had they not been bailed out by De'Aaron Fox's clutch free throws that came as a result of a last-second foul call on the Houston Rockets' Eric Gordon on Wednesday.
And really, even with the win, Sacramento has looked a lot closer to average of late (it is 5-5 in its last 10).
A deal for a more reliable backup 5 at the trade deadline might've helped the Kings escape this bout with mediocrity, but they ultimately sat Thursday out.
And now that the Phoenix Suns have Kevin Durant and the Dallas Mavericks have Kyrie Irving, Sacramento's spot in the top four feels far from guaranteed.
9. Los Angeles Clippers (31-27)
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Previous Rank: 10
Net Rating: +0.1
The Los Angeles Clippers got the first crack at Kyrie Irving as a member of the Dallas Mavericks, and they came up short (despite the Mavericks being without Luka Dončić).
It was far from the first time that the supporting cast appeared to need a jolt, and Los Angeles made a flurry of moves on Thursday to attempt to find one.
The Clippers managed to secure Bones Hyland for just two second-round picks. They got Mason Plumlee for Reggie Jackson and a second. And they picked up Eric Gordon in a three-team deal that cost them Luke Kennard and John Wall.
Kennard's shooting is a real loss, but Gordon is the stouter defender. In total, adding him, Hyland and Plumlee to the second unit is a net plus.
8. Dallas Mavericks (30-26)
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Previous Rank: 11
Net Rating: +0.5
The Dallas Mavericks got their big trade deadline deal out of the way with a few days to spare, which means we've already gotten a chance to see their new star in action.
On Wednesday, with Luka Dončić still out due to a heel injury, the Mavericks got a big win over the full-strength Los Angeles Clippers to move into fourth place in the West.
Kyrie had 24 points, five assists and four threes. He was plus-11 in the six-point win. And he often looked downright deferential to his new teammates, even with Luka out of the lineup.
Assuming a total buy-in from here on out, he and Dončić should make for one of the best, most dynamic offensive duos in the league.
He is, by far, the most talented offensive player Luka has played with. The amount of attention he'll command from opposing defenses will significantly lighten Dončić's load. And perhaps more importantly, Dallas can stagger substitutions to make sure either superstar is on the floor at all times.
7. Memphis Grizzlies (33-21)
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Previous Rank: 7
Net Rating: +3.8
Given the way the Memphis Grizzlies have played since mid-January (when the infamous Shannon Sharpe incident happened), a 1-1 week is actually a step in the right direction.
Even after a comfortable win over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, Memphis is 2-8 in its last 10 and rapidly losing steam in what previously seemed like a legitimate chase of the West's top seed.
The issue during this stretch has undoubtedly been the offense, which is shooting 45.3 percent from the field and 31.1 percent from three over its last 10 games (both marks rank 29th in the league during the run).
This week's acquisition of Luke Kennard, a career 42.7 percent three-point shooter, should help on that front.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers (35-22)
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Previous Rank: 5
Net Rating: +5.8
The Cleveland Cavaliers stood pat at the trade deadline. And though they could've used a bit more stability at the 3, it's hard to fault them for liking this team.
After a 3-0 week that included the implosion of the Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland has the second-best net rating in the NBA and is now in the driver's seat for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
And while Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley have understandably gotten most of the attention this season, Jarrett Allen is playing like an All-Star again.
Over his last nine games, Allen is averaging 17.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals while shooting 71.6 percent from the field.
5. Phoenix Suns (30-27)
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Previous Rank: 14
Net Rating: +1.3
The Phoenix Suns swung one of the biggest in-season trades in NBA history this week, landing one of the top 15-20 players of all time for Cameron Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and one first-round pick swap.
Yes, Kevin Durant is now on the Suns, and they still have Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton.
With those four, Phoenix should have a truly devastating attack at all three levels (particularly the mid-range).
And given the general parity in the West and the amount of time left in the season, Phoenix catching the Memphis Grizzlies for second place in the conference doesn't feel out of the question.
4. Philadelphia 76ers (34-19)
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Previous Rank: 2
Net Rating: +3.6
The Philadelphia 76ers followed up a seven-game winning streak with a 2-3 stretch that includes losses to the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks.
But some intriguing help is on the way, thanks to a trade that sent Matisse Thybulle to the Portland Trail Blazers and landed Jalen McDaniels in Philly.
On the season, the 25-year-old 6'9" wing is averaging 10.6 points and 1.2 threes. And while his three-point percentage has crumbled to 32.2 in 2022-23, he's coming off a campaign in which he hit 38.0 percent of his triples. He'll command more respect on the perimeter than Thybulle did without sacrificing length on the other end.
3. Denver Nuggets (38-18)
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Previous Rank: 3
Net Rating: +4.2
Since the start of last season, the Denver Nuggets are plus-10.4 points per 100 possessions with Nikola Jokić on the floor and minus-8.7 with him off.
Jokić deserves a lot of credit for that swing, but it's also quite an indictment on the team's reserve center situation. Last season, things stabilized a bit when DeMarcus Cousins arrived. Can Thomas Bryant do the same in 2023?
At the very least, he's an upgrade over the rotating stable of backups that includes DeAndre Jordan, Zeke Nnaji and Jeff Green. He's a weapon as both a roll man and an outside shooter and should help the Nuggets bench avoid getting blown out in its limited minutes.
Unfortunately, Denver also dealt its top reserve scorer (Bones Hyland) for just two second-round picks on deadline day, so it might take the bench some time to find a new rhythm. In Thursday's loss to the Orlando Magic, the Nuggets' second unit was outscored 56-10.
2. Milwaukee Bucks (38-17)
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Previous Rank: 4
Net Rating: 2.7
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been on a tear since returning from injury in January. Khris Middleton is starting to look healthy again. And now, Jae Crowder is on his way.
The Milwaukee Bucks sent five second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets to acquire Crowder (who was sent there by the Phoenix Suns in the Kevin Durant trade), and they can now deploy some of the game's most dangerous, switchable lineups.
With Jrue Holiday and Giannis bookending groups that include some combination of Middleton, Crowder, Pat Connaughton and Joe Ingles, Milwaukee suddenly feels tailor-made for another deep playoff run.
1. Boston Celtics (39-16)
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Previous Rank: 1
Net Rating: +6.2
There was good and bad news for the league's top team this week. Let's start with the dessert.
On Thursday, the Boston Celtics acquired Mike Muscala for Justin Jackson (who wasn't playing) and two second-round picks.
Since the start of 2020-21, Muscala is top 75 in box plus/minus, with averages of 18.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.7 threes and 1.1 blocks per 75 possessions and a 39.7 three-point percentage. And in the same stretch, the Oklahoma City Thunder's net rating was plus-3.0 with Muscala on the floor and minus-8.1 with him off.
There are a lot of bigs on Boston's roster (including Al Horford, Robert Williams III, Grant Williams, Blake Griffin and Luke Kornet), but Muscala can help. And the price was next to nothing.
Now, for the veggies.
In Wednesday's win over the Philadelphia 76ers, star wing Jaylen Brown suffered a facial fracture from a collision with Jayson Tatum. He'll be out indefinitely.
That's obviously a big loss, but Boston's depth (which was bolstered Thursday) should help it survive. On the season, the Celtics are plus-15.0 points per 100 possessions when Tatum plays without Brown.
Stat of the Week
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Cam Thomas has become the NBA's embodiment of the "I'm the captain now" meme.
With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving out of action (and both now gone), Thomas reeled off three straight 40-point games this week, helping to bring the league total to 131 for 2022-23.
With roughly a third of the season to go, the NBA is on pace to smash the record for 40-point games set in a season (142 in 1961-62).
Of course, there were only nine teams in the league back then, and 63 of those games came from Wilt Chamberlain. Comparing the modern game to the '60s is tricky (or, more precisely, useless).
The three-point era record of 137, set in 2018-19, is a better comparison. And, of course, that's going down too.
The Buyout Market
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The trade deadline may be behind us, but there should still be plenty of opportunities for teams to improve their rosters.
This season could give us one of the more robust buyout markets in recent memory, with Russell Westbrook, John Wall, Reggie Jackson, Serge Ibaka and Danny Green all potentially available.
None of the above will walk into anyone's starting lineup, but the experience of each could help a number of contenders looking for playmaking (in the case of Russ, Wall and Jackson), defense (Ibaka and Green) or three-point shooting (Green) off the bench.
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