NBA Power Rankings: Blockbuster Trades Shake Up League's top Tier
In the two-and-a-half months since the last edition of the power rankings went live, free agency essentially wrapped up, we got a look at several NBA players at the FIBA World Cup and the Milwaukee Bucks pulled off a blockbuster trade to acquire Damian Lillard that cost them Jrue Holiday, who was re-routed to the Boston Celtics.
Even without any NBA games to evaluate, enough has happened to justify some adjustments to the rankings. Even the passage of time can have a little influence on how one might feel about a team's offseason.
Based on reactions to everything that happened this summer, fit between new teammates, previous production and plenty of subjectivity about what's next, here's how all 30 teams stack up now.
30. Portland Trail Blazers
1 of 30
Almost three months after his initial trade request went public, the Portland Trail Blazers finally ended the Damian Lillard saga. He's now a Milwaukee Buck, and his former team should have an inside track to some of the best lottery odds in the league.
Tons of losses won't necessarily equate with lack of entertainment, though.
The young, overhauled Blazers could actually be a blast, with Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons and the recently acquired Deandre Ayton spearheading the offense. High-flying Shaedon Sharpe should get more opportunities to play too.
Portland probably isn't done adding to that core of young talent either. It got Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III as part of the Holiday trade, both of whom could be attractive to contenders or fringe contenders.
29. Detroit Pistons
2 of 30
The Detroit Pistons didn't just have the fewest wins in the league last season. They were five games behind the closest team in the overall standings.
And though natural development from young players like Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson could make the Pistons a better team, they could be in the hunt for the NBA's worst record for the second year in a row.
Of course, at this point in a rebuild, that's probably fine. Detroit is loaded with interesting young talent, but a shot at another top 5-10 pick wouldn't hurt.
28. Washington Wizards
3 of 30
Trading Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porziņģis for rebuild-ready packages this summer means the Washington Wizards are headed for the bottom of the standings (and the top of the lottery odds).
Several veterans on the roster could make Washington more competitive than expected, though. Tyus Jones, Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma are all playoff-tested. Poole and Kuzma have won championships.
But at some point (maybe pretty early in the season), developmental minutes for younger players will probably get prioritized, losses will pile up, and the Wizards will look to the draft.
27. San Antonio Spurs
4 of 30
It may take Victor Wembanyama a little longer to adapt to NBA offense than people expect, but his length and athleticism alone should make him an impact defender almost right away.
And we have decades of evidence that shows that San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich can build a strong defensive unit with an anchor like Wemby.
If Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson can produce at a level similar to what they did last season, the Spurs may surprise some people, but probably not enough to get them into the play-in hunt.
26. Charlotte Hornets
5 of 30
We're now into the range of teams that could reasonably be expected to compete for a top-10 conference finish.
For the Charlotte Hornets, though, that'll likely require a little more availability from the primary contributors than they've gotten in the past.
Miles Bridges missed all of 2022-23 after pleading no contest to a felony domestic violence charge. LaMelo Ball managed just 36 games. And Gordon Hayward has averaged just 47.7 appearances per year since he joined the Hornets.
If those three can play 60-plus games each and Brandon Miller plays well enough to garner some All-Rookie love, Charlotte could push for a .500 record.
25. Toronto Raptors
6 of 30
After failing to trade him at the deadline, the Toronto Raptors lost Fred VanVleet for nothing in free agency this summer. And now, the prospect of the same thing happening with Pascal Siakam, who's on an expiring contract, could loom over the team throughout 2023-24.
That and a lack of spacing (which also plagued the VanVleet-led version of this team) could severely limit Toronto.
But there is plenty of raw talent here, too. Siakam, Scottie Barnes and O.G. Anunoby, shooting concerns aside, bring plenty of length, defense and playmaking.
24. Houston Rockets
7 of 30
The Houston Rockets made some accelerate-the-timeline moves this summer when they signed Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks.
Adding those two a developing core that includes Alperen Şengün, Jabari Smith Jr. and Jalen Green may be enough to move Houston toward play-in contention, but that's not all Houston has going for it.
The Rockets also landed two of the most intriguing wings from the 2023 draft in Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore.
With those two, Smith and Brooks, Houston has tons of switchability on the wings. Green and VanVleet can each get hot from the outside. And Şengün could develop into something of a B version of Nikola Jokić as a playmaking 5 who ties it all together.
23. Chicago Bulls
8 of 30
The Chicago Bulls have been about as mediocre as mediocre gets since DeMar DeRozan's arrival ahead of the 2021-22 season.
During his two campaigns with Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević, the Bulls have a plus-0.5 net rating (net points per 100 possessions) that ranks 17th in the league (only two teams are closer to an even 0.0). And that number's actually lower when all three of the aforementioned stars are on the floor.
Still, there's a lot of raw talent in that trio, and a breakout from someone like Patrick Williams could push Chicago toward the top of the play-in range.
22. Indiana Pacers
9 of 30
Prior to Tyrese Haliburton's first extended absence in 2022-23, the Indiana Pacers were 23-19 and firmly in the hunt for a playoff berth.
For the entire season, when Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Myles Turner were on the floor, Indiana was plus-4.9 points per 100 possessions.
And now, with that core still in place, the Pacers have added Obi Toppin and NBA champion Bruce Brown to the mix.
If Haliburton can stay healthy, Indiana could very well make the postseason.
21. Orlando Magic
10 of 30
After a strong 2022-23, 22-year-old Franz Wagner raised his stock with averages of 16.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 steals for Germany on the way to a FIBA World Cup gold medal.
Now, he'll have a chance to continue that breakout alongside Paolo Banchero for an up-and-coming Orlando Magic team that should be on everyone's League Pass radar.
If one or two of Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, Anthony Black and Markelle Fultz exceed expectations, Orlando should be one of the most entertaining teams in basketball.
20. Utah Jazz
11 of 30
As one of the best finishers (or Finnishers) in the league, Lauri Markkanen played at a borderline-All-NBA level in 2022-23.
And having a top-20(ish) talent on the roster makes competitiveness almost inevitable (unless that talent gets hurt or shut down at some point).
But that's not all the Utah Jazz have going for them in 2023-24. Walker Kessler already looks like one of the game's better rim protectors. John Collins will have a shot at a bounce-back campaign. And young wings or guards like Keyonte George, Ochai Agbaji and Talen Horton-Tucker raise the team's long-term upside.
19. Brooklyn Nets
12 of 30
The Brooklyn Nets have one of the NBA's most modern, switchable and theoretically versatile rosters in the league.
If Ben Simmons is healthy and willing to play some point center, lineups with him, Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O'Neale could really push the "positionless basketball" envelope.
It's tough to expect any of the above to be the kind of superstar who darn-near guarantees a playoff spot, though.
Simmons has made three All-Star teams, but he's played only 42 games and averaged 6.9 points over the last two seasons. In a limited sample, Bridges scored like a star after the Nets acquired him last season, but a little more playmaking wouldn't hurt.
Still, even if those two only elevate to B+ or A- level while much of the rest of this deep and well-balanced roster merely meets expectations, Brooklyn will be a tough out.
18. Atlanta Hawks
13 of 30
After an almost perfectly average 2022-23 in which they finished 41-41, the Atlanta Hawks are surely banking on more continuity within the Trae Young-Dejounte Murray partnership and a full offseason and training camp under coach Quin Snyder (who was hired in the middle of last season).
In theory, those things and the raw talent of Young and Murray should make Atlanta better than a .500 team, but mini breakouts from some of the young players wouldn't hurt either.
AJ Griffin and Jalen Johnson certainly have a shot to do that. Onyeka Okongwu, who should get more minutes following the departure of John Collins, should be in that camp too.
17. Oklahoma City Thunder
14 of 30
Few (if any) rosters in the NBA are as jam-packed with young talent as the Oklahoma City Thunder's.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is 25 years old and already has a first-team All-NBA selection under his belt. Josh Giddey turns 21 in October and has put up well-rounded averages of 14.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists in his first two seasons. And over his last 26 games, rookie Jalen Williams put up 18.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 2022-23.
But the real X-Factor heading into this coming season may be 7-foot center Chet Holmgren. Some good old-fashioned size, rim protection and rebounding were about all OKC was missing. If Holmgren can provide that, the Thunder might make this placement look silly in hindsight.
16. New Orleans Pelicans
15 of 30
From December 7 to December 12, the New Orleans Pelicans were in first place in the Western Conference. On December 30, they beat the Philadelphia 76ers to move to 23-12 on the season. The rest of the way, they went 19-28.
The obvious reason for the slide was the absence of Zion Williamson, who played just 56 minutes from December 31 to the end of the season.
When he was on the floor last season, the Pelicans had a point differential around that of a 59-win team. When he wasn't, their point differential was around that of a 40-win team.
If Zion can't get and stay healthy, New Orleans doesn't have a great chance to make the playoffs. If he can, the Pelicans could have home-court advantage in the first round. Few teams have as wide a range of potential outcomes.
15. Minnesota Timberwolves
16 of 30
He's not returning with the same hardware as Franz Wagner, but Anthony Edwards had a similar, profile-raising performance at the FIBA World Cup.
Edwards quickly emerged as Team USA's No. 1 option, which felt like a natural next step after he averaged 31.6 points, 5.2 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.8 steals against the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs.
If the 22-year-old's star keeps rising (and it's hard to come up with reasons it won't), the Minnesota Timberwolves should have an opportunity to return to the postseason.
A full season with Mike Conley's veteran leadership and more continuity between Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns should help too.
14. Cleveland Cavaliers
17 of 30
The Cleveland Cavaliers had the top regular-season defense in the NBA in 2022-23, and they hovered near the top in point differential too.
Then they got blasted by the New York Knicks in a five-game first-round series. That was a natural lead-in to a summer with plenty of rumors about Donovan Mitchell's possible eventual departure.
Without a stronger postseason showing from the Cavs in 2024, something that may depend on Evan Mobley loosening up the offense by adding a three-point shot (or at least the threat of one), the Mitchell-related pressure could get pretty heavy.
He's under contract for each of the next two seasons, but 2025-26 is a player option.
13. Los Angeles Clippers
18 of 30
Like the New Orleans Pelicans with Zion Williamson, the Los Angeles Clippers' prospects are completely intertwined with the availability of often unavailable players.
In L.A.'s case, of course, those players are Kawhi Leonard (40.3 appearances per season since he became a Clipper) and Paul George (47.3).
12. Dallas Mavericks
19 of 30
Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić are two of the game's best isolation and pick-and-roll scorers.
Throughout their careers, having either on the floor has pretty much guaranteed good-to-great offense. Now, the Dallas Mavericks are about to start a season in which they'll have those two sharing the floor for the majority of games.
And whichever star goes up against the opposition's second-best perimeter defender is almost certainly going to feast.
Even after a solid offseason, there are still questions about this team's depth and defense, but the attack will almost certainly be dominant.
11. New York Knicks
20 of 30
The New York Knicks cleared their preseason over/under for 2022-23 wins by 8.5 (the fifth-highest mark in the league).
Jalen Brunson exceeded expectations in his first season at New York's wheel, and the Knicks were one of the campaign's biggest surprises.
And while it might feel like they're mostly running it back, bolstering their bench with Donte DiVincenzo might be a bigger deal than you realize.
DiVincenzo is one of the game's better rebounding guards and had a better 2022-23 than Knicks starter RJ Barrett.
10. Philadelphia 76ers
21 of 30
On talent alone, the Philadelphia 76ers should probably be higher than this.
When James Harden and Joel Embiid were both on the floor, Philadelphia was plus-9.2 points per 100 possessions. And the starting five seems almost tailor-made to play with those two.
But a vibes-related downgrade is unavoidable for a team whose starting point guard and third-highest-paid player has requested a trade and called the team president a liar this summer.
After witnessing James Harden's very visible quittings on the Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets in previous seasons, it's hard to feel super confident in the Sixers. Once that situation is resolved (likely with a trade), Philadelphia will be a lot easier to analyze.
9. Miami Heat
22 of 30
For most of the offseason, Damian Lillard winding up on the Miami Heat felt almost inevitable. It's where he wanted to be, and the whole league knowing that seemingly chilled his trade market for almost three months.
In the end, the Milwaukee Bucks weren't scared off by the fact that Lillard might not want to be there long-term. And Miami is left with what feels like a downgraded roster (if only slightly).
The Heat are coming off another improbable Finals run, but there's a reason they finished the regular season eighth in the East. And now that team is without Max Strus and Gabe Vincent, both of whom started throughout the better-than-expected postseason.
Still, Erik Spoelstra, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are all there. And we've seen that trio get more out of Miami's remaining parts than anyone expects on more than one occasion.
8. Sacramento Kings
23 of 30
The addition of 2022-23 EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov is certainly interesting, but the Sacramento Kings are mostly running things back this season.
Each of the top eight (and nine of the top 10) Kings in playoff minutes are around for 2023-24, but a mostly static roster doesn't preclude improvement.
Almost the entire rotation is made up of players in their 20s, and starting forward Keegan Murray was a rookie last season.
Marginal improvements for the likes of De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis and a second-year leap from Murray could have Sacramento in contention for the West's best regular-season record.
7. Memphis Grizzlies
24 of 30
Unlike Franz Wagner and Anthony Edwards, the FIBA World Cup certainly didn't help Jaren Jackson Jr.'s stock, but he's played in a way that maximizes his unique skills with the Memphis Grizzlies.
When backed up by a brawnier, more traditional 5 like Steven Adams, JJJ's aversion to rebounding and desire to shoot from the perimeter are mitigated. He can also roam for blocks with a little more confidence, knowing Adams is behind him.
Those two, Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart should help the Grizzlies survive Ja Morant's 25-game suspension. And once he's back, Memphis will likely have a shot to finish at or near the top of the conference for the third year in a row.
6. Golden State Warriors
25 of 30
The Golden State Warriors had arguably the best starting five in the NBA last season.
When Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney were on the floor, the Warriors were a whopping plus-22.1 points per 100 possessions.
The problem was that when those players (especially Curry) started to filter out, things cratered in a heartbeat.
But now, Golden State has one of the greatest point guards in the history of the sport to potentially stabilize those minutes without the Warriors' heaviest hitters.
Whether he starts himself or comes off the bench, coach Steve Kerr now has the ability to play Chris Paul or Curry more often with bench-heavy lineups. And that will make a full 48 minutes against the Warriors a lot tougher than it was in 2022-23.
5. Los Angeles Lakers
26 of 30
The "it was a competitive sweep" argument doesn't hold much water. And that's probably true of the Los Angeles Lakers' four-game series loss to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.
But...L.A. did have significant second-half leads in two of those four games. Its win probability in Games 2 and 4 peaked at 83.7 and 91.0 percent, respectively. And the in-season moves that helped the Lakers surge into the conference finals have now had a little more, well, seasoning.
L.A. will now have a full training camp with the LeBron James-Anthony Davis-Austin Reaves pecking order in place and supported by role players like Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and D'Angelo Russell.
If one or two of this summer's additions, which include Christian Wood, Gabe Vincent and Taurean Prince, can provide meaningful contributions, the Lakers will be bona fide title contenders.
4. Phoenix Suns
27 of 30
The most polarized reactions to the three-team trade that landed Damian Lillard with the Milwaukee Bucks have been aimed at the Phoenix Suns.
They swooped in to help facilitate the deal by sending incoming second-rounder Toumani Camara and 2018 No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton to the Portland Trail Blazers. In return, they picked up Jusuf Nurkić, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little and Keon Johnson (who's expected to be waived).
And yes, if you're just zeroing in on the Ayton-for-Nurkić part of this deal, it's tough to wrap your head around. Ayton is four years younger, more vertically explosive and has been deeper in the playoffs.
But advanced numbers actually liked Nurkić more than Ayton last season. He's a better and more willing passer, which should come in handy in lineups with high-volume scorers like Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
And that center swap is just one piece of the trade. As soon as Phoenix added Beal, a trade that would turn Ayton into a little more depth felt almost inevitable. This is it. Grayson Allen is a double-digit scorer who's started for a title contender and has a career 39.5 three-point percentage. Nassir Little has good size (6'6" with a 7'1" wingspan) for highly switchable lineups, and his 36.7 three-point percentage in 2022-23 suggests he may be able to help on the other end too.
The Suns are no longer built with the exceptionally rare "only max and minimum contracts" model, and this version is better equipped for a deep playoff run.
3. Boston Celtics
28 of 30
After losing Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon, Grant Williams and Robert Williams III, depth is certainly a question for the Boston Celtics, but there's no doubt they raised their ceiling this summer.
Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday are now on the team. In combination with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Al Horford, Boston could very well have the best top six in the league. And that's not just a comment on the raw talent (of which there's plenty). All of the above should fit well together too.
Even in an era when big men are encouraged to shoot and pass in a way they weren't decades ago, Porziņģis is an uncommon floor-spacer.
Stathead's shot tracking data goes back to 1996-97, and since then, Porziņģis is tied for 11th in career 28-footers made. All of the players ahead of him on that list are guards (unless you define LeBron James as a forward).
Having a center who'll force opposing 4s and 5s to chase him around four or five feet behind the three-point line could widen slashing lanes for Tatum and Brown in a pretty dramatic way.
And on the other end, Porziņģis' back-line defensive capabilities will shore up a resistance that already had Horford, White, Tatum and Brown, and now includes Holiday.
Even at 33 years old, the former Buck is still one of the best point-of-attack defenders in basketball and coming off the best three-season stretch of his career.
Since the start of 2020-21, he's put up 18.5 points, 6.8 assists, 2.1 threes and 1.5 steals while shooting 39.5 percent from deep. And over that stretch, Milwaukee was plus-9.2 points per 100 possessions with Holiday on the floor and minus-2.3 without him.
2. Milwaukee Bucks
29 of 30
No, there's no data on the Damian Lillard-Giannis Antetokounmpo pairing. Analysis of these two and the new-look Milwaukee Bucks is almost entirely speculative.
But, come on.
At least on the offensive side of the floor, it's hard to imagine how this won't work. Lillard is one of the most dynamic pick-and-roll ball-handlers and way-downtown shooters in NBA history. Giannis is one of the most dynamic slashers and finishers we've ever seen.
Both command tons of attention from defenses. Whichever one gets less is almost certainly going to go off.
And having floor spacing from Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez to flank those two should make Milwaukee's offense about as close to unguardable as offenses get.
On the other end, Lillard's career-long struggles on defense aren't just going to disappear as a Buck, but this roster is better equipped than most to cover for him.
It shouldn't surprise anyone that the Bucks are now tied with the Boston Celtics as the odds-on favorites to win it all.
1. Denver Nuggets
30 of 30
The Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday trades, as well as the wave of reactions that understandably followed, seem to have erased the 2023 playoffs from a lot of minds.
We're only a few months removed from the Denver Nuggets going 16-4 on the way to a championship. They swept LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. They won Game 5 and a series-clinching Game 6 against Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns by a combined 41 points.
Nikola Jokić averaged 30.0 points, 13.5 rebounds, 9.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks in those 20 games. Jamal Murray added 26.1 points, 7.1 assists, 3.0 threes and 1.5 steals while shooting 39.6 percent from deep.
Those two and the rest of a starting lineup that fits them perfectly are back.
Losing Bruce Brown hurt, but Denver's bench has gotten trounced in the non-Jokić minutes throughout his career. There's really nowhere for the new, younger second unit to go but up.
And even if it doesn't, a steady diet of the Jokić-and-Murray two-man game should be enough for another deep playoff run.
