Power Ranking Every Team If the 2025-26 NBA Season Started Today
Because some of the big news happened before July 1, and much of it wrapped up shortly thereafter, the 2025 NBA offseason has sort of felt a bit quieter than others.
But when you look at everything that happened at a glance, and throw in some blockbusters from February, it becomes clear that the league has shifted dramatically over the last several months.
Luka Dončić is a Los Angeles Laker. The Orlando Magic spent a trade-asset fortune on Desmond Bane. The Phoenix Suns hit the reset button and sent Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns (and bought out Bradley Beal). The Milwaukee Bucks bought out Damian Lillard, and used their short-term savings to sign Myles Turner. Cameron Johnson is on the Denver Nuggets.
And there's still more to come. Restricted free agents Jonathan Kuminga, Josh Giddey, Cam Thomas and Quentin Grimes remain unsigned. On Monday, ESPN's Shams Charania hinted that a possible Giannis Antetokounmpo trade may not be off the table.
But we'll set speculation to the side (at least mostly) for today's exercise. Power rankings are the order of the day. And we're going to approach this edition as if the 2025-26 season was starting right now.
With that extra consideration, as well as our guides over the years—team and individual numbers, recent performance (which would include offseason performance, in this case), championship chances and plenty of subjectivity—here's how the entire NBA stacks up.
30. Brooklyn Nets (26-56)
1 of 30
Previous Rank: 28
The veteran leadership for the Brooklyn Nets will come almost entirely from Michael Porter Jr. (acquired in the Johnson trade), Nic Claxton and Terance Mann.
Let that sink in for a moment, and then remember the fact that the Nets are rostering a whopping five first-round picks from this year's draft, including playmakers Egor Demin, Nolan Traoré and Ben Saraf.
That's going to mean loads of mistakes from offensive engineers with no NBA experience and loads of losses to follow.
It may be a big individual year for MPJ, but the 2025-26 campaign will largely be about the 2026 lottery for Brooklyn.
29. Utah Jazz (17-65)
2 of 30
Previous Rank: 30
The Utah Jazz' years-long teardown continued this offseason, when they traded John Collins and Collin Sexton and released Jordan Clarkson. Last season, they were a dismal minus-12.2 points per 100 possessions when all three were on the floor.
Even with Lauri Markkanen seemingly healthy and on track to play more in 2025-26, the young core responsible for that number is going to play a ton of minutes. A Markkanen trade would fit the trend of the last few years and make the team even worse.
And at this point, that's fine.
Utah still doesn't have a surefire future star on the roster (although Ace Bailey was the No. 2 prospect in his high school class), so another shot at the draft lottery should be what it's after.
28. Washington Wizards (18-64)
3 of 30
Previous Rank: 29
The Washington Wizards figure to be neck and neck with the Nets and Jazz for the worst record in the league this year, but they have a pair of veterans (to Utah's one) who might actually be able to drive some unintended winning (at least unless or until they're traded).
CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton are on the roster and will seemingly start and play plenty at the outset of 2025-26, if for no other reason than to juice their trade value. And again, those two will be enough to make Washington competitive in a handful of games.
But eventually, you can expect the Wizards two either move one or both or start to give them overly conservative recovery timelines for injuries.
And as more minutes are devoted to young talents like Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Cam Whitmore, Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George and multiple other first-round picks still on their rookie deals, the losses will start to pile up (as will some intriguing highlights).
27. Charlotte Hornets (19-63)
4 of 30
Previous Rank: 27
On paper, the Charlotte Hornets make a lot of sense (at least outside the center position, where they're suddenly lacking proven talent).
Whatever you think of LaMelo Ball's blustery style, with all its one-legged runners from three, no-look passes and committed isolations, he's undoubtedly productive. And he attracts plenty of defensive attention.
Surrounding him with shooters, especially those with size, makes a lot of sense. And the Hornets now have three young wings who fit that description in Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley.
Of course, defense is going to be an adventure (rookie big Ryan Kalkbrenner may help there, but again, he's unproven). And there will be a learning curve for the incoming rookies (Knueppel and McNeeley).
But if Ball can stay healthy, Charlotte should cruise past last season's total of 19 wins.
26. New Orleans Pelicans (21-61)
5 of 30
Previous Rank: 25
As long as Zion Williamson is on the team, the New Orleans Pelicans will be the poster team for theoretical outcomes.
When he's healthy, they can seemingly compete with just about anyone. But he only appeared in 30 contests last season, and he's averaged around 36 games per year during his career.
Yes, there are other intriguing talents on the team, including and especially Trey Murphy III, who averaged 21.2 points in 2024-25; Herb Jones, a defensive ace; Dejounte Murray, who's coming off a torn Achilles; and Jordan Poole, whose hot streaks could win them a game or two.
But in the loaded Western Conference, that isn't likely to lead to a ton of success. And without Zion to bind it all together during the games he'll inevitably miss, New Orleans will struggle to keep pace with most opponents.
25. Toronto Raptors (30-52)
6 of 30
Previous Rank: 26
Barring a trade of some member of a core that played no real time together last season, there wasn't much for the Toronto Raptors to do this summer. So, they re-signed Jakob Poeltl and locked that core in place.
It's an interesting bet, considering the lack of respect commanded by Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Brandon Ingram as outside shooters. The offense could get mighty cramped in 2025-26.
And the reserves behind those three, Poeltl and Immanuel Quickley are mostly unproven.
Toronto has a couple star (or near-star) talents, but their pieces of a puzzle that don't fit flush. As currently constructed, it's not hard to imagine them around 25-30 wins again.
24. Phoenix Suns (36-46)
7 of 30
Previous Rank: 24
Four short years ago, Devin Booker was in the NBA Finals with a Phoenix Suns squad that included Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges.
Those four and every single other member of the 2020-21 team is now gone, and Booker is tasked with leading the hodgepodge roster left in the wake of a series of unfortunate moves that saw both KD and Beal come and go.
Individually, Booker figures to have another strong campaign. Mark Williams will give him good rim-running and defensive anchoring when healthy (he's averaged around 35 games per season for his career). And Jalen Green will have a handful of show-stopping scoring performances.
But there isn't enough here to seriously challenge in the West. There might not even be enough to make the play-in tournament. So, Suns fans could more or less be forced to wait the next half-decade while the waived-and-stretched portion of Beal's contract is still on the books for about $20 million per year.
23. Philadelphia 76ers (24-58)
8 of 30
Previous Rank: 21
Recent reporting suggests Joel Embiid's knee may not be ready for the start of training camp. For someone with his injury history, that's alarming.
And if he and 35-year-old Paul George are in and out of the lineup in much the same way they were in 2024-25, there's a good chance the Philadelphia 76ers could be in for another losing season.
With Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and VJ Edgecombe all on the team, there's plenty of reason for optimism, but the two highest-paid players may push that optimism down the road a bit.
22. Portland Trail Blazers (36-46)
9 of 30
Previous Rank: 23
From about mid-January to the end of the 2024-25 season, the up-and-coming Portland Trail Blazers had a winning record, thanks in large part to Deni Avdija and a defensive identity spearheaded by he and Toumani Camara.
All they've done this offseason is double down on that identity, by buying out Deandre Ayton (which clears the way for more Donovan Clingan minutes) and acquiring Jrue Holiday from the Boston Celtics.
The former's rim protection and the latter's experience and leadership could have the Blazers pushing for a play-in spot as early as this season. And if Avdija plays all of 2025-26 like he did his last month or so (when he averaged 24.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists), that may be a given.
Of course, the other big storyline here is that the Blazers brought Damian Lillard back after the Bucks bought him out, but he'll spend all of this season rehabbing his torn Achilles.
21. Sacramento Kings (40-42)
10 of 30
Previous Rank: 20
The Sacramento Kings played in the same league as a Chicago Bulls team that featured DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine and struggled to even push mediocrity.
It will never cease to amaze that the Kings then reunited an older version of that duo in the more competitive conference, while somehow unloading two All-Star point guards (Tyrese Haliburton and De'Aaron Fox) in the process.
Domantas Sabonis probably peaked a little higher than Nikola Vučević (DeRozan and LaVine's center in Chicago), and there should still be some upside to uncover with Keegan Murray.
But the chances of this core, along with the recently signed Dennis Schröder, competing for anything beyond a play-in spot are slim to none.
20. Chicago Bulls (39-43)
11 of 30
Previous Rank: 19
There's a hint of uncertainty around the Bulls, thanks to the fact that Josh Giddey remains unsigned. But without any real cap space, the restricted free agent is likely to return.
And when he was on the floor with Coby White, Kevin Huerter, Matas Buzelis and Vučević (the starting five over the closing kick of the season), Chicago had a comfortably positive point differential.
That doesn't necessarily mean that lineup will outscore its opponents again, but there's at least some reason for optimism with Giddey's playmaking and plenty of shooting around it.
19. Indiana Pacers (50-32)
12 of 30
Previous Rank: 16
The Indiana Pacers were already in for a steep dropoff from their Finals run. The loss of Tyrese Haliburton to an Achilles tear guaranteed that, but this offseason cost them another starter when Myles Turner signed with division rival Milwaukee.
When those two were off the floor last season, Indiana had a negative point differential, and there's a decent chance that continues through 2025-26.
Still, the Pacers have one of the best coaches in basketball in Rick Carlisle. Pascal Siakam will continue to play like an All-Star, and Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith could both scale into more production without Haliburton and Turner around.
Another deep playoff run is probably out of the question, but Indiana can still make the postseason.
18. Boston Celtics (61-21)
13 of 30
Previous Rank: 12
In this era of parity and second aprons, a team's title window can shut in an instant. In the Boston Celtics case, a ruptured Achilles for Jayson Tatum slammed it.
In the wake of that injury, the Celtics had to face the reality that they were never going to compete for a title in 2025-26, which led to the cost-cutting trades of Kristaps Porziņģis and Holiday. It's also become clear that they're not going to re-sign Al Horford.
So, instead of the loaded, dynamic rotation that could play multiple styles over the last two years, Boston enters the coming campaign with a frontcourt rotation led by Luka Garza, Georges Niang, Sam Hauser and Neemias Queta.
The absence of Tatum, KP and Jrue could mean bigger individual numbers from the likes of Payton Pritchard, Anfernee Simons (who came over the Holiday) and Derrick White. Jaylen Brown could certainly have a huge campaign.
But even in the weaker conference, the Celtics are suddenly far from guaranteed to finish in the East's top six.
17. Miami Heat (37-45)
14 of 30
Previous Rank: 22
Now that Butler is on the Warriors, the Miami Heat should be able to start this campaign without the drama that attended his lack of an extension and eventual trade demand last season.
That alone could be worth a small boost to the Heat's win total. Adding Norman Powell to Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins and Bam Adebayo should help even more.
With Adebayo anchoring and Erik Spoelstra at the helm, the defensive identity isn't likely to go anywhere. And now, there are at least two explosive scorers and outside shooters in Herro and Powell to carry the team on the other end.
If Jaime Jaquez or Nikola Jović take developmental leaps, the Heat could finish in the top six in the East again.
16. Milwaukee Bucks (48-34)
15 of 30
Previous Rank: 14
One look at the Milwaukee Bucks depth chart, and it's easy to feel a little uneasy about their 2025-26 prospects.
The frontcourt of Myles Turner and Giannis Antetokounmpo is strong, but some combination of Kevin Porter Jr., Cole Anthony, Gary Trent Jr. and AJ Green will start in the backcourt. Kyle Kuzma will likely start on the wing.
Even in the weakened East, there's a chance that group, backed up Bobby Portis and Taurean Prince, might be destined for the play-in.
So, perhaps it shouldn't be all that surprising that ESPN's Shams Charania recently reported that there's still a chance Giannis might be looking at other potential situations.
15. Dallas Mavericks (39-43)
16 of 30
Previous Rank: 18
There are very real questions about the return date for Kyrie Irving and the general durability of Anthony Davis, but Cooper Flagg looking ready to contribute right away at the Las Vegas Summer League could be part of the answer.
Even before Kyrie is back in the lineup, the Dallas Mavericks figure to be one of the league's tougher, longer and more rugged defensive units.
AD, Flagg and Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford in the frontcourt would present a daunting challenge for opposing bigs. Even sliding Davis to the 5 and having the more switchable P.J. Washington on the floor in place of the bigger centers will work against plenty of opponents and lineups.
Offense will certainly be trickier to come by, but even in the loaded West, there's enough defensive talent on this team to be competitive.
14. Memphis Grizzlies (48-34)
17 of 30
Previous Rank: 15
Desmond Bane has led the Memphis Grizzlies in wins over replacement player over the last four seasons. There will absolutely be an adjustment to life without his three-point shooting and ability to run the show when Ja Morant is out or off the floor.
But the Orlando Magic made Memphis an offer it simply could not refuse. A rotation player (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope), four unprotected first-round picks and a first-round pick swap is a genuine jackpot for an undersized 2 who's never made an All-Star team.
And while that deal obviously benefits the Grizzlies more in the long term than it does the short, if healthy (and yes, that's a big "if"), this team should still be a tough out in the West.
Last season, when Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. were on the floor without Bane, Memphis was plus-13.5 points per 100 possessions.
And the Grizzlies have plenty of solid supporting players to deploy around that duo, including Santi Aldama, Ty Jerome, Jaylen Wells and incoming rookie Cedric Coward.
13. Atlanta Hawks (40-42)
18 of 30
Previous Rank: 17
If there was a "we thought they would be better" award, the Atlanta Hawks would be in the hunt just about every year, so we have to approach this slide with a bit of caution.
They've made that difficult, though, by Kristaps Porziņģis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to a team that already has Trae Young, Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels, as well as a possible developmental leap on the way for Zaccharie Risacher.
The ideal roster around Young would likely include loads of length, defense and shooting, and this one now has it. In an injury-weakened East, Atlanta should push for a top-six finish.
But ultimately, their success or failure may come down to the health of Johnson. For moments of last season, he looked poised to overtake Young as the team's best player, but a shoulder injury limited him to 36 appearances.
12. Detroit Pistons (44-38)
19 of 30
Previous Rank: 11
In more than tripling their total of 14 wins from 2023-24, the 2024-25 Detroit Pistons accomplished something no team in NBA history had before.
Now, they're faced with what may be even tougher than going from terrible to good: going from good to great.
And they're going to have to make that leap without a pair of veteran shooters who were first and second on the team in total threes made in Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Their placement near the top 10 in this list is a vote of confidence that they'll more than survive without that duo, thanks to the return of Jaden Ivey, the arrival of Duncan Robinson and the presumed development of Ausar Thompson, Ron Holland and Jalen Duren.
Of course, the ultimate driver of their success will remain Cade Cunningham, who broke out with 26.1 points and 9.1 assists last season, but he should have plenty of help in pushing the Pistons a little closer to 50 wins.
11. San Antonio Spurs (34-48)
20 of 30
Previous Rank: 13
Yes, there is a lot of positional and skill overlap between the recently extended De'Aaron Fox, reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and incoming rookie Dylan Harper.
Yes, there are some questions about depth and consistency at the forward and wing positions, though Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson have both showed solid upside at various times over the years.
No, the roster doesn't quite feel complete.
But the San Antonio Spurs have Victor Wembanyama, who averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.8 blocks, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals last season. He trailed only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić and Giannis Antetokounmpo in estimated plus-minus. And he's only 21 years old.
When he was on the floor in 2024-25, the Spurs had a point differential around that of a 47-win team, and most of his minutes were logged prior to Fox's arrival via trade.
If he can stay healthy, San Antonio should almost certainly return to the postseason.
10. Golden State Warriors (48-34)
21 of 30
Previous Rank: 9
The Golden State Warriors' near-total lack of an offseason makes it tempting to drop them a little further. It looks like the tension between Jonathan Kuminga and the organization is going to bleed into 2025-26, too.
But there's still enough evidence from the post-Jimmy Butler trade version of the Warriors to sneak them into the top 10.
When he, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green were all on the floor, Golden State was plus-8.7 points per 100 possessions. Curry just averaged a league-best 4.4 threes per game. Butler averaged 5.9 assists and 1.7 steals as a Warrior. And Draymond had a bit of a personal renaissance on the defensive end.
If one or two of the young players who aren't at odds with the coaching staff and front office (like Brandin Podziemski or Moses Moody) take a big developmental step forward, Golden State might still look like a contender by the spring.
9. Orlando Magic (41-41)
22 of 30
Previous Rank: 10
The Magic paid a small fortune (in NBA trade terms) to acquire Bane, but he is exactly what the team needs to nudge a little closer to meaningful title contention.
They already have a pair of budding stars at forward in Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, but they have exactly one campaign between the two of them with an above-average true shooting percentage (Wagner's 2022-23).
And the entire team was 30th in both threes per game and three-point percentage in 2024-25.
Bane brings a career 41.0 three-point percentage and an average of 21.1 points and 5.0 assists over the last three years with him to Orlando.
He'll loosen up the paint for Banchero and Wagner's drives, while also taking some playmaking responsibility off of both.
That boost won't come at the expense of the Magic's defensive identity either.
Assuming generally decent health, Orlando has a very real chance to finish in the top four of the East in 2025-26 and maybe even make a conference finals run.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33)
23 of 30
Previous Rank: 8
Losing Nickeil Alexander-Walker hurts the Minnesota Timberwolves a bit, but they managed to re-sign both Naz Reid and Julius Randle this offseason.
And after surviving a bit of a learning curve for the latter, Minnesota looked like a title contender (or at least a fringe contender).
If there's another step for this team to take, though, it'll likely have to be taken by Anthony Edwards.
Catch-all numbers from around the internet suggest he has a case to be considered a top-10 player, but he likely has to perform like an MVP candidate to threaten the Oklahoma City Thunder and the rest of the West's top tier.
Whether that means more playmaking for others, fewer turnovers, more consistency as an off-ball defender or some combination of all of the above, Edwards still has a handful of weaknesses he can improve upon.
Fortunately, the 24-year-old has already provided plenty of evidence he's willing and able to get better.
7. New York Knicks (51-31)
24 of 30
Previous Rank: 7
The New York Knicks were a solid (though unspectacular) plus-4.1 points per 100 possessions when their top five of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns were all on the floor, but former coach Tom Thibodeau almost ran that group into the ground.
The 940 minutes they played as a unit in 2024-25 was more than 200 clear of second place and over 400 clear of third.
This offseason, they hired a coach who'll presumably spare their legs a bit more (Mike Brown), while also picking up a pair of solid veterans for the bench in Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele.
With injuries taking the Celtics and Pacers out of the picture, the Knicks have a very real opportunity to potentially represent the East in the 2026 Finals.
6. Los Angeles Lakers (50-32)
25 of 30
Previous Rank: 6
Much has been made of Luka Dončić's contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, the lack of the same for LeBron James and what that might mean for the latter's future.
One thing is clear: L.A. is now Luka's team. And that's obviously an unusual position for LeBron to be in.
That potential awkwardness aside, and assuming the Lakers don't move LeBron for supporting players who may demand a few less ball-handling opportunities from Luka, this team should still be a title contender in 2025-26.
Beyond that duo, they have more scoring and playmaking from Austin Reaves. Marcus Smart should be able to provide a defensive spark to the backcourt. Rui Hachimura's shooting and ability to guard multiple positions will help, too.
But the biggest changes are the replacement of Jaxson Hayes with Deandre Ayton and Luka looking healthier and in better shape than he has in years.
The first and third picks of the 2018 draft, Ayton and Dončić have a chance to form one of the more dynamic guard-big punches in the league.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers (64-18)
26 of 30
Previous Rank: 3
In 2023-24, the Cleveland Cavaliers felt like an up-and-coming team that would make a little noise in the future. Losing to the eventual champion Celtics in the second round didn't feel all that notable, even if they were dispatched in five games.
In the 2024-25 regular season, it felt like Cleveland maybe skipped a step or two, cruised to 60-plus wins and entered the postseason as the East's top seed. Things were trending up, at least until they bowed out in the second round for the second year in a row.
Yes, the Cavs were banged up by the time the Pacers eliminated them, but only mustering one win was still a disappointment. And they followed that disappointment up with a relatively quiet offseason that included the loss of Jerome and the addition of the oft-unavailable Lonzo Ball.
Still, the core of this team still makes sense, and Evan Mobley and Darius Garland should still be improving. Donovan Mitchell is a bona fide superstar. And Jarrett Allen complements all three as the no-nonsense rim-runner and rim-protector.
Cleveland has made itself a "prove it to me in the playoffs" team, but it will almost certainly win a boatload of regular season games and be in the mix for the conference's best record again.
4. Los Angeles Clippers (50-32)
27 of 30
Previous Rank: 5
Los Angeles' less famous team enters 2025-26 with a better roster, headlined by Kawhi Leonard and James Harden and now bolstered by a series of offseason moves that may make the Clippers the deepest (though oldest) squad in the NBA.
L.A.'s first offseason splash was its signing of Brook Lopez to backup Ivica Zubac. Then, following Bradley Beal's buyout from the Suns, he and Chris Paul signed as free agents. And along the way, John Collins joined the frontcourt as part of the deal that sent Powell to the Heat.
Adding those four to Harden, Leonard, Zubac, Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr. and Nicolas Batum gives the Clippers a versatile, low-mistake 10-man rotation that could conceivably challenge any opponent in a playoff series.
Of course, that rotation also means L.A. is on track to be the oldest team the NBA has seen since its merger with the ABA in the 1970s. And there's obviously a pretty robust injury history for Kawhi.
Surviving fully intact till the playoffs may be a long shot, but if they do, the Clippers are capable of winning it all.
3. Houston Rockets (52-30)
28 of 30
Previous Rank: 4
Throughout "Kevin Durant trade rumors" season, the Houston Rockets looked like the team that would make the most sense for the soon-to-be-37-year-old all-timer.
And when the trade package that sent him there turned out to only be Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, a single first-round pick and several future second-rounders, the move looked like a genuine no-brainer for Houston.
The Rockets kept all of their best and most promising young players, including Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Şengün. And they replaced one of their least consistent (Green) with one of the best three-level scorers in the league.
Brooks' defensive tenacity may be missed, but Thompson, Smith and Tari Eason should be to replace it (and then some).
2. Denver Nuggets (50-32)
29 of 30
Previous Rank: 2
The last edition of the power rankings came out before the offseason tipped off, but the Denver Nuggets' performance against the eventual champion Thunder and the fact that they have the best player in the world was enough to earn them the No. 2 spot without knowing what they'd do this summer.
Well, now we know. And having Denver second doesn't feel anywhere near as precarious as it did in late June.
The Nuggets' biggest move was the trade of Michael Porter Jr. and a future first-round pick for a similar (though quicker-triggered) shooter who's also a bit better off the bounce and more mobile off the ball in Cameron Johnson.
That alone should make Denver's starting lineup a bit more dynamic, but the financial savings that came from that deal also helped the team add Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valančiūnas to a bench that has been comically bad without Nikola Jokić in recent years.
With Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon still around, and Christian Braun fresh off a breakout 2024-25, on paper, this roster is better than the one that won a championship in 2023.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14)
30 of 30
Previous Rank: 1
Don't expect to see many teams other than OKC in this spot throughout 2025-26.
After winning the title just under two months ago, the Thunder signed both Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren to long-term extensions.
With those two and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in place, OKC will be, at the very least, a contender.
And as long as Sam Presti is calling the shots from the front office, even with the intricacies and challenges of the current collective bargaining agreement, that trio is likely to have a good enough supporting cast to make this team the favorite.
