NBA Power Rankings Entering 2025 Preseason
NBA training camps for the 2025-26 season are here. All 30 teams have already held media days. Practices are rolling. And it's time to take an updated stock of the league.
All 30 teams are ranked below, based on the same criteria that has guided this exercise for years: Team and player stats, recent performance, championship chances and a dose of subjectivity.
Obviously, those categories require some caveats in October. Recent performance isn't as big a deal, because that reaches back into 2024-25. Team and individual numbers might require some projection. And when you're almost exclusively looking forward, subjectivity carries more weight.
30. Utah Jazz (17-65)
1 of 30
Championship Odds: +100000
Given Lauri Markkanen's recent exploits at EuroBasket, where he averaged 23.1 points and 8.1 rebounds while leading Finland to a fourth-place finish, you might think the Utah Jazz may have been able to improve on their last ranking.
Markkanen remains on the team despite the organization unloading nearly every other veteran in the past three seasons. When he plays, he makes the Jazz an uncomfortable matchup.
However, the 28-year-old is trade-eligible this season (the timing of his extension barred a move throughout 2024-25). And if Utah finds a taker for him, its top scoring options would be Ace Bailey, Brice Sensabaugh, Kyle Filipowski and Keyonte George.
In that hypothetical, the Jazz will cruise toward a bottom-three record. And even if Markkanen sticks around, they will be in the mix for the best lottery odds for a second year in a row.
29. Brooklyn Nets (26-56)
2 of 30
Championship Odds: +100000
The Brooklyn Nets will also rely heavily on a mostly unproven rotation. Theirs could include up to five first-round picks from this summer's draft: Egor Demin, Nolan Traoré, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf.
Unlike Utah, they lack veterans of Markkanen's caliber from his early Jazz years.
But new Net Michael Porter Jr. is still one of the best shooters in the NBA. Nicolas Claxton had a down year offensively in 2024-25, but he hasn't had a below-average box plus/minus since 2019-20. And Terance Mann has a long track record of being a solid multipositional gap-filler.
Brooklyn should get meaningful contributions from all three. That and playing in the East gives them the slight edge over Utah.
28. Washington Wizards (18-64)
3 of 30
Championship Odds: +100000
The Washington Wizards are the third team likely in the mix for the worst record in the NBA. And they can also chalk that up to youth.
The Wizards have a whopping nine players on the roster who were first-round picks and are still playing on their rookie contracts.
They have a pair of solid veterans (Khris Middleton and CJ McCollum) and a perennial 20-point-per-game scorer (McCollum) to guide them, but they don't seem long for this team. Both should be prime trade targets in February.
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27. Charlotte Hornets (19-63)
4 of 30
Championship Odds: +100000
As the fourth and final team currently rocking championship odds this long, the Charlotte Hornets have the edge over the other three for a few reasons.
First, their big-name "veteran," LaMelo Ball, is only 24 years old. And though there have been whispers about trading him over the years, he's seems like more of a long-term fixture for Charlotte than Markkanen does for Utah, or Middleton and McCollum do for Washington.
Second, none of the prospects for the Jazz, Nets and Wizards have shown star potential on an NBA floor yet. At least not for any extended stretches. Brandon Miller has.
Over the final 42 games of his rookie campaign, Miller averaged 19.8 points and 2.9 threes, while shooting 37.2 percent from deep. He followed that up by averaging 21.0 points and 3.9 threes in his sophomore campaign, before an injury ended it after 27 games.
Those two alone probably raise Charlotte's ceiling a tad higher than the other teams already detailed, and they're surrounded by more potentially helpful veterans than you might realize. Collin Sexton, Miles Bridges, Spencer Dinwiddie and Mason Plumlee all know what they're doing.
If incoming rookie Kon Knueppel outperforms expectations as a do-everything, sweet-shooting utility wing, the Hornets might even contend for a play-in spot.
26. Phoenix Suns (36-46)
5 of 30
Championship Odds: +75000
Following the departures of Kevin Durant (via trade) and Bradley Beal (by way of a waive-and-stretch that will park $19.4 million in dead money on the Phoenix Suns' books in each of the next five seasons), Devin Booker is sure to have a monster individual campaign.
And after showing some growth as a decision-maker for the Houston Rockets in 2024-25, Jalen Green should have some big moments as Booker's No. 2.
It's sort of difficult to find positive things to say about the Suns after that, though. Dillon Brooks is now wildly miscast (he's best served as a team's fifth or sixth scoring option). Mark Williams is wildly productive when he's available. That just doesn't happen often. And the rest of the rotation is headlined by either Royce O'Neale or Grayson Allen.
Phoenix features solid talent, but none are near Booker's level to make them a true threat in the West. Currently, only Utah appears clearly worse within the conference.
25. Toronto Raptors (30-52)
6 of 30
Championship Odds: +15000
The Toronto Raptors enter the 2025-26 campaign with a decent amount of talent, but the puzzle pieces form far from a seamless fit.
Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and even Brandon Ingram all play more like secondary creators than primary offensive engines. And with the possible exception of Quickley, none of them command a ton of respect as three-point shooters.
When those four are on the floor with Jakob Poeltl, which figures to be a fairly common lineup, defenses might be able to pack the paint and live with whatever happens outside.
The potential monotony could be broken up if one or two other young players (like Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, Jonathan Mogbo or Collin Murray-Boyles) pops, but even that probably won't push this team much higher than the play-in.
24. New Orleans Pelicans (21-61)
7 of 30
Championship Odds: +50000
Despite their woeful 21-61 record in 2024-25, there's a real temptation to bump the New Orleans Pelicans much higher up the list.
At media day, Zion Williamson was looking as fit as he has since he was a Duke Blue Devil. And when he played 70 games in 2023-24, New Orleans went 49-33.
He's surrounded by a solid supporting cast, including Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Dejounte Murray and Jordan Poole. If everybody's generally available, the Pelicans could threaten for a playoff berth, even in the loaded West.
But that's just such a massive "if." For his career, Zion has averaged just 36 appearances per season. And in the same six years, New Orleans has a negative point differential when he's off the floor.
If he can stay on it, the Pelicans could soar up this list in the early portion of the season. If he can't, they'll probably stay right around this range.
23. Portland Trail Blazers (36-46)
8 of 30
Championship Odds: +75000
Much of the Portland Trail Blazers' 2024-25 rotation will be occupied by young players such as Scoot Henderson (21 years old), Shaedon Sharpe (22) and Donovan Clingan (21).
That likely means growing pains and another season with a below-average offense.
Last season, from February 1 to its conclusion, though, the Blazers were fourth in points allowed per 100 possessions. One of the few weak links on that end, Deandre Ayton, is gone. And one of the best perimeter defenders in modern NBA history, Jrue Holiday, is in.
Portland is going to be tough on that end. And if Deni Avdija stays on his star trajectory (he averaged 24.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists from March 1 to the end of 2024-25), this team could legitimately push for a playoff spot.
22. Philadelphia 76ers (24-58)
9 of 30
Championship Odds: +4000
The Philadelphia 76ers' position is eerily similar to the Pelicans. Their upside is entirely tied to the health of a player who's rarely been healthy.
In this case, it's obviously Joel Embiid. And the fact that he and Paul George had offseason surgeries made it hard to imagine Philadelphia competing for a title.
Or least that was the case before media day.
Like Zion, Embiid showed up looking trimmer than usual. And if he, George and Tyrese Maxey are all upright in the spring, the Sixers could make a real playoff run in the injury-decimated East.
If not, Philadelphia fans can at least embrace an intriguing young core that includes Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe and Jared McCain (who could be back from his torn UCL in four to six weeks).
21. Chicago Bulls (39-43)
10 of 30
Championship Odds: +75000
It's always wise to take late-season surges from young teams with a grain of salt (and that applies to the Blazers, too). A lot of organizations are eyeing the lottery by February. Winning ceases to be a priority. And encouraging records over the last several weeks of a campaign can be a mirage.
But, the Chicago Bulls did go 15-5 over their last 20 games of 2024-25. And in a stretch that dates back even further, Josh Giddey averaged 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists over his last 19 individual appearances.
If he can play near that level for an entire campaign, Coby White continues to look like a modern Jason Terry, and Matas Buzelis takes a big developmental step forward, the Bulls could threaten for a .500 record.
20. Indiana Pacers (50-32)
11 of 30
Championship Odds: +10000
After back-to-back runs to the conference finals and an appearance in the 2025 NBA Finals, the Indiana Pacers are almost guaranteed to take a step back in 2025-26.
The absence of Tyrese Haliburton, who went down with a torn Achilles in Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, might even make this a gap year that results in a high draft pick in 2026.
Indiana may well have the best coach in the league in Rick Carlisle, though. It still has the rugged supporting cast that surrounded Haliburton, including players who may be capable of scaling up, such as Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin. There's still a bona fide star on the roster in Pascal Siakam.
And in the Eastern Conference, all of those ingredients could well mean, at the very least, another playoff appearance.
19. Boston Celtics (61-21)
12 of 30
Championship Odds: +4500
Another former Eastern Conference contender that lost its best player to a ruptured Achilles, the Boston Celtics are neck-and-neck with the Pacers after unloading Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday and letting Al Horford walk in free agency.
The approach made sense. In fact, there really wasn't another reasonable direction to go. Without Jayson Tatum, who could miss all of 2025-26, there was just no way to justify remaining one of the most expensive teams in the NBA. After this summer's moves, they're no longer a "second apron" team.
Of course, that means they aren't likely to push for a high seed in the East. Even with Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, the rest of the rotation is simply too sparse.
Those two are likely to have big individual campaigns, but beyond that, the collective patience of Celtics fans will be tested.
18. Sacramento Kings (40-42)
13 of 30
Championship Odds: +60000
The Sacramento Kings went 16 years without making the playoffs. And since they finally made it back in 2023, they've spent the last two years and change, for some bewildering reason, trying to reconstitute the mediocre Bulls in Sacramento.
When DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine shared the floor in Chicago, the Bulls were minus-1.9 points per 100 possessions. The point differential was positive when either played without the other.
Now, they're teammates in Sacramento, with a different, though slightly more productive, European center in Domantas Sabonis.
And after having two All-Star-caliber point guards (De'Aaron Fox and Haliburton) a few years ago, Dennis Schröder is now running the show.
Beating expectations now will almost certainly take a monumental leap from Keegan Murray, who's quietly gotten less productive in each of his NBA seasons.
Still, there is some raw talent here. So, expectations don't necessarily have to be really low.
17. Miami Heat (37-45)
14 of 30
Championship Odds: +22500
The Miami Heat's early-season prospects took a hit when Tyler Herro underwent offseason ankle surgery. He could miss the first couple months of the season.
And for an offensively challenged team, replacing his scoring (21.5 points over the last four seasons) and distribution (4.6 assists in the same span) is going to be tough.
Bringing in Norman Powell will help, but younger players such as Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jović will likely need to provide a little more. If they do, and Bam Adebayo gets back to All-Star form, Miami should at least be able to tread water until Herro gets back.
16. Milwaukee Bucks (48-34)
15 of 30
Championship Odds: +5500
The Milwaukee Bucks authored the most shocking move of the offseason when they waived and stretched the rest of Damian Lillard's contract to create the flexibility necessary to sign Myles Turner.
They now have one of the better frontcourts in the East with Turner spacing the floor for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the rest of the rotation is far from inspiring.
Bobby Portis can provide some scoring punch off the bench, but Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr. and Kyle Kuzma, the likely starters alongside Giannis and Turner, are all better suited for reserve roles.
Antetokounmpo is still one of the best players in the world and is going to put up absurd numbers again. But he doesn't have enough help to seriously challenge for a title right now.
15. Dallas Mavericks (39-43)
16 of 30
Championship Odds: +3500
Nothing short of a championship will justify the still-mind-bending trade of Luka Dončić. And the chances of that happening in 2026 are pretty sparse.
However, thanks to a gargantuan stroke of luck that landed the Dallas Mavericks the No. 1 pick this summer, they've emerged from that deal with a roster that can compete right now while also holding hope for the future.
Even if Cooper Flagg doesn't play like a bona fide star in his first season, the amount of size and defense from players like Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, P.J. Washington and Naji Marshall is off the charts.
And if Flagg does pop right away? Dallas could be one of the tougher outs in the West.
The prospect of a deep playoff run, at least in the first couple years of Flagg's career, likely depends on the health of two injury-prone players (Davis and Kyrie Irving), one of whom is currently recovering from a torn ACL (Irving).
14. Memphis Grizzlies (48-34)
17 of 30
Championship Odds: +10000
Breaking up the Ja Morant-Jaren Jackson Jr.-Desmond Bane trio may have caused some consternation in the Memphis Grizzlies front office, but four first-round picks and a first-round pick swap surely calmed some of those feelings. That was simply too much to turn down.
And while the loss of Bane may lead to a half-step back for the Grizzlies in the short term, those picks could be rerouted in a trade for a different star later. They could also be part of the foundation for a new, younger core in the future.
However Memphis chooses to proceed, it should still be pretty tough in the interim. Morant and Jackson remain a strong top two. There are multiple helpful veterans on the roster, including Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (who came over in the Bane trade), Ty Jerome and Santi Aldama.
And if Cedric Coward develops into a real contributor over the course of his rookie season, the Grizzlies could exceed expectations.
13. Detroit Pistons (44-38)
18 of 30
Championship Odds: +3300
It will be impossible for the Detroit Pistons to duplicate their improvement from 2023-24 to 2024-25. Last season, they became the first team in NBA history to more than triple their win total from the previous campaign.
That doesn't rule out another move in the right direction, though. Cade Cunningham is barely 24 years old and coming off his first All-Star appearance. His developmental arrow should still be pointed up. And he has some obvious areas where he can improve (shooting consistency and ball security).
If he gets better on those fronts and other young players such as Jalen Duren, Jaden Ivey and Ausar Thompson make even marginal gains, the Pistons could push toward 50 wins in 2025-26.
12. Atlanta Hawks (40-42)
19 of 30
Championship Odds: +3000
The Atlanta Hawks have been about as middle of the road as a team can possibly be over the last several years. But after one of the best offseasons in the NBA, expectations are rightfully high.
Atlanta already had a good amount of length and defensive versatility around Trae Young with Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher and Onyeka Okongwu, but it supplemented that with the additions of Porziņģis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Suddenly, the Hawks look like one of the deeper and more defensively dynamic teams in the East. But they, like the 76ers and Pelicans, have a major question mark on the injury front.
The concern isn't near as pronounced as it is with Embiid or Zion, but Johnson has quietly averaged fewer than 50 appearances per year during his career. And there were stretches of last season when it looked like he might be the team's best player.
Johnson staying active will be critical for the Hawks to reach their potential.
11. San Antonio Spurs (34-48)
20 of 30
Championship Odds: +6000
This may seem a little optimistic for the San Antonio Spurs, who haven't been above .500 since 2018-19 and whose best player is going into just his third NBA season.
Even last season, though, when Victor Wembanyama was on the floor, the Spurs had a point differential around that of a 47-win team. And most of those minutes were logged prior to the De'Aaron Fox trade.
That duo is now in place heading into training camp, with up-and-coming guards Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper around them. And though trade prospects haven't been heavily considered to this point in the exercise, San Antonio has the contracts and assets to add a star midseason.
It feels like a year in which the Spurs could look way ahead of schedule.
10. Los Angeles Clippers (50-32)
21 of 30
Championship Odds: +1900
The Los Angeles Clippers' 2025-26 prospects might be harder to predict than those of the Sixers or Pelicans.
They have similar injury concerns with Kawhi Leonard. And now, they have the specter of the league's investigation into their potential cap circumvention looming.
If that leads to severe penalties, the Clippers might be bumped from the tier of legitimate title contenders. If it doesn't, this ranking will probably look too conservative in hindsight.
Last season, L.A. had a point differential around that of a 66-win team when Leonard was on the floor and still outscored opponents when he was off it.
James Harden and a stellar supporting cast that now includes Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez and Chris Paul is capable of keeping the Clippers afloat when Leonard is resting or out with injuries.
9. Golden State Warriors (48-34)
22 of 30
Championship Odds: +3000
The Golden State Warriors have had one of the strangest offseasons in recent memory, and their lack of urgency feels all the weirder given Stephen Curry's age (38 in March).
There may be another year or two, at most, in which Curry can provide All-NBA, "best player on a title team" level contributions, and the Warriors have spent the overwhelming majority of the summer with nine players on the roster.
They've allowed Jonathan Kuminga's restricted free agency to essentially hold their entire offseason hostage. He doesn't have a single season with an above-average box plus/minus.
Still, the additions of Al Horford, Seth Curry and De'Anthony Melton feel like foregone conclusions. All three can still be positive contributors.
And last season, when Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green were all on the floor, Golden State was plus-8.7 points per 100 possessions.
This team may not be on quite the same level as other Western Conference contenders, like the Oklahoma City Thunder or Denver Nuggets, but they have unrivaled experience and institutional know-how and the greatest shooter of all time.
They're a bona fide "if things break right" contender.
8. Orlando Magic (41-41)
23 of 30
Championship Odds: +1800
The price paid by the Orlando Magic for Desmond Bane does seem exorbitant, but he directly addresses one of the most glaring weaknesses in the entire NBA.
Last season, the Orlando Magic were dead-last in both threes per game and three-point percentage. Going .500 with those numbers, and with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner both missing time with torn obliques, is pretty amazing.
If Bane and some marginal outside shooting improvement from the two star forwards can even pull Orlando up to around 20th in those important categories, and if Wagner and Banchero can stay healthy, the Magic could threaten for a spot in the Finals.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33)
24 of 30
Championship Odds: +1900
The Minnesota Timberwolves' title odds being slightly longer than Orlando's is likely a product of the conference they're in. It's almost certain to be more difficult to win three rounds in the West than it will be in the East.
But Minnesota, fresh off back-to-back conference finals appearances, is capable of pulling it off.
Anthony Edwards is a top 10-15 player in the NBA. Having a player on that level is almost a prerequisite for title contention. And he's surrounded by a big, talented supporting cast that includes a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate (in Rudy Gobert), a bruising point forward (Julius Randle) and one of the league's top reserves (Naz Reid).
There may be a need for a little more backcourt depth after Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo and Mike Conley (who turns 38 this month). But even if the Wolves don't make any more dramatic moves and if Rob Dillingham is uninspiring, this roster is good enough to win multiple playoff series.
6. New York Knicks (51-31)
25 of 30
Championship Odds: +1000
The New York Knicks had one of the league's better top sixes last season. And Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson are all back.
This year's roster has a little more depth, though, thanks to the additions of Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele. And early indications from coach Mike Brown suggest the offense may also be a bit more varied.
Far too often, New York's attack boiled down to little more than Brunson isolating from the perimeter, and that became a bit too predictable by the postseason.
More on-ball and creative opportunities for the rest of the rotation will make the Knicks a tougher out this coming spring.
5. Los Angeles Lakers (50-32)
26 of 30
Championship Odds: +1400
These rankings may be a bit higher on the Los Angeles Lakers than others, but just consider what happened the last time Luka Dončić had a healthy playoff run with a solid supporting cast.
The Dallas Mavericks made it all the way to the NBA Finals in 2024, and Luka has emerged from this offseason looking as fit as he has since his first couple years.
Surrounded by LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and a massive upgrade at center (from Jaxson Hayes to Deandre Ayton), Luka is going to be back in the MVP conversation this season.
If he's healthy in the spring—and his overhauled physique should help him on that front—L.A. will have a chance to go all the way.
4. Houston Rockets (52-30)
27 of 30
Championship Odds: +1600
The loss of Fred VanVleet to a torn ACL is undoubtedly a huge deal. During his two seasons with the Houston Rockets, the team is plus-4.2 points per 100 possessions when he is on the floor and minus-0.2 when he's off.
Even if the Rockets don't make a trade to fill the gap, though, this team is uniquely built to survive his absence. It might even make the roster better in the long run.
Amen Thompson and/or Reed Sheppard will now get a lot more developmental reps as the primary creator. And the stars in the lineup should really flatten out their respective learning curves.
Kevin Durant and Alperen Şengün are both capable of handling plenty of playmaking responsibility. They'll command a lot of defensive attention too, which should give Thompson and Sheppard a little extra space while they're learning on the fly.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (64-18)
28 of 30
Championship Odds: +650
With Haliburton and Tatum potentially out for the playoffs, every Eastern Conference team outside of Boston and Indiana has a golden opportunity. And it may be shining brighter in Cleveland than anywhere else.
The Cavaliers are bringing back all of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. De'Andre Hunter, barring a trade, should now be on board for an entire season.
And a couple of incoming reserves could improve the rotation behind those five.
Lonzo Ball and Larry Nance Jr., though injuries have made it difficult for both to get onto the floor during their careers, are multipositional defenders, plus creators and distributors and just solid "feel for the game" players.
If Cleveland can't break through with this group, in this context, it might never be able to.
2. Denver Nuggets (50-32)
29 of 30
Championship Odds: +800
Being in the Western Conference has to be among the primary reasons the Denver Nuggets' title odds are slightly longer than Cleveland's.
On paper, it's hard to find another roster that's closer to the level of the Oklahoma City Thunder's.
Denver has the best player in the world in Nikola Jokić, his championship-winning No. 2 and two of the best gap-fillers in the league in Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon.
After this offseason, it also has a better and more experienced supporting cast.
Cameron Johnson's shooting is similar to Michael Porter Jr.'s, but he does more as a creator and distributor. He's also more mobile on defense. Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. figure to be far more reliable than the revolving door of backup guards and wings from last season's team. And Jonas Valančiūnas, even at 33, is likely the best backup 5 of the Jokić era.
As long as this team is healthy in the playoffs, it could upend the reigning champs.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14)
30 of 30
Championship Odds: +210
The Oklahoma City Thunder entered the 2024-25 campaign as the league's youngest team. And by the end of the playoffs, they had obliterated most of our traditional notions on what youth was capable of in the NBA.
OKC set the single-season record for point differential and SRS (which combines point differential with strength of schedule). It went 16-7 in the postseason. And each of the team's top 12 in total minutes played in 2024-25 is back for 2025-26.
That, of course, includes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, all of whom signed lucrative extensions this summer.
As long as the Thunder have those three, it could be tough to pick anyone else to win it all.
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