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NBA Power Rankings and Post-All-Star Break Goals
We made it to the 2026 NBA All-Star break.
And with roughly two-thirds of the season in the books, it's time to once again take stock of the league... and then some.
Beyond sorting all 30 organizations by our typical criteria (team and individual numbers, recent performance, championship chances and plenty of subjective) we're also setting the stage for the rest of the campaign with goals for every franchise.
- 30. Sacramento Kings (12-44)
- 29. Washington Wizards (14-39)
- 28. Utah Jazz (18-38)
- 27. Brooklyn Nets (15-38)
- 26. Indiana Pacers (15-40)
- 25. New Orleans Pelicans (15-41)
- 24. Memphis Grizzlies (20-33)
- 23. Dallas Mavericks (19-35)
- 22. Chicago Bulls (24-31)
- 21. Milwaukee Bucks (23-30)
- 20. Atlanta Hawks (26-30)
- 19. Portland Trail Blazers (27-29)
- 18. Golden State Warriors (29-26)
- 17. Los Angeles Clippers (26-28)
- 16. Orlando Magic (28-25)
- 15. Miami Heat (29-27)
- 14. Los Angeles Lakers (33-21)
- 13. Philadelphia 76ers (30-24)
- 12. Toronto Raptors (32-23)
- 11. Phoenix Suns (32-23)
- 10. Charlotte Hornets (26-29)
- 9. Houston Rockets (33-20)
- 8. Minnesota Timberwolves (34-22)
- 7. Denver Nuggets (35-20)
- 6. Cleveland Cavaliers (34-21)
- 5. New York Knicks (35-20)
- 4. Boston Celtics (35-19)
- 3. Oklahoma City Thunder (42-14)
- 2. San Antonio Spurs (38-16)
- 1. Detroit Pistons (40-13)
30. Sacramento Kings (12-44): Play the Young Guys
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Previous Rank: 30
Net Rating: -10.2
The Sacramento Kings are already leaning into this, but they may want to give even more minutes to younger players like Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud the rest of this season.
There's obviously nothing to still be learned from Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan or Domantas Sabonis. We know they don't work together. This season couldn't have provided much more vivid proof.
Even in games they start, those veterans should play far less than they typically have in their careers. That should mean even more losing (good for lottery odds) and a little more on-court experience for the young core. It's a classic "two birds with one stone" situation.
29. Washington Wizards (14-39): Tank!
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Previous Rank: 29
Net Rating: -11.0
More than most others across NBA history, this trade deadline was as much about the coming season as it was the current one.
The Indiana Pacers grabbing Ivica Zubac and the Utah Jazz landing Jaren Jackson Jr. are moves that are all about 2026-27. Ideally, they won't add any wins to this season's bottom line.
But those teams are in the tricky position of needing to lose while having those big men healthy. The Washington Wizards are in a better position, since their new acquisitions came with reasons to keep them off the floor. Anthony Davis' camp has already signaled he won't play at all for Washington this season.
And again, that's good. That means the Wizards have a better chance at pairing one of this draft class's potential superstars with Davis, Trae Young and the rest of a developing supporting cast.
28. Utah Jazz (18-38): Tank!
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Previous Rank: 27
Net Rating: -7.4
Plenty of fans and analysts were up in arms over the Utah Jazz's recent, very transparent attempt to tank.
In a game in which Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. were both cooking and the Utah Jazz had a double-digit, second-half lead, neither big man logged a single minute in the fourth quarter. The Orlando Magic snuck out with a three-point win.
It was a pretty egregious attempt to lose a game, but it's hard to fault the Jazz for doing it. They've been chasing lottery odds since they traded Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell in 2022, and the basketball gods have yet to reward them. They missed out on the top pick in the Victor Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg drafts. They have at least one more chance to land a potential generational talent. They have to do whatever they can to get him.
And in this specific season, the drive to lose is even greater, because a years-old salary dump of Derrick Favors means that pick goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it lands outside the top eight.
What Utah did against Orlando this week is simply what it has to do, regardless of how the league (which just fined Utah $500,000) looks at what it's doing.
27. Brooklyn Nets (15-38): Tank!
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Previous Rank: 26
Net Rating: -7.1
A year and a half ago, the Brooklyn Nets traded multiple picks to regain control of their 2026 first-rounder, a move that kind of put the writing on the wall for the 2025-26 campaign.
Barring some wild, unforeseen development in 2024-25, this season was always going to end with a tank. With just a couple months to go, they're very much in the mix for the top overall pick.
And with the way Michael Porter Jr. has played individually, the idea of adding someone like Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson or Darryn Peterson to him holds plenty of intrigue.
26. Indiana Pacers (15-40): Tank!
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Previous Rank: 28
Net Rating: -7.3
The Indiana Pacers made the most fascinating trade of deadline week when they put their "gap year" on the line and attached their 2026 first-rounder, protected for picks 1 through 4 and 10 through 30.
In other words, the Los Angeles Clippers only get the pick (and really, kind of ruin Indiana's season without Tyrese Haliburton), if the lottery puts it somewhere from fifth through ninth.
That makes staying in the top four almost critical (though, with all the other tanking teams, there may be an argument to shoot for that second range of protection).
Entering the 2026-27 campaign with Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, Ivica Zubac (who came over in the aforementioned trade) and one of this draft class's potential stars would make Indiana an Eastern Conference title favorite and give it one of the brighter futures in the league.
Settling for just the former would be a nice consolation, but it would make this 2025-26 campaign feel pretty hollow. Pacers can avoid that by chasing lottery odds.
25. New Orleans Pelicans (15-41): Load Up on Zion Williamson-Derik Queen-Trey Murphy III Minutes
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Previous Rank: 25
Net Rating: -5.6
The play-in is way out of reach for the New Orleans Pelicans, but there are still some positive takeaways from this season, including how healthy Zion Williamson has been for the better part of two months now.
Whether he's eventually traded or not, his durability is crucial for the organization's future. In the short term, they can't be competitive without him. And if they ever want to trade him for real value, the suitor would need to have some confidence in his health.
In the meantime, the coaching staff probably has to assume Zion will be around for the long haul. And in that case, it should be doing all it can to build continuity between him, Trey Murphy III and Derik Queen. That trio is the future of the team, whether as the vehicle to winning basketball or as a generator of trade value.
24. Memphis Grizzlies (20-33): Showcase Ja Morant
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Previous Rank: 24
Net Rating: -2.3
The Memphis Grizzlies already traded Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. One or the other could've been explained as something else, but moving both clearly signals a rebuild.
They tried to unload Ja Morant too, but ESPN's Brian Windhorst suggested they may have needed to attach an asset to him to get that done.
"When I say he has no value, I don't even think that's accurate," Windhorst said on Get Up. "I think he has what they call in the league, negative value. Meaning teams weren't willing to take Ja Morant unless the Grizzlies also added draft compensation."
Oof… That's tough, and the only way to change it is for Morant to have a few more big games without any drama between now and the end of the season.
If he can rehab his value to the point that one team would at least take him as a salary dump, it'd be a win for Memphis.
23. Dallas Mavericks (19-35): Win Cooper Flagg's Rookie of the Year
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Previous Rank: 22
Net Rating: -3.3
The numbers still favor Kon Knueppel in the Rookie of the Year race, but Cooper Flagg is charging.
And with the Anthony Davis conundrum finally and fully resolved by trading him to the Washington Wizards, Flagg can have a closing kick that makes the award his.
For the entire season, when AD is off the floor, Flagg has put up 23.2 points and 4.0 assists per 75 possessions.
22. Chicago Bulls (24-31): Stay in the Lottery
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Previous Rank: 21
Net Rating: -4.1
There was a lot of consternation from prominent voices in the national media over the Chicago Bulls' deadline moves, but at least they're looking forward now.
A couple weeks ago, Matas Buzelis was really the only intriguing young talent on the roster. Josh Giddey, 23, probably qualifies too, but he's been in the league long enough to feel relatively confident about what his ceiling is.
Now, after a series of moves, Chicago can surround Buzelis with young guards like Jaden Ivey and Rob Dillingham.
That probably won't lead to a lot of wins the rest of the way, but the Bulls can use this stretch to gauge the potential of the newcomers while improving their lottery odds.
21. Milwaukee Bucks (23-30): Stay Out of the Play-In
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Previous Rank: 23
Net Rating: -3.3
Shortly after the trade deadline came and went without a Giannis Antetokounmpo deal, the two-time MVP suggested he wants to attract talent to the team rather than chase a second title elsewhere.
But right now, the smartest path to talent is through the draft. And the Milwaukee Bucks should do what they can to stay in its lottery.
That means the organization should take as long as it possibly can to get Giannis back onto the floor this season.
20. Atlanta Hawks (26-30): Catch 6th Place
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Previous Rank: 17
Net Rating: -1.3
The Atlanta Hawks entered the season with a Trae Young-Kristaps Porziņģis combo that made plenty of sense on paper, but the lack of defense provided by one and the lack of availability from the other doomed it.
After trading both, the Atlanta Hawks have been remade in the image of a Jalen Johnson team. And though it's never easy to change this dramatically mid-season, there's reason to believe this version of the Hawks should be better than the last.
Johnson has emerged as one of the game's premier point forwards, and having a 3-4 as the lead playmaker gives Atlanta the freedom to deploy size and athleticism all over the rest of the floor, including at point guard.
The Hawks should be able to physically overwhelm plenty of opponents the rest of the way. And they're close enough to sixth place to potentially dodge the play-in tournament entirely.
19. Portland Trail Blazers (27-29): Get Play-In Experience (and Nothing More)
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Previous Rank: 20
Net Rating: -2.0
The Portland Trail Blazers have been too good to truly enter the tank race now, but they also shouldn't really want to make the playoffs.
Deni Avdija is a real star, but the organization should still want more young talent, particularly from this loaded 2026 draft class.
So Portland should try to strike a tricky balance the rest of the way. It's fine to get into the play-in and get some high-leverage experience for Avdija, Donavan Clingan and the rest of the young core. But the ideal outcome from there is probably losing one of those elimination games and still having an outside shot at the top pick.
18. Golden State Warriors (29-26): Keep Kristaps Porziņģis Upright
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Previous Rank: 19
Net Rating: 1.8
After teasing fans with rumored interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Golden State Warriors emerging from trade deadline week with Kristaps Porziņģis was one of the biggest letdowns of the season.
Now that that reality has set, Golden State has one of the toughest tightropes in the league to walk the rest of the way: Make the playoffs without Porziņģis suffering a significant injury or having a POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) flare-up.
Checking that second box will probably require some games off for KP, but the Warriors also need to see how or even if he fits in their famously demanding offensive system.
In theory, having he and Stephen Curry sharing the floor will make the Warriors a nightmare to defend, but Golden State needs practical minutes. And Porziņģis hasn't consistently provided those in years.
17. Los Angeles Clippers (26-28): Tons of Garland-Mathurin Minutes
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Previous Rank: 18
Net Rating: -0.4
Kawhi Leonard may be good enough to force the Los Angeles Clippers into the play-in without James Harden and Ivica Zubac, but those two trades suggest the organization isn't all-in on getting there.
L.A. is looking, at least to some degree, toward the post-Kawhi era. And that means, assuming they can get and keep Darius Garland healthy, the Clippers should prioritize Garland-Bennedict Mathurin minutes.
They almost certainly didn't trade for Mathurin just to pass on his restricted free agency. He and Garland are the team's backcourt of the future. And seeing how they jell together should be a priority the rest of the way.
16. Orlando Magic (28-25): More Paolo Banchero-Franz Wagner Minutes
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Previous Rank: 14
Net Rating: -0.4
By now, the word is out on the on-off splits with Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, but we'll offer a refresher anyway.
Over the last two seasons, Orlando has been solid with both on the floor, even better when Franz plays without Paolo and pretty darn bad when Paolo plays without Franz.
But terribly timed injuries for both have severely limited the number of minutes the duo has been able to log together.
So, even if it's fair to say the Orlando Magic are in trouble whenever Wagner is out, it's too early to give up on Banchero or on pairing him with Wagner.
If Franz can get healthy for the stretch run, Orlando obviously needs to build the sample size of that duo before the playoffs; not just to improve on the numbers, but to improve the pair's chemistry.
15. Miami Heat (29-27): Shoot More Threes
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Previous Rank: 15
Net Rating: 2.1
The Miami Heat got a lot of attention early in the season for their explosion in pace (relative to last season) and total lack of pick-and-roll possessions.
But the unusual approach did little more than mask the roster's lack of high-end offensive talent, and they've been below average on that end for most of the campaign.
And since Miami didn't make any moves during deadline week, driving up their offensive rating will require the players on the roster changing their approach a bit. The low-hanging fruit may simply be taking more threes. Right now, they're in the bottom 10 in three-point attempts per 100 possessions.
14. Los Angeles Lakers (33-21): Find a Defensive Identity
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Previous Rank: 16
Net Rating: -0.3
All season, the Los Angeles Lakers' point differential has suggested they're a far worse team than their record does.
The underwhelming number in that column is largely the result of a bad defense. And at the trade deadline, L.A. made an offense-focused move by bringing in Luke Kennard.
That means the regulars already on the roster—particularly Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and LeBron James—need to dig deep to slow down their individual matchups, keep perimeter players away from the paint and start winning more minutes.
13. Philadelphia 76ers (30-24): Keep Joel Embiid Healthy
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Previous Rank: 12
Net Rating: 0.3
Joel Embiid may not move like he did at his peak, particularly on the defensive end, but his bag of scoring tricks is back in full force.
And when you combine that with the Philadelphia 76ers' explosive young backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, you have, at the very least, a fringe title contender. Without Embiid, Philly may not be more than a frisky first-round exit.
That makes keeping the big man healthy in anticipation of the playoffs the paramount priority.
12. Toronto Raptors (32-23): Get Jakob Poeltl Healthy
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Previous Rank: 11
Net Rating: 1.5
The Toronto Raptors added a little frontcourt depth at the deadline by trading for Trayce Jackson-Davis. And with the way Collin Murray-Boyles has played lately, there's maybe an argument that the team shouldn't even be all that eager to get Jakob Poeltl back.
But the big man's rebounding, passing and rim protection can still be helpful, even in lineups that may not have a ton of shooting to put around him.
During his current stint in Toronto (which started with a trade during the 2022-23 season), the Raptors have been dramatically better with Poeltl on the floor.
Even if he's now something of a change-of-pace 5 behind CMB, having him around for the postseason will significantly improve Toronto's chance of winning a series or two.
If that means playing him in a pretty small role as he works his way back from a back injury, so be it.
11. Phoenix Suns (32-23): Finish in the Top 4
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Previous Rank: 10
Net Rating: 1.8
It's remarkable to think that the Phoenix Suns are in a position to potentially sneak into the West's top four. Their preseason over-under was 30.5 wins. They shouldn't be here.
But heading into the All-Star break, thanks to being one of the hardest-playing teams in the NBA, they're within striking distance of home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
And after a confidence-building pre-All-Star portion of the season, the Suns have earned the right to dream big.
10. Charlotte Hornets (26-29): Get Into the Top Half of the Play-In
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Previous Rank: 13
Net Rating: 2.0
Honestly, this goal might read as a little conservative right now.
The Charlotte Hornets have been the hottest team in the NBA for weeks. And for the entire season, they're absolutely dominating when their three most important players (LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller) are all on the floor.
Sixth place may be out of reach, but Charlotte can absolutely secure a home game in the play-in.
9. Houston Rockets (33-20): Develop Offensive Identity
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Previous Rank: 9
Net Rating: 5.0
Before this season started, it would have been hard to predict that the Houston Rockets' offensive identity would be inextricably linked to Steven Adams' rebounding, but his absence has proved to be a massive problem.
Without all the extra possessions generated by Adams, the lack of traditional point guard play (caused by a different season-ending injury, this one to Fred VanVleet) and Alperen Şengün's inefficient scoring are overshadowing a brilliant season from Kevin Durant.
Whether it means fully embracing the Reed Sheppard experience at the 1, signing one of the point guards who might be available on the buyout market or just scrapping point guard play altogether and putting the ball in KD's hands, Houston is going to have to do something to find an offensive identity before the playoffs start.
If it doesn't, it could be in for a quick exit.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves (34-22): Shore Up the Bench
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Previous Rank: 7
Net Rating: 4.6
The Minnesota Timberwolves are getting another big season off the bench from Naz Reid, but the second unit's production drops off a cliff after him.
And if there's one thing the Finals runs of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers taught us last season, it's that depth can make a big difference in today's NBA.
Fortunately, for Minnesota, there's a little more time to build confidence in the reserves. Bones Hyland has been growing into a bigger role over the last several weeks. And the deadline acquisition of Ayo Dosunmu will help, too.
7. Denver Nuggets (35-20): Get Healthy
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Previous Rank: 6
Net Rating: 4.1
The Denver Nuggets have been absolutely rocked by injuries this season.
Nikola Jokić, Cameron Johnson, Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun (four out of five starters) have all missed at least 16 games. And now Peyton Watson, one of the biggest reasons Denver has been able to survive all these injuries, is out for the next several weeks with a hamstring strain of his own.
The Nuggets have the talent to beat any team in the league in a seven-game series, but obviously, it has to actually be on the floor.
Denver's reserves have proved more capable than people assumed they'd be, so a little load management here and there for the starters could be doable. That doesn't necessarily mean missed games, but maybe a handful with 25-30 minutes instead of 35-40.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers (34-21): Finish 2nd
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Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: 4.1
Another team in the mix for second place in the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers got a lot older when they swapped Darius Garland for James Harden, but they also got more reliable.
Harden has been far more consistently available than most of his peers. He has plenty of recent experience playing with volume scorers like Donovan Mitchell and can supercharge the efficiency of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
With Harden's help, and even after a slow start to the season, Cleveland can climb as high up the standings as anyone but the Detroit Pistons.
5. New York Knicks (35-20): More Karl-Anthony Towns-Mitchell Robinson Minutes
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Previous Rank: 5
Net Rating: 6.1
The New York Knicks have two very different centers, both of which drive the team's net rating up when they're on the floor. And at least in theory, their games should mesh.
So far this season, Mitchell Robinson is Karl-Anthony Towns' ninth most common on-court pairing. The team has won those minutes pretty comfortably. And if the duo got a little more time together, both halves of the equation might understand the other a little better.
By the time the playoffs roll around, if New York is able to get the most out of KAT's shooting and Robinson's offensive rebounding (and at the same time), the attack will be almost impossible to slow down.
4. Boston Celtics (35-19): Finish 2nd
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Previous Rank: 4
Net Rating: 7.5
The Boston Celtics could've taken a gap year. During the offseason, it looked like they might. They made a series of cost-cutting moves and were going to be without Jayson Tatum for most (if not all) of the campaign.
But Joe Mazzulla, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and the rest of the Celtics were having none of that. They're somehow, even without Tatum, an offensive juggernaut. And despite shedding even more money at the trade deadline, it's reasonable to think Boston might be even better down the stretch of this season.
Nikola Vučević adds passing and shooting to a spot in the rotation that needed some of both. Tatum's return is starting to feel closer to "inevitable" than "possible." And while the Detroit Pistons are probably too far ahead to catch, second place in the East is within reach.
Getting homecourt advantage in as many series as possible can go a long way for a legitimate title contender.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (42-14): Get Healthy
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Previous Rank: 1
Net Rating: 11.5
Jalen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso have all missed significant time for the Oklahoma City Thunder. And now, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is out with an abdominal strain through the All-Star break.
In other words, OKC is mighty banged up. If it wants to repeat, it'll need to be whole (or at least close to it).
That makes this another team that really needs to treat the home stretch conservatively. Minutes restrictions, adjusted rotations and even some nights off will be important.
The fully healthy Thunder can beat any team (and handily) in a seven-game series, but the West is good enough that being down a starter or two would make them vulnerable.
2. San Antonio Spurs (38-16): Build Confidence in Harper and Castle's Jumpers
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Previous Rank: 3
Net Rating: 6.1
The San Antonio Spurs are way ahead of schedule.
Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are all still on their rookie contracts, and the team has a real chance to finish second in the loaded West.
So, this aim for the team may seem a little nitpicky.
But if Castle (28.8 percent from three this season) and Harper (25.2 percent) enter the playoffs shooting like they are right now, defenses are going to completely ignore them and make life a lot more difficult for every Spur sharing the floor with them.
There isn't enough time for either to fix their outside shots between now and the postseason, but giving them plenty of opportunities to try should be a priority. Opposing defenses are going to give them opportunities to hit big shots. They'll at least need the confidence to hit them.
1. Detroit Pistons (40-13): Stay Healthy
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Previous Rank: 2
Net Rating: 8.3
The Detroit Pistons have already proved enough to be considered bona fide title contenders. And with six games between themselves and second-place Boston in the loss column, they can probably afford to take their foot off the gas a bit the rest of the way.
As with Denver, that doesn't have to mean stars like Cade Cunningham or Jalen Duren need to sit any games. But lightening the minutes loads for some of the most important players might be wise.
Detroit has given itself the luxury of being to able to worry about availability in the playoffs. If all the regulars are upright, again, the Pistons can win it all.
