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NBA Power Rankings 2 Weeks Before the 2026 Trade Deadline
The 2025-26 NBA trade deadline is right around the corner. The Golden State Warriors just lost Jimmy Butler to a torn ACL. And every disappointing Milwaukee Bucks loss adds credence to the idea that they should trade Giannis Antetokounmpo.
In other words, there's plenty of additional tumult to sort through as we rank the entire league by our typical criteria.
Based on team and individual numbers, recent performance, championship chances and a healthy dose of subjectivity, this is how all 30 teams stack up.
30. Washington Wizards (10-33)
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Previous Rank: 30
Net Rating: -11.1
After a brief dalliance with higher spots in the rankings, the Washington Wizards are back home at No. 30 for the second week in a row.
And unlike some other teams in the hunt for top lottery odds this summer, Washington probably doesn't need to do anything to improve their tanking position.
Sure, they could salary dump or buy out Khris Middleton. They'll likely be very conservative with Trae Young's return from injury. But simply having a rotation populated almost entirely by players on their rookie contracts should be enough to earn that 14 percent chance at the top pick this offseason.
29. Sacramento Kings (12-33)
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Previous Rank: 29
Net Rating: -9.7
The Sacramento Kings have been a little closer to competent over the last couple weeks, but they've dropped their last three. And it feels like every game between now and the trade deadline should be showcases for the veterans.
Surely, some team could talk themselves into Zach LaVine's 19.8 points and 39.9 three-point percentage. DeMar DeRozan's mid-range and isolation scoring could certainly help a second unit. Domantas Sabonis, surrounded by enough shooting and defense, could go back to being a triple-double machine.
This combination of talents obviously didn't work, but that doesn't mean they can't still be helpful in different situations.
28. New Orleans Pelicans (10-36)
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Previous Rank: 25
Net Rating: -7.1
The New Orleans Pelicans went 0-3 this week and are now 2-14 since just before Christmas.
In this stretch, Zion Williamson has appeared in every game. Trey Murphy III has played in all but two. And the Pelicans are getting beat (pretty soundly) in the minutes of both.
Earlier reports suggested that both were off the market this trade season, but that has to be posturing. This core obviously isn't capable of contending. And it's time to dive head-first into asset accumulation.
27. Indiana Pacers (10-35)
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Previous Rank: 28
Net Rating: -8.2
Earlier this month, the Indiana Pacers had a 4-1 stretch that included wins over the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, but they reestablished themselves as real contenders in the tank race this week.
Indiana went 1-3, with the only win coming over a fellow tanker (the New Orleans Pelicans) and the losses being by an average of 22.3 points.
Even with unexpected wins here and there, the Pacers are clearly going to be in the mix for this summer's top pick. And if 2025-26 proves to be nothing more than the year that paired Tyrese Haliburton with AJ Dybantsa or Cameron Boozer, all the losing will have been worth it.
26. Brooklyn Nets (12-30)
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Previous Rank: 27
Net Rating: -6.3
At a couple different points this season, it's felt like the Brooklyn Nets might threaten the play-in range in the East.
But this month has almost certainly put that to rest. After an embarrassing, 120-66 loss to the New York Knicks on Wednesday, Brooklyn is now 2-10 in January.
And if the Nets move Michael Porter Jr. ahead of February's trade deadline, they'll have a very real path to a bottom-three record and 14 percent chance at the No. 1 pick in 2026.
25. Utah Jazz (15-30)
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Previous Rank: 24
Net Rating: -8.0
Last week, we spent some time justifying the Utah Jazz's placement at No. 24 and pointing out their ability to randomly beat good teams.
They backed that up ahead of this edition of the power rankings by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves, 127-122, on Tuesday.
But they've also given up a whopping 130.0 points per game since December 5 (the closest team in that span is giving up 122.4). And we're already seeing what appear to be some very conservative return-to-action timelines for Lauri Markkanen, something that contributed to the team being fined for tanking last season.
Utah really needs its lottery pick to stay in the top eight (otherwise, it goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder). So, even if they keep mixing in upset wins (shout out to Keyonte George, who's averaging 24.4 points), you can expect a lot more losing weeks.
24. Milwaukee Bucks (18-25)
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Previous Rank: 23
Net Rating: -3.5
The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade chatter isn't going to quiet down till he makes it through the deadline as a Milwaukee Buck.
And that's at least in part because of Giannis himself. Seemingly every time he speaks about the status of the team, he ratchets up the intensity of that chatter.
Milwaukee is 2-5 in its last seven. One of those losses was to a Denver Nuggets team without Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, Cameron Johnson and Christian Braun. Another was at home, by 33 points and to a Minnesota Timberwolves team down Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert.
And on Wednesday, following a 20-point home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Antetokounmpo scorched a little earth with comments on his teammates.
"We're not playing hard," Giannis told reporters. "We're not playing to win. We're not playing together. Our chemistry's not there. Guys are being selfish. Guys trying to do it on their own. Right now I think we just don't get it. We got 39 games left, we don't have time. We really don't."
He also implied that his teammates might be too young to realize that he needs more shots after he only took 11 against the Thunder.
In sum, it certainly didn't sound like the kind of player who's psyched to be in his current situation. And if bad losses keep rolling in between now and the deadline, a Giannis trade should very much be on the table.
The Bucks have already exhausted (or nearly exhausted) their asset base. They have a massive annual cap hit on their books, thanks to the Damian Lillard waive-and-stretch. There isn't another player on the roster who's even close to second-star level (at least not yet). The only out of this jam might be moving Antetokounmpo for a haul.
23. Dallas Mavericks (19-26)
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Previous Rank: 26
Net Rating: -2.0
The Dallas Mavericks are on a four-game winning streak. And although two of those came against the sub-.500 Utah Jazz, and another was over a Golden State Warriors team reeling from the loss of Jimmy Butler to a torn ACL, Monday's was over the New York Knicks. And wins are wins.
Now, there may be a contingent of fans who'd prefer those not add up right now. The idea of adding one of this upcoming draft class's top prospects to Cooper Flagg is intriguing. But he might already be too good to tank.
For the season, Flagg is averaging 21.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per 75 possessions when Anthony Davis (who's out for the foreseeable future and could be traded ahead of the deadline) is off the floor.
22. Memphis Grizzlies (18-24)
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Previous Rank: 22
Net Rating: -1.1
Generally speaking, the Memphis Grizzlies keep losing more than they're winning. And the ultra-conservative injury timeline for Zach Edey (who's going to be out for at least six more weeks) suggests they might not have a big issue with that.
Memphis obviously isn't going to catch the season-long tankers in lottery odds, but every loss improves their chances of jumping into the top four.
But more than anything, this week was about an incremental increase in Ja Morant's trade value. These two games don't entirely erase Ja's season-long struggles, but 47 points and 25 assists in fewer than 60 minutes of playing time could intrigue some desperate front office enough to offer Memphis real value.
21. Atlanta Hawks (21-25)
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Previous Rank: 19
Net Rating: -1.4
It's been a rocky couple weeks since the Trae Young trade. Even after Wednesday's 124-122 squeaker of a win over the Memphis Grizzlies, the Atlanta Hawks are just 2-4 with CJ McCollum in the lineup.
And the struggles aren't confined to McCollum, who's shooting 40.7 percent from the field and 23.5 percent from deep as a Hawk. Jalen Johnson, the new face of the franchise, is at 42.6 and 28.1.
There's obviously a bit of an adaptation curve here. Johnson and the rest of the Hawks have to figure out how to play with McCollum and vice versa, but the chances of those shooting splits holding are low, especially with Atlanta having the third easiest remaining strength of schedule in the East.
20. Charlotte Hornets (17-28)
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Previous Rank: 21
Net Rating: 0.6
The Charlotte Hornets have to be one of the best 17-28 teams in NBA history.
They were 2-2 this week, but they crushed the Nikola Jokić-less Denver Nuggets and the Orlando Magic. And despite being 11 games below .500, they're all the way up to 15th in net rating.
If they can start stringing together some wins in close games (they're currently 4-13 in games that reach clutch time), Charlotte could surge into the play-in.
19. Chicago Bulls (22-22)
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Previous Rank: 20
Net Rating: -2.2
The Chicago Bulls are 5-2 in their last seven. And on Thursday, they got Josh Giddey back after an 11-game absence.
He came off the bench to total 21 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals in just 26 minutes.
And now, if Chicago can just keep him and Coby White (18.7 points and 4.6 assists on the season) upright at the same time, the Bulls might even be able to challenge for a top-six spot.
18. Los Angeles Lakers (26-17)
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Previous Rank: 18
Net Rating: -0.7
The Los Angeles Lakers had a couple quality wins over the Toronto Raptors and Denver Nuggets (who have been better than anticipated without Nikola Jokić), but they still went 2-2 on the week. And their record is slowly starting to more closely reflect their point differential and dreadful defense.
On the year, the (intentionally or otherwise) tanking Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans and Brooklyn Nets are the only teams allowing more points per 100 possessions.
And while Luka Dončić (33.4 points and 8.7 assists) and LeBron James (22.5 points and 6.9 assists) are both putting up impressive numbers, playing them at the same time (especially if Austin Reaves is out there too) simply may not be tenable.
NBA teams and players are just too good at identifying and attacking weaknesses in a defense, especially if you give them two or three.
Whether that means L.A. needs to make a trade or J.J. Redick needs to stagger his substitutions a bit differently, something has to give.
17. Golden State Warriors (25-21)
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Previous Rank: 13
Net Rating: 2.7
Right when it looked like the Golden State Warriors might've been slowly turning a corner, they got devastating news on Jimmy Butler.
During Monday's matchup with the Miami Heat, after snagging an errant entry pass, Butler landed awkwardly and tore his ACL. His season is over. And barring some kind of miracle trade (or trades), Golden State's probably is too.
Butler is the team's second-leading scorer, second-highest paid player and a far steadier playmaker than both Stephen Curry and Draymond Green (his turnover rate is way lower).
When he's on the floor, the Warriors are plus-7.3 points per 100 possessions. And after they lost to the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, they're now minus-2.7 without Butler.
Again, there may be some out-of-nowhere desperation trade that salvages this age-37 campaign for Stephen Curry (who's averaging 27.4 points after scoring 38 on Thursday), but things are looking real bleak right now.
16. Miami Heat (23-22)
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Previous Rank: 16
Net Rating: 0.5
The Miami Heat have generally been a middle-of-the-road team, but they showed off some upside with a 122-120 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.
And that game also may have revealed the key to Miami's ability to put a playoff-caliber offense on the floor.
Bam Adebayo had 30 points that night, and the Heat are now 6-2 when he scores at least 25.
Bam's game doesn't really lend itself to hitting that threshold every night, but he can certainly be more aggressive than he has been for the bulk of this season. And if he ratchets that up a bit, Miami's overall attack should follow.
15. Orlando Magic (23-20)
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Previous Rank: 14
Net Rating: 0.1
The Orlando Magic got walloped by the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, went 0-2 for the week and are now 10-12 since December 1.
Of course, a lot of that uninspiring stretch was played without their best player, Franz Wagner, but as a former first overall pick, Orlando needs Paolo Banchero to more effectively carry possessions without Franz.
14. Portland Trail Blazers (23-22)
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Previous Rank: 17
Net Rating: -1.4
The day after Christmas, the Portland Trail Blazers dropped to 12-19. Deni Avdija was playing like a star, but it looked like Portland was cruising toward another lottery appearance.
But after an undefeated week and an extended 11-3 stretch, Portland is now above .500. And Avdija is posting positively prime LeBron-esque numbers.
On the season, Avdija is putting up 26.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.9 assists. And when he's on the floor with Jrue Holiday, Portland is plus-7.5 points per 100 possessions.
13. Toronto Raptors (27-19)
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Previous Rank: 12
Net Rating: 1.9
The Toronto Raptors have quietly put together a top-four (in the East) first half of the season, and they have a couple of real All-Star contenders.
Brandon Ingram is averaging a team-high 21.8 points. Scottie Barnes is putting up a well-rounded 19.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks, while posting an 85th-percentile defensive estimated plus-minus.
Unfortunately, there are enough players having All-Star-caliber campaigns to limit Toronto to one selection. The mandate to have at least eight international All-Stars could also hurt Barnes and Ingram's chances.
But the Raptors should get one, and given his contributions as a defender and playmaker, the nod should probably go to Barnes.
12. Los Angeles Clippers (20-24)
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Previous Rank: 15
Net Rating: -1.0
This turnaround is entering remarkable territory.
The Los Angeles Clippers were 6-21. They're now 14-3 since then. And while Kawhi Leonard's reactivation of Terminator mode is the biggest reason for the surge, they won two games without him this week.
The momentum generated by Leonard is starting to filter through the rest of the roster (James Harden put up 33.5 points and 9.5 assists in those contests). And with the Golden State Warriors losing Jimmy Butler for the season, L.A. returning to the playoffs is starting to feel like a foregone conclusion.
11. New York Knicks (26-18)
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Previous Rank: 9
Net Rating: 4.1
The New York Knicks had a matchup with their crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets at exactly the right time.
After losing nine of 11, in a stretch that ended (hopefully) with a blowout loss to the Dallas Mavericks without Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, New York pummeled the tanking Nets, 120-66.
It was the kind of blowout that could meaningfully shift vibes in just a few quarters, though that's far from guaranteed.
During the 2-9 run, New York's offense looked completely discombobulated. It's January, and it still doesn't feel like Mike Brown has figured out how to use Karl-Anthony Towns. And with a starting five that includes KAT and Jalen Brunson, he may never be able to craft a championship-level defense.
There's time to turn this around. The annihilation of Brooklyn and the fact that the Knicks are in the East are encouraging factors. But it's hard to have more confidence in New York than the Detroit Pistons or Boston Celtics right now.
10. Philadelphia 76ers (24-19)
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Previous Rank: 11
Net Rating: 1.4
Joel Embiid certainly doesn't move like he did a few years ago, particularly on the defensive end, but his sheer size, foul-drawing tricks and jump shot have him producing like that player just about every time he's on the floor now.
In Thursday's win over the Houston Rockets, Embiid had 32 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. He was plus-21 in a six-point win.
And pairing his resurgence with Tyrese Maxey's All-NBA-level breakout makes the Philadelphia 76ers a sneaky contender in an Eastern Conference that's pretty wide open after the Detroit Pistons.
9. Cleveland Cavaliers (25-20)
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Previous Rank: 10
Net Rating: 2.0
They still have some bad results mixed in (like a 32-point drubbing by the Oklahoma City Thunder or a double-digit loss against the Utah Jazz), but the Cleveland Cavaliers are slowly starting to look a bit more like the team that had the East's best record in 2024-25.
Cleveland is 8-4 in its last 12, with a top-10 defense during that stretch and balanced scoring includes seven players averaging double-figures and Donovan Mitchell putting up 25.2 points and 6.4 assists.
There should be some lingering concern over Darius Garland, who's once again out with a toe injury. If he's not back to 100 percent by the time the playoffs start, it's hard to imagine the Cavs contending. But establishing a defensive identity while he recovers could put Cleveland in better position for a postseason run than it's had in years past.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves (27-18)
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Previous Rank: 5
Net Rating: 4.4
The Minnesota Timberwolves went 0-4 this week. And while they get a bit of a "strength of schedule" pass (two of the losses were road games against the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets), you generally have to win some tough games to maintain top-five status here.
And the Timberwolves' season-long performance against stiffer competition is at least mildly concerning.
After dropping those games to the Spurs and Rockets, Minnesota is now 6-9 against teams with a top-10 net rating. San Antonio, Houston, the Denver Nuggets and the Oklahoma City Thunder are all .500 or better in those contests.
7. Phoenix Suns (27-17)
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Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: 2.7
The Phoenix Suns were undefeated this week, and that was particularly impressive with all three wins coming on the road and two of them being against above-.500 teams.
This team is now on pace for 50 wins, and it really can't be overstated how remarkable this cultural turnaround has been.
The Suns were one of the league's most disappointing teams in 2024-25. Jettisoning Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal and pivoting to a "one star and grit" model has made them one of the best stories and watches in basketball.
6. San Antonio Spurs (31-14)
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Previous Rank: 6
Net Rating: 5.2
The San Antonio Spurs lost a tight one to the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, but they're 4-1 in their last five and starting to ramp up Victor Wembanyama's minutes.
When he's on the floor, the Spurs have a point differential around that of a near-70-win team, but San Antonio rushing its arrival to contender status is about a lot more than him.
De'Aaron Fox had 31 points on 10-of-13 shooting on Thursday, making him the team leader in points for the 13th time this season. Stephon Castle had eight assists, making him tops in that category for the 22nd time.
Wemby, Castle and Fox are playing like a bona fide star trio and getting solid contributions from Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Julian Champagnie, Harrison Barnes, Dylan Harper and Luke Kornet.
The roster is both deep and loaded at the top. And a deep playoff run is very much in play.
5. Houston Rockets (26-16)
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Previous Rank: 7
Net Rating: 6.1
The Houston Rockets ended their week with an overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, and their point differential keeps slipping with each passing week.
But they also had a pair of solid wins over the Minnesota Timberwolves (without Anthony Edwards) and San Antonio Spurs before the loss in Philly. They're still fourth in the league in net rating. And they're getting a ridiculous season from their 37-year-old star.
After scoring 36 on the Sixers, Kevin Durant is averaging 26.1 points and 4.6 assists, while shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 40.4 percent from three.
He needs more consistent help from Alperen Şengün and Reed Sheppard. The offense shouldn't be this reliant on someone this close to 40. But the Rockets are certainly closer to legit contenders than they were 12 months ago.
4. Boston Celtics (27-16)
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Previous Rank: 4
Net Rating: 7.6
Given the fact that they haven't had Jayson Tatum for a second, and following the offseason departures of Kristaps Porziņģis, Jrue Holiday and Al Horford, the Boston Celtics having the second-best net rating in the NBA is genuinely remarkable.
And now, while the remaining Celtics continue to smash expectations, the possibility of a Tatum return is starting to feel more real. This week, the team had him go through a brief workout in front of the media (and cameras).
It's hard to imagine any reason for that other than to forecast Tatum's season debut.
And even if he's not all the way back to his perennial All-NBA level, 80-90 percent of that player in place of the minutes currently going to some combination of Jordan Walsh, Josh Minott and Baylor Scheierman could turn Boston into the clear favorite in the East.
3. Denver Nuggets (30-15)
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Previous Rank: 3
Net Rating: 4.7
After a 2-2 week, the Denver Nuggets are now 8-5 without Nikola Jokić in the lineup. And the longer this absence goes on, the more expensive Peyton Watson might be in restricted free agency.
Watson is showing legitimate star potential in a more prominent role. He's hitting off the dribble jumpers from the mid-range and from deep. He's become one of the best weakside shot-blockers in the league. And his on-ball defense can bother some of the league's longest wings.
This is one of those cliche "good problems to have," but for a team and ownership group that has sometimes seemed hesitant to spend, this development from Watson, in connection with the big deals already on the books, could make the Nuggets mighty expensive, mighty soon.
2. Detroit Pistons (32-10)
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Previous Rank: 2
Net Rating: 7.4
The Detroit Pistons haven't generated as many headlines as the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder, but they're quietly on pace for 60-plus wins and are only two games behind OKC in the loss column.
They could just keep chugging along with Cade Cunningham (25.7 points and 9.8 assists), Jalen Duren (17.8 points and 10.9 rebounds) and their gritty supporting cast. And that team could realistically threaten for a spot in the Finals.
But they could also look at the rest of this campaign as a unique opportunity, spend some assets and add firepower from a star-level forward like Lauri Markkanen or Michael Porter Jr. The shooting upgrade either of those players would represent could turn Detroit from "threat in the East" to "threat to win it all."
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (37-8)
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Previous Rank: 1
Net Rating: 13.2
After a moderately concerning 6-6 run from mid-December to early January, it's safe to say the Oklahoma City Thunder have fully reestablished themselves as this season's only juggernaut (with apologies to the Detroit Pistons).
OKC is 7-1 since that little lull. Two of their last three wins have been on the road and against above-.500 teams. And with Nikola Jokić still out with a bone bruise, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has put a vice grip around the MVP debate.
After scoring 40 points on 16-of-19 shooting against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, SGA is averaging 34.0 points and 5.7 assists on 59.1 percent shooting during this stretch.
