NBA Power Rankings 2025-26: Which Dark Horse Could Upend the Rockets, Nuggets, and Thunder’s Dominance?

(Last season 19-63)
Charlotte had a good offseason, that doesn’t mean they are a good team yet — although they could well be a play-in or maybe playoff team if LaMelo Ball can stay healthy for 65+ games. At least there seems to be a plan under new ownership and a new front office. Collin Sexton was a solid pickup for next to nothing. No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel’s shooting is needed and he can slot next to Ball and Brandon Miller. I like just drafted center Ryan Kalkbrenner, he impressed me at Summer League with his defense.

(Last season 48-34)
If the Stephen Curry/Jimmy Butler/Draymond Green core can stay healthy and everything breaks their way, the Warriors could make a nice postseason run. Not to state the obvious, but the health of the Curry/Butler/Green core is a legit concern. The Golden State Warriors receive an incomplete grade for their offseason until the Jonathan Kuminga situation is resolved (they currently only have nine players on the roster for next season; there is work to be done here).

TRUE TITLE CONTENDERS

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

(Last season 61-21).
Jayson Tatum may be sidelined for most (if not all) of next season, and Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis are gone, but there is still talent on this roster. Jaylen Brown is poised for a big season with a larger shot creation role, Derrick White is still out there knocking down clutch shots, plus Anfernee Simons is going to get them some buckets. This team is not a contender, but it’s also not a pushover this season.

2. Houston Rockets

(Last season 40-42)
No team had a better offseason than Atlanta, which is why they jump in these rankings to what would be the fifth seed in the East. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a fantastic fit at guard, bringing needed shooting and defense, while Luke Kennard adds more shooting. If he’s healthy, Kristaps Porzingis brings the shot-blocking presence this team needs, plus he will be a great pick-and-pop partner with Trae Young. The biggest Atlanta addition: Getting Jalen Johnson healthy. Throw in the expected growth from Zaccharie Risacher and Atlanta looks like a team that could make some noise in the East.

3. Denver Nuggets

(Last season 50-32)
This will be the Andrew Nembhard team for a season (while Tyrese Haliburton recovers from his torn Achilles, the ball will be in his hands). Pascal Siakam will also be asked to do more shot creation, and with that, he should see a bump in his stats. Jay Huff is a solid signing at center, but this team lacks a defensive presence in the paint. It’s going to be a rough year in Indy after such a magical run a year ago.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers

(Last season 50-32)
There is always drama swirling around LeBron James and the Lakers, but don’t buy into the trade talk — LeBron will be with the team when training camp opens. So will skinny Luka Doncic, and if that duo can prod Deandre Ayton to care and play hard the majority of the time, this Lakers team is a playoff threat. They are going to miss Dorian Finney-Smith and his shooting (and perimeter defense).

SECOND CIRCLE CONTENDERS

5. Minnesota Timberwolves

(Last season 44-38)
This ranking almost feels too low for a team that announced its arrival last season, but did they do enough to move up? Despite rumors, there were no big, bold moves by the Pistons this offseason — the team has no Robin to Cade Cunningham’s Batman — but Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson will fit in well as role players.

6. New York Knicks

(Last season 17-65)
This is what a rebuilding team should be doing, but it will likely result in a rough season on the court. Trading away John Collins and Collin Sexton is the latest sign the team will turn the keys over to young players (Lauri Markkanen remains, unless they get blown away by a trade offer). Ace Bailey is a project but immensely talented, while Walter Clayton showed some potential at the Las Vegas Summer League. Kyle Filipowski might have been the best player in Las Vegas and looks ready for a bigger role and minutes this season.

PLAYOFFS OR BUST

7. Los Angeles Clippers

(Last season 40-42)
It’s just a matter of fit. Bringing in veteran Dennis Schroder to run the point is a solid move on one level — he’s a quality NBA rotation one — but he’s not a feared shooter. Play him with DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis, and teams can just pack the paint and dare the Kings to beat them from 3. This is another team where the long-term plan is unclear, despite having some talent on the roster. What’s the vision? On the bright side, rookies Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford have looked pretty good at Summer League.

8. Orlando Magic

The NBA offseason is inching closer to the finish line, and while a few burning questions linger—like where Jonathan Kuminga will finally plant his flag or whether Luka Doncic will ink that long-anticipated Lakers extension—the bulk of this season’s rosters have locked into place. We’ve already caught glimpses of the new blood in the NBA Summer League, and with rosters mostly set, it’s prime time to drop our summer edition of the NBA Power Rankings. From true title chasers building on last year’s glory to teams teetering on the edge of the playoff bubble, the landscape is shaping up to be as unpredictable as ever. So buckle up, because these rankings are a cocktail of grit, fresh talent, and offseason maneuvers—all setting the stage for a captivating season ahead. LEARN MORE

9. Los Angeles Lakers

(Last season 50-32)
The Clippers have a stacked regular-season lineup. They locked up James Harden coming off an All-NBA season, and they added quality size up front in Brook Lopez and John Collins. Bradley Beal steps right into the Norman Powell role (and the team may not miss a beat). This is a big and deep roster that can rest Kawhi Leonard a fair amount during the regular season and still win a lot of games (trust Harden in the playoffs at your own peril).

10. Golden State Warriors

(Last season 26-56)
This is what rebuilding should look like, but it’s going to be a rough season on the court. The trade to acquire Michael Porter Jr. was a good one — he is going to put up points (inconsistently, but points nonetheless) this season, and that 2032 Denver first-round pick is gold. Egor Demin and especially Nolan Traore impressed with their potential at Summer League, but they are rookies learning the game. Whatever the over is on Cam Thomas’ shots, bet it (the sides will work out the restricted free agency before the season begins).

11. Milwaukee Bucks

(Last season 36-46)
Phoenix had a relatively good offseason considering they reset the roster and started to retool around Devin Booker. That doesn’t mean they got better. Kevin Durant is in Houston, Bradley Beal will be an anchor on their books for five years but is in Los Angeles, and Booker is now locked up for another two years. Jalen Green is going to get a lot of shots. Rookie Khaman Maluach showed promise at Summer League, but also reminded everyone that he is a bit of a project that will take some time to live up to his potential.

12. Atlanta Hawks

Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg with the monster help side block, transition push and assist for go-ahead jumper in final minute vs. Lakers pic.twitter.com/rBXktQp0HH

13. Detroit Pistons

(Last season 51-31)
The question isn’t, “Is Mike Brown a better coach than Tom Thibodeau?” The question is, “Does having a different voice in Mike Brown and going deeper into the bench during the regular season make a difference?” We shall see. Brown takes over a job with more pressure than any other coach in the league.

14. Philadelphia 76ers

(Last season 39-43)
Cooper Flagg lived up to the hype at Summer League, and what impressed most is that it wasn’t just his scoring — that was up and down in terms of efficiency, which is to be expected in his first year — but it was his defense and playmaking that stood out. With D’Angelo Russell at the point, and if Anthony Davis can stay healthy, this is a solid team that should improve as the year goes on.

15. San Antonio Spurs

(Last season 21-61)
There are so many inconsistent players on this roster, but if everything clicks this ranking will be WAY too low. That starts with Zion Williamson staying healthy, which remains the pivot point with this team. Then there’s the need for a good Jordan Poole season, both Trey Murphy II and Herb Jones staying healthy and playing well on the wings, and rookies Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen contributing. That’s a lot of “if” that have to come together this season, and don’t get started on the long term.

16. Memphis Grizzlies

(Last season 37-45)
Trading for Norman Powell from the Clippers was a steal, he is exactly what Miami needs as a secondary shot creator next to Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. That said, this was a middle-of-the-pack Heat team last season that made no bold moves, no massive upgrades, leaving them in the same spot they were a year ago.

17. Boston Celtics

(Last season 30-52)
This team certainly has talent — Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, Immanuel Quickly, RJ Barrett — but that talent overlaps more than fits together. This just feels like an oddly constructed team. And among all that good talent, is there a true No. 1 option on a playoff team? The Jakob Poeltl re-signing makes sense on the court, but it felt like an overpay.

18. Dallas Mavericks

(Last season 64-18)
I’m higher on the Cavaliers next season than a lot of people, partially because I don’t put as much stock in their playoff exit as most. Darius Garland is critical to this team’s success, and his trying to play through turf toe changed everything. If healthy, and with Evan Mobley taking another step forward, this team is a legit contender with Donovan Mitchell as the go-to star.

Play-In Hopefuls

19. Miami Heat

(Last season 52-30)
It’s obvious to say Kevin Durant fills in the missing piece of the puzzle in the half court that Houston lacked, that doesn’t make it any less correct. That, plus the growth of their young players, makes the Rockets title contenders. Adding Dorian Finney-Smith to the rotation was one of the sneaky best pickups of the offseason, which makes the Rockets’ defense and depth that much better.

20. Toronto Raptors

(Last season 39-43)
What exactly is the plan in Chicago? Still trying to figure that out. Turning Lonzo Ball into Isaac Okoro isn’t exactly an upgrade. At least the Bulls are negotiating with Josh Giddey and not just handing him the bag (ala Patrick Williams). The Bulls and Giddey remain about – million a season apart on reaching a new deal (Giddey is seeking million a season, the Bulls are thinking low millions). No. 12 pick Noa Essengue had a rough first game at the Las Vegas Summer League but looked better getting to his shot as he played more games. Despite all those questions, this ranking might be too low for a team that should more likely hover around .500.

21. Portland Trail Blazers

(Last season 48-34)
Giannis Antetokounmpo said he would “probably” return to the Bucks, which feels like an understatement (he added, “I love Milwaukee”). It doesn’t matter how many teams are monitoring the situation if he doesn’t force his way out, and it doesn’t appear he will this summer. Myles Turner is an upgrade over Brook Lopez at this point in their careers. However, the Bucks need another ball handler and shot creator at the two/three slot, or there is a serious ceiling on this team.

22. Chicago Bulls

(Last season 49-33)
They have been to back-to-back Western Conference Finals and Anthony Edwards is still improving — do not sleep on this team. The Timberwolves locked up Julius Randle and Naz Reid, but losing Nickeil Alexander-Walker is going to sting. A lot.

23. Sacramento Kings

(Last season 36-46)
Damian Lillard’s return home is heartwarming, but it doesn’t help the team on the court this season. However, that team is interesting, potentially good, and may make this ranking look too low. Their starting five opening night could be Jrue Holiday, Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija, Jerami Grant and Donovan Clingan, with Scoot Henderson, Toumani Camara and maybe some Yang Hansen off the bench (his passing is infectious for a team’s offense, but his defense and strength need work to get serious NBA rotation minutes). We’ll see if the post All-Star Game run from last season can extend into this one.

24. Indiana Pacers

(Last season 41-41)
Orlando had as good an offseason as any team in the league — Desmond Bane is a perfect fit for this roster. Tyus Jones is exactly what this team needs behind Jalen Suggs at the point. Keep Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner healthy, and this team is a threat in the East. I have them as the No. 3 seed at the moment.

25. Charlotte Hornets

(Last season 34-48)
Victor Wembanyama is healthy and cleared following the resolution of the blood clot issue in his shoulder. If the Spurs’ “problem” is figuring out how to fit De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle together in the same backcourt, that’s a good problem to have. We’ll get a feel for what the Spurs think of their future direction next month when it’s time for Fox to receive a contract extension.

Dreaming of Lottery Luck (already)

26. Washington Wizards

(Last season 18-64)
There are some interesting young players on this roster: Bub Carrington, Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Cam Whitmore, Keyshawn George, and the just-drafted Tre Johnson (who is fun to watch because he has yet to meet a shot he doesn’t like). The concern: At one point at the Las Vegas Summer League, the Wizards rolled out a five-man lineup of guys who will get minutes on the team this fall, and they got run out of the building by the summer Suns (not exactly a powerhouse squad). It’s concerning. Still, this is a team with a plan and making better decisions than it did a couple of years ago.

27. New Orleans Pelicans

(Last season 68-14)
The defending champions are the team everyone else is chasing — they locked up their core three (Shai Gilgeous Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren) with extensions and are running it back pretty much the same roster that just won 68 games and a ring. At Summer League, Ajay Mitchell looked ready for more minutes and Nikola Topic looked ready for some. This team just gets deeper and better.

28. Phoenix Suns

While there is still some offseason business to get done — where does Jonathan Kuminga land? Will Luka Doncic sign an extension with the Lakers? — the majority of rosters are now settled. We have seen the rookies at NBA Summer League. Which means, it’s time for a summer edition of our NBA Power Rankings.

29. Brooklyn Nets

(Last season 50-32)
With days left in the last season, the Nuggets fired coach Michael Malone, then this offseason went out and did what he had been begging the franchise to do for years — acquire quality veterans. Jonas Valanciunas is the best backup big of the Jokic era and it’s not close. Cam Johnson will be an upgrade over Michael Porter Jr. (especially defensively), and Tim Hardaway Jr. and the return of Bruce Brown are exactly what this team needed. Denver took OKC 7 in the last playoffs and improved this offseason.

30. Utah Jazz

(Last season 48-34)
The Grizzlies will miss Desmond Bane, but if Kentavious Caldwell-Pope finds his rhythm again in Memphis he can help mitigate a lot of that. Memphis locked up Jaren Jackson Jr. and they made a quality pickup in Ty Jerome. If Ja Morant can stay healthy and find a little more efficiency, this ranking may prove too low.