NBA Power Rankings: Preseason
Welcome back to the NBA season! Ben Simmons is back, wait and he tore his achilles. I can’t believe I led off the NBA season previews/power rankings with Ben Mother F’Ing Simmons. The New York Knicks come into the season as the defending champs and Jalen Brunson is the King of New York, cause the Yankees can’t win in the playoffs. LeBron is taking helicopter rides to Philly from New York and out west Wemby is ready to take a trip back to the NBA Finals. Oh and the Clippers are screwed. I am so ready for some basketball!!
1 - Oklahoma City Thunder (Lost in WCF)
Projected Wins: 60.5
The OKC Thunder were the favorites all year to repeat as NBA champions. They made it all the way back to the Western Conference Finals before bowing out in 7 to the Spurs. You can argue they have the deepest roster in the NBA, but are starting to get strapped a bit. Lu Dort is gone and with him some of their nastiness and defensive prowess. Don’t worry though, this team will be nasty. Don’t forget they could end up with a lottery pick thanks to the Clippers incompetence.
2 - San Antonio Spurs (Lost NBA Finals)
Projected Wins: 60.5
The Spurs made a run at the Finals last year before running into a team of destiny in the New York Knicks. They still have one of the most talented players in the NBA in Victor Wembanyama and one of if not the best backcourt trios in Castle, Fox and Harper. They are a little thin in the front court and god forbid they get a Wemby injury. But as you can see by their projected win totals, this is a championship caliber team.
3 - New York Knicks (Won NBA Finals)
Projected Wins: 51.5
The New York Knickerbockers are the defending NBA Champions and return roughly the same lineup as last year. After years of wearing down in the playoffs Mike Brown comes in and leads this team to their first championship in half a century. The pressure of trying to become back to back champs is real, but nothing compared to trying to break that drought in the biggest sporting city in the world. Losing Mitchell Robinson and trading him in for Andre Drummond is a change in the front court the Knicks will have to maneuver throughout the season.
4 - Philadelphia 76ers (Lost in East Semis)
Projected Wins: 50.5
The Philadelphia 76ers won the offseason. Bringing in both Jaylen Brown and LeBron James. Now how does this team that still employs Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe deal with too many cooks in the kitchen? Expecting LeBron and Joel to play 82 games is insane and really the 76ers just need them both healthy and rested for the playoffs. They have all the talent you could want, how will they all mesh?
5 - Minnesota Timberwolves (Lost in West Semis)
Projected Wins: 48.5
The Timberwolves made one of the most surprising and fun traders of the offseason by acquiring LaMelo Ball from the Hornets for Naz Reid. Now the question marks start, how do two ball dominant guards in Ball and Anthony Edwards fit on a Minnesota team that is still looking for its first NBA Finals appearance? Jaden McDaniels and Ruby Gobert can lock down teams on defense, but can this Wolves team get past either San Antonio or OKC?
6 - Boston Celtics (Lost in 1st Round)
Projected Wins: 49.5
I have a feeling folks will be surprised that I put Boston this high up on the power rankings to start the season. Last year we thought they would be a play-in team, well Tatum came back and they were the 2 seed. Did they blow a 3-1 lead in the 1st round, well yes. Jaylen Brown is out, Paul George and Mitchell Robinson are in. This is now Jayson Tatum’s team, can he lead them to the promised land without Brown? Joe Mazzulla can be decisive, but he does lead teams to 50 win seasons year after year.
7 - Detroit Pistons (Lost in East Semis)
Projected Wins: 49.5
Detroit, Detroit, Detroit. You blew us away with a 60 win season and coasted to the top seed in the East last year, just to be ousted by the Cavaliers in the 2nd round. Cade Cunningham vaulted into the MVP conversation last year and with Jalen Duren finally back, can they and Ausar Thompson lead this Pistons team back to a top seed in a much deeper East? Detroit does have some big money on expiring contracts if they decide to make a big move at the deadline.
8 - Denver Nuggets (Lost in 1st Round)
Projected Wins: 48.5
The Nuggets won the championship now 3 years ago and their window feels like it is slowly closing. Nikola Jokic is still in his prime and the Nuggets should be doing everything they can to get the multiple time MVP another shot at the title. Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon return as they look to get back to deep playoff runs. The financial situation and the bench situation are huge worries for the Nuggets if they want to sign Jokic to the supermax after this season is over.
9 - Cleveland Cavaliers (Lost in ECF)
Projected Wins: 47.5
The Cavaliers made their deepest playoff run without LeBron James on their roster in a long time. They brought James Harden back and Peyton Watson in from Denver. The starting lineup with Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen is incredible, but does the bench have enough talent and scoring to keep up in the East? They are really depending on some development from younger players if they want to hoist the Larry O’brien trophy for the 2nd time in franchise history.
10 - Houston Rockets (Lost in 1st round)
Projected Wins: 46.5
We talked about this a lot last year, the Rockets really needed a true point guard. Well Fred VanVleet is back and they of course still have Kevin Durant. This Rockets team is also huge, everyone on the starting lineup is 6’7 or taller. Can the Rockets finally get that next step from Alperen Sengun? Does Reed Sheppard take a step forward? Does Amen Thompson have a more consistent offense season? This Rockets team can win a championship this year don’t get me wrong, but they need things to go right.
11 - Los Angeles Lakers (Lost in West Semis)
Projected Wins: 45.5
The Luka Doncic era is here, LeBron James has left the Lakers after 8 seasons and varying levels of success and health. The Lakers finally bring in a true center in Walker Kessler and re-signing Austin Reaves brings depth scoring to a team that was not healthy during the playoffs last year. The Lakers were a bottom half defense last year, if they can get closer to the 15th rated defense their offense should carry them easily to a top 6 spot in the West.
12 - Toronto Raptors (Lost in 1st round)
Projected Wins: 45.5
Speaking of eras starting, the Kawhi Leonard 2.0 era starts in Toronto. Unlike the Lakers the Raptors had an elite defense last year led by 2 way star Scottie Barnes. The question marks for this team start and end with Kawhi. When he was in Toronto for a single season in 2019, the Raptors did a fantastic job “load managing” Leonard and they won a championship. The Raptors have the defense and enough scoring to win a championship in 2026/2027.
13 - Indiana Pacers (Missed Playoffs)
Projected Wins: 43.5
Here we have our first team in the power rankings who missed the playoffs last year. The biggest reason is obviously Tyrese Haliburton coming back. Don’t forget the Pacers had taken the Thunder to game 7 and if Hali didn’t get hurt they had a real shot at upsetting the odds on favorite. A full season of Zubac and Haliburton together and Siakam there as another bucket getter, the Pacers should be back in the fold in the Eastern Conference.
14 - Miami Heat (Lost in Play-in)
Projected Wins: 45.5
Before the LeBron and Brown pickups by the 76ers the Heat were the big winners of the offseason by bringing in Giannis. We on the pod have spoken about Giannis and his trade impact many times, but now he has to play like a top 5 player in the NBA. The Heat did give up a lot of depth in acquiring Giannis, but added Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr as depth three pointing shooting options. Can the Heat finally get out of the play-in?
15 - Atlanta Hawks (Lost in 1st round)
Projected Wins: 44.5
The Atlanta Hawks went on a fantastic run last year to earn a top 6 spot in the East after trading Trae Young away and beat the Knicks twice in that series, something no other team was able to do. They are poised to make a jump into the upper echelon of East contenders and they will do it with their defense. Adding Lu Dort just added more tenacity on the defensive end. Rim protection might be an issue, but hey if the offense never gets to the rim it won’t be a problem.
16 - Orlando Magic (Lost in 1st round)
Projected Wins: 44.5
Welcome to the back half of the rankings with a team that makes me so mad. Orlando has the pieces to compete and took Detroit to 7 games last but honestly folded in that 1st round series. Banchero, Wagner, Bane, Suggs and company need to be healthy. They also need to shoot the three ball better, that was why they spent so much on Bane last year and he had a down year shooting from distance. The Magic have the size, skill and defense to compete, they just need to knock down some more buckets.
17 - Portland Trail Blazers (Lost in 1st round)
Projected Wins: 43.5
Portland was the surprise team in the NBA last year, making it to the 1st round of the playoffs before getting beat by the Spurs. There are some ownership distractions but Damian Lillard, remember him, is back and Ja Morant has been added to the squad. The Blazers are a backcourt team and lack some front court depth. Can the Blazers repeat their success from last year by adding two former all-stars to the court? How does Jrue Holiday fit in this team and can he be a Laker please?
18 - Phoenix Suns (Lost in 1st round)
Projected Wins: 39.5
I hate this team, I won’t lie to you. Booker is a bucket, Jalen Green is an underachieving and often hurt guard and Dillon Brooks is a rat. The Suns did acquire Miles Bridges over the offseason, which I do like but this team is a below average three point shooting team. I think a lot of the season depends on Jalen Green and what he can give to the Suns after missing more than half the season. This team feels play-in bound doesn’t it?
19 - Golden State Warriors (Lost in Play-In)
Projected Wins: 39.5
The Golden State Walkers are what my boy Tradon called them on the pod last week. Steph, Draymond and Steve Kerr are all still Warriors, LeBron James is not. It sort of felt like the Warriors were banking on James joining up with Steph and when that didn’t pan out they didn’t know what direction to go. Kristaps is hurt, don’t worry he doesn’t have AIDS, Jimmy Butler is months from a return and Pods thinks he's Stephen Curry with chewing the mouth guard. Steph also has a knee sprain already but hey Yaxel Lendeborg should be a fun young player.
20 - Utah Jazz (Missed Playoffs)
Projected Wins: 36.5
The Utah Jazz are a lot of people’s pick to be the surprise team of the year. Jaren Jackson Jr, Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, Ace Bailey and 2nd overall pick Darryn Peterson that is a fun young core to build around in Utah. They have the offensive firepower to compete in any game, the center position is a question mark for sure but if the Jazz can get a little of that Mammoth magic they should be a fun team to watch this year.
21 - Dallas Mavericks (Missed Playoffs)
Projected Wins: 35.5
The Dallas Mavericks have finally moved all the way on the Luka Doncic vs Anthony Davis trade. Cooper Flagg is the face of the franchise and is ready to take his next step into stardom. What can Kyrie Irving bring coming back from another injury and what can that front court bring to a team that has the star power but has depth concerns?
22 - Washington Wizards (Missed Playoffs)
Projected Wins: 35.5
This is another team we expect to take a leap in the standings. After the trade Anthony Davis never played for the Wizards, Trae Young played all of 4 games. But those two in theory should work well together as long as AD is on the floor. He has averaged 47 games a year over the last 6 years. That is not good enough for a star player. AJ Dybansta as the number 1 overall pick comes into the league with accomplished teammates. Can the Wizards fight for a play-in spot?
23 - Charlotte Hornets (Lost in Play-In)
Projected Wins: 37.5
The Hornets had their best overall season in probably a decade last year. LaMelo, Kon, and Miles Bridges were a fun trio. So what did they do? Traded away the face of the franchise in LaMelo Ball for Naz Reid. Kon and Brandon Miller should ensure the 3 pointing shooting is still elite, but do they have a creator to get the shooters open shots? Coby White is a capable point guard and will need to shoulder some of the old LaMelo responsibilities.
24 - Memphis Grizzlies (Missed Playoffs)
Projected Wins: 28.5
We have a theme of Eras starting or ending. The Ja, JJJ, and Bane era is over in Memphis. Cameron Boozer comes in as the third overall pick and joins Zach Edey as the faces of the franchise now. Memphis is not in a position to compete this year, but what they do have is depth. Boozer and Edey will eventually need to turn into stars but this Memphis team should at least make games competitive.
25 - New Orleans Pelicans (Missed Playoffs)
Projected Wins: 28.5
What is the definition of insanity, trying something again and again and hoping for a different result? Welcome to the New Orleans Pelicans. Zion is somehow entering his eighth NBA season and appears to be in shape, can he stay healthy? Jeremiah Fears and Derrick Queen are a promising pair of second year players and they still have veteran guys like Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones and Trey Murphy. It might be time to trade one of those long term Pelicans and start something new in the Big Easy.
26 - Chicago Bulls (Missed Playoffs)
Projected Wins: 29.5
Caleb Wilson, as the 4th overall pick for the Bulls is the new exciting player to watch in the Windy City. Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis are fun pieces for this Bulls team that I think are being severely underrated. They are fast and athletic and should be able to hold on enough defensively to run a lot and hopefully get a lot of fast break points. Norman Powell and Nic Claxton bring some veteran leadership but the offense to close out games might be hard to watch.
27 - Los Angeles Clippers (Lost in Play-In)
Projected Wins: 28.5
Oh the Clippers, the Kawhi era is over and it ended as badly as any era has ever ended in NBA history and that doesn’t feel like it ever scratches the surface. I saw this tweet that said the Clippers are a team made of missing pieces for championship contending teams. They do have interesting guys like Darius Garland, Rui Hachimura, Brook Lopez, and Bradley Beal. Brandon Ingram is already hurt and they have no future. Sorry Clippers fans this is going to be a tough half decade or so.
28 - Brooklyn Nets (Missed Playoffs)
Projected Wins: 24.5
Michael Porter Jr and Julius Randle make up a pair of solid but not spectacular NBA players. Mikel Brown Jr. is a young and interesting player for the Nets who need to win more games this year as the league's new tanking format comes into play. They lack the star power and overall depth to really compete but if you are a Nets fan this is a team going in the right direction.
29 - Milwaukee Bucks (Missed Playoffs)
Projected Wins: 24.5
Alright last Era related thing, but yeah Giannis is gone. He brought Milwaukee a championship and multiple MVPs and defensive player of the year awards. The Bucks are a team of who stays and who goes. Which of the following group of Herro, Turner, Kuzma, Ware and Jasquez Jr are long term pieces and which are trade pieces. How does new head coach Taylor Jenkins get this roster to compete?
30 - Sacramento Kings (Missed Playoffs)
Projected Wins: 21.5
Last and finally last we have the Sacramento Kings. Gone are DeMar Derozan and Russell Westbrook, two very successful and potentially both hall of fame players past their prime. Domantas Sabonis, Zach Lavine and Keegan Murray are still suiting up in purple, but for how much longer? Darius Acuff looks like the real deal and the youth movement in Sac is what they should be focusing on, not the owner roasting its team and staff before the season starts. Kings fans I am sorry you have to go through this again.