Now that LeBron James has made his playing decision for next year, most of the rosters across the NBA are at or near completion. That means we can start looking ahead to the 2026-27 season. The best way to do that is to release our early power rankings for next year. So, without further ado, here is where each NBA team stands now that free agency is basically over.
1. New York Knicks
Most people were probably expecting the 76ers to take the top spot on our list, but that honor still belongs to the Knicks. When creating NBA power rankings, the champions are the de facto number-one team until they suffer their first regular-season loss. Until that actually happens, I can’t in good conscience say that another squad is better than them. More importantly, the Knicks have the best chemistry of any team in the NBA from the coach all the way down to the last bench player. Meanwhile, we don't know how well the Sixers will gel next season, so New York takes the number-one spot on our list. Understandably, the loss of Mitchell Robinson will likely hurt this squad when the 2027 playoffs come around, but Andre Drummond should suffice as a strong backup center during the regular season. The Knicks are locked and loaded to go contend for another title.
2. Philadelphia 76ers
With the recent addition of LeBron James, the Philadelphia 76ers boast the best starting five in the NBA next season. Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid are all bona fide superstars. Plus, VJ Edgecombe will probably take a big leap in year two. Philly also has a really solid bench with Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade, and Labaron Philon Jr. The roster is so strong that Joel Embiid won’t have to play in every single regular-season game. That type of flexibility will be incredibly important later on in the season because you want Embiid to be as healthy as possible when the playoffs begin. If they can find one more center or power forward to take some pressure off Embiid, then they'll be in terrific shape. Still, a lot of this team’s success depends on LeBron and Embiid being healthy for the postseason, and a lot can still happen between now and then. On paper though, this team should be one of the favorites to win the 2027 NBA Finals.
3. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs come in just a little bit ahead of the Thunder because they added a key contributor, re-signed some players, and didn't lose any valuable bench guys. Tobias Harris will bring a ton of veteran leadership to this team. And, unlike Luke Kornet in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, he won't be a complete liability when he has to step onto the court. In fact, he had arguably the best playoff performance of his career this past postseason, when he showed up and proved to be an effective number-two scoring option for the Pistons. He definitely won’t have to do that in San Antonio with Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, and Dylan Harper playing key minutes. We should also expect Victor Wembanyama to take the next step towards NBA superstardom. Now that this team has tasted a modicum of success, they know what it'll take to maintain dominance in the Western Conference.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder
To some people, the Thunder are still the best team in the NBA, and I completely understand that line of thinking. They had the best record in the NBA last season and made it all the way to Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals. Drafting Aday Mara could make a big difference when facing Victor Wembanyama. Outside of that, though, OKC hasn't made many other noteworthy acquisitions this off-season. They actually subtracted more players than they added. The Thunder traded away Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, and Lu Dort to help get the team’s finances under control. This squad will be one of the best in the NBA because they still have a ton of depth, but learning how to play without those three guys might require an adjustment period early in the season that could lead to some unexpected losses.
5. Minnesota Timberwolves
This was a pivotal off-season for the T-wolves, who added key pieces while getting rid of long-time contributors. Minnesota brought in LaMelo Ball along with Josh Green and Isaiah Evans. At the same time, they also parted ways with Naz Reid, Julius Randle, Kyle Anderson, and Mike Conley. The LaMelo Ball trade will play a huge role in how things shake out in the Western Conference this season. The trade could yield positive results right away, and the Timberwolves will be right up there with the Spurs and Thunder as the best team in the West. It’s also possible that LaMelo Ball will be a major distraction who can’t help Minnesota get over the hump in the playoffs. How everything plays out in the postseason has yet to be determined, but - on paper - the Timberwolves are one of the best groups in the league.
6. Houston Rockets
Compared to the Thunder, Timberwolves, and Spurs, it was a relatively quiet off-season in Houston. However, I do believe that the Rockets added three rotational guys who will make a big difference on and off the court during the 2026-27 campaign. Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic can bring even more veteran leadership to a fairly young team. Plus, Bruce Thornton played well during the Summer League, and he should provide valuable minutes off the bench. If KD can play most of Houston's games, the Rockets should end up being one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Even if he doesn’t play every game, their young guys have proven that they can continuously have regular-season success when Kevin Durant isn't on the court.
7. Denver Nuggets
This spot could've just as easily gone to the Celtics, but the Nuggets get a slight edge because they didn't experience nearly as many losses this off-season as the Cs. Assuming Peyton Watson returns to the team, the Nuggets should still have one of the best offenses in the NBA, even with the recent losses of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas. This squad is only as good as Nikola Jokic, and he remains one of the three or four best basketball players in the world. However, time is running out in Denver to win another championship with this current group of core players. On top of that, Jokic could opt out of his contract and test free agency next season. There will be immense pressure on the Nuggets to make a deep playoff run if they want to keep their franchise GOAT in Denver.
8. Boston Celtics
No doubt, the loss of Jaylen Brown will hurt this team's regular-season record, but they’ll have Jayson Tatum for the entire year, which means they’ll still be a top team in the East. Mitchell Robinson is one of the best backup centers in the NBA, and Mike Conley still has some gas left in the tank as a rotational guard. Even Paul George can be a solid number-two or number-three guy when healthy. Most of Boston's basketball success this season will bank on Jayson Tatum returning to All-Star form and other guys playing better than they did last year *cough Derrick White cough*. Tatum should be able to answer the call, but I'm not as confident in guys like Derrick White and Payton Pritchard now that they’re the obvious number-two and -three scoring options for this team.
9. Cleveland Cavaliers
They didn't get any worse this off-season, but it also feels like they're not any better than when they got bounced out of the playoffs by the New York Knicks. They lost Dean Wade but seemed to have found his replacement in rookie Meleek Thomas, who turned heads with an outstanding showing during the Summer League. Despite the excitement surrounding Thomas, the Cavs have bigger issues to worry about right now because James Harden still hasn't re-signed with the team. He's an unrestricted free agent who is free to go to any team. If the Cavs lose him after missing out on the LeBron James sweepstakes, then it could be a rough season in The Land. However, we are going to give the Cavaliers the benefit of the doubt and assume Harden will be returning. Once that happens, Cleveland will cement itself as a top group in the East.
10. Los Angeles Lakers
This was an insanely important off-season for the Lakers, who had to retool the roster following the departure of LeBron James. Los Angeles added four guys in Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Collin Sexton who can all provide valuable minutes to this team next season. Hell, Walker Kessler might end up being the answer to the Lakers’ prayers at the center position. At the same time, though, they lost Deandre Ayton, Luke Kennard, Jaxson Hayes, Marcus Smart, and - of course - LeBron. With Luka Doncic leading the charge in Los Angeles and the center issues seemingly figured out, the Lakers should be a playoff team next season, but they’ll have their work cut out for them in a top-heavy Western Conference.
11. Miami Heat
The Heat are better today than they were at the end of the 2025-26 season, but that isn't saying much. Instead of being a failed Play-In team, it feels more like Miami will earn a spot in the Eastern Conference Playoffs as a top-six seed. Between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, the Heat have one of the best frontcourts in the NBA. Meanwhile, they are doing their best to fill out the rest of the roster with cost-effective, talented guys like Tim Hardaway Jr. and Ryan Conwell, but it would behoove Miami to continue making roster additions. The starting lineup will serve this team well during the regular season, but the Heat might not have the playoff success they’re hoping for in South Beach if this is the depth they have going into next year.
12. Toronto Raptors
It's hard to evaluate this team since we lack clarity on the Kawhi Leonard trade. If Toronto does end up getting Leonard, and he has to miss at least half the season due to suspension, then the Raptors could be in trouble. For now, though, we have to operate under the assumption that the Kawhi Leonard trade might be vetoed. In that case, the Raptors are still one of the more complete teams in the East. There is clear chemistry between R.J. Barrett, Brandon Ingram, and Scottie Barnes. On top of that, R.J. Barrett probably won't miss 25 games this coming season. If the Kawhi Leonard trade doesn't come to fruition, then the Raptors will still be a playoff-caliber team. If he does join the team, misses time, but comes back and has a strong second half of the year, then Toronto has a good shot to make the postseason.
13. Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks aren't wowing anybody with the moves they made this season or the way their roster is constructed. They still lack a surefire superstar. Still, I really respect how Atlanta has handled this off-season. Adding guys like Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Ryan Nembhard, Kingston Flemings, and Zuby Ejiofor will help the Hawks continue to bolster their identity as a defense-first squad. It stinks that they had to give up on former number-one overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, but Atlanta has an incredibly scrappy group that will be a thorn in the side of many Eastern Conference teams. Remember, they handed the New York Knicks the most losses of any team that made the 2026 NBA Playoffs. They might not set the world on fire in the postseason, but this has the makings of a playoff team.
14. Golden State Warriors
It's crazy to think about, but this could realistically be Stephen Curry's last year as a member of the Golden State Warriors. After all, he is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next off-season. The Warriors have to make the most of their championship window before it closes. There will be some early difficulties with Jimmy Butler still recovering from injury, but Yaxel Lendeborg should be able to pick up some of the slack. Once Butler returns to the lineup, this team will be a pain in the neck for everybody they face. My biggest concern is that this season hinges entirely on a 38-year-old Stephen Curry to play in every game, and I don't expect that to happen. If he has to miss extended time like he did last year, the Warriors will be in trouble.
15. Indiana Pacers
They didn't really lose anybody notable this off-season, but it was extremely disappointing that they failed to get a first-round draft pick out of the Ivica Zubac trade. With that being said, Tyrese Haliburton returning to the lineup is even more valuable to this team than a first-round draft pick. We also can’t forget that Ivica Zubac will have a full off-season to adapt to the Pacers' game plans and tendencies. Indiana will likely be much better than the 15th-best team in the NBA, but for now, they land here on our power rankings list since we haven't seen the Pacers play well on the basketball court in over a year.
16. Portland Trail Blazers
Similar to the Toronto Raptors, the Trail Blazers have made some meaningful off-season additions. None will be more important than the trade for Ja Morant. The fact that they got him for pennies on the dollar moves them up a few spots on this list. Unfortunately, former head coach Tiago Splitter left the team, which prevents them from being a top-15 squad. I have no qualms with this roster. There is actually a respectable amount of talent in Portland. I’m just worried about the learning curve they will experience under a new head coach and where Ja Morant fits into the picture. The Trail Blazers are oversaturated with guards (Scoot Henderson, Ja Morant, Jrue Holiday, and Damian Lillard). One of those guys will probably be traded this off-season or during the regular season.
17. Charlotte Hornets
Technically speaking, the Hornets should be expecting a down year after trading away star point guard LaMelo Ball. However, I was impressed with Charlotte’s off-season acquisitions. They might have lost Ball and Miles Bridges, but they also added Naz Reid, Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale, and Dorian Finney-Smith, who will all play crucial roles on this team. We also can't ignore their slam dunk performance during the 2026 NBA Draft, where they acquired a starting center and a new starting point guard. Christian Anderson Jr. is going to have to step up and play well right away, but the rest of this team is positioned for big things this coming season. He won't have to be an All-Star, but the kid will need to be a reliable passer and decent scorer if Charlotte wants to move up in the power rankings during the season.
18. Detroit Pistons
I do not understand why people are so high on the Pistons. This off-season has been incredibly lackluster for Detroit. First, they lost Tobias Harris in free agency, which will end up being a huge loss since he was clearly the Pistons' second-best player during the playoff run. Hell, we could argue he was Detroit's second-best regular-season player, too! Not to mention, the team's All-Star center, Jalen Duren, remains unsigned as a free agent after a disastrous performance in the playoffs. The Pistons might have added solid contributors like John Collins and Isaiah Joe, but this team seems to be weaker now than they were heading into the 2025-26 campaign.
19. Orlando Magic
The Magic have a pretty good roster. The best thing to come out of last season was Paolo Banchero proving he can elevate his game in the playoffs when the lights shone the brightest. The loss of Mo Wagner hurts Orlando's center depth, but they're set throughout the rest of the roster. However, it's unclear who will man the five spot, which could hurt this team in the long-run. We also don't know how good of a leader new head coach Sean Sweeney will be. Thankfully, the benchmark for success is low. Sweeney just has to avoid a historically bad playoff collapse in order for it to be a good first year. Then again, if the Magic fail to qualify for the postseason, then big changes will be coming to Orlando next year.
20. LA Clippers
The same way the Raptors came in at 12 without Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers come in at 20 with him. However, it is worth noting that we believe Leonard will be suspended a significant amount of time for his alleged involvement in a salary cap circumvention scandal. I'm going to split the difference and assume he will be suspended for half the regular season. In that case, LA will struggle through the first 42 games of the campaign, but then be much better in the second half of the year. If a suspension does come down and it's longer than half the regular season, the Clippers will fall significantly in our power rankings. For now, though, we'll give them the benefit of the doubt, so they come in at #20 on our list.
21. Washington Wizards
I have fairly high hopes for the Wizards because they actually have a talented roster. Trae Young is a former All-Star who can still run an NBA offense effectively. Anthony Davis is a future Hall of Famer who can give you over 25 points a night when healthy. We also can't forget number-one overall pick A.J. Dybantsa, who should be able to come in and average upwards of 20 points per game. From there, the role players are respectable. Khris Middleton, Alex Sarr, Deandre Ayton, Bub Carrington, Tre Johnson, and Bilal Coulibaly could each give Washington like 10 points per night. Outside of AD, there are some concerns when it comes to protecting the rim, but the Wizards will be much more competitive this coming season and could even qualify for the NBA Play-In Tournament.
22. Phoenix Suns
The Suns didn't set the world on fire last season (haha), but they still had a winning record. Hell, they even made the playoffs as the eighth seed in the West in the team's first season under new head coach Jordan Ott. It was a quietly eventful off-season in the desert. They got rid of two key rotational players in Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale, but added Miles Bridges, Luke Kennard, and hometown rookie Koa Peat. The Miles Bridges acquisition will do wonders for the team's frontcourt depth. Plus, 2025 first-round draft pick Khaman Maluach showed a ton of growth during Summer League play. In all likelihood, they will still probably finish the regular season with an above .500 record and be a Play-In team once again. But, it's reasonable to picture this team winning 50 games or more.
23. Utah Jazz
The Jazz were obviously tanking last season. After making a blockbuster move for Jaren Jackson Jr. at the trade deadline, he only played in three games for Utah. Also, the Jazz's best player last season, Lauri Markkanen, was benched for multiple games to help the tanking process. As it turns out, tanking paid off because the Jazz landed the second-overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, which they used to select Darryn Peterson, who has the highest upside of any player in the class of 2026. Now that they’re not blatantly trying to lose, Utah will probably be much more competitive and win more than 22 games. Still, the Western Conference has a lot of playoff-caliber teams, and the Jazz are still far from competing for a championship. They will be better than they were last season, but this group probably won't have a winning record when all is said and done. But that doesn’t mean they won’t pull off a few surprise upsets during the regular season.
24. Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks find themselves in an interesting spot. They're clearly still rebuilding, but they also have an assortment of veteran players and talented young guys that will make this an enjoyable group to watch. Kyrie Irving rejoining the team gives Dallas an All-Star point guard who can run the offense. It will also give Cooper Flagg a chance to better adapt to his role as a forward. Santi Aldama and Morez Johnson Jr. will provide some resolution for the Mavericks' long-standing frontcourt problems. If we're being honest, though, this group will not be a threat to make the playoffs. There will be an obvious adjustment period as head coach Dusty May makes the transition from college basketball to the NBA. More importantly, if Kyrie Irving suffers any type of injury setback, then Dallas is screwed at the point guard spot.
25. Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets made a lot of strong acquisitions this off-season. Julius Randle is the first big-name player to come to Brooklyn since Kevin Durant left the team. Egor Demin showed a lot of growth during Summer League play, so he should take a noticeable step forward this year. They also added some frontcourt depth by signing Mo Wagner and Keon Ellis. There are high hopes for Mikel Brown Jr., too, even though the Nets are loaded with guards who specialize in ball-handling and running the offense. The good news is that he won't have to be the starting point guard every night with Demin on the team, which means Brown can ease his way into NBA competition. Instead of being God-awful this coming season, the Nets will suck, which is a step in the right direction.
26. Chicago Bulls
For the first time in years, the Chicago Bulls embraced tanking and went for an honest-to-God rebuild. They got younger by adding two first-round picks in Dailyn Swain and Caleb Wilson, who is going to be the center of the future in Chicago. We also can't forget the 12th overall pick in last year's draft, Noa Essengue, who the Bulls stashed away in the G League. The best thing to come out of this off-season was Tiago Splitter becoming Chicago's new head coach. He showed a ton of promise by leading the Portland Trail Blazers to the playoffs even though the season was derailed after one game due to a gambling scandal. By comparison, coaching the Chicago Bulls should be a piece of cake for the former NBA Champion. The Bulls will be a really good defensive team, but their lack of offensive prowess will hurt this group. To be fair, though, it's a good year to be rebuilding considering how stacked the Eastern Conference is.
27. Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies are in a rebuild. You don't trade away your star player for peanuts when things are going well. Then again, Ja Morant had become more of a distraction than a positive force in Memphis, so it was actually a good move to trade him away because you got back Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, who averaged over 23 points per game combined last season. That is a really solid level of production, and it gives you a new starting small forward. The only reason to watch Grizzlies basketball this coming season is to see the growth and progression of number-three overall pick Cameron Boozer. He will be in the conversation for Rookie of the Year. Plus, his presence will make life somewhat easier for center Zach Edey. The best thing that can happen in Memphis this year is the young guy playing well enough to give fans hope for the future.
28. Sacramento Kings
The Kings are stuck in no-man's land. Even though they went on a 16-game losing streak at one point last season, they still finished above the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference standings, which proves that they don't even know how to tank properly. What's even worse is that their tanking efforts weren't even worth it. Despite being tied for the fourth-lowest winning percentage in the NBA last season (.268), the Kings failed to land a top-five draft pick. They fell to seventh, where they landed my draft crush Darius Acuff Jr., who looked very disjointed during Summer League play. They also released their second-best scorer, DeMar DeRozan, who led the team in games played last season. Hopefully, the combination of Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, and Darous Acuff Jr. can produce more than 22 wins.
29. Milwaukee Bucks
I am a Milwaukee Bucks fan who has drunk the Kool-Aid that fans, the front office, and local media members have been serving. Brayden Burries looks like a future star. The additions of Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Kasparas Jakucionis give the Bucks multiple exciting young pieces that will be fun to watch grow. There is even excitement about new head coach Taylor Jenkins, who has stepped in and already improved Milwaukee’s culture. However, I’m not an idiot. I am objective enough to recognize that this is an underwhelming roster. The Bucks will probably be one of the eight worst teams in the league this coming season. They're young, lack a true superstar, and play in an Eastern Conference that is going to be incredibly tough for the next few years. A successful season for the Bucks will feature promising flashes from the young guys and a top-six pick in the 2027 NBA Draft.
30. New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans sit at the bottom of our list after they were content to run it back with a new coach and virtually the same roster just a season after they went 26-56. Actually, that's not completely true. There's a chance the Pels could be worse this season since they lost third-string center Kevon Looney in free agency. New coach Jamahl Mosley could right the ship, but this is the same guy who just blew a 3-1 lead in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs with a much better Orlando Magic squad. Even with a somewhat healthy Zion Williamson and the emergence of Trey Murphy III, the Pelicans were never close to being a good team after opening last season with a 2-15 record. The only thing to be excited about is that New Orleans will get the more favorable draft pick between them and the Milwaukee Bucks, so they'll have a strong chance to possibly win the 2027 NBA Draft Lottery. Outside of that, though, professional basketball will be an afterthought in the Big Easy this year.
