Every team’s NBA roster is a work in progress in this period between the NBA draft and free agency. But our NBA Power Rankings look at who is in the best spot.
The NBA Draft is behind us and while the mass of groundbreaking trades didn’t materialize, there were plenty of surprises, some clear winners and losers and plenty of talent added to NBA rosters. We’re still a week away from free agency when teams will begin putting the final touches on their personnel for next season. But for now, our NBA Power Rankings are looking at which team is in the best position.
NBA Power Rankings: Post-draft, pre-free-agency
The Nuggets still need to find a way to re-sign Bruce Brown and replenish their depth for a title defense. But they picked up several intriguing rookies in the draft and second-year Christian Braun and Peyton Watson should help too. And of course, the rest of their core is still intact.
I may be in the minority but I think Chris Paul could wind up being a huge asset. The Warriors also found tremendous value in the draft in Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis. I’m also still a believer in Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody and, with Draymond Green seemingly ready to return, I think this might be the second-best team in the West.
The Celtics are going to be a very different kind of team next season without Marcus Smart and with Kristaps Porzingis. But when he’s healthy he’s a two-way All-Star and it appears Jaylen Brown will be back for another year of entangled growth with Jayson Tatum.
I don’t think they end up getting Damian Lillard and I don’t think Jamie Jaquez Jr. is a meaningful addition. But I also didn’t think they’d make it out of the first round last season so here we are.
The Bucks have as many question marks as any team in the East with Jevon Carter, Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton all as free agents. But if those three guys come back they’d have the horses for another Finals run and added some interesting young pieces in Chris Livingston and Andre Jackson.
I’m a believer. Colby Jones is a perfect fit and fantastic value in the second round. With Richaun Holmes off the books, they have the chance to chase Kyle Kuzma and come back more experienced, more talented and with more momentum.
The Lakers did great in the draft with Jalen Hood-Schifino and Maxwell Lewis and it seems like a foregone conclusion they bring Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves back. LeBron’s playoff regression was weird but they’re heading toward next season in a much better position than last year, even without their point guard position resolved yet.
Their ranking could jump if they get a decent haul for Deandre Ayton but right now it’s a horribly disgruntled big, three perimeter players (two of which have huge injury concerns) and a bunch of minimum contracts. They have a high ceiling but there are several teams in the West in a better position.
They still need to solve their ancillary shooting and spacing woes but Emoni Bates might help and they still have the entire offseason to address what is a meaningful flaw and in an otherwise very strong rotation. If the Cavs find an answer the rest of the pieces are already in place.
I might be absurdly optimistic here, considering how much weight I’m giving to rookies and young players with a limited track record. But this team found their stride down the stretch and nearly made the playoffs. And to that core they’ll add a healthy Chet Holmgren, a healthy Aleksej Pokuševski and the No. 10 pick in this year’s draft, Cason Wallace — a ferocious point-of-attack defender.
They still have Joel Embiid. Maybe they still have James Harden. Maybe they turn Tobias Harris into something else useful. Maybe I suffer from a lack of imagination but I’m not sure what’s out there to make them significantly better or significantly worse this offseason.
Kobe Brown was a fun pick-up at the end of the draft and they still have a deep glut of shooters and creators. But I’m not sure Kawhi Leonard or Paul George are the same player anymore and things seem like they could unravel next year.
I’m a noted Knicks’ skeptic but hear me out — the Knicks weren’t as good as their series win over the Cavs last postseason implied and it seems more likely they go into next season with the same core rotation than they do with a newly acquired star like Karl-Anthony Towns.
My Pacers’ optimism may be as misguided as my Knicks’ skepticism. But they looked like a playoff team in the first third of the season before injuries took their toll. They have another year of collective experience under their belt and they’re adding a perfect, two-way (albeit, rookie) fit at power forward.
Marcus Smart is a nice pick-up but I don’t know that he’s meaningful more impactful than Tyus Jones and they still have to navigate 25 games without Ja Morant. The table seems set for a bumpy year that either sets them on a new course next offseason or brings this era to an abrupt end.
It seems like the Raptors are intent are bringing everyone back and trying again. Gradey Dick is a great pick-up and the Raptors’ fans are going to love him. But the vibes were so bad last season that it’s hard to believe that a new coach and a guy in a red, sequined jacket can really make that much of a difference.
They added arguably the best movement shooter in the draft in Jordan Hawkins but this team may already be bumping against it’s ceiling if they’re only getting 20 games of Zion Williamson.
I loved the progress the Magic made last season and I love the foundation of this roster. But I don’t know if anyone’s draft felt less inspiring. They’ll be better next year but taking longer, taller versions of their current, immensely flawed backcourt (Anthony Black as Jalen Suggs, Jett Howard as Cole Anthony) feels like a huge missed opportunity.
They could be in for a big drop if they end up trading Damian Lillard but I don’t see anything on the horizon this offseason that lets them move up. Scoot Henderson is a fantastic addition but it might cost them everything.
Leonard Miller was a second-round steal but this is functionally the same team heading into next season. The only big addition that seems to be looming would be a healthy Karl-Anthony Towns which would be good for spacing and bad for vibes.
The Jazz had a great draft with Taylor Hendricks and Keyonte George. But both seem like complementary pieces to a foundation that isn’t complete yet. They’ll be fun but have a few more seasons of muddling around before things come together.
Planning to re-sign Kyrie Irving. That’s it, that’s the whole story.
Trae Young’s postseason performance was a brief bright spot in an otherwise season of non-stop regression. They landed Kobe Bufkin but I’m not sure what he gives them that they don’t already get from De’Andre Hunter, A.J. Griffin or Saddiq Bey. They might trade Dejounte Murray. They might trade Trae Young. They might trade Clint Capela. They might trade John Collins (lol, no they won’t!). I’m not sure what will happen but I’m pretty sure they won’t be good.
Between Mikal Bridges, Nic Claxton, Noah Clowney and Dariq Whitehead, I think the Nets have a bright future. I just think it’s going to take another season to really see signs of it.
The Pistons have so much talent and Ausar Thompson was a terrific pick at No. 5. If Cade Cunningham is healthy all season it might really start coming together. But I think they’re still a year away from a playoff push.
This is going to be a season of experimentation and exploration for the Spurs and Victor Wembanyama. I can’t wait to see how it goes.
Say hello to the new Bulls. Same as the old Bulls.
So athletic. So much talent. So many bad vibes and sloppy habits. The Rockets could be a surprise this season but there is just so much work to be done building their individual talent into an actual basketball team.
Brandon Miller and Nick Smith Jr. are immensely talented. Letting them roughshod with LaMelo Ball is going to lead to a lot of 25-point games on 7-of-26 from the field. But not a lot of wins.
The Washington Wizards are, without a doubt, the worst team in the league right now. But I think that’s exactly where they want to be.
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