NBA Power Rankings: Who holds the top spot on NBA Opening Night?

The Pelicans have the talent to be a top-10 team. But it's clear we can't count on Zion Williamson to be on the court for the bulk of the season, CJ McCollum is a year older and it's not outside the realm of possibility that Brandon Ingram responds to a difficult Team USA experience this summer by trying to do it all on offense. All that is a recipe for another disappointing season.

Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. are one of the best frontourts in the Eastern Conference and the backcourt is underrated, even if each guard in the rotation has some clear and obvious flaws. The Magic are a team on the rise and the chance of them making a win-now move at the deadline is good.

Ben Simmons, Mikal Bridges, Dennis Smith Jr., Nic Claxton, Royce O'Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith give the Nets and incredibly strong and versatile defensive foundation. I'm not sure how the offense will work out but that defense alone should be good enough to keep them in the hunt for a playoff spot.

Luka Doncic should be an MVP candidate. Kyrie Irving should be a dramatic net negative on defense and a general chaos agent in a team that already appears to be teetering on the edge of collapse. There's only so much Doncic's talent can carry.

The Grizzlies fall several spots from last season's ranking because they'll be without Ja Morant for a 25-game suspension. But Memphis will also be without Steven Adams for the entire season and Brandon Clarke for a good chunk of it. What was one of the most effective frontcourts in the league looks a lot thinner and a think that lack of depth is a problem.

A lot depends on how long the Pacers keep Buddy Hield, what they get in return if they ultimately trade him and how will Obi Toppin fits with the starting lineup. But the Pacers played like a playoff team at the beginning of last year before injuries struck and they've added nothing but depth and experience since then.

This ranking isn't just about missing out on Damian Lillard. It's also about how last year's NBA Finals run was a vast overperformance. They might be able to recreate their postseason magic in the defined parameters of a playoff series or two but I'm skeptical across an 82-game season.

The Clippers can beat anyone on any given night. But Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are going to miss time, even if they're not load managing in the same way, and across the regular entire season I'm not sure if they consistently exert the same dominance.

It looks increasingly likely the 76ers get nothing from James Harden or nothing of immediate value if they actually manage a trade. Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid are a strong foundation and they have a solid supporting cast. But they're a tier below the best teams in the East.

With Karl-Anthony Towns healthy, Anthony Edwards increasingly confident and Mike Conley in place from the beginning of the season, the Timberwolves should surprise some teams. Even if Rudy Gobert never recovers the defensive dominance he created with the Jazz.