2024 NBA Power Rankings: Evaluating all 30 teams with NBA training camp now underway
By Jason Burgos,
2022-12-03
With training camp now open for the 2024-25 season, our latest NBA power rankings evaluate all 30 clubs in the association. Along with the latest pecking order around the league, stay up to date with the upcoming slate of games on the NBA schedule . And see which players are the early favorites to win the MVP award at the end of the season.
Without further ado, let’s look at where every NBA team ranks during the NBA preseason.
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30. Detroit Pistons
The hope last season was that new head coach Monty Williams could bring the Detroit Pistons back to respectability like he did when he won a Coach of the Year award with the Phoenix Suns. Unfortunately, the losing ways of 2022-23 actually got worse under Williams and it led to his stunning firing after the season.
Outside of adding veteran Tobias Harris in the summer, many of the same players from last season are back. However, Detroit’s new management will be hoping new head coach JB Bickerstaff can elevate the games of Jadey Ivey and Ausar Thompson to better complement top star Cade Cunningham.
29. Brooklyn Nets
This could be a very ugly season for the Brooklyn Nets. Yes, they have a couple of nice young players in Cam Thomas and Nic Claxton. But the club is completely in rebuild mode this season and expectations are very low. They will likely be aiming for ping pong balls in next year’s draft throughout the season.
28. Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets disappointed again in 2023-24. And top star LaMelo Ball mirrored his brother Lonzo as a gifted player who had trouble staying on the court. The expectations are low for the team this season. But, last season rookie Brandon Miller gave hope that the franchise could have a second All-Star level player on the roster. Nevertheless, they remain near the bottom of our NBA power rankings to begin training camp.
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27. Toronto Raptors
While Scottie Barnes elevated his game and grew into the new face of the Toronto Raptors, the team went into rebuild mode last season after shipping off OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakim before the trade deadline. That will likely be the case in the new season as they look to find a new rising star to pair with Barnes after signing a huge extension this summer.
Can it be former Knicks Immanuel Quickley, who got a massive five-year, $162 million contract this summer? Either or both’s growth could make or break their chances in 2024-25.
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26. Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups is on a very hot seat this season. They have a roster that can be far more competitive than they were last year. Billups must finally get the pieces to fit, as well as elevate the game of Scoot Henderson. Or he will be looking for working in the new year.
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25. Chicago Bulls
It was another lost season for the Chicago Bulls in 2023-24 after Lonzo Ball again missed the entire season due to a knee injury. The team is hopeful he can return this season, but they lost DeMar DeRozan in the summer and did not replace him with equal value. They will have to hope that head coach Billy Donovan can make magic with lesser pieces, or that Josh Giddey taps into his first-round pick potential more in Chicago than he did in OKC.
24. Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards were a disaster last season despite adding some nice players, like former Warriors bench ace Jordan Poole. In the offseason, they brought in worthwhile veterans like Jonas Valanciunas and Malcolm Brogdon. They also used their top pick on French big man Alex Sarr. On paper, this can be a competitive team in the East, but it will be new head coach Brian Keefe’s job to make that a reality.
23. Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz were one of the best stories in the NBA power rankings for much of the 2022-23 season. However, reality eventually set in and it has never let up ever since. In the summer the organization gave top star Lauri Markkanen a new long-term deal but the pieces around him are still not good enough to be a serious playoff contender. However, Utah is a team to watch since they have the assets to make a move for a star that may become available.
22. San Antonio Spurs
In his first season in the league, French phenom Victor Wembanyama completely lived up to the hype. He led the San Antonio Spurs in many key statistical categories and showed he can not only be the face of the league but it may happen sooner than some expected. He then followed that up by leading the French national team to the finals of the Summer Olympics.
This year will be all about seeing if the Spurs can compete for a play-in spot. With the addition of future Hall-of-Famer Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes, they should have a real chance to do so this season.
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21. Atlanta Hawks
After months of trade rumors, the Atlanta Hawks finally broke up the failed duo of Dejounte Murray and Trae Young. Now they go into the new season with Trae Young as the elder statesman on a young team. They will need top pick Zaccharie Risacher to be an impact player immediately or they are likely to be near the back of our NBA power rankings for much of the season.
20. Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets return with many of the same pieces from last season’s team despite trade rumors in the summer. They competed for a play-in spot late in the year but fell short. They have the pieces to make the postseason in 2024-25 and they should be better in year two for head coach Ime Udoka. Plus, talented big man Alperen Sengun has room to elevate his game and the team in his second season as the go-to guy.
19. Los Angeles Clippers
It will be interesting to see what Ty Lue can do with this current Los Angeles Clippers roster. Both Paul George and Russell Westbrook are gone and James Harden and Kawhi Leonard are another year older. The expectations will be much lower now than in years past. In the end, it all boils down to Leonard’s health. If he can stay on the court the Clippers could still make some noise in the West.
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18. Golden State Warriors
This will be the dawn of a new age in Golden State. The Big Three era is over and a shift is beginning to Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski being core players of the roster. Nevertheless, after a stellar showing in the Olympics, Stephen Curry remains an elite talent and the Warriors need to maximize the final years of his prime. While they failed in attempts to add an impact piece in the summer they are a team intent on bolstering the rostering for one last title run.
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17. Miami Heat
The Miami Heat should be a competitive team again this season. But they are far from a serious title contender. Furthermore, this season be the swan song for Jimmy Butler’s time with the franchise. The Heat are in a bit of limbo with no obvious big-time stars expected to hit the trade market soon. However, if one day — perhaps Kevin Durant — they would be a strong contender for a trade and elevate their status in our NBA power rankings.
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16. Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzles will be a fascinating team to watch in the preseason and the months ahead. As long as Ja Morant can stay healthy and on the court there is no reason for them not to be a dangerous team in the West. The big wild card is rookie Zach Edey. If the two-time player of the year can be close to as impactful as he was in college the Grizz can be a darkhorse in 2024-25.
15. Los Angeles Lakers
The expectations for the Los Angeles Lakers this season are not high. But it doesn’t mean they are not expected to at least make the playoffs. Since much of last year’s roster is back the biggest story in training camp and the weeks ahead will be on how good a coach JJ Redick is. There will certainly be growing pains. But improving the play of the pieces around Lebron James and Anthony Davis will be his biggest priority in his rookie season.
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14. Orlando Magic
After another strong season last year, the Orlando Magic are no longer a surprise team in the East. They are a legitimate top-five squad and Paolo Banchero is one of the future faces of the league. The organization is hoping veteran swingman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope can be the missing piece to a dark horse team this season. While they won’t get much attention, Orlando is a squad to keep an eye on during preseason and the months ahead.
13. New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green has a tough task ahead this season. And it likely puts him on the hot seat. On paper, the Pels have the talent to get into the postseason and go far. But making this unique mix of stars work together will be no easy task. Atlanta found out that pairing Dejounte Murray with another star was much more difficult than expected. Can Green make him a better fit in New Orleans?
12. Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers were a formidable team in the East last season and now they will have the luxury of Pascal Siakim being there from the start. We all know Indy can fill it up, the big task for Rick Carlisle this season will be to get this group to buy into playing better defense during the season like they did in the playoffs. If they can do that, they have to chance of being a problem in the East.
11. Phoenix Suns
There is a lot of pressure and high expectations on this Phoenix Suns roster. That is what comes with investing a massive amount of money in three players that may not necessarily be a perfect fit. But after Frank Vogel failed to turn this unique group into a title contender the task now falls to Mike Budenholzer. If there aren’t immediate signs of championship potential early in the season the trade rumors will swirl in Phoenix.
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10. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers will return with much of last year’s team. And that is not a bad thing. Especially since Donovan Mitchell signed the extension many believed he had no interest in. However, the one big change is JB Bickerstaff is out and Kenny Atkinson is in as their new head coach. The long-time assistant showed his potential in Brooklyn. The big question in the preseason and the early months of the regular season will be on the changes he makes to take this group to a higher level.
9. Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings surprisingly regressed a bit last season. That doesn’t mean they can’t be a force again in the West this season. They have the same players that took the league by storm two years ago. Plus, Keegan Murray is a year older and they now have the grit and leadership of DeMar DeRozan. The Kings are flying under the radar right now but don’t be surprised if they end up in the top five of our NBA power rankings sooner rather than later.
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8. Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks were one of the most fascinating teams to watch in 2023-24. They had a pair of elite stars and a strong roster but they had to deal with the drama of firing a first-year head coach and then replacing him with an old-school bench leader in Doc Rivers. The goal of training camp and the preseason will be all about further installing Rivers’ system so they can hit the ground running and be a force again in the East.
7. Denver Nuggets
While they were not a dominant force like the defending champions of the past, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets were elite again in 2023-24. However, the playoffs showed they had serious competition when they were bounced by a fast-rising Timberwolves team. Much of last year’s core is back for the new season and Jamal Murray has a brand new extension.
The thing to watch will be how head coach Mike Malone makes use of former MVP Russell Westbrook. Can he be the missing ingredient to another title team or a problem waiting to happen?
6. Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers will be a major player in the East this season. They added future Hall-of-Famer Paul George to the mix and guard Tyrese Maxey showed he has perenial All-Star potential last season. But like every other season, Joel Embiid’s health will be a story to watch. It doesn’t help that George has also had trouble staying healthy in recent years.
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5. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves were one of the best squads in the NBA all of last season. While there was a lot of doubt about whether this group was for real after a red-hot start, they maintained their strong play and did so with an outstanding defense. Many thought Karl-Anthony Towns would be traded this summer but he is back and the Wolves will be a serious title contender in 2024-25. Can Anthony Edwards take another step closer to being a top-five NBA player? He has the potential to do so.
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4. New York Knicks
The New York Knicks were one of the big surprises in the league this season. Not because they were good, many expected that, but after a pair of big trades before the deadline, they had a team that seemed primed for a trip to the Conference Finals. But the injuries changed those projections.
Much of that group is back in the new season and they also added two-way stud Mikal Bridges to the mix. The Knicks have become a popular pick with many analysts this season because this is the first serious title contender the organization has had since the 1990s.
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3. Dallas Mavericks
There was a lot of pressure on the Dallas Mavericks after a horrid showing at the end of last season. They had a whole training camp and preseason to find chemistry between superstars Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and the rest of the team. While it didn’t happen right away, it all came together just in time for the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
They should be a powerhouse in the West again in 2024-25 and the big story will be on whether future Hall-of-Famer Klay Thompson is the missing piece to a title team this season.
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2. Oklahoma City Thunder
After a breakout performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in 2022-23, the Oklahoma City Thunder became one of the best stories in the league last season. Without a doubt, SGA played a massive role with an MVP-level season, but the rise of Chet Holmgren and the strong play of their other young players was an impressive development.
They added underrated center Isaiah Hartenstein and defensive ace Alex Caruso in the offseason. Those moves help to make them the team to beat out west until further notice.
1. Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics were one of the top teams in our NBA power rankings throughout last season. The duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were dynamite, and new additions like Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holliday proved the be the final pieces in getting Boston their 16th NBA Championship in the spring. They are sure to remain at the top of our rankings well into the new season as they defend their latest championship.
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NBA stats leaders
Below our stats app offers a full rundown of the leaders in every major statistical category from the 2023-24 NBA season.
What is the best NBA team right now?
After winning the franchise’s 16 championship in the spring, the Boston Celtics are the top team in the league heading into the new season. Especially since almost every single player from their title time last season is back for the 2024-25 campaign.
Who is the highest-rated NBA player?
There are many amazing players in the league today. However, after winning a third MVP award this past season, it is hard to argue that Denver star Nikola Jokic is not the best player in the league right now.
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Who is the greatest team in NBA history?
Picking the greatest NBA team of all time is very subjective. However, if there were two popular options, it would be the Michael Jordan-led Bulls team from 1995-96 that won 73.
Another top choice would be the Warriors squad from 2015-16 which also won 73 games.
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