NBA power rankings: Six teams land in inner circle of contenders

The 2024-25 NBA season begins Oct. 22, so it's time to power rank all 30 teams.  

Are the Celtics contenders to repeat? Are the Lakers worthy of mention among title hopefuls? What team has the best starting lineup?

Here we go ...  

(Last year's regular-season record in parentheses.)

Inner circle of title contenders

There are no ifs, ands or buts with these six teams, who are championship-caliber squads.

1. Boston Celtics (64-18): Look at some of the point differential and roster talent and you'll notice that the 2023-24 Celtics were eerily reminiscent of the 2014-15 Warriors, who finished 67-15, won the NBA title and ripped off five straight Finals appearances.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder (57-25): Adding stud role players Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein to a team that had the league's third-best offensive rating and fourth-best defensive rating last season could be a recipe for a title.

3. New York Knicks (50-32): The Knicks should have the best starting lineup in the NBA (Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby), but they must stay healthy.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves (56-26): You can get lost in the sauce of the franchise turmoil and KAT trade or you can remind yourself they have Anthony Edwards and an elite defense. Let's choose the latter.

5. Denver Nuggets (57-25): Their air of invincibility is gone, but they still have the best player in the world in Nikola Jokic.

6. Dallas Mavericks (50-32): Luka Doncic's first foray to the NBA Finals was unsuccessful, but if he's the generational player we all think he is, he'll come back with a vengeance this season.

Outer circle of title contenders

This group of eight has the talent to convince themselves that they are contenders.

7. Phoenix Suns (49-33): This roster has high-end talent in Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, optimal roster construction around them and a new coach (Mike Budenholzer) who does nothing but win tons of regular-season games.

8. Philadelphia 76ers (47-35): The front office did its job this offseason. Now it's time for perpetual excuse-makers Joel Embiid and Paul George to step up.

9. Los Angeles Lakers (47-35): This team won 47 games and the NBA Cup last season with a subpar head coach (Darvin Ham), so if JJ Redick proves to be a difference-making HC, they're going to outperform expectations.

10. Memphis Grizzlies (27-55): A healthy lineup of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey is going to compete like hell every game and stack wins.

11. Orlando Magic (47-35): Elite defense + great depth + a young superstar (Paolo Banchero) = a legitimate shot at a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference.

12. New Orleans Pelicans (49-33): When the Pelicans come to town, opponents aren't going to have much time to scout and adjust for their unique, center-less lineup featuring point Zion Williamson and rangy defenders Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Dejounte Murray and Brandon Ingram.

13. Milwaukee Bucks (49-33): Sorry, Giannis, it's not you, it's the old supporting cast and coaching staff.

14. Golden State Warriors (46-36): This is purely out of respect for Steph Curry — Golden State will need 70-plus games from him, good behavior from Draymond Green and a leap from Jonathan Kuminga to contend this season. 

One trade away ... if it's the right trade

These teams have good rosters and a bevy of tradable assets that could vault them up a tier or two if they make the right move.

15. Indiana Pacers (47-35): The Pacers will always present problems for opponents with their fast pace and spacing, but they have a dozen players who need minutes, so a consolidation trade will be necessary.

16. Cleveland Cavaliers (48-34): Like Indiana, Cleveland is ripe for a midseason trade because its core four (Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen) may have hit a hard ceiling as a second-round team.

17. Houston Rockets (41-41): Keep on eye on the Rockets — they're young and athletic as hell, well-coached and poised to make a huge splash.

18. Miami Heat (46-36): Heat president Pat Riley will soon be 80 and we're nearing the last stand of a legendary basketball lifer. Is this the season he makes his move?

Hamster wheel of mediocrity

These teams are in NBA purgatory: not good enough to win a playoff series but too good to tank.

19. Sacramento Kings (46-36): The Kings will compete for a playoff spot because they have good regular-season players Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan, but they'd need a big leap from De'Aaron Fox or Keegan Murray to jump up a tier.

20. Los Angeles Clippers (51-31): The Thunder own the rights to L.A.'s 2025 first-round pick, so expect HC Ty Lue, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Co. to try like heck to make the playoffs.

21. Atlanta Hawks (36-46): Trae Young is trending toward being the greatest Play-In Tournament player in NBA history!

22. Chicago Bulls (39-43): Worst-run franchise in the NBA.

Heading in the right direction

This quartet of teams all have intriguing young rosters and are one strong developmental year away from being frisky next season.

23. San Antonio Spurs (22-60): Be ready for anything this season from Wemby — quadruple-doubles, Defensive Player of the Year, an All-NBA appearance — but a playoff berth still seems far-fetched.

24. Utah Jazz (31-51): 2024-25 goals: Develop Keyonte George, trade Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton for more assets and land a top-five pick for a future star to team with Lauri Markkanen.

25. Toronto Raptors (25-57): Can Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett or Immanuel Quickley level up and change this franchise's trajectory over the next five seasons or will the Raptors need a little lottery luck?

26. Charlotte Hornets (21-61): Get ready for a Brandon Miller leap.

Half-mast "Flaggs"

These teams stink, but the 2025 NBA Draft class is loaded with potential franchise players (including Duke's Cooper Flagg), so there's no shame in tanking this season.

27. Portland Trail Blazers (21-61): The Blazers have a bizarre assemblage of intriguing young players and solid role players hindering said young players' development.

28. Detroit Pistons (14-68): Let's hope that all of this losing doesn't ruin Cade Cunningham.

29. Washington Wizards (15-67): Better to focus on Jayden Daniels and the Commanders this season.

30. Brooklyn Nets (14-68): Welcome to "The Cam Thomas Show"!