Well, that happened. Can’t say week 15 was a dud. With Luka Doncic’s shocking trade to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, the weekly NBA rankings have dramatically shifted. It was not the only blockbuster trade that happened at the end of this week, though. De’Aaron Fox is now Victor Wembanyama’s running mate in San Antonio, and Zach LaVine is united again with DeMar DeRozan in Sacramento.
Week 15 will undoubtedly go down in infamy due to all the big-named stars being shipped right before the trade deadline. Here are the rankings for all 30 NBA teams this week.
Who are the top-ranking teams in the NBA after week 15?
30. Washington Wizards (30)
Good news for the Wizards this week: they finally won a game and snapped their atrocious losing streak. It was also against the Timberwolves, mind you. Yes…we know that Anthony Edwards sat that one out, but still, a win is a win, and this team will take that rare W any day of the week.
29. Utah Jazz (29)
The Jazz went 1-3 and are still at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. But that’s not the biggest story for them this week. They were a huge part of the infamous trade between the Lakers and the Mavericks. Although they didn’t get much in return, it’s quite baffling that they never had any inkling that Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis were involved in the talks. Could’ve outbid the Lakers in terms of draft picks for the services of Luka.
28. Charlotte Hornets (27)
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Without LaMelo Ball, it wasn’t surprising that the Hornets fell 0-4 this week. The Lakers, Nets, Clippers, and Nuggets were too much for them. Plus, LaMelo was not named an all-star reserve despite leading the fan votes for the guards in the East. Ouch.
27. New Orleans Pelicans (26)
An 0-3 week, then losing Dejounte Murray for the entire year due to an Achilles injury? The basketball gods must hate this Pels team so much. They were due for a rise in the weekly NBA rankings, but now they’ve taken a step back. Due to Trey Murphy’s emergence, Brandon Ingram is reportedly available in the trade market. Maybe add Zion Williamson to that mix, too?
26. Brooklyn Nets (28)
The Nets have been impressive with their wins against Charlotte and Houston. While the playoffs are a long shot at the moment, they might want to unload some assets before the trade deadline to set them up better in the 2025 NBA draft.
25. Toronto Raptors (25)
Toronto went 3-1 this week, winning against the Pelicans, Wizards, and Clippers. They lost to the Bulls, though. Still, it was a good week nonetheless. They went 8-2 in their last 10 games and are looking like a solid unit as of late. Keep this up, and they will probably make the play-in tournament.
24. Philadelphia 76ers (24)
Tyrese Maxey is doing all he can to keep this team afloat sans Paul George and Joel Embiid. In all fairness, he should be the team’s top option moving forward. 4-6 in their last 10 games, it’s not surprising that they haven’t moved a spot in this week’s NBA rankings.
23. Chicago Bulls (22)
Barely hanging at the 10th spot in the standings in the East, the Bulls had to do something to keep their chances alive for a playoff spot. Well, how about trading Zach LaVine to the Kings? And what do they get in return? Not much, to be honest. It just made them worse. Why hang on to LaVine for so long and then trade him for a bunch of role players and a paltry future pick?
22. San Antonio Spurs (21)
3-7 in their last 10 games, the Spurs knew that they needed to shake up their roster and help Victor Wembanyama on the floor. Well, they got their wish, big time. While he’s not a tier-1 star, De’Aaron Fox is just what this team needs this season and beyond. If this pairing clicks, you can expect the Spurs to climb a ton of spots in the NBA rankings next week.
21. Portland Trail Blazers (23)
The Blazers are on a roll right now. They are on a three-game winning streak and went 7-3 in their last 10 games. Can they still make the play-in tournament in April? We highly doubt that will happen, though. But stranger things have happened across the NBA in week 15, so we’ll never truly know the answer to that question.
20. Atlanta Hawks (19)
Losers of 8 straight games, nothing is working for Atlanta as of late. Even with Trae Young healthy, the wins have been elusive for this team. Despite having an all-star-worthy season, Young wasn’t selected as a reserve for the NBA’s biggest weekend festivity this year.
19. Golden State Warriors (20)
The Warriors won against the Jazz and Thunder but were embarrassed by the Suns. With all the huge trades going around in the league, they are desperate to dip their hands in the pond and get themselves a good catch before the market runs dry.
18. Orlando Magic (16)
What happened to Orlando, man? We thought that having Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner back would get this team back in the top 10 in the NBA rankings, but the total opposite happened – they can’t win games. They are 2-8 in their last 10 and are on a three-game slide. Maybe they should take a peek at who’s available at this week’s trade deadline.
17. Dallas Mavericks (17)
Just like that, Luka Doncic is no longer a Maverick. Due to the magnitude of the trade, basically, nobody even remembered what they did in week 15. The fallout was shocking, confusing, and heartbreaking all at the same time. The Mavs were worried about Doncic’s long-term health but took the risk with an often-injured Anthony Davis. Make it make sense. They sold their fanbase on loyalty, like what they did with Dirk Nowitzki, but they can’t do the same for a generational star like Luka.
Fans compared the shocking trade to losing someone dearly or a bitter breakup. Nobody gets traded like this, especially a once-in-a-lifetime star like Doncic. GM Nico Harrison became Dallas’s number one public enemy. When you have tons of people questioning a well-known NBA insider like ESPN’s Shams Charania if his account was hacked after he broke out the news, you know you did something extremely wrong.
16. Sacramento Kings (15)
Another team that had a forgettable week 15 due to a blockbuster trade, the Kings, now have Zach LaVine instead of De’Aaron Fox. In just three years, they lost two franchise-caliber point guards, Tyrese Haliburton(Pacers) and Fox(Spurs). I guess Malik Monk is their lead point now. With LaVine and DeRozan reunited, maybe we can call this team the Sacramento Bulls.
15. Detroit Pistons (13)
The Pistons have won two straight games and posted some impressive wins this week. Cade Cunningham is slowly becoming this team’s franchise star. It’s fairly obvious that they are gunning for a top-six finish in the East for a secured slot in the NBA playoffs. If they can keep their winning ways, it’s hard not to picture them reaching the top 12 in the weekly NBA rankings.
14. Miami Heat (18)
Sans Jimmy Butler, the current crop of Heat players are good enough to win games on the court. Bam Adebayo’s buzzer-beater was the highlight of the team in week 15. Nobody knows where Butler will end up after the trade deadline. I mean, Luka Doncic just got traded before the disgruntled Heat star. That says a lot about his status.
13. Phoenix Suns (14)
6-4 in their last 10 games, it seems like the Suns have found the right formula on how to win games both at home and on the road. Devin Booker has shot the ball well as of late, and Kevin Durant is fast approaching hitting the 30,000 career points mark, which should happen in week 16.
12. Minnesota Timberwolves (12)
Aside from their fumble against the cellar-dwelling Wizards this week(Anthony Edwards sat that one out), the Wolves are starting to turn their season around. They went 6-4 in their last 10 games. One huge question is whether they can trade Julius Randle and get a valuable asset before the trade deadline. Maybe they should explore that option.
11. Milwaukee Bucks (8)
Losers of three straight, the Bucks could use some boost before the trade deadline ends this coming Thursday. Khris Middleton’s name is reportedly being dangled to other teams, but the takers aren’t exactly lining up to grab the often banged-up star. Wouldn’t be surprised if they stay put and try to run it again before deciding to blow up this roster in the summer.
10. Indiana Pacers (9)
The Pacers only had a couple of games in week 15, and both resulted in a win. They are on a three-game winning streak and went 8-2 in their last 10. Myles Turner’s name is frequently mentioned in trade talks, but we doubt the Pacers will pull the trigger unless they get someone who can help them win games now.
9. Los Angeles Clippers (11)
The Clippers lost to the Suns but took care of business against the Spurs and Hornets this week. Hate him or not, James Harden is an all-star again. Plus, Kawhi Leonard has looked a bit like his old self in recent games. Keep this up, and the Clips should break into the top 6 of the NBA rankings sooner rather than later.
8. Los Angeles Lakers (10)
Exchanging an often-injured Anthony Davis for a soon-to-be 26-year-old generational star in Luka Doncic is broad daylight robbery. Damn, Rob Pelinka, you really outdone yourself with this one. While it remains to be seen how LeBron James and Luka Doncic will fit on the court, with both having great basketball minds, that shouldn’t be a problem. All they need is a big man in the middle, and they’re ready to go. The Lakers are back, baby!
7. Denver Nuggets (5)
The Nuggets have won two straight games and are 6-4 in their last 10. However, their weekly rankings slipped a bit due to other teams making some serious noise around the NBA. They went 3-1 in week 15, having won against the Bulls, Sixers, and Hornets, but came up short to the Knicks.
6. New York Knicks (7)
New York went 7-3 in their last 10 games and had a decent 2-1 slate in week 15. They thoroughly demolished the Grizzlies and outlasted the Nuggets before falling to the visiting Lakers in MSG. A 40-year-old LeBron James dropped a 30-point triple-double on their home court. Mind you, LBJ’s 40.
5. Houston Rockets (3)
Houston’s reign on the top 3 of the weekly NBA rankings was rather shortlived, and they could thank their two-game skid on that one. While they did win against the Celtics and the Hawks, they inexplicably lost to the struggling Nets before bowing out to the Grizzlies in week 15.
4. Memphis Grizzlies (5)
Memphis went 8-2 in their last 10 games and outlasted the Rockets for the second place in the Western Conference standings. It’s crazy what a healthy Ja Morant can do for your team. While they are not widely perceived as serious contenders this season, taking them lightly in the playoffs will be a disaster to any team that is up against them.
3. Boston Celtics (4)
After a short time outside the top three, the Celtics are back after having a very good week 15. While the loss to the Rockets was preventable, they did take care of business against the Bulls, Pelicans, and Sixers to cap off their busy four-game week. And yeah…don’t ask Coach Mazzulla about the trade between the Lakers and Mavs. He doesn’t care one bit about it.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (1)
After holding on to the top spot in the weekly NBA rankings for two weeks straight, the Thunder goes down a spot after their performance in week 15. No, they weren’t bad. They only had two games this week. Surprisingly, they lost to the aging Warriors before trouncing the Kings.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (2)
The Cavs are the winners of four straight, and they are on a roll again. As a result, they have the best overall record in the league after the 15th week of the season. What’s baffling is that they are all doing this despite Donovan Mitchell’s continued struggles on the court. His scoring numbers are way down compared to recent years. But hey, if it’s not broken, better not fix it.
