With the 2024-2025 NBA season fast approaching, preseason action is in full swing right now, as each team’s rosters are almost set before opening night.
There were a ton of movements this past offseason, with big names such as Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, and Paul George getting traded or signing with different teams. While both conferences look pretty loaded, the team to beat is still the Boston Celtics. It’s not surprising that they are still considered the number one team in all NBA power rankings across multiple sites today, as their team remained primarily intact after their championship run last season.
However, when we look at the entire league landscape, the Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Oklahoma City Thunder quietly beefed up their lineups for the upcoming season. The road to the Larry O’Brien trophy won’t be a cakewalk because six to eight teams, including the Celtics, have a realistic shot of winning it all next year.
Before the new season officially starts, let’s look at the 2024-2025 NBA Season Power Rankings for all 30 teams – Preseason Edition!
Find out where your favorite team ranks in the 2024-2025 NBA Power Rankings.
30. Washington Wizards
We have to start somewhere, don’t we? The Wizards toiled at the bottom part of the NBA power rankings last season due to their abysmal performance on the court. It’s highly doubtful that Jordan Poole will improve his game after a disastrous year with the team. Kyle Kuzma looks content with his role to shoot as much as he wants without repercussions.
The only bright spot in this year’s roster is the addition of rookies Bub Carrington and Alex Sarr. Both of them have looked solid in the preseason games so far.
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29. Brooklyn Nets
Last season, we quickly learned that Mikal Bridges was not capable of being this team’s number-one option on a nightly basis. Now that he’s gone, they’ll inevitably rely their luck on the offensive capabilities of Cam Thomas and Cameron Johnson. Yikes!
And, oh…before we forget, they still have Ben Simmons. While lots of videos are circulating around the web suggesting that he’s finally back in his all-star form, we all know the cycle and are too familiar with its outcome.
28. Portland Trail Blazers
Even with the presence of Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, Deni Avdija, and Deandre Ayton, the expectations for this team remain quite low. Scoot Henderson struggled mightily during his rookie season, and in hindsight, he’s suited for a bench role rather than a starting one.
The only drama here is the starting center spot. While Ayton remains the top big man for the team come opening night, there’s competition at the position: Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III are waiting in the wings in case the former Arizona star fails to live up to expectations, again.
27. Detroit Pistons
While some pundits are betting high on the Pistons in their version of the 2024-2025 NBA Power Rankings, it’s generally safe to put them in the 27th spot for now, despite the new additions to the team. Tobias Harris is back but without much fanfare, and they’ve added Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. in the fold.
Are those signings enough to win them more games this season? Perhaps, yes, but it won’t be much. The only way for them to become competitive is if Cade Cunningham elevates his game further and establishes himself as one of the league’s brightest young stars.
26. Utah Jazz
With Lauri Markkanen’s massive contract extension this offseason, the Jazz are signaling to the rest of the league that they aim to remain competitive despite having a mediocre roster for the upcoming season. Jordan Clarkson is finally healthy, and it looks like Colin Sexton is rejuvenated after wrestling for the starting point guard spot towards the end of their so-so campaign.
They need to score a lot of points this year to be competitive, as they finished dead last on defense last season.
25. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls finally caved in for a semi-rebuild by trading away DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso during the offseason. Zach LaVine has seemingly agreed to take a backseat and allegedly promised not to ball-hog, giving way to his younger teammates for the upcoming season.
Their biggest offseason addition is Josh Giddey. It remains to be seen if he can elevate his game further, as his former team, OKC, benched him in the playoffs due to his defensive inefficiencies. Lonzo Ball is rightfully on track to suit up for the Bulls, but you can’t expect much production from him after sitting out for the last couple of years due to injuries.
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24. Toronto Raptors
The Raptors will not be great, but they won’t be bad, either. In all honesty, if Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley play beyond expectations, they have a realistic shot to make the play-in in the Eastern Conference.
Gradey Dick showed some promise in the latter part of his rookie year, and they’ve drafted an intriguing prospect from Baylor, Ja’Kobe Walter.
23. San Antonio Spurs
Chris Paul’s addition to this young San Antonio Spurs team is a welcome sight for fans of the league. Even at 38 years old, CP3 is still considered one of the best floor generals in the game today. Spurs fans were delighted to hear that Victor Wembanyama gained a few pounds of muscle to bolster his 7-foot-4 frame, essentially making him an unguardable player for opposing teams.
In addition, rookie Stephon Castle is earning raves from multiple teammates regarding his defensive capabilities on the floor. Despite performing poorly in last year’s NBA power rankings, the Spurs are poised to have a good year this time and could potentially make some noise in the loaded Western Conference.
22. Charlotte Hornets
Seeing Brandon Miller’s progress as a rookie last year gave this lowly franchise some shade of optimism for the future. After sitting out the entire 2022-2023 season due to off-court issues, Miles Bridges proved to everybody that he’s an integral part of this team moving forward.
If LaMelo Ball stays healthy and injury-free, they might have a clear shot for a play-in spot in the East at the end of the season.
21. Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta finally decided that the Trae Young and Dejounte Murray pairing wasn’t working for them and willingly traded the latter to the Pelicans in exchange for a couple of role players and some future draft capital. Ice Trae will again have a full reign of this franchise moving forward.
It is widely projected that they would be a decent team in the East. People tend to forget that the Hawks won the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery and went on to select Zaccharie Risacher as the top overall pick. The French wingman has looked sneakily good in the preseason games so far.
20. Los Angeles Clippers
This is not what the roster Steve Ballmer imagined going into the 2024-2025 season, especially when they are set to play in a new arena, which they now don’t share with the Lakers. Former Clipper forward Paul George opted to sign with the Sixers in the offseason, and Kawhi Leonard had another knee surgery to add to his name.
They are betting all their marbles for an aging James Harden to perform somewhat near his MVP days with Houston. This season could be a potentially disastrous one for the Clippers. Don’t be surprised if they’ll be contending at the bottom part of this year’s NBA Power Rankings when it’s all said and done.
19. Golden State Warriors
A few months have passed, and it still feels weird to see Klay Thompson in a jersey without the Warriors logo on it. That’s the reality right now for Stephen Curry and Draymond Green when their season opens fairly soon.
Then there’s the million-dollar question of which version of Andrew Wiggins will show up for the team this year. Will he wake up from his slump and be the two-way monster he was in 2022, or will his performance on the court continue to regress? Is it safe to say that their championship window has officially closed?
18. Los Angeles Lakers
This might be a little low for the Lakers regarding this season’s NBA power rankings, but they haven’t made any offseason moves to bolster their roster, except for drafting Dalton Knecht. Anthony Davis still relies heavily on LeBron James to make plays and bail him out when the game gets tougher. Hiring JJ Redick as the team’s new head coach was a good move, but it would have been better if this was 2013, and they could have gotten him as a player instead of a coach. That would have been great, wouldn’t it?
And let’s not start with Bronny James. No, he will not make the rotation this year. The father-son duo will have their moment, but Bronny is not NBA material yet.
17. Miami Heat
It’s odd that the Heat are ranked this low despite having Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro on their roster. But yet again, these three have been teammates for the past few years, and injuries have continued to hound them like crazy. The trio only played in 27 games last season, which is a disaster for a team with championship aspirations.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. was a pleasant surprise last year and has shown promise of taking on a larger role for this team in the future.
16. Houston Rockets
If Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, and Jabari Smith Jr. continue to improve their game, then there’s no doubt in our minds that the Rockets are poised to surprise everybody in the league this season. Coach Ime Udoka truly worked his magic for this team, and if it wasn’t for Sengun’s injury, they could have contended for a play-in spot.
Reed Sheppard absolutely looks like a solid contender for the Rookie of the Year honors. Expect the Rockets to stay within the top 12 range in this year’s NBA power rankings as the year goes on.
15. Sacramento Kings
DeMar DeRozan’s addition to the Kings will undoubtedly make them one of the teams to look up in the Western Conference. After an underwhelming year, De’Aaron Fox and company are focused on making the playoffs again.
Domantas Sabonis is apparently working on his three-point shot during the offseason and has promised to shoot more threes when given the chance. While Harrison Barnes is no longer with the team, expect Keegan Murray to play a bigger role for the Kings right from the get-go.
14. Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies certainly have the makings of a contender, but their success is dependent entirely on the shoulders of Ja Morant. It genuinely feels like years have passed since we’ve seen Morant play like a maniac on the court. After sitting out most of last season due to off-the-court issues and a shoulder injury, it’s hard to gauge if he’s in tip-top shape, both physically and mentally.
Zach Edey’s high selection in the 2024 NBA Draft was a surprise, but together with Jaren Jackson Jr., both big men could form a wall inside the paint and make things difficult for opposing teams to score near the basket.
13. Orlando Magic
The Magic are banking on the progress of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner for their success on the court, and the duo showed a lot of promise last season. Banchero is a budding star, while Wagner is proving that he’s one of the most versatile forwards in the league today.
With the addition of two-time NBA champion Kentavious Caldwell-Pope this offseason, Orlando is hell-bent on making a deep playoff run next year. They no longer view themselves as the new kids on the block.
12. Cleveland Cavaliers
After all the chatter regarding Donovan Mitchell’s future with Cleveland, he opted to re-sign with the team this offseason. The rumors about the supposed beef between Mitchell and Garland turned out to be false. But despite their talents, both of them have held the distinction of being the smallest backcourt in the NBA for a few years now.
To add to their woes, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen still can’t shoot the ball outside 15 feet. However, the best thing about this Cavs team is its cohesion and defensive capabilities on the floor.
11. New Orleans Pelicans
Acquiring Dejounte Murray via trade was a bold move for the Pelicans this offseason. They finally provided some help for CJ McCollum in the backcourt. After all the rumblings about a trade involving Brandon Ingram getting booted outside New Orleans, it’s surprising he’s still with the team roster today. He looks committed to having a breakout year, which bodes well for the team and their chances for a deep playoff run.
But their progress will all be negated if Zion Williamson can’t stay healthy. He looks trimmed and healthy this offseason, but he needs to stay mostly injury-free throughout the regular season and still have the legs to compete in April.
10. Phoenix Suns
Getting swept in the first round of the playoffs was downright embarrassing for a team as loaded as the Suns. But can superstars like Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal improve their play to be considered legitimate contenders this upcoming season? That’s a hard question to answer.
They are still thin at the front, and their bench production, even with the additions of Tyus Jones and Monte Morris, is still shaky. Perhaps their biggest addition this offseason is hiring former Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer.
9. Milwaukee Bucks
This is a bit low for the Bucks in this season’s NBA power rankings, but Giannis Antetokounmpo has not been healthy enough to keep grinding in the playoffs after their 2021 title. Khris Middleton’s injury history is slowly creeping up on him, and Damian Lillard had a down year with the Bucks last season, his first with the team.
They haven’t added a star name this offseason, and head coach Doc Rivers will continue to trust his vets to get it done once the season starts. When Giannis and Dame finally figure out how to play off of each other, other teams should look out.
8. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers were one of the best stories in the NBA last season. Spearheaded by Tyrese Haliburton, the team came in second in the In-Season Tournament. After trading for Pascal Siakam, Indiana made a surprising run to the Eastern Conference Finals and gave the Celtics a lot of headaches in the series.
While the team needs to improve on the defensive end of the court, there’s no doubt they can score the ball with ease. They are a dark horse team in the East this season, and nobody would want to match up against them in the playoffs.
7. Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers’ Paul George signing was a good one. They now have a star wing they could pair with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. With Tobias Harris off to Detroit, we can all assume that George will let the ball fly without hesitation, easing Embiid’s offensive burden occasionally.
In addition, if Maxey continues his progress as a scorer and a playmaker, then the Sixers are bound to have a great year ahead of them. Will Embiid finally reach the Eastern Conference Finals and put an end to all the memes that have corrupted his image for the past few years? Maybe he can.
6. Minnesota Timberwolves
Trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks at the start of the training camp was arguably the most eye-popping move in the NBA offseason. After the Wolves’ recent Western Conference Finals run, trading away the team’s second-best player was a bold move for the franchise.
But hey, they still have Anthony Edwards on a Wolves jersey. Plus, they’ve added Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the roster. Should Randle stay healthy, he will be a welcomed addition to the frontline alongside Rudy Gobert. If he doesn’t pan out, well, Naz Reid is just waiting for his opportunity to shine.
5. Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets opted to remain quiet during the offseason. To make matters worse, they lost KCP to the Magic via free agency. They are banking on the development of Christian Braun and Peyton Watson to fill the shooting guard spot this year. Nikola Jokic has shown us that he’s still the top player in the league today after winning his third MVP award in the last four seasons.
Their success all boils down to whether Jamal Murray stays healthy and if he can finally have an all-star-worthy season. He’s been close to being named as an all-star in recent years. And let’s not forget that they have Russell Westbrook right now. That was an underrated move by their front office.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder
Adding Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein in the offseason just made this OKC team a much more dangerous squad this year. Even without Josh Giddey, who was traded to the Bulls, they have a plethora of young guys who can easily slide into his vacated position and produce on a nightly basis.
Many pundits are predicting that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will take another leap for the Thunder and elevate his game to much greater heights. Chet Holmgren impressed during his rookie year and is expected to be one of the best big men in the league soon. Let’s just hope that the front office will do everything possible to keep this team intact for years to come.
3. New York Knicks
Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns. Whew. That’s a pretty solid starting five for the Knicks. Heck, they can realistically go pound for pound against the Celtics with that lineup. From future risers last year to legitimate contenders today, basketball is truly back in the Big Apple.
We all thought that Mikal Bridges was the cherry on top when they made moves earlier in the offseason, but trading for Towns and getting rid of Randle at the same time? That was an insane maneuvering job by their front office. We know they’ll be good. Maybe Thibs can finally win that elusive ring as a coach?
2. Dallas Mavericks
It’s baffling that the Mavs are often overlooked in everybody else’s NBA power rankings this season. The last time I checked, they still had Luka and Kyrie spearheading them, right? Add Klay Thompson to the mix, and they will enter the season as one of the league’s true contenders for a title.
Sure, they lost Tim Hardaway Jr. and Derrick Jones Jr. in the offseason but they’ve added intriguing pieces like Quentin Grimes and Naji Marshall to bolster up their bench. Plus, Luka is entering his prime years as a player. Realistically speaking, nobody in the league can stop Luka but himself.
1. Boston Celtics
The Celtics are not only the favorites to win it all again this year, but they are poised to dominate the league again for the foreseeable future. Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and Jayson Tatum are all coming off an impressive summer, winning the gold medal in basketball for Team USA in this year’s Olympic games.
Jaylen Brown, fresh from winning the Finals MVP, just silenced all the naysayers who said he was playing second fiddle to Tatum. He has shown that both alphas could exist on a loaded team like the Celtics, and the entire league is in trouble as long as they are playing together.
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