As mid-August emerges, the NBA finds itself enveloped in the dog days, marking a pivotal juncture for teams to assess their positions in the league hierarchy.
As we peer into the crystal ball, our early power rankings come into focus, illuminating the potential trajectories of each franchise. From seasoned contenders to emerging talents, let’s delve into these rankings and decipher the early indicators of success or struggles that lie ahead.
30. Washington Wizards (15)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Tyus Jones
SG- Jordan Poole
SF- Corey Kispert
PF- Kyle Kuzma
C- Daniel Gafford
The long-awaited rebuild in Washington is finally underway.
Despite adding Tyus Jones and Jordan Poole through trades this off-season, the Wizards took a step back compared to their starting lineup last year. Additionally, considering they finished 12th in the Eastern Conference this past season, they will undoubtedly finish as one of the worst teams in the league this year.
On the bright side, the Wizards should be in a prime position to add a top-three pick to their team come the start of next season. Between prospects like Matas Buzelis and Ron Holland, there is a light at the end of the tunnel for this Wizards squad.
29. Portland Trail Blazers (15)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Damian Lillard
SG- Anfernee Simons
SF- Shaedon Sharpe
PF- Jerami Grant
C- Jusuf Nurkic
The Trail Blazers are a ticking time bomb at this point.
It’s not news that Damian Lillard is seeking a new team before the start of next season. In the event Lillard is not dealt to another team before the season starts, things will naturally fall apart in Portland.
Overall, the Trail Blazers are a team still with no direction. Instead of trading the third overall pick to surround Lillard with help, they drafted guard Scoot Henderson and now have a mix of veterans who want to win now with young players who need time to develop.
28. Detroit Pistons (14)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Cade Cunningham
SG- Jaden Ivey
SF- Bojan Bogdanovic
PF- Isaiah Stewart
C- Jalen Duren
Despite having a great off-season and Cade Cunningham returning fully healthy, the Pistons are still one of the bottom teams in the league.
Hiring head coach Monty Williams will bolster the roster to more wins compared to last season; however, the only thing that will make the Pistons better at this point is time. With four players in the projected starting lineup aged 22 and younger, the team needs to develop their more youthful guys.
Despite finishing as the worst team in the league this past season, the additions of Monte Morris, Joe Harris, Ausar Thompson and Marcus Sasser will make the Pistons a formidable team.
27. Charlotte Hornets (13)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- LaMelo Ball
SG- Terry Rozier
SF- Brandon Miller
PF- P.J. Washington
C- Mark Williams
The Hornets are one of those teams that have a ton of upside but also a ton of downside this coming NBA season.
In the event the Hornets can stay relatively healthy, a play-in appearance is not out of the question for the team; however, more than just injuries can end up plaguing this team.
First, Brandon Miller will have to pan out for this team if they want to be successful this season. This shouldn’t be an issue with how the team stands, but Miller will likely still struggle at different points throughout the season.
Next, Miles Bridges returning to the team after not playing the entirety of last season will be an interesting situation. Bridges is an excellent player, but he does not want to be in Charlotte any longer. Additionally, Bridges will start the season dealing with a 30-game suspension.
26. Orlando Magic (12)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Markelle Fultz
SG- Gary Harris
SF- Franz Wagner
PF- Paolo Banchero
C- Wendell Carter Jr.
Like the Pistons, the Magic need time for their young guys to develop.
Considering the Magic didn’t make any significant moves this off-season, they clearly believe in the core of young players headed by Paolo Banchero. Besides drafting Anthony Black, Jett Howard and Andre Jackson Jr. in the NBA draft, the Magic’s only move was signing veteran wing Joe Ingles to a two-year, $22 million deal.
In the event one of Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, or Anthony Black takes a leap in their game this season, the Magic could very well be serious competitors for one of the last play-in spots available.
25. San Antonio Spurs (14)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Tre Jones
SG- Devin Vassell
SF- Keldon Johnson
PF- Jeremy Sochan
C- Victor Wembanyama
On paper, the Spurs’ lineup is solid; however, they’re in a deep Western Conference.
The biggest question for the Spurs this season is how Victor Wembanyama’s impact will translate to the win column. The 19-year-old French phenom has an amount of hype similar to the likes of LeBron James and Zion Williamson.
Still, it would not be surprising to see the Spurs take Wembanyama’s health into consideration more than anything else this season. Although teams will purposely sit their star players to conserve their health for the playoffs, Wembanyama’s health should be the Spur’s top priority this season.
24. Houston Rockets (13)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Fred VanVleet
SG- Jalen Green
SF- Dillon Brooks
PF- Jabari Smith Jr.
C- Alperen Sengun
The Rockets spent more money than any other team this free agency; nonetheless, the players they signed make no significant difference in improving their team.
On the surface, adding Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks would significantly improve the Rockets’ chances of pushing for the play-in tournament. However, it’s important to note the amount of talent that left the East and joined the West over the past months.
Another thing to take into consideration is the addition of head coach Ime Udoka. Udoka will surely benefit the development of the younger players on the team while improving Houston’s defense. Last season, the Rockets ranked in the bottom five defenses in the league.
23. Utah Jazz (12)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Collin Sexton
SG- Jordan Clarkson
SF- Lauri Markkanen
PF- John Collins
C- Walker Kessler
The Jazz will be one of the toughest teams competing for a play-in spot this season.
After sliding out of a play-in spot last season, the Jazz’s major move this offseason was acquiring big man John Collins from the Atlanta Hawks via trade. Additionally, the Jazz resigned guard Jordan Clarkson to a four-year, $51.2 million deal.
Despite having a pretty complete starting lineup, all the teams ranked above the Jazz feature not just one but multiple star players. Not to mention, the Jazz lost some key players at the trade deadline last season in Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasly.
22. Chicago Bulls (11)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Alex Caruso
SG- Zach Lavine
SF- Demar DeRozan
PF- Patrick Williams
C- Nikola Vucevic
The Bulls have felt stagnant ever since Lonzo Ball went down with injury in 2022.
Although the Bulls made the play-in tournament last season, it’s difficult to imagine the team making it again this season. The team’s only notable additions were signing Torrey Craig and Jevon Carter.
To add insult to injury, the Bulls are only getting older. Notably, Demar DeRozan is 34 and Nikola Vucevic is 32. By the time Ball returns from injury, assuming he does, DeRozan and Vucevic will be an entire year older if they are still a part of the team.
21. Indiana Pacers (10)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Tyrese Haliburton
SG- Benedict Matuhrin
SF- Buddy Hield
PF- Jarace Walker
C- Myles Turner
The Indiana Pacers are set to make a play-in appearance with how their roster has shaped out this off-season.
The Pacers’ key offseason additions include rookie Jarace Walker, the seventh selection from this year’s NBA draft, and veterans Bruce Brown and Obi Toppin via trade. Additionally, the Pacers also resigned their cornerstone guard Tyrese Haliburton to a five-year max.
All things considered, the Pacers were five games behind making the play-in last year. Nothing is stopping the Pacers from ending their three-year playoff drought.
20. Toronto Raptors (9)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Dennis Schroder
SG- O.G. Anunoby
SF- Scottie Barnes
PF- Pascal Siakam
C- Jakob Poeltl
Things are very confusing in Toronto currently; with Pascal Siakam wanting out from the team, it puts the Raptors in limbo.
With how the roster stands, even with Siakam, the Raptors are not good enough to secure a guaranteed spot in the playoffs. Additionally, losing Fred VanVleet in free agency for nothing will be something the team will heavily regret this season, as Dennis Schroder, while a solid guard, is not talented enough to fill the shoes of VanVleet.
If Siakam is traded, the Raptors could shift from trying to make the playoffs this season to tanking in an attempt to surround Scottie Barnes with younger talent.
19. Brooklyn Nets (8)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Ben Simmons
SG- Spencer Dinwiddie
SF- Mikal Bridges
PF- Cameron Johnson
C- Nic Claxton
The Nets could very well be the biggest surprise in the Eastern Conference this season.
With reports mentioning Ben Simmons is the healthiest he’s been since his time in Philadelphia, there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic that this team could exceed expectations by the end of the season.
The emerging stardom of Mikal Bridges will also be on full display this season. Bridges averaged 26.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and a steal in the 27 games he appeared in for Brooklyn. Notably, Bridges has appeared in all 82 NBA games in four of his six seasons in the league.
18. Minnesota Timberwolves (11)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Mike Conley
SG- Anthony Edwards
SF- Jaden McDaniels
PF- Karl-Anthony Towns
C- Rudy Gobert
The biggest question surrounding the Timberwolves is whether the team can unite.
Sure, that’s probably a question you can ask any team on this list. However, the Timberwolves looked shaky at times on the court together. There were multiple instances where Rudy Gobert would be wide open in the paint, two feet away from the basket, yet whoever was handling the ball would chuck up a contested three.
On top of on-court issues, Gobert threw a punch at backup forward Kyle Anderson during the Timberwolves game against the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in tournament. This is a team that needs to figure each other out before they can figure out how to solidify themselves as a playoff team.
17. Oklahoma City Thunder (10)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SG- Josh Giddey
SF- Luguentz Dort
PF- Jalen Williams
C- Chet Holmgren
Despite losing in the play-in tournament last year, the Thunder will be a team to watch come the end of this season.
Between the jump Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took last year, the development of Jalen Williams and Jaylin Williams, and a healthy Chet Holmgren, the stars are in alignment for the Thunder to make some serious noise.
The Thunder also drafted guard Cason Wallace in the draft this off-season with the tenth overall pick. A young backcourt of Wallace and an emerging Isaiah Joe will be deadly off the bench.
16. Atlanta Hawks (7)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Trae Young
SG- Dejounte Murray
SF- De’Andre Hunter
PF- Saddiq Bey
C- Clint Capela
Although the Hawks have disappointed the past couple of seasons, this could be the year the tables turn.
Even though the loss of John Collins for essentially nothing could hurt the team, the Hawks have enough depth on the squad for it not to break them in any real way. With Saddiq Bey sliding into the starting lineup in place of Collins, it adds to their ability to knock down threes consistently, something Collins could not do last season.
Additionally, an entire season under new head coach Quin Snyder will surely be an improvement compared to Nate McMillan’s time in Atlanta last season. Snyder has gone 382-275 during his time as an NBA head coach.
15. Dallas Mavericks (9)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Luka Doncic
SG- Kyrie Irving
SF- Tim Hardaway Jr.
PF- Grant Williams
C- Dwight Powell
Dallas is among the most challenging teams to predict how good they will be this upcoming season.
On one hand, you have arguably the best backcourt in the league with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving; on the other hand, the rest of the Mavericks roster is filled with average to below-average players.
Essentially, all of Dallas’ success this season relies on Doncic and Irving. While the Mavericks have some intriguing young players on the bench in Jaden Hardy, Josh Green and Dereck Lively II, one of these three guys would have to take a serious leap if the Mavericks want a secured spot in the playoffs.
14. New Orleans Pelicans (8)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- CJ McCollum
SG- Brandon Ingram
SF- Trey Murphy III
PF- Zion Williamson
C- Jonas Valanciunas
When Zion Williamson is on the court, the Pelicans win; when Williamson is off the court, the Pelicans lose.
It’s as simple as that: the Pelicans need Williamson to stay healthy if they want any chance of making the playoffs this upcoming season. It’s clear that a Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas trio, if you can even call it that, is not good enough to clinch a playoff spot.
Additionally, backup guard Dyson Daniels has disappointed, considering he’s a former top-ten overall pick. If Daniels could develop into just an average starting guard, it could bolster the Pelican’s playoff chances.
13. Miami Heat (6)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Kyle Lowry
SG- Tyler Herro
SF- Jimmy Butler
PF- Kevin Love
C- Bam Adebayo
Miami has been so obsessed over the idea of acquiring Damian Lillard through trade that they’ve lost the main factor that led them to an NBA Final’s berth in the first place: their depth.
Victor Oladipo, Max Strus and Gabe Vincent primarily made up the Heat’s bench last season, and all three left via trade or in free agency for no return. The only players the Heat have brought in to replace those three players are Dru Smith and Jamaree Bouyea, two guards on two-way contracts.
If the Heat end up acquiring Lillard, maybe losing Oladipo, Strus and Vincent will be worth it, but only time will tell.
12. Memphis Grizzlies (7)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Marcus Smart
SG- Desmond Bane
SF- John Konchar
PF- Jaren Jackson Jr.
C- Steven Adams
Starting the season without Ja Morant will undoubtedly be tough on the Grizzlies; luckily, Marcus Smart should soften the blow.
Despite Dillon Brook’s antics on the team last season, losing Brooks in free agency for nothing negatively affected the Grizzlies’ forward depth. John Konchar, the likely small forward to start for the Grizzlies this upcoming season, averaged just 5.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 20.8 minutes of play last season.
Despite this, the Grizzlies will still be a formidable team, especially come playoff time when Morant will be back with the team. It’s important to note that the Grizzlies have the last two reigning defensive players of the year in Smart and Jaren Jackson Jr.
11. New York Knicks (5)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Jalen Brunson
SG- Quentin Grimes
SF- RJ Barrett
PF- Julius Randle
C- Mitchell Robinson
The Knicks made very few changes this off-season; thus, the outcome of this season for them will remain relatively the same.
The only notable things the Knicks did this off-season include sending forward Obi Toppin to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for draft consideration and signing guard Donte DiVincenzo to a four-year $46.8 million deal.
In order for the Knicks to progress deeper into the playoffs, the team has to perform better. As simple as that sounds, Julius Randle, the only all-star for the Knicks last season, averaged fewer points, rebounds and assists in the playoffs compared to his regular season numbers.
Notably, RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, Quentin Grimes and Immanuel Quickly all saw a dip in numbers during the playoffs, similar to Randle.
10. Sacramento Kings (6)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- De’Aaron Fox
SG- Kevin Huerter
SF- Harrison Barnes
PF- Keegan Murray
C- Domantas Sabonis
The Kings will likely make the playoffs this upcoming season; however, they may have to deal with another first-round exit.
The fact of the matter is most, if not all, of the top competitors in the Western Conference, got better over the off-season, while the Kings have remained stagnant. The only notable addition to the Kings roster this off-season was guard Chris Duarte, and before trading for Duarte, the Kings had a more than solid guard rotation.
On the outside looking in, the Kings’ roster does have some playoff experience under their belt. Albeit, losing playoff experience, but it would not be surprising if the Kings could put together a decent run this upcoming season in the NBA.
9. Cleveland Cavaliers (4)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Darius Garland
SG- Donovan Mitchell
SF- Max Strus
PF- Evan Mobley
C- Jarret Allen
Cleveland made some solid moves this off-season and with a full year of experience between four of the five starting players, a deeper playoff run is in order.
The Cavaliers have one of, if not the most, complete starting lineup in the NBA. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell are bonafide all-stars at this point. Evan Mobley made a serious case for Defensive Player of the Year last season, and Jarret Allen can grab rebounds like nobody’s business.
Adding Max Strus and Georges Niang to this roster also expands the rosters Cleveland can run during the season. Notably, Mobley and Allen are not the greatest three-point shooters. Strus has shot 37.1% from three throughout his career, and Niang shot 46.2% from three in the playoffs for the Philadelphia 76ers.
8. Los Angeles Clippers (5)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Russell Westbrook
SG- Paul George
SF- Kawhi Leonard
PF- Nic Batum
C- Ivica Zubac
The Clippers looked excellent in the playoffs last season without Paul George and Kawhi Leonard; imagine the damage they can do if they remain healthy.
Despite not making any significant moves this off-season, the Clippers don’t even have to; they are a serious contender with how the roster currently stands. But with how much time George and Leonard have missed, it’s difficult to put the Clippers any higher on this list.
Considering the fact the Clippers could add James Harden to their roster before the start of the upcoming season makes them even scarier. Harden has publicly stated he wants out of Philadelphia, and the Clippers are his top destination.
7. Philadelphia 76ers (3)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Tyrese Maxey
SG- James Harden
SF- Tobias Harris
PF- P.J. Tucker
C- Joel Embiid
On the topic of James Harden, here’s the Philadelphia 76ers. Who are understandably in a weird situation.
The 76ers could easily make a deep playoff run with how the roster has been built. However, with Harden wanting off the team and the quiet rumors that MVP Joel Embiid wants to leave as well, the process could be coming to an end.
Although the 76ers made some decent signings this off-season between Patrick Beverly and Mo Bamba, the team could be back in the position it was before drafting Embiid. On the off-chance that the 76ers can finish the regular season with both Harden and Embiid on the roster, this might be their last chance at a run for the NBA Finals.
6. Golden State Warriors (4)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Stephen Curry
SG- Klay Thompson
SF- Andrew Wiggins
PF- Draymond Green
C- Kevon Looney
Any team with Stephen Curry on the roster is guaranteed to be a playoff team.
In terms of the Warrior’s projected starting five, take it with a grain of salt. Since the team acquired Chris Paul in July, the main question has been whether Paul will start alongside Curry and Klay Thompson or come off the bench. However, this lineup makes more sense for the team long term.
Considering Paul’s age and injury history, having him come off the bench with the second unit improves the chances Paul will be fully healthy come playoff time. Nonetheless, a lineup of Paul, Curry, Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green will undoubtedly come to fruition at some point during the regular season.
5. Los Angeles Lakers (3)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- D’Angelo Russell
SG- Austin Reaves
SF- LeBron James
PF- Rui Hachimura
C- Anthony Davis
What a turnaround it’s been for the Lakers.
Despite starting off the 2022-23 season as one of the worst teams in the league, the Lakers willed themselves to the Western Conference Finals after making multiple trades at the deadline the past season.
The Lakers will, once again, be a serious force in the Western Conference this upcoming season. If D’Angelo Russell can find his footing in the playoffs this year or another Laker not named LeBron James or Anthony Davis steps it up, it would not be surprising to see the Lakers in the NBA Finals.
4. Phoenix Suns (2)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Devin Booker
SG- Bradley Beal
SF- Josh Okogie
PF- Kevin Durant
C- DeAndre Ayton
Considering the Suns have put together one of the most potent offensive big threes of all time, they are undoubtedly a team that will be heavily favored to make an NBA Finals appearance.
The only thing that can hold the trio of Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant back is injuries and the team’s depth. Notably, Durant played the least number of games last season compared to Booker and Beal, with a total of 47 games played, which accounts for just over half of the NBA season.
When it comes to the Sun’s bench, there are mild concerns. The highlights of the Suns bench include forward Bol Bol, center Drew Eubanks, guard Saban Lee, and swingman Eric Gordon. While it’s not the flashiest bench in the league, once the Suns make the playoffs, most of their concerns will go away as most teams shorten the rotation and sparingly play their bench players.
3. Denver Nuggets (1)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Jamal Murray
SG- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
SF- Michael Porter Jr.
PF- Aaron Gordon
C- Nikola Jokic
Denver has a good chance of making the NBA Finals once again.
Losing forward Bruce Brown is unfortunate, as he was an essential piece for the Nuggets off the bench. However, the Nuggets still have the entirety of the starting five that won them the NBA Finals still on the team.
Additionally, the Nuggets have some sneaky good young players on the roster, including Christian Braun, Peyton Watson and Zeke Nnaji. If these three players continue to progress, the departure of Brown will sting a little less.
2. Milwaukee Bucks (2)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Jrue Holiday
SG- Grayson Allen
SF- Khris Middleton
PF- Giannis Antetokounmpo
C- Brook Lopez
Although the Bucks were disappointed in the previous season’s playoffs, the chances they make a much deeper playoff run are hard to ignore.
Considering Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, who both started during the Buck’s initial title run in 2021, could have jumped ship this off-season and signed with different teams but didn’t, should speak volumes to Milwaukee’s mindset heading into this season.
Furthermore, not to discredit the fantastic series that saw the eight-seeded Miami Heat take down the first-seeded Miluakee Bucks these past playoffs, but the Bucks lost to the eventual Eastern Conference Champions.
1. Boston Celtics (1)
Projected starting lineup-
PG- Derrick White
SG- Jaylen Brown
SF- Jayson Tatum
PF- Kristaps Porzingis
C- Al Horford
The Boston Celtics are the easy favorite to take home the Larry O’Brien trophy this season.
After losing a tough series to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, Boston responded quite promptly- by making a blockbuster three-team deal including the Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies to acquire all-star Kristaps Porzingis.
Losing long-time Celtic Marcus Smart in the deal is unfortunate. Still, the Celtics have been on the cusp of winning their first NBA Finals since 2008, so a change was necessary.
Additionally, the Celtics still have an excellent bench following the three-team trade they did. Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III headline the bench, and both players could easily be above-average starters on plenty of NBA teams.
It’s also important to note that after acquiring Porzingis, Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown can return to their natural positions. While Tatum and Brown performed fine at power forward and small forward, respectively, last season, both players will be even more effective sliding back down to their original positions.
All-in-all as the NBA season approaches, the storylines, challenges and triumphs of all 30 of these teams will come to fruition. The league's landscape this upcoming season promises intensity, drama, and unforgettable moments, ensuring that fans worldwide will be treated to yet another remarkable chapter in basketball history.
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