NBA Way-Too-Early Power Rankings: Spurs lead the pack for predictions on 2026-27 season

The champagne hasn't yet dried from the Knicks locker room and there's still confetti to be cleaned up. That isn't going to stop us from doing our first power rankings for the 2026-27 season. 

Rosters are going to change considerably over the summer. Giannis Antetokounmpo is probably going to get traded, and the Bulls, Lakers, Nets, and Pistons all have significant cap space to add to their rosters. There will be more trades on the day of the draft. But many of the contending teams have most of their rotations locked up. Here's a look at some way-too-early power rankings.

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NBA Power Rankings

1. San Antonio Spurs

Last season: 62-20, No. 2 in the West

The Spurs lost in the Finals, but this series was as close as a five-game elimination can be. And this was the worst that San Antonio will be for the foreseeable future. Barring a major trade, they will be returning most of their rotation and all of their starters. 

Victor Wembanyama should continue to improve during his age 23 season. So should Stephon Castle for his age 22 season and Dylan Harper for his age 20 season. They have an opportunity to add another rookie with the No. 20 pick in the draft and will have their $15 million mid-level exception to get some bench depth. 

It's tough to improve from a 62-win season and a Finals appearance, but these guys only scratched the surface of what they can become down the line. 

MORE: Breaking down the Spurs' offseason priorities

2. New York Knicks

Last season: 53-29, No. 3 in the East

The Knicks are also bringing back the gang. All of their starters are under contract, and the only pressing free agency decisions they have are with Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet. They don't have a ton of flexibility to change up their roster (they will probably be a second apron team), but they showed how good they can be when they're firing on all cylinders.

The Knicks are the eighth different champion over the past eight years. It's tougher than ever to repeat, but let's see if they can catch lightning in a bottle again.

MORE: Breaking down the Knicks' offseason priorities

3. Oklahoma City Thunder

Last season: 64-18, No. 1 in the West

The Thunder had a championship-caliber team that got unlucky with injuries to Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell against the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. They could bring back their entire rotation, but they may choose not to exercise options on Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort, or Kenrich Williams. 

The Thunder are another team that can reasonably improve on an impressive previous season. A healthy Williams would be a huge help. And we still haven't seen any of Thomas Sorber or much of Nikola Topic. The Thunder also have picks Nos. 12 and 17 to use in a strong draft.

4. Boston Celtics

Last season: 56-26, No. 2 in the East

What do we make of the Celtics, who overachieved in the regular season without Jayson Tatum for most of the year but lost in seven games to the Sixers in the first round? They have a chance to add some starter-level talent with a $28 million trade exception, or take a massive trade swing if they decide to break up the Tatum-Jaylen Brown core. 

Boston also needs to upgrade its center depth. Nikola Vucevic wasn't the answer, and Neemias Queta played like a top 15 center during the regular season but was far less effective in the playoffs. Vooch may be gone, and Queta could be looking at a lucrative extension. 

Despite that hole in the roster, this is still a rock-solid team that has consistently generated great shots and defended at a high level for years. That isn't changing. They will be a top contender in the East. 

5. Indiana Pacers

Last season: 19-63, No. 14 in the East

The Pacers are going to be the hardest team in the league to peg. They were awful without Tyrese Haliburton. Can one or two players completely reverse their fortunes? 

Haliburton and Ivica Zubac will make Indiana better. How much is the question, and I'm betting it's a lot. Pascal Siakam very quietly turned in an All-NBA worthy season, and it would be a mistake to discount how terrific of a coach Rick Carlisle is.

As bad as these guys were last year, they were leading Game 7 of the 2025 Finals at halftime with mostly the same core. They will be a home court advantage team in the East. 

6. Denver Nuggets

Last season: 54-28, No. 3 in the West

The Nuggets had a disappointing year, getting eliminated in six games in the first round. This may therefore seem too high to have them coming into next year. But they still have the No. 2 player in the world for my money in Nikola Jokic, behind only Wemby. And they can expect better health from Aaron Gordon, whose hamstring issues sunk their season. They may very well lose Peyton Watson in free agency due to cap and tax issues, but they should return one of the best starting fives in the league.

SN MEDIA POLL: Nikola Jokic still best player in NBA

7. Minnesota Timberwolves

Last season: 49-33, No. 6 in the West

The Wolves haven't been a terrific regular season team. It's always a mistake to count them out in the playoffs though. Anthony Edwards is that guy, and any team he's on will be dangerous. 

Donte DiVincenzo will certainly be missed as he recovers from an Achilles tear that he suffered in the playoffs, but they should be able to come to terms on breakout trade addition Ayo Dosunmu to fill that void.

© David Reginek-Imagn Images

8. Los Angeles Lakers

Last season: 53-29, No. 4 in the West

A lot could change for the Lakers. LeBron James and Austin Reaves are free agents, among others. The team's $48 million in cap space is the second-highest in the league. They should be able to bring back Reaves and add several new pieces. 

That's a good thing, because the current players aren't optimized for Luka Doncic. There is some very low-hanging fruit to get this team even better. Doncic is an MVP-caliber player that made tricky pieces work anyway. With a better rim roller, more shooting around him, and better defenders, he showed what he could do in taking the Mavericks to the Finals. The Lakers should be able to construct a similar roster in free agency. 

9. Detroit Pistons

Last season: 60-22, No. 1 in the East

The Pistons crushed teams during the regular season, but Jalen Duren turned into a pumpkin in the playoffs and the team didn't have enough offense to compete.

Detroit will be faced with a huge decision on what to pay Duren this summer, who was looking like a max player before his postseason struggles. And they still need more shooting around Cade Cunningham in order to become a true contender. 

The Pistons have draft assets to make improvements via trade. They opted to stay patient last season. That's looking like a mistake, and they should be aggressive to make upgrades to move up this list.

10. Houston Rockets

Last season: 52-30, No. 5 in the West

The Rockets were a good playoff team that didn't have enough juice on offense to do much after Kevin Durant's injury in Game 2. Fred VanVleet's presence was badly missed as an organizer and clutch shot maker. He has a $25 million player option, so he may be back. 

Even with a healthy Durant, VanVleet, and Steven Adams, this team is missing something offensively. They will bash their way to regular season wins, but they're a tier below the true contenders.

11. Cleveland Cavaliers

Last season: 52-30, No. 4 in the East

Kenny Atkinson has proven that he can get this team winning during the regular season. And they did make the Conference Finals. But any thoughts about their contender status were erased by a Knicks sweep where they were completely outclassed. 

Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen will all be back barring a trade. So will James Harden if he opts into his $42.3 million contract or (more likely) signs a new one. A fully healthy Max Strus will make a difference, but not enough to get Cleveland out of this second tier of teams. 

12. Philadelphia 76ers

Last season: 45-37, No. 7 in the East

It's impossible to predict what will happen with the Sixers because of the constant drama surrounding the team and the murky health status of Joel Embiid. 

It will be the same story next year. Embiid is under contract through 2029. He had moments where he looked like his old self on offense, but it's unreasonable to pencil him in for any more than half of the regular season games. 

Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and VJ Edgecombe are capable of picking up the slack when Embiid is missing. Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre are set to be free agents. The Sixers will be a solid team in the East, but they need depth. 

13. Atlanta Hawks

Last season: 46-36, No. 6 in the East

The Hawks caught fire toward the end of last season, finishing the year 20-6 and rattling off 11 straight wins during that stretch. They gave some fight to the Knicks, but they showed that at least part of that streak was from the effects of playing bad teams. 

This is still a good roster though that should get better with the Nos. 8, 23, and 57 picks in the draft. They'll also get a full year of Jonathan Kuminga should they choose to exercise their team option on him. 

Atlanta still needs some big man depth (bringing back free agent Jock Landale is essential). Their core of Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and free agent CJ McCollum is good enough to be a solid playoff team in the East. 

14. Toronto Raptors

Last season: 46-36, No. 5 in the East

The Raptors' intense defense from last season is going to carry over. Darko Rajakovic will make sure of that. 

Most of the roster will be returning too. Collin Murray-Boyles should improve from a solid rookie year. This team still needs some center depth though given Jakob Poeltl's wonky back issues. And they have to figure out how to build a top 10 offense and put more shooting on the floor.

15. Orlando Magic

Last season: 45-37, No. 8 in the East

The Magic underachieved last season when they were thought to be a dark horse contender. Part of that was due to injuries, but Jamahl Mosley also couldn't maximize the tricky fit of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. 

New coach Sean Sweeney has some low hanging fruit to improve the team, namely through more creative offense and fine-tuning Banchero's shot selection. The talent is there.

Apr 7, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) drives the ball against Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) in the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

16. Charlotte Hornets

Last season: 44-38, No. 9 in the East

The Hornets had one of the hottest closes to last season. This is a fun, young team that is ready to take the next step. Kon Knueppel is the real deal, Brandon Miller is showing shades of Paul George, and LaMelo Ball is proving his critics wrong. 

Charlotte also made a great trade for Coby White, who looks like a perfect fit. They'll need to retain him in free agency. The Hornets should be a top 10 offense, and Charles Lee has them defending above their weight too. 

SN NBA AWARDS: POY (Victor Wembanyama) | ROY (Kon Knueppel) | COY (Joe Mazzulla) | All-NBA teams

17. Miami Heat

Last season: 43-39, No. 10 in the East

A lot could change for the Heat if they land Giannis Antetokounmpo. They're the front-runners in the rumor mill as of now. 

If that doesn't happen, then it's hard to see a path where the Heat don't land somewhere in the middle. Erik Spoelstra is a good enough coach to keep them out of the bottom, and Bam Adebayo is going to make the defense respectable.

18. Portland Trail Blazers

Last season: 42-40, No. 8 in the West

The Blazers were a plucky team last year, making great strides under Tiago Splitter. Their coaching situation hasn't been resolved yet, and the rumors are that owner Tom Dundon doesn't want to spend on that or anything else. 

Splitter had them defending at a good level, particularly at the close of the year. They need stronger guard play though, particularly from Scoot Henderson who struggled his way through injuries. Deni Avdija is a great player, but they're still a superstar away from moving out of the middle. 

19. Los Angeles Clippers

Last season: 42-40, No. 9 in the West

The Clippers salvaged their season after a horrendous start, then took a step backwards by trading James Harden and Ivica Zubac. Darius Garland looked promising in the second half of the year.

Los Angeles will probably add another talented guard with the fifth pick in the draft. It will be a balancing act between that youth and Kawhi Leonard, who put together one of the best seasons of his career at age 34 and still looks like he has some gas left in the tank. 

20. Phoenix Suns

Last season: 45-37, No. 7 in the West

The Suns exceeded all expectations last season, showing that Jordan Ott can really coach. Collin Gillespie was a surprisingly solid starter. He's a free agent, and he will have a lot of interest this summer. Are they willing to potentially go into the tax to retain him? 

Devin Booker will still be around to keep the team respectable, as will Dillon Brooks. Ott has them defending well. They should be somewhere in the middle again as they wait for their younger players to continue developing. 

21. Utah Jazz

Last season: 22-60, No. 15 in the West

This may be too low for the Jazz. They were the worst team in the West, but it took some hard work to get down to 22 wins. They have an intriguing core with Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and whoever they select at No. 2 in the draft. Walker Kessler could also be back if they can retain him in free agency. 

That's a solid rotation, and simply having the former Defensive Player of the Year in Jackson Jr. for a full season should bolster a defense that was ranked No. 29 last year.

22. Golden State Warriors

Last season: 37-45, No. 10 in the West

Stephen Curry is still going to put on a show on most nights. And as they displayed in their Play-In win over the Clippers, they are capable of rekindling that magic once in a while. But Curry's knee problems aren't going away, and he's carrying way too heavy of a load on this team with Jimmy Butler expected to miss most of the year from his torn ACL. 

The Warriors aren't going to be a bad team, but they don't have the firepower to get out of Play-In range unless they make a big trade.

23. Chicago Bulls

Last season: 31-51, No. 12 in the East

The Bulls traded away most of their good players last season, but there's still some talent here that will keep them out of the very bottom. Josh Giddey will get the offense moving, and Matas Buzelis should take a step forward as a top 100 player in the league. Caleb Wilson, the presumptive No. 4 pick, should fit perfectly in that transition-driven system. They'll also get another solid rookie at 15. 

Chicago will be fun, but young teams generally don't win at a high level. That will be the cost of trading those veterans. 

24. Dallas Mavericks

Last season: 26-56, No. 12 in the West

The Mavericks were badly missing shot creation last year. They'll add some with the return of Kyrie Irving, and draft someone good at No. 9. Cooper Flagg should improve upon his Rookie of the Year season. They're a team in flux though after firing Jason Kidd and trading Davis last season. It will take some time for them to find their footing.

25. Washington Wizards

Last season: 17-65, No. 15 in the East

The Wizards are another team that has some easy avenues to get a lot better. Adding a full year of Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and the No. 1 pick will naturally do that. 

Davis' presence will particularly be felt on defense, where the Wizards ranked last in the league. And Young is the perfect point guard to organize the team, which it badly needed last year with weak guard play. Those two veterans also make a natural pick-and-roll partnership, with Young one of the premier lob throwers in the league. 

26. Memphis Grizzlies

Last season: 25-57, No. 13 in the East

The obvious question with Memphis is what happens to Ja Morant. The star would already have been traded if his value weren't so low. Memphis clearly pivoted off the team built around him by trading Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane over the past 12 months. 

It's not all that bad for the Grizzlies though. They will have the No. 3 pick to go along with promising young players Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, and Zach Edey. Ty Jerome looked amazing in very limited minutes last season. He could be a Most Improved Player candidate. 

27. Milwaukee Bucks

Last season: 32-50, No. 11 in the East

The Bucks don't have incentive to tank given the new rules and the fact that they will have to swap their first-round pick with the Pelicans or Hawks if it's any good. But if they trade Giannis, as is widely expected, then they're going to be extremely bad. 

Milwaukee was 15-31 in games that Giannis missed last season. They do have some nice young players and will get some talent back in a trade. Getting a new coach should help too, as Doc Rivers seemed to have lost the locker room. But this is going to be a massive uphill climb. 

28. New Orleans Pelicans

Last season: 26-56, No. 11 in the West

This Pelicans core hasn't worked. Zion Williamson can't stay healthy, Dejounte Murray was a disaster of a trade, and Derik Queen doesn't look like he can play alongside Zion. There will probably be changes made. Trey Murphy and Herb Jones will see their names pop up in trade rumors all summer. There is talent on this roster, but it needs reorganizing. 

29. Brooklyn Nets

Last season: 20-62, No. 13 in the East

The Nets are a young roster who will add even more inexperience via the No. 6 pick in the draft. Michael Porter Jr. has scaled up well as a No. 1 option and Jordy Fernandez is a good coach. They will be able to add talent via an estimated $48 million in cap space. There isn't enough here though to get out of the bottom of the East. 

30. Sacramento Kings

Last season: 22-60, No. 14 in the West

The Kings were bad without trying to tank last season. They will be more talented after they add someone with the No. 7 pick, but they are still far, far away from competing.

Their pieces didn't fit together at all, and Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis are still under contract. DeMar DeRozan could be back too if the team guarantees his $25.7 million salary. Everyone on this roster will be on the trade market.

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