With the 2023-2024 season underway, find out who are the best and worst NBA teams with our latest NBA power rankings.
Along with the latest pecking order around the league, you can also check out the final NBA standings from 2022-2023, take an early look at the top 50 NBA players this season, and stay up to date with the latest NBA trade rumors.
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Without further ado, here are our current NBA power rankings for all 30 teams in the top professional basketball league in the world.
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30. Memphis Grizzlies (Previously: 30)
Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies will have far more pressure on them this season. Being the cool, fun, rising team in the West is no longer acceptable. They must now show if they can compete for a championship or if changes to the roster and coaching staff need to be made so they can make it to the next level.
With Steven Adams out for the season and Morant serving his suspension, the Grizzlies have gotten off to a disastrous start. They were the last team to be winless over the first couple of weeks and the importance of Morant has never been more evident.
The All-Star is set to miss the first 25 games of the season and fellow guard Desmond Bane has done a respectable job filling his void and is averaging over 26 points a game.
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29. Washington Wizards (Previously: 27)
The Washington Wizards should have been better with the talent they had last season, but alas, they missed the playoffs once again in 2022-2023. The reimagined front office will hope head coach Wes Unseld Jr. can do more with an adjusted roster led by Jordan Poole, Tyus Jones, and returning star Kyle Kuzma in the new season.
Unfortunately, it has been a struggle to start the season as Poole continues to get his feet wet in his new offense and Kuzma is left as the only real threat on offense so far. But making matters worse is their rough play on defense that puts them behind the eight ball each not if they can’t fill it up offensively.
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28. Detroit Pistons (Previously: 26)
Following a season-ending injury to young star Cade Cunningham last season, the Detroit Pistons fell into a deep tailspin that they could never recover from. What made matters worse is that rookies Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren could not pick up the slack and struggled threw a horrid season. The two former first-round picks playing better and veteran Bojan Bogdonavic having another strong season will be the difference between a lottery team and a playoff contender under new head coach Monty Williams.
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So far this season Cunningham has been good again, but he is getting little help from his talent-rich teammates. Furthermore, Bogdanovic being sidelined with a calf injury has led to mixed results for Detroit in the early season.
27. Utah Jazz (Previously: 21)
The Utah Jazz were one of the best stories in the NBA power rankings for much of last season. Heading into the season they were expected to be one of the worst teams in the league, however, first-year head coach Will Hardy led a competitive team and developed Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler into budding stars in the league.
The Jazz have had a very tough schedule to start the season and it has shown in their early results. While Markkanen continues to perform like an All-Star the team’s lack of a top-shelf second star is becoming a glaring weakness in what has been a start that is completely the opposite of what they did this time last year.
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26. Charlotte Hornets (Previously: 28)
Last season was an unexpected disaster for the Charlotte Hornets. After showing so much promise two seasons ago, they took major steps back in 2022-2023. LaMelo Ball regressed a bit and not having Miles Bridges on the roster — due to off-the-court issues — became a far bigger problem than many expected.
Not much has changed in the new season and in some ways, things have gotten worse. Bridges is still away serving his suspension and Ball is off to a rough start offensively. Shooting just over 30% from the field this season.
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Top 25 NBA teams right now
25. Portland Trail Blazers (Previously: 23)
After months of rumors and speculation, the inevitable finally happened and Damian Lillard’s legendary run with the Portland Trail Blazers came to an end in September. This will be their first season without the star guard in over a decade and it will be interesting to see how the group featuring disgruntled Suns center Deandre Ayton, Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, and star prospect Scoot Henderson can fair with a massive hole to fill in the offense.
To begin the year, Sharpe got off to a fast start and is one of the team’s leading scorers. However, one has to wonder how many more wins they might have to open the season if Simons had been there from the start. Nevertheless, this is a talent-rich young team to keep an eye on.
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24. Chicago Bulls (Previously: 19)
The Chicago Bulls likely have another difficult season ahead in 2023-2024. Lonzo Ball is confirmed to miss the entire year and the team was unable to replace him with a similar impact talent at point guard this summer. Furthermore, lingering issues with unhappy star Zach LaVine could be another key element in a down season for the squad in the new league year.
While LaVine and DeMar DeRozan have gotten off to All-Star-level starts, the continued lack of strong point guard play is still the Achilles heel of a team that has more than enough talent to be a force in the East. DeRozan is tied for the team lead in assists after the first couple of weeks and is a perfect example of how badly they need a classic ball distributor.
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23. Toronto Raptors (Previously: 20)
Despite another offseason of rumors and rumblings that they could make some major moves, the Toronto Raptors — for the most part — stood pat with the same roster they have had the last couple of seasons. The big difference in 2023-2024 will be that they won’t have star guard Fred VanVleet running the offense after he took huge money to go to Houston in the summer.
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With VanVleet gone, Dennis Schroder has done a good job filling that void, and Scottie Barnes has continued his ascension to being the future face of the franchise. However, with Pascal Siakam’s stats down in several key categories, the team has struggled to start the season.
22. Houston Rockets (Previously: 25)
After another ugly showing last season, the Houston Rockets front office is hoping that giving big money to point guard Fred VanVleet and defensive ace Dillon Brooks can be the impetus in a rise back to prominence for the Rockets.
Unfortunately, the money did not deliver good results to begin the season. However, the team was able to bounce back from the slow start and build some momentum, including a pair of impressive back-to-back wins over the Kings.
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21. Orlando Magic (Previously: 24)
The Orlando Magic were a pleasant surprise last season. While they did not finish with a positive record, Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero was impressive for much of the season and helped to make the Magic far more competitive than they should have been against the elites of the NBA. Much of last year’s team is back and will get a bench boost from top pick Anthony Black in 2023-2024.
Banchero began the season in a deep sophomore slump (shooting 37% from the field). However, once he was able to recapture his form from last season, the Magic started playing much better and winning games. The young team is off to a solid start this year as they attempt to prove they are a playoff-caliber squad.
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20. Indiana Pacers (Previously: 22)
The Indiana Pacers had very mixed results last season. Early on they seemed headed to a return to the postseason, then injuries and poor play short-circuited all the impressive momentum they created. Much of last year’s team returns with another year of experience and chemistry. Plus, top pick and big man Jarace Walker should give them the rebounding and moxy boost they lacked in the frontcourt last year.
While Haliburton is playing at an All-Star level again this year, the lack of a strong secondary scorer has hurt them a bit. This Pacers roster is pretty deep with rock-solid youngsters, but if someone else can’t elevate their game to being a top scorer worth being respected by opposing defenses, Indiana will have a ceiling on their potential.
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19. Sacramento Kings (Previously: 16)
The Sacramento Kings were the biggest surprise in the NBA last season. They had one of the best offenses in the league and De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis turned into a dynamic duo for the team. Although they didn’t make any major changes in the summer, they are a year older and better and will be expected to make far more noise in the West.
However, in the new season, they have gotten off to a rough start as their impressive offense from last season has sputtered. Fox is still playing at an elite level, but Sabonis’ slow start is becoming a reason for concern.
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18. San Antonio Spurs (Previously: 18)
The San Antonio Spurs have hope to bounce back from another losing season due to having once-in-a-generation super prospect Victor Wembanyama on the roster this year The French phenom is the most hyped young player since Lebron James and his development will be one of the biggest stories to watch in the new season.
San Antonio has gotten off to a solid start in the new season due to strong play from rising star Devin Vassell and veteran Keldon Johnson. Their performance leading the team has taken a lot of weight and obligation off of Wembanyama and has allowed him to play more freely. In that environment, the Frenchman is flourishing and is already one of the team’s leading scorers and dropped 38 in just his fifth game in the league.
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17. Brooklyn Nets (Previously: 17)
The Brooklyn Nets did not add a star in the summer, but at least this season should be devoid of drama and volatility for the first time in a long time. The start of the new campaign will also bring far lower expectations, and it will be interesting to see what Jacque Vaughn can do in his first full year with Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges, and Cam Johnson.
Early in the year, Bridges continued his growth from the second half of ’22-’23. However, what has proven to be the most fascinating development is the massive leap Cam Thomas has taken. The third-year man is leading the team in scoring to begin the season as he averages an absurd 28 points per game.
Something to be concerned about though, is the disappointing play from Dinwiddie as the 10-year veteran is off to one of the worst starts of his career.
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16. Miami Heat (Previously: 29)
The expectation and hope all summer was that the Miami Heat would add the superstar they needed in Damian Lillard. Unfortunately, the team they ousted in the postseason — the Milwaukee Bucks — swooped in and landed the seven-time All-Star. They also lost Max Strus and Gabe Vincent in NBA free agency.
Those departures and the lack of a clear second star have been evident thus far as the Heat got off to a terrible start and an early losing skid is why they are near the bottom of our latest NBA power rankings. However, they have played better of late, and Tyler Herro is showing why he was a potential inclusion in a blockbuster trade as he is off to a career-best (25.3 PPG) start this season.
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15. Los Angeles Lakers (Previously: 6)
The Los Angeles Lakers did not go star hunting in the offseason because they didn’t need to. The roster was able to get to the West Finals last season and their young players are primed for further growth in the new year. Just like the last two campaigns, their success will again hang on the health of Anthony Davis and Lebron James as the NBA icon is another year closer to 40.
After the first month, there may be some reason for concern. Their wins have not been impressive and they have incurred some surprising losses. Furthermore, they are not getting enough from their roster outside of their big two. That is why they have dropped in our latest NBA power rankings.
14. Phoenix Suns (Previously: 14)
New head coach Frank Vogel has a very tall task in front of him as he tries to somehow create a working situation with three superstar scorers in Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and now Bradley Beal. Booker and Durant were dominant at times last season, but Beal is a wild card that could make things chaotic or become one of the scariest offenses in league history.
Unfortunately, injuries to Booker and Beal have short-circuited the Suns’ start to ’23-’24. They have had an under .500 record for much of the season and surprisingly suffered back-to-back losses to Wembanyama and the Spurs. However, this is not the finished product they planned for, and get a TBD grade over the first month.
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13. New York Knicks (Previously: 15)
Jalen Brunson proved he is one of the league’s newest superstars and that the New York Knicks are a more dangerous team because of his talents. While they didn’t make any major moves in the summer, they retained all the key players from last year’s roster.
However, they have gotten mixed results this season from their veterans. RJ Barrett has gotten off to a fantastic start and has been an early pleasant surprise. However, Julius Randle has been downright awful over the first month of the season. The two-time All-Star is shooting under 30% from the field and is quickly becoming the team’s biggest weakness as he tries to shoot his way out of the slump.
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12. Cleveland Cavaliers (Previously: 13)
The Cleveland Cavaliers were one of the best teams in the East last season. Superstar guard Donovan Mitchell fit right in with the rest of the team and they also had one of the better defenses in the NBA. However, being good isn’t the goal this season, it will be about finding out if they can be a Finals contender.
While Mitchell is off to a great start again, Darius Garland has not been the elite No. 2 scorer he was last year with his points per game and three-point shooting percentage way down in the new season. That has led to a rocky start for the Cavs to begin their campaign.
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11. Los Angeles Clippers (Previously: 7)
For the first time in a while, both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard began the new season relatively healthy. The big issue is how long does that last? Nevertheless, even passed their primes, if they are healthy the Los Angeles Clippers will be a playoff-caliber team easily, especially with unhappy star James Harden now on the roster too.
Yet, with so much talent and the personalities that come with them, the Clippers have gotten off to a so-so start this season. Fortunately for them, the schedule has not been too difficult and hopefully they can avoid digging themselves an early hole while they try and build chemistry in this star-studded group.
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Top 10 NBA teams in 2023-24 season
10. Oklahoma City Thunder (Previously: 11)
The Oklahoma City could be like the Memphis Grizzlies of a few seasons ago. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a breakout season that put the league on notice and the team was very competitive. Now, with Chet Holmgren back after missing last season, and 2023 first-round pick Cason Wallace, the Thunder are a dark horse to be a top-five squad in the West this season.
They have continued that strong play from last season so far in the new campaign as SGA has maintained his budding superstar play so far. What is key is Holmgren is off to a strong start after rupturing a tendon in his foot last year. He is the team’s second-leading scorer and is tops in rebounds. If he can continue to develop he could be part of a fantastic combo in OKC.
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9. Minnesota Timberwolves (Previously: 12)
8. New Orleans Pelicans (Previously: 5)
The New Orleans Pelicans were one of the five best units in the West with Zion Williamson. When he went down with another long-term injury, the team was a group fighting for a playoff spot. Can Williamson stay healthy, and can they again be a powerhouse in the West if he does?
In the new season, they have returned to being a force in the West since Williamson has been available. And just like last season, the three-headed monster of Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum has been a handful for opposing teams since either of them can fill it up and be the No. 1 scorer any night.
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7. Atlanta Hawks (Previously: 10)
Outside of finally trading John Collins, the Atlanta Hawks roster from last season remains intact in the new year. After a full training camp under head coach Quinn Snyder, it wouldn’t be shocking if the Hawks made a turnaround in 2023-2024 and were able to become a playoff-caliber squad again.
So far so good in the new season. Dejounte Murray and Trae Young are off to strong starts, and De’Andre Hunter has elevated his game to fill the void left by Collins. In just the first month they have already scored victories Bucks, T-Wolves, and Pelicans.
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6. Milwaukee Bucks (Previously: 9)
After a shocking first-round elimination from the 2023 NBA playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks made some major changes. They switched head coaches and made the biggest trade of the offseason when they acquired superstar guard Damian Lillard. The combo of Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo should be dynamite once they figure out their chemistry.
After some early bumps in the road over the first couple of games, the Lillard and Antetokounmpo combo is starting to show better synergy and flexed their potential in recent big wins over 2023 playoff teams the Knicks and Nets.
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5. Golden State Warriors (Previously: 4)
The Golden State Warriors will be fascinating to watch as their “Big Three” look to prove they’ve still got it a year after failing to defend their most recent NBA championship. In the new season they will have the addition of future Hall-of-Famer Chris Paul and figuring out his fit on the roster will be one of the major storylines early in the season.
So far, the old-head Warriors have been very good and while their stats don’t jump off the page — aside from Steph Curry’s MVP candidate start — they are quickly racking up a bunch of wins early in the season. One other notable part of the early season narrative, is Jonathan Kuminga finally asserting himself as a go-to option off the bench as he fills the big void left by Jordan Poole.
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4. Philadelphia 76ers (Previously: 8)
The Philadelphia 76ers finally pulled the trigger and jettisoned unhappy future Hall-of-Famer James Harden out of town. While they didn’t get a star in return, the move gave them solid depth and opened up a lot of opportunities for a major move sooner rather than later.
Nevertheless, the team led by reigning league MVP Joel Embiid and new head coach Nick Nurse has gotten off to a flying start. And the best part of it is that Tyrese Maxey has played at a superstar level in filling the void left by Harden. The young star is impressively averaging just over 25 points a game to start the new season.
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3. Dallas Mavericks (Previously: 2)
There will be a lot of pressure on the Dallas Mavericks after a horrid showing at the end of last season. They will have a whole training camp and preseason to find chemistry between superstars Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and the rest of the team. Furthermore, another losing season could lead Doncic to push the trade request button sooner than the team wants.
With an easy schedule to begin the campaign, the Mavs have been a monster this season. Doncic is playing at an MVP level and Tim Hardaway is off to a strong start in 2023. What is most important, however, is after a sluggish beginning to the year, Irving has finally rediscovered his touch and the Doncic-Irving combo is looking like what the Mavericks’ brain trust envisioned.
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2. Denver Nuggets (Previously: 3)
The Denver Nuggets won their first NBA title by taking out the Miami Heat in the 2023 NBA Finals. Superstar Nikola Jokic showed that he is much more than a regular-season monster as he dominated in the playoffs. However, what was key was the continued rise of Jamal Murray into a legitimate star in the league and the rest of the roster showed they were a championship group as well.
It has been the same ole, same ole in the new season as the Nuggets again have one of the best records in the league. While it may not be fancy or as spectacular as other teams, Denver is still a well-oiled winning machine in ’23-’24.
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1. Boston Celtics (Previously: 1)
The Boston Celtics were one of the top teams in our NBA power rankings throughout last season. They should stay there for much of the new year after adding Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday to an already strong roster led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
To begin the year they were one of the last unbeaten teams in the league and the new All-Star-level additions seem to be making a seamless transition as the Celtics are on course to being a top-five team in our NBA power rankings all year.
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Which team is best in NBA?
Heading into the new season, the Denver Nuggets will be seen as many as the best NBA team right now. Almost all of the roster from their championship team will be back this season. However, the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics are the other powerhouses to watch in the league this year.
Which NBA team has the brightest future?
Considering how good they were last year, there are many around the league who believe the Sacramento Kings have the brightest future in the NBA. Stars Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox are not even in their prime and they were still one of the best teams in the league in 2022-2023.
Another squad many see a huge upside in is the San Antonio Spurs due to the addition of super-prospect Victor Wembanyama. The French phenom is the most hyped youngster since Lebron James and is quickly showing his immense potential in his rookie season.
Who is the greatest team in NBA history?
Picking the greatest NBA team of all time is very subjective. However, if there were two popular options, it would be the Michael Jordan-led Bulls team from 1995-96 that won 73.
Another top choice would be the Warriors squad from 2015-16 which also won 73 games.
Who will be the best NBA players in 2025?
As the sport transitions away from aging legends like Lebron James and Kevin Durant, there is a new generation of superstars right around the corner. That is why the best NBA players in 2025 will likely be Anthony Edwards, Ja Morant, Devin Booker, Jalen Brunson, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama.
Who has the best longevity in NBA?
While Vince Carter and Udonis Haslem were some of the longest-tenured players in league history, when it comes to competing at a high level no player in NBA history has had better longevity than Lakers star Lebron James.
This article was originally published on Sportsnaut.com and is republished here with permission.
