What a season! Congratulations to the New York Knicks, who won their first title in over 53 seasons. Not only did the Knicks break the drought, but they became the eighth champion in eight seasons, which means the 2020s decade has been a decade of parity for the NBA. Here are a few highlights from this season.
- NBA on NBC returned to the league for the first time since 2002. Coincidentally, that was the last time the NBA had a 3-peat champion which was the Los Angeles Lakers.
- Bam Adebayo scored 83 points which was the 2nd highest in NBA history. He became the first player since Kobe Bryant to score 80+ points in a game. This happened on March 10, 2026.
- The 2025 NBA draft class showed out. Each of the top 4 picks were significant contributors to their respective teams.
- LeBron James being the oldest player at 41 years proves to be one of the best players in the world in Year 23 and is a superhuman!
- The Knicks take home their first title in over 53 seasons. After being down 2-1 in round 1, the Knicks finished the postseason 16-3, which proved to be one of the most dominant postseason runs of all time.
I know it is still early in the offseason and there are plenty of storylines and moves that will happen during the offseason. However, let’s dive in and see where every team is ranked in the NBA hierarchy going into July.
Final NBA Power Rankings
1. New York Knicks 53-29
The Knicks not only got to the NBA finals but were able to win their first NBA title in over half a century. A team that looked like a ECF favorite looked very vulnerable throughout the season and managed to finish off the season with one of the most historically dominant playoff runs of all time.
The Knicks might not be the best team in the NBA currently, but as the champs they rightfully deserve to be number one until proven otherwise. Jalen Brunson had a historical season being the first NBA player to win NBA Cup MVP, Eastern Conference Finals, and Finals MVP. He has a very strong case of being the greatest player to ever play for the Knicks and the greatest free-agent signing of all time.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder 64-18
Despite the loss in the Western Conference finals, the Thunder are expected to be back as one of the title favorites for next season. The amount of depth and draft picks they have on this roster is absolutely unfair at this point. Ajay Mitchell proved to be this year’s breakout player on Thunder as he showcased what he can do in the playoffs, despite the injuries.
Chet Holmgren’s no show in Game 7 as a second option was puzzling, but at least now it gives him an opportunity to grow from that experience. It will be interesting to see what happens with Isiah Harnenstein or Lu Dort and their contract situations. But at least, they still got 2 picks between 11 and 20 in this year’s NBA draft. Let’s not forget that the two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still on the roster.
3. San Antonio Spurs 62-20
This team no question blew expectations out of the water and were arguably the most pleasant surprise this season. This Spurs young team along with their fans have nothing to be disappointed about, despite the tough ending in the finals. Most fans, even Spurs fans were mainly expecting to end their six season playoff drought and didn’t think about the finals as a possibility. But it is clear that Victor Wembyama is not only the future but has arrived and could become the undisputed best player in the near future.
Also, guys like Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle proved to be great cornerstone pieces to build for the future. It is looking clear that now, San Antonio might trade D’Aaron Fox and hope to get some veteran experience, depth, and complimentary pieces going forward. The Spurs aren’t going away anytime soon.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers 52-30
It was a step forward for the Cavs as they proved to be one of the top two teams in the East this past season. However, their Game 1 loss where they blew a 22 point lead in the 4th quarter to the Knicks will be remembered in infamy for Cavs fans. That loss was the turning point and the beginning of the end for Cleveland’s season as they got swept in convincing fashion. It isn’t time to make a significant move just yet.
However, it is important to wonder if Cleveland’s core has the potential to be a title contender. The talent is there for sure. If Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs have learned one thing, it is that it is definitely possible to win with an undersized guard as your number one option.
5. Detroit Pistons 60-22
The Pistons have come a long way since their 14 win season that was just two years ago to winning their first playoffs series in almost 20 years. Now, Detroit has an MVP candidate and an elite defense now looking to be one of the East top teams for the next 3-5 years. Similar to the Spurs, youth and inexperience played a role in their playoff exit which was a seven-game series to the Cleveland Cavalier. But with Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duran, and Ausar Thompson, this should be a solid young core that will continue to build going forward. Detroit Basketball is so back.
6. Denver Nuggets 54-28
Remember a couple of years after the Milwaukee Bucks won their first with Giannis? Remember when there was pressure to reshuffle the roster to make sure Giannis had another chance at a title but it felt the roster around him was declining? Yeah, it is starting to feel like that. Despite having the three-time MVP in Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets appeared to have their strongest roster since the 2023 but it ended up in a first-round loss.
In fact, Jokic hasn’t made it past the second round since 2023. There is more pressure for Denver to find results to get back to mountain top but with OKC and the Spurs in the conference, it’s going to be a challenge. The clock may be ticking in the Mile High City.
7. Los Angeles Lakers 53-29
I hope that this Knicks championship really pisses Luka Doncic off. Brunson, who was once a teammate of Doncic in Dallas, is now a champion and finals MVP. When Luka has been healthy, he has been dominant. But health is starting to become a big if at this point. Lakers fans are hoping Luka doesn’t become like the last superstar they traded for. Remember AD? Let’s not forget the Lakers had a pretty good season with Austin Reaves breaking out this year and LeBron continuing to dominate at the age of 41.
There are a few questions and headlines that the Lakers will be involved in this offseason. Will Reaves get that big contract in LA? Will LeBron stick around in LA? Can the Lakers build a proper roster around Luka? It will be a storm of headlines involving the Lakers this summer.
8. Boston Celtics 56-26
The Celtics absolutely hammered expectations this season. Honestly, I had them being a play-in team. Despite that, the Celtics cruised to the number two seed with getting Tatum back in March and Jaylen Brown being in the running for MVP. It was plausible that Boston was in strong position for another title. Then their over reliance for three pointers took over and the Celtics lost a first round Game 7 on their home floor. Now, with Jaylen Brown saying this was “his favorite season” there have been rumors of him being dealt for Giannis. Could that really happen? Also the contract situation with Neemias Queta will be interesting story in Bean Town.
9. Minnesota Timberwolves 49-33
There is something about this team that has been able to turn it up a notch in the playoffs. Only 4 times, the Wolves have made it past the 1st round of the playoffs. Three of them were the past three seasons. However, with a superstar in Anthony Edwards and a core that might have hit a wall, changes could be coming to Twin City.
For starters, they will need to find a suitable PG since Conley is 38 and Donte Divencienzo tore his Achilles and will be out for most of next season. The second thing is finding a another second scoring option. Julius Randle scored three points in a elimination game is absolutely unacceptable. Expect Minnesota to be in the mix next season but there are changes that will need to be made.
10. Houston Rockets 52-30
This was in a way a strange and kind of a disappointing season. For starters, the Rockets lacked point guard play once VanVleet went down with injury and missed the entire season. Then, Steven Adams’ season ends due to injury. Also, the star Houston traded for Kevin Durant only suited for one postseason game which led to a first round exit.
It is still early to give up on the Durant experiment especially since he provides veteran experience for a relatively young team. Durant was supposed to be the missing piece for a young, talented team that lacked a go to scorer. Young players like Alperen Segun, Amen Thompson, and Reed Shepard will need to take a leap especially since Durant will be 38. Run it back and see what happens!
11. Orlando Magic 45-37
Definitely one of the teams that underachieved the most throughout the season. It has been the same issue compared to previous seasons which has been injuries to their star players and an offense that just stalled frequently. Would a first round upset save Jamahl Mosley’s job? Probably not, as there were issues with star Paolo Banchero.
With new coach Sean Sweeney that comes from San Antonio, the Magic are looking for someone who can maximize the potential of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane. This team, talent wise has the potential to be a dark horse contender in the East. The Orlando Magic have not won a playoff series since 2010.
12. Atlanta Hawks 46-36
This season ended up being more promising this expected. Despite preseason expectations, the Hawks traded off franchise PG Trae Young after a disappointing start. Once that happened, Atlanta became one of the hotter teams in the league after the deadline. Also, the Hawks were the only team in the playoffs to hold any sort of series lead over the Knicks during the playoffs. There are some interesting young athletic pieces led by Jalen Johnson, who made his first all-star appearance this year and Atlanta will be adding the No. 8 pick in the loaded draft from the Pelicans trade in 2025.
13. Philadelphia 76ers 45-37
The 76ers were able to have a turnaround season after their disastrous season the previous year. Not only that, the 76ers were able to knock off the Celtics in a Game 7. That being said, what is the ceiling of this team? Has this core already reached their peak with Joel Embid? This team during the Embid era has not made it past the second round. It is safe to say that Embid can still show flashes of his old MVP form.
However, the man will be 33 in March and his injury history will be more impactful as time goes on. Nevertheless, the backcourt duo of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe has shown serious promise and something to build around. With new GM Mike Gansey, he will need to figure out to find some depth and pieces that can help this 76ers contend.
14. Toronto Raptors 46-36
The Raptors came a long way this season. Most people had them in the play-in tournament at best but Toronto was able to obtain the 5th seed and were one win away from a 2nd round appearance. Their defense made some real progress which went from 25th in 2023-2024 to a top five last season!
Toronto also had two players represent them in the all-star game, which were Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram. This was the first since 2020 where Toronto had 2 all stars on their roster. The talent on this roster is there and they have their franchise player in Scottie Barnes. If the Raptors can obtain some shooters, then perhaps they can be able to make a deep run into the postseason.
15. Charlotte Hornets 44-38
The 2026 version of this team was remarkable despite falling short of the NBA postseason. To put it into perspective, the Hornets were 33-16 in 2026 which is on pace of a 55-win team. This teams future looks very bright to say the least and a lot of Charlotte’s improvement had to do with their offense which went from 29th to ninth efficiency last season and the emergence of rookie of year runner up Kon Kneuppel.
It’s hard to believe that Charlotte can maintain a 55-win season next season but it’s hard to believe that the Hornets won’t be better. This team’s fanbase is going to be itching for their playoff appearance in over a decade. That was during Kobe’s Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett’s last final season. Man time flies.
16. Indiana Pacers 19-63
The gap year is over. My lord, it was brutal. The worst season in franchise history did not pay off as they failed to obtain their top-four draft pick from the Zubac trade as the pick ended up being the fifth. Let’s look at the bright side. Pascal Siakim was able to become an all star despite how the team performed. The Pacers did acquire a solid big in Ivica Zubac, which will fill the void that Myles Turner left.
Most importantly, their superstar PG, yes I said superstar Tyrese Halliburton, will return to the court after tearing his Achilles in Game 7 of last year’s finals. He might not be the same player but a 85% Hali is still a star and great player. It’s a bit extreme to state the Pacers will completely return to title contention after a brutal season. However, Indiana should be able to at least be in the mix of playoff contention.
17. Portland Trail Blazers 42-40
It comes to show how ownership can dictate the success of a franchise. With a new ownership group, they haven’t exactly gotten off to the best start. The infamous “looking to cut costs” quote has fans worried about the owners lack of interest in building a solid team in Portland. There is also question marks with the head coach role as they lost interim head coach Thiago Splitter to the Bulls and now await on the status of suspended head coach Chauncey Billups.
Nevertheless, it was a successful season which resulted in their postseason appeared in five seasons and the emergence of young star Deni Avdija who appeared in his first all star game. The biggest thing to look forward to next season is return of superstar Damian Lillard, who hasn’t played in Portland in three years and will be taking the court for the first time in 18 months.
18. Los Angeles Clippers 42-40
It was a rollercoaster ride for the Clippers last season. There was the Chris Paul drama, the James Harden trade and the 6-21 start to last season. Despite that, the Clippers were able to salvage their season by getting younger and securing their 15th consecutive winning season. Even though the Clippers missed the playoffs, there are some things to look forward to. For starters, they were able to get the fifth pick in the draft after the Zubac trade with Indiana.
The X factor that will determine their season next year is Kawhi Leonard as there are rumors of Golden State wanting to make a trade. He had a strong bounce back year but with allegations and his well known injury history, it will be hard to determine if the Clippers continue to contend or if they start to pivot towards a rebuild.
19. Miami Heat 43-39
This is the same story with the Heat. A team that has hovered around the middle for a while which included a couple of fun NBA finals runs in the past seven seasons. Erik Spolstrea is the best coach in the NBA, due to his ability of getting his rosters to overachieve year after year. The idea is to go star hunting this offseason, specifically Giannis Antetokounmpo, to help them elevate into title contending tier once again.
As stated, the Heat haven’t had much success finding that star in the past couple of seasons. If their core is mostly similar, then it’s really hard to see Miami being more than just an average team that makes the play-in. In fact, the Heat have been in the play-in tournament for 4 seasons straight. It might be smart to rebuild but as we all know Pat Riley isn’t a believer. A highlight from last season was Bam’s absurd 83 point game!
20. Phoenix Suns 45-37
The Suns were one of the most pleasant surprises last year. My apologies to them, I initially had them as the 2nd worst team in the West going into this season. Jordan Ott proved to be a great young head coach and the biggest difference was their improvement on defense. Phoenix went from 27th to ninth in defensive efficiency this past season. Also, Dillon Brooks had his best year of his career and was considered all star worthy!
The key for the Suns is to not get complacent. We have seen teams overachieve significantly and then they regress drastically the following season. They were a team that made the playoffs and had underrated role players that compliment each other well. But can they sustain their success?
21. Golden State Warriors 37-45
Oh this team. I am not a fan of their outlook. This is a very old team that still relies on the greatness of Steph Curry to keep them relevant. News Flash, Curry will be 39 in March 2027. Jimmy Butler is a great player but had a season ending injury and will be 37 once the season starts. Draymond Green will be 36. Even when these guys are healthy, it will be very hard to see Golden State being more than a play in team in a deep Western Conference.
There are rumors about the Warriors interest in Kawhi. But can that elevate Golden State? What can they give up? Do the Warriors have any young players with the potential to be the next franchise player after Curry? It might not be the popular thing to state but it might be time to start thinking about life after Curry. Focusing on the draft odds for next year and nailing the 11th pick might be the best move for the franchise long term since we know Curry will likely retire in the Bay Area. This dynasty will be remembered forever but it’s over.
22. Washington Wizards 17-65
Choosing between the Wizards and Jazz was a tough choice but I gave the Wizards the edge for two reasons. The first one is they are in the weaker conference and the chances of them making a big jump are higher. The second one is that they have two stars now who barely suited up last year in Davis and Young. Let’s remember that Davis was a top-five player in the league at point when healthy and Young is a multiple time all star who has led his team to a couple of deep playoff runs.
Let’s also remember that this team will be holding the number one pick in the draft. Let’s just say that there shouldn’t be anymore seasons of winning sub 20 games. Washington doesn’t have the depth of young talent like the Jazz do but there is still plenty of young talent here in DC. Because of the reasons I stated earlier, they are more likely to make the bigger jump in wins next season.
23. Utah Jazz 22-60
Don’t look now but I think this Utah Jazz core has something brewing. Could they repeat the same success that the Spurs or Thunder had? It’s a bit early to say but each position is deep with young talent under 25. Let’s not forget they will be picking number two in the draft pick and already have their long term answer at coach in Will Hardy.
Trading for Jaren Jackson Jr. was also a sign that Utah is looking to build a team that is ready for win more consistently as he is a former DPOY candidate looking to improve a defense that has finished bottom two in defense the past three seasons. Will they resign big man Walter Kessler? This team has the potential to at least compete for a spot in the play in as early next season.
24. Dallas Mavericks 26-56
If the Mavericks didn’t win the lottery and draft Cooper Flagg, they probably would have been the worst-run organization in the league with years of irrelevance ahead of them. Now they have their franchise player, it is time for Dallas to move forward and move on from the Doncic trade fiasco.
With a new GM and new head coach, it gives Mavericks fans a fresh start and something to look forward to. There are still solid pieces on this roster, and they will have the 9th pick. Let’s not forget Kyrie Irving should be back from a ACL tear. He can be a piece that helps them back into the postseason or a great trade piece. A piece of reassurance is that the GM and coach that were apart of the Luka deal are now gone and Dallas’ fans hope they can return to relevant sooner than later.
25. Milwaukee Bucks 32-50
This is a tough one to rank. On one hand, you still have a top-five player when healthy in Antetokounmpo. Yet, last year revealed how reliant they are on him to win games as it resulted in their first missed playoff appearance in a decade. If he is on this roster by October, Milwaukee is still a contender for the playoffs at least. However if he isn’t, then the Bucks could arguably be the worst team.
The owner stated that he will be extended or traded come October. Looks like it will be a Giannis trade rumor summer. If that is the case, then it has been a quite a run with Giannis as he became arguably the greatest player to ever play in Milwaukee and the Bucks got their first chip in half a century.
26. Chicago Bulls 31-51
The Bulls have picked a direction! Changes started last season with a couple of trades, but now with a new front office and coach expect more changes to occur. The good news for Chicago is that they will have the number four pick and 15th pick in the draft to add to their young core.
There are some interesting young pieces in the Windy City but the right thing to do is rebuild with a young core to see if there any guys who can be a superstar or guy who can lead a franchise that hasn’t won a chip since Michael Jordan’s game winner in 1998. This is also a franchise that looking for some relevancy it hasn’t had it since the short lived Derrick Rose era.
27. Memphis Grizzlies 25-57
We are starting to see a change of the guard in Memphis as they are phasing into another rebuild. It was a fun yet short lived era in Memphis. Out goes Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr who were moved within the past year. Now it is figuring out how to get the most out of a potential Ja Morant trade. This is still a young player with plenty of talent but off court issues and injuries have tanked his value which led to the Grizzlies having two losing seasons in three years.
Good news, however, is that Memphis will have the third pick in what is considered to be a very deep, star heavy draft class. But expecting consistent winning from a young core early in rebuilding should not be expected.
28. New Orleans Pelicans 26-56
Oh, the Pelicans. Another team in the NBA that has bad luck with injuries or just can’t make the right move. The talent is there, but it seems to can’t stay healthy or fit. The good news is Derrick Queens looks like a solid piece going forward but because of him, New Orleans lost their pick this year in what is considered to be a draft of deep talented players. At least, Zion Williamson was somewhat healthy last season and there is some good pieces on this roster.
Is it enough to be more than a middle of the pack team? Probably not, but the Pelicans might have some good value on the trade market if their season doesn’t go as planned. New head coach Jamal Mosley was a great coach in Orlando working with young talent. Maybe that can resonate.
29. Brooklyn Nets 20-62
The Nets tanking efforts since the Durant-Irving experiment hasn’t full paid off but nevertheless the Nets still have one of the youngest cores in the NBA and they are looking to see if the number six pick in this years draft ends up being the cornerstone Brooklyn is looking for. They have a young solid coach in Jordy Fernandez but the talent is lacking right now and they are at least a few years away from relevancy unless they somehow get a star to come to Brooklyn. But let’s be honest, the Nets haven’t had the best of luck with stars since moving to Brooklyn.
30. Sacramento Kings 22-60
Let’s think about this for a quick moment. At one point between 2022-2024, Sacramento had Haliburton, Fox and Mike Brown on or coaching the team at some point. Now, all those names were a part of the NBA finals the past two seasons. I don’t know if Sacramento doesn’t have the infrastructure to get the most out of their team or if they give up too easily. However, this left the Kings back in the NBA cellar with arguably the most bleak outlook out of all the teams.
It will be interesting what value they can get if they were to move Zach Lavine, DeMar DeRozan and Domantis Sabonis on the trade market. Sacramento unfortunately fell to the seventh pick after posting their worst record in over 17 years. It will be important for the Kings to nail the seventh pick if they want to restore any hope in what has been one of the worst-run organizations in sports.
Main Image: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
