There are plenty of power rankings before the start of the NBA season. We all know the rough layout, with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks at the top, and the rebuilders occupying the bottom five or so spots.
We’re taking a different angle for these rankings. We know, roughly, where teams rank relative to one another. Whether you’re neutral or are devoted to one team, you’re going to be wondering which teams are most interesting in 2025/26.
This isn’t about how good they are, nor is it a judgement on how we view them relative to expectations. This is, simply, how watchable a team is on a night-to-night basis. That means teams integrating new players and teams with uncertainty grade highly.
30. Brooklyn Nets
Michael Porter Jr. and Cam Thomas battling for who can break the most field goal attempts in an NBA game might be interesting, I guess?
Other than that, it’s a pretty uninspiring Nets roster. Plenty of other rebuilding teams have more young talent.
29. Utah Jazz
Ace Bailey’s presence puts the Jazz ahead of the Nets. Jusuf Nurkić, Kevin Love, Georges Niang, and Kyle Anderson might be the slowest offseason additions in NBA history, which is potentially interesting.
Isaiah Collier, Keyonte George, and Kyle Filipowski are the other prospects worth looking out for.
28. Phoenix Suns
Having a player of Devin Booker’s caliber singlehandedly ensured the Suns were above the Jazz and Nets. There isn’t much going for Phoenix, with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal moving on over the summer.
27. Miami Heat
Miami is going to be competitive. They could feasibly be a top-six team in the Eastern Conference. It doesn’t mean there’s much new to see here outside of moderate intrigue in Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Nikola Jović.
26. Toronto Raptors
Brandon Ingram in Toronto? Sure, that’s a thing now. The Raptors aren’t going anywhere in 2025-26, we have a decent handle on their young talents, and we’ve seen plenty of their veteran core.
25. Chicago Bulls
The pursuit of play-in hoops is never-ending in the Windy City. Chicago kept Josh Giddey and traded away Lonzo Ball. Twelfth overall pick Noa Essengue is worth keeping an eye on, but what else is there to keep us interested? These Bulls aren’t going anywhere.
24. Sacramento Kings
What if a team saw the mediocrity of the Bulls and tried to repeat it in a much more difficult conference? Welcome to the Sacramento Kings.
We know how DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and an offense-first center looks. Keegan Murray has been marginalized amid all the high-usage players around him. Dennis Schröder is interesting on a contender, less so on the Kings.
23. Boston Celtics
How Anfernee Simons fares in Joe Mazulla’s three-point system could be intriguing. Payton Pritchard is going to put up some big offensive numbers.
Boston isn’t a threat without Kristaps Porziņģis, Jayson Tatum, and Jrue Holiday. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White should have their workloads carefully managed.
22. Washington Wizards
Is this generous on the rebuilding Wizards? Perhaps. Washington is going to win under 30 games.
At least there’s some unknown in this Wizards team. Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George, and Bilal Coulibaly make for a fun group. The team from the nation’s capital has more long-term upside than they have in a decade.
21. Los Angeles Clippers
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Clippers finish in the top four in the Western Conference. The formula, though, is very familiar, with James Harden running the offense and Kawhi Leonard picking and choosing his games.
This roster has bigger names than before, with Brook Lopez, Bradley Beal, and Chris Paul arriving, but it’s looking a bit like an NBA retirement home.
20. Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis’ player development machine is always worth watching. There are a few breakout candidates on this year’s roster. The decision to trade Desmond Bane to Orlando ended any flickering hope of contention.
19. Charlotte Hornets
A healthy Brandon Miller with Kon Knueppel, LaMelo Ball, Collin Sexton, and a couple of other useful veterans might see the Hornets take a much-needed step forward. We wouldn’t bank on it with Charlotte’s track record.
18. New Orleans Pelicans
Jordan Poole was acquired to bolster the offense with Dejounte Murray sidelined. There’s some remaining interest in how Zion Williamson looks, even if it’s accepted he’ll never be an All-NBA player. How does New Orleans make this season into a positive after some bizarre offseason moves? Do Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones get moved?
17. Minnesota Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards alone is enough to make the T-Wolves immensely watchable. Minnesota has also been to consecutive Conference Finals.
16. Cleveland Cavaliers
Is anyone that hot and bothered by how Cleveland looks in the regular season? We need to see this version of the Cavs do it in the playoffs. Donovan Mitchell’s scoring outbursts and Evan Mobley’s continued development are the main points of intrigue.
15. Indiana Pacers
Rick Carlisle’s ethical hoops is going to be good entertainment, even without Tyrese Haliburton. Look out for plenty of games with 260+ points.
14. Portland Trail Blazers
Portland probably won’t be good. Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Yang Hansen, and Toumani Camara give us something to watch, though, while Deni Avdija is one of the favorites for Most Improved Player.
13. Dallas Mavericks
Seeing Cooper Flagg in the NBA is enough to have the Mavs in the top half. If Dallas hadn’t won the lottery, they’d likely be in the bottom five following Kyrie Irving’s injury. How Flagg performs in the first half of the year will give us an idea of how competitive Dallas can be if they make the playoffs.
12. Detroit Pistons
Sign us up for another year of Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren developing together. Detroit should be eyeing a top four seed this season.
11. Milwaukee Bucks
Did Giannis make the right call staying in Wisconsin? Can the Greek Freak put the Bucks on his back without a second star? Imagine what it would do to Giannis’ legacy if he took this Bucks roster deep in the playoffs.
10. New York Knicks
How different does a Mike Brown Knicks team look compared to the Tom Thibodeau version? Does this core look even more formidable with Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele coming off the bench?
This is a massive year for the Knicks with the Celtics and Pacers out of contention.
9. Philadelphia 76ers
Generous? Probably. Justifiable? Definitely.
The Sixers could be anything this year. VJ Edgecombe joins a three-star core of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey. This team could compete for the title if healthy.
Then there’s the small matter of Jared McCain and Quentin Grimes.
8. Golden State Warriors
Steph Curry’s magic, Draymond Green’s masterful defense, and Steve Kerr’s motion offense will keep the Warriors in the top 10 of these rankings until the trio is broken up.
A quiet offseason doesn’t change how watchable the Dubs are.
7. Los Angeles Lakers
Give us 82 games of Luka Dončić and LeBron James. We don’t need all the speculation about LeBron’s future or trades; let’s just enjoy a well-coached team with two hoops geniuses running the show.
6. Houston Rockets
Kevin Durant underachieved in Brooklyn and Phoenix. Does his arrival take the Rockets over the top? How does Ime Udoka get the best out of Amen Thompson?
Alperen Şengün produces at least one moment standing ovation-worthy moment per game. It’s great to see a team play such hellacious defense, too.
5. Atlanta Hawks
A Trae Young-centric offense hasn’t been to everyone’s taste. Young has embraced being more of a facilitator under Quin Snyder, and he’s surrounded by a well-suited supporting cast, including first-round pick Asa Newell.
Jalen Johnson is poised for a big year. Nickeil Alexander-Walker was a smart pick up. Watch Porziņģis flourish.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder
It’ll be more of the same from the Thunder. That means an all-time great defense, a stacked roster, and MVP contention from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Too many of their games are predictably one-sided for the champions to break into the top three. How Chet Holmgren develops is the most notable thing to watch.
3. Orlando Magic
Jalen Suggs, Bane, Franz Wagner, and Paolo Banchero. Is that quartet capable of representing the Eastern Conference next summer?
Orlando is set to finally have an above-average offense. The defense is going to be elite. If Wagner regains his outside shot, the Magic are a serious contender.
2. San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio gets to pair an All-Star guard with Victor Wembanyama. Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle are two of the most exciting young players in the Association.
With De’Aaron Fox accompanying Wemby, the Spurs are must-watch from night one.
1. Denver Nuggets
This is probably the best roster the Nuggets have put around Nikola Jokić, the world’s best player. Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Cam Johnson are perfect fits. Jamal Murray finally gets a proper offseason to prepare.
Don’t miss opportunities to watch peak Jokić.
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