The NBA had a hectic off-season, to say the least.
The NBA closed its investigation into the LA Clippers on Sept. 2. The franchise was fined $30 million, lost its first-round picks from 2029 through 2033, and owner Steve Ballmer was suspended for a year. Commissioner Adam Silver cited "flagrant violations" and "the Clippers' institutional and leadership failures."
Kawhi Leonard was fined $700,000 but wasn't suspended, and the trade Toronto had frozen on July 9 was cleared to move forward. On Sept. 22 it was announced Leonard agreed to a two-year, $115 million contract with a player option for 2028-29. For the most part, Leonard came out looking pretty on the deal considering what the Clippers face in their immediate future.
Milwaukee had sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami on June 22. Ja Morant went to Portland and LaMelo Ball to Minnesota in the days that followed. Philadelphia traded for Jaylen Brown, then signed LeBron James in late July.
As the dust settles from a dizzying off-season, we present our preseason 2026-27 NBA Power Rankings.
1. New York Knicks
Every starter from the Knicks' first championship team since 1973 is back. New York finished the postseason plus-283, a league record, and won Game 4 of the Finals after trailing by 29 on OG Anunoby's tip-in with 1.2 seconds left. Jalen Brunson averaged 32.6 points in the series. Owner James Dolan was unwilling to go into the second apron, so Jordan Clarkson, Jose Alvarado, and Landry Shamet re-signed below market. Mitchell Robinson left for Boston on an offer worth more than $15 million a season. Andre Drummond signed for one year. The Knicks finished 53-29 and were the East's No. 3 seed.
2. San Antonio Spurs
Victor Wembanyama could have signed for $303 million. Instead, he took a 25% max extension worth $252 million, which ESPN reported was about keeping San Antonio's young core together as long as possible. When the Spurs opened the Finals on June 3, their roster averaged 25.15 years old, and the 1976-77 Trail Blazers are the only Finals team that was younger. Wembanyama became the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year and made All-NBA First Team at 22. Keldon Johnson won Sixth Man of the Year. Tobias Harris also signed for two years. The Spurs lost all three Finals games at home, something a team with home-court advantage hadn't done since the 1993 Suns.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City went 64-18 with a plus-914 point differential, leading the league in both categories, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won his second straight MVP. Extensions for Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren kicked in during July. The Thunder then traded Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins to Atlanta and Isaiah Joe to Detroit. General manager Sam Presti told The Oklahoman that ownership's message was that "the savings generated this summer, and from being out of the tax the last several years, will be re-allocated to future teams." Cason Wallace is the likely starter in Dort's spot. San Antonio beat the Thunder eight times in 12 meetings last season. The last came in Game 7 of the West finals in Oklahoma City.
4. Detroit Pistons
Two seasons after losing 60 games, Detroit won 60. No team had ever made that kind of two-year turnaround. As of Sept. 10, ESPN reported that talks with restricted free agent Jalen Duren had stalled over his playoff performance, which included 8 points on 3-of-10 shooting in Game 3 against Orlando. Ausar Thompson, who led the league with 2.0 steals, agreed to a five-year, $155 million extension. Harris scored 30 in Game 7 against Orlando before leaving for San Antonio, while Isaiah Stewart was traded to Memphis. Joe, Taurean Prince, Gary Harris, and John Collins came in. Cade Cunningham set a franchise playoff record with 45 in Game 5 of that series. Detroit eventually lost Game 7 of the second round at home to Cleveland.
5. Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia had already traded Paul George to Boston for Brown when James, who told the Lakers on June 30 he would not return, signed a two-year deal with the Sixers in late July. In April, the Sixers were a No. 7 seed down 3-1 to Boston. Joel Embiid missed the first three games of that series after appendicitis surgery, then scored 34 in a 109-100 Game 7 win at TD Garden on May 2. The Knicks swept them in the next round by a combined 89 points. Embiid turns 33 this season. Tyrese Maxey led the league at 38.0 minutes per game. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Dean Wade, and Anfernee Simons were added to round out the rotation.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers
Peyton Watson averaged career highs in points, rebounds, assists, and steals for Denver last season and shot 41% from 3, and Cleveland got him in a five-team sign-and-trade after missing on James. Cleveland gave up Max Strus and Dennis Schröder to make room. Larry Nance Jr., Dean Wade, and Keon Ellis also left in free agency. Donovan Mitchell signed a four-year extension. James Harden, acquired for Darius Garland in February, re-signed for three years after committing 30 turnovers in five games against Toronto. Cleveland needed seven games in each of its first two series before New York swept it. The series started with a Game 1 the Cavaliers led by 22 in the fourth quarter.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota sent Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and a future first-round pick out in a four-team trade with Brooklyn, Chicago, and Charlotte to put Ball next to Edwards. Ball had been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week in March. Ayo Dosunmu re-signed after scoring 43 off the bench against Denver on April 25. That was the same night Edwards hyperextended a knee and DiVincenzo ruptured an Achilles. Minnesota beat Denver in six anyway before losing to San Antonio in the second round. Randle and Reid played alongside Rudy Gobert in the big lineup that won the paint 64-40 in the Game 6 clincher. Jonathan Kuminga signed for two years. Coach Chris Finch also lost top assistant Micah Nori to Portland.
8. Toronto Raptors
Leonard won a championship in Toronto in 2019 and turned 35 in June. He played 65 games last season. The league's ruling on the Clippers-Leonard fiasco means he is eligible to play from opening night. Toronto sent Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick to the Clippers along with unprotected firsts in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 swap, and two second-round picks. Scottie Barnes, a two-time All-Star, returns with the rest of the starting lineup. Immanuel Quickley strained a hamstring on the last day of the regular season and did not play against Cleveland in the playoffs. Toronto won 46 games and took that series to seven anyway. RJ Barrett won Game 6 with a 3-pointer in overtime. The Raptors haven't won a playoff series since 2020.
Just in on NBA Today — Kawhi Leonard expects to finish his career in Toronto after signing a new $115M extension in his Raptors reunion: pic.twitter.com/V2dJAaxVh5
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 22, 2026
9. Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokić averaged a league-best 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists. No player had ever led the NBA in both categories in the same season. Denver still lost to Minnesota in six, even with Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo sidelined for the Timberwolves' final two games. Jokić went 7-of-26 in Game 3. Keeping Watson would have meant either absorbing a large tax bill or moving a veteran, so Denver dealt him. The Nuggets remain the only team over the second apron. DeMar DeRozan and Marvin Bagley III signed one-year deals. Jonas Valančiūnas and Tim Hardaway Jr. are gone.
10. Boston Celtics
Boston led Philadelphia 3-1 in the first round and lost Game 7 at TD Garden on May 2 without Jayson Tatum, who hurt his calf and knee in Game 6. The Celtics had never lost a series after leading 3-1. George, who scored 23 for the Sixers in that Game 6, came to Boston in the trade for Brown. According to ESPN, the 36-year-old has played 60 games in a season once in the past seven years. Robinson and Mike Conley signed. Nikola Vučević left for Orlando. Boston won 56 games, allowed a league-low 107.2 points per game, and Joe Mazzulla won Coach of the Year. This is Tatum's first full season since tearing his Achilles in May 2025.
11. Miami Heat
On June 22, Pat Riley sent Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis, the No. 13 pick, first-rounders in 2031 and 2033, a 2030 swap, and a 2033 second to Milwaukee for Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis. Bam Adebayo scored 83 against Washington on March 10. Now Miami gets to pair him with a two-time MVP. Herro earned Player of the Week honors in March, while Jaquez was a Sixth Man of the Year finalist. The Heat gave up meaningful rotation pieces to make the deal happen. After being bought out in Dallas, Klay Thompson signed a two-year, $13 million deal with Miami. Norman Powell left for Chicago. The Heat went 43-39 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
12. Houston Rockets
A year after trading for Kevin Durant, Houston passed on Antetokounmpo and instead spent on its young core. Tari Eason signed a five-year, $81.5 million extension, and Amen Thompson also signed for five years. The Rockets lost in the first round for the second straight season, shooting 5-of-28 from 3 in their Game 6 loss to the Lakers. They later hired shooting coach Chip Engelland away from Oklahoma City. Durant missed three of the first four games of that series. Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanović signed. Houston's biggest strength was on the glass, where it led the NBA at 47.9 rebounds per game.
13. Los Angeles Lakers
June 30 was the day James told the Lakers he would not be back. Two days later they started remaking the roster around Luka Dončić, who led the NBA at 33.5 points a game. Walker Kessler cost them unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 plus swaps in 2028 and 2030, then a four-year, $130 million contract. Austin Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists last season, and his extension runs four years and $180 million. The Lakers won the first three games against Houston without Dončić. Luke Kennard scored 27 in Game 1, Marcus Smart had 25 in Game 2, James scored 29 in the Game 3 overtime win, and Deandre Ayton had a double-double in the opener. Kennard, Smart, James, and Ayton have all left. Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, and Kevon Looney signed, and the team was sold to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger at a $12.5 billion valuation.
14. Indiana Pacers
Tyrese Haliburton has not played since tearing his right Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 Finals. In a YouTube update over the summer, he said "there's a difference between being in shape and being in Tyrese Haliburton shape." Indiana went 19-63 without him and ended up with the No. 5 pick. That pick went to the Clippers under the February trade for Ivica Zubac, who will start at center this season. Kelly Oubre Jr. and Nance signed. Haliburton averaged 18.6 points and 9.2 assists in 2024-25, when Indiana came within one game of winning the title.
15. Portland Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard missed all of 2025-26 with an Achilles injury and is back, and Portland traded Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to Memphis for Morant, a two-time All-Star. They join Scoot Henderson, who scored 31 in the Blazers' Game 2 win in San Antonio, and Jrue Holiday. Portland went 42-40, made the playoffs for the first time since 2021, and lost to the Spurs in five. Deni Avdija, a first-time All-Star and Most Improved Player finalist, scored 30 in the opener. Nori, hired off Minnesota's staff, is the new coach. New owner Tom Dundon has cut costs and is in a fight over arena financing, and the Blazers were the only team that did not make a pick in June's draft.
16. Atlanta Hawks
CJ McCollum scored 32 at Madison Square Garden in Game 2. He hit the go-ahead jumper with 12 seconds left in Game 3, and Atlanta led the series 2-1. The Hawks lost the next three, the last by 51 points. McCollum re-signed for one year and $21 million. Atlanta added Dort and Wiggins in separate trades with Oklahoma City and drafted Kingston Flemings eighth. Zaccharie Risacher, the 2024 No. 1 pick, went to Dallas. Kuminga signed in Minnesota. Jalen Johnson was the East's Player of the Month in March, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker won Most Improved Player. The Hawks won the Southeast with 46 victories in the same season they traded Trae Young to Washington.
17. Orlando Magic
Jamahl Mosley was fired the day after Orlando lost Game 7 to Detroit in a series the Magic had led 3-1. Orlando led by 24 in Game 6 before scoring only 19 points in the second half. With Franz Wagner out because of a calf strain, the Magic managed 113 points over the final six quarters of the series. Paolo Banchero scored 45 in Game 5 and 38 in Game 7. Sean Sweeney replaces Mosley. Vučević is back on a one-year, $3.9 million deal, five years after Orlando traded him. Moritz Wagner left for Brooklyn.
18. Dallas Mavericks
Cooper Flagg won Rookie of the Year on a 26-56 team. He scored 49 against Charlotte on Jan. 29, the most ever by a teenager, and later became the youngest player to score 50 in April. In the front office, Masai Ujiri took over basketball operations and replaced Jason Kidd with Dusty May, who won the NCAA title at Michigan in April, after general manager Nico Harrison was fired in November. Morez Johnson Jr., who played for May at Michigan, went ninth overall. Dallas acquired Risacher from Atlanta. Santi Aldama and Marcus Sasser came over in a six-team deal that sent Khris Middleton to Washington, while Thompson was bought out. Kyrie Irving hasn't played since tearing his left ACL on March 3, 2025.
19. Utah Jazz
The Jazz traded for Jaren Jackson Jr. in February, took Darryn Peterson second overall, and signed Keyonte George to a five-year, $157.5 million extension. Jackson and Lauri Markkanen are the frontcourt, with Peterson and George in the backcourt. Walker Kessler went to the Lakers in a sign-and-trade that brought back two unprotected first-round picks and two swaps, leaving center to Jusuf Nurkić, who re-signed, and Jaxson Hayes. Utah went 22-60 last season and 1-15 in its division.
20. Phoenix Suns
Phoenix won 45 games and reached the playoffs through the first play-in appearance in franchise history. Oklahoma City swept the Suns, extending their playoff losing streak to 10 games. Dillon Brooks scored 30 and 33 in the middle two games and later signed a three-year, $73 million extension. Collin Gillespie, Mark Williams, and Jordan Goodwin re-signed for a combined $105 million. Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale went to Charlotte for Miles Bridges. Kennard came over from the Lakers after leading the league at 47.8% from 3.
21. Golden State Warriors
Golden State went 37-45 and lost in the play-in for the third straight season. Its pursuit of James never got very far. Draymond Green declined his $27.7 million player option and returned on a one-year deal. Kristaps Porziņģis and Al Horford also came back on short contracts, while rookie wing Yaxel Lendeborg should get a chance to play right away. Stephen Curry dropped 48 against Portland on Dec. 14 and moved past Michael Jordan for the most 40-point games after age 30. Jimmy Butler III is still recovering from a torn ACL and won't be ready for the opener. Curry, Green, and Butler can all become free agents after this season.
Trae Young on his time in Atlanta:
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 22, 2026
“I don’t know if I’ve ever had a teammate that can draw double teams.”
(h/t @GMZeroOG) pic.twitter.com/dHPb5By1vb
22. Washington Wizards
Washington traded for Young and Anthony Davis last season and still lost 65 games. The Wizards then became the first team with the league's worst record to win the lottery since the current format began in 2019. AJ Dybantsa, who led the nation in scoring at BYU, went first overall. Young signed a four-year, $212 million contract. Middleton and Ayton joined a young group that already includes Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, and Will Riley. Washington has now lost at least 60 games in three straight seasons.
23. Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte had its best season in a decade at 44-38, lost in the play-in, and then traded Ball. Bridges went to Phoenix in a separate deal. The Hornets are now the only team without a player on the books for $25 million or more next season. Kon Knueppel hit 207 3-pointers, setting a rookie record while also leading the league. Brandon Miller and Coby White, who re-signed, return with him. Reid, Schröder, Dorian Finney-Smith, Allen, and O'Neale all came in through trades and Finney-Smith was just dealt again to Atlanta. Charlotte's playoff drought is now at 10 seasons, the longest active drought in the NBA.
24. Chicago Bulls
Chicago had only a 3% chance to land a top-four pick and still ended up at No. 4. The Bulls used it on North Carolina's Caleb Wilson, who averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds as a freshman. Bryson Graham now runs basketball operations. Tiago Splitter, Portland's interim coach last season, replaces Billy Donovan. The Ball trade brought Nic Claxton over from Brooklyn. Powell also joined Chicago on a two-year deal. The Bulls finished 31-51 last season. Simons and Sexton both left in free agency.
25. New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans went 26-56 and has won only 47 games over the past two seasons. Mosley is now the Pelicans' third coach since Joe Dumars took over basketball operations in April 2025. Willie Green was fired Nov. 15, and James Borrego finished the season as the interim coach. Bennedict Mathurin, AJ Johnson, and Trendon Watford arrived in August. Saddiq Bey signed a three-year extension, and DeAndre Jordan, the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year, re-signed.
26. Memphis Grizzlies
Cameron Boozer, the Wooden Award winner at Duke, went third overall to Memphis after the Grizzlies finished 25-57. Morant was traded to Portland this summer for Grant and Murray. Memphis also brought in Stewart, D'Angelo Russell, Jordan Hawkins, and Quinten Post. The Grizzlies bought out Caldwell-Pope and sent Aldama to Dallas. Brandon Clarke died on May 11.
27. LA Clippers
The Sept. 2 ruling took away the Clippers' own first-round picks from 2029 through 2033. Ballmer was suspended for a year, while president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank received a six-month suspension without pay. Leonard goes to Toronto for Ingram, Dick, and unprotected Raptors firsts in 2031 and 2033, picks that fall directly inside that gap. Harden and Zubac were traded at the deadline. Keaton Wagler went fifth overall with Indiana's pick. Rui Hachimura signed for two years and $28 million. The Clippers finished 42-40 last season with Leonard and still missed the playoffs.
28. Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee went 32-50 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The Bucks then traded Antetokounmpo after 13 seasons with the franchise. Herro, a Wisconsin native, headlines a return that also includes Ware, Jaquez, Jakučionis, and Miami's first-round picks in 2031 and 2033. Milwaukee drafted Brayden Burries 10th and hired Taylor Jenkins to replace Doc Rivers. Jenkins went 250-214 in Memphis.
29. Sacramento Kings
Sacramento went 22-60 and missed the playoffs for a third straight season. Darius Acuff Jr., the No. 7 pick out of Arkansas, is one of six Kings in their first two NBA seasons. General manager Scott Perry looked into trades for Malik Monk, Zach LaVine, and Domantas Sabonis but passed on the offers he received. All three are expected to open the season in Sacramento. DeRozan left for Denver, and Ben Simmons signed for one year.
30. Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn went 20-62. With the league's 3-2-1 lottery set to start in 2027, the Nets took on Randle from Minnesota in the four-team trade, and he is owed $33.3 million this season. They drafted Mikel Brown Jr. sixth, signed Keon Ellis and Moritz Wagner, and sent Claxton to Chicago. According to ESPN, Brooklyn remains well below the salary cap and can take on salary in trades.
Training camps open in the last week of September. The regular season starts October 20.
