| Atlanta | 11th NBA, 4th East. Kristaps Porzingis (15th, 4.90) is a game‑changer if healthy, adding stretch shooting and rim protection. Jalen Johnson & Onyeka Okongwu (63rd/64th, 3.83) bring breakout athleticism. Trae Young (69th, 3.76) may get a renaissance with better supporting pieces. Dyson Daniels (88th, 3.45) offers underrated two‑way glue. Beyond the top 100, you’ve got rookies Asa Newell (190th, 2.40), shooting spark Luke Kennard (224th, 2.15), plus role players Nickeil Alexander‑Walker (234th) and Zacharie Risacher (246th). Overall, a real contender if KP stays upright and Young rediscovers efficiency. |
| Boston | Boston and Indiana reflect a harsh reality. Boston especially looks like a gap year with injuries and player departures. Tatum unlikely back this season; team likely no better than play-in. Projected 12th East, 25th NBA overall. Sad fall from dynasty hopes. Jaylen Brown (3.85), Derrick White & Brown are elite role players, not engines. This is a gap year—time to take the medicine, use their pick, and regroup (à la Golden State). |
| Brooklyn | 28th NBA, 14th East. Pure scorer’s roster without much else. Cam Thomas leads at 3.69 (71st), Michael Porter Jr. (3.38) and bigs Day’Ron Sharpe & Nic Claxton (~3.3) round out the top. Beyond that, depth pieces like Ziaire Williams and Danny Wolf don’t crack a 2.0. They’ll likely lean into tanking and selling assets—wise move given the current construction. |
| Charlotte | Charlotte might finally make a playoff push, with Collin Sexton a solid pickup and players entering their primes. They need to make a move towards the playoffs and if they miss again in this version of the East, a restart is needed. Projected 9th East, 21st NBA overall — not hopeful though. |
| Chicago | 20th NBA, 9th East. A classic treadmill team—good enough to make the playoffs, not good enough to scare anyone. Nikola Vucevic leads at 36th (4.39). New addition Josh Giddey (54th, 3.91) brings size and playmaking. Jalen Smith (73rd, 3.67) is sneaky productive, Coby White (103rd, 3.23) showed growth. After that, depth falls off: Ayo Dosunmu (157th), Zach Collins (166th), Tre Jones (182nd), Kevin Huerter (250th). |
| Cleveland | 11th NBA, 5th East. Top four remain elite—Evan Mobley (10th, 5.06), Jarrett Allen (19th, 4.81), Donovan Mitchell (25th, 4.55), and Darius Garland (41st, 4.24) when healthy. But depth vanishes after De’Andre Hunter (115th, 3.07). Max Strus, Craig Porter Jr., and even Lonzo Ball all 200+ ranks, and losing Ty Jerome (79th) leaves a bench cliff they didn’t replace. Numbers say “caution”—but most will predict them 2nd or 1st in the East on star power and continuity, but the model sticks them at 5th. Close to 2nd but one factor is the injury luck they had in the regular season. Now Garland will be coming off an injury and they are unlikely to get the player games from all their stars or 64 wins again. |
| Dallas | 4th in the West, 5th NBA overall, without Kyrie Irving factored in (39th, 4.28 rating), who may return for playoffs. Anthony Davis (5.96) is the key player, with Daniel Gafford (4.64) adding solid depth. Cooper Flagg (projected 85th) was a major offseason steal, expected to be a quality starter but not a heavy load carrier immediately. Dereck Lively II (3.81) also rounds out their young talent. AD’s health remains a huge question mark for Dallas’s true ceiling. Could contend if health holds and Kyrie makes it back. Luck played big role for GM here get out of jail free with Flagg. Still a terrible trade. |
| Denver | Denver sits 3rd NBA, 2nd West, led by Nikola Jokic (7.11), one of the best in the league. Supporting cast includes Jamal Murray (3.68), Cameron Johnson, and Jonas Valanciunas who was a big get. Depth issues and aging stars put a cap on their championship chances, making them serious contenders but an outside shot at glory. Still mis management of Jokic’s prime and cheaping out at every turn. |
| Detroit | 17th NBA, 8th East. A very young core with upside—Cade Cunningham (29th, 4.48) and Jalen Duren (32nd, 4.46) leading the way. Support from Jaden Ivey (108th, 3.16), Ausar Thompson (110th, 3.14), and Tobias Harris (120th, 3.06) offers promise. Still, it’s a “meh” middle‑of‑the‑pack squad—likely play‑in or fringe playoff bound. They need more seasoning before challenging higher in the East. |
| Golden State | Warriors 11th West, 19th NBA. Aging core led by Curry and Butler still top 21 players but decline looms. Jonathan Kuminga (130th) is a key upside piece but his role is unclear. Team has limited ceiling but remains tenacious and competitive. |
| Houston | Houston is 4th NBA, 3rd West after an impactful offseason adding Kevin Durant (4.41) and Clint Capela. Their young core of Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson (4.28), and Jabari Smith Jr. is promising. Veterans Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams provide balance. This blend of youth and experience sets them up to compete at a high level. |
| Indiana | 26th NBA, 13th East. From playoff magic to a brutal rebuild. Tyrese Haliburton remains a stud (4.68, 20th) but he’s not included in these rankings and out for the year. Pascal Siakam (4.12, 47th) still contributes. Losing Myles Turner leaves a void. Core depth—Mathurin, Toppin, Nesmith, Nembhard, McConnell—all in the 2.6–2.8 range, solid but not game‑changers. Last year’s luck and clutch moments won’t repeat. Haliburton was the key that unlocked a lot. They had something special going. They felt like more than the sum of their parts.. Carlisle squeezed a lot out of that roster. Brace for a long, tough season in Indy regardless. |
| LA Clippers | Clippers rank 5th West, 6th NBA. Ivica Zubac (5.08) was their best player last year, underrated and now backed up by Brook Lopez (3.21). Kawhi Leonard (4.63), James Harden (4.47), and Bradley Beal (3.1) all projected to regress, so expect some bumps. Lopez should ease Zubac’s load but depth questions linger. |
| Los Angeles | Lakers 7th West, 12th NBA. Offseason turbulence losing Finney-Smith, missing ideal centers, but gained Deandre Ayton (55th). Luka Doncic (5.43) is recovering from a down year (previous 6.22) with upside if healthy. Ayton isn’t a great fit for Luka (non shooter rim roller), but he was the best talent at center they could probably get at their price point. LeBron James (4.93) still elite at 14th. Drama aside, the core remains strong but needs cohesion. |
| Memphis | Grizzlies 8th West, 13th NBA. Traded Desmond Bane (61st) and added Ty Jerome (79th) without much talent loss. Ja Morant (4.18) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (4.32) anchor the team. Zach Edey (3.25) is an undervalued sleeper. Smart front office move adds flexibility while keeping competitiveness high. |
| Miami | 15th NBA, 7th East. Pat Riley’s nostalgia project. Tyler Herro (4.21) and Bam Adebayo (4.20) headline, but depth is thin. Andrew Wiggins (3.53) and rookie Kel’el Ware (3.12) offer some promise, but no star is chasing Miami like before. Built to compete now feels unsustainable—draft-centric rebuild looms unless they redefine their long‑term plan. |
| Milwaukee | 24th NBA, 11th East. Outside of Giannis (6.86, 3rd in league), this roster is nearly unwatchable. The Lillard move was desperation to keep Greek Freak happy—now it’s just a shell. Myles Turner (3.58) and Bobby Portis (3.45) are serviceable, but Kevin Porter Jr. and Gary Trent Jr. are cap fillers. If Giannis drags them to the playoffs, it’d be his greatest carry job—otherwise, expect a bleak season. |
| Minnesota | Timberwolves 9th West, 16th NBA. Anthony Edwards (4.41) is dynamic but overhyped. Rudy Gobert (4.15) still a defensive anchor but possibly declining. Mike Conley (193rd) underwhelming. Overall, roster in holding pattern with more decline expected than growth. |
| New Orleans | Pelicans 10th West, 18th NBA, hinge on Zion Williamson’s durability (5.60) if he can play like last year and the number of games (71) from two years ago. Supporting cast includes Trey Murphy III (3.51), Jordan Poole (3.40, underrated now nationally), and Dejounte Murray (3.29) is not included in these rankings could return. Solid depth and intriguing pieces if health and chemistry hold. |
| New York | Knicks #2 East, 8th NBA. New coach Mike Brown, same core issues. Karl-Anthony Towns (8th, 5.23) is a star-level offensive piece; Jalen Brunson (28th, 4.5) and wings like Josh Hart (76), OG Anunoby (95), Mikal Bridges (132) add depth. Mitchell Robinson (141st) health is a key question and is the biggest upside. He has talent but durability concerns and may still struggle to stay on the court. |
| Oklahoma City | OKC ranks #1 NBA overall and tops the West, showcasing incredible depth with 11 players in the top 215. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (7.04 rating), Jalen Williams (4.63), and Chet Holmgren (4.10) anchor a deep roster. The front office embraces full rotations and has loaded draft capital, making multiple titles very plausible. Last season’s close playoff calls show room for more dominance, but a dynasty seems on the horizon. |
| Orlando | Magic rank #1 East, #2 NBA overall, a surprise given last year’s 41-41. I wasn’t even a big fan of the Bane trade who only ranked 61st in the Model. Built on extreme depth with Jonathan Isaac being the worst in the top 10 of the rotation and still 188th and solid role players ranked 50–160 range overall even with the lack of super star power (no top 25 players). Defensive stalwarts (#2 in league last year) provide a high floor. Not a playoff juggernaut but a regular season powerhouse with reliable contributors night in, night out. They are built for the regular season in the east. |
| Philadelphia | #3 East, 10th NBA overall, highlighting East’s shallow talent. Joel Embiid (11th, 5.03) and Tyrese Maxey (48th, 4.12) remain a dangerous duo if healthy. Draft steals like Johni Broome (153rd) and V. J. Edgecombe (165th) add valuable youth. Paul George (106th) offers value if he stays healthy. A boom-or-bust roster with legit playoff potential, but health is a big caveat. |
| Phoenix | Suns 10th West, 17th NBA. Mark Williams (4.82) a great asset versus overpaid Devin Booker (3.86). Their chase of Durant and Beal didn’t work out. Likely rebuilding soon — trading Booker and reclaiming draft picks is a practical path while running for 10th seed and play-in. |
| Portland | 14th West, 27th NBA. Confusing moves including Jrue Holiday trade (128th) seen as pointless given contract. Young talents Deni Avdija (60th) and Shaedon Sharpe (117th) bring promise but Jerami Grant (200th) and Scoot Henderson (223rd) unlikely to lift team much. Stuck in limbo. |
| Sacramento | Kings 13th West, 22nd NBA. Aging and stuck in neutral. Domantas Sabonis (12th) remains the bright spot. Westbrook expected but impact likely minimal. Limited upside this season with no clear direction. |
| San Antonio | Spurs 6th West, 7th NBA. Victor Wembanyama (5.67) leads a talented but health-risk roster. New coaching era post-Popovich brings uncertainty. De’Aaron Fox (3.76), Luke Kornet, and Harrison Barnes (~3.0) add depth. Fit remains a question, but all eyes on Wemby to carry this team. |
| Toronto | 19th NBA, 8th East. Feels generous. Scottie Barnes is respectable (3.93) but overrated. Jakob Poeltl quietly leads impact-wise at 4.44. Brandon Ingram (3.42), RJ Barrett (3.51) and Immanuel Quickley (3.50) round out the top; Sandro Mamukelashvili (3.04) is your next piece. No clear direction—too good to tank, not good enough to win. A classic “stuck in no man’s land” scenario. |
| Utah | Jazz 15th West, 30th NBA. Priority is rehabbing and possibly moving Lauri Markkanen (105th). Young players like Ace Bailey (231st) and Keyonte George (173rd) will see lots of action. Looks like a high lottery pick year more than contention. |
| Washington | 28th NBA, 14th East. Rebuild mode with a 2.4 team rating. Cam Whitmore trade is a gamble that could pay off if he pops. C.J. McCollum (3.16) and Khris Middleton (2.82) provide veterans, but depth quickly fades—Champagnie, Holmes, Vukčević all mid‑2’s. Rookies Alex Sarr (2.22) and Bilal Coulibaly (2.00) are wildcard upside. Main focus: asset collection and long‑term development. |
