2024-25 NBA Preseason Power Rankings

2024-25 NBA Preseason Power Rankings

The 2024-25 NBA Season is officially here! That means it’s power-ranking time! Where do we have each of the 30 teams ranked ahead of the new season? Let’s dive into it!

30. Brooklyn Nets

Jordi Fernandez was a good hire, but this team traded star wing Mikal Bridges while obtaining their first-round pick back. They’re in full-on tank mode.

29. Washington Wizards

Washington finished one win above the Pistons last year. I have long-term stock in rookie Bub Carrington and No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr should make this defense more functional. I also believe Kyle Kuzma and his frontloaded team-friendly deal will be attractive to suitors ahead of the trade deadline.

28. Portland Trail Blazers

I’m surprised Portland brought back head coach Chauncey Billups for another season. 

27. Utah Jazz

The Jazz may have signed Lauri Markkanen to a four-year max after countless trade rumors. But make no mistake, the Jazz still are far from being a play-in team, even though Will Hardy will scheme his way to a few wins throughout the season.

26. Toronto Raptors

The Raptors picked a direction after trading OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam last season. How do they continue to stack assets to build around Immanuel Quickley and Scottie Barnes, both of whom signed lucrative extensions this offseason?

25. Detroit Pistons

The Pistons had the worst season in franchise history at 14-68. It couldn’t get much worse, figuratively and literally. I thought Trajan Langdon had a good first offseason, but this was never going to fixed overnight.

24. Charlotte Hornets

When LaMelo Ball is healthy, the Hornets are a fringe play-in team. That’s a big if, however, as he’s played just 58 games over the last two seasons.

23. Los Angeles Clippers

They build a new arena with too many bathrooms. They also let Paul George walk and Kawhi Leonard isn’t going to start the season healthy. They added a few complementary pieces this offseason–plus defensive guru Jeff Van Gundy–but I’m still not high on this team until I have a reason to be.

22. San Antonio Spurs

Victor Wembanyama is now going to be paired with Chris Paul–an actual point guard who can get him the ball consistently. They also drafted Stephon Castle, who’s going to benefit greatly under Paul’s tutelage.

21. Chicago Bulls

The Bulls may be a mess, but it will be amazing watching Lonzo Ball play basketball again. Nobody deserves a great season more than him.

20. Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks landed Zaccharie Risacher No. 1 overall and split up the Murray-Young backcourt. Was that what the doctor ordered for second-year Hawks head coach Quin Snyder and Co.?

2024-25 NBA Season Preview: Los Angeles Clippers

19. Houston Rockets

We’ve never seen what a second year of Ime Udoka looks like. Though he will have plenty of intriguing young pieces that could mesh into a feisty unit in the Western Conference.

18. Sacramento Kings

The Kings had a disappointing end to last season after losing Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter to injury. How will the infusion of veteran wing DeMar DeRozan impact this mix? That remains to be seen.

17. Los Angeles Lakers

The Darvin Ham tenure wasn’t fruitful, and new first-year head coach JJ Redick is preaching Los Angeles to shoot more 3s. If LeBron James, Anthony Davis plus their supporting cast can stay healthy, they will be in the playoff hunt. But that’s a sizable if.

16. Miami Heat

The Miami Heat had a franchise-record 35 different starting lineups and won 46 games a year ago. You can never count Erik Spoelstra’s squad out–especially with a more engaged Jimmy Butler and an offense with a seemingly modified shot diet. 

15. Golden State Warriors

Golden State may have lost Klay Thompson, but it added De’Anthony Melton, Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield plus it will reward bigger roles to Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody. I don’t think they miss a beat.

14. New Orleans Pelicans

I’m more bearish, however, on New Orleans, who added Murray from Atlanta this offseason. Can Murray, CJ McCollum, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram all mesh together, assuming they stay healthy? If so, this is a fringe 50-win team (if they can find a center!); if they don’t, well….

13. Indiana Pacers

The Pacers unexpectedly made the Eastern Conference Finals last year and will get a glimpse at what a full year of Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam look like.

Anthony Edwards: Knicks Will Miss Donte DiVincenzo

12. Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland re-signed Donovan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley to extensions this offseason, keeping their “core four” together. They’re the same team on paper, but I think their ceiling is higher with Kenny Atkinson as opposed to JB Bickerstaff.

11. Phoenix Suns

Phoenix got two point guards in Tyus Jones and Monte Morris to help out Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker. It’s about time!

10. Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia added Paul George to a four-year max and made other shape-shifting roster moves to better support Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Can they get past the second round?

9. Memphis Grizzlies

Last year was the year of H-E-double hockey sticks for the Grizzlies, who deployed an NBA-record 50 starting lineups. This team is a 45-plus-win team, when healthy.

8. Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks are one of the NBA’s oldest teams, but should have more stability this season after a chaotic 2023-24 campaign.

7. Orlando Magic

This ranking may be a shock to some, but the Orlando Magic are one of the league’s rising squads, led by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. They are also very well-coached and should have better spacing in 2024-25.

6. Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks parlayed an NBA Finals run by adding sharpshooter Klay Thompson plus 3-and-D wing Naji Marshall over the summer. 

Let’s meet the 2024/2025 NBA’s tanking teams.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves traded Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. I’m confident in the latter’s fit, while the former’s fit alongside Rudy Gobert is a bit murky.

4. Denver Nuggets

Over the past two offseasons, the Nuggets lost Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Those are big losses, but I expect a leap from at least one of Christian Braun, Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson this season.

3. New York Knicks

The Knicks traded for Towns to help replace Isaiah Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson, who’s currently sidelined due to injury. Should they stay healthy, they’re going to be a tough out in the East.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder arguably had the NBA’s top offseason after signing Hartenstein plus trading for Alex Caruso. This team is young, athletic, deep and hungry.

1. Boston Celtics

The Celtics captured their first Larry O’Brien Trophy since 2007-08! The Jays did it! They remain the clear favorite until proven otherwise after bringing back each of their top-10 scorers.

***

Subscribe to Vendetta’s Twitch

Subscribe to Vendetta’s YouTube

Check out the Vendetta Shop

Click here for more NBA content