Ranking All 30 NBA Teams So Far This Season

About a month ago I put out a video ranking every NBA team prior to the season based purely on how the groups looked on paper after a crazy offseason that shook the league up quite a bit. Of course, there's a lot to learn when the ball is actually tipped off, and we see what these groups actually look like together. So while we are still very early in the season, we will once again be ranking all 30 NBA teams based on what we've seen so far for the rest of the year. And no, this is not just going to be a ranking based purely on where they sit in the standings right now. There's obviously got to be more context put into it. Some teams have gotten off to hotter starts than they're capable of maintaining, and others have started slowly but we're still confident we'll get going as the year progresses. Before we start, though, it would be greatly appreciated if you could all utilize YouTube's new hype feature, along with liking the video and subscribing to the channel, as it all helps quite a bit. Now, with that being said, let's begin. Starting at the bottom and working our way up to the top, coming in at number 30, as the worst team, we have the Sacramento Kings. The Kings are the worst team, and I don't think it's remotely close. This is a group that play uninspired basketball night after night, and a lot of the guys don't like playing with each other. Domantas Sabonis has been very vocal about not being happy with the way that they play, and it seems like he's about to request a trade, so one of their best players is about to be on the move too. They were the last team to get a win, and at the time of me making this video they still have the worst record in the league anyway, they have the second worst ranked offense and the second worst ranked defense in the league at the moment, so they don't do any They've done anything well on either end of the floor, and they've basically handed the offense over to rookie Darius Acuff, which is probably really good for his early development, but pretty bad when it comes to actually getting results. Darius Acuff leads the entire NBA in shot attempts per game, which is pretty insane because he, like most rookies tend to be, has not been very efficient. This was already a group that couldn't defend anybody, and their offense has been hijacked by an inefficient rookie, so if you're expecting anything but a last place finish, you're probably in for a rude awakening. Speaking of the Sacramento Kings, we can head over to Kalshi and see that their win total for the season is currently set at 20 or more wins, with a 54% chance of them hitting that mark, and a 46% chance of them not. Personally, I don't think they're going to hit that win total, so I'm going to take them not to, and at that price, a $25 trade pays out $50 if you're right. The Kings just aren't really focused on winning at all this season. They handed over the keys to To a rookie who, of course, with all of this usage, he's getting. getting is going to develop a ton, but that's not a recipe for success in the short term. If you're interested in checking out Kalshi, then sign up using my code Hoops25 to get $55 added to your account once you trade $25. Next, at number 29, we have the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are 1-6 to start the year, with their only win being against the Pacers without Tyrese Halliburton, which sums up their ability to compete pretty well. They're another rebuilding team that just don't have the infrastructure to accomplish anything meaningful at the moment, and the young pieces that they do have in their rotation are still a long ways away from being consistent positives at the NBA level. Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle will stuff the stat sheet this year, But I would expect at least one of them to be moved by the trade deadline. And a lot of their prior first round picks and young guys can't even consistently get run in the rotation right now. Their focus is on the future, which is where it should be, but it's not like they have much of a choice with what they have. Next at number 28, we have the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks are off to a 1-5 start as well, but in this range of the list, most of the teams aren't exactly gunning for big, instant success. They traded away Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer in order to start fresh, and they have They have a lot going on that actively contributes to losing. For one, most of their rotation is made up of young players that are still developing. Kyle Kuzma is a mess of a black hole on offense too with poor shot selection and decision making skills. Myles Turner looks disinterested out there waiting for another team to trade for him. And Tyler Hero may be balling out, but again, he's more so just trying out for another team to come scoop him up by the trade deadline. There just aren't enough plus defenders on this roster to avoid the basement regardless Regardless of how much their young guys develop over the course of the season. Next at number 27, we have the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers are likely going to be way worse than I anticipated before the season began. Darius Garland is still a high-level, all-star caliber player, but they lack any kind of meaningful firepower next to him for them to compete for a spot in anything close to the play-in tournament. Bringing Brandon Ingram back for the Kawhi Leonard trade was supposed to help with this, but Ingram is going to miss the first few months of the season, and by the time he's back, it'll likely be too late to salvage anything. They also have one of the worst front courts in the association, with Brooke Lopez looking his age on defense and Isaiah Jackson being the only other healthy center available. Keaton Wagler looks promising, but rookies are rarely ever actual positives out on the floor overall, so the fact that they're a bottom five ranked offense right now is not a fluke. Next at number 26, we have the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls are another team that have disappointed me compared to preseason expectations, and honestly, based on their makeup, the struggles feel likely to continue. They are also 1-6 to start the season, with their only win being against the Bucks, who we just ranked below them, and unfortunately, their youth is very obvious. Caleb Wilson has looked like a stud of a prospect, and should be viewed as a legit franchise pillar type of talent to build around, as an absurd athlete that defends hard every night and is scoring over 20 points per game in the early going, but he's also only shooting 41% from the field and 29% from three, which is the type of inefficiency that typically comes from being a rookie. Matas Buzelis still has not shown he can take a leap to stardom in year three, Josh Giddey is really struggling to assert himself as any kind of scorer night to night, putting up a career-worst eight points per game in the early going, and Norman Powell is still putting up 20 points a night, but his shot has not been as reliable as it has been in years past. He sticks out as another veteran player that could hit the trade block soon as a guy that just doesn't fit their timeline, especially if they're not winning. Next at number 25, we have the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans are just wasting everybody's time for a third year in a row. They've been one of the worst teams in the West in back-to-back seasons, and they decided to run it back again without really making any major changes this offseason, and they came out losing their first four games this year. Zion Williamson is not good enough to be the number one of an offense, Trey Murphy has been off to a slow start too, Jordan Poole somehow continues to get worse, and there just isn't any sort of upside that's worth tripling down on here. They're like the island of misfit toys in the NBA form, which is a bunch of flawed pieces that have inherent value in their own right individually, but together they just don't fit. Next at number 24 we have the Utah Jazz. The Jazz were supposed to be ready to emerge this year, and everything about their actions over the last year indicated that they were preparing for this season to be that time. Well, back to the drawing board they go. They're another 1-5 group out of the gate, with their only win being against the New Orleans Pelicans, and everything that can go wrong has gone wrong. They traded for Jaren Jackson Jr. last season to shore up their defense, but he suffered an injury that will hold him out for the next couple months. The leaders of their offense have also been completely folding under the pressure of actual expectations, with Lauri Markkanen's scoring output falling off a cliff as he has been ice cold. Darron Peterson doesn't look fully comfortable yet, but he's a rookie. Ace Bailey has not taken any kind of leap in year two, and Keontae George has been good, but he's not anywhere close to a number one of a team trying to win. Next, at number 23, we have the Phoenix Suns. The phrase, addition by subtraction, is one that most of you have probably heard before, but the opposite of that phrase can sometimes also be accurate, as the Suns are learning the hard way that subtraction by addition is now tanking their chances this season. Their success last year came without Jalen Green on the court, and then the team also chose to trade for Miles Bridges this offseason. This may sound harsh, but those two Two might have been the two worst possi- They're both inefficient, black hole, score-first type of players that don't play any defense, and the Suns have just one win in the early going so far. The center position is another clear area of weakness for them, but after they were a top 10 defensive team last year, they're now the worst ranked defense in the entire NBA, which is a tough look for their newcomers. Next, at number 22, we have the Charlotte Hornets. We've now entered the next tier up on this list with teams that will all be in the mix for the play-in tournament most likely, but the Hornets seem to be skating by on thin ice at the moment. They have three solid wins against the Wizards, Heat, and Nets, but their offense has been pretty abysmal to begin the year, and I'm struggling to buy into it getting that much better over the season to balance things out. They currently ranked dead last in the whole league on offense, and while yes, they have been missing con I just don't think that a alone can turn this group into a playoff contender, even though I am very high on Knipple in general. The group lacks a true playmaker to run an efficient offense through, and while they have a ton of shooters, they haven't been able to consistently generate quality looks for them. Life without LaMelo Ball has been a struggle in that regard. Next at number 21, we have the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers were planning for this to be their grand return to the top of the East after making it to the finals in 2025, but already those plans have been thwarted. With Tyrese Halliburton returning from injury this season and having traded for Ivica Zubac last year, they hoped those two could round out their championship caliber lineup, but Haliburton has already re-injured himself, which will hold him out for a couple weeks, and Zubac got injured after three games and is expected to miss a bit of time as well Last season without Tyrese Halliburton, the Pacers were one of the worst teams in the entire NBA, and this year, they are already returning to form starting 2-5. Both players will be back eventually, but injuries like this, there's no guarantee that they'll return to prior form, and the Pacers need them at their best just to be competitive. Next at number 20, we have the Orlando Magic. The Magic have made the playoffs three years in a row, but the Eastern Conference looks a whole lot different this season, and I just am not confident that they can keep up. They didn't make any notable moves all summer long, and they were already on the fringes last season, having to make it into the playoffs from the play-in tournament. In each of the last three years, they've also been the worst-ranked offense of the teams that have made the playoffs, and this year, they are once again ranking in the bottom third of the NBA on offense, with the same old problems persisting. You can bank on Desmond Bain getting out of this shooting slump that he's currently in eventually, and Paolo Banchero has missed a few games, injured too, so his return will Time will help, but at the end of At the end of the day, I'm just not sold on them. Next at number 19, we have the Washington Wizards. The Wizards are one of the squads that have begun to improve compared to years past, and we haven't even seen the best from them yet. Trae Young and Anthony Davis are now headlining this lineup, and Trae's playmaking skill alone has opened up so much for this offense, as he is currently leading the NBA in assists per game. A.J. DeBonsa also missed the first few games of the year, and in the couple of games that he's played so far, his ability to get buckets seems like a seamless transition to this level. Overall, they've been one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the NBA, though, so while there is some positive return to the mean expected, that could be an issue, because Because on paper, they don't have that many great shooters. in general. Next, at number 18, we have the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks have started the year looking as mediocre as it gets, with a lot of balance across the board in the scoring department by their lineup. But they also have some clear weaknesses that could hold them back from ever being a real threat. The center position has been an issue, with Onyeka Okonwu still getting bullied by bigger matchups. His backups are lacking any kind of physicality, too, and the team has been one of the worst rebounding teams in the early going. They have a ton of backcourt depth filled with scoring and defense. But they also still lack a true superstar number one kind of guy that they can look to when the going gets tough. They've mostly struggled against the good teams that they've faced, and they've beat up on the bad teams they've faced, which could be the story of their season in the middle of the pack. Next, at number 17, we have the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies are probably the most difficult team to rank today because they have exceeded all expectations and were the last team to lose a game in the league. But being realistic, the sample size is way too small to crown them as contenders. And while this ranking may seem harsh, I think I'm more realistically being just cautious with them. When you look at who they've played, four of their six wins came against the Jazz twice and the Kings twice. So their schedule was pretty easy. They're all so ridiculously young, and over 82 games, young teams like this rarely truly dominate in this fashion. With all of that being said though, I do absolutely think they can earn a spot in the play-in tournament with what they have. Ty Jerome's breakout is not a fluke, and they still haven't even seen the best from Cam Boozer yet. Next, at number 16, we have the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors were looking like a group on the brink of disaster coming into the year, but it has actually been their rookie Jaxson Lendeberg breathing new life into them. They took him because he was older and one of the more NBA-ready guys, and he's proven to be exactly that, catching fire out of the gate. The problem is they literally need Jaxson to continue to dominate to this degree just to stay competitive. And I don't believe it's realistic to expect a rookie like him to maintain this all season long. He'll be one of the best rookies all year, but all rookies suffer from inconsistency, and when he inevitably goes cold, this is not a group that has many reinforcements next to Steph Curry. They're 4-3 right now, and that's been the outcome with the highest upside output happening. Next, at number 15, we have the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks may actually be way ahead of schedule, and it's because Cooper Flagg has already been ascending to superstardom before his 20th birthday. He's legitimately been one of the best players in the NBA to start this year on both ends of the floor, and with him playing like that, they've given some good teams fits. They're also finding early success because Kyrie Irving is picked right back up where he left off as a dangerous creator on the ball, who provides a hyper-efficient secondary source of offense. Zach Risacher may not be providing much on offense, but his defense has also been fantastic. Daniel Gafford has been dominant defending the paint as well, and we shouldn't be surprised if they can end up up sneaking into the play-in mix. Next, at number 14, we have the Portland Trailblazers. The Trailblazers were one of the more interesting teams to monitor going into the season because there was a lot of exciting talent there on paper, but there was also potential implosion on the horizon. The early returns have bore few fruitful results, though, and they genuinely look like they're having fun playing together. Damian Lillard is back from injury, and while his shooting has been hot and cold, it's just been nice to have him out there threatening defenses from deep again. John Morant has rediscovered his joy and has embraced the reduced role that he's in for the betterment of the team. is still their go-to guy performing like an all-star, and their role players have been locking up on defense. They are 4-1 to start the season, and just like last year, I expect them to make the playoffs again, there are just a few real contenders behind them in the standings that reasonably I expect to pass them over time. Next at number 13, we have the Miami Heat. The Heat are a team that was put together to contend for a championship, but the early performances from this team to not show that. They are 2-5 to start the season, and not only are some of the predictable struggles happening, but some worrying unexpected ones too. If nothing else, this is a group with a lot of defensive potential, with guys like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, and Davion Mitchell all being high-end defenders in their own right, and yet the Heat are currently a bottom-five ranked defense in the league. That will almost assuredly improve over time, but if their biggest strength can't even be an undeniable strength, they're in big trouble. Offensively, they may lack the shooting and playmaking to give Giannis and Bam the proper space to operate, and while the talent on this roster alone will still win them a lot of games, their flaws can easily be exploited in a high-pressure playoff situation, it seems. Next at number 12, we have the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets are still a group that will only go as far as Nikola Jokic will take them, and early on, Jokic looks like a guy that has been carrying way too much of that load over the last few years. He looks tired, his scoring is way down, and his defense has been a mess most nights, which is saying something with him never having necessarily been a good defender previously. Their three wins so far have come against the Pelicans twice and the Suns, so we haven't even seen them beat a good team yet, and while they'll still safely make the playoffs more more than likely because Jokic will eventually We are starting to see the cracks start to form after years of failing to add adequate help around him and Jamal Murray, as their bench is the worst it's ever been. Next, at number 11, we have the Minnesota Timberwolves. The year started so well for the Wolves. Anthony Edwards was looking like an MVP candidate, dropping over 40 points twice in his first four games. The Wolves were steamrolling good teams, and they were having an infectious amount of fun doing it together. Then Edwards suffered an injury in his fourth game, and unfortunately, he's going to be out until late December. I was ready to buy all the way in on them being able to hang with the top of the West, but now they have to deal with Edwards working his way back from an injury which will take time, and they still have to try to stay afloat without him for a while. I really don't have doubts about them making the playoffs necessarily, they just need to make sure they're healthy and can find their groove. They're still a top 5 ranked defense right now so they have the blueprint to contend, they're just missing valuable time to gel together. Next, at number 10, we have the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers will still be one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference, like they've been for the last few years, but at the same time, it feels like a few squads have passed them up. James Harden is beginning to look like his age, putting up the worst numbers he's produced in a very long time, Peyton Watson hasn't been proving to be worth the money that they spent on him, and while Donovan Mitchell is still playing relatively well, he's also had a few crunch time meltdowns, with his shot selection not being that great. Being brutally honest, it feels like this team missed their chance at a finals run last year, but at the same time, they will still comfortably be in the playoff mix. Next, at number 9, we have the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors had the makings of a potential contender, but then they were reminded why the Clippers have struggled to do anything substantial over the last six years. Kawhi Leonard still has a lot of elite basketball left when he's healthy on the court, but he's already suffered another knee injury that is expected to hold him out for at least a month. With Kawhi, they can be dangerous in a lockdown defense that can look to him to be their closer and tough shot maker, but we're already seeing a similar story happen where Leonard's availability is becoming difficult to rely upon. Without him, this group's backcourt is just not on par with other contenders, and Scottie Barnes can't do everything. Next at number 8, we have the Oklahoma City Thunder. I never would have imagined I would be putting this team this low on the list, but unfortunately they have suffered from some of the biggest misfortune of any team in the league in the early going, and it's going to impact them the rest of the year. Jalen Williams suffered an injury that may force him to miss the whole rest of the season, Cason Wallace suffered an injury that will hold him out for several months, and Chet Holmgren also suffered an injury that will hold him out for two to three months. All of a sudden, the team that had been sleepwalking their way to one-seed finishes in the West over the last few years are severely undermanned and in trouble moving forward. They still have the MVP Shea Gilgis-Alexander leading the way, but now they're going to be relying extra hard on guys like AJ Mitchell and Jared McCain as go-to options on offense. And young guys like Ajayi Mara and Ben Satorow will see more minutes than expected, so they're still pretty good, but not the world beaters that they were at full strength. Next at number seven, we have the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are just flat out better than most people expected them to be, and Luka Doncic is looking like he's hungry to be named MVP for the first time of his career. Luka is leading the league in scoring by a wide margin, averaging about 38 points per game. He and newcomer Walker Kessler have already developed incredible rapport in the pick and roll. Austin Reeves is one of the most productive number two options in the league, and they are the number one ranked offense in the NBA right now. Getting consistent production from the role player, has been a challenge early on and their defense will probably continue to be a bit exploitable because of their backcourt being what it is, but trying to keep up with this explosive offense is going to be a tall task for any opponent. Next at number six, we have the Detroit Pistons. After the whirlwind of an offseason that they had, the Pistons have come back picking right back up where they left off last regular season. They are 6-1 to start the year with their lone loss being to the defending champion New York Knicks, and their success stems from the fact that they have the number one ranked defense to start the season. Just like last year, this group can stifle you in so many ways and fully commit to defending as a unit. Plus, with Asar Thompson running around causing havoc on that end, they have one of the best defensive weapons in the NBA. The one final piece they need to find to solidify themselves as true championship threats is a secondary creator on offense to alleviate how much pressure is on Cade Cunningham because otherwise this squad is a very dangerous one in most other aspects. Next, at number 5, we have the Boston Celtics. The Celtics still aren't going anywhere, and the system they have in place simply just works. Joe Mazzulla loves to put out lineups that generate a ton of three-point looks, and that is once again the recipe for their success, with the best part being they haven't actually even heated up from three as a team yet, so while they are 5-2 to start the season, they could still get better on offense. Jason Tatum is back to playing some great basketball, but even his three-point shot has been ice cold. Paul George has fit right into this group, defending hard and scoring in bunches. The one weird caveat is Mitchell Robinson has really struggled to fit in and hasn't been the rebounding force that he was when he was a Knick. Next at number four, we have the New York Knicks. Honestly, the Knicks have not looked very good at all to start this season, so you may disagree with them being ranked this high, which would be fair. I'm just willing to give the defending champions the benefit of the doubt that they can eventually get going after a bit of a championship hangover. They still have pretty much the same core that won the finals last season. They just swapped out Mitchell Robinson for Andre Drummond, which is a bit of a downgrade, but not a team-ruining downgrade. They're three Three and four to start the season, but we'll eventually rattle off a a win streak to shoot back up the standings. Next at number three, we have the Houston Rockets. The Rockets had bad vibes at the end of last season, but they have absolutely bounced back in the best way possible thanks to a few reinforcements. Getting Fred VanVleet back healthy has been a massive boost to this group as a calming veteran presence running things at point guard, who also poses as a threat to pull up and hit deep threes from anywhere on the floor to open things up for everybody else. Marcus Smart has also come in defending hard, shooting it well early on, and then the core that was already there have been He'd been playing pretty amazing in the early going Kevin Durant hasn't even needed to score as much this season because everything else around him is flowing so nicely, and they're sitting atop the Western Conference standings with a 7-1 record, with the number two ranked offense in the league. They are absolutely a title contender this year as long as they stay healthy, because they check pretty much every box. Next, at number two, we have the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs lost their first two games of the season to the Thunder and the Rockets, but after that, they've rattled off five wins in a row to get back on track. With the Thunder no longer being the team that beat them on opening night, the Spurs can breathe easy, and after proving they can make a finals run last year, they've shown the kind of dominance they can perform. They're currently figuring out how to navigate involving their three guards all in one lineup, because Dylan Harper has rightfully been thrust into a bigger role, And Stephon Castle and De'Aaron... Aaron Fox are also both still starting, plus Victor Wembanyama has somewhat reverted back to some old bad habits with his shot selection, so that needs to get back on track. But in general, they are still a top 5 defense and a top 10 offense right now, and are getting better every game. And finally, coming in at number one, we have the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers were a we-need-to-see-it-to-believe-it team, and in the early going, they've been cruising to dominance without even playing their best basketball. The biggest worry with this group was their defense before the season began, but they are the third-best-ranked defense in the league to start. The offensive end is actually where they have a lot of room to improve and probably will improve, but right now they rank near the bottom of the league in the stat field goal percentage on wide open shots, which just shows they're generating plenty of good quality looks, they just haven't been making these wide open shots yet, and wide open shots tend to even out over time. Tyrese Maxey is the steady leader of this offense, who has taken over fourth quarters night after night, and then after that we've seen it alternate between Joel Embiid, LeBron Ron James, Jalen Brown, and VJ Edgecombe. The Sixers are 7-1 right now, sitting in first place in the Eastern Conference standings, and their only loss came against the Detroit Pistons in a game that Joel Embiid was resting. At full strength, they are as legitimate as it gets, with both their stars and their role players fully bought into their roles. And with that being said, that's all I have for you today. Make sure to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and comment down below how you think the teams stack up right now. Thanks for watching, and I'll see you all next time.