2026-27 NBA Power Rankings: A First Look at All 30 Teams

The New York Knicks are your 2025-26 NBA champions after they defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games to claim the franchise's first title in 53 years.

With the Larry O'Brien Trophy officially hoisted, the end of the campaign is here after a drama-filled season. The Spurs knocked out their budding rival, the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder , before running into the Knicks in the Finals, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took home his second straight MVP award, and Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo decided it might be best to take his talents elsewhere this offseason.

It's now time to look ahead to the 2026-27 season and what could be in store. Our NBA Insiders projected where all 30 NBA teams rank heading into next season and discuss whether their futures are bright, dim or ultimately forgettable.

Note: Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (ESPN's Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Michael C. Wright, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Ohm Youngmisuk, Vincent Goodwill, Anthony Slater, Ben Golliver and Zach Kram) think teams belong after the 2026-27 NBA season.

Jump to a team:

ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE

DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND

LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN

NO | NY | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX

POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTAH | WAS

2025-26 record: 64-18 - Previous ranking: 1 - Result: Eliminated in the Western Conference finals - 2026 draft picks: No. 12 (via LAC), No. 17 (via PHI), No. 37 (via DAL)

This roster gets even more expensive next season.

Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren step into extensions that push the team's overall salary cap number from $186.7 million, just below the luxury tax, toward the $250 million range, which is deep into the second apron.

There are subtle ways to shave down that money, but Thunder general manager Sam Presti has planned and prepped this perennial contender for this next stage of luxury tax living.

Expect them to bring back a majority of the nucleus that won 64 games and stretched the Spurs to the brink in the conference finals despite missing Williams, their second-best player, for a majority of the season and that San Antonio series. -- Anthony Slater

2025-26 record: 62-20 - Previous ranking: 2 - Result: Lost in the NBA Finals - 2026 draft picks: No. 20 (via ATL), No. 35 (via UTAH), No. 42 (via POR), No. 44 (via MIA) The team projected to compete for a spot in the play-in tournament in 2025-26 smashed the gas on its ascension to championship contention and should be even better next season having gained valuable experience from a tough run in the NBA Finals. The young core of Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama , Stephon Castle , and Dylan Harper will continue to improve along with veterans De'Aaron Fox , Julian Champagnie , and Devin Vassell . Wembanyama is now able to negotiate a five-year, $251 million rookie extension, which would be the largest in franchise history. San Antonio will also look to add depth in the frontcourt through the draft and free agency. Rookie Carter Bryant was a revelation in his first season and is well-positioned next season to take on a more significant role. -- Michael C. Wright 2025-26 record: 53-29 - Previous ranking: 6 - Result: NBA Finals champions - 2026 draft picks: No. 24, No. 31 (via WAS), No. 55

An expensive roster will become more expensive and the Knicks have some decisions to make with free agents off the bench.

Mitchell Robinson will draw interest from suitors after proving he could play a decent amount of games (60). He could stand to make more than the $12 million he's earning this year, along with Miles McBride , who could be a little trickier to peg. Following core surgery, he only played 41 games but shot a career high from 3-point range.

The Knicks were already right up against the punitive luxury tax threshold, just $200,000 away, so they were limited in their ability to make personnel moves aside from picking up Jose Alvarado at the deadline. Will the Knicks extend OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns ? And how will they manage very slight cap space to begin with? -- Vincent Goodwill

2025-26 record: 56-26 - Previous ranking: 4 - Result: Eliminated in first round - 2026 draft picks: No. 27, No. 40 (via MIL)

After doing some considerable salary gymnastics to get out of the luxury tax this past season, Boston enters this summer looking to improve its roster.

At his end-of-season availability, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens referred to Boston's subpar record against the top teams in the NBA as a sign the Celtics need to upgrade.

They first have to figure out what to do with starting center Neemias Queta , who has a team option for next season and is a key player after making a significant leap this past season. -- Tim Bontemps

2025-26 record: 60-22 - Previous ranking: 5 - Result: Eliminated in second round - 2026 draft picks: No. 21 (via MIN)

It's hard to expect another 60-win campaign from the Pistons next season unless they make a huge splash this summer in the trade market.

The East is getting better, which means feasting off the bottom of the conference won't be so easy, and getting Cade Cunningham a shot-creating running mate is their No. 1 priority.

But it's likely that next year's focus will be more about preparing themselves for the playoffs after the struggle of two seven-game series.

Locking up restricted free agent center Jalen Duren and extending Defensive Player of the Year candidate Ausar Thompson will take up most of their activity, but there are already whispers that the Pistons are looking at proven veterans who could take them to the next level. -- Goodwill

2025-26 record: 54-28 - Previous ranking: 5 - Result: Eliminated first round - 2026 draft picks: No. 26, No. 49 (via ATL)

After a first-round elimination, the only certainty with the Nuggets' roster is that three-time MVP Nikola Jokic will be on it.

Denver is in the difficult position of needing to upgrade the roster to contend with San Antonio and Oklahoma City, but with little paths with which to do so, having already traded multiple future first-round picks, including a pair owed to the Thunder.

If Denver re-signs restricted free agent Peyton Watson , the anticipation is that either Cameron Johnson or Christian Braun will be traded to lighten their luxury tax bill. -- Tim MacMahon

2025-26 record: 52-30 - Previous ranking: 8 - Result: Eliminated in the Eastern Conference finals - 2026 draft picks: No. 29 (via SAS)

On one hand, reaching the Eastern Conference finals was undoubtedly a success for Cleveland, as it advanced further than it has since 2018, despite a major roster shake-up at the trade deadline.

But on the other, the way the Cavs' season ended, with an embarrassing sweep by the Knicks, has raised questions about how close this roster is to true contention.

Cavs president Koby Altman said at his end-of-the-season news conference that a major roster overhaul wasn't necessary, but the Cavs are still a team to watch this offseason as they look for a player -- perhaps another star -- to take the most crucial step forward. -- Jamal Collier

2025-26 record: 49-33 - Previous ranking: 11 - Result: Eliminated in second round - 2026 draft picks: No. 28 (via DET), No. 59 (via SAS)

Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly made it clear after Minnesota lost in the second round that the team has to get better.

"We have to be realistic about what we have," he said, "which is way more good than bad, but we know that we're not good enough right now."

Given the challenge of trying to chase down both the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs , expect Connelly to once again be very aggressive in looking for upgrades this summer. -- Bontemps

2025-26 record: 53-29 - Previous ranking: 10 - Result: Eliminated second round - 2026 draft picks: No. 25

The Lakers have won just one playoff game with Luka Doncic since they traded for him a season and a half ago.

With some semblance of luck and continued dedication to his body, the hope is that Doncic will be available when it counts after missing the entire 2026 postseason with a hamstring injury.

His healthy presence alone gives L.A. a chance at more success next season, but it's too early to tell just how good the Lakers can be until the contracts of LeBron James and Austin Reaves are figured out -- and how the rest of the roster can be filled out to complement Doncic's tremendous talents. -- Dave McMenamin

2025-26 record: 52-30 - Previous ranking: 8 - Result: Eliminated first round - 2026 draft picks: No. 39 (via CHI), No. 53

Young guards Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard gained valuable experience last season after being thrust into larger roles, and veteran point guard Fred VanVleet will be back from his torn ACL to set the table for a Rockets team that struggled closing games.

Throw in the fact that center Steven Adams should be healthy to ramp up Houston's rebounding and, most importantly, its second-chance scoring, and the Rockets' window for real contention hasn't closed at all.

It's easy to argue that it could be open even wider now, with future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant fully acclimated to his new teammates. -- Wright

2025-26 record: 19-63 - Previous ranking: 28 - Result: Missed postseason - 2026 draft picks: None

Indiana's gap year is complete, and the Pacers are prepared to race back to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

With (hopefully) full seasons of Tyrese Haliburton and Ivica Zubac , as well as Andrew Nembhard , Aaron Nesmith and Pascal Siakam returning on the wings, Indiana should boast one of the league's best starting fives next season.

In 2026-27, Indiana is more likely to win the East than finish with 60-plus losses again. -- Zach Kram

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2025-26 record: 45-37 - Previous ranking: 14 - Result: Eliminated second round - 2026 draft picks: No. 22 (via HOU)

New president of basketball operations Mike Gansey has his hands full in Philadelphia, where the 76ers are coming off a second-round exit at the hands of the Knicks.

With three max contracts on the books, the 76ers only have so much flexibility and will all but certainly be into the luxury tax if they just retain Kelly Oubre and Quentin Grimes , both unrestricted free agents, this summer. -- Bontemps

2025-26 record: 46-36 - Previous ranking: 9 - Result: Eliminated first round - 2026 draft picks: No. 8 (via NO), No. 23 (via CLE), No. 57 (via BOS)

Atlanta has locked up its leadership with extensions for president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh and head coach Quin Snyder.

Now, the Hawks will look to improve on a team that showed promise after the Trae Young trade, winning 18 of 20 games during one torrid late season stretch before taking a 2-1 lead over the Knicks in the first round.

Jalen Johnson is primed to be a star and Saleh has assets if he wants to add another contributor this offseason or continue to build and develop a young roster by adding the eighth and 23rd overall picks in the draft.

The Hawks will have to decide what to do with unrestricted free agent CJ McCollum , who hit big shots to get that first-round lead over the Knicks, and Jonathan Kuminga , whose contract has a $24.3 million team option. -- Ohm Youngmisuk

2025-26 record: 46-36 - Previous ranking: 13 - Result: Eliminated first round - 2026 draft picks: No. 19, No. 50

Out of the 15 Raptors who played at least 100 minutes this season, Jakob Poeltl was the oldest, and he is only 30.

That's a promising sign for the Raptors' chances next season as they seek to keep climbing the Eastern Conference standings.

In particular, the pairing of Scottie Barnes and rising sophomore Collin Murray-Boyles offers tantalizing upside. Toronto had a 104.5 defensive rating with that duo on the floor this season, which was better than

_Originally reported by [ESPN](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/49031078/2026-27-season-nba-power-rankings-stacking-30-best-worst-teams-finals-offseason-free-agency-draft-trades)._