All 30 Teams Ranked By Where They Stand Heading Into This Offseason
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No. 30
Phoenix Suns
Aside from the Kevin Durant trade rumors, Phoenix has nothing anyone else wants. Bradley Beal still has a no-trade clause, the Suns still want to keep Devin Booker, and they don’t even have their own draft pick in the 2025 draft. Even the asking price for Durant is lowering as the weeks continue. Moving off of Durant will bring change, but will it improve them? Probably not.
No. 28
Boston Celtics
Two years ago, you would’ve said the Celtics were primed for 3-4 years of basketball dominance. So much can change in such little time. The Celtics just won the championship during the 2024 season. Now, it looks like they’ll be fighting for a playoff spot next year. The Celtics suffered no bigger blow than the achilles injury Jayson Tatum sustained during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Not only did the Celtics get eliminated after Tatum went down, but now he will miss the 2025-2026 season. It doesn’t help that the Celtics dealt with chatter all year about the salary cap and how they will need to move off a few of their championship core players in order to maintain any sliver of cap flexibility. The offseason hasn’t officially started but it appears Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis are two of the biggest names to potentially be dealt this summer. It’ll be a tough task to improve when you’re missing your best player and dealing one to two of your most dynamic players.
No. 26
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs have just come off their most successful regular season since LeBron James left in 2018. After winning 64 games in the regular season, it looked like this season was the Cavs’ best shot at a title. Unfortunately, they came up short in the second round, losing to the Pacers. Why does it seem unlikely that the Cavs have a chance to get even better? Well, it’s because Evan Mobley won the Defensive Player of the Year award. As a reward for being crowned the best defensive player during the regular season, Mobley now receives a $45 million dollar bonus, spread out over the next five years of his deal. This means that the Cavs now have to pay him even more when their roster construction already doesn’t allow for much breathing room. Most likely, they’ll let sixth-man of the year finalist Ty Jerome walk in free agency. That will be a big blow to Cleveland’s depth.
No. 24
Indiana Pacers
Expect the Pacers to stay the same, assuming that they resign Myles Turner in the offseason. Resigning Turner would most likely push them over the first apron. That leaves room for a taxpayer mid-level exception at $5.68 million and minimum deals.
No. 22
Miami Heat
Miami is in a confusing place, not good enough to contend, but not bad enough to blow it to smithereens. Based on their track record, Miami isn’t known for tanking, so don’t expect them to. They have young assets in Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, and Nikola Jovic, but they lack draft capital. There have been talks about Miami pursuing Durant and Giannis. If they can’t land a bonafide star like Giannis or Durant, there have talks about acquiring Jonathan Kuminga via sign and trade. Also pay attention to Duncan Robinson and Davion Mitchell. Depending on how the Heat manage their contracts, they can make or break the competitiveness of their roster for next season.
No. 20
Washington Wizards
The Wizards will probably look to tank for one more season before they start to take constructing their roster seriously. There have been talks about moving Jordan Poole, believing that he doesn’t fit the Wizards’ timeline. Most likely, the Wizards will continue to absorb bad contracts and draft capital. They don’t have much cap space this offseason anyways. When I’m writing next year’s version of this report, don’t be surprised if Washington is ranked much higher than 20th.
No. 18
Sacramento Kings
Sacramento isn’t getting younger, and they’re still missing a true point guard. It genuinely feels like Sacramento did not make a single correct front office decision during the season. The firing of Mike Brown was one thing in itself, but it led to De’aaron Fox wanting out. It feels like the Kings set themselves back another five years in one season. The good news? They still have their core and can use the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to acquire a point guard. Other than that, it doesn’t seem like they can retain their free agents if they go that route. They also don’t have a first-round draft pick. Maybe a full training camp under their belt is all Derozan, Lavine, and Sabonis need to gel.
No. 16
Orlando Magic
Did Orlando mortgage the better part of their future for Desmond Bane?
Probably.
But we don’t care about 3-4 years from now. We’re talking about next season. Bane fills the supplemental scoring role that Orlando has so desperately been missing. That in itself has already raised expectations for the Magic. Unfortunately, it looks like they can’t do much else regarding free agency. Moritz Wagner and his $11 million dollar team option will be something to monitor, especially since Wagner is missing a portion of next season rehabbing from an ACL tear.
No. 14
Los Angeles Clippers
Up to this point, we’ve talked about teams that are either losing a lot of their assets, have no intentions to improve, have no clear direction, or simply don’t have the flexibility or assets to make moves even if they wanted to. Now is around the point where good teams are going to relatively stay the same, regardless of how much noise they make in the offseason. Clippers are likely to keep Harden whether he accepts his $36 million dollar player option or resigns for another deal. That leaves the Clippers with just enough space to use the non-taxpayer MLE, allowing them to add one more piece that could potentially push them further than the first round. It also wouldn’t come as a shock if Clippers’ owner, Steve Ballmer is willing to pay the tax to bolster their roster even more.
No. 12
Los Angeles Lakers
It will be interesting to see what the Lakers do this offseason. It’s clear that their number one priority is securing a serviceable big man. They can either hope that a center is willing to sign for the MLE or move off of other assets to make room for the non-taxpayer MLE. At the time this is being written, the Lakers were just sold for a whopping $10 billion dollars. There really is no reason why the Lakers would not be willing to pay a modest tax to retain their assets and/or add pieces.
No. 10
Philadelphia 76ers
Philly does more than just pass the eye test. There were talks of this past season being THAT season. Yet, they were so underwhelming. Obviously, the 76ers simply weren’t healthy. The “big three” of Maxey, Embiid, and George were not given a fair chance, but the business of the NBA doesn’t care about fair. George is already being put in trade discussions. Philly’s biggest priority will probably be keeping Quentin Grimes. Resigning Grimes will put them over the tax line, leaving not much room to improve the roster. However, if the roster stays relatively as is, they stay healthy (which is a really big “if”) and they find a stud with the 3rd pick, maybe we can forget about this last year.
No. 8
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies are one of the few teams that will have cap space this offseason. They’ve made their intentions clear about wanting to continue to build around JJJ and Morant. Memphis will have access to an $8.8 million dollar exception, the ability to extend JJJ, and retain Santi Aldama if that is what they desire. Memphis can also take on salary through trade and they have the 16th pick in the draft. Could be a huge offseason for Memphis to say the least.
No. 6
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors already made noise at the deadline last season when they acquired and extended Brandon Ingram. Toronto is one of the few teams that have made a substantial deal for Kevin Durant. While it’s unlikely that deal gets done because Durant likely has no interest in going to Toronto, it’s important to note just how many assets Toronto has at their disposal. In addition to Durant, there have been mock trades made between the Raptors and Bucks for Giannis. It looks like if Toronto can’t strike gold in the trade market, they will roll with a decent core of Barnes, Barrett, Ingram, Poeltl, and Quickley. Don’t forget they have the 9th pick in the draft as well.
No. 4
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs are another team that is participating in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes. The Spurs have received the most interest from Durant himself, so that definitely gives them an edge. If Durant does end up being shipped elsewhere, the Spurs have no need to be down on themselves. They acquired Fox, Castle is solid, they have the 2nd and 14th overall pick, and of course, they have Victor Wembanyama.
No. 2
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets have the most cap space of anyone in the association. Do they have enough appeal to attract a big name star is the question. A $58 million dollar max slot, an $8.8 million dollar exception, the ability to keep their restricted free agents, and interest in their assets like Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton is the perfect offseason storm to turn the Nets into a competitive team overnight.
No. 29
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are coming off of another disappointing season. This time, with lasting consequences. Damian Lillard suffered an achilles tear in his left leg during Game 4 of the first round of the playoffs. With Lillard out for the entirety of next season, Giannis Antetokounmpo has no legitimate co-star. With major pieces such as Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis rumored to leave in free agency, the Bucks will also grow thin at the center position. As another team with no first-round picks in this years’ upcoming draft, the Bucks will look to restructure their roster without the use of much draft capital. But, as it stands, their only true asset is Kyle Kuzma and his $23,010,605 contract. Not an ideal spot to be in when trying to maximize the rest of Giannis’ prime.
No. 27
Denver Nuggets
While the Nuggets have been in contention for the last few years, winning the championship in 2023, it’s clear that they have their flaws. Their bench and ability to play with Jokic off the floor is historically bad. Worse off, it appears that they can’t fix those issues without a major roster retool. The Nuggets currently have no draft picks in the upcoming 2025 NBA draft and are over the first tax apron. This means that the Nuggets will only be able to sign players to minimum deals or use their MLE (Mid-Level Exception) which is worth about $5,685,000. To reiterate, no draft picks, and hardly any roster flexibility. It’s still a big question mark as to whether the Nuggets will look to move MPJ though.
No. 25
New York Knicks
The Knicks have a very top-heavy roster in terms of salary as well as talent. This team was essentially made to be coached by Tom Thibodeau. But now he’s fired. What does this mean for the Knicks? Obviously their priority is to find their next coach. But, as it stands, the Knicks are already above the first apron. Depth was already a problem for the Knicks this past season, but with only $5.68 million dollars at their disposal, it will make improving their depth even more difficult. They also only have a late second-round pick in the 2025 draft. Expect the Knicks roster to comeback looking relatively the same. Unless, KAT is a one and done in New York.
No. 23
Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota has been extremely aggressive in pursuing Kevin Durant. Unfortunately, the interest has not been mutual. However, Minnesota seems to have put together the most appealing deal. Even if they don’t land Durant, Minnesota is expected to lose one of either Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, or Julius Randle in free agency. They’ll have to lean heavy on Rob Dillingham or Terrence Shannon Jr. next season if they can’t make a splash via trade.
No. 21
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans traded one of their best players at the deadline in Brandon Ingram, but failed to shed any salary from the deal. With a majority of their rotational players under contract for next season, the Pelicans have little room to improve their roster on paper. They did recently let it be known that all players on their roster are available for trade. The players receiving the most attention on their roster are Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones. Dejounte Murray is most likely missing the beginning of next season and there are still question marks surrounding the availability of Zion Williamson. As long as they’re healthier than last year, they’ll improve from last season.
No. 19
Utah Jazz
Utah has inquired in trade talks surrounding John Collins and Walker Kessler. Collins has a $26 million dollar player option next season, so unless he declines his option, Utah will only be able to use the non-taxpayer mid-level exception worth around $14 million dollars. For a young team, Utah will continue to improve their youth since they wield the 5th and 21st pick in the draft. Utah may continue to be facilitators in three team deals, which is a Danny Ainge speciality at this point. There’s a good chance Utah and Washington have the same approach to the offseason, so they’re ranked around the same area.
No. 17
Chicago Bulls
Even to this point, it’s unclear what the Bulls want to do. It’s like they’re rebuilding but not quite. Vucevic is still on the roster, even amidst all the trade talk. Coby White is probably going to leave in 2026 free agency. And, the Bulls are still hampered by role player contracts worth $18 million dollars a piece. At least they have enough money to retain Giddey and possibly sign someone new at a decent price. If the Bulls do decide to pull the trigger on a trade, it most likely makes them younger and probably worse record-wise. The Bulls need to start a foundation somewhere though.
No. 15
Portland Trailblazers
Portland actually has a variety of trade assets , whether it’s Anfernee Simons, Rob Williams III, or even Deandre Ayton. However, it appears Portland will still look to build up their roster naturally as they have the 11th pick in this years’ draft. In an ideal world, Portland would be able to move off of Jerami Grant’s $32 million dollar contract and fix the logjam they have at the center position. Regrettably, the window to move Grant looks to have closed. Portland’s young core will continue to improve, but it might result in one more year of mediocrity.
No. 13
Golden State Warriors
The way people talk about Jonathan Kuminga you’d think he alone holds the power to rejuvenate or destroy a franchise. There’s no telling what the Warriors will decide to do with JK. It has been mentioned that it is “entirely possible” that the Warriors roster could come back as is. It has also been mentioned that they could move Kuminga for players like Vucevic or Cam Johnson. Ultimately, they should look to restructure the contracts of their vets (GP2 and Looney) to make room for an MLE or potentially move some of their middle salary players to strengthen the middle of their roster. The Warriors might make few moves, but if they’re calculated, it could put them right back at the top for championship contention.
No. 11
Atlanta Hawks
Seeing that the Hawks were in no place to contend this season, they did themselves a favor by moving off of Deandre Hunter’s long-term contract. By doing so, the Hawks were able to free up close to $50 million dollars in first apron space this summer. This gives them room to resign a couple of their free agents (Caris Levert, Clint Capela, or Larry Nance Jr.) but likely can’t retain them all. There’s a good chance Atlanta moves off of Capela altogether. Atlanta could be aggressive during free agency.
No. 9
Dallas Mavericks
Calling this a rollercoaster of a season for the Mavericks might be the biggest understatement of all-time. At the end of the day, they have Cooper Flagg. Flagg is no Doncic, especially not yet, but essentially a return of AD, Max Christie, and Cooper Flagg can’t be as bad as it once felt when it was just AD and Christie. Kyrie will be injured for chunk of the regular season and there is no cap flexibility this offseason, but the Mavs just got another potential star.
No. 7
Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte has the means to have a busy offseason. Lamelo Ball is an intriguing player that I’m sure a team will take a chance on, even with all of the ankle injuries. It also might be in their best interest to do so. Ball is somehow having a negative impact off the court that is unrelated to his injuries. Recently, an anonymous draft prospect refused to workout with Charlotte because of an issue with Ball. Who’s to blame? Who knows. Aside from Lamelo, the Hornets have the 4th pick in the draft and Mark Williams. Mark Williams is another player receiving trade interest and I’m not quite sure the relationship between Williams and the Hornets is mended yet after the rescinded trade incident. Charlotte does have enough money to use the $14 million dollar non-taxpayer MLE, so it will be interesting to see who or how they spend the money.
No. 5
Houston Rockets
Everyone saw the vision, but no one expected it to come to fruition so fast. The Rockets are young, talented, well-coached, have a lottery pick, and they just had a taste of playoff basketball. Oh yeah, and they’re pursuing Kevin Durant. If Houston declines Vanvleet’s team option and resign him for significantly less during the offseason, it could allow Houston to strengthen their depth even more. Ideally, they’d be able to find a shot creator that can make their offense flow more.
No. 3
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons look to build on last season’s unexpected success after falling short to the Knicks in the opening round of the playoffs. They have enough money to sign a free agent around the $20 million dollar price range. This is more than most teams are able to offer to free agents this summer, so look at Detroit to make a move that can push them even further in the right direction.
No. 1
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder have been the best team in basketball all season. They have the MVP, they’re young, they've gone the distance, and they have the assets to pursue a star if deemed reasonable. It’s almost impossible to fathom that this team can be better than they already are. On top of that, they could miss being taxed completely. Having a roster that talented and cohesive without having to pay them what they’re worth for another 1-2 years is every general manager's dream. The Thunder are basically contending for free until the 2026-27 season. That’s a problem for another time though.
