On the 8’s: Month 4
I will post monthly power rankings on the 8th of every month (sometimes the 9th). This trade deadline might have been the most wild in NBA history and Anthony Davis wasn’t even traded! It feels like the season begins in earnest now, with both the East and the West having thoroughly elite teams.
30. New York Knicks (Prev: 29, -1)
The Knicks traded KP and even if KD and Kyrie come to NY, it still feels like they could have just kept him. Sure, KP didn’t want to be there but winning usually cures all. Being a Knicks fan has to be abysmal, it is just as likely that the Knicks will strike out on all FA’s and be right back at the bottom.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers (Prev: 30, +1)
The Cavs have a lot of picks upcoming, their best chance to becoming relevant again. They could end up with Zion or RJ Barrett, which when paired with Kevin Love would make them immediately competitive. Collin Sexton looks alright, he could be an important piece of their future.
28. Phoenix Suns (Prev: 28, 0)
Phoenix acquired Tyler Johnson who can play some point but is more of an off-ball 2 guard. This team won’t be much better and teams in the West need to load up on wins so the Suns are going to be in hell for a few months.
27. Chicago Bulls (Prev: 29, +2)
The Bulls are winning too much, Lauri Markkanen is just too good. Trading for Otto Porter might win them more games this year but I like him as a piece in the future core. The Bulls aren’t signing any big free agents this summer and might be playing themselves out of the Zion race right now. I have no idea if Jim Boylen is a good coach but we will find out more next season.
26. Atlanta Hawks (Prev: 26, 0)
John Collins is AWESOME. Trae Young is still feeling out the NBA and his play-making looks just fine. Zion on this team would be insanely fun to watch but they are a little too good to get into the bottom 3.
25. Washington Wizards (Prev: 25, 0)
The Wizards have the worst contract in the NBA and John Wall isn’t even going to play for a year. Bradley Beal is their best player but there just aren’t enough pieces around him. Getting off the Porter contract was a smart move but they don’t have another scorer who can create his own shot.
24. Orlando Magic (Prev: 24, 0)
Vucevic is an All Star and deservedly so. The Magic have some solid pieces and they acquired Markelle Fultz who despite all his problems could maybe still have a career. They can make that playoff push if Aaron Gordon steps up a little more and they still have a decent core. The Magic aren’t in the best of situations but they are better off than a few other teams.
23. Memphis Grizzlies (Prev: 21, -2)
Memphis traded one half of their legendary Grit’n’Grind duo but didn’t get a first back. JV will be solid for them and their future is with Jaren Jackson but now is the time for tanking. Conley could be dealt in the offseason and it sounds like he prefers an Eastern Conference team for a shot at the All-Star game. He is so deserving.
22. New Orleans Pelicans (Prev: 17, -5)
So there was a whole Anthony Davis saga and then he has to play because the NBA is making the Pelicans do so. The Pelicans are in a tough situation but Jayson Tatum is still in play for them. It might be the best chance at redemption for a franchise that probably belongs in Seattle… Tatum in a Sonics jersey is the dream.
21. Detroit Pistons (Prev: 22, +1)
Detroit trading Reggie Bullock hurts them but they moved off Stanley Johnson which was the right move. Blake Griffin is playing out of his mind and I do think they will make the playoffs. A nice first round exit with maybe 1 win feels like their ceiling.
20. Dallas Mavericks (Prev: 20, 0)
The Mavericks are letting this year go after trading their solid vets and putting together the best potential European duo of all time with KP and Luka. Anytime you can get a player of KP’s caliber, you do it. I think we all hope they are healthy so we can watch them grow.
19. Miami Heat (Prev: 19, 0)
The Heat moved off one of their big contracts in trading Tyler Johnson but still have a few to go through. The Heat are always in play for free agency or trades and aren’t usually aiming to go into the tank race. They might sneak into the playoffs this year since the bottom of the East is still wide open.
18. Charlotte Hornets (Prev: 18, 0)
Kemba Walker didn’t get any help, as trade talks for Marc Gasol fell through. The Hornets are in play to make the playoffs and could make some noise but ultimately the franchise is not in a great spot. All Star Weekend should be fun for Kemba at least.
17. Brooklyn Nets(Prev: 23, +6)
The Nets keep winning and look really happy playing together. Caris LaVert is finally back from his gruesome injury and suddenly Brooklyn looks like a feisty playoff competitor. They don’t have the experience yet to win a series but future FA’s might see their situation and want in.
16. Los Angeles Lakers (Prev: 15, -1)
The Laker’s chemistry is a disaster since their clear intention to trade all their youth for AD. It wasn’t enough for the Pelicans (nor should it have been) and now the Lakers feel like they are trying to pick up a huge mess they made. Rondo is the piece who seems to be uniting everyone and if LeBron fully buys in, then the Lakers are a dangerous potential 7 or 8 seed. It is pretty much impossible to imagine no LeBron in the playoffs, I doubt that this is the year. The above picture is definitely an exaggeration but it does metaphorically speak to the Laker’s troubles.
15. Los Angeles Clippers (Prev: 10, -5)
The Clippers are fading and trading Tobias Harris is a clear sign of their future intentions. They have assets and could make an AD play this summer. Or maybe their play is Kyrie. Or KD. Who knows? This year, the playoffs don’t seem like a real possibility anymore.
14. Minnesota Timberwolves (Prev: 13, -1)
Minnesota is a weird franchise right now. They have great pieces but Wiggins is so up and down that the playoff hopes seem dim. Ryan Saunders seems like a solid coach but maybe he’s a bit young still. KAT is still amazing but is he a true franchise number one guy? There’s still lots of time to find out.
13. Sacramento Kings (Prev: 16, +3)
KINGS FOR THE 8th SEED. They are so much fun to watch and Bagley is the real deal. He will likely never be Doncic but maybe it won’t matter since they have De’Aaron Fox. Getting Harrison Barnes will help them make that push and give them another wing who can shoot and make his own shot.
12. San Antonio Spurs(Prev: 6, -6)
The Spurs have cooled off a little but are right in the thick of the playoff race. The DeRozan/Aldridge combo is rock solid and Aldridge only gets better in the playoffs. It is tough to say how far they can go in the West bloodbath but their experience and Pop could be enough to win at least a series.
11. Utah Jazz (Prev: 14, +3)
Utah has been hot, riding Donovan Mitchell’s scoring explosion and Rudy Gobert’s continually amazing defense. This is more like the Jazz team that I ranked 8th at the start of the year. It seems like they don’t have enough yet to win a playoff series against the Thunder, Warriors, or Rockets though.
10. Indiana Pacers (Prev: 7, -3)
Losing Oladipo hurts so much. The Pacers might have gone after Mike Conley if they were fully healthy and it would have put them in that elite East category. They will likely be on the outside looking in but will still be a tough out for any team playing them in round 1.
9. Portland Trail Blazers (Prev: 12, +3)
The Blazers have been quietly the 4th best team in the West and are deep and ready to compete. Jusuf Nurkic still has the best stat line of the year with his 5 x 5 and he could be a big x-factor in the playoffs. A first round win is redemption but they definitely believe they can go even farther.
8. Houston Rockets (Prev: 8, 0)
James Harden has “cooled” back to just scoring over 30 points a game with Chris Paul’s return. There was a chance for Harden to really go off for 70, maybe 80 points if the injuries had kept up. The Rockets made some solid depth moves and moved off the Brandon Knight contract. They are doubling down on the Harden/Paul/Capela trio as the Warriors-killer and it nearly worked last year. Who is to say it can’t nearly work again?
7. Philadelphia 76ers (Prev: 9, +2)
Philly definitely made the boldest moves of the trade deadline and it is hard to gauge how effective those moves are right now. They gave up the treasure trove of Process assets to build maybe the best starting 5 in the NBA short of Golden State. Watching them on Friday, there were clear positive signs that this could work but there are definitely kinks to work out. Jimmy Butler is the mystery piece but if he plays like he did on Friday, the Sixers are in a dynamite spot.
6. Boston Celtics (Prev: 11, +5)
The Celtics are now the hottest team in the past month, losing only to the Warriors and Lakers in the past few weeks. They played the Warriors hard and it feels like they could beat them on the right night. Kyrie is finally taking his alpha role to the max, and the depth of the team is astounding. They are ready to be back in the Eastern Conference finals.
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (Prev: 5, 0)
Paul George is the best player on the Thunder, a team with Russell Westbrook averaging a triple double AGAIN. OKC could really put up a challenge to the Warriors and might be the second best team in the West. My body is ready for the playoffs.
4. Denver Nuggets (Prev: 4, 0)
Denver put up a great fight against the new look 76ers but it feels like they really need a healthy Millsap and Gary Harris to make a push in the playoffs. The Nuggets are deep but are they playoff deep? Jokic is a top 5 MVP candidate right now, even if the 1/2/3 spots are far ahead.
3. Toronto Raptors (Prev: 1, -2)
Toronto made a big move in trading for Marc Gasol to bolster their front court and give them another option for guarding Embiid. Somehow, the Raptors didn’t give up a first and still have most of their best pieces. Rumors around trades for Kyle Lowry might hurt their chemistry some but the Raptors are talented enough to make the Finals. The second round of the East seems likely to be the best round of the playoffs at this rate.
2. Milwaukee Bucks (Prev: 3, 1)
Giannis has only upped his MVP case over the past month, kicking it up a notch again. He might have no real ceiling. Milwaukee acquiring Nikola Mirotic might have been the most underrated move of the trade deadline, providing them more spacing and allowing the Bucks to play Giannis at center with all shooters. Let’s find out how ready they are to go for the title.
- Golden State Warriors (Prev: 2, +1)
80% Boogie is still pretty frightening when the 4 other players on the court are All-NBA level. They did lose to the 76ers but that was Philly’s best game all year and maybe in the past few years. If it takes performances like that to really beat the Warriors, there just doesn’t seem to be a real chance for anyone. With that said, nobody is afraid of the Warriors and will go hard at them.
