Another month has passed in this wild NBA season, and it feels like the entire league is flipping on its head, with good teams suddenly losing more games and bad teams rising from the dead into respectable competence.
Here is where the league stands as the trade deadline approaches:
30. Sacramento Kings (12-38)
Change: Down 1
Look, going into the season, I did not think Sacramento would be good, but I did not think they would be this bad. Sacramento has correctly started dishing out players of value to contenders, with Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder being dealt to Cleveland on Saturday night. More moves should be made to fully commit to the tank.
29. Washington Wizards (12-35)
Change: Up 1
Despite their awful record, I think Washington has a bright future. Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, and Kyshawn George look like quality building blocks, and Trae Young will be added into the mix later this year or next season. Washington is a team worth watching heading into next year.
28. Brooklyn Nets (13-34)
Change: Down 2
Brooklyn is obviously bad, but I am interested to see what they do at the trade deadline. Will they hold on to Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr., or will they stand pat? The next week should be very telling.
27. Indiana Pacers (13-36)
Change: Up 1
Like I have said before, this is a lost season for Indiana. At this point, Pacers fans might as well fast forward to the draft.
26. New Orleans Pelicans (13-38)
Change: Up 1
New Orleans has maintained its low level of play over the past month, which bodes well for the Atlanta Hawks, who own the Pelicans’ first-round pick this year. At least Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears look like quality pieces for the future.
25. Utah Jazz (15-34)
Change: Neutral
The best thing going for Utah this year is Keyonte George, who is absolutely an All-Star for the Jazz this season. Other than George, not much is going right for this team.
24. Milwaukee Bucks (18-28)
Change: Neutral
Milwaukee is absolutely the team to watch at the trade deadline. Will this finally be the year they pull the trigger on a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade? The next week could define the franchise.
23. Memphis Grizzlies (18-29)
Change: Down 5
Like Milwaukee, is Memphis prepared to deal a veteran All-Star? Ja Morant could very well be dealt in the coming week, and the return for Memphis would be interesting, to say the least. Otherwise, this team is not going anywhere this year, and fans should already be turning their attention to next season.
22. Dallas Mavericks (19-30)
Change: Down 3
Dallas has been below average all year. Injuries have played a major role, with Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively lost for the season. Beyond that, they also seem to be a strange mixture of young talent and veterans that clearly do not mesh. At this point, the season feels more like a transition year than anything else.
21. Chicago Bulls (24-25)
Change: Down 2
Chicago is the definition of mediocrity. They are not bad enough to rebuild and not good enough to contend, and there are very few players on the roster who move the needle. This team feels completely directionless.
20. Portland Trail Blazers (23-26)
Change: Up 1
The Blazers have continued their average play over the last month and should notch a Play-In spot as a result. Portland could also be a sneaky team to watch as the trade deadline nears.
19. Atlanta Hawks (24-27)
Change: Down 2
Since our last power rankings, Atlanta has traded Trae Young but has remained average. Jalen Johnson has at least broken out as a legitimate superstar. The Hawks will likely make the Play-In and go nowhere from there.
18. Charlotte Hornets (22-28)
Change: Up 5
The Charlotte Hornets are the hottest team in the NBA, winning six straight games against good competition. Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, and LaMelo Ball are an exciting trio and now have Charlotte playing the best basketball it has played in years.
17. Miami Heat (26-24)
Change: Down 2
Miami has hovered around .500 all season, and I do not see much reason to think anything will change. Maybe they acquire somebody at the deadline, but nothing about this team suggests a real shift is coming.
16. Orlando Magic (25-22)
Change: Down 6
Orlando might be my pick for the league’s most disappointing team this year. With the Desmond Bane addition, this team was supposed to be in the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference and simply is not. Franz Wagner’s injuries have not helped, but this team should still be better than the seventh seed.
15. Los Angeles Clippers (22-25)
Change: Up 7
In our last rankings, I mentioned how a turnaround felt unlikely for the Clippers. Ever since then, they have been on a mission to prove me wrong. The Clippers are 12-3 in their last 15 games and have moved into the Play-In picture. If they keep this up, they could give the top contenders in the West real problems.
14. Golden State Warriors (27-23)
Change: Neutral
The Jimmy Butler injury is absolutely brutal. It feels like Stephen Curry against the world every night, and that is not a sustainable formula. Fortunately, the trade deadline offers an opportunity to improve, and I expect Golden State to be active.
13. Los Angeles Lakers (29-18)
Change: Down 5
The Lakers have maintained a strong record, but I do not really buy this team. They remain maddeningly inconsistent, and their defense collapses against elite competition. They need to make a move this week.
12. Philadelphia 76ers (27-21)
Change: Neutral
The biggest development for Philadelphia has been the resurgence of Joel Embiid. If Embiid and Tyrese Maxey stay healthy, this is a team nobody will want to face in the playoffs.
11. Phoenix Suns (30-19)
Change: Up 5
The Suns have been one of the most surprising teams in the league. The Kevin Durant trade looks great in hindsight, with Dillon Brooks having a career year and Jalen Green playing well in limited action. Everything is trending in the right direction in Phoenix.
10. Toronto Raptors (29-21)
Change: Up 3
Toronto has steadily climbed all year and now sits fourth in the East. They could realistically finish as high as second. It would be interesting to see them make a bold move at the deadline.
9. Cleveland Cavaliers (29-21)
Change: Up 2
Cleveland has rebounded nicely, going 12-6 in its last 18 games. The biggest concern is health, as Darius Garland and Evan Mobley are currently sidelined.
8. Boston Celtics (30-18)
Change: Up 1
Boston continues to impress. Jaylen Brown has been a top 10 player this season, and Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Anfernee Simons have been excellent supporting pieces. If Jayson Tatum returns, this team becomes dangerous.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves (31-19)
Change: Neutral
Minnesota has been the same team all year. They are built to win regular-season games, but it is hard to see where the next level comes from in a playoff setting.
6. New York Knicks (30-18)
Change: Down 2
The Knicks appear to have turned things around, winning five straight after a brief skid.
5. Houston Rockets (30-17)
Change: Neutral
This sounds crazy to say about a team ranked in the top five, but Houston has been a little disappointing this year. The biggest issue is the lack of a true two-way point guard, as Reed Sheppard struggles defensively but is still needed because this team lacks ball-handling. I am still not counting Houston out.
4. San Antonio Spurs (32-16)
Change: Down 3
The Spurs have come back down to Earth following their wins against OKC, going 9-9 in their last 18 games. I still believe this squad could beat anyone, but they had to come down in the rankings after an average stretch of play.
3. Detroit Pistons (35-12)
Change: Up 3
Detroit keeps proving me wrong. I still worry about their offense outside of Cade Cunningham, but the defense may make that irrelevant. This team is legit.
2. Denver Nuggets (33-16)
Change: Up 1
Despite almost every key player on this team suffering injuries, Denver still manages to win games. Even without Jokic, the Nuggets went 9-5. The depth on this team is better than any other year in the Jokic era, which bodes well for their playoff chances.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (38-10)
Change: Up 1
OKC reclaims the top spot in the rankings almost by default. They have struggled more than usual recently (6-4 in their last 10), but this team is still in a league of its own. That said, they no longer look as flawless as they did earlier in the year, which gives the rest of the Western Conference some hope.
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