The regular season always provides great entertainment value in the NBA because power rankings are abundant! Placing all of the best and worst teams in a row and shifting them around to please basketball fans is an exercise in frustration; some teams are always going to feel too high or too low. Here's Wealth of Geek's objective, one-man 2023-2024 NBA preseason power rankings that will surely be agreed upon by every reader!
1. Denver Nuggets
With Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. still heading the champs in the Mile High City, Denver should be respected as the best in the world until further notice. Christian Braun will be tasked with replacing Bruce Brown in heavier minutes.
2. Boston Celtics
Jrue Holiday will fill in the hole left by Marcus Smart, ensuring the Celtics still have the most talented team in the East. The front line needs to be shored up a little after dealing Robert Williams to Portland. It will be interesting to see out Kristaps Porzingis meshes with the core of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
3. Milwaukee Bucks
Damian Lillard gives the Bucks the offensive threat they always needed on the perimeter with Giannis. New coaching should breathe fresh life into the team, but the rest of the roster outside of the stars is old.
4. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers filled out the roster with nice additions such as Gabe Vincent, Christian Wood, and Taurean Prince. If LeBron and Anthony Davis are healthy, Los Angeles has a shot to win the championship, granted they figure out how to beat Denver.
5. Phoenix Suns
Phoenix's upside is larger than almost every other team in the league. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal combine for a trio that can put up 100 points combined any given night. Defensively is where the Suns will struggle, but Frank Vogel might be able to fix some of that.
6. Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis took a step back last year by losing in the first round of the playoffs. Ja Morant has to serve a 25-game suspension to start the year. The Grizzlies seem poised to take a leap, but they can't if Morant doesn't mature on and off the court.
7. Golden State Warriors
The Warriors got even older in the offseason with the additions of Chris Paul and Rudy Gay. Not having another center besides Kevon Looney also doesn't seem too smart. Still, Steph Curry remains an MVP candidate every season and should propel the Dubs into the playoffs again.
8. Los Angeles Clippers
The health of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George entirely determines the fate of the Clippers every season. Russell Westbrook galvanized his career last year when he came to the team, but rumors of adding James Harden seem like ball-dominance overkill at the guard position.
9. Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid and the Sixers have proven their regular season pedigree. Expect Philadelphia to win around 50 games again, but until Daryl Morey can find a way to get rid of James Harden, there will be a toxic cloud hanging over the franchise and the roster's chemistry.
10. Sacramento Kings
Mike Brown used the element of surprise to trick people with his Kings last year. The veteran coach and his talented roster will need to buckle down and adapt, as the rest of the league knows how good they are after nearly defeating the Warriors in the playoffs.
11. New York Knicks
Jalen Brunson will continue to evolve into one of the league's craftiest, most skilled point guards. With Coach Thibs at the helm, the Knicks will play good defense and compete in the Eastern Conference, but they are outside the title conversation right now.
12. Miami Heat
When Miami gets into the playoffs, they're always a force of nature. In the regular season, the roster's uneven balance and lack of youth from the point guard position (why is Kyle Lowry still here?) bog them down. Erik Spoelstra will have his hands full again, but he's up for the task.
13. Dallas Mavericks
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving get a full season together, and this will usher in a new era of Mavericks basketball. Mark Cuban never sits still, always tinkering and hoping to get Dallas back to the promised land.
14. New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans has a mashup of stars like Zion Williamson, C.J. McCollum, and Brandon Ingram. That eclectic mix of talent sometimes feels like it plays better solo rather than together, but all of the Pelicans' pieces have to figure it out for them to reach the upper echelon of the West.
15. Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland looked out of their element in the playoffs, with Jarrett Allen even admitting the lights were too bright for the young Cavs. Donovan Mitchell needs to elevate to superstar status for them to get out of the middle of the East.
16. Atlanta Hawks
Trae Young and Dejounte Murray didn't mix the way Hawks GM Landry Fields would have liked in 2023, but Quinn Snyder never fails to get the most out of his teams. More attention to the defensive end of the floor will help Atlanta get back to the Eastern Conference Finals.
17. Minnesota Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards blossomed last year, and greater play in 2024 could project the Wolves higher in the thick of the West. Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns need to figure out how to best combine their very different skill sets in the frontcourt.
18. Oklahoma City Thunder
Chet Holmgren should make his long-awaited debut for the Thunder after missing his entire rookie season. Along with Shai Gilgious-Alexander and Josh Giddy, the Thunder have a trio of stars that fans are hoping will be the next Durant, Harden, and Westbrook.
19. Orlando Magic
Orlando finally seems to be trying to go from rebuild to playoff contender with Paolo Banchero winning Rookie of the Year in 2023. The Magic have the potential to surprise some people this year.
20. Brooklyn Nets
Mikal Bridges represented a great haul for the Nets in the Kevin Durant trade. With no expectations for success in 2024, the team finally can take a moment to get their bearings and figure out what type of play style they want under head coach Jacque Vaughn.
21. Utah Jazz
Utah had a hot start last year, but that won't fool fans in 2024. This is a roster with a lot of needed improvement. Playing in the same division as Denver, OKC, and Minnesota doesn't help.
22. Houston Rockets
Houston might finally look like a viable team this year with veterans such as Fred Van Vleet and a championship-caliber coach in Ime Udoka. Hearing they didn't want James Harden back is a good sign of them wanting to build for a new generation.
23. Washington Wizards
Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma should provide a solid offensive base for the Wizards to play under. Their defense will surely struggle, especially against the playoff-bound teams in the East.
24. Indiana Pacers
Tyrese Haliburton's skillset mesmerizes yearly, but will it make the Pacers a winning team after years of missing out on the postseason? Rick Carlisle needs to dig into his bag of tricks before it's too late.
25. Toronto Raptors
Toronto has been hesitant to move into rebuild mode, but sometimes teams just run their course. Masai Ujiri should continue to pursue trades for Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby.
26. Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls will move up these rankings if they keep their core players, but expect the Bulls to give up on Zach LaVine or DeMar DeRozan when they lose pace in the conference.
27. San Antonio Spurs
Victor Wembanyama will make the Spurs relevant for the first time since the Kawhi Leonard trade but don't expect huge strides from San Antonio yet. Gregg Popovich still has his work cut out for him.
28. Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte represents the epitome of poor ownership and lack of attention to detail. With new ownership coming in, perhaps the Hornets will finally care about competing in the East with LaMelo ball.
29. Detroit Pistons
Monty Williams' optimism can only go so far in improving the Detroit Pistons. They've been one of the league's worst teams for years, and until they prove otherwise, expect Detroit to flounder again.
30. Portland Trail Blazers
After trading Damian Lillard for no tangible pieces, the Blazers are in rebuild mode. Portland won't win many games in the 2024 season, but rookie Scoot Henderson has the potential to be fun to watch.
