NBA Team Rankings: Suns Save the Superteam Era

Wow what a week!!! The trade deadline brought us some great entertainment in terms of the actual trades, reactions from fans, media, players, and the memes that stemmed from it. I woke up Thursday morning to the news of the Kevin Durant trade and was pretty shocked. After I digested it, I started thinking about how it all came to this for the Brooklyn Nets. At one point, they had Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden all on the same team. They never got the championship they hoped to win. In fact, they only won a single playoff series together. It absolutely has to go down as an all-time ‘what if’ situation.

As always, the way I create these rankings is by answering the question: if the playoffs started today, who’s going to win the championship? I answer that question and then continue the rankings by comparing teams until I get to the last one.

1. Milwaukee Bucks (39-17) – last week: 2nd

The Bucks are on a roll with a ten game winning streak and added Jae Crowder at the deadline. I expect him to be a nice fit with this team as the Bucks aim for their second ring in three years.

2. Boston Celtics (41-16) – last week: 1st

Boston made a minor acquisition at the deadline with Mike Muscala. I see that as insurance for potential injuries and added shooting for them. They continue to play well despite Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown missing some time.

3. Denver Nuggets (39-18) – last week: 3rd

Denver traded away Bones Hyland for a couple second rounders at the deadline and acquired Thomas Bryant. I feel like they could have gotten more for Bones, but do like that they now have a serviceable backup to Jokic in Thomas Bryant.

4. Philadelphia 76ers (36-19) – last week: 4th

The 76ers had a comeback 101-98 win over the Nets on Saturday. Joel Embiid had 37 points and 13 rebounds in the victory.

5. Memphis Grizzlies (34-22) – last week: 5th

Luke Kennard is a solid move for the Grizzlies, but they could have done more! How about O.G. Anunoby or Mikal Bridges? They missed out by not adding a player of that caliber that may have been the piece needed to put Memphis over the top in the West.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers (37-22) – last week: 6th

The Cavs decided to stand pat at the deadline which is fine considering they have a young team full of players that will continue to grow. However, I can’t help but imagine how amazing it would have been to see them get Mikal Bridges from Brooklyn.

7. Dallas Mavericks (31-27) – last week: 10th

Dallas went 3-1 this week with the only loss coming in overtime to the Kings on Saturday night. It was Luka and Kyrie’s first game together and they combined for 55 points.

8. Miami Heat (32-25) – last week: 8th

Miami has won three games in a row by margins of 5 points or less. It may not always look pretty, but this team just finds ways to grind out wins. They also made no moves at the deadline which was somewhat frustrating, but their cap situation and assets make it difficult to find a trade partner.

9. Los Angeles Clippers (31-28) – last week: 7th

The Clippers acquired Bones Hyland, Eric Gordon, and Mason Plumlee and moved off of Reggie Jackson, John Wall, and Luke Kennard. I do think this slightly improves their depth, but not sure it’s enough to compete with teams like Denver, Memphis, or Phoenix when everyone is healthy.

10. Phoenix Suns (31-27) – last week: 14th

So the Suns just got Kevin Durant…….that’s massive to say the least. Although I am concerned about injuries and depth, this team’s ceiling is higher than any other team in the West. Durant, Booker, and CP3 will be a seamless fit (once Durant returns from injury) and cause opposing coaches nightmares.

11. Sacramento Kings (32-24) – last week: 9th

Sacramento got a huge 133-128 overtime win over Dallas on Saturday. In the win, De’Aaron Fox had 36 points.

12. New York Knicks (31-27) – last week: 11th

There were rumors circulating about the Knicks potentially acquiring Zach LaVine from Chicago at the deadline, but that potential trade never came to fruition. Thus the Knicks remain in the mix, but not a true contender.

13. New Orleans Pelicans (29-28) – last week: 12th

New Orleans just got more bad news: Zion Williamson re-aggravated his hamstring injury and will miss time post All-Star break. That puts more responsibility on Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum to keep the Pels in the playoff picture until he returns.

14. Los Angeles Lakers (26-31) – last week: 16th

The Lakers did improve their roster by adding D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt. However, when you are competing against teams like Denver, Memphis, Phoenix, and Golden State, it makes it difficult to make a case for them to make a run in the playoffs. There’s no guarantee they make the playoffs at all!

15. Brooklyn Nets (33-23) – last week: 13th

I do not think the Nets are going to fall that far in the East standings like others seem to think. As I said on the podcast, *given the circumstances* they got a solid return for KD and Kyrie. Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Spencer Dinwiddie are all proven playoff players and I still like Brooklyn more than Atlanta or Chicago in the East.

16. Minnesota Timberwolves (30-29) – last week: 15th

Minnesota decided to move D’Angelo Russell and acquired Mike Conley at the deadline. Conley will be a better table setter next to Anthony Edwards as Minnesota remains near the middle of the pack.

17. Atlanta Hawks (29-28) – last week: 17th

The Hawks are coming off of a dominant 125-106 win over the Spurs on Saturday. Trae Young had 24 points and 17 assists in the victory.

18. Golden State Warriors (28-28) – last week: 19th

Golden State continues to be very inconsistent with Stephen Curry out. In their last outing, they fell to the Lakers and Jordan Poole finished with 29 points.

19. Portland Trailblazers (27-29) – last week: 18th

Portland got worse at the deadline in my estimation. They gave up Josh Hart and are apparently taking a chance on Cam Reddish and Kevin Knox. Over and over again they have struggled to make significant moves around Damian Lillard, and it leaves them as a team fighting just to stay in the play-in.

20. Oklahoma City Thunder (27-28) – last week: 20th

The Thunder put up a lot of points and they also give up a lot of points. In their last outing, they beat Portland and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 44 points.

21. Utah Jazz (28-30) – last week: 22nd

Utah’s moves at the deadline indicate they want to take a step back. On Saturday, they fell to the Knicks and Jordan Clarkson had 24 points.

22. Chicago Bulls (26-30) – last week: 23rd

I do think Chicago should have strongly considered moving LaVine, DeRozan, Vucevic, and Caruso at the deadline. Of course you want to make sure you get good value and you aren’t moving them all at once, but not moving even one of them?

23. Toronto Raptors (27-31) – last week: 25th

Toronto decided to throw us all for a loop and buy instead of sell at the deadline. That makes them slightly better, but it’s a tough road for them to make the playoffs.

24. Washington Wizards (26-29) – last week: 24th

The Wizards came out victorious in their last game against the Pacers 127-113. Bradley Beal finished with 32 points in the win.

25. Indiana Pacers (25-33) – last week: 21st

Indiana continues to struggle as Tyrese Haliburton tries to get back to the same level of play he had before the injury. They have lost their last four games.

26. Orlando Magic (23-34) – last week: 26th

Orlando lost 107-103 in overtime to Miami on Saturday. In the loss, Paolo Banchero had 16 points and 13 rebounds.

27. Charlotte Hornets (15-43) – last week: 27th

The Hornets lost all three of their games this week. In their loss to Denver, P.J. Washington had 22 points.

28. Detroit Pistons (15-43) – last week: 30th

Detroit decided to go get James Wiseman at the trade deadline which was kind of strange considering they already have one young big who played at Memphis in college in Jalen Duren. They can’t exactly play together, but I guess they see something in Wiseman.

29. Houston Rockets (13-43) – last week: 29th

Houston had one of the more embarrassing loses against Sacramento earlier this week. They then dropped another game by two points to Miami a couple days later.

30. San Antonio Spurs (14-43) – last week: 28th

The Spurs have now lost twelve games in a row and have a -10.3 point differential. It doesn’t get much worse than that.