NBA Power Rankings 1.0: Celtics steady, Karl-Anthony Towns trade propels Knicks
By Jack Simone
16. Golden State Warriors
Stephen Curry is Stephen Curry. He’s still a Top 10 player in the NBA. But the rest of the Warriors lineup needs to prove they can keep up with him.
Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski look like potential stars, and their depth moves this summer have put them in a great spot, but there are still some question marks that need to be ironed out.
15. Sacramento Kings
Adding DeMar DeRozan could be the most underrated move of the offseason. He’s not a perfect fit in today’s NBA, but the Sacramento Kings needed shot creation, and he gives them that.
The Kings often get slept on in an elite Western Conference, but they are a real threat to make some noise in the postseason next year, even if they fell short last season.
14. Cleveland Cavaliers
Though they got bounced by the eventual champs in the playoffs last year, the Cleveland Cavaliers still have a very talented roster, led by Donovan Mitchell, who is a Top 20 player.
The fit with him and Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley is still a bit awkward, but the Cavs should still be a guaranteed playoff team in the East.
13. Los Angeles Lakers
Having LeBron James and Anthony Davis is enough to keep the Los Angeles Lakers this high up in the power rankings. That said, this is one of the more fragile placements on this list.
James and Davis enjoyed a very healthy last season. If they have the same luck this year, the Lakers could improve. If not, they will plummet down the ranks.