These Power Rankings? Absolutely highlights-based. I have to keep in mind that these rankings are an over-the-counter supplement to those who just want something quick to analyze when you discuss your team. I bring that up because today is a holiday of sorts for way too many NBA fans who have access to Photoshop or artificial intelligence. It\u2019s the day that trade restrictions are lifted for many of this offseason\u2019s free-agent acquisitions!<\/p>\n
Getting people to watch games (or have the accessible choice to watch games) is one issue. Some people, however, don\u2019t even watch the games but can\u2019t wait to use a flawed trade machine. If it\u2019s not a highlights-based league, then it\u2019s a transaction-based league. So here we are: Power Rankings serving as an imperfect collision of your interests \u2014 bite-sized analysis and an acknowledgement of trade season.<\/p>\n
Fine print: These Power Rankings won\u2019t just rank every team. We\u2019ll retain the tiers that teams will be promoted into and relegated out of. There will be five tiers each week:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Top Contenders<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Locked at five, these are the class of the league<\/li>\n
- In a Good Place<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Could be one team, could be seven teams<\/li>\n
- The Bubble<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Not to be confused with Walt Disney World. The middle of the pack<\/li>\n
- Not the Tier to Fear<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Not playing the worst ball in the league, but with a lot of work to do<\/li>\n
- Basement Floor<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Bringing up the rear<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What to expect from Power Rankings:<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- These are my subjective rankings. I will consider a variety of objective measures, but it\u2019s my final call.<\/li>\n
- These rankings are not just a review of the past week \u2014 we are projecting forward as well, so it is a balance of the two.<\/li>\n
- These are subjective, but not biased. There are no agendas in the Power Rankings, and we strive for an inclusive meritocracy<\/li>\n
- The one quality that these rankings possess: \u201cRuthless aggression.\u201d<\/li>\n
- Enjoy the games, and enjoy the rankings, please!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For Week 9 of The Athletic NBA Power Rankings, we will explore trade winds for each team. Win-loss records and other statistical data are through Sunday\u2019s action.<\/p>\n
Tier 1: Top Contenders<\/b>1. Oklahoma City Thunder (24-2)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 1
In the last week: <\/b> W vs PHO, L vs SA
Offensive rating:<\/b> 119.8 (fifth place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b> 103.4 (first place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> PF Ousmane Dieng<\/p>\n
All that hand-wringing about an A or an A-minus<\/a>. I said what I said. Anyway, the Thunder have only lost two games this season, and they led by more than 15 points in both of them. Saturday\u2019s NBA Cup semifinal loss to the Spurs was also the first time all season that the ideal starting lineup of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein was used at all. When it comes to the trade front, the Thunder obviously would be justified in keeping this group together. But any deal might have to include Dieng, who was actually taken one spot over Williams in the 2022 draft. Dieng has made 43.8 percent of his 3s but rarely sees the floor and is set to be a 2026 restricted free agent.<\/p>\n
2. Denver Nuggets (18-6)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 2
In the last week: <\/b> W at SAC
Offensive rating:<\/b> 124.4 (first place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b> 114.8 (17th place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> PF Zeke Nnaji<\/p>\n
The Nuggets haven\u2019t had Aaron Gordon or Christian Braun for nine straight games, and they\u2019ve won six of them. It hasn\u2019t been a murderer\u2019s row of opponents, but winning is more important than schedule-making. They host the Rockets twice this week, the team Gordon last started against before injuring his hamstring, so the Nuggets can do something. As for potential moves? Good luck with that. Nnaji\u2019s contract is more of a \u201cwish you could trade\u201d for Denver instead of anything realistic, so he\u2019s here more as an example of not overvaluing your own picks. Nnaji is averaging a career-low 8.3 minutes per game and has a 2027 player option.<\/p>\n
3. Detroit Pistons (20-5)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 3
In the last week: <\/b> W vs ATL
Offensive rating:<\/b> 117.4 (ninth place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b>111.1 (third place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> PF Tobias Harris<\/p>\n
The Pistons were the first Eastern Conference team to reach 20 wins, and while they\u2019re not blowing up the conference like last year\u2019s Cleveland Cavaliers, they may be more balanced. Detroit defends at a high level and has size and depth, so naturally, the Pistons are going to be in conversations about potential talent upgrades, as there\u2019s a tier-level talent drop-off after Cade Cunningham. Harris is in his 15th NBA season, he is Detroit\u2019s No. 3 scorer, and he is in a contract year. He\u2019s the most obvious barometer to measure Detroit\u2019s appetite for going all in.<\/p>\n
4. Houston Rockets (16-6)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 4
In the last week: <\/b> W vs LAC
Offensive rating:<\/b> 121.4 (fourth place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b> 111.0 (second place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> SF Tari Eason<\/p>\n
The Rockets could certainly use some ballhandling help because of Fred VanVleet\u2019s recovery from knee surgery, but they have limited avenues to find a solution there. Free-agent acquisition Dorian Finney-Smith, who is 32, has a 2028 player option, but he has yet to debut with Houston after having ankle surgery. Eason hasn\u2019t played in a month because of an oblique injury, but he is expected to return this week. Though Eason may be the easiest player to trade, Houston should probably hold onto him given how well he fits the Rockets\u2019 style of play.<\/p>\n
5. New York Knicks (18-7)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 7
In the last week: <\/b> W at TOR, W at ORL
Offensive rating:<\/b> 122.0 (second place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b> 113.3 (11th place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> PF Guerschon Yabusele<\/p>\n
The Knicks get to play for a championship! I\u2019m glad Spike Lee is here to enhance these moments. New York has won nine of 10 games and is humming offensively. Naturally, the Knicks are going to be in the middle of every trade. Yabusele was the team\u2019s top offseason acquisition, but he has played 15 minutes in a game twice all season. His signing reminds me of when Dallas signed Grant Williams two years ago; Williams was ultimately traded midway through his lone season with the Mavericks.<\/p>\n
Tier 2: In a Good Place6. San Antonio Spurs (18-7)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 9
In the last week: <\/b> W at NO, W at LAL, W at OKC
Offensive rating:<\/b> 118.0 (seventh place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b> 113.8 (14th place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> PF Jeremy Sochan<\/p>\n
Victor Wembanyama has returned, and Saturday night was arguably his most impactful NBA performance considering the opponent and the stakes. The Spurs still have room to figure out how to balance minutes and touches for their explosive guard trio of De\u2019Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper while also not forgetting about Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, Keldon Johnson and Julian Champagnie now that Wembanyama is back. A player who has been completely forgotten is Sochan, who was out of the rotation even before Wembanyama returned. Sochan is a 2026 restricted free agent, and he may be of more use to San Antonio as part of a trade package that could return a better shooter.<\/p>\n
7. Los Angeles Lakers (18-7)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 5
In the last week: <\/b> L vs SA, W at PHO
Offensive rating:<\/b> 118.0 (eighth place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b> 116.5 (20th place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> PF Rui Hachimura<\/p>\n
The biggest credit the Lakers have for themselves this season is that they have a lot of important undefeated marks that many of you are eager to see regress. Following Sunday\u2019s near debacle at Phoenix that saw the Lakers blow a 20-point lead but hold on, Los Angeles is now 7-0 after losses, 9-0 in clutch time, 16-0 when leading at the end of three quarters and 16-0 when leading by more than 10 points at any point of the game. The losses are loud, but they respond to all of them immediately, and they don\u2019t have issues winning. They do have issues defending, running, passing and creating offense from the bench. Hachimura has been one of the best play finishers at the forward position, but he is in a contract year, and he may need to be sacrificed to provide this roster with better balance.<\/p>\n
8. Minnesota Timberwolves (17-9)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 8
In the last week: <\/b> L vs PHO, W at GS, W vs SAC
Offensive rating:<\/b> 118.0 (sixth place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b> 113.2 (10th place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> PG Rob Dillingham<\/p>\n
Minnesota is only 4-7 against teams that were over .500 when it faced them this season, making the Timberwolves the best team in the league that has a losing record against good teams. Backhanded compliment, but they are also taking care of business against teams below their weight class, and now they\u2019re doing it while missing Anthony Edwards periodically. While Bones Hyland has helped out lately with Edwards dealing with foot soreness, fellow small guard Dillingham hasn\u2019t figured out how to score in the NBA yet. I can\u2019t see Minnesota cutting bait on a player it moved up to select in the top 10. But the Timberwolves need guard help, and both Dillingham and Mike Conley are shooting under 37 percent from the field.<\/p>\n
9. Boston Celtics (15-10)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 6
In the last week: <\/b> L at MIL
Offensive rating:<\/b> 121.4 (third place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b> 115.0 (18th place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> PG Anfernee Simons<\/p>\n
Simons represents the bench offense in Boston now that 2025 Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard is basically in the Jayson Tatum role. The Celtics are having a very good season (poor trip to Milwaukee this past week aside), but the salary-cap considerations will make the trade deadline interesting. Simons is in a contract year, and he\u2019s playing about as well as Boston could expect.<\/p>\n
10. Orlando Magic (15-11)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 10
In the last week: <\/b> W vs MIA, L vs NY
Offensive rating:<\/b> 115.7 (11th place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b> 112.1 (sixth place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> PG Tyus Jones<\/p>\n
Jalen Suggs went from matching Jalen Brunson\u2019s scoring output in the first half Saturday to being unable to get a field goal after halftime, in part because of a hip injury that knocked him out of the game for good in the fourth quarter. Prior to Suggs trying to gut it out in Las Vegas, Jones continued to struggle to make an impact, which opened the door for Orlando rookie Jase Richardson to finish the loss to the Knicks. Expect Jones\u2019 $7 million expiring contract to be shopped hard by the Magic, and don\u2019t be surprised if they don\u2019t find any takers amid Jones\u2019 worst season (34.3 percent field goals).<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/251215-Andrew-Wiggins-scaled-e1765813285322.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\n Andrew Wiggins has a player-option decision to make after this season. (Mike Watters \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n
Tier 3: The Bubble<\/b>11. Miami Heat (14-11)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 11
In the last week: <\/b> L at ORL
Offensive rating:<\/b> 115.0 (13th place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b> 111.9 (fifth place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> PF Andrew Wiggins<\/p>\n
Miami began this month by smoking Norman Powell\u2019s former team, the LA Clippers. The Heat haven\u2019t won since, dropping four games in a row while failing to come close to their season average of 121.7 points per game. Wiggins has a $30.2 million player-option decision after the season. If Miami is going to insist on starting Davion Mitchell, Tyler Herro and Norman Powell together every night with Bam Adebayo, then it will be interesting for the Heat to determine what that group\u2019s ceiling can be in the spring and if all of those players can be back with Wiggins next season.<\/p>\n
12. Toronto Raptors (15-11)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 12
In the last week: <\/b> L vs NY
Offensive rating:<\/b> 115.1 (12th place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b> 113.2 (ninth place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> SG RJ Barrett<\/p>\n
Toronto\u2019s offense was at its best with Barrett on the floor, and his sprained knee has put Toronto in somewhat of a tailspin, as the Raptors have lost six of seven games. It\u2019s hard to see how Toronto would upgrade if it doesn\u2019t include Barrett, a 2027 free agent, in a move. Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes seem to be entrenched as cornerstones, Immanuel Quickley is signed through 2029, and Jakob Poeltl is signed through 2030.<\/p>\n
13. Atlanta Hawks (15-12)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 15
In the last week: <\/b> L at DET, W vs PHI
Offensive rating:<\/b> 114.5 (14th place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b> 114.0 (15th place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> PG Trae Young<\/p>\n
Young is finally nearing a return from a knee injury that has sidelined him since the end of October. Atlanta has survived without him, but the Hawks are not exactly thriving and in a familiar spot: the middle of the East standings. Kristaps Porzi\u0146\u0123is is probably the more conventional trade piece, but his recurring illness<\/a> could be disqualifying for teams. Young has a nearly $49 million player option decision after the season, and there are enough notable point guards who could be swapped to keep Young in the conversation of possibilities over the next seven weeks.<\/p>\n
14. Philadelphia 76ers (14-11)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 16
In the last week: <\/b> W vs IND, L at ATL
Offensive rating:<\/b> 114.4 (15th place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b> 113.3 (12th place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> SF Kelly Oubre Jr.<\/p>\n
Oubre is out indefinitely because of a left knee sprain, and he will be a free agent after this season. Paul George just had his highest scoring game as a 76er, though his 35-point effort came in a loss Sunday at Atlanta. What\u2019s interesting to look at is the fact that Philadelphia has started two-way players Dominick Barlow or Jabari Walker at power forward for 18 of the team\u2019s 25 games this season. At least one of those two needs to be promoted, and trading Oubre may be one avenue toward making that happen.<\/p>\n
15. Cleveland Cavaliers (15-12)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 14
In the last week: <\/b> W at WAS, L vs CHA
Offensive rating:<\/b> 115.8 (10th place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b> 113.2 (eighth place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> C Jarrett Allen<\/p>\n
Cleveland felt special last season. This season, the Cavs are barely beating the Wizards while getting outplayed at home by a Hornets team missing Lonzo Ball\u2019s brother. Many anticipated the Cavaliers waiting until the offseason to make big moves, but the microscope is certainly on this group ahead of the trade deadline. Allen made his return to the lineup after missing nine of the previous 10 games, and his return comes right when power forward Evan Mobley will likely miss the rest of the month<\/a> with a calf strain. Cleveland has only gotten four games out of the quartet of Allen, Mobley, Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell this season.<\/p>\n
16. Phoenix Suns (14-12)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 13
In the last week: <\/b> W at MIN, L at OKC, L vs LAL
Offensive rating:<\/b> 114.2 (16th place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b>114.2 (16th place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> C Nick Richards<\/p>\n
The Suns have a lot of centers, but the roles are simple. Mark Williams is the contract-year starter. Oso Ighodaro is the young backup. Khaman Maluach is the rookie and the future but certainly not the present. That leaves Richards, an expiring contract who is basically just insurance now.<\/p>\n
17. Golden State Warriors (13-14)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 17
In the last week: <\/b> L vs MIN, L at POR
Offensive rating:<\/b> 113.4 (20th place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b> 111.8 (fourth place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> PF Jonathan Kuminga<\/p>\n
Kuminga can\u2019t be traded until Jan. 15. Until then, head coach Steve Kerr and point guard Stephen Curry will continue to find ways to discuss Kuminga\u2019s inconsistent participation<\/a>. The good news is that the Warriors got Curry back from injury this past week. But Golden State dropped both conference games despite special Curry performances; the 12 3s as part of Curry\u2019s 48-point performance were the most made in a Golden State loss in Curry\u2019s career.<\/p>\n
Tier 4: Not the Tier to Fear<\/b>18. Dallas Mavericks (10-16)<\/p>\n
Last ranking: <\/b> 19
In the last week: <\/b> W vs BRK
Offensive rating:<\/b> 108.8 (28th place)
<\/b>Defensive rating: <\/b> 112.2 (seventh place)<\/p>\nTrade Winds:<\/b> C Anthony Davis<\/p>\n
- In a Good Place<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Could be one team, could be seven teams<\/li>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/251215-Ja-Morant-scaled-e1765813188247.jpg\")
<\/p>\n