2022-23 NBA Power Rankings: Post-Trade Deadline Edition
It does not seem like the 2022-23 NBA season started too long ago, but now we are in the middle of February with the All-Star break beginning this weekend.
We have seen a handful of teams separate themselves at the top of both the Eastern and Western Conference standings, but there are really no “middle-tier” teams this season, as there are plenty of teams that will enter the final stretch of the season having a real chance to contend for a title.
There is just about seven weeks left in the regular season and following an eventful trade deadline that saw the likes of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and other high-level talents on the move, it is time to take a look at where each team stands in the league.
Maybe some teams have better records than others, but here is my updated power rankings list based on where each team is at, as well as their chances of contending for a title this season.
#30 San Antonio Spurs
Record: 14-44
If there is one thing the San Antonio Spurs are known for other than their five championships, it is drafting and turning international players into Hall-of-Famers. They have had their eyes on French big man Victor Wembanyama, presumably the No. 1 overall pick in this year's 2023 NBA Draft, ever since last season ended and owning one of the worst record in the league, the Spurs will have a really good chance at landing the first overall pick via the NBA Draft Lottery. Good news for San Antonio is that Devonte’ Graham has looked really good since coming over from New Orleans at the trade deadline and they are continuing to find potential in their young talents.
#29 Houston Rockets
Record: 13-44
There is no doubt that the Houston Rockets have young, talented players with Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Kevin Porter Jr. and Jabari Smith Jr., but for some reason, it seems like Houston has regressed from the 20-win team they were a season ago. Maybe I am just crazy, but from watching this team numerous times throughout the season, they just seem like a group of guys who are happy to be in the league and that is it. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for head coach Stephen Silas and what the next move for general manager Rafael Stone is in terms of upgrading this roster in the offseason.
#28 Detroit Pistons
Record: 15-43
I actually think the Detroit Pistons are a little better than their record shows, but nonetheless, they are still a very young team with too much potential and not enough current firepower to be anything special… especially with Cade Cunningham only playing in 12 games during his second season in the league. They did not trade Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel or Cory Joseph at the trade deadline, setting Detroit up for an interesting offseason that could see either one or all of them moved. Sure, they have the worst record in the East this season, but next season, making the Play-In Tournament and possibly the playoffs is a very real possibility for the Pistons, especially if James Wiseman comes in and can succeed playing alongside both Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart. Don’t sleep on Detroit moving forward.
#27 Charlotte Hornets
Record: 16-43
The Charlotte Hornets are a mess. They moved Mason Plumlee at the trade deadline for a 2028 second-round pick and they also turned Jalen McDaniels, who was having his best season in Charlotte, for Svi Mykhailiuk and two second-round picks in 2023 and 2027. The Hornets did not move Gordon Hayward or Terry Rozier at the deadline, Kelly Oubre Jr. and P.J. Washington are in the final years of their contracts and LaMelo Ball’s future will be addressed this upcoming offseason, as he will be eligible for a massive rookie extension. Moving Plumlee to get Mark Williams more playing time was obviously a point of emphasis for this team at the deadline, yet they still remain an incomplete team that has one star putting up triple-double-like numbers every game. It is time to get LaMelo Ball some help because if Charlotte does not do so over the course of the next year, he could very well request a trade in order to win elsewhere.
#26 Orlando Magic
Record: 24-35
There are very few games that the Orlando Magic have played this season in which they were not competitive for all 48 minutes and had a chance to win. This is a young, hungry group that is finally beginning to show signs of growth under second-year head coach Jamahl Mosley and Paolo Banchero is running away with this season’s Rookie of the Year award. Markelle Fultz is healthy and quietly having the best season of his career, Bol Bol has emerged as one of this season’s most improved players and Orlando’s core is all in their early 20s, giving this team plenty of potential heading into the offseason. Who knows, maybe the Magic can even go on a run and sneak into the Play-In Tournament this season as the 10-seed!
#25 Indiana Pacers
Record: 25-34
I love Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers as a franchise are in good hands with him as their leading moving forward. However, the Pacers will need to extend his contract in the offseason, as well as figure out what the next steps are in terms of building around Haliburton. Myles Turner, Buddy Hield and Bennedict Mathruin are not enough to get this team to where they want to be in the Eastern Conference, so it will be interesting to see if the Pacers look to leverage any of their three first-round draft picks in 2023 in order to bring in another All-Star-like talent. Indiana is still a team though that can get hot at any moment offensively, especially from the perimeter.
#24 Chicago Bulls
Record: 26-31
The Chicago Bulls have struggled this season and a lot of this has to do with the injury concerns they have had to deal with. Zach LaVine was banged up at the beginning of the year, DeMar DeRozan has been playing through a hip/thigh injury, Alex Caruso has been in and out of the lineup due to multiple injuries and Lonzo Ball still remains a major red flag and question mark for this franchise. There is no denying that the Bulls have the talent they need to be competitive in the Eastern Conference, but luck has not been on their side. Not making a move at the trade deadline could come back to hurt Chicago in the grand scheme of things, especially since they will likely extend Nikola Vucevic in the offseason and have no cap space to improve their roster.
#23 Washington Wizards
Record: 27-30
The Washington Wizards are a very interesting team because in some games, they look like a real playoff team and then in other games, they look lost. Their three-man core of Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis seems to be the focal point that general manager Tommy Sheppard wants to build around for the foreseeable future and that was evident when the Wizards did not seriously consider moving Kuzma at the trade deadline despite interest around the league in him. This is a team that can and most likely will earn a spot in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament, but that is about all they will achieve this year. Getting healthy and getting that key sixth-man-like talent they have been lacking through the years would go a long way in the Wizards becoming a threat in the East.
#22 Oklahoma City Thunder
Record: 27-29
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s accession to becoming one of the league’s best scorers this season is everything the Oklahoma City Thunder had hoped for this past offseason. The growth this young team has made is quite remarkable and head coach Mark Daigneault deserves a ton of credit for the job he and his staff have done developing this roster. Jalen Williams is going to be named to the All-Rookie First Team at the end of the season, Josh Giddey is finally playing like the key facilitator they need him to be next to Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder will be getting Chet Holmgren back heading into the offseason and they still own the rights to a massive amount of first-round picks over the next decade. Sam Presti and Oklahoma City’s front-office are extremely smart, which is why I just have this feeling that a big move is on the horizon for them. It just seems like the Thunder are on the verge of adding another All-Star-like talent alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
#21 Toronto Raptors
Record: 28-31
Entering the trade deadline, the Toronto Raptors were one of the most talked about teams around the league, as rival organizations thought that their core of Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, O.G. Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. were going to be broken up. Well, that did not happen and now, the Raptors will enter the offseason as the league’s biggest question mark. What happens in contract discussions with VanVleet and Trent Jr., who are both expected to opt out of their deals for the 2023-24 season? Will they field calls for Siakam or Anunoby? Sure, the Raptors could make the playoffs this season as the 7-seed or 8-seed in the Eastern Conference, but it is extremely hard to believe that getting Jakob Poeltl at the deadline gives them exactly what they need to take down one of the top teams in the East like Boston or Milwaukee. Toronto is on a collision course with some sort of a rebuild/re-tool in the near future and it would not be surprising if this is Fred VanVleet’s final season with the team.
#20 Atlanta Hawks
Record: 29-29
Adding Saddiq Bey at the trade deadline is a really underrated move for the Atlanta Hawks. Still being on a rookie contract and being another three-point shooting threat on the wing, Bey gives the Hawks options on the wing alongside De’Andre Hunter. The key for the Hawks this season is tightening things up defensively, as they currently rank 19th in defensive rating and 21st in opponent’s points per game. If they can somehow come out of the All-Star break a better defensive unit, they will be a tough team to face in a seven-game series and they could potentially go on another Cinderella-like run, similar to the one they went on in 2021. This is unlikely though, as Atlanta has been dysfunctional all season long and it seems like an internal change in leadership is coming in the offseason.
#19 Utah Jazz
Record: 29-30
Beginning the season as a surprise team finding success in the Western Conference, the Utah Jazz have come back down to earth and they now have a new look after moving Mike Conley, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt at the trade deadline. The Jazz will continue to hover in that Play-In Tournament region of the standings as the 9-seed or 10-seed in the West, but they will likely focus on draft position now and see what they have in some of their younger players like Collin Sexton, Talen Horton-Tucker and Ochai Agbaji. Utah has a lot to look forward to heading into the future.
#18 Portland Trail Blazers
Record: 28-30
When Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant are all healthy, the Portland Trail Blazers are a playoff team and they play like one. They are just never healthy though and while they have picked up good wins recently over the Lakers and Warriors, they have also had bad losses to the Thunder and Wizards. This team has not improved at all defensively compared to where they were a season ago and it really does not seem like this team got better at the trade deadline by moving Gary Payton II and bringing in both Cam Reddish and Matisse Thybulle. It is hard to imagine this team doing anything come April.
#17 Minnesota Timberwolves
Record: 31-29
Karl-Anthony Towns’ potential return this season will ultimately decide whether or not that Minnesota Timberwolves can find success heading towards the postseason. This team will definitely be playing in the Play-In Tournament this season and moving D’Angelo Russell, who was in the final year of his contract, has given this organization a little more time to figure out their future. Mike Conley still has another year left on his current contract, allowing them to focus on the contract situations of Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Jaylen Nowell and Naz Reid heading into the offseason.
#16 Los Angeles Lakers
Record: 26-32
Look, I know I will get a lot of heat for putting the Los Angeles Lakers this high, but assuming both LeBron James and Anthony Davis can be healthy for the final month of the regular season, the Lakers can sneak into the Play-In Tournament and they will be a team that nobody will want to see. The moves Rob Pelinka and this front-office made at the trade deadline were brilliant and they finally have bench talent that they can lean on to help them win games, something that we would not have said at the beginning of the season. The Lakers are the Lakers and their struggles are well-documented, but they are a threat this season whether you think so or not.
#15 Miami Heat
Record: 32-26
The Miami Heat are another one of those teams that have shown flashes of how good they can be, but then they struggle against teams that are worse than them. They have definitely taken a step back as a franchise compared to where they have been the last few years and while they made the Eastern Conference Finals a season ago, it is hard to imagine that they have what it takes to get back there, especially since they have not been fully healthy all season long. They are certainly getting better, there is no doubt about that, and Miami will likely avoid the Play-In Tournament, but the inconsistencies this team has on the offensive-end of the floor are a glaring weakness that other teams will expose in the playoffs.
#14 New York Knicks
Record: 32-27
I fully believe the New York Knicks could beat the Miami Heat in a seven-game series right now, which is why I have them one spot ahead of the Heat. Getting Josh Hart at the trade deadline was a fantastic move made by the Knicks and as long as Jalen Brunson continues to play at an All-Star-level, this team will continue to win games. Winning five of their last seven heading into Wednesday's game on the road against Atlanta, the Knicks are scoring at a high rate and defending at an even higher rate. They are not quite championship contenders yet, but the Knicks are certainly finding their groove at the right time.
#13 Golden State Warriors
Record: 29-29
The Golden State Warriors have underachieved, but who will want to face them in the postseason, that is assuming Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins are all healthy? This team has shown flashes throughout the year to signal that they still have what it takes to compete for a championship and in a seven-game series, there are maybe three to four other teams in this league that can give them a real run for their money and two of them most likely reside in the Eastern Conference! In terms of how they have played this season, they should realistically be ranked in the 18-22 range, but I am not ready to give up on the Warriors yet. Coming out of the All-Star break, they will really need to lock in and find ways to win without Curry, who will likely be sidelined through the end of February and into the first couple of weeks of March.
#12 New Orleans Pelicans
Record: 30-28
Finding ways to win without Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson for what seems like all season has been the most impressive thing about the New Orleans Pelicans. This team is a lot deeper than many think, they will be a much improved offensive team with their core of CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson all healthy, and they are already one of the best defensive teams in the league. Josh Richardson was a great pick up for them at the deadline given his veteran leadership and this Pelicans team may be the deepest team in the Western Conference seeing as they have 10-11 players who can positively impact a game on any given night.
#11 Brooklyn Nets
Record: 33-24
There is no way that the Brooklyn Nets are better without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving right? Well, this team is much worse offensively, obviously, but defensively, this team is dangerous and the key to them winning is the fact that they can confuse their opponents. By not having a Durant or Irving that can simply take over the game late and everyone knowing that they are getting the ball, the Nets now have five guys who they can lean on to close out a game, making them extremely hard to guard since their opponents will basically have to play one-on-one with almost no help-defense. Mikal Bridges, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson, Cam Thomas, Nic Claxton and Royce O’Neale are all talented players and this team still has Seth Curry, Patty Mills and Ben Simmons. What the future holds for Simmons is a whole separate topic to discuss, but the Nets are still a team that can make the playoffs in the East and cause headaches for their opponents on the defensive-end of the floor.
#10 Sacramento Kings
Record: 32-25
The Sacramento Kings have slowed down a little bit after their hot start to the season, but they are still the 3-seed in the Western Conference heading into the All-Star break. Continuing to keep their foot on the gas though will be essential for the Kings though, as just 4.5 games separates them from the 11-spot in the conference standings. Mike Brown has really gotten the most out of his group this season and he deserves recognition for Coach of the Year for what he has done. Overall though, the Kings sat back while other teams in the West made moves at the deadline, which could ultimately lead to their early exit in the postseason, as De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis can only do so much for this team against the best-of-the-best
#9 Dallas Mavericks
Record: 31-28
Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic make up arguably the best offensive duo in the entire NBA and at full-strength, the Dallas Mavericks are once again a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps the biggest news surrounding this team is that Maxi Kleber should be ready to return following the All-Star break, as he has not played since December due to a hamstring tear. My biggest concern for this team is not on the offensive-end of the floor, but defensively, as Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith were two of their better perimeter defenders. Josh Green and Maxi Kleber are really the only two guys on this roster known for their defensive prowess, which is why I am hesitant to say that this team can get back to the Western Conference Finals.
#8 Cleveland Cavaliers
Record: 38-22
The Cleveland Cavaliers continue to win games in the Eastern Conference, yet nobody wants to give them any attention. They may be young and they may be inexperienced when it comes to being in the postseason, but this team fights for all 48 minutes every night and if you are a smaller team, they will punish you in the paint with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, who is really having a great second season in the league. Cleveland has not lost a game yet in the month of February and believe it or not, they rank first in the league in defensive rating. If they can hold onto the 4-seed in the East or improve their seeding, the Cavs can win a first-round playoff series for the first time since 2018.
#7 Memphis Grizzlies
Record: 34-22
Adding Luke Kennard at the trade deadline gives the Memphis Grizzlies what they have been lacking on the perimeter offensively. Overall though, I just have a hard time saying that Memphis has what it takes to make a deep playoff push. Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane are all fantastic together and their record reflects this, but they just seem like a very beatable team when you look at them from a seven-game series point of view. There have been multiple instances over the last several weeks in which Memphis has struggled on the defensive-end of the floor against teams with elite-level scorers. The Western Conference is stacked with these kinds of players this season and come time for the playoffs, the Grizzlies could find themselves in a bad spot if they were to see a 7-seeded Warriors, Lakers or Pelicans team.
#6 Los Angeles Clippers
Record: 32-28
The Los Angeles Clippers may have had the best trade deadline out of any team in the NBA. While Reggie Jackson, John Wall and Luke Kennard were all traded, Eric Gordon, Bones Hyland and Mason Plumlee are massive upgrades to this team’s second-unit. The Clippers honestly have two starting fives, that is how deep their bench is this year. With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George healthy, this is a team that can actually compete and win a title this season and there really is not much more to say.
#5 Philadelphia 76ers
Record: 37-19
The key for the Philadelphia 76ers this season is keeping the momentum they have found and not letting up on their opponents. Over the last few years in the playoffs, the Sixers almost seemed like they were comfortable and content with how they were playing. This year, they must constantly tell themselves that they can be better and we have seen this kind of energy throughout the course of the regular season. Adding Jalen McDaniels was a good move for the 76ers to make, as he will supply this second unit with another lengthy scoring option. This is a Top-5 team in the NBA right now and when they lock in defensively, they are extremely hard to defeat.
#4 Phoenix Suns
Record: 32-27
The Phoenix Suns added Kevin Durant at the trade deadline, making them the ultimate midseason winners this year. They are the team to beat now in the Western Conference and anything less than a title is going to be considered a failed season for them. Seeing Durant on the floor with Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton will be quite the sight to see, yet the Suns still have some holes they will need to fill with Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson being traded. Josh Okogie stepping up in recent games is a very good sign for the Suns and they have one of the more underrated bench units in the league with Damion Lee, Cameron Payne and now veteran Terrence Ross joining the team after being bought out by the Magic.
#3 Denver Nuggets
Record: 40-18
Nikola Jokic is making a very strong case to win his third consecutive MVP award this season and the Denver Nuggets have been rolling. Denver has been the best team in the Western Conference all season long and if it was not for some injuries, they could be riding a ten-game win streak right now. Denver’s offense is extremely hard to stop, but they can be susceptible to fouling at times, which is an area opposing teams will have to look to try and exploit in the postseason. I like the Nuggets and think that they deserve a ton of credit for what they have been able to achieve this season and likely claiming the 1-seed when all is said and done, but in a seven game series, there are still other teams in the Western Conference I would feel more confident in choosing to advance past Denver. Jamal Murray is the key to this team competing for a championship and this season, he has been nothing short of spectacular.
#2 Milwaukee Bucks
Record: 40-17
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the best player in the world and he continues to prove this each and every game the Milwaukee Bucks play. There really is no way to stop him and overall, I truly believe that the Bucks have the best roster in the NBA. They have shooting depth with Grayson Allen, Pat Connaughton and Joe Ingles, they have a great frontcourt with Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis alongside Giannis and they recently added Jae Crowder to help bolster what is the league's third-best defensive team. Milwaukee has no flaws and it really does seem like they are on a collision course with the team ranked ahead of them to reach the Eastern Conference Finals this season.
#1 Boston Celtics
Record: 41-17
Since the first game of the season, the Boston Celtics have been the best team in the NBA and they continue to hold this title heading into the All-Star break. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been the league’s best duo on both ends of the floor and the Celtics proved that they have what it takes to win a title the other night when they lost to Milwaukee in overtime. Without Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford, Boston forced overtime against Milwaukee, who had all of their starters. Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon are the best bench duo in this league right now and the way the Celtics play as one cohesive unit is something only a couple of teams in this league display. Boston is definitely a real title contender this year and it should not come as a shock to see them in the NBA Finals for the second time in as many years come June.
Be sure to catch up on the newest episode of The Fast Break Podcast hosted by Fastbreak's own Brett Siegel!
Streaming on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, The Fast Break Podcast takes you inside the league with the latest news, intel, rumors and interviews from those close to the action for all 30 teams. Be on the lookout for a new episodes every Friday.
