Power Ranking Eliminated Playoff Teams

It has been over a month since the Phoenix Suns were taken out of the postseason by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the new league year is right around the corner.

The 2024 NBA playoffs are winding down, with the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks set to play in the NBA Finals beginning tonight.

Now feels like a great time to revisit the other 14 teams that made the annual tournament - along with how the outlook of each one looks like going into next season - behind criteria such as roster makeup, uncertainty with health, and potential to improve internally.

14. Miami Heat

It's difficult to count the Heat out.

Erik Spoelstra has gained the reputation as the brightest coaching mind in basketball. The franchise has a star duo that has lead them to two finals appearances this decade. The roster is deep.

However, uncertainty surrounding Jimmy Butler's future and internal development stalling give reason to be a bit more lukewarm on them going into 2024-25.

13. Orlando Magic

This could be quite a bit lower of a placing compared to what they should be.

Orlando pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first round, and hold several scintillating young talents - headlined by Paolo Banchero.

The main reservation that holds the Magic back from being top 10 is the general lack of floor spacing, as the squad finished dead last in three-point percentage in 2023-24.

12. Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are a strange team to figure out - as the trade assets they hold don't hold enough value to acquire a star, along with the possibility of losing LeBron James.

If James is retained as expected, it's difficult to completely count out the pairing with Anthony Davis, but the Western Conference Finals run in 2023 felt like the apex of this team as presently constructed.

11. Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers have one of the widest variances pertaining to outcomes among these teams.

They could retain Paul George and James Harden, or could just as easily lose both. They don't have many ways to improve with a strapped asset room and being in the second apron. The status of Kawhi Leonard will always be in question.

Next year could be an interesting one for the other L.A. squad.

10. New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans are another talented team that could take another proverbial leap but there are currently too many questions, particularly surrounding the health of Zion Williamson and what potential return the franchise can get for star F Brandon Ingram. The internal development surrounding Trey Murphy III is potentially crucial as well

New Orleans is another team with a high ceiling, but they simply have too many potential roadblocks away to put them any higher.

9. Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers competed with the Celtics for the most part in the five-game series between the two.

It has become pretty clear that despite the improvements they made that they must make crucial decisions regarding roster construction.

The Cavs moving on from Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen to acquire more reliable wings or floor spacing bigs would go a long way to quelling major concerns surrounding this talented squad.

8. Indiana Pacers

This once again feels to low for a team that just played possibly the most competitive 4-0 series in NBA history.

The Pacers return a great coach in Rick Carslile, along with virtually the entire remainder of the 11-deep roster.

This somehow feels like it could end up being a 2021 Atlanta Hawks situation, where they get to a high point and never reach those heights again.

The Pacers feel better built to experience sustained success, but the East will presumably be tougher as well.

7. Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers are another tough team to place, as they have the potential to add a third star next to Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

The ultimate wing depth and continued concern surrounding Joel Embiid's health are too much to feel good about placing Philly any higher.

6. New York Knicks

The Knicks could look different going into next season.

Isaiah Hartenstein is set to be a free agent, as is OG Anunoby. Mitchell Robinson could be a trade candidate moving into the offseason.

The truth is, they could run it back or move a wide variety of assets for another stout rotation player, and would be competitive either way.

5. Phoenix Suns

The Suns still have the ability to work their way up even higher here, they simply just need to nail the offseason.

Any team with as much top-end talent as Phoenix will be in title conversations.

It just needs to be proven that year-one of the experiment coupled with the hiring of Mike Budenholzer sets the squad up to take off from Game 1 in 2024-25.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves

The T'Wolves rank just below the Thunder, as the internal improvements are a bit harder to envision (particularly from Jaden McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker).

The Wolves could also look to trade Karl-Anthony Towns or Rudy Gobert for a star wing such as Ingram, but the trade value surrounding the duo of big men is uncertain, and the two play integral roles in what made this team special to begin with.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder have ample salary cap space to make short-term impact signings, while also being able to tangibly project jumps in production from Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.

The Thunder are in a beautiful spot, the question is if they can take advantage of this window before extensions kick in for the aforementioned young stars.

2. Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks suffered a disappointing playoff exit, but they perhaps had even more roadblocks than the Suns did. The trio of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and Khris Middleton is one that absolutelty has a title ceiling, and they will look to improve in the first full season of Doc Rivers being at the helm.

1. Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets could be in trouble this offseason, particularly if they lose Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency.

Christian Braun could be someone that can slide into that role reasonably well, but the avenues to build the roster are very much confined to the first-round pick in the draft and minimum contract slots in free agency.

Nikola Jokic is difficult to write off despite the uncertainty, and the Nuggets very well could become title favorites once again.