The trade deadline has closed and the All-Star break is days away, giving the league a brief pause to assess the new landscape. ESPN’s nine-member panel released its latest NBA power rankings on Feb. 11, weighing every roster move, injury and recent result. Below is where all 30 clubs stand heading into the mid-season showcase.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (41-13)
Oklahoma City keeps the No. 1 spot despite MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s oblique strain that will sideline him through All-Star Weekend. Jalen Williams returned after a 10-game absence and poured in 23 points in 24 minutes during Monday’s 119-110 victory over the Lakers.
2. Detroit Pistons (39-13)
Detroit holds steady at No. 2, staring at a stretch that includes Toronto, New York and San Antonio. Trading Jaden Ivey cleared the runway for rookie guard Daniss Jenkins; newcomer Kevin Huerter has yet to hit a three but is perfect inside the arc.
3. San Antonio Spurs (37-16)
Winners of four straight, the Spurs climb one slot. Victor Wembanyama has 24 consecutive double-doubles, and second-year guard Stephon Castle has improved his scoring in three straight outings. San Antonio begins its annual Rodeo Road Trip and won’t play at Frost Bank Center again until March 5.
4. New York Knicks (34-20)
An eight-game winning streak ended with a 30-point loss to Detroit, dropping the Knicks to fourth. OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns are expected back after the break, and trade-deadline addition Jose Alvarado contributed 12 points and two steals in a bounce-back win at Boston.
5. Denver Nuggets (34-20)
Peyton Watson’s hamstring strain (out at least four weeks) hurts Denver’s depth, but Cameron Johnson returned after missing 23 games; the Nuggets are 21-9 when he plays.
6. Boston Celtics (34-19)
Boston moved Nikola Vucevic to trim payroll but the bigger story is Jayson Tatum’s return to practice with both the G-League affiliate and the parent club. His status post-break could shift the East picture.
7. Houston Rockets (33-19)
Two home defeats and a quiet deadline prompted fan anxiety about the point-guard spot, yet Tari Eason (season-high 26) and Alperen Sengun (second triple-double) fueled a win over the short-handed Thunder.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (33-21)
James Harden has averaged 22.5 points, 7.5 assists and six rebounds on 48 percent shooting in two Cleveland victories. The Cavs are 9-1 since Jan. 1, tied with Detroit for the NBA’s best 2026 record.
9. Los Angeles Lakers (32-21)
New arrival Luke Kennard canned his first three-pointer two minutes into his Laker debut. L.A. ranks 23rd in made threes per game and hopes Kennard lifts that figure.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves (33-22)
Financial maneuvering sent Mike Conley and a first-round swap elsewhere, but Minnesota plans to re-sign Conley soon. The Wolves also added guard Ayo Dosunmu for backcourt depth.
11. Toronto Raptors (32-22)
Toronto is 21-7 versus teams below .500 but just 11-15 against winning clubs—the poorest mark among top-six seeds in either conference.
12. Phoenix Suns (32-22)
The Suns picked up Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey for bench scoring help; Anthony’s 12.0 career scoring average could be crucial if Jalen Green’s hamstring troubles persist.
13. Philadelphia 76ers (30-23)
Philadelphia moved rookie Jared McCain to Oklahoma City for one first-rounder and three seconds, dropping below the luxury tax. President Daryl Morey insists the club “sold high.”
14. Orlando Magic (28-24)
Dumping Tyus Jones and adding veteran Jevon Carter kept Orlando under the tax. Franz Wagner returned from an ankle issue, scoring 14 off the bench in a win over Milwaukee.
15. Golden State Warriors (29-25)
Short-handed Golden State erased double-digit fourth-quarter deficits to beat Phoenix and Memphis at the horn. Stephen Curry (knee) and newcomer Kristaps Porzingis are targeting Feb. 19 for returns.
16. Miami Heat (28-27)
Miami made no trades but has an open roster spot and could free another by waiving Terry Rozier. The Heat face the league’s fourth-easiest remaining schedule yet may land in the play-in for a fourth straight year.
17. Charlotte Hornets (25-29)
A nine-game win streak ended in Detroit, and starters Moussa Diabate and Miles Bridges now await possible suspensions for their role in Monday’s fight with Pistons big men.
18. Portland Trail Blazers (26-28)
Deni Avdija earned his first All-Star nod with averages of 25.5 points and 6.7 assists. Damian Lillard, rehabbing an Achilles injury, will test himself in the Three-Point Contest.
19. Atlanta Hawks (26-29)
General manager Onsi Saleh called Atlanta’s deadline “future forward.” The Hawks added CJ McCollum, Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield and Jock Landale while preserving cap flexibility. They have the league’s fifth-easiest post-break slate.
20. LA Clippers (25-28)
Trading James Harden and Ivica Zubac raised speculation about the NBA’s investigation into Kawhi Leonard’s endorsement deal, but team president Lawrence Frank said the probe “doesn’t impact anything we do.”
21. Chicago Bulls (24-30)
Seven trades shipped out Nikola Vucevic, Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu, among others, leaving Chicago with a guard-heavy roster and fresh questions about its long-term direction.
22. Milwaukee Bucks (21-30)
Giannis Antetokounmpo remains a Buck and could be back by month’s end. Milwaukee signed free agent guard Cam Thomas and still eyes the play-in.
23. Memphis Grizzlies (20-32)
An eight-player swap sent Jaren Jackson Jr. and others to Utah for Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang, rookie Walter Clayton Jr. and three first-round picks. Ja Morant’s elbow will be reevaluated soon.
24. Dallas Mavericks (19-34)
Former No. 2 pick Marvin Bagley III debuted with 16 points, 12 boards and four blocks after arriving in the Anthony Davis trade.
25. New Orleans Pelicans (15-40)
New Orleans owns the NBA lead with 22 games scoring 60-plus paint points. Rookie Jeremiah Fears is the fourth first-year player logging at least 10 games of 20-plus points.
26. Utah Jazz (17-37)
New arrival Jaren Jackson Jr. has averaged 22.0 points in 25 minutes but sat the fourth quarter in both outings, as Utah appears focused on lottery odds.
27. Brooklyn Nets (15-37)
Michael Porter Jr. stayed put at the deadline; his $40 million 2026-27 salary could dominate offseason talks. Brooklyn waived Cam Thomas, ending a rocky tenure.
28. Washington Wizards (14-38)
Washington upset Detroit while resting four starters in the fourth quarter, yet owns the league’s worst point differential (-10.7) after being outscored by 76 in its other three February games.
29. Indiana Pacers (14-40)
Ivica Zubac will remain out until his lingering ankle issue resolves. Coach Rick Carlisle said the center “won’t play until he’s really ready,” a timetable that fits Indiana’s lottery positioning.
30. Sacramento Kings (12-43)
Sacramento dropped its franchise-record 13th straight game Monday. Rookies Nique Clifford (30 points two games ago) and Maxime Raynaud (21 points, 19 rebounds vs. New Orleans) are finally seeing extended minutes, and the Kings retain their first-round pick, currently projecting inside the top five.
Teams will reconvene after the All-Star festivities conclude in Los Angeles, with less than three months left to solidify playoff hopes—or draft lottery odds.
Source: ESPN.com
