Even before the first bogus “back spasms” show up on an injury report, it’s already the Year of Barely-Walking Wounded in the NBA.
Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard and Fred VanVleet are missing more than the season-opener next week. They’re done for the year.
Optimistic fans are counting the days to the returns of Jayson Tatum, Tyler Herro, Dejounte Murray and Kyrie Irving, but that requires more than fingers and toes. And LeBron James is finally acting his age, leaving open to guesswork when he might debut this season.
De’Aaron Fox, Jalen Green, Darius Garland, Keegan Murray, Zach Edey … heck, even T.J. McConnell won’t see the bright lights of Halloween.
Who’s next?
The Thunder begin the season healthy and a healthy choice to repeat as champions. But throw in injury comebacks and expected trades and a lot of rosters could look a whole lot different when teams get serious about their title runs about four months from now.
Here’s where each team will tip off in the Field Level Media season-opening power rankings:
30. Utah Jazz
Nobody got less for more in the exporting of Jordan Clarkson, John Collins and Collin Sexton. Is it any wonder teams are lining up to be Lauri Markkanen’s new employer before Danny Ainge gets sent away as well?
29. Washington Wizards
When CJ McCollum was drafted by the Trail Blazers more than a decade ago, he was brought in to displace Wesley Matthews. In Washington, the bar is much lower: Jordan Poole.
28. Brooklyn Nets
If the NBA adds a fifth quarter for rookies only, move the Nets up about 26 spots.
27. Charlotte Hornets
They say this is now LaMelo Ball’s team, which presumably means terrible shot selection, no defense and a chance this will be A.J. Dybantsa’s team next year.
26. New Orleans Pelicans
More than half of last year’s minutes have disappeared, and another big chunk is likely to be gone as soon as there’s someone atop the 2026 draft projections for whom dealing Zion Williamson in exchange for better lottery odds makes sense.
25. Phoenix Suns
They’re starting over with two guys – Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks – who desperately need a re-start. Fortunately in the stacked West, little is expected … which should buy new coach Jordan Ott a couple of years.
24. Sacramento Kings
They’ve tried hard to trade their misfits, only to be told others desire Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk even less than they do.
23. Chicago Bulls
They spent all summer telling Josh Giddey just how unvaluable he is; now it’s his turn to show them they were right.
22. Memphis Grizzlies
Having Ja Morant as the face of your franchise is like having Deshaun Watson as your quarterback. A divorce seems likely, but buyer beware.
21. Portland Trail Blazers
The additions of Lillard and Jrue Holiday indicate Chauncey Billups is intent upon making a run at the playoffs next season. With the Kings and Suns sinking in the West, the door isn’t exactly closed this year, either.
20. Atlanta Hawks
Kristaps Porzingis begins his fifth NBA life; most dogs have just one.
19. Philadelphia 76ers
When they get Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey back … there’s a better chance Erving, Iverson and Barkley suit up together this season.
18. Miami Heat
If this romance thing with A’ja Wilson is serious, maybe a move west is in Bam Adebayo’s future. Sunset-destined Erik Spoelstra would be wise to tag along.
17. Toronto Raptors
There are 15 reasons why they could make the playoffs this season: RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram … and the 12 flawed teams other than the Cavaliers and Knicks against which they will be competing for six spots.
16. Indiana Pacers
Losing Haliburton means more Aaron Nesmith, which is fine. Losing Myles Turner, on the other hand, means more … James Wiseman? Ouch.
15. Milwaukee Bucks
They’ve cornered the market on Antetokounmpos; for the financial sake of the franchise, hopefully there weren’t tariffs attached.
14. Boston Celtics
Tatum has gotten more headlines this preseason than Bad Bunny. Sometimes less is best for all of us.
13. San Antonio Spurs
No pressure, but by Tim Duncan’s third season, the Spurs had already won a championship. That was with Gregg Popovich. Good luck, Mitch Johnson.
12. Detroit Pistons
No Tatum. No Haliburton. No Lillard … no reason the Pistons don’t take another major step north in the Eastern hierarchy.
11. Orlando Magic
1971 … A year without 3-pointers. Also, the number of 3’s missed by a landlocked team that couldn’t throw the ball in the ocean last season. Desmond Bane to the rescue.
10. Los Angeles Clippers
The NBA has a tough call on Kawhi Leonard’s no-show windfall: Penalize the Clippers now and cast a shadow over the All-Star Game host, or penalize them later and risk Leonard sitting out the playoffs. Stay tuned.
9. Los Angeles Lakers
Imagine Christmas Day and Independence Day falling back-to-back. Such is the case in Slovenia, where if Luka Doncic weighs in at 180 on Dec. 27, it’s kilograms, not pounds.
8. Dallas Mavericks
The Western champs of two years ago have since added Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg, while losing Doncic. That’s a big-time net positive.
7. Golden State Warriors
The last time Draymond Green didn’t like a cocky young teammate, he punched Jordan Poole. Until Jonathan Kuminga gets traded, Al Horford isn’t the Warrior to watch.
6. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Cavaliers of the West: You might not want to believe Anthony Edwards is a star and the Timberwolves are a serious contender, but he is and they are.
5. Houston Rockets
They finished the regular season ahead of teams like the Warriors, Lakers and Clippers last year for one reason – they rested fewer old men. Even with Kevin Durant, why would this year be any different?
4. New York Knicks
You know the old saying: Defense wins championships … unless you don’t win championships, in which case the coach gets fired. The Mike Brown/Jordan Clarkson version should be more fun.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
They saw the value of busting their butts to win 64 games last season. They won’t make that mistake again. In the depleted East, they don’t have to this time.
2. Denver Nuggets
Put Cam Johnson in place of Michael Porter Jr. (basically 0-for-the-series) and the Nuggets beat the Thunder last May. Now add Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. as well and a rematch can’t happen soon enough.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
The last little guy who put his body more in harm’s way than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was Allen Iverson (797 free throws) in 2008. Note to SGA: Iverson played 25 fewer games the next season.
–Dave Del Grande, Field Level Media
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