As the 2025 NBA trade deadline approaches (Feb. 6, 3 p.m. ET), several teams across both conferences will be reevaluating their rosters over the next three weeks.
The Oklahoma City Thunder remain the dominant team in the West behind MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander but the rest of the conference continues to be a battleground that may force other contenders to pursue a superstar for their playoff hopes. Will the Golden State Warriors make a splashy move before next month to help save their season? Or will the Phoenix Suns continue their chase of disgruntled superstar Jimmy Butler?
In the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics remain the contenders to beat, but last season’s lowly Detroit Pistons are in the hunt for the postseason this time, losing only one game in January so far. And the return of Paolo Banchero for the Orlando Magic will put other East teams on notice for the remainder of the season.
With 22 days left until the trade deadline, this is where all 30 teams stack up in this week’s power rankings.
Note: Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Michael Wright, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Ohm Youngmisuk, Chris Herring and Kevin Pelton) think teams belong this season.
Previous rankings: Preseason | Oct. 30 | Nov. 5 | Nov. 13 | Nov. 20 | Nov. 27 | Dec. 4 | Dec. 11 | Dec. 18 | Dec. 25 | Jan. 1 | Jan. 8
Jump to a team:
ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE
DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND
LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN
NO | NY | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX
POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTAH | WAS
Cleveland saw its 12-game winning streak snapped in unceremonious fashion, getting blown out at home against a Pacers team that outscored the Cavs 68-40 in the second half. The loss set up a challenging week for the squad, with road games at Indiana, Oklahoma City and Minnesota. The Cavaliers got revenge over the Pacers. However, the Thunder will be looking for revenge against them and the Wolves are starting to resemble their playoff form from last season. — Dave McMenamin
As the midway point of the season nears, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s MVP case can be built around his massive leads in two major statistical categories. He had 1,192 points entering Tuesday night, which was 161 more than any other player. His plus-minus was plus-474, which was 142 points better than any other player. Not to mention Gilgeous-Alexander has played every game for the West-leading Thunder. — Tim MacMahon
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2024-25 record: 28-11
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Previous ranking: 3
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Next games: @ TOR (Jan. 15), vs. ORL (Jan. 17), vs. ATL (Jan. 18), @ GS (Jan. 20)
Boston is 9-7 across its past 16 games following a 19-5 start, allowing Cleveland to break away at the top of the Eastern Conference. What’s been the biggest cause for Boston’s struggles? After a hot start from beyond the arc this season, their 3-point shooting percentage has slumped to 34.6 (23rd in the league) over that stretch. — Tim Bontemps
2024-25 record: 26-12
Previous ranking: 5
Next games: @ DEN (Jan. 15), @ SAC (Jan. 16), @ POR (Jan. 18), vs. DET (Jan. 20)
Houston captured its third victory this season against the Grizzlies on Monday to become the only team this season to defeat Memphis three times. The win also marked the team’s fourth in a row as Jalen Green tied a career high with 42 points. Green, 22, has tallied 25-plus points in five consecutive outings, while Amen Thompson had his second five-block game of the season in Monday’s win. The Rockets are 5-3 against the top-six teams in the NBA, helping solidify their contender status at the top of the West. — Michael Wright
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2024-25 record: 26-15
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Previous ranking: 4
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Next games: @ PHI (Jan. 15), vs. MIN (Jan. 17), vs. ATL (Jan. 20), @ BKN (Jan. 21)
The bad news is entering Monday’s matchup, at just 29.9%, no team has shot worse from three over the past 10 games than the Knicks. The good news? New York — still the third-most efficient offense in basketball — managed to win six of those contests. The real question, after a blowout loss to Oklahoma City at the Garden, is how the Knicks stack up against elite opponents. They have the league’s toughest remaining schedule. — Chris Herring
Memphis has racked up 97 30-point quarters this season, while allowing 121.2 points per game throughout January. But the Grizzlies are 2-4 this month with Ja Morant missing three of those outings due to injury. The latest setback took place Monday, courtesy of the Rockets, who captured a victory despite committing 23 turnovers for 31 Grizzlies points. Memphis led by 13 points with 9:55 left but were outscored 33-20 down the stretch. The Grizzlies will look to close out their four-game road trip in San Antonio, where they’ll face Victor Wembanyama and the surging Spurs twice. — Wright
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2024-25 record: 24-15
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Previous ranking: 7
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Next games: vs. HOU (Jan. 15), @ MIA (Jan. 17), @ ORL (Jan. 19), vs. PHI (Jan. 21)
The Nuggets weren’t sure how things would go when they added Russell Westbrook to the mix in the offseason, hoping the former MVP would bring energy, pace, hustle and playmaking alongside Nikola Jokic. But through nearly 40 games, Westbrook has exceeded every expectation and appears to be getting better in his 18th season. His chemistry with Jokic is impressive, and the Nuggets are 7-3 since inserting Westbrook into the starting lineup on Dec. 27 — the third-best record in the West during that span behind the Thunder (8-1) and Kings (7-1). In his four games entering Tuesday, Westbrook averaged 22.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.7 assists. He made two or more 3’s in a game twice and had four blocks and three steals during that stretch. — Ohm Youngmisuk
Third-year guard Jaden Hardy was a major bright spot for the Mavs during Kyrie Irving‘s five-game absence due to illness and a back injury. Hardy averaged 15.4 points in 22.6 minutes during that span, shooting 49.1% from the floor and 51.9% from 3-point range. The next step in the 22-year-old Hardy’s development: “Consistency,” coach Jason Kidd said. — MacMahon
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2024-25 record: 23-18
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Previous ranking: 10
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Next games: @ MIL (Jan. 15), @ BOS (Jan. 17), vs. DEN (Jan. 19), @ TOR (Jan. 21)
Welcome back, Paolo Banchero! The Magic’s All-Star forward had 34 points Friday against the Bucks in his first game since an oblique strain sidelined him in October. Although that didn’t translate into a victory, Orlando got back in the win column Sunday, beating the 76ers with 20 points from Banchero and 27 from Cole Anthony. Banchero’s return couldn’t have come at a better time for the Magic, who are still without Franz Wagner due to an oblique strain and have seen Jalen Suggs miss the past five games with a back strain. — Kevin Pelton
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2024-25 record: 20-17
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Previous ranking: 8
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Next games: vs. MIA (Jan. 15), vs. BKN (Jan. 17), @ LAC (Jan. 19), vs. WAS (Jan. 21)
The Dorian Finney-Smith trade hasn’t resulted in the immediate returns L.A. hoped it would. The Lakers have gone 2-4 since acquiring the 3-and-D wing, and Monday’s loss to San Antonio was Finney-Smith’s worst performance of the lot, scoring 4 points on 1-for-4 shooting and managing minus-13 in 20 minutes. And obviously, the team’s six-day hiatus because of the Southern California wildfires hasn’t helped either. “It’s been a crazy two weeks since I’ve been in L.A., man,” Finney-Smith said. “I ain’t going to lie to you.” — McMenamin
11. LA Clippers
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2024-25 record: 21-17
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Previous ranking: 9
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Next games: vs. BKN (Jan. 15), @ POR (Jan. 16), vs. LAL (Jan. 19), vs. CHI (Jan. 21)
After losing their first four games at the Intuit Dome, the Clippers finally got comfortable in owner Steve Ballmer’s technological palace, winning 13 of their past 15. Since Nov. 4, only Cleveland (17-2) and Oklahoma City (14-2) have better home records. The defense held Miami to 98 points in the team’s win Monday, the 11th time holding an opponent under 100 points, tied with the Heat and Timberwolves for third most this season. Kawhi Leonard has been back for only three games and has played no more than 21 minutes in any of those contests. But once he gets stronger, the Clippers defense could really take off — it is currently fourth in the league (108.6). — Youngmisuk
12. Indiana Pacers
Indiana went on a six-game winning streak to start January, including a victory over the Cavaliers on Sunday despite guard Tyrese Haliburton missing the second half with a hamstring injury. The Pacers have risen in the East standings during this hot streak to No. 5, but may have to find ways to win without its star guard. Haliburton strained the same hamstring in January 2024 and missed nine of 10 games. — Jamal Collier
13. Milwaukee Bucks
A blowout loss on the road against the Knicks dropped the Bucks to 0-8 against the East’s top-three teams (Cleveland, Boston, New York) this season, prompting star Giannis Antetokounmpo to implore the team to “get our stuff together” after the game. Milwaukee needs to keep racking up wins to protect its place in the standings as it is set to host another East team ahead of the team in the standings, the fifth-seeded Magic, on Wednesday. — Collier
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2024-25 record: 21-18
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Previous ranking: 18
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Next games: vs. GS (Jan. 15), @ NYK (Jan. 17), vs. CLE (Jan. 18), @ MEM (Jan. 20)
Anthony Edwards scored 20 points in the fourth quarter in Monday’s win against the Wizards, finishing with 40 and continuing an impressive hot streak. He’s the third-leading scorer in the NBA since Jan. 4, averaging 33.6 points during that span. The Wolves need him to continue that run as they enter a brutal stretch, facing the Warriors, Knicks, Cavs and Grizzlies in the next week. — Collier
15. Miami Heat
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2024-25 record: 20-18
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Previous ranking: 16
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Next games: @ LAL (Jan. 15), vs. DEN (Jan. 17), vs. SA (Jan. 19), vs. POR (Jan. 21)
Miami wraps up its six-game road trip Wednesday night against the Lakers. All eyes, though, will be on the Heat when they return home Friday night to take on the Nuggets — the first game Jimmy Butler is eligible to return after a seven-game suspension. The drama-filled saga will continue whether or not Butler plays, and if he does, what will that look like? — Bontemps
16. Sacramento Kings
The Kings’ seven-game winning streak under interim coach Doug Christie finally ended with their first loss in 2025 on Tuesday in Milwaukee, but Sacramento remains one of the league’s hottest teams despite a recent three-game absence for star guard De’Aaron Fox. DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis stepped up their play in Fox’s absence for two of the Kings’ best wins all season — including a 17-point win at TD Garden over the defending champion Boston Celtics last Friday. Fox’s return to the lineup didn’t slow Sacramento down in Sunday’s win at Chicago, already the Kings’ fourth by six points or fewer under Christie — more than they had under Brown (three). — Pelton
17. Detroit Pistons
Since the start of 2025, the Pistons can’t stop winning. Their 7-1 record in January, capped by Monday’s impressive victory over the Knicks, is one win away from matching their most in a month since March 2019 — and that came last November, when Detroit was 8-9. Cade Cunningham is averaging 26.5 points on 50% shooting and 8.3 assists in January, continuing his push for a first All-Star appearance, while Malik Beasley‘s 15.8 PPG has helped the Pistons overcome the loss of starting guard Jaden Ivey to a fibula fracture. — Pelton
18. Phoenix Suns
Heading into Tuesday’s game in Atlanta, Phoenix recorded a three-game winning streak, its longest since early November. While it’s too early to tell if Bradley Beal coming off the bench will be a permanent fix, it’s shown some sign of promise. In five games as a reserve, Beal has shot 53% (compared to 48% as a starter), and his scoring has stayed steady at 17.4 points (just a tick down from 17.8 as a starter). More importantly, Phoenix is 4-1 since the shift. — McMenamin
Late-game collapses during a three-game skid left San Antonio seeking redemption heading into their two-game matchup against the Lakers. The Spurs arrived in Los Angeles early Thursday for their first matchup against the Lakers, but didn’t play until Monday due to the wildfires in Southern California. Chris Paul said last week after a loss in Chicago that San Antonio needed to find grit late in games. The Spurs showcased just that, snapping their losing streak against the Lakers and proving the young club is gradually learning what it takes to close contests. Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell each tied for a team-high 23 points in the outing. — Wright
20. Atlanta Hawks
It’s been a rough go for Atlanta since stringing together four consecutive victories to close out 2024, with the Hawks dropping four games since the start of 2025. And as euphoric and heart-stopping as that one win was — Trae Young hit a buzzer-beater from just beyond half court to defeat Utah on the road last week — the fact that it was necessary against the worst team in the West was telling. Atlanta’s been a bottom-three defense since the start of the new year, something it needs to address if it wants to avoid a fourth straight season of the play-in. — Herring
The frustration continues to build in Golden State as the Warriors lost to the nine-win Raptors on Monday without Draymond Green (illness/back), Jonathan Kuminga (ankle), Gary Payton II (calf) and Brandin Podziemski (abdomen). Warriors coach Steve Kerr called this as frustrating a night as they have had, citing a lack of execution and discipline on both ends. He blamed himself. With just over three weeks before the trade deadline, Stephen Curry says the Warriors should not panic and make any “desperate” moves at the expense of the franchise’s future. –Youngmisuk
22. Chicago Bulls
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2024-25 record: 18-22
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Previous ranking: 22
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Next games: vs. ATL (Jan. 15), vs. CHA (Jan. 17), @ POR (Jan. 19), @ LAC (Jan. 21)
The Bulls are getting a healthy version of Zach LaVine this season and he’s posting a career high in field goal (51.7) and 3-point percentage (45.0). LaVine has scored at least 30 points in six straight games, the longest streak of his career. He joins Giannis Antetokounmpo as one of two players this season with a 30-point scoring streak spanning as many games. — Collier
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2024-25 record: 15-23
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Previous ranking: 21
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Next games: vs. NYK (Jan. 15), @ IND (Jan. 18), @ MIL (Jan. 19), @ DEN (Jan. 21)
The next three weeks will define Philadelphia’s season. The 76ers gave a strong effort against the Thunder on Tuesday night, losing a competitive game despite the team’s three All-Stars (Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey) sitting out, as well as several rotation players. But with 11 of the remaining 12 games before the trade deadline being against winning teams, which includes five back-to-back sets, a struggle here for Philadelphia could spell doom for the 76ers’ chances of getting even into the play-in — let alone the playoffs. — Bontemps
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2024-25 record: 13-26
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Previous ranking: 24
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Next games: vs. LAC (Jan. 16), vs. HOU (Jan. 18), vs. CHI (Jan. 19), @ MIA (Jan. 21)
An uneven January continued for the Blazers, who went from having a 19-point win in New Orleans on Wednesday to blowing a 10-point lead with four and a half minutes remaining in Thursday’s six-point loss to Dallas. In the opener of a five-game homestand Saturday, Portland got blown out by the short-handed Heat. One positive has been the consistent play of forward Deni Avdija. Since Dec. 21, Avdija is averaging 18.6 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting better than 50% from the field. — Pelton
25. Brooklyn Nets
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2024-25 record: 14-26
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Previous ranking: 25
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Next games: @ LAC (Jan. 15), @ LAL (Jan. 17), @ OKC (Jan. 19), vs. NYK (Jan. 21)
After dealing away starters Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith, the Nets — who got out to a pleasantly surprising 9-10 start — are starting to fall into preseason expectations. They dropped five straight before beating Portland on Tuesday. — Herring
26. Utah Jazz
Rookie Isaiah Collier had a season-high 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, including the game-winner in the final seconds of overtime in Sunday’s win over the Nets. It was only his second game scoring in double figures, but Collier has recently displayed consistent playmaking ability. He has averaged 7.8 assists as a starter in the past five games, dishing out at least six dimes in each outing. — MacMahon
27. Toronto Raptors
The rest of this season in Toronto is going to be about getting chemistry going between Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley, the team’s two long-term building blocks. Although Quickley has been in Toronto for a full calendar year, because of injuries to Barnes last season and Quickley this season, they’ve barely played together. The Raptors are hoping that will change over the next three months. — Bontemps
Center Mark Williams, who has battled injuries throughout the first three seasons of his NBA tenure, had perhaps the best performance of his young career Sunday, logging 24 points and 16 rebounds in a loss to the Suns. (Though the Hornets did manage to snap a 10-game skid by beating Phoenix in a previous matchup) Still, it’s much easier to live with defeats — particularly during a rebuild — when they can pull off some promising wins. — Herring
Winners of four of their past seven, the Pelicans are off to their second-worst 40-game start in franchise history. However, Trey Murphy III remains a blossoming bright spot. The fourth-year vet produced his third 30-point game of the season in a close loss to Boston on Sunday, which also featured Zion Williamson‘s return from a one-game suspension. Despite Herb Jones being out indefinitely due to a right labrum tear, New Orleans appears to be trending in a positive direction on the injury report with trade candidate Brandon Ingram inching closer to a return. — Wright
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2024-25 record: 6-32
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Previous ranking: 30
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Next games: vs. PHX (Jan. 16), @ GS (Jan. 18), @ SAC (Jan. 19), @ LAL (Jan. 21)
The Wizards have dropped seven straight games, including a 41-point loss to the Thunder on Sunday. Washington will have to endure a six-game West Coast trip in the span of 10 days, starting Saturday, but it should be a good learning experience for the Wizards’ young core. Alexandre Sarr has three double-doubles this month but will be tested against some veteran forwards on this trip, facing Draymond Green, Domantas Sabonis, Anthony Davis, Lauri Markkanen and Dereck Lively II. — Youngmisuk