Once again drunk with the power granted to me by Sports Illustrated, it’s time to officially decree the most and least entertaining teams in the NBA. There is no formula here. This is my opinion and my opinion alone. I am sorry in advance if your team is boring. To the degree that there is any kind of coherent method here, this list leans in favor of high-octane offense, new faces in new places and star talent. Does that mean I won’t contradict myself at some point? Of course not. So with my chaotic energy firmly established, here are SI’s unchallenged and airtight entertainment value rankings for the upcoming NBA season.
30. Utah Jazz
29. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs and Jazz have most earnestly thrown themselves into the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes by stripping their rosters in the summer. The Jazz have the added insult of arguably the worst uniforms in pro sports. I will be watching these teams only out of professional obligation.
28. Indiana Pacers
Outside of Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin, things get pretty bleak here. Buddy Hield and Myles Turner are as good as gone, too.
27. Charlotte Hornets
LaMelo Ball is going to miss the start of the season, and I have a feeling the Hornets will be extra cautious with him this year (so they can tank). If Ball is not on the floor much, this team has a pretty moribund vibe.
26. New York Knicks
A slow, plodding, boring offense. I don’t think Jalen Brunson is going to change that overnight. If Tom Thibodeau actually trusted the young players on this team they could be interesting.
25. Washington Wizards
Possibly competent yet ultimately irrelevant. The Bradley Beal scoring numbers feel pointless now. And we’ve been burned by Kristaps Porziņģis too many times before to get our hopes up.
24. Oklahoma City Thunder
The presence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey (as well as Poku and Lu Dort) elevates the Thunder from the rest of the tank squad. Also, OKC always wins three games it had no business winning against an actual contender.
23. Houston Rockets
The Rockets won’t win many games, but they’ll run the NBA equivalent of a Division III college football Air Raid offense: a bunch of gunners and intriguing young players.
22. Detroit Pistons
21. Orlando Magic
Detroit and Orlando could be frisky this year! Both teams feature some budding stars (Cade Cunningham, Paolo Banchero) and some League Pass supporting cast favorites (Cole Anthony, Saddiq Bey, Franz Wagner).
20. Sacramento Kings
Honestly, we’re already to the point at which all of the remaining teams will have a few redeeming qualities. The De’Aaron Fox–Domantas Sabonis combo could be fun, and Keegan Murray is a sneaky Rookie of the Year candidate. A possible playoff chase down the stretch would make this team exciting.
19. Chicago Bulls
DeMar DeRozan is a threat to hit a game-winning shot on any given night, a healthy Zach LaVine can jump out of the gym, and Alex Caruso is very difficult not to root for.
18. Portland Trail Blazers
This is a bet on Damian Lillard, a player worth staying up late for on the East Coast. Though I’m iffy on the playoff prospects, I am completely sold on Dame coming back and launching 35-footers. Also, the jerseys are immaculate, quite possibly the best in the sport.
17. Los Angeles Lakers
If a Russell Westbrook trade happens, and if LeBron and AD are healthy, then this ranking is too low. Those are some serious ifs, however. And outside of the top two players, this patchwork roster doesn’t exactly scream beautiful basketball.
16. Phoenix Suns
The high baseline of the Suns’ effectiveness makes it difficult to put them lower than 16. Even if you hate Chris Paul, he’s still incredibly compelling. Nothing about Phoenix may leap off the page, but its night-to-night desire to compete is a welcome sight in the regular season.
15. Miami Heat
Two top 20 players in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, and an offense that while not always sexy stands out in the sea of spread pick-and-roll attacks. Like the Suns, the Heat get after it every night. And every now and then they are good for a ridiculous three-point shooting display.
14. Boston Celtics
Jayson Tatum’s sidestep three is one of the smoothest shots in the NBA, and it’s very satisfying to watch if your team is not going up against Boston. The Celts are also one of the rare teams worth watching for defense alone. Even without Rob Williams III, watching Boston switch all actions and defend every inch of the floor can often be very thrilling.
13. Atlanta Hawks
Trae Young always makes sure this team is putting up points, and this year Dejounte Murray is in the mix as well. Part of the fun will be watching to see if Young and Murray can will their talents into a proper partnership. Either way, there will be points.
12. Minnesota Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards is worth the price of admission alone. That’s before you add in the curiosity factor of seeing how Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert will work in lineups together. With this team now facing real expectations, there will be a palpable pressure to Wolves games that hasn’t existed for years.
11. Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers would probably be a lot higher if not for their load management strategy with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. On paper, this team should play an enticing, modern version of basketball, with tons of length, shooting and ballhandling at every position.
10. Toronto Raptors
The Raptors are kind of like a less starry version of the Clippers, only even more committed to wonky small-ball lineups and a general chaos mindset from Nick Nurse. It’s like this team is willing to try any strategy to win a regular-season game. And keep an eye on a possible Scottie Barnes leap.
9. Milwaukee Bucks
Their best player is nicknamed “The Greek Freak” for a reason. As long as he’s in his athletic prime, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s team has to be in the top 10 of my rankings.
8. Philadelphia 76ers
A full season of in-shape James Harden and I-deserved-MVP Joel Embiid should make the Sixers appointment viewing. If Harden and Embiid click, not only will it be fun to watch two MVP-level talents on a nightly basis, Philly could end up in the top spot in the East.
7. Dallas Mavericks
It doesn’t really matter who else is on this team. Put the ball in Luka Dončić’s hands, and I want to see what he does with it.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers
This team is so fun. The backcourt of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell has the potential to be one of the best in the league. And the frontcourt of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen is putting offenses in hell every night. The Cavs’ size makes them unique, and now with four possible All-Stars in the starting lineup, they have serious “team on the rise” vibes. This year is your last chance to get in close to the ground floor.
5. Memphis Grizzlies
Ja Morant is pound for pound the most efficient highlight machine in the NBA right now. It is equal parts terrifying and awe-inspiring watching Ja take flight in the lane. Memphis’s brash attitude only adds to the experience.
4. Brooklyn Nets
Could the Nets go up in flames? Absolutely. Would that also be fascinating to watch? No question. Brooklyn’s drama aside, this team still has Kyrie Irving’s handles, Kevin Durant’s shotmaking and the mystery of Ben Simmons. Something weird is always going on here. I can’t look away.
3. Golden State Warriors
This will hopefully be our first full season of Steph, Klay and Dray since 2019. It could also be our last? You will never regret turning on your television and seeing Curry.
2. Denver Nuggets
With Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. back, I will be surprised if the Nuggets don’t have the best offense in the NBA this season. I am expecting shootout after shootout. And between the passing and the Sombor Shuffle, Nikola Jokić is second only to Morant in generating the kind of highlight you have to watch 15 times in a row when you first find out about it.
1. New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans check all of my personal boxes. An up-and-coming team. A bunch of scorers, including two perimeter studs in CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram. A mean streak. Hipster faves like Herb Jones and Jose “Grand Theft” Alvarado. As well as a deeply motivated Zion Williamson. How could you not be excited about the thought of this team coming together and trying to throw a wrench into the Western Conference?
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