NBA power rankings: Which team rises five spots post trade deadline?
The NBA trading deadline has come and gone and a handful of teams improved their positioning for the back half of the 2025-26 NBA season.
And with the NBA All-Star break coming up at the end of the week, it will offer teams a bit of a respite and chance to recharge before the grind continues.
The most fascinating teams to watch are the ones who bought before the deadline — the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Charlotte Hornets, for example — to see whether their moves can lead to tangible gains in the future.
Here are USA TODAY Sports’ NBA power rankings after Week 15 of the 2025-26 regular season:
USA TODAY Sports NBA power rankings
Note: Records and stats through Feb. 8. Parentheses show movement from last week’s rankings.
NBA Week 16 power rankings: Top 10
1. Detroit Pistons, 38-13 (—)
2. Oklahoma City Thunder, 40-13 (—)
3. San Antonio Spurs, 36-16 (+1)
4. New York Knicks, 34-19 (+5)
5. Boston Celtics, 34-19 (—)
6. Denver Nuggets, 34-19 (-3)
7. Houston Rockets, 32-19 (—)
8. Los Angeles Lakers, 32-19 (—)
9. Cleveland Cavaliers, 32-21 (+1)
10. Toronto Raptors, 32-22 (-4)
The Thunder continue to show vulnerabilities, especially now that reigning Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is set to miss time. Oklahoma City has lost five of its last eight games, including the last two without Gilgeous-Alexander. The Knicks have posted massive victories against the Raptors, Lakers, Nuggets and Celtics over the last week, so they move up, but a loss against Detroit shows why the Pistons remain at the top.
And the Cavaliers, with their fascinating trade for James Harden, now have to back up their decision to go all-in on this build; the Cavs have won eight of their last nine, though the competition hasn’t necessarily been that impressive.
NBA Week 16 power rankings: Nos. 11-20
11. Minnesota Timberwolves, 32-22 (+1)
12. Phoenix Suns, 31-22 (+1)
13. Philadelphia 76ers, 30-22 (+1)
14. Golden State Warriors, 28-25 (-3)
15. Orlando Magic, 27-24 (+4)
16. Los Angeles Clippers, 25-27 (+2)
17. Miami Heat, 28-26 (-2)
18. Charlotte Hornets, 25-28 (+4)
19. Atlanta Hawks, 26-28 (+1)
20. Portland Trail Blazers, 25-28 (-3)
The Timberwolves have lost three of their last four, but they move up a spot mostly because the teams below them haven’t necessarily capitalized. Still, defense is a massive concern, as Minnesota ranks 29th in defensive rating (125.5) over its last four games.
The middle of the Eastern Conference is seemingly a group of teams — the Magic, Heat and Hawks — rotating in and out. But it’s the hottest team in the NBA, the Charlotte Hornets, who have won nine consecutive games, who are big risers. Charlotte ranks first in offensive rating (120.8) and second in net rating (13.2) over the last nine games.
NBA Week 16 power rankings: Nos. 21-30
21. Chicago Bulls, 24-29 (-5)
22. Milwaukee Bucks, 21-29 (+2)
23. Memphis Grizzlies, 20-31 (—)
24. Dallas Mavericks, 19-33 (-3)
25. Utah Jazz, 16-37 (—)
26. New Orleans Pelicans, 14-40 (—)
27. Brooklyn Nets, 14-37 (—)
28. Washington Wizards, 14-38 (+2)
29. Indiana Pacers, 13-40 (-1)
30. Sacramento Kings, 12-42 (-1)
The Mavericks have gotten excellent performances from Cooper Flagg, but the trade of Anthony Davis signals that rebuild is fully in action. The Bucks got a big win by staying patient in the trading deadline, and the addition of Cam Thomas should bolster scoring. But can the Bucks make a tangible push for the playoffs once Giannis Antetokounmpo returns?
And the poor Kings are in absolute free fall, losers of 12 consecutive games. They struggle to defend, made a head-scratching move before the deadline and simply don’t have a tangible direction for their future.