The “Top 10” is relative in any context, whether Billboard’s Hot 100, any pageant of note, the Associated Press’ season-ending college football poll — or this, the opinions of one reasonably informed dope on who’s had a good 2022 offseason.
So, don’t go crazy if you see your favorite team here. It’s not a guarantee of on-court success next season. But it does mean I think there’s significant improvement coming soon. Could be from impact draft picks. Could be from shrewd trades. But your teams did good.
What to know about these rankings
As this just covers the offseason, here’s what these rankings ARE NOT:
• A predicted order of finish for next season.
These are not “power rankings” as you have come to understand them. I am not saying the Sacramento Kings, for example, are now better than the Warriors, just because I thought Sacramento had a more impactful offseason. The Kings aren’t as good as the Dubs, so they had a lot more work to do to improve their roster. (This graph is for the “Tim F.s” of the world or similar — who, invariably, leave a version of the following in the comments every year, after reading the rankings and completely ignoring the context of the exercise: “Kings better than the Warriors, lol.”)
Accordingly, as I say every year:
• If your team is ranked in the top 10, it doesn’t mean I love your team.
• If your team is ranked in the bottom 10, it doesn’t mean I hate your team.
There’s just one question: Is the team better now than at the end of last season? The ranking reflects the belief on whether, and how much, that is so. (I liked certain guys who were in the draft more than others, for example, so if your team took them, I probably weighed it more positively. Doesn’t mean I’m right.)
Also:
• This isn’t science. It’s an educated guess. Giannis Antetokounmpo or Nikola Jokić would fit in anywhere, but most additions have to make sense for their new teams.
• Rebuilding teams obviously have different priorities than teams making a championship run; teams that fixed obvious roster weaknesses get credit, while teams that ignored or didn’t address clear deficiencies probably get dinged a little.
• A rebuilding team with a lot of cap space can make a lot of moves, but do they make sense? And a contending team that continues to go deep into the luxury/repeater tax — which most teams try to avoid — should be commended, and is so here.
• Injuries, obviously, matter. The Milwaukee Bucks aren’t as good without Khris Middleton. Not Milwaukee’s or Middleton’s fault, but … injuries happen. Conversely, getting a key guy back after he missed time last year is a boost: See Denver, which should get Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. back on the court next season.
• Continuity matters here as well. The more successful teams usually not only identify a core group of players but also keep them together. It may also make more sense for other teams to keep their powder dry for another day.
So, here we go.
Salary numbers, with a couple of exceptions, come from Spotrac, which stays on top of this stuff as well as anyone east of Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report/Basketball Insiders/NBA TV. Draft pick details from both Spotrac and Real GM.
10. Detroit Pistons
2021-22 record: 23-59; did not make playoffs
Added: F Kevin Knox (two years, $6M); G Rodney McGruder (one year, $2.29M); C Nerlens Noel (acquired from New York); G Alec Burks (acquired from New York); G Jaden Ivey (first round, fifth pick); F/C Jalen Duren (draft rights acquired from Charlotte); G/F Gabriele Procida (draft rights acquired from Portland); G Buddy Boeheim (two-way); 2022 second-round pick, 2025 first-round pick, 2026 second-round pick swap (acquired from Portland); 2023, 2024 second-round picks (acquired from New York)
Lost: F Jerami Grant (traded to Portland); G Kemba Walker (bought out after being acquired from New York); G Nikola Radičević (traded to New York); C Ismaël Kamagate (draft rights traded to Portland); C Luka Garza (team declined 2022-23 option); G Frank Jackson (team declined 2022-23 option); G Carsen Edwards (team declined 2022-23 option); 2025 first- and second-round picks (traded to New York)
Retained: F Marvin Bagley (three years, $37.5M); G Cory Joseph (player option, $5.1M); G Hamidou Diallo (team option, $5.2M)
Extended: None
Returning from Injury: None
The Skinny: They did not do what many thought they were planning — to offer a max offer sheet to Deandre Ayton. Instead, Detroit and New York swapped a whole lot of spare parts and future draft picks. At the end of it all, though, the Pistons got the player with the biggest upside in Duren, the Memphis freshman big credibly compared to Chris Webber pre-draft. The Pistons also, finally, dealt Grant, whose likely extension in the next 12 months didn’t gibe with Detroit’s timeline. There was a belief that Grant would bring back a huge haul, but the modest package the Pistons got from Portland (highlighted by a 2025 first-rounder via Milwaukee) was more realistic.
Detroit’s biggest upgrade, though, was getting Ivey, who fell to Detroit in the first round after Sacramento went with Iowa forward Keegan Murray. Ivey projects as a great complement alongside Cade Cunningham in what should be one of the league’s best young backcourts. Indeed, Detroit may now have the best collection of under-25 talent — Cunningham, Ivey, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and Duren — in the league. One caveat: other than bringing in Burks, who shot 40 percent from deep last season, the Pistons didn’t really address their woeful 3-point shooting (.326, 29th in the league last season). And can Dwane Casey play Burks big minutes while getting Ivey’s development curve going?
9. Houston Rockets
2021-22 record: 20-62; did not make playoffs
Added: C Boban Marjanović (acquired from Dallas); G Sterling Brown (acquired from Dallas); G Trey Burke (acquired from Dallas); F Marquese Chriss (acquired from Dallas): F Jabari Smith Jr. (first round, third pick); F Tari Eason (first round, 17th pick); G TyTy Washington (draft rights acquired from Minnesota); G Trevor Hudgens (two-way); F Bruno Fernando (Exhibit 10); 2025, 2027 second-round picks (acquired from Minnesota)
Lost: PF/C Christian Wood (traded to Dallas); G John Wall (reached contract buyout with team; signed with Clippers); G Wendell Moore Jr. (draft rights traded to Minnesota)
Retained: F Jae’Sean Tate (three years, $22.1M)
Extended: None
Returning from Injury: None
The Skinny: Smith was linked to Orlando for weeks with the No. 1 pick before the Magic took Paolo Banchero. So talent is not an issue with Smith, the 6-10 elite-potential marksman from Auburn, who should step right in as a starter alongside Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr. and Tate. He should immediately help Houston, plainly awful at both ends of the court last season (26th in offensive rating; 29th in defensive rating), and especially from deep. The Rockets were great at taking 3-point attempts last season (.448 on percentage of total FG attempts from 3, fourth-best in the league), not so great at converting them (.349 in 3-point percentage, 21st overall). Eason and Washington both flashed during Las Vegas Summer League and will provide emerging depth alongside second-year mean Josh Christopher and Usman Garuba. Houston clearly soured quickly on Wood, a heralded sign and trade pickup from Detroit just two years ago, taking a bunch of bodies from the Mavs rather than investing further in him. That brings us to second-year big man Alperen Şengün, who’s likely to step into most of those Wood minutes next season.
8. Oklahoma City Thunder
2021-22 record: 24-58; did not make playoffs
Added: C Chet Holmgren (first round, second pick); F Jalen Williams (first round, 12th pick); F/C Ousmane Dieng (draft rights acquired from Knicks); C Jaylin Williams (second round, 34th pick); 2023 first-round pick (from New York via Detroit); 2023 first-round pick (from New York via Washington); 2023 first-round pick (from New York via Denver); 2027 first-round pick (acquired from Denver); F Jerome Omoruyi (two-way)
Lost: F JaMychal Green (waived via buyout); F Isaiah Roby (waived); F Peyton Watson (draft rights traded to Denver); 2022, 2023 second-round picks (traded to Denver)
Retained: G/F Luguentz Dort (five years, $82.5M); F Mike Muscala (one year, $2.6M); F/C Derrick Favors (player option, $10.1M)
Extended: F Kenrich Williams (four years, $27.1M)
Returning from Injury: G Vit Krejčí (arthroscopic knee surgery); G Ty Jerome (sports hernia surgery)
The Skinny: Maybe, OKC is, now, more into roster construction and retention than asset flipping. Dort and Kenrich Williams have joined Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on long-term extensions; Josh Giddey and Holmgren will certainly join them in a couple of years. And the Thunder still controls an always-replenishing stockpile of future firsts (not even counting pick swaps, OKC still has four first-round picks, including its own, in 2024; three firsts in ’25 and three firsts in ’26). If Holmgren turns into the Next Big Thing (pun unintended), the Thunder will have any number of ways to add around him, SGA, Giddey, Dort and Aleksej Pokuševski. Dieng is a longer-term play with potential; both Jalen and Jaylin Williams could contribute sooner.
7. Portland Trail Blazers
2021-22 record: 27-55; did not make playoffs
Added: F Jerami Grant (acquired from Detroit); G Gary Payton II (three years, $26.1M); G Shaedon Sharpe (first round, seventh pick); C Ismaël Kamagate (draft rights acquired from Detroit); F Jabari Walker (second round, 57th pick); F Norvel Pelle (Exhibit 10); G Isaiah Miller (Exhibit 10); G Jared Rhoden (Exhibit 10)
Lost: F Joe Ingles (signed with Milwaukee); G Eric Bledsoe (waived); 2025 first-round pick (traded to Detroit); 2022 and 2026 second-round picks (traded to Detroit)
Retained: G Anfernee Simons (four years, $100M); C Jusuf Nurkić (four years, $70M); F Drew Eubanks (one year, $1.9M)
Extended: G Damian Lillard (two years, $121.7M)
Returning from Injury: Lillard (abdomen); F Nassir Little (core muscle surgery)
The Skinny: GM Joe Cronin, raised up to the top spot in the Rose City after former GM Neil Olshey was ousted last December, made good on his plan to surround Lillard with more length and defensive potential. Portland completed its long-rumored acquisition of Grant and didn’t give up all that much to get a 20-point scorer who plays multiple positions. Payton’s two-way chops were on display for the NBA champs; getting him from Golden State while, again, not giving up the store was solid work. Sharpe is a big “if,” though, having not played at all for Kentucky during his one season in Lexington. There were any number of safer ways to go with such a high pick that would have leaned in further to defense and switchability; Cronin’s betting big on Sharpe’s upside. But the most important thing is Portland’s moves seem to have kept its superstar happy and put any potential wanderlust on his part in check.
6. Sacramento Kings
2021-22 record: 30-52; did not make playoffs.
Added: G Kevin Huerter (acquired from Atlanta); G Malik Monk (two years, $19.4M); G Matthew Dellavedova (one year, $2.6M); F KZ Okpala (two years); F Keegan Murray (first round, fourth pick); F Chima Moneke (two years, $2.7M); 2024, 2028 second-round picks (acquired from Dallas); hired coach Mike Brown
Lost: G Justin Holiday (traded to Atlanta); F Maurice Harkless (traded to Atlanta); G Donte DiVincenzo (signed with Golden State); C Damian Jones (signed with Lakers); G Jaden Hardy (draft rights traded to Dallas); fired coach Alvin Gentry; 2024 first-round pick (traded to Atlanta)
Retained: F Trey Lyles (team option, $2.6M); C Neemias Queta (two-way)
Extended: None
Returning from Injury: Murray (right wrist surgery)
The Skinny: In win-now mode, with multiple executives nearing the end of their current contracts, the Kings did well to address their sickly (.344, 24th in the league) 3-point percentage. Monk (.391 in L.A. last season) and Huerter (.389 in Atlanta) are just what the doctor ordered, pumping desperately needed spacing into Sacto’s half-court offense through which De’Aaron Fox can better maneuver. (Bringing in both, and in particular Monk — Fox’s teammate at Kentucky — should also remove all reason for Fox not to become more personally involved at the defensive end.) The Kings then made the right call for them at No. 4 in the draft with Murray, a wildly productive wing at Iowa who should find plentiful frontcourt minutes in Sac with Harrison Barnes. Add Domantas Sabonis in the middle, and a pretty potent offensive group is coming into focus. It will be Brown’s job to put some teeth into the squad at the other end; the Kings haven’t been in the top half of the league in defensive rating since 2005-06, and they’ve only cracked the top 20 once during that stretch! Geesh. After all the crap basketball they’ve endured for more than a decade, Kings fans deserve a playoff run next season. A real one.
5. Minnesota Timberwolves
2021-2022 record: 46-36; lost in first round
Added: C Rudy Gobert (acquired from Utah); F Kyle Anderson (two years, $18M); G Austin Rivers (one year, $2.9M); G Bryn Forbes (one year, $2.9M); F/G Wendell Moore, Jr. (draft rights acquired from Dallas); F Josh Minott (draft rights acquired from Charlotte); G Matteo Spagnolo (second round, 50th pick); G A.J. Lawson (two-way); F C.J. Elleby (Exhibit 10): 2023 second-round pick (acquired from Memphis); 2026 second-round pick (via pick swap with Indiana); hired Tim Connelly as president of basketball operations
Lost: G Patrick Beverley (traded to Utah); G Malik Beasley (traded to Utah); G Leandro Bolmaro (traded to Utah); F Jarred Vanderbilt (traded to Utah); C Walker Kessler (draft rights traded to Utah); G Trey McGowens (draft rights traded to Charlotte); F Jake LaRavia (draft rights traded to Memphis); G TyTy Washington (draft rights traded to Houston); F Kendall Brown (draft rights traded to Indiana); 2023, 2025, 2027, 2029 first-round picks (traded to Utah); 2026 pick swap with Utah; 2025, 2027 second-round picks (traded to Houston)
Retained: F Nathan Knight (two years, $3.8M); C Naz Reid (team option, $1.9M); G Jaylen Nowell (team option, $1.9M)
Extended: F Karl-Anthony Towns (four years, $224 million); F Taurean Prince (two years, $14.5M)
Returning from Injury: Towns (stem-cell injection in knees)
The Skinny: Did the Wolves give up too much for the 30-year-old Gobert? Without question. Was it the right move for the Wolves to make, given their inability to attract impact free agents? Without question. Both things can be, and are, true at the same time. Gobert is a true needle-mover, who’ll drastically improve Minnesota’s interior D and take pressure off Karl-Anthony Towns, a notorious fouler, to have to guard elite opposing bigs. Incoming majority governors Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez were determined to make a big splash upon entry to the Twin Cities, and they did; this includes extracting Connelly from Denver, where he built a terrific core without needing a top-three pick. I low-key love bringing SloMo to town as well; his skills as a secondary ballhandler and playmaker should mesh perfectly with Anthony Edwards’ and D’Angelo Russell’s natures as scorers rather than distributors. The massive outlay of picks for Gobert, though, mortgages the franchise’s immediate future. And we all know the troubles Utah had keeping Gobert on the floor in recent playoff series. It’s a problem, though, that Minnesota, which went 13 straight years (2006-18) without a postseason berth, would love to deal with during the remainder of Gobert’s prime.
4. Denver Nuggets
2021-22 record: 48-34; lost in first round
Added: G/F Bruce Brown (two years, $13.2M); C DeAndre Jordan (one year, $2.9M); F Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (acquired from Washington); G Ish Smith (acquired from Washington); G/F Christian Braun (first round, 21st pick); F Peyton Watson (draft rights acquired from Oklahoma City); 2022, 2023 second-round picks (acquired from Oklahoma City); 2024 second-round pick (acquired from Portland); G Collin Gillespie (two-way); F Jack White (two-way); F Adonis Arms (two-way); G Kellan Grady (Exhibit 10); named Calvin Booth president of basketball operations
Lost: G Monté Morris (traded to Washington); G/F Will Barton (traded to Washington); F JaMychal Green (traded to Oklahoma City); G Austin Rivers (signed with Minnesota); G Bryn Forbes (signed with Minnesota); C Ismaël Kamagate (draft rights traded to Portland); 2027 first-round pick (traded to Oklahoma City); former president of basketball operations Tim Connelly left for Minnesota
Retained: F Jeff Green (player option, $4.5M); F Vlatko Čančar (three years, $6.8M); G Devon Reed (two years, $3.9M)
Extended: C Nikola Jokić (five years, $270M); Caldwell-Pope (two years, $30.1M)
Returning from Injury: G Jamal Murray (torn ACL); F Michael Porter Jr. (back surgery)
The Skinny: The Nuggets were impressive in rejiggering their roster around their two-time league MVP. KCP (38 percent on 3s his last five seasons) is as solid a 3-and-D guy as there is, well worth the cost of Morris, whose starting days at the point in Denver were behind him with Murray’s imminent return, and Barton, who’d fallen out of favor. Brown brings exquisite off-ball production at a very reasonable cost. Braun could earn some rotation minutes early. But none of this matters, of course, if Murray and Porter don’t return to form. It’s clear the Nuggets are only going to spend so much behind Jokić and Murray and Porter, so let’s all get used to continued roster churn around them in the years to come.
3. Boston Celtics
2021-22 record: 51-31; lost in NBA Finals
Added: G Malcolm Brogdon (acquired from Indiana); F Danilo Gallinari (two years, $13.2M); G JD Davison (second round, 53rd pick); F Mfiondu Kabengele (two-way)
Lost: C Daniel Theis (traded to Indiana); F Aaron Nesmith (traded to Indiana); G Nik Stauskas (traded to Indiana); F Malik Fitts (traded to Indiana); F Juwan Morgan (traded to Indiana); 2023 first-round pick (traded to Indiana)
Retained: C Luke Kornet (two years, $4.5M); F Sam Hauser (three years, $5.6M)
Extended: None
Returning from Injury: None
The Skinny: Getting better minutes on the ball than the Celtics got in the finals from Marcus Smart was key, and acquiring Brogdon should shore that up. This isn’t a criticism of Smart, who is as vital to Boston as Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown; it’s just a recognition of his limitations as a playmaker. He’s a scorer with the ball. Brogdon can score but is much more impactful as a team’s quarterback. The two of them could actually be terrific together in smaller-ball lineups with Brown at the three. (That is, uh, if Brown isn’t moved for Kevin Durant — which, by the way, would be a no-brainer move for Boston. How is this even controversial?) And Brogdon will only enhance Boston’s best-in-the-league defense. Gallinari still showed some offensive pop with the Hawks, and Lord knows Boston could use more consistent scoring in reserve.
2. Atlanta Hawks
2021-22 record: 43-39; lost in first round
Added: G Dejounte Murray (acquired from San Antonio); F Maurice Harkless (acquired from Sacramento); G Justin Holiday (acquired from Sacramento); C Frank Kaminsky (one year, $2.4M); G Aaron Holiday (one year, $1.9M); F A.J. Griffin (first round, 16th pick); G Tyrese Martin (draft rights acquired from Golden State); 2024 first-round pick (acquired from Sacramento)
Lost: F Danilo Gallinari (traded to San Antonio); G Kevin Huerter (traded to Sacramento); C Jock Landale (traded to Phoenix after being acquired from San Antonio); G Delon Wright (signed with Washington); F Kevin Knox (signed with Detroit); F/C Gorgui Dieng (signed with San Antonio); G Sharife Cooper (waived); G Ryan Rollins (draft rights traded to Golden State); 2023 first-round pick (traded to San Antonio via Charlotte); 2025, 2027 first-round picks (traded to San Antonio); 2026 first-round pick (swap rights traded to San Antonio)
Retained: None
Extended: None
Returning from Injury: F Bogdan Bogdanović (knee)
The Skinny: We like big swings around here, especially by teams that are good — but not quite good enough to truly contend. So we love the Hawks leaning into Trae Young’s superstardom by getting him a young Jrue-like second in Murray, who made his first All-Star team last season and gives Atlanta a wildly athletic and ridiculously young (23 and 25, respectively) backcourt. Don’t know that Atlanta will ever be an elite defense, but Murray should keep opponents from relentlessly hunting Young on D. There are still questions going forward, to be sure. What will happen with John Collins, obviously on the trade block? Does his situation get resolved by training camp? And, while Murray shot under league average on 3s (.327) in San Antonio, Huerter clocked in at 39 percent last season and never shot less than .363 in his four seasons with the Hawks. Can Bogdanović and De’Andre Hunter, who’ve both missed large chunks of the last two seasons in Atlanta with injuries, stay healthy longer?
1. Philadelphia 76ers
2021-22 record: 51-31; lost in second round
Added: F P.J. Tucker (three years, $33.3M); G Danuel House Jr. (two years, $8.4M); F De’Anthony Melton (acquired from Memphis); G Trevelin Queen (two years, $3.5M); F Michael Foster Jr. (Exhibit 10)
Lost: G Danny Green (traded to Memphis); C DeAndre Jordan (signed with Denver); F David Roddy (draft rights traded to Memphis)
Retained: G James Harden (two years, $68.8M); G Shake Milton (team option, $1.9M)
Extended: None
Returning from Injury: C Joel Embiid (index finger/thumb surgery); Harden (hamstring)
The Skinny: Whether or not there’s a handshake extension for Harden coming — or an unpleasant encounter with the NBA looming — the Sixers did strong work this offseason. Relationships matter and Harden going way below market value to give president of basketball operations Daryl Morey more maneuverability to add to the roster was a testament to the alliance the two have forged over the years. With Harden accepting a financial haircut, Morey added all manner of perimeter toughness and D with Tucker and Melton.
Doc Rivers will have much better two-way options in 2022-’23 than he had last season. Tucker hit a spectacular .415 on 3s last season, and, as we always note, is criminally underrated as a rebounder; House shot the exact same percentage as Tucker during his 25-game stint in Utah, and Melton was more than credible (.374) from deep for the Grizzlies, on the highest volume of his career. So those swing-swing passes that wound up in the hands of Matisse Thybulle and Georges Niang against Miami in the playoffs should produce different outcomes next year. The Sixers’ title hopes still rest on Harden’s physique and Embiid’s health, though. That doesn’t change. Nor does the fact that Philly really will miss Seth Curry in the years to come. But scared money doesn’t make money.
(Top photo: Art by Wes McCabe / The Athletic; Chet Holmgren by Nathaniel S. Butler / Getty Images; Rudy Gobert by Alex Goodlett / Getty Images; James Harden: Garrett Ellwood / Getty Images)
