There wasn’t much question on who would top these NBA Power Rankings because the Suns are steamrolling the league. The interesting thing around the league right now is trade talk, and we delve into that with a number of teams.
1. Suns (41-9, Last Week No. 1). How good are the Suns? They went 13-1 in January and that is their second best month so far (16-0 November). The Suns don’t look like a team that needs a roster upgrade, but they are trying to trade Dario Saric (out with an ACL tear) and his $9 million contract for help on the wing. Eric Gordon is one name to watch in that mix (but the Suns would have to send out a pick, too). Phoenix starts a four-game road trip in Atlanta Thursday that includes playing the Bulls and 76ers.
2. Warriors (39-13, LW 3). Winners of seven in a row, and they are doing it with balance — top 10 in the NBA in offense and defense over their last eight games — and with a lot of help from role players such as Jordan Poole, who had 31 against the Spurs. Draymond Green will certainly get the nod as an All-Star Game reserve from the coaches, but whether he plays or sits out to rest his back/calf injury is up in the air (although the smart money is on him sitting out).
3. 76ers (31-19, LW 8). Fans in Philadelphia are going to throw a party when Ben Simmons is finally traded, but that may end up being a summer BBQ party rather than one in February. Of course Simmons trade rumors will fly all over the place for the next eight days — how about for Bradley Beal in Washington — but Morey himself said a trade was “less likely than likely” before the deadline, and most sources around the league tell NBC Sports that it will take a radical shift by another team or the 76ers (or both) to get a deal done before the deadline.
4. Grizzlies (35-18, LW 5). Are the Grizzlies locked in as the No. 3 seed in the West this season? They are 4 games up on the No. 4 seed Jazz and 4.5 games back of the No. 2 seed Warriors. The Grizzlies have the easiest remaining schedule in the NBA, they are more likely to move up than down, but they would need the Warriors or Suns to stumble and help them out. Whatever happens, the Grizzlies will keep putting on a show nightly. Like when Desmond Bane chased down and blocked a Spencer Dinwiddie dunk, which became a Ja Morant windmill dunk on the other end (the bucket did count after a review).
THE GRIZZLIES ARE SHOWING OUT 😱 pic.twitter.com/skXZyqJVvU
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 30, 2022
5. Heat (32-20, LW 2). Will the Heat have any representatives at the All-Star Game in Cleveland in a few weeks? Probably, it’s hard to imagine the coaches will not pick Jimmy Butler as a reserve, but he’s missed considerable time the first half of the season, so anything is possible. Bam Adebayo certainly is an All-Star level player, but he’s only played in 27 games. Is that enough? The Heat have lost three in a row — one in triple-OT to the Raptors — and are now 0-2 to open their six-game road trip (which does get easier from here).
6. Cavaliers (31-21, LW 7). Cleveland is active at the deadline trying to bring in more depth, but their best trade chip is the contract of Ricky Rubio (out for the season due to a knee injury). That alone is not going to land them Caris LeVert, or even Eric Gordon. The Cavaliers sit as the No. 4 seed in the East and one reason to think they can hold on to that seed and host a first-round playoff game is they have the easiest remaining schedule of any team in the top six in the conference.
7. Bucks (32-21, LW 4). When Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday are all on the court together this season, the Bucks still have a +11.7 net rating, which isn’t that far off the +12.9 they were last regular season, on their way to the title. However, it sure didn’t look like that when the Bucks got blown out by 36 by the Nuggets Sunday, despite all three being on the court together for that one. “People are coming for us. People are hunting us right now. They get excited when they see, `Milwaukee Bucks, world champs.’ We’ve got to play every single night hard and build that habit,” Antetokounmpo said.
8. Mavericks (29-22, LW 9). Dallas is an interesting team to watch heading into the trade deadline. Teams are calling and asking about Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith, but the Mavericks have no intention of trading either unless an offer blows their doors off, reports Marc Stein in his newsletter. Dallas’ defense has been good this season but the offense around Luka Doncic is not enough to be a title contender, and can they trust Kristaps Porzingis to be there every night. Dallas needs a real No. 2, but that is more likely an offseason move than a deadline one.
09. Bulls (32-18, LW 12). Look for Chicago to add some depth at the trade deadline, maybe Dennis Schroder out of Boston, maybe veteran Paul Millsap for the front line, but someone. The Bulls defense is still struggling with Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso out injured, but a soft stretch of the schedule has allowed them to win 4-of-5 and climb back on top of the Eastern Conference. Also, Zach LaVine is a lock to be an All-Star reserve.
10. Nuggets (28-22, LW 11). While an East Coast center is getting all the recent MVP buzz, if there was a vote today Nikola Jokic likely would win back-to-back awards. He has seven triple-doubles in January while averaging 26.6 points, 13.2 rebounds and 9 assists a game. And he sparked a five-game winning streak, which came to an end Tuesday night in Minnesota. The Nuggets are 4-1 so far on their six-game road trip, with a game against a (likely shorthanded) Utah team on Wednesday closing it out.
11. Jazz (30-21, LW 6). The Jazz have lost five in a row and went 4-12 in January, much of that due to injuries (Joe Ingles is now out for the season with a torn ACL, Donovan Mitchell has missed the last 7 games due to a concussion, Rudy Gobert the last four with a calf strain), but the rough month also has exposed other concerns. One remains dealing with or having a small ball lineup — Rudy Gay was supposed to solve that problem, but Gay at center lineups have a -17.9 net rating. Utah will get healthy and should hold on to a top-six seed, but keeping a top-four seed and home court in the first round will be tougher. Fivethirtyeight.com projects the Jazz to finish with 50 wins, but for the Nuggets to have 49 and the Mavericks to have 48. That’s not much margin for error.
12. Nets (29-21, LW 10). The Nets have gone 2-6 since Kevin Durant went out with a sprained knee, and the problem has been the defense, which has a 118.3 net rating in those games (28th in the league). The offense, with James Harden and Kyrie Irving, has held up well, it’s getting stops that’s a problem. Brooklyn is still working to find a new home for Paul Millsap via trade, although it’s more likely the team ultimately just buys him out (the Lakers and Bulls are rumored potential landing spots).
13. Celtics (27-25, LW 14). A lot of trade buzz around the Celtics heading into the deadline, with the team looking for players to help build around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown (not trade one of that duo). Point guard Dennis Schroder will likely be dealt (Chicago? That’s a hot rumor) and Josh Richardson rumors are ever-present. Some teams have called about Marcus Smart as well, but it would take an offer that would blow Brad Stevens away to get him out of Green. The Celtics have won 4-of-5 and have a soft schedule for a week, a chance to climb up the Eastern standings a little.
14. Hornets (28-23, LW 13). Will Charlotte have a representative in the All-Star Game? Yes… but it will be as an injury replacement. Probably. LaMelo Ball is on the cusp; he was my first-out when Dan Feldman and I named our All-Star reserves, it’s possible the coaches put him in, but if not someone has to replace Kevin Durant (who is out) and anyone else from the East who can’t play, and LaMelo Ball has the most fan votes of anyone not likely selected. Adam Silver, when naming replacements, tends to follow the fan vote. So, one way or another LaMelo likely plays. He’s also headlining the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday night. You can make a case that Miles Bridges deserves to be an All-Star, but a lot of things will need to happen first for that to become a reality.
15. Raptors (26-23, LW 16). Toronto is playing its best basketball of the season of late, having won three in a row — two over Miami and once over Atlanta — and they have won 5-of-7. They have a top-10 defense during that stretch, which is fueling the wins. The Raptors will make at least one trade at the deadline, finding a new home for Goran Dragic, and likely bringing back a player who makes a few million less in the process to help them get under the luxury tax line.
16. Hawks (24-26 LW 18). Atlanta is the streakiest team in the NBA. In November, they lost six straight, then turned around and won seven straight. In January, they lost five in a row before bouncing back with another seven-game winning streak (that streak died at the hands of the Raptors Monday). The Hawks are doing it on both ends with a top-5 offense and defense over their last eight games. That win streak quieted trade talk around the Hawks, John Collins may ultimately still want out of town but that looks more like an off-season thing now.
17. Timberwolves (26-25, LW 15). Some Patrick Beverley trade talk bouncing around the league as good Timberwolves team pushes to make the postseason (they sit as the No. 7 seed, top spot in the play-in, but it’s going to be tough to climb up the 2.5 games to sixth and avoid the play-in without some help). They could use a strong defender at the point guard if they move Beverley out. Karl-Anthony Towns is all but a lock to be named an All-Star reserve by the coaches, he has earned it with his play this season.
18. Clippers (26-27, LW 20). The Clippers — without Kawhi Leonard all season and now without Paul George for an extended time — have formed an identity of a gritty, tough team to play against, and they are one game up on that team down the hall (who has yet to form an identity). Credit coach Tyronn Lue for that, he has done a masterful job this season (even if he’s not going to get Coach of the Year votes). No word yet on if Paul George will have surgery, but any moves the Clippers make at the trade deadline will be about next season, not this one.
19. Knicks (24-27, LW 19). New York traded for Cam Reddish, but he hasn’t been able to crack Tom Thibodeau’s rotation. Which has the Knicks front office looking to trade a perimeter player — Evan Fournier, Alec Burks, Kemba Walker — so that Thibodeau is forced to play Reddish. Sitting 11th in the East and with the teams just above them playing well (Toronto, Atlanta, etc.), the Knicks need some wins, but it’s going to be tough with their schedule coming up. Wednesday night they host the Grizzlies, then they head out West for five games, including the Jazz and Warriors.
20. Lakers (24-27, LW 17). It’s hard to find a bright spot right now with Los Angeles. They went 2-4 on their Grammys road trip, and the come-from-ahead loss to the Hawks on Sunday was particularly a tough blow — it was a league-leading 11th time the Lakers have blown a double-digit lead and lost this season. LeBron James has knee soreness that has him out, and the buzz around the league is he may sit out until after the All-Star break to get it right. However, the Lakers have lost three straight without him and are 5-10 on the season when he sits. The Lakers appear destined to be a play-in team. Again.
21. Trail Blazers (21-30, LW 22). One of the hottest names on the trade rumor mill, expect Portland to make moves — yes, plural — before the deadline. There is a lot of interest from contenders in Robert Covington, but the names of Ben McLemore and Jusuf Nurkic are bouncing around as well. Then there is the CJ McCollum talk. It’s not clear if interim GM Joe Cronin has the power to blow up the Trail Blazers backcourt, and even if he does there’s little evidence any team (including the Pelicans) is offering near enough to get serious consideration for that move.
22. Spurs (19-33, LW 24). San Antonio is the unluckiest team in the league, they have the point differential of a 25-27 team, but they are 7-17 in clutch games (within five points in the final five minutes) with a -17.8 net rating in those minutes. Don’t expect any big trade deadline moves from the Spurs, while they have interest in John Collins in Atlanta they are not going to meet the Hawks’ current asking prices. That’s more of an offseason/draft day kind of discussion.
23. Wizards (23-27, LW 21). Washington is stumbling toward the trade deadline, and that only ramps up the speculation that they could shift course and trade Bradley Beal. That’s not happening unless Beal himself asks out, and he has not wanted to do that (even though there are reports the Wizards 13-24 play after a fast start has him disillusioned). The Wizards have been active in the trade market, showing interest in Domantas Sabonis (but his asking price may be too high) and testing the market to see what Montrezl Harrell‘s value is. Owner Ted Leonsis wants to make the postseason, so expect some kind of shake-up.
24. Pacers (19-33, LW 26). While the Pacers made headlines saying their trio of Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, and Caris LeVert could be available, but the reality is far less interesting. Turner’s injury (stress reaction in his foot) has dampened his market considerably, teams are unsure how much he can help this season. The asking price for Sabonis — a good young player and one or two first-round picks (depending on how good they are) — is proving more than the market will pay. That leaves LeVert as the player likely traded from the Pacers, but they still want a first-round pick and a player for him, and that may be too much.
25. Pelicans (19-32, LW 23). Brandon Ingram returned to action Tuesday night and, predictably, the Pelicans got the win. New Orleans is 17-20 this season in games Ingram plays and 2-12 when he does not. Ingram has played well enough this season to be an All-Star — 22.5 points and 6 rebounds a game — but whether the West coaches will pick him considering New Orleans’ record remains to be seen. A lot of talk about the Pelicans wanting to trade for CJ McCollum, but would an offer of a lot of first-round draft picks (from Lakers and Bucks trades) plus a combination of Jaxson Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kira Lewis Jr. get it done for a Blazers team wanting to win now around Damian Lillard?
26. Magic 11-41, LW 29). Orlando has won 3-of-5 and its not a coincidence that has happened as they got healthy and got their best starting five back — Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr. and Mo Bamba. Suggs has played better since returning from injury and is showing real promise. He, Anthony, and Wagner will all be in the Rising Stars game in Cleveland during All-Star Weekend, and they deserve it.
27. Kings (18-34, LW 25). Here are two things that are true: 1) The Kings have lost 7 in a row and 12-of-14, and now sit 13th in the West 3.5 games out of even the last play-in spot in the conference; 2) The Kings are looking to be buyers at the trade deadline because they want to make a push up the standings and get at least into the play-in. The Kings have been linked to Jerami Grant, Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner and others in trade talks. Harrison Barnes is among the players available (and a number of teams are interested in him). Whether or not thinking short-term is the smart move for the Kings, it’s the direction owner Vivek Ranadive wants to go.
28. Pistons (12-38, LW 28). Jerami Grant trade rumors are all over the league. The Wizards and Kings are possible landing spots, they have young players and picks to send back, and they can provide Grant with the prominent offensive role he seeks. Grant will not get traded to a contender to be a third option, he would push back against that role and has some leverage with his contract extension. Detroit may have lost 5-of-6, but give them credit for a quality win over the Cavaliers on Sunday.
29. Thunder (15-34, LW 30). The Thunder come up in a lot of trade rumors because they’re the only team that has (or can easily create) cap space, helping facilitate a big trade for someone like a Ben Simmons (if such a trade actually happens), but its not likely any of their players get moved. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is out until at least the All-Star break with a sprained ankle, meaning it is the Josh Giddey show in OKC for a few weeks.
30. Rockets (14-36, LW 27). While speculation about how to pull off a John Wall trade is a fun thought exercise, the reality is it’s far more likely to be Eric Gordon, and maybe Christian Wood, who are on the move in the next 8 days, not Wall. Right now Houston is pushing to get a first-rounder back for Gordon, but that price could come down as the deadline nears. The Rockets have dropped four in a row.
