‘Race to the Title’ Power Rankings

Teams can be on any number of paths - contention, building, rebuilding, tearing down, mired in mediocrity or climbing up to it.

These rankings will look at the ‘purest’ form of metrics - winning a title. I won’t be taking into account pick caches or rebuilding plans. I am only interested in the best of the best, and their pursuits for a title.


1. Los Angeles Lakers

Wembanyama has moved to the West and joined a stacked team. Kawhi, Zion, Amen Thompson provide a quartet to rival any team. At the precipice - but what do they do with Rozier? Justin is mad with focus.

2. Washington Wizards

The Champions didn’t change anything, and that might be a great thing. Ageing, but still intact, they might still be the best team when all are healthy. LeBron swansong? Joshua could still be the first GM to go back-to-back.

3. San Antonio Spurs

If Giannis is healthy, so are the Spurs. They continue to build complementary, giant rosters around the 2k-god, and continue to be a title threat. They stayed tall and capable, and Nels always lands on his feet with his elite feel for strategy.

4. Milwaukee Bucks
This is the best Bucks team during the Ethan-reign, with a starting five as good as any other. SGA remains arguably the best 2k player we have, and they are a top–tier title threat.

5. Utah Jazz

It might be the last hurrah for this Jazz build, but if they stay healthy, they are a tier-one threat. With Embiid falling apart, it is an IF, but IFs happen. They have the talent to win a title.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers
Shams will be glad to know I haven’t ranked them in obscurity (for maybe the first time); they are firmly in the title race. Steph looks as young and dominant as ever in the NBA. Randle and Barnes are elite second options. This team fits together so well.

7. New York Knicks
No one flicks a switch like Smokey. Worst record last season, top ten power-ranking position. Kevin Durant makes anyone a playoff team, but the great support cast means NY means business. GM-history plays here.

8. Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia is ugly-great. Despite a lack of sex appeal in name value, I am very high on their team and the impact they will have in 2k. They won 50 games last year, and through Ben’s supreme dealing, are unequivocally better.

9. Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets have renovated last year’s already talented team, arguably boasting more talent and depth for the upcoming season. I think if the 2k chemistry is kind to this roster make up (Bam at C, Siakam at PF), they can be really good.

10. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers shook the foundations of the NSL world when they traded a potential-GOAT in Wemby. Sure, they got back a star guard and potential star big, but the shockwaves still continue to ripple. Personally, I love what the Pacers have built, as they aim for homecourt in the playoffs.

11. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Cake Man, latest GM to join our great league, starts off his tenure being in the enviable position of running one of the best-placed teams in the league. OKC are young with star power and fit. Disaster-aside, playoffs are a lock, even for a rookie.

12. Denver Nuggets

Rinse and repeat for Digga and the Nuggets. The team doesn’t deviate too much from the norm, typically just shuffling the bench pieces around their great core of Mitchell, Sabonis, MPJ and Klay. They will finish around their typical 5-6 range in the West.

13. Chicago Bulls
Can the Bulls tap into some of that ‘Chemistry Juice’ that the Cavaliers have been drinking? On paper, after some savvy moves, the fit looks extremely efficient and complementary to Lamelo Ball. If he plays 70+ games, I think the Bulls could really jump into pre-contention.

14. Los Angeles Clippers
I hope Andrew can hear me… I love the Clippers roster. This NEEDS to be the season that Andrew laces up his boots and grits his teeth, as the Clippers are ready to start taking names and kicking ass. If I can share wisdom: when you have a great team - don’t waste the window.

15. New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans are revamping their roster to a run-and-gun, offensive-centric build around Luka Doncic. Luka looks raring to go and might get to 99 overall this season, he is playing that otherworldly. Leeroy’s team has misfired for a few seasons now, and he desperately wants to build some momentum.

16. Toronto Raptors
Dylan, the Professor, has lodged paperwork to officially change the Raptors moniker to the Kn1cks. Brunson and KAT create a 90-rated tandem, which is rare in the NSL and a luxury to have two engines that can pull the train. Lots of work needed in FA, though.

17. Memphis Grizzlies
Rootsey appears to be hungry to get the Grizzlies back into the black, after a few seasons of pretty poor results compared to what most expected. They have been incredible with roster building in that time, and the team and talent is percolating. Playoffs? I reckon!

18. Miami Heat
The NSL Godfather, pistolpk, has been starved of NSL success through his time as our NSL Pat Riley. Similar to Riles, pistol has a way of seeing the game, playing the game and building the roster. Fans want results, and this is the season that pistol takes the gloves off and starts fighting.

19. Brooklyn Nets

Is this the year the Nets give their fans something to cheer about? On paper, this team can be a playoff team. They are dinged a head start due to past misfires, but Nets can experience playoff basketball in ‘26.

20. Houston Rockets

No Hali and no bench will mean the Rockets rely solely on Jokic and Maxey. This could be a good thing, because they are both stars. Rockets could climb, but it might be a gap year. What will Vitt do?

21. Sacramento Kings

The People’s Kangz have taken some gut-punches over the off-season but have survived to win the latter rounds. Some believe this team will surprise and push for the playoffs. Pray!

22. Minnesota Timberwolves

Shay enters his second season in the GM-seat with more questions around his team than his inaugural season. Paul George replaced Jimmy Butler, and he is out hurt. D’Angelo Russell will leave. Val stayed (mercifully).

23. Golden State Warriors
Daz is one of the few GMs who knows what it takes to win a title. For all Daz’ brilliance, can a team led by Jordan Poole and Tobias Harris threaten the playoffs? Maybe? Maybe not?

24. Atlanta Hawks
Bulldog is lowkey an MVP candidate on the Discord forums, but is his team a MI candidate? He boasts depth and smart players. What can they produce? Just remember, I picked the Cavs in the 20s last year.

25. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons roster has undergone a retool and now possesses quite a young core. The problem with that is, they don’t have their own pick. Zubac and Schroeder might push this team towards the play-in, though.

26. Phoenix Suns

Phoenix hit the reboot (again) and have walked away with some good young rookies, some wily scoring veterans and kept their boy Shaedon Sharpe. They will scrap for wins. What can this team do? 

27. Portland Trailblazers

Portland are right in the downswing of a rebuild and are all about blooding their young core guys like Flagg and Harper, and seeing what the product is. Miller and Nembhard are already hurt, as well as Strus (and Dame). 

28. Boston Celtics
No Jayson Tatum due to injury, no Darius Garland due to trade, and the Celtics have a roster full of young players. If Toby wants to press for wins, they will be higher.

29. Dallas Mavericks

The team is talented, for sure, but are they too immature to push for the play in? Is their GM wanting to achieve? I am trying to light a fire under Dallas, here.

30. Orlando Magic
This team was carried by Kyrie in previous seasons, and without Kyrie for likely the whole season, this young team, trying to figure out its direction, will struggle.