How will your team perform over the next three NBA seasons?
The Future Power Rankings are ESPN's projection of the on-court success expected for each team over the next three seasons: 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Consider this a convenient way to see the direction in which your favorite team is headed. To determine the Future Power Rankings, we asked ESPN analysts Kevin Pelton, Bobby Marks, Andre' Snellings and Tim Bontemps to rate teams in five categories and rank them relative to the rest of the league.
Since the last version of Future Power Rankings dropped in May, we've gone through an entire postseason with the Milwaukee Bucks emerging as champions. We've also had dramatic turnover on the sidelines with seven teams hiring new head coaches, affecting their management scores.
For an explanation of each category and a full view of how each team did in each category, click here. Each team also received an overall Future Power Rating of 0 to 100, based on how well we expect it to perform over the next three seasons. Here are our latest rankings.
Note: The last version of these rankings dropped in May 2021.
It should come as little surprise that the Brooklyn Nets remain atop these rankings. They feature the Big Three of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving and enter the season as the clear title favorites. The Nets were predictably strong in the player category, having the top rank there, while finishing third in market and eighth in management. Predictably, they were also at the bottom of the league in money (29th) and draft (28th), having positioned themselves to be deep in the tax with few draft picks left under their control. Although the uncertainty over Irving's availability hangs over the franchise, the Nets are still positioned to be the favorite, or one of them, to win the title each of the next three seasons. -- Tim Bontemps
(Previous rank: No. 1)
Coming off its first NBA championship in 50 years, Milwaukee is still short of the top spot, but it has improved from the No. 6 ranking in May. The Bucks have three core players -- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday -- all under contract through at least the 2023-24 season. Because of that, Milwaukee continues to rank No. 2 in the all-important player category. The recent contract extension of coach Mike Budenholzer, shrewd trades by GM Jon Horst and ownership making a commitment to spend deep into the luxury tax has its management group at No. 3. -- Bobby Marks
(Previous rank: No. 6)
Although the Lakers find themselves in the same spot as May, the long-term outlook is a bit shakier after they dealt much of their younger talent for Russell Westbrook on draft night. The Lakers' big three now includes LeBron James (37 in December) and Westbrook (33 in November), suggesting it's here for a good time rather than a long time. For now, however, the strength of the Lakers' roster, a strong rating for management and the top score in market -- useful for attracting quality veterans to play for the minimum -- keep them in third. -- Kevin Pelton
(Previous rank: No. 3)
The Nuggets hold steady in the 4 spot of the rankings as one of the healthiest franchises in the league, based largely upon their outstanding core of young-prime players. Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic is only 26 years old, and his main supporting cast is all players in their low-mid 20s and under contract for multiple seasons. While the new extensions for Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon absorbed much of Denver's financial flexibility and Jokic is next in line for a supermax extension, the team's strong leadership has put together a roster that should allow the Nuggets to contend for the foreseeable future. -- Andre' Snellings
(Previous rank: No. 4)
The Heat jumped up from a tie for 10th to fifth after a busy offseason that saw them land the marquee free agent to change teams this offseason, point guard Kyle Lowry. Adding rugged defender P.J. Tucker will likely make Miami even more of a pain to try to score against. With Lowry, Tucker and Jimmy Butler all in their mid-to-late 30s, this is a team that's going for it right now, with high rankings in management (first) and market (fourth) giving Miami a boost. -- Bontemps
(Previous rank: T-No. 10)
All-Star Chris Paul and backup guard Cameron Payne are under contract through the next three seasons, but Phoenix faces an important decision on rookie extensions for Mikal Bridges, Landry Shamet and 2018 No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton, who is seeking the max. All three players will become restricted free agents if an agreement is not reached by next Monday. James Jones was named executive of the year and Monty Williams finished second in coach of the year, but Phoenix still fell two spots in management. The drop is a result of the stalled negotiations with Ayton (and Bridges) and the concern that owner Robert Sarver will not pay the luxury tax in the future. The last time Phoenix paid the tax was in 2009-10. -- Marks
(Previous rank: No. 9)
The impending return of Klay Thompson from ACL and Achilles injuries that sidelined him the past two full seasons has our panel feeling much more optimistic about the Warriors' prospects than back in May. Golden State is in the top 10 in players, market and management, helping offset the league's worst score in terms of financial flexibility. The Warriors have shown a willingness to pay a sky-high luxury-tax bill, though the team did not use its taxpayer midlevel exception this offseason, opting instead to replace Kelly Oubre Jr. with minimum pickups Nemanja Bjelica, Andre Iguodala and Otto Porter Jr. -- Pelton
(Previous rank: No. 15)
The Jazz have consistently ranked in the bottom half of the top 10 in these rankings, with a stable group of players talented enough to get them well into the playoffs each year but as yet unable to break through to a championship. The Jazz play in a small market, have the sixth-highest team salary in the NBA, and owe two first-round picks over the next four drafts, so their championship aspirations will likely require growth from within. The Jazz were the top seed last season, and Donovan Mitchell's playoff heroics the past two seasons suggest they may already have the players necessary to vault over the hump to true contention. -- Snellings
(Previous rank: No. 8)
Having Kawhi Leonard and Paul George under contract through the 2024-25 season was not enough to keep the Clippers at the No. 2 spot. Leonard underwent surgery in July to repair a partially torn right ACL, and because of his uncertain return this season and what the future holds, the Clippers moved back seven spots to No. 9. The Clippers' front office has done a strong job building out the depth of the roster (Reggie Jackson, Justise Winslow and Nicolas Batum) with limited resources. Despite being void of draft picks, the Clippers have a strong core of young players in Terance Mann, Luke Kennard and recent draft picks Keon Johnson, Jason Preston and Brandon Boston Jr. -- Marks
(Previous rank: No. 2)
It has been a rough few months for the 76ers. They finished the 2020-21 season with the best record in the East but flamed out in the Eastern Conference semifinals by losing Game 7 at home to the Atlanta Hawks. Then All-Star Ben Simmons demanded a trade out of town, and refused to show up for the start of training camp. The tumult around the team saw Philadelphia's rankings drop across the board, including players and management, which both dropped to 11th from seventh and first, respectively. -- Bontemps
(Previous rank: No. 5)
An unexpected playoff run has the Hawks up four spots to (remarkably) their highest placement ever in the 12 years of Future Power Rankings. There's a case to be made Atlanta belongs even higher with a core of young talent in their 20s. The duo of Trae Young and John Collins will stay together long term after both signed new contracts this summer, while our appraisal of Hawks management has improved with interim coach Nate McMillan agreeing to a new deal removing that tag. Expect Atlanta to be in the top 10 the next time we update our FPR. -- Pelton
(Previous rank: No. 16)
The Knicks were feeling great about things back in May, when they were riding high entering the playoffs as a fourth seed in the East and were seventh in these rankings. But a disappointing first-round exit at the hands of the Hawks resulted in a slide to 12th. Still, things are far better in New York than they had been for much of the previous decade, given the Knicks had an average rank of 25th before May. After an offseason in which the Knicks signed Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier, they'll be looking to prove last season wasn't a fluke. -- Bontemps
(Previous rank: No. 7)
The Mavericks slid three slots from the last rankings and have fallen seven spots from their high-water mark in March 2020. Their cap flexibility has dried up and the team is still facing questions as to whether the roster is championship caliber. Luka Doncic is an MVP candidate, but Kristaps Porzingis is locked into a max deal even though health and usage have kept him from producing at that level. The Mavericks used a chunk of their future cap space to re-sign Tim Hardaway Jr., banking that he will continue to develop into a championship-caliber secondary scorer. It will be up to new coach Jason Kidd to coax the maximum output out of this group to determine whether they have what it takes to truly contend. -- Snellings
(Previous rank: T-No. 10)
It was a busy offseason in Boston. Brad Stevens moved upstairs to replace Danny Ainge as president of the team. Stevens then traded Kemba Walker -- plus a first-round pick -- to bring back Al Horford, and hired Ime Udoka to replace him as coach. After all that -- plus trading for Josh Richardson and signing Dennis Schroder on a cut-rate one-year deal -- Boston still finds itself right where it was in the spring: 14th in these rankings, with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and a whole bunch of questions surrounding both of them moving forward. -- Bontemps
(Previous rank: No. 14)
Kyle Lowry's departure for Miami marked the end of an era in Toronto, but the cupboard is far from bare north of the border. Scottie Barnes, the fourth overall pick in July's NBA draft, joins returning veterans Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby. Most importantly, Toronto was able to retain president Masai Ujiri, who signed a new deal this offseason. That, along with coach Nick Nurse, is part of the reason why the Raptors rank second in the management category. -- Bontemps
(Previous rank: T-No. 12)
Despite returning to the playoffs through the play-in tournament, the Grizzlies slid slightly in our rankings because of a mildly disappointing offseason. Memphis used its cap space to facilitate a series of trades that swapped valuable center Jonas Valanciunas for Steven Adams, moving up to 10th to draft Ziaire Williams and adding a future first-rounder. Since Williams is unlikely to help much as a rookie, the result is a weaker-looking Grizzlies roster. We'll see whether the extra draft ammo can ultimately make up for that. For now, Memphis is counting on a healthy Jaren Jackson Jr. to be a difference maker. -- Pelton
(Previous rank: T-No. 12)
The Pacers' failure to reach the postseason for only the second time in 11 seasons did not discourage the FPR committee. In fact, Indiana jumps three spots to No. 17 based largely on the hiring of veteran coach Rick Carlisle and a roster that returns All-Star Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner, Caris LeVert and T.J. McConnell. The downside is that this roster has likely already peaked, and without internal improvement, the current ranking could be the high-water mark for Indiana. -- Marks
(Previous rank: T-No. 20)
By re-signing unrestricted free agent Norman Powell and adding Larry Nance Jr. via trade, the Blazers appear to have upgraded their roster this offseason. Still, there's only one player that really matters to Portland's long-term future: All-NBA guard Damian Lillard. This ranking balances the Blazers' current spot higher in the standings with the possibility of a pivot to a rebuild if and when Lillard decides he'd rather play elsewhere. -- Pelton
(Previous rank: No. 22)
The Bulls had a busy offseason that moved them up four slots, but leaves them still flirting with the bottom third of the rankings. New additions Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan join All-Stars Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic to give the Bulls a solid lineup on paper. But Chicago has to overcome questions as to whether the team is strong enough to contend in the East. The Bulls are right up against the luxury tax this season, and have major decisions to make regarding the future of LaVine, who is currently on an expiring contract. They also owe a future first-round draft pick to the Magic but do have promising young lottery talents in Coby White and Patrick Williams to develop moving forward. -- Snellings
(Previous rank: No. 23)
In LaMelo Ball, the Hornets may have the star they need to lift them up the Future Power Rankings. The 2020 No. 3 overall pick produced ahead of schedule at age 19, winning Rookie of the Year. In the short term, there are still questions about a Charlotte roster that lost Devonte' Graham and added modestly (Kelly Oubre Jr., Mason Plumlee and Ish Smith) this offseason. Going forward, the Hornets have plenty of financial flexibility to reshape their group around Ball's dynamic skills. And they replaced the first-round pick they sent the Knicks to draft Kai Jones with one from the New Orleans Pelicans for Graham. -- Pelton
(Previous rank: No. 17)
The Pelicans have Zion Williamson, a plethora of future first-round picks and a ton of question marks. That pretty much explains why New Orleans remains right in the same area in these rankings after finishing tied for 20th back in May. One area where things predictably slid backward was in management. The firing of Stan Van Gundy played a part in New Orleans dropping from a tie for 20th down to 26th in that category. Still, there's plenty of upward mobility in play here if things go right this season under new coach Willie Green and if Williamson can take a step forward. -- Bontemps
(Previous rank: T-No. 20)
For the first time, San Antonio finds itself in unfamiliar territory: outside of the top 20. Despite a young core that features Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Lonnie Walker IV and Keldon Johnson, the loss of veterans DeMar DeRozan, Patty Mills and Rudy Gay has San Antonio moving from No. 21 to 23 in the player category. The good news is that the Spurs are well positioned with cap flexibility (No. 2) and draft assets (No. 8). That gives them options on how to reshape their roster. -- Marks
(Previous rank: No. 18)
The Thunder's fall outside of the top 20 for only the second time in FPR history is by design. While the roster ranks 29th, Oklahoma City is in the top five in three important categories: draft (No. 1), money (No. 1) and management (No. 5). What the future holds will be dependent on the progression of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the development of Josh Giddey, and most importantly, getting lucky in the May lottery. -- Marks
(Previous rank: No. 19)
The Wizards were as high as No. 12 in these rankings in September 2018 but quickly fell to No. 25 after John Wall tore an Achilles tendon in January 2019. Wall's contract was immediately viewed as one of the worst in the sport, and he was considered practically untradeable. The Wizards were able to trade Wall's contract for Russell Westbrook and have since broken up Westbrook's deal into several smaller, less expensive deals that put financial flexibility back on the horizon. The biggest question for the Wizards is whether their future will contain current franchise player Bradley Beal, whose name is still in trade rumors but has thus far remained committed to the franchise that drafted him. -- Snellings
(Previous rank: No. 25)
The Timberwolves moved up four slots in the rankings after an eventful several months during which the franchise was sold to Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez and conveyed its final draft pick owed to the Warriors. The team is still over the salary cap and right up against the luxury tax, limiting the Timberwolves' flexibility as they consider extensions for Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell. The biggest question, though, is how good the team could be if everyone is healthy and available at the same time. The Timberwolves went 2-0 to start last season with Towns, Russell, rookie Anthony Edwards and Malik Beasley all playing together before Towns' first extended absence. They ended the season 10-9 with all but Beasley playing together. All four are 25 or under, with proven production and high achievable upside. Can they grow into playoff contenders together? -- Snellings
(Previous rank: No. 29)
After showing incremental progress in Monte McNair's first season as GM, highlighted by nabbing All-Rookie First Team pick Tyrese Haliburton at No. 12 overall, the Kings took a step in the wrong direction with a confusing offseason. Despite re-signing starter Richaun Holmes, Sacramento loaded up on veteran centers (Alex Len and Tristan Thompson), moves that don't seem to fit McNair's analytically informed vision. The Kings' management rating also suffers because coach Luke Walton's job is seemingly in permanent jeopardy. Until Sacramento figures that out, a talented backcourt with Haliburton, De'Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield and No. 8 pick Davion Mitchell can only lift the Kings so far. -- Pelton
(Previous rank: No. 24)
Expect the Rockets' ranking near the bottom of the FPR to be a short stay. Although it is uncertain what the future holds with former All-Star John Wall and the $92 million left on his contract, GM Rafael Stone has quietly started to build a sustainable roster. The Rockets rank No. 27 in players but have a young group that could improve quickly, featuring Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., Christian Wood, Alperen Sengun, Usman Garuba, Josh Christopher, Jae'Sean Tate and KJ Martin. The Rockets are also stacked with draft assets (No. 2), including a combined four unprotected first-round picks from Brooklyn and Milwaukee. -- Marks
(Previous rank: No. 27)
The Pistons have some hope for the future after securing Cade Cunningham with the top overall pick in this year's draft. They are more than $14 million below the luxury tax this season, with up to $30 million of projected cap space in 2022. The rebuild is on, with recent draft picks Killian Hayes, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart joining Cunningham and veterans Jerami Grant and Kelly Olynyk in prominent roles. The primary questions are whether Cunningham can develop into a true franchise player, whether Hayes, last year's No. 7 pick, can coexist with Cunningham in the backcourt, and whether the team can build the chemistry that demonstrates they have the core of a future contender. -- Snellings
(Previous rank: No. 26)
Orlando enters Year 1 of a complete rebuild that started in March with the trades of Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic. As a result, the current roster ranks last in the player category. The Magic have seven players on rookie scale contracts and at times this season will resemble more of a college team than an NBA team. Because this is a rebuild and not a retooling of the roster, the Magic rank No. 3 in projected cap space and draft assets. Besides their own likely lottery picks, Orlando has a top-4-protected first from the Bulls in 2023. In addition, the Magic are one of a handful of teams that are projected to have cap space in 2022. -- Marks
(Previous rank: No. 28)
For a third consecutive time, the Cleveland Cavaliers sit dead last in these rankings. Evan Mobley, the No. 3 overall pick in July's draft, provides some optimism for the future. Still, Cleveland ranks 28th in players, 29th in market and 29th in management, a combination that keeps the Cavaliers anchored to the bottom. The conundrum surrounding Kevin Love -- who is owed $60 million this year and next -- continues to hang over a team that's trying to build around its young talent. -- Bontemps
(Previous rank: No. 30)