Note: This is a new, updated version of ESPN's Future Power Rankings of NBA teams. The previous edition ran on March 2, 2010, the second edition launched on Dec. 15, 2009, and the first edition on Nov. 10, 2009.
The Future Power Rankings are ESPN Insider's projection of the on-court success expected for each team during the 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons.
Consider this a convenient way to see the direction your favorite team is headed.
Each of the NBA's 30 teams received an overall Future Power Rating of 0 to 1,000, based on how well we expect each team to perform in the three seasons following this season.
To determine the Future Power Rating, we rated each team in five categories (see table at right).
As you can see, we determined that the most important category is a team's current roster and the future potential of those players -- that category accounts for 40 percent of each team's overall Future Power Rating.
At the same time, we looked at many other factors, such as management, ownership, coaching, a team's spending habits, its cap situation, the reputation of the city and the franchise, and what kind of draft picks we expected the team to have in the future.
With all the big moves around the league this summer, it's time for a new edition of the Future Power Rankings. Two important notes: (1) Now that the NBA calendar has flipped, we are evaluating the 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons; and (2) we are not considering the changes that might be made to the collective bargaining agreement, since there is no way to know how those changes will reshape the league.
We'll roll out our rankings over four days this week.
Here are our current rankings, from 11-30:
Future Power Rankings: 1-5 | 6-10 | 11-15 | 16-20 | 21-25 | 26-30
11. New York Knicks | Future Power Rating: 523
The Knicks didn't hit the home run they were hoping for this summer in free agency, but they still significantly improved their roster. In fact, the Knicks moved up a whopping 12 spots in our player ratings, the most of any team this summer. Of course, the fact that they ranked 27th out of 30 in March puts the major move forward into perspective.
Last season, the Knicks didn't have a lot going for them as they tried to keep the payroll lean in an attempt to lure two superstars to New York. The addition of Amare Stoudemire, Anthony Randolph, Raymond Felton and Ronny Turiaf to holdover Knicks Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Toney Douglas and Bill Walker should make a significant impact in the win column.
But the summer rebuilding effort wasn't enough to propel the Knicks into the overall top 10 in our future rankings. Knicks fans might have been hoping for more after years of waiting, but ranking fourth in the East (11th overall) means that fans should eventually get to see their team win a playoff series for the first time since 2000.
The good news for the Knicks is that the team will retain some cap flexibility in the future. Once Eddy Curry comes off the books next summer, the Knicks should have enough money to make another significant addition (assuming the new CBA allows it) or could use Curry's expiring contract as a trading chip at the deadline.
The bad news for the Knicks is that they paid a high price to get Amare and Co. this summer. The team lost All-Star forward David Lee in the Anthony Randolph swap and traded 2009 lottery pick Jordan Hill in February to create cap space (as part of the Tracy McGrady deal). The Rockets now have the right to swap picks with the Knicks in 2011 and own the Knicks' 2012 first-round pick as well (though it's top-five protected). That has pushed the Knicks to No. 29 in our draft category.
(Previous rank: 16)
12. Sacramento Kings | Future Power Rating: 518
You might be surprised to see the Kings in the top half of the rankings given how the past two years have gone.
The Kings still have several negatives -- a dinosaur of an arena, a tiny market, and a front office that has saddled the team with several bad deals -- but two overwhelming positives have the Kings on the rise.
The first is financial: Sacramento should be well under the cap next year and could be in position to expand its talent base quickly.
The more tantalizing one is the current roster. Sacramento scored DeMarcus Cousins with the fifth pick in the draft and will pair him with 2010 Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans -- meaning it's very possible the Kings somehow got the best player from each of the past two drafts in addition to two other solid contributors in recent drafts, 2009 first-rounder Omri Casspi and 2008 pick Jason Thompson.
We don't know if this is the right organization to keep Evans and Cousins on the straight and narrow, but we do know the team is in a much better position with them on the roster.
(Previous rank: 19)
13. Boston Celtics | Future Power Rating: 517
The defending Eastern Conference champs are showing their age, but Celtics president Danny Ainge spent his summer setting up his veteran team to make two more title runs and then begin rebuilding in 2012.
While the Celtics are likely to remain an elite team in the East in the near future, their long-term potential is still very much up in the air. The Celtics' core of Kevin Garnett (age 34), Paul Pierce (33 in October), Ray Allen (35) and Rajon Rondo (24) is among the best in the league, but age and injuries reduced the C's to a 50-32 record last season and likely will accelerate the team's decline. Adding big man Jermaine O'Neal (32 in October) to replace an injured Kendrick Perkins didn't do anything to move the needle on our Future Power Rankings.
Rondo, Perkins and role players Nate Robinson, Glen Davis and rookie Avery Bradley are the only young talent on hand, and only Rondo seems to be a potential bridge to the next great Celtics era. He's enough to keep the Celtics in the top half of our rankings, but that's all.
(Previous rank: 15)
14. Dallas Mavericks | Future Power Rating: 515
The Mavericks continue to be more of a "now" team than a team looking to the future, which explains their low-ish ranking for a contender.
The Dallas core is aging, with Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry and Brendan Haywood all 30 or older, past their prime and likely to provide diminishing returns in future seasons. Two other potential impact players for the Mavs -- Caron Butler and Tyson Chandler -- are also no longer youngsters and will be free agents next summer. Their future with the Mavs is still up in the air.
The Mavs' up-and-comers consist of one guy: 21-year-old point guard Rodrigue Beaubois, whose potential is still a question mark.
On the financial front, the free-spending Mavs are projected to be over the salary cap until 2011 or, more likely, 2012.
The good news for Dallas fans is that owner Mark Cuban is creative and has perpetually found ways to keep the Mavs competitive. After 10 consecutive seasons with 50 or more wins, this is a hard franchise to count out.
(Previous rank: 11)
15. New Jersey Nets | Future Power Rating: 514
The Nets had the worst record in the NBA last season, and almost the worst in history. But everything was supposed to change this summer, with the arrival of a new, billionaire owner, loads of salary-cap space and the groundbreaking for a new arena in Brooklyn.
As it turns out, the summer of the Nets never really happened. The team struck out with all the major free agents, team president Rod Thorn retired, and the team, while stronger than it was last season, still doesn't look like a playoff contender.
Furthermore, the Nets made two hires that are getting mixed reviews. New coach Avery Johnson had an amazing win-loss record in Dallas, but his personality grated on players and he has already made his presence felt within the Nets' embryonic new front office. Meanwhile, Billy King is the new general manager, but his track record doesn't give him the authority to rein in Johnson.
So how do the Nets still rank in the top 15? Two reasons: talent and the opportunity to add more.
Brook Lopez could become an All-Star center, while point guard Devin Harris seems to have regained his stride. Courtney Lee and Terrence Williams have shown promise on the wings.
Also, the Nets made significant additions this summer. Rookie Derrick Favors has a chance to be special if the Nets are patient. Free-agent signees Travis Outlaw, Anthony Morrow and Jordan Farmar will add some much-needed depth to the core.
Furthermore, the Nets should have about $15 million in salary-cap space next summer, and an owner who won't be shy about spending it. And they likely will be able to add another lottery pick to their up-and-coming roster of talent.
(Previous rank: 18)
Future Power Rankings: 1-5 | 6-10 | 11-15 | 16-20 | 21-25 | 26-30
• Chad Ford: On Twitter | On ESPN.com | On TrueHoop | E-mail
• John Hollinger: On Twitter | On ESPN.com | On TrueHoop | E-mail
• Follow ESPN.com's NBA coverage on Twitter