Offseason Power Rankings: State of East

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After two straight seasons of finishing with a winning record against the West, the Eastern Conference took a big step backward last season, going 191-261 (.423) in interconference games, its worst mark in the last nine years.
But on June 17, it was the East’s Boston Celtics hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy. And while the rest of the conference fell off, the Celtics were one of the best teams in the history of the NBA.
It would be hard to pick any team but the Celtics, who return their entire rotation, to win the championship in the 2024-25 season. But no team has won back-to-back titles since the Golden State Warriors did it in 2017 and ’18. The last time the East won two straight was the Miami Heat in 2011-12 and ’12-13. Plus, some Eastern Conference teams behind the Celtics are going for it, with the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers acquiring Mikal Bridges and Paul George, respectively.
There could certainly be some more player movement between now and opening night. Two years ago, Donovan Mitchell was traded on Sept. 3. And last year, Damian Lillard was traded on Sept. 27, with Jrue Holiday being re-routed to Boston four days later.
We’re still in July, but the time is now to take stock of the Eastern Conference, ranking all 15 teams as they stand, with the usual notes and numbers.
For these offseason rankings, we’re looking at each conference separately and we’ll have Western Conference rankings next Monday. All stats refer to the 2023-24 regular season unless otherwise noted. Last week’s rank is based on how team’s finished in the playoffs, Play-In and regular season.
Previously…
OffRtg: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank)
DefRtg: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
NetRtg: Point differential per 100 possessions (League Rank)
Pace: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank)
The league averaged 114.5 points scored per 100 possessions and 99.2 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes last season.
NBA.com’s Power Rankings, released every Monday during the season, are just one man’s opinion. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, send him an e-mail or contact him via threads.
2023-24 record: 64-18
OffRtg: 122.2 (1) DefRtg: 110.6 (2) NetRtg: +11.7 (1) Pace: 98.0 (19)
Key addition(s): N/A
Key departure(s): N/A
Three numbers to know:
Key question: Do they need to keep their foot on the gas?
The Celtics are running it back, set to return (15) players who logged 93% of their regular-season minutes from last season, the highest rate for a defending champ in the last 10 years. And why not? They were one of the most dominant teams in NBA history.
They still have some questions about their frontline, with Al Horford (who averaged 30 minutes in the playoffs) now 38 years old and Kristaps Porzingis likely to miss a significant stretch at the start of next season. But this still looks like the best team in the league by a healthy margin.
There might not be as many healthy margins as last season, when the Celtics set a record by winning 19 games (17 in the regular season and two in the playoffs) by at least 25 points. But they know how to win in the postseason and should remain the favorite if they’re healthy in the Spring.
2023-24 record: 50-32
OffRtg: 117.3 (7) DefRtg: 112.4 (9) NetRtg: +4.9 (5) Pace: 96.0 (30)
Key addition(s): Mikal Bridges
Key departure(s): Isaiah Hartenstein
Three numbers to know:
Key question: Do they have enough up front?
The Brunson-rebounding-and-defense identity will take a hit with the departure of Hartenstein, who was fourth on the team in total minutes last season. The Knicks’ rebounding percentage was highest (both in the regular season and playoffs) with Mitchell Robinson at the five, but Robinson has played in just 54% of the team’s games over the last two years and isn’t the defender or scorer that Hartenstein is. Team president Leon Rose will certainly look to add another rotation-caliber big man between now and February.
It will be fascinating to see who closes games and how much Julius Randle plays at the five, so the Knicks can put their five best players on the floor. The hope is that Bridges can return to the efficiency of his last two full seasons in Phoenix (true shooting percentage of 64.5%) after registering 57.4% (below league average) over the last two seasons.
2023-24 record: 47-35
OffRtg: 116.2 (14) DefRtg: 113.0 (11) NetRtg: +3.1 (9) Pace: 98.2 (18)
Key addition(s): Paul George, Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon, Reggie Jackson
Key departure(s): Tobias Harris, Nicolas Batum, De’Anthony Melton, Paul Reed
Three numbers to know:
Key question: How good will the bench be?
While Joel Embiid was not 100% in the playoffs, the Sixers still outscored the Knicks by 9.3 points per 100 possessions in his 248 minutes on the floor, with the big man registering a positive plus-minus in three of their four losses. But they got clobbered when Embiid sat, somehow getting outscored by 47 points in his 45 minutes on the bench.
The Sixers should again be dominant when their best players are on the floor, and they now have three stars to stagger so that they’re not sunk by minutes when one or two are on the bench. But if Martin and Kelly Oubre Jr. are the fourth and fifth starters, their key perimeter reserves — Kyle Lowry and Eric Gordon — are a little long in the tooth. So (if there aren’t any more additions) it could be a challenge for coach Nick Nurse to manage both the 82-game season and the postseason rotation.
2023-24 record: 47-35
OffRtg: 120.5 (2) DefRtg: 117.6 (24) NetRtg: +2.9 (10) Pace: 102.2 (2)
Key addition(s): N/A
Key departure(s): N/A
Three numbers to know:
Key question: Can Tyrese Haliburton improve defensively?
Haliburton has become a star who led the Pacers to the league’s biggest offensive improvement last season (+6.7 points scored per 100 possessions) and the most efficient Game 7 performance (130 points on just 92 possessions) in the 28 years for which we have play-by-play data. If the offense remains at the same level as last season (or gets better with the return of Bennedict Mathurin and a full season of Pascal Siakam), the Pacers will be a very good team and a tough out.
The defense saw some improvement throughout last season, ranking 22nd after the trade for Pascal Siakam. But 22nd was not good and Haliburton didn’t hold up well when the Knicks and Celtics picked on him in the playoffs. He needs to be a little bit tougher in pick-and-roll and one-on-one situations.
2023-24 record: 49-33
OffRtg: 117.6 (6) DefRtg: 115.0 (19) NetRtg: +2.6 (11) Pace: 100.5 (8)
Key addition(s): Taurean Prince, Gary Trent Jr., Delon Wright
Key departure(s): Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley
Three numbers to know:
Key question: Can the new vets make a real impact?
The Bucks had a couple of strong stretches last season: 17-3 leading into Christmas and 6-0 out of the All-Star break. But less than half of those 23 wins came against the other 17 teams that finished the season above .500 and they could never sustain a high level of defense.
They outscored their opponents by 16.6 points per 100 possessions in 677 total minutes with Lillard, Middleton, Antetokounmpo and Lopez on the floor together, but struggled when either Lillard or Antetokounmpo were off the floor. Beasley’s 105 corner 3-pointers (second most for any player in the 28 seasons of shot-location data) will be missed, but adding the three new veterans (all on minimum contracts) could help a team that lacked depth last season.
2023-24 record: 48-34
OffRtg: 114.7 (16) DefRtg: 112.1 (7) NetRtg: +2.5 (12) Pace: 97.6 (24)
Key addition(s): N/A
Key departure(s): N/A (Isaac Okoro remains a restricted free agent)
Coaching change: J.B. Bickerstaff out, Kenny Atkinson in
Three numbers to know:
Key question: Can Mobley become a go-to guy?
The Cavs were also much better with Donovan Mitchell on the floor without Darius Garland (plus-9.2 per 100 possessions) than with them on the floor together (plus-2.1). But they got Mitchell’s signature on a contract extension and have the time to see if Atkinson can make the whole more (or at least equal to) the sum of the parts.
It would certainly help if Mobley (one of four 2021 draftees who have gotten a max extension) could make a leap in shooting from outside the paint (31.8% over his career) and creating shots for himself and others. If that happens, this team can be on that second tier in the East with New York and Philly (and maybe Milwaukee).
2023-24 record: 47-35
OffRtg: 112.9 (22) DefRtg: 110.8 (3) NetRtg: +2.2 (14) Pace: 97.4 (27)
Key addition(s): Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Key departure(s): Joe Ingles
Three numbers to know:
Key question: How much internal improvement will there be?
Caldwell-Pope is a great addition and a reliable shooter. But he doesn’t take much of the playmaking burden off the shoulders of Paolo Banchero. The Magic don’t just need better shooters around Banchero and Franz Wagner. They need them to shoot better and score more efficiently, too. Banchero’s true shooting percentage of 54.6% ranked 43rd among 48 players with a usage rate of 25% or higher, while Wagner’s 28.1% from 3-point range ranked last among 281 players with at least 200 attempts.
The Magic will continue to get it done defensively. They ranked third on that end last season, both overall and against the league’s top 10 offenses (112.9 points allowed per 100 possessions). But just how much offensive improvement they get from their two young stars will determine their ability to finish in the top five in the East again.
2023-24 record: 46-36
OffRtg: 113.3 (21) DefRtg: 111.5 (5) NetRtg: +1.8 (17) Pace: 96.9 (29)
Key addition(s): Kel’el Ware
Key departure(s): Caleb Martin, Delon Wright
Three numbers to know:
Key question: From where can they get more offense?
The Heat are one of six teams that have ranked in the bottom 10 offensively in each of the last two seasons. The offense was at its best (116.0 points scored per 100 possessions) with Butler on the floor. While much has been made about his availability, they can’t expect to get much more than the 2,042 regular-season minutes he gave them last season at 34.
They’ll need more production from elsewhere, and the loss of Martin certainly hurts. They can be trusted to rank in the top defensively again (they’ve done so in eight of the last nine years), but they can’t hang with the best teams in the East with another worse-than-average offense. Maybe improvement comes from the continued development of Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic.
2023-24 record: 36-46
OffRtg: 116.4 (12) DefRtg: 118.4 (27) NetRtg: -2.0 (21) Pace: 100.8 (6)
Key addition(s): Zaccharie Risacher, Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance
Key departure(s): Dejounte Murray, Saddiq Bey
Three numbers to know:
Key question: How good is Jalen Johnson?
The offense is now (and again) completely in the hands of Young, one of the league’s best pick-and-roll playmakers. The best offensive numbers in each of the last two seasons were in those minutes in which he was on the floor without Murray. But no matter how good the offense is, the Hawks need to be better defensively, having ranked in the bottom five on defense in four of Young’s six seasons. There’s potential for decent defense with a lineup that includes Daniels, De’Andre Hunter, Johnson and Nance or Onyeka Okongwu.
Johnson has already made a leap. Among 310 players who played at least 10 games in 2022-23 and at least 40 games last season, he saw the second or third biggest jump in minutes, points, rebounds, assists and steals per game. He also saw a jump in efficiency (true shooting percentage), thanks to marked improvement from beyond the arc (from 28.8% to 35.5%). If there’s more to come (Johnson is still just 22 years old), the Hawks have a clearer direction.
2023-24 record: 25-57
OffRtg: 111.8 (24) DefRtg: 118.1 (26) NetRtg: -6.3 (24) Pace: 99.9 (12)
Key addition(s): Davion Mitchell
Key departure(s): Gary Trent Jr.
Three numbers to know:
Key question: Is Barnes a No. 1 guy?
The Raptors have been developing Barnes as a different kind of leading man: one who sometimes handles in pick-and-roll … and sometimes is the roll man … and sometimes works out of the post. He can be a jack of all trades, but can he master any? The varied roles also present a challenge to teammates looking to find their way.
But the Raptors liked the fit with Immanuel Quickley, enough to pay him $175 million over the next five years. Toronto was 4-9 in games that Quickley, Barnes and RJ Barrett played together after the Pascal Siakam trade, outscoring opponents by 6.2 per 100 possessions in 273 minutes with the trio on the floor. This team could be too good to have a good chance at a top-four pick next year, but the ceiling seemingly remains somewhere outside the top-eight in the East.
2023-24 record: 14-68
OffRtg: 109.0 (27) DefRtg: 118.0 (25) NetRtg: -9.0 (29) Pace: 100.5 (9)
Key addition(s): Ron Holland II, Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., Paul Reed
Key departure(s): Troy Brown Jr., Quentin Grimes
Coaching change: Monty Williams out, J.B. Bickerstaff in
Three numbers to know:
Key question: Is there a star among the young guys?
The Pistons have more rotation-caliber veterans to raise the floor. The focus remains on the young core, which will now have a third coach in season No. 3 for Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey. Given how last season went, another opportunity for a reboot is probably a good thing.
Cade Cunningham has a max extension in hand and remains the primary project. He still has a lot to prove, but took a step forward after the All-Star break last season, when he averaged 24.4 points and 7.6 assists with improved efficiency in true shooting percentage and assist/turnover ratio. The Pistons were almost a decent team (minus 0.8 points per 100 possessions) in his 579 minutes on the floor after the break.
2023-24 record: 39-43
OffRtg: 114.0 (19) DefRtg: 115.7 (22) NetRtg: -1.7 (20) Pace: 96.9 (28)
Key addition(s): Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis
Key departure(s): Alex Caruso, DeMar DeRozan, Andre Drummond
Three numbers to know:
Key question: Are they done making moves?
DeRozan was the go-to guy down the stretch of close games and the Bulls were much better in close games (27-17 on those that were within five in the last five minutes) than they were otherwise (12-26). Caruso was the glue, with the Bulls actually outscoring their opponents with him on the floor.
So if they weren’t a very good team with both of those guys last season, what are they now? The best answer may be in the development of Giddey (22 when the season begins), Buzelis (20) and Coby White (24). But if the young guys are the focus, then there will continue to be chatter regarding Zach LaVine (and maybe Nikola Vucevic).
2023-24 record: 21-61
OffRtg: 108.6 (28) DefRtg: 119.2 (29) NetRtg: -10.6 (30) Pace: 97.8 (22)
Key addition(s): Josh Green, Tidjane Salaun
Key departure(s): N/A
Coaching change: Steve Clifford out, Charles Lee in
Three numbers to know:
Key question: Can they use their size to rank move out of the bottom 10 on defense?
If nothing else, the Hornets have the league’s biggest starting backcourt, with two young guys — LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller — listed at 6-foot-7. Ball and Miller played just 361 total minutes (over 19 games) together last season, and the Hornets’ defense was pretty bad (119.1 points allowed per 100 possessions) in those minutes.
But perimeter size can go a long way on defense. So could a coaching change, with Lee arriving after one year in Boston (where the Celtics ranked second defensively) and nine years under Mike Budenholzer (six top-five defenses). If Lee can get buy-in (especially from Ball) on defense, it will be a significant step toward a return to relevance.
2023-24 record: 32-50
OffRtg: 112.4 (23) DefRtg: 115.4 (20) NetRtg: -2.9 (22) Pace: 97.6 (25)
Key addition(s): Bojan Bogdanovic, Ziaire Williams
Key departure(s): Mikal Bridges
Coaching change: Kevin Ollie out, Jordi Fernandez in
Three numbers to know:
Key question: Is one of the second-year guys a keeper?
The Nets could have gone in either direction this summer, but backward was certainly the simpler path, and the retrieval of their own 2025 draft pick makes it a worthwhile endeavor. They’re probably not done dealing and it seems unlikely that Dorian Finney-Smith (player option for 2025-26) will remain on this roster beyond the trade deadline. They can probably be more patient with Cam Johnson, who’s got three more years left on his deal.
The top of next year’s draft is the focus, but the Nets do have three second-year guys with some intrigue. Noah Clowney had a couple of big games down the stretch of last season, Jalen Wilson had a terrific Summer League (21.8 points in 29.4 minutes per game), and Dariq Whitehead (who played in just two games last season) was the No. 2 player in his class coming out of high school. All three should see major minutes in ’24-25.
2023-24 record: 15-67
OffRtg: 110.2 (25) DefRtg: 118.9 (28) NetRtg: -8.7 (27) Pace: 103.1 (1)
Key addition(s): Alexandre Sarr, Bub Carrington, Malcolm Brogdon, Jonas Valanciunas
Key departure(s): Deni Avdija, Tyus Jones
Three numbers to know:
Key question: Can Jordan Poole pick up where he left off?
Sarr had a pretty brutal Summer League, shooting 9-for-47 (19%) over four games. But he’s got plenty of time to find his way. More intriguing in the short term is the progress of last year’s lottery pick, Bilal Coulibaly, who had a surprisingly good rookie season before suffering a wrist fracture in mid-March.
The player in whom the Wizards have the most money invested is Poole, who had a disappointing first season in Washington and is still owed $96 million over the next three years. He was more productive (23.7 points and 6.6 assists per 36 minutes) and efficient (true shooting percentage of 55.8%) after the All-Star break than he was before it (19.3 and 4.5, 51.1%). The Wizards were still pretty terrible (minus-12.0 points per 100 possessions) with Poole on the floor after the break, but they can’t have him return to those pre-break numbers.