In the first regular season edition of our NBA Power Rankings, a sleeping giant may have awoken in the West and the Cleveland Cavaliers are ready for contention.
It's been nearly two weeks of the NBA's regular season and there are already plenty of storylines that have been built in both the Western and Eastern Conference. It's still early and the sample sizes are small but there remains plenty of intrigue in the league beyond the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference. As we get deeper into the regular season, that is only going to grow. As we sit heading into the second month of the season, we introduce the first edition of our regular season NBA Power Rankings.
30. Utah Jazz
It might just be me, but I'm completely surprised with how the Utah Jazz have looked this season. I didn't expect them to be world-beaters this year but I also didn't expect them to be 0-5 through nearly the first two weeks of the season. The Jazz has put themselves into a deep early-season hole and while they can still climb out of it, this start is going to be this team at a big disadvantage in potentially competing for a spot in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament.
Aside from Lauri Markkanen, there's little certainty on this roster. Perhaps most jarring is the fact that none of the other young core players on this roster have made the early-season jump in their game that perhaps some in the front office believe was coming. Specifically, Keyone George has been somewhat disappointing to begin the year as he's off to an extremely inefficient start to the year.
29. Detroit Pistons
I'm surprised with how the Utah Jazz have looked to begin the year. I wouldn't say the same about the Detroit Pistons, but I am concerned about this team's general outlook for the future. Aside from Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey, who is off to a hot start to the year, the Pistons don't have many other reliable building blocks on the roster. Or at least they shouldn't be completely sold on any of them yet.
Because of that, I wouldn't be surprised if the front office made a bold move in potentially adding a veteran star in an attempt to expedite this team's rebuild. While that may or may not be the right move in the long run, you can't help but wonder how that could completely change this team's future. The Pistons were on the right path with a plethora of talented young players on their roster. For one reason or another, it just hasn't panned out. In what is, like, year five of their rebuild, the Pistons have made little progress. And the impatience could already been overwhelming for the front office.