NBA Power Rankings: Most important role player for all 30 teams

We're just a few weeks into the 2024-25 NBA season, and we've already seen some memorable homecomings as well as a barrage of superstar injuries.

The Cleveland Cavaliers remain at the top of the pack as the only undefeated team left in the league. While a few other surprise contenders have made waves, such as the Golden State Warriors, who continue to climb the West, and the Brooklyn Nets,who sit near the top of the Eastern standings.

And let's not forget our reigning champions, the Boston Celtics, who are off to a hot start behind a stacked starting five. Their 2024 NBA Finals rival, the Dallas Mavericks, however, are struggling to stay above .500 after a tough early-season schedule.

In addition to our rankings, our NBA insiders picked the most important role player on each team. Which sixth man is making the biggest impact? Who can step up in place of injured superstars? Let's break down where all 30 teams land in this week's Power Rankings.

Note: Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (ESPN's Kendra Andrews, Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Michael Wright, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Ohm Youngmisuk, Chris Herring and Kevin Pelton) think teams belong this season.

Previous rankings: Preseason| Oct. 30| Nov. 5

Jump to a team:

ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE

DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND

LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN

NO | NY | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX

POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTAH | WAS

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

This title could belong to a few different Cleveland substitutes, which only goes to illustrate how deep the 12-0 Cavs really are. But we'll go with Caris LeVert because of his microwave-like ability to get hot, as evidenced by his 12.0 points per game scoring average in 23.4 minutes (shooting 56.3% from the field and 47.2% from 3). New Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson relied on LeVert as a 20-point-per-game guy when they were together in Brooklyn, and that shared history should continue to give him the green light in Cleveland. -- Dave McMenamin

2. Boston Celtics

Payton Pritchard might not get as many headlines as his star-studded teammates do, but he has been an essential part of the Celtics' hot start. Averaging career highs in virtually every category, 16.5 points, 43% from 3 and 47.6% from the field. Pritchard's consistent energy off the bench has been the difference in multiple games -- including in both of Boston's wins over Milwaukee. In one of those, he had a season-high 28-point performance. -- Tim Bontemps

3. Oklahoma City Thunder

Aaron Wiggins is one of three players the Thunder used in the fifth starting spot before Chet Holmgren's injury. The 6-foot-6 forward becomes even more important now that the Thunder must survive with small ball until center Isaiah Hartenstein recovers from his broken hand. Wiggins, the 55th pick of the 2021 draft, is a developmental success story for Oklahoma City. He's a versatile 3-and-D player who is averaging career highs in scoring (10.2), rebounding (4.0), assists (2.2) and minutes (21.5). -- Tim MacMahon

4. Golden State Warriors

Jonathan Kuminga started in the first three games of the season before being moved to the bench, and Kuminga has used this opportunity to give the Warriors a massive punch in the second unit and a unique level of athleticism. The Warriors have also benefited from offseason acquisition Buddy Hield. Hield is shooting 48.8% from 3 and averaging four 3-pointers a game, giving them scoring power off the bench -- something they've been missing in recent seasons. -- Kendra Andrews

5. Denver Nuggets

There is no denying that Russell Westbrook's impact when he is playing well, flying all over the court and defending, is crucial off the bench. And Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther have shown what they can do with bigger roles off the bench, but the Nuggets will need Christian Braun to thrive in his two-way role if they are going to be true contenders -- especially when Aaron Gordon returns. So far, Braun has shown he can shine in the same role Kentavious Caldwell-Pope filled and do it with more aggressive offense. Braun is averaging a career-high 16.3 points, shooting 55.2% from the field, including 50% from 3 and is averaging nearly a block and steal per game. If Braun keeps this up and the youngsters continue to progress, the Nuggets will have a younger and dynamic element to them that could help come playoff time. -- Ohm Youngmisuk

6. Phoenix Suns

RookieRyan Dunngot bumped up to the starting lineup after Kevin Durant went down last week with a left calf strain. While Phoenix lost to the Kings in overtime Sunday, Dunn was able to contribute with 8 points on 4-of-7 shooting, 1 steal and 1 block in 21 minutes. The Suns were tied for No. 1 in the West when Durant went out; Dunn's contributions will be crucial to staying near the top of a difficult conference while the organization waits for its superstar's calf to heal. -- McMenamin

7. Minnesota Timberwolves

As reigning Sixth Man of the Year, Naz Reid is off to a great start. He's averaging 14.1 points and 5.5 rebounds on 54% shooting while knocking down 48% from 3 -- all increases from last season. With Julius Randle, a more traditional power forward, on the roster, Reid has played a lot more at center this season compared to last. Despite the Wolves' rocky start, Reid remains a constant off the bench. -- Jamal Collier

8. Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis' rash of injuries last season might have been a blessing in disguise, as it forced the Grizzlies to acquire and develop unheralded players into key contributors for what's become a deep rotation. Scotty Pippen Jr. signed a standard contract in October after averaging 13 points and 4.7 assists in 21 games last season. Ja Morant's latest injury pushes the 24-year-old into the starting lineup for what could be an extended period. Considering Morant's history with injuries, Pippen serves as an important insurance player that should pair well with Marcus Smart when he returns. -- Michael Wright

9. Dallas Mavericks

Sophomore center Dereck Lively II's value was evident during his four-game absence due to a sprained right shoulder. The Mavs went 1-3 during that stretch, and opposing big men Myles Turner, Jusuf Nurkic and Nikola Jokic presented major problems. Lively will get a shot in the starting lineup at some point this season, according to coach Jason Kidd, and an argument can be made that he's the Mavs' third-most-valuable player despite his current reserve role. -- MacMahon

10. Houston Rockets

Fred VanVleet pointed out Amen Thompson as a summer standout at Rockets media day in September, saying "he actually looks bigger, faster, stronger, more confident, more under control" heading into Year 2. Now, Thompson will take a more prominent role with VanVleet nursing a sore hamstring. He was already Houston's first option off the bench, scoring in double figures in four of his previous six outings going into Monday's matchup. Thompson averages the most minutes (24.1) among Houston's reserves and is expected to receive even more time due to his blossoming play. -- Wright

11. Los Angeles Lakers

D'Angelo Russell's bench role came into focus last week, with coach JJ Redick shuffling his starters in response to L.A.'s 1-4 road trip. The immediate return was positive, with Russell averaging 16.5 points on 52% shooting (38.5% from 3) in two wins, after averaging 12 points on 37.5% shooting (29.2% from 3) with the first unit. Redick said he likes the scoring pop Russell brings to the reserves. And Russell has embraced the assignment. "I'm just committing to it, committing to what the coaches are trying to implement," he said. -- McMenamin

12. New York Knicks

From New York's opening-night contest in Boston, when he notched 22 points on just 10 shots against the defending champs, Miles "Deuce" McBride has stood out as looking increasingly comfortable in his fourth year. His efficiency numbers aren't all that different from a season ago, but the 24-year-old's usage and role are a bit larger; especially with offseason pickup Cameron Payne dealing with an injury. McBride has scored double figures in six of nine games while continuing to play stout defense. -- Chris Herring

13. LA Clippers

Norman Powellarguably has become much more than a role player for the Clippers. With Kawhi Leonard (knee) out and Paul George in Philadelphia, Powell has emerged from the Clippers' valued sixth man to the team's leading scorer. He's averaging 26 points while shooting 52.7% from the field, including a scorching 50.5% from 3-point range. Even when the Clippers have Leonard and Harden together, Powell will remain the most important role player the defensive-minded Clippers need to survive nightly. -- Youngmisuk

14. Indiana Pacers

Injuries have started to decimate the rotation, leaving it without Andrew Nembhard for at least the next two weeks and Aaron Nesmith until December at the earliest. Sunday against New York, Indiana was limited to seven healthy players, and coach Rick Carlisle said some of the team's young role players were going to fill in roles. Jarace Walker, the No. 8 pick in the 2023 draft, did just that and recorded six points, four rebounds and two assists over a season-high 27 minutes in a win on Sunday. If he can continue to give Indiana good minutes, the Pacers are going to have an easier time navigating a roster thinned by injuries. -- Collier

15. Sacramento Kings

Malik Monk, who came in second in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season, was a key contributor off the bench for the Kings until he was sidelined for at least two weeks with a right ankle sprain. The Kings will need the second unit to step up in Monk's absence . Sacramento is second-to-last in bench scoring, averaging just 22.9 points per game. However, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray, De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis have played the most minutes in the NBA so far, leaving little room for rotation. -- Andrews

16. Miami Heat

Jaime Jaquez Jr. has started the season coming off the bench, providing solid production (9.0 points and 7.2 rebounds) and an ability to Swiss Army knife his way into a variety of different roles, depending on what coach Erik Spoelstra needs on a given night. There's certainly a reason to believe Jaquez could eventually displace Nikola Jovic in the starting lineup as he has carried forward his instant fit as an integral part of Miami's rotation from his rookie year last season. -- Bontemps

17. Orlando Magic

With the Magic plagued with injuries -- most notably Paolo Banchero, who is out with a torn right oblique -- Orlando needs more role players to step up to the plate. Last season, Moe Wagner averaged 10.9 points per game on 60.1% shooting -- 33.0% from 3 and 67.3% from the field. He was key in taking their first-round playoff matchup against the Cavaliers to seven games and needs to tap into that fire once again this season to boost a struggling Magic bench. -- Andrews

18. San Antonio Spurs

Sixth man Keldon Johnson would've been the most important role player a season ago. He still provides a scoring spark off the bench, leadership off the floor and is a galvanizing force inside the Spurs locker room. But the current injury situation paired with his scheme versatility thrusts rookie Stephon Castle into the spotlight as San Antonio's most important role player. He's already started three games with Jeremy Sochan out, and he excels equally as an off guard or point guard. -- Wright

19. Brooklyn Nets

Although he's back in the starting lineup, Nic Claxton began the season coming off the bench on reduced minutes as the club sought to gradually ramp up his activity following a hamstring injury. The sixth-year big man, who's been a starter the past four games, has been solid defensively, holding shooters nearly 11 percentage points beneath their average around the basket. -- Herring

20. Milwaukee Bucks

A longtime fan favorite in Milwaukee, Bobby Portis has found himself at the center of the team's struggles. His 12.5 points, 45.4% field goal percentage and 26.7% 3-point percentage are all his lowest in five seasons with the Bucks, a microcosm of how Milwaukee's role players are struggling surrounding their two stars. Portis has been a spark in the past whenever he enters the game, but the Bucks are being outscored by 15.1 points per 100 possessions with Portis on the floor. -- Collier

21. Atlanta Hawks

Onyeka Okongwu has connected on just 20% (3-for-15) of his attempts from the 3-point line, but he is among some fantastic company when it comes to his production in the interior. According to Second Spectrum, only Anthony Davis, Evan Mobley and Karl-Anthony Towns average more points per paint touch than Okongwu's 1.22 this season.-- Herring

22. Philadelphia 76ers

Anyone who saw Guerschon Yabusele play in his first seasons with the Celtics wouldn't expect him to return to the league as a productive player for the 76ers. However, after a stellar run with the French national team this summer, Yabusele has been an essential part of Nick Nurse's rotation -- and could even potentially slide into the starting lineup once the 76ers get whole at power forward. -- Bontemps

23. Charlotte Hornets

Few reserves in the league have been more effective than Tre Mann thus far. Mann, a 23-year-old floor general who joined the Hornets as part of last season's deadline deal that sent Gordon Hayward to Oklahoma City, has grown increasingly confident with the ball. He's pushed his scoring average to almost 15 points -- on similar efficiency to last season -- up from just 11.9 points during his 2023-24 campaign. -- Herring

24. Chicago Bulls

Patrick Williams has been a starter in Chicago for virtually his entire career since the Bulls selected him with the No. 4 pick in the 2020 draft. But as the team transitions to a younger core, they are hoping Williams -- in the first year of a new five-year, $90 million extension -- will take a leap this season. His overall numbers are down, but he has been better since the start of November, averaging 10.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals while recording his first double-double Monday. Chicago gave Williams a contract betting he will play a big role in the team's future; it will be up to him to inspire confidence in that decision. -- Collier

25. Detroit Pistons

Malik Beasley has served as Detroit's sixth starter, averaging more minutes than starting center Jalen Duren and ranking fifth on the team at 12.1 PPG. That only figures to improve if Beasley's 3-point shooting form returns . A 38% career shooter who hit 41% in 2023-24, Beasley has made just 34.5% on his 3s thus far. The bench will soon add second-year lottery pick Ausar Thompson, as ESPN's Shams Charania reported Monday that Thompson has been cleared to play for the first time since March 9 after an issue with blood clots. -- Pelton

26. New Orleans Pelicans

With injuries continuing to strike the Pelicans' backcourt -- now down starters CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray and reserves Jose Alvarado and Jordan Hawkins -- Brandon Boston Jr. has been forced into a starting role and thrived. Boston, a 2021 second-round pick by the Clippers who was claimed by New Orleans off waivers just before opening night, has scored 20-plus points twice after doing so just four times in his first three NBA seasons. That hasn't stopped the short-handed Pelicans from dropping their past five games, including a 107-105 heartbreaker Monday against Brooklyn. -- Pelton

27. Portland Trail Blazers

More than a year after his last game action, Robert Williams III returned from a preseason hamstring strain to put up 13 points in 17 minutes on Friday in Minnesota. Given the Blazers' depth at center, where lottery pick Donovan Clingan has been productive in limited minutes behind starter Deandre Ayton, Williams' ultimate value to the franchise might be proving he's healthy enough to be traded to a contender before the deadline. But Portland's defensive struggles continue, as it has lost in its past two appearances by a combined 70 points. -- Pelton

28. Toronto Raptors

After seeing his playing time drop last season, Chris Boucher -- the last remaining player from the Raptors' 2019 championship team -- didn't figure to be in Toronto's long-term plans. He's responded this season by averaging a career-high 11.5 PPG, boosting his usage while continuing to score at high efficiency. Given the Raptors sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, Boucher could be an interesting trade target on an expiring contract that pays him a reasonable $10.8 million this season. -- Pelton

29. Washington Wizards

Draymond Green noticed it from almost the very beginning of the Warriors-Wizards game last week: Carlton Carrington likes to talk trash and he, along with fellow talker Kyshawn George, brings energy and competitiveness that Green said he hasn't seen in Washington in a long time. This can't be overstated. For a franchise that has been down for so long, it is important for management to see the team at least be competitive while showing progress on a nightly basis. Yes, Bilal Coulibaly's continued progression is extremely important for the team's rebuild. But Carrington's play in his rookie season as a role player can bring a much-needed energy that a team expected to lose a lot of games desperately needs. -- Youngmisuk

30. Utah Jazz

Power forward/center John Collins ranks second on the Jazz in scoring (15.8 points per game) and rebounding (7.4) despite coming off the bench in every game. Collins' minutes have been trimmed as Utah leans into prioritizing the development of its recent draft picks. Could the 27-year-old Collins' production make him attractive in the trade market? His value there is diminished by a $26.6 million player option for next season. -- MacMahon