NBA power rankings place Lakers in middle tier without LeBron James
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 29, 2026, 3:36 PM
Last updated Jul 29, 2026
The latest NBA power rankings list the Los Angeles Lakers among contenders in the Western Conference. Despite the absence of LeBron James, the Lakers are seen as capable, sharing space with the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves. Reports indicate that the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are viewed as the top teams in the West. The Kings and Pelicans, who are struggling during the offseason, round out the lower tiers of the rankings. The Lakers' future in the rankings will depend on their performance as the season approaches.
- •Lakers rank among contenders in updated power rankings.
- •Thunder and Spurs are favorites in the Western Conference.
- •Kings and Pelicans occupy the lower tier of rankings.
- •Lakers' future depends on their season performance without LeBron.
- •Offseason moves impact team outlook heading into the season.
- 3:36 PMYahoo Sports — NBA Power Rankings: Where do the Lakers stand in the West without LeBron James?
"While the East is looking deeper than ever, the West still boasts the league's two title favorites.
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
NBA•Oct 3, 2026, 12:07 AMHe was one of the most discussed players throughout …
NBA•Oct 3, 2026, 12:07 AM“The regular season is always the goal,” Edey said. …- NBA•Oct 2, 2026, 11:51 PMDean Wade's comments about his new team are far from bulletin board material for his old one
NBA•Oct 2, 2026, 11:25 PMTrail Blazers quickly fire new announcer over social media posts from 2012-13
NBA•Oct 2, 2026, 11:19 PMLakers’ training camp takeaways from first week loaded with surprises
NBA•Oct 2, 2026, 11:17 PMTyrese Maxey gives thoughts on new Sixers additions as camp continues
