The Ringer NBA Show: Preseason Power Rankings, Part 1 (Group Chat)

Date: September 27, 2025
Hosts: Justin Verrier, Wosny “Big Wos” Lambre, Rob Mahoney

Episode Overview

The Ringer NBA Show launches its annual six-part preseason power rankings series, kicking off with the bottom five teams (No. 30–26). Justin, Wos, and Rob gather in Los Angeles for an in-person “Group Chat,” breaking down which franchises are facing existential questions, outlining what matters for their future, and—true to form—debating who exactly “is a guy” worth betting on. If you love NBA sicko territory, this episode is for you.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Vibes, Power Rankings Process, and “Sicko” Pride

• The hosts joke about LA life, podcast quasi-celebrity status, and how this year’s rankings were compiled: each host ranks teams 1–30, Justin aggregates, and Isaiah Blakely breaks tiebreakers.
• “This one in particular? 30 to 26, my favorite podcast we do all year. Just absolute sicko shit. And you know, the fact that there is any audience whatsoever for us talking about these particular teams is just an incredible luxury...and grace.” — Rob Mahoney (05:30)

[07:37] No. 30 — Utah Jazz

Offseason Moves & The Plan

• Utah finally committed to a full rebuild, clearing veteran contracts like John Collins, Collin Sexton, and Jordan Clarkson for little in return.
• “They basically decided Danny Ainge did, as is his custom, that he wanted nothing but perfect trades...this off season, they kind of were like, all right, we're done with this charade of pretending to be rebuilding but also, like, being competitive.” — Big Wos (08:54)

The Existential Question

Is Lauri Markkanen a keeper, or just a walking bundle of future picks?

• Wos argues that, with the roster so young, the smart move is to shop Markkanen: “He is one of these guys that can scale in terms of...bring what he's doing to any situation...I can't think of a team in the league who can't use what this guy brings.” (10:15)
• Rob highlights Markkanen’s immense trade value: “It's the reason you give him $196 million. It's not because he's a superstar: it's because he's beneficial to any situation. He's imminently tradable.” (11:08)
• The problem: his new contract is huge, and suitors will need cap space.

Possible Trades & Fits

• Detroit (for a piece like Jaden Ivey) is mentioned as a juicy fit, but concerns exist about fit and sacrificing too much shooting in the core.
• “I would want to rely on shooting from my core guys instead of these hired goons...if you're not, it's a lot of Markkanen and Cade with three potential non-shooters as your core guys.” — Justin (15:41)

"Naming Some Guys": The Guards

• The Jazz guard rotation is bleak and unclear after the “double tank” offseason.
• Keonte George, Isaiah Collier, and Bryce Sensabaugh are discussed, with skepticism about any emerging as a real lead guard.
• “Somebody's gotta do a bulk of the ball handling. Now, even, you know, Clayton Jr....you're not going to give him the ball and say, handle the rock all day, rookie...I don't know who's gonna do the dribbling here.” — Wos (19:59)

Frontcourt Questions

• Positive mention: Walker Kessler/Hendricks frontcourt with Markkanen is actually “not bad,” but additions like Nurkic and Love seem odd.
• “They really packed it with known guys, serious people.” — Justin (20:46)
• The show predicts “a lot of lineups” (Jazz had 46 starting last year), but little optimism for success.

[21:53] No. 29 — Brooklyn Nets

The Asset Accumulation Plan

• Despite jokes about picking five (!) first rounders in 2025, the hosts largely support their rent-the-cap-space/focus-on-future-assets approach, as there’s no superstar to build around.
• “I don't see what else they were going to do, besides what they’ve done now...rent out their cap space, get future assets, and just build toward a future because they don't have that one guy to build around.” — Justin (22:49)

The Existential Question

Which current players will be on the roster next time Brooklyn is a contender?

• Rob’s “easy answer” is rookie Drake Powell: “Just going to be an NBA role player kicking around rosters for a while.”
• “The more difficult ones...are the playmakers...one of Jagor Dioman or Ben Sarof are gonna work. I don’t know which.” — Rob (27:22)
• Wos and Rob agree: no star in place, lots of dice rolls, but they’re at least “peddling hope” more than other bottom teams.

Team Building & Locker Room Management

• Noted concern: Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr., two non-stars who “believe they're stars,” may suck all the oxygen and shots from the young playmakers.
• “Cam Thomas...is on a revenge tour to prove that he got lowballed on his contract offer. That's where I'm just like, okay, this is highly combustible.” — Wos (25:37)

Recent Pickups & Freebies

• Brooklyn is praised for leveraging their cap space to get Haywood Highsmith, Terrance Mann, Kobe Bufkin, etc., but these are probably short-term vets/coaches, not “core” guys.
• Kobe Bufkin: “Let him play through his mistakes.” — Justin (31:50)

Long-Term Outlook

• “Three years from now they might be as good as Detroit is.” — Wos (28:41)
• Sober assessment: “This is going to be a very bad team.” — Rob (32:43)
• Maybe Day'Ron Sharpe or Nick Claxton sticks around as a Miles Turner–like franchise lifer.

[33:20] No. 28 — Washington Wizards

Rebuild Supreme: Why It’s Actually Fun

• The Wizards are crowned “best rebuilding team to be a fan of,” thanks to an absurd ten (!) first-rounders still on rookie deals and a nonchalant, chaotic approach.
• “If you're someone who just wants to explore the space of young talent, this is the team for you.” — Justin (35:43)

Existential Question

Are the Wizards the best rebuilding team to be a fan of?

• Rob: “They're going to be relying on a lot of young players. They're going to play this really energizing style.... I can't tell you exactly which young guys are going to be the reason for that, but they have enough of them that I think some of them are just going to hit.” (39:03)
• Caution: Nobody thinks they've found a future star (“nobody thinks they’ve identified a franchise cornerstone as of yet”). (38:27)
• Massive flexibility: With tradeable vets Chris Middleton and CJ McCollum and up to $100M in cap space, “there's a lot to work with here.”

Roster & Playing Time

• Rob lays out a fun depth chart and rotation puzzles with Bub Carrington, AJ Johnson, Trey Johnson, Keyshawn George, Will Riley, Bilal Coulibaly (injured), Cam Whitmore, and more.
• “This is the one team where too many guys works in their benefit.” — Justin (36:33)

Vets' Trade Watch

• Chris Middleton and CJ McCollum likely to be moved by the deadline, both praised for last year’s locker-room roles: “Who’s going to trade for Chris Middleton? Who’s going to trade for CJ McCollum?” (39:03)

Development Focus

• “SAR is a prime example of that. Not quite a star...but seems like a high-level role player type who will fit around virtually everything.” — Justin (39:50)
• Trey Johnson’s exact offensive upside is TBD: “Is he going to be Ray Allen at the end of his career or Ray Allen at the beginning of his career?” — Justin (40:24)

[42:30] No. 27 — Charlotte Hornets

The Unmoved Star and Endlessly Looming Rebuild

Existential Question

Can Charlotte finally make a decision with LaMelo Ball?

• Justin rails against trade rumors for LaMelo and advocates giving the Ball–Brandon Miller nucleus a real shot: “At a certain point, you can’t just keep turning over teams when you already have [an All-Star rookie of the year].”
• Wos offers a counterpoint: LaMelo may need a “change of scenery” to ever become a “serious professional,” drawing parallels to Luka Doncic slimming down only after leaving Dallas: “I don’t think LaMelo Ball can become a serious professional in Charlotte.” (44:36)

Fit and Professionalism

• Rob is a “LaMelo Ball believer,” but expresses clear concern: “I don’t believe in the work habits. I don’t believe in who he is as a professional. Absolutely.”
• The hosts agree: minimal incentive to sell low on LaMelo now if he's not a true “cancer,” but leadership and intangibles are in question. (50:59)
• Not much excitement about the Hornets’ many “bucket-getting small guards” after bringing in Sexton, Trey Mann, and others.

Style & Shooting Concerns

• Charlotte’s ultra–three-heavy Charles Lee system may not make sense for a young roster: “I started to wonder whether...that style where we're really going to let it fly is best suited for an established group of veterans.” — Justin (54:41)
• Draft approach aims for shooting help: “Knipolis shooter, Liam McNeely, late of UConn—a shooter—although hasn't shot it well.” — Justin (56:18)

Defensive Worries

• The lack of defensive rebounding is a big red flag after losing Nick Richards and Mark Williams. “I think this team is going to get fucking annihilated on the defensive glass. They have no one who can rebound.” — Rob (56:36)

[57:52] No. 26 — New Orleans Pelicans

Dysfunction Central

• Justin doesn’t mince words: “The New Orleans Pelicans...are an absolute catastrophe of an organization. I considered putting them second to last...Their only saving grace was that they don’t have their pick next year.” (57:52)

The Existential Question

Has Zion been failed by the franchise as much as he’s failed himself?

• All hosts express sympathy for Zion’s “led astray” development.
  • “Zion could have been a train wreck...but you combine just organizational turmoil and just rank incompetence with what he had going on personally, it’s…perfect storm.” — Wos (60:55)
• Rob: “He has mismanaged his career. They have mismanaged his career. There's no coming out of that looking clean and everything clicking in place.”

Roster Fit Problems

• The “old” core (Zion, Trey Murphy, Herb Jones) now is surrounded from all sides by mismatched timelines: aging vets (Kavon Looney, Jordan Poole), young picks (Fears, Queen), and retreads.
• “How does he play with Fears without sacrificing defense? How does he play with Kavan Looney without sacrificing shooting?...Frankly, I don't know if the people making the decisions have put enough thought into that.” — Justin (62:24)

Starting Five Guessing Game

• Who starts? “I always lean veterans over everything...I wouldn’t be surprised if Kavan Looney and Jordan Poole start.” (64:22)
• “Why would you introduce Jordan Poole to what was already a fundamentally broken mix?” — Rob (63:47)

No Path to Winning, No Pick

• The need to win (no control of their pick) may push them to play vets and eke out empty late-season wins. No optimism for the playoffs.

Ownership/Franchise Viability

• As the New Orleans malaise drags on, Justin wonders if “bigger existential questions” are in play about basketball’s existence under current leadership: “Perhaps [Silver] could give a little nudge out the door for our girlfriend.”

Sadiq Bey Corner

• “Not all the people you believe in come up for you when you really got you.” — Rob (66:47) on perennial flier Sadiq Bey, with laughs and groans about his unrewarded breakout potential.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This is what we do all our existential pondering—the sicko teams!” — Justin (03:28)
• "You have shooting bigs but somehow Markkanen still manages to play big while functioning more like your typical wing shooter, which is very rare.” — Justin on Markkanen (14:10)
• “This team could be...You catch me at 4pm Pacific on a Wednesday, I am watching Washington Wizards basketball.” — Justin (33:32)
• “Not all the people you believe in come up for you when you really got you.” — Rob (66:47)
• “He stinks. Does he call your mom on Mother’s Day?” — Wos, disillusioned by Sadiq Bey (67:11)

Important Timestamps

• 03:28 – Introduction, rankings process, “sicko” pride
• 07:37 – Utah Jazz deep dive (rebuild, Markkanen’s fate, roster issues)
• 21:53 – Brooklyn Nets post-rebuild reality (assets, draft strategy, role confusion)
• 33:20 – Washington Wizards as the NBA’s most ‘fun’ rebuild team
• 42:30 – Charlotte Hornets and the LaMelo dilemma
• 57:52 – New Orleans Pelicans: Dysfunction, Zion, and no path forward

Tone & Style

The episode is energetic, irreverent, and deeply “sicko” in its love of fringe NBA storylines. The hosts blend sharp analysis with self-aware jokes about their own obsessions and the futility—and quiet joy—of power ranking the league’s worst rosters.

In Summary

Part 1 of the Ringer NBA Show’s preseason power rankings delivers an in-depth look at the NBA’s bottom feeders—offering hope, skepticism, and plenty of laughs. Whether dissecting Utah’s tanking philosophy, Brooklyn’s asset obsession, Washington’s all-in youth movement, Charlotte’s eternal crossroads, or New Orleans’ organizational chaos, the Group Chat crew brings sharp analysis and personality throughout. Even if you haven’t tuned in, this breakdown serves as a guide to the NBA’s most hopeless (and fascinating) 2025–26 storylines.

Next up: Teams 25–21 in Part 2.