Cavaliers Rise to No. 11, Nuggets Fall to No. 10 After 5-Team Peyton Watson Trade
Updated
Updated · SB Nation · Aug 21
Cavaliers Rise to No. 11, Nuggets Fall to No. 10 After 5-Team Peyton Watson Trade
3 articles · Updated · SB Nation · Aug 21
Summary
Updated 2026-27 NBA power rankings moved Cleveland up one spot to No. 11 and dropped Denver two spots to No. 10 after the five-team Peyton Watson deal.
Watson gives the Cavaliers wing defense, transition scoring and a potential fifth starter, but the ranking still reflects doubts about his impact versus the depth lost in Max Strus and Dennis Schroder.
Denver looks weaker for this season after moving Watson, though the Nuggets gained Cleveland’s unprotected 2031 first-round pick — viewed as a more valuable long-term trade chip than the player they gave up.
The deal also lifted the Clippers to No. 24 after adding Strus and nudged the Hornets to No. 20 with Schroder, while the broader rankings still place Oklahoma City, San Antonio and New York as the top three teams.