The NBA’s 2026-27 landscape is already drawing early attention, with a new Summer Forecast outlining projected standings for all 30 teams.
The forecast organizes both the Eastern and Western Conferences into three tiers: the top five seeds, the play-in group and the bottom five. That structure reflects the league’s current postseason format, where the top six teams in each conference secure playoff spots and teams finishing seventh through 10th enter the play-in tournament.
Conference races framed by postseason tiers
Rather than focusing on individual awards or roster projections, the exercise centers on where teams are expected to land in the standings. The top-five grouping highlights the teams viewed as best positioned for strong regular-season finishes, while the play-in tier identifies clubs projected to be in the postseason mix but outside the upper tier.
The bottom-five category rounds out the outlook, placing the remaining teams in each conference below the play-in range. With all 30 teams included, the forecast provides an early snapshot of how the league’s competitive balance may be viewed entering the 2026-27 season.
The projections arrive as part of the NBA’s annual summer discussion cycle, when teams are assessed across the league before the season begins. Final standings will ultimately be determined on the court once the 2026-27 campaign gets underway.