Last season, the Philadelphia 76ers’ season ended prematurely after being eliminated in the first round of the postseason, but since their loss to the New York Knicks, they have managed to drastically change the roster to get back into the title race.

Daryl Morey spent a year making the Sixers financially flexible for this summer and made the most of it when he became a free agent. His biggest coup was signing Paul George from the LA Clippers. Aside from that, Morey has also made numerous moves in the supporting cast to bolster the player base around the league’s newly formed “Big Three.” Among the players the Sixers have signed are Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon and Reggie Jackson.

After a busy offseason, the Sixers are clear contenders for the championship in 2025. They may have high ambitions, but recent power rankings suggest that there are several teams ahead of them in their conference alone.

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In the quiet days of the offseason, the power rankings for next season have already emerged. As expected, the Boston Celtics were named the best team in the East. The New York Knicks then came in second, ahead of the Sixers (3rd).

The Sixers should dominate again when their best players are on the court, and they now have three stars they can utilize in a way that won’t lose them minutes when one or two are on the bench. But with Martin and Kelly Oubre Jr. as the fourth and fifth starters, their key perimeter backups – Kyle Lowry and Eric Gordon – are a little old, so (barring more additions) managing both the 82-game season and the postseason rotation could be a challenge for coach Nick Nurse.

The Knicks also made some big moves this summer, most notably the trade of Mikal Bridges. They are certainly one of the strongest teams in the league, but they lack the star power of the Sixers and Celtics. Since top talent is the most important component of a contender, you can argue that Philly belongs at No. 2 ahead of New York.