Sixers are all over — from top 10 to bottom half of the league — in way-too-early NBA power rankings roundup

After a first-round series win over the Boston Celtics, the 76ers’ season ended with a sweep vs. the New York Knicks, which extended the team’s drought of conference finals appearances to 25 seasons.

To help get over their second-round hump, the Sixers, who finished the 2025-26 season with a 45-37 record, hired former Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Mike Gansey as their new president of basketball operations. However, the team also has limited salary cap flexibility with three max contracts.

Ahead of the 2026-27 season, here’s where the Sixers rank in some way-too-early NBA power rankings …

The Athletic placed teams within five different tiers. Tier 1: top contenders, Tier 2: in a good place, Tier 3: the bubble, Tier 4: not the tier to fear, and Tier 5: basement floor. The Sixers round out Tier 2, checking in at No. 8 behind the Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 7) and the Los Angeles Lakers (No. 6).

“The 76ers were the lone Eastern Conference playoff team that was outscored during the season,” Law Murray wrote. “And they looked like light work for the Celtics through four games of the quarterfinals. But All-NBA point guard Tyrese Maxey, All-Rookie shooting guard VJ Edgecombe, veteran small forward Paul George and former MVP center Joel Embiid put together a great week and overcame a 3-1 deficit.”

» READ MORE: Would Daryl Morey still be here if the Sixers had slowed the Knicks’ runaway train? | Marcus Hayes

Murray added that “Gansey needs to figure out what to do about free agents Kelly Oubre, Andre Drummond and Quentin Grimes while seeking to upgrade the power forward position.”

The New York Knicks (No. 1), San Antonio Spurs (No. 2), and Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 3) top The Athletic’s list.

ESPN has the Sixers ranked at No. 12, two spots above their previous ranking. They rank just below the No. 11 Indiana Pacers and the No. 10 Houston Rockets and ahead of the No. 13 Atlanta Hawks.

“With three max contracts on the books, the 76ers only have so much flexibility and will all but certainly be into the luxury tax if they just retain Kelly Oubre and Quentin Grimes, both unrestricted free agents this summer,” Tim Bontemps wrote.

Topping ESPN’s list are the Thunder (No. 1), the Spurs (No. 2), and the Knicks (No. 3).

» READ MORE: Who could the Sixers draft at No. 22? Here’s our take on projected picks, and other players to watch

Sporting News also has the Sixers 12th, below the Cleveland Cavaliers (No. 11) and the Houston Rockets (No. 10), and (again) just ahead of the Hawks.

“It’s impossible to predict what will happen with the Sixers because of the constant drama surrounding the team and the murky health status of Joel Embiid,” Stephen Noh wrote. “He had moments where he looked like his old self on offense, but it’s unreasonable to pencil him in for any more than half of the regular season games.

“Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and VJ Edgecombe are capable of picking up the slack when Embiid is missing. … The Sixers will be a solid team in the East, but they need depth.”

The familiar trio of the Knicks (No. 1), the Spurs (No. 2), and the Thunder (No. 3) top Sporting News’ rankings.

FanSided had the Sixers ranked at No. 13 in its pre-playoffs ranking. After another second-round exit, they fell to the No. 18 ranking and into the outlet’s fifth tier: “teams that won’t tank but deep down might want to.”

Joining them in Tier 5 are the Charlotte Hornets (No. 16), the Indiana Pacers (No. 17), the Phoenix Suns (No. 19) and the Utah Jazz (No. 20).

“The 76ers financial situation is such a calamity, I can’t even detail it here” Oliver Fox wrote. “This team has to start thinking draft-first with building around Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe; it’s not The Process, but they need fresh talent.”

FanSided also has the Thunder (No. 1), Knicks (No. 2), and Spurs (No. 3) listed in its top tier.

Bleacher Report placed the Sixers at No. 18, below the Los Angeles Clippers (No. 17) and the Toronto Raptors (No. 16) and ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers (No. 19).

“And though Embiid still has moments when he looks like the kind of player who can contend for MVPs and be the No. 1 option on a contender, his health remains one of the biggest question marks in the league,” Andy Bailey wrote.

“There may not be any teams willing to assume that question from Philadelphia, but the 76ers have to seriously consider moving Embiid and moving into an era solidly built around Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.”

The Knicks top the list, followed by the Spurs (No. 2) and the Thunder (No. 3).