Ranking 10 NBA Non-Playoff Teams Most Likely to Make 2027 Postseason
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- Sacramento Kings rank last (No. 10) with a 95% playoff miss rate over the past 20 years, and are expected to shed salary and older players like DeMar DeRozan and potentially Domantas Sabonis as part of a renewed rebuild.
- Chicago Bulls rank No. 9 after firing executive vice president Artūras Karnišovas and general manager Marc Eversley, leaving the franchise directionless with only Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis seen as likely building blocks.
- Memphis Grizzlies rank No. 8 despite trading Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr., because Zach Edey outscored opponents by 18.4 points per 100 possessions in his minutes and the team holds three 2027 first-round picks to hedge against losing.
- Brooklyn Nets rank No. 7 in part because they don't control their 2027 first-round pick — the final piece of the 2021 James Harden trade that swaps to Houston — giving them motivation to avoid handing the Rockets another high selection.
- New Orleans Pelicans rank No. 6 as the only team on the list that tried to win late this season, having traded their 2026 first-round pick for Derik Queen and hovering around .500 since late January with a healthy Zion Williamson stretch.
- Milwaukee Bucks rank No. 5 and could swing dramatically depending on whether they trade Giannis Antetokounmpo, who could send them as low as No. 9 or as high as a top playoff threat in the East.
- Washington Wizards rank No. 4 behind a projected Trae Young-Anthony Davis pairing, with Young providing half-court offense as a floor-raiser and Davis serving as the ceiling-raiser alongside Alex Sarr.
- Utah Jazz rank No. 2 — the first team the author would actively predict to make the playoffs — built on depth featuring Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Keyonte George, Walker Kessler, and rookie Ace Bailey, plus another incoming high draft pick.
Why it matters: The ranking highlights how upcoming NBA lottery rule changes remove the incentive to tank, meaning more of the league's bottom teams could be competitive in 2026-27. For the Jazz, that shift plus a deep roster and another high pick makes them the clearest bounce-back candidate, while the Kings and Bulls are explicitly positioned to stay in or return to rebuild mode.
