0 of 30

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

We're almost there. In less than two weeks, we'll have the genuine article: real NBA basketball games on which to judge the 30 teams we've been speculating about for months.

Before that, we've got one last set of preseason power rankings to lay out.

We'll note big risers and fallers since we last ranked. Despite the dearth of meaningful games since that post-free-agency list, we've had weeks of training camp, practices and some preseason action to inform the order. Just as important, we've had a chance to ruminate on some of the odd fits and key questions.

In a few cases, a little more time to process the whole picture has resulted in movement. For some teams, such as the Milwaukee Bucks, devastating injuries have already cut the legs out from under promising futures.

The ranking criteria remain simple: We're determining the NBA hierarchy as it exists in the moment, based off preseason performance, on-paper strengths and current injuries, roster choices, etc. We're living in the now, even as we look ahead eagerly to the start of the 2016-17 NBA season.