The Oklahoma Thunder's trade of James Harden was not something done in a vacuum that affects just the defending Western Conference champs and the Houston Rockets.
Instead, a move of that magnitude shakes the foundation of everything we thought we knew as the 2012-13 NBA season gets underway. Teams that were thought to be pseudo-contenders suddenly have an incredibly clearer road, and the already loaded Western Conference just got yet another fringe playoff team.
The move also shakes up one of my favorite NBA pastimes: the power rankings.
With that in mind, here's a look at where every team ranks heading into the tipoff of what should be a captivating season.
1. Miami Heat
It's quite simple here. The Heat are the defending NBA champions, have far and away the league's best player and a vastly improved supporting cast.
Any prognosticators who fail to put Miami atop their power rankings, quite frankly, have some explaining to do in order to recapture their credibility.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
Injuries to Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard linger over Los Angeles coming into the season, but this is a team that will only get better as the season goes along.
The addition of Howard, Steve Nash and a cabal of veteran bench guys obviously makes this roster far more formidable than in 2011-12.
If there is any team that can take down LeBron James and Co. in 2012-13, that squad is the Lakers.
(Source: http://bleacherreport.com)
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