New Season Power Rankings!

On September 31, 1998, the Lakers officially assembled.

More than half of the long offseason had passed, and only one month remained until the new season began. At this point, the NBA had already begun promoting what was sure to be a legendary season for this new era—one destined to go down in history.

The Bulls, who had dominated the NBA for nearly a decade, had completely fallen apart, while the new champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, had only just taken the throne.

Michael Jordan returned to North Carolina and teamed up with Grant Hill to form the strongest perimeter duo in history.

Pippen headed west to Houston, where the Rockets assembled five stars, four of whom were Hall of Fame-caliber players.

The San Antonio Spurs welcomed their perimeter centerpiece. How much stronger would Richmond's arrival make this team that had originally won a championship in history?

Utah's two old veterans still had plenty left in the tank. Even without Richmond, their fighting strength had not diminished by much.

The Heat's Little Showtime was gradually finding its rhythm.

Payton and Vin Baker of the SuperSonics were becoming increasingly in sync.

The Timberwolves, Magic, 76ers, Celtics, and Kings.

The older generation was still battling on the front lines, while the new generation of superstars had quietly grown up.

This would be a chaotic war in the new era!

Even Michael Jordan, the god of basketball, could not guarantee that he would not drown in these muddy waters.

There were simply too many strong teams! The elite teams of this era far surpassed those of any point in history, with more than a dozen superstars still in their primes alone.

Such a golden age was destined to draw the attention of countless fans. With the massive broadcasting deals and promotion from five