This offseason has been insane.
This man has now teamed up with Chris Paul to form the newest superteam in Houston, and just got a huge contract extension (So look for Houston to be a contender for at least the next few years).
Not only did Paul go to Houston, but Jimmy Butler went to Minnesota, Paul George went to Oklahoma City, and Gordon Hayward went to Boston.
The Eastern Conference lost some of its talent, and now the two conferences are even more unbalanced.
The Western Conference is now full of powerhouse teams, such as Golden State, Houston, and now even Minnesota.
In this article, I'm going to go ahead and rank these teams based on how well I think they'll perform next season.
1.Golden State Warriors
Honestly, who can compete with Golden State? They're coming off a championship run, they have 4 All-Stars (including 2 former MVPs and a Defensive Player of the Year), and they just got even better. The Warriors added Nick Young, Omri Casspi, and Jordan Bell (who put up some awesome numbers in Summer League). The Warriors look like they're going to be a dynasty, and I don't see anyone challenging them in the near future.
2.San Antonio Spurs
Ginobili is playing another season, the Spurs added Rudy Gay, and Kawhi Leonard will continue to improve. The Spurs are also apparently close to signing Gasol to a new deal, and have not gotten worse in any aspect (except for losing Jonathan Simmons). Despite Chris Paul and James Harden teaming up in Houston, the Spurs will remain the second-best team in the Western Conference, at least in my opinion. Also, I think that they really should consider signing Derrick Rose.
3.Houston Rockets
Two of the best guards in the NBA have teamed up in Houston: Chris Paul and James Harden. They also have some good talent surrounding them, such as Trevor Ariza, Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson, Clint Capela, and Nene. If they can acquire Carmelo Anthony, I definitely see them challenging San Antonio and possibly making it to the Conference Finals, but it will take even more to beat Golden State. The Rockets have some solid pieces in place, but with Harden and Paul in their primes, they need to build around those two quickly in order to contend while they still can.
4.Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder got a steal when they traded Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis in exchange for Paul George. Having a superstar like George with Westbrook is going to make the Thunder competitive. However, their bench unit doesn't look talented enough to truly compete with Houston, San Antonio, or Golden State. If George and Westbrook can play together well, then I see them being the fourth seed in the West, but if not, then the Timberwolves can potentially overtake them.
5.Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves have had the best offseason in the league. They acquired Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler, and Justin Patton, which will make them go from pretenders to legitimate contenders in this upcoming NBA season. Butler will anchor Minnesota's defense, and Patton, Wiggins, and Towns will continue to develop under Tom Thibodeau. Their starting lineup and bench look good enough to truly compete with the Thunder for the fourth seed in the West. Look for the Timberwolves to make the playoffs and possibly even make it to the second round.
6.Denver Nuggets
By adding Paul Millsap and managing to retain their young core, the Denver Nuggets have pushed themselves above teams like Portland, Memphis, and New Orleans. Look for Nikola Jokic to develop even more this season, especially by playing with a star like Paul Millsap. The Nuggets did lose Gallinari, but by securing the rest of their players and obtaining Millsap, they improved their roster. If young players like Gary Harris, Jamal Murray, and Emmanuel Mudiay can continue to develop, the Nuggets are legitimate playoff contenders for this upcoming season.
7.Portland Trailblazers
The Trailblazers haven't made too many moves this offseason, but have been pursuing Carmelo Anthony. If they can acquire Carmelo, they can compete for the 5th seed with the Timberwolves. However, I think it's more realistic for Anthony to go to Cleveland or Houston. Anyways, Portland's young core of Lillard, McCollum, and Nurkic should continue to develop and play well alongside each other. Also, if they can get the production on the defensive end from players like Al-Farouq Aminu, they can definitely be a playoff team. In addition, the Blazers need their rookie Zach Collins to step up and perform better than he did in Summer League.
8.Los Angeles Clippers
This may seem like it's too high of a ranking for the Clippers, but it depends on whether they can stay healthy or not. Granted, they did lose Chris Paul and Jamal Crawford, but they did add some new players as well, including Lou Williams, Danilo Gallinari, and Patrick Beverly. If their roster can stay healthy (I'm looking at you, Blake Griffin), then they can make the playoffs. Also, look for a personal favorite of mine in Sindarius Thornwell to be a sleeper.
9.New Orleans Pelicans
If the DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis, Rajon Rondo, and Jrue Holiday can play well together, this team could have a chance at the playoffs. Both Cousins and Davis averaged over 20 points and 12 rebounds last season. Obviously, both of New Orleans's star players produce on an individual level. However, to make that jump from a 9th or 10th seed to a playoff-caliber team, they need to play well as a unit. Also, Holiday, Rondo, and Davis need to stay healthy. From my perspective, if everything works out perfectly for New Orleans (everyone stays healthy, they learn how to work together as an offense), then they can challenge Los Angles, Portland, and the other teams contending for that 8th seed.
10.Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies let go of Zach Randolph, Tony Allen, and Vince Carter in free agency, but did sign Mario Chalmers and Ben McLemore. Obviously, losing your third-best scorer and best rebounder is going to hurt your team, but I think the Grizzlies still have a small chance of making the playoffs. This depends on the play of their stars (Conley and Gasol) and their young players (JaMychal Green, Wade Baldwin, etc.). Also, they (especially Chandler Parsons) need to stay healthy. If Mike Conley can continue to score 20+ points a game, and Marc Gasol can step it up on the rebounding end, then the Grizzlies have a chance of making the playoffs.
11.Utah Jazz
After losing their two assist and scoring leaders (Gordon Hayward and George Hill) in free agency, Utah does not look like a team which will make the playoffs. However, they managed to find a point guard in Ricky Rubio and a young scorer in Donovan Mitchell. Also, they still have Rudy Gobert, who is definitely one of the best centers in the league and will continue to improve. The Jazz have quite a low chance of making the playoffs, unless Rodney Hood or Donovan Mitchell can have a breakout season (averaging at least 20 points).
12.Dallas Mavericks
After retaining their core and adding future superstar (based on Summer League) Dennis Smith Jr., the Mavericks have slightly improved. However, they are not contenders and are instead going to be rebuilding. With young talent like Harrison Barnes, Dennis Smith, and Yogi Ferrell, look for the Mavericks to be a solid team in the future. However, they need to sign Nerlens Noel, or else they will have to look elsewhere for their starting center.
13.Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings added a mix of young players and veterans to their roster this offseason, and are definitely moving in the right direction. With Zach Randolph, George Hill, and Vince Carter playing alongside De'Aaron Fox, Harry Giles, and Buddy Hield, Sacramento will have an interesting season next year. If their young big men in Skal Labissiere and Willie Cauley-Stein can develop, look for the Kings to be a solid team going forward.
14.Los Angeles Lakers
Honestly, I didn't know where to put the Lakers on this rankings list (I was thinking of putting them anywhere from the 8th spot to the 15th spot). With Lonzo Ball coming out of Summer League looking like a superstar, this young Lakers team looks like it's going to be interesting to watch next season. The Lakers also added Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Brook Lopez, two interesting pickups. If every single young player can break out this season, and Lonzo Ball can emerge as the best rookie in the league, then LaVar's prediction might come true. However, more realistically, I don't expect Los Angeles to make the playoffs, but I do expect them to be contenders in the future.
15.Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are at the bottom of the Western Conference, but have one of the best young cores in the league. With Devin Booker, a player who has the potential to be the next Kobe Bryant, and Josh Jackson, who has quite a high ceiling, the Suns are moving in the right direction. However, this also depends on how other players, such as T.J. Warren and Marquese Chriss, can develop. Also, Eric Bledsoe, who is going to enter his prime soon, should be traded so that the Suns can acquire more assets for the future.
This man has now teamed up with Chris Paul to form the newest superteam in Houston, and just got a huge contract extension (So look for Houston to be a contender for at least the next few years).
Not only did Paul go to Houston, but Jimmy Butler went to Minnesota, Paul George went to Oklahoma City, and Gordon Hayward went to Boston.
The Eastern Conference lost some of its talent, and now the two conferences are even more unbalanced.
The Western Conference is now full of powerhouse teams, such as Golden State, Houston, and now even Minnesota.
In this article, I'm going to go ahead and rank these teams based on how well I think they'll perform next season.
1.Golden State Warriors
Honestly, who can compete with Golden State? They're coming off a championship run, they have 4 All-Stars (including 2 former MVPs and a Defensive Player of the Year), and they just got even better. The Warriors added Nick Young, Omri Casspi, and Jordan Bell (who put up some awesome numbers in Summer League). The Warriors look like they're going to be a dynasty, and I don't see anyone challenging them in the near future.
2.San Antonio Spurs
Ginobili is playing another season, the Spurs added Rudy Gay, and Kawhi Leonard will continue to improve. The Spurs are also apparently close to signing Gasol to a new deal, and have not gotten worse in any aspect (except for losing Jonathan Simmons). Despite Chris Paul and James Harden teaming up in Houston, the Spurs will remain the second-best team in the Western Conference, at least in my opinion. Also, I think that they really should consider signing Derrick Rose.
3.Houston Rockets
Two of the best guards in the NBA have teamed up in Houston: Chris Paul and James Harden. They also have some good talent surrounding them, such as Trevor Ariza, Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson, Clint Capela, and Nene. If they can acquire Carmelo Anthony, I definitely see them challenging San Antonio and possibly making it to the Conference Finals, but it will take even more to beat Golden State. The Rockets have some solid pieces in place, but with Harden and Paul in their primes, they need to build around those two quickly in order to contend while they still can.
4.Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder got a steal when they traded Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis in exchange for Paul George. Having a superstar like George with Westbrook is going to make the Thunder competitive. However, their bench unit doesn't look talented enough to truly compete with Houston, San Antonio, or Golden State. If George and Westbrook can play together well, then I see them being the fourth seed in the West, but if not, then the Timberwolves can potentially overtake them.
5.Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves have had the best offseason in the league. They acquired Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler, and Justin Patton, which will make them go from pretenders to legitimate contenders in this upcoming NBA season. Butler will anchor Minnesota's defense, and Patton, Wiggins, and Towns will continue to develop under Tom Thibodeau. Their starting lineup and bench look good enough to truly compete with the Thunder for the fourth seed in the West. Look for the Timberwolves to make the playoffs and possibly even make it to the second round.
6.Denver Nuggets
By adding Paul Millsap and managing to retain their young core, the Denver Nuggets have pushed themselves above teams like Portland, Memphis, and New Orleans. Look for Nikola Jokic to develop even more this season, especially by playing with a star like Paul Millsap. The Nuggets did lose Gallinari, but by securing the rest of their players and obtaining Millsap, they improved their roster. If young players like Gary Harris, Jamal Murray, and Emmanuel Mudiay can continue to develop, the Nuggets are legitimate playoff contenders for this upcoming season.
7.Portland Trailblazers
The Trailblazers haven't made too many moves this offseason, but have been pursuing Carmelo Anthony. If they can acquire Carmelo, they can compete for the 5th seed with the Timberwolves. However, I think it's more realistic for Anthony to go to Cleveland or Houston. Anyways, Portland's young core of Lillard, McCollum, and Nurkic should continue to develop and play well alongside each other. Also, if they can get the production on the defensive end from players like Al-Farouq Aminu, they can definitely be a playoff team. In addition, the Blazers need their rookie Zach Collins to step up and perform better than he did in Summer League.
8.Los Angeles Clippers
This may seem like it's too high of a ranking for the Clippers, but it depends on whether they can stay healthy or not. Granted, they did lose Chris Paul and Jamal Crawford, but they did add some new players as well, including Lou Williams, Danilo Gallinari, and Patrick Beverly. If their roster can stay healthy (I'm looking at you, Blake Griffin), then they can make the playoffs. Also, look for a personal favorite of mine in Sindarius Thornwell to be a sleeper.
9.New Orleans Pelicans
If the DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis, Rajon Rondo, and Jrue Holiday can play well together, this team could have a chance at the playoffs. Both Cousins and Davis averaged over 20 points and 12 rebounds last season. Obviously, both of New Orleans's star players produce on an individual level. However, to make that jump from a 9th or 10th seed to a playoff-caliber team, they need to play well as a unit. Also, Holiday, Rondo, and Davis need to stay healthy. From my perspective, if everything works out perfectly for New Orleans (everyone stays healthy, they learn how to work together as an offense), then they can challenge Los Angles, Portland, and the other teams contending for that 8th seed.
10.Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies let go of Zach Randolph, Tony Allen, and Vince Carter in free agency, but did sign Mario Chalmers and Ben McLemore. Obviously, losing your third-best scorer and best rebounder is going to hurt your team, but I think the Grizzlies still have a small chance of making the playoffs. This depends on the play of their stars (Conley and Gasol) and their young players (JaMychal Green, Wade Baldwin, etc.). Also, they (especially Chandler Parsons) need to stay healthy. If Mike Conley can continue to score 20+ points a game, and Marc Gasol can step it up on the rebounding end, then the Grizzlies have a chance of making the playoffs.
11.Utah Jazz
After losing their two assist and scoring leaders (Gordon Hayward and George Hill) in free agency, Utah does not look like a team which will make the playoffs. However, they managed to find a point guard in Ricky Rubio and a young scorer in Donovan Mitchell. Also, they still have Rudy Gobert, who is definitely one of the best centers in the league and will continue to improve. The Jazz have quite a low chance of making the playoffs, unless Rodney Hood or Donovan Mitchell can have a breakout season (averaging at least 20 points).
12.Dallas Mavericks
After retaining their core and adding future superstar (based on Summer League) Dennis Smith Jr., the Mavericks have slightly improved. However, they are not contenders and are instead going to be rebuilding. With young talent like Harrison Barnes, Dennis Smith, and Yogi Ferrell, look for the Mavericks to be a solid team in the future. However, they need to sign Nerlens Noel, or else they will have to look elsewhere for their starting center.
13.Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings added a mix of young players and veterans to their roster this offseason, and are definitely moving in the right direction. With Zach Randolph, George Hill, and Vince Carter playing alongside De'Aaron Fox, Harry Giles, and Buddy Hield, Sacramento will have an interesting season next year. If their young big men in Skal Labissiere and Willie Cauley-Stein can develop, look for the Kings to be a solid team going forward.
14.Los Angeles Lakers
Honestly, I didn't know where to put the Lakers on this rankings list (I was thinking of putting them anywhere from the 8th spot to the 15th spot). With Lonzo Ball coming out of Summer League looking like a superstar, this young Lakers team looks like it's going to be interesting to watch next season. The Lakers also added Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Brook Lopez, two interesting pickups. If every single young player can break out this season, and Lonzo Ball can emerge as the best rookie in the league, then LaVar's prediction might come true. However, more realistically, I don't expect Los Angeles to make the playoffs, but I do expect them to be contenders in the future.
15.Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are at the bottom of the Western Conference, but have one of the best young cores in the league. With Devin Booker, a player who has the potential to be the next Kobe Bryant, and Josh Jackson, who has quite a high ceiling, the Suns are moving in the right direction. However, this also depends on how other players, such as T.J. Warren and Marquese Chriss, can develop. Also, Eric Bledsoe, who is going to enter his prime soon, should be traded so that the Suns can acquire more assets for the future.
Conclusion: I will be posting new editions of these rankings as moves are made and/or as the season progresses, so be on the look out for those.
Also, I will make one for the Eastern Conference very soon.
Thank you for reading, and please subscribe if you enjoyed.
Credits
Statistics: https://www.basketball-reference.com/
James Harden Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:James_Harden_(30735342912).jpg
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(Image Author: Keith Allison, Hanover, MD, USA); (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en); No changes were made to the original image.
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