Just based on right now, if I had to predict the West: Just right now, this can change after preseason. Regular season only, I think the Lakers will repeat.
1) Portland
2) Lakers
3) Denver
4) Utah
5) Golden State
6) Clippers
7) Houston
8) Phoenix
9) Dallas
10) Memphis
11) San Antonio
12) Minnesota
13) New Orleans
14) Sacramento
15) OKC
Portland has the most depth and as long as Nurk and Lillard is healthy, they got a shot to win the west this year in a condensed schedule.
LAL still hasn't answered some of their starting lineup questions like who's going to be the starting PG but man, bench wise, LAL looks as good as ever. Dennis, KCP, Kuz, and Trez. My God! Yeah, they are going to win games due to that bench and of course the combo of LeGOAT and AD. Insane!
Denver lost some of their depth but they're so damn deep that it didn't matter. They had a lot of injuries last year and still almost won the west. So much talent is in the Mile High City that they can easily reload with key losses. They scout exceptionally well and they don't miss in FA with bargain signings. Just an A+ organization.
Utah has the best chance to drop due to their lack of depth but they have the best chance to move up due to their defense now that Favors is back. It's going to be interesting to see what Conley can do after a poor year one in Utah. Bojan back and that should help a lot.
GS is my surprise team of 2020-21. They needed the Bazemore signing because I barely had them out at 9th but with Bazemore, you can move Oubre to where he needs to be, a backup 3 with 6th man of the year potential. So much of their success will be based on the back of Draymond and Steph. Draymond has to go into his bag and be that floor general he was before KD joined and play that same defense. I do feel like they were burned out last year. I also think Klay gets too much love for their success. Draymond is honestly a lot more impactful when he plays the way he's capable of playing. When he's playing like shyt like last year, he looks like the most overpaid player in the world. Bazemore is an excellent signing for a free player. You usually don't get decent starting wings in this league for free but Baze lack of fit with most teams limited his opportunities and a big contract where you can't meet it hurts you.
LAC should be great next year. They should have more chemistry and with travel, you will see them take that leap. I like their chances to be a top 5 team next year. Hard to say where they will finish because they value the playoffs more than the RS.
Houston has James Harden, you should easily expect them in the playoffs. He's a regular season machine capable of carrying a team. Westbrook is a RS machine to, anyone having them out of the playoffs is foolish. They got C. Wood. They got some of the same players. Added some depth which they don't need much with Harden. They should be a 50 win team.
PHX could finish higher than this but the west is so damn good and deep and we would need to see a jump from Ayton as well. So here is fine for now.
DAL will miss KP for a month or two and then he will be on min restriction. I can easily see DAL barely missing the playoffs but being a nightmare to see in the playin.
MEM and SA are fighting for 10th. I choose MEM because of the jump I expect Morant to have but both teams make sense fighting for 10th.
MIN just lacks that experience needed but who knows, they have insane talent and they can stock people. The Rubio trade ultimately changed their projection for me from 12th and new tier to 12th with a chance to be in the top 7. Having him as a backup will do wonders for this squad. Rubio, Edwards, Okogie, with Naz Reid is nice but they gotta get a backup PF since Hernangomez is their starter at the 4. Ultimately, they gotta address that PF position unless they think Jake Layman can play it.
NO reminds me of Atlanta last year, you love the star or stars in their case but the bench, role players, the roster flaws, man. They got talent but I feel they are all in for 2021-22, not 2020-21 and that makes sense considering Zion's health and the lack of schedule spacing.
SAC could finish higher but man, the West is so tough, you can with 30-35 games and be the 14th seed.
OKC starting lineup is not that bad. Hill, Dort, SGA, Bazley, Horford. The bench is woeful and might be the worst in the NBA in awhile. They will clearly be a 15-20 win team and depending on if they trade Hill and Horford, could be a Philly tank level team 7-11 wins max.
The West is stacked.
