NBA teams aren’t necessarily done reshaping their rosters for 2018/19 quite yet, but nearly all of this summer’s impact free agents are off the board. And unlike last year, when Kyrie Irving was traded in late August and Carmelo Anthony was moved in September, the majority of this year’s biggest-name trade candidates have already been dealt or seem unlikely to go anywhere at this point.
With the major offseason roster moves out of the way, we can start evaluating what the NBA playoff picture might look like next season. We’ll kick off that discussion today by examining the Western Conference, where it took 47 wins to claim a postseason berth this past spring.
The competition in the West figures to be no less fierce in 2018/19. With the possible exception of the Rockets, who lost Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute, and the Pelicans, who lost DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo, none of the eight Western Conference teams from last year look any worse.
The Warriors are bringing back all their key pieces and added Cousins; the Trail Blazers, Timberwolves, and Jazz look almost the same as they did last year, with all their top players still under contract; the Thunder brought back all their most important free agents while adding a couple complementary pieces in Dennis Schroder and Nerlens Noel; and the Spurs replaced a star who appeared in just nine games last season with another All-Star in DeMar DeRozan.
There aren’t many clear candidates to fall out of the top eight in the West, and there are plenty of teams in the bottom seven who improved their rosters and have postseason aspirations. The Lakers‘ addition of LeBron James was the most obvious and noteworthy free agent move made by a Western lottery team, but it was hardly the only one.
The Nuggets re-signed Nikola Jokic and Will Barton while adding Isaiah Thomas, and will have a healthy Paul Millsap this year as they look to improve upon a 46-win season. The Clippers, who finished above .500, are deeper and arguably more talented than they were last season. The Mavericks made a pair of very intriguing additions in DeAndre Jordan and Luka Doncic. The Grizzlies should have Mike Conley at full health to go along with Marc Gasol and newcomers like Kyle Anderson, Jaren Jackson, and Garrett Temple.
We’ve mentioned 13 of the 15 Western Conference teams, with only the Suns and Kings perhaps not viewed as viable playoff threats. Even those clubs have plenty of promising young talent and could theoretically improve upon last season’s results — particularly the Suns, who added Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, and Trevor Ariza.
What do you think? Are there any playoff locks in the West besides the Warriors and Rockets? Which of last year’s teams will fall out of the top eight? Which Western lottery teams are on track to reach the postseason next spring?
Jump into the comment section below to share your two cents and your Western Conference top eight.
Lakers at #8
Rockets, Warriors, Nuggets, Spurs, Lakers, Thunder, Jazz, Timberwolves/Blazers/Pels
Spurs at #3 … maybe #2
GS, HOU, Utah, NO, Min, Por, LAL, and SA in that order
Don’t sleep on the Nuggets
1)Warriors (Rise with Cousins)
2)Rockets (Fall with losses at SF)
3)Thunder(Rise with Noel,Schroeder, and Quality Contribution from Ferguson)
4)Jazz (Mitchell keeps getting better)
5)Lakers (LeBron Obv, and very large improvements by Ingram, Ball, and especially Hart, ***This is a deep team)
6) Spurs (3P Shooting is an issue, but DeRozan is a considerable improvement)
7) Timberwolves(Chemistry issues plague the team, however improvements to Wiggins and Towns games)
8)Portland/Denver (whoever stays healthiest)
10)Mavs/Grizzlies (whichever rookie has the better season)
12)Clippers(This team is deep but lacks the star power plain and simple)
13)Pelicans (Anthony Davis asks to be traded(and is) after Lackluster start)
14)Suns( this is an improved team but this conference is just so talented)
15)Kings(I’m sorry but I’m quite concerned about Bagleys right hand. He was owned in summer league)
Don’t see the Wolves making it.
Davis isn’t leaving New Orleans with Randle there with him now, he’ll likely extend.
1. Warriors( 5 all-stars in the starting line-up.)
2. Rockets(Melo will flourish and average 22 ppg with Paul being the perfect set up man and make for the most lethal offense in the game.)
3. OKC(George and Russ will have great seasons and nothing against Melo just he had to be a spot up shooter for that offense to work.)
4. Spurs(DeRozan will fit right in and compliment Aldridge better than Kawhi did, Murray will have a breakout season.)
5. Jazz(Great second half last season but the lack of a consistent second option will keep them here.)
6. Lakers( Lebron will of course lead them but it will take time to build chemistry with Lebron having to play more off the ball under Luke)
7. Pelicans( Randle and Davis will be the most dynamic big man duo in the league with Randle averaging 20 ppg 12 rpg to go with Davis’s career high 31 ppg and 14 rpg.
8. Blazers(Nurkic will bump his averages up to 20 and 12 and we could possibly see a historic first round upset with Nurkic and Collins making for a severe mismatch for Golden State down low.)
Wolves miss playoffs and Butler skips to the Clippers.
1 – GSW
2 – Lakers
3 – Houston
4 – OKC
5 -Denver
6 – NOLA
7 – Minny
8 – Portland
with San Antonio & Utah as the big losers.
Phoenix & Sacramento getting close.
Dallas, Memphis & Clippers bigger flops.
No way San Antonio and Utah miss the playoffs.
GSW….OKC…..ROCKETS…….JAZZ…..LAL….PORT…..SA….MINN…. Tough conference as I didn’t like leaving out the Pels but had to toss a team with an outside shot to Nuggs.
GSW
DEN, LAL
HOU, UTA, SAS
POR, OKC, NOP, MIN
MEM, LAC, SAC, PHX, DAL
DEN & LAL soar with lack of injuries.
1.Warriors
2.Rockets
3.Jazz
4.Blazers
5.Spurs
6.Lakers
7.Thunder
8.Timberwolves