The West just got very, very interesting (and even more lopsided).
Paul George to the Thunder, Chris Paul to the Rockets, and Paul Millsap to the Nuggets are just some of the major moves made this offseason. While we all know who's going to win the East (here's a hint: the Cavs) and the West (thanks a lot, Kevin Durant), but while the East has little to no competition, the West is now even more stacked than last year. Here's my predictions on the Western Conference next year.
1st Seed: Golden State Warriors (surprise, surprise)
Last Year's Record: 67-15
Projected Record Next Season: 70-12
Last Year's Playoff Seed: 1st Seed
The Golden State Warriors were one of the best teams in the history of the NBA, and then they added Kevin Durant. They didn't beat their 2015-16 record setting 73-9 season last year, but now that they have a championship under their belt, look for more confidence in their play and even more chemistry. They brought in "Swaggy P" Nick Young, one of the best catch and shoot players last year, so their bench is more dynamic than last year. Stephen Curry just signed a 5 year, $201 million supermax contract, which if you ask me, Steph is worth every penny. KD took less money on his contract so the Warriors could resign key players like Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston, so with a team unselfish to the point where they take payouts to keep their team intact, there's no way they don't win a championship.
2nd Seed: San Antonio Spurs
Last Year's Record: 61-21
Projected Record Next Season: 62-20
Last Year's Playoff Seed: 2nd Seed
The San Antonio Spurs are the kryptonite to the Warriors Superman. They're the fountain of youth for older players such as Pau Gasol and David Lee. They're the only team in the West who came close to beating them in the playoffs. They got swept, yes, but I believe that if Zaza Pechulia didn't punk Kawhi Leonard, the Spurs would have won Game 1, and possibly taken it to 6 or 7 games. Kawhi is the centerpiece of the Spurs; he is the best two way player in the entire league. He is a two time defensive player of the year who developed one of the best offensive games in the NBA. Tony Parker left the playoffs with a torn left quadriceps tendon, and at 35 years old, he likely doesn't have much longer in the league. Manu Ginobili continues to wow us with his playmaking skills, but he is 39 years old, and Father Time is always undefeated, so his time will come too. LaMarcus Aldridge is the 2nd option on the team and puts up solid numbers, but come playoff time, he needs to improve and stay focused. Jonathon Simmons and Patty Mills show some promise, and the addition of Rudy Gay certainly helps them. As long as Kawhi can stay healthy, the Spurs are the the best bet to actually compete with the Golden State Warriors.
3rd Seed: Houston Rockets
Last Year's Record: 55-27
Projected Record Next Season: 59-23
Last Year's Playoff Seed: 3rd Seed
The Rockets were the surprise breakout team last year. With moving James Harden to point guard, no one knew how he would handle his new role on the team. Well he sure showed us how he could handle his new position, averaging 29 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds, and almost two steals per game, coming second in MVP voting. But there's a new point guard in Houston, and he goes by the name of Chris Paul. It will be interesting to see how Harden adjusts to another ball dominant guard. They're also in the Carmelo Anthony trade talks, and reports say that Melo feels "pretty confident" that he will be traded to Houston. That could form a Big Three good enough to at least contend with the Golden State Warriors.
4th Seed: Oklahoma City Thunder
Last Year's Record: 47-35
Projected Record Next Season: 53-29
Last Year's Playoff Seed: 6th Seed
This is one of my bold predictions in the Western Conference. Last year, they were the 6th seed in the West, but now that they got Paul George for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabots, this makes them a dark horse team that could shake things up. Look, we all know that last season was Russell Westbrook's season; he averaged a triple double for crying out loud. But when they had one of the best players in the league in Kevin Durant on his team, they went to the Western Conference Finals and nearly beat the Warriors, as they were up 3-1 at one point in the series. Russell Westbrook needs another All Star on his team to get to a championship contending level; He can't do it alone. And now, he has an All-Star on his team, and his name is Paul George. Now Paul is nowhere near Kevin's level, but he's a top 15 payer for sure. Kevin and Russ also had leadership issues in OKC, which was one of the reasons he left. But Paul George has no problem not being the "man" on the team. He's a very unselfish player and doesn't mind taking a slightly smaller role, as long as he wins. So if Russell is playing at the same intensity as last year and Paul maintains his All Star play, they could surprise us all.
5th Seed: Minnesota Timberwolves
Last Year's Record: 31-51
Projected Record Next Season: 51-31
Last Year's Playoff Seed: Did Not Make Playoffs
This is where things start getting even more interesting in the West. The Timberwolves were the 13th seed last season, and now they're the 5th seed? Let's break down their starting lineup for this season. Karl-Anthony Towns, a seven footer who can dribble the ball, post up, and back up and shoot the three. At shooting guard, you have Jimmy Butler, an absolute defensive stud who can score the ball nearly as good as he can defend it. Jeff Teague is now their starting point guard, which is a major upgrade from Ricky Rubio. Rubio is one of the best passers in the league, but can't make a jump shot to save his life. Teague averaged 7.8 assists last season while averaging 15.3 points per game as well, so he brings in even more scoring at the point guard position. Then you have Andrew Wiggins, who once (and if) he matures, he has the potential to be an MVP candidate. If he's showing this much promise at 22, he has great things to come. Gorgui Deng is their center, and he is a very decent role player. With this much talent, you could argue that they have one of the most talented and potential filled rosters in the league.
6th Seed: Memphis Grizzlies
Last Year's Record: 43-39
Projected Record Next Season: 47-35
Last Year's Playoff Seed: 7th Seed
The Memphis Grizzlies grit and grind style of play seems to always land them in the playoffs, only to lose in the first round. This year I expect almost nothing different from them, playoffs wise. I do however expect Mike Conley to show us how elite of a player he is, as he's one of the most underrated players in the entire league. Marc Gasol will continue to be an average rim protector who can put up 20 or more points per game. Zach Randolph and Vince Carter leaving in free agency were both big losses for Memphis. They had zero picks in this years draft, thanks to a trade back in 2013 that sent Mareese Speights, Wayne Ellington, Josh Shelby, and a pick to the Cavaliers for Jon Leuer (who?). While most people would rank Memphis lower, I believe that this will be Mike Conley's breakout year, and he definitely has the potential to lead them to the 6th seed.
7th Seed: New Orleans Pelicans
Last Year's Record: 34-48
Projected Record Next Season: 43-39
Last Year's Playoff Seed: Did Not Make Playoffs
Where can you go wrong with 2 of the best 5 big men in the league on the same team? When the Pelicans traded for Demarcus Cousins after the All Star game to join Anthony Davis, it became a move that had the potential to change the league. We know what Cousins can do, but there's no reason why Anthony Davis can't blossom into an MVP in the next 5 years. His skill set is just unlike any other big man in the league. Signing Rajon Rondo to a one year deal teams him back up with his old teammate in Boogie Cousins, so that adds more chemistry to their team. True Holiday is capable of scoring 15 points or more per game, and they were 9th in the league in defensive rating last year, so I see nothing but improvement for the Pelicans in the near future.
8th Seed: Denver Nuggets
Last Year's Record: 40-42
Projected Record Next Season: 41-41
Last Year's Playoff Seed: Did Not Make Playoffs
The Denver Nuggets made a pretty significant move this offseason. They signed a top 25 player in Paul Milsap, who is one of, if not the most underrated player in the entire NBA. He's a perfect fit for the up and coming star in Nikola Jokic, who showed real promise last season. Jameer Nelson and Jamal Murray are very, very nice players who are good players to surround Jokic and Milsap with. They did lose Danilo Gallinari in free agency, but they signed a better replacement in Milsap. Paul is the player they needed to push them into the playoffs, and if Jokic improves, I don't see why they can't go any higher than the 8th seed.
Paul George to the Thunder, Chris Paul to the Rockets, and Paul Millsap to the Nuggets are just some of the major moves made this offseason. While we all know who's going to win the East (here's a hint: the Cavs) and the West (thanks a lot, Kevin Durant), but while the East has little to no competition, the West is now even more stacked than last year. Here's my predictions on the Western Conference next year.
1st Seed: Golden State Warriors (surprise, surprise)
Last Year's Record: 67-15
Projected Record Next Season: 70-12
Last Year's Playoff Seed: 1st Seed
The Golden State Warriors were one of the best teams in the history of the NBA, and then they added Kevin Durant. They didn't beat their 2015-16 record setting 73-9 season last year, but now that they have a championship under their belt, look for more confidence in their play and even more chemistry. They brought in "Swaggy P" Nick Young, one of the best catch and shoot players last year, so their bench is more dynamic than last year. Stephen Curry just signed a 5 year, $201 million supermax contract, which if you ask me, Steph is worth every penny. KD took less money on his contract so the Warriors could resign key players like Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston, so with a team unselfish to the point where they take payouts to keep their team intact, there's no way they don't win a championship.
2nd Seed: San Antonio Spurs
Last Year's Record: 61-21
Projected Record Next Season: 62-20
Last Year's Playoff Seed: 2nd Seed
The San Antonio Spurs are the kryptonite to the Warriors Superman. They're the fountain of youth for older players such as Pau Gasol and David Lee. They're the only team in the West who came close to beating them in the playoffs. They got swept, yes, but I believe that if Zaza Pechulia didn't punk Kawhi Leonard, the Spurs would have won Game 1, and possibly taken it to 6 or 7 games. Kawhi is the centerpiece of the Spurs; he is the best two way player in the entire league. He is a two time defensive player of the year who developed one of the best offensive games in the NBA. Tony Parker left the playoffs with a torn left quadriceps tendon, and at 35 years old, he likely doesn't have much longer in the league. Manu Ginobili continues to wow us with his playmaking skills, but he is 39 years old, and Father Time is always undefeated, so his time will come too. LaMarcus Aldridge is the 2nd option on the team and puts up solid numbers, but come playoff time, he needs to improve and stay focused. Jonathon Simmons and Patty Mills show some promise, and the addition of Rudy Gay certainly helps them. As long as Kawhi can stay healthy, the Spurs are the the best bet to actually compete with the Golden State Warriors.
3rd Seed: Houston Rockets
Last Year's Record: 55-27
Projected Record Next Season: 59-23
Last Year's Playoff Seed: 3rd Seed
The Rockets were the surprise breakout team last year. With moving James Harden to point guard, no one knew how he would handle his new role on the team. Well he sure showed us how he could handle his new position, averaging 29 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds, and almost two steals per game, coming second in MVP voting. But there's a new point guard in Houston, and he goes by the name of Chris Paul. It will be interesting to see how Harden adjusts to another ball dominant guard. They're also in the Carmelo Anthony trade talks, and reports say that Melo feels "pretty confident" that he will be traded to Houston. That could form a Big Three good enough to at least contend with the Golden State Warriors.
4th Seed: Oklahoma City Thunder
Last Year's Record: 47-35
Projected Record Next Season: 53-29
Last Year's Playoff Seed: 6th Seed
This is one of my bold predictions in the Western Conference. Last year, they were the 6th seed in the West, but now that they got Paul George for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabots, this makes them a dark horse team that could shake things up. Look, we all know that last season was Russell Westbrook's season; he averaged a triple double for crying out loud. But when they had one of the best players in the league in Kevin Durant on his team, they went to the Western Conference Finals and nearly beat the Warriors, as they were up 3-1 at one point in the series. Russell Westbrook needs another All Star on his team to get to a championship contending level; He can't do it alone. And now, he has an All-Star on his team, and his name is Paul George. Now Paul is nowhere near Kevin's level, but he's a top 15 payer for sure. Kevin and Russ also had leadership issues in OKC, which was one of the reasons he left. But Paul George has no problem not being the "man" on the team. He's a very unselfish player and doesn't mind taking a slightly smaller role, as long as he wins. So if Russell is playing at the same intensity as last year and Paul maintains his All Star play, they could surprise us all.
5th Seed: Minnesota Timberwolves
Last Year's Record: 31-51
Projected Record Next Season: 51-31
Last Year's Playoff Seed: Did Not Make Playoffs
This is where things start getting even more interesting in the West. The Timberwolves were the 13th seed last season, and now they're the 5th seed? Let's break down their starting lineup for this season. Karl-Anthony Towns, a seven footer who can dribble the ball, post up, and back up and shoot the three. At shooting guard, you have Jimmy Butler, an absolute defensive stud who can score the ball nearly as good as he can defend it. Jeff Teague is now their starting point guard, which is a major upgrade from Ricky Rubio. Rubio is one of the best passers in the league, but can't make a jump shot to save his life. Teague averaged 7.8 assists last season while averaging 15.3 points per game as well, so he brings in even more scoring at the point guard position. Then you have Andrew Wiggins, who once (and if) he matures, he has the potential to be an MVP candidate. If he's showing this much promise at 22, he has great things to come. Gorgui Deng is their center, and he is a very decent role player. With this much talent, you could argue that they have one of the most talented and potential filled rosters in the league.
6th Seed: Memphis Grizzlies
Last Year's Record: 43-39
Projected Record Next Season: 47-35
Last Year's Playoff Seed: 7th Seed
The Memphis Grizzlies grit and grind style of play seems to always land them in the playoffs, only to lose in the first round. This year I expect almost nothing different from them, playoffs wise. I do however expect Mike Conley to show us how elite of a player he is, as he's one of the most underrated players in the entire league. Marc Gasol will continue to be an average rim protector who can put up 20 or more points per game. Zach Randolph and Vince Carter leaving in free agency were both big losses for Memphis. They had zero picks in this years draft, thanks to a trade back in 2013 that sent Mareese Speights, Wayne Ellington, Josh Shelby, and a pick to the Cavaliers for Jon Leuer (who?). While most people would rank Memphis lower, I believe that this will be Mike Conley's breakout year, and he definitely has the potential to lead them to the 6th seed.
7th Seed: New Orleans Pelicans
Last Year's Record: 34-48
Projected Record Next Season: 43-39
Last Year's Playoff Seed: Did Not Make Playoffs
Where can you go wrong with 2 of the best 5 big men in the league on the same team? When the Pelicans traded for Demarcus Cousins after the All Star game to join Anthony Davis, it became a move that had the potential to change the league. We know what Cousins can do, but there's no reason why Anthony Davis can't blossom into an MVP in the next 5 years. His skill set is just unlike any other big man in the league. Signing Rajon Rondo to a one year deal teams him back up with his old teammate in Boogie Cousins, so that adds more chemistry to their team. True Holiday is capable of scoring 15 points or more per game, and they were 9th in the league in defensive rating last year, so I see nothing but improvement for the Pelicans in the near future.
8th Seed: Denver Nuggets
Last Year's Record: 40-42
Projected Record Next Season: 41-41
Last Year's Playoff Seed: Did Not Make Playoffs
The Denver Nuggets made a pretty significant move this offseason. They signed a top 25 player in Paul Milsap, who is one of, if not the most underrated player in the entire NBA. He's a perfect fit for the up and coming star in Nikola Jokic, who showed real promise last season. Jameer Nelson and Jamal Murray are very, very nice players who are good players to surround Jokic and Milsap with. They did lose Danilo Gallinari in free agency, but they signed a better replacement in Milsap. Paul is the player they needed to push them into the playoffs, and if Jokic improves, I don't see why they can't go any higher than the 8th seed.
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