The Thunder could be significantly better.<\/a> Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP, is 27. Jalen Williams, fresh off his first All-NBA season, is 24. Chet Holmgren, who lost 50 games last season due to a hip injury, is 23 and had a full offseason to continue to fill out. Organic improvement alone is enough for OKC to surpass last season\u2019s 68 wins.\u00a0<\/p>\nBut wait, there\u2019s more! The Thunder will add Topic, the 2024 lottery pick who missed all of last season with a knee injury. Topic had some dazzling moments in Summer League, showcasing flashy playmaking and skills in transition. There\u2019s some Josh Giddey to his game\u2014right down to the shaky jump shot\u2014which should be enough to earn Topic some regular-season minutes, making the NBA\u2019s deepest team even deeper and putting Oklahoma City in play to become the first back-to-back champion in eight years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Denver Nuggets<\/p>\n
Major additions: Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown, Jonas Valanciunas, Tim Hardaway Jr.
Key loss: Michael Porter Jr.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Nuggets had an A+ offseason. Losing Porter hurts\u2014say what you will about his flaws but he is an efficient scorer who thrived as a third option\u2014but Johnson should replicate most of what Porter did offensively while providing more reliable defense, all at around $17 million less per season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And what did Denver do with that savings? The Nuggets spent it, fleshing out a thin rotation with reliable veterans. Brown is a known commodity in Denver, Valanciunas is a durable backup while Hardaway was a steal on a one-year, $3.6 million deal. The Nuggets\u2019 overreliance on their starting five cost them last season, when a battered, worn-down lineup got blitzed in Game 7 of the conference semifinals. That shouldn\u2019t be an issue this season, and if one of Denver\u2019s collection of young talent (Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther, Jalen Pickett) makes a leap, the Nuggets could have their deepest roster of the Nikola Jokic era.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Los Angeles Clippers<\/p>\n
Major additions: John Collins, Bradley Beal, Chris Paul, Brook Lopez
Key loss: Norman Powell<\/p>\n
Six years after the Clippers signed Kawhi Leonard, a year and a half after dealing Paul George and months after trading Powell, are we ready to say this is the year L.A. breaks out? Leonard\u2019s health is paramount: He missed 45 games last season, which forced the Clips to battle all the way to the end of the regular season to avoid the play-in, only to get stuck with an unenviable first-round matchup against Denver. Leonard is a year removed from a 68-game, All-NBA second-team season. Los Angeles needs that version to return.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If he does, L.A. could be formidable. Ivica Zubac had a breakout 2024\u201325 season, anchoring the NBA\u2019s third-ranked defense. The Clippers fortified the frontcourt with Lopez and Collins, while Beal and Paul will (hopefully) replace the hole in the offense Powell leaves behind. There will be some growing pains, but this team could be top-10 on both ends of the floor. Will it be enough to get past the conference\u2019s Goliaths? Stay tuned \u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
Houston Rockets<\/p>\n
Major addition: Kevin Durant
Key loss: Jalen Green<\/p>\n
Houston stuck to its guns last season, refusing to make any roster decisions until it saw what its young team was capable of. The result: a 52-win season that ended with a first-round exit, one largely due to the Rockets\u2019 inability to score in the halfcourt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Houston\u2019s response: Acquire Durant, still a certified bucket-getter who appears to be a round peg\/round hole fit with the Rockets. Houston ranked in the bottom third of the league in points per play in the half court, per Cleaning the Glass. Durant averaged 26.6 points last season, connecting on 52.7% of his shots. He\u2019s impossible to guard from the elbow. Still lethal coming off screens. And his three-point shooting (43%) will open up the floor for everyone else.<\/p>\n
Houston is another team that should see organic growth. Amen Thompson is an improved jump shot away from being a top-25 player. Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith and Tari Eason are all age 25 and under. Reed Sheppard, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft, played sparingly last season. Durant could be exactly the kind of catalyst needed to, er, rocket Houston to the next level.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Los Angeles Lakers\u00a0<\/p>\n
Major additions: Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia
Key losses: Dorian Finney-Smith, Jordan Goodwin<\/p>\n
The jury is out on how the Lakers\u2019 new additions will fit. Ayton is a stat-stuffing big man but will he succeed\u2014and be happy\u2014in a role that largely demands rebounding, defense and scoring at the rim? Smart was once one of the NBA\u2019s most formidable wing defenders, but injuries have limited him to 54 games over the last two seasons. The Lakers prioritized signing LaRavia this summer, projecting him to be the kind of 3-and-D player they lost in Finney-Smith. But LaRavia, entering his fourth season, is unproven.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Still, the case for L.A. as a top-tier contender is its formidable one-two punch. Luka Doncic is a top-five player who slimmed down considerably this offseason. And for all the chatter about what LeBron James can\u2019t do anymore, there\u2019s still a lot he can, enough to earn a top-10 finish in last season\u2019s MVP voting and a spot on the All-NBA second team. In a close game in the fourth quarter, the Lakers will have two elite closers on the floor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Will it be enough? Coach JJ Redick will have to figure out how to blend some unique talents. And defensively L.A. will need to improve on its middle-of-the-pack efficiency numbers from last season. But Doncic has already proven he can carry a team to the Finals, and he has been dominant in his matchups with Oklahoma City. If Ayton, Smart & Co. fit, this Lakers team will be formidable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Next Fron(tier)\u00a0
\nMinnesota Timberwolves<\/p>\n
Major additions: None
Key loss: Nickeil Alexander-Walker<\/p>\n
Is Alexander-Walker replaceable? The Wolves survived a roster overhaul last season, integrating Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to replace Karl-Anthony Towns. Alexander-Walker isn\u2019t as splashy, but he\u2019s a durable (82 games in each of the last two seasons), reliable (23-plus minutes per game), versatile defender who shoots high 30s from three-point range. Players like that are valuable, as Atlanta proved by locking in Alexander-Walker on a four-year, $62 million deal in a sign-and-trade.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To replace Alexander-Walker, Minnesota will look internally. Terrence Shannon Jr. came on in the second half of the season and showed flashes of a nice two-way game in the playoffs. Rob Dillingham played sparingly as a rookie, but he may be ready for a bigger role. Bones Hyland and Joe Ingles could also pick up some slack.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alexander-Walker\u2019s exit may not be Minnesota\u2019s only problem. Mike Conley is 37 and averaged the fewest minutes per game (24.7) of his career last season. Rudy Gobert is 33 and isn\u2019t quite the defender he was at his peak. The Wolves still have Anthony Edwards\u2019s singular talent and frontcourt firepower with Randle and Naz Reid. But even the slightest erosion of talent could make a difference in a loaded Western Conference.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Golden State Warriors<\/p>\n
Major additions: None (for now)
Key loss: Kevon Looney\u00a0<\/p>\n
The future of Jonathan Kuminga looms large for the Warriors. Kuminga could accept a team-friendly deal (two years, $45 million, per reports) which will almost certainly lead to Golden State entertaining trade offers. He could sign a qualifying offer (one year, $7.9 million) which would cost Kuminga millions but give him a de facto no-trade clause. Or he could wait to see if the Warriors can work out an acceptable sign-and-trade.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Either way, Golden State\u2019s roster makeup remains murky. It\u2019s widely believed that Al Horford will sign with the Warriors once Kuminga\u2019s situation is settled, which would fill the hole vacated by Looney. At 37, Stephen Curry remains a top-10(ish) player, Jimmy Butler looked revived following the midseason trade while Draymond Green reclaimed his place among the league\u2019s top defenders last season and continues to be the heartbeat of the team.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Will they get help? Kuminga, if he returns, has been an awkward fit. Brandin Podziemski was so-so in his second season after a strong rookie year. Trayce Jackson-Davis, Moses Moody and Quinten Post are young players with potential. If a few of them can step up and help keep Golden State\u2019s aging core\u2019s minutes down during the regular season, the Warriors could have one more run left in them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
San Antonio Spurs<\/p>\n
Major addition: Luke Kornet
Key loss: Chris Paul<\/p>\n
San Antonio is a trendy pick to surge into the playoff field. Victor Wembanyama is back and in Year 3 could emerge as a top-10 player. De\u2019Aaron Fox, who played just five games with Wembanyama last season after coming over from Sacramento, returns with a four-year extension locking him in as Wemby\u2019s wingman. Stephon Castle is coming off a Rookie of the Year season, and the Spurs are loaded with solid veterans (Harrison Barnes, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson) to fill out the rotation. Oh, and second overall pick Dylan Harper is joining the mix.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s too soon\u2014way too soon\u2014to look at San Antonio as conference contenders. But a double-digit win improvement is possible and any team led by Wembanyama won\u2019t be an easy out in the playoffs. The real conversation about the Spurs begins in 2026\u201327, but they have the talent to make this one interesting.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dallas Mavericks<\/p>\n
Major additions: Cooper Flagg, D\u2019Angelo Russell
Key loss: Spencer Dinwiddie<\/p>\n
The Mavs stumbled into GM Nico Harrison\u2019s dream scenario, with Flagg joining Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II on one of the NBA\u2019s most formidable defensive front lines. Dallas would be firmly entrenched in the contender tier if not for the uncertainty of Kyrie Irving\u2019s availability\u2014and how long it will take Irving to return to form when he\u2019s back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
By all accounts, Irving, who tore the ACL in his left knee last March, is progressing well. But the Mavericks have declined to put a timeline on Irving\u2019s return, while Irving himself said on a recent livestream that he won\u2019t come back until he is \u201c150,000% better.\u201d Russell will temporarily fill Irving\u2019s spot in the lineup, but while Russell has shown he can be a capable starter, he doesn\u2019t have the same offensive spark as Irving, who played to an All-Star level last season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Best case: Irving returns by the All-Star break and has enough of a ramp up to make the Mavs a force come playoffs. Worst case: Irving\u2019s recovery is slow and he needs a full offseason to get back to last year\u2019s level. It makes Dallas one of the real wild cards in the conference.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wait Till Next Tier
\nSacramento Kings<\/p>\n
Major additions: Dennis Schroder, Dario Saric, Doug McDermott
Key losses: Jonas Valanciunas, Jake LaRavia<\/p>\n
Since a 48-win 2022\u201323 season, the Kings have been going backwards, to 46 in \u201923\u201324 to 40 last season. The slide cost them franchise point guard (De\u2019Aaron Fox) and repositioned Sacramento as a promising team on the rise to an older one spinning its wheels in search of a play-in berth.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s still some firepower in Sacramento, with Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan providing scoring on the wing and the stat-stuffing Domantas Sabonis in the middle. And they continue to be among the teams interested in Kuminga. But the Kings were bottom-third in the NBA in defensive efficiency last season and there\u2019s no reason to think that will measurably improve. Schroder is a stopgap at point guard and it\u2019s way too early to expect rookies Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud to meaningfully contribute. It wouldn\u2019t be surprising to see new GM Scott Perry strip another veteran or two off the roster before the trade deadline.\u00a0<\/p>\n
New Orleans Pelicans<\/p>\n
Major additions: Jordan Poole, Kevon Looney, Saddiq Bey
Key losses: CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk<\/p>\n
Kind of a weird offseason in New Orleans, no? Joe Dumars\u2019s first acts as Pelicans boss was to bring in a faded big man (Looney) and two ex-Wizards with cap-clogging contracts. Meanwhile, the Pels surrendered an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to move up 10 spots to draft Maryland big man Derik Queen. Risky, to say the least.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a scenario where this all works out, of course. Dumars has challenged Zion Williamson to up his conditioning, and there\u2019s early confidence in New Orleans that Williamson can regain his 2023\u201324 form, when he played 70 games. Poole, for all his warts, is more of a shot creator than McCollum. Bey, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, had shown flashes of developing into a 3-and-D wing. And Queen had some games at Summer League that suggested he could be ready for the rotation this season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The rest of the roster is pretty good. Trey Murphy III is a big-time three-point shooter. Herb Jones, a rising two-way wing, is back after an injury-ravaged 2024\u201325 season. And Yves Missi had an outstanding rookie year. As always, everything in New Orleans hinges on Williamson\u2019s health. But if he can stay on the floor, the Pelicans could surprise the skeptics.<\/p>\n
This article was originally published on www.si.com as NBA Western Conference Tiers: This Team Tops Deepest Conference in Modern Era<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In any other year, Oklahoma City would be a shoo-in to repeat as conference champs. Young, star-heavy and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":264900,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3783],"tags":[7,4500,6807,6811,6805,6,67,6808,6806,6809,310,475,179,3966,3965,312,6810,447],"class_list":{"0":"post-264899","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-oklahoma-city-thunder","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-breaking-news","10":"tag-daily-news","11":"tag-global-news","12":"tag-inkl","13":"tag-nba","14":"tag-news","15":"tag-news-app","16":"tag-news-headlines","17":"tag-news-today","18":"tag-oklahoma","19":"tag-oklahoma-city","20":"tag-oklahoma-city-thunder","21":"tag-oklahomacity","22":"tag-oklahomacitythunder","23":"tag-thunder","24":"tag-today-news","25":"tag-world-news"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/115141650967919514","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/264899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=264899"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/264899\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/264900"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=264899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=264899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=264899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}