The Western Conference is as strong as it has ever been with 12 of the 15 All-NBA selections set to play out West this season.
But with only eight playoff spots available, a few strong teams will inevitably head home at the end of the regular season. Here's how we see the West shaking out...
DEVENEY: What should we expect from 2019 NBA Draft?
The favorite
Warriors: The back-to-back champs will once again return the top starting five in the league. The only stumbling block could be boredom for a team that is looking to return to the NBA Finals for the fifth consecutive season. The Warriors lacked focus at times last year, but the addition of DeMarcus Cousins should bring some much-needed freshness to a team that knows the regular season means little compared to the ultimate goal.
When Cousins will return to the floor remains a mystery, but he’ll give the Warriors an element that they have been missing. A dominant scorer on the block only makes the offense that much more of a nightmare for opposing defenses. Good luck to the rest of the NBA.
The challenger
Rockets: The Rockets had an interesting offseason. On paper, the roster looks weaker. The losses of Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute will certainly hurt them on the defensive end, which is where the Rockets made the greatest strides last season. But the core that made them so special will return, and the addition of Carmelo Anthony could turn out to be a better fit than most think. If Anthony is able to find a role that suits him and Mike D’Antoni, the Rockets could be even more lethal offensively.
And don’t discount general manager Daryl Morey making another move to compete with Golden State. The Rockets know how close they were last season. Will they be fueled by their Game 7 dud in the Western Conference finals, or will it always haunt them?
Potential playoff teams
Thunder: The shedding of Anthony’s contract was necessary for the Thunder’s financial future, but it also may improve their on-court performance. Anthony was never able to settle into a role in his lone year in Oklahoma City and quickly became a non-factor during the playoffs.
Paul George’s decision to spurn his hometown Lakers and return to the Thunder came as a bit of a surprise considering the five-time All-Star signing with LA was basically a foregone conclusion last year. His performance and Dennis Schroder’s (acquired from Atlanta in the Anthony deal) ability to accept his new sixth man role will dictate where the Thunder find themselves heading into the playoffs.
Jazz: A quiet offseason was the correct approach for the Jazz. In re-signing Derick Favors, Dante Exum and Raul Neto, the Jazz will return the core that brought them to a surprising second-round appearance after defeating OKC. Rookie of the Year runner-up Donovan Mitchell looks ready to take the league by storm, and if the Jazz can replicate their defensive prowess from a year ago (second in the league in defensive rating), a deep playoff run may be in the cards.
Lakers: Magic Johnson and the Lakers front office finally made their big splash. LeBron James is a Laker, and the energy will be back in full force at Staples Center. The four-year deal that James signed gives the Lakers time to acquire one or possibly two stars to put around James. Los Angeles might already have a rising star in Brandon Ingram, who looks like he is ready to take another leap in his development.
But this team is nowhere near being able to compete with the Warriors or Rockets at the top of the West.
The signings of Lance Stephenson, Rajon Rondo, Michael Beasley and JaVale McGee raised some eyebrows. Lonzo Ball will have to improve his shooting to stay on the floor with James. There are questions up and down the roster, and this team could look a lot different after the trade deadline. James will be enough to get the Lakers into the playoffs for the first time since 2013, but don’t expect them to make much noise once they are there.
Nuggets: Denver was one game away from a playoff berth last season, falling to the Timberwolves in the regular season finale. It was a disappointing ending, but the Nuggets still have one of the best young cores in the league. Nikola Jokic is a special playmaker at center, and guards Jamal Murray and Gary Harris have bright futures. The addition of Isaiah Thomas should give them some offensive firepower if he can fully recover from his hip surgery.
However, the Nuggets must improve on the defensive end after finishing 26th in defensive rating last year. Expect Denver to get over the hump this season and bump one of last year’s playoff teams into the lottery.
Timberwolves: Not all is well in Minnesota. Jimmy Butler has voiced his displeasure with the some of the younger players on the roster, specifically Andrew Wiggins and Karl Anthony-Towns. Butler reportedly turned down a four-year, $110 million extension from the Timberwolves this offseason, which makes sense for him financially. He can make more money next summer, but he may already have his eyes on another team.
The front office will have to make some difficult decisions before the February trade deadline, but if the Timberwolves decide to stick with Butler for the entire season, they should be able to squeak into the playoffs once again.
Pelicans: DeMarcus Cousins' decision to sign with the Warriors is not necessarily the worst thing that could have happened for the Pelicans. After Cousins suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in January, the Pelicans went 21-13 the rest of the regular season and swept the Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs.
The question will be whether new addition Elfrid Payton can replace Rondo at the point. Rondo was terrific for the Pelicans, particularly in the playoffs, and losing him in free agency hurts. But Anthony Davis will do Anthony Davis things, and the Pelicans should return to the playoffs for second consecutive season.
Trail Blazers: The West is just loaded. The Blazers finished the 2017-18 regular season as the No. 3 seed in the West and looked poised to make a run in the playoffs. But after getting swept by the Pelicans and failing to advance past the second round for the fifth consecutive season, the whispers are getting louder that the duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum may not last.
The loss of center Ed Davis in free agency will hurt (third in win shares last season behind Lillard and McCollum), but the Blazers will be in the mix for a playoff spot. If they wind up being the odd team out, the calls to trade one of Lillard or McCollum (more likely CJ) will be coming.
Spurs: The organization that has been the envy of the league for two decades has finally become mortal. The Kawhi Leonard drama effectively ended the post-Duncan plans for Gregg Popovich and the Spurs. Tony Parker will be playing in Charlotte, and Manu Ginobili has hung up his sneakers for good. It's a new day in San Antonio.
These Spurs will feature DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge and Dejounte Murray running the show. In the East, the Spurs would easily be a playoff team, but they will have to battle in the West just to crack into the top eight. Expect the streak of 21 consecutive playoff appearances to come to an end.
Lottery teams
Clippers: The departure of DeAndre Jordan marks the official end of the "Lob City" era — and that may not be a bad thing. The Clippers have their eyes set on the 2019 free agency class with Kawhi Leonard being the ultimate prize, but they must remain competitive to be an appealing destination.
Lou Williams, Tobias Harris and Patrick Beverley will keep the Clips in games as Doc Rivers tries to bring along 2018 first-round draft picks Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jerome Robinson. Clippers fans can expect another season on the outside looking in.
Grizzlies: A healthy Mike Conley Jr. paired with Marc Gasol will be a welcome sight for Grizzlies fans after Conley missed 70 games last season due to a heel injury. While the Memphis front office seems to think that the Conley-Gasol combination can compete for a playoff spot out West, the Grizzlies' chances are... slim to none. Drafting Jaren Jackson Jr. gives the Grizzlies hope for the future, though.
Mavericks: In what could be Dirk Nowitzki’s final season in the league, the Mavericks may actually be competitive. It took Mark Cuban and the Mavs longer than they expected, but they finally landed Jordan as their starting center. Dennis Smith Jr. will look to improve on his solid rookie season, while Rick Carlisle will attempt to mold rookie Luka Doncic into the future of the franchise.
Kings: It will be another tough year to be a Kings fan. But No. 2 overall pick Marvin Bagley III will bring energy to the Golden 1 Center, and De'Aaron Fox will look to improve upon an up-and-down rookie campaign.
Suns: A miserable 2017-18 season at least afforded the Suns the opportunity to draft Deandre Ayton. He will be paired alongside Devin Booker, who recently signed a five-year, $158 million extension to become the highest-paid player in franchise history. Improving on their 21-game win total would be a nice accomplishment for the Suns this season.