Denver now has one of the NBA’s best frontcourts and they should ride it to a playoff berth. The move makes the Timberwolves look like a team that should make the playoffs instead of a lottery team.ĭenver Nuggets: The Nuggets have a star in center Nikolai Jokic and they went out and signed Paul Millsap to pair with him. Minnesota Timberwolves: Much like OKC, Minnesota also pulled off an impressive trade landing Jimmy Butler from the Bulls for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, and a swap of 1 st round picks. If the Thunder played in the East they would be a real threat to play in the Conference championship and possibly the NBA Finals but in the West they are probably no better than the 4 th best team. Even if George could be a one year rental the move still allowed them to get rid of Oladipo’s contract and not give up any assets. Oklahoma City Thunder: OKC pulled off an impressive heist when they traded Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis for Paul George. The Spurs will be the Spurs this upcoming season so expect a top 3 seed and 60 wins again. San Antonio brings back virtually the same team but they did add Rudy Gay who is recovering from an Achilles injury. San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs won 61 games last season, saw Kawhi Leonard become a MVP candidate, and had the Warriors down by 20 before an injury to Leonard killed any chance they had at the upset. Should the Rockets get him, they would have a team that on paper might be the Warriors toughest opponent but that could just mean that it takes 6 games instead of 5 for Golden State to win the series. They were able to get Chris Paul and are looking to find a way to trade for Carmelo Anthony. Houston Rockets: If there is any team that could possibly pose a threat to the Warriors right now its the Houston Rockets. The Warriors are not only the favorite to win the title but they could have a shot at going 16-0 during the playoffs.
Golden State Warriors: The defending NBA champs not only were able to sign every important piece from last years team but they also were able to upgrade their bench by adding Nick Young and Omri Casspi. NBA Tier Rankings- Post Free Agency/Draft Booker, Jackson and Bledsoe are a nice trio though. It appears that the Kings franchise may finally be figuring it out. The Lakers have a better roster this season and some fun players to watch but they still aren’t very good. The Mavericks have Dirk Nowitzki and Dennis Smith Jr so even if they aren’t very good, they should still be entertaining. The Grizzlies are seeing the Grit and Grind era come to a close. This should still be a great defensive unit.
The Jazz will miss Hayward’s play immensely. The Blazers have some great players but they lack a 3 rd star as well as having too much money invested in role players. Its the rest of the roster that’s a problem. The Pelicans have the best frontcourt in the NBA. If they stay healthy, especially Griffin, then they shouldn’t fall too far down the Conference. The Clippers still have a solid team even after losing PG Chris Paul. They will need at least two more years before they take the leap to the upper echelon of the Western Conference. The Nuggets have a solid core to build around C Nikola Jokic. They are probably a year or two from really becoming a threat to Golden State. The Timberwolves traded for Jimmy Butler on draft night and now they have a big 3 of Butler, KAT and Wiggins. If they gel quicker this team could challenge for the 2 seed. The Thunder added Paul George and Carmelo Anthony to a roster that desperately needed help for Russell Westbrook. As long as Kawhi Leonard is healthy they can beat anyone. The Spurs didn’t change much other than adding Rudy Gay to the team. The Rockets can score, shoot the three and distribute the ball but, can they play defense? The Rockets added PG Chris Paul in the offseason to pair with superstar James Harden. This team should be even better in year 2 than they were last season. The defending champs bring back all of their key players while also adding better pieces to their bench.