With the 2016-17 NBA season still a couple of months away it is that time of the year when fans and analysts alike do their best to break down what to expect in the year to come. The NBA Draft and free agency are in the books so we have a good enough idea of what the rosters will look like to break down what to expect this coming season. Here is a look at how we think the NBA Western conference standings will play out this season.
1. Golden State Warriors
Projected Record: 72-10
The first team in NBA history to finish a season with the league’s best record and then add a former MVP under the age of 30 will have championship-or-bust expectations. However, the Warriors will have a tough a tough time matching last year’s NBA record for wins with 73. Look for Golden State to remain the most dominant team in the association with a championship instead of an NBA record for wins this season.
2. San Antonio Spurs
Projected Record: 62-20
For the first time in two decades, San Antonio will open a season without Tim Duncan on their roster. The Spurs couldn’t convince the veteran big man to come back for another year but they added Pau Gasol to replace his production and that move should make for a good fit. The bigger issue could be replacing the production of David West and Boris Diaw, who each moved on this offseason. San Antonio is still the second-best team in the Western Conference on paper but it’s reasonable to expect some regression following a 67-win season.
3. Los Angeles Clippers
Projected Record: 55-27
Injuries to Blake Griffin and Chris Paul sidetracked the Clippers in last year’s playoffs but they kept their core together this offseason and added Raymond Felton, Brandon Bass and Marreese Speights. Los Angeles should be primed to make a run in the Western Conference and if they can stay healthy they will finish third in the regular season standings.
4. Portland Trail Blazers
Projected Record: 45-37
Portland can finish with one more win than they did a year ago and climb to fourth in the Western Conference standings thanks to regression from teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks. The Trail Blazers did a good job locking up C.J. McCollum, Allen Crabbe, Meyers Leonard and Evan Turner and should be a force once again this season.
5. Memphis Grizzlies
Projected Record: 45-37
The Grizzlies might not be getting enough credit heading in to this season but we like them to emerge as a legitimate contender in the Western Conference once again. The addition of Chandler Parsons should be the perfect fit next to a core that includes Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley and as long as this team can stay healthy then Memphis will compete for a top-four spot in the standings.
6. Utah Jazz
Projected Record: 44-38
Utah added veterans George Hill, Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw to a promising young core that includes Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert and that should be enough to put them in the playoff picture this season. The return of Dante Exum after he missed all of last year with a torn ACL should provide an additional boost that seems to be somewhat overlooked so look for the Jazz to be a playoff team in 2016-17.
7. Oklahoma City Thunder
Projected Record: 44-38
The Thunder won’t be a championship contender without Kevin Durant but they added Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova and Domantas Sabonis in exchange for Serge Ibaka so they still have an excellent chance to make the playoffs in 2016-17. Oklahoma City has posted a 25-23 record in 48 games with Russell Westbrook and without Kevin Durant over the last two years so 44 wins and a postseason spot isn’t unreasonable for this group.
8. Houston Rockets
Projected Record: 42-40
Houston lost Dwight Howard but they brought in an offensive-oriented head coach in Mike D’Antoni along with a couple of quality shooters that can help spread the floor in Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon. The Rockets are one year removed from a trip to the Western Conference Finals and while they might not be that good this coming year we have to expect them to find a way back to the playoffs.
T-9. Dallas Mavericks
Projected Record: 40-42
The Mavericks added Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut and Seth Curry but it’s hard to imagine those moves putting them over the top and age is a major issue with Dirk Nowitzki, Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews all at the tail end of their careers. Dallas overachieved by finishing sixth in the Western Conference last season so a small step back should be expected in 2016-17.
T-9. Minnesota Timberwolves
Projected Record: 40-42
It wouldn’t be a surprise if Minnesota improved by 11 wins from last year’s 29-53 record based solely on the maturation of a young roster that is clearly on the rise in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves boast back-to-back Rookie of the Year award winners in Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns and they could have another with Kris Dunn added to the mix as the fifth-overall in this year’s draft.
11. New Orleans Pelicans
Projected Record: 38-44
New Orleans added some scoring with sixth-overall pick Buddy Hield but they didn’t do much else to upgrade a roster that finished with 30 wins a year ago. A healthy Anthony Davis should lead to moderate improvement but the Pelicans will miss out on the postseason once again in 2016-17.
12. Denver Nuggets
Projected Record: 35-47
The Nuggets added three first round picks in Jamal Murray, Malik Beasley and Juan Hernangomez to a core group that includes Emmanuel Mudiay, Nikola Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic. It’s hard to project what that will mean for this season in terms of overall improvement in the win column but Denver should be a more entertaining team as they continue to try to turn things around in their rebuilding process.
13. Phoenix Suns
Projected Record: 26-56
Phoenix picked up two of the top eight picks in the 2016 NBA Draft with the additions of Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss, who should fit in nicely with the team along with last year’s first round pick Devin Booker. The Suns have an intriguing mix of young talent but they won’t contend for a playoff spot in 2016-17.
14. Sacramento Kings
Projected Record: 30-52
The Kings continued to waste their prime years with DeMarcus Cousins by drafting yet another two big men in Georgios Papagiannis and Skal Labissiere. Sacramento lost the league’s reigning assists leader in Rajon Rondo and a lack of talent at the guard positions will ultimately hold them back in another disappointing season.
15. Los Angeles Lakers
Projected Record: 20-62
The purple and gold managed to write off another rebuilding year as the Kobe Bryant farewell tour but now the Mamba is retired and the focus will be solely on the future. The addition of Brandon Ingram should pay off immediately with youngsters D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle looking to make a bigger impact as well. The Lakers turned heads by handing big deals to Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng but they should help bridge the gap but LA will remain in the basement of the Western Conference once again this season.
