WESTERN CONFERENCE PREVIEW
Paul Coro takes a look at the teams of the West, in predicted order of finish: 1. GOLDEN STATE 2016-17 record: 67-15 Coming: Jordan Bell (rookie), Omri Casspi, Nick Young. Going: Matt Barnes, Ian Clark.
Most of the Warriors’ losses last season came when they were at less than full strength so let the 70-win watch begin again. The defending champions re-signed their top free agents and brought in more three-point shooting. After a smooth transition year, Kevin Durant could outscore Stephen Curry this season.
2. HOUSTON 2016-17 record: 55-27 Coming: Luc Mbah a Moute, Chris Paul, P.J. Tucker. Going: Patrick Beverley, Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell.
The Rockets scored and shot amazingly well last season with James Harden at point guard. Now what will they do with Paul, the NBA’s best pure point guard? Mike D’Antoni is a genius with elite playmakers and will manage the ball-sharing. More importantly, the defense improves with Paul, Tucker and Mbah a Moute added.
3. SAN ANTONIO 2016-17 record: 61-21 Coming: Rudy Gay, Joffrey Lauvergne, Derrick White (rookie). Going: Dewayne Dedmon, David Lee, Jonathon Simmons. Here is the annual reminder to not sleep on the Spurs, who won 61 games and were crushing Golden State on the road in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals until Kawhi Leonard was sidelined because of an ankle injury. They will be without Tony Parker until about the All-Star break and are hoping Gay can regain his form after a torn Achilles tendon. Gregg Popovich usually finds a way.
4. OKLAHOMA 2016-17 record: 47-35 Coming: Carmelo Anthony, Raymond Felton, Paul George, Patrick Patterson. Going: Taj Gibson, Enes Kanter, Victor Oladipo. The Thunder stayed relevant with the shocking acquisitions of George and Anthony, although the team will have to be successful to keep them from leaving next summer. George and Anthony have to adjust from leading-men roles but the Thunder now have options beyond Russell Westbrook creating everything offensively.
5. CLIPPERS 2016-17 record: 51-31 Coming: Patrick Beverley, Sam Dekker, Danilo Gallinari, Milos Teodosic, Lou Williams. Going: Jamal Crawford, Luc Mbah a Moute, Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, Marreese Speights. Many unproven teams are leap-frogging the Clippers in preseason prognostications, some speculating that the Clippers could miss the playoffs for the first time since 2011. That is hard to fathom with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan in their NBA primes and Gallinari joining them in the frontcourt.
6. MINNESOTA 2016-17 record: 31-51 Coming: Jimmy Butler, Jamal Crawford, Taj Gibson, Jeff Teague. Going: Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, Ricky Rubio.
The Western Conference is brutal but the Timberwolves still could jump from 13th to even higher than this. Adding Butler’s twoway play in his prime to budding superstar Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins will do that. Minnesota has a more seasoned roster to end a 13-year playoff drought.
7. PORTLAND 2016-17 record: 41-41 Coming: Zach Collins (rookie), Anthony Morrow, Caleb Swanigan (rookie). Going: Allen Crabbe.
The Trail Blazers are a blast offensively with 50 points a game from the backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Jusuf Nurkic showed what an inside presence he can add in 20 games before an injury last season. Portland must get better defensively and that could be accomplished by fouling less and better protecting the three-point line.
8. UTAH 2016-17 record: 51-31 Coming: Jonas Jerebko, Donovan Mitchell (rookie), Ricky Rubio, Thabo Sefolosha, Ekpe Udoh. Going: Boris Diaw, Gordon Hayward, George Hill. Utah is recovering from the loss of Hayward by putting together the league’s top defense, headed by Rudy Gobert. Rubio, Sefolosha and Udoh also are strong defenders and rookie Mitchell has great potential to be a disruptive on-ball defender. Dante Exum (separated shoulder) is sidelined indefinitely again.
9. MEMPHIS
2016-17 record: 43-39 Coming: Mario Chalmers, Tyreke Evans, Ben McLemore. Going: Tony Allen, Vince Carter, Troy Daniels, Zach Randolph.
Grit-and-grind basketball meant seven consecutive playoff trips but the streak and identity are in jeopardy with Randolph and Allen gone. Mike Conley and Marc Gasol remain elite but they need help, like Chandler Parsons returning to his Dallas form.
10. DENVER
2016-17 record: 40-42 Coming: Tyler Lydon (rookie), Trey Lyles, Paul Millsap. Going: Danilo Gallinari.
The Nuggets lost leading scorer Gallinari but have a chance to be a playoff team with Millsap aboard. Denver finished strong last season, especially on offense. The versatility of Millsap and Nikola Jokic up front is an asset but the Nuggets still need better point guard play from Emmanuel Mudiay. 2016-17 record: 34-48 Coming: Tony Allen, Ian Clark, Rajon Rondo. Going: Tim Frazier.
The Anthony Davis-DeMarcus Cousins experiment went 11-14 last season but a slimmer Cousins and a point guard switch could help. Rondo was added to move Jrue Holiday off the ball but Rondo is sidelined until November because of a sports hernia.
12. DALLAS
2016-17 record: 33-49 Coming: Josh McRoberts, Dennis Smith Jr. (rookie). Going: Justin Anderson.
The Mavericks, trying to rebound after their worst season in 17 years, have in point guard Smith Jr. their best rookie in a long time. Though 39-year-old Dirk Nowitzki is signed through 2018-19, the Mavericks are rebuilding and showed it by using 24 players last season.
13. LAKERS
2016-17 record: 26-56 Coming: Lonzo Ball (rookie), Andrew Bogut, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma (rookie), Brook Lopez. Going: Timofey Mozgov, D’Angelo Russell, Nick Young.
A true point guard, two veteran starter additions and a clearer direction make improvement more likely but the Lakers’ youth and worst-rated defense also make for another development season.
14. PHOENIX
2016-17 record: 24-58 Coming: Troy Daniels, Mike James, Josh Jackson (rookie). Going: Leandro Barbosa.
The Suns will remain in the franchise’s worst three-year stretch ever but are committed to “The Timeline,” their answer to “The Process” in Philadelphia. The Suns remain young and have a cornerstone in Devin Booker but still need footing with a defensive culture. Guard Brandon Knight is out injured again.
15. SACRAMENTO
2016-17 record: 32-50 Coming: Bogdan Bogdanovic (rookie), Vince Carter, De’Aaron Fox (rookie), George Hill. Going: Arron Afflalo, Darren Collison, Rudy Gay, Garrett Temple.
It would be stunning for the Kings to end an 11-year playoff drought with five rookies but they’ll be intriguing with Fox and seven other first-rounders from the last two drafts. They added veterans to ease the transition. Buddy Hield is the top returning scorer.