Next up in our NBA Preview, we have the most competitive division of them all, the Pacific division.
#5 - Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are dying...literally. Kawhi Leonard had a major injury that took him out of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. He will probably not be 100% for the 2024-2025 season. That leaves the Clippers with James Harden to lead them, and we've all seen this movie before. He leads them to the playoffs and then they just bomb, if that. Ivica Zubac may want to consider a new team before his career comes to an end.
However, the Clippers got some new faces that may help keep them afloat for now. P.J. Tucker is an NBA champion and always a great veteran to add. The youth of Kevin Porter Jr. coming to town creates a little bit of a spark that may give the Clippers hope of a bright future. On top of them, Terrence Mann is a fresh young face that could give the Clippers momentum.
It may take a lot of time before the Clippers are back in the playoffs. They may have the first NBA Draft pick again in the near future.
#4 - Sacramento Kings
This hurts because I truly believe that this team has enough young talent to win the division. They have the NBA's best rebounder in Domantas Sabonis and the league's steals leader from last year in De'Aaron Fox. On the offensive end, they bring in bucket getter Demar DeRozan from Chicago and have great shooters in Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter. Keegan Murray has been a valuable young asset from the moment he hit the NBA floor. Sacramento has high potential for next year.
The problem is that it's only potential. Last year, they came back from a division title and a three seed in the Western Conference and they lost in the play-in game to a New Orleans team that didn't even try and beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round. On top of that, DeRozan is 35 years old. He's nearing the end of his career and isn't capable of scoring 30 a game anymore, though he still is a legit scoring option when you need a big bucket.
I could be wrong about this team, but all signs lead to a coaching change at the end of the year. Mike Brown had better be careful.
#3 - Golden State Warriors
Just when you thought the Warriors were back to dominate, it happens again. They've proven that they can't win an NBA championship without Klay Thompson, and now he's gone for good. Stephen Curry is still the greatest shooter in the world, but without Klay Thompson's defense, they will not be good enough. I know that Draymond Green is a Defensive Player of the Year winner, but that's less for his ability to lock down shooters. That was Klay's job.
However, the Warriors still have the best NBA player from the last decade. Curry proved in the Paris Olympic Games that he's still a legend and he's not slowing down anytime soon. Even LeBron could not believe what he was seeing. With Steph still in all-star form, and Draymond leading the team, you have to put Golden State in the playoff conversation. On top of those two, the Warriors have a number of dynamic wings in Andrew Wiggins, all-rookie selection Brandin Podziemski, and Buddy Hield, another top 5 three-point shooter in the NBA.
The Warriors have a good team, but they will desperately miss Klay.
#2 - Los Angeles Lakers
All anyone has to say is "LeBron James is on this team" and you know they're a playoff team. Funny enough, he's older than his new coach J.J. Redick. The biggest story of the season in the NBA is that LeBron James will play alongside his son Bronny James, who was the Lakers' second round draft pick. While that story is something special, it doesn't win championships. However, the Lakers are in the conversation thanks to LeBron and his right hand man Anthony Davis. Davis was blocking every shot in Paris against European competition, which has crept into the NBA in recent years. He will be a problem for any team.
With LeBron and A.D. running the show, the only thing holding the Lakers back is the supporting cast. D'Angelo Russell has been in much trade speculation for the entire year due to his lack of execution and inability to gel with LeBron. Austin Reeves and Rui Hachimura have been great, but the rest of the team is young and untested. Although, I do believe that rookie Dalton Knecht will be a huge asset to the team. He was supposed to be a top 5 draft selection in the NBA Draft, and ended up falling to the Lakers simply because he is already 23 years old. That's a major steal.
Don't be surprised if the Lakers get another championship. They have the pieces, it's just a matter of making everything fit together.
#1 - Phoenix Suns
Phoenix needed a year to become a team, but they have a lot of the right pieces this time around. With Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and Grayson Allen being one the best group of three-point shooters you could assemble, the Suns will be hard to stop on the offensive end. The problem has been the interior, but the Suns found some pieces to help out.
Jusuf Nurkic will still be the starter, provided that Draymond Green doesn't whack him with a blatant right hand again. Behind him, the Suns have big men Mason Plumlee, Frank Kaminsky, and Bol Bol. That provides some serious depth on the interior that will allow Phoenix to play more physical and get more rebounds and scores. I have a feeling that this team will be great, but the division could easily go elsewhere. Whatever the case, four teams from this division will be in the play-in game or higher, but none will likely be a top four seed.
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