Where do the Lakers Currently Fall in the West?
The latest NBA offseason may not have had as many fireworks as in recent years; however, some key moves around the league greatly altered the landscape in the West. The Lakers will be entering an even tougher Western Conference than before.
A few teams improved their vital positions, while others made nearly no progress. Let’s rank the Western Conference rosters and see where the Lakers stack up if the season began today.
1) Oklahoma City
Key Additions: C Thomas Sorber (draft)
Key Subtractions: F Dillon Jones (trade)
The reigning NBA champions are quite literally “running it back”. They have every player from their championship run under contract for the 2025-2026 season and will be the favorites to emerge from the West again.
They struggled at times in the Nuggets and Pacers series, but otherwise had a dominant and complete season. OKC also locked up their big three for the foreseeable future, handing out contract extensions to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holgrem.
There is no reason they shouldn’t have another dominant season.
2) Denver Nuggets
Key Additions: F Cam Johnson (trade), G Bruce Brown (free agency), G Tim Hardaway Jr (free agency), C Jonas Valanciunas (trade)
Key Subtractions: F Michael Porter Jr (trade), F/C Dario Saric (trade)
Denver had a great offseason. Their moves appeared to fly a little under the radar, but they were all important in revamping the roster around Nikola Jokic. Swapping Michael Porter Jr for Cam Johnson was a savvy move by the new front office.
Johnson improves their perimeter defense and gives them more consistent shooting. Bringing Bruce Brown back from their championship run gives them more experience. Tim Hardaway Jr is always dangerous to go off in a big playoff game, and Valanciunas is a quality backup for Jokic.
The Nuggets were right there with OKC until Game 7, and now they appear improved on paper. Don’t be surprised if they give the Thunder a run for their money.
3) Houston Rockets
Key Additions: F Kevin Durant (trade), F Dorian Finney-Smith (free agency), C Clint Capela (free agency), F Josh Okogie (free agency), JD Davison (free agency)
Key Subtractions: G Jalen Green (trade), F Dillon Brooks (trade), F Cam Whitmore (trade), C Jock Landale (waived)
There’s a legit argument that Houston won the offseason. That is largely because they added one of the best plug-and-play two-way players in league history, Kevin Durant.
He fits into any system due to his skill set on both ends of the floor. He instantly raises the ceiling of a team that finished second in the West last year. Finney-Smith is another excellent two-way player who doesn’t need the ball in his hands.
Adding these two to a roster that already has Amen Thompson is extremely dangerous on the defensive end. If their young players can step up in the playoffs, Houston also has a real shot to make it out of the West.
4) Los Angeles Lakers
Key Additions: C Deandre Ayton (free agency), G Marcus Smart (free agency), F Jake LaRavia (free agency)
Key Subtractions: F Dorian Finney-Smith (free agency), G Jordan Goodwin (waived), G Shake Milton (waived)
Some critics may say this is too high for the Lakers. I have two words for them. Luka Doncic. His offseason transformation has been one of the biggest storylines of the summer, and it shouldn’t be understated.
Luka is moving with clear motivation following his shocking trade from Dallas. He’s been passed the reins of the franchise by Lebron James, and he wants to win now. While the Lakers didn’t make any big trades or splashes, I would argue that they still managed to improve the roster around Doncic.
Deandre Ayton may not have lived up to the hype of the number one pick, but he is a solid rim runner and pick-and-roll option that the team lacked last year. Smart gives the team a veteran presence and some tenacity on the defensive end, while LaRavia is an intriguing young prospect. Losing Finney-Smith hurts, but the two latter additions should replace his production.
5) Los Angeles Clippers
Key Additions: G Bradley Beal (free agency), F John Collins (trade), C Brook Lopez (free agency), G Chris Paul (free agency)
Key Subtractions: G Norman Powell (trade), C Drew Eubanks (waived)
A team filled with veterans added some more this offseason. However, people around the league believe this could be a more sound roster than last season’s. The team traded sharpshooter Norman Powell for an athletic big man in John Collins and then replaced Powell with Bradley Beal.
They added a great veteran center in Brook Lopez to back up Ivica Zubac and brought back a Clippers legend in Chris Paul. This team is old, but experienced. If they can stay healthy, they will compete with Leonard and Harden leading the way.
6) Minnesota Timberwolves
Key Additions: C Joan Beringer (draft)
Key Subtractions: G Nickeil Alexander-Walker (free agency), C Luka Garza (free agency), F Josh Minott (free agency)
Minnesota has two straight Western Conference Finals appearances, led by its superstar Anthony Edwards. Replacing Karl Anthony Towns with Julius Randle appears to be beneficial, as they extended him three years this summer. However, that was the only move the Timberwolves made.
They failed in trading for Kevin Durant and decided to stay put. The only real change they had was losing Alexander-Walker, a key rotational player. If Edwards can continue his rise to a top 3-5 player in the league, the T-Wolves will be right back in the mix for the Finals.
7) Dallas Mavericks
Key Additions: F Cooper Flagg (draft), G D’Angelo Russell (free agency),
Key Subtractions: G Spencer Dinwiddie (free agency)
The Dallas Mavericks are the biggest question mark in the West. When will Kyrie Irving be back? What immediate impact can Flagg make? Will Anthony Davis stay healthy? This team could go in many directions.
I believe they will be ready to compete right away if Russell and Flagg can mesh into the offense quickly. The team has immense size with Davis, Lively, and Gafford. Russell is one of the better backup point guards in the league and should fill in nicely for Irving. Adding one of the most hyped prospects in recent years helps, too.
By the end of the season, if the Mavericks can remain healthy, they will be one of the deepest and dangerous squads in the entire league.
8) Golden State Warriors
Key offseason additions: None
Key offseason departures: C Kevon Looney (free agency)
The Golden State Warriors have had a somewhat unusual offseason. They’ve been in nearly every rumor mill when it comes to adding a superstar, but nothing has transpired. They didn’t add anyone and lost a solid player in Looney.
The team is also at risk of losing restricted free agent Jonathon Kuminga, as they try to negotiate a new deal. The reason they remain in the top eight teams is due to their veteran experience. As long as they have their trio of Curry, Butler, and Green, they will be able to win games. To make it out of the gauntlet in the West, however, they probably need another piece.
9) San Antonio Spurs
Key offseason additions: G Dylan Harper (draft), F/C Kelly Olynyk (trade), F Carter Bryant (draft), C Luke Kornet (free agency), G Lindy Waters III (free agency)
Key offseason departures: G Chris Paul (free agency), G Malaki Branham (trade), G Blake Wesley (trade), C Sandro Mamukelashvili (free agency)
The Spurs have one of the brightest futures in the NBA. That is due to their “alien” in Victor Wembanyama. But it’s not just him. The team also extended De’Aaron Fox and added 2nd overall pick, Dylan Harper.
They still held on to Stephon Castle as well as Jeremy Sochan, Keldon Johnson, and Devin Vassell. It will be up to these young prospects to step up and get San Antonio over the hump and into the playoffs. Once they have a taste of the postseason, it should be expected for this team to compete for a championship in the coming years.
10) Memphis Grizzlies
Key offseason additions: G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (trade), G Ty Jerome (free agency), F Cedric Coward (draft), C Jock Landale (free agency)
Key offseason departures: G Desmond Bane (trade), F/C Jay Huff (trade), G Luke Kennard (free agency), F/C Marvin Bagley III (free agency)
Memphis appears to be rebuilding. That’s because they traded one of their best players, Desmond Bane, to the Orlando Magic for multiple first-round picks. The team may not be looking to compete for the Finals, but they still have two great players in Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr that should keep them in the play-in mix.
