One Reason To Be Excited for the Lakers, Warriors and Every Western Conference Team in 2026–27

Dallas Mavericks: A reset

Outside of Cooper Flagg, last year was a trainwreck for Dallas. Between injuries and trades, Dallas lacked the continuity to put anything substantial together. That all changes with the return of some of their foundational pieces.

Kyrie Irving is set to return after missing the entirety of last season, while Dereck Lively only appeared in seven games. Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington also missed substantial time. With a full year now under Cooper Flagg’s belt, Dallas will get to put together one of the more promising lineups in the NBA.

Denver Nuggets: They still have Nikola Jokic

For the most part, Denver’s offseason has been underwhelming. The majority of their bench rotation from last year is gone, and they are now the first team to fall into the second apron, making further improvements difficult.

Their saving grace, though, is that they have the best player in the world on their team. The Joker has the ability to make everyone around him better, and we’ve already seen that this core is good enough to win a championship. Denver just needs to stay healthy to have a chance at rectifying their disappointing offseason. 

Golden State Warriors: Steph Hasn’t Requested a Trade

This one is kind of sarcastic, but when looking at the Warriors’ current position, it’s difficult to be excited about anything. They lost out on the LeBron sweepstakes and made zero additions other than Yaxel Lendeborg.

Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody will both miss the majority, if not all, of the season. Golden State has done literally nothing to capitalize on the last few years of Steph’s career, and honestly, they’re lucky he’s putting up with it.

Houston Rockets: Improved Shooting

Houston's shooting was a real problem last season. They finished tenth in three-point percentage, but that number was flattering. It didn't reflect how reluctant the team was to actually pull the trigger from deep. Playing two big men alongside Amen Thompson was a recurring lineup choice, and it showed up in the shot chart. The Rockets ranked 28th in three-point attempts.

That should look different this year.

Houston added Bogdan Bogdanovic and Marcus Smart in free agency, and Fred VanVleet is set to return to the starting lineup. That's a meaningful injection of floor spacing at multiple positions. Better spacing doesn't just help the offense look cleaner on paper either. It directly opens up driving lanes for Amen Thompson and gives Alperen Sengun more room to operate in the post and on the short roll.

If those pieces come together, opposing defenses are going to have a much harder time game-planning against this group.

Los Angeles Clippers: Their Underrated Young Core

The Clippers have been at the center of a very chaotic offseason, but after all the dust settles, they’re in a pretty good spot. Led by Darius Garland, Brandon Ingram (maybe), and a number of solid vets, the Clips should be battling for a spot in the postseason this year. While it’s obviously in LA’s best interest to compete, I’m more excited to see how their young talent develops.

They added Keaton Wagler to an already impressive young group of players. Kobe Sanders showed a lot of promise in his rookie season as a six-foot-eight guard.

Jordan Miller and Yanic Konan Niederhauser were impactful in their initial seasons as well. Ty Lue’s team will be good this year, but this core could be the foundation for the future. 

Los Angeles Lakers: The Luka Doncic Show

The roster around Luka Doncic has questions. That much is fair. But a lot of those concerns shrink considerably when he is actually on the floor.

He turned last season into something genuinely historic before the hamstring ended it. Through 64 games, he led the league in scoring at 33.5 points per game, put up 40-plus on 14 separate occasions, and at one point became the first player since Michael Jordan to average 40 points over a six-game road stretch. That kind of production, sustained over months, is a reminder of what this team can look like when he is locked in and healthy.

Heading into a new season, with a roster now built around his preferences, there is real reason to expect more of the same. The front office landed Walker Kessler, the elite rim-protecting center Doncic specifically asked for, and brought back Austin Reaves on a long-term deal. Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton round out a group that finally gives Doncic the spacing and support system he has been missing.

Players like Doncic have a way of making everyone around them better. Shots open up, defenses rotate differently, and the whole offensive system becomes harder to guard. If he plays anywhere close to the level he is capable of, the Lakers could quietly be one of the more dangerous teams in the West.

And even if the roster as a whole disappoints, watching a player of that caliber take over games will make this a season worth following regardless.

Memphis Grizzlies: Rebounding Quickly

It was just a few years ago when the Grizzlies seemed poised to become one of the elite teams in basketball. They were young, gritty, and the second seed in the Western Conference. The sky was the limit. Fast forward four years and one playoff series win later, and the Grizzlies are beginning a new chapter.

While it is unfortunate that such an opportunity fell by the wayside, Memphis did a great job of transitioning from the Ja Morant era. Desmond Bane left before the start of last year, JJJ was traded at this year’s midseason deadline, and Ja Morant was dealt to the Blazers this summer. The addition of Cam Boozer and some solid veterans to a promising young core has allowed the Grizzlies to waste no time restarting after the departure of their stars. 

Minnesota Timberwolves: The Most Entertaining Duo in the League

The T-Wolves seem to be scrambling to keep Anthony Edwards happy, and while their team is not as well-rounded as it’s been in the past, it’s more fun than ever. Between Anthony Edwards’ high-octane offense and Lamelo’s free-flowing game, the Target Center will be on the edge of its seats from the jump.

It will also be fun to see how their loud personalities mesh off the court. No matter how you slice it, the Timberwolves will be must-see TV. 

New Orleans Pelicans: The Ceiling

The Pelicans are running it back. Again. What makes this time different? Honestly, nothing. For some reason, their front office cannot let go of this core, even though they underperform every year. On paper, this team could make some noise. Zion at full strength is one of the elite offensive options in the league. Dejounte Murray is a former All-Star, and Trey Murphy, Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears make up a nice supporting cast.

For some reason, though, New Orleans can never put it together. They made a late-season push for the play-in last year but fell short. They believe that with a healthy Dejounte Murray, more experience from last year’s rookies, and a few new additions, they can exceed expectations. Vegas has them at 24.5 wins, but they do have the talent to be a playoff team if everything goes right.

Phoenix Suns: Development 

The Suns surprised everyone last year when they followed up KD’s departure with a postseason appearance. That was largely thanks to the improvement of Dillon Brooks and Collin Gillespie, among others. Following this year’s summer league, it looks like the Suns are going to see the same trend with some of their recent draft picks.

Khaman Maluach already exhibited more promise in this year’s summer league than during the entirety of last year. Koa Peat was taken by Phoenix in this year’s draft and looks like he has the tools to be a real NBA player. The Suns aren’t expected to do much this season, but the way their players have been progressing is a great sign for the franchise.

Portland Trailblazers: Talent

Portland is one of the more unpredictable squads entering this season. Led by Deni Avdija’s impressive leap, this past season was a step in the right direction for the Blazers.

The question coming into this year is how the existing lineup will fit with the offseason additions. Damian Lillard is back from an Achilles injury, and Ja Morant is now in the mix. That equals three usage-heavy players who aren’t great at playing off the ball. Beyond that uncertainty, however, is an exciting lineup that isn’t talked about enough.

Donovan Clingan, Jrue Holiday, and Toumani Camara anchor an imposing defensive core, and Scoot Henderson showed encouraging flashes last year. If Dame, Ja, and Deni figure out how to coexist, Portland’s eight-man rotation will be a challenge to every team they face. 

Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff

The Kings just can’t ever get it right. It seemed like they finally figured it out with the beam team, and just like that, they are back to looking helpless. Sacramento is trying to rebuild again, this time around Darius Acuff. The seventh overall pick won SEC player of the year, leading the conference in both scoring and assists.

Sacramento was lucky that Acuff was still available at seven, but now they have to capitalize on the situation. They’ve been dealt elite prospects before, like DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans, but squandered their potential. As long as the Kings play it right, Acuff has the tools to turn the franchise around. 

San Antonio Spurs: They’re a Year Older

The San Antonio Spurs were already way ahead of schedule when they made the finals this past year. Their collection of talent is as impressive as any team’s, but their youth is what caused them to come up short. Experiencing that deep playoff run was probably the best thing that could have happened to them.

The addition of Tobias Harris is huge as well. More than just his play, he provides a reliable veteran who can contribute and guide a young Spurs team. Rebounding from a deep playoff run and adding Tobi, the Spurs are set up for success. 

Utah Jazz: Attempting to Win

The Utah Jazz have spent the last few years amassing as many losses as they possibly could. Eight different G-League players suited up for Utah last year. Those days are in the past, though, with the Jazz finally looking like an NBA team.

Lauri Markkenen and Keyonte George both had great years last season, and Ace Bailey is still far away from his ceiling. Jaren Jackson Jr is fully healthy entering his first full season in Salt Lake, and Darryn Peterson also looks like he can be special, despite his limited appearances in college.

For Jazz fans, it’ll be fun watching them actually try to compete, no matter where they find themselves at the end of the season.