The West Next Year = WW3

[GatorAZ]

Elite teams with youth to grow or assets to improve:
Warriors
Grizzlies

Elite teams kinda stuck where they are:
Suns
Mavs

Really good teams that will improve with all-star talent coming back from injury:
Nuggets
Clippers
Pelicans

Good teams that could go either way:
Jazz
Wolves

Trash teams:
Lakers

—————————

The West is going to an absolute juggernaut next season. The big one for me is what happens with Minnesota. Edwards will be a superstar but the rest of the roster is pretty volatile.

 

[Finito]

Yup

Absolutely cannot run it back

 

[boisesuns]

This was our best shot. I think we tried to address some of the weaknesses, and a many cases we did but we also noticed more things to fix

 

[Mainstreet]

This is when we find out how good James Jones is as a GM. The Suns window is almost shut.

 

[gimpy]

We had our best chance last year when we were up 2-0 the Bucks. I never had that feeling this year that it was our year. We should taken care of business last year.

 

[Raindog]

Pretty sure the Warriors are just about spent. They may make one last run this year, but it's a last hurrah. Curry/Klay/Green don't have much left in the tank, and while the rest of the roster has some young talent, there isn't anything extraordinary to replace the old guard.

 

[Hoop Head]

We had our best chance last year when we were up 2-0 the Bucks. I never had that feeling this year that it was our year. We should taken care of business last year.

I felt the same way. Despite our record and huge early season win streak, I never felt that confident that this team was going all the way. Last year there was something special about the team where making the finals didn't feel like a fluke, losing after being up 2-0 did though.

This years team almost felt like the Raptors teams prior to adding Kawhi, a good team built for the regular season. Or to compare it to a previous Suns team, the late 90's Kidd teams that were guard heavy that were definite playoff teams but not legit contenders.


Next year though if we run it back I don't think they'll be more than a 2nd or 3rd seed and I only go that high because I can see them getting hot again and producing another big win streak. I think it's more likely they implode early if they get off to a rocky start and that doesn't bode well for this team since it didn't start this season or last season very well.

 

[Russ Smith]

Pretty sure the Warriors are just about spent. They may make one last run this year, but it's a last hurrah. Curry/Klay/Green don't have much left in the tank, and while the rest of the roster has some young talent, there isn't anything extraordinary to replace the old guard.

I think one more year. The emergence of Poole plus the promise of Kuminga. If I knew for sure Wiseman was going to be able to play next year I'd say definitely but I don't. I think the big 3 are still good enough the key is they're not going to have Iggy and I doubt they will be able to count on Porter to stay healthy so they need Kuminga to go from talented but not ready, to ready.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I felt the same way. Despite our record and huge early season win streak, I never felt that confident that this team was going all the way. Last year there was something special about the team where making the finals didn't feel like a fluke, losing after being up 2-0 did though.

This years team almost felt like the Raptors teams prior to adding Kawhi, a good team built for the regular season. Or to compare it to a previous Suns team, the late 90's Kidd teams that were guard heavy that were definite playoff teams but not legit contenders.


Next year though if we run it back I don't think they'll be more than a 2nd or 3rd seed and I only go that high because I can see them getting hot again and producing another big win streak. I think it's more likely they implode early if they get off to a rocky start and that doesn't bode well for this team since it didn't start this season or last season very well.

It’s kinda weird, but Despite how much I LOVED the regular season and posted about how much of a joy it was to watch them all season, I kinda started checking out right around the same time the team did. Once that happened and I saw just how off we looked, I told myself there really wasn’t reason to worry, but I started not being super amped up about the playoffs. And then we just… continued to be off.

I was much much more amped up going into the playoffs last year, even though I was furious we had to play the lakers. But last year was such a magical ride because even tho I expected us to be better I had no clue we’d be great and the playoffs were just an amazing ride. Knocking off the Lakers, Suns in 4, winning without CP3 in the conference finals and the Valley Oop, running out to what seemed like an insurmountable 2-0 lead against the Bucks… was just a different run.

 

[Matt L]

The Mavs are going to be better. They have an owner willing to spend over the cap and have plenty of guys who could be moved or packaged to make the salary work.I saw an article that Zach Lavine could be going to Dallas. I like Lavine more than brunson and definitely more than dinwiddie

 

[TJ]

Elite teams with youth to grow or assets to improve:
Warriors
Grizzlies

Elite teams kinda stuck where they are:
Suns
Mavs

Really good teams that will improve with all-star talent coming back from injury:
Nuggets
Clippers
Pelicans

Good teams that could go either way:
Jazz
Wolves

Trash teams:
Lakers

—————————

The West is going to an absolute juggernaut next season. The big one for me is what happens with Minnesota. Edwards will be a superstar but the rest of the roster is pretty volatile.

I think the Mavs are going to find out that they can’t be Gladys Knight and the Pips and expect to win a championship. They’ll add a player of substance to pair alongside Luka. They will assuredly be improved from this season.

Pelicans will me much better if Zion is healthy.

I wont discount any team with Lebron, but I cant see the Lakers being better than a play-in team.

I dont see an avenue in which the Suns get better than they currently are (how does one improve upon a 64 win team). Theyre likely gonna trade Ayton, but there isnt a trade available that could immediately improve the team. I think with his absence and CP3 getting older, the the offense will struggle with spacing and the defense will be disorganized.

 

[95pro]

The Mavs are going to be better. They have an owner willing to spend over the cap and have plenty of guys who could be moved or packaged to make the salary work.I saw an article that Zach Lavine could be going to Dallas. I like Lavine more than brunson and definitely more than dinwiddie

What do they have to trade?

 

[Matt L]

I think Lavine is a free agent. I'm sure they can do a sign and trade.

 

[95pro]

I think Lavine is a free agent. I'm sure they can do a sign and trade.

Oh that’s right since I heard the lakers rumors

 

[Russ Smith]

I think Lavine is a free agent. I'm sure they can do a sign and trade.

Lakers fans are convinced they're going to get him but I don't see them having the pieces to do a sign and trade or a 3 team trade to do so.

 

[Matt L]

Lakers fans are convinced they're going to get him but I don't see them having the pieces to do a sign and trade or a 3 team trade to do so.

I think it depends on where the player wants to go and then putting the pieces together to make it work.

 

[Russ Smith]

I think it depends on where the player wants to go and then putting the pieces together to make it work.

And it's not clear to me he'll want to go there. He has family there but he had family there and couldn't wait to get out of UCLA he basically quit trying halfway through the season. I actually think he SHOULD see what Chicago can do they have some actual talent around him now if they can keep the talent together, healthy etc. But my guess is he's going to leave.