Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had one of the best seasons in NBA history, winning MVP and Finals MVP.
A chaotic offseason has reshaped the Western Conference. Superstars like Kevin Durant and Luka Dončić have switched teams, instantly elevating new contenders and forcing others to retool. The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder now face a gauntlet of challengers, from Houston’s new super-team to the ever-dangerous Nuggets. From top-tier title threats to rebuilding franchises with emerging young talent, this preview breaks down every team’s fantasy outlook. We will analyze all the key acquisitions and departures to get you ready to dominate your draft.
Southwest Division
Houston Rockets
The Rockets were one of the biggest surprises of the 2024-25 NBA season and finished with the second-best record in the Western Conference at 52-30. However, they lost in the first round of the playoffs against the Warriors. To avoid another early playoff exit in 2025-26, the Rockets decided to swing for the fences, and they managed to knock it out of the park after acquiring Durant. Adding the star forward should drastically improve an offense that ranked 14th in scoring in 2024-25 with 114.3 points per game.
The Rockets parted ways with Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks in the Durant trade, but adding Durant should cover for those losses. In a clear sign of the team’s contending aspirations, they rounded out the roster with proven veterans such as Clint Capela and Dorian Finney-Smith, both on multi-year deals, and Josh Okogie on a one-season pact. Without a doubt, the Rockets look like the team to beat in the division, but also appear to be the biggest threat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West. With a core of Durant, Fred VanVleet and Alperen Sengun leading the way, Houston should be in position to have an outstanding season and make a deep playoff run.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks are a curious case, to say the least. They acquired Anthony Davis and boast Kyrie Irving on the roster. Irving, however, will miss the first few months of the season due to an ACL tear but could return in January 2026. But as if that star duo wasn’t enough, the Mavs also added Cooper Flagg, arguably the most dominant prospect in the NCAA since Zion Williamson, with the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. That’s a solid haul for a team that finished the 2024-25 season with a 39-43 record.
In short — the Mavericks are ready to contend for a playoff spot once again, and maybe more. There are several areas in which the Mavericks could use improvements, and the health of players like Irving and Davis will go a long way toward the team’s contending chances, but all things considered, this looks like a solid roster. At full health, the Mavs would boast an opening unit of Irving, Klay Thompson, Flagg, Davis and Dereck Lively II. That’s a solid core that should be imposing defensively and efficient on offense. It probably won’t be enough to make the Mavs a Top-4 team in the West, but they certainly profile as the second-best team in the division.
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs are in the midst of a rebuilding process, though the franchise has accelerated it a bit over the last 12 months. Even though Victor Wembanyama missed most of the second half of the 2024-25 season with a blood clot issue, he’s expected to be ready for the start of training camp this fall. He should be the go-to piece on both ends of the court for the Spurs, but he has a decent core next to him in De’Aaron Fox, who recently signed a multi-year extension, and Stephon Castle. The Spurs also acquired Dylan Harper with the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
It’s hard to see the Spurs making a run at the division after posting a 34-48 record in 2024-25. However, their depth should be increased for this season after adding Kelly Olynyk and Luke Kornet to shore up the frontcourt. The progression of the young players will be the Spurs’ main goal once again in 2025-26, but with Wembanyama and Fox leading the way, don’t be surprised if the Spurs make a run at the Play-In Tournament or even a bottom seed in the postseason. The Western Conference remains ultra competitive, but the Spurs certainly look in a promising position to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies underwent lots of changes during the 2024-25 season, and that resulted in them finishing with a 48-34 record and a first-round playoff exit against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tuomas Iisalo will lead the way after finishing the previous campaign as an interim, and Memphis will have to adjust to life without Desmond Bane, who was traded to the Magic in the offseason. Bane had been the Grizzlies’ second-best player throughout prolonged stretches over the last two seasons, and it’s uncertain if Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be able to replicate his production.
Thus, the Grizzlies will probably revert to their gritty identity, one that makes the team stand out on the defensive end of the court. They’ll rely heavily on Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., though Morant’s absences, as well as Jackson’s long-awaited offensive explosion, certainly limit the ceiling of the team. The Grizzlies don’t have a lot of players to rely on offensively if Morant and Jackson are struggling, so on paper, they seem to be a step behind the Rockets and Mavericks. Memphis’ best bet for the 2025-26 season would once again be fighting for a Play-In berth unless Morant takes over and delivers the best year of his career. Even in that scenario, the Grizzlies aren’t anywhere near being able to crack the Top-4 in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.
New Orleans Pelicans
Finally, we have the Pelicans. New Orleans is a tough team to figure out, but one thing is certain: if there was an award for the team with the worst luck in the 2024-25 NBA season, the Pelicans would’ve won it by a landslide. Most — if not all — of their key players missed considerable time with injuries, and that led them to finish with a disappointing 21-61 record, the second-worst in the Western Conference. The question is simple, then. Where do the Pelicans go from here? They have some quality pieces on the roster, but is a return to health enough to transform a 21-win club into a potential playoff hopeful? The answer is not that simple, especially when seeing that the team’s biggest star has had injury issues throughout his career.
The Pelicans have Williamson as their core player, but the depth pieces and co-starters are intriguing, to say the least. The Pelicans also feature a proven scorer in Jordan Poole, a do-it-all guard in Dejounte Murray, two defensive aces in Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III, and depth down low with Yves Missi, 2025 lottery pick Derik Queen and veteran Kevon Looney. The biggest piece of the puzzle remains Williamson, though. If he stays healthy and produces, we’re looking at a player who could easily average 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists and 1.5 steals per game. If he’s not on the court, though, then the Pelicans could be bound to face another long season stuck in the middle of nowhere. At least on paper, they look like one of the weakest teams in the division. But on the same note, they might be the biggest bet in terms of upside and potential for a turnaround after a disastrous 2024-25 year.
Pacific Division
Los Angeles Lakers
The Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Lakers in the playoffs, as they lost 4-1 in the first round after finishing third in the conference with 50 wins. The midseason acquisition of Luka Dončić signaled a changing of the guard in Los Angeles, with a rebuild centered around Dončić coming to the forefront after Anthony Davis was shipped in the deal. Although LeBron James continues to betray Father Time, every ensuing season could be his last, and although he’ll return for an unprecedented 23rd season, it’s clear that the organization is preparing to move on once James retires. LA’s top priority in free agency was to add a big man to the roster, and they made a deal with Deandre Ayton to fill a position that suffered after Davis’ exit. Dončić and Austin Reaves will form an imposing backcourt, while James and Rui Hachimura will fill out the starting five with Ayton under the basket. Depth is of some concern for the team, so the Lakers need to run injury-free to repeat as winners in the Pacific Division.
Los Angeles Clippers
A healthy Kawhi Leonard and an excellent outcome for James Harden made the Clippers a difficult foe down the stretch, and they gave it all in a hard-fought first-round series against the Nuggets. Although they fell short in the postseason, the team is hard to count out if the superstar duo remains healthy. Although the Clippers lost Norman Powell in free agency, they added John Collins and also acquired Bradley Beal, who is the likely backcourt counterpart alongside Harden. Chris Paul‘s return to the Clippers is also a notable addition, although he’ll be relegated to second-team work. With Paul’s acquisition, the Clippers become one of the oldest teams in NBA history, with an average age of 33.2 years old. While the team should start on the right foot, the chance for injuries on this aging roster is considerable. They added Brook Lopez, Derrick Jones Jr. and Bogdan Bogdanović to provide some much-needed depth, and they even took a chance on Ben Simmons in the hope that he can finally put the pieces together and meet previous expectations. Harden and Leonard form one of the most powerful duos in the league, and the team’s fortunes rely heavily on their results.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors were very quiet in free agency, but the mid-season addition of Jimmy Butler III proved to be a net positive for Golden State. He played 30 games in San Francisco last season, averaging 17.9 points, 5.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game. He’ll be the X-Factor for a team that has historically relied on Stephen Curry to lead the way. The rest of the lineup remains intact from last season, with Curry, Butler III, Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield and Draymond Green all returning to the team. Impact players like Jonathan Kuminga — if he returns — and Quinten Post could be difference-makers as the team strives for another playoff push, and a standout Summer League from Will Richard almost ensured a support role with the team this season. Still, most of the pressure will be on Curry and Butler III to get their team in the mix, and the duo’s production will determine the Warriors’ success or failure.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings were unable to replicate their 2022-23 success last year with a rocky 13-18 start. Losing Fox in the backcourt took some wind out of Sacramento’s sails, and although DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Malik Monk did their best to absorb the absence, they let their postseason hopes slip through their fingers in the Play-In Tournament. Despite that disappointment, one look at the team’s roster shows that they are a playoff-caliber team that is close to putting all the pieces together. Domantas Sabonis is a nightly triple-double threat and one of the best centers in the league, and although DeRozan and LaVine’s defensive skills need some work, they are both prolific scorers. Keegan Murray and Monk were both clutch at key moments last season, and they’ll round out this potent lineup. As for the Sacramento’s bench, it’s pretty impressive. The team snagged experience in the offseason with Dennis Schröder, Dario Šarić and a host of other former role players. There’s also a lot of hype surrounding first-round pick Nique Clifford after an excellent tenure in the Las Vegas Summer League. He’s set to make an immediate impact. Defense is still a big concern for this team, and they’ll need to improve significantly on that side of the ball if they want to stay competitive. Still, they have the depth to go deep if they can string enough wins together in the regular season.
Phoenix Suns
With the departure of Kevin Durant, the Suns went into full rebuild mode, and we’ll see a very different team in Phoenix this season. Former Cavs assistant coach Jordan Ott is the new head coach after Mike Budenholzer’s one-year tenure. He’ll inherit a team brimming with offensive potential after some shrewd offseason moves. Devin Booker is the unquestioned leader of the squad, but Houston’s Jalen Green has now joined him, providing a sizable one-two punch in the backcourt. Durant’s shoes will be difficult to fill, and while key additions like Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams will make a dent, the backcourt will be the offensive engine for the Suns. The talent on the Suns’ bench is probably the most intriguing list of backups in the division, and we could see some surprises from youngsters like rookie Rasheer Fleming and two-way player CJ Huntley. All eyes will also be on the Suns’ first-round pick, Duke’s Khaman Maluach. The 7-2 center could work his way into a starting role before the season is out, and his size will come in handy against the talented frontcourts found in the Western Conference. Ott’s presence could be the determining factor for this team’s outcome, and the organization seems excited about his offensive game plan after Cleveland’s prolific season.
It’s rare to have three title contenders in one division, but that’s what we have with the Northwest Division in the Western Conference. It’s easy to talk about how special the defending champs were last season, but this division is full of talent. In fact, the three top teams in this division are all projected to finish in the Top 4 of the Western Conference this season while showcasing three legitimate MVP candidates. That’s telling of how special all of these teams can be, so let’s get started by talking about the defending champs!
Northwest Division
Oklahoma City Thunder
To say OKC was the best team in the NBA would be an understatement. Not only did they have a league-best 68-14 record, but they went on to win their first title in franchise history. It’s rare to see a team rebuild in such a short amount of time, but that’s just what this franchise did. They did it the right way too, riding their young core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. Gilgeous-Alexander had one of the best seasons in NBA history, winning MVP and Finals MVP while leading the league with 32.7 points per game. They were also the top-rated defense in the NBA, and many believe they had one of the greatest defenses in NBA history. All of those weapons are back for another run, and it’ll be interesting to see if this team can turn a rebuild into a dynasty.
It’s hard to argue with what OKC has put together, but it’s going to be difficult to repeat in the Western Conference. Teams like the Nuggets, Rockets and Clippers continue to grow around them while the Thunder remain the same. That’s nothing to complain about with the talent on this roster, but we’ve had seven new champions in seven straight seasons. That shows how hard it is to repeat with the parity in the league, and the projected win total shows that Vegas expects some negative regression as well.
Denver Nuggets
Denver was the title holder just a few years ago, but they haven’t been able to recapture that form since. What’s interesting is that Denver was as dangerous as anyone last season, taking the eventual champs to seven games in the Western Conference Semi-Finals. That’s no surprise after the season Nikola Jokić put together, averaging 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game. It’s hard to believe he didn’t win MVP with averages like those, but he’ll have to settle for just three MVPs over the last five seasons. There’s simply no one better in the NBA right now, and it’s scary to think they finally built some depth around him in the offseason. He helped them finish fourth in the Western Conference last season and will make them legitimate contenders for the next decade.
Denver fans have been waiting for management to make some moves, and they hit every one of them during the summer. Re-adding Bruce Brown was a nice start, but adding shooters around Jokić was the biggest development. They acquired Cameron Johnson and Tim Hardaway Jr. to establish some long-range shooting while adding Jonas Valančiūnas to back up Joker. This is the deepest roster around Jokić, and it should help them return to the 2023 championship form we saw not long ago.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota had a bizarre season, but it ended up being a solid one. Despite sitting around .500 for most of the year, they won 17 of their final 21 games to finish sixth in the Western Conference. That was just enough to avoid the Play-In Tournament, and they looked as dominant as anyone in the postseason. The Timberwolves only needed 10 games to get through the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors before meeting the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. OKC took that series in five games, which marks back-to-back years for the T’Wolves bowing out in the Conference Finals. Some might look at that negatively, but getting there after the Karl-Anthony Towns trade is a great sign for the future. The biggest boon for the future is the presence of Anthony Edwards, who led the team with 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He’s only 24 years old and will carry this team as far as he can take them.
It’s surprising to see that Minnesota flirted with 50 wins because they were 32-29 on March 1. A 17-4 run to close the year skyrocketed them up the standings, and they should have more consistency throughout the regular season. They were able to reach the Western Conference Finals for the second straight year, but they had a fortunate road against underwhelming teams like the Warriors and Lakers. It’s unlikely they have that friendly of matchups this season due to the depth of the Western Conference.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers looked like they were going to be one of the worst teams in the NBA last season, but something changed in the second half. They went 23-18 over their final 41 games to end with a 36-46 record. What was really encouraging was to see young players like Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe and Donovan Clingan take their games to another level. They’re still waiting to see that progression from Scoot Henderson, but he should gain some knowledge after the Damian Lillard (Achilles) acquisition. The best Blazer of all time isn’t expected to suit up this season, but getting him back on the roster shows just how high the ticker is pointing for this growing team.
Portland was one of the biggest surprises in the second half of last season, posting a 23-18 record over the final 41 games. That directly correlated with the insertion of Clingan into the starting lineup, and the addition of Jrue Holiday should add some stability as well. It’ll also be interesting to see if Lillard is able to play any games near the end of the season or in the postseason, if they get there. Look for this team to be in the Play-In hunt, but it’ll be difficult to get any further than that when evaluating the depth in the Western Conference.
Utah Jazz
Utah has been in rebuild mode for a few years now, parting ways with Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, and John Collins over recent years. Unfortunately, they appear to be at the rock bottom of that rebuild, posting a 17-65 record last season. That ended up being the worst record in the NBA, with Utah posting the worst defensive numbers in the league. If there’s one thing to get excited about, it’s some of the young pieces. Ace Bailey was their top pick in this year’s draft, while Cody Williams looked like a different player at Summer League this season. They need to hit on some of these draft picks to correct the rebuild, with Keyonte George and Walker Kessler looking like the best young assets on this team. Lauri Markkanen is still this team’s best player, but his trade seems inevitable with the way this team is trending.
This being the toughest division in the NBA will hurt Utah’s chances. Having parted ways with Sexton, Collins and Clarkson in the offseason, there seems to be very little additions to fill those voids.