Rank the west assuming all teams are healthy

[perks-a-beast]

1. Warriors. Best backcourt in history, battle tested team. They will eventually add even more pieces when they trade Russell. Still team to beat.


2. Lakers. LeBron is LeBron and AD is AD. Let’s not forget how dominant Rondo is in the playoffs or how dominant Cousins is when healthy.

3. Clippers. Lost Gallinari and Gilgeous-Alexander, got Kawhi and Paul George. About as good of an off-season as a team has had in a long time. Really like the Lakers recent additions or else I’d have Clips at 2. It’s still really close.

4. Rockets. They’ve already gone as far as they can go with this squad. Too bad they’re not in the east or else they’d probably be in the finals.

5. Jazz. Mike Conley may be the most overlooked pick up of the offseason. He will fit in well with Utah. Excellent starting 5, but I have concerns about their depth.

Spurs, Blazers, and Nuggets will all be great teams, but didn’t crack the top 5. Goes to show how good the West is. People are always saying how much better it is than the east, but this year it’s on a whole other level.

[Who]

Clippers are the team to beat. Great top level talent in Kawhi and PG13 surrounded by a brilliant supporting cast.

Warriors are second on my list. As long as Draymond and Steph Curry are there, they are going to be a force. Those two are two of the most dynamic and team orientated superstars in the league. I love the WCS pickup also.

Those two are way ahead of the pack.

[perks-a-beast]

Clippers are the team to beat. Great top level talent in Kawhi and PG13 surrounded by a brilliant supporting cast.

Warriors are second on my list. As long as Draymond and Steph Curry are there, they are going to be a force. Those two are two of the most dynamic and team orientated superstars in the league. I love the WCS pickup also.

Those two are way ahead of the pack.

Clippers haven’t proved anything. Golden State has won the conference the past 5 years. They’re the team to beat.

[footey]

1. Lakers
2. Clippers
3. Nuggets
4. Warriors
5. Jazz
6. Trailblazers
7. Rockets
8. Spurs

It's really hard to list them.  It will be dense. 

[Moranis]

Ranking how? By regular season record, by title odds, etc.

[MichiganAdam]

Lakers clips will likely be the top two.  KT out and KD gone is really going to hurt GS.  OKC and Houston didn't get better and likely will be worse.  Denver and portland still very dangerous.

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

Don't sleep on Utah

[ETNCeltics]

Assuming teams are healthy?

I'd say GSW is still #1 if healthy.

1) GSW
2) LAC
3) Denver
4) LAL
5) Utah
6) Houston

I think any of those 6 could find their way to the finals, depending on team health. IMO, LAL are clearly a notch below the top teams. Their roster after LBJ & AD is hot garbage.

[gpap]

-Denver
-Clippers
-Lakers
-Portland
-Warriors
-Houston
-Dallas
-Utah

For the East

-Milwaukee
-Philly
-Celtics
-Brooklyn
-Miami
-Toronto
-Detroit
-Orlando

[fairweatherfan]

It's a little iffy because Klay is already hurt but if we assume he's back to form, and that OKC's roster doesn't change any more (unlikely):

Clippers
Warriors
Nuggets
Jazz
Lakers
Rockets
Blazers
Spurs
----------

Kings
Pelicans
Thunder
Mavs
TWolves
Grizzlies
Suns

[CelticsElite]

Clippers
Nuggets
Lakers
Warriors
Rockets
Jazz


I dont think the Lakers will do great in regular season

[bopna]

Clippers are the team to beat. Great top level talent in Kawhi and PG13 surrounded by a brilliant supporting cast.

Warriors are second on my list. As long as Draymond and Steph Curry are there, they are going to be a force. Those two are two of the most dynamic and team orientated superstars in the league. I love the WCS pickup also.

Those two are way ahead of the pack.

Clippers haven’t proved anything. Golden State has won the conference the past 5 years. They’re the team to beat.

dude what are you on about...The Clippers time and again stymied the completely healthy Warriors team in round one with a one two punch of Lou williams and Montrell Harrell...surely if you add Kawhi and PG with Pat Bev to that team theyd be a force to reckon with..heck it will dang difficult to score against that group.

[perks-a-beast]

Clippers are the team to beat. Great top level talent in Kawhi and PG13 surrounded by a brilliant supporting cast.

Warriors are second on my list. As long as Draymond and Steph Curry are there, they are going to be a force. Those two are two of the most dynamic and team orientated superstars in the league. I love the WCS pickup also.

Those two are way ahead of the pack.

Clippers haven’t proved anything. Golden State has won the conference the past 5 years. They’re the team to beat.

dude what are you on about...The Clippers time and again stymied the completely healthy Warriors team in round one with a one two punch of Lou williams and Montrell Harrell...surely if you add Kawhi and PG with Pat Bev to that team theyd be a force to reckon with..heck it will dang difficult to score against that group.

George and Kawhi as a duo have yet to prove anything. Curry/Klay Draymond have led the dubs to 3 of the last 5 titles, led the team to the best single season record in NBA history, and are still relatively young.

And honestly the rest of the Clippers roster doesn’t impress me. Williams/Beverley/Shamet is a bottom 3 backcourt in the West, and they don’t really have any bigs to defend the basket..

[Who]

Blown away by the Clippers depth

G: Pat Beverley, Lou Williams
G: Rodney McGruder, Landry Shamet
F: Paul George, Mo Harkless
F: Kawhi Leonard, JaMychal Green, Wilson Chandler
C: Zubac, Montrezl Harrell, Kabengele


That bench is awesome. Two 6th man of the year finalists in Harrell and Lou Will. A starting caliber SF in Mo Harkless. A shooter in Shamet. A defensive role player borderline starter in JaMychal Green. Talented 3rd stringers at C and PF.

The defense in the starting lineup with Kawhi, PG13 and Beverley is insane. McGruder is a fine fit next to them. Another hard working defender. Solid part time starter with Lou Will coming in off the bench playing 28mpg.


Best defense in the NBA.
Best bench in the NBA.
Two legit stars in Kawhi and Paul George.
Lou Will as 3rd scorer.

[wiley]

In the regular season no one will touch the Clippers.  If healthy I expect them to lose very few games.

In the playoffs, the Lakers will threaten them a bit....That will be a great battle.  I think the Clippers will come out on top as I think the Laker's lack of depth will allow the Clippers to wear them down.  Once you get James and Davis a little tired, it's over against a team like the Clippers. 

The Dubs will be fun to watch, but their backcourt defense and lack of depth up front will cause them to lose a lot of games (not expecting Klay back...)