Which Western Conference team is expected to improve the most?

Dan Devine: The San Antonio Spurs. The conference was tightly packed last season, with the top seeds separated by only a few wins. Despite Victor Wembanyama missing over a third of the games and De’Aaron Fox playing limited minutes, the Spurs are poised to climb with improved health, added depth, and a year of experience.

Ben Rohrbach: The Spurs. With Wembanyama healthy, he’s likely to be the league’s premier defensive force, supported by explosive guards like Fox, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle. Their roster improvements could push them from play-in contention to a solid playoff position.

Vincent Goodwill: The Spurs. Assuming Wembanyama continues to develop and stays healthy, he could become a dominant force on both ends, potentially increasing their win total from 34 to over 43 matches.

Tom Haberstroh: The Spurs. Given their high upside with key players healthy, they may surpass expectations, with Wembanyama emerging as a top player by season’s end.

Which Western Conference team might see the biggest fall in the standings?

Haberstroh: The Los Angeles Lakers. If LeBron James is not fully committed or the team’s roster struggles defensively, they could slip from their current top-tier position.

Devine: The Sacramento Kings. With key players considering moves and roster uncertainties, they could fall below the .500 mark, especially if team chemistry or health issues emerge.

Rohrbach: The Lakers. Age concerns and roster instability, especially around LeBron and Luka Dončić, might lead to a decline from their current seeding.

Goodwill: The Oklahoma City Thunder. If they face setbacks or fail to capitalize on their momentum, their win total could decrease despite a strong outlook.

Projected top six seeds in the West?

Goodwill: 1. Oklahoma City Thunder, 2. Denver Nuggets, 3. Houston Rockets, 4. Golden State Warriors, 5. Minnesota Timberwolves, 6. Los Angeles Clippers.

Haberstroh: 1. Thunder, 2. Rockets, 3. Nuggets, 4. Clippers, 5. Warriors, 6. Timberwolves.

Devine: 1. Thunder, 2. Nuggets, 3. Minnesota Timberwolves, 4. Rockets, 5. Warriors, 6. Clippers.

Boldest summer prediction for the West?

Rohrbach: LeBron James will not remain with the Lakers for the entire season, possibly being traded before his contract expires. The Lakers might explore options to move him to build for the future.

Goodwill: The Sacramento Kings could surprise expectations and contend strongly, possibly even fighting for a play-in spot despite initial doubts.

Haberstroh: LeBron may waive his no-trade clause and return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, reuniting with his old team.

Devine: The Lakers might end up participating in the play-in tournament, despite expectations of a stronger season.