2021-2022 Western Conference Season Preview

[The Athletic]

15. Memphis Grizzlies 

GM:Grizzlies GM (Royce)

Projected Record: 5-24

Notable Off-Season Move: Drafting Scottie Barnes, Isaiah Jackson, and Josh Primo in the first round.  

Roster:
PG- Bruce Brown 
SG- Buddy Hield 
SF- Scottie Barnes 
PF- Bobby Portis 
C- Robert Williams 
Util- Desmond Bane 
Util- Serge Ibaka 

Bench:
Sharife Cooper 
Josh Primo 
Isaiah Jackson
Nemanja Bjelica
PJ Tucker 

The Good:
I loved the draft for Royce this year.  Scottie Barnes may not have insane upside, but it's really hard to imagine him not being a impact level player in this league and thus a fantasy starter.  Primo was one of the fastest risers in this years draft, looked the part in summer league,  and is apart of an organization that is well known for developing young talent.  I can't pretend like I know how Isaiah Jackson is going to turn out but I do know that his skillset is very fantasy friendly in a league like this.  He likely isn't relevant this year, but it doesn't matter.  Robert Williams got a bag in Boston this year, and while I still have some concerns about his health and ability to play 28+ minutes a night it is clear that Boston has groomed him to be the guy at the center position for the foreseeable future.  Cooper was a good grab at the end of the draft, and while Bane's game isn't super fantasy friendly he has already proven himself to be an NBA rotation guy in one year, a very encouraging sign. 

The Bad: 
I didn't get the Buddy Hield trade at all.  Buddy Hield will never no matter what he does be worth his contract.  It just didn't make sense.  I get wanting to be somewhat competitive, but i think there are certain ways to go about it and trading for awful contracts isn't one.  Regardless this isn't a team that is anywhere near competing this year, so my hope would be guys like Portis and Ibaka can eventually find homes on contenders for young and promising talent down the line.    


The Future:  
I think my fear here is that Royce runs out of patience and forces a rushed rebuild. Losing seasons can be a grind, but at very worst they end up in high lottery picks which can lead to franchise savers.  Patience is important. Guys like Jalen Smith who were taken in the lottery a year before sometimes just need time to develop and selling at a low point in their value can be damaging long term.  Regardless there is a lot to be excited about in Memphis.  Management had a stellar draft which saw them bring in 4 supremely talented players, pair that with Bob Williams and future firsts and there is a bright future in Memphis.. It just may take awhile.   

[The Athletic]

14. Houston Rockets 

GM:Free (Rockets)

Projected Record: 7-22

Notable Off-Season Move: Drafting potential franchise building block in Jalen Green! 

Roster:
PG- Killian Hayes 
SG- Zach Lavine 
SF- Josh Hart 
PF- Aleksej Pokusevski
C- Xavier Tillman 
Util- Klay Thompson
Util- Jalen Green 

Bench:
Willie Cauley Stein
Neil Alexander Walker
Troy Brown Jr. 
Isaiah Todd 
Landry Shamet 

The Good:
I think Jalen Green has star written all over him, so suffice to say I loved being able to grab him at #3 even if there are some concerns about his games ability to translate fantasy wise.  I think i'm actually a lot higher on Killian than most, he had a tough rookie year, but I think Detroit still very much believes in him and should he be able to stay healthy he should get a ton of run next to Cade this year.  I LOVE Xavier Tillman and even though Stevey Adams came over in the JV deal I still think Tillman's role stands to improve this year.  He's a winning player irl and that can only help him earn more and more minutes.  I think NAW is super super talented, and yes they brought in Devonte but I still think NAW stands to play a ton this year with Lonzo gone, the franchise believes in him and he should have every opportunity to earn minutes.  Hart rebounds like he's a power forward and I think is very much slept on.       

The Bad:
Honestly it doesn't really make sense to talk about the bad about rebuilding teams because everybody knows and being bad is technically better than being mediocre.  I think there isn;t a star in the league that was hurt more this off-season.  The Bulls brought in Lonzo Ball and Demar Derozan and will have had a whole off-season to script up how they plan to use Nikola Vuvevic.  Now LAvine will still get his fair share of touches, but there just isn't any way that his usage doesn't go down.  Regardless he's still a great piece, I just wonder if Free plans on waiting for the youngsters to develop to join Lavine for a title push or to sell off Lavine for chips.  Other than the Lavine situation I honestly didn't love the Klay signing at that price.  Klay has never really been a 30 point a night guy and is coming off two really brutal injuries.  And while i'm not gonna sit here and shit on Poku I do think the love for him is a little out of hand, but he does have nice tools and the backing of his franchise.  


The Future:
The future is really really birght in Houston.  We're still probably a year or two out from even a playoff push being possible but the talent is 100% there.  The question for me is just how long to Klay and Lavine remain Warriors?  Does free look to move them this year or is there a chance that the youngsters develop enough that they join Klay and Lavine next year for a playoff push?  Regadless.  Green, Lavine, Killian, NAW, Klay, Hart, Poku, Tillman is a really fun young core. 

[The Athletic]

13. San Antonio Spurs 

GM: San Antonio Spurs (Chris)

Projected Record: 7-22

Notable Off-Season Move: Drafting potential franchise building block in Evan Mobley 

Roster:
PG- D'angelo Russell 
SG- Shake Milton 
SF- OG Anunoby 
PF- Nassir Little 
C- Chris Boucher 
Util- Evan Mobley 
Util- Jaxon Hayes 

Bench:
Dennis Smith Jr.
Goga Bitadze 
Denzel Valentine 
Bruno Fernando 
John Konchar 

The Good:
Chris finally embarked on the full on rebuild a year ago and landing Evan Mobley is a really damn good start.  I'm just about as high on Mobley as anyone besides maybe Sarge, but I think this guy is a sure fire building block.  And while some teams have landed studs like Jalen Green in here, Mobley's game actually translates as well as possible in here.  He blocks shots at an extremely high rate, is efficient, can be a monster on the boards and can even stretch it out.  I think Mobley was a home run pick.  I also love his two Raptor buddies in OG and Boucher.  I'm really high on OG and while he has yet to have a huge fantasy season I do think he will be called on more to score the ball with Lowry gone leading to larger fantasy outputs.  I'm still not sure Boucher is ever a 30 min a night guy, but regardless he is as producive as you can be and doesn't really need major minutes to contribute.  D'lo is FINALLY kinda settled into a spot that wants him, and while i'm not huge on him IRL I think he'll have a very productive fantasy season on a team that is going to give him a high volume/usage role.  Lastly, I think Nassir Little is really going to turn himself into atleast a role player in this league and up his value.  Shake Milton also stands to benefit some if Ben really does drag this thing out into the regular season.  

The Bad:
For as productive as I think D'lo will be that contract is still horrendous.  I think something Chris can look to address this year is the end of the bench talent.  Konchar, Bruno, Denzel, they all carry very little upside.  In what should be a rebuilding year anyways I think Chris can do better in finding long term higher upside guys who can potentially be useful down the line.  Ultimately it's another rebuilding year where Chris will be playing for ping pong balls, and truthfully that is better than being just mediocre.  Best case, Chris finds himself with another high lotto, is able to find a couple bench guys with long term upside, and Mobley, OG, and Boucher take steps forward.  

The Future:
Unlike the days of 25, the bad teams in here have bright futures.  The real test of being a good GM here is being able to turn around the ship with the assets given.  It's probably gonna be another 2-3 year process but Chris has shown he knows how to put together winners in the past.  If Mobley develops the way I think he can, Chris has his building block, it's just about finding the right pieces to mix and match next to him.  

[The Athletic]

12. Phoenix Suns 

GM: Phoenix Suns (Tyler)

Projected Record: 8-21 

Notable Off-Season Move: Drafting Jalen Suggs 

Roster:
PG- Jalen Suggs 
SG- Eric Gordon 
SF- Patrick Williams 
PF- Rui Hachimura 
C- Jarrett Allen 
Util- Mo Bamba 
Util- Josh Richardson 

Bench:
Kris Dunn 
Tyus Jones 
Dario Saric 
Chuma Okeke 
Kenyon Martin Jr. 

The Good:
Little known fact.... this mother fucker Tyler already has a 26 title under his belt.  He's proven he can do it at the highest level and know he is proving he can go through a long term rebuild and come out the other side.  Jalen Suggs at 4 was a SLAM DUNK.  Many other drafts he is easily a number 1 pick, so being able to move up in the lottery and land a guy like Suggs was just massive for this franchise.  Speaking of quality drafting getting the paw in the late lotto last year is looking better and better, it sucks that he got early as you want to see him gel with that group early but it's clear Patrick will be a big part of the Bulls irl and the Suns in here's rebuild.  Jarrett Allen's situation is a little complicated in real life but nonetheless his game is suited really well in here and if he can find himself in a 30 minutes a night role there is no reason he cant be a low to mid 30's scorer in here.  Rui, Chuma, Bamba, and Kenyon are all guys I like long term that I think will fit in Phoenix.  Overall this is a really well balanced team with a lot of young talent that if handled well will be back in contention in a bout 2 or so years.   

The Bad:
I touched on it earlier but the Pwill injury really is a bummer.  Other than that there really isn't much to dislike..  There are two clear guys that don't fit the timeline and that's Josh Richardson and Eric Gordon but both come off the books this year.  Jrich landed in a spot where I think he gets ample play time so it will be interesting to see if Tyler can find a suitor for him despite his large contract.  The only other thing I'd say is rumor has it JA's price is SKY high, if he can fetch a return of multiple assets I don't think it would be the worst idea for Tyler to explore his options.  


The Future:
I think this team is 2 years out.  Jalen, Pwill, Rui, JA form a really solid core.  If Bamba can continue to expand on the signs of life he showed last year that would be massive for the Suns going forward as he would be a clear re-sign option.  Other than that Rui and Chuma's development are really important pieces of this rebuild.  Tyler has shown a very patient approach which ultimately should pay off. In a pretty weak Western conference if his cards are played right the Suns should be a fringe playoff team next year and then possibly in contention for a deeper run the following.  Fun team out in the Valley.  

[The Athletic]

11. Denver Nuggets 

GM: Denver Nuggets (Kevin)

Projected Record: 8-21

Notable Off-Season Move: Drafting Davion Mitchell, Jalen Johnson, Bones Hyland.  Signing Kuz and GTJ to monster deals and dealing Franz for Bagley 

Roster:
PG- Davion Mitchell 
SG- Gary Trent Jr. 
SF- Cam Johnson 
PF- Marvin Bagley 
C- Jarren Jackson Jr. 
Util- Kyle Kuzma 
Util- Saben Lee 

Bench:
Jalen Johnson 
Kai Jones 
Cedi Osman 
Bones Hyland 
Quinten Grimes 

The Good:
Look this might be a tad high for Kev but I actually really fuck with the squad.  Let's start with his draft picks..  Do I think Davion has some red flags as a prospect? Yes.  But I don't think i've seen a dude come into the league with this type of work ethic and will to be great.  He already won a national title and has been a winner at every level.  I'm not sure what his fantasy production looks like, but I feel very confident that the Kings won't be able to keep him off the floor regardless of Fox and Halli.  Jalen Johnson fell in this years draft but absolutely dominated the summer league, I'm not sure if production is in the cards this year but Kev got a steal that late.  On top of all that Bones Hyland may get some run right away with Murray missing,  I thought this was a home run draft for Kev.  On top of the rooks he added two player in free agency, albeit at hefty prices, that still have upward mobility left in their careers.  After having a ton of hype early on Kuz was thrust into a situation that really wasn't built for him to succeed in a fantasy sense.  Now he is in DC and should have a pretty damn good fantasy year.  Similarly GTJ was freed from a situation that held him back fantasy wise, and should get as much run and shots as he can handle in Canada this year.  Lastly let's talk about his two injury prone but supremely talented bigs.  I've been waiting awhile for a JJJ breakout season and I think this very well may be the year.  JV is cleared out of his way, he is fully healthy, and you would think this is the year he is a huge part of what they do.  I don't think a 33-35 point season is out of the question.  Bagley has been disappointing, but it's clear how much talent is there and if he can just put it all together for a stretch he can be a 30+ point a guy a night as well.  A lot to like out in the mile high city.      

The Bad:
Couple things stand out.  While I liked the idea of signing Kuz and GTJ to deals as they were some of the only FA's with room to grow, the prices were rather disgusting.  Gary Trent Jr has a lot of potential but for a shooting guard he would need to average high 20's at least to make that contract worth it.. I'm not sure I see it there.  The Kuz contract I think is a lot better than people think.  Kuz will be given every opportunity to succeed and is still relatively young.  Now for me the biggest thing was sending off Franz for Bagley.  One of two things need to happen for that deal to turn out okay.. Franz needs to absolutely suck (possible) Bagley needs to absolutely eat (possible).  My biggest issue is like bro if you're just gonna go trade Franz why even draft him?  Go get someone you actually like and believe in.  4 years of cost controlled potential > 1 year of decently expensive Bagley. Regardless I still haven't fully given up on Bagley and hope that a leap is coming.  Other than that there isn't a ton of bad here.  Kev has proven he can win at the highest level and now will be tasked with completing a full rebuild.     


The Future:
This team is probably 2-3 years out and Kev knows that and is willing to be patient.  It's really just going to come down to the development of Davion, Bones, Jalen, and Kai.  If those developments go well Kev will be right on track.  I wonder given the age gap between GTJ/Kuz and the rookies if Kev looks to deal either of those for assets if they are having good seasons.  Regardless there is a bright future in Denver, but fans will have to remain patient.  

[The Athletic]

10. Oklahoma City Thunder 

GM: Oklahoma City Thunder (Loren)

Projected Record: 12-17

Notable Off-Season Move: Selling Russell Westbrook off a package that brought in Wiggins, Quickley, and AG 

Roster:
PG- Immanuel Quickley 
SG- Devin Booker 
SF- Andrew Wiggins 
PF- Sekou Doumbouya 
C- Jusuf Nurkic 
Util- Wendell Carter Jr. 
Util- Kevin Huerter 

Bench:
Terrence Ross 
Aaron Nesmith 
Jordan Nwora 
Grayson Allen
Edmund Sumner 

The Good:
Look there are a lot of really fun pieces on this Thunder team.  The team is obviously headlined by Devin Booker and Jusuf Nurkic.  We all know the tales of how Loren values Nurk, but honestly I think it's somewhat warranted.  We've seen peak Nurk can be a legit 40 point guy a game.  Last year apparently he had a death in the family and it was also a really quick turnaround from the bubble.  If he's healthy for Dame's #lastpush he could have a monster year.  Book really burst onto the scene last year but to most people's surprise he didn't actually have that good of a regular season (fantasy wise).  I think he pushes over that 30 mark quite easily this year and gradually starts to have a higher usage than CP3 as CP3 continues to age.  Nesmith started off really slow, and it's tough to blame him as the rooks last year had no training camp and less practice time than any other rookie class, but he really came on at the end and should be in line for a much larger role off the bench this year.  I also really like Kevin "Red Rocket" Huerter but I will say it's gonna be hard barring injuries for him to really have a big fantasy year.

The Bad:
A couple things come to mind... First off the Wiggins situation is not ideal... I'd like to think he eventually gets the jab but we're cutting it pretty close man.  The roster construction is also questionable I haven't actually checked fantrax but Sekou is the only PF.  I'm sure Wendell actually probably has PF elig but it could be tough sledding on some nights where he has to leave points on the bench because his roster is so heavily stocked at the 2 guard and wing.  I also hated the Wendell move.  I think Wendell is solid, but I don't think he's a big that ever plays 30 a night and stuffs the stat sheet.  Aaron had a weird end to the year in Denver, but I really think after a full off-season he's going to have a really good season in Denver this year.  Lastly, IQ you could argue he was THE piece in the Russ deal but man it's really hard to see how he is going to improve much on last year.  The Knicks have the following players in the backcourt.  Kemba Walker, Derrick Rose, Evan Fournier, and Alec Burks.  That's not even counting RJ who can play some 2 as well.  On top of that IQ is a score first guard lacking a ton of peripherals. I believe in the kid long term but this year is not the year to count on any real consistent fantasy production.  


The Future:
Love me some Lor, but I think he's in the toughest spot to be in as a GM.  NO. MAN'S. LAND.  Not good enough to truly compete at the highest level, but not bad enough to go get top picks.  And to be perfectly honest I think he really is smack dab in the middle.  His best outcome this year is probably a 6th seed, but there's a good chance Nurk misses some games, and Book had a short off-season.  I don't think there is enough juice around those two to fill in the gaps.  I love Lor and the more professional approach he's taken of "good moves only". but I think he has to take a much stronger stance in one direction or another to really achieve the ultimate goal of winning a BBall 26 title.  

[The Athletic]

9.  Portland Trailblazers 

GM: Blazers GM (Tyler)

Projected Record: 13-16

Notable Off-Season Move: Trading away CJ McCollum and picks for future star Darius Garland 

Roster:
PG- Darius Garland 
SG- Tyrese Maxey 
SF- Kyle Anderson 
PF- Kevin Love 
C- Nic Claxton 
Util- Talen Horton-Tucker 
Util- Cody Zeller 

Bench:
Jarred Vanderbilt 
Jaylen Nowell 
Moses Brown 
Usman Garuba 
Justice Winslow 

The Good:
Tyler has a ton of guys I'm really high on long term.  The Garland/Maxey backcourt is about as fun of a non star back court as you can have in this league and I think those two are going to be huge building blocks for this franchise moving forward.  I've been sucking Garland off all off-season so i'll keep it to a minimum here, but I really think he has star potential and takes another step towards that this year.  The Simmons situation is actually huge for Maxey, the kid is fearless, already has an extremely advanced offensive bag, and the opportunity should be through the moon if this Ben thing takes awhile to get resolved.  Claxton is the next guy i'm super high on this year.. I know Millsap, Blake, and LMA are there so I can't say I'm positive this is the year, but I know the Nets are really high on him I wouldn't be shocked at all if despite all those vets he still finds himself with a large role this year.  He has all the makings of a really good fantasy center in this league.  The contract Tyler got THT on this off-season was ridiculous in the best way and while I think it'll be tough for him to take a large step with Bron and Russ handling most of the ball handling duties I'm still interested to see how and what he progresses into this year because he has a ton of talent.  Winslow hasn't been good in a couple years, but I really liked the landing spot in LA and he is still at a point in his career where he does have some upward mobility if he figures it out with a team that can maximize his strengths.  Garuba was an absolute steal... Bro has already impacted basketball games at the highest level and should be free to be himself on a rebuilding Rockets team.  

The Bad:
Can't cap I didn't love the Anderson signing.  This was his first real year of solid production, and while I don't think it was fluky or anything 16 million is a hefty price to pay and he'll have to be pretty damn good to pay off that price.  It's pained me to see Coby's progression the past year.  It's not even like he's been that bad or can't eventually be solid, but the Bull's off-season additions all but end the hopes that he could eventually turn out to be a 30 point a night guy.  At least in Chicago anyways.  There isn't anything else that really stands out as a negative to me, but it's clear this isn't a good enough team to make any real noise this year.  

The Future:
I think Tyler's done a spectacular job since coming in.  It's clear he has a plan and he hasn't rushed the process for the sake of making a shallow playoff run.  It wouldn't shock me if he sneaks in this year on the back of Garland, but more than likely this will be a year about watching the puppies grow one step closer to becoming full blown dogs.  Garland, Maxey, Claxton, THT, Garuba, and even Coby + 4 firsts in the next 2 years is the perfect foundation for growing into an upper echelon team it's just up to Tyler to execute.    

[The Athletic]

8. Dallas Mavericks 

GM:Dallas Mavs (Kyle)

Projected Record: 16-13

Notable Off-Season Move: Receiving the mother-load package of picks from Nets to move down 2 spots.  

Roster:
PG- Donavon Mitchell 
SG- RJ Hampton 
SF- Dillon Brooks 
PF- Michael Porter Jr. 
C- Isaiah Stewart 
Util- Darius Bazley 
Util- Terrence Mann 

Bench:
Malik Monk 
Josh Christopher 
Oshae Brissett 
Isaac Okoro 
Ziaire Williams 

IR Onyeka Okongwu 
IR Jamal Murray 

The Good:
Man, this is about as sexy of a roster as you can have in this league.  There isn't really a piece that I don't like to some extent so let's focus on the guys I like the most.  Let's start with the man who just got cashed out in Michael Porter Jr.  The dude is flat out special.  We haven't really seen a player this tall shoot it this efficiently, this early in his career.  With Jamal Murray out for at-least a decent portion of the year he should soak up a good amount of that usage and eat.  Donavon Mitchell solidified himself as a blossoming star by backing up his bubble performance last year.  His game isn't necessarily perfect for this league but he's a stud regardless.  It's been well documented how high I am on Bazley and this will be a really big year to see if he can take meaningful strides to being a more efficient basketball player..  In any case he will have every opportunity to succeed in Oklahoma City and the fact that the Thunder didn't bring in another or draft another 4 is hugely encouraging.  Next up enter Stew... who was essentially built in a lab for this league.  He already is an elite rebounder, doesn't miss shots and never tries to do too much.  Plumlee is up and out of there, and while Kelly came in I really do think the two function as much different players in this offense.  I think the Terrence Mann showing from last year was somewhat real.  I don't know if he ever. turns out to be a stud stud, but Jerry West has been super high on him for awhile and that's usually a really good sign. I'll wrap up with RJ... Do I think he continues his offensive output from the second half of the season last year?  No.  Do I think he's pretty good?  Yes.  Eventually the Magic will turn all the young dudes loose and I think RJ Hampton is sneakily at the forefront of that.  Sexy ass squad from one of the sharper GMs this league has to offer.       

The Bad:
Not a ton here, but this team did get hit with the injury bug pretty early on.  Jamal and Onyeka's injuries all but ended the Mavs chance of making any real push this year unless they push all their chips into the middle (They won't). If I had to pick something out longterm here i'd say Donavon and Jamal are guys that can be very volatile given their high volume of shots and that can be tough when trying to be steady and win a ship.  Another thing is what does Kyle do when Onyeka and Jamal return?  Someone decently valuable is gonna get canned.. Pretty nice problem to have though.  


The Future:
As much as I hate to say it, this Mavs team objectively has the brightest future in the league in large part to the haul of picks they brought in.  Pair the young talent with the draft capital and an owner who is known for squeezing every lil thing out a deal and we got a dynasty recipe.  It's all the more reason I'm all in to win a title this year.  Not good enough this year, but I think Mavs will be good enough as soon as even next year to be title contenders.   

[The Athletic]

7. LA Lakers 

GM:LA Lakers GM (Griff)

Projected Record: 16-13

Notable Off-Season Move: Trading Embiid away in a package for Nance, Sexton, and Harrison Barnes 

Roster:
PG- Collin Sexton 
SG- Delon Wright 
SF- Lugentz Dort 
PF- Jerami Grant 
C- Larry Nance 
Util- PJ Washington 
Util- Harrison Barnes 

Bench:
Jordan McLaughlin 
Joe Harris 
Taurean Prince 
Victor Oladippo 

The Good:
Nothing jumps out as overly sexy on this team, but it's a really solid team.  Harrison Barnes had a really big year last year and I think as long as Walton is there and fighting for his job I think Harrison Barnes has one of the highest minute floors in this league.  I really loved the Nance trade for his fantasy production.  Cleveland was never going to over extend him and there is a ton of young talent in Clevland at the forward/center position.  Now Nance heads to a win now Portland team that NEEDS defense.  He should get plenty of back up run at the 4 and the 5 and Jusuf Nurkic isn't exactly the known for staying healthy.  I'm still a believer in Sexton especially in a fantasy sense and I'm looking for him to continue to add on to his good year from last year.  We all were kinda surprised when the Pistons cashed out Grant, but I think all things considered you can label it as a success.  The Pistons went full on tnk mode the second half of last year and I think it cut Grant's production way short, but Csaey has said he is "the guy" on the team and I expect him to have a really solid year this year.  Taurean is in a place that wants him now and should get plenty of run in Minnesota and we all know how much all of us like Lu Dort.  

The Bad:
Griff 1-10 are damn solid but I really think he needs to sign 1-2 more ends of the bench guys to help his case.  He has a roster spot open, and Victor Oladipo on IR with a little over a million to play with.  Two guys on a minimum deal could help bolster this roster just that extra bit that he'll need.  The Beverley signing was disappointing for me from a Jordan McLaughlin perspective as I had heard noise that he was going to be the back up point this year.  He still could be but it's a little cloudier now.  


The Future:
Griff's in a little but of a limbo spot.  I think he did the best he could given his situation.  He has a team that will compete as he doesn't have his first but he also has a couple younger players with a lot of projectability left.  I think Griff is another GM that can stand from a little bit of a firmer stance one way or another, but there are still a lot of really good pieces here.  Oladipo and Delon come off the books next year which will open up a ton of flexibility for this team moving forward.  

[The Athletic]

6. Sacramento Kings 

GM: Sacramento Kings (Dave)

Projected Record: 17-12

Notable Off-Season Move: Trading Wiggins, Gordon, and IQ way to grab Russell Westbrook.  

Roster:
PG- Russell Westbrook 
SG- Spencer Dinwiddie
SF- Josh Jackson
PF- Tobias Harris 
C- Ivica Zubac 
Util- Thad Young 
Util- Derrick Jones Jr. 

Bench:
Payton Pritchard 
Patty Mills 
Juan Toscano Anderson
Robin Lopez 
Eric Paschcall

The Good:
Dave's my guy, but I really do think his team is really being slept on.  He has both things you're looking for in depth with some sort of star power at the top.  First off if you own Russell Westbrook you have a shot any week.  He is one of those guys that if he gets going and has a 4-5 game week, it's very tough to overcome.  He'll have to share a load with Lebron James, but Russ produces everywhere he goes so I'm not worried.  I really like the depth here in Sac.  The Ben Simmons situation helps Tobias a ton and he should have as much usage as he wants.  Ivica Zubac should start and play high twenties in minutes and I think that results in Zubac's first season over 25.  Juan Toscano, Josh Jackson, and Derrick Jones were all super sneaky pick ups.  Josh Jackson earned the trust of Casey last year and has a safe role, Juan Toscano puts up sneaky counting stats, and DJJ should start on a pretty damn good offense in Chicago.  Thad Young has turned back the clock the past couple years and his game remains very fantasy friendly if he can just get 25-30 minutes in SA.  Then we got Spencer! Everyone kinda forgot about him, but he chilled on IR re-signed with Sacramento and should be primed for a pretty large year in Washington.  Look Dave's got a really damn good squad and if things break right I honestly could see him making a wrong as long as Russ is in God mode.  

The Bad:
The Ben Simmons situation really helps Tobias, but you'd still hope to have a little more star power on the squad.  The Kings are hoping Spencer can be that guy but I think he's more of a 4th guy than a 3 unless the team is really deep.  I do think Dave will have to eventually replace Pashcal, he showed very little but who knows maybe a change of scenery with his best friend can help kickstart him.   


The Future:
Dave has always been focused on the here and now and this year's iteration of the squad is no different.  He doesn't have a large cupboard of picks, but he has a lot of talent and depth on the roster and Russ gives him a fighting chance any week.  One interesting storyline to monitor is Russ and Tobias both expiring at the end of the year.  I doubt Dave will want to deal Russ if he's keeping him afloat each week, but he also probably holds the most value.  Regardless I like Dave to finish in the middle of the West with a chance to make a semis or quarterfinals run.  If he can find a golden depth piece who knows, because I am really high on a lot of the depth on this roster.  

[The Athletic]

5. LA Clippers 

GM: LA Clippers GM (Remy)

Projected Record: 18-11

Notable Off-Season Move: Trading the villain Trae Young away for a package of essentially Anthony Edwards, Keon Johnson, and Franz Wagner 

Roster:
PG- Kyle Lowry 
SG- Anthony Edwards 
SF- Cam Reddish 
PF- Keldon Johnson 
C- Jakob Poeltl 
Util- Lonzo Ball
Util- Devontae Graham 

Bench:
Mitchell Robinson 
Jeremy Lamb 
Alize Johnson
Keon Johnson
Franz Wagner 


The Good:
Good ol rebuilding Remy had his heart broken last year after going all in and scaled back just a tad this off-season.  It's anyone's guess as to if Remy actually sticks to this mantra.  Let's get to the good because there is a lot of it.  Lonzo and Kyle Lowry both went into this off-season with a lot of question marks.  I think both came out of the off-season in very good situations all things considered.  Lonzo seems to really love the fit in Chicago and that can only bode well for his overall fantasy production and consistency.  Lowry signed in Miami and actually is the perfect fit for him.  His numbers should be near where they were nearing the end of his time in Toronto, and that is very good for fantasy production.  Around these two there is just so much fun young talent,  Ant, Cam, Franz, Keon, Keldon, and Mitch.  Graham is a super interesting piece and it's always exciting to see a young good player in this league go to his first different situation to see how another NBA team can better employ his services.  I'm not sure I see 30 points a night but I do think Graham will have a very good fantasy year all things considered.  Keldon Johnson's jump with no Derozan will be very interesting watch,  he came in as a shooting guard but played a ton of PF last season and is just a bowling ball.  I can see him anywhere from 20-30. The last piece of this perfect fun young puzzle is Keldon's team mate Jakob Poeltl.  Jakob isn't the sexiest player but he flat out produces in fantasy.  Don't be surprised if he puts up 30 a game this year, giving Remy really good depth across the board.  
 
The Bad:
The bad again is relative here with a good team and I'm now speaking purely in terms of title contention.  The depth is great but Remy lacks true superstar power at the top.  Depth can help you last a long grueling season, but in the playoffs you need big performers that you can count on for huge numbers.  Remy doesn't have that. 


The Future:
Remy has one of few teams in here that have perfected a now and later build.  Remy lacks the top end talent to compete with the true elites in the league, but I think is partly why Remy has gone with this approach this year.  His hope is that one or two of the talented youngins he has now eventually blossoms into that.  If that happens Remy doesn't have to give up future value in return for points that aren't maybe worth the amount of future capital asked.  This is a more long term approach, but one that can absolutely pay dividends.  But think about this, if we get to a situation where there is a week left in the season and Remy sees a move that he feel gives him a decent shot at a title does he really say no? I don't know man, you'd have to think Remy would atleast think about.  Regardless Remy is one of the best we have and will have his team in the playoffs likely every year he is the GM.  Things are good in LA.  

[The Athletic]

4. Utah Jazz 

GM: Charlotte Hornets (TJ)

Projected Record: 21-8

Notable Off-Season Move: Oooohh TJ made the most significant trades this off-season, but I'll go with the Deaaron Fox and Kemba trade as the most notable

Roster:
PG- De'Aaron Fox 
SG- Bradley Beal
SF- Danny Green
PF- Jeff Green
C- Nikola Vucevic 
Util- Thomas Bryant 
Util- Kemba Walker

Bench:
Theo Maledon 
Monte Morris 
Alec Burks
Semi Ojeleye
Vit Krejci 


The Good:
LETS GO.  After.a couple years off TJ has finally burst back onto the scene to prove that he isn't a completely washed NBA Fantasy GM.  TJ made multiple splash moves landing him 3 fantasy stars.  The first is the young guard out of Kentucky, De'Aaron "Swipa" Fox.  Fox has steadily increased his production year after year and should be a staple of a run and gun Kings team all year.  If he can hit the 3 and start to become overall more efficient as a scorer I really don't think 40 a night is eventually out of the question.  Bradley Beal offers elite SG production and will be the head of a Washington team built around him.  Vooch had a phenomenal fantasy year last year and his game is built perfectly for this league.  Monte Morris should play all the minutes he can handle with no Jamal next year, and honestly I think Kemba landed in the best situation possible for him fantasy wise.  Thibs always plays his best players more minutes than he probably should.  Kemba had to deal with inconsistent minutes all year last year and should just hoop.  I'm higher on Thomas than most and if he makes a full recovery I really think he is the ex factor in how deep of a run this Jazz team makes.  

The Bad:
The clear answer is the depth.  TJ is rostering Semi, Vit, Muscala, and Theo.  Maybe Theo has a safer role then I think but the other 3 Im not sure are rosterable.  This is the part of the game TJ needs to clean up.  He's shown he can come to agreements on big time deals and bring in the star power, but that just isn't enough if you want to win a title.  The other thing I could point to is there are a few questions to be asked of a couple of his stars. With Beal, we know he'll give star SG production, but is it gonna be enough production in general? I'm not sure.  Beal has a lot of pressure to be a 37-38 guy instead of a 34-35 guy.  Vooch is a stud and we all know this, but most of all last year the offense ran purely through him.  That just won't be the case anymore.  I wonder if Vooch ends up more in the 37-39 group has opposed to the 41-43 group.   
  

The Future:
The time has come for TJ to put his money where his mouth is.  Things got off to a great start this off-season but none of it matters if you don't win games.  I don't see a rebuild coming for a good long while so it's all hands on deck to see if TJ can create enough depth around his stars.  I think as things stands he is an easy top 4 seed just on the outside looking of the playoffs.  If Kemba hits 33+ or Thomas gets back at 30+ things get real interesting.   I'm rooting for my guy (kinda).  

[The Athletic]

3. Golden State Warriors 

GM: Golden State Warriors (Caleb)

Projected Record: 23-6

Notable Off-Season Move: Trading KP and Darius Bazley for Joel Embiid 

Roster:
PG- Steph Curry
SG- Malik Beasley 
SF- Bogdan Bogdanovic 
PF- Saddiq Bey 
C- Joel Embiid 
Util- Myles Turner 
Util- PJ Dozier 

Bench:
Frank Jackson 
Deni Avdija 
JyMchael Green
Gabe Vincent 
Gary Harris 


The Good:
I'll keep it brief since it's my squad, but i'll use this space to take my bold stances and eat my words if Im wrong.  I tried my best to go with the two top end studs and depth surrounding approach.  Obviously we all know about Steph and Joel so I wanna move to some of the mid tier pieces.  Bogey was so damn good the second half of the year and people just never realized it because it's the Hawks and they are loaded with depth.  I really don't think 30 is out of the question.  I've been waiting for PJ Dozier moment all year, and I think it might finally be coming.  He'll still come off the bench but I think he was progressed enough to produce in 25ish minutes a night.  Last two guys I wanna talk about are Saddiq Bey and Myles Turner.  I know it's been 6 years without a real Myles Turner break out but I think it might be coming this year.  He's in incredible shape and reportedly might be utilized a little bit more offensively.  Saddiq is a guy who I love, I'm not sure if the fantasy breakout is this year, but I do think he's going to have a solid year.  Lastly obviously there are some concerns about the depth but I think I found pretty good production per dollar with Harris, Frank, Gabe, and Jymchael.  We'll see. 

The Bad:
Okay there some definite injury risk with Joel and even Steph.  Joel almost. always misses games at some point and doesn't look super slimmed down or anything.  Obviously I hope that if and when he does miss time it's not in the playoffs or in a crucial stretch of the year.  If Joel does go down I might be able to tread water against average teams but it'll be ve very tough to beat the good teams.  Depth also has reasonable questions and we'll see if I'll be forced to sign a couple guys mid season.  


The Future:
Look i'm well aware there are multiple teams better built for the future.  With the Kyrie uncertainty and the West being fairly weak as a whole, I really do feel like this is a year where a title is truly up for grabs.  I'm #allin as long as it doesn't severely hamper but future.  The pressure is on and I want all the smoke, it's championship or bust in the bay.  

[The Athletic]

2. New Orleans Pelicans 

GM: Pelicans GM (Johnny)

Projected Record: 23-6

Notable Off-Season Move: Trading FVV for Demar Derozan and picks 

Roster:
PG- Kyie Irving 
SG- CJ McCollum
SF- Demar Derozan 
PF- Pascal Siakam 
C- Rudy Gobert 
Util- Draymond Green
Util- Robert Covington

Bench:
Gordan Dragic 
Deandre Jordan 
Royce Oneale 
Justin Holiday 
Mason Plumlee 
Zeke Nnaji 


The Good:
This team is so fucking filthy man.  Obviously we know Kyrie and Siakam will be out to start the year, but there isn't a better team equipped to handle having to stars being out than the New Orleans Pelicans.  Johnny gets a lot of shit, but he had a tough task this off-season because a lot of his player expired the same year.  Johnny did a really good job in my eyes buying low on some players that weren't as sexy but are proven producers while also acquiring picks.  I think the haul of picks he has is really underrated because it'll allow him to have flexibility in season to trade for certain win now players.  As. for the players themselves almost everyone on this roster 1-12 has locked up a decent sized role on their respective teams.  CJ McCollum was playing at an all-star level last year before he went down.  Rudy Gobert is a monster, Demar Derozan might not have the same usage in Chicago but will still be productive.  Draymond should be in for another big year.  Oneale and Covington have large roles as depth pieces.  Hell Plumlee should start in Charlotte and put up big numbers.  This team is loaded top to bottom and the only reason I don't have them finishing first in the West is because of the Kyrie situation and Pascal missing maybe the first couple weeks.     

The Bad:
It's just the Kyrie situation that puts a little dark cloud over this team.  I think he eventually suits up but it's really anyone's guess as to when that is.  Top to bottom this team is nasty.  


The Future:
The Pelicans on paper are the best team in this league, but what really makes this team special is its depth of assets outside of just the 12 guys on the roster.  Johnny is entering his 2ns full year as GM and he is a little bit of a wildcard so i'm very curious to see how he navigates this. franchise this season and beyond.  Does he do his best to continue this long stretch of Pelicans dominance or does he eventually scale back and look to put his own twist on a more dynasty built team?  We'll see, but regardless this team will be a problem as long as it's composed like this.  

[Oklahoma City Thunder (Loren)]

Don’t mind me, just 4th in the West in scoring 🥱🥱