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PREVIOUSLY: NORTHWEST, CENTRAL, ATLANTIC
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
This cursed franchise somehow snuffed three seasons in a year and a half, between Klay Thompson’s two severe leg injuries and the dual shock of Kevin Durant’s Achilles tear and flight to Brooklyn. This whole thing is sudden and weird and most certainly not cool.
The W’s made out with perhaps the most sensible pick inside a nutrageous draft, and it’ll earn Minnesota’s lottery selection later this year, but 2020-21 is another standby season. One in which two of its championship holdovers will have to fight like mad just to return GSW to the ranks of “playoff-caliber.”
C: Kevon Looney — completely fell off last year but is rather suitable to cling to the starting position another year as long as Steve Kerr is coach.
PF: Draymond Green — a bum foot to start this season, minding this 30-year old’s minutes will be crucial. If Dray loses faith in his perimeter shot, GSW sinks.
SF: Kelly Oubre Jr. — sparkling performer can live off turnovers and cuts, needs to show up against the good teams.
SG: Andrew Wiggins — if his opening night performance is any indication, the first six years of his career were indication enough.
PG: Stephen Curry — drag to waste two prime seasons like this, but he can’t press.
Marquese Chriss produced like a starting-quality NBA big man last season, then Draymond trashed the Suns, it was great … Rookie Jordan Poole made a third of his shots last season, the same mark Bob Cousy contributed in seven games as Cincinnati Royals player/coach in 1969-70 … Nico Mannion is the son of Pace Mannion, who used to have a horrifying mustache … Alen Smailagic will shoot, guys, do you want someone to shoot? Alen said he could.
Thank goodness the NBA didn’t lose James Wiseman to Minnesota or New York or Charlotte or Chicago or Cleveland or some other hopeless outpost. His footwork needs a major upgrade and he doesn’t understand the least bit about defense, but his placement on the Warriors is a best-case statement for both player and franchise … Brad Wanamaker is 32 just after this season ends, Brad’s one of the best backup point guard but we’re not picking up a colt, here.
Damion Lee, capable all-around shooting guard … Eric Paschall gets to the line a lot, which is nice of him, but I don’t know where he fits on a championship contender … Kent Bazemore acts as a good holdover until Klay returns, though his defense isn’t what it used to be … Warriors kept swingman prospect Mychal Mulder to keep Bazemore real tight, paranoid.
Sixth in the West
Pace Mannion was just one of two men in this jacuzzi with a mustache:
L.A. CLIPPERS
The Clippers never showed any indication that they were nearing championship contention in the regular season, there was always an excuse, something was always lacking.
It came to light in the bubble, Denver’s 3-1 comeback in the Western semifinals was assured the minute the Clippers clinched Game 4, so now the Clippers strut to stage with New Doc. Younger Doc, one that’s less likely to have paid to see Andre Thornton play in person.
The problem with New Doc is the same with the Old Doc: Tyronn Lue can’t run point guard, and he can’t perform what we’d call “legal surgery” on Paul George’s shoulders.
C: Ivica Zubac — is awfully good at the position.
PF: Marcus Morris — fine postseason after a cruddy regular season blip with the Clips.
SF: Kawhi Leonard — enjoyed his first strong campaign as a playmaker in 2019-20, something he’ll have to keep up with this grotty passing crew.
SG: Paul George — still awfully good, and responded well in the regular season to what was asked of him — playmaking, defense, outside shooting. The bubble was messed up for a lot of people.
PG: Patrick Beverley — owns enough to act the lead guard on a championship team. Kawhi and George expected Beverley to remain the voice of the club in 2020, to speak up on their behalf when Kawhi and Paul shirked out, we saw how that turned out. Pat can’t keep quiet in what needs to be a championship-or-bust season for this aging crew.
Hard to imagine Lou Williams being less angry this season … Serge Ibaka’s ability to catch the ball at the top of the chaos and pick a pizza that everyone likes, legendary … Rookie center Daniel Orturo shouldn’t have to pull many minutes this season, but the sturdy second-round pick won’t go away quietly … Jay Scrubb is a 6-6 JUCO guy who can shoot, score and board … Terance Mann wasn’t terrible as a rookie, Amir Coffey is not Cuttino Mobley (he’s just left-handed) … New Clipper assistant Kenny Atkinson is trying to make a client out of the bouncy Mfiondu Kabengele.
Here’s to hoping it isn’t so bad that Ky Bowman has to play a ton at point guard … If Luke Kennard is healthy, he can make a massive difference, but Detroit didn’t seem to think his knees were any good. Kennard’s legs will endure heaps of playmaking responsibilities this season … Reggie Jackson in a compressed season is going to be horrifying … The only place Patrick Patterson can get a job is with the Clippers … L.A. is just about hard-capped so depth providers like Beverley, Patterson, Kennard, Jackson and Nicolas Batum (such strong potential up front) badly need to keep their salts straight.
Third in the West
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Won the title a few months ago, and rather handily. Did the best it could with the offense and competed exceptionally defensively. And it wasn’t a clinical performance, lucky us.
The Lakers won the title two months ago, and they’re going to play like it for the next two months.
C: Marc Gasol — a marvelous addition who, even in his aged (35) state, still basically balms every slight irritation present on these defending champions.
PF: Anthony Davis — stats as big as your house, pairing with LeBron added years to his legs.
G/F: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — also has done well associating himself with James. Kindly continue the playoff shooting.
SG: Wesley Matthews — out of central casting, in fighting trim after a year in MKE.
G/F: LeBron James — finally proved he could win the big one.
It’s important to remember Dennis Schröder was traded to Los Angeles, he didn’t sign with the Lakers, and that some people aren’t always as fully on board with your projections as you’d expect them to be. Hopefully Dennis changes his feelings about peeling off the bench, because he’s going to score about 240 points per possession alongside Montrezl Harrell, James or Davis, and extra-pass guy Alex Caruso.
We put our heads together for a few years and finally determined that Kyle Kuzma is fine, everyone, he’s fine … Markieff Morris will surprise you with a few passes this season but don’t play him at forward … Hey Kelly don’t forget to build up Talen Horton-Tucker until nobody wants to read about the Lakers anymore … Quinn Cook wasn’t at his best last year but at least he knows the plays.
At least he knows most of the plays.
Undersized scoring power forward Devontae Cacok put up 19.4 points and a dozen boards in only 24 minutes per game with the Lakers’ minor league affiliate last season … Younger teammates laugh because Jared Dudley is so old that he’s got a Twitter account … The Lakers kept 28-year old forward Alonzo McKinnie in the JaVale McGee but not the (still unsigned) Jordan Bell, score this one for Bulls fans.
If the Lakers lose to any other team in the NBA four times in seven tries, this season will have been considered a severe disappointment. Any lingering setbacks suffered in the compressed regular season should be solved by the leisurely pace of the NBA’s playoff bracket.
Tops in the West
PHOENIX SUNS
The Suns finally spent real money on a head coach, and look what happened. Monty Williams gave the Suns purpose on offense and responsibilities to contend with, defensively.
Suddenly sick of saying “I told you so,” the holdover Suns responded to the addition of both a competent coach and competent point guard (the since-departed Ricky Rubio) with a competent showing. The Suns nearly made the postseason, which is the season after the season that the Suns usually play in.
The attitude carried over to the offseason, when Phoenix pulled the trigger on the two years and $85.6 million remaining on Chris Paul’s contract, alongside what’s remaining of Chris Paul.
C: DeAndre Ayton — production remained same but defense improved considerably in his second season.
F: Jae Crowder — why didn’t he just sign in Orlando? Did Jae think the bubble was in Phoenix? Good pickup because Crowder doesn’t have to hit shots for his spacing to be effective. I don’t know what his excuse for rebounding is.
F: Mikal Bridges — discovered success in clipping the three-point shooting a little.
SG: Devin Booker — found comfier space to finish inside or splash behind the arc last season under Monty.
PG: Chris Paul — role of “always being right” suits Paul (who has a player option next year) wonderfully. This will be a fun spot to play before he maneuvers his way to Miami.
Of course it was Cameron Payne who turned Phoenix’s minus position (backup point guard) into a major plus earlier this year, this year is 2020 … Centers used to be as big as Dario Saric so, yes, keep working him at center … And not Damian Jones, who is so bad defensively … E’Twaun Moore can do a bit of everything and defend and not turn the ball over in the backcourt, marvelous acquisition.
Frank Kaminsky, acquisition … The Suns should like Abdel Nader, but there’s a glut at what he does unless the fourth-year really starts cranking from outside … Love Jevon Carter L-U-V Jevon Carter but if Cam Payne flakes again the Suns’ ballhandling might be rough off the bench again … The Suns draft for need because why the hell not and Jalen Smith is OK, pairing him with Ayton this early will only produce good things … Langston Galloway hits shots and is gonna win game or two for you, these are healthy pickups … Enjoyed Cameron Johnson as a rookie, a zero-mistake, zero-rebound, sweet-shooting big forward.
No. 6 in the West
SACRAMENTO KINGS
The Kings enter the season with Luke Walton remaining at the coaching helm, the lamest duck since the last coach Sacramento let dangle.
It will take the Kings ages to free themselves from Vlade Divac’s term as general manager. De’Aaron Fox re-committed to the team with a contract extension, but the club had to sit the 2020 offseason out because, hey, Vlade (who quit in August) used up all the cap space and drained the fridge of diet pop. Actually there’s one left in there but it’s caffeine-free.
Could you imagine the boxes Vlade left? Just the illegal deals, the hand-written stuff, you hit CTRL-V on a laptop and Adam Silver’s phone number pastes out.
C: Richaun Holmes — immediately earned the starting center spot away from the long-departed Dewayne Dedmon, cashing in on years of strong reserve play. Nothing flukey about him.
PF: Marvin Bagley — a fine talent, badly needs some good luck.
SF: Harrison Barnes — three years and $61 million left for Good Jeff Green.
SG: Buddy Hield — how can you underrated your own player but still overpay (four years, $94 million) him?
PG: De’Aaron Fox — remarkable improvement for someone who has to learn from this noise. Let the league’s assistant coaches recognize this when it’s time to create an All-Star team.
The Kings picked up Hassan Whiteside on a minimum deal which is gonna be rough for Hassan because I’m pretty sure he still owes Miami and Portland money after those last few years … Jahmi’us Ramsey made the club just to piss off Buddy Hield … Nemanja Bjelica’s giant ass is essential to his scoring prowess, don’t ask him to move it … The Kings plucked Tyrese Haliburton because everyone said Tyrese Haliburton was can’t miss and Sacramento was keen to prove everyone wrong.
Glenn Robinson III is somehow just as infuriating as his father was … Cory Joseph is a real coach on the floor because he shoots like he’s wearing a sport coat … Jabari Parker is proof that Kings aren’t born, but made.
There is a good core here, Bagley hasn’t even started what will turn into a fruitful career and Fox is for real.
The Kings just want to take a year off, and we’d like to let them.
No. 14 in the West
FIRST LIGHT
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