"The Western Wildcard: Who’s Ready to Reign, Rebuild, or Rattle the Cage in the NSL?"

The West has been the NSL’s historic heavyweight, the dynasty factory churning out champions like a smoothie machine on turbo. But the last two seasons have shaken things up — with the Eastern Conference taking the reigns as the big brother in NSL.

Last season, GM Nels and his Zombie Spurs staged an epic, against-the-odds post-season sprint, snatching the Western Conference title despite a rocky start and a 6th-place regular season finish. Giannis and Jamal Murray led the charge, proving that sometimes the darkest horse races fastest.

Meanwhile, the Lakers, long touted as the West’s next big thing, got a shock when they fell to the wiry vet in the Conference Semis. GM Justin’s response? Go all-in in the offseason. He flipped stars like Cade Cunningham and Chet Holmgren for the towering talent of Victor Wembanyama, stacking his roster with Wemby, Kawhi Leonard, Amen Thompson, and Zion Williamson. Has the West just got even more electrifying?

And then there’s Portland, the brainchild of GM Jmac — the league’s most brilliant strategist. They’ve turbocharged their rebuild, stocked up a mountain of picks (including a mind-blowing seven first-rounders in 2026), and landed elite prospects Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper. With Dame Lillard injured but still in the mix, plus Brandon Ingram and Brandon Miller, the league watches, wondering: when will Portland flick the switch?

With all that drama simmering, it’s time to slot every Western squad into their rightful tier of contention — from all-in title hunters to patient builders and the “wait, what’s going on here?” squads.

 

Tier 1: The All-In Teams

"No messing around, the goal is crystal clear: WIN IT ALL, OR BUST"

These teams have made their intentions loud and clear — the roster is stacked, the clock is ticking, and the champagne is (hopefully) chilling. Aging stars, freshly minted superstars, and aggressive moves set these franchises up for a championship run, even if it means selling the farm for a shot at glory this season.

Los Angeles Lakers

GM Justin’s Lakers definitely belong here — with Wemby and Kawhi leading a squad that screams win now. That being said, the window for the Lakers is not a short one, with Wembanyama and Amen Thompson the window could be as long as 10+ years. What’s important to note is that this squad could fit into multiple categories as they are all-in but are also rising with 2 timelines. The West appears to be theirs for the now and the long-term.

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs have managed to get younger in previous years, sending out the likes of Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, Nikola Vucevic, replacing them with Jamal Murray, Wendell Carter Jr, Josh Hart and Jerami Grant. The window is definitely longer for Giannis but the urgency is high, and the competition might be overtaking them. Last year could’ve been the last hurrah for this rendition of the Spurs, though GM Nels will ride or die as long as Giannis Antetokounmpo is his guy.

Minnesota Timberwolves

It’s now or never for the new GM Shayhoops, as the window begins to close around his aging superstar Anthony Davis. Last year was probably the year for them, they had arguably the best starting five in the Western Conference but just couldn’t get the job done in the post-season, going down to the Spurs in an epic 5 game series. Jimmy Butler was then traded and replaced by Paul George, a player that has been comparable to Jimmy in 2k throughout his career. Though it might work in 2k, many are sceptical as his PG seems to have a bleak outlook in real life with both his contract and physical health. Is a rebuild on the cards while AD still has top tier value in the league?

 

Tier 2: The Contending Risers

"Dangerous now, terrifying soon"

These are the West’s future dynasties, quietly building with young stars and loaded asset pools. They’re in prime position to challenge for titles soon — and if they want, they can flip into all-in mode with the right move.

Portland Trailblazers

Portland is the poster child here — loaded with picks, young talent, and experience, but still a question mark on exactly when the switch will flip. Everyone knows it’s only a matter of time and judging by their trading patterns with picks, it’s go-time straight after the 2026 draft. Enjoy the league while we have it, this sleeping giant is soon to ruin our fun. All we can do is hope the GMs of the league make them pay the ‘Portland tax’ so someone else can taste glory over the next decade.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Who or what is a Cake Bandito? No one really knows, what we do know is the new GM who answers to this alias is officially on the NSL radar after making his debut in a blockbuster trade. Out goes Steph Curry, in comes DeAaron Fox, Deni Avdija and Anthony Simons. Edwards will have a long window in contention especially now he’s surrounded by risers in their mid-20s. They will be in the mix in the West for many years to come.

New Orleans Pelicans

Any team with Luka Doncic will be in the window in this league for a long time, especially now that he’s signed an extension in the NBA dream destination LA Lakers. GM Leeroy tends to hover between tier 1, 2 and 3 and looks to be between 2 and 3 at the time of writing. Rumour is Gobert is gone for Myles Turner which means another stud aged in his late 20s, matching Luka’s timeline. As a previous owner of Myles, I love the value, however the 2k impact will not match Gobert, maybe ever. Turner will have a great chance to reinvent himself in NBA Milwaukee, Mathurin will have opportunity to break out sans Haliburton, and recent acquisition Miles Bridges could continue is ascension, so there’s plenty to be excited about for New Orleans this coming season.

Los Angeles Clippers

It feels wrong to put GM Andrew’s LA Clippers in tier 2 (!) after years of sub-mediocrity, but you take one look down the roster and run your eye over the financials and the proof is in the pudding. Paolo Banchero, Jalen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein, Trey Murphy III and VJ Edgecombe makes the future look incredibly bright for a team that was in contention many years ago. Currently they sit right on the salary cap and should have some money to throw at free agents, meaning this roster could look even more deadly in a couple of months’ time. They’re on the radar in a Western Conference that lacks identity.

 

Tier 3: The Two-Window Teams

"Caught between now and later — a delicate dance of decisions"

Two-window teams juggle veteran leadership with developing stars. They have the flexibility to push for glory or pull back to refine their core. The path isn’t always clear, but the potential is undeniable.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets headline this list as they seem to have it all- youth, top-end talent, superstars and veterans. The duo of Sabonis and Donovan Mitchell will likely stay together, though GM Digga will need to dance around second apron rules. Some of their story lines will feature Michael Porter Jr having a turn at being a 1A in the NBA Nets, Jalen Johnson continuing his ascension and what will Digga do with veterans Chris Paul and Klay Thompson? This roster is good enough to finish in the top 4 out West as was proven last season.

Utah Jazz

Another Western Conference powerhouse at a crossroads is the Utah Jazz. Situated in one of the most difficult positions in the NSL with the Joel Embiid contract, GM Jase has a big decision to make, try to get off the money owed to the former MVP or ride the highs and many lows over the next 4 years and $200+ million dollars. The rest of the roster can more than hold up their end of the bargain, though James Harden is aging and genuine contention years may be running out. The good news is there’s 3 young stars rising on this roster, Austin Reaves, Dyson Daniels and Franz Wagner AND Kristaps Porzingis is still PF eligible! The league will watch their next moves with interest.

Houston Rockets

This roster is a wet dream for most GMs but in reality it hasn’t had the sticky ending most would expect and hope for. Jokic, Maxey and Haliburton is some trio, but the rest of the depth leaves much to be desired, and with Hali on the sidelines for a long time with an Achilles injury, it could go either way for Vitty this coming season. He owns his 2026 first-round pick and might invite one more down year with a loaded 2026 draft class. The league is still waiting for the Rockets to fulfil their potential, could this be the year?

Golden State Warriors

This team was hard to tier as their GM is a proven Champion, and the roster continues to get grow under GM Daz’s astute leadership. The Warriors finally have a clear vision and have acquired big wings who can defend every position, with bullies like Dillon Brooks and Tari Eason they’re sure to play an anti-social brand of basketball. Daz hit the draft hard last season using multiple late first rounders, giving the franchise a much-needed youth injection and second window to potentially build around. They do not have a pick in 2026 (to my knowledge) which means next season is go-time for GM Daz and his new franchise. Am I crazy in thinking there’s a playoff run in the team as currently constructed?

 

Tier 4: The Rebuilders

"Patient, strategic, and eyeing a brighter future"

These squads are hoarding picks, prospecting talent, and bracing for some lean years. They’re playing the long game with an eye on the next generation of NSL stars, hoping that their patience will pay off big down the line.

Memphis Grizzlies

You could make a case for GM Rootsy being the best GM in this league and you could make a case for him being not so good. This writer is a big Rootsy believer, in both the man and the vision but there’s work to be done in Memphis. They continue to add future stars through the draft and are no stranger to a deal involving pick swaps which has help them to acquire more top end talent in a shorter window. Rootsy has great optimism that Cedric Coward and Kon Kneuppel can mirror the success of last year’s draft duo Zach Eedie and Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, and with franchise led by Jaylen Brown and Jaren Jackson Jr surely there’s plenty of hope in the short term? It wouldn’t surprise me to see Rootsy continue to build through though, and for one of the aforementioned names to hit the block at some stage this coming season.

Tier 5: The Head Scratchers

"Confounding lineups, odd cap moves, and an air of mystery"

Some teams just leave you scratching your head — loaded with potential but hampered by confusing roster choices, bad contracts, or unclear direction. Will they figure it out? Trade their way to clarity? Or continue to frustrate the NSL fanbase? Time will tell.

Phoenix Suns

GM Laddas has officially hit reboot drafting 4 rookies in the 2025 draft. Traore, Fleming, Yang and Maluach all bring excitement and enthusiasm for the Shaedon Sharpe Suns. They will have to fulfil their potential immediately to stop the Blazers from adding yet another high lottery pick (at their expense) to their bounty at the conclusion of the 2026 season. Trying to glitch this team and win as much as possible will be GM Laddas’ ultimate goal, but it’ll be tough to beat the best of the best with Beal, Middleton and Monk firing from the hip.

Dallas Mavericks

It feels like the Mavs have been rebuilding for years and they seem to love riding the merry go-round in both contending outlook and when receiving trade offers. LJ has had moments of being a serious GM and moments of being a not-so-serious GM and his roster seems to reflect this. They do not own their own 2026 first round pick but do have the rest of them going forward, so they should try next season, but with a roster led by Jalen Green and the oft-injured Mark Williams, it’ll be like pushing a tractor up Mount Everest. Egor Demin, their first-round pick, will be their shining light next season and should see plenty of run in a rebuilding Mavs squad.

Sacramento Kings

I worry every time I post something with the Kings not in the top tier, but the Kings probably belong in tier 5 purely because I have no idea what to make of them. Klemm had an underrated season on the trade front last season, becoming the greatest beneficiary of re-trade fines ever seen in league history. Negative GM points essentially protected him from himself as his trade acquisitions prior to the fines, blew up and fulfilled their potential plus more. Led by Herro, PF only eligible Cameron Johnson and Norm Powell (likely 6^th man in Miami), it’s hard to see this team making playoffs outright but there’s no doubt they’ll battle for the play-in as they have no pick in 2026. There are some bright sparks on the roster, but when given a choice I will always pray for Klemm.

 

CLOSING

The West remains the land of legends, shocks, and wild card stories. From the improbable Spurs’ run to the Lakers’ blockbuster overhaul and Portland’s patient scheme, the conference is a chessboard filled with power plays, some about to happen in real time.

As the offseason unfolds and free agency looms, the tiers will surely shift, but for now, this snapshot gives us a glimpse at the battles to come. Buckle up, NSL fans — the Western Conference drama is just heating up.