West

Why

1

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs will enter the season with Giannis and LeBron. A duo unseen in the history of the NSL. I don�t see how they will lose a single game outside of injuries before the LeBron/Harden trade goes down. Even after the trade Giannis is still the best player in 2k and they�ll cruise through to finish 1^st with a dominant record. Nels has already gone to work in trying to add big defensive wings and looks to take back the NSL title once again from Portland.

2

Portland Trail Blazers

Portland will start the first half of the season running it back with their championship duo in Harden and Durant. Somehow, they swapped out the regressing Westbrook and made out like bandits bringing in quality pieces in a bid to continue their dynasty run. They have added quality depth and are deep on the wings with big 2-way players. Should still be a formidable foe before LeBron comes into partner with Durant and look to eliminate anyone�s titles chances. This may be the best-balanced team we�ve seen from Portland.

3

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Wolves are stacked! 2 young stars in the making in Ball and Barnes combined with arguably the games� best POA defender and rim protector in 2k in Gobert and Holiday. The team will be a threat once again, improving drastically and losing only D12 who they should be able to replace in free agency. Scottie has made a leap already and will be an added weapon to this team that is already a handful to deal with.

4

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizz have run it back making little moves outside of exchanging 1 of their many guards for a bench scorer in Caris LeVert. Even with the JJJ injury they remain the deepest defensive team in the NSL. If Jaylen Brown takes a leap this year the Grizz become a dark horse at an NSL title.

5

New Orleans Pelicans

Leeroy held firm with his dynamic duo of Morant and Mitchell since inauguration which had them around the 4^th, 5^th seed every season however failing in the playoffs with the small guards. This off-season Leeroy moved off Timelord and Spida and brought in PG13 an elite 2-way threat to help give this team more of an edge. While they don�t make a leap in season the playoffs will show their true form.

6

Denver Nuggets

Another team making big moves, with the Clippers hitting the reset Digga was able to trade in a star Center in Domantis Sabonis for a very cheap price. Denver gave up some role players and a late 1^st and raised his teams ceiling. This was arguably the missing piece. Now boasting 2 elite shooters and MPJ returning from injury. Denver will be looking to make a deep run with their new look squad.

7

Houston Rockets

The Rockets after yet another first round exit went out and got some more shooting help. Somehow managing to get off some inflated contracts in Olynyk and Bertans without moving any of their core. They brought in some guys who don�t exactly jump off the page at you but will make this team an even bigger offensive threat. Luke Kennard, Jordan Clarkson, and Devonte Graham will make a big jump playing in a Jokic lead offense.

8

Golden State Warriors

Love Lavine and Ayton though this may be one of the shallowest play- off/play in level teams in the league. Outside of Rose, Lavine, Harris and Ayton the roster has no standouts at even a role player level. They�re all in on putting the team on Lavine and Ayton�s backs and with their lack of defenders will give Ayton fits every night.  

9

Sacramento Kings

Sacramento is in trouble there�s no getting around it. Westbrook has looked to regress and 2k have made it a point to emphasise that. I�m not sure if they can save this roster with free agency this season only having 7 on the roster and only 14m under the hard cap. If they decide to use their full MLE they will have to get creative to fill the 7 remaining spots as to not trigger the hard cap. If any other teams below here in the West were interested in contending, I�m not sure I could list them this high. If Sacramento had their picks I could have them as a team that would be a chance to hit the reset.

10

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers did the unthinkable this season in trading out the best player in the NSL in Giannis Antetokounmpo. To most the package received wasn�t enough for a Giannis type player, but the Clippers had to move one way or the other, as they were stuck middling, and complacency wasn�t going to get them further. The Clips brought in NBA pick 1 Paolo Banchero and a guy I really liked in Benedict Mathurin. Both look like quality players to this point in their NBA careers. Barrett, Paolo, Mathurin and Trey Murphy fill out a quality young core that won�t be far off playoff contention.

11

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers decided they wanted to end the rebuild and traded out their top picks for Julius Randle and Kristaps Porzingis. 2 players I don�t think move the needle in 2k as are both B category stars. They fall here by default as no other teams in this conference are looking like they aren�t in it for the lottery balls. I have the Lakers down as a team that trades back into the lottery game this season

12

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder have an envious young roster, one if healthy I can see pushing into the playoff picture comfortably but with the season ending injury to their most reason pick 1 in Chet Holmgren it would be in this squad�s best interest to trade their vets out and just show up this season and look to the lottery in another stacked draft class

13

Phoenix Suns

Phoenix has a great young backcourt with 2 guys who could be All stars someday. Where Phoenix lacks is in the big man department which caps their ceiling drastically. It�s no secret they�re excited about the potential of adding the polarising Victor Wembanyama who would be the missing piece to make this team dangerous. This is a hit or miss year for Phoenix with this being the last pick of their own that they hold until 2026.

14

Dallas Mavericks

Dallas took everyone by surprise this year and hit the rebuild the hardest out of all resetting teams. What surprised people even more is they don�t own their pick this year so being bad doesn�t help them. I think Dallas should attempt to trade for their pick back with every asset they can muster up as this will be a rough year in their history if they are to land here and give another team a lottery pick.

15

Utah Jazz

Utah have played the draft perfectly to this point and they are a very patient team that don�t make many trades outside of gaining draft capital. Utah own both their own pick and the Dallas Mavericks pick and hope to have multiple bites at the lottery cherry in a bid to draft Wemby or Scoot or both. Jase will be happy to set and forget this year and pop up again come draft time.