The Western Conference is loaded with talent and uber-competitive, and a lot of the firepower comes from the Pacific Division. The quintet of teams has produced five NBA titles over the last 10 years, and the group should continue to produce excellent results. Four of five teams made playoff appearances last season, and all of them have the potential for a deep playoff run this year. In this article, we'll look at each team and explore various scenarios as we look ahead to the 2025-26 season.
Los Angeles Lakers 
2024 Record: 50-32, 1st in Pacific, 3rd in Western Conference
2024 Postseason: Lost to Timberwolves (4-1) in Western Conference, First Round
The Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Lakers in the playoffs, as they lost 4-1 in the first round after finishing third in the conference with 50 wins. The midseason acquisition of Luka Doncic signaled a changing of the guard in Los Angeles, with a rebuild centered around Doncic coming to the forefront after Anthony Davis was shipped in the deal. Although LeBron James continues to betray Father Time, every ensuing season could be his last, and although he'll return for an unprecedented 23rd season, it's clear that the organization is preparing to move on once James retires. LA's top priority in free agency was to add a big man to the roster, and they made a deal with Deandre Ayton to fill a position that suffered after Davis' exit. Doncic and Austin Reaves will form an imposing backcourt, while James and
The Western Conference is loaded with talent and uber-competitive, and a lot of the firepower comes from the Pacific Division. The quintet of teams has produced five NBA titles over the last 10 years, and the group should continue to produce excellent results. Four of five teams made playoff appearances last season, and all of them have the potential for a deep playoff run this year. In this article, we'll look at each team and explore various scenarios as we look ahead to the 2025-26 season.
Los Angeles Lakers
2024 Record: 50-32, 1st in Pacific, 3rd in Western Conference
2024 Postseason: Lost to Timberwolves (4-1) in Western Conference, First Round
The Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Lakers in the playoffs, as they lost 4-1 in the first round after finishing third in the conference with 50 wins. The midseason acquisition of Luka Doncic signaled a changing of the guard in Los Angeles, with a rebuild centered around Doncic coming to the forefront after Anthony Davis was shipped in the deal. Although LeBron James continues to betray Father Time, every ensuing season could be his last, and although he'll return for an unprecedented 23rd season, it's clear that the organization is preparing to move on once James retires. LA's top priority in free agency was to add a big man to the roster, and they made a deal with Deandre Ayton to fill a position that suffered after Davis' exit. Doncic and Austin Reaves will form an imposing backcourt, while James and Rui Hachimura will fill out the starting five with Ayton under the basket. Depth is of some concern for the team, so the Lakers need to run injury-free to repeat as winners in the Pacific Division.
Los Angeles Clippers 
2024 Record: 50-32, 2nd in Pacific Division, 5th in Western Conference
2024 Postseason: Lost to Nuggets (4-3) in Western Conference, First Round
A healthy Kawhi Leonard and an excellent outcome for James Harden made the Clippers a difficult foe down the stretch, and they gave it all in a hard-fought first-round series against the Nuggets. Although they fell short in the postseason, the team is hard to count out if the superstar duo remains healthy. Although the Clippers lost Norman Powell in free agency, they added John Collins and also acquired Bradley Beal, who is the likely backcourt counterpart alongside Harden. Chris Paul's return to the Clippers is also a notable addition, although he'll be relegated to second-team work. With Paul's acquisition, the Clippers become one of the oldest teams in NBA history, with an average age of 33.2 years old. While the team should start on the right foot, the chance for injuries on this aging roster is considerable. They added Brook Lopez, Derrick Jones Jr. and Bogdan Bogdanovic to provide some much-needed depth, and they even took a chance on Ben Simmons in the hope that he can finally put the pieces together and meet previous expectations. Harden and Leonard form one of the most powerful duos in the league, and the team's fortunes rely heavily on their results.
Golden State Warriors 
2024 Record: 48-34, 3rd in Pacific Division, 7th in Western Conference
2024 Postseason: Lost to Timberwolves (4-1) in Western Conference Semifinal
The Warriors were very quiet in free agency, but the mid-season addition of Jimmy Butler proved to be a net positive for Golden State. He played 30 games in San Francisco last season, averaging 17.9 points, 5.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game. He'll be the X-Factor for a team that has historically relied on Stephen Curry to lead the way. The rest of the lineup remains intact from last season, with Curry, Butler, Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield and Draymond Green all returning to the team. Impact players like Jonathan Kuminga -- if he returns -- and Quinten Post could be difference-makers as the team strives for another playoff push, and a standout Summer League from Will Richard almost ensured a support role with the team this season. Still, most of the pressure will be on Curry and Butler to get their team in the mix, and the duo's production will determine the Warriors' success or failure.
Sacramento Kings 
2024 Record: 40-42, 4th in Pacific Division, 9th in Western Conference
2024 Postseason: Lost to Dallas in Play-in Tournament
The Kings were unable to replicate their 2022-23 success last year with a rocky 13-18 start, and it cost coach Mike Brown his job. An inexperienced Doug Christie took over, and rumor has it that the switch was a major factor in De'Aaron Fox's eventual defection to the Spurs. Losing Fox in the backcourt took some wind out of Sacramento's sails, and although DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Malik Monk did their best to absorb the absence, they let their postseason hopes slip through their fingers in the Play-In Tournament. Despite that disappointment, one look at the team's roster shows that they are a playoff-caliber team that is close to putting all the pieces together. Domantas Sabonis is a nightly triple-double threat and one of the best centers in the league, and although DeRozan and LaVine's defensive skills need some work, they are both prolific scorers. Keegan Murray and Monk were both clutch at key moments last season, and they'll round out this potent lineup. As for the Sacramento's bench, it's pretty impressive. The team snagged experience in the offseason with Dennis Schroder, Dario Saric and a host of other former role players. There's also a lot of hype surrounding first-round pick Nique Clifford after an excellent tenure in the Las Vegas Summer League. He's set to make an immediate impact. Defense is still a big concern for this team, and they'll need to improve significantly on that side of the ball if they want to stay competitive. Still, they have the depth to go deep if they can string enough wins together in the regular season.
Phoenix Suns 
2024 Record: 36-46, 5th in Pacific Division, 11th in Western Conference
2024 Postseason: Missed Playoffs
With the departure of Kevin Durant, the Suns went into full rebuild mode, and we'll see a very different team in Phoenix this season. Former Cavs assistant coach Jordan Ott is the new head coach after Mike Budenholzer's disappointing one-year tenure. He'll inherit a team brimming with offensive potential after some shrewd offseason moves. Devin Booker is the unquestioned leader of the squad, but Houston's Jalen Green has now joined him, providing a sizable one-two punch in the backcourt. Durant's shoes will be difficult to fill, and while key additions like Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams will make a dent, the backcourt will be the offensive engine for the Suns. The talent on the Suns' bench is probably the most intriguing list of backups in the division, and we could see some surprises from youngsters like rookie Rasheer Fleming and two-way player CJ Huntley. All eyes will also be on the Suns' first-round pick, Duke's Khaman Maluach. The 7-2 center could work his way into a starting role before the season is out, and his size will come in handy against the talented frontcourts found in the Western Conference. Ott's presence could be the determining factor for this team's outcome, and the organization seems excited about his offensive game plan after Cleveland's prolific season.
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