Western Conference Division Sleeping Teams: Basketball Experts

Despite not being as deep from top to bottom as the Eastern Conference, the West is still full of championship contenders. The Los Angeles Lakers have reloaded Russell Westbrook at point guard. The Utah Jazz posted the best record in the league last year and return with the same list. The Golden State Warriors are healthy and have improved their squad. The Phoenix Suns have essentially the same team that just played in the NBA Finals.

Just as there are various title contenders, there are so many questions surrounding other teams dealing with star player injuries. Kawhi Leonard and Jamal Murray will miss a significant part of the season. How will your teams do without them? What will the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers do to improve their rosters and surround their MVP-caliber point guards?

All of those questions will eventually be answered, but there are some teams in the West that are off the radar and could turn heads over the course of the 82-game season.

Northwest Division – Minnesota Timberwolves

Utah remains the clear favorite within this division and Oklahoma City has begun its full-scale rebuilding. However, there is a lot of uncertainty, between two teams in particular. It’s hard to read how things will play out in Denver and Portland, with Murray’s injury recovery and Damian Lillard’s condition. Minnesota has a real chance to make some noise this year.

As long as Karl-Anthony Towns stays healthy, the Timberwolves will be in good hands. The adjustment with his close friend D’Angelo Russell has not produced the results that many expected. While Russell will be aiming for a recovery season, there are several guards in his rotation who could have a lot of time on the court with the departure of Ricky Rubio. Malik Beasley is back and Josh Okogie continues to be one of the league’s most overlooked young talents.

Only 5 NBA players attempted more than 6 attempts to catch and shoot triples per game in 2020-21:

Duncan Robinson – 41,7% (191/458)
Malik Beasley – 41,3% (95/230)
Davis Bertans – 40.8% (158/387)
Nikola Vucevic – 39,9% (175/439)
Buddy Loved – 39.6% (177/447) pic.twitter.com/hP8qlN27wg

– Clips de Timberwolves (@WolvesClips) September 8, 2021

Patrick Beverley arrives in Minnesota with a chip on his shoulder after being traded twice this summer. The energetic guard will bring a much needed defensive mindset to this team. If Anthony Edwards continues to improve his shooting and avoids a knockdown in year two, he could provide clear direction for this group, as they have been stuck in the mud for the past few years.

Pacific Division – Los Angeles Clippers

Towards the end of last season, it looked like this division could have four legitimate championship contenders heading into the 2021-22 campaign. Then there was Kawhi Leonard’s knee injury in the playoffs. Not only did he deflate his hopes of advancing to the Finals, but he also put a damper on the regular season as his long recovery continues. With the Lakers, Suns and Warriors expected to compete, the Clippers have already become an afterthought on the minds of many.

While Leonard’s absence will obviously lower expectations in the regular season, Los Angeles did a good job filling the talent in his position. They brought Nicolas Batum back in free agency and signed Justise Winslow, who will provide a solid defense. They selected Keon Johnson with the 21st pick in the draft, who could play more minutes at guard position if Paul George slides into forward position.

Keon Johnson is the choice: 48-inch upright. Jay Bilas describes him as an abnormal athlete, a downhill runner who commits fouls but needs to improve his shooting. His reflex tape is full of explosive dunks. Clippers need to add more athleticism on the wing with Kawhi in rehab https://t.co/8HfGTg5Y9E

– Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) July 30, 2021

The Clippers have solid backcourt depth with Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, Terance Mann and Eric Bledsoe, who are returning to Los Angeles in hopes of rejuvenating their careers. Marcus Morris is likely to see more minutes this season and a healthy Serge Ibaka could play more at forward with Ivica Zubac in center position. Whether or not Leonard returns this season is the last question, but the Clippers should still be a playoff-caliber team without him.

Southwest Division – Memphis Grizzlies

This division is wide open, with New Orleans and San Antonio likely in decline and Houston in the early stages of rebuilding. Dallas will certainly be the team to reckon with with Luka Doncic’s star power, but Memphis may be the deepest and best team in the Southwest. After knocking on the playoff door for the past two seasons, this could be the year the Grizzlies begin their rise.

It all starts with the double of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr, but this team is much more than that duo. Dillon Brooks has quietly become one of the best young scorers in the game. The appearance of De’Anthony Melton, Desmond Bane and Jarrett Culver gives Memphis an absolute wealth of riches at guard positions. After a promising start to his career, Brandon Clarke took a slight step back last year. They will need his production at the forward position alongside Kyle Anderson.

Grizzlies draft picks under Zach Kleiman / Tayshaun Prince

Ja Morant (there at # 2)
Brandon Clarke (traded)
Desmond Bane (traded)
Xavier Tillman (traded)
Ziaire Williams (traded)
Santi Aldama (transferred)

They will clearly move up to get the guys they want.

– Jon Roser (@Jon_Roser) July 30, 2021

The departure of Jonas Valanciunas hurts but they have filled that void with Steven Adams, who will be a much better fit alongside Jackson Jr. The combination of youth and talent with this team is unlike anything else in the league. The Grizzlies have been a team on the rise for quite some time and now could be your chance to meet those expectations.