Yeah, Dirk had no heart when he came back early from a high ankle sprain and played hurt to save his team’s season and get them in the playoffs. I don’t buy the Dirk criticism. Kidd is still effective, but is a terrible fit on the Mavs. They rely on isos (or did, we will have to see what Carlisle brings) and need shooters around Dirk. I do see them slipping a bit tho. I just hate the Dirk the criticism, he is legitimately a top 5-7 player in the NBA and absolutely championship caliber. He would have a ring if Wade didn’t go to the line 24 times a game in the finals.

It will be VERY interesting to see what happens to the Suns. Is Shaq going to listen to a word Porter says? How will Nash be without D’antoni? How much better will Amare get?

The Rockets are dangerous. Yes, they have had injuries and that is always looming over them, but we have seen their potential. If they could put it together at just the right time (ala the 2006 Miami Heat) they are absolutely a threat to win it all. Especially if Rafer’s rise is for real (alliteration not intended).

Hornets, Jazz, Lakers, Spurs are all threats to take the west.

Blazers will add Rudy Fernandez and Greg Oden to an already impressive collection of young talent.

Denver won 50 games despite bad chemistry, and are tough to deal with in a shootout. I am not writing them off just yet.

I didn’t even mention Durant, Al Jefferson, Brand. The west has stars on the non playoff teams too.

I dunno dude, the West is gonna be pretty FREAKING GOOD AGAIN.

I don’t mind that nellie says that he wants to develop the young talent, I think that is the best approach. Realistically we will not compete for a championship in the next couple yrs. The Spurs are still very dangerous, there big three are so experienced and Papavich is such a good coach that they will always have a shot. When Duncan decides it he is the best PF in the league. I would hate to see us give up young talent for Sheed who is over 30 and does not have too many really effective yrs left. Marion would be great, but I am still not convinced that he is what we need, he still makes a living on the perimeter, with pretty limited inside scoring.

Disagree if you would like, but I think this team should trade Pietrus and Biedrins (if he asks for too much) for consistent bench support. Hire a big man coach, develop B Wright and get a big man with the #14 pick. This team is young and talented, work for the future, don’t be stupid and underestimate the West, it will still be really tough next yr

I can see a drop off in production with Dallas and Denver. But Phoenix still has Amare in his prime, as well as Nash who still has a couple good years left in him. The Spurs’ window is closing, but they’re still a good team. Houston will always be a major injury risk. But when T-Mac and Yao are healthy, they are a top 4 team.

Then of course you have the Lakers, Hornets, and the Jazz as up and coming teams that could hold the reins of the West for years to come.

Portland is a team everyone will be watching. They’ll make the West tougher next year. You need to also acknowledge the Clippers as a sleeper team if Brand resigns and Livingston plays at least 75% of his old self. A Brand-Kaman-Thornton frontline can rival any team in the NBA.

So, here’s my depth chart for the West:

Lakers, Hornets, Spurs, Jazz, Phoenix, Houston, Dallas, (Warriors-Portland-Denver), Sacramento (could be a sleeper .500 team).

Looks like another tough year in the West.

will take the last two playoff spots over Dallas and Denver, as Nellie convinces Cohan to start spending some $$ to improve our bench.

The West will not be weaker. They will be older, but not weaker.

1) Lakers
2) Hornets
3) Spurs
4) Jazz
5) Rockets
6) Mavericks
7) Suns

8)

Blazers, Warriors, Clippers vying for the last spot as ej said. Real wishful thinking to see us as 4-6 even if we add someone- there isn’t much we could do. We haven’t even hit free agency or the draft so how can you possibly say that over the course of a few months, with no significant additions that we’re a 6-8 seed? Right now? Right now we’re 9th and last time I checked that didn’t count for anything except the 14th pick.

Teams 1-7 are better than us. Are we capable of beating every single one of those teams? Yes. But we’re not better than they are. Until we get some much needed bench depth via a PG to spell Baron, a big who plays with his back to the basket to complement Beans, and a consistent scorer off the bench, we’re not going to sniff anything past the 8th seed and will be fortunate to make the playoffs.

The Blazers will be downright scary – BRoy, Outlaw, Aldridge, Oden- I’m thinking Joe Alexander would be a perfect fit with them.

The Clippers will have the Kaman Caveman back next year along with a healthier Elton Brand (if he doesn’t opt out) and with Corey Maggette (if he doesn’t opt out). If you pair those 3 with the # 7 pick- Bayless, Mayo, Gordon…......along with Al Thornton, the darkest man alive Tim Thomas, and Cat Mobley, they’ll be formidable match themselves and a real threat to squeak into the playoffs.

There’s a lot of things the Warriors could do. Only if we were all GM’s but the cold harsh reality is that we still have the same owner which means we’ll be relegated to resigning only a few FA’s- no one significant, some of our owns and one or two Vet minimum players and that’ll be that. I figure our younger players will come along this year but we’ll still be one of the teams on the outside looking in.

Until Baron and Foyle come off the books, and Harrington becomes a tradeable $10M commodity next year, we won’t have any financial flexibility in the meantime to make any big moves. Would we all like Cohen to hit the luxury tax and put the best possible product out there? Sure we would. Is it likely? Probably not.

I’d trade Al, Belly, and Kosta for Sheed if Detroit were stupid enough to do it. But not B-Wright. Worst thing that could happen is if Sheed doesn’t work out, we’ll let him and Baron walk off into FA and watch $30M come off the books.

Could you imagine signing Artest via FA coupled with Sheed and Cap’n Jack? That’d be so fun to watch I’d probably have to throw a futures bet down on how many technicals we’d rack up.

Sad to say, but right now we’re at best the 9th seed bro. Nellie did miracles with this team this year to win 48 games. We have so many holes and so many FA’s to sign and resign, I’m not sure Mully and the front office can do it. We’ve got to ink about 9-10 guys to contracts…It’d be interesting to see who we get and for how much.

Re-sign Tay and Biedrins. Give B-Wright more burn and build around the 3 of them. The future is bright if we build accordingly. We should be right there with Portland and Minnesota – and possibly Seattle/Oklahoma City/Las Vegas when all the older teams fall off in about 3 years.By then we’ll have the star-studded 2010 FA class to look forward to.

1—3. Lakers, Hornets, Jazz are locked into the play offs excluding mass injury.

4. San Antonio still has a reasonably young big 3, so i don’t think they are out yet as long as they try to pick up some young guys via Free agency.
5.Houston if they remain healthy and Tmac plays with some heart they have a great chance.
6-10 are all pretty interchangeable, this is what i think could happen.
6. Suns, even though they are getting a new coach, I don’t think he can screw up their system enough to get them out of the play offs. Shaq on the other hand….
7. I’m putting Portland in 7 if Oden doesn’t turn out to be a bust. They had a pretty good team last year, they should improve considering most of their guys are young.
8. Denver, even with all their issues, they still have a solid lineup. They definately have an edge over the current warriors, unless the warriors start to cultivate their bench.
9. Dalls, I am not sure if they are going to make play offs. Kidd and Dirk are great, but unless their coaching system is turned around 100% i don’t seem them contending. I guess it is going to depend on their new coach. Nevertheless i am sure they will put up a great fight.
10. I place them in 10th with a ?. They have what it takes to compete with the west’s elite, but not on a consistent basis. If they used their bench well, they could be a much bigger threat.

11. I am putting Sacramento here. Not sure what their offseason plans are, but Kevin Martin and Ron Artest can definately get their team flowing.
12. Clippers?
13. Seattle?
14. Minesota?