LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 30: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers stand for the National Anthem prior to the game against the Phoenix Suns during Round 1, Game 4 of the 2021 NBA Playoffs on May 30, 2021 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
1.
Age, the cliché goes, is only a number. But in basketball it kind of really matters.
That’s why the Lakers, with all their free agency wheelings and dealings, are so fascinating and, frankly, polarizing. After completely revamping the roster following last season’s first-round flameout, Los Angeles enters the 2021-22 campaign having added six new players 32 or older, an NBA offseason record, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The names are flashy and the fit will be unique, but teams filled with grey beards, generally speaking, aren’t built to last during a grueling 82-game season and a two-month march to the NBA Finals. The oldest team in NBA history, the 1997-98 Knicks with an average age of (31.76), only managed to win one game in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Then again, that team didn’t have LeBron James on it.
No squad in NBA history will start the season with a collective age older than these new-look Lakers (31.83, courtesy of Elias) and no team will have higher expectations (other than Brooklyn) after LA added Russell Westbrook, Wayne Ellington, Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, and Carmelo Anthony, to name but a few of the new additions. Lakers fans better hope that James (who turns 37 in December) and Anthony, his banana boat buddy, can find the fountain of youth in a bottle of their favorite red wine because conventional wisdom says you can’t win it all with a roster that ancient.
“I like when people talk about the age,” Anthony told reporters earlier this week. “I think it gives a better story. I think people forget, at the end of the day, it’s about basketball. You got to know how to play basketball. You got to have that experience. I think that’s what we bring at this point and time. Our talent, our skill, but also our experience.”
Talent, skill, and experience are important—the Lakers will have plenty of it. But health and availability are obviously no joke and the Lakers will serve as a fascinating experiment next season, all the while being heavy, heavy favorites to reach the NBA Finals out of the West.
One day after we ranked the Eastern Conference Nos. 1-15 post-free agency, it’s time to order the other side. Not surprisingly, the new-look Lakers sit atop the conference thanks to its new big three and bevy of grizzled vets. But with notable injuries and heralded returns scattered amongst the rosters of the West’s other serious contenders, here’s our stab at ranking the conference a couple of months before the season starts.
2.Lakers
2020-21 Record: 42-30, 7th in West
Key Additions: Acquired Russell Westbrook, signed Wayne Ellington, Carmelo Anthony, Kendrick Nunn, Malik Monk, and Dwight Howard
I’m in the minority of NBA observers since I didn’t like what the Lakers did in free agency, completely revamping the roster with olds, including the blockbuster trade for Russell Westbrook that will undoubtedly make the Lakers better in the regular season. The playoffs, on the other hand, could be a different story. Yes, LA did add shooters and some reliable veterans to help its new big three of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Westbrook meet expectations—which is an NBA title or bust. I just wonder about some of the fits, if the Lakers really have enough reliable threats from three, and whether this roster will hold up over the grind of 82 games plus the postseason.
3.Suns
2020-21 Record: 51-21, 2nd in West
Key Additions: Signed JaVale McGee
Re-signed Chris Paul. Re-signed Cameron Payne. The Suns took care of their two most important free agents, plus added JaVale McGee for depth behind Deandre Ayton. This roster will look almost the same as last season’s and that’s absolutely not a bad thing since continuity propelled the Suns to heights the franchise hadn’t experienced in almost 30 years. Between Paul, Ayton, and Devin Booker, Phoenix arguably has three of the top 35 players in the league and that will allow the Suns to once again to make another serious run at a second-straight Finals.
4.Jazz
2020-21 Record: 52-20, 1st in West
Key Additions: Signed Rudy Gay, drafted Jared Butler
Expect the Jazz to rack up plenty of regular season wins since this team will look very similar to last year’s version that ran out to the best record in the NBA. Re-signing Mike Conley Jr. was priority No. 1 and Utah took care of that quickly in free agency. Now can he stay healthy? Same goes for Donovan Mitchell. The two-time All-Star only played in 53 games last season and was compromised in the playoffs. Rudy Gay’s a nice addition since the Jazz needed depth at forward.
5.Warriors
2020-21 Record: 39-33, 9th in West
Key Additions: Drafted Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, signed Otto Porter Jr.
Welcome back, Klay Thompson. Two years removed from his last game, Steph Curry’s Splash Brother finally returns to the court. So does this make the Warriors serious contenders in the West? As long as Thompson doesn’t look completely washed I think it does since Golden State will have the additional scorer it was desperately missing last season when Curry was playing like an MVP. The rest of the roster isn’t stacked with reliable veterans like it used to be during the title years, but there are nice, young pieces Warriors fans should be excited about. It’ll be fun to have Draymond Green, Thompson, and Curry balling together again.
6.Nuggets
2020-21 Record: 47-25, 3rd in West
Key Additions: Signed Jeff Green
Denver’s basically running it back after re-signing JaMychal Green, Austin Rivers, and Will Barton. Bringing in Jeff Green was a nice, under-the-radar addition. But not having Jamal Murray, rehabbing that ACL injury, holds the Nuggets back from being considered among the Western Conference elite. Can Michael Porter Jr., already an exciting offensive talent, take an additional step forward? Denver needs that to happen, but as long as Nikola Jokic, last season’s MVP, is operating without any issues the Nuggets will remain one of the better teams in the West.
7.Clippers
2020-21 Record: 47-25, 4th in West
Key Additions: Drafted Keon Johnson, signed Justise Winslow
The Clippers couldn’t do anything noteworthy in free agency given their cap restrictions other than re-sign Reggie Jackson, Nicolas Batum, and, most fortuitously, Kawhi Leonard (still waiting on terms of the deal, however). Since the Klaw’s going to most likely miss the 2021-22 season rehabbing that torn ACL, expecting LA to duplicate last year’s fourth-place finish isn’t fair. But the Clippers showed in the Western Conference finals that this squad can compete even when it doesn’t have its best player. LA’s roster continuity should help it in its quest to avoid the Play-In Tournament. Plus Paul George and Reggie Jackson should make for a potent enough scoring duo.
8.Blazers
2020-21 Record: 42-30, 6th in West
Key Additions: Signed Cody Zeller
Not what Damian Lillard was hoping for. The Blazers basically did nothing notable in free agency, other than re-signing Norman Powell. That being said, there really wasn’t much the team could do given its cap situation. But Lillard’s a year older (now 31) and only getting further away from seriously competing for a championship. Is he going to reach his breaking point and ask out, before the 2021-22 season, during, or after? There’s no indication right now from various NBA insiders that Lillard is available via trade. So Blazers fans can chill for now. New coach Chauncey Billups takes over and inherits the same problems that plagued Terry Stotts. Portland has a generational talent in Lillard, yet it can’t pair him with another elite player while the Blazers remain a lost cause defensively.
9.Mavericks
2020-21 Record: 42-30, 5th in West
Key Additions: Signed Reggie Bullock
While Dallas has a new coach—Jason Kidd—it whiffed in free agency after setting itself up to take big swings at a few stars. So it’ll be Luka Doncic, who just signed a massive five-year, $207 million extension, having to do just about everything yet again. He clearly needs a legit second star because Kristaps Porzingis hasn’t shown he can be that guy. But when Dallas, arguably, has a top 5 NBA player running the show its still in better shape than the majority of franchises. At least the Mavericks retained the services of sharpshooter Tim Hardaway Jr.
10.Grizzlies
2020-21 Record: 38-24, 8th in West
Key Additions: Acquired Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe, drafted Ziare Williams
Even after some puzzling moves by the Grizzlies this offseason (trading for Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe that also allowed them to move up in the draft to surprisingly select Ziaire Williams 10th), Memphis has more than enough talent to be a Play-In Tournament team again next season. Please protect Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant at all costs.
11.Pelicans
2020-21 Record: 31-41, 11th in West
Key Additions: Acquired Jonas Valanciunas and Devonte’ Graham, drafted Trey Murphy III
The Pelicans were free agency losers thanks to that puzzling Devonte’ Graham signing that cost them a future first-round pick. Their haul back from the sign-and-trade of Lonzo Ball was also underwhelming. And what’s going on with restricted free agent Josh Hart? New Orleans still has the dynamic duo of Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram that has the ability to put this team in a position to snag a Play-In berth. But if Williamson can’t stay in the lineup the Pelicans are toast.
12.Kings
2020-21 Record: 31-41, 12th in West
Key Additions: Drafted Davion Mitchell, acquired Tristan Thompson
Sacramento has some really nice pieces like De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, and Tyrese Halibutorn. But competency has never been a strength of the organization since Vivek Randive took control in 2013 and it remains in limbo—not good enough to seriously compete for the playoffs, but good enough to flirt with a shot at the Play-In Tournament.
13.Timberwolves
2020-21 Record: 23-49, 13th in West
Key Additions: Acquired Taurean Prince
This team will be all offense and zero defense. Anthony Edwards was awesome his rookies season and it’ll be cool to see what he’s added for this sophomore campaign. Karl Anthony-Towns remains one of the most offensively gifted bigs we’ve ever seen and D’Angelo Russell will forever be able to light it up. But because of cap issues, this roster wasn’t upgraded enough to make big strides in the West and it feels like the Wolves are headed for a 17th season of sub-.500 basketball over the past 18 seasons.
14.Spurs
2020-21 Record: 33-39, 10th in West
Key Additions: Signed Doug McDermott, drafted Joshua Primo
On paper, San Antonio has all the makings of a team destined for the lottery. On the court, the Spurs have enough talent to be competitive in the majority of their games—and maybe, just maybe flirt with a Play-In berth—since Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, and Keldon Johnson form a nice, young core. They’re less talented than other teams in the West, but maybe Gregg Popovich can work some magic with this younger-than-we’re-used-to San Antonio squad.
15.Rockets
2020-21 Record: 17-55, 15th in West
Key Additions: Drafted Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Usman Garuba
The Rockets’ rebuild is looking significantly better in Year 2 after Houston’s haul in the draft. Besides Jalen Green, the Rockets were lucky to grab two highly rated big men as late as they did. Regardless, it’s going to be another season of endless Ls for John Wall and company.
16.Thunder
2020-21 Record: 22-50, 14th in West
Key Additions: Drafted Josh Giddey
Good for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander that ultra-talented point guard got paid via an extension (five years, $172 million). But he’s playing on a roster, littered with guys with limited NBA experience, which will be lucky to sniff 22 wins.