2026–27 NBA Standings Predictions: Western Conference

With the NBA offseason winding down and most teams’ rosters taking shape, it’s time to predict the Western Conference standings for the 2026–27 NBA season.

15th Place – Sacramento Kings (SAC)

With Ben Simmons making his return to the NBA, the Kings are a team I’m personally interested in watching. However, considering the overall strength of their roster, I believe a last-place finish is the most realistic prediction. Their struggles on the offensive end were also evident during the preseason.

That said, if Domantas Sabonis can stay healthy and play more games after missing time with injuries last season, the Kings have a good chance of finishing with a better record than they did last year.

14th Place – Memphis Grizzlies (MEM)

After trading away Ja Morant, the team’s former cornerstone, the Grizzlies have fully shifted into rebuilding mode. With plenty of first-round draft picks at their disposal, they have the flexibility to prioritize player development and potentially tank to prepare for the next draft.

While I don’t expect them to have a strong winning record this season, the rebuilding process will give them plenty of time to develop their young players, including Boozer. With so much young talent to work with, the future looks bright for Memphis.

13th Place – New Orleans Pelicans (NOP)

The Pelicans have star-level offensive players such as Zion Williamson and Dejounte Murray who can lead the team in scoring. However, both have struggled to stay on the court consistently. On top of that, the team lacks depth at center, so I expect them to finish near the bottom of the standings once again.

If the Pelicans want to compete for a higher spot in the standings, their first priority must be keeping their key players healthy and increasing the number of games they play.

12th Place – Utah Jazz (UTA)

The Jazz are one of the teams I’m particularly interested in watching this season. They have a strong frontcourt featuring Jaren Jackson Jr., Lauri Markkanen, and Jusuf Nurkić. Defensively, they also have capable players such as Draymond Green and Josh Okogie.

However, their biggest strength is the potential contribution of their young players. Keyonte George averaged 23.6 points per game last season, and they also have other scoring talents, including Ace Bailey. I’m also looking forward to seeing what Peterson can bring to the team after joining this season.

Utah is a team that could look completely different depending on how much its young players develop throughout the season. It’s difficult to predict whether they’ll remain near the bottom of the standings or emerge as a surprise contender for a higher position.

11th Place – Los Angeles Clippers (LAC)

I believe the Clippers are one of the teams that have been hit hardest this offseason. They lost five first-round draft picks, and Kawhi Leonard also left the team, leaving them significantly weaker on paper.

On the other hand, they have added quality role players such as Max Strus and Rui Hachimura, so their roster has not completely fallen apart. For that reason, I find it difficult to see them finishing at the very bottom of the standings. However, their situation heading into this season is far from ideal.

Their biggest problem is that they are not weak enough to justify tanking, but they also lack the talent to seriously compete near the top of the standings. This makes it difficult to commit to a full rebuild focused on the future, leaving them at risk of getting stuck in the middle. As a result, I expect this to be a particularly difficult season for the Clippers, regardless of their final winning percentage.

10th Place – Golden State Warriors (GSW)

The Warriors’ aging roster remains a major concern. With proven scorers such as Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry, I expect them to just barely secure a spot in the Play-In Tournament. However, compared with the teams above them, their overall roster strength falls short.

There is also uncertainty surrounding Moses Moody’s return from the knee injury he suffered last season, making it difficult to have high expectations for the team at this point.

One player I’m particularly interested in watching is Brandon Williams, who joined the team from Dallas. I’m curious to see what kind of impact he can make and how he might change the Warriors’ outlook this season.

9位　ダラス・マーベリックス（DAL）

Kyrie Irving’s return alone could transform the Mavericks from a team looking toward a rebuild into one capable of competing for a higher spot in the standings. Although Anthony Davis was traded to Washington, key players such as Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, and P.J. Washington remain on the roster, leaving Dallas with a strong frontcourt.

The biggest storylines this season will be Kyrie’s performance following his return and the development of second-year player Cooper Flagg. The Mavericks have also added No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher from Atlanta. Looking purely at their roster, I believe they have enough talent to compete for a higher position in the standings.

If their key players can stay healthy throughout the season, Dallas has a very real chance of climbing significantly from where they finished last year.

8th Place – Portland Trail Blazers (POR)

With Damian Lillard returning and Ja Morant joining the team, the Trail Blazers have become an even more exciting team to watch. With multiple star players on the roster, I expect their offense to be more productive than it was last season.

However, one concern is that their backcourt may be overcrowded. In addition to Morant and Lillard, they have established guards such as Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday. It will be difficult to find enough playing time for all of these guards, and I feel the team could have used its resources to strengthen other positions instead.

Even so, having two star players of Lillard’s and Morant’s caliber is a significant advantage. Although there are concerns about positional balance, I expect their individual talent and star power to keep them competitive and prevent their winning percentage from dropping too far.

7th Place – Phoenix Suns (PHX)

I believe the Suns are one of the dark-horse teams to watch this season. Devin Booker will once again be the centerpiece of the team, while scorers such as Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green remain in the mix.

On top of that, the addition of Miles Bridges from Charlotte should help reduce Booker’s offensive burden compared with last season. The Suns have considerable strength on both ends of the floor, giving them a realistic chance of reaching the playoffs.

6th Place – Los Angeles Lakers (LAL)

With several key players from last season, including LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, leaving the team, the Lakers’ roster has undergone a major transformation. Their new addition, Walker Kessler, is a rim-running center who thrives on finishing plays created by others. This makes him an excellent fit alongside Luka Dončić. Dončić’s passing should create plenty of opportunities for Kessler to score around the basket, giving the Lakers a potentially dangerous offensive weapon.

However, the biggest concern is their defense. As in previous seasons, Austin Reaves and Dončić are both highly productive scorers, but their defensive limitations can put extra pressure on their teammates. Playing them together means the other players will need to compensate defensively.

With so many key players having left the team this offseason, how effectively the Lakers can cover for these defensive weaknesses will be a major factor in determining their success this season.

5th Place – Denver Nuggets (DEN)

With Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, and most of their other key players returning, I expect the Nuggets’ overall roster strength to remain relatively unchanged this season.

For Denver to finish near the top of the standings, the contributions of their role players will be crucial. The Nuggets have struggled to make a deep playoff run in recent years, so I’m particularly interested in seeing how much key role players such as Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson can contribute.

Their performances could ultimately determine how far Denver goes this season.
　

4th Place – Minnesota Timberwolves (MIN)

LaMelo Ball’s arrival will significantly change the Timberwolves’ playing style, but I expect them to have a successful season overall. The backcourt pairing of LaMelo and Anthony Edwards could be one of the strongest in the league, making this a major upgrade for Minnesota, which has struggled to find a reliable point guard for years.

Even during the preseason, the ball movement looked noticeably smoother, suggesting that LaMelo’s impact was already becoming apparent.

However, the team’s depth at power forward and center remains a concern. For that reason, I don’t believe Minnesota has a roster strong enough to rank among the top three teams in the league.

One of the biggest factors will be whether Rudy Gobert, the centerpiece of their interior defense, can stay healthy and play consistently throughout the season.

3rd Place – Houston Rockets (HOU)

Despite injuries to key players such as Steven Adams and Fred VanVleet last season, the Rockets finished fifth in the Western Conference. One of Houston’s biggest strengths this season is its depth, which allows the team to adjust its lineup to match different opponents.

Their frontcourt is particularly deep, with Alperen Şengün, Clint Capela, and Steven Adams providing several options at center. On the wings, Kevin Durant leads a group that includes Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr., both of whom made valuable contributions last season.

The point guard position is another area where Houston has improved. Last season, VanVleet’s injury left the team without its starting point guard, forcing Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson to take on playmaking responsibilities.

Based on last season’s experience, Houston can continue developing Amen as a point guard this year. This would allow the Rockets to deploy bigger lineups while maintaining their playmaking ability. The addition of Marcus Smart also gives them another valuable option in the backcourt.

For these reasons, I expect Houston to be even stronger than it was last season.

2nd Place – Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC)

The Thunder remain one of the league’s most consistent teams, with exceptional depth and one of the strongest rosters in the NBA. They are once again among the leading championship favorites this season.

Although they have lost role players such as Isaiah Joe and Luguentz Dort, they have largely maintained their overall roster strength.

In my opinion, their biggest obstacle to winning another championship is San Antonio. The Spurs had the upper hand in their regular-season matchups last year, and Oklahoma City has not made any major additions specifically aimed at countering Victor Wembanyama.

Furthermore, Tobias Harris, a strong and physical forward who can exploit one of Oklahoma City’s weaknesses, has joined San Antonio this season.

Considering these factors, I predict that the Thunder will finish second rather than first in the Western Conference.

1st Place – San Antonio Spurs (SAS)

The Spurs have retained much of last season’s roster while strengthening their depth with the addition of Tobias Harris from Detroit. Last season, their relatively young roster raised concerns about a lack of experience. However, I believe their playoff experience has helped the team make significant progress in that area.

San Antonio is also one of the few teams in the league that appears capable of consistently matching up well against Oklahoma City. The Spurs had a winning record against the Thunder during the regular season last year and went on to defeat them in a seven-game playoff series.

These results demonstrate that San Antonio has the ability to compete with the league’s strongest teams.

On top of that, Victor Wembanyama could emerge as a serious MVP candidate this season. With the team’s overall depth improving and Wembanyama continuing to develop, I expect this to be a season of significant progress for both the franchise and its young superstar.

Team Strength Rankings

S　OKC・SAS
A　HOU・DEN・MIN
B　LAL・PHX・DAL
C　GSW・POR
D　UTA・LAC
E　SAC・NOP・MEM

Conclusion

In this article, I shared my predictions for the 2026–27 NBA Western Conference standings.

With so many strong teams in the West, another highly competitive season is expected. I’m looking forward to seeing which teams emerge at the top of the standings and which ones exceed expectations.