NBA Pacific Division Offseason Review Capsules

Keith Smith
Keith Smith, Resident NBA ExpertAugust 29, 2022
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#nba #golden state warriors #la clippers #los angeles lakers #phoenix suns #sacramento kings
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The NBA offseason is basically behind us. Rosters are largely finished, despite the Los Angeles Lakers making a late push to rebuild their roster ahead of training camp and a Donovan Mitchell trade still floating around.

Teams are mostly adding camp players and angling for Affiliate Player rights to get them to their G League teams. A few notable free agents remain unsigned, but the vast majority of potential rotation players have been signed.

Now, it’s time to start looking towards the start of the 2022-23 season. With training camps opening in approximately one month, let’s start by looking back at what changes the 2022 offseason brought.

The Pacific Division is the home of the defending champions, the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors got fully back on track with a mostly-healthy season and won their fourth title in the last eight years. The champs fully intend to contend again this coming season. The Phoenix Suns slid back to the pack just a bit and missed out on a second straight Finals berth, but they’ll be back as contenders. The LA Clippers have to be healthier this season. If so, the Clips have the deepest roster in the NBA, and give the division a third title contender. The Los Angeles Lakers are less deep, but any team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis is starting from a good place. And if they can swing another late deal, they’ll be positioned to contend again. And then we have the Sacramento Kings. They aren’t quite on par with the rest of the division, but Sacramento isn’t a laughingstock anymore either. They’ve got a talented roster that is hungry is to win.

 

Golden State Warriors

Additions: Patrick Baldwin Jr. (2022 NBA Draft), Donte DiVincenzo (free agency), JaMychal Green (free agency), Ryan Rollins (2022 NBA Draft), Lester Quinones (Two-Way)

Subtractions: Nemanja Bjelica (Turkey via free agency), Andre Iguodala (unrestricted free agent), Damion Lee (Suns via free agency), Gary Payton II (Trail Blazers via free agency), Otto Porter Jr. (Raptors via free agency), Juan Toscano-Anderson (Lakers via free agency), Chris Chiozza (unrestricted free agent)

Remaining Acquisition Tools: Veteran Minimum Contracts

Analysis: The Warriors mainstays are all back. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson are back to make another run at a fifth title. Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole have grown into All-Star level players and are also back. In addition, Golden State re-signed Kevon Looney. That’s the top-six players in the rotation that are all returning.

It’s after that where things will look different. The Warriors lost key rotation players in Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr. They also lost some of their deeper bench players who have all had moments in Damion Lee, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Nemanja Bjelica.

The only major additions Golden State brought in were Donte DiVincenzo and JaMychal Green. In effect, they’ll replace Payton and Porter. DiVincenzo was finding his way with the Bucks before an injury caused him to miss Milwaukee’s title run and a large chunk of last season. If healthy, he’ll be a shooting and playmaking weapon alongside Poole in the Warriors backcourt. Green is starting to slow down, but he’ll give the team a solid 10-15 minutes a night at the 4 or the 5.

The main difference for the Warriors this year is that their kids like James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody should have a runway to more minutes. If one of two of them pop, Golden State will have added depth for this upcoming season and a bridge to the post-Curry/Green/Thompson years.

This is a key year for Golden State. Ownership has made waves about curbing some of the record spending that occurs every year. That could see major roster upheaval happen next summer. But for this season, the Warriors should be right back in the mix for another championship.

 

LA Clippers

Additions: John Wall (free agency), Moussa Diabate (Two-Way)

Subtractions: Isaiah Hartenstein (Knicks via free agency), Rodney Hood (unrestricted free agent), Jay Scrubb (waived)

Remaining Acquisition Tools: Veteran Minimum Contracts

Analysis: The Clippers offseason didn’t involve a lot of roster changes. But that doesn’t mean they’ll look like the same team next season.

John Wall finally worked a buyout with the Houston Rockets and he signed on with LA. Wall will likely back up Reggie Jackson initially, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Wall eventually take over the starting role. He reportedly looks healthy and feels good. Wall’s a candidate for a bounce-back season.

The team’s lone loss in free agency was a big one. When the Clips committed the Taxpayer MLE to Wall, Isaiah Hartenstein left for a bigger deal from the New York Knicks. That leaves LA shorthanded at the center spot behind Ivica Zubac. That’s something the team may eventually need to address beyond camp signing Moses Brown.

Speaking of Zubac, he was one of four Clippers veterans to land a new contract. Joining Zubac in reupping in Los Angeles were Nic Batum, Amir Coffey and Robert Covington. That foursome, along with the return of some injured stars gives Ty Lue the deepest roster in the NBA.

With Kawhi Leonard set to return and Paul George healthy after an injury-plagued season, the Clippers have star power and depth. There are at least 12 legitimate NBA players on this roster. Lue will have his work cut out for him to keep everyone happy with enough minutes. But LA will likely liberally rest players, making that an easier task than it seems.

The goal for the Clippers is to win the franchise’s first title. With a such a deep roster, anything but a Finals run will be a disappointment.

 

Los Angeles Lakers

Additions: Patrick Beverley (trade), Troy Brown Jr. (free agency), Thomas Bryant (free agency), Max Christie (2022 NBA Draft), Damian Jones (free agency), Juan Toscano-Anderson (free agency), Lonnie Walker IV (free agency), Scotty Pippen Jr. (Two-Way), Cole Swider (Two-Way)

Subtractions: Carmelo Anthony (unrestricted free agent), D.J. Augustin (unrestricted free agent), Kent Bazemore (Kings via free agency), Avery Bradley (unrestricted free agent), Wayne Ellington (unrestricted free agent), Talen Horton-Tucker (Jazz via trade), Dwight Howard (unrestricted free agent), Stanley Johnson (Jazz via trade), Mason Jones (unrestricted free agent), Mac McClung (Warriors via free agency), Malik Monk (Kings via free agency)

Remaining Acquisition Tools: Veteran Minimum Contracts

Analysis: The Lakers continued their quest to build another title team around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Yes, Russell Westbrook is still in Los Angeles, but just about everyone else is gone.

After signing a bunch of veterans to one-year contracts a year ago, the Lakers let most of those same players leave this summer. In their places, LA went younger and more versatile. That alone should be an upgrade.

Leading the new-look Lakers will be Darvin Ham. After years of being an assistant to watch, Ham finally landed his first head coaching gig. It seems long overdue, as Ham appears to be more than ready for the bright lights of Los Angeles.

To this point, the biggest on-court addition for the Lakers was their most recent one. After a deal for Kyrie Irving never came together, Rob Pelinka traded for Patrick Beverley to give them team some additional guard depth. Beverley is easily the best perimeter defender on the roster, and he’s a good off-ball player as a cutter and shooter.

The Lakers had to give up Talen Horton-Tucker, but there wasn’t room or a fit for him in the team’s rotation. He was an on-ball creator on a team that already features several of those. Stanley Johnson was the best wing defender the Lakers have, but he was poised to be supplanted in the rotation anyway.

Of the free agent additions, they can be lumped into two categories: wings and centers.

The Lakers added Lonnie Walker IV to give the team the scoring punch they lost when Malik Monk headed to the Kings. Juan Toscano-Anderson should replace Johnson as the team’s energetic wing defender. And Troy Brown Jr. has talent, but he’s never put it all together. If he can just focus on getting out and filling lanes on the break and finding shooting space, Brown might finally pop.

Up front, Los Angeles went younger and more skilled by bringing back a couple of familiar faces. Thomas Bryant and Damian Jones are solid, if unspectacular centers. Bryant brings a good offensive game, but he’s not much of a defender. Jones has been a decent rim protector and rebounder. Overall, they should make a productive platoon.

Still, you get the sense this roster isn’t finished. Westbrook is still very available in trade. The Lakers have recently made it known they’re willing to trade both of their tradable first round picks in 2027 and 2029 if they can get back rotation upgrades. That’ll probably continue to drag on until the trade deadline, if Westbrook isn’t moved.

As is, the Lakers aren’t title contenders. In a deep Western Conference, it’ll be a fight for them to even make the playoffs. If they can flip Westbrook and bring back a couple of rotation players, then they’ll have the depth to make a run at a top-six spot and an assured playoff spot. If they do that and stay healthy, Los Angeles could even make a run at the Finals.

 

Phoenix Suns

Additions: Jock Landale (trade), Damion Lee (free agency), Josh Okogie (free agency), Duane Washington Jr. (Two-Way)

Subtractions: Aaron Holiday (Hawks via free agency), Gabriel Lundberg (Italy via free agency), JaVale McGee (Mavericks via free agency)

Remaining Acquisition Tools: $6.5 million Taxpayer MLE

Analysis: Phoenix didn’t change much. They were a perplexing Game 7 blowout loss from making it back to the Western Conference Finals. Despite some drama with Deandre Ayton, the Suns are basically running it back with the group that made the 2021 NBA Finals.

Ayton’s restricted free agency hung over the summer longer than most expected. Phoenix held firm that they would give Ayton a four-year max deal, but wouldn’t go to a five-year deal. The Suns also said they’d match any offer sheets Ayton signed, and that’s exactly what they did. Now, Phoenix has Ayton on a slightly less expensive four-year deal after matching the Indiana Pacers offer sheet, than they would have from paying Ayton outright.

Still, keeping Ayton was the correct move. He’s not perfect, but Ayton fits in well with Chris Paul and Devin Booker and is one of the better scoring/rebounding centers in the league. Phoenix should be happy they’ve still got the young big man in the fold.

The Suns re-signed Bismack Biyombo to back up Ayton, while letting JaVale McGee walk for more money in free agency. Biyombo had a career resurgence last season, and he’ll be fine for 10-15 minutes a night behind Ayton.

Returning to the frontcourt mix this season should be Dario Saric. He missed the entirety of last season after tearing his ACL in the 2021 NBA Finals. If healthy, Saric gives Monty Williams a versatile offensive player to throw in the frontcourt mix.

Phoenix brought in Damion Lee, fresh off a title with the Golden State Warriors, and Josh Okogie to give the team some additional wing depth. At times, injuries caused Williams to play imbalanced lineups last season. Lee and Okogie should provide some decent depth, should that issue arise again.

There really isn’t much else to say. If healthy, the Suns are title contenders. They’ve got all the ingredients a championship team needs. And they’ve got enough tradable contracts to address any holes that crop up during the year. The title window might not stay open long in Phoenix, but they seem to be making the most of it while it is open.

 

Sacramento Kings

Additions: Kent Bazemore (free agency), Quinn Cook (free agency), Matthew Dellavedova (free agency), Kevin Huerter (trade), Sam Merrill (free agency), Chima Moneke (free agency), Malik Monk (free agency), Keegan Murray (2022 NBA Draft), KZ Okpala (free agency), Keon Ellis (Two-Way)

Subtractions: Donte DiVincenzo (Warriors via free agency), Maurice Harkless (Hawks via trade), Justin Holiday (Hawks via trade), Josh Jackson (unrestricted free agent), Damian Jones (Lakers via free agency), Jeremy Lamb (unrestricted free agent)

Remaining Acquisition Tools: $4.1 million of Bi-Annual Exception

Analysis: Sacramento isn’t content with being the “same old Kings” anymore. They might not make the playoffs this season, but it won’t be for lack of trying.

The Kings added several rotation upgrades this summer that should make them a more competitive squad all the way through the regular season. And they didn’t sacrifice much in terms of future flexibility to do it either.

Keegan Murray landed in Sacramento at the draft and he already looks like a keeper. Murray can shoot, score and rebound at the forward position. He’s got the ideal player to learn from alongside him in Harris Barnes. Early on, Murray looks like a draft win for the Kings.

Sacramento upgraded their shooting and wing scoring by signing Malik Monk and trading for Kevin Huerter. Monk is the best shooter on the roster, and after a year playing with LeBron James, Monk knows how to get open to find his shots.

Huerter should be an ideal fit next to De’Aaron Fox in the backcourt. He’s got great size, he’s a better defender than most think, and Huerter is a good passer too. Like Monk, he’s also become adept at playing off-ball and drifting into spots where playmakers can find him for shots.

The Kings are going to get a full season with Domantas Sabonis, after last year’s deadline deal brought the All-Star big man to Sacramento. Sabonis’ passing and scoring should allow new head coach Mike Brown and staff to get creative with their offensive sets. They can run the offense through Sabonis or Fox, while players like Huerter, Barnes, Murray and Monk can play the role of secondary creators.

Brown should also bring better organization to the Kings defense. Sacramento isn’t flush with good defenders yet, but they should execute better with some sound schemes. It’s a start and one that should be miles better than what we’ve seen recently.

The playoff drought might not be quite ready to end, but this Kings squad should be firmly in the mix all year. If a team or two stumbles, and things come together quickly in Sacramento, a trip to the Play-In Tournament should be in the offing. That would be a good step forward for a franchise that hasn’t seen the postseason in any form in nearly two decades.


#nba #golden state warriors #la clippers #los angeles lakers #phoenix suns #sacramento kings
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