Western Conference Preview: Ranking the teams in tiers

Much like the East, the Western Conference is deep — but it may be even more brutal.

There are legit contenders at the top, but the depth means some solid teams that would be playoff locks most years could miss the postseason altogether — or pivot midseason to chase Victor Wembanyama.

Let’s break down the Western Conference by tiers to see just how brutal it is. (Note: These are tiers ranked by title contention, not regular season finish — I think Dallas could finish top four in the West but I don’t see it as a title threat.)

Golden State WarriorsLos Angeles Clippers

The Warriors are an obvious inclusion, and while they have some adversity and tension to overcome now thanks to Draymond Green‘s right cross, there should be no doubt the Warriors are in the mix to repeat as champions. Don’t be shocked if Stephen Curry puts up monster regular season numbers, even by his insane standards. The inclusion of the Clippers will have some readers shaking their heads — we see you, Lakers fans — but they absolutely deserve to be here. The Clips have the deepest roster in the West, a two-time Finals MVP in Kawhi Leonard, an All-NBA level player in Paul George, plus a roster filled with versatile, quality role players that gives Tyronne Lue options. The only question is will they finally be healthy? Will Leonard and George be ready to go in the playoffs? If so, the Clippers can beat anyone.

Memphis GrizzliesDenver NuggetsPhoenix Suns

These teams could jump up to the top tier and have the potential to come out of the West, but they have big questions to answer (more than the ones in the tier above). With Memphis, this feels like a season the team plateaus — progress is never linear. The Grizzlies lost depth with Kyle Anderson and