2023-24 NBA Season Preview: Western Conference burning questions

What a brawl the NBA’s Western Conference is shaping up to be. 

Though the reigning champion Denver Nuggets are coming into this season with no intention of giving up the belt, the conference they’ll have to fight through projects to be a muddy battle, with up to 13 teams likely vying for a shot at the playoffs. 

At the outset of the season, every single team, regardless of how close to taking on the champs they might be, stands at an even 0-0, and presents a similarly blank canvas. However, each team also has an unending number of questions that can only be answered once the season tips off.

Let’s take a look at the biggest burning question facing every team in the Western Conference ahead of the 2023-24 NBA season. 

You can check out our Eastern Conference Burning Questions here

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Dallas Mavericks

Question: Can Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving make it work, and if not, how long until the drama peaks in Dallas? 

After trading for Irving on Feb. 6 last season, the Mavericks went 9-18 in their final 27 games, including a 2-9 run in the final 11 to miss the play-ins. They were tanking in all but name at the end of the year, regardless, the first impressions of Irving in Dallas weren’t glowing. 

The chemistry between him and Luka Doncic wasn’t apparent, as both players needed the ball in their hands. Asking Irving, one of the best isolation scorers in the NBA, to take a role off-ball so that Doncic can excel might not be a match made in heaven. 

If the Mavericks and Jason Kidd aren’t able to scheme up a way for the two mega-talents to excel, and considering Irving’s penchant for drama in recent years, could we see the Mavericks utterly implode if they don’t live up to expectations?

Denver Nuggets

Question: Will this be the year we see playoff Murray in the regular season? 

Jamal Murray’s penchant for big games is well-documented. From his scoring duel against Donovan Mitchell in the NBA Bubble to averaging 32.5 points a game on 50/40/90 splits in the sweep of the Lakers en route to the Larry O’Brien Trophy, Murray is at his best when the lights are brightest. 

Head coach Mike Malone predicted that Murray would earn his first All-Star selection this season, but it remains to see whether or not the Canadian can perform up to his expected level in regular season games. He started off last season slow, averaging 16.4 points in his first 15 games. If he can get off to a hotter start this season, the Nuggets will be well on the path towards repeating and Murray could be on his way to becoming a well-deserving All-Star. 

Golden State Warriors

Question: Can Chris Paul help Steph Curry reach another gear? 

When the Warriors dealt Jordan Poole for a 38-year-old Chris Paul, the move was met with question marks about how the future hall-of-famer would fit into Golden State’s scheme and what his role would be. 

Paul has never come off the bench at any point in his illustrious career, and though his role has yet to be established, CP3 came off the bench in the pre-season against the Sacramento Kings, playing 29 minutes putting up 13 points and dishing out nine assists, his best performance so far with his new team. 

Steph Curry has always been one of the best off-ball players in the NBA, routinely being able to slip past defenders to find open space on the perimeter or under the basket. But he’s never played with a true point guard. Could Paul and his prescient playmaking ability get Steph Curry even more open shots, allowing him to play off-ball more than he ever has before? 

Houston Rockets

Question: Are the Rockets looking to try their hand at contention following a pricey offseason? 

The Houston Rockets didn’t look anything close to a team that would be buyers at the end of last season, finishing with the second-worst record in the league at 22-60.

Now, under new head coach Ime Udoka, and after spending $216 million combined on Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, are the Houston Rockets looking to at least become a dark horse in the West? 

Jalen Green has been electric offensively but hasn’t lived up to being taken second overall. Jabari Smith Jr. looks like a legitimate defensive piece but struggled mightily shooting from the field in his rookie season, putting up .408/.307/.786 splits. But to make noise in the West, they’ll need big steps from those two former early picks, solid contributions from rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore, and seasons worthy of their price tag from Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks.

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Los Angeles Clippers

Question: How will new load management rules affect the Clippers? 

What has the story of the Los Angeles Clippers been in the last few years if not one plagued by injury? Since acquiring Kawhi Leonard and Paul George for the 2019-2020 season, the duo has missed a combined 263 regular season games. Though the majority of those have been due to legitimate injury concerns, the Clippers have been labelled as a marquee load-managing team over the past few years. 

New rules have been implemented to help curb superstars sitting games out by excluding them from award races as well as fining the team should they sit out two players a game without them being legitimately injured. Could the new rules push the Clippers to actually play their stars and how would that potential additional workload affect the team come playoff time? 

Los Angeles Lakers

Question: Will a great off-season result in the Lakers being less LeBron-reliant in the regular season? 

The Lakers did everything they needed to do this offseason and more: They re-signed the depth pieces they thought could continue to be contributors, inked Anthony Davis to a max-extension, kept emerging star Austin Reaves on one of the most team-friendly deals in the association, and added a few new players to bolster their depth. 

A full year of Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell, a bigger role for Austin Reaves, and Christian Wood and Jaxson Hayes on minimum prove-it deals should all be a massive help for LeBron James who’s entering his 21st season in the NBA. The less their superstar has to do in the regular season, the better for a Lakers team poised to be one of the main title contenders this season. 

Memphis Grizzlies

Question: Can the Grizzlies survive 25 games without Ja Morant? 

Though Ja Morant is suspended for the first 25 games of the season, the schedule-makers might’ve bailed them out, as they’re set to play only 10 games against teams that finished above .500 last season. They’ll also get three games against both the Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz and two against the Portland Trail Blazers, three teams likely to be bottom-feeders in an abnormally stacked Western Conference. 

Moreover, since the 2021-22 season, the Grizzlies are 31-15 without Morant, supplanting his production with contributions throughout the team. However, the point guard who ran the team in his absence, Tyus Jones, was traded to the Wizards as part of the deal that sent Marcus Smart to Memphis. Will Smart be able to bring the same attitude that made him a fan favourite in Boston while also being able to replace the steadiness that Jones gave the team in Morant’s absence?

Minnesota Timberwolves

Question: Is Anthony Edwards ready to make the superstar leap? 

The Timberwolves’ present and future success hinges on the growth of Anthony Edwards, and all signs point to him having the type of ceiling capable of taking his team to new heights. In his first three years in the league, Edwards’ role on the team has expanded and he’s taken to it without hesitation, increasing his scoring title each year. 

Minnesota has finally built up what looks like a competent team around him with solid role-players throughout the roster: Jaden McDaniels, Kyle Anderson, Shake Milton, Naz Reid and rookie Leonard Miller have all looked like pieces that could be valuable contributors alongside Edwards. Add the big-man tandem of Karl-Anthony Town and Rudy Gobert, should they live up to their individual abilities, and the Timberwolves could become a real force in the West if Edwards continues to blossom into a superstar. 

New Orleans Pelicans

Question: Is this Zion Williamson’s last chance to prove he can stay healthy? 

It’s the same story every year with Zion Williamson: When he plays, he’s a top-10 player in the NBA. In the 29 games he played last season, he averaged 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists while shooting an eye-popping 60.8 per cent from the field.

It’s never been a question about what he can deliver on the court, but rather if he can even get on the court. In his four-year career, the former Duke superstar has missed 188 of a possible 302 games. He’s set to enter the first year of his five-year max extension, but could this season be the last chance to prove that he can stay healthy?

If not, then a question about where the Pelicans go from here needs to be addressed. CJ McCollum took a step back last season, Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III are dealing with injuries of their own, Brandon Ingram looked checked out at the FIBA World Cup and Jonas Valanciunas is set to become a free agent next summer. It’s starting to feel like now or never for the Pelicans. 

Oklahoma City Thunder

Question: Can the promising Thunder finally flip the switch from tanking to contending? 

It’s been three straight years that the Oklahoma City Thunder have found themselves with a below .500 record and outside the playoffs looking in. However, they’ve used that time to great effect, turning Shai Gilgeous-Alexander into a superstar, developing projects like Josh Giddey and Jalen Williams great complimentary stars, and drafting Chet Holmgren with his absurd two-way raw talent and Wembanyama-esque wiry frame. 

If there was ever a time for the Thunder to make the leap, it’s now. That’s not to say they’re ready to contend, but another year without playoff basketball would be disappointing considering the next level we’ve seen Gilgeous-Alexander reach when playing in games with higher stakes. All the pieces are in place for the Thunder to go from tanking to contending, but is there room for them in a crowded West? 

Phoenix Suns

Question: Does the Suns’ big three make sense in today’s NBA? 

While the rest of the NBA continues to zig into more perimeter-oriented styles, playing five-out basketball, the Phoenix Suns zagged harder than ever before, going all-in this offseason on acquiring Bradley Beal to pair with mid-range maestros Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. 

Among players that shoot at least 3.1 mid-range shots per game, Kevin Durant stood atop the league in field goal percentage at an astounding 56 per cent, while Devin Booker wasn’t far behind in fourth, hitting 49.4 per cent of those looks. New addition Bradley Beal is at ninth on the list at 47.6 per cent.

Beal, at this point in his career, is a more gifted shot-creator and takes more mid-ranges per game than Chris Paul, but isn’t as good of a playmaker as him. It’s still up in the air as to who will be the de facto point guard on the team, but the talent in that top three is undeniable. Will it translate to an NBA that has increasingly prioritized ball movement? 

Portland Trail Blazers

Question: As the primary option, can Scoot Henderson put up big enough numbers to challenge Wembanyama for Rookie of the Year?

After an absurd pre-season on both ends, it almost feels like a lock that Victor Wembanyama runs away with the Rookie of the Year, but Scoot Henderson could have something to say about it. 

Henderson, the third-overall pick, has absolutely dazzled so far, peaking in a 22-point performance against the Suns’ starters, and highlighted his ability to score on all three levels. Through four preseason games, he’s also averaged 5.8 assists and looked like the engine that will make the Trail Blazers go. 

As compared to others in the Rookie of the Year race like Amen Thompson, Brandon Miller or Chet Holmgren, Wembanyama and Henderson are both projected to be the No. 1 option on their respective squads. Once they both start to pack the boxscore, the race should be anyone’s to win.

Sacramento Kings

Question: If Keegan Murray takes the next step, do the Kings have what it takes to get in the ring with the West’s heavyweights? 

Maybe the best story of the entire season, the Kings crushed their curse, making the playoffs for the first time in 17 seasons behind the efforts of emerging tandem De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. An offensive powerhouse, finishing with the best offensive rating in NBA history at 119.4 and scoring 120.7 points per game, the most since the 1983-84 Denver Nuggets. 

Keegan Murray, their rookie wing, averaged 12.2 points a game and set the record for most three-pointers made by a rookie with 207. He was used primarily in the catch-and-shoot, with 60.6 per cent of his field goal attempts coming off the catch and only 10.7 per cent of his looks coming off pull-ups. Throughout Summer League though, Murray ran the offence, integrating more pull-ups into his play with great success. If Mike Brown finds ways to run more plays for Murray and let him score off-the-bounce, could we see the Kings hit another level next season? 

San Antonio Spurs

Question: If Wemby is as good as he’s looked, could the Spurs have a chance at making the play-ins? 

Every single game, the Victor Wembanyama makes a play that not a single human in the history of mankind has ever been able to do. The rest of this Spurs roster isn’t anything to scoff at either. Devin Vassell looks poised to break out after signing his rookie extension, Keldon Johnson is a season removed from shooting 39.8 per cent from deep, and Zach Collins finally looked like the player that he was projected to be coming out of Gonzaga seven years ago. 

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But this team will go where Wemby can take them. With solid pre-season wins over the Heat, Rockets and Warriors, the Spurs have looked like a team that won’t be an easy out on any night. Despite how crowded the West is, when they play as hard as they do and are coached by Gregg Popovich, should it come as too big of a surprise if they sneak into a play-in spot?

Utah Jazz

Question: Could Keyonte George be the steal of the draft? 

Drafted at 14th overall, rookie Keyonte George out of Baylor has looked like a bright spot in the Jazz’s youth movement so far, showing out in Summer League to the tune of 18.7 points on .457/.386/.750 splits while dishing out 5.3 assists. 

Though he’s been more quiet coming off the bench for the Jazz in the preseason, scoring 10.4 a game and shooting a rough 32.6 per cent from the field and 28.0 per cent from deep, George has looked like the electric score-first guard that Utah was looking for. 

The Jazz are in the midst of a rebuild and could see guys like Jordan Clarkson or Collin Sexton in different jerseys by the end of the season. Once a crowded backcourt starts to clear up, expect George to make his mark on this team, emerging as a potential dynamo for a team that will need the buckets to come from somewhere other than Lauri Markkanen. 

More from Sportsnet

2023-24 NBA Season Preview: Eastern Conference burning questions

Barnes exits with injury in Raptors’ dominant pre-season win

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