How the NBA’s Southwest Division is shaping up

The Houston Rockets are currently in first place in the Southwest Division of the NBA. The San Antonio Spurs are in second place, followed by the New Orleans Pelicans and the Memphis Grizzlies

The state of the NBA’s Southwest Division

With the NBA season just around the corner, let’s take a look at how the Southwest Division is shaping up.

The Houston Rockets are coming off a disappointing 2018-19 campaign, but they have made some major changes that could help them get back on track. They have brought in former MVP Russell Westbrook to team up with James Harden and they have also added some much-needed depth with the additions of Tyson Chandler and Jeff Green If all goes well, the Rockets should be one of the top teams in the division.

The New Orleans Pelicans are another team that has made some big changes this offseason. They traded away Anthony Davis but they did get a haul of young talent and draft picks in return. They also used those draft picks to select Zion Williamson with the number one overall pick and Jalen Lecque with the number eleven overall pick. The Pelicans will be an interesting team to watch this season.

The Memphis Grizzlies are coming off a playoff appearance, but they lost a big piece this offseason when Mike Conley was traded to the Utah Jazz They did use their number two overall pick to select Ja Morant, who has the potential to be a very special player. The Grizzlies also added veteran forward Andre Iguodala in a trade with the Golden State Warriors The Grizzlies should still be a playoff team, but they may take a Step Back without Conley.

The Dallas Mavericks are another team that lost a key player this offseason when Harrison Barnes was traded to the Sacramento Kings However, they were able to add some good young talent in return, including Justin Jackson and Isaiah Roby. The Mavericks also used their first-round pick to select University of Texas Star guard Courtney Ramey. The Mavericks may not be ready to compete for a playoff spot yet, but they are definitely heading in the right direction.

The San Antonio Spurs are coming off a disappointing season, but they still have one of the best players in the world in Kawhi Leonard They also used their first-round pick to select University of Kentucky star forward Keldon Johnson. The Spurs may not be as good as they once were, but they are still a dangerous team that no one will want to face in the playoffs.

How the Houston Rockets are looking

The Houston Rockets are currently in first place in the NBA’s Southwest Division with a record of 8-3. They are led by MVP candidate James Harden who is averaging 36.6 points, 6.9 assists, and 7.0 rebounds per game The Rockets are also getting solid contributions from players like Eric Gordon (18.9 points per game) and Clint Capela (13.8 points, 12.6 rebounds per game). Houston’s only losses have come against the Golden State Warriors Los Angeles Lakers, and Portland Trail Blazers

The San Antonio Spurs’ offseason

The San Antonio Spurs’ offseason has been a mixed bag. They made a big splash by signing LaMarcus Aldridge, but they also lost Key Players like Tiago Splitter and Marco Belinelli. How will all of these changes affect the team’s fortunes in the upcoming season?

The Southwest Division is arguably the toughest in the NBA. The Spurs will have to contend with the likes of the Houston Rockets Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks All three of those teams made significant improvements to their rosters this offseason, so it’s going to be a tough road for the Spurs.

The silver lining for the Spurs is that they still have one of the best players in the world in Kawhi Leonard Leonard is coming off of an MVP-caliber season and he should be even better this year. If Leonard can lead the team to a division title, then they will be in good shape heading into the playoffs.

The Dallas Mavericks’ outlook

The Dallas Mavericks have been one of the most successful teams in the NBA over the past two decades. Led by superstar Dirk Nowitzki the Mavericks have won multiple division titles and made numerous trips to the playoffs.

However, the team has struggled in recent years missing the playoffs in each of the last three seasons. The Mavericks are hoping to Bounce Back in 2019-20 and return to their place among the top teams in the league.

The Mavericks have made a number of changes this offseason, most notably trading for All-Star point guard Kristaps Porzingis Porzingis will team up with Nowitzki to form a formidable frontcourt duo. The Mavericks also added shooting guard Seth Curry and veteran center Dwight Powell in Free agency

With Porzingis, Nowitzki, Curry, and Powell leading the way, the Mavericks are poised to make a run at a playoff spot in 2019-20.

The New Orleans Pelicans’ state

The New Orleans Pelicans’ state of being is perhaps the most tenuous among all the teams in the NBA’s Southwest Division.

With superstar forward Anthony Davis set to become a free agent next summer, there is a very real possibility that he could decide to leave the Pelicans in search of greener pastures elsewhere. If that were to happen, it would likely signal the end of an era in New Orleans, as the Pelicans would then likely be forced to rebuild from scratch.

In the meantime, though, the Pelicans are still very much a force to be reckoned with in the Southwest Division. Led by Davis and fellow All-Star Jrue Holiday the Pelicans are a team that could potentially make some noise in the playoffs this season.

However, with the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs looking like they will be the class of the division once again, it remains to be seen if the Pelicans will be able to challenge for division title this season.

The Memphis Grizzlies’ situation

The Memphis Grizzlies are in a precarious situation. They are currently in fifth place in the Southwest Division, only a game and a half ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans They are also in the middle of a heated battle for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference The Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks are both only a half-game behind them.

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s offseason

It’s been an eventful offseason for the Oklahoma City Thunder After being swept by the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, the team made some big changes.

First, they traded All-Star forward Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers for Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and five first-Round Draft picks. Then, they traded Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets for Chris Paul two first-round Draft Picks and pick protections.

The Thunder are clearly in rebuilding mode and it will be interesting to see how they fare in the coming season. With that said, let’s take a look at how the team is shaping up heading into training camp