ESPN's summer forecast on west standings:
8. Dallas Mavericks
Projected record: 41-41
Last season: 50-32
9. Utah Jazz
Projected record: 40-42
Last season: 38-44
10. Phoenix Suns
Projected record: 35-47
Last season: 39-43
11. Portland Trail Blazers
Projected record: 31-51
Last season: 51-31
12. Sacramento Kings
Projected record: 31-51
Last season: 29-53
Your thoughts?
Let's see...Dallas has an aging Dirk, an injured Matthews and Parsons, and that's basically it. Utah just lost Exum and is going to be forced to trot out Trey Burke. Phoenix has no Marcus, a disgruntled Markieff, no continuity at PG, and a center past his prime. Portland has Damian Lillard and a bunch of business cards for real estate agents. We have a future Hall of Fame coach with his first chance at holding a training camp, one of the best big men in the game in Cousins, we have Gay, we have Rondo, we have a brand new Trilliant defender, and we have depth the likes of which we haven't seen in recent memory.
I feel pretty good about our chances to come out on the top of that grouping, not the bottom.