Blazers 2025-26 West predictions

I don't know about OK being the Clear Cut favourite, they're adding Topic and a near lottery pick to a championship team, but Denver gave them a pretty good challenge and now have Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr, Cam Johnson, and Jonas Valanciunas. Add those to Braun Gordon Murray Jokic and you have a team on the same level at least as OKC

 

The Blazers are good enough to make the playoffs, but at the same time they are bad enough to get a top 5 pick

 

No, I don't see top5 pick unless the team has multiple unlikely injuries, or very unlikely lottery luck.

Certainly could fall short of the playin. But they're some horrific rosters at the bottom of the NBA standings.

 

OKC should in theory have far more improvements from their core too. Chet has only played 2 seasons. Jalen was drafted with Sharpe. SGA at 26 yes was MVP but players often improve even more at that age. Cason Wallace is 21, Jaylin Williams got a multi-year extension and is 22. Caruso is basically the only guy past his prime yet he is only 31.

Denver doesn't have much upside beyond Braun or their unproven 3rd string. Gordon and Murray have had significant injuries in multiple seasons.

Really that entire top4 is elite so I wouldnt be surprised if any team there won the west. If healthy I might push OKC to that group.

Cleveland is the only comparable east team. All 6 of those teams are better than next east tier with NY/ATL/etc.

 

Memphis is too low. They won 48 games last season and essentially have replaced Bane with KCP, Cole Antony, and Ty Jerome. If they stay healthy they could win 50 games

I kind of wished the Blazers would have chased Jerome

 

Thats a major downgrade

 

Bane isn't really an all-star level player; at least not yet and he's already 27. Bane will fit well in Orlando, no doubt

last season, Winshares: Bane = 6.5; KCP+Anthony+Jerome = 12.5. I understand it doesn't work like that, straight across. But it does show that the Griz upgraded their perimeter depth. They lose some of the playmaking of Bane, at least in terms of him creating his own offense; but again, that depth is important in the regular season

they did lose Kennard

 

KCP played like shit last season - he was a negative contract and effectively the Magic had to give some of the draft equity just to dump him. I'm not sure he is better than the 3rd string guys on Memphis. Bane is a major upgrade.

Doesn't make sense to compare multiple players as the Grizzlies can only play one guy in a role. They have Coward who might be great eventually but will have a learning curve. Jackson had foot surgery and will be out for months so won't be in game shape or working on his game as would be ideal.

Ja is a major wild card - he hasn't played 7 consecutive games since Feb 2023 (9 games). Yes the Grizzlies won 48 last year. They won 27 the year prior.

Ultimately there will be a number of teams in the west that fall way short of expectations. Grizzlies very well could be one, or another couple teams have major injuries and fall short.

 

I think you're overstating the "number" of teams that fall short. It won't be 5 or 6; more like 1 or 2. Blazers may be one of them too. Just like they may be one of the teams that overachieves.

I just happen to think that Memphis will probably be in a higher tier than Portland. I wouldn't just assume the Kings will suck either. It's entirely possible they give up and try to tank. It's also possible they match or exceed their 40 wins last year. Sabonis-LaVine-Derozan could will some games if they are healthy

depending on Wemby's health, the Spurs may be the biggest riser

 

Blazers coming in a 33.5 wins just makes me want to SMH.
My prediction is slightly higher unfortunately. I wish I could feel they were either lotto bound again or in the playoffs hunt. Instead they are in no man's land.

 

Us coming in underrated is the only reason the Conductor has a job

 

I was shocked that Indiana took them to 7 games. That would have been my least likely prediction in which OKC wins the series.
1: 4-1
2: 4-0
3 : 4-2
4: 4-3

 

Predictions for the Blazers at this point are impossible for me to make. So far they have

- added Lillard (I like it)
- added Yang (good so far even if taken a bit early)
- lost Ayton
- lost Simons
- added Jrue (I don’t understand this still…at all)
Cronin I guess has had a good offseason, but I’m still confused on direction. We have a handful of win-now guys and a handful of puppies. We also switched out some assistant coaches who I like.

 

I still think Sharpe is the key. He needs to stay healthy and take a leap in scoring and defense. If he does we will be in the hunt for playoffs/playin

 

It's a camouflaged tank.

 

it was only OKC's 2nd season in playoffs and their 4th playoff series. Denver won the championship a couple of years before and had 14 playoff series worth of experience. And the Nuggets won game 1 on a miracle shot by Gordon, taking away HCA. OKC had to overcome that against Denver's experience. And OKC won game 7 by 32 points. The Nuggets may be better next season, but OKC will be an even tougher out than last season, when nobody could put them out

 

It really doesn't matter. We're not going to get a good draft pick unless we get incredibly lucky.

And we're not winning a series with this roster unless we get incredibly lucky.

 

Addition by subtraction with Ant and Ayton imo