With top contenders such as the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder getting even better, expect another battle in a stacked Western Conference.
The Thunder, No. 1 seed heading into last season's playoffs, returns a strong core led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and the addition of defensive stalwart Alex Caruso.
The Mavericks' offseason addition of Klay Thompson adds another key component to one of the best offenses in the league as well as the dynamic duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, both hungry to return to the Finals after last year's fumble against the Boston Celtics.
And don't forget the Denver Nuggets, who are one year removed from winning the title and remain a dangerous team under defending MVP Nikola Jokic.
For the first time in NBA history we'll see a father-son duo on the same team in LeBron James and Bronny James. However, the Los Angeles Lakers' lack of offseason moves and hiring of first-time head coach JJ Redick foretells another season of early growing pains for James and Anthony Davis.
Welcome to the 2024-25 Western Conference. Team by team, here's how our expert panel sees it breaking down.
Note: Our 2024-25 NBA Summer Forecast concludes on Friday with predictions for conference and Finals champion. On Wednesday, we revealed our predictions on how the Eastern Conference will unfold.