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NBA: 2016-17 Predictions For The Pacific Division

By Carter Johnson

Jul 7, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; A large welcome Kevin Durant digital billboard is displayed outside of Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 7, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; A large welcome Kevin Durant digital billboard is displayed outside of Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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With the greatest regular season team ever adding a former MVP to their roster, we take a look at their potential record and how everyone else will fare in the Pacific Division for the 2016-17 NBA season.

NBA
Jul 7, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; A large welcome Kevin Durant digital billboard is displayed outside of Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Just in case this wasn’t already clear, next season’s Pacific Division champion is already sewn up — not that it was in doubt before the biggest free agency move in NBA history.

Following a season where they broke the record for regular season wins with a whopping 73-9 mark while returning two All-NBAers and the reigning back-to-back League MVP, it was safe to say that the Golden State Warriors would once again be Pacific Division — and Western Conference — champs next season.

But then they broke the NBA as we knew it and added 2014 MVP and perennial scoring champion candidate Kevin Durant.

Now, they’ve not only locked up the division for years to come but they’ve possibly assembled the pieces for the deadliest lineup of all time and one with dynastic implications for the immediate future.

But enough about them; let’s talk about the rest of the teams in the Pacific Division.

The Los Angeles Clippers experienced yet another disappointing season ending in devastating injuries to Blake Griffin and Chris Paul and a first-round playoff loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. The team enters 2016-17 in full on do-or-die mode as both of their stars will likely hit free agency next offseason.

The Sacramento Kings essentially remained the same and further disavowed themselves to star players DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay, who have both been incredibly vocal about the incompetence of owner Vivek Ranadive and general manager Vlade Divac.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns are both entering the first stages of new eras in their basketball history led by youngsters with immense star potential.

Barring the catastrophic, the Warriors should run away with the division and could potentially break more records. Here’s a look at how well they and the other teams in the Pacific Division could fare in 2016-17.

Next: No. 5