Western Conference 6th seed: Los Angeles Lakers
Honestly, this is probably being generous considering that Rob Pelinka has been making some baffling decisions in the wake of LeBron James' departure. Luka Doncic has been clear that he wants a team built around him, similar to what he had in Dallas before that insane trade.
To appease Doncic, the Lakers spent a shocking amount of money on Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Colin Sexton, and Sandro Mamukelashvili. Those moves could pay off, but they could just as easily blow up in their faces. It's really hard to see this group winning a title.
Crazier rosters have worked, but this lineup feels like the Lakers are getting further away from another title than closer. And that assumes Doncic stays healthy this season. He has missed more than a few games since moving to the West Coast. Without him, the Lakers are dead in the water.
A healthy Doncic might be able to get something out of this misfit roster. He and Reaves have undeniable chemistry on the court. Kessler is definitely a more capable center than Deandre Ayton. The rest of the roster does have depth. That could be just enough to secure the sixth seed.
Western Conference 5th seed: Minnesota Timberwolves
Without question, the Wolves needed to get themselves a point guard. But did it have to be LaMelo Ball? There's no questioning his explosive athleticism and skill. The problem is that he spends a lot of time on the bench due to injuries. Another season-ending injury feels inevitable.
Making that situation worse is the fact that Minnesota traded Naz Reid to get Ball. He is one of the best bench players in the league today, bringing size and speed to the court as well as full three-level shooting. He's not an easy guy to replace. Oh, and they also traded Julius Randle.
If both Ball and Anthony Edwards manage to stay healthy, this could be a dangerous, high-scoring team. Edwards has long needed another scorer on the roster, and Ball definitely fixes that problem. But losing Karl-Anthony Towns, Reid, and Randle in the last few years cost the Wolves a lot of size.
The Edwards/Ball connection should be enough to lock down the fifth spot in the West. But Minnesota is used to having more size on the court. That's going to be an issue in 2026-2027, one that might keep them from a deeper playoff run, especially if injuries catch up with their big dogs.
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