Western Conference 4th seed: Denver Nuggets
Look, the Nuggets have Nikola Jokic on their team, and that is more than enough to get them the fourth seed in the West. That being said, this team is not going to win another title anytime soon. Why? They can't seem to build anything championship-worthy around the Joker.
Denver is stuck in a full-on financial gridlock that could get worse depending on Peyton Watson's negotiations. They have been either unwilling or unable to make trades that would give them some sort of mobility. Basically, the Nuggets are stuck with the roster they have for the foreseeable future.
The majority of their current payroll is tied up in Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Christian Braun. For the Nuggets to be able to afford to make changes to their roster, someone has to go. Even worse, their draft capital is incredibly limited for the next few years. There's little hope in the draft.
Like other teams, this roster is more than enough to get a good seed in the playoffs. It's not enough to win an NBA Championship. The West is highly competitive, and the Nuggets just don't have the firepower to get past the Spurs, the Thunder, or any other rising competitors.
Western Conference 3rd seed: Dallas Mavericks
This is a bold statement that's sure to draw the ire of many readers, and I don't blame them one bit. Saying the Mavs are going to jump to the third-best team in the West is a lot. It just is. But if you take a look at what's happened since the Doncic debacle, you might be surprised by what you see.
Dallas has a new president and a new general manager. Cooper Flagg proved he was not only worth the hype, but he also exceeded it. Now, the Mavericks have drafted Morez Johnson Jr., fresh off a national championship with the Michigan Wolverines, to ride shotgun with him.
On top of that, the Mavs drafted Sergio De Larrea while also acquiring Zaccharie Risacher, Santi Aldama, and Marcus Sasser. They aren't screwing around this season, particularly if Kyrie Irving finally makes his return from injury. His veteran leadership will change Dallas's game.
Look, I'm not saying they're going to win an NBA Championship or even a conference title this year. Frankly, I'd be shocked if Dallas makes it past the first round of the playoffs. But this group will surprise the Western Conference and seed well in 2026-2027. The sky is the limit for this rebuild.
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