Western Conference 2nd seed: San Antonio Spurs
Expect Victor Wembanyama's history of coming in second to continue this season. While he has the size, speed, and skill to win a title, Wemby's game lacks maturity. The Knicks proved that in the 2026 NBA Finals, and in the way he handled being taken apart over and over again.
The Spurs haven't really gone through any dramatic changes this offseason, which is both good and bad. They added veteran Tobias Harris as well as drafting four rookies. That includes Jayden Quaintance, a massive power forward out of Kentucky who will play well alongside Wemby.
San Antonio's big question is what to do with De'Aaron Fox. It's safe to say that no one is happy with his postseason performance, especially him. Dylan Harper's camp is pushing for the young point guard to take over for Fox as the starter. There are no guarantees that will happen, though it should.
Regardless, the Spurs remain an incredibly talented and dangerous team who will at least take the second seed in the Western Conference. Making it out of the West to take on the Knicks, the Pistons, or the 76ers in the finals two years in a row will take more effort than the first time.
Western Conference 1st seed: Oklahoma City Thunder
OKC was the top team in the West in 2025. They repeated that in 2026. And they'll do it again in 2027. Whether you love Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder or not, there is no denying the high caliber of basketball they are capable of playing. Plus, the team just keeps getting better thanks to Sam Presti, the team's legendary executive vice president and general manager.
The Thunder lost some key players in Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins, but it was necessary to avoid some serious salary cap penalties. These trades also garnered Presti seven second-round draft picks to work with in the future. This year, he drafted Aday Mara, Bennett Stirtz, and Otega Oweh. That doesn't even count his savvy mid-season pickup of Jared McCain.
Despite these changes, SGA remains the core of the team alongside Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein, Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell, and more. Expect the Thunder to dominate the Western Conference for a third season in a row. That doesn't guarantee success in the playoffs, though, as OKC found out in 2026, just like the Pistons.
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