NBA Season Preview Capsules: Northwest Division – Field Level Media – Professional sports content solutions

1. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Projected 2024-25 record: 62-20
Last season: 57-25, 1st in NBA Western Conference. Lost 4-2 to the Dallas Mavericks in the conference semifinals.

The last time the Thunder won 60 games in a season was 2012-13, when Kevin Durant helped Oklahoma City post a 60-22 record. The franchise had three more seasons with more than 60 wins, but all came while it was still known as the Seattle SuperSonics, including a 64-18 record in the 1995-96 season.

FanDuel Championship Odds: +650

Roster call
Draft pick:
No. 12, PG Nikola Thema, Serbia

DEPARTURES: F Gordon Hayward, F Josh Giddey, G Lindy Waters III, C Bismack Biyombo
VETERAN ACCESS: C Isaiah Hartenstein, G Alex Caruso

Big picture
Some teams have star power, others have great depth, and few teams can claim to have both. One of those teams is Oklahoma City, led by one of the best players in the world, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Teammate Chet Holmgren has the ability to be a difference-maker on both ends of the court, and Jalen Williams is an underrated star who averaged 19.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game last season. The Thunder are a legitimate contender to win a championship.

Meet: G Cason Wallace
It would be hard to call Williams a breakout player after his quiet but stellar season a season ago, so touting Wallace is your best bet here. He entered the league last season as the No. 10 overall pick out of Kentucky and averaged 6.8 points on 49.1 percent shooting from the field and 41.9 percent from beyond the 3-point arc . Wallace is in a great position to build on those numbers in a relatively low-pressure situation with his highly talented teammates taking up most of the spotlight.

2. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

Projected 2024-25 record: 54-28
Last season: 56-26, 3rd in Western Conference.

The last time… The last time the Timberwolves made the playoffs in four consecutive seasons was when they appeared in the postseason for eight straight seasons from 1996 to 2004, when the late Flip Saunders was coach and Kevin Garnett was the star player. Minnesota has made it to the postseason in each of the last three seasons.

FanDuel Championship Odds: +1000

Roster call
Draft picks:
No. 8, G Rob Dillingham, Kentucky (acquired from Spurs)
No. 27, F Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois
No. 37, F Bobi Klintman, Australia

DEPARTURE: F Karl-Anthony Towns, F Kyle Anderson, G Monte Morris, G Jordan McLaughlin
VETERAN ACCESS: F Julius Randle, G Donte DiVincenzo, G Joe Ingles, G PJ Dozier

Big picture
The Timberwolves declared themselves title contenders last season when they defeated the defending champion Denver Nuggets in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs. However, the Dallas Mavericks prevailed against the Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals in the following round. Minnesota is poised for another strong playoff run with a mixed lineup that includes Randle and DiVincenzo but no longer features the longtime face of the franchise in Towns. Look for Naz Reid to take on a more prominent role in Towns’ absence this season.

Meet: G Rob Dillingham
The easiest choice would be Reid, but he already had a breakthrough last season when Towns was sidelined with an injury. So let’s turn to Dillingham, a young but talented rookie who can develop at his own pace while watching a mentor in Mike Conley Jr. in the backcourt. Dillingham can fill the net, and the Timberwolves could use some offensive power during the regular season. So keep an eye out for the first-round pick for a chance to pad the stat sheet on the nights Conley takes a break.

3. DENVER NUGGETS

Projected 2024-25 record: 52-30
Last season: 57-25, 2nd in Western Conference

The last time the Nuggets played without star center Nikola Jokic was during the 2014-15 season. Jokic is back in his 10th season with the Nuggets and shows no signs of slowing down after averaging 20.9 points, 10.7 rebounds and 6.9 assists in his first nine years in the league. But Jokic turns 30 this season, and it might be time for Denver to think about using his playing time wisely to keep him fit for the postseason.

FanDuel Championship Odds: +1100

Roster call
Draft pick:
No. 22, PF DaRon Holmes II, Dayton (acquired from Suns)

DEPARTURES: G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, G Justin Holiday, G Reggie Jackson
VETERAN ACCESS: G Russell Westbrook, F/C Dario Saric

Big picture
The Nuggets won a title two seasons ago, but last season they lost in the Western Conference semifinals to a Timberwolves team they couldn’t compete well against. This season could also come down to duels, as Jokic and Jamal Murray assume that they can put Denver in a good position to take part in the championship. Michael Porter Jr. has added weight and hopes to play against more physical opponents this season, and Westbrook will look to renew Denver’s competitive spirit as a veteran bench player.

Meet: G/F Julian Strawther
The Gonzaga product averaged 4.5 points on 36.9 percent shooting in 50 games off the bench last season. But Strawther has the physique and talent to improve, and he could get a bigger opportunity after Caldwell-Pope left via free agency to sign with the Orlando Magic. Denver needs to score, and Strawther will have a chance to step up and fill the void.

4. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

Projected 2024-25 record: 28-54
Last season: 21-61, 15th in the NBA Western Conference.

The last time…the Trail Blazers didn’t make the playoffs for at least four years was from 2003-04 to 2007-08, when players like Brandon Roy struggled to overcome injuries and inconsistency to get to the postseason. Portland should do better than last season, but is likely facing a fourth straight year without a playoff appearance. Trying to turn a team back into a long-term contender is hard enough, but the fiercely competitive Western Conference makes it nearly impossible in Portland.

FanDuel Championship Odds: +100000

Roster call
Draft pick:
No. 7, C Donovan Clingan, UConn

DEPARTURE: G Malcolm Brogdon
VETERAN ACCESS: F Deni Avdija, G Devonte’ Graham

Big picture
The Trail Blazers bit the bullet and traded Damian Lillard a season ago, and the results weren’t particularly encouraging for Portland. In the second year of the post-Lillard era, the Trail Blazers hope to find their footing with a talented core of young players. Clingan could lock up Portland’s defensive center, and Avdija will have a chance to improve his game after Portland rescued him from the Washington Wizards via trade.

Meet: G Shaedon Sharpe
The Canadian has had ups and downs in his first two seasons in the NBA, but is still only 21 years old and has the chance to develop into an impact player. He averaged 9.9 points as a rookie and 15.9 points in his second season, but his shooting percentage dropped to 40.6 percent overall and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc. If Sharpe is able to improve on those numbers, he could become one of the top scorers on a Portland team that should be better this season.

5. UTAH JAZZ

Projected 2024-25 record: 21-61
Last season: 31-51, 12th in the Western Conference.

The last time …
The Jazz won fewer than 25 games during the 1979-80 season when Adrian Dantley led a club that went 24-58 with 28 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. An aging star named Pete Maravich ranked second in scoring this season with 17.1 points per game. This season could be a similar story as Lauri Markkanen leads a team that will almost certainly finish at or near the bottom of the Western Conference.

FanDuel Championship Odds: +100000

Roster call
Draft picks:
No. 10, F Cody Williams, Colorado
No. 29, G Isaiah Collier, Southern California
#32, F/C Kyle Filipowski, Duke

DEPARTURES: G Kris Dunn, C Omer Yurtseven
VETERAN ADDITIONS: F Drew Eubanks, G Patty Mills, G Svi Mykhailiuk

Big picture
The Jazz continue to lose relevance after a respectable era that featured Donovan Mitchell in the backfield and Rudy Gobert in the frontcourt. The next wave of Utah basketball could be led by Markkanen, who signed a contract extension and appears to be relishing his role as the face of the Jazz franchise. Utah has some intriguing young players and will likely add another top draft pick next summer as it looks to rebuild.

Meet: C Walker Kessler
No one doubts Kessler’s impact on defense, where he averaged 2.4 blocks per game last season and continued to establish himself as one of the league’s most prominent fullbacks. The question is whether Kessler can develop his abilities on offense. If he can, be on the lookout because he could develop into a top two-way big. As a second-year player last season, Kessler averaged 8.1 points and 7.5 rebounds.

–Field level media