In my third edition, I will discuss every team in the Northwest Division and a critical question facing each team. This division was relatively dominant last year with the top three finishes in the West being held by three teams in the Northwest. The division includes the Denver Nuggets and the 3-time MVP in Nikola Jokic, the rising Oklahoma City Thunder, and the gritty Minnesota Timberwolves with the latest “Next Michael Jordan”. The Northwest also includes rebuilding teams with promising futures in the Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers. The top three teams in the division were the only teams to have more than 60 percent of their games against the Western Conference all last season. Let’s dive right into this.
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One Question For Each NBA Northwest Division Team Ahead of 2024-25
Denver Nuggets- Can the Younger Players Step Up?
As long as the 3-time MVP Jokic is on the roster, the Nuggets will be in the mix of title contention. However, saying their offseason has been disappointing would be a huge disappointment. The Nuggets bench, which was already a weakness, ranked 25th in bench points last season and 19th during their championship season. Denver ended up letting Reggie Jackson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, two significant contributors to their 2023 title team, walk for nothing. Young players like Christian Braun, Julian Strawther, and Peyton Watson will see increased playing time, which means the possibility of these guys making that leap in play. Are these guys ready to fill the void on a title contender? Currently, the Nuggets are worse on paper until proven otherwise. Unless Russell Westbrook goes back to averaging a triple-double.
Minnesota Timberwolves- Can the Offense Take a Step Forward?
The Timberwolves were a pleasant surprise last year, which turned into their first conference finals in 20 years and second in franchise history. The top strength for Minnesota last season was their defense. They ranked number one in defensive efficiency, and points allowed, and ranked in the top third in nearly every defensive metric. However, the team was erratic throughout the season on the offensive side. This team was in the middle of the pack on offensive efficiency and was 20th in turnovers last year. The offense looked even more stagnant and inefficient later in the postseason when the game slowed down. The Wolves did not bring any players that could help them offensively but are expecting a year of maturity from this young Wolves team. Anthony Edwards and Karl Anthony Towns have proven they can create their shots. Who else can? Maybe Mike Conley, but he is also 37 years old.
Oklahoma City Thunder- Are They Ready to Take the Next Step?
One of the pleasant surprises of last season was the ascension of the Thunder. They went from barely missing the play-in-tournament to the number one seed last season. Unfortunately, this team lacked playoff experience, and it showed in the second round of the postseason. The scary thing about Oklahoma City was they had the second youngest roster in the NBA going into last season, and they ended up being the youngest number one seed in NBA history. Their young core includes a young big three with MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams, who are all under 26 years old. OKC went out and made some intelligent moves addressing their biggest needs which included rebounding and playoff experience. Isaiah Hartenstein could be the most underrated pickup this offseason as he was a key piece in the Knicks’ playoff run and provides rebounding for a team that ranked 27th in rebounds. Can the Thunder elevate themselves and become one of the favorites to win it all? This OKC team is built not only for the future. They are built to win now.
Portland Trail Blazers- Is Scoot a Franchise Player?
Like typical rookie point guards who get significant minutes from day one, it came with plenty of highs and lows. Scoot Henderson, the 3rd overall pick in 2023, was no exception. The rookie last season showed glimpses of star potential and why he was the number three pick in the draft, especially in the final month, where he averaged 19 points and seven assists on nearly 42 percent shooting. Yet, Scoot also displayed flashes of inconsistency and shot under 40 percent every month of the season until April. Since Malcolm Bragdon was dealt, Henderson will now full reigns as the starting point guard. This season should be a stronger sample size whether Henderson can become that franchise player when given more minutes. The situation is perfect in Portland because they are a small market team that is embracing a rebuild, and they have other young prospects such as Shaedon Sharpe and two-time NCAA champion Donovon Clingin.
Utah Jazz- What is the Actual Direction of This Team?
A couple of years ago, after trading Donovan Mitchell and Ruby Gobert, it looked like the Jazz were entering a complete rebuild and tank for a couple of seasons. However, the Jazz finished 37-45 and 31-51, finishing 12th in the conference in both seasons. This is arguably the worst spot to be in, which is good enough for the playoffs but not bad enough for a top three pick. With the contract extension of Lauri Markkanen, understanding the direction of this team has been ambiguous. Will Utah try to stay relevant and perhaps use their significant draft capital to acquire a star to come to Utah? Or will Lauri’s contract extension make him a more attractive trade chip to acquire even more draft picks? As currently constructed, I believe the Jazz are the second-worst team in the West with Lauri. Utah’s ceiling would be a borderline play-in team, and that depends on the health of the other Western Conference teams. Hoping the direction of this Jazz squad is clear throughout the season because right now, they are barely on the NBA’s treadmill of mediocrity.
Main Image: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
