6. San Antonio Spurs

Notable Additions: DeMar DeRozan, Lonnie Walker, Jakob Poeltl, Marco Belinelli

Notable Subtractions: Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Kyle Anderson, Tony Parker

The Kawhi trade was obviously a franchise-changer. DeMar DeRozan is a proven all-star out east, but it remains to be seen if he can do that out west. Both he and LaMarcus Aldridge are coming off arguably the best season of their careers. Their fit under Coach Pop is very intriguing. DeRozan’s passing and finishing in pick-and-rolls along with Aldridge’s ability to roll and spot up should be tough to defend. However, with very little shooting on the roster, the Spurs will have to maximize the little space they have.

After winning 47 games last season without Kawhi and adding DeRozan, it would seem like simple math says the Spurs are winning 50+ games and are a formidable playoff team. But, Aldridge just turned 33 years old and it is fair to say he might not be as good next year as he was last year. It is hard for either to replicate or one-up a career season for players in their late-20s and early-30s, but maybe DeRozan raises his game under Pop, making up for Aldridge’s possible dip.

Furthermore, the western conference is stacked and the Spurs might fall by the wayside or may be one of the tougher outs in the playoffs. It is very possible both stars make or miss the all-star team. The variability of this team and the conference, in general, makes them fascinating.

Next Up: Team 5