Ranking the NBA's divisions: Northwest in a tier of its own

2. Pacific

Teams: Golden State Warriors, LA Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings

2023-23 Combined Win Percentage: .583

Parity. That's what the Pacific Division has over every division on the list. Unfortunately, the lack of a clear frontrunner limits the division as a whole. Last season, every squad won 46 or more games and had a shot at competing in the playoffs.

Despite the Pacific Division's success story, two of the teams will assuredly be worse while the other three teams are difficult to predict for next season. The Golden State Warriors and LA Clippers each lost one of their best players—Thompson and George, respectively. Moreover, the Los Angeles Lakers, Pheonix Suns, and Sacramento Kings are tough to predict.

The Lakers won 47 games, but are returning an aging roster. And the Suns, while improved, failed to win 50 games with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal leading the way. Finally, the Kings made a power play in the offseason, trading for DeRozan. Even with the addition of the 34-year-old guard, the Kings may not see an increase in the win column.

1. Northwest

Teams: Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz

2023-23 Combined Win Percentage: .541

Like the Atlantic, the Northwest Division suffers at the hands of two teams. The Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz were two of the worst teams a season ago. However, that should be assumed as each team is in the early stages of a rebuild accumulating young assets.

Sure, Portland and Utah should only get better from here, but the Northwest Division is propped up by three of the best teams in the NBA. The Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Oklahoma City Thunder paced the Western Conference, winning 56 or more games. Next season should look eerily similar.

Of the three squads, Denver is the only one to lose a starter. As for the Timberwolves, continuity reigns supreme. Lastly, the Thunder are primed to be the best team in the West. Oklahoma City retained its best players and added one of the perimeter defenders (Caruso) and a physical presence on the inside (Isaiah Hartenstein) to shore up any deficiencies.