Although the NBA's 2025-26 Eastern Conference race looks wide open due to a rash of star injuries, the West picture takes on a different tone. There, a mass of hopeful contenders must chase down the champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who won the West by a record 16 games last season and have a sustainable roster built to repeat.
But which rivals have the best chance to catch Oklahoma City? Which veteran-laden teams hope to stay sufficiently spry for another deep playoff run? And which young teams might rise rapidly up the standings?
To take a broad overview and analyze the initial state of the 2025-26 Western Conference field, we've sorted all 15 teams into five tiers.