Golden State Warriors
Last Season
47-35 (sixth in West)
Additions
Andre Iguodala, Jermaine O'Neal, Marreese Speights, Nemanja Nedovic, Toney Douglas, Seth Curry
Departures
Jarrett Jack, Carl Landry, Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins, Brandon Rush
Possible starting five
g - Stephen Curry
g - Klay Thompson
f - Andre Iguodala
f - David Lee
c - Andrew Bogut
The burning questions
1. Will Stephen Curry stay fit and continue to improve?
2. Will Klay Thompson come up big in the playoffs again?
3. Can Andrew Bogut stay healthy?
4. How will Andre Iguodala fit in?
5. Is Harrison Barnes going to get better?
Prediction
The Warriors returned to the playoffs in style last season by upsetting the Nuggets and pushing the Spurs and really should be able to build on that performance this campaign.
However they will need Stephen Curry and Andrew Bogut to stay healthy to do so, while they will be hoping for Andre Iguodala to make a big impact in his first season at the club.
The continued development of Klay Thompson is also crucial for the Warriors and the sky is the limit for the franchise if they can continue this upward curve.
They might be a season or two away from competing for a Championship, but it's certainly an exciting time to be a fan of the Warriors.
Los Angeles Clippers
Last Season
56-26 (fourth in West)
Additions
J.J. Redick, Jared Dudley, Darren Collison, Reggie Bullock, Byron Mullens, Antawn Jameson
Departures
Eric Bledsoe, Chauncey Billups, Lamar Odom, Grant Hill, Ronny Turiaf
Possible starting five
g - Chris Paul
g - J.J. Redick
f - Jared Dudley
f - Blake Griffin
c - DeAndre Jordan
The burning questions
1. Is Chris Paul ready to take that next step?
2. Can new coach Doc Rivers keep the momentum going that Vinny Del Negro had?
3. Will Blake Griffin stay injury free?
4. Can J.J. Redick still contribute?
5. Will Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan provide more dunks to the highlight reel?
Prediction
The Clippers were swept out of the playoffs by the Spurs last season, but Chris Paul and Blake Griffin were battling injury problems during that series and they will be confident of going further during the post-season this time around.
The addition of the experienced J.J. Reddick should help out, while the expected improvement from DeAndre Jordan and Griffin should ensure the Clippers can advance further in the playoffs.
However just how far they can go will depend mainly on the output of Paul and especially in the clutch when the game is there to be won.
If Paul stays fit then the Clippers are an outside chance of winning the West, but it is more likely that they will find a couple of teams too good.
Los Angeles Lakers
Last Season
45-37 (seventh in West)
Additions
Ryan Kelly, Nick Young, Jordan Farmar, Wesley Johnson, Chris Kaman, Ellias Harris, Xavier Henry, Marcus Landry
Departures
Dwight Howard, Metta World Peace, Earl Clark, Antawn Jamison, Chris Duhon, Darius Morris, Andrew Goudelock
Possible starting five
g - Steve Nash
g - Kobe Bryant
f - Nick Young
f - Pau Gasol
c - Chris Kaman
The burning questions
1. How will Kobe Bryant return from his Achilles problem?
2. Is Steve Nash still capable of running the show in the twilight of his career?
3. What is Pau Gasol's best position?
4. Can Nick Young make a difference?
5. How long will Mike D'Antoni last in charge?
Prediction
It's hard to see the Lakers challenging for the Championship, but they still have enough quality to reach the playoffs.
However they will need Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol to stay healthy to do so, while they will want to get better production from their bench players.
The addition of Nick Young should help on offence, but the Lakers will be hoping to get dramatic improvement from a couple of players - like Jodie Meeks or Jordan Hill - so not everything is left to their experienced combatants.
A lot will depend on how fit Bryant is during the post-season, but even his best won't be enough to guide the Lakers to a Championship this year.
Phoenix Suns
Last Season
25-57 (15th in West)
Additions
Eric Bledsoe, Archie Goodwin, Gerald Green, Viacheslav Kravtsov, Malcolm Lee, Alex Len, Ish Smith, Alex Oriakhi, Miles Plumlee, Emeka Okafor
Departures
Wesley Johnson, Jared Dudley, Hamed Haddadi, Jermaine O’Neal, Luis Scola, Michael Beasley, Marcin Gortat, Kendall Marshall, Shannon Brown, Malcolm Lee
Possible starting five
g - Goran Dragic
g - Eric Bledsoe
f - P.J. Tucker
f - Markieff Morris
c - Miles Plumlee
The burning questions
1. Can Eric Bledsoe show how good he can be at his new club?
2. Will Goran Dragic link well in the back-court with Bledsoe?
3. Will Emeka Okafor recover from his neck problem?
4. Can the Morris' brothers provide a spark when on court together?
5. Will Alex Len make an impact in his rookie season?
Prediction
It is hard to see how the Suns could reach the playoffs this season, especially after they recently traded away underrated big man Marcin Gortat.
The Suns sent Gortat to the Wizards and received Emeka Okafor in return, but Okafor has an injury concern and may not even play at all this season.
That could mean the Suns are looking at a quick rebuild this year, but at least they will be exciting to watch in the meantime.
The Morris brothers have plenty of talent, while Eric Bledsoe is going to get plenty of opportunities to post some good numbers.
However, there is going to be many more losses than wins for the Suns this season as they look to the future.
Sacramento Kings
Last Season
28-54 (13th in West)
Additions
Greivis Vasquez, Luc Mbah a Moute, Carl Landry, Ben McLemore, Ray McCallum
Departures
Tyreke Evans, Cole Aldrich, James Johnson, Toney Douglas
Possible starting five
g - Greivis Vasquez
g - Ben McLemore
f - Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
f - Carl Landry
c - DeMarcus Cousins
The burning questions
1. Can DeMarcus Cousins take his game to that next level?
2. How good can Ben McLemore be in his rookie year?
3. Is Carl Landry going to fit better in his return to Sacramento?
4. Will Greivis Vasquez continue to improve?
5. Will they regret letting go of Tyreke Evans?
Prediction
You wouldn't think the Kings will be playoff contenders this season, but don't be surprised if they are big improvers.
Last year they managed to win just 28 games, but some impressive form during the pre-season and some handy acquisitions in the off-season should see them move towards the brink of a post-season berth.
Whether or not they can reach the playoffs remains to be seen, although there are enough pieces of the puzzle currently at the franchise to suggest that some post-season action will come in the near future.
Predicted division standings
1. Los Angeles Clippers
2. Golden State Warriors
3. Los Angeles Lakers
4. Sacramento Kings
5. Phoenix Suns