These six NBA teams are ready to rise

Los Angeles Lakers

Key Player: LeBron James

Any team that gets LeBron James will be better. In the Lakers case, they will be much better. They will be playoff contenders after finishing 11th in the west last season. The Lakers have a promising young core of Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma.

Ingram and Kuzma will be centerpieces of the offense this year around LeBron James. They also signed a bunch of veteran free agents, including NBA champions Rajon Rondo and JaVale McGee. Their most recent signing, Michael Beasley, is a fearless guard who can create his own shot. His scoring off the bench will improve LA’s depth and help them stay in games.

Last season, the Lakers had trouble staying consistent, but the additions of proven veterans should help them. Luke Walton will have another season under his belt, as the young coach will look to guide his side to their first postseason in six years.

Denver Nuggets

Key Player: Paul Millsap

The Nuggets success will depend on the health and form of Millsap. He only played in 38 games last season after suffering a wrist injury that bothered him all season.

Nikola Jokić had stretches when he played at an MVP-caliber pace and was one of the year’s biggest All-Star snubs. Denver also have a young and talented backcourt of Jamal Murray and Gary Harris. They selected Michael Porter Jr. with the 14th pick after he slid almost entirely out of the lottery. Porter Jr. has one of the highest ceilings in this draft class and could turn out to be a steal for Denver.

The Nuggets signing Isaiah Thomas to a one-year deal is a low-risk high reward situation. They were the ninth seed in the west last year but missed the playoffs by just one game.

Jokić should be an All-Star this year, and having former All-stars Paul Millsap and Isaiah Thomas on the roster should improve their playoff chances. The Nuggets got better this offseason but so did the Spurs and Lakers. The west will prove challenging yet again, but Denver has a good chance to reach the playoffs.

Dallas Mavericks

Key Player: DeAndre Jordan

The Mavericks finally got their man in DeAndre Jordan. They also have a versatile backcourt in Dennis Smith Jr. and Luka Dončić.

Dončić is coming off of a fantastic season in Europe and should have a great mentor in Dirk Nowitzki. Forward Harrison Barnes should be able to score more easily with the Luka at guard and Jordan inside. Dallas should have a faster offense and be more dangerous from beyond the arc. Smith, Dončić and Nowitzki should all be able to step outside and shoot the three.

Meanwhile, Jordan is a huge upgrade at center and makes the offense much more versatile. He offers rebounding and rim protection for a team that was greatly lacking in both categories last year. he also can run the floor on fast breaks.

The Mavericks would be smart to run the pick and roll with Dončić and Smith linking up with either Jordan and Nowitzki. Dallas isn’t a playoff team in the west just yet though, as there are several teams I believe are better. But they could be a dark horse contender considering the talent they have acquired this summer.

Indiana Pacers

Key Player: Myles Turner

Shooting guard Victor Oladipo is coming off an All-Star season and his confidence is through the roof. And he’ll be looking for redemption after a disappointing Game 7 loss to LeBron and the Cavaliers last season. But LeBron moving on opens the door.

Point guard Darren Collison led the league in three-point shooting percentage last season and Thaddeus Young has been a consistent scorer each year. The Pacers also added shooting guard Tyreke Evans from the Grizzlies, who should provide instant offense off the bench.

But Indiana’s improvement will be determined by Myles Turner’s success, who’s coming off a down season. If Turner can get his blocks and points back up, their defense should be even better than they were last year. Domantas Sabonis and Bojan Bogdanović showed a lot of improvement and could be key contributors next season.

The additions of Evans and veteran center Kyle O’Quinn really bolster their bench, making it one of the best in the east. Coach Nate McMillan is going into his third year as head coach, and this is his season to prove himself. The Pacers were decent on both ends of the floor, but the steady improvement of Bogdanović and Sabonis should bode well for the team overall.

The Pacers will make the playoffs again if Turner can step up and be a top rim protector. If he can execute on the defensive end, they could be a very comparable team to the Jazz. Both teams are solid on both ends of the floor and run their offense through a star shooting guard.

San Antonio Spurs

Key Player: DeMar DeRozan

Trading Kawhi Leonard was unfortunate, but the Spurs were able to swap their unhappy star for an All-Star in DeMar DeRozan. While he isn’t as big of a star in the west, he is a big improvement at the shooting guard position.

First-round draft pick Lonnie Walker could be a great asset for the Spurs. He is humble, has a great work ethic and should be able to fit into their system flawlessly. San Antonio lost veteran point guard Tony Parker, but Dejounte Murray has the potential to be a great replacement. They should still have a solid team with DeRozan, Patty Mills, Pau Gasol, Rudy Gay and Lamarcus Aldridge on board.

Aldridge is still an All-Star forward and coach Greg Popovich is an all-time great. The Spurs barely made the playoffs last year, but they should be a lock now that they have two stars and a proven system.

Offensively, they should look to run a lot of post play with DeRozan and Aldridge. The Spurs have a well-balanced team, but their best offensive players — DeRozan and Aldridge — will be the primary targets. They could threaten top teams with their ball movement and post play. Look for the Spurs to be a top four team in the west next season if everyone stays healthy.

Boston Celtics

Key Player: Jayson Taytum

The Celtics are early favorites to win the east and have the potential to be a future dynasty. If Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward stay healthy, they should be able to get to the Finals. They could even be a worthy matchup for the Warriors.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown should keep improving. Tatum had a tremendous rookie season last year and was great in the playoffs. If he continues to improve at this rate, the Celtics will have four legitimate NBA stars on their roster.

Brad Stevens should be the front-runner for coach of the year next season with Hayward back healthy. Retaining Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier were smart moves for the Celtics as it gives them the depth they’ll need to make it through the playoffs.

Danny Ainge has put a great team together for coach Stevens to work with and he has the potential to be Coach of the Year next season en route to the Finals.