The Seed Swapping Six: Kings, Lakers, Mavericks, Pelicans, Suns, Warriors
Sacramento Kings
Main Pieces: De’aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Head Coach Mike Brown
Why they will win: Mike Brown becomes the best coach in the playoffs.
Repercussions if they lose 1st Rd: Continue to look for answers to help De’aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis reach the 2nd round. Do Harrison Barnes get traded? Will they be impatient with Keegan Murray?
Los Angeles Lakers
Main Pieces: Lebron James, Anthony Davis, ‘Regular-Season’ DLo Russell
Why they will win: When you have LeBron, it’s always a way. Would be hard path to get there but Lebron and AD will always be two of the top three players in every series in the West.
Repercussion if they lose 1st Rd: There’s not enough talent deep into the rotation. Does Lebron stay with LA? What changes will the make to improve the roster? Did DLo not show up again? Will Lakers change the HC position again?
Dallas Mavericks
Main Pieces: Luka Doncic & Kyrie Irving
Why the will win: Luka continue to do Luka things. Also Kyrie wins without Lebron.
Repercussion if they lose 1st Rd: BLOW IT UP! Send Kyrie to another team and build great role players around Luka. Eventually, he will win a championship, not in 2024 though.
New Orleans Pelicans
Main Pieces: Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum
Why They Will Win: They actually have the time to gel together this season and show why they have a complete roster from top to bottom.
Repercussion if They Lose 1st Rd: Well, if we’re here does that mean Zion got hurt again? If not, maybe just a bad matchup however — what does the future hold for New Orleans?
Phoenix Suns
Main Pieces: Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal
Why They Will Win? KD reassert himself as an all time great and grinded through the West.
Repercussion if They Lose 1st Rd: Top Heavy team means less room for era. If KD, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal don’t play A+ basketball this will be another step away as age adds to KD.
Golden State Warriors
Main Pieces: Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr
Why They Will Win? Surprisingly, the dynasty isn’t not over and they have one more in the tank.
Repercussion if They Lose 1st Rd: If they lose or dont make it, look for big changes. Will Steve Kerr step down? How will the rest of Curry’s career pan out?
The final conclusion is no matter the result, multiple teams will be upset, another year of “I thought this was our year” and teams will be broken up with the “what if” factor.
As of now, I’m leaning on the Nuggets to represent the West, however if the Lakers get in there — King James and The Brow could wreak havoc.
Wildcard TV 
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