NBA Northwest Division Preview: Healthy Denver Nuggets Try to Hold Off Minnesota Timberwolves

Utah Jazz +20000

The Utah Jazz was one of the top teams in the Western Conference for the past couple of seasons. But a growing rift between stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert inevitably led to a fractured locker room and a disappointing breakup. During a busy off-season, the Jazz traded Gobert to the Timberwolves, then dealt Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It s only a matter of time before the Jazz trade away veteran guards Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, or Collin Sexton. They re on a mission to rebuild the team from scratch after acquiring a hoard of future draft picks for Gobert and Mitchell.

Head Coach Quin Snyder saw the writing on the wall and prematurely retired after eight seasons in Utah. President Danny Ainge hired Will Hardy as the Jazz s new head coach. Hardy earned accolades as one of the top assistant coaches in the league during his time on the Boston Celtics staff.

The wunderkind Hardy is now the youngest head coach in the NBA. The Celtics probably wish they never let Hardy leave for Utah because he would have . That s after Udoka earned a one-year suspension for an inappropriate relationship with a female staffer.

The Jazz is among a handful of other teams that will tank this upcoming season for a shot at winning the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes. Wembanyama, a 7-foot-3 standout center from France, is regarded as the best big man prospect in two decades. He s projected to become the #1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

With a paltry win total of 24.5 o/u, the Jazz are one of the two massive long shots on the board to win the Northwest at +20000 odds.

After several years occupying the basement of the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder used the draft to stock their roster with numerous talented young players like guard/forward Josh Giddey, guard Tre Mann, and forward Darius Bazley.

The Thunder were at the crossroads: is it time to make a run at a playoff berth, or tank for Wembanyama? It looks like the Thunder are on the tank train once again.

With multiple first-round draft picks in the 2022 NBA Draft, the Thunder selected Chet Holmgren second overall and Jalen Williams with the #12 pick. After an impressive stint during NBA Summer League, Holmgren suffered a foot injury playing in a pro-am game in Seattle at the end of the summer. Holmgren will miss his entire rookie season.

The Thunder have one of the lowest win totals in the Western Conference at 23.5 o/u. At least they ll be fun to watch, especially the exciting Giddey from Australia, who dazzled fans during his rookie season last year.

With the Thunder projected to lose 55-60 games this season, they re the moon shot on the futures board at +25000 odds to win the Northwest Division.