NBA: Predicting every team’s win total in the Western Confernece
By Dan Knitzer
Utah Jazz – 32 Wins
The Utah Jazz are heartbroken, as they should be. Gordon Hayward was a quiet superstar who could sub as an elite role player, depending on the team’s need each game. They now don’t have anyone who can fill in as an offensive superstar, but they do have Rudy Gobert, and a handful of very nice role players.
They won’t be an embarrasment this year like most teams after they lose their star player, but they simply don’t have the talent to be in the playoff picture.
New Orleans Pelicans – 35 Wins
Talk about needing a mix of role players and superstars. Thanks to Jrue Holiday’s massive contract, his team cannot afford any good role players (besides Holiday, who – despite his superstar salary – is only a good role player) to compliment superstars Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins.