10. LA Clippers
While they deserve credit for it, the trade for James Harden doesn’t appear to be one of those foregone conclusion transactions in the Association. Even though on paper, the Clippers do have one of the best rosters in terms of talent, there are still legitimate questions about their overall fit and ability to stretch their ceiling toward championship level. And all of those questions begin with health. Now with Harden on the roster, you can make the argument that the Clippers have one of the more injury-prone rosters of all the contenders in the Western Conference.
At the same time, they may also have a high ceiling. Statistically, even before Harden makes his debut with the team, the Clippers have gotten off to a good start. They are one of the few teams that have both a top 5 offense and defense. They also have the third-best net rating in the NBA.
Even though it has only led to a 3-2 record through their first five games of the season, the Clippers have already proven that they have the ability to be a real player in the Western Conference. If they continue to put a good product on the floor, the results will come.