8. Milwaukee Bucks
Like a few other teams on this list, the Milwaukee Bucks have managed to navigate through a truly rough start to the season. I wouldn't say that the Bucks are completely out of the deep waters but this team has certainly looked better of late. And with how talented this roster is, the ceiling is still fairly high for the team heading into the second half of the year. I'd expect this team to seriously consider a big move at the NBA Trade Deadline if the right one emerges. With the roster as-is, for as much as they've begun to play better, I can't envision seeing this team making a deep playoff run.
This team does still need a spark and I'm not sure if they'll be able to get it from any players currently on their roster. If the Bucks can make the right move at the trade deadline, I'd be even more interested in keeping a close eye on this team heading down the stretch and into the postseason. All that said, as long as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are healthy, this team is going to have a shot to do something special.
7. Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies have been one of the "other" Western Conference teams that have been solid to start out the year but they have hit a rough stretch of late, losing five of their last nine games. Their recent skid is certainly something to keep a close eye on but overall, it does feel as if this team is going to continue to transform into a team that could make some noise in the NBA Playoffs. But like many other teams ranked at this point in the top 10, there's still something that is missing on the roster.
The Grizzlies have been good so far this season but they continue to lack that emphatic supporting piece on the roster that you can have complete confidence in next to Ja Morant. Until the Grizzlies are able to find a worthy supporting star to pair with Morant, there's always going to be hesitance when attempting to place this team in the hierarchy of the Western Conference. Maybe there's a move at the trade deadline to help this team gain some more legitimacy.