The aging Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors have been put on notice by upstart Western Conference rivals during Summer League action. Utah Jazz rookie Keyonte George's 33-point double-double on Saturday signals the trouble the California teams could face in 2023-24.
George, the 16th selection in the 2023 NBA Draft, made 12 of 24 shots and dished 10 assists in Utah's 105-99 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. He offered fans hope he could be the piece that turns the Jazz into an unexpected playoff team.
Elsewhere, the Oklahoma City Thunder continue to demonstrate their capacity to challenge the Lakers and Warriors, who barely avoided the play-in tournament last year. Thunder rookie Cason Wallace scored 20 points in 27 minutes during a Summer League victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.
The Lakers treaded water this offseason, mostly just retaining players from 2022-23, and the Warriors took a gamble by trading for Chris Paul. At the same time, the Jazz and Thunder got significantly better. Here's how unexpected results in the Western Conference could shake out...
George and the Jazz ready to rock
When Utah traded away Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert last summer, they appeared set for a lengthy rebuild involving many years of losing. Yes, they got a boatload of draft picks and prospects, but how would they replace their lead ball-handler and imposing centre?
They cracked half of that riddle when big man Walker Kessler, a Gobert trade throw-in, looked almost as good as the Frenchman right away. Kessler, 21, earned his first career start in early December and wowed fans thereafter, averaging 10.7 points on 71 per cent shooting, 9.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks across his final 51 games.
The Jazz may now have their next Mitchell in George, the first-year pro out of Baylor who shined in his first Summer League game. NBA legend Jerry West sat courtside and complemented George's tenacious defence.
"I ain't gonna lie, I was kinda like 'Whoa!' for a second," George said of the interaction with West. "A legend like that, having that small interaction — not a lot of people can have that kind of interaction with a guy like that. Yeah, that was cool."
The Jazz also have breakout forward Lauri Markkanen and promising youngster Ochai Agbaji in their ranks as they aim to improve on their 37-45 record from 2022-23. A much better season could be in store with players expected to progress across the board.
Thunder look dangerous
Oklahoma City are a step ahead of the Jazz, having gone 40-42 last year, bringing back almost all their key players and adding Wallace and Chet Holmgren to the squad. Holmgren was the second pick in the 2022 NBA Draft but missed last season because of a foot injury. His team-mate, Josh Giddey, has predicted him to win Rookie of the Year this campaign.
The Thunder already have a sure-fire superstar in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, an All-NBA First Team member, after scoring 31.4 points per game last season. Wallace, Giddey, Jalen Williams and Isaiah Joe complement the Canadian Gilgeous-Alexander along the perimeter, while Holmgren will bring elite shot-blocking skills. This is just the start: Oklahoma City have amassed 35 draft picks for the next seven years.
A win over the Lakers to spoil LeBron James' record-setting night passing Kareem Abdul-Jabaar on the all-time scoring list last year may have foreshadowed a new pecking order in the Western Conference.
Lakers and Warriors at risk
Both teams eked out a top-six finish in the Western Conference last season, but none of the teams above them lost crucial players this offseason and several below them have improved on paper, including the Jazz and Thunder.
Pundits praised the Lakers for re-signing key players such as D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura. They also added Gabe Vincent in free agency. However, LeBron James has finally demonstrated early signs he may be on the brink of regression, and Anthony Davis' health is a perpetual question mark.
Golden State lost important veteran Donte DiVincenzo and executed a risky win-now trade to acquire point guard Chris Paul for Jordan Poole and other assets. Like the Lakers, they are one of the oldest teams in the NBA and must be on alert as Western Conference upstarts challenge them in 2023-24.
