Be blunt! The top four teams in the Western Conference next season must be these four teams!

As the offseason player trading and lineup adjustment come to an end, all teams are preparing to face the challenges of the new season. In the fiercely competitive Western Conference, the situation next season seems to be full of fog, but after in-depth analysis of the lineup strength, player status and tactical system of each team, we have enough reason to believe that the following four teams will definitely occupy the top four in the Western Conference.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

As the team ranked No. 1 in the West last season, the Thunder's operations in the offseason were steady and further consolidated their own advantages. In order to make up for the team's shortcomings in the inside line, they signed Knicks center Haltenstein, who performed well in the playoffs, with a three-year, $87 million contract. In the Knicks' 13 playoff games, Harten showed strong defensive ability. When defending players with opponents under 6 feet, he can reduce his opponent's shooting percentage from 64.8% to 54.4%, even better than some star inside players. He can contribute 7.8 rebounds per game in the playoffs, which will undoubtedly provide the Thunder with better rebound guarantee when Homegren is off the court, and can also use double towers to increase the height of the frame protection at critical moments and enhance the team's inside deterrence.

In terms of outside defense, the Thunder also made targeted reinforcements, using Gidey to trade to defend the defending champion Caruso. Caruso's perimeter defense ability in NBA2K25 is as high as 94, ranking second in the league after Holiday. This deal further strengthened the Thunder's outside defense. The combination of Caruso and Alexander is expected to become the league's top outside defense combination, perhaps second only to the Celtics' Holiday + White combination. On the offensive end, Alexander is a top five-level star in the league. His scoring ability and finishing ability at critical moments are first-class.

The Thunder team has effectively strengthened the shortcomings of the team's internal and external lines, and the team's strength has been steadily improved. The young and energetic lineup, coupled with a reasonable tactical system, makes the Thunder the throne of the regular season first next season, and it seems that there is no big problem at the moment.

2. The Houston Rockets

Rockets won the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference last season with unremitting efforts, but were eliminated by the Warriors in the first round due to lack of star firepower in the playoffs. But this summer's trade is a big deal. They successfully won Kevin Durant, the superstar's arrival, instantly increasing the Rockets' offensive firepower by several levels. Durant has unsolvable scoring ability. Whether it is mid-range shooting, three-point shooting, or breaking through the inside, he can pose a huge threat to his opponent. His existence will greatly improve the Rockets' offensive ability at critical moments.

At the same time, the Rockets also signed Dorian Finney-Smith, further enhancing the defensive strength of the front line. Finney Smith's excellent defensive awareness and defensive skills can effectively limit the opponent's scorers and inject new vitality into the team's defensive system. On the basis of retaining the original core lineup, young players such as Amen Thompson, Tari Ethan and Reed Shepard are expected to take on more important roles in the new season, and their growth will bring more surprises and potential to the team.

The Rockets have now created a team with a complete lineup, both depth and stars. Although their top talent may not be as good as the Thunder, they have no obvious shortcomings. In the new season, the Rockets will undoubtedly become one of the most competitive teams in the Western Conference and even the entire league. It is no difficult to reach the top two in the Western Conference or even reach the top.

3. The Denver Nuggets have a stable lineup structure for many years, and Jokic is strong in the core. Under his leadership, the team has maintained a high competitiveness. However, the team has also experienced some personnel changes during the offseason, which have made the team more perfect.

Michael Porter Jr.'s departure was exchanged for the stronger Cameron Johnson. This deal significantly improved the team's forward strength. Johnson has excellent three-point shooting ability and defensive skills. His arrival will open up more room for the team's offense and can also give the team more support on the defensive end. In addition, the team also introduced Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas (if he doesn't return to Europe). The addition of these players has greatly enhanced the team's substitute lineup depth, allowing the Nuggets to maintain strong competitiveness when the main players are resting.

In the new season, the Nuggets' starting strength remained basically unchanged, but the substitute strength has greatly improved, and the team has basically returned to the same level as the championship season. With the peak Jokic in charge, coupled with reasonable adjustments and strengthening of the lineup, the Nuggets will still be a strong team in the West next season and are expected to occupy the top three in the West.

4. The Los Angeles Lakers' series of operations during the offseason have significantly improved the team's strength and have also made them a strong contender for the top four in the West.

signed defensive champion Marcus Smart at a small price to make up for the shortcomings in the outside match. Smart is known for his tough defense and excellent organizational skills. His arrival can not only improve the Lakers' defensive strength on the outside, but also share the organizational pressure of James and Doncic, making the team's offense smoother. At the same time, DeAndre Aiton was introduced to consolidate the inside line and solved the long-standing problems of framing and rebounding. Ayton has excellent finishing ability at the basket and rebounding protection. The inside double towers formed by him and Davis will become an insurmountable barrier for the opponent.

At the role player level, the Lakers also renewed Jaxon Hayes and signed George Lavia, which enhanced the thickness of the bench. Hayes' athletic ability and frame protection ability can provide the team with more inside support, while Lavia has good offensive ability and three-point shooting ability, which can enrich the team's tactical system..

coach Reddick plans to implement a more flexible point guard-led system, allowing Doncic to control and James to become the core of the second organization. With Ayton's downward move and Smart's defensive oppression, the Lakers' lineup structure is significantly better than last season. Although the team's age structure is slightly polarized, as long as the core players remain healthy, the Lakers have the strength to reach the playoffs and even reach the Western Conference Finals, and it is not a big problem to occupy the top four in the Western Conference in the new season.

The competition in the Western Conference will still be extremely fierce in the new season, but judging from the current situation of each team, the four teams, the Thunder, Rockets, Nuggets and Lakers, are undoubtedly the most promising teams to occupy the top four in the Western Conference with their excellent lineup configuration, player strength and tactical system. Of course, the basketball game is full of uncertainty, and other teams may also emerge in the new season, but the strength and stability of these four teams have made them strong contenders in the top four in the West. Let us wait and see and look forward to the wonderful showdown in the new season together!