OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JUNE 14: Kevin Durant #35 of the Oklahoma City Thunder smiles before the Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Miami Heat in Game Two of the 2012 NBA Finals at Chesapeake Energy Arena on June 14, 2012 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)No matter how much the NBA has shifted during this month's free-agency and trading period, the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder remain the best two teams in the league.
But it has been fun to watch all the moving parts around the league, all with the intent of taking down the NBA champion Heat.
Here's one NBA reporter's take on how the league will shake out next season.
Western Conference:
1.Oklahoma City. The Thunder lost in the NBA Finals, but it's a team full of 20-something stars that's talented and now more experienced.
Kevin Durant, 24, is one of the NBA's best players. Russell Westbrook, 24, isn't the prototypical point guard, but he's one of the best athletes in the game and he's still improving. James Harden, 22, had a poor NBA Finals series, but was the league's sixth man of the year. Serge Ibaka, 22, has only gotten better every year.
2. Lakers. The addition of point guard Steve Nash, a two-time most valuable player, to go alongside Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol has made the Lakers much better. Bryant remains one of the top five players in the league and the Lakers have a size advantage over most teams.
They should be fun to watch, but the Lakers don't look ready yet to dethrone the Thunder in the West. However, things could change if the Lakers get Dwight Howard.
Meanwhile, the Lakers are not very far ahead of the teams ranked just below them.
3. San Antonio. Everyone wants to bury the Spurs, but they just go about their business.
They have one of the best coaches in Gregg Popovich and still have their Big Three — Tim Duncan (he hasn't signed yet, but where is he going?) — Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
4. Clippers. Not only do the Clippers have All-Stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, they also re-signed Chauncey Billups and acquired free-agent guard Jamal Crawford and Lamar Odom, a former sixth man of the year.
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