NBA offseason and free agency is in full swing and multiple "star" players have decided to take their talents west. Two of the top players on the move this year were not free agents, but were traded by their organizations ( Paul George to Oklahoma City and Jimmy Butler to Minnesota). Through free agency and the trade block the Eastern Conference appears to have gotten weaker. The only major "star" or large free agency signing moving East was the Boston Celtics signing former Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward.
Listed Below is Sports Illustrated's Top 25 NBA players of 2017 (pre-season 2016-2017 list)
25. Kyrie Irving, PG, Cleveland Cavaliers
24. Carmelo Anthony, SF, New York Knicks
23. Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Minnesota Timberwolves
22. Marc Gasol, C, Memphis Grizzlies
21. Damian Lillard, PG, Portland Trailblazers
20. DeAndre Jordan, C, Los Angeles Clippers
19. Klay Thompson, SG, Golden State Warriors
18. Al Horford, C, Boston Celtics
17. John Wall, PG, Washington Wizards
16. Jimmy Butler, SG, Chicago Bulls (traded to Minnesota Timberwolves)
15. Paul Millsap, PF, Atlanta Hawks (signed with Denver Nuggets)
14. Kyle Lowry, PG, Toronto Raptors
13. Draymond Green, PF, Golden State Warriors
12. DeMarcus Cousins, C, Sacramento Kings (traded midseason to New Orleans Pelicans)
11. LaMarcus Aldrige, PF, San Antonio Spurs
10. Blake Griffin, PF, Los Angeles Clippers
9. Paul George, SF, Indiana Pacers (traded to Oklahoma City Thunder)
8. Anthony Davis, PF, New Orleans Pelicans
7. James Harden, SG, Houston Rockets
6. Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Antonio Spurs
5. Russel Westbrook, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder
4. Chris Paul, PG, Los Angeles Clippers (traded to Houston Rockets)
3. Steph Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors
2. Kevin Durant, SF, Golden State Warriors
1. Lebron James, SF, Cleveland Cavaliers
Clearly this list is out of date, five of these players are in a different city and in what current list is LaMarcus Aldrige the eleventh best player? In what current list is there a center in the top fifteen (maybe DeMarcus Cousins) and what list doesn't have DeMar DeRozan, Isaiah Thomas, Gordon Hayward, or Giannis Antetokounmpo on it?
The Western Conference has been the superior conference for a few years, but due to the recent movement of some basketball's best, the scales now tip even further in the West's favor. At the beginning of last year (2016-2017) SI's list had eight of the top ten in the West and only nine of the twenty five best in the East. As of now (July 8, 2017) those numbers change to nine of the top ten in West and only six of the top twenty five players reside in the Eastern Conference. Free agency and the offseason are not even close to the end and more movement is probable. After the 2015-2016 season the conception was the West was the far greater conference and it had been for sometime. Then the talk midseason last year shifted to 'the West is just better and not as good as everyone had hyped it up to be'. Now the talk has to be the Western is so superior to the East it is not even laughable. The West's star power out matches the East's nineteen to six, and we all know that the NBA is a star powered league.
What will happen with this shift of talent? Will it cause a change to playoff structure and will the competition between far superior Western Conference teams take a toll on their win columns due to competition within?
Listed Below is Sports Illustrated's Top 25 NBA players of 2017 (pre-season 2016-2017 list)
25. Kyrie Irving, PG, Cleveland Cavaliers
24. Carmelo Anthony, SF, New York Knicks
23. Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Minnesota Timberwolves
22. Marc Gasol, C, Memphis Grizzlies
21. Damian Lillard, PG, Portland Trailblazers
20. DeAndre Jordan, C, Los Angeles Clippers
19. Klay Thompson, SG, Golden State Warriors
18. Al Horford, C, Boston Celtics
17. John Wall, PG, Washington Wizards
16. Jimmy Butler, SG, Chicago Bulls (traded to Minnesota Timberwolves)
15. Paul Millsap, PF, Atlanta Hawks (signed with Denver Nuggets)
14. Kyle Lowry, PG, Toronto Raptors
13. Draymond Green, PF, Golden State Warriors
12. DeMarcus Cousins, C, Sacramento Kings (traded midseason to New Orleans Pelicans)
11. LaMarcus Aldrige, PF, San Antonio Spurs
10. Blake Griffin, PF, Los Angeles Clippers
9. Paul George, SF, Indiana Pacers (traded to Oklahoma City Thunder)
8. Anthony Davis, PF, New Orleans Pelicans
7. James Harden, SG, Houston Rockets
6. Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Antonio Spurs
5. Russel Westbrook, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder
4. Chris Paul, PG, Los Angeles Clippers (traded to Houston Rockets)
3. Steph Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors
2. Kevin Durant, SF, Golden State Warriors
1. Lebron James, SF, Cleveland Cavaliers
Clearly this list is out of date, five of these players are in a different city and in what current list is LaMarcus Aldrige the eleventh best player? In what current list is there a center in the top fifteen (maybe DeMarcus Cousins) and what list doesn't have DeMar DeRozan, Isaiah Thomas, Gordon Hayward, or Giannis Antetokounmpo on it?
The Western Conference has been the superior conference for a few years, but due to the recent movement of some basketball's best, the scales now tip even further in the West's favor. At the beginning of last year (2016-2017) SI's list had eight of the top ten in the West and only nine of the twenty five best in the East. As of now (July 8, 2017) those numbers change to nine of the top ten in West and only six of the top twenty five players reside in the Eastern Conference. Free agency and the offseason are not even close to the end and more movement is probable. After the 2015-2016 season the conception was the West was the far greater conference and it had been for sometime. Then the talk midseason last year shifted to 'the West is just better and not as good as everyone had hyped it up to be'. Now the talk has to be the Western is so superior to the East it is not even laughable. The West's star power out matches the East's nineteen to six, and we all know that the NBA is a star powered league.
What will happen with this shift of talent? Will it cause a change to playoff structure and will the competition between far superior Western Conference teams take a toll on their win columns due to competition within?
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