Western Conference

Sporting News, The, May 21, 2001

MIDWEST DIVISION

DALLAS MAVERICKS: Despite getting dominated in the second round, the team was encouraged by its progress from perennial doormat to first-round playoff victor. The team will open next season as a solid Western Conference contender, even if it doesn't make any offseason improvements. Owner Mark Cuban has savored this taste of success, and he'll almost surely dig into his bottomless budget to make moves. Cuban will make every effort to re-sign Cs Shawn Bradley and Calvin both, both soon-to-be free agents. The team also will be shopping for at least one power player and a backcourt shooter to come off the bench. --Ken Sins

DENVER NUGGETS: The primary offseason focus will be to land a bona fide third scorer to complement PF Antonio McDyess and PG Nick Van Exel. The Nuggets hoped young talent would step up and fill that role, but C Raef LaFrentz and G/F James Posey had inconsistent seasons. SG Voshon Lenard filled the role at times, but he was inconsistent, too. The Nuggets will be looking for a Derek Anderson-type player, but they likely will have to find someone willing to accept the mid-level salary cap exception. --Michael BeDan

HOUSTON ROCKETS: PG Steve Francis, who is ready to assume a leadership role with the Rockets, showed further dedication to his craft by putting together a playoff road trip. He and SG Cuttino Mobley went to watch games from two different series. Francis claims the Rockets will be in the postseason next season. He guarantees the team won't endure another season of coming close only to fade down the stretch. He went to the games to take mental notes on how to improve his game and how to improve his team. He already has proved what he can do on the court. But Francis says the trip taught him a few valuable lessons about how to be a better leader, which is something the Rockets needed this season. --Michael Murphy

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: The team is preparing for the draft with a much different attitude than a year ago. It punted last year when it took PG Igor Rakocevic with the 51st selection. The team knew Rakocevic wasn't likely to play in the NBA anytime soon, but this year's second-round selection could be vital to the team's future. With the Joe Smith penalties taking away four first-round picks in the next five drafts, no room under the salary cap and few options to use in trades, there must be added emphasis on the draft. The team will scour the Phoenix, Portsmouth and Chicago pre-draft camps for undiscovered talent, keeping an eye open for centers and power forwards. --John Millea

SAN ANTONIO SPURS: Don't be surprised to see SG Derek Anderson return during the conference finals. His range of motion is surprisingly good already, and he has a history of being a fast healer that should allow him to play if the series goes beyond four games.... PG Terry Porter did what he was supposed to do against the Mavericks: hit the open 3-pointer or find others who can do the same. Porter provided some toughness, too. He was the first one to push Mavericks PF Juwan Howard away and bark at him after both of Howard's bone-jarring flagrant fouls. --Johnny Ludden

UTAH JAZZ: The team started and ended the season with the same 14 players under contract--12 on the active roster with two stashed on the injured list. Coach Jerry Sloan doesn't like change. He says that if he had his way, the same 14 players would be on the team next season. Obviously, that's not going to happen. Expect at least two additions and probably more. SF Andrei Kirilenko, a 1999 first-round draft pick, will be on the roster The Russian has a huge upside. Free agents PG John Stockton, PG Jacque Vaughn and SF David Benoit say they want to re-sign, but Benoit might end up losing his spot. --Loren Jorgensen

VANCOUVER GRIZZLIES: The team will hold its pre-draft player workouts in Vancouver. With approval on relocation to Memphis not yet finalized, the franchise had hoped to conduct the workouts from Chicago, home base to team owner Michael Heisley and president of basketball operations Dick Versace. The NBA wouldn't grant the team permission to do that.... The Grizzlies finished with the fourth-worst record in the league this season, a franchise-high 23 wins. That means the team will draft no lower than sixth overall and most likely will pick third or fourth after the order is determined in Sunday's lottery. --Howard Tsumura

PACIFIC DIVISION

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: The Warriors desperately wanted Duke PG Jason Williams to enter the draft. Starting PG Mookie Blaylock has only one more year remaining on his contract, and Williams would have been the perfect player to help escort him on the way out. The team believes point guard is its most pressing need. With Williams remaining in school, don't expect the Warriors to trade Blaylock this offseason.... SF Chris Mullin wants to return, but it isn't known if the team will have room for him. Mullin believes the new zone rules could make him a valuable player because shooting will be a priority. --Matt Steinmetz