Team to beat: Call him Smaug or Bank of Ben, but GM Nenjabin has really brought the Boyd-ravaged Thunder to a point where we can’t talk about Boyd any longer in the context of the team. Despite some turmoil happening behind the scenes and about one hundred less news articles per quarter, the Thunder has reached a point where the roster is no longer peppered with blue-chip prospects, but legitimate NLL stars ready to take the Western Conference. Last season, the Thunder tapped out in the second round when the Sacto King stunned the team in the second round. This year, the Thunder is better than the Kings. The Thunder is better than a lot of teams in the NLL, making them the team to beat for the 2017-18 season.

Key storyline: Escaping the past. Each of the teams in the Northwest Conference are trying to shake the shackles of bad GMing and trying to make their way towards the elite status that has eluded them under crappy guidance. As I mentioned before, it took the Thunder years to reach this level after Boyd ran the organization into the ground. We have two words: Nolan. Smith. Don’t make emotional trades.

The Utah Jazz know a thing or two about bad skippers. Former GM Proid is likely to go down as one of the league’s worst and the Jazz was the first of three teams that crumbled in his wake. It has taken current GM Merencio a long time, but the Jazz are looking strong with players like LaMarcus Aldridge, Chris Paul and Andrew Wiggins running the show. Hell, if Proid was still in town, he would have traded them all for Metta World Peace and Rudy Gay.

No disrespect to current Orlando GM Javijoe (well, maybe a little), but he left the Minnesota Timberwolves in really bad shape when he skipped town for the Magic Kingdom. Current GM Spudspace had his work cut out for him and using his cutthroat trading techniques, he has turned the Pups back into contenders. He even ganked DeMarcus Cousins from Javi! This team looks like a contender.

The Nuggets are in a different situation. GM Rootsey took over a team from a GM (Nick) who ran a pretty tight ship. Sadly, towards the end of Nick’s tenure, the Nuggets talent began to erode a bit. GM Rootsey came to town, held onto John Wall, and managed the transform the Nuggets into a perennial contender.

Then there’s Portland. GM Toby, though initially shaky, is doing a tremendous job with the lowly Blazers. If there is anyone the admin staff let stay in the NLL too long, it’s DJdrew. This organization needed a big SOS and now, though far away from contender status, the team actually has some bright spots on-board (and even Rudy Gay!) which are the building blocks for a potentially strong franchise.

Five best players:

1) Timberwolves C DeMarcus Cousins- Cousins is an absolute beast and a DMC and Danilo Gallinari front court is pretty scary. GM Spudspace got the tempestuous player for a song last season (nice work, Javi!) and he appears ready to do some damage for the Timberwolves! 30 points and 12 rebounds a game is some pretty intense stuff. Just don’t get him angry!

2) Nuggets PG John Wall- The Nuggets know that John Wall is a franchise player. They have had since 2013 following a trade with the Portland Blazers and they have him locked up for six more years. As a floor general, Wall has elevated the Nuggets. Though his points per game dropped last season, his assists skyrocketed, showing that Wall can do it all, and even help his teammates get into the game as well.

3) Jazz PF LaMarcus Aldridge – After numerous up and down years in Philly, LMA looks to have finally found a good home in Salt Lake City. The big man just inked a big extension this summer to stick with the Jazz. GM Merencio pursued the power forward for years and once Jabari Parker came on the scene (and then went) in Philly, LMA was not needed. The Sixers would love to have him now.

4) Thunder C- Nikola Jokic- GM Nenjabin loves finding steals in the 2^nd round and Nikola Jokic is exactly that. Drafted at #33 back in 2014, Jokic finally assumed the mantle and pushed Jonas Valanciunas out of town. While his defensive game is quite good, Jokic is a monster offensive player. He has a whopping 90 offensive rating. While there may be bigger names on the Thunder, Jokic may very well be the team’s best player.

5) Thunder PG- Dennis Schroder – I am listing Schroder because he should be starting. GM Nenjabin should either trade Ricky Rubio or move him to the bench in favor of Schroder. The German player is looking to break out this season and GM Nenjabin should give him the keys after signing a huge extension. He’s just that good.

Sleeper: It may feel like he’s been around forever, but Eric Gordon is only 28 years old. Bounced around a bit last season, Gordon has found a starting role with the Denver Nuggets. Working alongside John Wall, this could be Gordon’s year to shine as his point guard feeds him sharp passes and helps him create open looks all night long.

Breakout Star: His massive extension with Nuggets seemed to come out of the blue, but Norman Powell could be poised for something great this season. Long and athletic, Powell is turning into something more, the type that can lead a team’s offense. Currently relegated to only 15 minutes per night, Powell has some serious competition to cut through in Gordon, Otto Porter and Dwyane Wade before he gets minutes, but if he does get the time, he can really prove to the Nuggets fans why he got paid some much.

Best newcomer: DeMarcus Cousins. He could quite possibly help bring another title back to the Twin Cities if he doesn’t manage to get suspended along the way.

Prediction: Oklahoma City has this division again this year. The competition is gaining, but they aren’t there yet. The Timberwolves, under some new guidance, will finish second, the Nuggets third and the Jazz fourth. All four of these teams may make the playoffs. The Blazers will come in last and will have to fight ending the season with the league’s worst record. And thanks to DJDrew, they don’t even have their pick.