The NBA offseason has been littered with intriguing storylines, and multiple teams in the Pacific Division have drastically altered their rosters.
Whether it be through trades or free agency, the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Sacramento Kings will all look a bit different to begin the 2023-24 season.
The Pacific Division was one of the most competitive divisions in the league last season, with only five games separating first and last place. With all five teams having reasons to be hopeful entering the upcoming campaign, we’ll look at the best bet to win the division and which team could surprise by the season’s end.
Pacific Division Winner Odds 2023-24
NBA odds used for these best bets are from Thursday, July 13, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Phoenix Suns (+160)
- Golden State Warriors (+280)
- Los Angeles Lakers (+350)
- Los Angeles Clippers (+500)
- Sacramento Kings (+1000)
The Suns enter as the favorites following the acquisition of Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards earlier this offseason. The Warriors retained Draymond Green and landed Chris Paul via trade from the Wizards, leading some to believe they can still compete.
The Lakers and Clippers have their talented duos intact (LeBron James/Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard/Paul George). However, the Lakers were more aggressive in free agency to surround their tandem with more talent.
Lastly, the Kings — who won the division in 2022-23 — were somewhat quiet in free agency, as their most notable move was trading for Chris Duarte.
Pacific Division Winner Best Bet
Phoenix Suns (+160)
Picking the Suns to win the Pacific Division isn’t going to be contrarian this offseason.
Phoenix is just two seasons removed from playing in the NBA Finals, and it now has a trio of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Beal to lean on, along with a championship-winning head coach in Frank Vogel replacing Monty Williams.
- Read why Phoenix is among the favorites in our NBA Finals odds.
There are certainly injury concerns with their All-Star trio, and Phoenix’s roster is unquestionably top-heavy, with Deandre Ayton also having an expensive contract.
It could take time for the new-look Suns to get acclimated to one another, but it’s tough to envision them struggling in the regular season as long as two or three of their top players are always on the floor.
Pacific Division Winner Sleeper Pick
Sacramento Kings (+1000)
What if Mike Brown has the Kings prepared to contend again in the Pacific Division?
Sacramento sat atop the standings last season with a 48-34 record despite being bounced in the first round of the playoffs against a much more experienced Warriors squad in seven hard-fought games.
Even though it wasn’t the outcome they wanted, the experience of even advancing to the postseason could benefit the Kings, who have All-NBA talent in De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis to lead the charge.
Keegan Murray figures to improve in his second season, and the likes of Malik Monk, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, and Duarte could make the Kings a threat to win the division again this season.