The Western Conference looks to be even more competitive heading into the 2012/13 season thanks to a series of trades and signings this offseason. While the Thunder should remain the proverbial favorite led by their own Big 3, the Lakers have closed the gap with a flurry of moves including the acquisition of Dwight Howard along with Steve Nash. The Nuggets are another club to watch as the team added Andre Iguodala to its roster as a part of the Howard trade.
Here's the latest news from around the Western Conference…
- Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake City Tribune tracks the unlikely journey Dennis Lindsey took to become the general manager of the Jazz. Lindsey began his path to Utah after playing college ball at Baylor by coaching a variety of different sports at the high school level and serving as a special education teacher. It wasn't until Lindsey turned 27 that he received an entry-level opportunity with the Rockets that had him serve as a video scout, marking the first of 16 seasons of preparing for his new role with the Jazz.
- Stephen Curry's long-term future with the Warriors will be decided by five different factors, opines Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News. The fourth-year star's contract status, whether he re-signs or not, should be determined no sooner than hours before the October 31 deadline. Regardless of whether Curry can reach a deal with the Warriors, the former Davidson star will attract attention from around the league.
- The head coaching position in the NBA has been a revolving door for the majority of the league the past few season, writes Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld. Beyond the likes of the Spurs' Gregg Popovich, the Nuggets' George Karl and a handful of others, teams are seemingly becoming more likely to pull the plug on a coach in hopes of a quick fix.