Southwest Division
Mavericks | Rockets | Grizzlies | Pelicans | Spurs
First-round draftees will weigh heavily again in Dallas and Memphis as those teams look to refresh and reload for the future. Meanwhile, the divisional favorites searched for and found experience — Tobias Harris in San Antonio, Marcus Smart in Houston.
Dallas Mavericks
Cooper Flagg took home the 2025-26 Kia Rookie of the Year award.
The franchise was rejuvenated by the arrival of Cooper Flagg, who performed up to the standards of a No. 1 overall pick. But injuries bedeviled the Mavericks, who finished 26-56 and did not qualify for the postseason.
Offseason moves
• Additions: F Santi Aldama, F Tarik Biberovic, G Sergio de Larrea, F Morez Johnson, F Tobi Lawal, F Zaccharie Risacher, G Marcus Sasser
• Subtractions: F Marvin Bagley III, F Khris Middleton, G Ryan Nembhard, C Dwight Powell, G Klay Thompson, G Brandon Williams
2026-27 season outlook
Masai Ujiri, who built a championship team in Toronto, was tabbed to lead the franchise, and his first move was finding the next Dallas coach from the college ranks.
Dusty May won a national championship at Michigan before assuming the challenge of steering a young NBA team. It made sense that a college coach would assume a team with a youthful makeup.
That nucleus will include more front-line help in Johnson, who follows his coach from Michigan, and Risacher, the No. 1 overall pick from two years ago.
Kyrie Irving will be welcomed back from injury, yet if Flagg makes an All-Star turn, that would be the best news for the Mavericks.
Houston Rockets
After an underwhelming end to their season, the Rockets are hungry for more.
Kevin Durant averaged 25 points for yet another season, Amen Thompson came of age and Alperen Sengun took a star turn. The Rockets went 52-20 in a top-heavy West before losing in the first round of the postseason.
Offseason moves
• Additions: G Bogdan Bogdanović, G Marcus Smart, G Bruce Thornton
• Subtractions: G JD Davison, F Dorian Finney-Smith, G Jeff Green, G Aaron Holiday, G Josh Okogie
2026-27 season outlook
The Rockets apparently liked much of what they saw last season because the club didn’t make any drastic changes to the roster. At the very least, then, Houston should flirt with 50 wins again and position itself among the top five in the West, provided a few key factors are realized.
One is the return of Fred VanVleet, who missed all of last season while rehabbing. As insurance, the Rockets added another veteran point guard in Smart.
Also, Durant must defy age once again as he slowly approaches 38. Durant remains a feared scorer who demands double-teams at times. To bolster their outside shooting, the Rockets added Bogdanović, who’s among the league’s more efficient shooters from deep.
Finally, Sengun and Thompson must take another step in development. The Rockets have a solid mix of youth and vets to go beyond the first round next spring.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies selected Cameron Boozer with the 3rd pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
A major midseason trade involving Jaren Jackson and injuries to Ja Morant conspired to prevent the Grizzlies from gaining any traction or sustainability. They finished 25-57 and did not qualify for the postseason.
Offseason moves
• Additions: F Cameron Boozer, F Jerami Grant, G AJ Johnson, F Karim López, F Kris Murray, C Quinten Post, G D’Angelo Russell, G Richie Saunders, F Isaiah Stewart
• Subtractions: F Santi Aldama, G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, G Ja Morant
2026-27 season outlook
The Grizzlies are prepared to go full speed ahead without one of the quickest players in the NBA; Morant was finally dealt, after much speculation. His trade to the Trail Blazers ended an era in Memphis and gave this franchise the green light to adopt a new identity.
And that personality will be created by Boozer, one of the top players in college basketball. Boozer brings the ingredients that make him an ideal candidate for the face of the franchise.
The Grizzlies will now go forth with Boozer, Zach Edey, Cedric Coward and Grant, obtained in the Morant deal, to carve out a new identity and maybe more victories.
New Orleans Pelicans
Zion Williamson played in 62 games last season.
Zion Williamson played 62 games in what was a refreshing change of pace for the oft-injured former No. 1 overall pick, but the Pelicans nonetheless finished 26-56 and did not qualify for the postseason.
Offseason moves
• Additions: G Jaron Pierre Jr., G Trendon Watford
• Subtractions: F Kevon Looney
2026-27 season outlook
If the Pelicans plan to make changes this season, those moves must wait until the trade deadline. New Orleans was among the most inactive teams this offseason, confining its major move to the coaching staff.
Jamahl Mosley was tabbed as head coach after his tenure in Orlando. He’ll have virtually the same responsibilities as his previous job, to groom an emerging core of young players, led by Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears.
Ultimately, the Pelicans must decide if Dejounte Murray, Jordan Poole and Trey Murphy are part of the future as well, or part of the past. But that’s a decision that, as it turns out, will wait until February at the very least. In the meantime, the Pelicans hope an All-Star emerges, perhaps Zion?
San Antonio Spurs
After making the 2026 NBA Finals, the Spurs look to carry that momentum heading into next season.
Helped by an MVP finalist performance from Victor Wembanyama, the franchise went 62-20 and made a long-awaited return to the NBA Finals.
Offseason moves
• Additions: F Maliq Brown, G Ja’Kobi Gillespie, F Tobias Harris, F Jayden Quaintance, C Tarris Reed Jr.
• Subtractions: C Bismack Biyombo, C Kelly Olynyk, C Mason Plumlee, F Lindy Waters III
2026-27 season outlook
The Spurs didn’t cash in on their Finals trip last summer, victims of too many blown leads in their series with the Knicks. But there’s still every indication that the Spurs are just getting started.
Not only is the rotation filled with young developing talent, but there’s Wemby, of course, who seems humbled by his failure to win a title and motivated to make up for it.
The Spurs also had a productive offseason, adding more youth for the development program — namely Reed and Quaintance, a pair of big men from the draft, to be groomed for the future — and a veteran who arrives ready for the rotation.
Harris is coming off a solid stint in Detroit, where he polished his reputation and positioned himself for this, a chance to win a ring. His midrange shooting can only help the Spurs as they retool and recover with a solid rotation.
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at spowell@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.
