The Golden State Warriors established their position as the team to beat in the NBA when they posted a record-73 win last season. So when they managed to sign Kevin Durant after falling short to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals it was a clear message to the rest of the NBA that they are going to do whatever they can to take care of unfinished business. Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will lead the way for the Warriors but who will step up as an x-factor with so many stars in the mix? Here is a look at the biggest x-factor for the top five teams in the Western Conference.
Golden State Warriors
X-Factor: Andre Igudola
If there is one obvious potential problem to point out with this Golden State roster it could be the fact that they have too many stars on one roster. Head coach Steve Kerr will have to find a way to keep everybody happy with Curry, Thompson, Durant and Green each wanting their share of touches and it will be interesting to see how they move the ball around. While the focus remains on the stars, the key to their success come playoff time could be the role players that provide the glue that allows the stars to concentrate on their strengths. Iguodola could be the x-factor as the Warriors’ sixth man and a veteran that has proven his worth over the years. Iguodola might not need to contribute on offense but he will be relied on as Golden State’s best defender and an important role player that sacrifices his own numbers for the greater good of the team.
San Antonio Spurs
X-Factor: Danny Green
San Antonio will once again face an uphill climb trying to keep up with the Warriors in the Western Conference. They will need at least a couple of role players to step up in order to have any chance to contend for a championship. That includes the veteran shooting guard Danny Green, who they need to be able to rely on as a consistent shooter that keeps opposing defenses honest with his ability from beyond the arc. Green hit just 33.2-percent of his three-point attempts a year ago and will need to improve that number in order to deliver as an x-factor for the Spurs.
Los Angeles Clippers
X-Factor: Blake Griffin
The Clippers will enter the 2016-17 NBA season with more questions than answers in regards to their status as a legitimate contender in the Western Conference. The talent is there once again but the team’s inability to put all of the pieces together down the stretch and seriously contend for a championship over the last couple of seasons has created a level of pessimism surrounding the team. Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, DeAndre Jordan and Jamal Crawford will need to stay healthy and perform at a high level but the x-factor could be Griffin. There have been plenty of trade rumors surrounding Griffin since the off-court incident in which he broke his hand punching a team trainer in the middle of last season but if the Clippers are going to keep him they need to figure out how to use him best. Los Angeles has failed to maximize his potential over the past couple of years and Griffin’s emergence or lack thereof will definitely be an x-factor once again this season.
Memphis Grizzlies
X-Factor: JaMychal Green
The biggest x-factor for Memphis will be the ability to stay healthy, which has been a major problem with the core players on this roster over the past couple of years. The Grizzlies brought back Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, then signed Chandler Parsons in order to boost their scoring potential so the potential is there for this team to be a force if healthy. In terms of the actual roster the x-factor could be Green, who has the potential to take on more minutes as a young player in Memphis’ frontcourt rotation. Green continued his progress a year ago when he averaged 7.4 points and 4.8 rebounds in just 18.5 minutes per game a year ago. If he can emerge as a reliable rotational player it could take some pressure off of Gasol and Zach Randolph in order to keep them fresh and healthy for when it matters the most.
Oklahoma City Thunder
X-Factor: Ersan Ilyasova
The Thunder will definitely be an intriguing team to follow this season when the post-Durant era gets underway. Oklahoma City still has some considerable talent on its roster led by Russell Westbrook and the underrated trade that sent Serge Ibaka to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova and rookie Domantis Sabonis could prove to be a lot more crucial to the team’s success than people realize at this point. Oladipo will play substantial minutes but the biggest x-factor could very well be Ilyasova, who has the potential to breakout this season. Ilyasova is the type of consistent three-point shooter that could thrive as a stretch-four complimenting Enes Kanter and Steven Adams in the Thunder frontcourt so look for the 29-year-old to have a substantial impact despite being somewhat overlooked heading in to the 2016-17 season.
