Most Important Players: Pacific Division

Our latest series at Basketball Insiders on the most important player for each NBA team wraps up this week with the Pacific Division. The Pacific Division is home to the defending champion Golden State Warriors, and a bunch of other teams with some question marks.

Can the Los Angeles Clippers bounce back from the loss of Chris Paul and still be a threat in the playoffs? Will the great offseason and draft that the Sacramento Kings had on paper translate into the regular season once games begin? Can Lonzo Ball impact the Los Angeles Lakers as much as some seem to think he will? Will the Phoenix Suns’ collection of young talent show on court improvement from seasons past?

In any case, each team in the Pacific Division has one key player on the team that will be crucial to whatever success they wish to have this upcoming season. Here’s a look at who those players are.

Golden State Warriors – Klay Thompson

You could probably put Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, or Draymond Green at this spot and it wouldn’t be wrong at all. That’s part of what makes the Warriors so lethal — they have so many different guys who can hurt opponents in so many different ways. Curry and Durant are MVP caliber guys who will give you MVP level production night in and night out. Green is the glue that anchors the Warriors defense. But Thompson just might be their most important player.

An All-NBA and All-Star caliber player in his own right, Thompson had to make some sacrifices with the addition of Durant. Despite that, he still managed to put up 22.3 points per game on 46.8 percent shooting from the field, and 41.4 percent from the three-point line. He’s become so good at moving without the ball and he has such a quick stroke that even a second of separation from his defender is enough time for him to bury a jumper. When Thompson is on, which is pretty much every game, the Warriors are that much more difficult to defend.

Thompson’s contract with the Warriors runs for another two years, and he’s made comments recently about potentially taking a discount to remain with the team. He doesn’t need many shots to be effective and he’s arguably the Warriors best perimeter defender. If the Warriors hope to win back to back titles, Thompson will most definitely play a major role.

Los Angeles Clippers – DeAndre Jordan

Yes, the Clippers were able to retain potential MVP candidate and franchise cornerstone Blake Griffin in free agency, but the one player who their success depends on might just be DeAndre Jordan. Jordan definitely benefitted from playing alongside Paul, as do most players who play with an elite playmaker like that. But he’s improved his offensive game in his own right. He’s also developed into one of the top interior defenders and rebounders in the league.

This past season, Jordan tied a career-high in points per game with 12.7. He excels in the pick and roll and with a potential playmaker like Milos Teodosic feeding him the ball, not to mention Griffin, who is a solid playmaker in his own right, Jordan’s offensive production might not see much of a drop-off if any at all. His ability to attack the glass often results in second-chance opportunities for the team. On the defensive end, however, is where he’ll earn his money. Even if he’s not blocking shots, his mere presence in the paint is sometimes enough to deter opponents.

If the Clippers hope to keep pace in the Western Conference and not experience too much of a drop-off following the loss of Paul, they’ll need close to All-Star production from Jordan. He was a first-time All-Star this past season and is right in the prime of his career. One area where he might be able to take his game to another level is passing out of the post. He’s often swarmed by defenders looking to keep him off the offensive glass, and he might be able to create open looks for the Clippers shooters.

Los Angeles Lakers – Lonzo Ball

The Lakers have not had a rookie with as much hype as Lonzo Ball since they obtained Kobe Bryant back in 1996. Even then, Bryant was a relative unknown that suffered through growing pains and bench duty before he developed into the superstar that helped lead the franchise to five titles. Ball most likely will be thrown to the wolves from the get-go and probably be under the national media microscope for his entire rookie year.

With that said, the Lakers have not had a potential playmaker in the mold of Ball since Magic Johnson donned the purple and gold. In his lone college season, Ball transformed the UCLA Bruins into a powerhouse. While not as flashy as Johnson was, Ball has excellent court vision and playmaking instincts that he’s already shown in both summer league and preseason so far.

It’s probably safe to say that Ball will have the basketball in his hands quite a bit this upcoming season. He might not put up gaudy scoring numbers, but he will make everyone around him better. Since he isn’t such an explosive scorer yet, he might get passed over when it comes time for Rookie of the Year voting, but his impact on the Lakers will surely be felt. If the Lakers hope to use this season as a means to potentially attract max-level players next summer, Ball’s presence will definitely play a factor in that.

Phoenix Suns – Devin Booker

The list of players who have scored 70 or more points in an NBA game is incredibly small. There’s Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, David Thompson, David Robinson, Elgin Baylor, and after this past season, Devin Booker. At age 20, Booker is one of the youngest players in the league but is also a player with some of the biggest potential.

In only his second season, Booker led the Suns in scoring with 22.8 points per game. Working on his all-around game, however, Booker’s 3.4 assists per game were third on the team behind only Eric Bledsoe (6.3) and Tyler Ulis (3.7), both of whom were the Suns’ primary point guards. He’s already putting his name in the conversation as one of the league’s most gifted and explosive scorers, and there are still several levels he could realistically reach.

A potential franchise cornerstone, as Booker continues to improve his all-around skill set, he’ll start getting more and more recognition as one of the top players in the league. It’s not impossible that the Suns compete for a playoff spot this season, just highly improbable given the number of talented teams in the Western Conference. But if they do surprise a few teams, and if/when they’re ready to take that next leap as a team, Booker will almost assuredly be leading the way.

Sacramento Kings – George Hill

This past summer, George Hill was one of the most sought-after free agent point guards. A veteran with lots of playoff experience, Hill would help nearly every team in the league. He ended up taking a deal with the Kings, a team that has been plagued with misfortune and hasn’t sniffed the postseason in over a decade. Following a very solid draft and offseason, the Kings are hoping that this season can be the beginning of a turnaround with Hill leading the way.

Although he suffered through some nagging injuries last season, when he did play, Hill had a big impact on the Utah Jazz offense. His 16.9 points per game were a career-high. He shot 47.7 percent from the field and 40.3 percent from three-point range. He’s also always been one of the better defensive point guards in the league. But perhaps the biggest impact he’ll have for the Kings this upcoming season is his veteran leadership, particularly when it comes to rookie DeAaron Fox.

Hill will most likely begin the season as the starting point guard, and depending on Fox’s play, might stay there for the duration of the season. What he’ll provide for Fox, however, is invaluable. Fox will be learning from one of the best in the business and it’ll have a big impact on his career going forward. It’s not likely that the Kings contend for anything this season, but whatever they’re hoping to accomplish, Hill is a great player to have.

It’s obvious that the Warriors are miles and miles ahead of every other team in the division. But the rest of the pack still have nice collections of talent that will probably be worth watching and paying attention to as the season progresses. The players mentioned here will definitely be ones to look out for and will play an important role in wherever their teams ultimately land.