NBA Podcast: Predicting Biggest Pacific Division Surprises and Disappointments

The Pacific Division has numerous moving parts and nagging questions as the 2012-13 NBA season tips off.

In this episode of "Basketball by Association," NBA assistant editors Ethan Norof and Joel C. Cordes are joined by Lead Writer Josh Martin to nominate which Pacific Division players will surprise, disappoint and excel this year.

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The L.A. Lakers added two new superstars and completely retooled their bench. The L.A. Clippers also stocked their second unit with key role players, while the Golden State Warriors have an intriguing mix of high-profile incoming veterans and draft picks.

The Phoenix Suns completely rebuilt their starting lineup and hope that a few new bench parts can also contribute. Finally, the Sacramento Kings stayed relatively quiet this offseason, hoping that natural maturation can cure their years of stagnation. 

Selecting from among all this change is difficult, but we tab the key players who will contribute to the division's narrative all season long.

You can find our full team-by-team Pacific Division preview here.

You can also find our individual season previews for all 30 NBA teams here.