THE Western Conference is being appraised as a two-team conference as the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder are so tightly assembled, with young coaches and players on an upward trajectory, not to mention MVP-level leaders. Both teams have fulfilled the team-building paradigm, and with the punitive salary cap, it is now very difficult to assemble a quick-build superteam to challenge them. Having three max players will propel teams into the second apron which carries too many restrictions that the rest of the team will consist of mid-range to minimum players. So how can other Western teams catch up? The Thunder and Spurs are led by two top 5 players in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama, respectively. The teams were built around them, and it led to their seemingly invincible status. No one could beat them except each other. Then the New York Knicks emerged in the East and went all the way. It not only showed that it was possible to slay giants, the Knicks also made a blueprint of how to break a young superteam. How about the Los Angeles Lakers? The awkward transition phase is finally finished for the LA Lakers. This is now the team of Luka Doncic, and the front office made moves to build the roster as such. Nagging issues are now addressed, although there was a steep price to pay. They basically mortgaged their future for center Walker Kessler but that is a gamble the team has to make. On the surface, Kessler is an ideal pick-and-roll partner for Luka. They now have the same paradigm as the Spurs and Thunder: a primary playmaker, a secondary shooter/scorer and a defensive anchor-big man. For OKC, it’s SGA, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. For the Spurs, it’s Wemby, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper. The Lakers have Doncic, Austin Reaves and Kessler. It’s a similar paradigm, but they also have veteran pieces that could complement them, just like the Knicks, albeit not on the same level. If all goes well for the Lakers, they could emerge as the possible third power in the West. It makes more sense than the arguments for the LaMelo Ball-Anthony Edwards backcourt pairing in Minnesota and the Houston Rockets crew built on Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun. At this new age of the NBA, this is the “superteam” that the Lakers can assemble. Other key pieces are Sandro Mamukelashvili (or Mamu), who has the European pedigree that jells with Luka. And then there is Quentin Grimes, who can also score in bunches. The hope is that some rookie contract and second-chance guys like Matisse Thybulle would emerge as hidden gems, although expectations should be tempered. An unexplored angle in the waiving of Dalton Knecht is that their camp may have actually welcomed it. There was controversy when Knecht was waived when Bronny James was still on the roster. Knecht was obviously a better overall player, and LeBron James was no longer on the team so they no longer needed to please him. However, reports state that Knecht himself may have approved the move, short of volunteering himself. The Lakers simply had better players at his position, specifically Reaves. Acquiring Grimes and drafting Cameron Carr practically closed the thin door. The Lakers appear more structured this season with players having more defined roles. They did not have the patience to experiment or wait on Dalton’s development, despite the clear potential. But there is interest with other teams, so it may be a blessing in disguise. Lakers fans are up in arms, as Knecht was seen as a smart pick, yet he went from the steal of the 2024 NBA Draft to getting waived. Are the Lakers too impatient, or was it tough luck for Knecht that the market yielded players from his position? Gilas update Positive news for Gilas Pilipinas on the November window. Mike Phillips has confirmed his commitment to play for the national team. The former La Salle stalwart has been balling in the B.League and his energy is much needed for the squad. However, what coach Tim Cone should resolve is the naturalized player slot. If Justin Brownlee can’t make it, perhaps Ange Kouame should be secured in time for the next window of the qualifiers. The Philippines could not afford to lose games anymore.