The Southwest Division in the NBA will have eyes on them. The Houston Rockets made a big splash with the trade for Russell Westbrook to pair with James Harden. The San Antonio Spurs slipped a bit last season but with DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge, they should get back on track.

The Memphis Grizzlies are in a rebuilding stage with the young PG Ja Morant. The Dallas Mavericks could have a dangerous duo with Kristaps Porzingis and Luka Doncic. The New Orleans Pelicans have a young squad with Zion Williams, Brandon Ingram, and Lonzo Ball. Who will come out on top?

Here are the predictions for the Southwest Division for the 2019-20 NBA Season

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies just have too many players with question marks. It starts with rookie Ja Morant. Was his draft position a result of consistency or a one-year wonder? Nevertheless, the Grizzlies are handing the keys to their rebuild to him. Dillion Brooks is a project who might be better coming off the bench. With a young backcourt, the Grizz will rely on their frontcourt for scoring, defense, and leadership.

The question is– how much does Jae Crowder have left and can Jonas Valanciunas keep climbing? Crowder is a great defender but his offensive output has never been confused with that of Paul George's. The SF position is a concern unless Jaren Jackson can come into his own.  The Grizzlies will struggle this season but there will be some bright spots along the way.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks are praying that Kristaps Porzingis is ready to go. If the former New York Knick, if healthy, then their rebuild window just became a bit smaller. Pairing Porzingis with Luka Doncic should give the Mavs a great starting point for the future. Where the issues will start for the Mavs will be the backcourt. If they can get the production needed from Delon Wright, the Mavs could win 30+ games.

For a team that finished 21st in points and 13th in defense, one would think the Mavs should have been better. But there was so much going on and off the court with trades and injuries, we've yet to see them at full strength. Porzingis is a good defender with his length but will the rest of the team follow his lead? What type of season will Doncic have now that teams will have their sights set on the shooter? What it will boil down to for the Mavericks is their PG spot.

New Orleans Pelicans

Despite being in a division with the Rockets and Spurs, the New Orleans Pelicans will be the team to watch in the Southwest Division in 2019. After a roster overhaul to trade away Anthony Davis, the young Pelicans could cause issues for teams. A Lonzo Ball and Jrue Holiday backcourt is not the same as Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson but they will be productive. Rookie Zion Williamson will provide highlights but his lack of a perimeter game will haunt the team.

If Derrick Favors ever learns how to rebound, he could easily avenge 18 points and 11 rebounds per game. He needs motivation. It's time for Brandin Ingram to break out of his shell. He has the tools that Paul George and Kawhi Leonard has but not the desire. Adding J.J. Redick was a great move to go along with Jahlil Okafor and Josh Hart for the second unit. If everything falls in place, the Pelicans could be in play for the 8th seed.

San Antonio Spurs

We should expect DeMar DeRozan to come out the gate firing. It's not that he has something to prove as an individual but more so to the effect that the Toronto Raptors won a title the same season he was traded. In the paint, LaMarcus Aldridge has to be wondering if he's capable of doing more. Last season, the Spurs averaged just 111.7 points per game (18th) but their defense took a hit with their best one-on-one defender gone.

Gregg Popovich has to find a way to right the ship. While the playoffs have always been a part of his mystic as a coach, the Spurs almost let that streak slip away. Now, with teams in the West getting stronger, the Spurs could find themselves on the outside looking in. If Dejounte Murray is healthy and the bench can find some reliable scoring, the Spurs may do just enough again to fight off one the up and coming teams for the 8th spot.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets will easily run away with the Southwest Division this coming season. James Harden and Clint Capela alone were enough. But now, with the addition of Mr. Triple Double himself, Russell Westbrook, no one stands a chance. The major glaring hole on the Rockets will be their legs.

Adding Westbrook with Harden will give them the best backcourt in the league. However, unlike Chris Paul, Westbrook takes no days off. In the last four seasons, Westbrook has missed just 14 games total. Harden is much of the same. In the last four seasons, he's only missed 14 games while both players have averaged 35+ minutes per. If the Rockets can keep both players fresh for the playoffs, there may not be anything stopping them from a championship run.