by Michael Whittenberg, Bleacher Report, Special to FOXSports.com

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As of now, it looks as if things will be the same this upcoming season. The winners of the division, the New Orleans Hornets, took just about everyone by surprise by winning 56 games. And they now have James Posey, who signed as an unrestricted free agent during the summer.

The San Antonio Spurs didn't make any big offseason moves, but as always, they are expected to be contenders. The Houston Rockets added firepower to their solid lineup when they acquired Ron Artest. The Dallas Mavericks will have Jason Kidd for a full season.

Last and certainly least, the Memphis Grizzlies, who only won 22 games last season, ended up with a high draft pick — but aren't expected to compete for the division crown.

Now that the small talk is out of the way, let's take a look at the Southwest Division team-by-team:

San Antonio Spurs

Since 2003, the Spurs have won an NBA championship every other season. Will it happen this year?

The savvy Spurs will enter the season with the same mentality they've had the last six seasons or so: championship or bust. They didn't make any major acquistions, but they lost a vital role player — Brent Barry — to their division rivals in Houston.

Their leading scorer, Manu Ginobili, wasn't 100 percent in the Western finals after hurting his ankle in the previous series. He re-injured the same ankle during the Olympics and won't be back until November or December.

The Spurs may still be a championship contender, but they aren't getting any younger. Ginobili is 32, and Tim Duncan will turn 33 before season's end. Bruce Bowen is 37, and Michael Finley and Kurt Thomas will both enter the season at 35.

Expect for San Antonio to win at least 50 games, and to look their best after the All-Star break. That's just how they roll.

Projected record: 51-31 (third in division)

New Orleans Hornets

James Posey decided to leave Beantown after winning his second NBA championship and now hopes to do the same in the Big Easy. Posey isn't All-Star material, but his defense and three-point shooting were key components in Boston's championship run.

Byron Scott did a tremendous job coaching the Hornets last season. Chris Paul had a breakout season and earned his first All-Star appearance and runner-up for MVP. David West joined him for his All-Star debut as well. Tyson Chandler, a beast on the boards who was among the league leaders in blocked shots, also returns.

The question is whether the Hornets, who fell to the Spurs in the conference semifinals, are ready to take the next step.

Are they playoff bound? Yes. Championship bound? Maybe. The addition of Posey won't show up on the stat sheet, but his presence puts the Hornets closer than they were last season. They will be favored to win the Southwest, but one team may stand in their way.

Projected record: 54-24 (second)

Houston Rockets

The Rockets made the big move in the division during the offseason by acquiring Ron Artest. Though people may not like him because of his history, Artest is one of the most indispensable players in the league.

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• East: | | Southeast
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On paper, Houston doesn't have many weaknesses and its defense just got better with Artest. And if Luis Scola plays the way he did in Beijing, Houston may have the best offense in the division.

The Rockets have championship talent, but everyone will ask the same question: Can they stay healthy?

Tracy McGrady already has back and shoulder problems. Yao Ming seems to break something every season. Also, Shane Battier, their best defender, just suffered a foot injury that will sideline him at least four weeks.

Like San Antonio, health plays a major part in Houston's success. But things are more dicey for this team considering the history of T-Mac and Yao.

Projected record: 56-26 (first)

Dallas Mavericks

The window of opportunity may have already closed for Dallas. After losing a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals in 2006, the Mavs have suffered back-to-back losses in the first round of the playoffs.

On the positive side, Rick Carlisle is the new head coach, and they will have Jason Kidd for a full season. With Carlisle on board Dallas should play better team defense, but don't count on much. Kidd, on the other hand, is now 38 and struggles to defend quicker point guards.

Their role players — Jerry Stackhouse, Eddie Jones and Erick Dampier — are aging as well. Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and Josh Howard may be the only bright spots for this team, and Howard tends to disappear come playoff time.

Projected record: 50-32 (fourth)

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies were one of the worst teams in the Western Conference last season. It didn't help that they gave away their best player, Pau Gasol. But Marc Gasol, Pau's brother, will join the team this year. Marc looked pretty solid in the Olympics, but he's no Pau.

While there is good upside to this team, they won't return to the playoffs this season. Memphis lost one of its key players in Juan Carlos Navarro, who decided to return to Europe to play. Mike Miller was also traded away, though in return they got rookie guard O.J. Mayo, a potential star.

They still have Rudy Gay, Kyle Lowry and Mike Conley Jr., three guys who have tremendous upside.

Memphis will end up dead last in this division once again, but they are a young team on the rise.

Projected record: 30-52 (fifth)

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