One Thing Needful: The Five Worst NBA Teams Must Make This Move

Most teams have about 15 games left in their regular seasons. They've already begun to construct plans for after the playoffs—or the lack thereof.

That leaves us just enough time to evaluate what their offseasons should look like.

Dr. Trade has already identified which rosters need to be blown up completely: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/360344-makeover-please-nba-rosters-that-need-a-new-look.

I've also pointed out the franchises that should leave their squads relatively intact after the season: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/362750-looking-good-nba-rosters-that-dont-need-much.

Now, let's momentarily stop averting our eyes and investigate the league's bottom five teams.

While these franchises are not going to turn everything around in just one step, here are the most pressing issues that must be addressed if these squads are to expect a better outcome next season.

This list might look a little different a few weeks from now, especially if the 76ers and the Pistons continue to stink up the joint at their present rates.

We'll look for an updated list at season's end, if need be.

For now, listen up, all you bottom feeders! I hope you're taking notes. After all, I am a doctor.

5. Indiana Pacers

This undertalented group made my previous list of rosters that need to be gutted. To arrogantly quote myself:

"They are in the process of rebuilding. They do have some young guys who are being given adequate development minutes. The problem is that this team is so deficient in overall talent that middling veteran rotation players like Mike Dunleavy, Troy Murphy, Earl Watson, TJ Ford, and Dahntay Jones are all being asked to overachieve in star-level minutes, just so they're not blown out every night."

Overall lack of depth is an issue, but if you have to pick one position that needs the most attention, shooting guard probably sticks out the most.

Sure, Ford, AJ Price, and Watson have all spent time in Jim O'Brien's doghouse at the point, but Jones, Brandon Rush, and Luther Head have not exactly lit the world on fire at the two spot.

Out of that group, Jones is the only one who has even shown flashes of deserving major rotation minutes—and his realistic ceiling is as a defensive specialist who can provide the occasional 20-point game.

Dunleavy's ongoing injuries haven't helped either, but it's hopefully been proven a long time ago that the 6'9" shooter is too slow to be a game-long two guard.

An explosive, well-rounded scorer would pair well with the extremely solid Danny Granger and the yeoman frontline work of Murphy and Roy Hibbert.

Hopefully, Price will end up grabbing hold of the point guard spot for next season—and not have to do much more than facilitate for Granger and a new shooting guard upgrade.

Needed skill set: Joe Johnson

4. Washington Wizards

Much has been made about the final demise of Washington's starting lineup, as four-fifths of that group was unceremoniously given away following Gilbert Arenas' suspension.

To be honest, though, that lineup had hit its underachieving peak a long time ago. Realized all too late were the facts that Agent Zero's near-eternal contract had too many aughts in it, at least two major cogs were nearly always injured at one time, and that even when healthy, this group could never get past Cleveland—much less the East's elite.

What's left now is a group of talented youngsters with incomplete games, a lack of overall decision-making, and not a lot of bench firepower remaining.

I'm convinced that JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche can anchor this frontline in the future. I think that Al Thornton and Josh Howard—if the latter is re-signed—are also athletic pieces that can fit an up-tempo style of play.

I just don't see how either Randy Foye or Arenas is the right fit with the aforementioned quartet. Both are ball-dominating tweener guards: neither true ones nor twos.

While being able to create and make big shots would be needed with this group, Foye is most successful as a sixth man who can spot minutes at both guard positions before he's overexposed.

Arenas' need for new scenery—and the fact that he's more successful when he's receiving the ball in transition—also mean that he's probably not the right guy to run the point.

So it comes down to this: Either Washington needs to make major changes at its two-through-five spots, or it needs to find a guard who can push the tempo, create shots, and make up for a shooting guard who is going to be undersized.

Since Arenas' contract is immovable, this franchise will probably have to make moves elsewhere in the lineup. I'd recommend Howard being released or moved in a sign-and-trade for a point guard, allowing Arenas to concentrate on being a two.

How about trading Howard to New Jersey for a former teammate?

Needed skill set: Devin Harris

3. Golden State Warriors

Here's another squad that made my previous list of teams in need of a major overhaul. There's not much to say that hasn't already been said:

"Either way, this is another outfit that has some young pieces to work with. Again, they need to spend the minutes developing the young guys, while their expensive veterans should be moved on to other teams that are ready to contend right now—or are stupid enough to take on the overpaid contracts.

"Monta Ellis, Steph Curry, Anthony Morrow, Andris Biedrins, and Anthony Randolph are the building blocks of a team that absolutely could keep playing the "run and gun" style in a fan-friendly and athletically unparalleled manner. The problem is that the team is still wasting minutes on used-up veterans and also-rans.

"This roster should be stripped down to its young core only and rebuilt from there. The potential is phenomenal, but a plan—and coach—must be put in place to utilize the young assets already present."

I don't like to throw coaches under the bus, but refusing to develop young players while mired in a less-than-20-win season is indefensible. Biedrins, Randolph, Morrow, Curry, and Ellis would be one of the most athletically terrifying starting units in the league!

Sure, there are a lot of things—especially defensively—that those youngsters need to learn, but isn't teaching one of the things that coaches are supposed to do?

Bench depth and veteran guidance would be secondary needs for this group—but most importantly, the Warriors need to avoid wasting the once-in-a-decade talents that they currently possess.

The last time Golden State did this, they scuttled Run-TMC by throwing Chris Webber away.

The one constant both times? Don Nelson.

Golden State, you know what to do.

Needed skill set: Byron Scott

2. Minnesota Timberwolves

The team closest to my heart has also been the team furthest away from playing anything resembling defense during the past couple of weeks. (Exhibit A: 152 points gift-wrapped for Phoenix on Tuesday.)

This group has had all confidence punched out of it during the course of the year. Slow starts have negated furious finishes. Late-game gaffes have wasted admirable stretches of collective effort.

Two previous seasons without a rudder have weighed all the more heavily on the holdovers.

Whether the losses have been lopsided or last-minute, they have piled up on the psyche of this group. The players look more demoralized lately than New Jersey—despite owning twice as many wins as the Nets.

There's no question that Al Jefferson and Kevin Love can flat-out play. But can they play together?

Corey Brewer and Jonny Flynn are at various stages of discovering how to match their athleticism with being well-rounded NBA players.

Ramon Sessions and Ryan Gomes are solid rotation players who are being underutilized or asked to do too much, respectively.

I don't think the 'Wolves can survive with Brewer and Gomes as their starters at the two and three spots. I think Brewer will develop into a respectable small forward, and Gomes is best used as a tweener forward off the bench.

So that opens up a hole at the shooting guard that I don't think Wayne Ellington will be able to immediately fill.

Still, that's not the biggest need.

I thought that Jefferson and Love could play together on the frontline. Offensively, they absolutely can. Unfortunately, neither of them can block shots—and it shows every time opponents attack the paint.

I thought that Ryan Hollins' mobility and athleticism would pair well alongside Jefferson, but his dearth of offensive ability and his paltry rebounding efforts have proven that he cannot be a starter.

Do you know whose skill set actually fits well as the third part to a Jefferson/Love triumvirate? Darko Milicic—three seasons ago.

The 2006-07 Orlando Magic version of Darko was an athletic, developing, and mobile big who blocked shots, finished on the fast break, played a face-up instead of back-down game, and consistently hit the high post jumper—the perfect complement for either 'Wolves power forward.

Unfortunately, Milicic's confidence and initiative have eroded so dramatically that he's already got one foot on his end-of-season flight back to Europe. He's so already gone. The Wolves' timing has never been a strong point.

I don't know that Minnesota is best served trying to split minutes between Love and Jefferson, but they just can't block enough shots to play long stretches together, either.

It's time to find a center to anchor the middle and play to the strengths of ... Frankly, passable shooting guards are just easier to find.

Love's motor is hard to replace, but Jefferson's polished footwork is nearly impossible to duplicate. I'd keep Big Al, but if a trading partner insists, I'll still sleep at night if K-Love remains on the roster.

Needed skill set: Andrew Bogut

1. New Jersey Nets

It's the only time all season that the Nets have been at the top of anything.

Sorry, New Jersey, I didn't mean to kick you when you're down—it was just too obvious a joke to pass up.

On the bright side, Brook Lopez and Devin Harris are unquestionable starters nearly anywhere in the league. Chris Douglas-Roberts, Courtney Lee, Terrence Williams, and Yi Jianlian could be usable rotation guys for most of the league, as well.

So what's the problem?

A rough start, poor coaching, eroding confidence, and mismatched talents have saturated this group with frustration and hindered its collective and individual development.

I actually believe that on certain teams, Harris could be a respectable two-guard. It's just too bad that he is not a spot-up shooter. Otherwise, I truly think that he could be realistically paired with John Wall—if the Nets get lucky enough to land him with the first pick.

Let's assume that New Jersey somehow breaks history and not only gets the No. 1 pick, but also makes the correct choice and takes Wall. Then let's assume that Harris is not able to remake his game to that of a slashing, spot-up shooting two guard.

Harris has to be moved. Let's turn him into a solid, proven small forward like Josh Howard, then allow either Lee, Douglas-Roberts, or Williams to win the two spot.

New Jersey's cap room must be used to entice a power forward who commands the double team offensively— and who fits well with either Lopez or Jianlian on the floor.

Coming to New Jersey means this guy also probably values money over the immediate chance to win—even though everyone knows the Nets will be a better team next year.

Needed skill set: Carlos Boozer