1 Hole Every NBA Team Can Fill in 2022 Free Agency

There may not be much cap space available throughout the NBA this summer, but teams will still find a way to address their deficiencies.

Just because you can't sign a player outright doesn't mean you can't tweak the roster. Cap exceptions (like the mid-level exception), minimum salaries and sign-and-trades all figure to be common this offseason.

While at least two of those paths are less likely to land you a superstar, they're still viable options for taking care of specific needs.

We'll identify what those might be for each of the league's 30 teams. We might occasionally suggest players who could help with those needs, but this slideshow is more about that first step.

Scoring was not a problem for the Atlanta Hawks. Only the Utah Jazz put up more points per 100 possessions. But they were on the other end of the spectrum on defense, finishing 26th in points allowed per 100 possessions.

The obvious need is defense, particularly on the perimeter, where offense-first players like Trae Young, Kevin Huerter and Bogdan Bogdanovic were routinely beaten.

Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu are decent inside (the latter holds up well in switches too), but the other Hawks need to do a better job of shutting things down before the backline is tested.

As one of the teams without cap space, Atlanta might have to get creative in addressing that need. Or it might look at a free agent who isn't expected to get a ton of attention like Derrick Jones Jr.

Few (if any) rosters are as well constructed as that of the Boston Celtics. Assuming options and guarantees are picked up, every key contributor from the Finals team will be back.

If you're going to nitpick, though, you might point to the need for another backup big.

Al Horford is 36, and Robert Williams III has dealt with nagging injuries throughout his career. Grant Williams and Daniel Theis are solid reserves, but losing either or both of those starters for any time would put strain on the rotation.

Even if it's just for insurance purposes, adding a big man wouldn't hurt.

If everyone is available next season, the Brooklyn Nets figure to have one of the game's most dynamic offenses. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are among the best one-on-one players of all time, and Ben Simmons' shot creation should make life easier for both.

He'll also shore up the team's perimeter defense or at least give it someone to throw at opposing first options. But in lineups that potentially include Kyrie, Seth Curry and Joe Harris, Simmons won't be able to shut off every valve to the paint, and that will make rim protection crucial.

With his size and athleticism, Nic Claxton could be the answer, but the Nets should explore more options in free agency.

Brooklyn will have competitors in the market for rim protection. It's the backbone of most NBA defensive schemes, and plenty of teams could use an upgrade.

That includes the Charlotte Hornets, who get plenty of hustle but not enough deterrence from 32-year-old Mason Plumlee inside.

Among the 90 players who faced at least 200 field-goal attempts at the rim this season, Plumlee's field-goal percentage allowed ranked 44th and was slightly below the average mark for the group. His backup, Montrezl Harrell, was around the same range.

Adding a more formidable presence in that role would go a long way toward getting Charlotte out of the bottom half of the league on defense.

Aaand one more time with the rim protection.

Last season, the Chicago Bulls were decent defensively when Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso were both available and on the floor, but season-long numbers show opponents weren't scared to attack Nikola Vucevic.

The Bulls finished with a bottom-10 defense and the worst mark in the league for percentage of shots allowed at the rim.

Regardless of how well you defend the shots going up in that range, giving NBA scorers that many opportunities inside will get you burned.

The front office is apparently aware of this problem, hence its reported interest in trading for Rudy Gobert.

The Cleveland Cavaliers bucked trends, started three big men and almost made the playoffs for the first time since LeBron James left in 2018.

When Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and Lauri Markkanen were all on the floor, Cleveland was plus-7.4 points per 100 possessions (88th percentile).

Having more options to downsize would be nice, though. Caris LeVert, Cedi Osman, Isaac Okoro and Dylan Windler are all under contract for next season, but LeVert is the closest to proven from that group, and he hasn't been close to an above-average effective field-goal percentage since his rookie year.

One more reliable wing to deploy between the aforementioned bigs and Darius Garland (or in place of one of the bigs) would make Cleveland more versatile.

Jalen Brunson made a case for himself as the No. 2 scorer in the postseason when he averaged 21.6 points, but the increase in volume coincided with a significant dip in efficiency (he had a 54.9 effective field-goal percentage in the regular season, compared to 50.8 in the playoffs).

As electrifying as Brunson was at times, it still feels like Luka Doncic needs another star (or borderline star) to carry the Dallas Mavericks to the true title contenders' tier.

Dallas is another team that's nowhere near cap space. The Mavs don't have a ton of trade assets either. The only avenue to landing a different No. 2 scorer might be including the current one in a sign-and-trade.

Nikola Jokic takes up a lot of space, is generally in the right spots and dominates the defensive glass. Aaron Gordon can make things difficult for scoring forwards and even some wings. What the Denver Nuggets don't have is someone who can frustrate high-end guards.

One way to find that might be on the trade market, where Will Barton and Monte Morris are reportedly available. But players in the mid-level-exception range could help too.

One target may be former Nugget Gary Harris, who has experience defending both guard spots and shot 40.3 percent from three after the New Year.

The Detroit Pistons have one of the most exciting young playmakers in the league in Cade Cunningham, but they don't have enough targets for him to pass to.

This season, the Pistons tied for 24th in threes per 100 possessions and were 29th in three-point percentage.

Adding even one high-volume, reliable threat from the outside could work wonders for a Detroit offense that scored 106.2 points per 100 possessions (only the Oklahoma City Thunder and Orlando Magic were worse)

The Finals suggest the Warriors might need heirs for Draymond Green and Klay Thompson sooner than expected, but they almost certainly won't find that with cap exceptions. Young players on the roster, like Jonathan Kuminga and Jordan Poole, may be the answers.

With the options Golden State has available, the need to address in free agency might be a reserve playmaker.

At the height of their powers, the Warriors had reliable shot creation off the bench from veterans like Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala, both of whom could also share the floor with Stephen Curry. This team has Poole, but he's more of a volume scorer.

With Green's playmaking in decline, someone who can take a little responsibility off Curry's shoulders would help.

Given a slew of injury issues over the last several years, it's hard to imagine John Wall will decline his $47.4 million player option for next season. That doesn't mean he'll play for the Houston Rockets in 2022-23, though.

After sitting all of last season while the team looked for trade destinations for him, a buyout or trade feels more likely than any minutes in a Rockets jersey.

While Kevin Porter Jr. has shown flashes of "starting point guard on a playoff team" potential, other options to play alongside Jalen Green wouldn't hurt.

It feels like the right offer could pry Myles Turner from the Indiana Pacers, but in the short term, the Domantas Sabonis trade makes him the man in the frontcourt.

Choosing him over Sabonis leaves a hole at the 4, though. Oshae Brissett spent a lot of time there last season, but that's not a long-term answer.

With Indiana projected to be one of the few teams with cap space, it can go after a difference-maker who fits alongside Turner, Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield.

If everyone is healthy, the Los Angeles Clippers will enter 2022-23 with one of the most talent-rich rosters in the league. But a lot of that talent comes in the form of shoot-first forwards like Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Marcus Morris Sr.

Even the presumed starting point guard, Reggie Jackson, is more of a scorer than a table-setter. That may be fine, but having the option to go to a more traditional setup man would be nice.

With only cap exceptions available to them, the Clippers aren't likely to find a starter for that role, but they don't really need one either.

When the Los Angeles Lakers traded the bulk of their wing defense for Russell Westbrook, they understandably chased shooting in free agency.

If you're going to play Westbrook, LeBron James and Anthony Davis at the same time, you almost have to have shooters in the last two spots.

Signing the spacers they did—guys like Carmelo Anthony and Malik Monk—all but buried the last remnants of their title-winning defense from 2020.

Getting back to the top will require someone (probably more than one) who can both hit threes and stay in front of people on the other end.

The Memphis Grizzlies are one of the most exciting young teams in the league. They check plenty of boxes with players who are mostly a few years shy of their primes.

But they should still be looking for ways to maximize Ja Morant's abilities, and surrounding him with more shooting might be the key.

Thanks in large part to the volume and inaccuracy of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Dillon Brooks (who shot 31.9 and 30.9 percent from deep, respectively), Memphis tied for 24th in the NBA in threes per 100 possessions and tied for 16th in three-point percentage.

Both can improve over the offseason, but adding a proven shooter in free agency would be wise.

Jimmy Butler was stretched to his limit during the postseason, when he led all playoff performers in box plus/minus and averaged 27.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.1 steals.

When he hit that limit, it didn't feel like he had enough help on the playmaking front.

Kyle Lowry being limited by injuries probably didn't help, but he's 36. We can't expect him to suddenly be more durable next season.

Development from Tyler Herro could help, but more options would too.

Any team that lost its second- or third-best player in the middle of a playoff run would be hampered by that loss, but Khris Middleton's absence highlighted one of the few flaws on the Milwaukee Bucks roster.

Letting P.J. Tucker go in free agency and trading Donte DiVincenzo to the Sacramento Kings as part of a deal that landed them Serge Ibaka (who barely played in the playoffs) left Milwaukee short on bodies on the wing.

Grayson Allen and Pat Connaughton are solid players, but the Bucks need more depth alongside them, preferably someone more capable of guarding up a position or two.

The Minnesota Timberwolves' starting five was one of the best and most well-rounded lineups in the league this season.

It was sixth in the league in total plus-minus and was plus-12.9 points per 100 possessions (97th percentile). But if any of those players left the floor, that net rating dropped to plus-1.4.

If you're looking for areas to improve, it's likely on the wings. Malik Beasley is a decent backup, but his contributions come mostly on the offensive end of the floor. Continued development from Jaden McDaniels would help, but he's more of a 3/4.

Someone closer to that 2/3 mold who can move the needle on defense should be the target. Jeremy Lamb may be the type of unrestricted free agent who fits the bill and is willing to sign for an exception-sized contract.

With Zion Williamson out for the entirety of 2021-22, the New Orleans Pelicans were 28th in threes per 100 possessions and 27th in three-point percentage.

His presence inside will command attention and give shooters extra time on kickouts. The addition of CJ McCollum for a full season should help too. But New Orleans needs to be on the lookout for more shooting.

The best teams are those that can make defenses pay both at the rim and outside. If opponents know that packing the paint against Zion won't cost them many threes, that's exactly what they'll do.

The New York Knicks' Kemba Walker experiment could not have gone much worse. He averaged 11.6 points and shot 40.3 percent from the field. New York's point differential per 100 possessions was 12.5 points worse when he was on the floor.

On more than one occasion, he was unceremoniously removed from the rotation. With Derrick Rose hurt for much of the season, starting point guard duties were left to shooting guard Alec Burks.

Giving Immanuel Quickley a shot at the role next season feels like an obvious option, but the Knicks would be wise to go after more.

If they strike out on a higher-profile target like Brunson, even a play for depth with someone like Raul Neto would make sense.

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Luguentz Dort and Aleksej Pokusevski, the Oklahoma City Thunder have one of the game's most intriguing young cores. They'll get to add to it with the No. 2 pick this month.

Regardless of who's taken at No. 1, OKC will likely be left with a player who's either a 3/4 (Jabari Smith and Paolo Banchero) or a 4/5 (Chet Holmgren).

Adding players who are closer to Dort's role on the wing is what the Thunder should look to do.

The Orlando Magic's situation is similar to OKC's.

Wendell Carter Jr., Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Markelle Fultz have all shown some promise (a lot in the cases of Carter and Wagner). Whoever Orlando takes with the No. 1 pick should be relatively interchangeable with Wagner (if it's Paolo or Jabari) or Carter (if it's Chet).

With Gary Harris entering free agency, the Magic should look for an in-between guy who can log minutes at the 2 or 3 in lineups with the blue chippers.

The Philadelphia 76ers have a perennial MVP candidate in his prime in Joel Embiid. James Harden figures to be one of the league leaders in assists (assuming he's still in Philly for 2022-23).

Losing Ben Simmons left a gaping hole in the middle of the defense, though. Matisse Thybulle and Danny Green are good perimeter defenders, but the former is a liability on offense, and the latter will turn 35 this month (and suffered ACL and LCL tears in his left knee in May).

Thriving with Harden may depend on finding someone who can spare him from difficult perimeter matchups.

The Phoenix Suns' reported openness to losing Deandre Ayton makes sense when you consider how close his production is to that of JaVale McGee or Bismack Biyombo when Chris Paul is on the floor.

If he does leave, the Suns should be in the market for small-ball 5s.

Dario Saric will be back from a torn ACL in 2022-23, and he may fit the bill, but there's no telling what he'll look like after that injury. A 4/5 who can hold up against traditional bigs without getting exposed by spread offenses like the one Dallas used to end the Suns' season would help.

The Portland Trail Blazers finished 29th in the league in defense, but their 2021-22 implosion started happening long before Damian Lillard left the rotation.

Simply having Lillard again won't get the Blazers back into the playoffs.

Whatever roster he returns to will need significantly more defense, and Portland should explore every avenue for getting it, regardless of position.

The Sacramento Kings have a solid starting point with what figures to be a strong two-man game between De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.

Davion Mitchell showed upside as a defender all season and as a playmaker for his last 10 games, when he averaged 19.5 points and 10.0 assists.

But the Kings could use depth at the spots between those guys (the 3 and the 4), especially with the lack of size in a Fox-Mitchell backcourt (they're 6'3" and 6'2", respectively).

Perhaps if the Hornets are more concerned with retaining a higher-profile restricted free agent like Miles Bridges, Sacramento could pry Cody Martin away with an exception-sized deal.

Twenty-two-year-old Keldon Johnson may supplant one or both at some point, but the San Antonio Spurs' two best players are Dejounte Murray and Jakob Poeltl, neither of whom spaces the floor.

Adding someone who can get plenty of threes up could create room for those two inside.

That may require a philosophical shift from coach Gregg Popovich, but a long-range gunner might push that too.

This season, San Antonio was 18th in three-point percentage, but it was 27th in threes per 100 possessions.

The Toronto Raptors should lean further into positionless basketball next season. They were plus-2.8 points per 100 possessions with Pascal Siakam at the 5, and Scottie Barnes and OG Anunoby seem like ideal fits at the 3 and 4 for such lineups.

They're the only combo forwards under contract for next season, though. While the Raptors will have plenty of competition to sign guys like that, they should be the targets.

With so many teams limited to cap exceptions, someone like Kyle Anderson might be gettable. Lineups with him, Barnes, Anunoby and Siakam at spots 2 through 5 would be among the most versatile in the game.

The Utah Jazz drafted Donovan Mitchell as a defensive-minded wing, but he quickly assumed No. 1 scorer status. Over the years, as his attention zeroed in on offense, he became a turnstile on the other end.

If the Jazz want to make another run with the Mitchell-Gobert pairing (which seems unlikely), they have to find a way to either motivate Mitchell to defend or hide him.

Starting him alongside another 6'1" guard is probably the first mistake. If they can move Mike Conley and sign some defense-first wings to put between Mitchell and Gobert, the Jazz may finally jump into the real title contenders' tier.

If Bradley Beal can return to his pre-injury form, when he averaged over 30 points per game in back-to-back seasons, and Kristaps Porzingis can maintain the level at which he played after joining the Washington Wizards, this team should be competitive.

If one or two members of their group of young forwards—which includes Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija and Corey Kispert—take a step forward, competitive will be the baseline.

But if Ish Smith's contract is guaranteed (the deadline for that is July 1), he'll be the only point guard under contract for 2022-23. Beal and Porzingis will control the ball in plenty of possessions, but Washington needs a traditional floor general to replace or support Smith.