Every Team's Top Target Entering Chaotic NBA Trade, Free-Agency Season
With the NBA Finals and draft behind us, all 30 teams now look to free-agency and trade season for their next opportunities to improve.
And as that period tips off, we're here to identify the top targets for every organization.
With some reporting from around the internet as our guide, below you'll find who that should be (not necessarily who it will be) for each squad, as well as which skill or attribute it is that makes him the ideal addition by trade or in free agency.
Atlanta Hawks
1 of 30
Pascal Siakam's Creation
The Toronto Raptors haven't indicated a clear desire for a rebuild, but it's fair to wonder if that team has reached its ceiling. If Fred VanVleet leaves in free agency, other organizations should call about Pascal Siakam.
The Atlanta Hawks are a team that should call, and they're also one of the teams already giving off some smoke signals.
"One player believed to be on the Hawks' radar of potential trade targets is Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, sources said, and Toronto marks another team front offices are closely monitoring for trade activity," Jake Fischer wrote for Yahoo! Sports. "Similar to the team's position leading up to the trade deadline, the Raptors are said to still be deliberating various pathways to proceed with their roster."
While there's plenty of creation in Atlanta's backcourt, a little offensive diversity could make the attack less predictable.
Last season, John Collins, Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu combined for just 3.1 assists per game, while Siakam produced 5.8 by himself.
Getting a little playmaking and distribution from the frontcourt would lighten the load on Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.
Boston Celtics
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Torrey Craig's Defense
There's a good chance the Boston Celtics will be a luxury tax-paying team in 2023-24, which makes potential targets in free agency far less glamorous.
And that's fine. Boston already made a huge splash when it acquired Kristaps Porziņģis in a trade.
Now, it should be looking to fill out the rotation with wings (presumably on minimum contracts) who can fit into a sometimes positionless scheme with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
Torrey Craig is a multipositional defender in that salary range who shot 39.5 percent from deep in 2022-23.
Brooklyn Nets
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Christian Wood's Floor Spacing
The Brooklyn Nets aggressively leaned into versatility, switchability and borderline positionless basketball when they added Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith to a roster that already included Royce O'Neale and Ben Simmons.
Playing true 5-out basketball was difficult with Nic Claxton, though. He's a rim-running and -protecting center that sort of has to play in cutting lanes down the middle of the floor or from the dunker's spot.
Adding Christian Wood would address a lack of depth inside and allow Brooklyn to play a different style for portions of a game.
Over the last three seasons, Wood has averaged 18.1 points and 1.8 threes in just 29.3 minutes, while shooting 38.1 percent from deep. He's dangerous enough from the outside to force defenses to pay attention to him at the three-point line, which will widen slashing routes to the rim for all the wings named above.
Charlotte Hornets
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Bruce Brown's Versatility
Bruce Brown unsurprisingly declined his $6.8 million player option, and he figures to be one of the league's most coveted free agents.
With a unique career path that has made him one of the game's most versatile players, Brown would fit perfectly alongside LaMelo Ball with the Charlotte Hornets.
He entered the league as a point guard for the Detroit Pistons and then was often used as a rim-running 5 for the Brooklyn Nets. And with the Denver Nuggets, his three-point shooting and perimeter defense were critical in a championship run.
With all of that melded together, Brown can fill in any team's roster holes, and he'd instantly make the Hornets a more serious team.
Chicago Bulls
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Tobias Harris' Expiring Contract
The Chicago Bulls should at least be considering the possibility of a reboot.
They're 28th in the NBA in winning percentage over the last six seasons, and the more recent additions of Nikola Vučević and DeMar DeRozan only elevated the team from bad to mediocre.
Getting out from under a long-term contract like Zach LaVine's (which runs through 2026-27), could kickstart such a reboot. And a team like the Philadelphia 76ers, who might convince themselves they're one piece away, could use LaVine's explosiveness.
A trade involving him and Tobias Harris (whose deal ends in 2024) might make some sense.
Cleveland Cavaliers
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Dillon Brooks' Defense
With Dillon Brooks reportedly being told by the Memphis Grizzlies that they won't re-sign him "under any circumstances," teams in need of help on the wing will surely reach out.
And given the games of musical chairs that was the Cleveland Cavaliers' starting 3 situation in 2022-23, they should be one of those teams.
Brooks is a notoriously inconsistent shooter, but he was around league average from three over his first three seasons, and his ability to guard the perimeter would solidify a defense that already ranked first in 2022-23.
With those recent shooting woes, he could probably be had for a deal around the non-taxpayer's midlevel exception (which will give a starting salary around $11 million).
Dallas Mavericks
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Grant Williams' Shooting
In the wake of the trade that sent Kristaps Porziņģis to the Boston Celtics, the Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach tweeted, "According to multiple league sources, the completion of the Porziņģis deal would likely mean that Grant Williams's time in Boston has come to an end."
If he is indeed available, the Dallas Mavericks should pursue him with the mid-level exception they would have access to in the event Kyrie Irving re-signs and takes them over the salary cap.
Dallas already landed a big man who can roll to the rim in Richaun Holmes on draft night (presumably with a trade exception it created earlier by trading Dāvis Bertāns). Now, the Mavs could use another big who can space the floor for Kyrie and Luka Dončić's drives.
Over the last three seasons, Williams has averaged 7.0 points and 1.2 threes, while shooting 39.7 percent from deep.
And perhaps just as important, he's shown a solid ability to defend centers and bigger wings.
What could make this tricky is Boston's ability to match any offer sheet the restricted free agent can sign. And if Dallas only offers something under that mid-level exception line (projected to be a starting salary under $12 million), the Celtics may have no choice but to match.
The Mavs could eliminate that possibility by pursuing a sign-and-trade, something Boston may reportedly be interested in, but that would obviously mean Dallas sending something back.
Denver Nuggets
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Naz Reid's Size and Shooting
The Denver Nuggets won the title in part because of a rotational play that coach Michael Malone saved for the playoffs.
Denver's gotten crushed in the non-Jokić minutes throughout his career (and especially the last two seasons), but Malone alleviated that problem by making starting power forward Aaron Gordon the backup 5 in the postseason.
Wearing both of those hats in the regular season would simply be too taxing, so the Nuggets could still use an innings eater prior to the playoffs.
Naz Reid is good enough to be more than that.
The unrestricted free agent has averaged 10.1 points and hit 34.4 percent of his threes over four seasons. And a strong block rate suggests he can protect the rim a bit too.
Denver's over the tax, so it doesn't have a ton of money to offer Reid, but it could use some depth behind Jokić.
Detroit Pistons
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Cameron Johnson's Shooting
According to longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein, the Detroit Pistons are interested in Cameron Johnson, and it's not hard to see why.
Relative to other young NBA cores over the years, this Pistons team has a wealth of playmaking from Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and Killian Hayes. What it needs now is shooters for those guys to kick out to.
Johnson is a career 39.3 percent three-point shooter. And in his first season as a full-time starter in 2022-23, his averages jumped up to 15.5 points and 2.5 threes.
Of course, his restricted free agency means it'll be tough for anyone to pry him away from the Nets, who can match any offer sheet he might sign this summer.
But that shouldn't scare Detroit away from trying.
Golden State Warriors
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Thomas Bryant's Size
The dynastic Golden State Warriors of the last decade or so were basketball revolutionaries. But their movement may not have been as widespread as originally anticipated.
Jokić, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo have dominated MVP discussions over the last five years, and the Nuggets just won the title. Size is back in fashion, and the Warriors could use some.
Jokić's teammate, Thomas Bryant, only appeared in one playoff game for the Nuggets, but there's still plenty of evidence to just suggest he can be a helpful role player.
Over the last five years, Bryant has averaged 10.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in just 20.7 minutes, while shooting 65.9 percent on twos and 37.5 percent from deep.
And at 6'10", he's bigger than both Kevon Looney (6'9") and Draymond Green (6'6"). He'd give Golden State the ability to play more traditional minutes, which could come in handy against Bryant's championship team.
Houston Rockets
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Jaylen Brown's Star Power
With new Houston Rockets (and former Celtics) coach Ime Udoka in place, Jaylen Brown has already been linked to this team in various rumors.
And Boston should have a real interest in exploring trade possibilities with him.
The league's incoming $182.5 "second apron" line is going to make roster-building far more difficult for teams that exceed that cap threshold in a given season.
And with Brown's Second Team All-NBA selection making him eligible for a five-year, $295 million deal one summer before Jayson Tatum is eligible for five years and $318 million, Boston figures to be threatening that threshold for the foreseeable future.
Unless, of course, they move Brown for multiple contributors (or potential contributors).
Recent reports suggest the Celtics intend to move forward with both Brown and Tatum, but Houston could be a team capable of bolstering Boston's depth in exchange for Brown.
Adding him to what's left of the young core after a hypothetical trade, especially if that still included Alperen Şengün, would dramatically speed up the Rockets' timeline.
Indiana Pacers
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Deandre Ayton's Upside
The Indiana Pacers had enough interest in Deandre Ayton to sign him to a four year, $132.9 million offer sheet last summer, but the Phoenix Suns matched it.
They've made a pair of depth-annihilating trades since last summer in acquiring Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, and the only way to recoup some of that might be by trading Ayton.
Despite struggling to live up to the hype of being a No. 1 pick, Ayton has averaged a double-double in each of his five NBA seasons. Most recently, he put up 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds, and that kind of production could see a boost if he was paired with Pacers playmaker Tyrese Haliburton.
A core with those two and Bennedict Mathurin could set Indiana up for long-term success.
Los Angeles Clippers
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Mike Muscala's Shooting
Mike Muscala is on the rebuilding Washington Wizards thanks to the trade that landed Kristaps Porziņģis with the Boston Celtics, and they don't really need a soon-to-be-32-year old outside shooter who hasn't played over 1,000 minutes in a season since 2018-19.
If Washington declines Muscala's $3.5 million team option, the Los Angeles Clippers (who could be operating this offseason with over $200 million committed in salary) should try to snag him with the veteran minimum.
They need depth behind Ivica Zubac in the frontcourt, and Muscala's 39.2 three-point percentage over the last four seasons would make him a nice change-of-pace backup.
He'd command attention outside, which would conceivably widen driving lanes for Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
Los Angeles Lakers
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Kyrie Irving's Star Power
This one might betray the introduction of the slideshow (at least a little bit). Kyrie Irving maybe isn't the player the Los Angeles Lakers should target. Depth around a big 2, rather than pursuing a big 3, probably makes more sense under the incoming collective bargaining agreement.
But LeBron James' desire to reunite with Kyrie has been one of the league's worst kept secrets over the last couple of years, and he may be willing to use some leverage to ensure that reunion happens.
When you sign LeBron, this is simply the business you're in.
And while fleshing out a rotation would be more than tricky with LeBron, Anthony Davis and Kyrie's contracts on the books, few trios would have as much talent.
Memphis Grizzlies
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Harrison Barnes' Leadership
If there's one thing the last 12 months of Memphis Grizzlies basketball and activity have shown us, it's that they're in dire need of some veteran leadership and experience.
Steven Adams certainly provides some of that, but they could use some more. And if Brooks really is done there, it'd be nice to get that from a wing.
Harrison Barnes is now 31, has championship experience and has provided these very attributes to the Sacramento Kings over the last several seasons.
Memphis would likely only have something like the mid-level exception (which would start around $11.4 million) to offer Barnes. And Sacramento to Memphis might be a lateral move in terms of basketball upside, but if the Kings aren't dying to have him back, the Grizzlies should pounce.
Miami Heat
16 of 30
Damian Lillard's Offense
There's been plenty of buzz about the Portland Trail Blazers potentially trading Damian Lillard if they were unable to move the No. 3 pick for a difference-making veteran.
Well, the draft has come and gone, and Portland used that asset to land Scoot Henderson.
The rookie says he's already been in touch with Lillard, and outwardly, the team may be insisting that it's keeping Dame, but the Miami Heat should give the Blazers a call anyway.
Miami can offer salary filler, young players and draft assets to Portland in an effort to create a trio of Lillard, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
Milwaukee Bucks
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George Hill's Playmaking
George Hill spent some of last season with the Milwaukee Bucks before he was traded to the Indiana Pacers.
If they signed him for the veteran minimum this summer, it'd be his third separate stint with the club. And though the 37-year-old may not have a ton left in the tank, his steady floor generalship and three-point shooting could help a team that struggled on that end of the floor in 2022-23.
Their offense (including Giannis Antetokounmpo's, individually) has left a lot to be desired in Milwaukee's last two postseason runs, and Hill might be able to help them manufacture better looks in the halfcourt.
Minnesota Timberwolves
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Ben Simmons' Shorter Contract
The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski wrote that he "can't rule out a [Karl-Anthony Towns] trade completely," and Brooklyn would be a spot that makes sense for him.
If the Nets are unable to secure some floor spacing from the 4 or 5 in a more economical fashion, they could send Ben Simmons' contract (which expires three years earlier than KAT's) and a pick or two from the Kevin Durant haul for Towns.
Of course, that would leave the Minnesota Timberwolves with one of the game's biggest question marks in Simmons. Who knows how much NBA basketball is left for him. And assuming he can get back on the floor consistently, you wouldn't want him sharing it much with Rudy Gobert.
There are non-shooters, and then there are non-shooters, and Simmons and Gobert are both in the latter category. Scoring with both on the floor could become nightmarishly difficult.
But Simmons is a three-time All-Star, two-time All-Defense selection and a former All-NBAer. If you're going to gamble, you might as well gamble on that kind of upside. Simmons is still just 26 years old.
And if Kat can return some serious draft consideration, Minnesota almost has to think about it, after cashing in so much for Gobert last summer.
New Orleans Pelicans
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Dennis Schröder's Playmaking
CJ McCollum has been a solid playmaker for the New Orleans Pelicans since coming over in a trade in 2022, but he still seems like more of a 2 than a 1.
New Orleans could use a traditional point guard, even if all it might be able to offer him is the mid-level exception.
That salary range limits potential targets, but that doesn't mean the Pelicans can't find real help.
Dennis Schröder is coming off a run to the conference finals and is top 50 in assist percentage over the last seven seasons.
He could be a nice change-of-pace 1 who can still get to the rim with relative ease.
New York Knicks
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Zach LaVine's Explosiveness
The New York Knicks finished the 2022-23 season with the second-best offensive rating (points per 100 possessions) in the league, but they got there in an unusual and potentially difficult to repeat fashion.
They were 20th in effective field-goal percentage, but they took care of the ball and dominated the glass, which helped them regularly win the shot volume battle.
As a hedge against a possible regression (and just a flat-out talent play), New York should cobble together some of what it offered for Donovan Mitchell last summer in an effort to land LaVine.
He may not make a ton of sense for the mediocre Bulls, but within the context of the gritty Knicks and surrounded by a Tom Thibodeau defense, he and Jalen Brunson could make for a pretty nasty backcourt.
Oklahoma City Thunder
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Joe Ingles' Leadership
The Oklahoma City Thunder don't really need to target anyone in free agency or trades this summer.
Headlined by First Team All-NBA guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, this organic rebuild is going just fine. Staying the course with him, Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and this year's draft picks will have OKC back in the playoffs before long.
But if they did want to add a little veteran savvy and leadership, Giddey's countryman Joe Ingles would make a lot of sense.
He's entering his age-36 season, but Ingles shot 40.9 percent from three and averaged 5.2 assists per 75 possessions for the Bucks in 2023-24.
Orlando Magic
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Austin Reaves' Playmaking
Austin Reaves closed his 2022-23 campaign in excellent form, averaging 17.5 points, 5.1 assists and 4.6 free throws, while shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 43.6 percent from deep, from March 1 through the end of the Lakers' postseason run.
Down the stretch of several playoff games, LeBron James even trusted Reaves to pilot the offense. That will surely lead to some pretty significant offers in restricted free agency.
And one team that can offer him enough to at least make L.A. think about not matching is the Orlando Magic.
They already have a decent amount of playmaking from Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, but Reaves wouldn't take opportunities away from the young core. He'd just make it harder for defenses to key in on any of the above.
Reaves can play both on or off the ball, and having multiple creators on the floor at once makes an attack more difficult to game-plan against.
Philadelphia 76ers
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Zach LaVine's Offense
This is essentially the other half of the Bulls slide.
Chicago may not have given any indication that it wants to rebuild yet, but Tobias Harris' expiring contract would be an interesting place to start.
And Zach LaVine's explosive perimeter scoring ability would fit beautifully with Joel Embiid's dominant post game.
Both command a ton of defensive attention, and they command it at different areas of the floor. Opposing defenses would be stretched thin trying to cover both.
Phoenix Suns
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Bojan Bogdanović's Shooting
The Phoenix Suns already took their biggest swing of the offseason in acquiring Beal, but that trade made it significantly harder to fill the rest of the roster.
One potential avenue for adding depth now might be trading Deandre Ayton. If they can turn his $32.5 million salary into multiple role players, the Suns would be in better shape.
And the Pistons have a pair of veterans in Bojan Bogdanović and Alec Burks who don't really fit their rebuilding timeline and have salaries that almost match up perfectly with Ayton's.
Both would be welcome additions to Phoenix's wing rotation, but we'll focus on Bogdanović, who's averaged 19.1 points and 2.6 threes, while shooting 40.0 percent from deep over the last four seasons.
With Beal, Booker and Durant's affinities for the mid-range, the Suns could use someone who takes and makes threes in volume, and Bogdanović can do just that.
Portland Trail Blazers
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Pascal Siakam's Versatility
If the Portland Trail Blazers intend to keep Damian Lillard happy by dealing Henderson (who can be traded 30 days after he signs his rookie deal), Pascal Siakam is an intriguing target on multiple levels.
The two-time All-Star has averaged 22.9 points and 7.8 rebounds over the last four seasons. And he's shown plenty of versatility as a defender for the Toronto Raptors, often playing something of a hybrid 5 role while still being able to guard the perimeter.
What makes him really interesting, though, is his still budding playmaking that could take a little pressure off Lillard.
Siakam's average for assists per game has gone up in each of his NBA seasons, peaking at 5.8 in 2022-23. His ability to drag bigs out to the perimeter, beat them off the dribble and kick out of drives to shooters would add a new dynamic to Portland's offense.
Sacramento Kings
26 of 30
Kyle Kuzma's Offense
The Sacramento Kings already had the best offense in the NBA in 2022-23, and they can double down on that by pursuing Kyle Kuzma in the event they lose Harrison Barnes in free agency.
His three-point percentage dipped a bit, but Kuzma posted career highs in points (21.2), threes (2.5) and assists per game (3.7) in 2022-23.
And playing alongside De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, both of whom command lots of defensive attention, would afford him plenty of open looks.
San Antonio Spurs
27 of 30
Fred VanVleet's Leadership
Fred VanVleet declined his player option with the Toronto Raptors, and being Victor Wembanyama's first point guard could be an intriguing option for him.
Beyond merely having the cap space to pay VanVleet, the San Antonio Spurs could use a veteran floor general to make Victor Wembanyama's transition to the NBA a little smoother. And VanVleet has very much fit that description in recent years.
Over the last four seasons, the 2022 All-Star has averaged 19.3 points, 6.7 assists and 3.2 threes, while shooting 36.7 percent from deep.
Toronto Raptors
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Gabe Vincent's Shooting
Incoming coach Darko Rajakovic may not be as committed to positionless basketball as Nick Nurse was, but the Toronto Raptors still have a lot of players who lend themselves to that philosophy.
The problem was that they didn't have enough shooting to really make it work, and Gabe Vincent could help on that front.
This postseason, he averaged 12.7 points and 2.3 threes, while shooting 37.8 percent from deep.
Utah Jazz
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Jonathan Kuminga's Upside
ESPN's Jonathan Givony reported that the Golden State Warriors might be willing to move Jonathan Kuminga for a high draft pick, and the Utah Jazz have a treasure trove of future assets from last summer's Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell trades.
A 20-year-old forward who shot 37.0 percent from three last season and sometimes bounces like Amar'e Stoudemire around the rim could be worth one of those picks.
Adding him to a rotation that already includes Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler would give the Jazz one of the game's more intriguing and higher-ceiling frontcourts.
Washington Wizards
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Jonathan Kuminga's Untapped Potential
The Washington Wizards are another team that might be in a position to pounce on Golden State's reported interest to move Kuminga.
He's younger than Aaron Gordon and Andrew Wiggins were when their careers were rejuvenated, but the situation is still similar.
Kuminga clearly has lottery talent, but the team that drafted him may not be in the best position to extract it.
Washington, at the outset of its rebuild, could potentially offer Kuminga the role and developmental minutes he needs to reach his ceiling.
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