Every NBA Team's No. 1 Goal This Offseason
Navigating the NBA offseason is like spinning plates in a hurricane.
Teams have to consider the draft, trades and free agency in ways that make specific sense to their individual timelines and trajectories.
No two squads have exactly the same aims, but all of them have to nail their top goals in a chaotic, overwhelming and critically important stretch of the calendar.
In situations like that, you have to work big to small.
Here, we're offering the item that should sit above all the others on every team's to-do list. From overarching organizational goals to specific moves, everything is fair game. The only rule: The issue we highlight has to be of the utmost importance.
Atlanta Hawks: Winning the Roster-Reshaping Trade Everyone Sees Coming
1 of 30
Under normal circumstances, the No. 1 overall pick that fell into the Atlanta Hawks' lap at the draft lottery would take precedence over every other offseason concern.
In fact, in the Hawks' specific circumstances, which include the sobering reality that the first-round selection they're about to make will be the last in their control until 2028, that issue should be even more central to their planning.
However, as you may have heard, nobody seems to think this draft is any good.
Besides that, Atlanta has a major decision to make regarding players who are actually on the roster.
General manager Landry Fields conceded that the backcourt pairing of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray didn't perform as hoped last season, telling reporters: "I can't lie to you, the numbers speak to themselves on that."
The numbers in question include a minus-6.3 net rating in the 2,525 possessions during which Young and Murray shared the floor in 2023-24.
A trade involving one of Atlanta's starting guards feels likely. Fields and the Hawks will have to determine which of the two makes the most sense to deal, weigh competing packages and then embrace the directional shift that would result.
Does Atlanta covet picks, young players, veterans or cap flexibility? Is it even possible to get fair value for Young? Would it be best to aim for contention, or should Atlanta use the incoming assets in a rebuild?
The No. 1 overall pick is hardly an afterthought, but it should still come second to a roster-reshaping trade in Atlanta's list of offseason priorities.
Boston Celtics: Make Second-Apron Preparations
2 of 30
Jayson Tatum is going to get his supermax extension worth approximately $315 million over five years. Derrick White is also eligible to add four years to his deal worth up to $122.8 million, though he could think twice about locking himself into a number he might be able to beat in free agency next summer.
Those deals, plus the other hefty ones already on the Boston Celtics' books, mean they're among the teams that will have to contend with the second apron and all its flexibility-sapping restrictions.
That's why the Celtics need to think as creatively as possible this summer, particularly with respect to what seem like smaller concerns.
For example, Luke Kornet is set to hit free agency, and it might be a good idea for Boston to offer him the largest raise possible.
Per Brian Robb of MassLive: "Boston does have 'Early Bird' rights at this point on him, so they will be able to pay him up to mid-level money if they decide to."
While that would be an overpay in every objective sense, the Celtics have to consider how difficult trades will be going forward.
They can't aggregate salaries and can't take back more cash than they send out, so the best way to create flexibility might be to essentially convert Kornet into a larger trade chip by paying him as much as they can.
Brooklyn Nets: Re-Sign Nic Claxton
3 of 30
Any time we suggest re-signing (or signing) a player should be a team's top priority, it comes with the "at the right price" caveat. In other words, re-signing free agent Nic Claxton to a deal paying him $40 million per season should not be the Brooklyn Nets' No. 1 goal.
They need to keep him at a starting salary somewhere in the neighborhood of his cap hold of $18.3 million. There's some wiggle room beyond that number, but anything above Brook Lopez's projected $23 million salary for next year should make the Nets uncomfortable.
Lopez is currently projected to be the ninth-highest-paid center in the league next year, and though Claxton doesn't rate quite that high, he's still just 25 and could justify a pay rate just inside the top 10 at his position.
Claxton will be far from Brooklyn's only decision this summer. It'll have to field incessant trade offers for Mikal Bridges, figure out who to sign with the full MLE and more broadly determine a direction—a tough task with a middling roster and few of its own draft picks to justify a tank.
Claxton is valuable to Brooklyn no matter what path it chooses. Locking him up at a fair number will help on the floor next year and give the Nets a trade chip if they decide to change course over the next few months.
Charlotte Hornets: Ensure LaMelo Ball is Fully Healthy
4 of 30
Next year will be the Charlotte Hornets' first full year with their new power structure in place. But if LaMelo Ball can't turn in a complete season for the first time since 2021-22, it'll be almost impossible to fairly evaluate the new ownership group and the revamped front office—let alone Charles Lee's fit as a head coach.
Ball was an All-Star three seasons ago, but he logged 36 games in 2022-23 and just 22 last year. Another truncated campaign from him would be brutal from a financial standpoint (he is about to enter the first year of his $204 million rookie-scale extension), but it would also set the organization back on several critical fronts.
The Hornets need to determine where the 22-year-old is in his individual growth trajectory.
His vision and passing flair are elite, but heading into his fifth pro season, the 2020 No. 3 overall pick has to prove he's got upside as a scorer inside the arc, as a defender and as a leader. Just as importantly, the Hornets must get an extended sample of Ball and Brandon Miller sharing the court.
Those two are the team's unquestioned cornerstones, but they appeared in just 19 games together last season. If Ball can't kick the injury bug, it will prevent Charlotte from getting information on its foundational tandem and make it much harder to determine what the rest of the roster ought to look like around the pair.
The Hornets have to make a decision on free agent Miles Bridges and choose correctly when they pick sixth in the draft. But nothing matters more than making sure Ball is a full go when training camp starts.
Chicago Bulls: Get Off the Treadmill
5 of 30
If the Chicago Bulls re-sign DeMar DeRozan, fail to trade Zach LaVine and head into next season fixated on—as B/R's Dan Favale put it—"keeping their necks just above water one maddeningly mediocre season at a time," well...at least we can credit them for consistency.
Of course, the longer they stick to that plan, the more hopeless their long-term outlook becomes.
Example: Vice president Arturas Karnisovas explained the Bulls' stasis at last year's deadline by telling reporters: "We have an obligation to this city to stay competitive and compete for the playoffs."
Update: The Bulls didn't make the playoffs.
So now, because they didn't move DeRozan and others, they're shorter on flexibility and trade options than they otherwise could have been. Basically, they keep painting themselves into tighter and tighter corners.
At some point, management should entertain the idea that the city and fanbase are smart enough to know that a couple of losing seasons wouldn't be the end of the world. That, in fact, they'd represent a means to a more ambitious end.
A full teardown is a frightening thought. Trusting in the draft and cap space doesn't guarantee down-the-line success. But even the Washington Wizards, who spent years operating with the same "mediocrity is cool" mindset, finally faced reality by trading Bradley Beal. Chicago won 24 more games than Washington in 2023-24, but it played in exactly the same number of postseason games (zero).
The Bulls have to get off the treadmill, and we'll keep banging this drum until they do.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Extend Donovan Mitchell...Or Trade Him
6 of 30
It's not like getting Donovan Mitchell to agree to a contract extension will solve all of the Cleveland Cavaliers' problems. In fact, it might create fresh ones.
Per Shams Charania, Joe Vardon and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, a new deal for the 27-year-old could push Darius Garland's representation to "have a conversation with Cavs officials on potentially finding a new home for the one-time All-Star."
Still, Cleveland has to handle the Mitchell situation before anything else. It can turn its attention to the fallout later.
If the Cavs can't get their best player—one who cost them a package including Lauri Markkanen, three first-round picks and two first-round swaps—to re-up, they'll have no choice but to consider trading him.
Mitchell's impending free agency will give him considerable leverage, as he can broadcast intentions to explore the market in 2025 if he doesn't land in a preferred destination.
That will narrow the list of suitors and probably keep the Cavs from recouping the assets they gave up to get Mitchell in the first place, but anything would be better than losing a five-time All-Star for nothing a year from now.
Cleveland must offer Mitchell a four-year extension worth $208 million at its first opportunity on July 1. Every other offseason concern, including the team's current lack of a head coach, can wait.
Dallas Mavericks: Re-Sign Derrick Jones Jr.
7 of 30
The Dallas Mavericks don't have a long list of free-agent issues to address this offseason, which makes Derrick Jones Jr. their clear top priority.
Signed for the minimum last summer, Jones was the Mavs' go-to defender against opponents' top threats—both during the regular season and in the playoffs. His most frequent postseason assignments during Dallas' run to the Finals: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Paul George, Anthony Edwards and Jayson Tatum.
A just-good-enough 34.3 percent accuracy rate from long range during the regular season made it easier to keep his defense on the floor. As a result, he exceeded his previous career high of 1,375 minutes by just over 400 minutes.
Dallas has non-Bird rights on the forward, so it can offer a raise of up to 120 percent raise on 2023-24's salary. That probably won't be enough to win a bidding war that could see teams offer their full mid-level exceptions to Jones, which start at $12.4 million.
If the Mavericks have to tap into cap space to keep the 27-year-old, they must consider it. In a best-case scenario, maybe the $5 million taxpayer mid-level, combined with the security of a starting role on a contender, will be enough.
Denver Nuggets: Retain Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
8 of 30
The Denver Nuggets won't be caught unawares by the rising cost of keeping a contender together.
Knowing they were in for a financial reckoning when the bill came due on some of their core pieces, they stockpiled Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther, Jalen Pickett and Hunter Tyson—25-and-under guards and wings set to earn no more than $3 million apiece in 2024-25.
Those young players are still fallback options, insurance for the possibility of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope getting a prohibitively large offer in unrestricted free agency.
Denver is in total control of the KCP situation because it has full Bird rights on the 31-year-old and can pay him anything up to the max to keep him if he declines his $15.4 million player option to enter free agency.
He won't be cheap to retain. He's been a starter on two different championship teams, hit at least 39.0 percent of his triples in each of the last four years and still rates as one of the top backcourt defenders around. He fits anywhere.
A market-rate raise for KCP, combined with the returns of Reggie Jackson and Vlatko Čančar, would thrust Denver well into the second apron. But this group, if intact, will be right back in the mix for a title next season.
Caldwell-Pope is a key part of that effort, and his free agency will be the first real test of the Nuggets' willingness to spend what it takes to stay in the championship conversation.
Detroit Pistons: Reset the Core
9 of 30
New president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon finds himself in an odd situation. He's basically tasked with cleaning house, except the place was just recently remodeled and is full of new furniture.
That could make it harder to decide what stays and what goes, but at least Langdon will have the benefit of detachment. He didn't have anything to do with the decorating decisions of the last regime.
The Pistons might have used their $64 million in cap space on win-now veterans if Troy Weaver was still in charge, but Langdon has the luxury of thinking more creatively. If he believes flexibility would be better utilized as a dumping ground for bad contracts with picks attached, he can go that route.
Just as importantly, Langdon can dispassionately move on from anyone the previous braintrust viewed as foundational. Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson should be safe, but Jaden Ivey, Isaiah Stewart and others should all be evaluated without the same pot-committed feelings Weaver and Co. might have had toward them.
Detroit didn't build a firm foundation over the last few years, despite picking no worse than seventh in each of the past four drafts. Langdon should view this offseason as the first phase of a ground-up rebuild.
Golden State Warriors: Keep Klay Thompson Without Overpaying
10 of 30
Klay Thompson's worth to the Golden State Warriors goes beyond money.
His exit would end an era in Golden State, busting up the most decorated trio in franchise history. As long as Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are around, echoes of the Dubs' best days will be audible. But Thompson's absence would make them much harder to hear.
Warriors ownership has voiced a desire to get out of the luxury tax, which means general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. won't have a blank check, even if sentiment might push him toward overpaying for one of the most important figures in franchise history.
Cap-space teams like the Orlando Magic loom as market-setters for Thompson, whose pride and desire to prove himself outside of Golden State could make him amenable to big offers.
If the Warriors low-ball their four-time champion guard, they could easily lose him. The $48 million extension Golden State offered in October, which the 34-year-old declined, probably won't be on the table again.
That means the Dubs need to settle on a number that allows them to duck the tax and satisfies Thompson. That's a tough needle to thread.
Houston Rockets: Getting Their Extension Decisions Right
11 of 30
The Houston Rockets made a massive leap this past season, adding 19 wins to their 2022-23 total and establishing themselves as one of the league's up-and-coming threats.
In a great example of how quickly the toughest roster-building decisions can arrive, they already have major calls to make on key players.
Alperen Sengün and Jalen Green can both ink five-year, $225 million extensions this summer. The former played like a fringe All-Star and set career highs with 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists last year, while the latter put on a masterful late-season surge, racking up 27.7 points and 6.3 assists on 61.3 percent true shooting in March.
Unlike past closing runs, Green's production actually contributed to team success. Houston went 13-2 during his month-long heater.
Neither Green nor Sengün is guaranteed to get a max extension offer, and Houston doesn't actually have to deal with any of this right now. Waiting until both 2021 draftees hit restricted free agency next offseason might be the best way for the Rockets to ensure they don't lock themselves into deals before they have the most information possible on both of them.
Of course, if the Rockets wait until 2025, they'll then have to decide on Green and Sengün just as Jabari Smith Jr. hits extension eligibility. In 2026, Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore will be next in the queue.
Though seemingly still in the early stages of establishing their core, the Rockets already face seismic choices.
Indiana Pacers: Not Stopping At Pascal Siakam
12 of 30
We know the version of the Indiana Pacers with Pascal Siakam can, with a couple of breaks on the opponent-injury front, make a conference finals. This offseason needs to be about raising that ceiling.
By definition, that means simply re-signing Siakam can't be the only move the Pacers make. They have to improve the roster through other means as well.
It's possible Bennedict Mathurin, Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard all improve enough to provide another pathway forward. But how much patience can Indy really exercise once Siakam, in his prime at 30, inks what could be a five-year deal worth up to $245 million?
Nobody's arguing the Pacers should act recklessly and ship out all of their young players for shortsighted win-now upgrades, but once Siakam joins Tyrese Haliburton in the max-salary club, urgency is going to be unavoidable.
The Pacers are over the cap as it is and could easily move into the luxury tax if Jalen Smith picks up his player option and Obi Toppin returns on a new deal that starts above $10 million per season. If Indiana also bundles up a couple of its young pieces in a trade for a higher-end defensive wing, payroll could get higher than most small and mid-market teams prefer.
The Siakam acquisition was bold, but it wasn't the move that put the Pacers over the top. They have to seek out that last level of upgrade this summer—after locking up Siakam on a fat new contract.
LA Clippers: Make Sure Kawhi Leonard Has Company
13 of 30
The LA Clippers took care of business quickly with Kawhi Leonard, who got his three-year, $152 million extension way back in January.
Paul George's deal seemed imminent, and most assumed it would mirror the one Leonard got because the two have basically been a package deal since they initially teamed up in 2019.
So much for that. George remains without an extension.
Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer reported the Clippers "haven't offered George a dollar more than what they paid Leonard." Summation: L.A. doesn't think George is worth more than Leonard, and George disagrees.
Poised to decline his player option and enter free agency, George will field offers from several teams across the league, including the blank-slate Philadelphia 76ers, who possess max cap space and one of the more star-hungry top executives we've seen in Daryl Morey.
Someone is bound to offer George a four-year max worth up to $212 million if he enters free agency, which could result in L.A. losing a star for nothing. It'd be catastrophic for the Clippers if that's how things shook out. They don't have the resources to replace George, are entering a new arena this season and can't realistically pivot into a tank.
James Harden is also entering free agency. Despite generating nothing close to the level of interest George will on the open market, Harden can also drive a pretty hard bargain with the Clippers because the team doesn't have the money or flexibility to backfill his spot with a player of like quality.
L.A.'s chances to contend were dicey enough with all three of Leonard, George and Harden on the roster. Losing even one of them in free agency would effectively rule the Clippers out of contention before 2024-25 begins.
Los Angeles Lakers: Acquire a Playmaking Star
14 of 30
The Los Angeles Lakers need a head coach, and they have to re-sign LeBron James. But the work cannot stop once they cross those items off the to-do list.
Even if Los Angeles nails its coaching hire (seemingly unlikely given it missed out on first choice Dan Hurley) and re-ups with James, that'll only ensure the team is roughly as good as it was last year.
Granted, the Lakers' late-season run (17-9 after the All-Star break) means that's not the bleakest of outlooks. But the West is only getting tougher, James is only getting older, and it's only becoming clearer that the status quo isn't good enough.
The Lakers need another star—both because next year's roster won't contend without one, and because the franchise needs someone to pair with Anthony Davis whenever James decides to hang it up.
Donovan Mitchell should top the Lakers' list, but they should also make exploratory calls on Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Zach LaVine and even Kyrie Irving.
Los Angeles has three first-rounders to trade and enough mid-tier salaries to match money. Any big acquisition would thin the Lakers' depth, but that's a trade-off they need to embrace.
Memphis Grizzlies: Draft a Center
15 of 30
It didn't matter as much as it otherwise would have because the Memphis Grizzlies took an unintentional gap year in 2023-24, but there was Steven Adams-sized hole in the first unit.
Memphis needs to fill that void in the draft.
Donovan Clingan, a hulking rim-protector with a 7'7" wingspan, would be the ideal fit. B/R's Jonathan Wasserman has the UConn product mocked to the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 7 and noted that "there is interest from teams in trading up" for the 20-year-old.
The Grizzlies might have to consider packaging an asset (Luke Kennard's salary?) with their own No. 9 pick if they really want Clingan.
Zach Edey is the riskier pick, but he'd be much easier to land than Clingan. Memphis could even trade down to take him in the mid-teens...assuming any other organization would value moving up in a draft nobody seems to have a great handle on.
We aren't suggesting specific picks for many teams in this exercise, but the Grizzlies have a dozen players already under guaranteed contract for next season, many of whom played integral roles in the team winning over 50 games in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
Outside of the center spot, there's not a lot else that needs fixing here.
Miami Heat: Trade Jimmy Butler
16 of 30
Jimmy Butler is the reason the Miami Heat have made two Finals appearances in the last five years. That's worth appreciating, but it can't overshadow what should be a clear emphasis on the team's next half-decade.
The six-time All-Star, who will turn 35 before next season starts, probably shouldn't figure in the Heat's planning for 2024-25 and beyond.
Miami owes Butler $48.8 million next season, plus a $52.4 million player option for 2025-26. Extension talks could be contentious in the wake of team president Pat Riley's critical comments about his availability.
Given Butler's age and the team's finances (Miami is likely to be a second-apron team), the time to move on from him is now. It's possible a two-year, $113 million extension would make him more palatable to acquiring teams. Any decision on that front should be made with an eye toward how it impacts his trade value.
Bam Adebayo is in line for a max extension and should get one without any fuss. At 29, he is young enough to occupy cornerstone status—perhaps alongside whichever younger star the Heat eventually acquire to replace Butler.
Milwaukee Bucks: Upgrade Malik Beasley's Spot in Starting 5...Somehow
17 of 30
The Milwaukee Bucks are basically guaranteed to lose starter Malik Beasley in free agency because they only have non-Bird rights on him and can't offer more than a starting salary of $4 million on any new deal.
The real kicker: They actually need someone better than the guy they can't afford to keep.
Such is life above the second apron, where roster-building tools disappear and the rules on salary-matching in trades tighten. And for teams like the Bucks, who've already dealt away many of their future first-rounders, talent upgrades become almost impossible.
Milwaukee can trade its No. 23 pick on draft night and could even include its 2031 first-rounder, but what do those get you if they're only attached to Bobby Portis ($12.6 million) or Pat Connaughton ($9.4 million)? Probably not someone better than Beasley, who started 77 games and shot 41.3 percent from deep.
Remember, the Bucks can't aggregate salaries or take in more money than they send out in any trade.
There's always the option to move Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez or Damian Lillard in a deal that brings back multiple rotation pieces. But finding a trade partner willing to consolidate assets for one of those win-now veterans would be exceedingly tricky.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Do Not Panic
18 of 30
Karl-Anthony Towns struggled mightily to hit shots and even found himself on the bench in clutch postseason situations (Game 2 against Dallas being the most conspicuous), so it's easy to understand the push to move him from some corners of Minnesota Timberwolves fandom.
Minnesota's financial realities are another factor motivating a potential blockbuster trade. Ticketed for a payroll over $200 million and staring down those scary second-apron restrictions, Wolves ownership (whoever winds up earning that title after mediation) could get skittish about running it back with the same roster.
This is an argument for taking a deep breath and standing firm.
Minnesota can't justify breaking up the best team it's had in decades for cost-cutting reasons. Pinching pennies on a play-in team is fine; swapping out key parts of a squad that just dethroned the defending champs in the second round would be unforgivable—especially with Anthony Edwards looking like a lock to continue improving. If the 22-year-old gets marginally better, Minnesota could easily find itself in the 2025 Finals.
A Towns trade can come at next season's deadline if the product on the floor underwhelms. Though the second apron looms, Minnesota theoretically has until the end of next season to duck it. A team this good has to give itself every opportunity to reach its full potential.
New Orleans Pelicans: Nail the Brandon Ingram Trade
19 of 30
The New Orleans Pelicans appear ready to take some swings as they try to climb past the play-in tier of the West hierarchy. The first order of business should be building an ideal supporting cast around Zion Williamson by trading Brandon Ingram.
NBA Insider Marc Stein reported the Pelicans are expected to "aggressively explore" dealing 2020 All-Star Brandon Ingram, a move that began to feel fated as he muddled through an ugly postseason performance.
Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones bring wing defense, floor-stretching shooting and generally superior supporting qualities next to Williamson. With Ingram going into the last year of his current contract, the stars are clearly aligning for a deal.
If the Pelicans can turn Ingram into a center who does what free agent Jonas Valančiūnas couldn't—defend the rim, offer some stretch and provide more options than pure drop coverage—that will be a start. If they can also secure the services of a purer point guard than CJ McCollum (which might take a separate trade), all the better.
Williamson stayed healthy all year until the playoffs, logging a career-high 70 games. That stretch provided enough information for the Pelicans to conclude they need to swap out some key pieces. An Ingram trade is the best way to start that process.
New York Knicks: Go Get Paul George
20 of 30
The New York Knicks need to finish the second step of the OG Anunoby trade by securing the defensively dominant forward to a long-term contract, and Isaiah Hartenstein is bound to get a raise on the $9.2 million he made in 2023-24.
New York was a preposterous 23.1 points per 100 possessions better than the competition in over 1,000 possessions with those two on the floor last year. So, running it back with them and hoping for better health could be enough to keep the Knicks right in the thick of contention for the East crown.
They should still aim higher by working to trade for Paul George, though.
Between Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride, the Knicks could produce the matching salary necessary to land PG, provided they throw in enough future draft compensation to entice the Clippers.
George has the ability to opt out and hit free agency, but few teams have the space to sign him. If he prefers the Knicks to the Philadelphia 76ers, which wouldn't be the strangest stance considering the Kawhi Leonard experience might make him reluctant to pair up with another oft-injured superstar in Joel Embiid, he'd have leverage to apply to L.A.
A first unit of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart/Donte DiVincenzo, George, Anunoby and Hartenstein would give New York a fighting chance against the East's elite next year.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Acquire a Starter Better than Josh Giddey
21 of 30
"But Grant," you're thinking, "Cason Wallace is already on the roster. He's better than Josh Giddey right now."
Maybe so, and good job finding a loophole in the premise, but everyone should understand that the Oklahoma City Thunder's search for an upgrade on Giddey's spot will involve looking outside the team.
OKC projects to have $33 million in cap space, but the 15 first-rounders it owns in the next seven drafts and its stockpile of young, inexpensive talent grants it flexibility that goes beyond that number.
Lauri Markkanen has long been a favorite target among trade speculators, but the Thunder could set their sights on a big man to improve one of the league's worst rebounding outfits or a movement shooter who can contribute on the wing defensively.
Giddey could benefit another team that has more need of him on the ball than OKC does, but the lineup data clearly shows he's not helping the Thunder.
Units with Isaiah Joe alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Lu Dort and Chet Holmgren were nearly 14.0 points per 100 possessions than those with Giddey as the fifth man.
Orlando Magic: Acquire Offensive Punch in the Backcourt
22 of 30
The Orlando Magic's 47 wins in 2023-24 were their most since 2010-11, when Dwight Howard was still patrolling the lane as one of most impactful defenders in the league.
Perhaps appropriately, last year's Magic also ranked higher in defensive efficiency than they had in any season since Howard's peak.
With that side of the floor handled, Orlando has to focus all of its offseason attention on improving its 22nd-ranked attack.
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are firmly entrenched at the forward spots, and both are already called upon to do more facilitating than most frontcourt duos. That means help has to come at one of the guard positions.
Fortunately for Orlando, combo guard Jalen Suggs can smother anything that moves, so scoring punch can come at the 1 or the 2. Maybe that means a trade for Anfernee Simons or a hefty free-agent contract for unrestricted free agent Malik Monk.
Come to think of it, why not both?
Orlando can't spend another season wasting a defense this good.
Philadelphia 76ers: Make the Biggest Splash in the League
23 of 30
The Philadelphia 76ers should have about $62 million in cap space this summer, a number that includes Tyrese Maxey's cap hold in restricted free agency and a salary slot for the No. 16 pick in the 2024 draft.
That number would shrink if the Sixers guaranteed Paul Reed's and Ricky Council IV's salaries, which total just under $10 million.
This is as close as it gets to clean-slate status, which is a rare situation for a team with an in-prime MVP.
The Sixers have to use their unmatched spending power to flat-out win the offseason. If we don't exit the month of July marveling at how dominant the newly constructed 76ers look, it'll have to go down as a major disappointment.
Paul George has to be their top option if he doesn't extend with the Clippers, but poaching OG Anunoby from the Knicks should be another splashy aim.
Klay Thompson? DeMar DeRozan? Sending a bunch of picks and swaps to the Miami Heat for Jimmy Butler? A massive overpay to snatch Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (player option) from the Denver Nuggets?
Any and all ambitious options are worth pursuing. The Sixers didn't clear the decks just to repopulate the roster with middling starters and rotation pieces. This offseason has to be about landing multiple stars and starting 2024-25 in the top tier of the contender conversation.
Phoenix Suns: Re-Sign Royce O'Neale
24 of 30
The Phoenix Suns owe more than $150 million to Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker alone next season, and they will again have to fill out a significant chunk of the rotation using minimum salaries.
That's why Royce O'Neale is such a key figure this summer.
Because they have his Bird rights, the Suns can offer him any salary up to the max—as long as they're willing to bear the pain of the accompanying tax payments. Given their stance toward skyrocketing roster costs to this point (the Suns project to have the highest payroll in history), one imagines that won't be a problem.
The Suns can certainly use O'Neale on the floor, but his salary might be more important. If Phoenix wants to execute a significant trade, it'll need the 31-year-old's mid-tier figure for money-matching purposes. Remember, Phoenix can't aggregate salary or take back more than it sends out in any deal.
If O'Neale is earning $12-15 million in 2024-25, it will allow the Suns to improve via trade without using Jusuf Nurkić ($18.1 million) or Grayson Allen ($15.6 million; cannot be traded until Oct. 16) as salary ballast.
Portland Trail Blazers: Get Out of the Tax
25 of 30
A 21-win team in 2023-24 with little chance of being much better this season, the Portland Trail Blazers have no business being a rounding error away from the first apron.
At present, they look poised to field a $178 million payroll after accounting for salaries allotted to a pair of first-round picks and the non-guaranteed salaries for Toumani Camara and Jabari Walker.
Unless something changes, Portland won't have access to the full MLE and could even risk hard-capping itself by taking back more money than it sends out in a trade.
To alleviate the issue and position themselves more sensibly as rebuilders, the Blazers have to find takers for most or all of Deandre Ayton, Robert Williams III, Jerami Grant and Malcolm Brogdon. Ideally, they will focus on reducing salary and hoarding draft picks–easier said than done considering many interested trade partners don't have the ability to take in more salary than they send out.
Moving Simons into the Orlando Magic's cap space would be the quickest fix, but the Blazers should prioritize getting off the other aforementioned vets before dealing a 25-year-old on a reasonable $25.8 million salary.
Until Portland gets its books in order, it will struggle to fully embrace its rebuild.
Sacramento Kings: Get Involved in Blockbuster Trade Talks
26 of 30
The Sacramento Kings took a step back last season, winning 46 games and missing the playoffs, a disappointment after 48 wins and No. 3 seed in the West the previous year.
Unless they want that 2022-23 season to be remembered as the modest peak of the current era, the Kings have to think big.
Malik Monk is probably a goner in free agency, as Sacramento can't offer him more than $78 million over four years. It doesn't have the resources to replace him with an outside signing. Even in the best-case scenario of Monk coming back at the highest pay rate allowable, it will find itself right up against the tax.
It's hard to see how running it back and hoping on another step forward from Keegan Murray would be enough to improve the Kings' standing in an increasingly competitive Western Conference.
What might Harrison Barnes, Murray and a handful of future firsts net them in a trade? Could Mikal Bridges finally shake loose in Brooklyn? Might it be time to flip Domantas Sabonis and his pricey contract for pieces that could actually raise the team's playoff ceiling?
Other than De'Aaron Fox, every Kings player should be considered tradeable. Unsettling as that might seem for a franchise that is only just establishing itself as something other than a laughingstock, Sacramento can't simply tinker if it wants to do anything more than post a mid-40s win total and never be taken seriously as a postseason threat.
San Antonio Spurs: Acquire a Point Guard
27 of 30
The San Antonio Spurs need to find the player who will make Victor Wembanyama's offensive development progress as smoothly as possible.
The learn-on-the-fly crowd might rather see the 20-year-old strain as he works through another year without a reliable organizer next to him.
Maybe there's an argument for forcing him to stretch beyond his comfort zone. After all, if he's as truly ceiling-less as it seems, who's to say Wemby couldn't will himself into becoming a primary facilitator if that's what the circumstances demand?
It still feels like a better idea to seek out a lead guard who can run a pick-and-roll, threaten the defense from distance and generally set up teammates to succeed. Ideally, the Spurs will target someone who would be more than a placeholder. It's never too early to start thinking about long-term continuity between the Frenchman and key teammates.
San Antonio should take long looks at draft prospects such as Nikola Topić and Stephon Castle. Reed Sheppard would be worth considering as well.
And outside of draft prospects to consider at No. 4, the Spurs should just sign Tyus Jones in free agency and get it over with. That way we could all stop trying to manifest what seems like the most obvious team-player fit in free agency.
Wembanyama is going to enjoy enormous success no matter who the Spurs put around him, but there's no reason to make things harder on him than they have to be.
Toronto Raptors: Find Right Number for Immanuel Quickley
28 of 30
Kelly Olynyk's two-year, $26 million extension took one offseason decision off the table, but an even bigger one remains. The Toronto Raptors need to retain trade acquisition Immanuel Quickley in restricted free agency, and they need to do it at just the right number.
Match rights mean Toronto isn't facing disaster potential if it doesn't make an offer Quickley outright loves. But it's never a great sign of long-term stability when a restricted free agent has to go out and let the market dictate his value. The vibes are better if a deal gets done before that process ever starts.
The 25-year-old averaged 18.6 points, 6.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game while hitting 39.5 percent of his treys with the Raptors last season. Those are the kind of stats that should make Toronto feel comfortable about paying him like he's its point guard of the future.
Does that mean the terms will come in closer to what Sportsnet's Michael Grange reported the 2020 first-rounder was looking for, an extension in the five-year, $135 million range?
Per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, Quickely didn't accept an offer from the Knicks worth around $18 million per season. So we know the Raptors have to do better than that.
The perfect contract terms are somewhere between those two extremes.
Ultimately, the Raptors didn't bring Quickley aboard as a 38-game, post-deadline rental. They'll have to pay handsomely to lock him down while avoiding going overboard and cutting into their future flexibility.
Utah Jazz: Utilize Cap Space Correctly
29 of 30
You might argue the Utah Jazz's goal is broad enough to apply to every team, which is partly true. Everybody that has spending power needs to use it wisely.
Utah, though, is approaching a unique either/or cap-space scenario. It can use its approximate $31 million in room in any of the usual ways, like taking on bad money in lopsided deals with assets attached or signing outside free agents. Or it could use most of it to renegotiate and extend Lauri Markkanen's contract.
There's more urgency attached to the decision than you might think.
While Markkanen is under contract for 2024-25 at an under-market $18 million, the Jazz would see his trade value diminish without an extension. Teams interested in acquiring the Finn would give up less for a perceived rental than they would for the long-term security of knowing the 7-foot marksman was under contract for another four years.
The Jazz can go all the way up to his max of $42.3 million for next season, which would put a four-year agreement up over the $200 million mark, assuming normal raises. It's worth wondering whether a deal that big would actually deter suitors. He is a high-end starter, but he might not be a great value at his full max.
If locking down Markkanen is the move, Utah must then find the salary sweet spot that makes the 27-year-old a viable long-term fixture or an in-demand trade target.
Washington Wizards: Gear Everything Around 2025-26
30 of 30
The Washington Wizards' top offseason goal is all about delayed gratification, and it might make some fans uncomfortable. After all, one brutal season of a rebuild is bad enough.
However, we're still suggesting a second is in order.
Washington just isn't on the same footing as the rest of the league's worst teams. The San Antonio Spurs have Victor Wembanyama, the Charlotte Hornets have LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, and the Portland Trail Blazers have Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe.
As exciting as Bilal Coulibaly's flashes may have been this past season, Washington still doesn't have anyone you would bank on as a cornerstone.
This offseason should be all about the Wizards positioning themselves to change that.
Yes, it'll mean filling out the roster with youth, possibly trading Kyle Kuzma for picks and generally seeking out as much future first-round equity as possible—in 2025 specifically (because Cooper Flagg), but also further down the road.
The Wizards should also be motivated to keep the top-10 protected first-rounder they owe the New York Knicks, which is just one of the many reasons they shouldn't be chasing veteran upgrades any time soon.
As tough as it is to hear, 2024-25 needs to be another bottom-dwelling, developmental season in Washington. Everything the Wizards do should focus on 2025-26.
Stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass. Salary info via Spotrac.
Grant Hughes covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter (@gt_hughes), and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, where he appears with Bleacher Report's Dan Favale.
.jpg?w=600 "Vrabel Seeking Counseling")
.jpg?w=600 "Cardinals May Be Bluffing Pick")
.jpg?w=600 "Former President Crashes Cowboys Presser")
