One Position Every NBA Team Still Needs to Upgrade Before Next Season

There has been plenty of movement during the offseason thus far, but there's not a single team out there—not even Miami—that's perfectly set at all positions.

From Minnesota struggling to solidify the shooting guard position to Brooklyn only having one decent center, there are obvious weak points throughout the league.

Let's take a look at each team individually and determine which position can use some strengthening. Some teams are pretty well set all the way around, and in those cases we will look at positions that lack depth or versatility.

**Disclaimer: All evaluations and observations were based off of current team depth charts located at ESPN.com**

Atlanta Hawks: SF

The Atlanta Hawks are hurting at the small forward position.

Kyle Korver is currently listed as the team's starter. He's a strong perimeter shooter (he averages 43 percent from downtown) and has decent point totals, but Korver is definitely on the decline. And at 31 years old, who knows how many more years he'll hang around.The Creighton alum is much better suited to be coming off the bench at this point in his career.

Atlanta has DeShawn Stevenson as its second-string SF, and he's basically a waste of space. The veteran averages only 28 percent from the field and 56 percent from the charity stripe. Also 31 years old, Stevenson should consider hanging it up for good.

The Hawks need to find a young SF who can bring energy and excitement back to the position.

Boston Celtics: SF

Now, hear me out.

I am in no way putting down Paul Pierce or his abilities on the court. Pierce is a fantastic role player for Boston, and the squad possesses solid starters across the board. The problem with the small forward position, however, is the lack of depth.

Pierce averages 19.4 points, 4.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game, and he hasn't shown many signs of slowing down. However, the veteran is 34 years old, and there's no telling how long he'll stay in the game.

Pierce's backup is listed as rookie Kris Joseph. Joseph played well for Syracuse, averaging 13.4 PPG, but the Celtics didn't draft him until the second round, and it's hard to predict how Joseph will make the transition into the big leagues. He's a gamble, for sure. 

Boston needs to add another piece to its SF position.

Brooklyn Nets: C

Brook Lopez was recently signed to an overly high, four-year, $60-million deal. Brooklyn didn't have much of a choice, though, when considering Lopez is the only player listed as a center on the Nets' depth cart.

Lopez averages an appreciated 19.2 points per game, but he struggles on defense and isn't as aggressive as he should be beneath the basket. Only averaging 3.6 boards per game is not up to par for a starting center in the NBA.

Charlotte Bobcats: PF

Second-year power forward Bismack Biyombo is currently listed as Charlotte's starter, and he just doesn't produce high enough numbers to have earned this role. He does manage to grab 5.8 rebounds per game, but last season he averaged only 5.2 points per game, and he also gave up the ball at least once per contest.

Backup Tyrus Thomas does not prove any more reliable. Charlotte needs a scorer at PF, and at this point it definitely doesn't have one.

Chicago Bulls: PG

Derrick Rose is one of the best in the business, but after his ACL injury during the 2012 playoffs, Rose is expected to miss the majority of the upcoming season.

Chicago's current backup is Kirk Hinrich, who averaged 6.6 points over 25 minutes per game in 2011-2012. Hinrich is inconsistent and doesn't hold a starter's demeanor.

The Bulls did succeed in drafting and signing first-round pick Marquis Teague, and Chicago fans hope the young man out of Kentucky will soothe some of their PG woes. At only 19 years old, it's hard to predict how Teague will transition into leading a big-league team.

There are way too many uncertainties at the PG position in Chicago.

Cleveland Cavaliers: SF

This was a tough decision, as the Cleveland Cavs have a couple of weak spots on the floor. Although they are four players deep at the small forward position, the Cavs need an upgrade here.

Omri Casspi is currently listed as starting SF, and his numbers are entirely average at 7.1 points and 3.5 per game. Casspi averages only 40 percent from the field, and he's not consistent in his performance.

Backups at the SF position are Kelenna Azubuike, Luke Walton and D.J. Kennedy, all three of which are hardly utilized at all.

Dallas Mavericks: PG

Dallas made a good move in bringing in Darren Collison from Indiana to start at point guard. Collison isn't a superstar, though. He averaged 10 points last season with 4.4 assists, but he also shot only 36 percent from the perimeter and turned the ball over almost twice per game.

The Mavs need a confident leader, and they could do much better than Collison.

Denver Nuggets: SG

Arron Afflalo has been an asset to the Denver Nuggets thus far, and I expect him to put up even stronger numbers this season.

The problem, though, is that the Nuggets don't have much for backup shooting guards. When Corey Brewer played in Minnesota, I was a huge fan of the energy and crowd involvement he brought to the game, but he struggles with inconsistency year after year.

Brewer is a streaky shooter at best, and Denver needs another piece to bolster its shooting guard position.

Detroit Pistons: PF

When your starting power forward averages fewer than 10 points or rebounds a game, it's time to think about upgrading that position.

For Detroit, Jonas Jerebko is a less-than-outstanding starter. He gets the job done with 8.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, but he doesn't seem to fit the role naturally. If he sees more playing time this season—which he will, if the Pistons don't bring in anyone else—he may develop into a more consistent threat, but Detroit should keep its feelers out.

Golden State Warriors: C

The reason I say the center position is the weakest for Golden State is because of the uncertainty surrounding starter Andrew Bogut.

The 27-year-old big man is an outstanding athlete when he's healthy, and the Warriors are hoping all will go well this season. Bogut has yet to play in a game for Golden State, as he came to the West Coast midway through last season and was sidelined with an ankle injury.

Doctors and physical therapists say Bogut is on track and will be ready for training camp. If all goes as planned, the Dubs might not have to worry about strengthening at center. If he falls into his injury-prone reputation, however, there aren't many other options.

Houston Rockets: C

Since Yao Ming, the Rockets have struggled at the center position.

Houston's center list is five deep on the roster chart, but not one those guys is reliable to anchor a team beneath the basket.

Indiana Pacers: PG

Indiana is building a solid team and will have a winning record in 2012-2013. The one position they could use some strengthening in, though, is point guard. 

George Hill is currently listed as the starter for the team, despite averaging only 25 minutes per game last season. Hill averaged 9.6 points per game, which in itself is not a bad number. However, the things one looks for in a reliable point guard—assist totals and perimeter shooting—are on the weaker end for the 26-year-old.

Backup PG D.J. Augustin, recently acquired from Charlotte, may be the piece Indiana is looking for. Last season he averaged 11.1 points and 6.4 assists per game.

Either way, however, the Pacers could afford to hold another talented PG in their reserves.

Los Angeles Clippers: C

Okay, let's just be honest: the Los Angeles teams are pretty well-rounded this year. The Clips look strong from all angles.

When it comes down to it, though, their center position lacks depth. DeAndre Jordan put up solid numbers last season, most noticeably hitting 62 percent of his shots from the field. L.A. would like to see him grab a few more boards.

The weakness comes in the Clippers' lack of reserve talent. They recently brought in Ryan Hollins from Boston, but he's not much to brag about. Hollins has decent games from time to time, but he's been floating around the league trying to find some consistency—on and off the court—for a few years.

Los Angeles Lakers: SF

The biggest Lakers concern for awhile was at point guard, but now that LA brought in veteran All-Star Steve Nash, it seems that the biggest weakness is at the small forward position.

Metta World Peace, formerly Ron Artest, is certainly a talented athlete. His off-the-court issues and instability, however, make him a constant concern and question mark. Lakers fans would be a lot more comfortable if the team added a bit more depth behind the forward.

Memphis Grizzlies: SG

The fact that Wayne Ellington is the backup shooting guard in Memphis shows the Grizzlies don't have much to work with. I spent a few years watching Ellington play in Minnesota, and he is one of the most streaky shooters I have ever seen. One night he's hot, and the next night he can't hit a single shot.

Tony Allen is the Grizzlies' starter, and he averages a decent 9.8 points per game. He's getting up there in age, however, which is slowing him down. He also commits almost two turnovers per game, an error that severely hurts teams.

Miami Heat: C

It's hard to criticize much about the team that were the 2012 National Champions.

The weakest position on the Miami Heat is at center. Chris Bosh is a fantastic scorer, but he does lack the aggressiveness and agility beneath the basket that could increase his board and block totals. At 6'11", Bosh averaged 19 points last season while only grabbing 7.9 rebounds per game. He struggles to grab offensive rebounds, and he averages more turnovers per contest than blocks.

And the backup? Joel Anthony isn't really worth mentioning.

Milwaukee Bucks: Bench

I'm taking the liberty to count "The Bench" as a position. The problem with Milwaukee is they always carry decent enough players to survive the season, and they never get any high draft picks.

The Bucks have Drew Gooden, Samuel Dalembert, Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis and Mike Dunleavy listed as starters, but they hardly have any depth at all in reserves. In fact, a majority of Milwaukee's reserves have yet to prove themselves at all.

The Bucks need to seriously look at adding some additional pieces.

Minnesota Timberwolves: SG

Last season, Wesley Johnson started as shooting guard for Minnesota all year. Not because he was any good, but because there weren't really any other options except for Michael Beasley, whom Rick Adelman declined to start.

Both Johnson and Beasley have found new homes during the offseason, and the problem of shooting guard still remains.

Rookie Alexey Shved may be a solution to this situation, or Adelman might move around players and have Luke Ridnour play the position a bit. Either way, it looks like one giant question mark.

New Orleans Hornets: SF

The New Orleans Hornets have struggled for a while, and I don't expect this season to be any different. Without a doubt, their weakest position is small forward.

Al-Farouq Aminu is listed as a starter, and he averaged only six points per game last season. He hits less than 30 percent of his shots from the three-point line, and he sometimes has trouble retaining possession of the ball.

New Orleans needs to bring in a stronger veteran at SF if they want to have success on the court.

New York Knicks: PF

Amar'e Stoudemire is a great athlete and a strong power forward for New York, but they don't have much for backup.

The biggest problem surrounding Stoudemire is the 2.4 turnovers he averages per game, and sometimes he needs a sit down or two to settle. Kurt Thomas is listed as a second-string PF to Stoudemire. At 39 years old, Thomas is no longer the player he used to be. He averaged only three points per game last season; aside from his veteran influence, he's not much of an asset anymore.

New York should be on the market for a younger, tough power forward to learn under Stoudemire and come off the bench as he develops.

Oklahoma City Thunder: PF

Once again, it's tough to pick on a team that has almost everything going for it.

Oklahoma City is put together extremely well, but they are lacking a bit at the power forward position. Serge Ibaka is a great athlete to be sure, and he plays outstanding defense. The 235-lb forward averages 7.5 rebounds and an impressive 3.7 blocks per game, which is one of the highest in the NBA.

Ibaka doesn't pull through on offense, though, as he averaged fewer than 10 points per game in 2011-2012. The Thunder need to bring in a backup PF who's more offensively fitted for OKC's system.

Orlando Magic: C

This is all a matter of "What If's."

If Orlando must say good-bye to All-Star Dwight Howard, some serious reconstructing will be required of the center position.

Philadelphia 76ers: PG

At only 22 years old, Jrue Holiday is an incredibly talented point guard, but there's no presence of depth at his position.

Currently, Philly doesn't even have a backup listed on its depth chart. It would be beneficial to the squad and to Holiday if a veteran PG was brought in to share time with the UCLA alum.

Phoenix Suns: PG

Goran Dragic is a decent point guard, but he's no Steve Nash.

It will be interesting and bizarre to watch the Suns led by someone other than the veteran PG, and only time will tell if Dragic will fit into the system.

Sebastian Telfair and Kendall Marshall are the point guard reserves, and neither one tends to be utilized very often.

Portland Trail Blazers: C

The Trail Blazers literally have one center listed on their depth chart currently, and the job goes to rookie Meyers Leonard.

Leonard will certainly be a nice addition to Portland's squad, but it seems much too risky to rely so heavily on a guy who has yet to play a professional game.

Sacramento Kings: PF

26-year-old Jason Thompson starts for the Sacramento Kings, and he produces decent numbers, especially his shooting percentage at 53 percent. Even with such a high average, though, Thompson averaged fewer than 10 points per game in 2011-2012.

For being a man of his stature and 250 pounds, Thompson should be pulling down 10 boards a night; instead, he averaged 6.9. Thompson is not a bad player by any means, but he's also not the type of aggressive leader that the struggling Kings need on their squad. In addition, there really isn't anyone solid to relieve him or pad the position in case of injury.

San Antonio Spurs: C

The Spurs' problem is that it seems they don't have a true center to anchor their team. According to their ESPN.com depth chart, Boris Diaw stands as the starting center, and yet he is technically a power forward.

When transitioning to San Antonio last season, Diaw immediately had a high percentage from the field. However, he only averaged 4.2 rebounds and 4.7 points per game, making the FG% almost irrelevant. He can certainly be implemented in this system, but center might not be the best fit.

Backup center Tiago Splitter averaged 9.3 points and 5.2 rebounds in 19 minutes of playing time last season, and he didn't increase his minutes. If the Spurs aren't looking to utilize Splitter more heavily, they should look at other options to bring in.

Toronto Raptors: C

Toronto clearly does not have stability at the center position.

The Raptors' depth chart lists only one player to play the big man role, and that player is 20-year-old Jonas Valanciunas out of Russia. Although he was drafted No. 5 overall in 2011, Valanciunas did not play in the NBA last season.

He's a great athlete, but not having a reliable Plan B will be a bit of a gamble for Toronto.

Utah Jazz: C

The Jazz are a pretty well-rounded team as far as scoring and positions go, but if I'm choosing a weakness I think I would go with the center position.

Al Jefferson is a scorer; last season, he averaged 19.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Since his ACL surgery, however, Jefferson has not been the player he once was. He can put up the points and boards, but he's not as quick on his feet and sometimes looks sluggish beneath the basket. He's a tremendous asset to Utah, but their lack of depth behind him can hurt.

Washington Wizards: SF

Trevor Ariza was a great offseason pickup for Washington. While playing in Charlotte, Ariza averaged 10.8 points and 3.3 assists per game, strong numbers for a small forward.

It's always a bit of a gamble when hoping to see a player transition smoothly into a team's system, and the lack of depth to support Ariza from the bench will definitely hinder the Wizards.