NBA Free Agents 2015: Ideal Signing for Every Team This Summer

No roster is ever complete in April. 

Well, the ones belonging to the teams still alive in the hunt for the Larry O'Brien Trophy are, but right now, we're concerned with collections of talent for the next season. Even those squads have to make moves this offseason to gear up for the 2015-16 campaign.

So, while the last few first-round battles are sorting themselves out, we're looking forward to the ever-hectic free-agency period that will begin in full force once this year's champion is decided. 

Going into the summer, every team has at least one ideal target. Some make those dreams into realities, while others are forced to pursue second options—and third choices, or worse, in some cases. 

But across the board, there's always one player who stands out as a particularly strong candidate. It may be someone on the current roster who's hitting the open market but must be retained, as is the case for some of the many teams with strong restricted free agents. It may be a superstar for teams with plenty of cap space. And for a handful of teams, it's merely a role player, as limitations exist due to financial restrictions or overloads of young talent. 

When finding these ideal targets, it's important to maintain a healthy mix of realism and optimism. 

Atlanta Hawks: Paul Millsap, PF, Unrestricted

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While the Atlanta Hawks overachieved a bit during the 2014-15 campaign, which ended up becoming the most successful regular season in franchise history, there's absolutely no reason to split up the core. As this team continues to grow even more comfortable together while developing the young talents on the bench, Atlanta only gets more dangerous. 

But that's only if Paul Millsap returns. 

Retaining DeMarre Carroll's services is an important offseason step, but the tough-minded small forward is much more replaceable. The Hawks can make up for losing him with the Brooklyn Nets' draft pick they'll get their hands on, and there are quite a few players on the open market who can fill that hole—Arron Afflalo, for example, if he declines his player option with the Portland Trail Blazers. 

Millsap, however, is irreplaceable.

His versatility on both ends of the court adds new dimensions to Atlanta's schemes. And as a result, he spent more than a few games serving as the team's clear-cut best player, making the most of a devastating pump fake, his relentless enthusiasm and his improved jumper. 

Boston Celtics: DeAndre Jordan, C, Unrestricted

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As Steve Bulpett wrote for the Boston Herald after the Boston Celtics were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs, there's hope in Beantown: 

"

The hope around the C’s is that the four national television exposures have raised the club’s profile in the minds of potential free agents.

Sure, that may be a bit of a reach, but when you consider players live in the here and now and generally have the memory of a gypsy moth, this was a reminder that Boston is not NBA Siberia and that taller than average citizens of the world with basketball skills may want to consider taking their talents to (fill in your favorite eastern Massachusetts beach here).

"

But who? 

Well, DeAndre Jordan is considerably taller than average, he's an unrestricted free agent and his defensive prowess would look absolutely perfect in the Boston frontcourt. It will inevitably be quite difficult to steal him away from the clutches of the Los Angeles Clippers, who will surely offer quite a lot to retain him, but he's an ideal fit. 

After all, Boston has the stretchy frontcourt pieces already. Kelly Olynyk is best suited as a spot-up player from the biggest spots in the lineup, while Jared Sullinger has been working to expand his range beyond the three-point arc. 

Neither thrives protecting the basket, though. 

Brooklyn Nets: Brook Lopez, C, Player Option

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Would the Brooklyn Nets like to make sweeping changes? Sure. 

The better question is: How? 

This franchise already has more money committed to its returning players than the cap would typically allow for, and that will prevent the front office from making any splashy moves. Unless, of course, the splash involves re-signing one of Brooklyn's own free agents. 

Regardless of whether it's time for Brook Lopez to move on—which he can do by declining his player option and then signing on with a new organization—it's in Brooklyn's best interest to bring him back. It's not about how he fits into the lineup, but simply a matter of necessity, as there's no other way for the Nets to get their hands on a talent like this big man. 

Charlotte Hornets: Danny Green, SG/SF, Unrestricted

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The Charlotte Hornets desperately need more shooters. 

During the 2014-15 season, the former Bobcats successfully converted only 498 three-point attempts, which left them as one of five members of the sub-500 club, along with the Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves.

But even more problematically, Charlotte actually tried to hit triples, unlike some of the teams in that club. It wasn't steadfastly ignoring the space beyond the arc, but rather hitting those looks at a 31.8 percent clip, which narrowly edged out the Philadelphia 76ers' historically putrid offense for the worst mark in the Association. 

Shooters are sorely needed, and Danny Green isn't just any shooter. 

In addition to coming off a season in which he took 5.6 attempts per game from downtown and made 41.8 percent of them—his fourth consecutive year with a percentage in the 40s—Green also continued asserting himself as a two-way force. It's that defensive ability that makes him a strong fit in Steve Clifford's system, not just the touch from long range. 

Chicago Bulls: Jimmy Butler, SG, Restricted

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This is about as obvious as it gets. 

During the regular season, Jimmy Butler was a two-way star, becoming one of the NBA's biggest breakout successes while averaging 20 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.6 blocks. It seemed like everything came together at once for the former No. 30 pick, allowing him to make his first All-Star squad and become a household name. 

But in the first round of the playoffs, Butler has been even better. Not only has he posted 28.3 points, 5.3 boards and 3.0 steals per contest against the Milwaukee Bucks, but he's been the go-to player whenever the game is tight down the stretch, and he's typically been up to the challenge against Jason Kidd's suffocating defense. 

At this point, it's blindingly obvious that Butler is vital to the Bulls' success, and they aren't letting him get away. Whether by handing him a max deal or waiting to match a max offer sheet, this steal from the 2011 NBA draft will be back in the Windy City. 

Cleveland Cavaliers: All the Key Incumbent Pieces

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LeBron James can opt out of his contract and hit the open market. Kevin Love can do the same. So too can J.R. Smith. Tristan Thompson's contract has expired, and he'll be a restricted free agent this summer, as is true of Iman Shumpert's deal.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were the East's best team during the second half of the season, but now they face plenty of uncertainty. Keeping the majority of the roster together has to be a huge priority, as this team will only continue gaining comfort and racking up the wins if all the key pieces remain in place. 

James isn't really a flight risk. Even if/when he opts out, it'll only be to secure a bigger deal that reflects the rising nature of the cap, and it wouldn't be at all surprising to see him ink another one-year contract for the very same reason. 

But Love is the biggest question mark, especially if the Cavs don't make it to the NBA Finals.

And while the power forward had a rough season—by his standards, at least—he was still quite vital to Cleveland's success. According to my FATS model (based on historical similarities and explained in full here), the Cavs played like a 48.8-win team with Love and a 29.8-win team without him this year. Among the 20 different players who spent at least a single minute on the court for Cleveland this season, only LeBron James provided a bigger on/off impact. 

Obviously, retaining Love's services is a must. 

Dallas Mavericks: Reggie Jackson, PG, Restricted

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The Dallas Mavericks have a lot to figure out this offseason. 

Is Tyson Chandler worth re-signing? He had an impressive season during his return to the Lone Star State, but he's going to be expensive to bring back and is already 32 years old with a history of back problems. 

Will Monta Ellis turn down his player option? And if he does, will it be to go elsewhere? It'll be tough to replace Ellis' dynamic offense, but he sure seemed malcontent toward the end of the regular season and might not have an invite back. 

But most importantly, what in the world are the Mavericks going to do at point guard? 

Rajon Rondo quite clearly isn't in the future plans—Rick Carlisle has even said that the floor general has played his last game for Dallas, per ESPN Dallas' Tim MacMahon on Twitter—and a competitive team can't possibly go to war with Devin Harris and Raymond Felton leading the charge.

Making matters even more complicated, Dallas can't pick an elite 1-guard in the draft (barring a trade up from No. 21), and the free-agency class is weak at the position. 

That's why we're turning to a restricted free agent here, as the Mavericks could certainly use Reggie Jackson's offensive know-how, especially now that he's figured out he's best served as a player who looks to distribute and score—not just the latter.

Prying him away from the Detroit Pistons would be tough, but a max deal may be enough to secure him. And the Mavs have to spend their money somewhere. 

Denver Nuggets: Jonas Jerebko, PF, Unrestricted

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The Denver Nuggets aren't going to lure any marquee free agents to the Mile High City, and they're presumably aware of that sad reality. Unless major changes are in store—ones that would involve trading previous franchise cornerstones like Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried—they're only going to be making minor moves while counting on internal growth. 

At least there are plenty of quality pieces already in place (especially if Jusuf Nurkic and Gary Harris grow significantly) just waiting for the right coach to make them look even better. But especially with Darrell Arthur hitting free agency, there's no stretchiness in the frontcourt. 

That's where Jonas Jerebko comes into play, as he's very much the type of mid-tier free agent the Nuggets should be going after. The 28-year-old Swedish power forward did come off the bench for all of 2014-15, both while he was with the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics, but he proved he can do the one thing Denver needs—shoot the ball. 

Jerebko took 1.9 three-point attempts per game this season and connected on 38.6 percent of them. He was even better in Boston, displaying plenty of confidence from all long-range areas. 

Every team needs at least one big man who can open up a defense, and Jerebko could be that guy for Denver, if only in a minor role. 

Detroit Pistons: Reggie Jackson, PG, Restricted

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Brandon Jennings is going to be returning to the Detroit Pistons next season, and he'll surely want his old job as the starting point guard back. But if Motor City can retain Reggie Jackson, that's not going to be what happens for the incumbent southpaw, even when he's fully healthy. 

After all, we can't discount just how good Jackson looked during the stretch run after figuring out he was best served looking to both score and set up his teammates. During his last 16 games of the season, this guard averaged a scorching 19.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 10.9 assists while shooting 48 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from downtown. 

Of course Detroit is going to want that back. And fortunately for Stan Van Gundy, it seems as if his midseason acquisition would like to come back as well. 

"There's a continuity, especially coming back. If we still have the same kind of core, then that would be great. Getting to know these guys has been amazing. I'm looking forward to texting them over the summer, keeping our motivation together," Jackson told MLive.com's David Mayo after the season ended, sounding for all the world like he was already assuming he'd be wearing the same jersey in 2015-16. 

Golden State Warriors: Draymond Green, SF/PF, Restricted

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Here's another obvious one. 

Per FATS, the Golden State Warriors played like a 58-win squad when Draymond Green was on the floor (and that number would actually be higher if it weren't for the inevitable ceiling in historical-comparison models). But when he was on the bench, either catching his breath or in street clothes, Golden State suddenly became a 40.2-win team. 

That's obviously a huge drop-off, but it's even more significant because Green was one of only two players whose absence could make the Warriors into a sub-.500 unit—Stephen Curry was the other, much to the surprise of absolutely no one. Even when Klay Thompson sat, Golden State still played like a 44.5-win team. 

Plenty of suitors will come calling, and the Warriors will likely have to match a max offer sheet. 

Even though Green's scoring output doesn't match that of most max players, the Warriors should do so without even thinking hard. 

Houston Rockets: Goran Dragic, PG/SG, Unrestricted (Kind Of)

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The Houston Rockets may boast a legitimate MVP candidate at shooting guard and a center who's starting to look awfully elite again, but they have a gaping hole at point guard. 

Completing a sign-and-trade to bring Goran Dragic back to his old stomping grounds is the best course of action. The Rockets could pursue Rajon Rondo or Reggie Jackson, though the former doesn't bring enough offense to the table and the latter will be too expensive as a restricted free agent. 

What they absolutely can't do is stagnate at the position. 

Patrick Beverley is a free agent as well, but he's better-served in a smaller role, where he can use his defensive intensity in the right situations. Plus, he might be too expensive to re-sign this summer in a league where everyone wants the best point guards, even though he's a restricted free agent. Beyond him, Jason Terry is unrestricted, and Pablo Prigioni clearly isn't going to cut it. 

Dragic is not only the best point guard on the market, but he's also proved himself in off-ball situations. He'd thrive next to James Harden, and it's not as if he'd be limited to the corners. Plus, he's an unrestricted free agent as soon as his declined player option becomes official. 

Indiana Pacers: DeMarre Carroll, SF, Unrestricted

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Especially if Roy Hibbert turns down his player option and seeks a bigger deal, the Indiana Pacers have plenty of decisions to make during the offseason. But they also have the luxury of going into the hottest months of the year in a strong position. 

George Hill proved himself quite valuable while leading the charge for Indiana, and Paul George should be fully healthy going into next season. Already, the Pacers are looking quite dangerous, as they were when making a late—and ultimately unsuccessful—playoff push. 

Unless David West opts out and restructures a smaller deal, Indiana isn't going to have much money to spend. But just imagine if it targeted a player like DeMarre Carroll, one who could help out on both ends of the court. 

The Pacers don't need another wing stopper, but pairing one with George isn't exactly a negative. Instead, it would help give this team quite the ferocious tandem on the less glamorous end. 

But what they do need is a shooter.

Carroll proved all year that he could drill triples for the Atlanta Hawks, connecting on 39.5 percent of his 4.3 three-point attempts per game while playing for the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed. He's become an increasingly confident offensive player, and now his two-way prowess could help get Indiana closer to reacquiring that same seed it once held.

Los Angeles Clippers: DeAndre Jordan, C, Unrestricted

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Shoring up the second unit is a priority for the Los Angeles Clippers, who found themselves far too reliant on the work of their starters. But that will ultimately be irrelevant if the Clippers can't keep the nucleus of the team together. 

Chris Paul is locked up. So too is Blake Griffin. But DeAndre Jordan is coming off a monster season and hitting the open market as an unrestricted free agent, one sure to draw plenty of attention for his ridiculous rebounding and impressive work on the defensive end. 

LAC can't afford for No. 6 to leave. The team would miss everything he brings to the proverbial table, with his putrid free-throw shooting down the stretch serving as the lone exception.

Without him sucking in a defense and scoring on his athletic cuts to the hoop, the Clippers don't finish with the league's top offense. And while he received far more Defensive Player of the Year attention than he deserved (Kelly Scaletta, writing for BBALLBREAKDOWN, has more on that), his ability to deter shots around the basket and end plays with a defensive rebound were crucial to Los Angeles remaining even average on that end. 

Los Angeles Lakers: Marc Gasol, C, Unrestricted

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The Los Angeles Lakers have plenty of money to spend, and they're essentially starting with a clean slate. 

Kobe Bryant is still on the roster for what may be his final season in the NBA, but he's capable of playing either shooting guard or small forward at this stage of his career. Julius Randle will be healthy, and he was quite impressive during summer league and preseason action before breaking his leg in his professional debut. Jordan Clarkson will be back, further justifying his status as a draft-day steal after his stellar second half. 

But beyond that, and the possible return of someone like Ed Davis, what exactly do the Lakers have? They can add players at virtually any position, and they have the money, location and historical appeal necessary to attract even the biggest names. 

"Go big or go home" has to be the mentality here.

Going big involves pursuing the best two-way building block out there—Marc Gasol, who is yet again in the conversation centered around identifying the Association's top center. And if he can't be had, the Lakers can test the waters with the marquee restricted free agents or chase LaMarcus Aldridge. 

But if they strike out, go home. And in this case, that means holding tight, rebuilding for one more year and then going for broke in a loaded 2016 free-agency class when they have even more dollars to spend. 

Memphis Grizzlies: Marc Gasol, C, Unrestricted

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The Memphis Grizzlies have to find a way to add more shooting to their roster. They keep trying, but it's never enough, especially without the ability to give young pieces like Jordan Adams more playing time. 

However, that's the No. 2 priority. No. 1 is figuring out how to keep Marc Gasol. 

The Spanish 7-footer remains one of the league's premier centers, and he's going to hear overtures from many of the league's more appealing teams. The Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks, for example, may basically offer him whatever he desires, and that could be tough to turn down, especially if the Grizz fail to advance out of the Western Conference. 

But Memphis simply can't afford to lose the foundation of its team. Gasol's versatile brilliance on offense and keen understanding of Dave Joerger's defense make him invaluable; he'd simply be absolutely impossible to replace. 

It's time to play up how much the fanbase loves him.

Miami Heat: Goran Dragic, PG/SG, Unrestricted (Kind Of)

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"If you're gonna find the same language, then it's easy for everybody. It's hard to talk about that right now. We'll see. I need to sit down with my family and explore the options and see what option is the best, but the last two months that I was here was beautiful for me," Goran Dragic told Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post, and that was only the latest indication that he wanted to stay in Miami. 

It's not hard to see why. 

When everyone in South Beach is healthy, the Heat figure to have one of the strongest starting fives in the NBA. Dragic is a fringe All-Star who has a better shot at making the squad with a full season in the Eastern Conference, while Dwyane Wade has reinvented his game to account for declining athleticism. Luol Deng remains a valuable two-way commodity, Chris Bosh is one of the game's best stretch bigs and Hassan Whiteside was a breakout star with enduring loads of untapped potential. 

What's not to be excited about? Of course, the feeling is mutual. 

Dragic's versatile skill set and slithery play with the ball in his hands offers plenty of options for Erik Spoelstra, and the thought of him running pick-and-pops with Bosh is a truly tantalizing one. 

Lock him up first, then pursue depth next. 

Milwaukee Bucks: Khris Middleton, SF, Restricted

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Sticking with the theme of pursuing one's own free agents, the Milwaukee Bucks can't afford to let Khris Middelton slip through their fingers. He was a huge part of the team's success during the 2014-15 campaign, and that will remain true next year, assuming he's back on the roster. 

Fortunately for Brewtown, it'll be easier to hold onto him, as he's a restricted free agent, giving the Bucks the ability to match any offer sheet he signs. 

Middleton doesn't have the jaw-dropping length boasted by some of his teammates, but he's a skilled defender whose offensive game makes Milwaukee all the more dangerous. He's getting better at scoring off the bounce, and his perimeter shooting keeps the Bucks offense from stagnating too often. 

As FATS shows, this team played like a 49.1-win squad when Middleton was on the floor, as opposed to a 31.1-win unit when he was on the pine. No one else on the roster had such a large impact, and it's no fluke for this under-the-radar star who's only continuing to build his resume. 

Minnesota Timberwolves: Brandon Bass, PF, Unrestricted

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The Minnesota Timberwolves are a bit complicated. 

They figure to have plenty of money available to spend during the summer months, but they don't actually have that many holes to fill. After all, this roster is brimming over with potential—Ricky Rubio, Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine, Shabazz Muhammad, Gorgui Dieng, Anthony Bennett and Adreian Payne will all be fighting to improve. Throw in some veterans like Kevin Martin and Nikola Pekovic, and the Wolves actually won't even have that many roster spots available after the draft. 

But if there's any major weakness, it's at power forward. Bennett and Payne could change that in the near future, but neither has been too impressive during their still-young professional careers, so Minnesota could snag a mid-tier 4 as a placeholder. 

Brandon Bass would be the right kind of fit for this roster, both because he'll command a seven-figure salary per year and since he can create his own shots from mid-range zones, adding a new element to an offense that doesn't always feature that much creativity. 

He might not seem like an exciting target, but that's not what the Wolves need. The improvement is surely going to come internally and through the draft process, not by striking gold in free agency. 

New Orleans Pelicans: Omer Asik, C, Unrestricted

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Even though the New Orleans Pelicans were swept by the dominant Golden State Warriors during what was Anthony Davis' first playoff experience, it's not hard to see the upside here. When all the key pieces are healthy, they're a capable group that can challenge almost every team in the league. 

That just wasn't the case in 2014-15, as Ryan Anderson struggled with his shot throughout the year, while Jrue Holiday spent far too much time wearing street clothes. But now, with Anderson, Holiday, Davis, Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans locked up for another year (barring Gordon unexpectedly declining an option worth over $15 million), the Pelicans are going to have to build around this core. 

Almost the entire bench is hitting free agency this summer, so cap holds will prevent the Pellies from targeting a marquee player. In fact, their best bet is to re-sign Omer Asik, hoping that he continues to develop chemistry next to Davis on both ends of the floor. 

Asik isn't a perfect fit for this team, and this core doesn't have limitless upside, even when healthy. But given the financial situation until Gordon and Anderson come off the books in 2016, it's New Orleans' best bet for maximizing the talent on the roster. 

New York Knicks: LaMarcus Aldridge, PF, Unrestricted

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Since the New York Knicks have enough money to sign a max player and keep going after big targets, their top choice really boils down to Marc Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge. It's hard to complain about either one, as both should fit in nicely with Carmelo Anthony and the rest of the few incumbent pieces, but age and career trajectory push the Portland Trail Blazers big man just ahead. 

After all, the intention this summer is to find another long-term building block, not to acquire a short-term rental who's going to decline in the near future. And since Aldridge will turn 30 in July while Gasol hits 31 in January, that's just enough of an edge to push the Rip City standout into the pole position. 

Obviously, that's not a big difference. In many ways, it might end up being irrelevant, especially since neither player bases his success around extreme athleticism. But with Gasol moving in the wrong direction ever so slightly this season and Aldridge continuing to showcase himself as a top-notch talent, it does matter. 

Plus, the consensus seems to be that Aldridge is an ideal fit for the offensive schemes of the Knicks. Again, not that Gasol isn't. 

"He's widely seen as a player who can thrive in the triangle offense," ESPN.com's Ian Begley explains about Aldridge. "The 29-year-old is effective in the post and can knock down a perimeter shot. Those skills, of course, are valuable in any offense. But they have significant value in the triangle, which can produce plenty of post touches and mid-range shots."

There's no wrong choice here—assuming the Knicks can get their paws on either. 

Oklahoma City Thunder: Enes Kanter, C, Restricted

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How exactly are the Oklahoma City Thunder planning on luring new players onto their roster? 

Kevin Durant is set to make just over $20 million. Russell Westbrook will eat up $16.7 million in cap space. Serge Ibaka costs $12.4 million for the 2015-16 season. Between those three players alone, the Thunder are already going to be fairly close to the cap, and the rest of the roster pushes them over, since precious few players are actually on expiring deals. 

OKC isn't going to have a chance to bring in anyone nearly as talented as Enes Kanter, which makes retaining the restricted free agent all the more important. 

The big man's lackluster defense is harmful, but his offensive potential adds a new element to the Thunder and makes him a promising rotation mate next to Steven Adams at the center position. Whoever ends up coaching this team will have to figure out a way to maximize Kanter's scoring talents while minimizing the defensive drop-off, but that's a problem worth having. 

Especially when the alternative is bringing in some nondescript player on a veteran's minimum and leaving him glued to the bench. 

Orlando Magic: Paul Millsap, PF, Unrestricted

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The Orlando Magic have plenty of promising young pieces already on board. Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo, Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon are chief among them, but we can't discount potential re-signings like Kyle O'Quinn and Tobias Harris. 

However, we can forget about them if the Magic have their sights set on a bigger price. 

General manager Rob Hennigan might boast a fresh-faced roster with loads of upside, but he doesn't have an established star who can also serve as a veteran leader. Throw enough money at Paul Millsap—read: a max deal—and that could change. 

Millsap's offensive versatility would complement the many young players quite nicely, especially because his jump-shooting range expands out beyond the three-point arc. And unlike Channing Frye, he can knock down triples while doing plenty else, which would finally give the Magic more of a clear-cut identity—drive-and-kick basketball with floor-spacing bigs who open up lanes for the guards and can create for themselves. 

In some ways, Millsap is everything Harris needs to develop into. He can put the ball on the floor, score from anywhere and assert himself as a consistent defensive presence. And if the Magic aren't willing to pay the Tennessee product and then hope he develops, they can go after the established commodity and attempt to expedite this long rebuild. 

Philadelphia 76ers: Ed Davis, PF/C, Player Option

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It's hard to see any big-name free agent going to the Philadelphia 76ers until they prove their culture doesn't revolve around losing. Even with plenty of money to spend, thanks to the cost-effective prices of the many young pieces on GM Sam Hinkie's roster, there's not enough appeal. 

On top of that, there's no guarantee that the Sixers are willing to acquire bigger names quite yet, as they're still developing internally and adding plenty of draft picks into the mix. 

But if one player is going to be tempting, it should be Ed Davis. 

The 25-year-old big man enjoyed a successful first season with the Los Angeles Lakers, continuing to prove that he's an excellent per-minute player with a knack for defending the rim and making shots right around the basket. He didn't receive an inordinate amount of playing time under Byron Scott, but he was on the floor enough to prove that he could break out in a different location. 

Why not in Philadelphia?

The Sixers need a reliable frontcourt player who can help keep Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid healthy, and he's just the kind of high-upside, post-hype candidate who would fit in with what this organization is trying to do right now. 

Plus, the Sixers have the money to take a chance. Davis will likely opt out of his player option—worth only slightly more than $1 million for 2015-16—and that's a number Hinkie can surely beat for an under-the-radar player with so much raw talent. 

Phoenix Suns: Brandon Knight, PG, Restricted

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The Phoenix Suns could use some more outside shooting and another physical presence in the paint, but the biggest offseason target still has to be someone who spent the second half of this season on the roster—Brandon Knight. 

It's not just because the Suns already paid a hefty price for him at the trade deadline and would be better-served doubling down with a new contract than by letting him walk and cutting their losses. Knight is a perfect fit next to Eric Bledsoe, and the two-point guard strategy has worked quite well in the desert. 

Don't make the mistake of believing that the original three-headed monster (Bledsoe, Isaiah Thomas and Goran Dragic) failed. The schemes were sound, and the results were solid when all the pieces were healthy; it was the personalities that got in the way of success. 

But put Knight and Bledsoe together, and each should be able to play to his strengths. 

Lest we forget, distracted by his ineffective shooting while at less than 100 percent and working with a small sample, Knight was a fantastic perimeter shooter during the Milwaukee Bucks portion of his year. After all, he connected on 40.9 percent of his looks from deep and took 5.4 attempts per game before he was traded to the Suns. 

As he gains comfort playing off the ball, this backcourt is only going to rise up the ranks. 

Portland Trail Blazers: All the Current Key Pieces

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The Portland Trail Blazers have three options. 

1. Re-sign only a few of their pieces, insert new ones in their places and hope that chemistry develops quickly, allowing the team to move further up the Western Conference standings. 
2. Opt for a massive rebuild, accepting that this squad has limited upside while aiming higher. 
3. Bring everyone back.

The last option is the ideal one, even if it seems like the Blazers have peaked. They haven't, simply because they haven't been healthy over the last few years. And while the third choice prevents the team from having the money necessary to add new impact pieces, internal development could render that irrelevant. 

Rip City should believe in Meyers Leonard and C.J. McCollum. If they do, they're confident that the bench is going to be better—meaning that it can both stave off declines when the starters are resting and spend more time on the floor to keep the starters healthy. 

And if that's the case, Portland is in great shape if it keeps LaMarcus Aldridge (unrestricted), Wesley Matthew (unrestricted), Robin Lopez (unrestricted), Arron Afflalo (player option) and Joel Freeland (restricted). The last name is a key defensive piece off the pine. The penultimate one can serve as a studly sixth man while making two-way contributions. 

The rest join Nicolas Batum and Damian Lillard in a starting five that, when healthy, is among the league's best. After all, NBA.com's statistical databases show that the Rip City starting five outscored opponents by 10.7 points per 100 possessions this season. 

For perspective, the league-best Warriors (the whole team, not just the starting unit) scored 10.2 points per 100 possession more than the opposition. 

Sacramento Kings: Khris Middleton, SF, Restricted

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Once George Karl took over, he began using Rudy Gay as a stretch 4 next to DeMarcus Cousins, and it worked marvelously. The center has long needed either a rim-protecting or floor-spacing power forward next to him, and he thrived once Gay started filling that latter role. 

But if that's going to continue to be the plan for the Sacramento Kings (which it should be), Karl needs a capable small forward who's also ready to make the 3 and 4 interchangeable for the Kings' switch-heavy defense. That's where Khris Middleton comes in after spending a season playing in Jason Kidd's nearly positionless defensive schemes. 

He'd shore up the outside shooting of a team that finished No. 28 in three-point makes and No. 21 in three-point percentage. He'd add another offensive element to take pressure away from an over-worked Cousins.

However, it's his positional flexibility that serves as the key element for the Kings, pushing him ahead of other two-way players who are comfortable operating on the wings. 

San Antonio Spurs: Kawhi Leonard, SF, Restricted

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Convincing Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili to stay around for another year is important. So too is re-signing Danny Green to a long-term deal and keeping a firm grasp on his two-way skills. 

But no signing is more ideal than the one that keeps Kawhi Leonard in a San Antonio Spurs jersey throughout the foreseeable future, especially after he's followed up a strong second half with a set of playoff games that continue to make him look like a top-10 player in the league. 

That's not an exaggeration. The newest Defensive Player of the Year has become such a potent offensive contributor that he's actually broken free of the San Antonio ball-sharing system, free to make plays in isolation. Amazingly, it's even happening quite frequently down the stretch of close contests. 

You could make a convincing case that Leonard is now the single most important free agent to this franchise since Duncan received Orlando Magic overtures in 2000. 

He's not going anywhere, but that doesn't prevent him from serving as the ideal signing. 

Toronto Raptors: Wesley Matthews, SG, Unrestricted

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The Toronto Raptors may seem like a mess after a disastrous sweep at the hands of the Washington Wizards, but it's not hard to see a world in which things went so much better. 

What if DeMar DeRozan had remained healthy throughout the year, allowing him to gain extra cohesiveness with his teammates on both ends of the floor? What if Kyle Lowry wasn't so clearly playing at something far less than 100 percent during the postseason, exhausted after the rigors of carrying the team for so long? What if Jonas Valanciunas had actually developed as he was supposed to? What if there wasn't such a glaring hole at the 3, one only made bigger by Dwane Casey's refusal to play James Johnson?

Only one of those issues is immediately solvable during the offseason, and it's the last one. 

The Raptors, assuming they don't blow up their core, should have enough money to pursue one of the better wing players on the market, though they're kidding themselves if they think they can sign someone like Jimmy Butler or Kawhi Leonard. Realistically, Wesley Matthews is as good as it's going to get here, and that's not shabby at all. 

Matthews may have to spend this offseason rehabbing his torn Achilles, but he's young enough to recover fully. And if he does, his three-point shooting and lockdown defensive ability would look quite nice next to Lowry and DeRozan, particularly because he and the current 2-guard are both big enough to play the 3 interchangeably. 

Utah Jazz: Mo Williams, PG, Unrestricted

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Where exactly do the Utah Jazz need to add marquee players? 

At point guard, Dante Exum is the starter of the future, especially with Trey Burke struggling to hit shots at the professional level. Alec Burks will be the man at shooting guard when the next season begins, and his shoulder injury shouldn't take away from his impressive upside. Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors are entrenched at the forward spots, and Rudy Gobert seems like a future star at center, especially after his dominant second half to the season. 

The Jazz have the young pieces they need and a lottery pick to boot. The sole purpose of free agency should be filling in some holes with veterans, not acquiring anyone who's going to detract from the further development of all those up-and-coming prospects. 

Enter Mo Williams. 

At this point in his career, he can be a starting 1-guard, but he doesn't have to be. With the Jazz, he could take on more of a mentoring role for Exum (who can also play the 2) and Burke, providing an offensive punch off the bench and relying on the stellar defensive frontcourt to clean up his many mistakes. 

It's the perfect fit for an aging offensive specialist who can still occasionally light up the scoreboard, and his presence wouldn't hinder anyone who's a bigger part of Utah's future plans. 

Washington Wizards: Alexis Ajinca, C, Unrestricted

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Wizards simply don't have the money necessary to make any splashy purchases. Then again, it's not as if they have any truly glaring needs. 

John Wall and Bradley Beal should continue to develop, giving them one of the NBA's strongest backcourts. Nene and Marcin Gortat are still holding down the biggest spots in the lineup, while the combination of Paul Pierce (if he opts in or turns down his player option and re-signs) and Otto Porter is more than adequate at small forward, especially with what we've seen from the Georgetown product in the playoffs. 

Depth is the primary concern right now, and the Wizards need the most help at point guard and center. But while the former is the more glamorous position, it's the latter that's a bigger issue.

Kevin Seraphin is a free agent after the Wizards' current playoff run ends either in defeat or in a championship that comes against the odds, and Gortat is far older and more fragile than Wall. 

Acquiring a player like Alexis Ajinca is ideal, given the financial restraints. He's not really a game-changing presence, but he's valuable in limited action. The big man averaged 16.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per 36 minutes for the New Orleans Pelicans this season, shooting 55 percent from the field and 81.8 percent at the charity stripe. 

Keeping Gortat—and, to a lesser extent, Nene—fresh throughout the year is going to be a big point of emphasis, and having a capable big body will make a world of difference. Especially when, as is the case for Ajinca, he can knock down some mid-range jumpers and provide a nice change off pace off the bench. 

Note: All stats, unless otherwise indicated, come from Basketball-Reference.com.