2025 NBA Draft Goals for Every Team
The unstated rule of every NBA draft is to take the best player available.
Fail to follow it, and you might wind up like the Sacramento Kings did in 2018. They took Marvin Bagley III ahead of Luka Dončić because they didn't want to add another ball-handler next to De'Aaron Fox and, well...oops.
We'll do more than chant the "BPA" mantra here, as we lay out a top goal for each team that fits with their specific needs, roster holes, organizational direction and all the rest.
The draft is each team's first real opportunity to swing trades, clean up their books and reorganize personnel. That's why every squad needs to be thinking well beyond the pick(s) they'll make, focusing on setting a foundation for the upcoming year and beyond.
Atlanta Hawks: Acquire Backup Playmaking
1 of 30
Picks: 13, 22
In Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu, the Atlanta Hawks have a solid young core around in-prime All-Star Trae Young. However, they're potentially poised to lose some depth with Clint Capela (whose starting job Okongwu snagged) and Caris LeVert entering unrestricted free agency.
Backup bigs are easy enough to find on the cheap, but it's harder to secure quality reserve playmakers and wings. If LeVert departs, the Hawks will have a hole to fill. He averaged 14.9 points and 3.7 assists after coming aboard at the trade deadline.
Whomever the Hawks select with the No. 13 pick is unlikely to replace that production, but the Hawks should use it on a guard who can create shots for his teammates when Young is off the floor.
Boston Celtics: Save Some Cash
2 of 30
Picks: 28, 32
Maybe cutting costs isn't the most exciting thing to think about on draft day, but the Boston Celtics' financial plight is severe enough to be top of mind at all times.
A 2025-26 payroll and tax bill that could eclipse $500 million would have been difficult to handle even if Boston had stayed healthy en route to a second straight title. After falling short of another ring and losing Jayson Tatum for most or all of next year due to a torn Achilles, that price tag is totally untenable.
Maybe the draft will provide the Celtics with the right opportunity to move off Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White or Jaylen Brown. Even if it doesn't, the Celtics might consider trading down from No. 28 to trim a bit of salary and add a couple of second-rounders to cheaper, partially guaranteed or two-way deals.
Brooklyn Nets: Butt In
3 of 30
Picks: 8, 19, 26, 27, 36
Depending on what general manager Sean Marks decides to do with some of the Brooklyn Nets' own restricted free agents, he could have upward of $80 million in cap space to spend this offseason. Even if the Nets focus on retaining their own talent, that number is still going to be north of $40 million, which is far more than what any other team will have.
So while consolidating some of their four first-rounders in an effort to move up might be a priority, Brooklyn's main goal should be utilizing its unique financial flexibility to involve itself in other teams' deals.
If a superstar is changing teams, the Nets can insert themselves into the deal as a salary-dumping ground. Playing facilitator could be hugely beneficial in the form of multiple future picks and/or young players as sweeteners.
Brooklyn has a golden opportunity to capitalize on a number of trades that can't happen without a third party.
Charlotte Hornets: Make the Call on LaMelo Ball
4 of 30
Picks: 4, 33, 34
The Charlotte Hornets should hope VJ Edgecombe falls to them at No. 4. After that, they need to answer whether LaMelo Ball is a cornerstone or a trade chip.
It's not like Ball is a 35-year-old fading star who's wildly out of place on a rebuilding team. But it's increasingly hard to see how the Hornets can operate patiently while also building a competent near-term supporting cast around the one-time All-Star.
Charlotte won 19 games this past season, in part because Ball was again limited by injuries. Brandon Miller lost two-thirds of his sophomore season to wrist surgery, rookie Tidjane Salaün was way out of his depth, and no other Hornet under 25 profiled as a reliable starter other than center Mark Williams, who was again beset by injuries and is only still on the roster because the Los Angeles Lakers rescinded a trade that would have ended his Hornets tenure.
Chicago Bulls: Find a Disruptor
5 of 30
Picks: 12, 45
If we assume the Chicago Bulls will continue their unambitious trend of trying to win somewhere between 36 and 46 games every year, then they need to assess the biggest shortcomings of the 2024-25 season.
The defense's failure to create turnovers stands out starkly, as does the offense's inability to generate free-throw attempts. Chicago ranked 29th in both stats, a clear indication that it needs aggressive, athletic players to put pressure on the opposition.
Maybe Matas Buzelis will address some of that as he takes on a bigger role next year, but he can't correct those issues on his own. The Bulls need to look for someone at No. 12 who can impact the game on both ends with physicality and an attacking mindset.
Rookies typically don't grasp the nuances of NBA basketball right away, but they can certainly fly around and cause trouble.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Settle Everyone Down
6 of 30
Picks: 49, 58
The Cleveland Cavaliers had a disappointing playoffs, but they can't overreact. If you win 60-plus games and bow out of the postseason in part because several of your best players are nursing injuries, the focus needs to be on the "achievement" half of that duality, not the "failure" half.
Cleveland isn't going to make waves with a pair of late second-rounders, but the temptation to swing a trade or cut costs might be strong. The Cavs will have about $145 million earmarked for Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in 2025-26. They're over the second apron and have a projected franchise-high $57 million tax payment.
Those numbers may cost them Ty Jerome in free agency, and Isaac Okoro is a salary-dump option. But none of the core four should be on the move. The Cavs need to emphasize steadiness and faith in last year's success by having a quiet, trade-chatter-free draft day.
Dallas Mavericks: Take Calls on Anthony Davis
7 of 30
Picks: 1
In the wake of the Dallas Mavericks bucking the odds and vaulting to No. 1 in the lottery despite a 1.8 percent chance of that happening, alternative goals should probably include "Try not to seem too smug."
Practically speaking, the Mavs should also consider capitalizing on their good fortune by reorienting the roster around no-brainer top overall pick Cooper Flagg. Under no circumstances should they consider trading the pick, but the Mavericks' good luck should prompt them to entertain offers for other assets.
Anthony Davis is 32 and has missed an average of 30 games per year in every non-COVID season since 2017-18. With Kyrie Irving out for most or all of 2025-26 because of a torn ACL, Dallas' win-now timeline is a fantasy.
The Mavs should take this golden opportunity to trade Davis for assets that make sense next to Flagg, Dereck Lively II and Max Christie.
Denver Nuggets: Figure Out Who's Making Decisions
8 of 30
Picks: None
Ben Tenzer, the interim GM who took over after Calvin Booth was fired late in the season, has been in the Denver Nuggets organization since 2005 and seems like an obvious choice to take over the gig on a permanent basis.
The Nuggets need to solidify his status or hire someone from the outside to handle the job before the draft.
That'd normally be an even more urgent priority, but the Nuggets don't have a pick in 2025. Maybe that explains why they haven't settled the issue yet.
Nonetheless, Denver has other decisions to make as it looks to stay competitive at the top of the West. If the Nuggets are going to deal Michael Porter Jr. or try to buy their way into a late pick, they'll first need to establish who'll be in charge of making calls, negotiating and all the rest.
Detroit Pistons: Get Ahead of Ivey and Duren's Extensions
9 of 30
Picks: 37
The Detroit Pistons' first-rounder (No. 17) is headed to the Minnesota Timberwolves as a result of a 2020 trade with the Houston Rockets that netted Isaiah Stewart. That means Detroit will only have the No. 37 selection at its disposal as it tries to add to a young core that already includes Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland II.
Ivey and Duren are both extension-eligible, but neither is a surefire long-term pillar next to Cunningham. Draft night might be the time to see what those two could fetch on the open market.
If Detroit called up the Hornets and offered Duren, Ivey, No. 37 and a pair of future first-round picks, could it be enough to make talks for LaMelo Ball seem realistic?
Golden State Warriors: Add An Offensive Threat
10 of 30
Picks: 41
The Golden State Warriors' obvious need of offensive support for Stephen Curry led to the midseason acquisition of Jimmy Butler. Curry's playoff injury proved that the Warriors needed even more help to compete at the highest levels.
The Warriors should hit the draft with a mind toward turning restricted Jonathan Kuminga into a playmaker who can space the floor and fit into their high-IQ system. Base-year-compensation rules will make that tricky, but there are realistic sign-and-trade paths that could turn Kuminga into Chicago Bulls guard Coby White or Brooklyn Nets forward Cam Johnson.
Golden State probably can't land the shooting threat and size it needs with the No. 41 pick, so trades and resolving Kuminga's situation should be its two top aims.
Houston Rockets: Acquire More Shooting
11 of 30
Picks: 10, 59
The Houston Rockets were 21st in three-point accuracy rate and 20th in attempts per game last season, which makes their offseason and draft priorities relatively clear.
How they go about addressing the issue is the trick.
Houston could package up assets and target a star who'd help shore up its shooting, or it could use its No. 10 pick on a prospect who might eventually space the floor. The issue with that second approach is that the Rockets are already loaded with guards and wings—to the point that Reed Sheppard, Cam Whitmore and even Jabari Smith Jr. had trouble seeing the floor last year.
If the Rockets intend to close games with Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengün, knockdown snipers are a must at the other three positions.
Indiana Pacers: Make Tweaks to Retain Myles Turner
12 of 30
Picks: 23, 54
The Indiana Pacers project to begin free agency about $20 million below the luxury tax. That matters more for them than most teams because Indy historically avoids paying the tax like the plague, and because free-agent starting center Myles Turner is likely to command more than a $20 million starting salary on his next deal.
The No. 23 pick might be best used as a sweetener in a cost-cutting trade on draft night—one that allows Indiana to allocate a bit more cash for an indispensable part of its roster.
When you make the Finals, the main offseason priority becomes retaining the players who mattered most in that achievement. Turner is the only one who could potentially get away, so the Pacers' draft-night thinking needs to be focused less on picking prospects and more on maintaining the status quo.
Los Angeles Clippers: Find a Shot Creator
13 of 30
Picks: 30, 51
It won't be easy to find a playmaker who's ready to contribute right away with the last pick of the first round, but that's still where the Los Angeles Clippers need to set their sights.
The midseason acquisition of Bogdan Bogdanović lessens the severity of the problem, but lower-body injuries seem to cost him games every year and limit him to a reserve role. Who knows how he'll hold up in his age-33 season?
James Harden (player option) should be back, and he'll do most of the on-ball orchestration. He's not necessarily an iron man, though, so the Clippers need to target a prospect who can help their offense avoid slipping by 6.0 points per 100 possessions, which is what happened when Harden was off the court last season.
Los Angeles Lakers: Acquire a Playable Big Man
14 of 30
Picks: 55
In some sense, the Los Angeles Lakers chose to play the post-trade-deadline and playoff portion of last season with Jaxson Hayes and Alex Len as their only conventional centers. They had Mark Williams until they decided to void the trade that they swung with the Charlotte Hornets due to health concerns.
That was a good call because the outgoing package was way too rich, but it looked odd after Williams, who was purportedly too physically unreliable for Los Angeles' taste, averaged 14.9 points and 10.8 rebounds in 21 games after the All-Star break for Charlotte.
LeBron James can't play center on a regular basis, Hayes and Len are free agents (and aren't rotation-worthy options anyway) and Maxi Kleber is more of a floor-stretching change-of-pace player.
L.A. has to land a starting center to put together a half-decent defense and give Luka Dončić the lob threat he needs.
Memphis Grizzlies: Project Patience
15 of 30
Picks: 48, 56
The Memphis Grizzlies might consider making a bunch of trade calls around the draft, particularly after a listless late-season swoon that saw them go 12-16 after the All-Star break. A shakeup—in the form of a Ja Morant blockbuster or another such seismic move—might feel warranted.
If the Grizzlies want to maximize their returns in a potential overhaul, the draft is the wrong time to do it.
Morant's value is near its nadir, and Jaren Jackson Jr. will be a more valuable trade chip if the Grizzlies can convince him to sign an extension. That last part will be tough considering Jackson can wait until free agency in 2026 and sign for nearly $150 million more than he can get by extending this summer.
The itch to make changes beyond replacing head coach Taylor Jenkins with Tuomas Iisalo is understandable. But the shrewdest course involves patience and avoiding the look of desperation. Worst-case scenario, Memphis can make its major changes at the trade deadline.
Miami Heat: Upgrade the Offense
16 of 30
Picks: 20
It says a lot that a half-checked-out Jimmy Butler was still the Miami Heat's most important offensive player last season.
In the 25 games Butler played prior to being traded to the Warriors (which netted Miami the No. 20 pick that it'll use in this year's draft), the Heat averaged 117.2 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor. That figure plummeted to 108.4 without him, and the Heat finished 21st overall in scoring efficiency.
For all the talk of Tyler Herro's career year, it didn't do anything to prove he could be the top option on a league-average offense.
If the Heat can't draft some scoring punch at No. 20, they might consider packaging up that pick with their own 2030 and 2032 selections to target a star.
Milwaukee Bucks: Trade Giannis Antetokounmpo
17 of 30
Picks: 47
If you threw all other 29 teams' names into a hat and picked one out at random, that team would likely have more draft assets, better financial flexibility and a brighter future than the Milwaukee Bucks, who (deep breath):
- Don't control their first-round pick until 2031
- Will pay $54.1 million to an injured Damian Lillard next year
- Lack any promising prospects
- May lose critical starter Brook Lopez in free agency
This is what happens when you make two all-in trades—one for Jrue Holiday and one for Lillard—in an effort to win a championship with Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks were right to think only of the short term with an in-his-prime Giannis, but their current plight is the result of that mindset.
Trading him now, while he's still playing at an MVP level, is the only way to eventually get back on stable footing.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Turn Julius Randle into Kevin Durant
18 of 30
Picks: 17, 31
It'll be hard for the Minnesota Timberwolves to put together the best offer for Kevin Durant, but KD should have some say in his landing spot. Maybe an Olympic reunion with Anthony Edwards, an avowed KD admirer, will be a priority for the sure-to-be-traded future Hall of Famer.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported Minnesota "made serious trade inquiries" for KD at the trade deadline, and the Wolves are now the betting favorites to land him.
If Julius Randle picks up his player option, he'll count as $30.9 million in outgoing salary. Minnesota would still need to rope in a third team, include its picks in this year's draft and find ways to shed more salary to swing a deal for KD.
Nobody's saying it'll be easy, but Durant would make it much harder for opponents to blanket Edwards like the Oklahoma City Thunder did in the Western Conference Finals. That's an upgrade worth chasing—one that could produce Minnesota's first-ever Finals trip.
New Orleans Pelicans: Find a Lead Guard
19 of 30
Picks: 7
It's too early to know how the top five picks of the draft will shake out, but it seems likely that the New Orleans Pelicans will have a shot at one of Oklahoma's Jeremiah Fears or Illinois' Kasparas Jakucionis at No. 7.
If they would rather look to free agency for a point guard, they can still bolster their playmaking by targeting 6'8" wing Egor Demin out of BYU.
Dejounte Murray will miss most of next season due to a torn Achilles, while CJ McCollum has never been a point guard and is on a $30.7 million expiring salary. He's more of a prospective salary dump than a floor general.
If New Orleans wants to be opportunistic—and if it reads the draft just right—it could even trade down a few spots to take whichever of Fears or Jakucionis remains on the board for the longest.
New York Knicks: Trade Down or Out
20 of 30
Picks: 40
The New York Knicks need cheap depth, but they already have three players drafted last season—Pacome Dadiet, Tyler Kolek and Ariel Hukporti—in line to hopefully take on added responsibilities next season.
The knee-jerk reaction to a disappointing Eastern Conference Finals elimination would be to search for quick fixes beyond firing head coach Tom Thibodeau, which the team did on Tuesday.
Karl-Anthony Towns' defensive issues and struggle to synergize with Jalen Brunson are real issues, but they aren't ones the Knicks necessarily need to solve with a blockbuster trade. Tactical tweaks in the form of a new offensive mind on the bench might be all it takes to sort things out.
New York should probe the market to see if anyone wants its No. 40 pick in exchange for an asset or future pick. Maybe that seems boring, but the Knicks won 10 playoff games (which is good!) and need to resist the urge to get even more dramatic this summer.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Find the Next Nikola Topić
21 of 30
Picks: 15, 24, 44
The Oklahoma City Thunder entered last year's draft knowing they already had enough talent to take a shot on a prospect, injured Serbian point guard Nikola Topić, who couldn't help them in 2024-25.
Now that they're in the Finals, they have every reason to double down on that same strategy.
A team this good, this young and this overloaded with future picks can afford to target distressed assets and high-upside, high-risk options. Other teams need to hit on their first-round picks, but OKC has the luxury to take major risks with little need to fear fallout if it makes a mistake.
Topić could easily be a rotation player next season, further deepening what's already the best roster in the league. If anything, the Thunder should be even more willing to pick long shots and talented players that happen to be red-flagged for health reasons.
Orlando Magic: Secure Scoring and Playmaking
22 of 30
Picks: 16, 26, 46, 57
We're way past broken-record territory at this point, but we have to re-emphasize it anyway: The Orlando Magic have to make upgrades to their offense, particularly in the backcourt.
After finishing 22nd in offensive efficiency and 25th in three-point percentage in 2023-24, the Magic added free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and rookie Tristan da Silva last offseason, but they managed to get even worse in both areas. Orlando wound up 26th and 30th in those categories last year, respectively.
Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs make up one of the league's better young cores, and the Magic project to defend at a high level in 2025-26. But none of that will matter if they can't find some good passers and marksmen to open up the floor and get the offense above the league average at a minimum.
Philadelphia 76ers: Choose the Right Timeline
23 of 30
Picks: 3, 35
With Joel Embiid and Paul George on max contracts for the next few seasons, the Philadelphia 76ers might be tempted to see if their No. 3 overall pick could land them a win-now contributor via trade.
They need to resist that temptation, though.
Embiid's health is beyond uncertain, and George did nothing in his debut season with the Sixers to suggest he can be the No. 2 (or even No. 3) option on a contender. That timeline—the one built around costly, aging and injured vets—is a dead end.
That's why Philadelphia must take the best player available at No. 3 and integrate him into a younger core made up of Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain.
Phoenix Suns: Make the Hard Decision
24 of 30
Picks: 29, 52
Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported Devin Booker was involved in the Phoenix Suns' coaching search, which backs up "owner Mat Ishbia’s loudly stated determination to keep Booker in place as the team’s cornerstone."
Retaining Booker would be yet another shortsighted mistake by an ownership group whose tenure is defined by them.
The best way for Phoenix to make the next half-decade bearable is to collect draft picks—preferably some of its own—by swinging a deal with the Houston Rockets.
Booker may want to spend his career in Phoenix, and the Suns may not want to publicly concede they wrecked their future by pivoting away from their current roster. But there's no easy fix for this situation.
The Suns acted rashly, and they have to pay the price. It'd be better to accept that now, start acting responsibly and remake the roster with a couple of strip-it-down trades on draft night.
Portland Trail Blazers: Clear the Frontcourt Congestion
25 of 30
Picks: 11
First order of business: Don't draft a big man!
The Portland Trail Blazers already have Deandre Ayton, Robert Williams III and Duop Reath making it more difficult than necessary for last year's lottery pick, Donovan Clingan, to get major minutes at center. Portland gradually allowed Clingan the chance to spread his considerable wings as the 2024-25 campaign progressed, and it should continue that trend next year.
That (correct) decision will come with costs. The less Ayton, Williams and Reath play, the greater the potential for their values to decline. The best move would be to treat draft day as a chance to move one or two of those veteran bigs.
Waiting until the trade deadline is an option as well, particularly with Ayton and Williams' expiring salaries potentially drawing interest from cost-cutters. But there's no guarantee either will stay healthy or productive through February 2026, so acting quickly should be a priority for Portland.
Sacramento Kings: Find a Point Guard
26 of 30
Picks: 42
The Sacramento Kings aren't likely to find a great one at No. 42, but they clearly need to add a point guard this offseason. In an ideal world, they'd land one in a trade that sends out Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis or DeMar DeRozan.
In the real one, they'll probably have to settle for a free agent who'll accept the non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
De'Aaron Fox's departure left Malik Monk and Devin Carter as the team's only in-house options at the position. The former has real playmaking instincts but has never proved himself as a full-time floor general, while the latter logged just 36 uninspiring games as a rookie last season.
Assuming Sacramento wants to continue chasing a play-in berth as it completes its full transformation into "Chicago Bulls West", it's going to need someone to break down defenses, make decisions and set up shots for others.
San Antonio Spurs: Get In Touch With New Orleans
27 of 30
Picks: 2, 14, 38
The San Antonio Spurs shouldn't be shopping their No. 2 pick to the Pelicans directly. They should be looping New Orleans in on a three-team deal that lands Giannis Antetokounmpo next to Victor Wembanyama.
The Pels have swap rights on Milwaukee's 2026 first-rounder, and they own the Bucks' 2027 first-rounder outright. The Bucks should want those picks back if they're sending out Giannis since regaining them would allow for all of the losses pay off in the form of high lottery position in the next two drafts.
The Pelicans might not want to part with those assets because of their immense upside, but if the Spurs put the No. 2 pick on the table, new executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars would have to listen. Future picks are uncertain; a guaranteed chance to take Dylan Harper would have massive appeal for a Pels team in desperate need of a point guard.
Toronto Raptors: Swing Big
28 of 30
Picks: 9, 39
The East looks wide open next season, and the Toronto Raptors should try to come out on top of it by making a major move or two around the draft. Toronto should know better than anyone that a semi-risky play for a star can produce results.
After all, the Raptors won their only championship in 2019 because they gambled on Kawhi Leonard as a one-year rental.
The current core isn't as good as the one that surrounded Leonard back then, but between Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl, there's enough here to match salary on virtually anyone while still leaving enough talent behind to support a star.
If that's Giannis, great. If it's Kevin Durant, that's fine as well.
The Raptors aren't good enough to contend right now, but they can change that if they're aggressive in pursuit of a major upgrade.
Utah Jazz: Stay the Course
29 of 30
Picks: 5, 21, 43, 53
Bad luck landed the 17-win Utah Jazz the No. 5 pick in the 2025 draft, and a couple of overachieving first halves of the season did even more damage in the preceding two years. There's a not-so-remote possibility that a little more losing would have routed Victor Wembanyama to Salt Lake City.
Utah can't be discouraged. Its process hasn't yielded results in the form of a cornerstone yet, but the alternative—short-circuiting the rebuild and chasing near-term gains—would be a mistake.
The Jazz need to take the best player available at No. 5, offer cap-strapped teams salary relief in the form of expiring contracts (John Collins, Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson) and consider taking on additional bad money with assets attached.
It's the same playbook they've been working from since trading Dononvan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, and there's no reason to stray from it now.
Washington Wizards: Take the Best Big Wing
30 of 30
Picks: 6, 18, 40
Point guard Bub Carrington didn't cover himself in glory as a rookie, but he played a ton and figures to get at least as many reps during his second season. Ditto for big man Alex Sarr.
Teams as bad as the Washington Wizards shouldn't necessarily draft for positional need. But all things being equal, their focus in this year's class should be on another big wing or combo forward who can play alongside Bilal Coulibaly.
That's probably the best way to ensure Carrington and Sarr continue to get as many developmental minutes as they can handle, and wings tend to be the most valuable positional player type anyway.
That's another way of arguing that if there's a highly successful version of the Wizards any time in the future, it may not be led by Carrington or Sarr.
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 Bluesky and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, where he appears with Bleacher Report's Dan Favale.
