Biggest 2025 NBA Draft Need for Every Team
The NBA Finals are done, and the 2024-25 campaign is officially in the rearview.
That means all eyes now shift to the offseason, where the first item on the marquee is the NBA draft.
As we wait to see where each prospect lands, it's time to take a look at the biggest need each organization is bringing to this year's event.
Atlanta Hawks: Center
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Onyeka Okongwu remains an intriguing long-term option inside, but he's only 6'8", and the full-time starter since the start of the 2020-21 season (Clint Capela) is a free agent.
That means the Atlanta Hawks need a new big man to operate in the middle of the floor with Trae Young, whose pick-and-roll abilities have been a cornerstone of the attack for years.
Finding the answer with a pick outside the lottery (the Hawks are at No. 22, thanks to a trade) isn't likely, but the Hawks can at least add some depth behind Okongwu.
Boston Celtics: Forward
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It’s odd, given how complete the Boston Celtics seemed just six months ago, that there’s probably a case to be made for them having real needs at every position.
With Jrue Holiday being 35, the backcourt could certainly use a boost. Al Horford is even older and Kristaps Porzingis is often hurt, so center could use some attention, too. But after Jayson Tatum's Achilles tear, we'll settle on forward as the spot of biggest need.
Beyond their best player—a combo forward—being likely to miss all of 2025-26, this is an area where even a healthy Boston could have used a boost.
Tatum and Sam Hauser were really the only true forwards who logged more than 1,000 minutes this season. And though it’s nice to have guards who can play up a position or two, a little depth with a more natural 3 or 4 from the draft would help.
Brooklyn Nets: Point Guard
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The Brooklyn Nets could easily justify blow-it-up moves this summer that send Nic Clayton and Cameron Johnson elsewhere, make the 2025-26 roster meaningfully worse and chase lottery odds all season.
Or they could look to build around those two, neither of whom is over their respective hills, and compete for a play-in spot.
In either case, there isn't a single starting-caliber point guard under contract for 2025-26 right now. And though finding that in the draft is far from guaranteed, Brooklyn has a top-10 pick and another first to pair with it in case a trade up is possible.
Charlotte Hornets: Wing
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The Charlotte Hornets already have a young and intriguing guard-wing-big trio with LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Mark Williams (health concerns with all three, notwithstanding). And now, they should be looking to fill in the gaps with more versatility on the wings.
Fortunately, this draft and their No. 4 pick should give them an opportunity to do just that.
The only players almost certain to be off the board when they pick are Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper, which means Charlotte should have a shot at one of Kon Knueppel, VJ Edgecombe, Ace Bailey or Tre Johnson, just to name a few. Each could naturally slot into one of the two starting spots presumably available.
Chicago Bulls: Center
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The Chicago Bulls have a number of intriguing young (or youngish) talents at various positions, including Josh Giddey (though he’s a restricted free agent), Coby White, Matas Buzelis and Kevin Huerter.
But their starting center is an increasingly lead-footed, 34-year-old Nikola Vučević. And while his veteran savvy, passing and outside shooting were key components of Chicago's feisty finish to the season, getting younger at the 5 could be in order.
The Bulls have the No. 12 pick, where a number of options, including Thomas Sorber and maybe even Derik Queen, might be available.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Wing
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Assuming the 64-win Cleveland Cavaliers bring most of their roster back, they're likely to have four All-Star-caliber players in Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
The only spot that remains a bit of a question is the wing in the middle of that guards-and-bigs sandwich.
It will be tough to address that through the draft, though. Cleveland has two picks, but the first is all the way down at No. 49.
That's not to say it's impossible to find the kind of shooter, ball-mover and defender the Cavs might need there. They will just have to absolutely nail the pick.
Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg (Obviously) and a Playmaker
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We’ll dispense with any breakdown of how Cooper Flagg fills a need for the top-picking Dallas Mavericks. That content is already all over the internet.
What they really need (and would have to trade back into a later pick in the draft to get) is a little more playmaking.
Flagg is certainly capable of providing some, but in the wake of Kyrie Irving's torn ACL, Dallas could use some more.
Later in the draft, where picks should be easier to acquire, players like Walter Clayton Jr. or Ryan Nembhard could be available.
Denver Nuggets: Backup Big
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The Denver Nuggets don't have a single first- or second-round pick in this week's draft, so they would have to trade their way in to try to address any needs.
If they do, going for a backup big would make sense.
Denver has seemingly been on that hunt since they lost Mason Plumlee, but it hasn't been a fruitful one.
Since the start of the 2020-21 season (the first of what I guess we have to call the post-Plumlee era), the Nuggets are plus-9.8 points per 100 possessions with Nikola Jokić on the floor and minus-6.9 when he's off.
A lot of their losses, including in the playoffs are easily traced to those non-Jokić minutes, and a competent backup 5 would go a long way toward eliminating some of them.
Detroit Pistons: Shooting
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The addition of shooting was a big part of the Detroit Pistons' historic turnaround (they were the first team in NBA history to triple their previous season's win total) in 2024-25.
But Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. (who were first and second on the team in total three-point attempts) are both entering free agency this summer, so Detroit should be in the market for some younger floor spacers to potentially replace them.
Unfortunately, the Pistons' only pick is the 37th in the draft. It's tough to find difference-makers there, but a specialist or two could be available. Koby Brea, for example, is a fifth-year senior, but he shot 46.5 percent from deep over the last two seasons.
Golden State Warriors: Center
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It feels like there's still some upside to uncover from Quinten Post, but it wouldn't hurt for the Golden State Warriors to roll the dice on another potential answer at the 5 with the 41st pick.
As has already been said, answers are hard to find in the second round, but it's not impossible.
Maxime Raynaud, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Hansen Yang are some names to watch there.
Houston Rockets: Point Guard
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With or without the blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant, based on raw talent, the Houston Rockets are pretty loaded at every position on the depth chart.
If there are spots that could be bolstered through this draft, in which Houston has a top-10 pick, it's probably point or shooting guard.
The former features Fred VanVleet, who's on an expiring contract. The latter did have Jalen Green before his move in the Durant trade, but his raw talent, among other young Rockets, was not going to translate to winning basketball right now.
Reed Sheppard may be waiting in the wings, but he profiles as a bit more of a scorer than natural playmaker. So Houston could brace itself for the potential departure of VanVleet in 2026 by drafting a distributor now.
If he's still around at No. 10, Jeremiah Fears could fit the bill.
Indiana Pacers: Center
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The Indiana Pacers recently traded out of the first round of this year's draft and appear to have lost Tyrese Haliburton to an Achilles injury for all of next season.
That means all eyes are likely on the 2026 draft, though they could still get lucky with their late second-rounder this summer.
It's tough to address any needs from the 54th pick, but with Myles Turner entering free agency and Tony Bradley being the only center under contract for 2025-26, that position feels like an obvious requirement this offseason.
Ultimately, this coming season might be one to actually chase losses anyway.
Los Angeles Clippers: Wing
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With all due respect to Drew Eubanks, it'd be fairly easy to make the argument that the Los Angeles Clippers should be looking at backup centers in the draft.
But when you look at who's under contract for next season, every wing but 28-year-old Derrick Jones Jr. is 32 or older.
That section of the rotation could use an injection of some youth, and the Clippers have a first-round pick to do that.
Of course, a lot of the higher upside prospects will be gone by the time L.A. is on the clock at No. 30, but wings like RJ Luis Jr., Adou Thiero and Liam McNeeley could still be available.
Los Angeles Lakers: Center
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It seems most likely that the Los Angeles Lakers will address their glaring need at the 5 through the trade market, but they may take a swing at it with the No. 55 pick, too.
Yes, it takes some exceptionally good fortune to hit on any selection that late in any draft, but this class could have a handful of big men near the end of the second round with a chance to develop into rotation players.
Vladislav Goldin, Amari Williams and Viktor Lakhin are all a bit older than most teams prefer their draft picks to be, but they were productive for big-time college programs. They feel like the kind of players who could eat some innings right away.
Or, given how unpredictable the back end of the second round can be, L.A. could go for pure upside and take 18-year-old Australian big man Rocco Zikarsky (assuming he's still there).
Memphis Grizzlies: Guard
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The Memphis Grizzlies just traded Desmond Bane for a shockingly pick-heavy haul from the Orlando Magic, and one of those selections is No. 16 in this year's draft.
Assuming they don't flip some of those picks to address the Bane-sized hole now in the rotation, they could target other combo guards with that 16th pick.
Beyond having to replace the 20.2 points per game Bane has averaged over the last four seasons, he has also become the team's second most productive distributor.
He's been over five assists per game in each of the last two campaigns, and he often operates as the point guard when Ja Morant is out of the game (or unavailable entirely).
Finding a combo guard who can check both of those boxes could be tough, but someone like Jase Richardson could fit the bill. If they want to go slightly bigger than Bane, Cedric Coward would be interesting here, too.
Miami Heat: Point Guard
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It seems like the Miami Heat are always in the mix or on the verge of making a significant addition, but if they keep last season's core relatively intact, point guard feels like the obvious target in the draft.
Miami has two fringe All-Stars in Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, a starting-caliber forward in Andrew Wiggins and a couple forwards in Nikola Jović and Jaime Jaquez Jr. who can play with all of the above.
Now, they need a creator who can tie all that together.
Again, they may find a clearer answer on that front with a trade (they are a fun potential Ja Morant landing spot, for example) or in free agency, but they also have the 20th pick in the draft.
Egor Demin and Ben Saraf, a pair of international playmakers with plus size for their positions, could both be available in that range.
Milwaukee Bucks: Point Guard
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Brace yourself for a little trend here, because the Milwaukee Bucks are another team in need of a 1, thanks to the loss of Damian Lillard for 2025-26.
Yes, the Bucks can and do get a fair bit of playmaking from Giannis Antetokounmpo, but having someone who can set the table for him wouldn't hurt. Everyone could stand to use a couple more easy baskets generated by teammates.
The problem is Milwaukee doesn't have a pick till the back half of the second round. Finding a helpful guard there will be tough, though not necessarily impossible. This is another team that could take a chance on the undersized Nembhard, who averaged 9.8 assists this season.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Point Guard
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The Minnesota Timberwolves are another team in need of a point guard, though the presence of Rob Dillingham and the possibility of a Rudy Gobert trade makes this one a bit less obvious.
Center could well become a more pressing issue.
Still, with Mike Conley aging ever closer to 40, Minnesota could use more depth at the 1. And with Anthony Edwards growing seemingly every year as a distributor, the Wolves don't necessarily need a prolific assist man.
New Orleans Pelicans: Stretch Big
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Yves Missi had a better-than-anticipated rookie campaign, but if the New Orleans Pelicans are going to build around Zion Williamson going forward, they could use a center who can shoot to play alongside him.
Now, New Orleans picking seventh means it should probably prioritize talent over fit, but there's a chance both concerns could overlap.
Thomas Sorber and Khaman Maluach both at least have a chance of developing respectable three-point range in the NBA.
New York Knicks: Backup Wing
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The New York Knicks have one of the best and most well-balanced starting 5s in the NBA, but they are in dire need of depth behind it.
There’s at least a chance Tyler Kolek can provide that at the point, but there aren't as many options on the wings.
The thing is, New York doesn't have a pick till No. 50. Upside is going to be sparse there, though a flier on someone like Spain's Hugo Gonzalez could pay off.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Backup Distributor
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The Oklahoma City Thunder are loaded with talent, but their top two guards off the bench (Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace) are more of the combo variety than they are traditional point men.
Of course, Nikola Topić, who just missed his rookie season with an injury, could fill in that gap, but OKC has a top-15 pick that could help, too.
Nolan Traore and Egor Demin are both the kind of pass-first guards who could make some sense here.
Orlando Magic: Point Guard
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The Orlando Magic certainly added some passing when they acquired Desmond Bane, but it still feels like they could use some more traditional point guard play.
They have the 25th pick, where an interesting Florida product and one of the most clutch players in the draft could be available.
Clayton could take some pressure off Bane, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, while also being capable of spacing the floor off their drives.
Philadelphia 76ers: Forward
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The basketball gods threw the Philadelphia 76ers quite a lifeline when they jumped into the top three in the draft lottery.
And while they could easily justify including that pick in a trade for a more proven player, we’ll assume they keep it for now.
In that case, adding a forward who fits alongside Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes (a restricted free agent), Paul George and Joel Embiid makes sense. And plenty will be available at No. 3.
The most obvious are Ace Bailey (who could quickly operate as a floor spacer) and Edgecombe (more of a Swiss Army knife who might be better for a role that might not produce a ton of shots).
Phoenix Suns: Center
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The Phoenix Suns' biggest need in the draft could swing dramatically after the Kevin Durant trade, so this call feels tenuous at best.
But right now, Nick Richards is the only real center under contract for 2025-26. And while the point guard spot also deserves attention, Phoenix can at least fall back on Devin Booker's playmaking there.
So, with the 29th pick, the Suns could target big men like Maxime Raynaud or Ryan Kalkbrenner.
Portland Trail Blazers: Forward/Wing
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It's rare for a lottery team as young as the Portland Trail Blazers to feel like it has as many boxes checked as this one does.
There's plenty of upside to still uncover from the backcourt with Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. Deni Avdija played like an All-Star in the home stretch of the season, and the other forward spot can be occupied by defensive ace Toumani Camara. At center, they have a defensive anchor who can own the paint in Donovan Clingan.
In other words, Portland has the luxury to truly think "best player available" with their No. 11 pick, even if forward or wing feels like the most obvious spot to add a little depth.
Carter Bryant and Cedric Coward are both solid options to boost the team's rotation there.
Sacramento Kings: Point Guard
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It wasn't long ago that the Sacramento Kings had both Tyrese Haliburton and De'Aaron Fox. Now, somehow, they don't have a single starting-caliber point guard on the books. They might not even have a rotation-level 1.
And to make matters worse, they don't have a first-round pick to address the need.
Sacramento's only pick is No. 42, where it would have to get lucky to find a real difference-maker.
A draft-night slide for Saraf or Clayton could do the trick. Otherwise, the Kings will have to look at longer shots with Tyrese Proctor or Kameron Jones.
San Antonio Spurs: Three-and-D Wing (but Probably Just Dylan Harper)
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With a young big man who already looks like a potential all-timer, the San Antonio Spurs could just chase three-and-D wings to surround him for the next few years, especially after they traded for Fox.
But leaping up to the No. 2 pick in the lottery sort of changed the calculus, especially with a playmaker like Dylan Harper on the board there.
Even with the potentially funky fit alongside Fox, Harper is the kind of slasher, scorer and passer San Antonio probably can't pass up.
Harper's timeline lines up almost perfectly with Victor Wembanyama's. And while Fox is around, he's long enough to play the 2.
Toronto Raptors: Shooting
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At least in theory, and assuming no significant trades this summer, the Toronto Raptors have an intriguing, versatile and young(ish) starting five that includes Immanuel Quickley, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes. Even Jakob Poeltl is still on the right side of 30.
But that group features a dreadful lack of shooting, evidenced in part by the fact that Toronto was 29th in threes made and 23rd in three-point percentage this season.
With the ninth pick in this draft, regardless of position, the Raptors need to look for floor spacers. Ideally, someone like Johnson or Knueppel would slide, but Coward (who shot 38.8 percent from deep during his college career) seems like the likelier bet.
Utah Jazz: A Star
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This sounds awfully vague, but the Utah Jazz have already spent three straight seasons angling for draft odds and star power, and they still haven't landed a franchise cornerstone-level talent.
Having the worst record in the league and winding up with the fifth pick in the draft obviously didn't help on that front, but this draft may have enough upside to find someone worth building around there.
After the top two, things feel very much in flux, so any of Edgecombe, Bailey, Johnson or Knueppel could be available.
Washington Wizards: Playmaking
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The Washington Wizards were similarly unlucky in the lottery, sliding from a 14 percent chance at the top pick (tied for the best odds) all the way to No. 6.
But all hope is not lost. Alex Sarr started to look like a bona fide three-and-D rim protector toward the end of last season. And Bilal Coulibaly could provide similar versatility as a forward.
Now, Washington could use some playmaking to make life easier for both.
It doesn't necessarily have to come from a point guard, either. Outside of Harper, who will be gone by the time the Wizards pick, there aren't really any pure 1s around this draft spot.
That means secondary creators like Knueppel or Johnson could be the play.
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