Every NBA Team's Biggest Needs This Offseason
The New York Knicks are the 2025-26 NBA champions, and every other team in the league has plenty of needs to address this offseason.
Some need to get younger and more athletic, like the Knicks were on the wings with OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges. It's tough to recreate Jalen Brunson's shot creation, but several teams could use more of that. New York's ability to play a stretch 5 with Karl-Anthony Towns or a bruiser with Mitchell Robinson is something opponents could emulate too.
Whatever they are, every team (including, perhaps, the Knicks) now has the next few months to figure out how to address their biggest needs. We've identified what they are below.
Atlanta Hawks
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Shot Creation
The Atlanta Hawks wound up winning more playoff games (two) against the Knicks than the rest of the NBA combined. Their surge was due, in large part, to swapping Trae Young out for CJ McCollum.
But now, McCollum is a free agent. And if the Hawks are unable to re-sign him, they could be dangerously short on shot creation from the guard spots.
Jalen Johnson certainly provides a lot, but he may still be a little too turnover-prone to carry that load without a more traditional point guard.
Size
The Hawks have Mouhamed Gueye, Asa Newell and Onyeka Okongwu on the books for next season, but that trio is made up of players who are either unproven or a little undersized to play center.
They could use someone with a little more height and/or weight to deal with teams that bring bruisers to the front court.
That could be why Atlanta, which has the No. 8 pick, has commonly come up as a potential landing spot for 7'3" Aday Mara.
Development
This isn't the kind of "need" you typically see in an exercise like this, but the Hawks simply need to spend a lot of time developing some of the young core that's come along a little slower than they would've liked to.
Newell only played in 44 games as a rookie. By the end of the season, former first overall pick Zaccharie Risacher was coming off the bench. Jonathan Kuminga, who was acquired before the trade deadline, still needs some polishing too.
In short, if Atlanta is going to improve upon what it did in 2025-26, one of the above is going to have to take a big step forward.
Boston Celtics
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Interior Scoring
In his end-of-season press conference, Brad Stevens made no secret of his desire for more scoring around the rim.
"I think that one of the things that we've got to figure out is how to have more of an impact at the rim," Stevens told reporters. "And I think we need to add to our team to do that."
Boston was dead last in the percentage of team shots that came at the rim, and while more slashing from Jayson Tatum and/or Jaylen Brown could help address that, Stevens is right. They probably need a player (or two) more geared toward scoring inside.
Center
Of course, that could be a center. Nikola Vučević is entering free agency, and he didn't really address that need anyway.
Neemias Queta could be a good rim-runner, but he doesn't bring a ton of volume (and certainly doesn't bring much of it of his own accord).
What Boston really needs is a center who's passable on defense and can reliably get his own shot on the other end.
A Jaylen Brown Trade?
Of course, those players don't grow on trees. And given their financial situation (Boston is way over the cap), a trade might be the only meaningful way to address the needs above.
The Celtics have become one of the trendier landing spots for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but including Brown's salary ($57.1 million) could also open up the possibility of getting multiple difference-makers for one.
Brooklyn Nets
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Shooting
The Brooklyn Nets had one of the best shooters in the NBA in 2025-26. His efficiency was down a bit with increased responsibility, but Michael Porter Jr. still hit 3.4 threes per game at a 36.3 percent clip.
But that wasn't good enough to save Brooklyn from having the worst three-point percentage in the league this season. And if any of their young playmakers (the Nets took Egor Dёmin, Nolan Traoré and Ben Saraf in last summer's first round) are going to survive, they'll need more reliable catch-and-shoot threats to spray out to.
Development
Of course, the young playmakers have to be better too. The Nets don't even need all three of the above to drastically improve. If even one takes real steps forward as a ball-handler and facilitator, Brooklyn's trajectory will look far more intriguing.
Luck
The Nets already got their dose of bad luck when they dropped three spots in the lottery to the sixth overall pick.
Now, they need a draft-night slide from a special talent. There figures to be a handful of high-potential guards still available at their range, and last year's draft strategy shouldn't dissuade them from taking the best available player there.
The nice thing about Dёmin, specifically, is that his 6'8" frame, at least in theory, makes him playable with other guards.
Charlotte Hornets
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Re-Sign Coby White
It started before he arrived, but Coby White was a crucial part of the Charlotte Hornets' late-season surge toward the playoffs.
In 21 games as a Hornet, he averaged 15.6 points and 3.0 assists in 19.3 minutes, while shooting 39.1 percent from deep.
But he's a free agent now, and Charlotte's second unit will be woefully short on offense without him.
On the open market, White will certainly command more than the $12.9 million he made in 2025-26, but the Hornets have his Bird rights and don't really have any onerous money on the books. They need to bring him back.
Center
Ryan Kalkbrenner was better than expected as a rookie, and Moussa Diabaté's athleticism and aggressiveness helped Charlotte close the season as one of the hottest teams in the league, but center still feels like a spot where the Hornets can improve.
A 5 with an outside shot could be awfully dangerous in lineups with LaMelo Ball. And while Charlotte got a bit of that from small-ball alignments with Grant Williams, he's barely 6'7". A bigger shooter who doesn't cost the team much in the rebounding and rim protection columns would go a long way.
Defense
The Hornets nearly finished the season with a top-10 defense, but their two best players (arguably) are Ball and Kon Knueppel, both of whom could use some cover on that end of the floor.
That may come, at least to a degree, from development for Knueppel and Brandon Miller, but another wing, one who's more defensively minded, wouldn't hurt.
Chicago Bulls
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Caleb Wilson
The days and weeks before the NBA draft are absolutely loaded with rumors, and the possibility of Caleb Wilson crashing the top three has been a persistent one.
But the likelier scenario is that AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer (in whatever order) fill those spots and Wilson "falls" to the Bulls.
In that case, Chicago would get one of the highest-upside players in the class. Wilson has the potential to be an absolute monster as an interior scorer and multipositional defender.
He may have enough perimeter skill to one day develop into something of a 3-4 too. Regardless, for a team that entered the lottery with the ninth worst record in the league, this was one heck of an outcome for the Bulls.
Consistent Shooting
Chicago was ninth in the league in threes made per game, but they were below average in three-point percentage.
For a team run by Josh Giddey, a volume playmaker without the most reliable three-point shot, more dangerous catch-and-shoot threats around him are crucial.
Perimeter Defense
The Bulls' build shouldn't be based entirely on Giddey's weaknesses, but his perimeter defense is another one worth considering.
Wilson (assuming he gets there) and his potential rim protection could help the overall defense, but Chicago also needs to do a better job of containing players outside.
Cleveland Cavaliers
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Perimeter Defense
The Cleveland Cavaliers looked much better in the second half of the season, but they still finished 15th in the league on defense. And that had a lot to do with two targetable perimeter defenders starting in Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.
The weakness was on vivid display in the conference finals, when Jalen Brunson relentlessly attacked Harden during the sweep. It was so bad that one has to wonder if the Cavs are thinking about some way out of the Harden business.
Unfortunately, even if he were to decline his player option and walk, Cleveland doesn't really have the flexibility to replace him. So the Cavs are, for lack of a better term, probably stuck with Harden on a smaller deal for a few more years.
If they ink him to a new deal, finding a defense-first 3 who can play alongside both Harden and Mitchell will be critical.
The Evan Mobley Leap
Cleveland has been waiting for this for years. And though Evan Mobley won Defensive Player of the Year in 2024-25, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who'd classify him as a superstar.
He'll need to get there if the Cavs will have a real shot at beating the Knicks, Boston Celtics or even Indiana Pacers in the playoffs next season.
The likeliest path to that outcome probably includes tons of time working on his outside shot and other perimeter skills. If he comes back as the same, mid-volume, largely short-range offensive threat, it's hard to imagine Cleveland being much better.
Backup Big
There was a temptation to go with a Mobley or Jarrett Allen trade as one of the headings here. Mobley's slow-developing perimeter game makes a breakup between those two justifiable.
But they were still significantly better with both bigs on the floor than they were with one or neither. That pairing, at least statistically and in the regular season, isn't the problem.
They might just need a third big who's better equipped to pull defenders from the basket to play alongside one while the other is resting.
Dallas Mavericks
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Luck
This draft class has long been forecast as one loaded with superstar talent, but most experts see a drop-off after the third (or fourth) pick. The Dallas Mavericks have the ninth.
Of course, that doesn't mean they won't get a serious talent there. Every year, we see prospects outside the top five drastically outperform expectation. Heck, Jalen Brunson (who the Mavs once took in the second round) just one Finals MVP.
Now, Dallas needs another high-end playmaking talent to slip to the ninth pick, where it can draft him and pair him with reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg.
Shooting
Perhaps more than anyone else on the roster, Flagg simply has to get better as an outside shooter over the offseason. He averaged a team-high 21.0 points this season, but he hit just 29.5 percent of his three-point attempts. If he stays around that level, it will be too easy for defenders to play him for the drive.
But Flagg isn't even 20 yet. There's plenty of time for him to figure out the three-pointer. And in the meantime, he needs a couple teammates who can reliably knock down the open triples he creates for them.
A healthy Kyrie Irving should certainly help on that front, but Dallas needs more than a 34-year-old coming off a torn ACL to address a three-point percentage that ranked 26th last season.
Youth
The Mavs could pretty easily justify running most of the roster back with Irving returning from his injury.
Surrounding Flagg with a supporting cast that was largely built for Luka Dončić could go a long way toward developing his point forward skills. The veterans could help Flagg mature a bit quicker too.
But the wiser long-term play may be flipping some of those veterans (like Irving, Klay Thompson or Daniel Gafford) for players closer to Flagg's age.
That'd likely bring more growing pains in 2026-27, but having multiple co-stars hitting their peaks at the same time as Flagg would do a lot more for Dallas' future than the current veterans can (some of whom may be done playing at that point).
Denver Nuggets
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Re-Sign Peyton Watson
Whether it's reporters or sources from within the Denver Nuggets, someone (or multiple someones) have done a heck of a job of selling the idea that re-signing Peyton Watson means the team has to move someone else.
Sure, the roster could be awfully expensive if Watson signs a decent-sized offer sheet, Denver matches it and keeps the rest of the core intact. But he's a restricted free agent. Nikola Jokić is at the peak of his powers. And the Nuggets should be bending over backward to give him the best possible shot at a title, regardless of what it costs.
The playoffs once again exposed Denver's need for length and athleticism, and Watson has it. He missed the series with the Minnesota Timberwolves, but if he's healthy and continues to develop, he may be the answer to some of this team's biggest questions.
Backup Point Guard
Having a center who averages a triple-double can go a long way toward disguising a lack of backcourt depth, but overly physical defense against Jamal Murray has been a huge problem (especially in the playoffs) since the Nuggets won the title.
Since then, they've cycled through Russell Westbrook, Tyus Jones and Jalen Pickett, but none have proven capable of relieving enough playmaking pressure from Murray and Jokić.
Luck
Watson took a while to break out, and Christian Braun had a down year in 2025-26 (potentially due to injuries), but relative to their draft positions, both were hits.
Now, Denver has another pick at the end of the first (No. 26) and still has a need for a young, aggressive defender (hopefully one who can protect the rim a bit).
They need someone with a couple red flags to slide all the way to their spot and be the next in a growing line of draft success stories (that includes Watson, Braun, Michael Porter Jr. and Jokić).
Detroit Pistons
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Re-Sign Jalen Duren
The playoffs were not kind to Jalen Duren, who saw his scoring average dip from 19.5 to 10.2 and may have seen his name trending for all the wrong reasons during most games.
But it's worth remembering that he's still just 22 years. His rim running makes him a near-ideal fit as a big man next to Cade Cunningham. And he has some under-appreciated playmaking potential that could help him make multiple All-Star teams.
Young players are entitled to some learning experiences early in their career, and the Pistons would be wise to view his postseason as one.
A Bona Fide No. 2
Having said that, the playoffs did expose Duren's current lack of ability to put up big points. That and the roster being light on playmaking made the responsibility for Cunningham much too large.
The Pistons could really use a second star on offense capable of taking some scoring and playmaking pressure away from Cade. And they can get to an amount of cap space that would make that doable (whether through free agency or by absorbing a big salary into that space with a trade).
Shooting
This applies to the entire team, but it has as much to do with Cunningham as anyone.
He gets a bit of a pass because of how demanding his role is, but Cunningham has now been well below average in both effective field-goal percentage and true shooting percentage in each of his five seasons.
He's made All-NBA teams in the last two years, but he won't get to the next tier (real MVP contention) without becoming the consistent shooter many expected him to be coming out of college.
Golden State Warriors
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A Star
The Golden State Warriors, as currently constructed, are nowhere near contender status. They were well below .500 last season, and Jimmy Butler figures to be on the injury report for all of 2026-27.
The only way to give themselves a puncher's chance at a championship in the twilight of Stephen Curry's career is by turning Butler's contract and some future draft picks into a star.
Golden State may not have enough to beat the Miami Heat's offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but other big names will be available this summer. And the Warriors owe it to Curry to make big swings.
Center
Al Horford may pick up his player option, and Kristaps Porziņģis could re-sign, but the former is 40 and the latter is one of the biggest injury (or illness) concerns in the NBA.
The Warriors desperately need a more reliable center, preferably one who can protect the backline of a defense featuring Curry and a 36-year-old Draymond Green.
Shooting
It's odd to see a team with Curry in the bottom half of the league in three-point percentage, but that's exactly where the Warriors were last season.
They need more consistent shooting to win that column in more games and overcome their age gap, and it's tough for Curry to do by himself.
Houston Rockets
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Volume Shooting
The Houston Rockets shot a good percentage from three this season, but they were 25th in makes, which was a big factor in them having a below-average effective field-goal percentage.
They made up for that with ferocious offensive rebounding (especially before Steven Adams went down), but if they're going to press forward with Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson, they need some players who balance out their inside-the-three-point-line games.
A Kevin Durant Trade
On the other hand, the Rockets could trade KD and get a sort of fresh start around Thompson, Alperen Şengün, Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard.
They certainly wouldn't win as many games in the short term, but this season showed they're probably not ready to compete with the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs anyway. And by the time the young guys are ready, KD could be 40.
Instead of waiting for that, Houston could flip Durant for whatever assets it can get now, give Thompson and Sheppard more opportunities on the ball and hope it accelerates their development.
Health
In the absence of such a shakeup, Houston just has to hope its veterans (like Durant, Adams and Fred VanVleet) can get and stay on the court next season.
It's certainly not a given with their ages and injury histories, but if they're available, Houston could at least be a more serious challenger than it was this season.
Indiana Pacers
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Time
There may be a handful of specific needs the Indiana Pacers need to address this offseason, but perhaps more than any organization, what they really need is just the offseason itself.
During his two playoff runs with Indiana, the Pacers are plus-5.1 points per 100 possessions with Tyrese Haliburton on the floor and minus-7.1 when he's off. Not having him this season, regardless of who else might've been available, was always going to doom them.
After these few months off, Haliburton should be somewhere near his old self (his game was never overly reliant on burst or athleticism), and that alone should supercharge Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard and new teammate Ivica Zubac.
Frontcourt Depth
The Pacers still have Jay Huff as a solid option at backup center, but Obi Toppin was injured for much of last season, and Jarace Walker hasn't quite lived up to the potential some thought he had coming out of college.
Indiana has 14 players under contract for next season (though four are on team options), but another big man to shore up that rotation wouldn't hurt.
Bench Scorer
Indiana may not have had Bennedict Mathurin in its longterm plans (hence trading him for Zubac before his restricted free agency), but he did provide some scoring punch off the bench.
The Pacers may be able to replace that with Ben Sheppard, Toppin or even Johnny Furphy, but they could stand to use a little insurance for that role.
Los Angeles Clippers
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Center
Yanic Konan Niederhäuser's play was a big part of why the Los Angeles Clippers felt comfortable moving Ivica Zubac, but he suffered a Lisfranc injury shortly after the move and could be unavailable into next season.
Brook Lopez is still under contract, but he'll be in his age-39 season. And John Collins is entering unrestricted free agency.
In other words, the Clippers desperately need a big man to at least eat up some minutes between the start of the season and Niederhäuser's return to play.
A Big Guard in the Draft
They could potentially address that need in the draft, but Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson will likely be gone when L.A. picks at No. 5, and the next available bigs would be a reach there.
On most big boards, the next several picks after the first four are guards. The problem for the Clippers is that they just acquired Darius Garland. Pairing him with another small one could be trouble (especially on defense).
So whenever the Clippers are on the board, they might have to focus on some of the playmakers with wing size, like Keaton Wagler (6'6"), Brayden Burries (6'5") or Mikel Brown Jr. (6'5").
Leniency
Of course, everything happening with L.A. now sort of seems to be on hold. For the entire 2025-26 campaign, it's felt like some kind of resolution to the league's Aspiration investigation had to be around the corner.
The potential penalties (assuming the NBA finds what it considers to be wrongdoing) could render the Clippers' offseason completely moot.
Los Angeles Lakers
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Wing Defense
One of the craziest things about Nico Harrison's Luka Dončić trade was the fact that he made so many savvy moves to build a team around him.
Additions like P.J. Washington, Derrick Jones Jr. and Naji Marshall all made sense. With Luka's occasional struggles or lack of effort on defense, it's important to surround him with aggressive, athletic wings who'll make up for his shortcomings.
With the exception of maybe Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and Marcus Smart, the Los Angeles Lakers haven't really had that with Luka. And is an unrestricted free agent, Vanderbilt was almost unplayable on offense and Smart turns 33 next season.
In other words, L.A. has to reload Dončić's supporting cast and do it with defense in mind.
A Rim Runner
In his first season alongside Luka, Deandre Ayton embraced being a rim runner a bit more than he has in earlier seasons, but he doesn't bring the same level of defense that Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II did to those Mavericks teams.
Another center who's fine with doing little more than rolling hard to the rim on one end and protecting it on the other would fit well with Luka's playmaking and sometimes spotty defense.
A Third Option
LeBron James leaving the Lakers sort of feels like a foregone conclusion, but it won't be easy to replace 20.9 points and 7.2 assists, especially if Dončić and Austin Reaves battle injuries again.
If L.A. does move on (and it probably should be prioritizing roster fits with Luka), it'll need at least one more playmaker to come off the bench and hopefully pick up some of the slack left by LeBron.
Memphis Grizzlies
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Cameron Boozer
The Memphis Grizzlies should be thrilled with whichever one of this draft's big three falls to them with the third pick, but it's looking like that will be Cameron Boozer. And he might actually be the best fit for Memphis.
After trading Jaren Jackson Jr., the Grizzlies have an obvious need at the 4. And a team featuring Zach Edey needs that 4 to be able to shoot and play from the perimeter a little bit.
Boozer can be a bruising forward inside, but he also has some wing skills that should make him a great fit with Edey and Cedric Coward.
A Ja Morant Trade (or Buyout)
Whether they can find anyone to give them any value for him or not, the Grizzlies absolutely have to move Ja Morant this summer. Even if they don't get a great offer, they might need to consider a buyout.
Morant certainly gave that city and organization great moments, but his lack of availability (due to on- and off-the-court issues) over the last few years has tanked the team and its record.
It's time for a fresh start around Coward, Edey, Cam Spencer and whichever potential star Memphis grabs at No. 3.
Backup Big
Edey has had some solid moments in his first two seasons, but he's also only played in 77 NBA games. And the only other big on the roster is Taylor Hendricks, who's obviously more of a 4 than a 5.
The Grizzlies will absolutely have to sign a backup center (or two) to survive next season and keep Edey fresh enough to be playing in the spring.
Miami Heat
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Giannis Antetokounmpo
From pretty much the moment the final buzzer sounded on Game 5 of the Finals, plenty of fans outside New York turned their eyes to the rumor mill. And they've certainly found plenty sending Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat.
At this point, the move almost feels like an inevitability. And even if some version of the rumored packages (Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'El Ware, draft picks and other contracts) wind up being what gets Giannis to South Beach, it'll be hard not to be excited about a defense headlined by him and Bam Adebayo.
Sure, the spacing could get a little clunky with those two and Andrew Wiggins on the floor, but the pure talent would be tough to deny.
Shooting
Assuming that deal is done, Miami would suddenly be very much in need of shooting.
With both big guys on the floor, pretty much every other spot has to be a threat from the outside, otherwise opposing defenses could pack the paint.
A Point Guard
Davion Mitchell quietly had a very strong 2025-26, averaging 9.3 points and 6.5 assists, while shooting 39.5 percent from deep, but the Giannis trade would leave him pretty lonely in the backcourt.
Antetokounmpo and Adebayo are both good passers for their positions, but they're still missing some of the natural instincts that table-setting point guards have.
Miami needs one to backup Mitchell and take a little pressure off the big men.
Milwaukee Bucks
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A Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade
The other side of that coin, of course, is the Milwaukee Bucks, and they should be very eager to put an end to this Giannis Antetokounmpo saga.
Yes, he gave the city and organization a title and countless good memories, but the last couple years have been a slog of "will he or won't he," trade rumors and drama that Giannis, frankly, brought on himself.
No more vague quotes hinting at a desire to play elsewhere. No more pressure on the front office to make win-now moves that cripple the future.
There will certainly be some pain in finally trading Giannis, but there will also be relief.
Draft Picks
Teams in Milwaukee's position typically want some combination of a good player, promising prospects and/or multiple draft picks when giving up a frustrated superstar.
The Bucks should prioritize the last item on that list. They need a fresh start, and incoming rookies (or the ability to add picks to trades) help on that front more than Herro or Jaquez will.
Both are solid, but neither looks like a surefire franchise cornerstone. Milwaukee needs to give itself as many chances as possible to find that in the draft.
Other Veteran Trades
Assuming they're not a part of the Giannis deal, the Bucks should probably also be looking to unload Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis and A.J. Green.
Bottoming out may not be quite as enticing as it was before the NBA instituted new anti-tanking measures, but Milwaukee should still be interested in getting its young guys as many developmental minutes as possible and ensuring its somewhere in the lottery.
Minnesota Timberwolves
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A Julius Randle Trade
Boy, the Karl-Anthony Towns trade looks rough right now.
In his second playoff run with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Julius Randle averaged 16.0 points and shot 39.0 percent from the field and 24.4 percent from deep.
In his second playoff run with the New York Knicks, KAT won a championship, averaged a double-double and set the record for single-postseason plus-minus.
Beyond that, it just seems relatively clear that the combination of Anthony Edwards, Randle and Rudy Gobert doesn't quite mesh. And since Randle is two years younger than Gobert and on a slightly cheaper contract, there could be some potential suitors out there who prefer him.
Shooting
The Timberwolves were already in the top half of the league in both threes per game and three-point percentage, but if they could turn Randle into some more reliable shooting, it could push their offense further from the middle of the pack.
They might need a little more of that with Donte DiVincenzo hurt too.
And conceptually, the idea of an attack built around an Edwards-Gobert pick-and-roll and surrounded with shooting makes sense. Edwards would need to take some strides as a playmaker, but it's in him. He already proved his ability and willingness to improve by developing into one of the league's best volume shooters.
A Point Guard
At the same time, with DiVincenzo out and Mike Conley entering free agency (and probably nearing retirement), Minnesota needs a traditional point guard too.
Edwards can't run the offense for 48 minutes, and having a solid playmaker around to get him easy looks will be important for his (and the team's) efficiency.
New Orleans Pelicans
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Health (or Patience)
A lot of pundits and fans are clamoring for the New Orleans Pelicans to trade Trey Murphy III or even Zion Williamson.
But a total reset isn't quite as easy to justify as it was before Adam Silver instituted his new anti-tanking rules. And unless some organization blows New Orleans away with an offer it can't refuse, it might be worth it to see if this team can just play a couple months together.
We've never really seen an extended stretch with Dejounte Murray, Murphy, Zion and Derik Queen all available. With Zion's injury history, maybe we never will.
But at least in theory, you can see how that group makes sense. And again, without much incentive to bottom out, the Pelicans might as well see if theory translates to practice.
Shooting
The Pelicans finished the season 27th in threes per game and 24th in three-point percentage. For a team with Zion, those numbers need to be higher.
Of course, he's not going to contribute much to either category, but he can pull defenses toward the basket and open up space for shooters outside.
Surrounding his slashing with more reliable shooters could supercharge his already dangerous game.
Rim Protection
New Orleans' perimeter defense has some potential with Murphy, Murray and Herb Jones, but starting Williamson and Queen could mean the rim is vulnerable.
Yves Missi can provide some of the rim protection the Pelicans need, but they could also use a weakside shot-blocker like Andrei Kirilenko or Gerald Wallace to help keep Queen on the floor.
New York Knicks
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Get the Band Back Together
All five members of the New York Knicks' starting lineup are under contract for next season. Having that box checked is huge.
But Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet, likely the Knicks' most important reserves in this title run, are free agents.
Both may have earned raises. And keeping them on board could be costly, but New York should absolutely pony up and keep as much of his group together as possible.
Wing Depth
Even if those two come back and Jose Alvarado picks up his player option (which is far from guaranteed), the Knicks would still have several roster spots available.
And while there's probably a need for a little depth at every spot, a backup wing feels most important.
Throughout this postseason, New York really didn't have one to play (Alvarado, Shamet, Miles McBride and Jordan Clarkson are all guards).
Backup Point Guard
If Alvarado does decline his option, a backup 1 would suddenly be real important.
Jalen Brunson carries one of the bigger minutes loads in the league and has made it to at least the conference finals in three of his last five postseason appearances.
His body has been through a lot in recent years, and having a capable backup could help preserve him for future runs.
Oklahoma City Thunder
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Health
There was plenty of understandable criticism of Chet Holmgren after the Oklahoma City Thunder were eliminated. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fielded some of it too.
And while the team itself may try to avoid the excuse, the fact of the matter is that OKC likely would've beaten the San Antonio Spurs if Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell were healthy.
Running it back would be mighty expensive, but this is a title-worthy roster without doing anything this offseason.
A Potential Star
The Thunder having two first-round picks and maybe needing to move someone like Luguentz Dort for cap relief make them the most obvious potential trade-up candidate in the draft.
And if they can sneak into the top six or seven, Sam Presti's track record suggests he may be able to find another potential star to add to this mix.
A New Isaiah Hartenstein Contract
Isaiah Hartenstein is under contract for 2026-27, but it's a team option for $28.5 million, which is just about how much the Thunder are over the second apron.
Being past that line takes a lot of team-building options off the table, so the Thunder should be interested in declining that team option, giving Hartenstein a longer contract with a lower annual salary and perhaps getting off Dort's contract.
Orlando Magic
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Playmaking Point Guard
Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane are all solid playmakers relative to their positional peers, but the offense remains a slog because none of them are genuine offensive engines.
A high-end creator and scorer could go a long way toward finally pushing this attack into the top half of the league, but getting that could require a drastic move.
A Paolo Banchero or Franz Wagner Trade?
There are moments, when it looks like Orlando's wealth of size and playmaking at the forward spots could make it one of the most dangerous teams in the league.
But the need for Banchero and Wagner to both have the ball, and the inability of either to become reliable three-point shooters (at least so far) may make this pairing untenable.
If the Magic were to make either available, they could certainly get a point guard who'd fit the description above.
Shooting
But it may still be too early to give up on that duo. Banchero is 23, and Wagner is 24. They check just about every box you'd want from forwards, with the exception of three-point shooting.
And while that's obviously a pretty important one to have empty, Orlando could justify mostly running it back and just trying to surround those two with more reliable catch-and-shoot threats.
Philadelphia 76ers
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A Joel Embiid (or Paul George) Trade
Philadelphia 76ers fans had to be elated when Joel Embiid returned from injury, averaged 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists over the last four games of the series and helped knock the Boston Celtics out in the first round.
But the joy was short-lived, as he looked sluggish in the second round and got swept by the New York Knicks.
The reality is, at 32 years old and nearly 300 pounds, with his lengthy injury history, there's just no way to expect a healthy playoff run from Embiid.
And with that being the case, it's hard to justify the $60-plus million per year that Philly will pay him over the next three seasons.
By a similar token, Paul George is also quite clearly past his prime and making over $50 million in each of the next two seasons.
And while he may have rehabbed his trade value a bit down the stretch, it's going to be hard to find a suitor desperate enough to take either him or Embiid.
But if that suitor is out there, Philadelphia will have to seriously consider whatever offer it makes. It's time to turn the team fully over to Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
Wings
If the Knicks are the new blueprint for teams led by dynamic point guards, it means the Sixers should be interested in surrounding Maxey with big, physical wings like Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby.
Those aren't necessarily easy to find, but they'll be crucial if Philadelphia is built around two relatively small guards.
An Innings Eater at the 5
As much as the 76ers might like to get out from under Embiid's massive contract, it's not likely to happen. And that means more load management at the 5.
This past season, that wasn't a huge deal, since Andre Drummond was able to play 63 games, start 25, dominate the boards in most of them and help keep Philly afloat in his minutes.
But Drummond will be 33 in August, and he's a free agent. If the Sixers lose him, they'll have to have another high-motor big man to take on the minutes passed on from Embiid.
Phoenix Suns
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Center
The Phoenix Suns have some promising potential big men in Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach, but if they want to seriously compete in the playoffs during Devin Booker's prime, they might need a bona fide starting center.
Mark Williams gave them 60 games of solid play at the position, but he's a free agent and certainly doesn't have the cleanest bill of health.
If they don't re-sign him, they'll need someone else to provide some of the rim-running, rim protection and rebounding he did.
Collin Gillespie
It's going to take a massive pay raise over his $2.3 million salary in 2025-26, but the Phoenix Suns almost have to bring Collin Gillespie back.
In his first season spent mostly as a starter, Gillespie put up 12.7 points and 4.6 assists, while shooting 40.1 percent from deep. And the Suns' net rating was 4.9 points better when he was on the floor.
Most importantly, Gillespie's steady hand at the offensive wheel made Devin Booker's life easier. Booker's ability to create is a nice thing to have from a shooting guard, but he's ultimately that (and not a point guard).
A Jalen Green Trade
Jalen Green spent most of this season injured, and the Suns generally played better without him. That's not a great sign for your second-highest-paid player.
When he was off the floor, the Suns' grit-and-Booker approach was tough for opponents to handle or gameplan against. When Green was playing, Phoenix gave up too many possessions with bad shots.
Of course, all of that could make him tough to trade, but if the Suns could swap him for another defense-first wing, they'd have to think about doing it.
Portland Trail Blazers
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A Jerami Grant Trade
There have been some rumblings about the Portland Trail Blazers being in on the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, but they feel like a dark horse, at best.
A likelier trade might be something close to a salary dump of Jerami Grant, opening up more developmental minutes for Sidy Cissoko and Kris Murray.
Backup Center
Portland appears to have its center of the future in Donovan Clingan. And there may still be some intrigue with Yang Hansen.
But the latter probably isn't ready for big minutes yet. And with Robert Williams entering free agency, the Blazers will need another backup big to spell Clingan.
A Scoot Henderson Leap
Five years ago, a backcourt of Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday would've been terrifying, but both are well past their primes now. And managing their minutes will be crucial.
Doing so might require Scoot Henderson to finally start living up to his potential. If the version of Scoot who scored 23.3 points over the first three games of the playoffs shows up, Portland will be fine. If it gets the one who averaged 2.5 over the last two games, the burden might break Lillard and Holiday.
Sacramento Kings
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Trades!
No team needs to start over quite as much as the Sacramento Kings do.
After spending the last three years seemingly doing all they could to bury the progress they made in 2022-23 (their only playoff appearance since 2006), Sacramento is coming off a 22-win and doesn't have a single surefire future star.
Landing at No. 7 in the lottery didn't help the situation much either.
In other words, things are dire. And they're not likely to get much better if the Kings stay this course.
Instead, they should be aggressively shopping each of Zach LaVine (who's on an expiring contract), Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan. Just about any young player or even second-round picks might be worth it.
This group isn't going to compete for anything meaningful any time soon. Sacramento's better off going into asset-accumulation mode.
Point Guard
Assuming they stick at No. 7, the Kings almost have to be targeting a playmaker.
In recent years, they've traded De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, both of whom have gone on to make the NBA Finals, while the Kings were left with an aging Russell Westbrook.
There's no guarantee Darius Acuff, Kingston Flemings or any of the other guards who might be available to Sacramento will be quite as good as the guards they gave up on, but they need to start looking.
Defense
If the Kings aren't able to find any takers for the aforementioned vets, they need to prioritize defense at just about every other spot on the roster.
All three of LaVine, DeRozan and Sabonis have historically struggled on that end of the floor, so Sacramento needs real difference-makers to cover for them.
San Antonio Spurs
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Commitment to Dylan Harper
Plenty of fans and analysts are calling on the San Antonio Spurs to trade De'Aaron Fox in the wake of a tough postseason, but it sounds like they may be committed to him.
That doesn't mean they have to keep the rotation as it was, though.
In the playoffs, Dylan Harper proved, repeatedly, that he's ready for a much bigger role. He looked like the steadier hand against the New York Knicks. And he's only going to get better over the next few years.
It'd take an awful lot of guts to start him over someone making as much as Fox, but there's evidence to support it.
If, however, the team just isn't willing to make that move, it at least has to play way more three-guard minutes with Harper, Fox and Stephon Castle all on the floor.
The younger guards are big enough to survive on the wings, and the wealth of playmaking would make life easy for Victor Wembanyama.
Backup Guard
If they do go all the way in that direction and start all three of Fox, Harper and Castle, the second unit will be short a guard.
Staggering the minutes of those three could go a long way toward having enough playmaking on the floor for all 48, but the Spurs would still need more depth in the backcourt.
Veteran Leader
Harper, Wembanyama and the rest of the sub-30 players on San Antonio look ready to make perennial deep playoff runs, but Harrison Barnes, Kelly Olynyk, Vismack Biyombo and Mason Plumlee are all entering free agency.
None of the above were able to help much on the floor this postseason, but having solid veterans around to dispense wisdom and boost chemistry does a lot for a young team.
Toronto Raptors
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Shooting
The Toronto Raptors have the makings of a potentially devastating defense with Scottie Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles and several other plus defenders, but they were in the bottom 10 of both threes per game and three-point percentage last season.
If they add a couple reliable outside shooters to this mix, they'll be a far more dangerous team.
A Jakob Poeltl Trade
Part of Toronto hitting its ceiling could mean more minutes at the 5 for Murray-Boyles.
He's significantly smaller than Jakob Poeltl, but he's far more mobile and versatile.
Moving the bigger, older center would be a sure way to open up the minutes CMB needs.
Luck
Toronto has plenty of young(ish) players on the roster, but Barnes looks like the only one with real star potential.
The Raptors aren't likely to find another with the 19th pick in this draft, but every year features a surprise at or near that level.
With a class as deep as this one, there's at least a chance Toronto finds a keeper outside the lottery.
Utah Jazz
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AJ Dybantsa
The Utah Jazz can't really go wrong with the second overall pick. Regardless of who the Washington Wizards take at No. 1, they'll get a potential superstar next.
But the one who checks the most boxes is AJ Dybantsa, who starred in college in Utah at BYU.
With Dybantsa, Utah would get someone familiar with the area, who plays multiple positions, who can create for others and who has star scoring upside.
And his size, in lineups with Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Walker Kessler (assuming he's re-signed), could make the Jazz terrifyingly big.
Re-Sign Walker Kessler
There may be some friction between Kessler and the Jazz right now, but restricted free agency gives the team the opportunity to match whatever offer he signs.
And over the course of his four losing seasons in Utah, the Jazz actually have a positive point differential when Kessler is on the floor with Markkanen.
If they really want to turn the corner and start trying to win, Kessler's size, rebounding and rim protection will make it an awful lot easier.
Keep Developing
Even if the Jazz are more competitive and start leaning more heavily on vets, they can't (and probably won't) lose sight of the development of younger players like Keyonte George, Bailey, Cody Williams and others.
In the league's current cap landscape, with all the penalties that come from exceeding the tax and aprons, genuinely helpful minutes from players on rookie contracts are crucial.
Washington Wizards
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A Face of the Franchise
The Washington Wizards added a pair of very famous players this past season when they traded for Trae Young and Anthony Davis, but neither figures to be the longterm face of the franchise.
That distinction could very well go to whoever they take with the first overall pick. And right now, it certainly looks like that'll be AJ Dybantsa.
As a wing with Tracy McGrady-like potential, Dybantsa is a near-ideal fit between Young and Davis. His game should be additive around both veterans. They'll help him too.
And if even one or two of the Wizards other young players (like Alex Sarr or Tre Johnson) beat expectations, Washington could be in the hunt for a play-in spot.
Defense
They may have a decent amount of it with Davis, Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly, but any team being run by Young needs more than a decent amount of defense.
Having him at the 1 makes plus defense at just about every other spot critical. And unless the Wizards are certain some of their up-and-comers are ready to provide that, they should be looking for it in free agency.
Shooting
One of the best ways to take advantage of Young's playmaking is by surrounding him with three-point shooters.
Washington was surprisingly in the middle of the pack in both threes per game and three-point percentage, but they don't have a lot of high-end individual shooters who can bend defenses.
Someone who constantly moves off the ball and is dangerous on just about any catch can open up an awful lot for everyone else on the floor.
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