Biggest Question for Each NBA Team Before 2015-16 Training Camps
The NBA offseason is a breeding ground for unrestrained optimism.
Players are completely happy and in the best shape of their lives. Coaches have never had a better group of guys.
It all sounds so promising, but then reality sets in. As clubs kick off training camp and prepare for the 82-game trek ahead, flaws are revealed and issues need addressing.
Before those wake-up calls even arrive, it's already clear that every team has at least one question mark hanging over it. Some teams haven't settled on their rotations for the upcoming season. Others have roster redundancies or gaps that could necessitate moves down the line.
Every club has something to figure out before the 2015-16 campaign gets underway. These are the most pressing inquiries facing each one.
Atlanta Hawks: Who Starts at SF?
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The Atlanta Hawks' starting five features four All-Stars from last season and one major question mark.
There's a massive void left behind by DeMarre Carroll, who took his tenacious defense and complementary offense to the Toronto Raptors this summer. The Hawks have different options to replace him, but it's tough to tell which direction they will—or even should—go.
Veteran Thabo Sefolosha seems likely to get the first crack, but only if his body allows it. He's working his way back from a broken right fibula and isn't sure if he'll be ready for the start of training camp, per ESPN.com's Ian Begley. Even if Sefolosha is healthy, he'll struggle to log major minutes if he can't snap out of a two-year shooting funk (41.6 percent from the field, 31.7 from three).
But the options behind him are even less predictable. Kent Bazemore has never averaged more than 17.7 minutes per game. Justin Holiday played just 11.1 per night last season, his first in a semi-full-time role. Jason Richardson hasn't had an average player efficiency rating since 2010-11, per Basketball-Reference.com. Tim Hardaway Jr. needs to prove he's more than a one-dimensional volume scorer.
Atlanta's other four starters are ready. Last season's franchise-record 60 victories proved as much. But the Hawks' egalitarian system won't have the same success if there's a weak link in the chain.
Boston Celtics: More Roster Moves Coming?
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The Boston Celtics cleared out the final remnants of their 2008 title team last season, but they're still transitioning into a new era. And their roster shows it.
It reads more like a collection of assets than a series of interconnecting parts. The Celtics have a glut of undersized guards and offensive-minded bigs. They'll need to find enough touches to keep Marcus Smart, Isaiah Thomas, Terry Rozier and Evan Turner happy, and they'll have to build a functional defense without much rim protection.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens found a way to make it work last season, and the talent pool has expanded since. But so much of it is overlapping, and it might all be expendable if president of basketball operations Danny Ainge can cash in his trade chips for a quick-fix star.
Financially flexible in the future and presently stocked with prospects and draft picks, Boston looks like an intriguing trade partner under virtually any light. But the Celtics need their young guys to distinguish themselves, so they know who's worth keeping and who can be flipped on the exchange market.
Brooklyn Nets: Is There Enough at PG?
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Buying out the remainder of Deron Williams' contract was the right business move for the Brooklyn Nets. Their relationship appeared past its expiration point, and the astronomical cost attached to it only exacerbated the problem.
But business motives don't always align with the basketball side. In this case, they didn't come close. On the court, the Nets will miss Williams' scoring and distributing. He may have struggled individually last season, but Brooklyn still fared 6.8 points per 100 possessions better when he played.
Without him, the Nets now "have one of the worst point guard situations in the NBA," according to NBC Sports' Kurt Helin. Veteran Jarrett Jack works best in reserve duty, but Brooklyn needs the erratic, quick-triggered guard in the opening lineup. There are no comfortable options behind him, only the unproven trio of Shane Larkin, Ryan Boatright and Donald Sloan.
Jack has started 40-plus games three times in his career. His teams won an average of 36 games during those seasons. That number could be coming down, since Brooklyn only managed 38 victories with Williams and Jack last year.
Charlotte Hornets: Who Bounces Back?
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One year removed from a surprise playoff berth, the Charlotte Hornets failed to maintain momentum last season. They regressed on both ends of the floor. Al Jefferson, an All-NBA performer in 2013-14, battled injuries that either kept him off the floor or limited him on it.
In the end, the Hornets had a 49-loss season to forget.
Newcomer Nicolas Batum, who was acquired in a summer trade from the Portland Trail Blazers, knows the feeling. A nagging wrist problem sabotaged his stat sheet. He set several personal worsts, including a 51.6 true shooting percentage that was more than five points below his career average (56.8).
The Hornets can't afford any of those problems to carry over. This core has no margin for error, with both Jefferson and Batum slated to reach unrestricted free agency at season's end. Jefferson must reprise his go-to scoring role, and Batum needs to shine as a malleable offensive puzzle piece and disruptive defender.
Chicago Bulls: Same Players, New Frontcourt?
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New Chicago Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg stressed pace, space and versatility during his five seasons at Iowa State. It sounds like he's preaching the same message in the Windy City.
"He wants us to play at a higher pace, with more flow, more freedom," Pau Gasol told ESPN.com's Mark Woods.
There are different ways Hoiberg can step on the accelerator. Pairing the 35-year-old Gasol with the 30-year-old Joakim Noah—who battled a knee problem throughout last season—isn't one of them. According to Bulls.com's Sam Smith, "it seems likely Gasol and Noah will no longer both start."
Assuming Hoiberg keeps one of them in the opening lineup, he has two options for the other spot. Taj Gibson is the best athlete of the bunch and a solid two-way contributor. Nikola Mirotic can balance the floor with his outside shot or generate offense off the dribble.
Noah and Gasol are both proven commodities, so benching one could get a little dicey (especially when both might be free agents next summer). But Chicago needs to modernize its attack, and this change could give that effort a major boost.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Where's Tristan Thompson?
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There's one more domino from the 2015 free-agency collection that still hasn't dropped.
After averaging 13 rebounds and 10 points in the NBA Finals, Tristan Thompson is ready to get paid. The Cleveland Cavaliers are ready to pay—just not quite as much money as Thompson and his agent Rich Paul, who also represents LeBron James, want.
Thompson is eyeing a five-year, $94 million deal, but the Cavs are holding firm at $80 million over the same span, sources told ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst. There's still time to close the gap, but only if the team and the restricted free agent are willing to come together.
Even if they can't, this situation should avoid a disastrous outcome (for now, at least). The Cavs should be loaded up front, with the returns of Kevin Love and Anderson Varejao from injury and the arrival of Sasha Kaun. Thompson will almost certainly be part of that group as well, even if he only signs for his one-year, $6.8 million qualifying offer.
But this could easily be a distraction, something no title hopeful wants to have. Paul has already threatened that if Thompson takes his qualifying offer, "[this] will be his last year with the Cavs," according to Windhorst. And that may not sit well with James, who said last season that Thompson should "probably be a Cavalier for his whole career," via Northeast Ohio Media Group's Chris Haynes.
Dallas Mavericks: What Does D-Will Have Left?
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The Dallas Mavericks have had area native Deron Williams on their radar for some time. The two sides met during 2012 free agency, before the point guard circled back to Brooklyn on a five-year, $98 million deal.
Three years later, the Mavs finally have their man. But the fact that it only required a two-year, $11 million contract to sign him this time around shows how far his stock has plummeted.
Williams' scoring and distributing numbers from the past two seasons have been his worst since his rookie year (2005-06). In 2014-15, he posted a career-low 38.7 field-goal percentage. Bothered by balky ankles, he has free-fallen from elite status (two All-NBA selections) to now being someone the Mavs hope can be "serviceable," as CBS Sports' Ken Berger put it.
Where this gets dicey for Dallas is its lack of viable alternatives. Devin Harris hasn't been a full-time starter in years. J.J. Barea has never worn that title, and Raymond Felton couldn't even play a part-time role last season. A declining D-Will still looks like the Mavs' best option at point—quite possibly by far.
Denver Nuggets: Is Emmanuel Mudiay Ready?
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After trading away troubled floor general Ty Lawson, the Denver Nuggets have all but officially tied their rebuilding hopes to 19-year-old rookie Emmanuel Mudiay. He might not be their only piece, but he arguably looks like their most important one already.
"He's basically going to be our starting point guard and the Nuggets have high expectations," Kenneth Faried said of his new teammate, via Rappler.com's Naveen Ganglani.
Expectations are high for a reason. Per Rivals.com, Mudiay was one of the highest-rated players in his high school class, and while he may have waited a little longer than he would've liked on draft night, his name was still just the seventh called by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
Mudiay is a gifted athlete and a natural, willing playmaker. He looked poised at the Las Vegas Summer League and drew rave reviews from multiple analysts there. But his Sin City exposure also emphasized the need for patience. He shot just 38.5 percent from the field and 14.3 percent from distance and coughed up five turnovers per game.
He's far from a finished product, particularly as a shooter. The Nuggets can accelerate his development by letting him sink or swim, but their success in traversing NBA waters will be intrinsically linked to his.
Detroit Pistons: Can Andre Drummond Lead a Playoff Team?
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The Detroit Pistons have some position battles to sort out in training camp and beyond.
Rookie Stanley Johnson will look to prove he's ready for a starting gig, while fellow newcomers Marcus Morris and Ersan Ilyasova audition for their own potentially prominent roles. Gunners Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jodie Meeks will square off for the starting 2-guard slot. Eventually, Detroit will have either a point guard controversy or a trade brewing when Brandon Jennings joins Reggie Jackson in the backcourt.
But none of these questions carries nearly as much significance as this: What's next for Andre Drummond?
The 6'10", 270-pound athletic center is 22 years old and already the franchise face. He could have a max extension by the time this season starts—if not, he'll almost certainly get one next summer—and he should be the focal point of coach Stan Van Gundy's game plan on both ends of the floor.
Drummond has long been compared to Van Gundy's former protege, Dwight Howard, and the two towers posted fairly similar stats through their first three seasons (15.1 points, 11.6 rebounds, 1.7 blocks for Howard; 12.1, 11.8, 1.7 for Drummond). Howard solidified his place as a star during his fourth campaign. Drummond will need to do the same for Detroit to snap its six-year playoff drought.
Golden State Warriors: Can They Recreate Last Season?
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It's tough to rattle off 67 victories, post a double-digit point differential and end a 40-year title drought without some luck. The Golden State Warriors had their fair share during last season's championship banner-raising run.
They stayed remarkably healthy, getting 77-plus appearances from six of their top seven rotation players. They escaped the Western Conference playoff bracket without encountering the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers or Oklahoma City Thunder. During the Finals, Golden State outlasted a Cavs team that was down three opening-night starters.
"So many teams had injuries this year. And we were pretty healthy all year," Warriors coach Steve Kerr told NBA.com's David Aldridge in June. "There's definitely a certain amount of luck that comes with winning a championship, and we certainly had our share of that this year."
Golden State will need similarly good fortune to defend its title, but it can't bank its repeat hopes on luck alone. The defense must be just as dominant, and this offense needs to squeeze even more production out of Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green.
Houston Rockets: Who Starts, Finishes at PG?
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The Houston Rockets have everything they could ever need in a point guard: selfless playmaking, dizzying dribble drives, spot-up shooting and suffocating defense.
But there's one problem—it takes two players to provide all of the above. Ty Lawson can masterfully manage almost every offensive role, but his 5'11" frame poses defensive issues. Patrick Beverley hounds opposing ball-handlers, but he doesn't provide much offensive value outside of mediocre three-point shooting.
Rockets coach Kevin McHale has opened competition for the starting point guard spot, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Lawson could help lighten the offensive load shouldered by James Harden, but McHale could stagger their minutes to prevent Houston's attack from completely collapsing without the latter. Last season, the Rockets averaged 14.0 fewer points per 100 possessions with The Beard on the bench.
McHale must also decide which point guard will close out contests. In certain situations, he'll be allowed to make offense-defense substitutions. But when he has to stick to one guy, he must decide which one's limitations are easier to manage.
Indiana Pacers: Do They Have Enough Defense?
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The Indiana Pacers booked consecutive Eastern Conference Finals trips in 2013 and 2014 on the strength of their stonewall defense. But they have embraced a decidedly offensive approach since, attempting to construct a faster, more potent attack.
The Pacers won't starve for scoring this season. Paul George is back after missing all but six games in 2014-15 to a broken leg. George Hill is coming off a career year in which he tallied 16.1 points on 47.7 percent shooting and 5.1 assists per game. Newcomers (and projected starters) Monta Ellis and Jordan Hill averaged a combined 30.9 points last season.
The firepower is there to ignite this attack. But having offensive flamethrowers around won't help if this defense routinely springs uncontrollable leaks.
George is a lockdown defender (two-time All-Defensive selection), and Hill can be a pest on the perimeter. But Ellis is an undersized (6'3", 185 lbs) gambler, and Hill was scorched by opposing bigs last season (65th out of 66 centers in defensive real plus-minus, per ESPN.com). Indiana's point-prevention success could hinge on the development of rookie Myles Turner, who looks like a rim protector but needs to add strength and experience.
Los Angeles Clippers: Will Their Gambles Pay Off?
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Creativity and risk-taking were both necessities for the Los Angeles Clippers this offseason. With no draft picks and limited financial flexibility, they desperately needed to add depth, youth and athleticism.
Somehow, they appear to have come away with all three. Coach-president of basketball operations Doc Rivers played every card in his hand. The trade market yielded Lance Stephenson and rookie Branden Dawson. Free agency delivered Paul Pierce, Josh Smith, Wesley Johnson, Pablo Prigioni, Cole Aldrich and Chuck Hayes.
The haul might lack blockbuster additions, but the Clippers needed quantity more than quality. They ranked 23rd in bench scoring last season (29.7 points per game, per HoopsStats.com), and that was with super sixth man Jamal Crawford supplying 15.8 points and 2.5 assists on a nightly basis.
L.A. needed help, and it seems to have found just that. But that won't be certain until its risk-reward acquisitions take the floor.
Are the Clippers getting the Stephenson who led the league in triple-doubles two seasons back or the one who flatlined as a 37.6 percent shooter in Charlotte? Will Smith blossom as a jack-of-all-trades or cripple the offense as a shot-chucking black hole? How much does the 37-year-old Pierce have in the tank? Will this be the team that finally finds Johnson's ideal role?
Once the answers to those questions start surfacing, it'll be clear how close the Clippers are to title contention.
Los Angeles Lakers: What Role Does Kobe Play?
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Good luck forming any expectations for what we think will be Kobe Bryant's final season. Injuries to his Achilles, knee and shoulder have limited him to 41 games over the past two campaigns combined, so it's impossible to tell what the 37-year-old's body will allow him to do.
Frankly, it's not that much easier to decide what role the Lakers should want him to play.
If this is his swan song, there will be some desire to send him out with a bang. They probably don't have the pieces to grab a playoff berth, but the offseason acquisitions of Roy Hibbert, Lou Williams and Brandon Bass prove the team wants to be competitive. And the best way to do that likely involves handing Bryant a heaping helping of floor time.
But coach Byron Scott told the Orange County Register's Bill Oram that the Lakers plan on finding a minutes cap for Bryant. And their high-profile prospects D'Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle could benefit from some baptism-by-fire minutes.
This franchise is transitioning into a new era, but the old guard is still around. Scott must tightrope the fine line that links the two sides.
Memphis Grizzlies: Do They Have Enough Offense?
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The Memphis Grizzlies have been hovering around the championship race for years, and this offseason may have nudged them a step closer to their goal. Brandan Wright should flourish as the first big off the bench. Matt Barnes brings some of the two-way talent that's been missing on the wing.
These aren't front-page moves, but Memphis had little need for fireworks. So long as the Grizzlies kept Marc Gasol, which they did on a five-year, $110 million deal, they just needed some subtle tweaks.
Memphis, which has won 60-plus percent of its games each of the past four seasons, has constructed a successful formula around gritty, relentless, hard-nosed defense. But given the NBA's paper-thin margin for error at the top, it's still tough not to wonder whether this group packs a powerful enough scoring punch.
The Grizzlies finished 13th in offensive efficiency last season, so they're close to where they need to be. But they don't have a true No. 1 option—Gasol led them in scoring last season with 17.4 points, which ranked just 30th overall. And their perimeter attack is pedestrian at best, holding bottom-10 marks in three-point makes (5.2 per game, 29th) and percentage (33.9, tied for 22nd).
Miami Heat: How Healthy Is Healthy Enough?
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On paper, the Miami Heat roster looks really intriguing. And loaded with potential injuries.
At this point, you can probably pencil Dwyane Wade in for 20 games lost to injury and hope the damage isn't more severe than that. Luol Deng has missed at least 10 contests in three of the past four seasons, and Amar'e Stoudemire hasn't made 70-plus appearances since 2010-11.
It's a near certainty that each of those three will spend part of the upcoming campaign watching entire games from the sideline. What no one knows is how Chris Bosh will handle his return from blood clots on his lung. Or if Josh McRoberts will feel any carryover effects from his torn meniscus.
The Heat are walking wild cards. They look good enough to battle for the East's No. 2 spot behind Cleveland, but their starting five hasn't logged any time together. They might have a rising star in Hassan Whiteside, but he has to maintain his production with a target on his back and keep focused during a contract year.
There are so many different ways for this season to go in South Beach. Carefully management of the medical issues that will arise could be key in unlocking Miami's full potential.
Milwaukee Bucks: Will Greg Monroe Have Breathing Room?
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There are plenty of reasons to like what the Milwaukee Bucks are building.
This core already has one playoff run under its belt, and it's still among the league's youngest. The average age of Milwaukee's roster is the league's fifth-lowest (25.7), per RealGM. The Bucks' projected starting lineup features four players standing 6'8" or taller and the fifth, Michael Carter-Williams, is 6'6".
Milwaukee is young, long, athletic and relentless on defense. But the Bucks are missing one critical component for today's NBA: perimeter shooting.
Khris Middleton is the only proven quantity-plus-quality sniper in the opening lineup. The other four starters—Carter-Williams, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker and Greg Monroe—shot a combined 47-of-213 from three last season (22.1 percent). That lack of spacing could leave Monroe with little breathing room in the middle, which in turn would extinguish his hopes of sparking this offense.
The new-look Bucks are built to win from the inside-out. But if their outside shooters can't keep defenses honest, their offense will suffocate underneath.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Is Ricky Rubio a Building Block or a Trade Chip?
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The Minnesota Timberwolves have a good feel for most of their roster.
They have a slew of high-ceiling prospects, led by top picks Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, plus high-flying slam dunk king Zach LaVine. There are a handful of sage veterans to help bring the young pups around, including franchise icon Kevin Garnett. There is the potentially tradable twosome of Kevin Martin and Nikola Pekovic, who should be heavily shopped to win-now contenders.
And then there's Ricky Rubio.
Once a highly touted prodigy in his own right, the 24-year-old hasn't played his way into or out of Minnesota's long-term plans. He's the team's highest-paid player, but his name has taken several turns through the trade rumor mill. His highlights can be dynamic, but his stat sheet is mundane...or worse: career 10.2 points per game on 36.7 percent shooting with a 15.4 player efficiency rating, per Basketball-Reference.com.
The Timberpups will be Timberwolves sooner rather than later. Minnesota holds massive hopes for that transition. It has to figure out whether Rubio is a piece of that potential-rich puzzle or a trade chip who should be moved for someone who is.
New Orleans Pelicans: How Will Gentry Handle the Others?
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First-year New Orleans Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry will do some incredible things with his new star pupil, Anthony Davis.
Gentry, who spent last season as Steve Kerr's offensive coordinator, thought enough of Davis to shout him out during Golden State's champion celebration. Gentry, an offensive mastermind, has already planted the seed for Davis to expand his range beyond the three-point arc. And The Brow has done his own preparations for a(nother) breakout by adding 12 pounds of muscle, per Pelicans.com's Jim Eichenhofer.
But Gentry's biggest challenge doesn't involve Davis at all. It's about supporting the soaring superstar with a healthy, cohesive, complementary cast.
That means finding enough touches for Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans—and ensuring Davis eats first. It's about splitting frontcourt minutes to maximize the impact of Omer Asik's interior play, Ryan Anderson's floor spacing and Alexis Ajinca's offensive versatility. It's avoiding The Brow-less breakdowns that buried the Pelicans last season— plus-5.1 with Davis, minus-6.5 without him.
New York Knicks: Is Carmelo Anthony Still on Board?
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While Carmelo Anthony continues posting elite numbers for now, Father Time looms as a constant threat to yank the 31-year-old out of the superstar ranks. That's why it's fair to wonder just how patient he'll be with the New York Knicks' rebuilding process.
The team picked up a few helpers this summer—including likely starters Arron Afflalo and Robin Lopez—but it made its biggest investment with the future in mind. Kristaps Porzingis, the No. 4 pick, is a 20-year-old project who needs to add copious amounts of strength and polish.
Anthony may not want to wait for a superstar sidekick to emerge. He says he likes the team's offseason additions, via ESPN.com, but this is the easiest time of the year to find happiness and optimism. Will he still feel the same way if New York stumbles out of the gate like it did last season, losing 35 of its first 40 games?
This is a crucial campaign for the Knicks, especially if they hope to be players in 2016 free agency. As they discovered this summer, simply calling the Big Apple home is no longer enough to attract top-tier talent. They have to at least show the potential of hope for both future targets and their current $101.6 million man.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Is Billy Donovan Ready for the Big League?
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The Oklahoma City Thunder are out of excuses.
Former coach/preferred punching bag Scott Brooks is out, replaced by longtime college coach (and two-time national champion) Billy Donovan. This roster looks as deep as it's ever been, and, most importantly, it should have the clean bill of health it couldn't find last season.
Expectations are rightfully high in the Sooner State. OKC's superstar tandem of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook might be basketball's best. There are at least three potential starters along the front line in Serge Ibaka, Enes Kanter and Steven Adams. Internal growth should make the young guns even more potent, and that group has expanded with the arrival of lottery pick Cameron Payne.
In other words, Donovan has plenty to work with. But he also has no margin for error. With Durant's impending free agency looming large over this franchise, this could be an extreme example of a championship-or-bust year.
If Donovan can't spark the offense that often grew stagnant under Brooks, the Thunder could squander this core's best shot at a title—and see Durant (plus those championship hopes) leave town next summer.
Orlando Magic: Are the Playoffs a Realistic Goal?
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The Orlando Magic are tired of waiting. It's been three years since they traded away Dwight Howard and, not coincidentally, three years since they qualified for postseason play.
They're anxious to end that drought. According to Chris Broussard of ESPN, they tried luring in Paul Millsap for an instant boost, but they couldn't pry him away from the Hawks. So they continued adding to their impressive collection of young talent with lottery pick Mario Hezonja, and they tasked new head coach Scott Skiles with getting them over the hump.
The Magic want to contend for a playoff spot. "That's the vision," general manager Rob Hennigan said, via Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.
Of course, Hennigan also called last season "an important year to see growth and progress," via Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. And the Magic finished that campaign with only two more victories than the previous one (25).
Orlando is poised to make significant progress at the defensive end, where it held the sixth-worst efficiency mark last season. Skiles does his best work on that side of the ball, as does sophomore Aaron Gordon, who lost 35 games of his rookie year to injury. But the Magic will need two-way balance to crack the playoff field, which means better shooting from Elfrid Payton, more efficiency from Victor Oladipo and a smooth transition for Hezonja.
Philadelphia 76ers: Do They Have the Frontcourt of the Future?
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The Philadelphia 76ers have sat through 127 losses over the past two seasons in hopes of landing multiple stars. They probably need at least a few more years of patience before their plan begins to materialize.
For now, the "reward" for all those defeats isn't much: a versatile frontcourt defender in sophomore Nerlens Noel and a throwback interior scorer in rookie Jahlil Okafor. They have a few more potential perks, but only if Joel Embiid can ever get healthy and Dario Saric brings his talents stateside.
The Sixers prioritize player development—or, in their case, "asset development"—above all else. And none of their projects hold more importance than Noel and Okafor. Those two look like keepers (or attractive trade chips). The rest of this roster seems disposable, though there might be hope for Tony Wroten, Nik Stauskas and Robert Covington to play their way into the long-term plans.
Philly has to leave this season with as good a grasp as it can get on its healthy twin towers. Their strengths (Noel's defense, Okafor's offense) seemingly mask the other's weaknesses, but their shortcomings could prove problematic. Noel must be a good enough scorer to keep defenders from hounding Okafor, and the rookie can't rely on the sophomore to handle all the defensive duties.
Phoenix Suns: How Good Is This Backcourt?
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The Phoenix Suns don't know exactly what they'll get from new center Tyson Chandler, though it better be good considering they gave him a four-year, $52 million deal. It also remains to be seen what will happen with the openly disgruntled Markieff Morris.
Both of those questions hold major implications for the upcoming season. But nothing is as important to the Suns' present and future as the chemistry between starting guards Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight.
Each will collect an eight-figure salary over at least the next four seasons (Knight is signed through 2019-20). The pair should have its fingerprints all over coach Jeff Hornacek's offense, which has worked best with multiple ball-handlers on the floor.
Bledsoe and Knight played just 11 games together last season. Knight joined Phoenix during a three-team deadline deal, and a pair of ankle sprains ultimately derailed his run. The sample size is probably too small to hold any value, but if we can glean anything from their short time together, it isn't good. The Suns went 4-7 in those 11 games and were outscored by 0.9 points per 100 possessions with both players on the floor.
Having a full offseason together should help Bledsoe and Knight find their comfort with each other. Frankly, they'll have to for the Suns to have any shot at securing a playoff berth in the wild West.
Portland Trail Blazers: Does Lillard Have a Sidekick?
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The Portland Trail Blazers might need to hand out name tags at training camp. There are so many new faces in the Northwest and so many familiar ones no longer calling Rip City home.
The Blazers lost four starters and the sixth man from last season's 51-win team. Two-time All-Star Damian Lillard is still around—with a five-year, $120 million contract extension keeping him company—but his supporting cast has been revamped with mostly unproven prospects.
There is some talent around him. C.J. McCollum had an eye-opening postseason run (17.0 points on 47.8 percent shooting over five games), and Meyers Leonard flashed some intriguing stretch-4 abilities. Noah Vonleh still has the physical gifts that made him the No. 9 pick last summer, and there are varying amounts of upside left with Mason Plumlee, Ed Davis, Maurice Harkless and Allen Crabbe.
Portland won't extend its two-year playoff streak, but that's no longer what this season is about. This is now a year of experimentation to see what kind of assistance Lillard has.
"It's going to be a lot of throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks," wrote NBC Sports' Sean Highkin. "...Sorting out which of these young pieces are a part of their future will take more time."
Sacramento Kings: Can Cousins, Rondo, Karl Coexist?
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Training camp is all about work, but it may be an unlikely source of relaxation for the Sacramento Kings.
Their offseason was exhausting. In June, Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski brought word that Kings coach George Karl was lobbying to have DeMarcus Cousins traded. The All-Star center responded with a not-so-subtle tweet presumably calling Karl a snake in the grass. Soon, there were reports of "internal dismay" with Karl from the front office, via ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
And in the midst of this drama, Sacramento took a $10 million gamble on mercurial point guard Rajon Rondo.
Maybe training camp won't be so relaxing after all. Once Cousins and Karl get together, their relationship will either improve or spiral out of control. Rondo must buy in to avoid a repeat of his disaster in Dallas and then prove his lack of a perimeter shot won't spoil Sacramento's spacing at the offensive end.
The Kings should enter this season with more on-paper talent than they've had in a while. But that won't matter if their most prominent pieces fail to create any chemistry between them.
San Antonio Spurs: Can Parker Bounce Back?
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It's a testament to the San Antonio Spurs' talent and depth that their biggest question mark is a six-time All-Star. But based on recent history, Tony Parker looks like the weak link in their otherwise loaded starting five.
A nagging hamstring problem plagued his production last season. He finished with the lowest scoring (14.4 points per game) and distributing (4.9 assists) averages he'd posted since his rookie year. His 15.9 PER at Basketball-Reference.com—a hair above the league-average 15.0 mark—was the third-worst of his career. It also represented a 30.9 percent decrease from the 23.0 he tallied just two seasons back.
Health is key for Parker, who has used his quickness to probe into the paint and initiate the Spurs' motion offense. But time could have sapped some of the 33-year-old's burst. His forgettable run at EuroBasket 2015 didn't exactly set the stage for a comeback, as he shot just 23.7 percent over his final five games.
The Spurs don't need Parker to dominate. LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard should split the primary scoring duties. But San Antonio does need Parker to play at a high level, especially if Manu Ginobili struggles as he did last season (42.6 percent shooting, career-high 18.5 turnover percentage). The Spurs' only other options at point guard are shooting specialist Patty Mills and the unproven Ray McCallum.
Toronto Raptors: Is This a Contender-Quality Defense Now?
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The Toronto Raptors were an offensive juggernaut last season. They poured in 108.1 points per 100 possessions, a mark that trailed only the Clippers and Warriors.
But Toronto's defense hemorrhaged points as quickly as the offense put them on the board. And once this attack hit a rough patch in the postseason, the Raptors imploded. The fourth-seeded Washington Wizards swept them, winning the four contests by an average of 14 points.
The Raptors have been working to fortify their defense ever since. They gave versatile stopper DeMarre Carroll $60 million in free agency and then handed another $30 million to defensive-minded point guard (and Toronto native) Cory Joseph. They made a shrewd $5.7 million investment in 23-year-old rim protector Bismack Biyombo and prioritized defense on draft night with Delon Wright and Norman Powell.
Clearly, Toronto has emphasized the importance of defense. Of course, it had to if it wanted to separate from the pack of shadow contenders behind Cleveland. But with so much work to be done (the Raptors were 23rd in defensive efficiency), it remains to be seen if they have actually plugged their defensive holes.
Utah Jazz: Who Runs Point?
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Dante Exum struggled mightily to find his offensive niche as an NBA rookie. But the lanky point guard's value to a surprisingly stout Utah Jazz defense was impossible to ignore. With his 6'6" frame positioned at the point of attack, he helped Utah catapult from 27th in defensive efficiency before the All-Star break to first after it.
But the Jazz will have to make do without his freakish physical gifts, as he's sidelined indefinitely with a torn ACL. Finding a serviceable replacement won't be easy. But Utah has no plans to look outside the organization for point guard help, according to Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune.
The Jazz have three other natural point guards on the roster. Trey Burke, the ninth overall pick in 2013, has the highest profile of the three, but he has failed to get his offense going through two NBA seasons (37.4 percent shooting from the field, 32.4 from deep). Bryce Cotton has just 15 NBA appearances under his belt, which gives him 15 more than rookie Raul Neto.
Utah could also hand the keys over to shooting guard Alec Burks, who logged 20 percent of his minutes at point in 2012-13. None of these options sounds ideal, but few scenarios ever are where a starter goes down. Considering the playoffs still feel out of reach for the Jazz, they can afford to wait for Exum and develop the rest of their roster in the interim.
Washington Wizards: Who Is the No. 3 Option?
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John Wall and Bradley Beal are presently the two most important players on the Washington Wizards roster...unless their presence eventually attracts a premier free agent (such as D.C. native Kevin Durant?).
The prominent places for Wall and Beal are clearly marked within the organization. They ranked first and second, respectively, in points, minutes and field-goal attempts last season. Wall is currently the team's highest-paid player, and Beal should join him at the top of the payroll whenever he inks his next deal (either an extension this offseason or a new pact next summer).
All of the above feels certain. The hierarchy behind the budding backcourt stars seems anything but.
Marcin Gortat was the third-highest scorer last season, but he had fewer points, boards, minutes and shots than the year prior. Nene has lost 15-plus games to injury each of the past four seasons and played just 25.3 minutes per night in 2014-15. Otto Porter gave the Wizards good playoff minutes, but he's more of a glue guy than a featured player. Paul Pierce is gone, and it's unclear who will get his vacated stretch-4 duties.
The Wizards hope to complete their Big Three during the next round of free agency, but there's a season to play before that point. Washington will surely follow the lead of Wall and Beal, but the pair would really benefit from having a third key contributor.
Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com. Salary information obtained via Basketball Insiders.
