Team Needs – Pacific Division

Phoenix SunsNeeds: Level GuardPicks: 29, 52

Only some brief years in the past the Suns had been within the NBA Finals with a roster constructed round Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, and Chris Paul. Finally, they got here up in need of hoisting the trophy, and a pair seasons later they determined to drastically change course and remake their roster by mortgaging the long run to construct what they believed can be an unstoppable trio of Booker, Bradley Beal, and Kevin Durant, a transfer pushed partly by new possession coming in and pushing to make a splash. In constructing that trifecta after which making an attempt to fill within the holes round them, the Suns sacrificed their future draft capital and locked themselves into second apron standing. Booker, Beal, and Durant are all slated to make upwards of $53 million this season, and that turns into a significant drawback when the workforce is persistently dropping. Bradley Beal is basically unmovable, and never simply due to his no-trade clause. His play has fallen off considerably since leaving Washington, notably on the defensive finish. He has struggled to remain wholesome and has not persistently supplied the scoring punch or effectivity the Suns hoped for when buying him. Kevin Durant stays an elite participant, however he’s getting into his twilight years and will probably be 37 subsequent season. Stories have surfaced that the Suns are prone to commerce Durant earlier than the draft, and one rumored chance is a cope with Houston involving the tenth decide and Jabari Smith and/or Reed Sheppard. Durant is among the few items Phoenix has that would probably carry again sufficient draft capital and younger expertise to assist get the roster again on observe. Booker stays firmly in his prime and is extensively considered some of the full offensive guards within the league. He’s the one cornerstone Phoenix is prone to maintain by a transition, however the surrounding roster wants important work. Whereas Booker continues to play at an All-NBA degree, the dearth of draft picks and monetary flexibility severely limits the workforce’s skill to enhance round him in any significant approach. Because it stands now, they do maintain a late first-round decide, and somebody like Jase Richardson (pictured) at 29 can be a pleasant get if he slips to them. In the event that they do pull off the rumored commerce with Houston involving Durant, one of many two French prospects, Noa Essengue or Nolan Traore, can be very stable choices at 10, giving them a younger piece with actual long-term upside to start out constructing round.

Los Angeles ClippersNeeds: Lengthy-term directionPicks: 30, 51

The Clippers had been the fifth seed within the Western Convention, however they’re an growing old workforce and it is going to be fascinating to see what the long-term imaginative and prescient is. Kawhi Leonard will probably be 34 subsequent season and has solely averaged round 44 video games performed per season since becoming a member of the Clippers for the 2019–2020 marketing campaign. James Harden, who was glorious for LAC final season, appears headed at no cost company and will probably be 36 subsequent yr, so even when they handle to retain him, the workforce will quickly want to interchange their growing old stars with youthful expertise. Norman Powell took a giant step ahead, however he’s additionally as a consequence of develop into a free agent after this upcoming season. Like each workforce within the division, the Clippers are brief on draft picks to assist construct out their roster with cost-efficient gamers. Not like Phoenix, nonetheless, the Clippers wouldn’t have a get-out-of-jail-free card. They lack an apparent commerce chip who may refresh their draft capital or herald a younger core. They made the proper resolution letting Paul George stroll in free company final offseason, with the veteran ahead signing with Philadelphia. Holding agency and avoiding a long-term overpay helps protect future flexibility. The main target now shifts to whether or not they could make one final push for a title with their remaining LA-based nucleus. In the event that they handle to carry again Harden, even with a totally wholesome Kawhi, would they be higher than OKC, Houston, or Denver? Most likely not. Do they go into rebuild mode and provoke a hearth sale? One choice could possibly be buying and selling off a few larger contracts to create sufficient wage cap flexibility to usher in one other contributor to play beside Kawhi. One other chance is flipping a few of their contracts to a workforce like Utah to land a much bigger title, resembling Lauri Markkanen or John Collins. Including Collins can be fascinating, because it may permit them to remain aggressive within the brief time period whereas setting the stage for a full rebuild as soon as Kawhi’s deal comes off the books. The Clippers will probably be a wild card this offseason, however what is definite is that they at the moment personal the ultimate decide of the primary spherical and might want to discover somebody who can contribute instantly in the event that they hope to remain within the playoff hunt subsequent season. A participant like Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier would work properly with their timeline if accessible at 30, providing a mature, polished scorer who may instantly fill a rotation function and produce perimeter taking pictures to a roster in want of youth and vitality.

Golden State WarriorsNeeds: Inside protection, Secondary scorerPicks: 41

The Warriors made the transfer to push all in with their growing old core final season after they acquired Jimmy Butler, giving him an enormous contract within the course of, after Kevin Durant rebuffed their curiosity when a commerce for him was in place at midseason. Now, with Stephen Curry, Butler, and Draymond Inexperienced anchoring the franchise, they have to spherical out the roster with dependable contributors who can maximize their stars’ influence and assist them mount a playoff run. Depth is important as a result of Curry, Butler, and Inexperienced can’t shoulder heavy regular-season workloads and nonetheless be recent for the postseason, notably since Butler usually shines when the video games matter most. A obvious want is a real inside defensive presence who can spare Inexperienced from battling larger our bodies for 82 video games and supply shot-blocking insurance coverage behind perimeter errors. Brook Lopez can be an intriguing choice as a result of he nonetheless protects the rim, presents elite dimension, and matches the Warriors’ spacing together with his three-point vary. Golden State may additionally use an environment friendly secondary scorer to ease the scoring burden; Buddy Hield, Brandon Podziemski, or Moses Moody would possibly fill that function, however every should develop into extra constant. Their lone draft asset is the forty first decide, and gamers like Hansen Yang, Johni Broome, and Bogoljub Markovic could possibly be potentialities there as massive males who supply dimension, toughness, and a few upside as rotation items. Quentin Put up, drafted 52nd final yr, has been an actual discover together with his perimeter taking pictures and will issue extra into the rotation subsequent season. Essentially the most intriguing offseason storyline, nonetheless, could also be the way forward for restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, who has been vocal about wanting a change however is just too gifted to lose for nothing. A commerce appears greatest for all events, and the Warriors may leverage Kuminga in a bigger deal utilizing an indication and commerce framework to realize flexibility in matching salaries and probably safe a premium return. The Warriors are one in all a number of groups eyeing a attainable Giannis Antetokounmpo commerce and will decide to re-sign Kuminga with the intent of pushing for the Greek Freak round midseason when it’s projected the Bucks might make him accessible.

Sacramento KingsNeeds: Level guard, a surrounding solid for SabonisPicks: 42

Sacramento has an enormous gap at level guard, which is ironic for a workforce that very just lately had De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, and Davion Mitchell. Now, they don’t have any true first level guard on the roster outdoors of Devin Carter, and he’s not able to be a starter at this stage in his profession. As well as, they don’t seem destined to be a contender, and perhaps not even a playoff lock. It might not shock me to see them look to maneuver DeMar DeRozan to a contender that misses on Kevin Durant or Giannis. I may additionally see them look to maneuver Jonas Valanciunas to a center-needy workforce. I anticipate Sacramento to be aggressive this offseason in making strikes. As an NBA workforce, you might be an growing old workforce otherwise you generally is a non-competitive workforce, however you may’t afford to be each, and that’s precisely the place Sacramento is at at the moment. The Kings solely have one decide on this yr’s draft, however they might rack up some extra picks with trades main as much as or throughout the draft. In the event that they elect to dump a few of their older expertise, we may see them backside out and hope to hit gold within the lottery. Nonetheless, if they’ll’t swing offers that make sense for them, they might decide to deal with the purpose guard problem and hope that they’ll sneak into playoff place. Tyus Jones, Tre Jones, Malcolm Brogdon, and Dennis Schroeder may all be reasonably priced choices that is likely to be prepared to signal a short-term deal so as to begin for a yr earlier than re-entering free company subsequent yr. At 42, they might look so as to add an athlete and defensive-minded participant like Micah Peavy or Sion James who can assist fill depth and produce vitality off the bench.

Los Angeles LakersNeeds: CenterPicks: 55

The Lakers look a lot totally different than they did this time final yr. After buying Luka Doncic, they are going to be trying to encompass him with the kind of gamers that match his play type. And with a brand new possession group that will probably be making an attempt to place their mark on their new workforce, they are going to be trying to make a splash. The most important want is a necessity the Lakers tried to fill final yr by buying and selling (after which rescinding) for Mark Williams. Luka needs to play with an athletic massive, and the Lakers will transfer heaven and earth to attempt to fill that want this offseason. There have been rumors about them concentrating on Utah’s John Collins, and after the Desmond Bane commerce, they could don’t have any alternative however to look at the market across the league for Austin Reaves. It’s extremely unlikely they’d be capable of get the identical sort of deal that Memphis acquired, however it’s all the time attainable that LA strikes him this offseason with Luka taking up major ball handler tasks. The Lakers will even be trying to be aggressive as they need to capitalize on the tail finish of LeBron’s profession. Some facilities that the Lakers may goal would come with Brooklyn’s Nic Claxton, or Portland’s Robert Williams or DeAndre Ayton. It’s all the time tough to anticipate what a brand new possession group goes to do, and it’s particularly laborious to know with the Lakers, as a result of they’ve a historical past of candy coronary heart offers like they acquired for Luka and Pau Gasol. They may nearly assuredly be extraordinarily lively in main commerce talks this offseason trying to enhance the workforce and the extra talks a workforce has, the extra probably they’re to discover a transfer that works for them. They don’t have many fascinating commerce property outdoors of Reaves, Dalton Knecht, and Rui Hachimura, however they’ve contracts that they’ll throw in to offers to match salaries, and Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber’s offers expire after subsequent yr, so regardless of the dearth of draft picks, they’ve some ammo to finish a deal. Anticipate them to be some of the aggressive groups this offseason as they give the impression of being to capitalize on their window with each Doncic and LeBron on the roster.