Atlanta Hawks: Is Trae Young coming back next season?

The Hawks appear to be heading into a rebuild, with Dejounte Murray getting traded for a package centered around Dyson Daniels. They also just selected Zaccharie Risacher with the 1st overall pick in the NBA draft. It’s clear that they want to start over, but they still have Trae Young on the roster. The only team I could see going after Trae Young is Miami, but their best offer to me is not the return you want for Trae. 

I also think they could afford to trade Clint Capela, but that isn’t as big of a concern as finding a Trae Young trade partner. Here is a bonus trade scenario that I don’t think is likely, but would be interesting to see. How could Trae pair with a young roster, especially Green and Sengun?

Boston Celtics: Who will get more minutes between Walsh and Scheierman?

I could ask a question about Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingus’ health, but they went through most of the playoffs without Porzingis. I’m more interested to see which of these two young players has a bigger impact off the bench this season, as I feel like they will both get opportunities at times, Jordan Walsh is the better defender, so I think it is likely that he will earn more trust from Mazulla. I compared Scheierman to Joe Ingles previously, and he should pick up more minutes as the season develops. But early on, I think Walsh’s hustle gets him more opportunities. If Walsh can show off an improved shot in summer league and preseason, the Celtics will be jumping for joy.

Brooklyn Nets: Is this team done selling?

The Nets appear to be fully embracing a rebuild for the first time since they have been in Brooklyn. They got a king’s ransom in return for Mikal Bridges, and also got their first round picks back in return for the Suns picks with Houston. The Nets still Have Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson and Dennis Schroder as vets on the roster who can help a contender. Will they ship any of these 3 players prior to the season?

Charlotte Hornets: Can we finally see a healthy season from Lamelo Ball?

I think the Hornets need to see a healthy season from Lamelo this year or else they will start to look for a trade. When he is on the court, Lamelo has been someone who can single handedly carry an offense.  His ball handling, shooting, and show stopping passes turn the Hornets from one of the worst in the league to an average team. Specifically, he provides a push in pace that this team seems to need, as they ranked 22nd in pace at 97.82 but had a pace of 103 when he was on the court, which would be good for 2nd in the league. Him and Miller make sense together, but will we get the opportunity to see it?

Chicago Bulls: Will Zach Lavine help drag this team to the play in, or will he be traded before the season starts?

The rumor is that the Bulls were attaching a pick to Zach Lavine in trade offers and teams were still not interested. If that is the case, I think it would be best to bring Lavine back this next season. If he can have a healthy season this year while averaging 25 a game, you not only wouldn’t have to give up a first, but likely would get a pick back for him. The east is super weak outside of the top 8, so there is a good chance that Lavine will drag this team to the play in.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Are we really running back this 2 big lineup again?

I feel like most of NBA twitter assumed we would get an Ingram for Allen swap of some sorts, but as of today it has yet to happen. As each day passed, the odds increase that Cleveland is running it back with a new coach and hoping they will see improved results. I think this is a major mistake, as Evan showed in the playoffs he played much better as a center than a power forward. Against one of the best defensive teams in the league in Boston, Mobley averaged 21.4 points on 62.7 percent from the field, both increases from his regular season average. If you want to see Mobley and this Cavs team reach full potential, you need to do some sort of Allen for Ingram trade. Ingram would need to embrace more of a 3 and D role, but could possibly be a supercharged Mikal Bridges if he buys in.

Dallas Mavericks: Is Klay Thompson over Derrick Jones Jr and Josh Green enough of an upgrade to get this team a ring?

The Mavericks are making a huge bet on the 4-time champion small forward. Offensively, they are betting that he can be a 3rd option on a championship team at this stage of his career. I am very confident that Klay can do that, as he does not demand the ball too much and can help the Mavs increase pace and space. In the half court, they can draw off ball screens with him that can result in wide open threes or backdoor lobs for the screener. He can also stand in the corner when Luka and Kyrie iso, preventing defenders from helping like they would off of Derrick Jones Jr and Josh Green. However, both of these players provided on ball defense that I don’t believe Klay is capable of playing anymore. Klay is not the same athlete he was pre injuries and it mostly shows on this side of the ball. There will be moments where he is asked to keep up with the team’s best perimeter players, and I am not sure if he is able to handle that responsibility. The Mavericks are hoping the offensive upgrade from Klay along with defensive improvement from Derek Lively will be enough to make them champions next year. I’m not too sure about that.

Denver Nuggets: Can the young Nuggets step up?

We all hated the Huggets getting rid of KCP. But it happened. Christian Braun is likely the starting shooting guard going into next season, but who will contribute off this bench? There are rumors that Denver is going after Russell Westbrook, but other than that the only veteran options are the corpses of Deandre Jordan and Dario Saric. Can Zeke Nnaji, Julian Strawther, Peyton Watson, Hunter Tyson, Jalen Pickett, Daron Holmes, or Kevin McCuller Jr make an impact next season? I think the Nuggets will need at the very minimum for 2 of these guys to contribute but could be truly elite if they get real minutes from 3 or 4 of them.

Detroit Pistons: It can’t get any worse, right?

This is a rather negative way of me saying I think the Pistons will improve this next season, but I am not sure how much. I like the additions of Tobias Harris and Malik Beasley, as these guys can both hit 3’s and provide scoring support alongside Cade. I think that we see improvement across the board from the young players and this team goes back to being a team that will play you tough every night, whether or not they win the game. J.B. Bickerstaff helped make Cleveland a better team, and will certainly be a better fit than Monty Williams. I think there is a scenario where this team is a 10 seed this year, but more than likely will be back in the lottery. You really just want to see improvement from the young core more than anything.

Golden State Warriors: How do you want the Steph Curry era to end?

The Warriors have officially broken up the splash bros. While we all wipe our tears, the Warriors have pivoted to looking to pull a win now move. They have been rumored to be in trade discussions for Paul George, Zach Lavine, and Lauri Markkanen through different points this offseason. Will the Warriors go all in on Steph and Draymond’s final years, or will they fade into mediocrity? If they do, will Steph demand a trade, or is being a lifelong Warrior more important than competing for championships?

Houston Rockets: How good will Reed Sheppard be year one?

The Rockets appear to be giving their young core one more year to show they can be a playoff team, which I think is a good choice. They set themselves up for when the Suns ultimately blow everything up after this season (more on that later when discussing the Suns), but still field a good enough roster now that they should compete for the playoffs. I think that Reed Sheppard was the perfect pick to help this young core and will likely end up being the best player from this past draft class. I think he can play on or off the ball, provide good POA or team defense, and will fit in seamlessly in both the transition and half court offense. I think the Rockets may surprise people with how well they will do this year, with Reed Sheppard being a big part of that.

Indiana Pacers: Is James Wiseman to the Pacers one of my favorite offseason moves?

The short answer is yes. The long answer is that I think Wiseman will have great guard play pretty much anytime he is on the court, whether it is Haliburton, Nembhard, or McConnell. He will likely play a reduced role, as I expect him to play at most 20 minutes per game this year, but more than likely in the 12-16 minute range. I think that this is a last chance for Wiseman, and I expect him to make the most of this opportunity. Is this enough of a move to get the Pacers to the finals? In all likelihood, no. But is it a fun risk to take on a former number 2 pick for a team that needed a backup center anyways? Yes.

Los Angeles Clippers: Is a Clippers firesale coming next year?

I want to save most of the Paul George talk for Philly. That being said, I don’t know what the Clippers plan is for this next season and the future. Are they trying to contend? Paul George might have been helpful with that. Are they trying to rearm next season? They don’t really have any players that are desirable for other teams, and don’t have future capital to trade. Are they trying to rebuild? They don’t have their future picks, and even if they did, Kawhi and James Harden are still on the roster. The Clippers had the worst offseason in the NBA this summer, and the future looks very bleak for them.

Los Angeles Lakers: Was Rob Pelinka on vacation the 1st week of July?

As I discussed in my draft grades, I really like the addition of Dalton Knecht. Other than that, all this team has done is lose Taurean Prince and Spencer Dinwiddie from last year’s roster. With Lebron entering his age 40 season, how is that they did not make a trade this summer to go all in for a title. Lebron and AD are still plenty good enough to get you a championship as the best 2 players on your team. At the very least, they could have traded Gabe Vincent in a salary dump deal to improve their ability to add talent at the trade deadline. But to run it back with zero changes is a signal that they are not serious about competing for a championship in the final years of Lebron’s career.

Memphis Grizzlies: Is Zach Edey a great bet for ROY?

Usually in weak rookie classes, winning seems to impact the ROY race. You also need a lot of minutes to win. The only rookie drafted in the lottery that meets those categories to me is Zach Edey. However, he currently is sitting tied for Dalton Knecht for 5th best ROY odds at +1000. The Grizzlies are weak at center outside of Edey, and as a Senior who is coming off back to back National player of the year awards’, I would be stunned if he doesn’t make an impact right away. The Grizzlies should be a playoff team this year, and Edey will play a huge role in that. I’m going to Vegas next week and will likely be throwing some money on that.

Miami Heat: Was Pat Riley also on that vacation with Rob Pelinka?

The Heat did nothing really this offseason, other than let Caleb Martin leave the team. Unless there is a move coming that I don’t see, this team is destined to be a first round exit this coming season. With Jimmy Butler entering his age 35 season and coming off his worst year as a member of the Heat, how much time left do you have in this window. This team desperately needs offense, and would be a great Trae Young team.. If they had any assets that Atlanta would want. Would not be surprised one bit if this ends up being either Butler or Herro’s last year in a Heat uniform.

Milwaukee Bucks: Is there a Brook Lopez trade or do they run it back?

There was a rumor going around before the draft that the Bucks were looking to change to a more switchable defense, making Brook Lopez an ideal trade candidate. After one week of the offseason, nothing has seemed to bear fruit. In my offseason article, I suggest a trade that would have sent Cam Johnson to the Bucks in exchange for their 1st in this year’s draft and Brook Lopez. Now that they chose to take AJ Johnson instead, I don’t think the Nets will do that deal. Lopez is only going to go down in value from here, so they need to find someone who is in desperate need for a center and is willing to give up a forward.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Did they do enough this offseason to address concerns about offense?

The Minnesota Timberwolves are replacing Wendell Moore, Jordan Mclauglhin, and Kyle Anderson with Rookies Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr, along with veteran Joe Ingles. To me, these look to be upgrades all across the bench. The ceiling of the Timberwolves may ultimately come down to if 2 out of these 3 guys can play impactful playoff minutes next year, which is why I am so excited to watch the Timberwolves in Summer League coming up. Dillingham and Shannon are the best rookie guard duo out there and should wreak havoc on opposing teams. I think that the Timberwolves and Thunder are my clear top 2 in the west, it may just come down to who has home court. Will playing 2 rookies in the regular season cost them games in the race of the 1 seed, which they lost by 1 game this past year?

New Orleans Pelicans: Will they be able to trade Ingram for a starting center?

Ingram’s name has been floating in trade rumors ever since the end of the Pelicans season. They still have yet to find a partner, and I understand why. He is super talented, but is also on an expiring deal. Any team trading for him will likely sign him to an immediate extension. This can make it tough with the new CBA, as going into the 2nd apron for Brandon Ingram would have to mean you are super confident he can be the final piece. I think that is what has held Cleveland from going all in on an Ingram trade. Maybe a rebuilding team will want to jump start their rebuild and trade for Ingram?  I think we see Ingram get dealt somewhere before the season starts, and it will likely be for less than what you would expect.

New York Knicks: Will they be able to trade Randle for a starting center or is he the starting center?

After the Mikal Bridges trade and the OG Anunoby signing, I thought it was a lock that the Knicks would trade Julius Randle. I did mock trades with him very similar to the ones I had for Brandon Ingram, either a rebuilding team takes him on or the Cavs move off Allen. Then I started to wonder… why can’t Randle play the 5? He is a big bruising forward and should be able to hold up decent against the Embiid’s and Giannis’s of the East. They also shouldn’t need rim protection as much, with Mikal and OG keeping everything in front of them. Randle is also an excellent rebounder and is someone who can immediately push the tempo after grabbing a board, unlike any big they would trade him for. And worst case scenario, if they do need a traditional center, they can always start Robinson and move a forward or guard to the bench. If Randle is willing to embrace this role, I think the Knicks could be the best team in the east. The switchability on defense combined with iso scoring and three point shooting is exactly the type of team you need to beat Boston. 

Oklahoma City Thunder: Are the Thunder ready to win the title?

The Thunder didn’t go all in, but did make marginal upgrades with Caruso and Hartenstein. Both should improve the Thunder on defense while being connective pieces on offense that won’t take anything away from SGA, J DUB, And Chet. They also didn’t need to give up a pick, keeping flexibility for a big move down the road should a true superstar become available in the next year. This team is set up incredibly well for the future, but may be set up even better for now. The Thunder will enter the season as a top 3 favorite to win the championship, and I think SGA is capable of leading them there.

Orlando Magic: Can Franz be a number 2 option on a championship contender?

The Magic added Kentavious Caldwell Pope this summer, which probably would have been my dream fit for them over Klay had I thought him leaving Denver was a real possibility. KCP provides a much needed shooting boost for this team while also fitting right in on the defensive side. Opposing guards will be in hell every night they have to go off against him and Suggs, who outside of Boston are probably the best defensive guard duo in the league. Isaac will be coming into the season healthy for the first time in the 2020’s, which is huge. He is one of the best defensive players in the league when he has been on the floor, and has shown the ability to space the floor and create a little on offense. But ultimately, the ceiling of the current Orlando Magic team will come down to if Franz can be the 2nd best player on a championship team. They just recently signed him to a 5 year, 224 million dollar extension, which is what you would pay that type of player. He is coming off the worst 3 point season of his career and has yet to show the playmaking ability on a consistent basis. I think that we will look back on this deal as the reason why Banchero ultimately leaves Orlando.

Philadelphia 76ers: Do the 76ers have enough depth around Embiid, Maxey, and recently acquired Paul George?

The 76ers now have the best big 3 in the league, in my opinion. To me, they have about a 2-3 year window to win the championship. The question for all those years, other than the health of Embiid, will be if this team can supply enough depth around the edges. They re-signed Oubre, added Eric Gordon and Andre Drummond, and have rookies Jared McCain, Adem Bona, and Justin Edwards. I think this team still needs 1 more solid forward off the bench before I could think about predicting them to come out of the east. For now, they are just a very good team that will likely lose before the ECF again.

Phoenix Suns: Can you win a title this season?

This is the question. With KD getting older and the 2nd apron restrictions coming in, this is really the last year this team has to get a ring. I think there is zero shot that this team does that, as the depth is just too lackluster. I was complaining about Philly’s depth around their big 3, but even their depth is better than the Suns. The season will more than likely end with a play in loss, a complete teardown, with Booker going to Houston for a package around Jalen Green or Reed Sheppard and FVV,  OKC getting KD at the end of his career for Lu Dort, salary filler, and picks, and Bradley Beal essentially doing exactly what he would have done in Washington had he not got traded: drop 30 point games on an awful team that nobody cares about.

Portland Trail Blazers: Can you move one of Ayton or Williams before the season starts (preferably Ayton)?

The Trail Blazers are entering year 2 of a rebuild after finally moving on from Dame last offseason. There probably isn’t any pressure to win just yet, but of course we would like to see improvement from the team’s young players. They drafted a center at 7 despite the fact that they already had 2 solid options on the roster in Ayton and Williams. I think Clingan, the sophomore center out of Uconn, has a chance to be an impact player right out of the gate for Portland… should he be granted the opportunity. I think  that Portland should consider this three team trade I mocked up earlier. It gives Cleveland Ingram without giving up Allen, gets a solid starting center to New Orleans while shedding 2 million in salary this year, and gets future draft capital to Portland. 

Sacramento Kings: Can the Kings be the best offense in the league?

The Kings were looking like they were just going to run it back until we found out that they were trading Harrison Barnes and Chris Duarte for Demar Derozan. The Kings look to be one of the best offenses in the league this season, but will they be able to get enough stops in order to win in the playoffs? My answer right now is no, but they are definitely a better team today than they were a few weeks ago. Unless the Kings can be the best offense in the league, I don’t see them being anything more than a first round exit team.

San Antonio Spurs: Just how good will Wemby be in year 2?

The Spurs made some marginal improvements, bringing in rookies Stephon Castle and Harrison Ingram while acquiring veterans Harirson Barnes and Chris Paul. The Spurs will definitely be better next year, but will it be in the 30-35 win range, or the 35-45 win range. The answer to that depends on just how good Wemby will be in his sophomore season. I think this team could potentially be a play in team if Wemby is dominant enough, so it really is up to him. The Spurs aren’t rushing to compete for a title just yet, even if Victor is looking the part already in year 2. All I know is regardless of their record, I will always try to have a Spurs game on one of my screens, as this dude is the craziest person to watch in sports at the moment.

Toronto Raptors: What is the ceiling of a Barnes-Barrett-Quickly core?

In 22 games, the Barnes-Barrett-Quickly trio had an offensive rating of 114.1, which would have been 19th, and a defensive rating of 111.2, which would have been 5th. If they can improve their offensive cohesiveness, which should come with more time playing together, they could really be building something nice in Toronto. I assume this will be the core in Toronto for at least the next 2 seasons, and the expectation should be a playoff appearance within that time frame.

Utah Jazz: Do you trade Lauri Markkanen?

This is the best time to trade Lauri if they are going to do it. Otherwise, I would like to see the Jazz try and find him the proper co-star to actually compete for a playoff spot. I like the Idea of the Warriors package, as the Warriors picks post Steph should be towards the top of the draft. You would also likely get back Wiggins, who you could maybe flip later, and could pull away Podz and Moody in that deal. I think they will take their time in this decision, and may even wait until the trade deadline. Teams get more desperate in February and the Jazz could get a king’s ransom if they play this right.

Washington Wizards: What will the balance of Vets vs young players look like?

The Wizards are a rebuilding team and have a lot of young guys who need reps to get better. They also have a good amount of veterans on this roster. I am very interested to see how they balance the minutes between the 2 groups. For example, I think Alex Sarr could benefit from playing with a veteran in Malcom Brogdon, but I also think that he needs to learn how to play alongside Bub Carrington. I also think they need to play him heavy minutes at center so he can learn NBA defensive coverages and have plenty of space on offense to figure out his game. The problem is, they have Richaun Holmes, Marvin Bagley and Jonas Valenciunas at center, meaning that Sarr might end up playing the 4 more than he should. It is important to have vets on such a young team, but if the head coach is stubborn and doesn’t like losing, he may rely on them too much and not let the young players develop, which is ultimately the goal of this season. Either way, I doubt the Wizards will be as bad as last year.