Money has been thrown around in the NBA this summer like a Pacman Jones trip to Las Vegas. Stars have switched teams. Middle-of-the-road players have cashed in on an advantageous spike in the salary cap. Teams have tried to fill in their roster and looked active the best way they can to placate fan bases. For some organizations, the summer is over and they're preparing their attack for next season.
For other teams, their are still holes to fill with open roster spots or free agency situations to remedy. As of right now, nearly half of the league -- 13 teams specifically -- has an open roster spot and/or some real issues on their depth chart. Here is the situation for those teams and what they can do to fix or plug the holes with the remaining openings.
Teams with full rosters and no further moves needed to fill the depth chart are the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards.
(Note: Teams don't have to carry the maximum of 15 players)
Formalities in free agency to figure out
Houston Rockets: 17 players under contract; Donatas Motiejunas restricted free agency hanging
The Houston Rockets have a full roster as is. They have 17 players under contract for the 2016-17 season but have flexibility with the deals for Gary Payton II, Isaiah Taylor, Kyle Wiltjer and Chinanu Onuaku (these guys will spend a lot of time in the D-League). While that portion of their roster is easy to cut down by the time they get to the regular season, they still have the restricted free agency of Motiejunas to figure out this offseason.
Houston GM Daryl Morey isn't afraid of life without the versatile big man. He tried to move him at the trade deadline, but the deal was rescinded when Motiejunas failed a physical for Detroit. But the Rockets could still use a healthy Motiejunas under new coach Mike D'Antoni.
Here's a rough position breakdown for them:
PG: Patrick Beverley, Pablo Prigioni, Gary Payton II, Isaiah Taylor
SG: James Harden, Eric Gordon
SF: Trevor Ariza, Corey Brewer, K.J. McDaniels, Sam Dekker
PF: Ryan Anderson, Montrezl Harrell, Michael Beasley, Kyle Wiltjer
C: Clint Capela, Nene, Chinanu Onuaku
That's before the addition of Motiejunas, assuming he re-signs with the team and doesn't go out looking for a team to give him an offer sheet to force the Rockets to make a decision. Motiejunas isn't a priority in terms of positional need. They have plenty of big men at their disposal if they want, and they'll likely want to play small and fast under D'Antoni anyway. The one season Motiejunas has attempted over 100 3-pointers, he shot 36.8 percent from deep.
Even if they just agree to the one-year qualifying offer as the best decision for both sides, the Rockets should make sure they bring him back. Can you rely on all that youth and the health of Nene for your big man spots?
Cleveland Cavaliers: 11 players under contract; LeBron James, J.R. Smith and James Jones still free agents
This one is pretty simple. The Cleveland Cavaliers should make sure they don't forget to sign LeBron James to a new contract. While he's verbally committed to re-sign with the Cavs, he's also taking his time this summer, enjoying his time away and not putting pressure on the defending world champions to get certain things done. The other thing the Cavs have to do is come to terms on a new deal with James Jones and especially J.R. Smith.
Smith could be looking for something in the $12-15 million range per season, and after Iman Shumpert received $10 million a year and then lost his starting slot to Smith, J.R. is likely to deserve that pay bump.
Here's a rough position breakdown for them:
PG: Kyrie Irving, Mo Williams
SG: Iman Shumpert, Dahntay Jones, Jordan McRae
SF: Mike Dunleavy, Richard Jefferson
PF: Kevin Love
C: Tristan Thompson, Channing Frye, Chris Andersen
You can also throw second-round pick Kay Felder into the mix at point guard once he's officially signed. Some even believe he's likely to push Mo Williams for some backup point guard minutes after Matthew Dellavedova signed with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Cavs declined to match. But yeah, the Cavs should at least sign LeBron.
Holes in the depth chart to fill
Golden State Warriors: 14 players under contract; need another perimeter player
The Golden State Warriors had a decent offseason. They signed Kevin Durant then filled in some depleted depth with low-cost, high-value players in Zaza Pachulia and David West. This is all to ensure they don't ever get put in a position to blow a 3-1 NBA Finals lead ever again. That doesn't mean they don't need to fill that one remaining open spot though, even if it does seem unfair to add Durant in his prime to a 73-win team (Finals collapse or not).
Here's a rough position breakdown for them:
PG: Stephen Curry, Shaun Livingston
SG: Klay Thompson, Patrick McCaw, Ian Clark
SF: Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala
PF: Draymond Green, David West, Kevon Looney, James Michael McAdoo
C: Zaza Pachulia, Anderson Varejao, Damian Jones
Looking at the Warriors' potential needs, they should either add a wing to the mix or a backup point guard. Clark could qualify as a backup point guard for them considering just under 50 percent of his time on the court this season came at the position. If they count him as a point then they should go for another wing to drop behind Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala. They have second-round pick Patrick McCaw in there but probably want another veteran.
They could roll the dice with a veteran like Kevin Martin or Chase Budinger. Or even try someone like Alan Anderson. If they go the point guard route, there is championship experience on the market with Norris Cole and Mario Chalmers (still coming back from an Achilles' tear). I'm sure Jason Terry is up for getting a Warriors championship tattoo if they're interested.
New York Knicks: 15 players under contract; need another point guard
The New York Knicks probably need another center unless they truly believe in Marshall Plumlee as real NBA depth at the position, but mostly this team needs another point guard more than anything. Their offseason has been full of intrigue as they build a Derrick Rose-approved super-team, but their point guard depth consists of someone who has missed 57.8 percent of possible games over the last five years and another player who ruptured his Achilles' tendon a year and a half ago.
Amazingly, the guy who ruptured his Achilles' tendon is the more reliable option to play close to a full season in 2016-17.
Here's a rough position breakdown for them:
PG: Derrick Rose, Brandon Jennings
SG: Courtney Lee, Sasha Vujacic, Justin Holiday, Ron Baker
SF: Carmelo Anthony, Lance Thomas, Mindaugas Kuzminskas
PF: Kristaps Porzingis, Kyle O'Quinn, Maurice N'Dour
C: Joakim Noah, Willy Hernangomez, Marshall Plumlee
They could use another big man. They could use another wing. But mostly, they need a third point guard. With Phil Jackson assembling an exciting 2011 team for Jeff Hornacek in 2016, maybe just go out and sign Ty Lawson to complete the offseason. At least this Knicks team is 1) better than the last couple years (if healthy) and 2) very intriguing (if healthy).
Milwaukee Bucks: 11 players under contract; need wings; sign rookies
The Milwaukee Bucks will have 13 players under contract once they hammer out the signatures for Thon Maker (10th pick) and Malcolm Brogdon (36th pick). Both players impressed during their summer league play and will definitely be a part of the roster in 2016-17. The depth of the team is a bit weird and versatile at the same time, especially with Jason Kidd planning to use Giannis Antetokounmpo as the lead guard. This team still needs some wing depth.
Here's a rough position breakdown for them:
PG: Michael Carter-Williams, Matthew Dellavedova, Tyler Ennis
SG: Khris Middleton, Rashad Vaughn
SF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
PF: Jabari Parker, Mirza Teletovic
C: Greg Monroe, John Henson, Miles Plumlee
Bucks were a bottom-10 3-point shooting team last year, so trying to add a wing like Chase Budinger wouldn't be a bad idea. Or they could go super weird with versatility by trying to add Lance Stephenson. They do love versatility and guys with big wingspans.
Orlando Magic: 13 players under contract; need another forward or two
It's been a busy and somewhat confusing offseason for the Orlando Magic. They opted for more of a veteran and defensive presence (Serge Ibaka, Jeff Green, D.J. Augustin and Bismack Biyombo) over youth (Tobias Harris, Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis) with their moves over the last half season. They've added a bit of a logjam in the interior unless they decide to move Nikola Vucevic to make Biyombo the starter. Until they make a decision on that front, they have essentially just four forwards on the roster and could stand to add at least one more.
Here's a rough position breakdown for them:
PG: Elfrid Payton, D.J. Augustin, C.J. Watson
SG: Evan Fournier, Jodie Meeks, C.J. Wilcox
SF: Aaron Gordon, Mario Hezonja
PF: Serge Ibaka, Jeff Green
C: Nikola Vucevic, Bismack Biyombo, Stephen Zimmerman
Do they go all out with athletic forwards who have a questionable jumper by adding Josh Smith to the mix? Could they try to bring in Matt Bonner for a little more shooting at the stretch-4? They could try a low-risk, medium-reward option on the wing like P.J Hairston or go with a veteran like Caron Butler. Either way, they really do need just one more guy that can swap between 3 and 4 positions to fill out the roster. Either that or trade Vucevic for some depth.
Sacramento Kings: 15 players under contract; need another point guard desperately
The Sacramento Kings are loaded up on the depth chart when it comes to shooting guards and centers. Because of it, you should expect to see Dave Joerger throw out some mismatched, odd lineups at times that either allow them to play huge (Willie Cauley-Stein at the small forward, anyone?) or small. But whichever way they go, they desperately need to add a point guard to the team. As of right now, they just have Darren Collison (who, by the way, had domestic violence charges brought against him).
Here's a rough position breakdown for them:
PG: Darren Collison
SG: Arron Afflalo, Ben McLemore, Garrett Temple, Malachi Richardson, Lamar Patterson
SF: Rudy Gay, Matt Barnes, Omri Casspi
PF: Anthony Tolliver, Skal Labissiere
C: DeMarcus Cousins, Willie Cauley-Stein, Kosta Koufos, Georgios Papagiannis
Garrett Temple could play a little point guard for them if need be and maybe rookie Malachi Richardson could join in for emergency lead guard situations. But the Kings need to bite the bullet and add a real PG. Maybe that means moving Kosta Koufos for one because as we saw with other teams above, it can be a pretty weak crop left on the market.
What makes the most sense is the Kings trying to do with Ty Lawson what they did with Rajon Rondo a year ago. Offer him up the role to help him get his career back on track then hope for the best.
Oklahoma City Thunder: 14 players under contract; need another point guard; sign Domantas Sabonis
If the Oklahoma City Thunder decide to trade Russell Westbrook, everything changes and all theories about rounding out the team go out the window. Until they make a decision on that, they have two objectives right now. First is to sign rookie big man Domantas Sabonis. Second is to find a third point guard because they typically like to have three on the roster. As of right now, they just have Westbrook and second-year player Cameron Payne.
Here's a rough position breakdown for them:
PG: Russell Westbrook, Cameron Payne
SG: Victor Oladipo, Andre Roberson, Anthony Morrow
SF: Kyle Singler, Josh Huestis, Alex Abrines
PF: Ersan Ilyasova, Nick Collison, Mitch McGary
C: Steven Adams, Enes Kanter
Obviously some of the wing depth gets shifted around and we probably see Victor Oladipo and Andre Roberson starting together. They have enough depth inside as long as Mitch McGary is able to return to the court for them. The point guard they pick up may be a minor move, like finally bringing aboard Semaj Christon (55th pick in 2014 draft) aboard. He played in 2014-15 for the Thunder's D-League squad before playing in Italy this past season. He's spent a couple of offseasons on the team's summer league roster.
Portland Trail Blazers: 15 under contract; Mo Harkless restricted; need another point guard
The Portland Trail Blazers have been very active and aggressive this offseason. They signed Evan Turner, Festus Ezeli and matched Allen Crabbe's offer sheet. They went after Chandler Parsons and Dwight Howard at one point. They traded for Shabazz Napier. But they still need to resolve the restricted free agency of Maurice Harkless and find another point guard for the depth chart.
Here's a rough position breakdown for them:
PG: Damian Lillard, Shabazz Napier
SG: C.J. McCollum, Allen Crabbe, Pat Connaughton, Tim Quarterman
SF: Evan Turner, Luis Montero, Jake Layman
PF: Al-Farouq Aminu, Ed Davis, Meyers Leonard, Noah Vonleh
C: Mason Plumlee, Festus Ezeli
They could always figure out the Harkless situation (assume he gets brought back) and go into the season comfortable with C.J. McCollum and Turner as primary ball handlers when Damian Lillard isn't on the floor. Then they can patiently wait to see if the next Tim Frazier (or the current Tim Frazier) becomes available at any point. They have pretty good depth on the roster outside of the point guard position, but I'm not sure you really want Napier logging decent minutes behind Lillard.
Some minor cleanup, additions needed
Charlotte Hornets: 14 players under contract; need one more forward just in case
The Charlotte Hornets really don't have to do much the rest of this summer, other than adding one more forward to the group. Their depth chart is fine, as long as Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is able to stay healthy. That's been a problem so far in his career though. He's missed 122 games the past three seasons with most of that coming from a shoulder that keeps popping out of its socket. As long as he stays intact, the roster is fine where it is.
Here's a rough position breakdown for them:
PG: Kemba Walker, Ramon Sessions, Brian Roberts
SG: Marco Belinelli, Jeremy Lamb, Aaron Harrison
SF: Nicolas Batum, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
PF: Marvin Williams, Frank Kaminsky, Christian Wood
C: Roy Hibbert, Cody Zeller, Spencer Hawes
Obviously, the Hornets will just start Nicolas Batum and MKG on the wings together. With their size and versatility, they can play a variety of lineups by going either big, small or traditional. But if MKG or Batum go down for an extended time, they'll need that 15th guy on the roster to be someone who can play both forward positions.
Chicago Bulls: 14 players under contract; add one more center on the roster
The Chicago Bulls have a pretty balanced roster right now, but I can't help but feel they need one more bit of depth at the center position. If Bobby Portis is ready to play extended minutes and the combination of Nikola Mirotic and Taj Gibson can stay healthy, Fred Hoiberg probably doesn't need that extra big man. Especially if you buy into Cristiano Felicio being a guy who should be in the rotation now. However, just for safety reasons, a third center on the roster is a good idea.
Here's a rough position breakdown for them:
PG: Rajon Rondo, Jerian Grant, Isaiah Canaan
SG: Dwyane Wade, Tony Snell, Denzel Valentine
SF: Jimmy Butler, Doug McDermott, Paul Zipser
PF: Nikola Mirotic, Taj Gibson, Bobby Portis
C: Robin Lopez, Cristiano Felicio
The only problems with this are 1) Kendrick Perkins might be the best option available, 2) Jerry Reinsdorf would rather not pay a 15th player and 3) after Chris Sale cut up those White Sox jerseys, Reinsdorf is really not into spending more money. If Kevin Seraphin doesn't go to Europe and is willing to play for the minimum, he'd be a great addition to this depth chart.
Los Angeles Lakers: 13 players under contract; sign Brandon Ingram; move Nick Young
For having the worst three-year stretch in franchise history, the Los Angeles Lakers are in a pretty good spot with their depth. They've got a couple of quality veterans in Luol Deng, Timofey Mozgov and Lou Williams on the roster (although maybe Williams doesn't fit them anymore). They have a ton of young talent on the team, especially after they ink Brandon Ingram to his rookie contract. However, the D'Angelo Russell-Nick Young fiasco still looms over that locker room and needs to be handled.
Here's a rough position breakdown for them:
PG: D'Angelo Russell, Jose Calderon, Marcelo Huertas
SG: Jordan Clarkson, Lou Williams
SF: Luol Deng, Nick Young, Anthony Brown
PF: Julius Randle, Larry Nance, Jr.
C: Timofey Mozgov, Tarik Black, Ivica Zubac
The easiest solution is either trading or waiving Young. You'll never pick him over Russell and with Young's subtweets over the social media since the recording incident, it seems safe to assume he isn't going to just let it go. It helped end his relationship after all. You definitely don't want this to continue into next season by having them both in the locker room. And maybe that's why you move Williams, as well, if you can.
Young has a player option for 2017-18, so waiving him makes you eat more of that contract than you'd normally want to (even if it's a buyout). You just have to get it done if you're the Lakers and let the young guys move on with new veterans voices guiding them.
Minnesota Timberwolves: 14 players under contract; add a wing; figure out Kevin Garnett and Nikola Pekovic situations
The Minnesota Timberwolves, in their first offseason under Wolves czar Tom Thibodeau, don't have much left to do. They missed out on their primary targets of bigger names and ended up with a decent haul of Cole Aldrich, Jordan Hill and Brandon Rush. They could use one more wing in the mix, even if they can play Ricky Rubio and Kris Dunn together for a handful of minutes each game, but mostly they need to resolve the situations of two big men, Kevin Garnett and Nikola Pekovic.
Here's a rough position breakdown for them:
PG: Ricky Rubio, Kris Dunn, Tyus Jones
SG: Zach LaVine, Brandon Rush
SF: Andrew Wiggins, Shabazz Muhammad
PF: Kevin Garnett, Nemanja Bjelica, Adreian Payne
C: Karl-Anthony Towns, Gorgui Dieng, Cole Aldrich, Jordan Hill, Nikola Pekovic
If it looks like they have too many big men, they do. Pekovic's ankle issues are probably going to mean the Wolves stretch his contract ($23.7 million over the next two seasons) because trading him seems unlikely. Garnett is trying to decide if his body can go through a 22nd season in the NBA. He may retire and just call it a career. That would leave the Wolves with just 13 players.
They're definitely interested in adding another wing and maybe even a fourth point guard. Former Thibodeau soldier Kirk Hinrich is available. If the Wolves want to get squirrely by renouncing cap holds and putting in a big offer sheet to Maurice Harkless, that could shake things up a bit. They could have as much as $13 million to play with for the starting salary this coming season. Most likely, they just go the cheaper, more conservative route and pounce in free agency next season. Or try to pounce.
