When NBA free agency kicks off at 12:01 a.m. ET on Saturday, the feeding frenzy for players will officially begin.
Thus far we've already seen a flurry of pre-free agency madness: Chris Paul is headed to the Houston Rockets, Jimmy Butler is now with the Timberwolves and rumors have been flying about Pacers All-Star Paul George non-stop since he informed the team he would not re-sign with them in 2018.
Below is a list of every NBA team's free-agency needs, along with some players who could fill those holes.
Let the games begin.
ATLANTIC DIVISION
- Needs: Scoring wing, rebounding, big man
- Free agents who fit: Blake Griffin, Gordon Hayward, JaVale McGee
The C's addressed a major need in the NBA Draft by selecting Duke's Jayson Tatum, a scoring wing who can create his own offense off the bounce. The team is also targeting Gordon Hayward, an All-Star who can do it all and has a polished game that would fit Boston well. The biggest upgrade needed is in the post, especially after seeing Al Horford struggle mightily as a rebounder in the postseason. Landing a physical big would do wonders to pack extra punch in the post for the Celtics to pair with Horford down low. Even JaVale McGee could fill a specific role in Boston.
- Needs: Point guard, shooting, stretch four
- Free agents who fit: Kyle Lowry, Serge Ibaka, J.J. Redick
Interestingly enough, two of the potential three fits to fill Toronto's needs were on the roster last season. Serge Ibaka and Kyle Lowry are free agents, and both are good fits to fill the team's needs. If both remain in town, Toronto can upgrade its roster by adding outside shooting with a player like J.J. Redick. If both leave, however, Toronto will need both a point guard and stretch big man who can knock down shots from outside.
- Needs: Point guard, 3-and-D player
- Free agents who fit: Tony Snell, Andre Iguodala, Patty Mills
Frank Ntilikina is the long-term answer for the Knicks, it seems, but the immediate answer is less murky. Can he become the Day 1 starter? Maybe. But he'll need someone to show him the ropes. Bringing in a guy who has been around the block like Patty Mills or even re-signing Derrick Rose would make sense for New York. Additionally, the Knicks could use a defensive overhaul. Tony Snell and Andre Iguodala could help New York, which already has its core of Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis in place. Thabo Sefolosha could be a good fit, too, but his offense could give New York pause.
- Needs: Shooting, ball-handling
- Free agents who fit: Tyreke Evans, Kyle Lowry, Darren Collison, J.J. Redick
The future in Philly lies in the hands of No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz, but the 76ers would be wise to surround him with veterans to ease him into his role. Tyreke Evans, Kyle Lowry, J.J. Redick and Darren Collison are all options who present different and unique benefits. I think Lowry would be the biggest coup. His game doesn't resemble what Fultz brings, but he could be the best mentor of the four free agents mentioned. Adding a player of Redick's caliber, too, would take a big load off Fultz's scoring burden as a rookie.
- Needs: Shooting, talent
- Free agents who fit:: Dion Waiters, Otto Porter Jr., Jonathan Simmons
The Lakers abrupty ended the D'Angelo Russell era in favor of Lonzo Ball, but I'm not ready to give up on him yet. Still just 21 years old, Russell is a play-maker who isn't necessarily ball-dominant, which bodes well if the Nets want to add a play-maker off the ball. A player like sharpshooter Otto Porter or perhaps Dion Waiters would be a big get for the Nets. They won't be good next season, but a Waiters-Russell core would be fun to watch, at least.
-- Kyle Boone
CENTRAL DIVISION
- Needs: 3-and-D, bench depth
- Free agents who fit: Jodie Meeks, Patrick Patterson, David West, Omri Casspi, Brandon Jennings
For the Cavs, this offseason is about one thing: getting ready for the Warriors. LeBron James played arguably the best basketball of his career in the NBA Finals and it wasn't nearly enough, largely because Cleveland was basically a D-League team with James off the court. To that end, the Cavs need to do whatever they can this summer to bolster their bench -- Deron Williams was a disaster in the playoffs, Channing Frye became unplayable and Kyle Korver is a free agent who the Cavs might not be able to afford. Targeting a capable forward (Cleveland reportedly had a deal for Cal's Ivan Rabb fall through at the last minute during the draft) and a point guard are top priorities. Because of limited cap space, however, their options are pretty slim unless veterans are willing to take the minimum.
- Needs: Shooting, bench scoring
- Free agents who fit: Andre Iguodala, P.J. Tucker, Kyle Korver, C.J. Miles
The Bucks took a huge step forward last season, led by the league's Most Improved Player, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Milwaukee doesn't want to do anything to mess with its young core of The Greek Freak, Jabari Parker, Khris Middleton and Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon, so it will look for ancillary pieces in the free-agent market, namely shooters to space the floor. Thon Maker and Greg Monroe create a nice two-headed monster at center, but the Bucks still need more pop off the bench.
- Needs: Point guard, 3-point shooting, scoring (if Paul George is traded)
- Free agents who fit: Jrue Holiday, Paul Millsap, Danilo Gallinari, George Hill
The Pacers are stuck between a rock and hard place, knowing Paul George won't re-sign with them after the season, but also having little trade leverage. It's in Indiana's best interest to deal George, but it doesn't want to get pennies on the dollar. The Pacers' offseason plan will become much clearer if they are able to swing a trade, but in any case the team will likely let Jeff Teague sign elsewhere and start building around young big man Myles Turner now that the rebuild appears imminent.
- Needs: Small forward, shooting, defense
- Free agents who fit: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jonathon Simmons, Amir Johnson, Jonas Jerebko
The Bulls are in an odd place, and much of their offseason strategy will depend on what they do with Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo. By trading Jimmy Butler, the Bulls have clearly signaled that a full rebuild is on the way -- not something Wade or Rondo is interested in at this point in their careers, so they are certainly buyout candidates. Chicago's young core of Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen is promising, and at this point the Bulls are just looking for solid pieces who fit Fred Hoiberg's system to help bring the young players along.
- Needs: Shooting, perimeter defense, bench depth
- Free agents who fit: Justin Holiday, P.J. Tucker, Dewayne Dedmon, Nick Young
The Pistons had a disappointing season as Stan Van Gundy continues to search for consistency in his lineup. With the exception of restricted free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the Pistons are committed to most of their core through at least next season, so offseason moves will likely be of the minor variety, barring a big trade. Detroit hopes rookie Luke Kennard will add the shooting it desperately needs, but Van Gundy has said the team's main focus will be guards this offseason.
-- Colin Ward-Henninger
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
- Needs: Bench help, forward, point guard
- Free agents who fit: Blake Griffin, Patty Mills, Shaun Livingston
The Wizards were excellent last season. They almost got a shot at Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals, but there was one consistency for them throughout the season that helped doom their playoff run: Their bench was a disaster. Washington's bench defense was an issue for most of the regular season and by the playoffs the Wizards couldn't put anybody on the floor without getting run off of it. In the second round of the playoffs, if Wall ever came off the court, it was basically a free run for the Celtics. So a solid backup point guard like Patty Mills or Shaun Livingston is a must.
However, Washington shouldn't stop there if it wants to make the most of the talent it has. Wall has been recruiting Paul George for 2018, but to get him any earlier would require a trade. The Wizards can still go after a big name, and someone that would fit in well with what they do is Blake Griffin. Adding Griffin would make Washington an immediate contender in the East and the Wizards should at least be trying to get their foot in the door on those types of conversations.
The Wizards don't need much, but a solid summer would do wonders in their hopes of making it to their first conference finals since the '70s.
- Needs: Shooting, shooting guard, small forward, youth
- Free agents who fit: Omri Casspi, Dion Waiters
The Hawks showed this season that they can't continue to be a 3-point shooting team without shooters. They can fire as many as they want, but if the shots aren't falling then it's just going to lead to bad offense. Atlanta will need to take a look at its wing with Kyle Korver gone, Kent Bazemore not turning out the way it wanted and the future of Tim Hardaway Jr. in doubt. The Hawks can still salvage an OK team next season depending on what happens with Paul Millsap, but if their wing players can't shoot then there's no point.
This means going after guys like Omri Casspi or Dion Waiters -- someone that won't break the bank and can shoot. Casspi is the better fit offensively, but Waiters has grown into more than just a gunner the past few seasons. Waiters provides a defensive presence that the Hawks want from all their wings so he might be the best option for them.
However, if Paul Millsap leaves in free agency then it might be time to tear down the roster. The Hawks already cleared out Dwight Howard just to get rid of him. This is a team on the verge of tanking or mediocrity. If they go the rebuilding route then it doesn't matter if their wings can shoot or not. Go out and sign youth that can develop later on and build a new era of Hawks basketball. This means giving up on the playoff streak, but sometimes a tear down is necessary to continue progress.
- Needs: Big name, shooting, forward
- Free agents who fit: Gordon Hayward, Otto Porter Jr., J.J. Redick
The Heat are going to swing hard in free agency, and that's exactly what they should be doing. They already have a decent collection of young assets like Josh Richardson and Justise Winslow. They proved last season that, no matter how hard they try, an Erik Spoelstra-coached team is incapable of tanking. This leaves Miami stuck in the position of needing to add high-level talent in free agency to avoid falling into mediocrity. If the Heat do swing on those types of players then they'll need to go after shooters and forwards to try and round out the roster.
Miami already has a meeting with Gordon Hayward, but if it misses on him then going after an Otto Porter-type player that can grow with the team wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. J.J. Redick is out there as well, but he might be a little outside Miami's price range considering his age. However, if the Heat are willing to pony up for him then they would be adding an incredible shooter to their back court.
The Heat are swinging for the fences this offseason and they really need to hit on someone that can move the needle for them. If they go out and sign bit players then they're just going to be potentially a more mediocre version of this season's team.
- Needs: Bench help, point guard, small forward
- Free agents who fit: Shelvin Mack, Thabo Sefolosha, Omri Casspi
Charlotte has a roster that looks good, but last season it didn't win games, so clearly there was something wrong. Despite a positive point differential, the Hornets fell well short of the playoffs and entered the offseason with more questions than answers. Their starting unit is sound and they recently traded for Dwight Howard. Right now they should be trying to shore up their bench, which struggled this season, especially at point guard. It also wouldn't hurt to add some shooting or defensive-minded wings as well.
This leaves players like Shelvin Mack, Thabo Sefelosha and Omri Casspi as great fits. They aren't going to break the bank on a free agent this summer, but someone that can come in off the bench and just provide solid minutes -- players that can come in and not let everything fall apart as soon as they hit the floor -- is what they'll be looking for. This little bit of consistency will work wonders for a team that was lacking in that area last season.
If the Hornets can hit on their free-agent selections they might find themselves back in the playoffs after a disappointing finish.
- Needs: Shooters, more shooters
- Free agents who fit: Omri Casspi, Shabazz Muhammad, Justin Holiday
The Magic have no reason to give any high-level free agents to come to Orlando. So since they aren't going to compete for them, they either need to overpay a solid player to come play for a bad team or take a risk on someone. If they're going to go the overpaying route, there are worse players they can go after than Omri Casspi. He's a good shooter and provides a dire need for the Magic. The Magic can't afford to go another offseason ignoring the 3-point line. It has been their biggest weakness since trading Dwight Howard five years ago. That needs to change.
Once the Magic address shooting, they'll still have to fill out a roster. They'll likely sign inexpensive players while they try to evaluate what they have, but there are a few younger guys out there worth taking a risk on. Shabazz Muhammad is young (soon to be 25 years old) and a decent scorer. He's unlikely to become more than what he already is, but if Orlando can get him on a decent contract then he might be worth the risk. Justin Holiday falls into a similar category. He is 27 without much more room to grow, but he's a consistently good player.
Orlando can choose to play it safe and that might be the best option, but there are players out there that are worth taking a risk on if the contract doesn't break the bank. That's the position the Magic are in right now.
-- Chris Barnewall
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
- Needs: Point guard, depth in the front court, rim protector
- Free agents who fit: Kyle Lowry, Patty Mills, Vince Carter, Andre Iguodala, JaMychal Green, Dewayne Dedmon
With Tony Parker out until January, and past his prime even when healthy, the Spurs need to bring in a point guard, and will likely be in pursuit of Kyle Lowry since Chris Paul took his talents to Houston. Additionally, they could look at George Hill, or just decide to bring Patty Mills back and let him run the show. With LaMarcus Aldridge unhappy, Pau Gasol no longer the player he once was and both David Lee and Dewayne Dedmon free agents, the Spurs figure to look for some front-court help. JaMychal Green would be a really interesting option, but they might not have the money depending on their other moves. Vince Carter and Andre Iguodala would also be interesting veteran options.
- Needs: Depth on the wing, backup big
- Free agents who fit: C.J. Miles, Tim Hardaway Jr., Kyle Korver, Dewayne Dedmon
Well, you can cross point guard off the list. They won't be looking for any help there after adding Chris Paul in a blockbuster trade Wednesday. Additionally, they're expected to be in the hunt for Paul George, acquiring all sorts of unguaranteed contracts that could help swing a deal, and are also a potential destination if Carmelo Anthony gets bought out, so things could change very quickly in Houston. Regardless of what happens, however, the Rockets will be working around the margins, looking for more depth on the wing, as they dealt away Lou Williams and Sam Dekker to the Clippers. They'll also need a backup big to play behind Clint Capela. There are a number of players the Rockets could look at this summer for both roles, including C.J. Miles, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Kyle Korver on the wing, while Dewayne Dedmon could be an option as he fits their style of play.
- Needs: Shooting, depth in the back court and on the wings, youth, health
- Free agents who fit: Patty Mills, Darren Collison, Tony Snell, Shaun Livingston, JaMychal Green
This could be a franchise-altering summer for the Grizzlies. They have a number of decisions to make regarding veteran players on their squad, including Zach Randolph, Tony Allen and Vince Carter. Additionally, they'll have to decide whether to re-sign JaMychal Green, which they should do, as he has turned himself into a really solid player. But regardless of whether they decide to run back Grit-N-Grind for another season, there are a few areas they'll need help in. Namely, shooting and depth -- in both the back court and on the wings. Stealing away Patty Mills from the Spurs would give them a nice backup point guard behind Mike Conley while also addressing some of their shooting needs. Additionally, they could look at Darren Collison there. Tony Snell would be a nice fit out on the wing, though he might be too expensive. Shaun Livingston would be an interesting option as well and they would have no trouble integrating him into their system and culture.
- Needs: Big man who can space the floor, depth on the wing, Nerlens Noel
- Free agents who fit: Nikola Mirotic, Kelly Olynyk, Jonathon Simmons, Nerlens Noel
They took care of their point-guard need in the draft, taking Dennis Smith Jr. with the No. 9 pick, so they figure to turn their free-agency focus elsewhere. First, though, they have to take care of business in their own back yard, which means re-signing Nerlens Noel, who they just traded for a few months back. Assuming they keep Noel, which they're expected to do, Dallas should also look at adding a big man who can space the floor as Dirk Nowitzki won't be around much longer, and is probably only giving you around 25 minutes per game next season anyway. Nikola Mirotic or Kelly Olynyk are two options on that front, and with each of them being rather young, they could grow along with the team during the rebuild. Additionally, some depth on the wing would be helpful, and it might be worth taking a flier on Jonathon Simmons there.
- Needs: Point guard, shooting, play-making on the wing
- Free agents who fit: Jrue Holiday, C.J. Miles, Tim Hardaway Jr.
The main focus of the Pelicans' free agency will be bringing back Jrue Holiday to run the point. After dealing for DeMarcus Cousins at the All-Star break last season, the Pelicans have one of the best front courts in the league, but they need a solid point guard to run the show. Additionally, the Pelicans could use some shooting to create the necessary spacing that allows Cousins and Anthony Davis to work together. C.J. Miles would be a nice fit here as a veteran and solid two-way player that can help address their spacing. Perhaps they could also look at someone like Tim Hardaway Jr. as another option to boost their offense off the bench.
-- Jack Maloney
NORTHWEST DIVISION
- Needs: Play-making (if Gordon Hayward leaves), point guard (if George Hill leaves), stretch four
- Free agents who fit: Patty Mills, Justin Holiday, Patrick Patterson
It's difficult to evaluate the Jazz without knowing what will happen with Hayward, Hill and Joe Ingles, three absolutely crucial parts of the team. If Hayward comes back, Utah will not have cap room, meaning it can use exceptions to flesh out the roster. Those contracts generally buy you role players, not starters, but that's OK -- the Jazz's starting five is good enough. If Hayward leaves, however, then the Jazz will all of a sudden have to re-evaluate their short- and long-term plans. He is irreplaceable.
- Needs: Shooting, playmaking, two-way players
- Free agents who fit: Rudy Gay, Danilo Gallinari, C.J. Miles, Omri Casspi
Unfortunately, Oklahoma City has no cap room because it gave Steven Adams and Victor Oladipo contract extensions. The Adams one is fine, but it remains unclear if Oladipo will be a good fit next to Russell Westbrook. I would love to see the Thunder trade Enes Kanter and at least explore the market for Oladipo, but as things stand, they should just go after anyone who can complement Westbrook and/or make the team less reliant on him. There's also the matter of what the Thunder will do with free agents Taj Gibson and Andre Roberson.
- Needs: Two-way players, passers
- Free agents who fit: Shaun Livingston, Brandon Rush
The trade for Jusuf Nurkic turned around what was going to be a disaster season. Along with the dynamic duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, Nurkic pushed the Blazers into the playoffs, but the rest of the team faltered. Defense was awful and the wings left a lot to be desired. Portland should look for a versatile and long defender at small forward and power forward.
- Needs: Star power, defense of any kind
- Free agents who fit: Paul Millsap, Taj Gibson, Patrick Patterson
The Nuggets are young and have some solid up-and-coming players like Nikola Jokic. But they couldn't defend even the worst offenses and there's a lot of age on the roster. They should upgrade the forward spots. Point guard also might be an area of need. Emmanual Mudiay hasn't lived up to expectations.
- Needs: Point guard (if Ricky Rubio is traded), shooting, stretch four
- Free agents who fit: Kyle Lowry, George HIll, Paul Millsap, JaMychal Green
Apparently Jimmy Butler is trying to convince Lowry to replace Rubio (if the Spaniard is traded). That would be an upgrade, but it would be tricky for the Wolves to pull it off. The same goes for luring Paul Millsap to play next to Karl-Anthony Towns, though that possibility is fun to think about. Minnesota will all but certainly make the playoffs next season, and Tom Thibodeau must find two-way players who complement its core.
-- James Herbert
PACIFIC DIVISION
- Needs: Backup point guard, wing, rim protector
- Free agents who fit: Patty Mills, Jonathon Simmons, Tony Snell, Justin Holiday, DeWayne Dedmon
Golden State has a ton of free agents. Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are locks to re-sign, but Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, JaVale McGee, Zaza Pachulia and Ian Clark are all questions. Let's start with the rim protection: It makes the most sense to bring back Pachulia and McGee, but if either one of those guys gets an offer the Warriors just can't match given all their big contracts, the pickings could be slim within their price range.
Nerlens Noel would be dynamite with this team, but he's too expensive, as is a guy like Serge Ibaka. San Antonio's DeWayne Dedmon is the guy to watch here. He could be a real value signing as a versatile big that can both protect the rim and flourish inside Golden State's team-oriented defense.
As for a backup point guard/wing, Golden State would love to bring back Clark and chances are Iguodala will re-sign, too, though a lot of teams are reportedly interested in Iggy's services. Mills would be a huge pickup to spell Curry.
Snell, Simmons and Tucker all fit the Warriors' mold of versatile defenders. Snell, a really good shooter with the length to flourish inside the Warriors' high-switching defensive attack, is really intriguing as a 3-and-D guy, as is Holiday, who put himself on the NBA map with his first stint in Golden State and has since proven himself as a legit bench presence on both ends of the court. Simmons isn't a great shooter, but he could well be turning into the best player of these three. And it's not like Golden State doesn't have enough shooting.
- Needs: Point guard, shooting guard, small forward
- Free agents who fit: Kyle Lowry, C.J. Miles, Kyle Korver
Getting Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley, Sam Dekker and Montrezl Harrell in the Chris Paul trade gives the Clippers, who will likely lose J.J. Redick as well, some much-needed depth. Williams is a better scorer than Redick but not the defender, and Beverley is the same kind of defensive pest as Paul, though not even close to same kind of player, obviously.
If the Clippers could move the necessary money, Kyle Lowry stepping into Paul's role makes sense on paper, but that would likely mean compromising some of that depth we just alluded to. If Blake Griffin re-signs, putting shooting around him and DeAndre Jordan makes sense, and Miles and Korver both fit that description.
Griffin is the domino here. If he leaves, the Clippers are not going to be in a position to even be a fringe contender, so the move would likely be to go as young as possible rather than a guy like Korver or certainly Lowry at the price he'll fetch.
- Needs: Shooting, small forward, veteran presence
- Free agents who fit: Otto Porter Jr., Shaun Livingston
Just an amazing draft for the Kings, who got their point guard of the future in De'Aaron Fox and his potential backup in Frank Mason III. They also got Justin Jackson, an athletic shooting wing who projects as a Rudy Gay replacement with real upside. Oh, and they got Harry Giles, who, before his knee injuries, was probably in line to be the No. 1 pick in this draft. Giles is a wild card, but if he can develop past those injuries and tap into his enormous potential, man, the Kings really have something going.
So now it's about patience in Sacramento. The Kings don't need to go get a high-priced free agent who is ready to win big right now. But one that is still young and growing? That's a different story, and Otto Porter definitely fits that role. He's going to cost you, maybe even the max, but the Kings have plenty of cap space and Porter, who has turned into a lights-out shooter and is a real athlete on the wing, is just getting going as a potential All-Star.
A veteran presence like Shaun Livingston, should he leave the Warriors, would make sense and at a reasonable price to mentor Fox and Mason and plug gaps off the bench in the meantime.
- Needs: Shooting, power forward, rim protection
- Free agents who fit: Blake Griffin, Paul Millsap, Bojan Bogdanovic, DeWayne Dedmon
Phoenix has been talked about as a possible landing spot for LaMarcus Aldridge, who is reportedly looking for a way out of San Antonio, and the Clippers floated an offer to send DeAndre Jordan to the desert. On Thursday it was reported that Griffin will meet with the Suns shortly after free agency opens, and is interested in going there. If they could get Griffin, that would be a huge move.
Josh Jackson falling to them at No. 4 in the draft looks pretty good. If his shot continues to improve, he's the perfect modern player, an athletic wing that can guard multiple positions with unlimited energy.
The Suns will continue to build around Devin Booker as a combo guard in the mold of Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving, although at this point a much lesser version. Dedmon again offers great value as a rim protector and defensive specialist if the Suns can't land an established player down there, and Bogdanovic still has a lot of good years in front of him and is a terrific shooter.
- Needs: Shooting/play-making, power forward, defense everywhere
- Free agents who fit: JaMychal Green, Taj Gibson, Justin Holiday, Dion Waiters
The Lakers' main goal is to maintain cap flexibility for next summer, when they'll almost certainly make a run at LeBron James, among other big-name free agents. If they can move pieces this year to trade for Paul George, that addresses every need on their roster in one shot, but it would still be about signing young payers that can grow and won't clog the books for next summer.
JaMychal Green is a huge value play here. He got his chance to start last season for Memphis and proved to be a quality defender that can literally guard any position on the court. And he can shoot -- 38 percent from 3. Gibson is just a ballplayer; still a good defender and rebounder and will flat-out help you win games on any kind of team -- young and on the rise or ready to win now. The Lakers could be both of those teams over the next few years.
Dion Waiters is also intriguing. He's a better defender than people realize, and he can definitely create offense for himself, which is something the Lakers will need in the half-court until Lonzo Ball is ready to be that guy (he might never be a guy you can go to for self-creation, to be honest).
Holiday's name keeps popping up, and for good reason. He won't cost you a ton and he can help in a lot of gaps. He can shoot and defend and he plays hard. Imagining the Lakers with stars in the fold again over the next few years, Holiday would be a nice role player on a team like that.
-- Brad Botkin