How close is your team to an NBA title? We tiered all 30 franchises

The Oklahoma City Thunder won their archetypal title connected Sunday night, beating the Indiana Pacers successful Game 7 of the NBA Finals to go the seventh consecutive caller titleholder successful a record-setting epoch of parity successful the league.

Only clip volition archer if that milestone fig volition agelong to 8 adjacent twelvemonth oregon if OKC is astir to go the league's adjacent dynastic force. What is definite is that the Thunder's triumph officially puts a bow connected the 2024-25 NBA season. As a result, the pursuit to drawback the champs is officially on.

To acceptable up what portends to beryllium a monolithic offseason successful the NBA, we took a holistic look astatine wherever each 30 teams basal successful their pursuit of a crown and the biggest questions each faces this summer.

To bash so, we divided the 30 franchises into 10 tiers. We started with the existent rubric contenders and ended with the teams facing what the Thunder themselves faced conscionable 4 years ago: the throes of a afloat rebuild.

(Note: Teams are organized alphabetically wrong each tier, and the projected wage headdress abstraction for each comes via ESPN's Bobby Marks.)

True NBA rubric contender

Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14)

Total players nether contract: 15
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 10 first-round picks, 17 second-round picks

Oklahoma City has an embarrassment of riches. Not lone did the Thunder conscionable triumph their archetypal rubric with a roster featuring nary players older than 31 and lone 2 older than 27. They besides person 15 players nether contract, with 2 much first-round picks coming successful this year's draft, meaning they volition person to make immoderate roster country this summer. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City secured the Larry O'Brien Trophy without paying the luxury tax, and it won't beryllium paying the taxation adjacent year, either. This volition let the Thunder to sock distant savings for the aboriginal arsenic the roster begins to get costly this summer, erstwhile Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are eligible for rookie extensions and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tin hold to a monolithic aboriginal supermax extension.

It pays to beryllium successful the East

Cleveland Cavaliers (64-18)

Total players nether contract: 10
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 1 first-round pick, 4 second-round picks

The Cavaliers had a terrific regular play with the second-highest triumph full successful franchise history, earlier falling level successful their Eastern Conference semifinal nonaccomplishment to the Pacers. But portion the Cavaliers had immoderate issues exposed successful that series, determination aren't a batch of avenues for them to beryllium addressed, fixed Cleveland has a determination to marque connected Ty Jerome, who is going to get a important rise from the $2.5 cardinal helium made this season. (The aforesaid goes for Sam Merrill and his $2.1 million.) But unless the Cavaliers marque trades, they'll beryllium mostly moving it back.

New York Knicks (51-31)

Total players nether contract: 10
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 1 first-round pick, 7 second-round picks

The Knicks made their archetypal large determination of the summertime erstwhile they chose to disregard manager Tom Thibodeau aft reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the archetypal clip successful 25 years. Finding a caller dependable successful the locker country comes with figuring retired what the Knicks volition bash to effort to augment the roster. With immoderate originative accounting, New York should beryllium capable to usage the $5.6 cardinal taxpayer's midlevel objection and enactment beneath the 2nd apron. Can they onshore a difference-maker with it? And tin the Knicks adhd much extent beyond their apical seven, with the agleam lights of New York, a contending squad and playing clip to connection players connected minimum deals? Or volition they effort to bash thing bigger and determination players from that apical 7 to plaything for a bigger fish? There's besides a imaginable Mikal Bridges hold to consider. Moving connected from Thibodeau shows New York isn't satisfied with conscionable being good; the Knicks person made it wide that lone a 2026 Finals berth volition beryllium deemed a occurrence adjacent season.

Best of the remainder successful the West

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Stephen A.: KD has plentifulness near to beryllium Rockets' No. 1 option

Stephen A. Smith loves the Kevin Durant commercialized for the Houston Rockets arsenic they look to vie for an NBA rubric adjacent season.

Denver Nuggets (50-32)

Total players nether contract: 11
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 1 first-round pick, 1 second-round pick

If not for a chaotic 4th fourth from Thunder defender Luguentz Dort successful Game 5 of the league semifinals, possibly Denver would beryllium celebrating a 2nd rubric successful 3 years. Instead, the Nuggets are reeling from a 2nd consecutive seven-game exit successful the 2nd round. The archetypal bid of concern volition beryllium determining who volition pb the beforehand bureau aft officially retaining David Adelman arsenic coach. Whomever Denver hires arsenic wide manager volition look roster decisions close away. First, Denver has to spot if it tin get Christian Braun, 1 of the amended young guards successful the league, signed to a declaration extension. Beyond that, the Nuggets volition beryllium hoping to upgrade their roster, with constricted assets, to effort to pursuit down OKC atop the West.

Houston Rockets (52-30)

Total players nether contract: 11
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 4 first-round picks, 2 second-round picks

After a tremendous play that saw the Rockets decorativeness 2nd successful the league and suffer successful 7 hard-fought games to the Warriors during the archetypal round, it became wide Houston needed to upgrade its offense. How astir landing Kevin Durant? That was precisely what the Rockets did hours earlier Sunday's Game 7, adding the aboriginal Hall of Famer successful speech for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the No. 10 prime successful this year's draft. That volition let the Rockets to stay an enactment if different prima becomes disposable aboriginal this offseason oregon adjacent year. And portion Fred VanVleet has a $44 cardinal squad enactment for adjacent season, expect him to stay successful Houston either connected that woody oregon a caller one.

Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33)

Total players nether contract: 8
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: nary first-round picks, 4 second-round picks

Coming disconnected back-to-back league finals appearances is justifiable origin for solemnisation successful the Twin Cities. But arsenic Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez afloat instrumentality implicit arsenic owners this summer, determination are respective large decisions ahead. Will Tim Connelly, who tin opt retired of his contract, stay successful complaint of the franchise moving forward? What volition hap with pending unrestricted escaped agents Julius Randle and Naz Reid -- some of whom person subordinate options for adjacent play -- and Nickeil Alexander-Walker? Connelly expressed optimism that each 3 would beryllium backmost during his end-of-season media session, and Minnesota can't spend to instrumentality immoderate steps backward successful the West.

Elite contenders with wounded woes

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Rick Carlisle connected Hali: 'He volition beryllium back'

Rick Carlisle gives an update connected Tyrese Haliburton's wounded and assures that "he volition beryllium back."

Boston Celtics (61-21)

Total players nether contract: 11
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 2 first-round picks, 5 second-round picks

Few offseasons successful NBA past person been much fascinating than what's awaiting the Celtics. Because of Jayson Tatum's near Achilles tear, a squad that has ruled the East for the amended portion of a decennary present has monolithic questions arsenic caller proprietor Bill Chisholm gets acceptable to instrumentality implicit the squad this summer. There were doubts adjacent earlier Tatum's wounded that Boston would person the archetypal $500 cardinal roster successful NBA history. It's intolerable to spot that happening now. How Boston approaches this summertime could beryllium the astir important determination immoderate squad successful the league makes, successful presumption of the ripple effects that determination could cause. Then there's the aboriginal of franchise stalwart and aboriginal Hall of Famer Al Horford. In the aftermath of Tatum's injury, could Horford take to play elsewhere? If helium does, his stretch-big skillset would acceptable with immoderate contending team, and helium has shown he's inactive a highly effectual subordinate adjacent astatine 39 years old.

Indiana Pacers (50-32)

Total players nether contract: 10
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 4 first-round picks, 8 second-round picks

After their stunning tally to the NBA Finals, and to wrong a fewer shots of the franchise's archetypal championship, the absorption shifts to Tyrese Haliburton's betterment from the close Achilles wounded helium suffered aboriginal successful Game 7. Indiana has proved its resiliency successful these playoffs, but if Haliburton is retired for each of adjacent season, it's hard to spot the Pacers replicating this year's run. In the meantime, they besides person to determine what to bash astir Myles Turner, the champion disposable escaped cause halfway and a captious portion of Indiana's five-out offense. The Pacers are expected to re-sign Turner; the question is whether the Pacers volition spell into the luxury taxation to bash so.

Milwaukee Bucks (48-34)

Total players nether contract: 7
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 1 first-round pick, 2 second-round picks

Like the Celtics, the Bucks person a determination that could origin ripple effects passim the league: What does Giannis Antetokounmpo's aboriginal successful Milwaukee look like? After 12 seasons with the franchise, determination are existent questions astir however competitory the Bucks tin beryllium adjacent play pursuing Damian Lillard's near Achilles tear. The anticipation is that the Bucks would similar to get retired of the luxury taxation aft paying hundreds of millions successful caller years, meaning franchise stalwart and unrestricted escaped cause Brook Lopez could beryllium priced retired of a return.

Aging prima power

Golden State Warriors (48-34)

Total players nether contract: 9
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 4 first-round picks, 1 second-round pick

After landing Jimmy Butler III astatine the commercialized deadline, Golden State managed to triumph a playoff circular earlier Stephen Curry got wounded and the Timberwolves rapidly dispatched the Warriors successful 5 games successful Round 2. Now, the absorption shifts to what apt volition beryllium yet different eventful summertime successful the Bay Area, opening with the tricky negotiations with restricted escaped cause guardant Jonathan Kuminga. Golden State apt volition either bring him backmost connected a caller woody oregon motion and commercialized him to adhd reinforcements to the roster. Each way has a differing level of complexity. Regardless, the Warriors volition request to find ways to augment the roster to support up successful the precise hard West.

LA Clippers (50-32)

Total players nether contract: 10
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 2 first-round picks, 4 second-round picks

The Clippers outperformed this season, finishing 5th successful the West and pushing the Nuggets to 7 games successful a thrilling first-round series. LA's apical priorities? Sorting retired the aboriginal of James Harden, who has a $36.3 cardinal subordinate option, and deciding whether to widen Norman Powell, who is coming disconnected the champion play of his career. (Powell has a $20.4 cardinal expiring declaration successful 2025-26.) The Clippers besides could person astir of the afloat midlevel objection disposable oregon they could usage that wage flexibility to marque moves via trade.

Los Angeles Lakers (50-32)

Total players nether contract: 10
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 1 first-round pick, 1 second-round pick

Summer is ne'er boring for the Lakers, and this twelvemonth is nary different. Not lone did the Lakers conscionable merchantability for a grounds $10 billion, but the franchise is waiting connected different escaped bureau determination from LeBron James. Now 40, helium tin opt into his $52.6 cardinal subordinate enactment for adjacent play with an extension, opt successful without an hold oregon opt retired and motion a caller contract. (Forward Dorian Finney-Smith faces the aforesaid 3 choices with his ain $15.3 cardinal option.) Luka Doncic, meanwhile, could take to motion an hold oregon permission the Lakers successful limbo until adjacent summer. Austin Reaves tin hold to an hold disconnected his $13.9 cardinal contract. And finally: After declining to implicit the Mark Williams commercialized successful February, tin the Lakers get a rim-running halfway for Doncic?

Rising young teams with upside

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Why did the Magic commercialized for Desmond Bane?

Brian Windhorst breaks down the Grizzlies trading Desmond Bane to the Magic for a bundle that includes Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and respective draught picks.

Detroit Pistons (44-38)

Total players nether contract: 10
Projected wage headdress space: None (most likely)
Total tradable picks: 4 first-round picks, 13 second-round picks

The Pistons, who won a playoff crippled for the archetypal clip since 2008, person 2 precise antithetic paths they tin take. Assuming they re-sign unrestricted escaped agents Tim Hardaway Jr., Malik Beasley and Dennis Schroder, they'll run arsenic an over-the-tax squad and effort to adhd to their roster with the afloat midlevel objection oregon via commercialized this summer. The different choice? Let those players go, wide headdress abstraction and spell aft a escaped cause -- perchance a floor-spacing large to make much country for All-NBA defender Cade Cunningham to operate. Either way, aft wide manager Trajan Langdon spent his archetypal play successful complaint gathering a coagulated ecosystem astir Cunningham -- helping to motorboat him to different level arsenic a subordinate -- expect that to beryllium the guiding rule of Detroit's summer.

Orlando Magic (41-41)

Total players nether contract: 14
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 1 first-round pick, 11 second-round picks

After years of inactivity nether president of hoops operations Jeff Weltman, Orlando pushed successful each of its chips by sending 4 first-round picks positive a swap to Memphis successful past week's stunning commercialized for defender Desmond Bane. Bane, a terrific shooter who besides tin make for himself and others and isn't a antiaircraft liability, is simply a imagination acceptable for a Magic roster desperately successful request of discourtesy aft ranking past successful 3-point shooting this season. Bane boosts Orlando without the squad sacrificing its antiaircraft identity, and he'll slot close successful alongside Jalen Suggs, Paolo Banchero (up for a max hold this summer) and Franz Wagner arsenic Orlando's halfway moving forward. Trades specified arsenic this, however, are lone made if you judge it makes you a existent contender to scope the NBA Finals. Given Orlando hasn't won a playoff bid since 2010, that's a lofty barroom to clear.

San Antonio Spurs (34-48)

Total players nether contract: 10
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 3 first-round picks, 15 second-round picks

Having traded for De'Aaron Fox successful February past landing the 2nd prime successful this week's NBA draft, San Antonio volition beryllium beforehand and halfway successful immoderate treatment of stars changing teams this summertime to perchance brace with rising superstar Victor Wembanyama, whom the Spurs judge volition beryllium steadfast to commencement the play aft having this run chopped abbreviated owed to a heavy vein thrombosis diagnosis. The different question successful San Antonio: What does Chris Paul bash aft a precise palmy archetypal play with the Spurs?

Will the existent squad delight basal up?

Dallas Mavericks (39-43)

Total players nether contract: 13
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 3 first-round picks, 2 second-round picks

What a chaotic thrust successful Dallas. The Mavericks shocked the league by trading Luka Doncic successful February, lone to daze it again by jumping from 11th to archetypal successful the draught lottery past period to unafraid the close to draught different phenom successful Cooper Flagg. With Flagg acceptable to anchor the franchise for the adjacent decade, the Mavs person to fig retired what to bash with Kyrie Irving, who volition miss astatine slightest the bulk of adjacent play with a torn near ACL and has a $42.9 cardinal subordinate enactment connected the books. While Irving is expected to beryllium back, Dallas desperately needs immoderate much ballhandling, particularly portion he's out.

Memphis Grizzlies (48-34)

Total players nether contract: 11
Projected wage headdress space: Fluid
Total tradable picks: 7 first-round picks, 6 second-round picks

After a disappointing last fewer months of the season, culminating successful firing manager Taylor Jenkins and getting swept retired of the playoffs by the Thunder, the archetypal bid of concern successful Memphis is figuring retired whether Jaren Jackson Jr. tin unafraid a caller extension. Jackson is connected an expiring $23.4 cardinal deal, 1 acold beneath his existent value, meaning Memphis volition request to renegotiate and widen the erstwhile Defensive Player of the Year to get a woody done. That's wherefore the Grizzlies moved connected from Marcus Smart during the season. And Memphis has hoped to get Jackson locked up. Assuming the Grizzlies do, they besides person to fig retired the aboriginal of restricted escaped cause Santi Aldama and defender Luke Kennard.

Philadelphia 76ers (24-58)

Total players nether contract: 9
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 3 first-round picks, 7 second-round picks

Any predictions for Philadelphia hinge connected Joel Embiid's health, which remains precise overmuch an unfastened question. Philly volition beryllium hoping it tin get thing adjacent to afloat spot from Embiid adjacent season, arsenic good arsenic a amended mentation of Paul George and an able-bodied Jared McCain, aft the rookie standout was unopen down with a near meniscus wounded successful December. The 76ers enjoyed a bully commencement to their offseason by jumping to 3rd successful the lottery and frankincense keeping their top-six protected pick.

Stuck successful purgatory

Atlanta Hawks (40-42)

Total players nether contract: 11
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 3 first-round picks, 6 second-round picks

After firing GM Landry Fields successful April and promoting Onsi Saleh to tally hoops operations, the archetypal question for proprietor Tony Ressler and the Hawks is whether they're going to prosecute a president of hoops operations implicit Saleh. (Ressler has made it wide -- a twelvemonth aft hiring Saleh distant from Golden State -- that Saleh volition beryllium a immense portion of the enactment going forward.) Once that's settled, a pivotal offseason awaits the Hawks, opening with a determination connected franchise subordinate Trae Young. With 1 twelvemonth near connected his woody earlier a subordinate enactment for the 2026-27 season, volition Atlanta fastener him up agelong word oregon perchance look to determination on? Beyond that, there's a fascinating hold treatment up for defender Dyson Daniels, who won the Most Improved Player Award aft coming implicit successful the Dejounte Murray commercialized past summer. The Hawks besides person decisions connected unrestricted escaped agents Caris LeVert and Larry Nance Jr.

Chicago Bulls (39-43)

Total players nether contract: 12
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 5 first-round picks, 5 second-round picks

There is nary squad much stuck than the Bulls, who participate the summertime with their roster mostly nether declaration but with immoderate important decisions to marque -- opening with restricted escaped cause Josh Giddey, whom they acquired for Alex Caruso past summer. Giddey is going to expect a large payday. Are the Bulls consenting to springiness him one? Coby White has outplayed his declaration to the constituent wherever an hold disconnected his $12.9 cardinal feels improbable to get done. As a result, does that marque him a commercialized candidate? The Bulls presently person astir nary wealth connected the books for the 2026-27 season, but a Giddey hold would rapidly alteration that.

Miami Heat (37-45)

Total players nether contract: 12
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 2 first-round picks, 1 second-round pick

With the Butler saga officially down them, the question facing Miami is: What volition it instrumentality for the Heat to regain their presumption arsenic a top-tier squad successful the East aft floating astir successful the play-in? Rookie Kel'el Ware had an awesome season, and he, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo springiness the Heat immoderate young gathering blocks moving forward. But however Miami improves isn't clear. There's a determination to beryllium made connected Duncan Robinson, who has $9.8 cardinal of his $19.8 cardinal expiring declaration guaranteed until aboriginal July. And the Heat besides could sphere what could beryllium a ton of headdress abstraction for the summertime of 2026, erstwhile a much progressive escaped cause harvest could beryllium available.

New Orleans Pelicans (21-61)

Total players nether contract: 13
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 5 first-round picks, 4 second-round picks

New pb enforcement Joe Dumars has immoderate enactment to bash this summer. The Pelicans apt volition beryllium without Dejounte Murray for each of adjacent play aft helium tore his close Achilles tendon, meaning the anticipation volition beryllium for this squad to again beryllium heavy successful the lottery. With Zion Williamson representing the squad astatine the lottery, what does that portend for his aboriginal successful New Orleans? He has 3 much years connected his contract. Does New Orleans support trying to physique astir this existent young halfway of Williamson, Murray, Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones oregon statesman moving successful different direction?

Phoenix Suns (36-46)

Total players nether contract: 11
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 2 first-round picks, 7 second-round picks

The archetypal determination of the Suns' caller era, directed by pb enforcement Brian Gregory and manager Jordan Ott, was to nonstop Kevin Durant to the Rockets successful the hours starring up to Game 7 of the NBA Finals. While Houston got backmost Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the 10th prime successful Wednesday's NBA draft, the woody won't beryllium authoritative until July 6. By then, expect the Suns to look a batch antithetic than today. Devin Booker is going to get a monolithic two-year hold adjacent month, but the Suns are expected to beryllium assertive successful trying to retool the roster astir him, sources said, and effort to get Phoenix backmost into the playoff mix. That won't beryllium easy: The skillsets of Green, Booker and Bradley Beal -- who inactive has his no-trade clause -- each overlap, and determination are constricted mechanisms for the Suns (who stay wildly expensive) to improve.

Sacramento Kings (40-42)

Total players nether contract: 10
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 6 first-round picks, 3 second-round picks

New pb enforcement Scott Perry takes implicit an unbalanced Kings roster. Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk each person overlapping accomplishment sets, and the De'Aaron Fox commercialized near the squad without an evident constituent defender enactment connected the roster. Perry has an intriguing determination to marque connected Keon Ellis, who has a $2.3 cardinal squad enactment and has turned into a bully developmental communicative arsenic a 3-and-D guard, a necessity for a roster devoid of galore antiaircraft options. But the Fox determination felt similar the archetypal of a two-step process; and portion Perry didn't marque that archetypal move, it volition beryllium up to him to marque the second.

Toronto Raptors (30-52)

Total players nether contract: 13
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 4 first-round picks, 6 second-round picks

President of hoops operations Masai Ujiri declared Toronto wouldn't beryllium rebuilding forever, and the Raptors person stuck to that vision, rapidly overhauling the roster successful 18 months. Now, they are bumping up against the luxury taxation and are going to person to marque immoderate absorbing decisions this summertime aft trading for Brandon Ingram and signing him to a declaration hold successful February. Because of a near ankle sprain that kept him retired the remainder of the campaign, we ne'er saw what this Raptors radical looked similar unneurotic aft the trade.

Rebuilding teams with talent

Charlotte Hornets (19-63)

Total players nether contract: 12
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 7 first-round picks, 11 second-round picks

The Hornets had designs connected jumping up successful the lottery and getting either Cooper Flagg oregon Dylan Harper successful the draught but alternatively fell to seventh. And aft Mark Williams was traded to Los Angeles -- past wasn't -- backmost successful February, those volition beryllium precise absorbing hold negotiations. As agelong arsenic the franchise remains adjacent the bottommost of the East standings, determination volition astatine slightest beryllium a question arsenic to Charlotte's semipermanent direction, and what that means for prima defender LaMelo Ball. And veterans Miles Bridges ($25 cardinal this year, $22.8 cardinal adjacent year) and Jusuf Nurkic (expiring $19.3 million) could besides beryllium perchance traded. They besides person to marque a determination connected restricted escaped cause Tre Mann aft helium missed astir of the play with a backmost injury.

Portland Trail Blazers (36-46)

Total players nether contract: 13
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 3 first-round picks, 5 second-round picks

There's a batch happening successful Portland. The squad is present up for sale, and aft a beardown adjacent to the season, some wide manager Joe Cronin and manager Chauncey Billups were fixed declaration extensions. But wherever does Portland spell from here? Anfernee Simons is connected an expiring contract; does helium get an extension, oregon does helium perchance get dealt? What astir Deandre Ayton, who is connected a $35 cardinal expiring declaration of his ain and remains an impediment to giving past year's seventh wide pick, Donovan Clingan, a afloat runway arsenic the team's starting center?

Sitting astatine Step 1

Brooklyn Nets (26-56)

Total players nether contract: 10
Projected wage headdress space: $40-60 million
Total tradable picks: 9 first-round picks, 15 second-round picks

The Nets, similar respective different teams, hoped for lottery luck. Instead, they moved backmost 2 spots to eighth. They participate the summertime with the astir headdress abstraction successful the league but with small of worth to walk it on. They besides person a ton of picks, but it makes much consciousness for this squad to conflict 1 much play and usage its draught prime (the rights to which it reacquired from Houston successful the Mikal Bridges commercialized past year). Still, the Nets could take to usage their headdress abstraction to velocity up the rebuild this summer, they could usage it to let teams to prevention wealth and get adjacent much assets, oregon immoderate operation of the two. There's besides the anticipation of moving their 2 veterans nether contract, Nic Claxton and Cameron Johnson.

Utah Jazz (17-65)

Total players nether contract: 14
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 7 first-round picks, 7 second-round picks

After locking up manager Will Hardy to a semipermanent declaration hold and hiring Austin Ainge distant from the Boston Celtics to beryllium the team's president of hoops operations, Utah's enactment is acceptable for years to come. Now comes the hard part: opening to physique retired this roster retired to the constituent wherever it tin contend successful the ruthless Western Conference. Step 1 successful that plan? Deciding what to bash with Lauri Markkanen. After past year's vessel for Flagg failed, could Markkanen beryllium perchance traded to adhd much assets and align the squad astir its young players -- including the 5th prime successful this year's draught -- going forward? Veterans John Collins, Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson besides person a combined $60 cardinal successful expiring deals that could beryllium utilized successful a assortment of ways.

Washington Wizards (18-64)

Total players nether contract: 13
Projected wage headdress space: None
Total tradable picks: 6 first-round picks, 14 second-round picks

Yet different squad that struck retired successful the lottery, Washington tin astatine slightest constituent to young players specified arsenic Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George getting invaluable acquisition arsenic portion of Washington's play among the dregs of the league. But don't expect a wildly antithetic playbook successful D.C. this season, arsenic the young guys volition proceed to play a lot, veterans specified arsenic Marcus Smart and his expiring $21 cardinal volition beryllium perchance utilized to bring backmost much assets successful deals and the Wizards volition again apt stay successful the hunt for 1 of the league's 3 worst records.