What's Next for Each NBA Team?

By Owen Pannell | KZA Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder are your 2025 NBA Champions, whether you like it or not. What comes next? Here's a look ahead for each NBA team and what they need in order to improve upon this NBA season.

Atlanta Hawks

Team Needs:

• Backup PF

• Backup PG

The Hawks have a very underrated young team. Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson, and Dyson Daniels are all elite young assets. However, they must decide if Trae Young is their franchise guy. Coming off a strong season, averaging 24 points and nearly 12 assists per game, now is the time to trade him if they plan to. If not, they should stay the course, add another good young player with the 13th pick, and see if this roster can bring Atlanta back to the playoffs next year.

Boston Celtics

Team Needs:

• Depth

• Replacements

Boston faces a tough situation after Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles and will likely miss most of next season. With their cap already over the dreaded second apron, they must trade one or two star players—painful, but necessary. The Celtics need to decide whether to remain competitive or punt next season and aim for a full return in 2026-27 when Tatum is healthy. Either way, this will be a rough offseason and a challenging 2025-26 season for Celtics fans.

Brooklyn Nets

Team Needs:

• Everything

• Young Core Players

After a disastrous year, the Nets landed the 8th overall pick in a strong draft class. They can find real talent—Jeremiah Fears, Kasparas Jakucionis, or Derik Queen are all options. They also need to trade vets like Cam Johnson, Nic Claxton, D’Angelo Russell, and maybe even Cam Thomas. The goal: bottom out next season and aim for the loaded 2026 draft.

Charlotte Hornets

Team Needs:

• Starting SG

• Bench Depth

LaMelo Ball is a great player when healthy, but that’s been rare—he hasn’t played over 50 games in the past three seasons. Charlotte can’t rely on him as their franchise guy. With a solid young core, adding VJ Edgecombe (a better fit than Ace Bailey) could brighten their future. If LaMelo can’t stay healthy next season, it’s time to move on. For now, they should stay the course and add young talent.

Chicago Bulls

Team Needs:

• Starting C

• Wings

The Bulls were one loss away from the No. 1 pick but now sit with a mid-tier roster and no franchise cornerstone. They need to tank while preserving assets. A big decision looms with Josh Giddey—if he costs less than $30 million per year, that’s a win. Otherwise, let him walk. Trading vets like Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball would also help. Avoiding the play-in and aiming for lottery luck is the smartest play.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Team Needs:

• Bench Replacements

• (Maybe) Starting PG

After an elite regular season, the Cavs fell short in Round 2 of the playoffs. Limited cap space means losing key role players, which hurts their depth. Darius Garland is reportedly on the trade block. Moving him would create cap flexibility and bring back assets—but he’s a crucial part of their team. Either way, expect a slight drop-off, though the East remains wide open.

Dallas Mavericks

Team Needs:

• Starting Guards

• Depth

Trading Luka Doncic was seen as a disaster, but the Mavs lucked into the No. 1 pick. Ideally, they’d trade it for Giannis to maximize the AD and Kyrie window, but that’s unlikely. The other option is rebuilding around Cooper Flagg—but that too seems improbable. Most likely, they’ll draft Flagg and stunt his growth by trying to contend without truly being contenders.

Denver Nuggets

Team Needs:

• Bench Depth

• Shooting

With a top-3 player in Nikola Jokic, Denver must capitalize. They lost in the second round to OKC but fought hard. The key decision: Michael Porter Jr. His $40M contract clogs the books. They already lost Russell Westbrook, a key bench piece. Denver will still be contenders, but smart moves this offseason are crucial to keeping pace with OKC.

Detroit Pistons

Team Needs:

• Backup Big

• Player Development

After a horrific 14-win season in 2023-24, the Pistons rebounded to win 44 games and return to the playoffs. With Cade Cunningham emerging as a top-10 player and young talent across the roster, they’re set. Their main focus: development and bringing back shooter Malik Beasley. The East is wide open, so they can make noise.

Golden State Warriors

Team Needs:

• Center

• Perimeter Defender

Steph Curry is 37, and the Warriors have one last shot at a 5th ring. After adding Jimmy Butler at the deadline, they surged. An upgrade at center (Daniel Gafford, Walker Kessler, or Vucevic) is needed. If they can turn young assets and picks into vets, they’ll have a real title shot.

Houston Rockets

Team Needs:

• Star

• Wing Scorer

The Kevin Durant trade made the Rockets contenders. They need Amen Thompson to make the expected leap, but the roster is in place. No need for major moves—just development and internal growth.

Indiana Pacers

Team Needs:

• Center

• Rebounding

Losing in 7 games to OKC in the Finals stings, but it was a huge win for the franchise. With their star out for next season, 2025-26 could be a gap year. They should retain Myles Turner and hope Haliburton returns to form. Another deep run is possible, but unlikely next year.

Los Angeles Clippers

Team Needs:

• Backup PG

• Shooting

The Clippers exceeded expectations, pushing Denver to 7 games. James Harden is likely back, keeping their core intact. If they use the 30th pick on a win-now rookie and the MLE on a solid vet, they can contend—if they stay healthy.

Los Angeles Lakers

Team Needs:

• Center

• Rebounding

After landing Luka Doncic, the Lakers have their guy for the next decade. If LeBron stays, they’re still contenders, but smart moves are vital. The vetoed Mark Williams trade showed the right mindset. Players like Kessler, Capela, Poeltl, or Vucevic could help. Will they go all in with LeBron or build around Luka?

Memphis Grizzlies

Team Needs:

• Third Star

• Big

Trading Desmond Bane brought in four firsts and some players. Now they must choose: rebuild or reload. The smarter path may be trading for a stretch big like Sabonis or Porzingis, allowing JJJ to shift to PF and giving Ja Morant more room. Both would make Memphis dangerous again.

Miami Heat

Team Needs:

• Point Guard

• Clear No. 1 Option

After missing out on KD, the Heat are stuck—too good to tank, not good enough to contend. They should trade Bam and retool, but they likely won’t. Expect another play-in run while they wait for the next star to become available.

Milwaukee Bucks

Team Needs:

• Young Players

• Center

Giannis is likely gone. The Bucks must get a historic haul for him and then shop Dame and other vets. It's the end of an era, but they won a title—and now get to rebuild with a jump start.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Team Needs:

• Point Guard

• Backup SG

Back-to-back WCF appearances show the Wolves are close. But cap limitations mean they can’t keep all three key free agents (Randle, Naz Reid, NAW). With Conley aging and Dillingham not yet ready, PG is a major need. They’ll likely run it back, but this roster may not be enough in the loaded West.

New Orleans Pelicans

Team Needs:

• Direction

• PG

A brutal, injury-ridden season left the Pelicans with just 21 wins. With Ingram already traded, it’s time to decide on Zion. They aren’t contenders, so the smart move is to blow it up and rebuild. If they don’t, they’ll likely remain a low-ceiling team.

New York Knicks

Team Needs:

• Depth

• Coach

The Knicks were Finals-capable this year. They need bench help and a better coach, but the core is strong. Brunson is a playoff star, and if he and KAT build chemistry and they improve the bench, they’ll be a real threat in the East.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Team Needs:

• Shooting

• Rebounding

Fresh off a dominant championship run, the Thunder return all their core players. They need reliable 3-point shooting and better rebounding. Trading Isaiah Joe and Ousmane Dieng for someone like Cam Johnson would be a win. Drafting Isaiah Evans at #24 could also help. Regardless, they’re the team to beat next season.

Orlando Magic

Team Needs:

• Offense

• Rebounding

Trading for Desmond Bane showed the Magic are ready to compete. The East is wide open, and their defense is already elite. Bane provides scoring, and adding rebounding help would round out a strong roster.

Philadelphia 76ers

Team Needs:

• Depth

• Trade PG

The Sixers had a nightmare season at 24-58. Injuries and Paul George’s poor play doomed them. Their window with Embiid is closing. A trade of PG for someone like Lauri Markkanen would help. They lucked into the No. 3 pick, which could be packaged with PG and a young player to make a big move. With the East wide open, a smart offseason could lead to a title push.

Phoenix Suns

Team Needs:

• Rebuild

• Picks

The KD trade was decent, but the Suns need more. They must trade Devin Booker and recoup assets. Trading Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and possibly Bradley Beal could help. Still, the future is bleak in Phoenix.

Portland Trail Blazers

Team Needs:

• Bigs

• Wings

Portland has good young players, but no clear franchise guy. A play-in spot is possible, but unlikely in the West. They should shop Jerami Grant, Robert Williams, Deandre Ayton, and Anfernee Simons to collect assets.

Sacramento Kings

Team Needs:

• PG

• Direction

After trading De’Aaron Fox, the Kings are stuck. The smart play is a full rebuild—Sabonis, LaVine, and DeRozan all have trade value. It would hurt to start over, but it’s likely the best option.

San Antonio Spurs

Team Needs:

• Shooting

• PF

With a top-tier future and Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs are in a great spot. They’ll likely draft Dylan Harper at No. 2, unless they trade the pick (possibly in a Giannis deal). Adding shooting around Wemby is key. Even without a big trade, they could win a playoff series next year.

Toronto Raptors

Team Needs:

• Young Pieces

• Shooting

Bringing in Brandon Ingram was a bold move. It looked questionable at the time, but it might pay off. If Scottie Barnes and company take a leap, Toronto could be a playoff team. Rumors of KD interest suggest they’re still aiming high.

Utah Jazz

Team Needs:

• Young Players

• Wings

The Jazz were the league’s worst team but only landed the No. 5 pick. They should trade Lauri Markkanen—possibly for the No. 3 pick—and focus on acquiring young talent and draft capital. It’ll be a long road, but the future isn’t hopeless.

Washington Wizards

Team Needs:

• Offense

• PG

Unlike most, I actually like the Wizards’ roster. Drafting Jeremiah Fears at No. 6 would be a home run. They have good young talent and just need to make smart picks and trade some vets. They’re only a couple of years from finishing the rebuild.

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