In the NBA’s second apron era, deep rosters don’t stay deep forever, team identities can flip at a moment’s notice, and money can prompt painful divorces.
This summer alone, the 2026 champion New York Knicks lost beloved backup center Mitchell Robinson, the 2025 champion Oklahoma City Thunder shed three rotation players in cost-cutting trades, and the 2024 champion Boston Celtics traded away Finals MVP Jaylen Brown. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves sacrificed frontcourt depth to assemble a tantalizing backcourt duo, and LeBron James said goodbye to the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons.
Let’s take stock of all 30 teams now that the offseason dust has settled and the preseason is in full swing. With so many salary cap rules preventing teams from aggregating talent, everybody is missing something, even the leading title contenders. But what, exactly, is each team’s biggest hole?
Jump to a team:
ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE
DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND
LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN
NO | NYK | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX
POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTAH | WAS
Roster hole: Superstar centerpiece
The Hawks have methodically constructed a balanced rotation with healthy doses of ballhandling, outside shooting and on-ball defense. After adding championship experience by nabbing Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins from the Oklahoma City Thunder in offseason trades, Atlanta’s biggest question is whether Jalen Johnson can elevate from All-Star to superstar.
The do-everything forward saw his impressive regular-season numbers dip dramatically in a first-round series loss to the Knicks, but he’s still only 24 years old. Can he develop into an offensive fulcrum capable of leading a deep playoff run?
The Hawks can be patient in their assessment as they boast enough salary cap flexibility and draft assets to explore a big-name addition down the road.
Johnson is entering the second year of a team-friendly extension worth $150 million over five seasons, and none of Atlanta’s other core pieces are on the books for more than $25 million this season.
Roster hole: Free throw generator
While the Celtics’ decision to trade Brown for Paul George made sense as a long-term financial play, it created two immediate problems on the court. First, the 36-year-old George played less than half as many minutes as the 29-year-old Brown last season. Second, George attempted only 111 free throws in 2025-26 — a far cry from Brown’s 536, which easily represented a career high.
George’s perimeter shooting and experience playing off high-usage stars should make him a good fit next to Jayson Tatum in coach Joe Mazzulla’s 3-point-heavy system, but Boston will need to find a way to replace Brown’s ability to work inside the arc and draw contact. The Celtics ranked last in free throw attempts last season even though Brown ranked fifth in the NBA.
Tatum is the most obvious candidate to pick up the slack, but he’s still trying to get back to full form after a 2025 Achilles injury. And don’t ask center Mitchell Robinson for help; Boston’s biggest offseason addition shot 40.8% from the stripe last season.
Roster hole: Starting center
Goodbye and good luck to Nic Claxton, who saw a bit of everything during his seven seasons in Brooklyn. The high-efficiency, low-usage center represented the right archetype during the Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden era, but he devolved into a forgotten man during the Nets’ recent rebuild.
Brooklyn sent Claxton to the Chicago Bulls in a multiteam trade that returned three-time All-Star Julius Randle. By pairing Michael Porter Jr. with Randle, the Nets took a meaningful step to boost the 2025-26 season’s worst offense.
But Brooklyn still lacks proven options at center to support its tandem of scoring forwards. Day’Ron Sharpe and Moritz Wagner are career backups, and the Nets appear poised to have a below-average defense for the seventh straight season.
Roster hole: Pass-first organizer
After stunning the NBA by jumping from 29th in offense in 2024-25 to fifth last season, the Hornets pivoted sharply by trading LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves in July. Ball led Charlotte in assists in each of the past six seasons, and his creative playmaking was a signature of the team’s offensive identity.
Charlotte will take a by-committee approach to replace him. Kon Knueppel, Coby White and Dennis Schroder are all hybrid guards who can score and distribute, while forward Brandon Miller has untapped potential as a playmaker for his teammates. The Hornets still have enough offensive weapons to make a more egalitarian approach work, in part because Ball didn’t quite measure up to the league’s best offensive engines in terms of efficiency and impact.
But Hornets coach Charles Lee, a former Celtics assistant, is now faced with a dilemma that has long haunted Boston. While talented wings can help a team get by without a traditional point guard, it can be difficult to execute in late-game situations and in the playoff grind without a table-setter. For now, Charlotte is in position to absorb some growing pains given the youth of its top-end talent.
Roster hole: Perimeter shooters
The Bulls will need some time to refine their roster after slamming the reset button with front office and coaching changes this offseason. New coach Tiago Splitter will emphasize a fast-paced approach with Josh Giddey running point and forwards Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson capable of finishing plays in transition.
But Chicago’s half-court offense will almost certainly struggle due to its limited arsenal of outside shooters. Aside from Norman Powell, a career 39.6% 3-point shooter who arrived from Miami, the Bulls’ projected starters range from “total non-shooter” (Claxton) to “a breakthrough is still possible” (Buzelis). Wilson wasn’t a threat from beyond the arc as a North Carolina freshman, though he excited fans with his impressive marksmanship during his Las Vegas Summer League debut.
White, Ayo Dosunmu, Collin Sexton, Kevin Huerter and Anfernee Simons are all gone after logging minutes for Chicago last season, and Powell can’t be expected to fill such a gaping void on the perimeter by himself. The Bulls ranked 18th in 3-point percentage and sixth in attempts last season. Both rankings will likely drop in 2026-27.
Roster hole: Playoff closer
The Cavaliers’ 2025-26 season slipped away when they blew a 22-point fourth-quarter lead in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Knicks, squandering a 31-point effort by star guard Donovan Mitchell. Unfortunately, that collapse furthered a recent trend of playoff heartbreak for the Cavaliers, who were upset by Tyrese Haliburton’s Indiana Pacers in 2025, swiftly eliminated by the eventual champion Celtics in 2024, and bounced by the Knicks in the 2023 first round.
Though Mitchell reached a new milestone by leading a team to the conference finals for the first time in his nine-year career, Cleveland was left to ponder whether its expensive and veteran-dominated roster will ever be able to get over the hump. Rather than shake up the core group or change coaches, the Cavaliers kept the band together and added forward Peyton Watson to address what had been its biggest starting lineup hole.
Once the Cavaliers elected to run it back, the pressure returned to Mitchell, Harden and Evan Mobley to deliver a Finals run. The 37-year-old Harden showed his age by averaging 4.7 turnovers in the 2026 postseason, and Mobley struggled to take over in close games due to his limited shot-creating ability and range. Mitchell remains Cleveland’s best option to play hero, but his recent playoff track record suggests he’s at risk of being outdueled by rival stars.
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Can the Cavaliers make it out of the East?
Roster hole: Backcourt playmaking
The Mavericks’ new regime took its first steps to reorient the organization around 2025 No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg by hiring coach Dusty May, drafting physical forward Morez Johnson Jr. and trading for 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher. With Kyrie Irving back after missing last season while recovering from knee surgery, Flagg should be a strong All-Star candidate and the Mavericks should be fighting for a play-in tournament spot.
While May has compared Irving to Pablo Picasso, the first-time NBA coach must understand that his dazzling All-Star guard is best deployed in a score-first role. The Mavericks’ grinding offense ranked 27th without Irving last season, but heaping full-time point guard responsibilities on the 34-year-old guard is a recipe for disappointment and additional health concerns. Flagg, 19, should also be spared from the burden of running the offense on a possession-to-possession basis as he continues to mature.
Guard Sergio de Larrea flashed some impressive passing skills at Las Vegas Summer League, but he’s a 20-year-old rookie who played in Spain last season. Don’t be surprised if the Mavericks make a midseason move to add a veteran point guard capable of initiating possessions and making life easier for Flagg and Irving.
Roster hole: Peyton Watson
Let’s not overthink this. The capped-out Nuggets could really use an energetic 24-year-old forward who can defend multiple positions, contribute offensively in a complementary role and shoot 41% on 3-pointers. Well, they had exactly that player in Watson before sending him to the Cavaliers in an August sign-and-trade.
Denver’s decision to prioritize cost cutting made it clear that ownership wasn’t fully committed to competing for a championship. Because the Nuggets received only future draft picks and no replacement wings for Watson, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic must now try to make it work with young guards Christian Braun, Spencer Jones and Julian Strawther.
The Nuggets did add DeMar DeRozan on a veterans minimum contract in free agency, but the 37-year-old forward doesn’t offer the defensive energy or floor spacing needed to properly support the core trio of Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon. Denver is left to hope Braun enjoys a big bounce-back after a poor 2025-26 campaign.
Roster hole: Secondary playmaker
The Pistons filled a $200 million hole in their frontcourt by inking All-Star center Jalen Duren to an extension last week, ending a standoff that lasted all summer. Duren’s return doesn’t guarantee Detroit will be among the East’s top contenders again, but it should prevent the upcoming season from being derailed by drama and hard feelings.
With Cade Cunningham, Duren and Ausar Thompson all in place with long-term contracts, Detroit boasts an elite lead playmaker and an imposing defensive identity. The Pistons also took steps to improve their offensive spacing by adding John Collins and Isaiah Joe this offseason.
But Detroit still lacks a dependable secondary playmaker to support Cunningham. After Tobias Harris departed in free agency, Cunningham was left as the Pistons’ only returning player to average at least 12 points per game in the 2026 playoffs. Thompson, 23, should get more opportunities to create this season, but he must improve his shaky ballhandling and atrocious outside shooting.
Roster hole: Jimmy Butler III
The Warriors were smart to hold training camp in Hawai’i; there’s no better place to forget life’s problems.
Most of Golden State’s shortcomings can be traced back to Butler’s torn ACL, which cut short his 2025-26 campaign in January and is expected to sideline him for the first few months of the upcoming season.
With Butler on the shelf and owed $56.8 million this season, Golden State suffered through a quiet offseason highlighted by an extension for franchise guard Stephen Curry and the arrival of lottery pick Yaxel Lendeborg. The Warriors, who won 37 games last season, struck out in their pursuit of LeBron James and were unable to land any other difference-makers.
Lendeborg, 24, looks poised to assume a starting role, but the Warriors’ playoff hopes will rely on Butler making an immediate impact once he returns. While he declared on media day that he’s posting “staggering” results on his rehabilitation testing, the 37-year-old forward’s offensive game is predicated on physicality and drawing fouls. Modest expectations are in order.
Roster hole: Floor-spacers
Fred VanVleet’s return from a seasonlong knee injury should help improve the Rockets’ flow and stability on offense, but it might not solve their spacing concerns. Houston ranked 28th in 3-point attempts during the 2025-26 regular season and dead last in 3-point percentage during the playoffs.
The Rockets wisely hired renowned shooting coach Chip Engelland away from the Thunder in July, and he will have his hands full. VanVleet is a respectable outside shooter, but Houston won’t reach its ceiling unless it gets dramatic 3-point shooting improvement from Amen Thompson (21.6% last season) and Alperen Sengun (30.5%).
Houston’s relative inactivity this summer suggests its decision-makers are banking on meaningful internal development. The Rockets’ biggest offseason addition was free agent guard Marcus Smart, a veteran stopper with a career 32.4% clip from 3. One young candidate who could help ease the crunch is Reed Sheppard, an undersized guard who has gradually earned more playing time from defensive-minded coach Ime Udoka.
Roster hole: Backup center
The Pacers didn’t sit around last season as they waited for Haliburton to recover from an Achilles injury. Instead, they filled the biggest hole in their lineup by replacing outgoing center Myles Turner with Ivica Zubac. The productive 7-footer, who arrived via a trade with the LA Clippers, should improve Indiana’s rebounding and feast on Haliburton’s brilliant setups.
Otherwise, Indiana stuck with a feisty rotation that stunned the basketball world during a 2025 Finals run. Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, T.J. McConnell, Obi Toppin and Jarace Walker are all still in place and ready to flank their electric point guard.
The Pacers’ questionable interior depth, which was exposed at times by the Thunder during the 2025 Finals, remains a concern. Indiana’s frontcourt was regularly bullied last season, and coach Rick Carlisle doesn’t have many great options behind Zubac. If Haliburton hits the ground running and has the Pacers back in the playoff picture, perhaps the front office can line up some fortifications at the trade deadline.
“Roster” hole: Steve Ballmer
No team has a bigger hole to fill than the Clippers, who must operate without Ballmer after the NBA handed him a yearlong suspension in September following an investigation into salary cap circumvention. Until Ballmer’s suspension runs its course, LA-based attorney John S. Gibson, a Clippers season-ticket holder, will serve as the team’s interim governor.
Ballmer, the NBA’s richest owner, has been active and engaged throughout his tenure, and his absence will loom large over a franchise in transition. LA has entered a rebuilding cycle after trading Kawhi Leonard (to Toronto), Harden (to Cleveland) and Zubac (to Indiana) since February, but the Clippers’ ability to replenish took a big hit when they were forced to forfeit five first-round picks as part of the league’s punishment.
The new-look Clippers, who will open the season without injured forwards Brandon Ingram and Max Strus, project as a lottery team due to their lack of size, physicality and cohesion. Beyond this season, it’s hard to imagine the franchise will be able to chart a clear course until Ballmer is back in the saddle.
Roster hole: Proven starting forwards
Look, there’s going to be a little less positional certainty whenever LeBron departs. Rather than target a single replacement for the four-time MVP, the Lakers invested their resources into re-signing guard Austin Reaves, acquiring starting center Walker Kessler and compiling a grab-bag collection of unproven forwards with varying skill sets.
In his season tipoff news conference, Lakers coach JJ Redick said that both starting forward spots would be up for grabs. Redick’s long list of options includes Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Ziaire Williams, Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt and Adou Thiero.
Regardless of who wins the job, the Lakers will ask both forwards to function as high-activity defenders and auxiliary options in an offense led by Luka Doncic and Reaves. As the season unfolds, Redick will be in position to compensate for his lack of standout forwards by extending his rotation with a “quantity over quality” approach.
Roster hole: High-usage scorers
How quickly did Memphis undertake a complete roster makeover? When the 2024-25 Grizzlies won 48 games and reached the playoffs, they had four players average at least nine shots per game. All four — Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane and Santi Aldama — will be playing elsewhere this season.
This season will be spent defining roles and figuring out which of the next generation of Grizzlies should be taking all those available shots. Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo has prioritized pace, ball movement and scoring balance, so don’t be surprised if his team’s pecking order needs time to materialize.
Cameron Boozer, the No. 3 pick in June’s draft, will likely be given a green light as a scorer and playmaker, and Cedric Coward, a 2025 lottery pick, should get the opportunity to smooth out the rough edges in his offensive game. From there, Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr. are a functional guard duo, while veteran forward Jerami Grant arrives from Portland with several years of experience as a volume scorer on bad teams.
Roster hole: Backcourt creators
Naturally, Miami’s roster tilts toward the frontcourt thanks to the new pairing of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. The All-Star big men give the Heat an imposing foundation on both ends, and they will create nightly matchup problems for opponents.
To ensure Antetokounmpo has sufficient room to operate offensively, the Heat prioritized perimeter shooting by signing free agents Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. and by drafting Ryan Conwell in the second round. But Miami’s offense is still at risk of bogging down because its rotation is light on backcourt creators.
Davion Mitchell, a 2021 lottery pick who cut his teeth as a defensive stopper, is the roster’s X factor and should see an expanded role as an initiator. Past that, coach Erik Spoelstra will likely need to lean on Adebayo’s capable passing to compensate for a guard rotation that’s short on pop after trading Tyler Herro in the Antetokounmpo deal.
Roster hole: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Antetokounmpo’s departure for Miami after 13 seasons in Milwaukee left a Grand Canyon-sized hole in the Bucks’ rotation and in the city’s heart. After years as a perennial playoff team, Milwaukee is plunging into a rebuild with a quality new coach in Taylor Jenkins and an incredibly random roster.
Really, the Bucks have two rosters mashed into one: There are the holdover role players (Myles Turner, Gary Trent Jr., Kevin Porter Jr.) who were collected to help Antetokounmpo win in recent years, and then new role players (Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis) from Miami who made up the return package for the two-time MVP. Outside of Herro, a borderline All-Star guard, there’s not much in the way of top-end talent. And Bucks fans will shudder if the inconsistent Kyle Kuzma steps into Antetokounmpo’s starting power forward spot.
Given that there’s no way to replace or quickly move on from a franchise icon, Milwaukee’s attention should shift to carefully tracking the development of 2026 lottery picks Brayden Burries and Nate Ament. Ryan Rollins, a scoring guard who emerged as a pleasant surprise last season, should also help provide some cheery moments amidst the gloom.
Roster hole: Frontcourt depth
Many of the best playoff moments from this highly successful era of Timberwolves basketball came courtesy of a deep frontcourt rotation that could wear down Nuggets star Nikola Jokic and overwhelm less physical opponents. First, it was Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid. Then, it was Gobert, Reid and Julius Randle.
Now it’s just the 34-year-old Gobert and some fresh faces. Minnesota shifted course this summer by sacrificing some of its frontcourt depth to acquire guard LaMelo Ball. The Timberwolves had needed another backcourt creator next to franchise guard Anthony Edwards for years, so the pivot solved one problem even as it potentially opened a new one.
Without Reid and Randle, the Timberwolves will turn to 2025 first-round pick Joan Beringer as a backup to Gobert. The 19-year-old French center was a Las Vegas Summer League standout, but he still must prove he can handle all the responsibilities that come with rotation minutes in the playoffs. Minnesota will also need Gobert’s excellent availability to continue in his 14th season: The four-time Defensive Player of the Year has appeared in at least 70 games each of the past four seasons.
Roster hole: Franchise player
Zion Williamson offered a candid self-assessment on media day as he prepared to enter his eighth season: “I’m not where I want to be. I’m not where I need to be.”
It’s safe to say that just about everyone shares his disappointment.
The Pelicans weathered several injury-plagued seasons and have given Williamson every opportunity to lead a winner. While last season represented a step forward from an availability standpoint, Williamson’s lack of 3-point range and defensive limitations undercut his powerful scoring ability and athletic tools. Even if the 2019 No. 1 pick played all 82 games, it’s unclear whether he could achieve the superstar potential that many analysts envisioned when he was a Duke standout.
Sticking with Williamson has left New Orleans juggling lineup fit questions and competing interests. The Pelicans need to play a center alongside Williamson to support him defensively, but that cramps offensive spacing. They need to put the ball in his hands, but that can come at the expense of their scoring-minded guards. The Pelicans’ problems start at the top.
Roster hole: Backup center
The Knicks will enjoy exceptional continuity as they launch their title defense, returning nine of the top 10 players from their 2025 Finals rotation. What’s more, New York’s returning players logged 93.7% of the minutes during the team’s five-game Finals win over the Spurs. It’s hard to beat that.
Of course, the lone departure of significance was backup center Mitchell Robinson. With Knicks owner James Dolan signaling his desire to avoid the second apron, the beloved rebounding specialist signed a three-year, $47 million contract with the Celtics after eight years in New York. The Knicks then filled his spot by inking Andre Drummond to a one-year, $3.9 million deal.
Will the difference between Robinson and Drummond cost New York its chance at back-to-back championships? Probably not. But New York will have a tougher time weathering any absences from Towns.
Roster hole: Wemby-stopper
The Thunder traded three of their seven players who logged at least 1,400 minutes last season and somehow remain the NBA’s most complete team, even though they only got draft picks in return. That feels impossible.
Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain are poised for larger roles after the departures of Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, and Oklahoma City added 2026 lottery pick Aday Mara to a deep and balanced frontcourt rotation. Of course, the Thunder are also counting on standouts Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein to enjoy better health than they did last season.
Even with all that talent around two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder don’t have a great singular answer for defending Spurs star Victor Wembanyama. Chet Holmgren should be motivated to bounce back after an underwhelming showing in the West finals, but Oklahoma City has had more success getting physical with “The Alien” with a rotating crew that includes Hartenstein, Alex Caruso and Jaylin Williams. While the 7-foot-3 Mara presents another supersized option, Wembanyama clearly remains the biggest obstacle in Oklahoma City’s title path.
Roster hole: Traditional point guard
Here’s a telling nugget: 57 different players have averaged at least six assists per game since 2018-19, but none of them did so while playing for the Magic. In related news, Orlando hasn’t ranked higher than 12th in offensive efficiency during that period.
Jalen Suggs looked like he would be the answer to the Magic’s distribution problems when he was a top-five pick in 2021, but he’s evolved into a defense-and-energy archetype as opposed to a two-way traditional point guard. That has forced forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner to pick up some of the playmaking duties with mixed results.
Given that Orlando changed coaches this summer, the onus is on Banchero and Wagner to prove they can lift Orlando’s offense to greater heights. If the so-so results continue, the Magic should consider reconfiguring their core with a lead guard who knows how to get everyone involved. It’s been a while.
Roster hole: Joel Embiid injury insurance
In their narrow first-round series win over Boston, the 76ers were plus-6 with Embiid, minus-20 with Andre Drummond and minus-27 with Dominick Barlow. Simply put, Philadelphia was just good enough to prevail when its franchise center was on the court and largely struggled to get by when his backups were called into duty.
Drummond departed for the Knicks this summer and newcomer Ariel Hukporti tore his Achilles in the preseason, leaving only Barlow and Adem Bona to provide depth behind the oft-injured Embiid. While the 76ers loaded up by adding LeBron James and Jaylen Brown this summer, they’re still at risk of being exploited inside when Embiid inevitably misses time.
James could potentially step in to play center in small ball lineups, but 76ers coach Nick Nurse will want to limit the wear and tear on the 41-year-old star during the regular season. Assuming the 76ers live up to expectations as one of the East’s top contenders, they should spend trade season scouring the center market.
Roster hole: Center
The Suns have tried to get by with budget-friendly centers as they rework their roster following Kevin Durant’s 2025 departure. But that strategy took a hit in September when starter Mark Williams, the team’s leader in rebounds and blocks last season, underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum.
With Williams expected to miss several months, coach Jordan Ott must turn to backups Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach, who have combined for just 31 starts in their brief NBA careers. Ighodaro, 24, is a fluid and versatile option who fits Ott’s high-pressure style, while Maluach, 20, earned rave reviews at Las Vegas Summer League in July.
Unfortunately, the 6-foot-11 Ighodaro lacks the traditional size needed to handle the league’s most physical centers, and the 7-1 Maluach must prove he has the stamina to make a meaningful impact after logging just 411 minutes as a rookie. The Suns’ hopes of building on an unexpected 2026 playoff appearance are in jeopardy: They played at a 46-win pace with Williams in the lineup and a 41-win pace when he was sidelined last season.
Roster hole: Sure hands
The Blazers led the NBA with 17.3 turnovers per game last season, a full 1.5 more than No. 2 Brooklyn. Remarkably, the gap between Portland and Brooklyn was equal to the gap between Brooklyn and the Sacramento Kings, who ranked 18th in the league with 14.3 turnovers per game. Everyone from All-Star wing Deni Avdija to rookie center Yang Hansen contributed to the gross display of giveaways.
This could be a tricky problem to fix, given that Portland will deploy a new offensive system under first-time coach Micah Nori and add veteran guards Damian Lillard and Ja Morant to a crowded backcourt. Lillard is getting back up to speed after missing last season with an Achilles injury, and Morant led the Grizzlies with 3.6 turnovers per game last season. With changing roles, lineups and systems, it’s probably best to brace for turbulence early in the season.
There is a chance, however, that Lillard’s experience running the show will eventually make life easier for Avdija, Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson. Avdija was overtaxed as a do-everything point forward last year, and Holiday and Henderson are best used in off-ball, defense-first roles.
Roster hole: Plus defenders
The Kings should be applauded for plucking Ben Simmons out of Australia’s competitive fishing scene and giving him a shot to revive his NBA career. While the 2016 No. 1 overall pick has a lot to prove after sitting out last season, Sacramento’s interest is an acknowledgment that it must explore every option to improve a dismal defense.
Sacramento ranked 28th in defensive efficiency last season and could drop even further this season with a roster that’s light on point-of-attack stoppers and rim protectors. Domantas Sabonis’ return from knee surgery should help improve Sacramento’s rebounding, but the backcourt pairing of rookie Darius Acuff Jr. and Zach LaVine won’t provide nearly enough resistance.
Russell Westbrook and DeMar DeRozan departed this summer, which could set the stage for a wider roster overhaul over the next 12 months. LaVine and De’Andre Hunter both hold large expiring contracts, and Sacramento should focus on surrounding the talented Acuff with as many young, versatile defenders as possible.
Roster hole: Closer
After a demoralizing Finals loss, the Spurs took a clear-eyed approach to fine-tuning their rotation. San Antonio addressed the weak link in its starting lineup by landing Tobias Harris to provide additional size and scoring pop at power forward.
In the draft, the Spurs selected big men Tarris Reed Jr. and Jayden Quaintance (sidelined indefinitely after knee surgery) to add size and toughness behind franchise center Victor Wembanyama and backup Luke Kornet. San Antonio carried too many aging 7-footers last season, and its new frontcourt pieces should enjoy a long runway to develop alongside the 22-year-old Wembanyama.
With all their kinks worked out on paper, the Spurs can turn their attention to the late-game collapses that doomed them in the Finals. Wembanyama must display better shot selection, decision-making and stamina when the game is on the line, but the Spurs must also decide which of their talented guards should be on the court during crunch time. De’Aaron Fox hardly looked like the 2023 Clutch Player of the Year during the Finals, and 2025 lottery pick Dylan Harper appeared to have the skill set and temperament to put a team on his back when needed.
Roster hole: Center versatility
The Raptors moved off one regrettable contract when they traded Brandon Ingram for Kawhi Leonard, but Jakob Poeltl remains on the books for $104 million over the next four seasons. While the 7-foot center occupies the paint and works hard on the glass, he lacks the ability to stretch the court and doesn’t function as a facilitator.
Those limitations led Toronto to reduce Poeltl’s playoff minutes in favor of more versatile lineups. Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles excel at defending taller and longer opponents, and the Raptors’ defense was at its best when coach Darko Rajakovic deployed the forwards together without Poeltl.
But those small ball configurations will take a toll on Barnes, who will continue to carry a heavy offensive load even after Leonard’s arrival. Given that the Raptors lost a small ball center option when Sandro Mamukelashvili signed with the Lakers in free agency, they should prioritize adding another alternative to Poeltl before the playoffs.
Roster hole: Perimeter defense
The Jazz, who seem poised to turn the corner after a lengthy rebuilding period, have a deep collection of scoring talent. Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Keyonte George have all averaged 20 points per game, and recent lottery picks Darryn Peterson and Ace Bailey have the potential to hit that mark in the future.
But the most pressing question is whether Jackson can help lead a defensive turnaround after Utah ranked 29th last season. The Jazz traded projected starting center Walker Kessler to the Lakers this summer, betting that Jackson, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, and veteran center Jusuf Nurkic will be able to hold down the backline.
That plan should work if both big men can stay reasonably healthy, but Utah’s perimeter defense is a different matter. George is a minus defender who is easily targeted by opposing guards; Peterson projects as a two-way standout, but he’s still a 19-year-old rookie adjusting to the NBA game. While the Jazz nabbed stopper Josh Okogie in free agency, additional reinforcements will likely be necessary as this young core grows together.
Roster hole: Winning mentality
The Wizards enter the season with their most talented roster in years after selecting AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick and trading for All-Stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis last season. While Washington didn’t make any splashy moves after the draft, they brought back wise veteran Khris Middleton and filled out their frontcourt rotation with center Deandre Ayton.
Draftniks will marvel that the Wizards have accumulated three No. 1 overall picks (Davis, Ayton and Dybantsa), a No. 2 pick (Alex Sarr), a No. 5 pick (Young), a No. 6 pick (Tre Johnson), a No. 7 pick (Bilal Coulibaly) and a No. 14 pick (Bub Carrington). Remarkably, former lottery picks account for more than half of Washington’s 15-man roster.
But Carrington hit on the central challenge of Washington’s season when he told WUSA9 recently that the team’s young players had been “held back” last season as the franchise maximized its chances to land Dybantsa. Flipping the switch from “tanking” to “trying hard” is more difficult than it sounds, especially for a franchise with so little recent success.
It’s time for the entire Wizards organization to get serious about making progress in the standings.
