The Toronto Raptors might very well have won the Atlantic division by default in 2014-15 as the only team with a record better than .500. The Boston Celtics overachieved in a transition year and the Brooklyn Nets took a major step back while the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks were two of the worst teams in the NBA. Suffice to say, all five teams have a lot of work to do heading in to this offseason.
Toronto Raptors (49-33)
- UFAs: Amir Johnson, Lou Williams, Tyler Hansbrough, Landry Fields, Greg Stiemsma, Chuck Hayes
- RFAs: None
- Team/Player Options: None
Fields and Hayes combined to make just over $12 million last season and while they could opt to bring back Hayes at a lesser price, there is little chance Fields will be back in Toronto. He was nothing more than a waste of money over the last three seasons. Johnson and Hansbrough are the power forward free agents with Johnson in particular set to cash in.
However, it’s not likely that Toronto views him as a starter, which might mean they let someone else give him the big pay day. The Raptors main priority love to have Williams back if he is willing to return but he’s due for a big raise after becoming the Sixth Man of the Year. The more likely scenario has them trying to replace him after he leaves to join a legitimate NBA title contender this offseason.
Boston Celtics (40-42)
- UFAs: Brandon Bass, Jonas Jerebko
- RFAs: Luigi Datome, Jae Crowder
- Team/Player Options: Phil Pressey, Chris Babb
The Celtics overachieved to a degree in their first year under head coach Brad Stevens and they will be in a position to add this summer if they can attract some notable free agents. As far as addressing their own is concerns, it seems as though Bass has settled in to Boston with his family and would love to stay there, so he should be back. Datome is still a project that’s worth keeping around and Crowder is nothing more than a bench body. However, both should return on the cheap.
Brooklyn Nets (38-44)
- UFAs: None
- RFAs: Mirza Teletovic, Jerome Jordan
- Team/Player Options: Brook Lopez, Thaddeus Young, Earl Clark, Darius Morris, Markel Brown, Cory Jefferson
The Nets still managed to make the playoffs despite taking a major step back and while GM Billy King would have been willing to move Lopez if he could unload Deron Williams’ contract with it, he still wants to bring him back after he failed to make a trade. Lopez should return it’s possible he opts out. There are a number of teams that would pay a talented big man. If he leaves, the Nets wouldn’t mind as they are trying to shed salary. Young and Teletovic should be priorities but with so much money already committed to their players, King will have some tough decisions to make when it comes to Brooklyn’s roster.
Philadelphia 76ers (18-64)
- UFAs: Luc Mbah a Moute, Thomas Robinson, Ish Smith, Jason Richardson
- RFAs: Henry Sims, Glenn Robinson III
- Team/Player Options: Robert Covington, Hollis Thompson, Jakaar Sampson, Isaiah Canaan
Covington, Thompson and Sampson all have non-guaranteed deals but are likely to be back as well as Canaan, whose $947K salary is almost fully guaranteed. The 76ers would love to bring back Sims and Robinson III as they are all young players that are still growing. Richardson is likely gone as it doesn’t make sense to invest millions into a veteran while Smith could be on his way out as well depending on what Philadelphia does with its first-round pick. The 76ers are committed to their long-term rebuild, so don’t expect them to be very active in free agency beyond addressing their own players.
New York Knicks (17-65)
- UFAs: Andrea Bargnani, Jason Smith, Shane Larkin, Cole Aldrich, Lance Thomas
- RFAs: Alexey Shved, Quincy Acy, Travis Wear
- Team/Player Options: Langston Galloway
Bargnani will never live up to his billing as a former No. 1 pick but after making a ton of money throughout his career, there is a chance he returns to New York for lesser money based on the fact that he loves the city and is comfortable with the team. The Knicks enter this offseason with a ton of cap space and one of the top picks in the 2015 NBA Draft so how their offseason plans unfold will determine which free agents they bring back. Perhaps the one other player on this list that New York will make a priority this offseason is Galloway, who looked good in a limited role this past year and will not cost a lot of money as a potential back up point guard.
