With the playoffs right around the corner, the top teams in both conferences have stepped up their sense of urgency as they look to finish strong and build some momentum heading in to the postseason. For the teams that are bound for a lottery pick in the NBA Draft, the final weeks of the regular season are only a formality with one eye already on the offseason and what they must do to turn things around. Each team has specific needs and will do their best to use draft picks and cap space in order to address them with some needs more important than others. Here is a look at the top offseason priority for the five worst teams in the NBA right now.
Philadelphia 76ers (9-59)
Biggest Need: Guard Help
The 76ers have assembled an impressive cast of young big men in Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor, Joel Embiid and Dario Saric, but it’s clear they still need a lot of help on the perimeter. The jury is still out on Robert Covington, Nik Stauskas and Ish Smith, but it’s clear the biggest need for Philadelphia is to address a backcourt that has scored the fourth-fewest points in the NBA this season. The 76ers have four first round picks in the upcoming NBA Draft as well as a ton of cap space so they will have no excuse not to add some help at the guard positions this offseason.
Los Angeles Lakers (14-54)
Biggest Need: A Star Big Man
The Lakers have accelerated their rebuilding process with back-to-back seasons in the NBA’s bottom five. Rookie first round pick D’Angelo Russell looks like a star in the making while Jordan Clarkson has picked up from where he left off after finishing as a first-team All-Rookie last season. Factor in the presence of 2014 first round pick Julius Randle and it’s clear Los Angeles has some impressive young pieces to build around. The key heading in to this offseason will be to address the one area where they are lacking at this point. The Lakers have allowed an average of 109.7 points per 100 possessions, which is the worst mark in the association this season. A big part of the problem is the lack of defensive stopper on the interior, where Randle and Roy Hibbert have been their starters. Randle has a bright future, but Hibbert is only a stop-gap option and LA could really use an upgrade at the position. The Lakers could use some help on the wing as well, but right now their priority should be finding a quality young big man that can thrive for years to come.
Phoenix Suns (18-50)
Biggest Need: A Core Wing
Phoenix has fallen off a cliff since December and while their situation isn’t as bad as the Nets they definitely need to figure out the direction they want to head in. Brandon Knight, Eric Bledsoe and Tyson Chandler can still be key pieces, but not if they compromise the development of young stars like rookie Devin Booker, Archie Goodwin and Alex Len. The Suns could be wise to move Chandler and Bledsoe for some combination of picks and young players to add to their impressive list of bargaining chips that already includes as many as three first round picks. Booker and Len can be core franchise pieces, but Phoenix has to decide what to do with their remaining talent including Knight and Bledsoe. The Suns will have the opportunity to address their biggest need and find a core wing at the NBA Draft. They need to make the most out of their picks, but they could also explore the trade route and free agency when it comes to adding to their roster.
Brooklyn Nets (19-49)
Biggest Need: A Young Star
An argument can be made that the Nets are in the worst position of any team on this list thanks to the combination of a severe lack of talent and no top picks in this year’s NBA Draft. Brooklyn currently has the fourth-best chance to land the top pick in the draft, but that selection already belongs to the Boston Celtics as one of several debts owed for the 2013 trade that landed Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce on the Nets. Brooklyn is also severely lacking in young talent, even with rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson who is a strong defender, but isn’t an elite offensive talent. Shane Larkin and Thomas Robinson are both journeymen. Brook Lopez is a strong option at center, but he is 28-years-old and it’s hard to imagine him being a key player by the time the Nets are good again. It appears as though things will get a lot worse before they get better for Brooklyn, but if they can find a way to lock in a young talent with high upside using the $40 million they have in cap space it would represent a significant step forward on the long road to rebuilding.
Minnesota Timberwolves (21-45)
Biggest Need: Perimeter Scorer
Minnesota has assembled some impressive talent over the years led by reigning Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins and the favorite to win that award this year in Karl-Anthony Towns. Zach LaVine, Shabazz Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng appear to fit in to the team’s long-term plans as key pieces while the jury is still out on what they plan to do with Ricky Rubio. The Timberwolves’ biggest need heading in to the offseason is clearly finding some perimeter scoring to compliment the athleticism that remains the biggest strength of their core group. Wiggins and Muhammad aren’t the type of players that can stretch the floor and LaVine can’t be the best three-point shooter on a playoff team. Minnesota has taken several steps in the right direction, but their biggest need now is a three-point shooter that can stretch the floor.
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