We’re less than a week into the NBA offseason, but most teams in the league have already had some time to formulate their plans for the summer and dial in on some potential changes that can be made to improve their respective chances at winning a championship (SEE EARLY ODDS HERE).
With two looming superpowers in the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs out west and the newly crowned powerhouse that is the New York Knicks back east, there’s no question that a handful of teams need to have a meaningfully successful offseason to have any shot at reaching the top of the mountain next year.
Which teams would benefit most from shaking things up this offseason? Let’s break it down.
Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic’s performance this past season proved he’s still among the three best players on the planet and could still very well be the best after the 2026 playoffs left us with no foregone conclusion. One thing that’s clear, however, is that this current iteration of a supporting cast in Denver is just not going to cut it.
Moving on from Cam Johnson is an obvious move the Nuggets can make, but it wouldn’t be at all shocking to see Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon hit the trade block as well. Both of those names could bring in an intriguing haul should Denver elect to part ways with them. Either way, the Nuggets are going to have to put a better roster around Jokic if they want to maximize the remaining years of his prime. Moving on from Murray is something the Nuggets probably won’t do at this juncture, but Gordon is a prime candidate given the reported interest from other teams around the league. What can they expect in return?
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers’ Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Knicks in five games proved that they need to take a bigger swing than acquiring an aging James Harden, at least if they want to overcome the postseason shortcomings that have defined this era. It was an interesting decision to retain Kenny Atkinson after how helpless he and his team looked in the Knicks series despite being “analytically better” (his words, not mine).
The Cavs aren’t going to move on from Harden despite another disappearing act in the postseason, but they do have the assets to bring in an additional starter or a few key role players that could provide much needed depth off the bench. Cleveland only had four players average double-digits in scoring during the postseason, and their lack of scoring depth was a big reason why New York was able to beat them so decisively.
Milwaukee Bucks
I know it’s hard to see a once beautiful marriage lay in shambles, but the situation between Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks became untenable a long time ago. Thankfully, it seems like a foregone conclusion that Giannis will be sent to either Miami or Boston, finally putting an end to a saga that has frankly plagued the organization for multiple seasons now.
It’s imperative that the Bucks get a package for Antetokounmpo that allows them to rebuild seamlessly, even if that means involving a third team to try and get a Thunder-like stockpile of draft picks in return. One player that could end up in Milwaukee is the hometown kid Tyler Herro, who would almost certainly have to be included in whatever package Miami offers. The moves the Bucks make around Giannis’ imminent exit are also going to be key, and will go a long way toward determining whether it will be a long rebuild or a quick rehabilitation once he’s gone.
Editor’s Pick
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