LA Clippers – Acquire D’Angelo Russell
The LA Clippers are going to return to the ranks of being a contender for the 2022-23 season. They will have Kawhi Leonard and Paul George back in the lineup healthy with an excellent group of role players around them. This is a group that will challenge for the NBA Championship.
The only thing they are truly missing is another ball handler. By the end of the season, Reggie Jackson was the only point guard on the roster and they will alleviate that issue by acquiring D’Angelo Russell from the Minnesota Timberwolves. He will split point guard duties with Jackson, taking playmaking pressure off of Leonard and George.
Los Angeles Lakers – Find Russell Westbrook Taker
A lot of this offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers will hinge on what happens with Russell Westbrook. Will they be able to hit the reset button on that deal from last season and bring in some better-fitting pieces around LeBron James and Anthony Davis?
It won’t be easy, or cheap, but the Lakers will eventually find a taker for Westbrook. It will cost them at least one first-round pick and Talen Horton-Tucker to get the deal done, or two first-round picks being attached to Westbrook. It is a steep price, but it is something that needs to get done if the Lakers want to have any chance of getting things back on track.
Memphis Grizzlies – Acquire An All-Star via Trade
The Memphis Grizzlies were showing signs of improvement with their performance in the 2021 NBA Play-In Tournament and postseason, but the jump they made this season was unexpected. They came out of nowhere to earn the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference this past season and should continue building on that.
Last offseason, they operated similarly to how a rebuilding team would, taking on some contracts for draft capital. This offseason, they will take a big swing and add some talent to the roster. They will add an All-Star to the mix, helping keep them among the true contenders in the league.
Miami Heat – Trade Duncan Robinson
The Miami Heat is an organization that isn’t afraid to make a big move. If they feel it can put them closer to winning a championship, they will strongly consider making a deal. This offseason that blockbuster trade won’t materialize, but they will still shake things up.
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Miami will find a trade involving sharpshooter Duncan Robinson. Robinson signed a five-year, $90 million deal last offseason but things didn’t go his way during the 2021-22 season. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Max Strus and eventually lost his rotation spot in the postseason. Now, the Heat will look to cut their losses and fill a hole on their roster by moving him.
Milwaukee Bucks – Shop Brook Lopez
The 2021-22 season ended on a big what-if for the Milwaukee Bucks, who lost Khris Middleton to an injury in the first round against the Chicago Bulls. Without him in the lineup, they lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round. Had Middleton been in the lineup, things could have been different, so there likely won’t be drastic moves made this offseason.
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Instead, the Bucks will look for a team that is interested in trading for Brook Lopez. The Bucks were without him nearly the entire season as he underwent a back procedure after opening night. With potential needs on the wing and in the backcourt, the Bucks will see if Lopez is enough to acquire one.
Minnesota Timberwolves – Sign Kyle Anderson
One of the most surprising teams during the 2021-22 season was the Minnesota Timberwolves. They won their first game in the NBA Play-In Tournament to earn the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference. While they lost in the first round to the Memphis Grizzlies, they gave them everything they could handle.
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This offseason they will be on the lookout for some help in the frontcourt and will find it in the form of Kyle Anderson. The versatile forward can fill a multitude of roles for Minnesota, as he is an improved 3-point shooter, solid playmaker and strong defender. That kind of glue guy is something the Timberwolves would love to add to the mix.
