The NBA Draft is over, and we are now headed for free agency. Many franchises have a chance to make a huge splash this summer and turn into legitimate contenders. But one mistake could have them in the lottery next season. The draft is a great start for these teams, and they are only looking to continue building throughout free agency. Which teams are headed for huge off-seasons?
NBA Teams headed for Make or Break Off-Seasons
Miami Heat: I cannot figure out how it happened, but the Heat were able to land Justise Winslow in the draft. This was arguably the steal of the draft. While he is going to be a great player, the Heat have three bigger issues at hand: Goran Dragic, Luol Deng, and Dwyane Wade. Dragic is a solid point guard who seems to be enjoying his time in Miami. The Heat will offer him a big contract, so I expect him to stay. Deng recently opted in to his contract, which is a positive for the Heat. For Wade, it is a tricky situation. He has been the heart and soul of the Heat for 12 years. He loves the city, the fans, and the success he has had with the franchise. In his 12 years with the franchise, Wade has never been the highest paid player on his team. He has taken many sacrifices for the team financially, and it is time he gets paid. It is very possible Wade is not in a Heat uniform next season. He has a friend down in Cleveland who might be making some phone calls.
Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers could be one of the biggest off-season winners if everything pans out their way. They decided to draft D’Angelo Russell over Jahlil Okafor, and it was the right move going forward. Russell is arguably the best player of the draft class and has a sense of confidence that Kobe Bryant will enjoy working with. The biggest free agent target for the Lakers is LaMarcus Aldridge, and it seems that they are the favorite to sign him right now. Adding one of the best power forwards in the game would be huge for the franchise, especially without having to give up any young talent such as Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle. If Aldridge decides to go to L.A., they have a legitimate shot of making the playoffs next year.
New York Knicks: I feel pretty bad for anyone who is a Knicks fan right now. Phil Jackson has promised so much for the Knicks franchise, and has not kept any of those promises. They were not even able to get a top three pick in the draft. The fans should be a little more excited about Kristaps Porzingis. He was one of the best players in Europe and has drawn comparison to Dirk Nowitzki. He may take a few years to develop, but the future could be very bright for him. Jerian Grant was great at Notre Dame and could have an impact his rookie year. Although there are few reports of big-time free agents are considering the Knicks, players such as Aaron Afflalo and Greg Monroe are highly considering going to New York. These are two very talented and respected players who could help this team reach the playoffs. But if the situation only gets worse, the idea of trading Carmelo Anthony should be considered. Anthony is one of the best players in the league and should not be apart of a rebuilding process. But at the same time, this is what can happen when a player decides to take money over winning.
Portland Trail Blazers: The Trail Blazers could easily be the biggest off-season losers. All signs point to Aldridge leaving, and everyone on their starting lineup is a free agent other than Damian Lillard. Nicolas Batum has already been traded, and it seems that the Trail Blazers are preparing for the worst. I will not be surprised to see Wesley Matthews leave. He is a great shooter and defender and may not want to stick around much longer. Many teams are interested in Matthews. They were able to bring in Gerald Henderson, Noah Vonleh, and Mason Plumlee. These are all good players, but it is definitely a downgrade from last season. This off-season could make the Trail Blazers go from a title contender to missing the playoffs next.
Dallas Mavericks: The Rajon Rondo experiment was more than a failure, and the Mavericks suffered another first round exit. Rondo was gone after game 2, and Monta Ellis and Tyson Chandler could also be on their way out. Chandler is expected to leave Dallas and the Bucks are the favorites to sign him as of now. Ellis could thrive on another team and has received interest from many teams. The Mavericks are the favorites to sign DeAndre Jordan, but it would not be as big of an upgrade as people expect. The Mavericks lack at the point guard position and Jordan relies on point guards. His post game is non-existent and will only score on alley oops. Jordan should make the right choice and stay in Los Angeles. The Mavericks have a chance of possibly missing the playoffs next season.
All of these teams will be very active throughout the off-season. We will have to wait to see if these teams make the right moves.
