Brooklyn Nets
Needs: Foundational pieces to build around
Picks: 6, 33, 43
Five first-round picks. That’s what Brooklyn had last season, and they came away with nobody who looks like a surefire long-term cornerstone. Egor Demin was the only one of the five to average double-digit points, nobody averaged more than five rebounds, and nobody averaged four assists. It’s not as if they were buried behind a stacked veteran lineup either. Opportunities were there, and nobody truly broke through. The ironic part is that four of their first-round selections last year were guards, and most of the players projected around pick No. 6 this year are guards as well. It will be interesting to see what approach Brooklyn takes. Do they simply take the best player available, or do they prioritize fit and hope it works out? Taking a guard still makes the most sense because they need talent across the board, but I wouldn’t rule out the Nets taking someone like Nate Ament and betting on their development staff to unlock his immense upside.
The roster appears relatively set heading into next season, with the biggest additions likely coming through the draft. At pick No. 6, selecting one of the lead guards such as Darius Acuff, Mikel Brown, Brayden Burries, Keaton Wagler, or Kingston Flemings feels like the most logical path given Brooklyn’s need for top-end talent. There is a strong argument that the Nets should simply ignore positional concerns altogether and take whichever prospect they believe has the highest ceiling. They are still searching for a future star, and finding one matters far more than worrying about roster balance at this stage of the rebuild.
At the top of the second round, they could look at prospects such as Tarris Reed Jr., Alex Karaban, or Dailyn Swain. Brooklyn is unlikely to turn things around overnight. This offseason should be focused on accumulating as much young talent as possible and hoping a few pieces emerge as long-term building blocks. Until they find that foundational player, every decision should be centered around maximizing upside.
Toronto Raptors
Needs: Shooting, rebounding
Picks: 19, 50
The Raptors have assembled an intriguing core, but they still lack some of the connective pieces needed to maximize the roster. Scottie Barnes remains the centerpiece as a versatile do-it-all player who logs heavy minutes, making it important to surround him with players who complement his game. Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett are both capable scorers who can create offense for themselves or operate off the ball, while Collin Murray-Boyles finished the season strongly and appears poised for a larger role moving forward.
The biggest priorities remain shooting and rebounding. Toronto needs more floor spacing to create driving lanes for Barnes, Ingram, and Barrett while also improving its ability to control the glass. Barnes is at his best when surrounded by players who can stretch defenses and allow him room to attack. Rebounding remains another issue for a team that often struggled to finish possessions consistently. At No. 19, prospects such as Jayden Quaintance, Morez Johnson Jr., or Luigi Suigo could receive strong consideration if the Raptors look to address those concerns.
Because of Toronto’s size across the lineup, any perimeter shooter they add will ideally be capable of defending opposing point guards as well. Those players can be difficult to find, meaning some of those needs may ultimately be addressed through free agency rather than the draft. It will be difficult for Toronto to overtake the Eastern Conference elite next season, but improving the margins through better shooting, stronger rebounding, and a bit of injury luck could put the Raptors in position to compete for home-court advantage in the first round.
Philadelphia 76ers
Needs: Health, center
Picks: 22
What do you do if you’re Philadelphia? Joel Embiid remains one of the league’s most dominant players when healthy and engaged. The problem is that counting on him for a full season has become increasingly unrealistic. Entering his age-32 season, there is little reason to believe the injury concerns will suddenly disappear. Do you continue building around him knowing he may only be available for half the year? Do you explore trade options despite knowing his value will never match his on-court impact? Or do you shift the organizational focus toward Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe while treating Embiid as an extraordinarily expensive third option? None of the answers are ideal.
Maxey and Edgecombe form an exciting young backcourt capable of generating offense in bunches. The 76ers would be wise to continue building around their shot creation abilities, but with three players earning north of $40 million annually, flexibility is limited. Philadelphia would undoubtedly love to move Paul George’s contract, but that appears highly unlikely. As a result, the most probable outcome is running much of the roster back next season.
With uncertainty surrounding Embiid’s availability, adding depth at center remains a priority. At pick No. 22, prospects such as Chris Cenac Jr. could be available and would help address that need. Ultimately, Philadelphia should focus on selecting the best player available. Other prospects who could be in range include Christian Anderson, Allen Graves, and Brandon Ingram. The Sixers remain one of the more difficult teams in the league to project because so much depends on Embiid’s health, but finding quality depth around their younger core should remain a priority regardless of which direction they ultimately choose.
New York Knicks
Needs: Backup center
Picks: 24, 31, 55
Fresh off a dominant postseason run that culminated in a championship, the Knicks enter the offseason with most of their core intact. Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet, and Jordan Clarkson are free agents, while Jose Alvarado holds a player option. Jeremy Sochan also has a player option, though his role was limited enough that his future remains somewhat uncertain. New York would likely prefer to retain Robinson, but he is the type of player who could attract significant interest on the open market. If he departs, finding a capable backup center becomes a major priority.
The Knicks do not have a great deal of flexibility to make splashy additions, but their combination of championship aspirations and market appeal should make them an attractive destination for veteran role players. Because most key roles are already filled, New York has the luxury of simply taking the best player available on draft night, a valuable position to be in given the team’s salary cap constraints.
At picks No. 24 and No. 31, prospects such as Joshua Jefferson, Jayden Quaintance, Koa Peat, Henri Veesaar, and Tarris Reed Jr. could all be in play. Otega Oweh also feels like a prospect who could appeal to the Knicks, particularly if they move down in the draft. This offseason is largely about maintaining momentum for a team that demonstrated tremendous resilience throughout both the regular season and playoffs. The roster is championship-caliber already, which gives New York the freedom to focus on adding depth and long-term contributors rather than searching for immediate stars.
Boston Celtics
Needs: Center, guard
Picks: 27, 40
Most people expected last season to be something of a bridge year while Jayson Tatum recovered. Instead, the Celtics exceeded expectations, Jaylen Brown proved capable of carrying a team as the primary option, and Boston finished 56-26 despite Tatum appearing in only 16 games. On the surface, that would suggest a quiet offseason. However, Boston has been heavily linked to potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade discussions, with Brown’s name frequently surfacing in speculation.
Whether such a move would ultimately make sense is debatable, but merely being involved in those conversations sends a message that Boston is willing to explore major opportunities. That creates an interesting dynamic given Brown’s importance to the team’s success last season and his sixth-place finish in MVP voting. Even if no trade materializes, the situation will remain one of the more intriguing storylines of the offseason.
Beyond the speculation, Boston has clear roster needs. The Celtics still need to identify a long-term answer at center. Nikola Vucevic is a free agent, and there were stretches where opponents successfully targeted him defensively. Neemias Queta performed admirably, but he projects more naturally as a rotation big than a full-time starter. The guard position also warrants attention. Payton Pritchard had an excellent season, but Boston would benefit from finding another versatile guard capable of eventually filling some of the responsibilities currently handled by Derrick White.
The Celtics are expected to be active in free agency, likely utilizing their midlevel exception to strengthen the roster. In the draft, prospects such as Sergio De Larrea, Henri Veesaar, Ebuka Okorie, Koa Peat, and could be appealing options at No. 27. Veesaar, in particular, could make a great deal of sense given Boston’s need for frontcourt depth and his combination of size, mobility, floor-spacing ability, and passing instincts. While late first-round picks are never guaranteed contributors, Boston will be hoping to find a rotation player who can help support another championship push. With Tatum expected back healthy and the core largely intact, Boston remains firmly in win-now mode.
