NBA: One question left unanswered for every team in 2019-20

rnrn[caption id="attachment_108065" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo defend John Collins (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Exploring one big question that is left unanswered for every team as the 2019-20 NBA season currently sits in a hiatus. rnAs the 2019-20 NBA season currently sits in a hiatus, there are many teams that are somewhat living in limbo. Many teams were banking on the latter portion of the regular season or a playoff run to help carry them into the offseason where they were going to make critical decisions regarding the future of their franchise.rnrnAt the same rate, a few teams were holding out hope that they'd be adding to their trophy cases this summer. However, with the NBA season in a standstill, all of that is on hold. Because of this, we explore every team and identify one big question that is left unanswered in the middle of the hiatus.rn Atlanta Hawks rn After adding Clint Capela, where does that leave John Collins? rnrnPrior to the 2019-20 NBA season, the Atlanta Hawks were viewed as a potential sleeper in the Eastern Conference. Although, a suspension to John Collins turned their season on a dime. Instead of a team that was fighting for a playoff spot, the Hawks quickly turned into a team that was in the running for a top 5 draft pick.rnrnHowever, at the NBA Trade Deadline, they did make a move that raised some eyebrows. The Hawks acquired Clint Capela from the Rockets. While a good move on paper, considering that Capela is still only 25 years old and could continue to develop alongside Trae Young , it leaves the team in an uneasy spot.rnrnCapela currently has nearly $60 million remaining over the next three years and the team has to make a decision on paying John Collins sooner rather than later. In today's NBA climate, the most successful teams aren't necessarily the ones that have two big-money bigs on their roster.rnrnWhether you want to believe it or not, the Hawks likely need to decide on Capela or Collins. Or, maybe, they've already made their decision.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Boston%20Celtics%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_109540" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Boston Celtics Jayson Tatum (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Boston Celtics rn Is Jayson Tatum a true No. 1 option? rnrnEven though not many believed the Boston Celtics would emerge as the second-best team in the Eastern Conference this season, that's exactly what they managed to do - for the most part. While many would tout the Raptors as second-best in the East, there really wasn't much separating the two teams this past season.rnrnOne reason why the Celtics quickly emerged as one of the biggest threats in the Eastern Conference to the Bucks was in large part to Jayson Tatum . Tatum was getting better with each passing month and led to an amazing month of February in which he averaged 30 points and eight rebounds per game on 49 percent shooting from the field an 48 percent from 3-point range.rnrnThe big question for the Celtics, however, is whether or not this was just a hot month or if it was a sign of things to come. If Tatum could really complete the progression and transition into a true No. 1, then the Celtics' ceiling is only going to raise next season.rnrnAt this point, however, I'm not sure that's something the Celtics know for sure yet.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Brooklyn%20Nets%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_99835" align="alignnone" width="1600"] NBA Brooklyn Nets Caris LeVert (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Brooklyn Nets rn Do the Nets have a third option on their team currently? rnrnOne thing that the Brooklyn Nets do know is that they are in relatively good hands for the next few years. At the very least, the team has Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant on their roster for the next few seasons, possibly more. However, one thing that they have to answer is whether or not they have a true third option on their team at the moment.rnrnWhile that onus falls on Joe Harris , who is a free agent after this season, Caris LeVert , who has had some impressive moments over the last two seasons, or perhaps another player that we haven't touched on yet. The Nets need to figure out, before the offseason, if they have a team that can compete for a championship right now.rnrnAfter quite a disappointing season, with Kyrie injured for much of the season, it's difficult for the Nets to gauge that. Does that mean they should make a trade for a third "star" in the offseason? Do they pay Joe Harris the big-money that he's likely going to demand on the open market?rnrnThe Nets have their first two big pieces, but now the real work starts for that front office. Plus, they also need to hire a head coach. This is a big summer for Brooklyn.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Charlotte%20Hornets%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_106062" align="alignnone" width="1600"] NBA Charlotte HornetsDevonte' Graham (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Charlotte Hornets rn To spend or not to spend? rnrnThe Charlotte Hornets are not necessarily in an ideal position. While they have the eighth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, before the NBA Draft Lottery, there's no guarantee that they'll be able to add a real difference-maker or franchise-changing player. Something that they will have the ability to do, however, is spending some money during the offseason.rnrnThough, that doesn't necessarily mean they should. The Hornets will have at least $30 million in cap space, possibly more if Nicolas Batum decides to opt-out of the final year of his contract. With a core of Terry Rozier , Devonte Graham, Miles Bridges , and PJ Washington, the Hornets need to find a true lead-star to take a grasp on this locker room.rnrnThat opens the door to possibly finding one in free agency. With that said, that's kind of how the Hornets found themselves in salary cap hell over the last few seasons. Are they willing to take that chance again, or should they continue down the long rebuild process and hope they can find a hidden gem in the draft?rnrnWe'll find out soon enough. For the sake of the fanbase, though, hopefully, they don't make any huge mistakes this time around.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Chicago%20Bulls%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_110829" align="alignnone" width="1600"] NBA Chicago Bulls Otto Porter Jr. . (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Chicago Bulls rn Is Otto Porter a big part of the future? rnrnThe Chicago Bulls are another team that was somewhat disappointing during the 2019-20 NBA season. They are littered with young talent all over their roster, led by Zach LaVine who is a borderline all-star candidate. The big problem with the Bulls right now, however, is that they have plenty of really good players but no one great player.rnrnIn the NBA, that's a problem. Most of those teams happen to find themselves in NBA purgatory. If the Bulls don't want the find themselves in that same spot, they have to make smart decisions when it comes to extending certain players on the team. The first test of making smart decisions come with Otto Porter Jr., who could hit the free-agent market this summer.rnrnThe Bulls need to decide whether or not he's a key piece for the team moving forward, and whether he fits into their financial plans at the same time. Chicago is not going to be able to pay everyone; that's just the nature of the business.rnrnPorter might opt into the final year of his deal and give the Bulls another year to ponder it all over. However, the decision needs to be made soon.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Cleveland%20Cavaliers%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_110830" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Cleveland Cavaliers Andre Drummond (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Cleveland Cavaliers rn What to do with Andre Drummond? rnrnAt the NBA Trade Deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers made the curious decision to trade for Andre Drummond . With Kevin Love already on the roster, I'm afraid the Cavs might have just added another possible trade piece that they probably won't be able to get fair value for on the trade market if their master plan was to buy low and then sell high later on Drummond.rnrnIf nothing else, the Cavs have two interesting trade pieces I suppose. However, to make matters worse, Drummond could opt out of the final year of his contract and hit the free-agent market this summer. If he elects to do so, in search of more security, what should Cleveland do? Did they get enough of a sample size to gauge what they have in Drummond?rnrnThat's highly likely, considering Drummond only played in eight games for the Cavs. However, you'd have to think or believe that the Cavs had a plan before all this came to fruition. Then again, they are the Cavs so you never know.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Dallas%20Mavericks%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_105525" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Dallas Mavericks Luka Doncic (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Dallas Mavericks rn How far can Luka and Kristaps take them? rnrnThe Dallas Mavericks have one of the most exciting young players in the NBA and one of the most exciting tandems in the Western Conference. In just his second season, Luka Doncic is nearly averaging a triple-double and is already being touted as a top 5 player in the league. At the same rate, Kristaps Porzingis is another young talented player that is just beginning to come into his own as a member of the Mavs.rnrnThis is a team that was beginning to play well at the right time and, barring injury, was going to be a difficult out in the playoffs. Hopefully, we still get to see that play out this year, but the Mavs need to find out, and quickly if this is a duo that can help lead them to the promised land.rnrnIf so, it makes their offseason that much easier. Once a team finds their top two players, it makes their rebuilding process much simpler.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Denver%20Nuggets%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_108950" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Denver Nuggets Jamal Murray (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Denver Nuggets rn Does Denver have enough to break-through in the West? rnrnAs one of the most overlooked teams in the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets , for the past two seasons, have been one of the most dominating teams in the regular season. However, they have yet to prove that they have enough to break-through in the Western Conference playoffs.rnrnLed by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray , the jury is still out on this core. They have shown flashes, especially with their newest shiny toy ( Michael Porter Jr.) but I'm still not sure this team has proven enough either way. This postseason we were supposed to get a clearer picture of the Nuggets.rnrnThe great concern here, of course, is that even at their highest power the Nuggets don't have enough to overtake the star-studded Los Angeles teams or even a top-heavy team like the Rockets.rnrnIt would be a nice breath of fresh air to see a team like the Nuggets make a run to the Western Conference Finals though.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Detroit%20Pistons%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_99819" align="alignnone" width="3200"] Detroit Pistons Blake Griffin (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Detroit Pistons rn Is it time to try and trade Blake Griffin? rnrnThe Detroit Pistons are somewhat at a crossroads. They need to figure out a new plan of action but still have one very big "star" on their roster. This is what many call the Blake Griffin problem. It's essentially the issue that the Clippers found themselves in after they decided to move Chris Paul to the Rockets.rnrnNow, the Pistons must decide if it's time to trade Blake. Or, perhaps they could keep him along and hope they can expedite a mini-rebuild and try to get back into the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference sooner rather than later.rnrnEither way, it's not an easy decision for the Pistons to make. Plus, there's the whole issue if there's a team out there that would even take the chance at taking on Blake. It's not an easy place to be, but it's certainly something that Detroit has to answer soon.rnrnNo matter what, this will be one interesting offseason for the Pistons.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Golden%20State%20Warriors%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_104567" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Golden State Warriors rn What to do with the projected No. 1 pick? rnrnAssuming nothing strange happens at the NBA Draft Lottery, the Golden State Warriors will likely have the top pick in the 2020 draft. At the very least, they'll have a top 3 pick. Having such a valuable asset leads to a much bigger question: what should the team do with the projected top 3 pick?rnrnHaving Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson returning next season makes it all the more difficult to answer. This core isn't getting any younger and I'm not sure if adding a top pick in a not-so-great draft is the key to this team getting back to the mountain top in the NBA.rnrnInstead of hoping that whoever they pick at the draft is ready to contribute from day 1, they could package the pick to land a star - one that would help the Warriors get back to contender status in the Western Conference.rnrnOn the surface, many teams would just play it out and make the safe move. Pick the best player available and let the cards land where they may. However, the Warriors haven't always played it safe. They've been light years ahead. What does that mean this summer?rnrn[nextslide teaser="Houston%20Rockets%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_110787" align="alignnone" width="1600"] NBA Houston Rockets James Harden and Russell Westbrook (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Houston Rockets rn Is extreme small-ball the way to go? rnrnIn an attempt to take the next step as a team, the Houston Rockets elected to trade Clint Capela, the team's starting center. In his absence, the team elected to essentially wing it. They shifted to an extreme small-ball lineup and have resorted to relying extremely heavy on Russell Westbrook and James Harden .rnrnThe big problem with this whole hiatus is the fact that we don't really know if it will work for the Rockets in the long run, or when it matters most, in the playoffs. Harden and Westbrook are the NBA's highest-scoring duo, so it would make sense for the Rockets to cut extra fat and try to build around the duo.rnrnInterestingly, this was also likely Mike D'Antoni 's last real shot at making it to the NBA Finals. From all indications, it felt like this was his last shot. We need to see the Rockets try to play their extreme small-ball against some of the other top-tiered teams in the conference.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Indiana%20Pacers%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_108138" align="alignnone" width="1600"] NBA Indiana Pacers Victor Oladipo (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Indiana Pacers rn Can this team sign Victor Oladipo to a long-term deal? rnrnThe Indiana Pacers remain in that second-tier of the Eastern Conference. You know, the teams that can make some noise in the Eastern Conference but not a team that can make a real run to the NBA Finals - no offense, Pacers fans. However, one of the biggest questions that surround the Pacers at the moment is whether or not Victor Oladipo will be a part of their future.rnrnHe's a free agent after next season and there will be a huge market for the all-star. Oladipo has his career breakout with the Pacers a couple of years ago in which he averaged 23 points, five rebounds, and four assists per game. He followed that up with another productive season a year ago but suffered a bad quad injury which forced him to miss the playoffs and the start of this season.rnrnNow, though, there's a real question surrounding his future with the club. Will he want to re-sign with the Pacers or will another high profile team out there be able to pry him away from Indiana?rnrn[nextslide teaser="LA%20Clippers%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_110694" align="alignnone" width="3200"] LA Clippers Kawhi Leonard (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)[/caption]rn LA Clippers rn Is their duo better than the Lakers'? rnrnThere's no question that this season was always going to come down to the playoffs for both Los Angeles teams, but somewhat even more for the LA Clippers who essentially traded away their future to bring in Paul George who opened the door for them to sign Kawhi Leonard in free agency.rnrnFrom load management to being arguably the deepest team in the NBA, the Clippers needed a payoff for this season. And that was supposed to come in the playoffs. This was a team that most believed would win the championship this season, even with the season that LeBron James and Anthony Davis were having for the Lakers.rnrnOne big question that was supposed to be answered in the playoffs was whether the Clippers' duo would be able to match what the Lakers have when it matters most. Kawhi has proven it in the past, but George still has some big questions to answer.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Los%20Angeles%20Lakers%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_102954" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Los Angeles Lakers Anthony Davis (Photo by Zhong Zhi/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Los Angeles Lakers rn Are LeBron and AD enough? rnrnFor much of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers have sat atop the Western Conference standings. They've been a regular-season juggernaut and were going to have home-court advantage during the first three rounds of the playoffs. However, they did struggle against the Clippers in two of their first three meetings.rnrnEven though they beat the Clippers in their last meeting, there were still enough questions after the first two games to ponder whether LeBron James and Anthony Davis would be enough to bring another NBA Championship back to LA. With the Warriors in recovery season and with Kevin Durant still sidelined to injury, this was supposed to be LeBron's best shot at winning one more NBA title.rnrnThat, however, is now in question. As is whether or not the Lakers' dynamic duo is enough to get them by the likes of the Clippers, Nuggets, and Bucks. The early returns were good, but the verdict is still out on this version of the Lakers.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Memphis%20Grizzlies%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_104752" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Memphis Grizzlies Ja Morant (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Memphis Grizzlies rn Is Ja Moran the man to build around? rnrn Ja Morant will likely win the 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year award, even more so if the remainder of the regular season isn't played. However, just because a player wins a regular season rookie award doesn't necessarily guarantee that they're a star in the making. In fact, we've seen many Rookie of the Year award winners fall off tremendously.rnrnHopefully, that's not the future that awaits Morant. Though, the Grizzlies need that answered. Is Morant the player that they will - and want - to build around for the next 10 years? They have a solid young core and added to that at the NBA Trade Deadline by acquiring Justise Winslow from the Heat. So, they're off to a good start.rnrnOne of the hardest decisions for NBA front offices is whether or not they can identify a future superstar. It's often the most misguided of moves. Even though it's almost impossible to predict now, the Grizzlies need to know if Morant is really the player they can build a franchise resurgence on.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Miami%20Heat%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_102481" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Miami Heat Erik Spoelstra (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Miami Heat rn Should the team go all-in on a disgruntled star in the trade market? rnrnJust two years ago, many viewed the Miami Heat as a place where you didn't want to be as an NBA franchise. However, since that low point as a franchise, the Heat has quickly recovered and were considered in that second-tier in the Eastern Conference, after the Bucks, this season. One of the biggest reasons why was the continued emergence of Bam Adebayo .rnrnBam made his first all-star appearance this season and quickly became a household name in the league. The great part about this all is that Bam is just 22 years old and his best basketball is likely still ahead of him.rnrnThough, if there's anything we know about Pat Riley and the Heat it's that they don't like to wait around and let young guys develop. That leaves Tyler Herro , Kendrick Nunn , and Duncan Robinson in an uneasy place.rnrnWill the Heat package those players together and try to get another star to stick next to Bam and Jimmy Butler next season?rnrn[nextslide teaser="Milwaukee%20Bucks%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_110696" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Milwaukee Bucks rn Can Giannis and the Bucks get it done in the playoffs? rnrnAs is the case for many other teams in this article, even though the Milwaukee Bucks appeared to be world-beaters during the regular season, there were real questions about this team heading into the playoffs. After losing to the Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals, it wasn't a given that this team was going to emerge from the East and make the NBA Finals.rnrnI don't think anyone thought that was a foregone conclusion - and that's including their own fans. With that said, Giannis Antetokounmpo was well on his way to winning his second NBA MVP in a row and had even developed a better jump shot this year.rnrnThis is probably more to do with seeing them getting it done - and that has historically been a thing in the NBA. The talent and ability are there. Giannis and Khris Middleton , together, create one of the East's best duos. Mike Budenholzer is one of the best coaches in the NBA. Milwaukee's supporting cast is quite deep.rnrnAgain, this was more about just seeing it finally all coming to fruition.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Minnesota%20Timberwolves%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_100336" align="alignnone" width="1600"] NBA Minnesota Timberwolves Karl-Anthony Towns (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Minnesota Timberwolves rn Are D-Lo and KAT the duo that will finally elevate the franchise? rnrnFor the better-part of the last decade, the Minnesota Timberwolves have struggled to get back to the playoffs and at a point of relevance in the Western Conference overall. After somewhat of a failed project with Jimmy Butler, the Wolves pivoted and tried to build around Karl-Anthony Towns .rnrnHowever, that didn't quite work out. The hope is that now with D'Angelo Russell in the fold, who was acquired at the NBA Trade Deadline in exchange for Andrew Wiggins , the team will finally begin to blossom. With that said, there are still legit questions about this roster and it will likely take more than one offseason to answer them all.rnrnFrom the optics, though, it appears that the Wolves believe the start back up the Western Conference begins with Towns and Russell. At least for the moment, they believe that. For the sake of the fanbase, hopefully, they don't switch up their belief in a core again.rnrn[nextslide teaser="New%20Orleans%20Pelicans%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_103648" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA New Orleans Pelicans Brandon Ingram (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)[/caption]rn New Orleans Pelicans rn Should the team give Brandon Ingram a max contract? rnrnWhether you believe he's a max player or not, Brandon Ingram is likely going to get a max contract offer this summer. He's slated to be a restricted free agent. The good news is that the New Orleans Pelicans will have the opportunity to match any offer that he gets on the open market. Question is, should the Pelicans match any offer he gets?rnrnThis season, at least, Ingram was playing like a max player. Through 56 games played, Ingram was averaging 24 points, six rebounds, and four assists per game on 47 percent shooting from the field and 39 percent shooting from 3-point range.rnrnThe good news is that, even if just the limited time on the floor together (331 minutes), it appeared as if Ingram and Zion Williamson made a good tandem. Together, they were a plus-minus +12.1 and were beginning to creep back into the playoff picture in the Western Conference.rnrnHad we seen the last 15 or so games of the regular season, there's no question we would've saw more positive signs that suggest Ingram is probably worth a max extension in today's NBA climate.rnrn[nextslide teaser="New%20York%20Knicks%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_109418" align="alignnone" width="3200"] New York Knicks RJ Barrett (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)[/caption]rn New York Knicks rn Are any players on the roster legit building blocks? rnrnFor better or worse, if there's one thing we know about the New York Knicks it's that they're going to continue to try and put together the best roster to the best of their abilities. Even though for the past few decades that has too often resulted in disappointing finishes, you can't fault the Knicks for trying to resurrect a franchise that hasn't seen gold in nearly 50 years.rnrnOne question that the team needs to answer that is still left unanswered after the 2019-20 NBA season is what building blocks the team currently has on its roster. Or, if they even have any on their current payroll. The hope is that RJ Barrett is that player. The same could be said potentially about Mitchell Robinson .rnrnAfter that, though, I'm not sure if there are any other players that the Knicks would absolutely fight to keep. And that's probably one of the biggest reasons why the Knicks have failed to recover from this recent lull.rnrnThe Knicks are one of the glamour franchises in the NBA, but they haven't won in a really long time. Smart personnel decisions are where that begins to change. That's what the Knicks have to sort out right now.rnrn[nextslide teaser="OKC%20Thunder%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_110783" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Oklahoma City Thunder Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Oklahoma City Thunder rn Run it back or continue to rebuild? rnrnThe Oklahoma City Thunder are in an interesting position. While not many expected them to make much noise, if any, in the Western Conference this season, they currently sit in the fifth spot at the NBA's hiatus. The acquisition of Chris Paul and his impact on this roster can't be overstated. He has brought leadership and a culture of winning to a franchise that has needed it.rnrnThey have a bright young player in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari has been a huge lift to the team's offense. However, they have a big decision to make this summer. And it's kind of hard to do so without a playoff run.rnrnOKC needs to decide if they should run it back with the same roster next season, or if they should continue down the rebuild path and trade Chris Paul during the summer. Should they decide to run it back, they'd also have to re-sign Gallinari and I'm not sure they're willing to commit multiple years and big money to him.rnrnNot having a playoff run with this group will certainly hurt the Thunder and its decision-makers.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Orlando%20Magic%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_105267" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Orlando Magic Markelle Fultz (Photo by Harry Aaron/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Orlando Magic rn Decisions on Fultz and Gordon rnrnHeading into the NBA hiatus, it was likely that the Orlando Magic were going to hold onto the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. However, they likely headed to another first-round playoff loss at the hands of the Bucks. In the middle of the 2019-20 season, though, the Magic have a few tough decision to make.rnrnWhile one happens to be whether or not to bring back Evan Fournier , the bigger ones revolve around Markelle Fultz and Aaron Gordon . There were hints that the Magic were listening to offers regarding Gordon, but they needed to be blown away to accept any deal. Nothing came to fruition.rnrnWill the team's stance change in the offseason? Who knows, but they'll be listening to offers that can improve their team overall.rnrnAs far as Fultz is concerned, should the team extend him after just one season of promise? He can be a restricted free agent, if not extended, after next season. What will the Magic elect to do with some of the bigger names on their roster?rnrn[nextslide teaser="Philadelphia%2076ers%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_106895" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Philadelphia 76ers rn What to do about the frontcourt issues? rnrnOne team that could've greatly benefited from a playoff run this season is the Philadelphia 76ers . Even with a hobbled Ben Simmons , the Sixers need to know if their frontcourt has any chance of working before it's too late. Losing another season due to experimenting is not something that will sit right with the team's fans or their front office.rnrnThe Sixers need to know if a trio of Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid , and Al Horford will ever be good enough to overcome the other Eastern Conference contenders. In the small sample size that was the 2019-20 NBA regular season, you can't help but think the answer to that question is no.rnrnHowever, this was a team that was always going to be judged by what they do come playoff time. And if they overcame such issues and made a run to the Eastern Conference Finals, this season, by all means, was probably going to be looked back as a success.rnrnNow, though, without a playoff run in sight, this season will likely go down as one of the most disappointing seasons in recent history.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Phoenix%20Suns%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_108165" align="alignnone" width="1600"] NBA Phoenix Suns Devin Booker (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Pheonix Suns rn Can the Suns find Booker a running mate before he demands a trade? rnrnThis question might seem a little forward and aggressive, but in today's NBA climate this is exactly what has to be in the back of every Phoenix Suns front-office employee. Look, Devin Booker is a great player. Nearly every metric you look at would suggest that. He can score, is improving as a defender and playmaker, and has everything you want in a franchise player.rnrnHowever, one thing he doesn't have - that he needs - is a second option that will help the Suns elevate from the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Booker can't do it alone, and certainly not in the West. It's too deep and the Suns' roster isn't nearly deep enough where they can succeed with team basketball. Not now, at least.rnrnWhen you look around the league in search of the next big-name that could potentially shake up the NBA in asking for a trade, you can't help but stop at a player like Devin Booker. He has everything you look for in a disgruntled star - he's a great individual player, is playing for a bad team, and is on a great contract.rnrnThe Suns need to find a running mate for him before he finds his own.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Portland%20Trail%20Blazers%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_94579" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Portland Trail Blazers Damian Lillard CJ McCollum (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Portland Trail Blazers rn Stay the course or trade one of McCollum/Lillard? rnrnThe Portland Trail Blazers have been, hands down, one of the disappointing teams in the Western Conference this season. I don't think anyone would argue with that statement. After making a run to the Western Conference Finals a year ago, no one could've expected that the Blazers would be out of the playoff picture with less than a quarter of the season remaining.rnrnNevertheless, in the middle of the hiatus, that's where we stand. At this point, I think it's a fair point to suggest that perhaps the Blazers should pivot. Has this team peaked? Is there anything more that Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum can accomplish together?rnrnThese are honest questions that have to be floating around in the backs of the team's decision-makers heads. Maybe they're not, but at least they should be. If the Blazers are going to take the next step as a franchise in the West, perhaps they have to take a bit of a step back first.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Sacramento%20Kings%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_107630" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Sacramento Kings Bogdan Bogdanovic (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Sacramento Kings rn Will the team re-sign Bogdan Bogdanovic? rnrnThe Sacramento Kings are in a dangerous position. They've been in NBA limbo for quite a while now, but they believe they're slowly creeping out behind De'Aaron Fox and their core. However, I'm not sure if that's actually what's going on with the team. And one player that they need to make a decision on is Bogdan Bogdanovic , who is a free agent this offseason.rnrnShould the Kings fork over the big money that he's going to demand on the open market, and expand their checkbooks to pay for a player that probably doesn't raise or lower the ceiling for the team. Even though everything trends towards the team re-signing him, it's the type of move that could result in the Kings finding themselves in a mess again.rnrnWhat we know about the Kings is that they have one really great building block piece in De'Aaron Fox. After that, nothing is a given. And that could emerge as a big problem for the Kings in the not-soo-distant future.rnrn[nextslide teaser="San%20Antonio%20Spurs%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_102840" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA San Antonio Spurs Gregg Popovich (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)[/caption]rn San Antonio Spurs rn Is this finally the offseason to blow it all up? rnrnThe San Antonio Spurs for the first time in over two decades was on pace to miss the NBA Playoffs. It's certainly a different time in the Association. However, with their shortcomings, this season comes an opportunity to begin to right the ship this offseason. The big question, however, is whether or not the front office will elect to move in such a manner.rnrnA big reason why they might not want to, Gregg Popovich. He's been with the team as head coach for more than two decades and losing him might be a knockout blow to the franchise. I'm not sure that's something they're willing to take a chance on.rnrnConsidering that Pop might not want to stick around for a complete rebuild and you can see why the Spurs might not be willing to pull the trigger completely on a rebuild that might take for more than one summer.rnrnWith that said, it's 100 percent the move that needs to be made.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Toronto%20Raptors" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_108017" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Toronto Raptors Pascal Siakam (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Toronto Raptors rn Are the Raptors a real threat to win the East, or is their regular-season success fool's gold? rnrnEven though the Toronto Raptors were coming off an NBA Championship, not much was expected after Kawhi Leonard left the team in free agency. To the dismay of many, the Raptors actually entered the hiatus as the second seed in the Eastern Conference, behind the lead of Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry .rnrnWith that said, there's still a question as to whether their regular-season success was more fool's gold or if it was something real and tangible that the team could continue to build around. On paper, you wouldn't expect this team to be able to keep up with the other contenders. However, that's exactly what they were doing during the regular season.rnrnThe playoffs would've been a good way to understand what this team really is. Are they just a flash in the pan during the regular season or are they a sleeping giant in the East?rnrn[nextslide teaser="Utah%20Jazz%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_105366" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Utah Jazz Donovan Mitchell (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Utah Jazz rn To keep their dynamic duo together or not? rnrnThis has nothing to do with what has happened over the last few weeks regarding COVID-19, and it's great to hear that both Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are recovering. I just wanted to make that clear before we got into the real topic. However, looking at the Western Conference as a whole you have to wonder whether the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert pairing is a duo that the team can compete with.rnrnIf those two players are your two best players, can you win a championship? It's an honest question to ask and probably not a question that the Utah Jazz can answer easily. On paper, of course, you'd hope so. However, I'm not so sure.rnrnIf the Jazz doesn't believe that it can, perhaps they let Gobert walk in free agency after next season or try to trade him as an expiring deal in hopes of landing some sort of asset before he walks for nothing.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Washington%20Wizards%20" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_99470" align="alignnone" width="3200"] NBA Washington Wizards Bradley Beal (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Washington Wizards rn To keep Beal or to move him? rnrnDuring the absence of John Wall , Bradley Beal has been sensational for the Washington Wizards . He's been everything that they need in a No. 1 option and has lived up to every dollar that the team is paying and scheduled to pay him over the next few seasons. However, there's a real decision that this franchise needs to make.rnrnIs Beal enough to get this team back to the playoffs? Or does the team really believe that John Wall is going to take this team to the next level? Coming off an Achilles injury, that's not a fair expectation. Wall is slated to return next season, but who knows what he's going to look like after such an injury.rnrnCan he be a No. 2 option? If that's the plan, then at least it makes some sense. You can have Beal take the lead and then Wall fill in the rest. But what if Wall isn't even that at this point in his career after the injury?rnrn[story_link_next description="NBA%3A%20Ranking%20the%20top%20duos%20from%20the%202019-20%20season" url="https://sircharlesincharge.com/2020/04/03/nba-ranking-top-duos-lebron-anthony-davis/" /]rnrnThat's when it gets messy. That's when trading Beal isn't too insane. Moving Beal for a full set of assets doesn't sound terrible when the alternative is just a bottom 3 playoff team in the Eastern Conference.

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