Philadelphia 76ers
1 Problem: The supporting cast still leaves much to be desired
Since the end of November, the Philadelphia 76ers have done a fairly good job in recovering after their truly putrid start to the season. But even though the Sixers have improved so far this year, they continue to leave a bit to be desired as a team. They're still ranked outside the top 10 in the Eastern Conference standings and have a long road to travel if they're going to emerge as a legit threat in the postseason. Of course, one big problem that this team continues to face, aside from the overall injury bug, is the fact that their supporting cast continues to leave much to be desired.
After completely retooling their roster during the offseason, the Sixers haven't been as dynamic as perhaps many believed they could be. Sure, injuries probably have a lot to do with it but this is a team that has disappointed on almost every front so far this year. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure if there's much this team can do via trade to fix their overall issues. However, you can bet that this front office is going to at least explore the option of adding to the roster if something can realistically be done.
Phoenix Suns
1 Problem: How to move off of Bradley Beal's contract
As the Phoenix Suns continue to tumble down the Western Conference standings, at least one thing has become abundantly clear - and it's the fact that they desperately need to make a move to shake up this core group. The big problem with that idea is the fact that they have almost zero wiggle room when it comes to that. One big reason why is Bradley Beal's huge contract and the fact that he has a no-trade clause that gives him almost total control over whether or not the front office can make a move.
The unfortunate part of all this is the idea that Jimmy Butler is attempting to demand a trade to the Suns. Beal, because of that NTC, makes this entire situation pretty much impossible. Unless the Miami Heat change course and are all of a sudden open to acquiring Beal from the Suns, this is a deal that may never come to fruition. Between now and the trade deadline, you can bet that Phoenix will be working feverishly to solve this issue.