NBA Rumors: There are more than a few NBA teams that need to seriously explore hitting the rebuild button this summer.
There are roughly still six weeks before the end of the 2023-24 NBA regular season but there are many teams whose fate for the year is already sealed. For a few teams around the league, this season has been an utter failure. And because of that, they will enter the offseason with some big questions to answer about their future.
As we inch closer and closer to the end of the season, we'll explore six teams that should seriously explore entering a rebuild this summer.
Chicago Bulls
It should come as no surprise to see the Chicago Bulls on this list. The Bulls are a team that seems stuck in Eastern Conference mediocrity. They're likely going to be a Play-In Team in the East and probably won't be able to qualify for the playoffs. Zach LaVine is likely going to be traded during the offseason and there are big decisions to be made on the future of DeMar DeRozan, who will be a free agent after the season, and Alex Caruso, arguably the team's best asset.
Everything about this team points to a rebuild. They're not good enough to compete in the East with this core and that should point to the team hitting the reset button. The question is, will that be a path the Bulls explore moving forward?
Houston Rockets
During last year's offseason, the Houston Rockets made some big moves in an attempt to skip a few steps in their current build. Ultimately, the goal was to qualify for the postseason during the 2023-24 NBA season. Short of a miraculous closing to the season, that's unlikely to happen. Because of that, it's safe to say that the signings of Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet look like duds. And it's hard to imagine that changing next season.
Because of their miscalculation last offseason, I believe the Rockets should strongly consider taking a couple of steps back and starting a new rebuild around Alperen Sengun. Jalen Green's future with the team is very much a question mark and aside from Sengun, the Rockets don't have much to hang their hats on.
If the Rockets seriously want to build a strong foundation around Sengun, it's probably in the best interest of the team to hit the reset button. It's not something that the fans want to hear but the Rockets are stuck and they must pay for the mistakes that they committed last offseason.
Atlanta Hawks
From all indications, the belief around the league is that the Atlanta Hawks are going to make some bold moves during the offseason. And those moves could very well include trading Dejounte Murray, Trae Young, or both. As outlandish as those moves seem on paper, it may be in the best interest of the team to pursue some bold moves to trigger a rebuild. The Hawks have failed to build a successful team around Trae Young. The all-in move from two offseasons ago for Murray didn't pay off. Perhaps it is time to hit the reset button this summer.
Looking at the landscape of the Eastern Conference, the Hawks have plenty of ground to make up if they want to compete with the likes of the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks from a talent perspective. Atlanta is not close to either one of those teams. That's why a rebuild is not the worst idea for the Hawks heading into the offseason.
If Atlanta is serious about building a true championship contender in the future, it may require starting over this summer. And if that is a path they end up pursuing, step one may include trading their star backcourt tandem.
Memphis Grizzlies
The first three teams on this list may not come as a big surprise. However, this could be the first one for many. But I'd argue that the Memphis Grizzlies need to seriously think about rebuilding around Ja Morant heading into the offseason. Even before the lost season, the Grizzlies were already trending downward over the previous two seasons. I'm not calling on the Grizzlies to trade Morant, I'm calling them to rebuild around him.
The supporting duo of Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. isn't enough to help Morant and the Grizzlies compete in the Western Conference. In fact, the Grizzlies have only won one playoff series in three years of making the playoffs with this core. And even that playoff series wasn't all that impressive as it came against a very young Minnesota Timberwolves team.
If the Grizzlies want to get to a point where they're considered a serious contender in the West, rebuilding around Morant should be a priority this offseason. Running back the same team next year would be a massive mistake for the Grizzlies.
Brooklyn Nets
There's an argument to be made that the Brooklyn Nets are already somewhat in rebuilding mode but I'd advise the team to completely lean into it this summer. That's because I'm not entirely sold on the idea of Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson being a foundation that a team can begin to build around. If I was leading the front office in Brooklyn, I'd completely tear this build down and get every last asset I could before starting to lay another foundation.
For as good as Bridges is, I don't believe he's a player you start a build around and shut down all trade offers for. Bridges is going to be 28 years old at the start of next season. At this point in his career, he is what he is. And what he's not is a superstar player that can be a No. 1 option. With no other star player on the roster, the Nets are forcing him into such a position.
Heading into the offseason, the Nets need to realize that unless a superstar player is on the way, which is hard to envision, this is a team that is trying to build on a flawed foundation. And that will only result in future heartbreak.
Golden State Warriors
Ah, the case of a diminishing dynasty. Generally speaking, a dying dynasty usually goes to the grave before it's too late to realize their mistakes. Heading into the offseason, the Warriors have a great opportunity to salvage the future before it becomes too late. That's why the Warriors need to kickstart a rebuild right now while their veteran stars still have value on the trade market. If Golden State wants to keep their organizational success going, they need to rebuild around Stephen Curry this summer.
I understand how difficult it can be for a franchise to move past veteran stars but if the Warriors want to avoid the long rebuild in the future, this is the difficult path they need to take. Golden State, at best, is going to be a Play-In Tournament team this season and for two years in a row now, they've not been much of a factor in the West.
Whether the Warriors are willing to believe it or not, the end of the dynasty is here. It's time for Golden State to rebuild on the fly.