Top 2024 NBA Offseason Storylines to Follow
The second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs are underway, but at the same time, several teams are already in offseason mode. There are many storylines right now that are worth keeping an eye on.
Several different players' futures are up in the air—players who can reshape the NBA landscape. The coaching carousel continues to spin, and the playoffs can often create a few more openings. There are teams that can completely reshape their look, and others that can jump into contender status with the right move.
Here are just a few early offseason storylines to watch as teams start looking ahead to next season.
LeBron James, Lakers' Futures
We are at the twilight of LeBron James' career. He is expected to opt out of his contract and sign what could be his last deal.
The Lakers were a play-in team for the second year in a row, but this time, they were bounced from the first round of the playoffs. This is the biggest storyline of the NBA offseason.
The big question is, how does James want to end his career? He could quickly re-sign for three years at $164 million with the Lakers. There are also reports the Lakers are willing to draft James' son Bronny in June.
Los Angeles wants to keep James, but the challenge is whether it can build a contender around him. If the past two seasons are any indicators, the answer is no.
If winning a championship is still James' primary concern, leaving might be his best option. It is not clear, though, where the best place for him to chase a title would be, so the LeBron James domino might be the one that holds up a lot of the other storylines this offseason.
Donovan Mitchell's Future
The clock started when the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for Donovan Mitchell, knowing he would be eligible for an extension two years after the trade. Well, the decision time will arrive this summer.
If Mitchell decides he is not ready to sign an extension with Cleveland, the Cavs have a big decision to make. Do they look to move on or risk losing him for nothing in free agency?
Should Mitchell sign the extension, the Cavs have to look at how they build the roster around him. There is an overlap of skillset with Darius Garland. Does that mean the Cavs would be open to trading him?
If Mitchell does not sign an extension, the Cavs must listen to offers for him. And if that ends up the case, the offers might be too much to turn down, especially when weighing the risk of losing him to free agency.
The Coaching Carousel
The coaching carousel started spinning before the playoffs began, with Steve Clifford stepping down in Charlotte, Brooklyn firing Jacque Vaughn and Washington firing Wes Unseld Jr. during the season. (The Nets already made their hire of Jordi Fernandez from Sacramento.)
The Lakers are also in the market for a new coach with the firing of Darvin Ham after getting swept by the Denver Nuggets. JJ Redick has already come up as a candidate since he cohosts Mind the Game with LeBron James. Tyronn Lue would be a candidate but has another year left on his deal with the Clippers. Other names include Mike Budenholzer and Kenny Atkinson.
Frank Vogel is on the hot seat after the Phoenix Suns got swept. J.B. Bickerstaff's job could be on the line as the Cleveland Cavaliers are entering Game 7 in the first round against the Orlando Magic. Those are two openings that could happen as a result of the playoffs.
There could be more, as the playoffs always provide a few surprise openings. The coaching carousel will not stop anytime soon.
Who Does Philly Use Its Cap Space?
Philadelphia is in offseason mode after being eliminated by the New York Knicks. They enter free agency with around $60 million in cap space. The Sixers only have three players under contract for next season: Joel Embiid, Paul Reed, and Jeff Dowtin. There will be several new faces incoming.
A large chunk of that money will go to Tyrese Maxey, as he is a restricted-free agent. That leaves enough room for another max player to be signed; it is just a matter of who.
All season long, the Sixers will be linked with Paul George if he does not re-sign with the Clippers. Other names include a possible reunion with Jimmy Butler and New Orleans' Brandon Ingram.
The 76ers are the only true contender with significant cap space this offseason, and that will make them players in free agency.
Trae Young or Dejounte Murray?
As early as the past trade deadline, there were rumors that the Atlanta Hawks would split up their backcourt of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. Nothing happened at the deadline, but it is more likely to happen this offseason.
The offers at the deadline were not entirely up to the level of either of these players. Moving a superstar in the offseason is easier, and the offers will improve.
The latest scuttlebutt is that the Hawks prefer to trade Young, but it will come down to the offer. The Lakers could send up to three first-round draft picks for him; the Spurs hold two of the Hawks's unprotected first-round picks. Both teams have had an interest in both players.
This is fluid and can change if the right offer comes to the Hawks for Murray instead of Young.
The Jimmy Butler Dilemma
The Miami Heat have an interesting decision to make regarding Jimmy Butler's future. He is under contract for next season and has a player option for 2025-26. And it has been reported that Butler is interested in an extension.
The Butler era has been successful for Miami—two trips to the NBA Finals and a Conference Finals appearance over five years. Short of winning a championship, there is little more the Heat could ask for. The decision to give Butler a three-year, $113 million extension should be easy.
But it is not.
Butler is 34 years old; that extension would have the Heat paying him until he is 38. Over the last three seasons, he has not played more than 64 games. That is a significant amount of cap space for Miami to invest in a player who has hasn't stayed healthy.
The Heat need Butler, but at what price, and what will his reaction be if he does not receive the extension? We all remember what happened in Minnesota.
Keep an eye on Miami with this Butler situation.
Do the Knicks Swing for the Fences?
The New York Knicks are in the second round and have a legitimate shot to get to the Conference Finals. The Knicks will be a team to watch for whenever their season ends.
New York has been in the market for a big star and is in a position now to get that star. They have several draft picks and assets that will always make them a player when the next disgruntled superstar is available.
The Knicks also have a star of their own in Jalen Brunson, a great supporting cast and the right coach on the sidelines. This could be the offseason when Leon Rose and the Knicks swing for the fences and finally add a second superstar.
How Do the Suns' Build Their Roster?
At the start of the season, the Phoenix Suns had championship aspirations. That hope, however, quickly ended when the Minnesota Timberwolves swept them out of the playoffs.
The Suns have a real problem after sending out multiple assets to acquire Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal over the last two seasons. They are already over the second apron, limiting their moves.
Beal's no-trade clause complicates the issue further, and Durant is 35 and nearing the end of his career. Devin Booker would fetch the Suns a great haul, but trading their best player is not a real option.
So, how exactly Phoenix will build up this roster is a mystery, with limited assets and cap space. It is worth watching what the Suns do to turn this situation around.
