needs and opportunities franchise by franchise (West)

In the middle of the NBA Finals, we also think… of the fans of the 28 other franchises who don’t play much before the Summer League in July. In just over two weeks, everyone will meet at Barclays Center for the big NBA Draft 2023 ceremony. So as a little appetizer, we wanted to take stock of the picks and everyone’s needs, franchise by franchise. . After the East yesterday, we move on and we finish on the West today!

Dallas Mavericks

Picks available this year: #10

Priority need of the team: the Mavs have been struggling since Kyrie’s arrival. It will be essential next season to find a way to space out the game to make scoring easier for a Luka who will arrive in good shape. Have a new threat on the wing or inside with a very stretch will be really important to get the play-in after a disappointing year.

Prospects to look for with pick #10: Gradey Dick (back/winger, Kansas), Taylor Hendricks (power forward, UCF), Jordan Hawkins (back, UConn)

Denver Nuggets

Picks available this year: #40

Priority need of the team: Christian Braun’s draft last year was a real success for the Nuggets bench. We will have to find the same this season, with a priority on the lead and position 4 to find the new nugget from Colorado (nugget, Nuggets: do you have it?). For a team in the NBA Finals, the 2023 Draft is not the priority, but you might as well take the opportunity to acquire new talent that will always bring something.

Prospects to look for with pick #40: Terrence Shannon Jr. (Fullback, Illinois), Jalen Wilson (Wing/Strong Wing, Kansas), Coleman Hawkins (Strength Wing, Illinois)

Golden State Warriors

Picks available this year: #19

Priority need of the team: the Warriors know how to give us masterclasses in the Draft, but the 2022 class was far from glorious. We hope for them that they will find a rare pearl this year with their only draft pick, with the priority of digging into the profiles of interesting leaders.

Prospects to look for with pick #19: Jalen Hood-Schifino (point guard, Indiana), Kobe Bufkin (point guard/guard, Michigan), Jordan Hawkins (guard, UConn)

Houston Rockets

Picks available this year: #4, #20

Priority need of the team: at the most famous open center in the NBA, we are known to have very offensive rookies. And why not change the situation this year? A leader known for his organization and his team play or who has a physical enough imposing to defend on all external profiles. It throws eh? That’s good, that’s what should happen according to all the Rican experts.

Prospects to look for with pick #4: Amen Thompson (point guard/back, Overtime Elite), Anthony Black (point guard/back, Arkansas), Jarace Walker (power forward, Houston)

L.A. Clippers

Picks available this year: #30, #48

Priority need of the team: the Clippers have decided to rejuvenate their hall with a brand new arena, but that does not mean that their workforce is 25 years old on average. The rookies are not used too much, so it doesn’t matter the position as much as possible to recover the best possible knowing that the contract of the 30th will still be guaranteed.

Prospects to seek with pick #30: Jaime Jaquez Jr. (winger, UCLA), Marcus Sasser (fullback, Houston), Jalen Wilson (winger/power forward, Kansas)

L.A. Lakers

Picks available this year: #17, #47

Priority need of the team: pfiou, to say that this pick almost went to New Orleans. But besides… what are they going to do with these Lakers? We must try to fill the last rotations, especially when the King will be in load management. The inside is a good lead, but none will be really good unless a Draft steal is obvious to pick up on June 22nd.

Prospects to look for with pick #17: Brice Sensabaugh (back/winger, Ohio State), Jordan Hawkins (back, UConn), Dariq Whitehead (winger, Duke)

Memphis Grizzlies

Picks available this year: #25, #45, #56

Priority need of the team: on the side of Tennessee, it will be necessary to choose logically this year. The departure of Dillon Brooks has already been recorded, so we can look at the 3 more complete job profiles to strengthen the workforce. It will also be necessary to take into account that Ja Morant will be suspended at the start of the season but we just do not yet know the duration of this sanction. So if a rather scorer leader comes along, this track can be taken as well.

Prospects to look for with pick #25: Colby Jones (back/point guard, Xavier), Sidy Cissoko (winger, G League Ignite), Max Lewis (winger, Pepperdine)

The Minnesota Timberwolves

Picks available this year: #53

Priority need of the team: the Draft is not really their cup of tea in Minneapolis. Other than when it’s the first choice, the decisions are pretty bad. So here we are not going to cut corners, we will take the best player still available. Bonus experience.

Prospects to look for with pick #53: Kevin McCullar Jr. (winger, Kansas), Ben Sheppard (winger, Belmont), Julian Strawther (winger/fullback, Gonzaga)

New Orleans Pelicans

Picks available this year: #14

Priority need of the team: we are already not bad at the Pels, with solid and young rotations because built thanks to the Draft. So who will be the find of the 2023 edition? A position 3 to replace Brandon Ingram will not be refused, as a winger more inclined towards the offensive than good old Herb Jones.

Prospects to look for with pick #14: Kris Murray (winger/power forward, Iowa), Kobe Bufkin (point guard/fullback, Michigan), Keyonte George (fullback, Baylor)

Oklahoma City Thunder

Picks available this year: #12, #37, #50

Priority need of the team: Chet Holmgren has not yet made his official arrival in the workforce of the Thunder but it will not be long. With him as a rookie, we should have a lot of good people in the arrivals. Reinforcing the rotations on positions 2 and 3 would be a good option not to lower the level of the team when Shai is no longer on the floor.

Prospects to look for with pick #12: Bilal Coulibaly (back/winger, Metropolitans 92), Cason Wallace (point guard, Kentucky), Leonard Miller (winger/power forward, G League Ignite)

Phoenix Suns

Picks available this year: #52

Priority need of the team: good given the superhuman five majors of the Suns, we suspect that the Draft is not going to be the game changer to go to hang an additional round of Playoffs in 2024. So why not keep under the elbow between back and forth between the NBA and the G League a leader or a pivot with already years in NCAA in Europe in the nose?

Prospects to look for with pick #52: Julian Strawther (winger/back, Gonzaga), Oliver-Maxence Prosper (strong winger, Marquette), …

Portland Trail Blazers

Picks available this year: #3, #23, #43

Priority need of the team: the equation is quite simple, Brandon Miller or a trade. The arrival of Scoot Henderson would not benefit the other guards already established, and he himself would not find his place in Oregon. So boom, a winger to fill a hole or we use Scoot as a bargaining chip for bigger.

Prospects to look for with pick #3: Brandon Miller (winger, Alabama), Scoot Henderson (point guard, G League Ignite), Jarace Walker (power forward, Houston)

Sacramento Kings

Picks available this year: #24, #38, #54

Priority need of the team: Last year’s Draft was more than successful for the Kings, we’re not used to saying that too much, but when there’s something positive, it should be underlined. So we continue in this momentum with the search for a young rotation at position 3 since Keegan Murray plays more as a strong winger in the NBA. In truth, there’s his twin who comes to the Draft 2023, we can afford to make a good valve, right?

Prospects to look for with pick #24: Kris Murray (winger/power forward, Iowa), Dariq Whitehead (winger, Duke), Maxwell Lewis (winger, Pepperdine)

san antonio spurs

Picks available this year: #1, #33, #44

Priority need of the team: oh coincidentally, Spurs need to strengthen their home sector. Oh in addition they need size in the racket, but if he could manage to deviate and title from the parking lot that would be great! It should be noted that after the first pick, it would also be necessary to recover another interior, if possible with a little experience.

Prospects to look for with pick #1: Victor Wembanyama (strong winger/pivot, Metropolitans 92), Victor Wembanyama (strong winger/pivot, Metropolitans 92), Victor Wembanyama (strong winger/pivot, Metropolitans 92)

Utah Jazz

Picks available this year: #9, #16, #28

Priority need of the team: the hierarchies and roles of each were not too established this season in Salt Lake City, and the ambitions for next year are already clear: the play-in or nothing. If we want to shift Collin Sexton to a sixth man role as planned in October 2023, we will have to draft a position 1 with organizational skills.

Prospects to look for with pick #9: Anthony Black (point guard/guard, Arkansas), Cason Wallace (guard, Kentucky), Ausar Thompson (guard/wing, Overtime Elite)