NBA teams have some tough decisions to make in the 2024 NBA Draft. With the first-ever two-day draft now over and a new generation of basketball stars joining the league, the tough decisions for team executives don't end there.
With only 150 starting positions across 30 teams in the NBA, competition for those coveted spots is fierce. Some superstars are guaranteed a place in the starting five, while others will be competing for a spot following their team's most recent draft pick. As the old saying goes, “out with the old, in with the new.”
Here are three players who could be on the radar heading into the 2024-25 NBA season.
Portland Trail Blazers Deandre Ayton
Ayton was traded to the Trail Blazers in September after five tumultuous seasons with the Phoenix Suns and was looking for a fresh start in Portland. But things seem to have gotten more complicated after Portland used the seventh overall pick in the NBA Draft to select Donovan Clingan, a similar-looking player out of the University of Connecticut. Both are 7-foot centers, with Clingan standing 7'2″ and weighing 282 pounds, and Ayton standing 7'2″ and weighing 250 pounds. While some NBA teams have had success with two big men, such as the Minnesota Timberwolves, neither Ayton nor Clingan are perimeter players. Even more interesting, according to Spotrac.com, Portland owes Ayton $70 million over the next two seasons.
Sacramento Kings Kevin Huerter
The Kings added another guard to their lineup with the 13th overall draft pick in Devin Carter. All-Star De'Aaron Fox, a 2023 All-NBA Third Team selection, is Sacramento's star point guard and won't be moving. Shooting guard Kevin Huerter also started last season, while Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Malik Monk, Keyon Ellis and Davion Mitchell all came off the bench. The Kings traded Davion Mitchell, along with Sasha Bezenkov and Jamal Sheed (45th pick) to the Raptors on Thursday for Jalen McDaniels. The backcourt backlog has been alleviated but not resolved.
Huerter may end up being sidelined after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in March and being replaced in the starting lineup by Ellis, who played well down the stretch and provided a boost to the defense. Huerter is under contract with the Kings for the next two seasons, worth roughly $35 million, according to Spotrac.com.
Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz
Lauri Markkanen is the Jazz's best player, but could Utah be foreshadowing his future with the team by drafting Kyle Filipowski, a potential replacement for him? The Jazz started promisingly the past two seasons, then fizzled out each time, missing the playoffs in a powerful Western Conference. Markkanen, the 2023 Most Improved Player, has been the subject of trade rumors and the Jazz remain in limbo. Utah has a treasure trove of draft picks, and they picked Kyle Filipowski, who fell in the second round (32nd), along with Cody Williams (10th) and Isaiah Collier (29th) in the first round. Filipowski is a big-framed player who spreads the floor, similar to Markkanen. Filipowski has said he also modeled his game after Markkanen. Could Utah be preparing to let Markkanen go?
Contributors: Jeff Zillgitt and Lorenzo Reyes
