Despite the San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers all having very different seasons, they could be in the same boat this summer. The Spurs were again one of the worst teams in the NBA, but they will have up to $25 million in cap space and potentially two top-10 picks in order to improve their roster.
With rising superstar Victor Wembanyama likely to improve by leaps and bounds over the summer, they could face pressure to dramatically improve the roster around him. The Bulls, again, managed to make the play-in tournament even without their best player. He'll be under contract for next season but that can't be said for another one of their stars who has helped keep the team afloat, leading to uncertainty.
As for the Cavs, their best player is reported to be unwilling to sign an extension this summer, which could result in the team having to make drastic changes either to move him or try to convince him to stay.
With all three teams facing some form of pressure heading into this summer, they could be active in the trade market, which leads to a fascinating 3-team blockbuster deal that may help all three teams. Up next, we'll take a look at the hypothetical trade.