Although they run a two big lineup, they aren’t the most physical team down low. How effectively their bigs are able to rim run will be very telling in their success around Harden and Mitchell.

When Ty Jerome left, the bench production took a significant hit. They have not completely re-calibrated their bench unit. Their bench unit can be transformed again in the offseason at a relatively low asset cost.

Jalen Suggs has emerged as a premier perimeter defender and passing lane pest, but he also is their best trade chip outside of their core of Banchero, Wagner and Bane. Black has emerged in a way that may make the tandem of Suggs and Black redundant. The direction of the franchise may be decided with what happens with Suggs and/or Black in the next two years.

Both Carter Jr. and Bitadze are serviceable NBA rotation level centers, and Banchero can play over into the center position if need be but there are some questions about how the performance of the center position may be a place of improvement for Orlando.

Perhaps their crown jewel young player, Amen Thompson is going to be eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer and his potential could reach as high as Defensive Player of the Year. The max language that could be in his deal should be monitored.

Eason and Houston were unable to reach an extension last offseason. For one of the integral pieces of the roster, this leaves a huge question mark as Eason takes the floor this year.

Denver had a great offseason signing highly coveted veterans like Hardaway and Brown, but only to short term contracts. Leadership will need to either retain these key rotation players or find replacements in their young players or in the draft.

The previous leadership traded assets to take many bites at the draft apple in the hopes that they could find the correct rotation players late in the draft to surround and support Jokic and the core. Thus far, this leadership has gone searching for veteran role players to be in the rotation and players like Strawther and Holmes have fallen out of the rotation as a result. This offseason may provide some direction.