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At a certain point, it all has to click for the Los Angeles Clippers, right? Consistently one of the most talented teams in the league with a 1-2 punch that few squads in the NBA can match, the Clippers once again came up very, very short during the 2022-23 NBA season. Los Angeles got the 5-seed in the Western Conference after winning 44 games, then lost in five games in the first round to the Phoenix Suns. Once again, the year ended with a whimper for the team with the highest payroll in the NBA, and curiously, the team has opted against making any sort of moves that could shake things up in the aftermath.

Ty Lue is still around. Kawhi Leonard isn’t getting moved, but Paul George is still here, too, and while they’ve reportedly gauged his trade value, nothing concrete has come to light of them seriously discussing deals to send him out. Other than Mason Plumlee and Russell Westbrook, every major contributor from last season is coming back. They were rumored to have interest in Chris Paul before he was dealt to Golden State, and tried to get Malcolm Brogdon before that deal fell through, indicating point guard is on their list.

If this is true — and it’s worth noting that things can change dramatically once 6 p.m. EST on June 30 rolls around — then the No. 30 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft is incredibly important, as it’s an opportunity to address some of the flaws that we’ve seen in this old, flawed roster. Guys like Terance Mann and Bones Hyland can add some of that if their roles increase next season, and perhaps the player they take on Thursday night can do the same.

Roster Needs: Youth, guard depth, another big

Kobe Brown (No. 30 overall), B-: Brown has the pieces to be a very solid role player in the NBA. He fits within the Clippers’ structure as a result, and if his shooting uptick from 2022-23 is real, Brown could be a steal with the final pick of the first round.

2023 Free Agents:
Mason Plumlee (UFA)
Russell Westbrook (UFA)
Xavier Moon (Two-Way)
Moussa Diabate (Two-Way)

Roster:
Paul George
Kawhi Leonard
Eric Gordon
Norman Powell
Marcus Morris Sr.
Nicolas Batum
Robert Covington
Ivica Zubac
Terance Mann
Amir Coffey
Bones Hyland (Team Option)
Brandon Boston Jr.
Jason Preston

The Denver Nuggets are the only team entering the 2023 NBA Draft completely satisfied after a championship winning season, as Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and company ran through the playoffs en route to the franchise’s first title.

That said, Thursday’s Draft was important for Denver because they have a number of roster spots to fill this summer with Bruce Brown hitting free agency along with a handful of veterans that filled out their bench. While they’ll certainly look to add more veteran minimum deals this offseason, adding players on rookie scale deals was important enough to the Nuggets front office that they’ve already gone out and made a pair of trades heading into the Draft, acquiring the 29th and 32nd overall picks from Indiana and the 37th pick and a 2024 first from OKC.

Denver is in the quite comfortable position of having their core intact, but now they’ll be on the hunt for more depth and hoping to add another immediate impact player in the draft as they did with Christian Braun a year ago.

Roster Needs: Depth at every position

Julian Strawther (No. 29 overall), B-: This might be a bit early for Strawther in a vacuum, but Denver can be trusted to maximize his skill set. He is a fantastic shooter and has the size that Denver seems to covet. Defensively, it’s an adventure right now, but there is room to grow with his tools.

Free Agents:
Bruce Brown (UFA)
Jeff Green (UFA)
DeAndre Jordan (UFA)
Thomas Bryant (UFA)
Ish Smith (UFA)
Reggie Jackson (UFA)
Jack White (Two-Way)
Collin Gillespie (Two-Way)

Roster:
Nikola Jokic
Jamal Murray
Michael Porter Jr.
Aaron Gordon
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Christian Braun
Peyton Watson
Vlatko Cancar
Zeke Nnaji (team option)

The Detroit Pistons made a move to pick up another first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Earlier in the evening, the Pistons used the No. 5 overall pick to take a swing, as the team selected Overtime Elite forward Ausar Thompson with the hopes that he can be part of the young core the team is building with Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, and Jalen Duren.

A little bit later in the evening and Detroit traded up to get someone a little more experienced. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Pistons and the Boston Celtics worked out a deal where Detroit would acquire the number 25 pick on Thursday night, while Boston would drop down to number 31 and gain some future second-round selections from the Pistons.

With the pick, Detroit decided to select a player who is older than both members of their starting backcourt, as the team brought in Houston guard 2023 consensus first-team All-American Marcus Sasser.

The Pistons will probably not need Sasser to ever be the face of their backcourt, but he does have a track record of being a tenacious two-way player, as he was one of the best guard defenders in college basketball last season. Offensively, he averaged 16.8 points and 3.1 assists per game while hitting 38.4 percent of his attempts from behind the three-point line.

The Dallas Mavericks spent the night of the 2023 NBA Draft working the phones. First, they pulled off a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder that involved swapping first-round picks — OKC moved up to 10, Dallas went back to 12 — while Davis Bertans’ contract went to the Thunder and the Mavericks received a monster trade exception in the deal.

But as it turns out, Dallas was not done. That Traded Player Exception that the team received was immediately put to use, as Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Mavericks absorbed the deal of Kings big man Richaun Holmes. As an added bonus, Sacramento sent the number 24 pick on Thursday night to Dallas, which used it to select Canadian forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper. The news was confirmed by Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Holmes is due a little more than $12 million this season and has a player option for 2024-25 for about $12.9 million, and found himself out of the Kings’ rotation last season. Presumably, this trade will send him to a team that could use some more beef in the frontcourt, which the Mavs attempted to address earlier in the night by selecting Duke’s Dereck Lively.

Prosper rose up Draft boards following the Combine. After starting his career at Clemson and not doing all that much, he transferred to Marquette in 2021-22 and really flashed last season, averaging 12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.

No team pivots quite like the Brooklyn Nets when a star-studded era flames out. Instead of a lengthy, grueling rebuild in the aftermath of the Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Deron Williams era, Brooklyn was able to get back to being a playoff team after missing out for three years in a row. While the future isn’t as bleak right now as it was back then, the Nets once again find themselves in a spot where they have to sort themselves out following the end of a superteam.

This situation is not nearly as bad. Brooklyn has a whole bunch of draft capital coming its way from the trades that sent out Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving, and in Mikal Bridges, the team has the sort of building block that just did not exist the last time it had to navigate this situation. While the future of Cam Johnson has to be sorted out, the team has a ton of the switchy, three-and-D wings that other teams covet, along with a handful of experienced players who can help them see through the next year or two.

Will they resist the urge to try and cash in some chips in an effort to bring a star to Brooklyn? Who knows. But in the lead-up to the 2023 NBA Draft, the Nets have back-to-back picks as 21 and 22, which give them the opportunity to continue to bolster their roster, particular with no 2024 picks in their war chest right now.

Roster Needs: Youth in the backcourt, center help, playmaking

Noah Clowney (No. 21 overall), B: This is a solid value for Clowney, especially from an upside perspective. His defensive potential is clear with his length, athleticism, and feel, and Clowney has the potential to shoot and space the floor on offense. If the shooting doesn’t pop, he may be a center with some overlap next to Nic Claxton, but this is the point of the draft where you can simply take the best player available. Clowney is a reasonable bet on that.

Dariq Whitehead (No. 22 overall), A-: While the medical talking point of the draft was Cam Whitmore’s fall, Whitehead’s pre-draft process was marked by medical questions. He was limited during the season and then had another surgical procedure when the season ended. If the medical is clear, though, Whitehead is a former top-five high school prospect in this class, and he is a worthy risk for Brooklyn.

2023 Free Agents:
Cam Johnson (RFA)
Seth Curry (UFA)
David Duke Jr. (UFA)
LaMarcus Aldridge (UFA)
Wilson Chandler (UFA)
Yuta Watanabe (UFA)
Dru Smith (Two-Way)

Roster:
Ben Simmons
Mikal Bridges
Spencer Dinwiddie
Joe Harris
Dorian Finney-Smith
Nic Claxton
Royce O’Neale
Patty Mills
Cam Thomas (Team Option)
Edmond Sumner
Day’Ron Sharpe (Team Option)
Alondes Williams (Two-Way)
RaiQuan Gray (Two-Way)

The Golden State Warriors enter every single year with Steph Curry on the roster as one of the league’s few teams with a championship-or-bust mentality. Last season, the Warriors didn’t just fail to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy, the team missed the Western Conference Finals altogether for the first time during the Steve Kerr era when all of Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson were healthy.

The team now finds itself in a tricky spot, as they’re deep into the luxury tax, the two-timelines approach has not worked at all, and now, Green is on the unrestricted free agent market, all while Mike Dunleavy Jr. has replaced Bob Myers as the main decision-maker in the team’s front office. The roster is good but flawed, particularly if the disaster scenario comes to fruition and Green doesn’t come back. Will guys like Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody be able to take gigantic steps forward and become consistent, productive rotation pieces? How hard will it be to add talent via free agency?

Having the 19th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft could help, as the team could always use more young talent that fits around their older core. Ultimately, that core — and, more importantly, keeping it together — is the most important thing in San Francisco, and this summer is shaping up to be a major test of whether or not the team can do that. They made their first major move in the hours before the Draft, trading Jordan Poole to Washington for Chris Paul, indicating the focus will again be on winning now rather than trying to split the timelines.

Roster Needs: Draymond Green, rim pressure, literally anyone who can step in and play right away

Brandin Podziemski (No. 19 overall), B-: This is a better grade than any other team would’ve received in taking Podziemski, but it’s a good fit. His feel is very good and Podziemski is a dynamic shooter. As a very limited athlete, there are defensive concerns and the chance that he just can’t hold up, but Golden State was the appropriate team to take that risk.

2023 Free Agents:
Draymond Green (UFA)
Anthony Lamb (RFA)
Ty Jerome (Two-Way)
JaMychal Green (UFA)
Andre Iguodala (UFA)
Lester Quinones (Two-Way)

Roster:
Steph Curry
Klay Thompson
Chris Paul
Andrew Wiggins
Gary Payton II
Kevon Looney
Jonathan Kuminga
Donte DiVincenzo (Player Option)
Moses Moody
Patrick Baldwin Jr.
Ryan Rollins

Somehow, someway, inexplicably, shockingly, whatever else you wanna put in here, the Miami Heat did it again this year. Despite not being an especially great team during the regular season and finding themselves on the brink of elimination in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament, Miami caught fire during the playoffs and made it all the way to the NBA Finals. The team eventually ran out of gas against the Denver Nuggets, but regardless, the run served as a reminder that Erik Spoelstra’s bunch just have this incredible ability to flip a switch once the playoffs roll around.

All that said, Miami’s struggles during the regular season certainly are concerning, especially as issues like an inability to consistently score points and a general lack of size came back to bite them in a big way against Denver. We do know that they’re willing to be aggressive in the trade market to fix at least one of those issues, as the Heat were closely linked to a move for Bradley Beal and are apparently keeping ready in case Damian Lillard hits the market.

Since this is the Heat we are talking about here, it probably isn’t wise to cast any sort of serious doubt around their ability to do, well, anything. But between their usual star hunting, the general reinforcements their roster could use, and the fact that major contributors like Gabe Vincent and Max Strus could be in line for big paydays on the unrestricted free agent market, it’s sure to be a busy summer in Miami.

Roster Needs: Frontcourt help, two-way wings, perimeter creation

Jaime Jaquez Jr. (No. 18 overall), B: I’m a sucker for Jaime Jaquez, and I’ll admit that. This is a substantial rise from where most had him during the season but, well, this is about where I had him the entire time. Miami is also a wonderful landing spot because the Heat do a fantastic job putting players in positions to succeed. Jaquez’s toughness and feel for the game fit beautifully with the Heat.

2023 Free Agents:
Kevin Love (UFA)
Omer Yurtseven (RFA)
Cody Zeller (UFA)
Gabe Vincent (UFA)
Max Strus (UFA)
Orlando Robinson (Two-Way)
Jamal Cain (Two-Way)

Roster:
Jimmy Butler
Bam Adebayo
Kyle Lowry
Tyler Herro
Duncan Robinson
Victor Oladipo (Player Option)
Caleb Martin
Nikola Jovic
Haywood Highsmith
Dru Smith (Two-Way)
Darius Days (Two-Way)
Marcus Garrett (Two-Way)
Mychal Mulder (Two-Way)
Javonte Smart (Two-Way)

It was a weird year for the Los Angeles Lakers, one that began with a brand new head coach and a clunky roster that went 2-10 to start the year and ended with an appearance in the Western Conference Finals where they were swept by the eventual NBA champions. Los Angeles had a legitimately admirable in-season turnaround, thanks in large part to a solid trade deadline and Darvin Ham’s defense-first approach paying dividends as the year went on.

Still, the Lakers are in quite the spot heading into the summer. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are still here (assuming James doesn’t do something completely out of left field and retire), but a number of the players who came up big in their playoff run are hitting free agency, with guys like Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, and Dennis Schröder hitting the open market. Plus it’s the Lakers we’re talking about here, and while they’ll certainly try to bring guys back, few teams are better at figuring out how to make a splash via a trade or free agency if they can make the finances work.

Of course, with James and Davis, certain archetypes of players are always going to be valuable, particularly those who can do stuff on the perimeter on both ends of the floor. Youth is also of the utmost importance, as James is going to turn 39 this year and Davis will miss games every now and then due to injury. Fortunately for them, they have a first-round pick to get a much-needed injection of youth in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Roster Needs: Three-point shooting, people who can play point guard, perimeter defense

Jalen Hood-Schifino (No. 17 overall), B: Hood-Schifino’s efficiency at Indiana left a lot to be desired this season, which is definitely worth noting. There are caveats, including the fact that Indiana’s offensive structure was not conducive to his individual success, and Hood-Schifino does have very good tools when it comes to size and pick-and-roll ability. He’s also a stout defender, and if he can figure out the offensive side within a smaller role, the Lakers can maximize him.

2023 Free Agents:
D’Angelo Russell (UFA)
Rui Hachimura (RFA)
Lonnie Walker IV (UFA)
Austin Reaves (RFA)
Troy Brown Jr. (UFA)
Tristan Thompson (UFA)
Dennis Schröder (UFA)
Wenyen Gabriel (UFA)
Scotty Pippen Jr. (Two-Way)

Roster:
LeBron James
Anthony Davis
Malik Beasley (Team Option)
Mo Bamba
Jarred Vanderbilt
Shaquille Harrison
Max Christie
Cole Swindler (Two-Way)

The Atlanta Hawks endured an up-and-down season in 2022-23. After completing a “win now” trade with the San Antonio Spurs to acquire Dejounte Murray in July, the Hawks struggled to live up to expectations, eventually moving on from president of basketball operations Travis Schlenk and head coach Nate McMillan during the regular season.

From there, the Hawks made a splashy head coaching hire with Quin Snyder and finished with a 41-41 record that left no one satisfied. Atlanta’s offense did find its footing by the end of the campaign, scoring at a top-five level after the All-Star break, and the Hawks continued that impressive offensive run in pushing the Boston Celtics to six games in the first round.

Atlanta’s roster remains centered on star point guard Trae Young, with Murray sitting in the No. 2 role and running the ship when Young is off the floor. The Hawks are also financially committed to the frontcourt trio of De’Andre Hunter, John Collins, and Clint Capela, though the youthful trio of AJ Griffin, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu could be in line for promotion in the near future. The Hawks also have decisions to make with regard to the luxury tax for a roster that is already too expensive to justify middling results.

Roster Needs: Perimeter defense, three-point shooting, consolidation

Kobe Bufkin (No. 15 overall), A-: It felt as if Atlanta might once again benefit from medical questions to nab a falling prospect like Cam Whitmore, but Bufkin is a very strong pick for the Hawks. He checks a lot of boxes on both ends of the floor with shooting guard size and point guard skills. Bufkin has strong basketball feel and he is already a quality defender that could continue to improve as he gets stronger.

2023 Free Agents:
Aaron Holiday (UFA)
Trent Forrest (Two-Way)

Roster:
Trae Young
Dejounte Murray
De’Andre Hunter
John Collins
Clint Capela
Bogdan Bogdanovic
Saddiq Bey
Onyeka Okongwu
AJ Griffin
Jalen Johnson
Bruno Fernando (non-guaranteed)
Garrison Mathews (non-guaranteed)
Vit Krejci (non-guaranteed)
Tyrese Martin (non-guaranteed)

In Harry’s House, Harry Styles makes the rules. He also makes sure all of his guests feel cozy in his home. As his Love On Tour shows have been a hit internationally, Styles has become known to interact with fans during his live performances. During a stop in Cardiff, Wales this past Tuesday (June 20), he made sure to look out for a pregnant fan in the audience.

During the show, the fan, whose name seems to be Sian, indicated that she needed to use the bathroom.

“Do you need to go for a wee? You should go for a wee,” he said. “I think we all agree it’s important Sian goes for a wee, don’t we? You know what I’m going to do this one time? You go for a wee, I’m going to stall. Sian, you won’t miss a thing. If you hurry up, you won’t miss a thing.”

Styles paused the show so the fan wouldn’t miss a beat.

Elsewhere in the show, the fan asked Styles to name her child. She presented to him four options — Stevie, Rafe, Harley and Caleb.

“That’s a lot of pressure — you don’t really want me to name it,” said Styles.

You can see a clip from the show above.