5 NBA teams that need a scorer
While many different factors contribute to the success of an NBA team, the league will always revolve around scoring. The top teams almost always have a top-ranked offense led by a superstar-level scorer.
Meanwhile, teams that don’t have a premier scorer are often left stuck somewhere between no-man’s land and tanking for a higher draft pick.
Ahead of the 2023-24 NBA season, there are still numerous teams in need of a legitimate No. 1 scoring option. Meanwhile, others could use an additional complementary scorer.
Here are five teams that are still lacking a scorer ahead of the coming season:
#5. Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers have made it clear that they are looking to take a step forward in 2024. The Pacers already overpaid wing Bruce Brown (two years, $45 million) to pry him away from the defending champion Denver Nuggets this offseason.
Meanwhile, their young core, led by star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, is expected to take another leap. However, Haliburton is more of a pass-first type player and the team still lacks a true No. 1 scoring option.
Shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin could ultimately develop into this role. However, if the Pacers want to lock in a playoff berth for the first time since 2020, they may need to make a win-now move. If they do so, a trade for an elite scoring wing or forward may be just the right move.
#4. New York Knicks
The New York Knicks are coming off a very successful season in which they made it to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2013. However, the team’s ceiling while led by star point guard Jalen Brunson still appears to be limited.
Brunson is better suited as a secondary scorer. Meanwhile, star power forward Julius Randle often disappears come playoff time. The 2019 No. 3 pick R.J. Barrett still struggles with inconsistency as well.
So, it may be time for the Knicks to finally cash in on their trade assets and add another legitimate star to pair alongside Brunson.
#3. San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs appear poised to take a big step forward this coming season. This comes after the team landed French phenom Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Wembanyama alone is expected to make the Spurs much more competitive than last season when they finished just 23rd in team scoring (113.0 points per game). However, outside of the 19-year-old star, the team still lacks a proven complementary scoring option.
Perhaps one of the Spurs’ other young players such as Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell or Malaki Branham will be able to fill that secondary scoring role.
Nonetheless, if the Spurs want to fast-track their rebuild, a trade for a more proven offensive star could be the right move.
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#2. Miami Heat
Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat are coming off a Cinderella run to the 2023 NBA Finals. However, the team struggled to keep up with the Denver Nuggets’ top-ranked offense once they got there.
Miami has since lost two key contributors to their title run in Gabe Vincent and Max Strus as well. So, after finishing dead last in team scoring last season (109.5 ppg), the Heat are in desperate need of additional scoring.
The return of shooting guard Tyler Herro from a right-hand injury may offset some of Miami’s scoring deficiencies. However, the team could still use another top-scoring option to support Butler.
This is a big reason why Miami has been so determined to land Portland Trail Blazers superstar point guard Damian Lillard up until this point.
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#1. Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors once again appear to be a treadmill team ahead of the 2023-24 season. Since superstar forward Kawhi Leonard left the Raptors in 2019, the franchise has been without a true No. 1 scoring option.
Star forward Pascal Siakam is best suited as a No. 2 option. Meanwhile, the team has very little scoring in the backcourt after losing starting point guard Fred VanVleet to Houston in free agency.
So, the Raptors could use a legitimate superstar as well as some more complementary scoring options. If not, the team could be one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league after already finishing just 24th in team scoring (112.9 ppg) last season.
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