What every team that won't land LeBron should do instead

They're the odds-on favorite to land LeBron James, at least according to the sharps in Vegas. But if LeBron does spurn L.A., they can fall back on a few other options. Paul George, principally, seems like he would be a good fit for the Lakers, and adding him to a young and talented group, but one that needs more outside shooting and defense, both of which George would provide in a big way, seems like a logical move, so long as he opts out of his deal with Oklahoma City. That said, Sports Illustrated's obtaining of what is apparently the script for a recruiting video designed to entice George to join the team seems like yet another misstep for a franchise that has had issues with free agent tampering in the recent past.

If LeBron leaves Cleveland yet again, the Cavaliers are in big, big trouble. Sure, they could try to cobble together a contender, but it's far more likely that Dan Gilbert will blow things up yet again, and try to build Cleveland up in the draft. A report from Cleveland.com's Joe Vardon indicated that without LeBron around, Gilbert would be unwilling to pay anything in tax penalties. Let's just be up front about this: if the Cavs can't bring back King James, the roster will be gutted, and Cleveland will start over.

Chris Paul has made beautiful music with James Harden in Houston. That's the good news. The bad news is that he wants a max deal, and some are suggesting that that desire is creating "tension" within the organization (though Paul and the team have refuted such claims ). Houston's best move, assuming they can't secure James' services, would seemingly be to retain Paul, keep restricted free agent Clint Capela, and try to find a more affordable replacement for Trevor Ariza, who, like Paul, will also be an unrestricted free agent and figures to command a steep price on the open market.

San Antonio has been adamant about a few things; one is that they aren't yet resigned to trading Kawhi Leonard, and the other is that if they do, it won't be to a Western Conference team. That leaves the possibility of a blockbuster with a team in the East, and Boston and Philadelphia have both been mentioned in this context. Whether Leonard stays or goes, the Spurs need a point guard, and one name that has cropped up is Fred VanVleet, the heart and soul of Toronto's lethal second unit. VanVleet, a restricted free agent, shoots it well from the outside and the free throw line, and just seems like the kind of player who would thrive under Gregg Popovich.

The Celtics are unlikely to get LeBron's services in free agency, but they could be poised to land a similarly elite talent if Kawhi Leonard is in fact dealt by the Spurs. Boston is one of the few teams with enough attractive assets to entice the Spurs to make a deal, and if a reasonable one becomes available, the C's should do it. Assuming LeBron doesn't stay in the East, acquiring Leonard would instantly make Boston the conference favorite. There are too many potential packages floating out there to narrow it down to one, but whatever it takes, within reason, the Celtics should try to land Leonard. 

Philly is one of the few teams truly in the running for LeBron James, but if they don't get him, the fallback plan is simple: acquire Kawhi Leonard. The Spurs don't want to trade him at all, and they definitely don't want to trade him to a Western Conference team, so assuming he's okay with going to Philadelphia and not dead-set on playing in Los Angeles, this would seem like a logical fit. The cost would be high, sure, but the 76ers are one of the few teams in the league with the assets to pull it off. If they can't do that, there's another name that hasn't been connected to them, but might also be a good fit. Perhaps you've heard of him — Paul George.

The Clippers likely won't get LeBron, and while they surely would covet Kawhi Leonard (just like everyone else), there's that little aforementioned matter of San Antonio not wanting to trade him to a team in the Western Conference. L.A. is poised to be a major player in free agency next summer, so the best course of action seems like it might include trying to bring back Avery Bradley for one year at a robust rate, and making sure to retain restricted free agent Montrezl Harrell. Those kind of moves would allow the Clippers to retain some continuity, while still keeping them in line to be a major player next summer. Sometimes the best moves are the least sexy. Sorry, Clips fans!

The Heat are a nice enough little team, but they aren't a marquee destination. The market for Dwyane Wade's services will be limited, so he'll probably stay in South Beach, but it's not even assured that he'll play one more season. The Heat don't have much financial room to maneuver, so they'll have to go for low-cost options. Mario Hezonja is one potential name, and if Hassan Whiteside is dealt to free up some cash, Miami could take a flier on a guy like Jahlil Okafor, but at this point it seems that the Heat, who along with Toronto were the only teams without a draft pick, are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

The Warriors will not get LeBron. I'm more saying that to make sure it doesn't happen than for any other reason. Beyond that, Golden State may seek to move Shaun Livingston in a trade, and say goodbye to Nick Young, Zaza Pachulia, and JaVale McGee. So long as the Warriors re-up Kevin Durant early in the free agency process, which they almost certainly will, they will simply re-tool things near the bottom of their roster, and rely on what should be a very strong returning top 8 or 9 to carry the day. 

Jabari Parker is one of the most intriguing players in the league, and while no one is entirely sure if he fits in well long-term with what the Bucks became while he was injured this year, it's probably worth Milwaukee taking the risk of finding out. The Bucks, like so many teams in the league, are financially strapped, and retaining Parker is the simplest and best move they can make. Giannis Antetokounmpo has said that Parker will be staying in Milwaukee, and if he does, the Bucks' challenge will be figuring out where and how Parker fits alongside the Greek Freak and Khris Middleton.

An intriguing move for the Bulls is predicated on what happens with the Rockets and LeBron. If Houston lands James, it will make it difficult for Daryl Morey to match an offer for restricted free agent Clint Capela. Should that scenario come to pass, Capela would be a very interesting fit for the Bulls, provided Houston cannot match an offer sheet. Another interesting name for the Bulls to consider, again from the restricted free agent crowd, would be Jabari Parker. Either way, Chicago may not wait until 2019 to make a splashy move, and instead look to immediately bolster a young core that features Lauri Markkanen and Zach LaVine.

Victor Oladipo won the NBA's Most Improved Player Award, and now he needs some help. Indiana declined to pick up Lance Stephenson's team option, and now most speculation has them focusing their free agent efforts on Will Barton and Tyreke Evans, both of whom would represent a major shot in the arm for the Pacers. Barton especially stands out as exciting, because he filled the stat sheet impressively while having a very low usage rate relative to his statistical production.

The Raptors have luxury tax issues, which could shape much of what they try to do. Those issues might make keeping restricted free agent Fred VanVleet a tough task. The Raptors still lagged behind other playoff teams in the 3-point shooting department, so that will be a priority this offseason. Nemanja Bjelica, Doug McDermott and Joe Harris all profile as potentially low-cost options who could provide the kind of outside shooting punch that the Raptors have lacked. 

If Paul George stays, the Thunder could have something going. If Paul George leaves, the Thunder will be in big trouble. Carmelo Anthony's $28 million player option is an albatross, and if George walks, it will be back to the Russell Westbrook show, with Steven Adams as a supporting player, and Anthony missing open outside shots all year. Assuming they can't keep George, one player the Thunder should consider is Avery Bradley, who would give them much-needed guard help on both ends of the floor. Ed Davis and Nerlens Noel might be worth a look as well, but Oklahoma City's fortunes hinge on the decision of one man — Paul George.

Here's a big-ticket name for the Mavericks to pursue: injured center DeMarcus Cousins. The Mavs have an aging Dirk Nowitzki, Dennis Smith Jr. and Luka Doncic as selling points for a big-name free agent. Cousins, who can dominate in the low post as well as step out and shoot the 3, would be an impressive get, assuming he's able to fully recover from an Achilles injury. Cousins likely won't be ready to go until mid-season, and it may take him several months after that to get back to his old form, but assuming he does, Dallas would look mighty interesting.

The Jazz will have to decide if Dante Exum is still part of their future, as he might be in demand elsewhere, and the Utah backcourt is getting a little crowded. They also must figure out how much of a priority Derrick Favors is, and act accordingly. If Favors is a big priority, their hole at power forward gets filled. Exum might be worth letting go, if only to try and use money that would have been earmarked for him to help the team's depth elsewhere. 

Everyone needs shooting in the NBA, and Portland is no different. Damian Lillard is an elite slasher, and a nice piece to put in with him would be J.J. Redick, who notched a career high with 17.1 points per game this season. Portland doesn't have much in the way of room to sign players, but assuming they can get a little bit creative with sign-and-trades, Redick would be a nice addition to an already loaded backcourt.

The Pelicans' biggest priority would seem to be making a decision on DeMarcus Cousins, specifically how hard to try to keep him. There are some who think that Luka Doncic's presence in Dallas makes that a less desirable destination for Cousins, thereby increasing his chances of staying in the Big Easy. Will Cousins accept the fact that at times he will be the third option, behind Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday? If he does, he could stay and make the Pelicans a potential force in the West. Players with Cousins' talent are rare, and even with the injury, it would be in New Orleans' best interest to try and keep him around.

You can in fact go home again, and the Timberwolves would be wise to try and convince Wayne Ellington to do just that. The Wolves were last in the league in three-point attempts last year, and Ellington has blossomed into one of the league's most dangerous outside shooters. That's his main — some would say only — offering on the court, but it is a vital one. He made the sixth-most 3-pointers in the league last year, and would give Minnesota a sorely needed floor-stretching option as they look to take the next step after ending their playoff drought.

The Wizards disappointed many fans with last year's playoff exit, and John Wall's supermax contract hasn't even kicked in yet. So what do the Wizards do? Getting rid of Marcin Gortat's expiring contract seems like one surefire move, and if Washington can package that with a draft pick for, say, Utah's Derrick Favors, they will have handled several of their issues at once. This isn't exactly an earth-shattering move if it happens, but then again, remember that this team is about to enter cap hell. Not much else that can be done.

Do you know what the Knicks, perpetually accompanied by drama, should do this offseason? Not much of anything. They should probably hope that no resolution is reached with Joakim Noah, and also that Enes Kanter exercises his player option. That would leave New York at the cap, but it would also prevent them from possibly making a very bad decision that would hamper their 2019 plans, plans that might center on a big-name free agent-to-be like Kawhi Leonard. What I'm saying, Knicks fans, is be patient. It's difficult, I know.

Jaren Jackson Jr. should give the franchise a jolt of energy alongside Marc Gasol, but Memphis' ethos, one that prizes toughness and tenacity, would seem to make the Grizzlies a great fit for one player in particular: Marcus Smart. Smart is a restricted free agent, but if the Grizzlies decide to make some other moves, pursuing a guy who would be a crowd favorite as well as a stout defender seems like a good idea. Smart's outside shooting leaves plenty to be desired, but he's still a pretty interesting player for the Grizz to consider taking a run at with the mid-level exception.

The Pistons, like so many other teams in the league, are relatively cap-strapped, limiting their realistic free agent options. Also like virtually every other team in the league, Detroit needs shooting. In terms of finding that at a reasonable rate, they might want to try to pry restricted free agent Doug McDermott away from Dallas. McDermott's NBA career has been mostly undistinguished, but he can shoot the basketball, and would give Detroit some outside help to go with Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond down low.

DeAndre Ayton is the future for Phoenix, and with Mikal Bridges in the fold as well, they have an intriguing wing player to go with their shiny new center. Now they need a point guard and some outside shooting, particularly from a stretch four. Two players to consider to fill those roles, respectively, are Dante Exum, a restricted free agent but possibly needing a change of scenery from Utah, and Ersan Ilyasova, an unrestricted free agent and someone whose shooting touch may make it unfeasible for Philly to keep him. The Suns will have around $15-20 million to spend, and signing those two, despite Exum's status as a total wild card, could make the roster look more intriguing in a hurry.

It all revolves around Aaron Gordon in Orlando. Gordon feels he's very much worth a max deal, but doing one would severely hamper a Magic team that still hasn't made a leap forward, even if Gordon finally started to realize his potential this season. The best move the Magic might be able to make is to sign Gordon to a deal that pays him handsomely, but isn't a max contract, else they'll find themselves trying to plug other holes without much in the way of resources. Still, expect Orlando to keep Gordon around and hope that he, Mo Bamba and Jonathan Isaac can be the cornerstones of the future.

The Hornets ended up with Miles Bridges, a potentially explosive wing, after a draft night trade, and now many feel they might look to trade Kemba Walker. The Hornets also have a trade in place to send Dwight Howard to Brooklyn, and it seems that they might be in need of a veteran presence at backup point guard. Devin Harris seems like a reasonable option in that regard, and while that would be far from an earth-shattering acquisition, the Hornets' cap issues make it the most realistic type of move.

The Nets' starting lineup is more or less set, and one of their big priorities this offseason will be finding a new home for Jeremy Lin. Once that is accomplished, and with Dwight Howard soon to be officially acquired via trade, the Nets will simply look to find some quality second unit depth at a variety of positions. One guy that might fit the bill is Portland's Ed Davis, the kind of quiet, quality role player with plenty of versatility who feels like a good fit for most teams in the league. Landing Davis would be an under-the-radar, but very positive, move for the Nets.

Denver finished one game out of a playoff spot, and has a promising young core. What better guy to add to that core than Trevor Ariza? Ariza offers shooting and defense at the small forward position — a classic "3-and-D" guy — and would be a nice complement to what Denver has built so far. Again, this wouldn't necessarily be a massive addition, but a nice piece for Denver for the next few seasons. Tyreke Evans is also a possibility here, though his contract desires might make that difficult.

The Hawks need, among other things, a center, and while this name isn't going to set the world on fire, they could do worse than putting forth an offer sheet for restricted free agent Jahlil Okafor. The Hawks have a long rebuild ahead of them, so why not try a low-risk, potentially mid-to-high reward player like Okafor? Will people chuckle if they do it? Probably. Can things get any worse than last in the conference? Not really. Okafor's style of play doesn't really suit the new-look NBA, but he's still worth a flier. 

Marvin Bagley III was a no-brainer pick for the Kings in the draft, and now Sacramento will have to hope that he, along with the rest of their young nucleus, can finally kick-start the team and get them out of rebuild purgatory. So, what free agents would want to come to a place where a rebuild is still ongoing? Admittedly, it takes a special kind of player to sign up for that, and there might not be many of them out there. One name that has come up as a possibility for other teams might work in Sacramento: Ed Davis. Failing that, there's no reason for the Kings to try and reach in free agency. Making the smart, obvious pick of Bagley was a step in the right direction.