LeBron James left South Beach, but the Southeast remains strong.
The Hawks are poised to repeat their 60-win season. They have enough cap flexibility to re-sign their free agents and have room left over to add to their core. The Wizards' young core continues to blossom and the Heat will have a full season of Goran Dragic (if he re-signs) breakout star Hassan Whiteside in their service.
Here are each team's draft needs.
Atlanta Hawks
Picks in 2015 NBA Draft: No. 15 (from Brooklyn), No. 50 (from Toronto), No. 59
Area of Need: Size in frontcourt, high-ceiling talent
The Atlanta Hawks don't need much. They posted a 60-win season before being derailed by injuries in the postseason. If they can re-sign key free agents DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap, the Hawks are poised to repeat atop the Eastern Conference.
But the Hawks have one major flaw: Their frontcourt is small. Millsap and Al Horford were picked apart by Cleveland's massive frontline. The Cavaliers managed to rebound 29.7 percent of their misses in their series sweep against the Hawks.
Potential Targets: Myles Turner, PF, Texas; Frank Kaminsky, C, Wisconsin
They can address their weakness with the 15th pick. Myles Turner is a near 7-footer that boasts a 9-foot-4 standing reach who averaged an absurd 4.2 blocks per-36 minutes. He has the size and strength to develop into a mobile rim protector.
7-foot-1 Wisconsin center Frank Kaminsky could also be a fit. Kaminsky is a questionable defender, but is a decent playmaker and a solid shooter that projects to fit seamlessly into Atlanta's motion offense.
Washington Wizards
Picks in 2015 NBA Draft: No. 19, No. 49
Area of Need: Reliable stretch-four, wing depth
The Wizards have a tremendous young core between the trio of John Wall, Bradley Beal, and 2015 playoff breakout star Otto Porter. The challenge is to surround their young stars with a decent supporting cast.
Their postseason success coincided with a long overdue change in strategy. The Wizards' move to playing smallball resolved their spacing issues and unlocked a fluid offense to go along with their strong defense. But with Paul Pierce potentially leaving, the Wizards lack the frontcourt pieces to play small.
Potential Targets: Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA; Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky
Drafting a player like Kevon Looney would be a start. Looney posted strong rebounding numbers and feasted on hustle plays - something that will surely endear him to coach Randy Wittman. But where Looney truly excelled was in spot-up shooting. He shot 43.1 percent from deep and scored 1.11 points per possession in catch-and-shoot scenarios.
Adding depth on the wing is also an option should a marksman like Devin Booker slip in the draft. Booker is a tremendous spot-up shooter (41.1 percent from deep) with decent size that could slot in as a backup wing.
Miami Heat
Picks in 2015 NBA Draft: No. 10, No. 40
Area of Need: Combo guard, 3-and-D wing
The Heat were beset by injuries last season. But their outlook is strong. Thanks to the emergence of Hassan Whiteside, the Heat could field a starting-five of him, Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, and Chris Bosh.
But the roster is top-heavy and there's little by way of depth, which bodes poorly for an aging core.
Potential Targets: Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas; Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona
The first order of business should be to add a backup wing capable of spelling Wade. Kelly Oubre could potentially fill that void, as the 19-year-old is a strong-willed defender with a massive 7-foot-1 wingspan and has shown flashes of an NBA-ready jumpshot.
Stanley Johnson is another fit. Johnson is smaller than Oubre, but Oubre lacks Johnson's ability to create his own shot. Standing at 6-foot-7, Johnson could replicate Wade's playmaking ability from the wing and is game-ready.
Charlotte Hornets
Picks in 2015 NBA Draft: No. 9, No. 39
Area of Need: Starting-caliber wing
Last year was a season of disappointment for the Hornets. Offseason additions Lance Stephenson and Marvin Williams backfired spectacularly and injuries to their key contributors culminated in yet another sub-.500 season.
The Hornets will once again be on the lookout for a playmaking wing to complement the core of Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Al Jefferson. They need a secondary ball handler who can shoot and help create offense.
Potential Targets: Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona; Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky
Johnson is a perfect fit for the Hornets. He has excellent size, standing at 6-foot-7, weighing 245 pounds with a 6-foot-11 wingspan. He has a strong dribble-drive game and can create out of the pick-and-roll. Johnson also scored 1.3 points per spot-up and shot 37.1 percent from deep, versatility Charlotte could us.
If Johnson is unavailable, grabbing Booker would be a decent consolation. Booker has a deft shooting stroke and could develop into an elite spot-up shooter.
Orlando Magic
Picks in 2015 NBA Draft: No. 5, No. 51 (from Chicago)
Area of Need: Shooting, defense
The Magic have plenty of talent. They're set in the backcourt with Victor Oladipo and Elfrid Payton. Nikola Vucevic is a walking double-double machine and Aaron Gordon is waiting in the wings. They just need time to mature.
Potential Targets: Mario Hezonja, SF, Spain; Willie Trill Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky
A little shooting would also go a long way. If the Magic allow free agent Tobias Harris to walk, the obvious hole would be on the wing. To that end, a player like international phenom Mario Hezonja would be a fit. The flashy 20-year-old boasts boundless athleticism and is a deadeye 3-point shooter. He can facilitate out of the pick-and-roll and run with Orlando's cast of young athletes.
Drafting a defensive stopper is another option. Kentucky junior Willie Cauley-Stein is a freakish 7-footer who projects to become a carbon-copy of Tyson Chandler. Selecting Cauley-Stein gives defensively-oriented head coach Scott Skiles a decent rim-protector to anchor his defensive schemes.
