While the Toronto Raptors emerged as champions for the first time in franchise history, the rest of the Eastern Conference, in LeBron James’ absence, finally managed to step up and showcase the talent existing within its ranks.

The Atlantic Division, in particular, was chock full of talent, with the likes of Joel Embiid, Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving putting on a show week in week out.

That said, with teams now looking to restructure their respective rosters in the offseason, we take a look at what areas they need to address:

Philadelphia 76ers (Picks 24, 33, 34, 44 and 54)

Needs: Shooters

The Philadelphia 76ers’ season ended in heartbreaking fashion as they bowed out in the Eastern Conference semifinals, falling prey to Kawhi Leonard’s genius on the court.

The offseason now promises to be a huge one for the 76ers as they look to continue developing into a force to be reckoned with.

While they have a solid core in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid for the foreseeable future, a chunk of their roster is entering free agency.

JJ Redick, Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris are all free agents in the summer and it remains to be seen if Philly can keep them all.

Their most pressing concern at the moment is the lack of perimeter shooting. They need not just shooters, but also players who can create their own shot and move the ball. They are expected to be severely limited in the draft, possessing only the 24, 33, 34, 44 and 54 overall picks.

Ideal targets in the draft would include Romeo Langford, Kevin Porter, Ty Jerome and Cameron Johnson.

Johnson is a knockdown shooter and averaged close to 17 points per game on 45.7% shooting from downtown. He would fit in perfectly at Philadelphia, although he is expected to be a top-20 pick.

Virginia’s Ty Jerome is a more realistic option. Jerome averaged 13.6 points and 5.5 assists per game this past season.

Brooklyn Nets (Picks 27, 31)

Needs: Backup centre

Brooklyn Nets were one of the most surprising teams in the 2018/19 season. Powered by D’Angelo Russell, the Nets finished with a 42-40 record, good enough to secure the sixth seed in the East.

The Nets have room to sign two max free agents in the offseason after trading away Allen Crabbe’s contract. Rumours suggest they are the favourites to land Kyrie Irving; where that would leave Russell though remains to be seen.

The Nets do not have any pressing concerns aside from securing another max free agent. With the 27th and 31st overall picks in the draft, they could decide to draft a center as a backup to Jarrett Allen.

Two players, in particular, stand out as potential targets: Florida State’s Mfiondu Kabengele and Oregon’s Bol Bol.

Kabengele would be the perfect fit at Brooklyn, considering his dual ability to shoot and space the floor. With a 7'3 wingspan, he can play as a center and a stretch four. However, he’s likely to be taken well before the 27th pick, which leaves the Nets with Bol Bol, who is quite an enigma at the moment.

Bol averaged 21.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 2.7 blocks per game and although his season was ravaged by injuries, his ceiling makes him a top prospect.

New York Knicks (Picks 3, 55)

Needs: Guards

The New York Knicks are set to be among the busiest teams this offseason. They have the room to sign two star free agents and also possess the third overall pick in the NBA Draft which puts them in a great position.

The Knicks have been known to make some boneheaded decisions in the past, but it’s unlikely even they will be able to mess this one up.

New York were easily the worst team in the NBA last season. They struggled in almost all aspects of the game, ranking dead last in shooting efficiency and assists. They were also among the cellar-dwellers in terms of rebounding.

Their most pressing concern though is shooting. With the third overall pick, they will in all likelihood choose RJ Barrett which should solve some of their issues.

Despite playing alongside Zion Williamson in Duke, Barrett more than held his own, averaging 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists per game - the first freshman in NCAA history to do so.

Boston Celtics (Picks 14, 20, 22, 51)

Needs: Point guard

The Boston Celtics’ entire offseason plans hinge on whether Kyrie Irving decides to stay or leave. The Celtics acquired Irving in 2017 in a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers, hoping that he would make them firm favourites in the East, however, that’s not quite panned out.

Brad Stevens’ men ended 4th in the Eastern Conference standings and exited the playoffs at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Irving has been reluctant to commit his future to the franchise and the general consensus is that he is on his way out, possibly heading to the Brooklyn Nets.

This would leave the Celtics woefully short at the point guard position, despite Terry Rozier’s occasional flashes of brilliance this past season.

Rozier averaged just 9 points and three assists per game through the regular season and the Celtics are likely to look at other options.

Boston have three first round picks (14, 20, 22) and a second round pick (51) and are likely to look at a whole variety of players on the night.

Their point guard needs could be fulfilled by one of Carsen Edwards or Jordan Bone. Edwards averaged 24 points and 4 assists per game for Purdue while Bone averaged 13 points and 6 assists for Tennessee.

Other realistic options for their first-round picks include Rui Hachimura, Brandon Clarke, Tyler Herro and PJ Washington.

Toronto Raptors (Picks 59)

Needs: Wing Players

All that the Toronto Raptors need to do this offseason is to try and convince Kawhi Leonard that his future is in Canada. However, that’s easier said than done.

The Raptors brought Kawhi to Toronto along with Danny Green in a trade that sent DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and their 2019 first-round pick the other way. They also traded for Marc Gasol in what was initially viewed as an extremely risky deal.

However, the trio combined spectacularly to lead the Raptors to their first-ever Championship in franchise history.

It is clear though that the Raptors’ trades have jeopardized their future. Leonard has remained non-commital as regards his future, but if he decides to stay, it should be enough to keep them competitive.

The Raptors have just one late second-round pick - #59 - in the draft which might not be worth much.

They do need a wing player and a guard though. Realistic targets for the Raptors in the draft would include Croatian power forward Luka Samanic, Kansas forward Dedric Lawson, Tulsa guard Daquan Jeffries and Florida State forward Terence Davis.

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