Timberwolves: Signing Tyus Jones allows us to start/bench Mike Conley to save his older legs and having another ball handler with a fantastic assist-to-turnover ratio to maintain an efficient offense is desperately needed for any other offensive collapse we will endure. Trading for Jarrett Allen to be a backup might not seem like a logical assumption for a player of his caliber, but if he does not demand any better offer for the Cavs then it might just be a plausible solution to the paint protection the team lacks currently when Gobert is not on the court and the rebounds that would be lost from trading Karl-Anthony Towns. Jonathan Isaac would thrive in our defensive identity and fulfill a similar role as he did with the Orlando Magic this season of having one 8 minute stint each half and shutting down the oppositions best player. Isaac could also be an option in a small (but not small) ball lineup with him and Naz Reid in the front court allowing a switch everything defensive scheme to be even more effective. Nicolas Batum is an older presence for an even younger roster as we head into the 2024-25 season and this postseason he showed that his defense is still more than suffice for a 35 year old veteran minimum player all the while shooting 40% from 3 the past 4 seasons on an average of 261 attempts each year, and he even has a great relationship with Rudy Gobert through their France National Team connection who might need another ally for any other postseason backlash he will undoubtedly receive.

Magic: Their issue with the point guard position finally comes to an end with the new acquisition of Darius Garland. After seeing that Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony are not viable solutions to the playmaking struggles That this team has had these past two seasons, they go after Garland who will take over the reins and provide a much needed spark and flow to the offense that is centered around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. This trio would allow Garland to flourish as the player we know him to be and grow with guys more suited to his attributes/style of play. The surprising arrival of Jalen Suggs and his defense will take that pressure away from the shortcomings Garland has in that area and vice versa for the offensive play Suggs currently lacks. Although that will be a small backcourt, the upside is having guys like Banchero, Wagner, and Carter behind them. There is still a move or two the Magic could make, but the fact they made it to the playoffs this year was already ahead of schedule so they might wait and see how the introduction of Garland works before committing to anything else. A notable mention could be the attempt of acquiring a player like Malik Monk in free agency that either deters or adds to this hypothetical scenario.

Cavaliers: Assuming all of the reports are true, the Cavs and Donovan Mitchell seem to be heading towards a contract extension which prompts them into trading players like Garland and Allen to make way for building better overall teams without the connective issues that the Mitchell-Garland and Mobley-Allen duos displayed each of the last two years, so they might as well not make the mistake of running it back for a third time with this group. Cole Anthony is not the answer to any of these problems, but for contracts sake he is included in this and the Cavaliers have no other point guard on the roster at the moment besides Craig Porter Jr. A better fit alongside Mobley (much like that of Jarred Vanderbilt on the Timberwolves a few years back) and more space for Mitchell drives is provided from the spacing and scoring that Karl-Anthony Towns brings with him. This might not be what the Cavaliers front office or their fans are looking for, but what else could be done to not have another disappointing finish after a so-so regular season even when achieving home court for round one. This would be a great team for whoever their next head coach is and allows that coach to not be expected to finish with home court again or even top 6 or 7, but has promising enough aspirations to not fall back into a post-LeBron rebuild once more.