The Cleveland Cavaliers, Brooklyn Nets, and Dallas Mavericks all had a disappointing end to the 2023 season and did not make it as far as they had hoped, which could inspire an offseason trade.
The Cavs saw another great improvement in the regular season, but their first-round series against the New York Knicks exposed some weaknesses that will need to be addressed. The Nets underwent a major shakeup, trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving at the deadline. Mikal Bridges showed great promise, and the Nets might consider going younger and building around him. The Mavericks, following a successful run to the 2022 Western Conference Finals with the young prodigy Luka Doncic, added Kyrie Irving mid-season but surprisingly missed the playoffs altogether.