2014–2015 Record: 30–52 (12th in conference, missed playoffs)
2016–2017 Cap Room: $32 Million

Key Strengths: Guard play
Key Weaknesses: Outside shooting, rim protection

First-Year Strategy: The cap jump is the largest reason the Nuggets have so much cap space after the first year; they are actually over the cap in 2015–2016. However, there are guys who you will have to make decisions on almost immediately, such as Jusuf Nurkic and Gary Harris -- both have team options after year one.

Pick those options up and use some of that extra money on someone like Randy Foye to help with your outside shooting, and target a rim protector in the draft.

Three-Year Strategy: Danilo Galinari’s contract has a pretty strange structure, with his 2016–2017 money being non-guaranteed followed by a player option in 2017–2018. His injury history is going to be a problem in NBA 2K16, which places even more of an emphasis on player injuries, so it might be worthwhile to unload him to a team that could use him, or one that would be willing to let him go.

It’s uncertain how NBA 2K16 will handle his non-guaranteed money, but if it’s possible to cut bait with him after your first year, that will free up another $15 million dollars in cap space. You can use this money to give Randy Foye a new contract, but you need to focus on rim protection in your team building as it’s a key place where Denver is lacking. The Nuggets have a funky roster that you’re going to be able to play around with, but without the ability to defend, it’s going to be tough sledding.

2014–2015 Record: 16–66 (15th in conference, missed playoffs)
2016–2017 Cap Room: $49 Million

Key Strengths: Young, explosive talent
Key Weaknesses: Outside shooting

First-Year Strategy: Minnesota has the last two number one overall draft picks on its roster (three before Anthony Bennett was cut loose) so focus on their development. The big decision here is with Nikola Pekovic, an aging player owed $12 Million in 2015–2016. Between Gorgui Deng and Karl-Anthony Towns, Pekovic is blocking the development of two potential key pieces so consider trading him away in year one.

Beyond that, consider drafting a shooting small forward in the 2016 draft.

Three-Year Strategy: The Kevins, Garnett and Martin, should both be off your roster at the end of 2016 when they become the only unrestricted free agents on your roster. Martin should not be retained, and Garnett will likely retire.

If you took my advice and dumped Pekovic in year one, you will likely have a ton of cap space in 2017–2018. The only problem, of course, is that the rest of the league will as well. There will be a free-agency bonanza so you may be able to pick up a couple lower-tier guys on overpriced contracts, but you have so much space it won’t really matter.
 

2014–2015 Record: 45–37 (9th in conference, missed playoffs)
2016–2017 Cap Room: $30 Million

Key Strengths: Elite players at three positions
Key Weaknesses: Star player is a free agent after year one

First-Year Strategy: Boy, talk about a tough spot. The Thunder are in a Finals-or-bust situation, and busting out here means the potential loss of your superduperstar, Kevin Durant, who is an unrestricted free agent after year one. Obviously, it’s imperative that you re-sign him to a deal that will presumably eat up all of your cap space.

Three-Year Strategy: If Durant leaves, you have two choices: trade Russell Westbrook and rebuild around Serge Ibaka and Enes Kanter (gulp), or try to stem the tide for as long as possible in the hopes that you can re-sign Westbrook and make another run with a replacement for Durant at small forward.

Good luck.

2014–2015 Record: 51–31 (4th in conference, lost to Memphis in first round, 4–1)
2016–2017 Cap Room: $53 Million

Key Strengths: Shooting, guard play
Key Weaknesses: Defense

First-Year Strategy: The Blazers lost four starters from a 50-win team, but GM Neil Oshey has done a decent job in finding replacements at lesser money. Nic Batum has become Al-Farouq Aminu, Robin Lopez has become Meyers Leonard (or Plumlee, you choose) and Wes Matthews is now C.J. McCollum. These are workable players, but Portland will likely not be good in year one.

Letting Gerald Henderson, Chris Kaman and Mike Miller all walk is a good strategy for maximizing flexibility during the first offseason.

Three-Year Strategy: Let Noah Vonleh play! He and Leonard are not a great defensive pairing, but presumably both can be elite shooters. Extending both to reasonable deals (Leonard in the 2016 offseason) will be at a premium, but you do need some defense.

You can theoretically pair either one with a defensive big, giving you shooting and defense at almost all times. The Blazers have a lot of young talent, and sifting through it for your next stars is key. Focus on defense in the draft.

2014–2015 Record: 38–44 (11th in conference, missed playoffs)
2016–2017 Cap Room: $47 Million

Key Strengths: Young, exciting frontcourt
Key Weaknesses: Point guard

First-Year Strategy: With Dante Exum out the entire first season, you lose a year of development for him both in terms of seeing what he can do on the court, and to grow his ratings in training. Otherwise, your roster is set for year one, with Trevor Booker being the only potential member of your top eight that is not under your control.

Pick up all of your team options except maybe Trey Burke. You desperately need a starting-quality point guard.

Three-Year Strategy: If you are able to pick up a starter at point guard, your team is set. You have to extend Rudy Gobert before 2017 starts, but that’s a no brainer for a guy who will be likely the best defender in the league at that position (though Hassan Whiteside is currently a freak show as well).

Otherwise, focus on point guards and depth behind your primary starters, and continue to build something in Salt Lake City.

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Marc Price is a life-long basketball nerd and EA SPORTS GameChanger. He co-hosts the Post-Game Podcast with Corey Andress every Wednesday on the Post-Game Podcast Network. You can find more information about the podcast at http://postgamepodcast.wordpress.com/ as well as Twitter.com/postgamepodcast.

Marc can be followed on Twitter at Twitter.com/mrprice33 and his co-host Corey can be followed at Twitter.com/coreysa. You can find more articles like these at medium.com/@mrprice33.