NBA Team Needs: Northwest Division

ATLANTIC I SOUTHEAST I PACIFIC I CENTRAL I SOUTHWEST

The Northwest is due for a shakeup. Depending on Kevin Durant's free agency decision, the Oklahoma City Thunder might relinquish their throne to one of many of the division's up-and-coming teams.

The Portland Trail Blazers showed the world what they were made of in the postseason. The Minnesota Timberwolves have back-to-back Rookie of the Year winners and an elite head coach in Tom Thibodeau. Bringing up the rear are the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets - two teams that should both push for playoff spots when healthy.

Here's what every team in the Northwest should be looking for this summer:

Oklahoma City Thunder

Biggest need: Durant, reliable 2-way wing

First and foremost, the Thunder have to convince Durant to return. Every NBA team will come calling, but the Thunder can offer unmatched financial incentives and the promise of championship contention. They have the inside track.

If the Thunder manage to hold onto Durant, the focus should then turn towards landing a two-way wing so they can contend with the Golden State Warriors. Grabbing an upgrade on either Dion Waiters or Andre Roberson could make the difference in their next playoff run.

Portland Trail Blazers

Biggest Need: Starting center

C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard, within Terry Stotts' system, can handle the scoring load, but they could badly use some help on the defensive end. Portland ranked 20th in defensive rating and adding a credible rim protector could make a world of difference.

Ed Davis and Mason Plumlee are decent bargain options, but the focus should be centered around getting a solid starting five. Whether it's Dwight Howard, Bismack Biyombo, or Hassan Whiteside, the Blazers should have plenty of options to choose from.

Utah Jazz

Biggest Need: Point guard, scoring

The Jazz are at a crossroads. They're ready to take the next step, but how much of the future can they afford to expedite?

The frontcourt trio of Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, and Rudy Gobert is as formidable as it is promising, but they haven't been able to generate enough offense. And that's where the guards have let them down - Dante Exum and Alec Burks have battled injuries, Trey Burke continues to struggle, and Rodney Hood could still use a little more seasoning.

Trading for or signing a point guard or a playmaking wing would boost the offense tremendously. But how much are the Jazz willing to spend for that upgrade? And how much would short-term stopgaps infringe on the development of future pillars like Exum and Hood?

Denver Nuggets

Biggest Need: Veteran point guard

The Nuggets were an abject disaster in the two seasons following Masai Ujiri's exit, but general manager Tim Connelly looks to have finally turned the corner with his team.

Prospects litter the roster - Emmanuel Mudiay, Gary Harris, and Nikola Jokic all showed tremendous progress and potential last season. The Nuggets also have three first-round picks, and two veteran wings in Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler coming back from injury. They're primed to make a return to the postseason next season while also building for the future.

All the Nuggets need is a veteran point guard to steady the offense when Mudiay veers out of control - that and some patience. The future is bright in Denver.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Biggest Need: 3-point shooting

No team's future outlook is as bright as Minnesota's. With Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns on the roster, along with a brilliant point guard in Ricky Rubio, and a handful of other blue-chip talents, the Timberwolves have given Thibodeau all the talent he could ever wish for.

Adding some shooting to open up the floor should be the Timberwolves' No. 1 priority. They were in the bottom six in threes made, attempted, and 3-point percentage this season. Add some shooters - perhaps through the draft with their No. 5 pick - should unlock the potential of Minnesota's offense.