Who's ready to play armchair doctor for a gaggle of the NBA's starting fives?

Singling out the opening-tip combinations desperate for change is a tricky process this time of year. Injuries and copious amounts of tank jobs created an abnormally large lineup sample, making it difficult to pinpoint certain teams' preferred arrangements. Rolling with the most used quintet on the season seldom worked.

Impending free agents and the upcoming draft complicate the process even further. Some teams are no doubt approaching the offseason without a starting five in mind. They'll wait for the results of June's prospect pageant and July's shopping spree before coming to any decisions.

In light of all these obstacles, we'll lean on a few ground rules to keep things under control.

Major pieces returning from injury will not qualify as changes. The Boston Celtics' starting five could use a Gordon Hayward. The San Antonio Spurs' opening lineup could use a Kawhi Leonard. And guess what: They are going to get them.

The inverse holds true for teams still coping with injuries. We want to tackle long-term outlooks, and the New York Knicks' starting five cannot be properly dissected until Kristaps Porzingis returns. That might not happen at all in 2018-19.

Rotation inconsistency born of midseason trades and designed nosedives do not automatically constitute a need for change. The Los Angeles Clippers deployed 37 starting lineups amid turnover and injuries. Their projected unit of Patrick Beverley, Austin Rivers, Danilo Gallinari, Tobias Harris and DeAndre Jordan (player option) gets the benefit of the doubt on paper even though they have yet to play together.

Rebuilds will not be forced upon teams. The Charlotte Hornets and Memphis Grizzlies fall under this umbrella. They should blow it up, but their expected starting fives as constructed are not ineffective or incapable.

Similar measures will be taken with soon-to-be free agents. Departures are not assumed, so they are fair game for inclusion. Either-or situations will be straight kiboshed. The New Orleans Pelicans are in good shape whether they re-sign DeMarcus Cousins to play with Anthony Davis or let him walk in favor of Nikola Mirotic.

Emphasis will rest entirely on need, which rules out luxury adjustments. It would be great if the Minnesota Timberwolves could sub out Andrew Wiggins for a better shooter, but their starting five outscored opponents by more than seven points per 100 possessions, and moving him to the bench isn't a viable option. They don't need to pivot.

Atlanta Hawks

2018-19 Projected Starting 5: Dennis Schroder, Kent Bazemore, Taurean Prince, John Collins, Dewayne Dedmon (player option)

2017-18 Net Rating: +8.6 (245 possessions)

Breaking up a group that found some success during a fair amount of time together would typically be taboo. But the Atlanta Hawks are in the infancy of a rebuild and have only two sure-thing mainstays in this lineup: John Collins and Taurean Prince.

At least one of Kent Bazemore and Dewayne Dedmon will be displaced from this unit by next season. Both turn 29 this summer and no longer align with the team's long-term trajectory. Bazemore could be shown the door if Atlanta finds a taker for the two years and $37.4 million left on his contract. Dedmon's $6.3 million player option affords him control over his own fate.

Even if both come back, inbound draft picks will take priority over one of them. The Hawks have three first-round selections, including the No. 3 choice. Bazemore's job is in jeopardy if Luka Doncic falls to them. Dedmon is at risk of receding to back-up duty if they pair Collins with another frontcourt partner—Marvin Bagley III, Jaren Jackson Jr., Mohamed Bamba, etc.

Dennis Schroder's days in Atlanta also appear to be numbered—or so says the man himself. He told reporters at a press conference in Germany he could envision being traded to the Indiana Pacers or Milwaukee Bucks, per international basketball reporter David Hein.

Moving Schroder won't be easy. Starting point guard vacancies are few and far between, and suitors must talk themselves into paying $46.5 million over the next three years for someone who doesn't rank in the top 20 at his position.

Still, Schroder doesn't turn 25 until September. A team or two could be willing to bet on untapped potential—especially if the Hawks aren't asking for much. And they won't be.

Replacing him won't be difficult. They have mountains of cap space to work with and could draft a point guard with one of their two post-lottery selections. And heck, they don't even need to move Schroder. If they are unafraid to ruffle his feathers, they could relegate him to the second unit until they find him a new home.

Chicago Bulls

2018-19 Projected Starting 5: Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine (restricted), Justin Holiday, Lauri Markkanen, Robin Lopez

2017-18 Net Rating: -11.1 (117 possessions)

Should the Chicago Bulls be bankrolling Zach LaVine's next contract? Probably not.

LaVine finished his first season in Chicago where it began: on the shelf. The Bulls traded him for while he was recovering from an ACL injury, and tendinitis in that same knee prompted them to shut him down after just 24 appearances.

Most of the league won't have cap space this offseason, so Chicago doesn't have to worry about matching an over-the-top offer sheet designed specifically to ruin its books—unless a team decides to get cute. But any long-term investment in his services threatens to stunt the core's growth.

Injuries are part of it. LaVine relies on his explosion to get by defenders and finish around the rim. He already looked a tick slower following his return, and his efficiency around the hoop cratered. He's useless to Chicago if he doesn't have a physical advantage over most other 2-guards.

But the Bulls aren't necessarily in the clear if LaVine recaptures previous form. He would take away shots from the youngsters around him—most notably Lauri Markkanen and whoever the Bulls take with the No. 7 pick.

Letting him walk for nothing is probably asking too much. Chicago viewed him as the centerpiece to the Jimmy Butler trade last summer. Having him come off the bench should absolutely be in play. Offensive spark plugs who don't add defensive value have an easier time against backups, and LaVine can jack almost 20 shots per 36 minutes without affecting the team's learning curve.

The possible changes don't stop there. Almost no one else on the Bulls is locked into a starter's spot. Markkanen should be the only one.

Draft a wing or point guard, and Chicago should consider starting him right away. Neither Kris Dunn nor Justin Holiday is above demotion. Ditto for Robin Lopez. He's one of the Bulls' most reliable performers, but at 30, he doesn't figure into the big picture. Testing out a Markkanen-Bobby Portis partnership has its advantages, and Chicago clearly hasn't given up on Cristiano Felicio.

Cleveland Cavaliers

2018-19 Projected Starting Five: George Hill, JR Smith, LeBron James (player option), Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson

2017-18 Net Rating: N/A

Disagree with this projection if you like. Other possible combinations are up for consideration.

Kevin Love spent most of his time at center this past season. Re-signing Jeff Green or unleashing Cedi Osman at the 4 allows the Cleveland Cavaliers to put Tristan Thompson back on the bench. Kyle Korver could also be inserted into the lineup over JR Smith.

Messing with this combination won't alter the message: Cleveland needs to change up its starting five.

Losing LeBron James to free agency would obviously call for another overhaul, but his return necessitates the same. He shouldn't have to play all 82 regular-season games and ferry unfathomable playoff workloads in his 16th year.

That he's needed to do that in his 15th go-round, his age 33 season, is ridiculous. The Cavaliers cannot reasonably sell him on the same setup. Pitching him on the unknown doesn't work, either. Various injuries torpedoed their post-trade deadline chemistry, but they have offered a glimpse into their ceiling as is, and, well, it ain't pretty.

This lineup has been one of Cleveland's postseason bright spots, outpacing opponents by 4.8 points per 100 possessions through just under 100 minutes of action. It still doesn't imply this team has another gear.

George Hill is 32 and allergic to shot volume. Smith turns 33 in September and has bordered on being an offensive liability the past two seasons. Love hits the big three-oh in September and has become a postseason wild card. Thompson is the kind of player who either gets you excited about his hustle or the prospect of supplanting him with Green.

Plucking out one or two players who should go misses the mark. The Cavaliers needn't be choosy beyond James. If he decides to stay, they must bait blockbuster trade packages by dangling the Brooklyn Nets' No. 8 pick (after the draft) and whatever salary filler they need—preferably the final two years of Smith's or Thompson's deal.

Dallas Mavericks

2018-19 Projected Starting 5: Dennis Smith Jr., Wesley Matthews, Harrison Barnes, Dwight Powell, Dirk Nowitzki (team option)

2017-18 Net Rating: -19.7 (90 possessions)

Dennis Smith Jr. should be the only member of the Dallas Mavericks guaranteed a starting job next season. Harrison Barnes and Dirk Nowitzki come close, but the rotation must be built accordingly.

Barnes needs to play the 4. Dallas' net rating went nearly unchanged when he moved from small forward (minus-6.5) to power forward (minus-5.5), but he's a bigger offensive mismatch at the latter spot until he turns into more of an off-the-dribble playmaker. He's more likely to be a plus-defender there too.

Nowitzki shouldn't have to play beside other bigs. Period. He's going on 40 and working his way back from ankle surgery. He is a center now, and his minutes must come independent of other non-switchers.

To the Mavericks' credit, Barnes logged 60 percent of his minutes at the 4 and more than one-third of Nowitzki's came at the 5. But that's still not enough. Dallas was destroyed whenever they shared the court with Dwight Powell. Neither should be co-opting their run at another position. 

Tabbing Powell as a second-string big takes care of the frontcourt conundrum—for now. Plenty of mock drafts have the Mavericks nabbing Mohamed Bamba at No. 5. Putting him in the starting lineup from Day 1 could demand they move Nowitzki to the bench. That seems unforgivable, but he's Dirk, so he's cool with it.

"Yeah, of course, if that's what it takes for us to be a better team next year," he said during his exit interview when asked about joining the second unit, per Mavs Moneyball's Josh Bowe. "Hopefully even playoff considerations. We'll see what's going to happen this summer. I know Mark [Cuban] and Donnie [Nelson] are gonna work their butt off with the draft first and then some free agency things and see how the team looks next year."

Dallas could bank on Bamba—or another big—offsetting Nowitzki's limited mobility in traditionalist frontcourts. But they will need another lockdown wing to make the logistics work. Barnes isn't that guy, and going on 32, with a right-leg fracture and Achilles injury in his rearview, Wesley Matthews won't be him, either.

Dorian Finney-Smith (non-guaranteed) gives the Mavericks an alternative to Matthews if they are bent on keeping Nowitzki in the starting five. Beyond that, they will need to parlay their flexible cap sheet into another perimeter pest. Looking at the depth chart, they will need to do that irrespective of what changes their starting lineup undergoes.

Los Angeles Lakers

2018-19 Projected Starting 5: Lonzo Ball, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (unrestricted), Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle (restricted), Brook Lopez (unrestricted)

2017-18 Net Rating: -0.9 (231 possessions)

Entering 2018-19 with this starting lineup is the Los Angeles Lakers' worst-case scenario. They have more cap space than any other team and are primed to go on the superstar prowl. Deploying this group would mean they have whiffed on all their top targets.

On the bright side, this wouldn't represent the worst of worst-case scenarios.

Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram are on the come-up. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a two-way gem in the making if you can look past his junky pull-up twos. Julius Randle just wrapped up a redefining year; he joined Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic as the only three players to clear 20 points, 10 rebounds and three assists per 36 minutes. A 30-year-old Brook Lopez is fine at the right price.

Short of placing all their stock in a lean ledger for 2019 free agency, though, the Lakers shouldn't be looking to stand pat.

This lineup wasn't a statistical world-beater. It ranked in the 45th percentile of offensive efficiency and 54th percentile of defensive rating. Three of its headliners are also free agents, and at least two will be seeking long-term pacts (Randle and KCP).

Offering Randle a multiyear deal with the intent to play him at power forward is a no-no. The Lakers essentially punt on rim protection by using him at the 5, but that's fine. Ensuring he doesn't crimp their floor balance at the other end is more important.

If they are more into having size in the middle, they should get back to fielding Randle as a small-ball 5 off the bench and sign an authentic paint deterrent and rim-runner. Only the Bucks surrendered point-blank looks with more frequency, and the offense placed 23rd and 20th in roll-man volume and efficiency, respectively.

Miami Heat

2018-19 Projected Starting 5: Goran Dragic, Tyler Johnson, Josh Richardson, James Johnson, Hassan Whiteside

2017-18 Net Rating: -0.5 (422 possessions)

This prognosis is brought to you courtesy of Hassan Whiteside. And some other stuff. But mostly Whiteside.

The 28-year-old 7-footer has apparently made it his mission to overstay his welcome in South Beach. Most recently, he posted a Snapchat video in which he threw shade at the Miami Heat for not allowing him to shoot jumpers. This is not the first thinly veiled shot he's taken, and the team is far from amused. As the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson wrote:

"Meanwhile, there is strong sentiment inside the Heat organization to move on from Whiteside and the Heat is expected to explore trades involving him this offseason, according to multiple sources.

"This week's video marked at least the fifth time in recent months that Whiteside has either complained or expressed some level of dissatisfaction about how the Heat handles him – which is one but not the only factor contributing to internal sentiment toward moving on from him this summer, if a viable trade opportunity arises."

Good luck to Heat president Pat Riley in his quest to find an enthusiastic trade partner. With Whiteside owed $52.2 million over the next two years, he's going to need it.

Cutting the cord on this lineup shouldn't be solely predicated on rerouting the disgruntled center. Head coach Erik Spoelstra has benched him before. He can do it again—this time on an indefinite basis—knowing he has the support of the organization behind him.

Next year's campaign begs for this move, among others. The Heat don't have money to burn. Depending on how much Wayne Ellington fetches in free agency, they will need to shed salary to duck the luxury tax.

In-house futzing and fiddling are their best—and only—means of improvement. That usually spells gloom and doom for a not-so-young squad, but Miami has options.

Subbing out Whiteside for Bam Adebayo at least creates a lineup that posted a point differential in the green. If Spoelstra doesn't care about having both Tyler Johnson and Dion Waiters coming off the bench, he could replace the former and Whiteside with Ellington and Kelly Olynyk. The resulting five manhandled opponents by 31.5 points per 100 possessions.

Bouncing Whiteside for Olynyk alone even works (plus-42.3). A bunch of different arrangements do. The Heat should consider every one of them. Anything that culminates in less dependence on Whiteside is progress.

Oklahoma City Thunder

2018-19 Projected Starting 5: Russell Westbrook, Andre Roberson, Paul George (player option), Carmelo Anthony (early termination option), Steven Adams

2017-18 Net Rating: 14.5 (1,086 possessions)

Yes, the Oklahoma City Thunder will have to reinvent their starting five if Paul George bolts during free agency. No, their inclusion isn't about him. Yes, it's about Carmelo Anthony. And no, we're not sorry.

Oklahoma City's preferred starting lineup finished 2017-18 as one of the most effective high-volume arrangements. Among the 35 groupings to tally 250 minutes or more of action, it placed fourth in point differential per 100 possessions.

Retaining George and running it back should engender more feelgood vibes. And if Andre Roberson never ruptures his patellar tendon, maybe it does. But the Thunder's first-round exit opened a can of worms. 

Anthony devolved into unplayable by the end of that Utah Jazz series. He shot 37.5 percent overall and 21.4 percent from beyond the arc, and Oklahoma City was outscored by 14.1 points per 100 possessions whenever he split time with George and Russell Westbrook.

Getting Roberson back will alleviate the defensive concerns associated with starting Anthony, but the offensive warts aren't going anywhere. He failed to master an accessory role and isn't keen on making additional concessions.

"Yeah, I'm not sacrificing no bench role," Anthony said during his exit-interview presser, per ESPN.com's Royce Young. "That's out of the question."

Except it shouldn't be. Seizing the second-unit reins guarantees Anthony freedom and an opportunity he doesn't have now. His usage rate exploded in the minutes he soaked up without George and Westbrook, going from 20.9 to 42.2.

Starting is mostly an ego thing, so maybe the Thunder can experiment with a quick hook for Anthony two minutes into the game. But it still matters who finishes in crunch time. He won't take kindly to watching from the sidelines as George and Westbrook attack with the outcome in doubt.

The Thunder shouldn't care.

Alex Abrines, Jerami Grant (unrestricted) and even Patrick Patterson should all wind up being more friendly options after a feeling-out process next to Roberson. Anthony can either accept a new world order, pass on next year's $27.9 million or initiate buyout talks. Either way, the Thunder figure to be better off.

Orlando Magic

2018-19 Projected Starting 5: D.J. Augustin, Evan Fournier, Jonathon Simmons, Aaron Gordon (restricted), Nikola Vucevic

2017-18 Net Rating: -0.6 (404 possessions)

Dear Orlando Magic,

With all due respect to D.J. Augustin, draft or sign a point guard. Pretty. Please. 

Everyone knows you don't have stacks of cash to spend. You will be operating as an over-the-cap team if you keep Aaron Gordon, which you probably should. But the non-taxpayer's mid-level exception will attract some nice talent in this year's bare-bones market.

That $8.6 million gets you in the door with some of the better available names. Certain restricted free agents might even be poachable at that price point.

Yogi Ferrell. Fred VanVleet. Dante Exum. Bring back Shabazz Napier for all I care. Draft Trae Young at No. 6. Just get someone, anyone, who makes sure you are not sending out congratulatory tweets to Shelvin Mack for leading the team in assists per game with 3.9—or, as I like to say, 0.1 less than Austin Rivers.

Y'all traded Elfrid Payton. I get it. I also don't care. You picked up a second-round pick for your troubles. Your new head coach, Steve Clifford, deserves more to work with. Evan Fournier and Terrence Ross deserve quality shots off kick-outs. Gordon and Nikola Vucevic deserve more esteemed pick-and-pop partners. Bismack Biyombo and Jonathan Isaac deserve higher-end lob-tossers.

So, please, get a point guard. And maybe consider trading Vucevic's expiring deal. The Isaac-Gordon 4-5 combination warrants actual spin, and Biyombo will flourish under Clifford as a screen-setting rim-runner, shot-swatter and defensive glass-crasher.

Sincerely,

Definitely not Bismack Biyombo's burner Twitter account.

Phoenix Suns

2018-19 Projected Starting 5: Elfrid Payton (restricted), Devin Booker, TJ Warren, Marquese Chriss, Tyson Chandler

2017-18 Net Rating: -100.0 (2 possessions)

Crystal-balling the Phoenix Suns' most likely starting five feels almost pointless. They have one year before Devin Booker's salary spikes and are itching to make the playoffs. With one of the more pliable cap sheets, they are as likely as anyone to make wholesale changes.

The draft represents the first part of this process. Whoever the Suns select at No. 1 should get the starting nod right away.

Choosing Deandre Ayton removes Marquese Chriss or, more likely, Tyson Chandler from the fold. His arrival could also portend the end for both. Pairing Ayton with Dragan Bender dredges up some extra space for an offense that desperately needs to chuck more threes.

Picking Luka Doncic puts either Elfrid Payton or TJ Warren at risk. Payton's future is up in the air no matter what. The Suns shouldn't be forking over a small fortune to re-sign him, and drafting Doncic would let them play (mostly) positionless ball under new head coach Igor Kokoskov. If that doesn't pique their fancy, they can declare Warren their second-unit hub.

Free agency will invariably invite more transitions. Letting Patyon walk and waiving Alan Williams (non-guaranteed) gets the Suns to $15 million in room, with an unimpeded path to $20 million. They would open up even more space if they offload expiring deals for Chandler and Jared Dudley—something they are more likely to do if they take Ayton and are able to use Chriss or Bender as a salary-dumping buffer.

That money can then be spent anywhere on almost anyone. Booker and the No. 1 pick are the only surefire building blocks. The Suns needn't nitpick over whether to chase point guards, wings or bigs. They will have the green light to pursue the best available fits—a wide-ranging shopping list that promises tweaks to a team still trying to cobble together a definitive starting lineup.

Sacramento Kings

2018-19 Projected Starting 5: De'Aaron Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Justin Jackson, Zach Randolph, Willie Cauley-Stein

2017-18 Net Rating: -7.1 (358 possessions)

This Sacramento Kings' projection isn't in need of a full-scale face-lift. De'Aaron Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Willie Cauley-Stein combine to form a worthy starting-five outline. 

Zach Randolph, though? He needs to be ousted from the pool of candidates and earmarked for mentor duty from the sidelines. This isn't up for discussion. Nor should it even need to be discussed. But while Sacramento limited his game-to-game availability as 2017-18 wore on, he started in 57 of his 59 appearances.

Justin Jackson shouldn't be guaranteed anything, either. The Kings need someone at the 3 who can shoot a league-average clip from three until Fox develops into a genuine outside threat—particularly when they are not rolling out snipers at the 4.

Sacramento should land a new starter with the No. 2 pick. Luka Doncic would be a tantalizing fit in place of Jackson—or even as an interchangeable 3-4 if Randolph gets the boot instead.

But the Kings aren't locks to take Doncic if he falls to them, according to ESPN.com's Jonathan Givony. Marvin Bagley is receiving more love from them in mock drafts. That still opens the door for Randolph to get the shaft in favor of a rangier option. Bagley shot 39.7 percent at Duke on 2.1 three-point attempts per 40 minutes.

Exploring different inroads at small forward would then be left to free agency. The Kings will begin the summer with more than $15 million in cap space and, without the rights to next year's first-rounder, have the incentive necessary to window-shop for impact talent. The wing market isn't especially deep, but Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Treveon Graham (restricted), Mario Hezonja, Rodney Hood (restricted) and Glenn Robinson III, among a few others, would all be acceptable targets.

Failing that, Sacramento can always tinker with in-house alternatives. Iman Shumpert and Garrett Temple are functional fits, albeit not part of the grand scheme. Souping up the offense with a Bogdan Bogdanovic-Buddy Hield partnership might even end up being the right kind of bold.

Unless otherwise noted, stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference or Cleaning The Glass. Salary and cap-hold information via Basketball Insiders and RealGM.

Dan Favale covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter (@danfavale) and listen to his Hardwood Knocks podcast, co-hosted by B/R's Andrew Bailey.