2. New York Knicks
The Knicks have made their plan for the summer of 2019 pretty clear. Team president Steve Mills has said one-year deals will be a priority this offseason, as player options exercised by Ron Baker and Enes Kanter have limited both available roster spots and money to do much of anything more than an $8.6 million mid-level exception and $3.4 million biannual exceptions this summer.
The Knicks are currently projected to have the 10th-most salary cap space in the league for 2019-20 ($44.7 million, via Spotrac), so one max contract is immediately palatable come next summer. But trading Courtney Lee ($12.76 million cap hit for 2019-20), and doing something to get rid of the albatross that is Joakim Noah and his cap hit of just under $19.3 million for 2019-20, would open the door to sign two max players from what should be a loaded free agent class next July.
The Knicks are known to be interested in Irving ahead of his potential (likely?) availability as a free agent a year from now. Making room for Butler to team in the backcourt with Irving, along with a hopefully fully healthy Kristaps Porzingis as the younger star to form an enviable trio, requires very few moving parts for New York.