AP Photo

As each team is eliminated from the playoffs, we will look into their offseason ahead. With this edition, we turn to the Thunder, Nuggets and Bucks.

The Thunder- After an impressive season, Sam Presti and the rest of Oklahoma City management has the biggest summer since the team moved (probably in the last 20 years of the franchise) in terms of the long-term impact.

The big questions:

1. What is ownership willing to spend in the long-term?
2. Will Kevin Durant's max contract be signed problem free?
3. Do they want to combine assets into other players?
4. Can they woo Chris Bosh?

The lay of the land:

While the Durant extension is the most important order of business this summer, the lingering question is what Clay Bennett and the rest of ownership will spend down the line. In the very, very near future, both Durant and Russell Westbrook will be getting major pay raises. While it is true that it would be possible to spend now on guys and then extend those guys, that counting method only matters if ownership is willing to pay substantially over the luxury tax. Durant’s extension will largely be off-set by Nenad Kristic and Nick Collison coming off the books, but Westbrook and the other youngsters will not.

If management is willing to put major money into this team, Chris Bosh would be the best potential antidote (since LeBron James and Dwyane Wade won't be in the mix). Bosh is a natural #2 player who will command #1 money, so pairing him with a guy like Durant would make a ton of sense. Having cap space this summer could also be used to go after players who are currently under contract like Al Jefferson. If they do not move any talent, OKC should have their PG, SG, and SF rotation on lock so that cap space and their draft picks could all be used to revamp the front court.

With a good coach, a franchise player, and a strong young PG already in place, this is the summer.

The Nuggets- After an understandably disappointing end to the season, Denver has its share of moving pieces despite the lack of roster flexibility.

The big questions:

1. Will Carmelo Anthony sign an extension this summer?
2. Will George Karl be back coaching the team next season?
3. Can management add talent to the roster despite a death of movable assets?

The lay of the land:

With more than $70 million already on the books for next season, Denver will not have any wiggle room this summer. That said, Carmelo Anthony has a major decision to make as he could theoretically sign an extension to stay in Denver for the long-term. While many (including myself) see Melo leaving in 2011 as a distinct possibility, there is also a reasonable chance that he will stick with the only NBA team he has played for.

Beyond Melo, the challenge for Denver is how to increase talent despite having very little flexibility. Last year, the Nuggets traded a future first from Charlotte for Ty Lawson. Unfortunately for them, Denver has also given up their own first AND second round pick for the 2010 draft, meaning they would have to spend money to buy a pick on top of the luxury tax money that makes anyone paid double. On top of that, the current roster splits into two groups: those that the team will not trade (Melo, Chauncey Billups, Nene, and Chris Andersen) and those who would yield a limited return (Kenyon Martin and Renaldo Balkman). Of course, you never know what can happen, so we’ll have to see if Denver can improve talent-wise and Coach George Karl can return.

The Bucks- One of the great success stories of 2009-2010 as well was one of the most entertaining and underrated teams in the league, Milwaukee has some big decisions to make. That said, I already tackled them last week in this piece.

Click here to read Round 1, Part 1, featuring the Blazers, Mavericks, Bobcats, Heat and Bulls.