Here's a look at what each team in the Eastern Conference might be watching for as the draft approaches:

CHARLOTTE STING

In 2002: Finished 18-14 (second) in the East; swept by Washington in the Eastern Conference semifinals. What they have: With the exception of L.A. and maybe San Antonio, nobody has as good a team position-by-position as Charlotte, which played more up-tempo and became a great 3-point shooting team last season, shooting a league-best 40 percent, sinking 211 treys and averaging 70 points per game (which ranked fourth). The Sting are loaded at the 1 with Dawn Staley and Sheila Lambert. Kelly Miller and Andrea Stinson are great 2s, and Allison Feaster, and Erin Buescher off the bench, keeps Charlotte solid at the 3. At the 4, the Sting have Charlotte Smith and Shalonda Enis, with all-star reserve Tammy Sutton-Brown at the 5. Throw in veteran guard Tonya Edwards (who must show up to training camp in shape) off the bench and this team doesn't have any glaring problems. A couple of second-year players really came up big for Charlotte last season. Sutton-Brown was tremendous, a big, strong, prototype 5 with great hands who is a great target. Miller also stepped up her game, playing free and making sure all her hard work in the offseason paid off. Trudi Lacey should be able to take this team deep into the playoffs. What they need: Charlotte is very deep and talented and doesn't have huge needs. In the college draft, the Sting will probably look for the best athlete available. A player such as 6-foot-5 center Jenny Mowe would be a good addition in the dispersal draft.

CLEVELAND ROCKERS

In 2002: Finished 10-22, seventh in the East. What they have: The Rockers boast a very deep roster and are one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the league. Cleveland can really cause problems for opposing offenses. You have to have some continuity in women's basketball, but the Rockers are very physical and hold you up offensively, altering the angles of your cuts and interfering with your timing. Dan Hughes is an excellent coach, and the team will get a boost with Helen Darling's return. After giving birth to triplets last year, the former Penn State guard is back, which will probably put Jen Rizzotti back on the bench. There is, however, a rumor that Belgium center Ann Wauters will not return, and that could hurt. What they need: If Wauters isn't back, someone such as Chantelle Anderson in the college draft might be a must. In the dispersal, we might see Cleveland go after a 2 such as Betty Lennox, Ukari Figgs or Sheri Sam, someone who can back up Merlakia Jones.

CONNECTICUT SUN

In 2002: The former Orlando Miracle finished 16-16, fifth in the East. What they have: The Sun could contend for the East title. There aren't many players who are better than Shannon Johnson (the league's best offensive rebounding guard). Nykesha Sales is such a good player and Katie Douglas will build on her 8.5 scoring average. Taj McWilliams-Franklin is the X-factor. The three-time all-star played in just 13 games last season before she announced she was pregnant and would sit out the rest of the summer. She'll need time to settle in, but if she's healthy that's a huge bonus for the Sun. New coach Mike Thibault also will need a transition period. Carolyn Peck's triangle offense disrupted this team, especially when Johnson was out with a knee injury. And while Dee Brown got the team going defensively last season, they sputtered late, losing seven of eight games in a 17-day span in July after opening the season with a 7-3 record. Thibault, who says he has been watching the league for the past two or three years, will do a very good job and will implement some solid offense. What they need: The old coaching staff probably would have said this squad needs a 3, but a post might be the answer. Wendy Palmer, who Brown got via a trade with Detroit for the Sun's first-round pick and Elaine Powell, might be able to fill that need. Brown thought this team needed to get more tougher in the middle, and Palmer is more versatile offensively than Clarisse Machanguana, who was in the starting lineup in Orlando most of last season. Palmer is intelligent and the consummate team player. Don't be surprised if Thibault picks up someone from Portland -- perhaps Alisa Burras or Sylvia Crawley -- in the dispersal draft. He not only was a candidate for that job a couple years back, he also is a close friend of former Portland assistant Tom Newell, who's an encyclopedia for basketball.

DETROIT SHOCK

In 2002: Finished 9-23, last in the East. What they have: The Shock have a nice backcourt with Deanna Nolan and Elaine Powell, and Swin Cash has proved she was a marvelous addition in last year's draft. After that, everything else seems up in the air. As of now, Barbara Farris looks to be starting in the post, but she might be better coming off the bench. Dominique Canty is great getting to the hole, but she still has to work on her finishing, and after four years in the league, I would have expected her game to go to a different level. She works hard and is a great kid, but like teammate Edwina Brown, they haven't improved their games as much as one might have expected. What they need: The rumor is that coach Bill Laimbeer is trying to move Canty or Brown to acquire as many draft picks as he can. Right now, Detroit is weak in the post, especially since Astou Ndiaye is pregnant and not planning on playing this summer and some speculation that center Jill Chapman might not return. Picking up someone such as Ruth Riley in the dispersal is a direction Laimbeer might take. Detroit sits in a great position in the college draft, so expect Laimbeer to get what he wants.

INDIANA FEVER

In 2002: Finished 16-16; fell 2-1 to New York in Eastern Conference semifinals. What they have: Coquese Washington is a wonderful veteran who keeps getting better every year. Niele Ivey, who will continue to learn a lot from Washington, is another great person to have back. And Olympia Scott-Richardson had her best season in the WNBA last year. The 6-foot-2 post has always rebounded the ball well, but is also very intelligent and a great locker room lawyer; she's very vocal and if you believe in her, as coach Nell Fortner does, Scott-Richardson will bust down walls for you. And of course, Tamika Catchings is going to dominate this league for as long as she wants. Nobody can match Catchings' intensity level, or how long she's able to sustain it. Everything in the WNBA goes through the 4 -- you run your offense through your 4, reverse it through your 4, etc. -- and she's about as good as it gets at the position. She can pass, shoot, take you off the dribble, and has improved on her 3-point range in the offseason while playing in Korea. Catchings very well could have been the MVP or defensive player of the year last season when she won rookie of the year honors. What they need: Fortner is probably looking at the 2 and the post. Nikki McCray's knees could use a backup at the 2. Fortner no doubt would love to pick up Ruth Riley in the dispersal draft, which might enable the Fever to put Riley at the 5, Scott-Richardson at the 4 and move Catchings to the 3 to help ease up on her body. Catchings, however, creates huge mismatch problems at the 4 because nobody can guard her. But the only thing Indiana really doesn't have is a true post, so Riley, Alisa Burras, Pollyanna Johns or Sylvia Crawley would be good additions in the dispersal. In the college draft, Fortner might be looking at someone such as LSU's Aiysha Smith, Texas Tech's Plenette Pierson or South Carolina's Petra Ujhelyi.

NEW YORK LIBERTY

In 2002: Finished 18-14 (first in the East); after losing first games in each series, beat Indiana 2-1in the Eastern Conference semifinals and Washington 2-1 in the finals; swept 2-0 by L.A. in WNBA Finals. What they have: This is a great team that has proven everyone wrong -- so far, age has not caught up with New York. However, two of the team's biggest veterans must make some big decisions. You never know where Sue Wicks' mentality is; one day she plays and loves it, but the next she's talking retirement. That sort of indecision is taking a toll on New York. The other issue is whether Teresa Weatherspoon is going to allow her team to bring in a backup point guard to groom. Like Utah with John Stockton, the Liberty haven't been able to do that. They tried it out with Andrea Nagy, and it failed miserably. If Weatherspoon is on the roster, she wants to play and isn't willing to give up half her time or come off the bench like Ruthie Bolton has done at Sacramento. But Wicks and Weatherspoon put New York in a dilemma, and it's a tough situation. They have been the backbone of this team since its inception, are great stars and very loyal to the franchise. So Carol Blazejowski is in a tough spot. However, this is something that must be addressed sooner rather than later, because these players, including Crystal Robinson, Vickie Johnson, Tari Phillips and Tamika Whitmore, deserve a ring. New York's starting five is pretty electric, and most everyone in the league would give their right arm to have Johnson on both ends of the court. Nobody has a bigger heart than Weatherspoon, and who's a better shooter than Robinson? Phillips is a bonafide all-star, and Whitmore could be. Becky Hammon, the first player off the bench, could start for some other teams. And the rumor is that the Liberty really like Linda Frohlich, too. What they need: The Liberty -- who still lack depth -- need a big, which is something they don't have. Camille Cooper is tough down low and a good rebounder, but needs to continue to work on her hands and improve on her decision-making. If New York loses Wicks, they might look to add Kristin Folkl or Kristen Rasmussen, who can step away from the basket and would add some young versatility. Pollyanna Johns is another possibility in the dispersal draft. Rumor is that New York is looking to trade Korie Hlede.

WASHINGTON MYSTICS

In 2002: Finished 17-15; swept Charlotte in the Eastern Conference semifinals before falling 2-1 to New York in finals. What they have: Marianne Stanley, a future Hall of Famer in my book, really took this team to another level last season. The Mystics averaged more point, and their field-goal percentage, free-throw shooting and 3-point accuracy each jumped tremendously. Washington was the most improved team in the league offensively, and as a result, earned a spot in the playoffs. Chamique Holdsclaw put her all-star season together and was considered the leading candidate for MVP honors before getting hurt. Stacey Dales-Schuman had an excellent rookie season, and Asjha Jones was solid. They are two very good, astute young players whose draft picks paid off big time. Coco Miller just broke out, and will continue at that level. Washington has a nice lineup, including Annie Burgess in the backcourt. Murriel Page might find her way back into the starting lineup. Helen Luz also was impressive last season, proving she's a good shooter with a nice inside-outside game. What they need: Forward Vicky Bullet, who graduated from Maryland in 1989, is reportedly going to retire, so Washington obviously needs a 4-5 to replace her. I'd expect the Mystics to go after some free agents and make some trades. I would like to see Washington have a really solid post presence. The Mystics are small in the post right now, so Sylvia Crawley, Alisa Burras or Jenny Mowe, who big and skilled and has soft hands around the basket, would be a good addition in the dispersal draft. In the college draft, Washington will probably look for the best available athlete.

Nancy Lieberman, an ESPN analyst and Hall of Famer, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com's women's basketball coverage. Contact her at www.nancylieberman.com.