Thanks to the COVID-19 and the absolute dumpster fire of a year that 2020 has been, the NBA is back! Will the Lakers repeat as champions? Will the Houston Rockets completely implode and trade James Harden? Will the 2021 NBA Draft just be Sam Presti making 60 straight picks? We'll have to wait and see, but for now, with the season just a week away, I'm taking a look back and what went down in this shortened offseason.
Atlanta Hawks
Following a disappointing year that saw them regress from the previous year, the Atlanta Hawks looked to strengthen their core around Trae Young. For starters, they've added Danillo Gallinari, who's coming off a strong season in Oklahoma City and has been one of the more underrated players in the league over the last few years, through a sign-and-trade deal. Additionally, the Hawks added Bogdan Bogdanović, another strong scorer, from Sacramento after his move to Milwaukee fell through, and could round out a potentially impressive starting five of Young, Bogdanović, Gallinari, John Collins, and Clint Capela. The Hawks also added some much-needed depth behind Young at point guard, adding a veteran in Rajon Rondo and a strong defender in Kris Dunn. And finally, the Hawks selected Onyeka Okongwu with the 6th pick in the draft. As they already have a lot of depth at the forward & center spots, it'll be interesting to see how Okongwu fits in with the rest of the team, but given the right circumstances, Okongwu has the potential to be a really good big man in the NBA.
When it comes to losses, the team's were fairly minimal. Jeff Teague was arguably the biggest of the departures, but the additions of Rondo & Dunn certainly made up for it. DeAndre' Bembry & Damian Jones were two of the team's better defenders, but that's not really saying much and their weaknesses on offense outweighed their strengths on the other side of the ball. But other than that, the players who weren't resigned or left were mostly non-factors in the rotation.
With a strengthened core around Trae Young with the players mentioned above along with developing young players in Kevin Huerter, De'Andre Hunter, and Cam Reddish, the Hawks have serious potential this season. A championship is probably out of the picture, but I could seriously see this team competing for a playoff spot.
Boston Celtics
After their impressive outing in the previous year that saw them make the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics opted not to rock the boat and run with a mostly similar team that nearly brought them to the dance. Their biggest move this offseason was easily extending Jayson Tatum's contract on a five-year, $163 million deal. At just 21, Tatum is already the best player on the Celtics, so locking him down for the near-future was vital for this team. But other than Tatum, the moves the Celtics made were not as ground-shaking. Tristan Thompson is the biggest addition the team made. As a Cavaliers fan who watched a lot of Tristan Thompson over the last nine years, let me say that Thompson has his moments and is coming off arguably the best season of his career, but he's also been fairly inconsistent over the years. Still, Thompson is a valuable get for the Celtics and could potentially run the starting center spot. The team also added a veteran point guard in Jeff Teague, who will likely fill the same role he had in Atlanta. Finally, the Celtics added Aaron Nesmith, a strong scorer, and lethal three-point shooter from Vanderbilt with the 14th pick in the draft. Nesmith's sophomore season was cut short following a foot injury, but a healthy Nesmith has the potential to be dangerous in the NBA.
The big loss for the Celtics this offseason was easily Gordon Hayward. After his devastating leg injury just six minutes into his Celtics career in 2017, Hayward finally looked more like he did in Utah this past season. However, the direction of the team was clearly more focused on guys like Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kemba Walker, so his departure is not too surprising. Brad Wanamaker has also departed the team, and while Teague could be seen as a decent replacement, Wanamaker's solid defense will surely be missed. The team also shipped Enes Kanter to the Portland Trail Blazers in a three-team trade, but the addition of Thompson is a pretty solid replacement Overall, the Celtics' kept a mostly low-profile during this offseason, which is probably what they needed to do.
Oh, a Tacko Fall is back. Gotta keep the memes alive.
Brooklyn Nets
Much like the Celtics, the Brooklyn Nets weren't seen as a team that needed to make any huge moves...unless the James Harden interest has any real traction, of course. With Kyrie Irving and a returning Kevin Durant on their squad, the Nets looked instead to strengthen the core around them. Extending Joe Harris was the biggest move the Nets made, giving one of the league's best three-point shooters a big four-year, $75 million deal. Outside of Harris, however, the only other free agency moves they made were to re-sign Tyler Johnson, a role player who played well in the Bubble after a disappointing stint in Phoenix, a to sign Jeff Green, a player who has his moments but is wildly inconsistent. The team would also trade for Bruce Brown and Landry Shamet as part of a three-team that cost them Saddiq Bey and mostly expendable players. One player who could prove to be a steal, however, is Reggie Perry, the 57th overall pick who the Nets got in that same trade and had a strong sophomore season at Mississippi State. The only real departure the team had was Garrett Temple, who was a solid piece of the supporting cast. Overall, the Nets didn't really make any big moves this offseason.
The Nets really didn't get significantly better or worse, but with Durant returning, I can't imagine they don't improve from the year before, despite the first-year head coach in Steve Nash.
Charlotte Hornets
Even though they barely cracked a .350 winning percentage this past season, the Charlotte Hornets honestly exceeded expectations. I was fully expecting them to be the worst team in the league, but they managed to finish 9th in the East. Naturally, the Hornets see that as a reason to avoid the tank and try to compete by throwing big money at a free agent. And low and behold, they signed Gordon Hayward to one of the biggest deals of the offseason, a four-year, $120 million contract. Gordon Hayward is a player I really like and do think he has a lot of upside, but I just don't know if throwing $30 million a year at a player who has had problems staying healthy recently is the smartest move, especially when that contract takes him into his mid-30s. The only other free agent signing the Hornets made was to re-sign Bismack Biyombo. Anyone who's read my piece about the Hornets and how they wasted Kemba Walker knows that I am no fan of Biyombo, but having him on a $2.3 million deal is a lot less heinous than the $17 million they were paying him last year. As for losses, there's not much to sulk over. Cutting Nicolas Batum and still having to pay his disgustingly overpriced $27.1 million contract hurts, but Batum was an absolute black hole of talent on the court. Dwyane Bacon didn't contribute much to the team, and while I'm a fan of him, Willy Hernangómez clearly never fit with the team.
But of course, the most notable move the team made this offseason came in the draft. With the lottery falling in their favor and landing them the third overall pick, the Hornets selected LaMelo Ball, the high school phenom turned National Basketball League standout. Outside of a not analytical whatsoever post about pro-wrestling, I've never really talked about Ball, and honestly...I'm not really sold on him. Yes, he put up great stats in the NBL, but he also did it for the worst team in the league. I might be wrong, but I'm holding reservations. Outside of Ball, the Hornets grabbed another top high school recruit with the 32nd pick in Vernon Carey Jr. The five-star recruit slid down the draft board as the season went on, but he still has a solid season at Duke and has a lot of upside for a second-round pick.
As a whole, I see the Hornets trying to compete for a playoff spot this season, and if the East is bad enough this season like it was last year where two under-.500 teams can make the playoffs, they have a shot. However, I fear that the moves this offseason have set the team up for disappointment in the near future.
Chicago Bulls
Bulls fans, rejoice! The Jim Boylen-era is over. After a season and a half where his team finished below a .350 winning percentage each year under his tenure and alienated his players and fans, the Bulls let go of one of the worst head coaches in the team's history. Replacing him is Billy Donovan, a highly successful college coach at Florida turned less successful but still really good NBA coach with a career winning percentage that's over .600. While Donovan's Thunder had struggled in the playoffs under his watch, he's still a massive upgrade over Boylen. As for the rest of the offseason, it was uneventful for the most part. The Bulls did sign Garrett Temple, a solid role player, and Noah Vonleh, a decent but little-used big man, and resigned Denzel Valentine, another decent role player, but that's about it. Losing Kris Dunn might hurt them defensively, but with Coby White and Tomáš Satoranský on the team, Dunn's was probably better off elsewhere. As for the draft, the Bulls used the 4th overall pick to select Florida State's Patrick Williams. Williams is a raw prospect who had jumped up the draft board after being projected as a late first-rounder after acting as the Seminoles' sixth man, so it'll be interesting to see if this gamble pays off.
The Bulls have the potential to improve from last season, especially under a competent head coach, but the playoffs still look like a distant possibility for them this year.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers in post-LeBron James eras never really seem to have any direction whatsoever. The Andre Drummond trade had the potential to be a step in the right direction and I'd love to see him stick around, but rumors have it that Drummond's days on the Cavs are numbered, so that's probably out the window. That lack of direction can be seen in this offseason. The biggest move the Cavaliers made during this break was to trade for JaVale McGee. McGee was decent in his role with the Lakers, but the Anthony Davis addition clearly limited his playing time, and while I think he's more useful than both little-used role players Jordan Bell & Alfonzo McKinnie, I'm not seeing any big benefits to the move. Free agency would also see underwhelming results, as the Cavs signed Damyean Dotson & Thon Maker, two less than stellar role players, and re-signed Matthew Dellavedova, a player obviously I (and the rest of the city) love, but he's not a game-changer by any means. The best move the Cavs would make this offseason came in the draft when they selected Isaac Okoro out of Auburn with the 5th overall pick. While he didn't have the most impressive stat line, Okoro was a top defender in college and someone the owners of the 29th ranked defense desperately need. As for losses this offseason, Tristan Thompson is the only notable one, and while I've never been the biggest fan of Thompson, replacing him with McGee and Maker just isn't sufficient enough to cushion that blow.
As much as I'd love to sit here and say my favorite team is a sleeper pick to make the playoffs...it isn't happening. This season is likely going to be another wash for Cleveland.
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks look to have one of the brightest futures in the NBA right now. A healthy Kristaps Porziņģis paired with Luka Dončić, who's early success has put him on pace to be on the best players the NBA has ever seen, has the potential to be one of the most dangerous in the league for years to come. Naturally, following a successful attempt at a playoff push this past season, the Mavericks opted not to rock the boat too much this offseason. The only non-extension moves the team made were getting Josh Richardson in a trade for Seth Curry and adding James Johnson in a three-team trade that cost them Delon Wright. Curry's shooting and Wright's defense will be missed, but the additions of Richardson & Johnson, the latter of whom found new life in Minnesota after a few underwhelming seasons in Miami, minimize any damages. Outside of those trades, the Mavericks re-signed a solid role player in Trey Burke, and while the departure of JJ Barea is tough for Mavs fans, it's clear his role with the team was being phased out in favor of Burke & Jalen Brunson.
Overall, the Mavericks didn't really improve or regress this summer, which is an easy win for them. Expect them to make another playoff run this season, and don't be surprised if Dončić is a serious MVP-candidate this year.
Denver Nuggets
Following their strong performance in the playoffs this past season, the Denver Nuggets were likely looking to do what the Mavericks did and not make any drastic changes to the formula. Unlike Dallas, however, the Nuggets did see some serious losses without the same compensation. Both Jerami Grant and Mason Plumlee, two valuable role players, both departed the team for Detroit, and while the addition of JaMychal Green is a solid pick-up for the team, it's not enough to make up for the loss of both Grant & Plumlee. But aside from the losses, being able to re-sign Paul Millsap on a much cheaper $10 million deal is a win, as Millsap is still a decent player but not worth the $30.5 million he was making last season. And keeping with the wins, the team added to their young core with Zeke Nnaji from Arizona and RJ Hampton, the latter of whom the Nuggets received as part of a four-team trade, in the draft. Nnaji had a strong freshman season for the Wildcats and while Hampton didn't have the most impressive stat line in the National Basketball League, he is still a former top recruit that could end up being a draft steal for the Nuggets. Those two, alongside the young stars in Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray and developing young players in Michael Porter Jr. and Bol Bol, have the potential to make the Nuggets a legit threat in the future.
Overall, the Nuggets might have gotten worse this offseason, but I don't think it will hurt them in the standings this season. A championship is probably out of the question right now, especially with how the Lakers did the offseason, but the future looks bright in Denver.
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons offseason was not good. They did make some good moves. As I mentioned before, both Jerami Grant and Mason Plumlee were valuable members of the Nuggets roster, and both would sign with the Pistons this offseason. On top of that, they've added Delon Wright, one of the Mavericks' top defenders last year, as part of a three-team trade. Their draft pick, Killian Hayes, has a lot of potential, and Isaiah Stewart, who the Pistons got in a trade, looks like he could be a steal in this draft. But the rest of the offseason: bad. Christian Wood was one of the brighter spots on a bad season for the Pistons. He's gone. Luke Kennard had a really good season for the team. He's traded. Bruce Brown was a solid role player and a quality defender. He's traded. Replacing these losses are Wayne Ellington, Jahlil Okafor, and Josh Jackson. Ellington is coming off arguably the worst season of his career, while Okafor and Jackson are widely considered draft busts, with Jackson, in particular, having several off the court issues that have hampered his career. Also, they signed and cut LiAngelo Ball...that's it.
I really can't see the Pistons even teasing a playoff run at this point. I'm seeing them at the bottom of the standings this season.
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors were looking to bounce back from their rough 2019-20 season and be contenders for the NBA Championship once again...and then Klay Thompson tore his Achilles tendon and is now expected to miss the entire season for the second year in a row. Now, this season is uncertain, but it looks like the Warriors are going to try and compete despite the setbacks. First, they added Kelly Oubre Jr., who's coming off the best season of his career, through a trade for their 2021 first-round pick with heavy protections. Along with that, they've added Brad Wanamaker through free agency, giving them a solid defensive player and a desperately needed backup point guard for Stephen Curry, and Kent Bazemore, a decent role player. And finally, the draft saw them add both James Wiseman with the 2nd pick and Nico Mannion with the 48th pick. While Wiseman's college career was hampered by an ineligibility scandal and Mannion's college career was seen as underwhelming, both were top recruits coming out of high school and have a lot of potential. While the loss of Ky Bowman could be seen as a bit of a loss, it's not enough to weight out the gains the Warriors made this offseason.
Can a potential line-up of Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Oubre Jr., Draymond Green, and Wiseman compete for a title? Hard to say. I could see the Warriors making the playoffs, but again, after last season's complete and unexpected collapse, you never really know.
Houston Rockets
Man, who would've thought teaming up two former MVPs would cause the potential death of the Houston Rockets. When James Harden and Russell Westbrook teamed up last year, they looked to be serious contenders. However, the team actually ended up worse than the year before, and it wasn't long before rumors of both their stars being unhappy came out. Now, one is gone and the other is open to being traded for another contender. It has not been a good offseason, to say the least, but let's get into this. First off, the Russell Westbrook trade, which saw them land John Wall and a 2023 first-round pick. It's a mixed bag. On one hand, Wall feels like a better fit for Harden than Westbrook, as he seems more willing to facilitate the ball when needed. On the other, however, Wall has been plagued by injuries in the last three years and hasn't played in a game in almost two years. How well he can bounce back after missing over a season and a half is something we'll have to wait and see.
Aside from the Westbrook deal, the Rockets would also send Robert Covington to the Trail Blazers for Trevor Ariza & Isaiah Stewart, both of whom would quickly be flipped for Christian Wood in a sign and trade deal with the Pistons. Overall, I'd give that move a win, as Covington seems to have hit his peak as a player while Wood still has a lot of upside. Another addition they made was DeMarcus Cousins, Wall's former Kentucky teammate who, just like Wall, ironically, has struggled with injuries in recent years and hasn't played in an NBA game in over a year. It'll be interesting to see how this extended time off has affected both Cousins & Wall.
Overall, the Rockets' offseason has been dramatic. With Westbrook already gone and Harden potentially out the door, the future of this team is incredibly uncertain. If Harden ends up sticking with Houston and Wall & Cousins both rebound from their injuries, I could see them making a solid playoff run. If Harden dips, then a lottery pick could be in the Rockets' future. And if Wall & Cousins can't return to form on top of that...it's gonna be ugly.
Indiana Pacers
After a strong season ended with the disappointing sweeping at the hands of the Miami Heat, it would've been a surprise to see the Pacers make any groundbreaking moves this offseason. So they didn't. Their only real move this year was extending Justin Holiday. That's really it. Don't expect much different to come out of Indiana than last season.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers season ended in a brutal defeat, blowing a 3-1 series lead in the second round of the playoffs. However, unlike the Rockets, the Clippers are looking to regroup and make another run at the NBA Finals, as evident by the four-year, $190 million deal that was given out to Paul George. While George has been on the receiving end of a lot of mockery after his poor performance in the playoffs, he's still one of the league's top players and an important piece to lockdown. Other important players the Clippers locked down this offseason were Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson. One player they couldn't lockdown, however, was Montrezl Harrell, with the reigning Sixth Man of the Year opting to trade his red, white, and blue uniform for purple and gold and join the rival Lakers. Another player leaving the team is Landry Shamet, who the Clippers shipped to Brooklyn in a three-team trade that landed them Luke Kennard, a better shooter, so that move could be seen as an upgrade for the team. And finally, the Clippers would add Serge Ibaka, a strong defender who's coming off one of the best seasons of his career and can only strengthen the fifth-best defense in the league. However, I don't expect Ibaka to be enough to replace the departing Harrell.
Overall, the Clippers took a hit this offseason. They're still a top team in the Western Conference, as it's hard to not be one when you have both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard on your roster, but after they struggled in the playoffs with Harrell, it'll be hard for them to compete without him. I'm not writing them off just yet, but their chances at the title look slimmer than last year.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers were not messing around this offseason. After winning the NBA Championship last year, the Lakers probably could've gotten away with not making any big moves. Instead, however, the Lakers went out and strengthened their core in a big way. But first things first, the most important move the Lakers made this offseason was locking down Anthony Davis to a five-year, $189.9 million deal. That one was a no brainer. But the team didn't stop there. First off, as I mentioned before, the Lakers added Montrezl Harrell to the squad, fresh off his Sixth Man of the Year award win. On top of that, they also signed veteran big man Marc Gasol. While he's no longer an all-star caliber player, Gasol is still a strong defender and a great addition to the team. And just to top it off, the Lakers sent a struggling Danny Green and Jaden McDaniels to the Thunder for Dennis Schröder, who's coming off one of the best seasons of his career. As for other re-signings, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope would also extend his deal with the team.
Obviously, all those gains don't come without losses. Rajon Rondo, the team's back-up point guard, decided to sign with the Hawks in free agency. Dwight Howard had found a solid role with the Lakers after a rough stint in Washington but signed with the 76ers this offseason. Avery Bradley was a solid defender and he's signed with Miami. And finally, JaVale McGee, another strong defender, was shipped to the Cavaliers for two role players, one of which (Jordan Bell) they quickly cut. Those are decently big losses, but it's hard to argue that they didn't make up for it big time with their transactions.
The Lakers were among the favorites to walk away with the ring last season, and now that the team has gotten even better this offseason, I don't think their status as top contenders will be any different than last year.
Memphis Grizzlies
Much like the Pacers, the Memphis Grizzlies chose not to shake the boat too much this offseason after coming close to making the playoffs. The biggest thing the Grizzlies did this summer was extending De'Anthony Melton's contract, with a $34.6 million deal locking down one of the team's best defenders for the next four years. Outside of that, the Grizzlies would also trade for 30th pick Desmond Bane, a four-year college player who's coming a solid season at TCU, in a three-team trade, and 35th pick Xavier Tillman Sr, a defensive stud at Michigan State. But aside from that, not much to talk about. They lost Josh Jackson to the Pistons...but that's really not much of a loss.
The Grizzlies look to have a bright future ahead of them with their young core of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr, Dillon Brooks, Brandon Clarke, and (to a lesser extent) Jonas Valančiūnas, so playing it safe and not going for a big move was probably the right call.
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat nearly shocked the world this summer, being the only team to beat the Lakers more than once during the playoffs and were just two games away from winning the championship. With that being said, it's not surprising that the Heat chose to stick with what brought them to the dance while strengthening their core. For starters, the team locked down both Meyers Leonard and Goran Dragić for at least another season, with both having team options. However, they weren't able to lock down Derrick Jones Jr., and super-athletic strong defender, or Jae Crowder, another solid defender who has the potential to shoot the lights out from three, who departed in free agency for the Trail Blazers and Suns, respectively. Replacing them are two other strong defensive role players in Avery Bradley and Maurice Harkless.
The Heat didn't change much this offseason. They might have gotten a little worse with the departure of Crowder, but I don't think it's enough to take them out of the playoff race. If Bam Adebayo continues to develop as quickly as he has and Jimmy Butler keeps playing at the elite level he did in the playoffs, the Heat could be a sleeper pick to return to the Finals
Milwaukee Bucks
(NOTE: Just as I was putting the finishing touches on this post, Giannis Antetokounmpo signed a five-year, $228 million supermax deal, so please disregard everything I wrote about the most important part of this season being retaining Giannis.)
The goal for the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason was simple: build a supporting cast that will make Giannis Antetokounmpo want to re-sign. After their shocking five-game defeat at the hands of the Heat in the second round of the playoffs this summer, rumors have swirled that the 2020-21 season, the last of Antetokounmpo's contract, will be the last time the two-time MVP suits up for the Bucks. With the threat of losing the best player Milwaukee has had since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar being very real, the Bucks went to work.
First things first, the team showed they were deathly serious about winning now by sending Eric Bledsoe and four future first-round picks to the Pelicans for Jrue Holiday. This trade is an absolute mixed bag. On the one hand, Holiday is a nearly universally respected player whose been quietly putting up some of the best numbers of his career in New Orleans, while also being a strong defensive guard. Any team would be better with him on their side. However, trading four future first-round picks is a huge gamble. If Antetokounmpo leaves in free agency next summer and the team completely collapses, then their ability to rebuild for the future is decimated. On top of that, this trade also cost them a key rotation player in George Hill, who they shipped to the Thunder, and rookie RJ Hampton to the Nuggets. This trade has the potential to push the Bucks over the top, but just as much as it does to ruin the team's future.
Other transactions saw the Bucks strengthen the core by signing Bobby Portis, DJ Augustin, and Bryn Forbes, three decent role players who struggle on defense, so it'll be interesting to see how they fit on a strong defensive team like the Bucks. As for losses, they were minimal for the Bucks. Neither Wesley Matthews, Robin Lopez, or Kyle Korver were huge parts of the team, and while Korver's shooting will be missed, all three were among the weaker defenders on the team. And they also landed Bogdan Bogdanović...until they didn't.
This season looks like it's going to be do-or-die for the Milwaukee Bucks. It's championship or bust. Without a ring, the risk of losing the best player in the league and the best player they've had since the early to mid-70s gets substantially higher. Overall, I'd say the Bucks solidly strengthened their roster, but whether or not they can compete for the title is uncertain.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Man, remember when the Minnesota Timberwolves looked like they were set to be the next big superteam in the NBA. In the years following the disastrous Jimmy Butler saga, the Timberwolves have completely collapsed, with this last season seeing them fail to even crack a .300 winning percentage. That once-promising core of Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, and Butler has been widdled down to just Towns and D'Angelo Russell, who they received by trading Wiggins. But there is hope. The draft lottery fell in their favor and they landed the #1 overall pick and they selected Anthony Edwards out of Georgia. Edwards was the top recruit in high school and kept that status throughout his freshman year with the Bulldogs.
Aside from Edwards, the Timberwolves made some other good moves. Their biggest non-draft move was to lock down Malik Beasley on a four-year, $60 million deal. Beasley was a huge steal for the team, as he went from averaging just 7.9 points off the bench in Denver to exploding for 20.7 points per game in Minnesota while shooting 43% from three. On top of that, the team locked down Juan Hernangómez, another player they traded for from Denver who improved significantly in Minnesota, on a three-year, $21 million deal. And to top it off, the Timberwolves added some depth at point guard by bringing back Ricky Rubio via a trade. Rubio has been playing some of his best basketball since leaving Minnesota in 2017, so it'll be interesting to see how he fares with the newer young core the team has.
While that future greatness looks to be long gone at this point, I'd say the Timberwolves had a strong offseason and that their future looks bright once again. A playoff run this year might be out of the question, but the next few seasons after that could be interesting.
New Orleans Pelicans
Much like the Timberwolves of the mid-2010s, the New Orleans Pelicans have a lot of potential going into this season. Zion Williamson only got to play in 24 games this year, but showed out in a big way in that short time, while Brandon Ingram had a rather unexpected breakout season that earned him the Most Improved Player of the Year award and Lonzo Ball & Josh Hart both developed nicely. It's clear the focus of this team is on the future and not the present, and this offseason reinforced that.
For starters, the most important goal of free agency was to lock down Ingram, which they did on a huge five-year, $158.3 million deal. But the Pelicans didn't stop there, as they were involved in a four-team trade that sent Jrue Holiday to the Bucks. As I mentioned before, Holiday had been playing some of his best basketball in New Orleans and his presence on the team will surely be missed, but the return they got for him was huge. Four first-round picks from Milwaukee, giving them quite the stock over the next few years. Along with that, they received both Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams from that trade. Bledsoe does a lot of what Holiday does, just less productively, but is still a good pick-up capable of scoring 20 a night if needed, while Adams is a solid defensive center who's coming off a down year offensively, but is still talented. On top of that, they selected Kira Levins Jr. with the 13th pick, who's coming off a strong sophomore year at Alabama.
Like the Timberwolves, the Pelicans have a bright future ahead of them. I could see them sneaking in as an eighth seed this season, but an extended playoff run seems out of the question. The next few years are when Pelicans could prove to be a real threat in the league
New York Knicks
Oh, New York. What can you even really say about the New York Knicks? They're a dumpster fire of an organization who has barely even competed for a playoff spot in the last eight years while also being run by one of the most genuinely unlikeable schmuck owners in sports right now. After last year's embarrassing free agency that saw them whiff on just about every big free agent on the market, the Knicks surprisingly went against splurging on a top name in a weaker class, instead going for established role players to strengthen their core. Their biggest signing was Austin Rivers to a three-year deal for less than $10 million. Along with that, the Knicks went out and added Alec Burks, who is coming off the best season of his career and is probably the best signing they made. And lastly, they signed Nerlens Noel, a strong defensive center that the team desperately needs when Mitchell Robinson is off the court. In regards to the draft, the Knicks fell in the lottery from 6th to 8th and selected Obi Toppin. I have mixed feelings about Toppin. On the one hand, Toppin was dominant in college, being the near-consensus pick for National College Player of the Year while leading Dayton to the best record in the school's history. On the other hand, Dayton didn't exactly face the toughest schedule, only going up against one ranked team all year and losing that game. I still like Toppin, but he seems like a bit of an uncertainty. As for losses, the Knicks didn't really lose much. Bobby Portis was probably the biggest loss of the offseason for New York, and while he can somewhat score, he wasn't performing well and was a bad defender, so it's not the end of the world to lose him.
Overall, I'd say the Knicks did improve somewhat, but not much. Don't expect them to make the playoffs this year under new head coach Tom Thibodeau.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Draft. Capital. That's really all you need to say to summarize what the Thunder did this offseason. After a shocking run to the playoffs, the Thunder have opted to blow it all the way up, with general manager Sam Presti collecting draft picks like their Pokémon cards. First off, Chris Paul got shipped to the Suns for Ricky Rubio, Kelly Oubre Jr., and a first-round pick. They quickly flipped Oubre Jr. to the Warriors for another first-round pick and a second-round pick. They traded Dennis Schroder to the Lakers for Danny Green and Jaden McDaniels, both of whom would be traded for more picks, with Green being involved in a trade for Al Horford that netted them another first-round pick. Finally, Danilo Gallinari got shipped to the Hawks in a sign & trade deal that got them another second-round pick. And that's not even all the trades OKC made. The Thunder systematically destroyed their roster, trading away every player of value not named Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and now have a bounty of draft picks for the future. This offseason, along with last year's, has given the Thunder a potential 30 draft picks over the next seven years. That's insanity.
It's obviously not about competing this year for the Thunder. Anything above the bottom five in the league this season would be a shocker. But the future has to have OKC fans salivating over the possibilities.
Orlando Magic
I'll be honest...I don't have much to talk about with the Orlando Magic. After their second straight first-round playoff elimination, the Magic really just did nothing of note this offseason. The only thing they really did that could be potentially important was draft Cole Anthony with the 15th pick. Anthony was a top recruit out of high school but struggled with shooting at North Carolina. Still, Anthony has a lot of potential and is a good pickup outside of the lottery. But aside from that, I've got nothing. They lost DJ Augustin and re-signed Michael Carter-Williams, whose far removed from his Rookie of the Year season but has played well in Orlando, but neither of those are too huge.
Overall, the Magic might be in trouble. They barely squeaked into the playoffs this year and, with teams like the Hawks and Hornets strengthening their cores, that playoff spot could be up for grabs.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Process is officially dead. Following their sweep at the hands of the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs, it's looking more and more clear; the 76ers are not championship contenders. They're still a really good team with a lot of talent in Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and Tobias Harris, and will likely be a top team in the league. However, the odds of them actually winning the whole thing with this team look slimmer as each season goes on. There is hope, however; James Harden. The former MVP is reportedly unhappy with his situation in Houston, and Philly is one of the top preferred destinations. That could be the thing that pushes the team over the top, but if the 76ers aren't willing to give up Simmons or Embiid, the chances of that happening seem slim. I guess we'll have to wait and see. As for things that actually happened this offseason, there really isn't much. Brett Brown was sacked and replaced with Doc Rivers and they traded Josh Richardson & Al Horford (unloading his terrible contract in the process) in two separate trade for some much-needed shooting in Seth Curry & Danny Green, though they did have to give up a first-round pick in the Horford trade. They also added Dwight Howard in free agency who, while nowhere near an all-star anymore, was still solid in his role with the Lakers last season, but they also lost Alec Burks to the Knicks.
I don't expect the 76ers to fall out of playoff contention by any stretch of the imagination, but unless a serious change is made, a championship seems out of the question right now.
Phoenix Suns
I feel bad for the Phoenix Suns. They performed excellently in the Bubble this summer, going a perfect 8-0 in the play-in games but missed the playoffs by just half a game. Phoenix was likely just one piece away from being a playoff team...and they might have done it. The Suns sent four players, including Ricky Rubio & Kelly Oubre Jr. to the Thunder for Chris Paul. That's a big get, as even at 34 years old Paul is still an all-star caliber player and, with all due respect to Rubio, is a big upgrade at point guard. The reason I said "might" is because I'm concerned that they gave up too much by losing Oubre Jr., who was a big contributor to the team's success. As of right now, I'm leaning towards this move being a win for the Suns, but I've got my doubts. Outside of the Chris Paul trade, the Suns mostly focused on locking down key rotation players like Dario Šarić and Jevon Carter, while also adding a strong 3&D player in Jae Crowder. As for losses, they'll be without Aron Baynes, who took a huge leap this past season but signed with the Raptors.
Overall, the Suns are a hard team to gauge. I think they have the potential to make the playoffs this year, but I'm very uncertain based on what they've lost compared to what they gained.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers barely made the playoffs this year, only securing the final spot in the West by half a game. If they wanted to make that playoff spot more secure, they were going to need to make some moves...and honestly, they didn't do that. The best player they had on an expiring contract was Hassan Whiteside, who had one of the best seasons of his career, but they let him slip and he signed with the Kings. Replacing him is Enes Kanter, who they got in a three-team trade from the Celtics, but that's not a suitable replacement in my opinion. Another trade they made was getting Robert Covington from the Rockets. Covington's a good 3&D player and, as someone who discusses basketball on the Internet, I'm obligated to be a fan of him, but they gave up a lot to get him. That package included sending their 2020 draft pick Isaiah Stewart and their 2021 first-round pick. That pick is lottery-protected, but that's a lot of future assets to give up for a role player. Aside from trades, the Blazers would re-sign key role players in Rodney Hood & Carmelo Anthony while also signing strong defenders in Harry Giles & Derrick Jones Jr., which is something that the 28th ranked defensive team in the league desperately needs.
The Trail Blazers added some good players, some of which filled a hole that the team needed to be filled badly. However, the loss of Whiteside is pretty big, and I don't know think they made up for it with their signings. If the West is as close as it was last season, especially with the Warriors potentially bouncing back, then there's a good chance the Blazers miss out on the playoffs.
Sacramento Kings
As someone who's dedicated more time to researching the Sacramento Kings and how they typically handle the offseason than anyone should, I wasn't expecting much from them. However, they went out and grabbed a relatively big free agent in Hassan Whiteside. As I mentioned earlier, Whiteside is coming off the best season of his career where he finished third in rebounds per game and led the league in blocks per game. Whiteside is a good pick-up for a team trying to reach the playoffs, especially on a minimum deal. However, the Kings didn't escape the offseason unscathed, as Bogdan Bogdanović left in free agency for the Bucks...and then decided against that and went to the Hawks on a big deal. Bogdanović was a key player on the Kings, and his solid scoring ability will surely be missed. Other signings included Glenn Robinson III, a decent player when given the opportunity to perform, while the Kings also lost Kent Bazemore & Harry Giles, two decent defenders, but hopefully, the addition of Whiteside can fill the void left by those two.
The Kings were among the teams vying for a playoff spot when the Bubble kicked off but came up short. The addition of Whiteside could help them, but the loss of Bogdanović can also bite them in the end. It's likely going to be a close playoff race, and if I had to give a prediction right now, I would say that the Kings' playoff drought continues this season.
San Antonio Spurs
I turned 24 years old while I was writing this up. The San Antonio Spurs have been good for just about my entire life, so seeing them miss out on the playoffs for the first time since 1997 just felt wrong. The direction of the Spurs right now is unclear, and their offseason shows that. The team needed to do one of two things; either blow it up, tank, and build around young players like Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, and their recent draft picks who I'll get to shortly, or make a move for another high-quality player and build around them, DeMar DeRozan, and LaMarcus Aldridge. Instead, the Spurs did...nothing. They extended Jakob Poeltl for another three-years, but that's the only real move they made outside of the draft. In the draft, the Spurs used their picks to select Devin Vassell at #11 and Tre Jones at #41. Vassell is a talented 3&D player coming off a solid sophomore season with Florida State. I really don't think there was a player in this draft class that fits with Gregg Popovich & the San Antonio Spurs than Devin Vassell. Jones, on the other hand, was part of Duke's stacked 2018 recruiting class alongside the top three recruits in RJ Barrett, Zion Williamson, and Cam Reddish (in that order) in the class. Jones wasn't as highly touted as those three, and after an underwhelming freshman year, Jones returned to Duke for another season and showed big improvements. He has a lot of potential and could be a solid pick.
Overall, the Spurs really don't seem to know where to go with their team. The best course of action seems to be to unload DeRozan & Aldridge for picks or young players, but the team looks to be sticking with the squad and trying to make the playoffs. If this past season is anything to go off of, however, a playoff run seems unlikely.
Toronto Raptors
One season removed from their first championship in franchise history, the departure of Kawhi Leonard hit the team hard and they failed to return to the Finals, instead falling in the second round of the playoffs in a close series against the Celtics. If the Raptors want to contend for the title again, they're going to need someone to fill the void that Leonard left. Unfortunately, this offseason's free-agent pool didn't have any real options, so they're left with what they had available. The biggest move the team made was locking down Fred VanVleet, who had a breakout year this past season, on a big four-year, $85 million deal. They'd also give a solid defender in Chris Boucher an extension while signing a solid stretch big in Aron Baynes, fresh off the best season of his career, and another strong defender in DeAndre' Bembry to the squad.
However, the Raptors didn't escape this offseason without some key losses. The first was Serge Ibaka, who is coming off the best season he's had in a long time. He was a key contributor on the team but signed with the Clippers this offseason. The second is Marc Gasol, who might have regressed from his all-star days but is still a brick wall on defense and can anchor a defense when needed. That's exactly why the Lakers signed Gasol away from the Raptors.
The Raptors are still a really good team, one of the best in the east most likely, but with the losses of Gasol & Ibaka without any huge acquisitions, the odds of them winning the championship seem slim without another all-star caliber player.
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are always a sleeper team. While they're long shots to compete for the title, they have the potential to pull off an upset in the playoffs when needed. Following their seven-game series loss in the first round to the Nuggets, the Jazz are looking to stay the course and continue to see Donovan Mitchell's development. As a result, the Jazz made few moves, only re-signing Jordan Clarkson and bringing back Derrick Favors from the Pelicans in free agency. Clarkson was a key player for the Jazz last season, while Favors is a solid big man.
The Jazz really didn't change too much, so I wouldn't be surprised if they performed similarly to the way they did last season.
Washington Wizards
The John Wall era is over in Washington. After injuries have plagued their former star player for years and Bradley Beal has taken over as the top guy, Wall has been shipped off to the Rockets in exchange for their disgruntled all-star point guard; Russell Westbrook. And honestly...I don't think this was that good of a move for the Wizards. Both Westbrook & Bradley Beal had some of the highest usage rates in the league last year, which is the exact same set-up the Rockets used last season Westbrook & James Harden and they underperformed. I fear that a Westbrook-run offense will see Beal have to take a backseat for Westbrook, something that hasn't been super successful for teams in the past.
Aside from the Westbrook trade, the Wizards really didn't do much. They extended Dāvis Bertāns on a big five-year, $80 million deal, but that's really the only other big move they made. The draft would see the Wizards land Israeli prospect Deni Avdjia. Avdija was considered a top pick before the draft but ended up sliding enough for the Wizards to select him at #9. While international players aren't the easiest to gauge, Avdija, who started playing professionally at 16 years old for Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel, has a lot of potential and could be a solid pick up for the Wizards.
The Wizards could make the playoffs this year based on their addition of Westbrook, but honestly, I can't see this team making a deep playoff run, let alone competing for a championship
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