NBA · 1 year ago

Biggest Winners & Losers From the NBA Offseason

Ben DiGiacomo

Host · Writer

Respect the Tank: Brooklyn Nets
Too many teams are stuck in the middle where they won’t rebuild and can’t contend, and the Brooklyn Nets were in danger of that, especially since they were in a big market. Still, the Nets wisely saw the writing on the wall, and they blew it up early rather than too late. They got their picks back from the Houston Rockets in the process, so essentially, they control their own tank destiny. In a few years, with hopefully a young star and a ton of cap space, the Nets will easily become a premier free agent.
Biggest Winner: Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers have eyed this offseason as their opportunity to cash in for multiple years now, and man, did they cash in. Paul George was the best player on the market who could conceivably change teams, and the 76ers’ brass was able to lure him to Philly, creating the league’s big three with him, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid. On paper, the fit for these three guys should be rather flawless, and around them, adding Caleb Martin and retaining Kelly Oubre Jr. gives the 76ers possibly the second-best starting five in all of basketball. Health will be the ultimate judgment of whether or not this offseason is a success, but everything Joel Embiid needs to get over the hump is finally right there for him. Daryl Morey, bravo.
Biggest Loser: Los Angeles Basketball
The two Los Angeles franchises are supposed to be perennial contenders, given their market, and it wouldn’t surprise me if neither team made the playoffs this upcoming season. First, whether the LA Clippers wanted to retain Paul George at his asking price, they are a considerably worse-off team without him. James Harden, needing to become the second scoring option once again alongside an injury-prone Kawhi Leonard, looks like a disaster. In the purple and gold, the Los Angeles Lakers did nothing. Drafting Dalton Knecht should add a bench piece, but besides him, this is just the same squad that underachieved last season in a Western Conference that continues to improve. While the two LA teams will be in separate buildings this upcoming season, neither team should be full of hope.
Remains to be Seen: New York Knicks
You have to respect what the New York Knicks have done by targeting their guy in Mikal Bridges and doing everything it took to land him. However, all the draft capital that the Knicks have been hoarding for a superstar is all dried up. Friendship aside, can Bridges be the second-best player on the championship team? The jury is still out for me, and while I acknowledge the Knicks’ freakishly strong depth to make up for the scoring load, who will play center? In a conference where you must go through Joel Embiid and Kristaps Porzingis to reach the NBA Finals, you can’t just leave the center position “to figure out later.” Still, the Knicks certainly improved, but I need to see a sample size before putting them on the same tier as Boston or even Philadelphia. Maybe they’ll want a down year to fire Coach Thibs and bring Jay Wright to coach the Villanova Knicks anyway!
Everything Makes Sense: Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder proved last season that they were way ahead of their rebuilding schedule as they captured the West’s No. 1 seed, and after losing in the second round, the Thunder addressed their needs this offseason as well as they could have hoped for without drastically impacting the chemistry of what they already build. Swapping Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey without giving up any picks may be the fleece job of the summer, giving the Thunder an elite defensive option to add to their starting lineup. Alongside Chet Holmgren, they needed a strong paint presence to clean up the glass so Holmgren could roam around and do his thing. It’s hard to imagine a better fit for that role than Isaiah Hartenstein, so the Thunder are deservedly the frontrunners in the West.
Too Much Confidence: Denver Nuggets
The top of the Western Conference kept improving as the Oklahoma City Thunder made key additions, the Minnesota Timberwolves drafted two young guys ready to contribute off the bench, and the Dallas Mavericks brought in Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall. What did the Denver Nuggets do? I get not paying Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at the value that the Orlando Magic did, but it’s a failure on the Nuggets' part for letting him get to free agency in the first place. Do they really just expect to slide another guy off the bench into his role and not see a dropoff? I’m not buying it given how much the other contenders around them improved.
Continuing to Build Their Contender: Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic went big-game hunting this summer, and even though they struck out on Paul George and never got a chance to talk to D’Angelo Russell or Malik Monk, they pivoted wisely to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who should be able to bring championship-level mentorship to the young Magic stars. They still could use an impact player at the guard position, but for now, adding KCP puts them one step closer to competing with the top tier of Eastern Conference contenders. The Magic are building something special, and seeing where they go next will be exciting.
Most Forgotten About Playoff Team: New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans quietly acquired Dejounte Murray, and it feels like they are just being forgotten about in the Western Conference playoff field. Last season, this team was able to claim the eighth seed in a season where injuries didn’t quite break their way, and now, they add Murray, who is an ideal backcourt pairing with CJ McCollum. What happens with Brandon Ingram remains to be seen, but it doesn’t seem like he’ll be getting dealt. Ultimately, it all comes down to whether or not Zion Williamson is available when it matters most, but it wouldn’t surprise me if this team can sneak in and steal a top-five seed.
At Least They’re Trying: Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings took a step back this season after they finished as the West’s No. 3 seed just two postseasons ago, and they added DeMar DeRozan into the mix as free agency winded down. DeRozan has been put in pretty crappy situations since he was dealt away from the Toronto Raptors, but now, entering a locker room that has playoff aspirations should be able to get the most out of what he has left. Alongside De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, and Malik Monk, this is a very formidable starting five that many are forgetting about. I’ll certainly be banking on their win total to go over.
Need to See it on the Court: San Antonio Spurs
No team has more pressure than the San Antonio Spurs do to put complementary pieces around Victor Wembanyama. Everyone can see that Wemby will be an absolute superstar in this league for a long time. While the Spurs may not be ready to go for a championship this season, they have a team on paper that can absolutely make a run at one of the bottom three seeds. They drafted arguably the best player in the entire draft in Stephon Castle, who will be the recipient of strong mentorship and guidance from Chris Paul. Around them, their other young players should continue to develop, and it will be especially exciting to see whether or not Devin Vassell can take the next step. The presence of Harrison Barnes will be crucial of that mentorship like Chris Paul, and with Greg Popovich leading the way, who is to say this isn’t a playoff team?
Respect the Tank: Brooklyn Nets
Too many teams are stuck in the middle where they won’t rebuild and can’t contend, and the Brooklyn Nets were in danger of that, especially since they were in a big market. Still, the Nets wisely saw the writing on the wall, and they blew it up early rather than too late. They got their picks back from the Houston Rockets in the process, so essentially, they control their own tank destiny. In a few years, with hopefully a young star and a ton of cap space, the Nets will easily become a premier free agent.
Biggest Winner: Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers have eyed this offseason as their opportunity to cash in for multiple years now, and man, did they cash in. Paul George was the best player on the market who could conceivably change teams, and the 76ers’ brass was able to lure him to Philly, creating the league’s big three with him, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid. On paper, the fit for these three guys should be rather flawless, and around them, adding Caleb Martin and retaining Kelly Oubre Jr. gives the 76ers possibly the second-best starting five in all of basketball. Health will be the ultimate judgment of whether or not this offseason is a success, but everything Joel Embiid needs to get over the hump is finally right there for him. Daryl Morey, bravo.

Biggest Winners & Losers From the NBA Offseason

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