This NBA off-season has included a flurry of moves by teams trying to get better. While there are no big-name stars like Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler, or Kyrie Irving moving teams, there have been many moves that have been made. Whether it’s free agency signings, draft picks or trades, here are the moves I loved and the ones I questioned.
Moves I Loved
More Chess Pieces for the King!
Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Key Additions: Signing Montrezl Harrell, Marc Gasol, and Wesley Matthew | Acquiring Dennis Schröder via trade from the Oklahoma City
Parted Away: Dwight Howard, Danny Green, and Rajon Rondo
Absolutely loved what the Lakers did this offseason. I do not like forecasting things, but the Los Angeles Lakers are going to repeat a championship victory, barring injury. King James has his queen (Mrs. James), his rook in Anthony Davis, and now added both a knight and bishop in Montrez Harrell and Dennis Schröder. His new pieces are the reigning sixth man of the year in Harrell and the runner-up in Schröder. This team is just spewing with talent; an argument can be made that this Lakers team on paper is the most talented team LeBron James has been on since his Miami Heat days. I have to give the General Manager (GM) Rob Pelinka credit. All the Lakers did was win a championship in a pandemic and Rob goes out and replaces Danny Green, Dwight Howard, and Rajon Rondo with Wesley Mathews, Montrez Harell, Dennis Schröder, and Marc Gasol. They should be favored and their only competition is themselves. After this season the only question we will be asking is “Will LeBron be the GOAT if they three-peat”?
Trae Finally Gets Help
Team: Atlanta Hawks
Key Additions: Signing Rajon Rondo, Kris Dunn, Danilo Gallinari, Bogdan Bogdanovic
The Atlanta Hawks are going to make the playoffs. Yes, I said it! They are finally using their cap space on impactful players. Let’s start with Danilo Gallinar, 6’8” PF that can shoot it out of the gym. All he knows how to do is score and will take any shot from anywhere, no matter the situation. I think he and John Collins will be formable in the frontcourt. Now, Trae Young needed some help in the backcourt. The other guys were not cutting it, and what did GM Travis Schlenk do? Get the best SG on the open market. Bogdan Bogdanovic averaged 15.1 points and 37% from the three-point range. He will be able to provide a security blanket for Trae when the defense collapses on him. Additionally, GM Travis Schlenk signed some defensive and leadership help with Kris Dunn and Rajon Rondo.
Sidebar: I do not understand why Rondo has been on so many teams. All he does is make his teammates better and more times than not his team is in the playoffs.
This team has one of the best offenses in the league, but needed help on both ends of the court. Thanks to their GM, I think ATL will make the playoffs for the first time since the Paul Milsap days. Travis Schlenk came to Atlanta in 2017, got the job in part because he helped cultivate what was the Golden Age in Golden State and he hopes to recreate Splash Bros part two in Atlanta. The Atlanta Hawks are looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017 where they were the longest standing eastern conference team in the playoffs for a decade.
My Favorite Cousin
Team: Houston Rockets
Key Additions: DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall
Parted With: Russell Westbrook and Robert Covington
This move really made my heart happy. DeMarcus Cousins has lost over $150 million due to devastating injuries so we forget how good he was. Let’s put some respect on DeMarcus Cousins name. Prior to the litany of injuries, he was one of the dominant players in the game of basketball. In his last healthy season, DeMarcus Cousins averaged 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists a game. He finally gets an opportunity to start and hopefully, he can stay healthy for the entire season. We do not know the future of James Harden in Houston, but DeMarcus will have the chance to re-establish himself as one of the best big men in the NBA. He joins his Kentucky Wildcats teammate John Wall who is also coming back from an injury.
Danny Ainge Does It Again
Team: Boston Celtics
Key Additions: Signings of Tristan Thompson, and Jeff Teague
Traded away: Gordon Hayward
Parted with: Enes Kanter and Vincent Poirier
There were teams that made big splash moves with their money or traded for a high profiled player. However, the Boston Celtics went under the radar with their signings. Boston ended their season in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami heat and it was clear their two biggest needs were backup guard play and frontcourt help. GM Danny Ainge was able to get Tristian Thompson and Jeff Teague to bolster the team. Kemba Walker was not himself during the playoffs and Ernes Kanter was not cutting it at the center position, especially in pick roll situations. Jeff Teague was a great pickup as he can play well with Kemba or even be the first guard off the bench. Tristian Thompson is an offensive rounding machine averaging 3.96 per game last season, second in the NBA. With the Brooklyn Nets on the rise and the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat still being formidable, the Celtics had to make sure they keep up and I believed they did. While they did lose Gordon Hayward to the Charlotte Hornets, I think Danny Ainge did a great job by getting what they needed in Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown. The Boston Celtics are looking to get back to the NBA finals. They have not been since 2010 where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 4-2.
Moves I questioned
What the BUCK Are You Doing?!
Team: Milwaukee Bucks:
Key Addition: Acquiring Jrue Holiday via trade from the New Orleans Pelicans
Parted With: Robin Lopez, Eric Bledsoe, and George Hill
I get it Bucks Nation, you are trying to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo, but did you need to give up three first-round picks to make it happen? Now, I love the pick-up of Jrue Holiday. Last season, he averaged 19.1 points, 6.7 assists, and 4.8 rebounds for the New Orleans Pelicans last season. Holiday will definitely help the Bucks move towards championship contention, but I did not think it required so many assets. They gave up a starter in Eric Bledsoe and backup George Hill in addition to the three first-round picks. If this trade does not end with an NBA championship next year and instead causes the Greek Freak to leave as a free agent, then the Milwaukee Bucks could potentially be in the same situation as the Cavaliers LeBron James when LeBron James left for Miami Heat.
Update 12/15/2020: According to ESPN.com Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks reach a five-year, $228M supermax extension. I am truly happy the Greek Freak is staying with the Bucks. However, I still believe the Bucks gave way too much for Holiday and it will show in their future moves by the lack of flexibility they will have.
Another Forward for the Knicks
Team: New York Knicks
Key Addition: Drafted Obi Toppin with the 8th overall pick in the 2020 Draft
Here comes the New York Knicks with another questionable move on their path to becoming relevant again. Now, I will say Obi Toppin is a tremendous talent. Obi averaged 20 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game with a .633 field goal percentage last year at Dayton University. I question this move because currently, their best player is Julius Randle who is playing the exact position Obi would be. Neither of them can really play center unless facing a really small lineup. The Knicks have so many power forwards on their roster with two that play center. It is clear that there is a logjam at the position. I am curious to see the next couple of moves the Knicks make prior to the start of the season on December 22. I would have loved the Knicks to draft Tyrese Haliburton. He will be a great addition to the Sacramento Kings, averaging 15.2 points, and 6.5 assists at Iowa State last year. The upcoming season will be very interesting. Will the Knicks regret not taking the most polished player in the draft over the player who’s known for his dunking? They could.
CP3 to PHX? Really?!
Team: Phoenix Suns
Key Additions: Acquired All-Star guard Chris Paul via trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder
Parted With: Kelly Oubre, and Ricky Rubio
Chris Paul is seriously heading to the Suns? I know their star Devin Booker is probably happy but I do not get this. I know the Suns played really well in the NBA bubble. They were the only team to go undefeated. The Suns are looking to go to the next level by getting better point guard play as they move on from Ricky Rubio. I am a huge Chris Paul fan. I think he is the quintessential point guard and has no weaknesses in his game. Last season, CP3 averaged 17.6 points, 6.7 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals en route to an All-NBA Second Team. However, this year was an anomaly as he played 70 games, the most games he has played since 2015. Chris Paul is now 35 going on his 16th season with his 5th team. In my opinion, if he can hold up, then the Suns might make the playoffs. Unfortunately, with such a lengthy injury history, I doubt he can maintain.
