The NBA season is quickly approaching, and new players will be on new teams after a whirlwind of an offseason. Most deals this year were smaller than others as top players mostly resigned with their current teams. Stars like LeBron James and James Harden highlighted this year’s class, as both players head into their older years in the league. James chose to stay home and play with his son LeBron “Bronny “James Jr. with the Los Angeles Lakers. Many predict this to be James’ last contract of his career. However, due to his track record and ability to keep playing, anything could happen. Harden also chose to stay with his team from last season, the Los Angeles Clippers, after having a solid season with them. He will look to continue the success next year as he aims to bring the Clippers towards a title. The last star that moved in the offseason was Paul George, who went from coast to coast to the city of brotherly love, joined the Philadelphia 76ers. Many suspect that George’s departure from Los Angeles was due to the fact they could not get over their playoff hump. George will be an upgrade at small forward for Philadelphia from Tobias Harris.
Many players moved teams, with the most notable being Klay Thompson. He ended his tenure with the Golden State Warriors to join the Dallas Mavericks via a sign and trade. Thompson had a down year last season, and this fresh start will be good for the sharpshooter, as he could be the Mavericks’ missing piece at a title. Russell Westbrook also left his home in California, making the move to Denver to play with MVP Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. Westbrook, a great passer, should fit in great with this team. Don’t be surprised to see him have more playmaking duties than scoring in their offense. The final big name that moved this offseason was Tobias Harris, whose move from Philadelphia is bittersweet, to say the least, as he was highly inconsistent. Harris will pack his bags and move to Detroit where he should see an increased role in the new head coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s system with the Pistons.
Some very underrated moves flew under the radar as many teams got away with steals this offseason. One notable move that a team made was the 76ers acquiring Guerschon Yabusele. Yabusele last played in the NBA with the Boston Celtics over five years ago and has been playing overseas since. However, after a great performance at the Olympics, the NBA started noticing the power forward again as he was a lean, more physical, and complete player for France. Yabusele should look to compete for rotational minutes in a deal that is friendly for the Sixers if the Frenchman ends up not panning out. The Clippers also made another move in the offseason that many are not looking at, acquiring Kevin Porter Jr. from overseas. Porter Jr. had his fair share of struggles in the league, as he was not a great locker room presence and had many bad habits that teams did not want to deal with. He also showed signs of super-stardom as he could sometimes take over games and provide much needed scoring for his team. Porter Jr. will look to stay out of trouble and just play basketball as the Clippers will give him another shot in the NBA.
The NBA is a league that constantly changes, and the teams that win the offseason often see themselves in the playoffs. Free agency is not the only part of the offseason though, as the draft is big for many teams with high picks. This year is a down year for talent as many experts say this rookie class is weak, meaning free agency was extra important for teams this year. There was no consensus No. 1 pick, yet the Atlanta Hawks still selected Zaccharie Risacher with the top pick. He will look to provide an immediate spark to help Trae Young and the Hawks get over their playoff woes. The season is upon us, things are happening and it’s time to get excited about the new acquisitions in the league.