2020 NBA Offseason Rankings

Every Offseason is crucial and here we will rank the worst to best offseasons in the NBA.

30.) Memphis Grizzlies 

Key Additions 

• Desmond Bane 
• Xavier Tillman Sr.
• Killian Tillie

Key Loses 

• Josh Jackson

While the Grizzlies are ranked last, it is more due to because they just didn’t make moves, but that doesn’t mean it should be considered a bad offseason. They lost Josh Jackson who did show flashes of the player many thought he could be coming in, but they decided to part ways whether it was money or not the right fit, Jackson has had some serious character issues so that alone could make a team steer away. Then in the draft, the Grizzlies added a lot of guys that in theory are more ready to help sooner rather than later. Desmond Bane is an intelligent player and while his shot mechanics are unorthodox, he shot a career 43.3% from 3 throughout his 4-year career at TCU. He is 6’6, but is a little bigger and has a negative wingspan. This makes him interesting to see because he is a much better off-ball defender than an on-ball defender, because of a lack of lateral quickness and high IQ in rotations. The Grizzlies could get creative with him and play him 2-4 possibly depending on the matchup. He’s going to contribute to this team right away though as a role player. Then Xavier Tillman is more of an old-school big who is also very smart. He’s also tough and was DPOY in the Big 10. Despite this, I do have concerns he is stuck as a tweener PF/C where he’s not quick enough/good enough shooter to play PF and not tall/long enough to play center. Then Tillie is one of the most skilled offensive bigs in this class. He’s got a great IQ as a passer, can stretch the floor, and has a nice hook shot. The problem is though he will be a complete liability on the defensive end and was a terrible rebounder in college too. He also constantly struggled with injuries. So it was evident the Grizzlies went after high IQ guys in this draft and they all played at least 3 years in college. I believe Bane will end up being the only one that will contribute, but it’s possible Tillman can be a role player. I would’ve liked to see the Grizzlies take more risks in this draft though. They went with a lot of high floors, low ceiling guys and the Grizzlies could use more. Ja is obviously great and Jaren Jackson Jr. does his thing, but they still need more than just those two guys to win long term. 

29.) Orlando Magic

Key Additions

• Cole Anthony
• Jordan Bone

Key Losses

• D.J. Augustin

The Orlando Magic didn’t make huge roster changes but did lose one of their vets in D.J. Augustin. With that being said, Orlando needed to allow their new addition and 15th pick of the draft. This player was Cole Anthony out of UNC. Cole has projected to arguably a top 3 pick before the season. Cole struggled as he suffered a torn meniscus and needed surgery. When Cole came back he was stuck with a roster that was underperforming and struggling. Cole Anthony will have an opportunity to compete for a good amount of playing time, as the team has been looking for their point guard for years. It’s difficult to trust Fultz jumper ever getting back to what it was and that is why Magic needed to draft a point guard. Cole will be allowed to prove to this team that he was one of the best in his class before the season started. I bet you’re asking “Why is Orlando Magic so low?” and that is because they are afraid of change. The Magic has been average for multiple seasons with no true possibilities of ever making it out of the east, let alone the first round. The Magic need to do one of two things and that’s making a trade for talent in giving up a player like Mo Bamba or rebuild and trade Nikola Vucevic. Not only are they damaging Bamba’s career by having him sit on the side, but they are destroying his trade value by doing nothing. This team should’ve taken advantage, as being average is the worst place to be. 

28.) Indiana Pacers

Key Additions

• Jalen Lecque
• Cassius Stanley
• Nate Bjorkgen (Coach)

Key Losses

• T.J. Leaf
• Nate McMillan

The Pacer’s offseason circled many rumors with the possibility of trading Oladipo or Turner and rumors such as the team going after Gordan Hayward. In the end, no big roster changes were made. The biggest news was firing Coach Nate McMillan, as he took this team to the playoffs in consecutive seasons and had changed a lot of their player’s careers. This firing doesn’t sit well with me, as this team was constantly getting injuries and at the end of the day the coach can’t control that. Nonetheless, Indiana wanted to go another direction and that’s where Nate Bjorkgen comes in. Former Raptors assistant coach, Nate Bjorkgen appears to have the experience and especially a lot of experience under Nick Nurse as they were together with the Iowa Energy before they again collaborated on the Raptors. Nick Nurse is one of the best coaches in basketball right now so getting a chance to learn from him had to have been instrumental to an extent. The things I expect to change are the defensive philosophies as we might see more zone, see fewer mid-range shots, and will see more minutes from young players. Nate McMillan is a very good coach and I have more good things to say than bad, but he was a stickler about the young guys and was always reluctant to play them from T.J. Leaf, Aaron Holiday, and Goga Bitadze. Now the Pacers traded Leaf for Lecque, which I like for them. Leaf wasn’t going to find playing time on this roster and his upside is limited. Jalen Lecque though is very athletic and explosive as a point guard. He declared very early for the NBA which is why many don’t know him as he’s spent a lot of time in the G-League however, this was low risk, high-reward trade for the Pacers. Then Cassius Stanley was 19th on my board and got picked at 54 so I believe the Pacers got a steal. Cassius was a little older for a freshman, but he is crazy athletic, has a nice looking stroke, and always played with a team-first mindset with taking charges and always staying engaged no matter how many touches he was getting. It’ll be interesting to see if Nate will play Stanley at all as we see Nick Nurse play many of his 2nd round/undrafted players probably more than any other coach. Terrance Davis was a guy last year that received significant minutes and was a solid role player that no one would have predicted before the season. Overall though, it was good they didn’t separate the twin towers in Sabonis and Turner as they fit well next to each other and overreacted to this false narrative that they needed to trade one of them. It’s too soon to tell as we can only speculate how Bjorkgen will coach this team, but he’s paid his dues and for Indiana’s sake and hopefully learned a lot from Nick Nurse that will help him be a successful coach in the NBA.

27.) San Antonio Spurs

Key Additions 

• Tre Jones
• Jakob Poeltl (Resigned)
• Devin Vassell
• DeMar DeRozen (PO)

Key Loses 

• Bryn Forbes
• Marco Belinelli

The Spurs got back DeMar Derozan, which shouldn’t be made a ton of. If the Spurs want what’s best, they are going to do what they can to trade him. They have too many young guys that need playing time and he just doesn’t fit their long term plans. Then they did re-sign Poeltl to a reasonable contract. This was a good move because he’s been in the Pop system for a few years now and has bought in. Unfortunately, I don’t think he’s athletically gifted or skilled enough to be a good starting center. However, I think he can be a role player as he has a decent feel for the game, nice touch around the rim, is 7’0” tall, and does do a good job of staying vertical at the rim. Then Vassell was their lotto pick, and while I would’ve gone a different direction, Vassell does bring some things to the table the Spurs don’t have. Devin will be a very solid 3 and D type of player with his length and ability to stretch the floor. Also, like many guys out of Florida State, he has a team-first mindset. He can contribute without being the focal point of an offense and Pop will love that. He and Lonnie Walker should fit well next to each other on the court. Then Tre Jones was good value in the 2nd round. I don’t know how often he will see the floor with the plethora of guards on that roster, but he’s another guy that is very team-first oriented and even having at the end of the bench and having him be a guy that will challenge other guards in practice, the Spurs did well there. They lost Forbes who felt like a Pop favorite, but the amount of guards that need playing time is ridiculous so they shouldn’t be blamed for letting him go. Overall, they did a good job of finally starting the youth movement and didn’t sign any players this offseason that are older and going to take away key minutes from their young core like in years past.

26.) Cleveland Cavaliers

Key Additions

• Issac Okoro 
• Thon Maker
• Andre Drummond (PO)

Key Losses

• Triston Thompson 

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t have the luxury of money to spend after investing in Andre Drummond. However, Drummond did have the option to opt-out of his contract but decided to stay in Cleveland for at least another year. With that being said, Cleveland’s offseason was now determined by what they decided to do with the fifth pick. Cleveland selected Issac Okoro out of Auburn to be the team’s small forward for the future. Okoro was known for being a hard worker and very mature for his age. Okoro will be a nice role player in the NBA, but it’s difficult to say if he can be anything more. Issac still has to improve his jumper, but with his solid shooting mechanics and work ethic expect him to get there eventually. He will provide an instant defense to a team that needs it, as their future in Sexton and Garland don’t scream that. The Cavaliers did lose a great rebounder in Triston Thompson, but it was time for the two to depart. The team signed Thon Maker to fill a backup big man role. In Thon’s 4 years in the league, he has yet to show anything more than a backup. He will make some nice plays and be able to stretch the floor, but he will be a liability rebounding against stronger bigs. The Cavalier’s offseason was simple, as the team is still evaluating the combination of Garland and Sexton next to each other. 

25.) Utah Jazz

Key Additions 

• Udoka Azubuike 
• Derrick Favors
• Jordan Clarkson (Resigned)
• Eli Hughes

Key Losses 

• Ed Davis 
• Tony Bradley

It was a fairly quiet offseason as the Jazz used most of their cap space last offseason for players like Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic. Despite this, they were still able to resign Jordan Clarkson on a multi-year contract. This was a huge win for the Jazz as Clarkson was their 3rd best player against the Nuggets in the playoffs. Bojan was out so that could have definitely had an impact, but Quinn Snyder has always liked having some sort of guard that can just get a bucket off his bench and many times that’s the move they will make at the trade deadline. Now with Clarkson though, they have that spot filled for years to come and they did a great job of convincing Clarkson to stay. They also signed Derrick Favors to a deal I don’t love. He’s always been a tweener for the PF/C position and never been a natural fit at either one, however, the Jazz had him for most of his career, so I will give them the benefit of the doubt for now that they value what he brings as a rebounder, shooter, and fit within their culture. Then in the draft, there are mixed feelings there because I like their 2nd round pick more than their 1st round pick. Udoka was the first-round pick. He’s a 4 year center out of Kansas who is big and long, but that’s about it. He’s not the most skilled and to guarantee him that rookie contract, I find flawed. Maybe they just felt he could be a presence on the defensive end when Gobert is out of the game or maybe they saw similarities between the two from when they drafted Rudy Gobert. Either way though, it was a stretch for me and I would be surprised if he becomes a role player on this team. Then Elijah Hughes was a pick that was very smart for the Jazz, as he is a long wing that can score. His shot selection isn’t always the greatest, but he can hit difficult shots. Also, when ESPN interviewed Jim Boeheim, he said Elijah was always a team-first player. There’s not a crazy high ceiling for Elijah, but he should find a way to earn minutes as a role player that can get a bucket. This pick was made before the signing of Jordan Clarkson, so that could affect his immediate impact. Over time though, the Jazz will be glad they made this pick.

24.) Denver Nuggets

Key Additions 

• JaMychal Green
• RJ Hampton
• Paul Milsap (Resigned)
• Zeke Nnaji

Key Loses 

• Jerami Grant
• Torrey Craig
• Mason Plumlee

The Denver Nuggets are coming into a difficult situation, as they had a very successful season making it to the conference finals and now looking to reach that next level. The team tried to do this by getting back the guys who got them there and keep growing within. In free agency, the team aggressively pushed for Jerami Grant, who was the team’s lockdown defender and solid 3rd or 4th option on offense. However, Grant declined and went to Detroit for the same money. This was not only unexpected but difficult to find a replacement, as the team expected to get Grant back. Denver also lost Torrey Craig and Plumlee who were two great role players for the team. The team did get back Paul Milsap for a one year deal, who will provide a leader and is expected to be the starting PF. Denver also got JaMychal Green,

who’s an athletic and versatile player. On Draft night, the Nuggets selected two players in the first round. The first being Zeke Nnaji, who played at Arizona. Don’t expect much out of Zeke as he is a big man that is primarily in the paint that lacks length, and playmaking. Now, I normally don’t say big men need playmaking, but the way Denver uses their centers, they are expected to make the right reads. The next player they drafted was R.J. Hampton. Hampton was expected to be a much higher draft pick before this season, as he is freakishly athletic. Despite being athletic, he struggled in many areas of his game overseas. Although, this is a pick I like for Denver. Hampton had a great confidence and work ethic but struggled with his shooting footwork, defense, and shot selection. He won’t be expected anything during his rookie season, as they still have Monte Morris off the bench and Hampton will have a year to simply grow and develop with a talented roster and great coach in Mike Malone. Overall, This team will most likely take a step back with losing two of their best defenders but remain a bright future. 

23.) Chicago Bulls

Key Additions

• Patrick Williams 
• Garret Temple
• Denzel Valentine (Resigned)
• Billy Donavon (Coach)

Key Loses

• Kris Dunn
• Jim Boylen 

The Chicago Bulls made major front-office changes, one of them being replacing Jim Boylen with Billy Donavon. This was a gift sent from heaven for the Bulls, as Boylen was arguably the worst Head Coach in the NBA and they were able to get coach of the year candidate Billy Donavon. Billy is the highlight of the offseason and is the perfect coach to work with this young team with player development and help this young roster. On draft night, the Bulls selected Patrick Williams. This was an unexpected pick up until three days before the draft. Patrick Williams is very young and raw but is expected to improve. However, Williams was a reach for the Bulls and there were many players still available who have proven more, along with possible higher ceilings. The team re-signed Denzel Valentine who is a good passer and shooter. He is an awkward player as he’s too small for forwards but too slow for guards. It will be interesting to see if Billy can find ways to utilize him, as he was constantly in and out of the rotation last year. Chicago signed Garret Temple, who is a veteran shooting guard. This pick does make sense, as many of the players are so young on the roster. Temples playing time will be up in the year and it’s possible he won’t be more than a locker room presence. Besides that, Chicago didn’t make any changes to its roster and will be putting all their marbles on Donavon breaking through to this young and developing roster, which will take time. 

22.) Houston Rockets

Key Addictions 

• Sterling Brown
• Christian Wood
• Stephan Silas (Coach)
• David Nwaba 
• Demarcus Cousins 
• John Wall
• Bruno Caboclo (Resign)
• Future first from Washington, Detroit, and Portland

Key Loses 

• Mike D’antoni
• Robert Covington
• Jeff Green
• Austin Rivers 
• Russel Westbrook 

No one has been attached to more rumors than the Houston Rockets, as both of their star players publicly announced they want to leave. One of those stars is former MVP Russell Westbrook who was traded for Wall and a first. John Wall has been injured for the last two seasons, but before his injury, he was one of the best point guards in the league. Only time will tell how Wall does, but he has shown in the preseason that he’s still got his speed. If Wall pans out and gets back to his old self, this move would be great on Houston’s end, but it’s hard to trust that after being away from the game for so long. Houston also fired Mike D’antoni and hired Stephen Silas. Stephen Silas has been around the NBA practically his entire life and has worked with many of the league’s best guards. Silas is more than capable of not only being an average coach but a great one. His background is more than impressive and it will be exciting to see how he uses Hardin if he decides to return to the team. The team signed their two big men in Demarcus Cousins and Christian Wood. Cousins is expected to be the team’s starting center, as he has looked in great shape and is looking forward to a comeback season. When healthy, Cousins can stretch the floor, be a paint beast, and a great rebounder. Christian Wood was signed to a three-year deal for 43 million. When he was given his opportunity last season, Wood impressed the league and competed every night for Detroit. Wood is aggressive attacking the basket and will have a great opportunity to attack the basket a lot, as Houston is filled with floor spacers. Along with that, he can stretch the floor shooting 38.6% from deep last season. The team set itself up by attaining three first-rounders this offseason, although at what price? The team gave up Covington and Westbrook who were arguably their 2nd and 3rd best players and are forced to rely on Cousins and Wall coming off major injuries to compete in a very competitive Western Conference. 

21.) Dallas Mavericks

Key Addictions 

• Josh Green 
• James Johnson
• Josh Richardson
• Tyrell Terry
• Tyler Bey 
• Resigned Trey Burke

Key Losses 

• Willie Cauley-Stein
• Justin Jackson
• Seth Curry
• Delon Wright 

The Dallas Mavericks had a very safe offseason, but it was quietly effective. The loss of Curry and Delon Wright will hurt them and may make them worse next year, but they were both on multi-year contracts and were taking up cap space. The 2021 FA class is going to be huge so they realized that they will need a third guy to be legitimate championship contenders. The acquisition of Josh Richardson is a decent role player that can do a little bit of everything and he has a player option at the end of next season so he may opt-out. James Johnson is an expiring contract after this year that will free up space. Then the Mavs had a secretly good draft with Josh Green (when motivated, a very good defender), Tyrell Terry (will fill Curry’s role, as a high IQ floor spacer), and Tyler Bey is another solid player. He’s got 3 and D potential along with being a crazy good rebounder for his size as an SF/PF. This offseason doesn’t look all that great for the now, but they got off the cap and got 2 or 3 potential role players for the future in the draft. 

20.) Brooklyn Nets

Key Additions

• Bruce Brown
• Jeff Green
• Landry Shamet
• Joe Harris (resigned)
• Steve Nash (Coach)

Key Losses

• 19th pick
• Garrett Temple
• Dzanan Musa
• David Nwaba
• Jamal Crawford

The Brooklyn Nets had an interesting offseason. First off, they completely won the Pistons trade and got Bruce Brown for very little. Bruce Brown can play 1-3, has a strong frame, and a team-first mindset. His offensive game is far from complete but this Brooklyn team needed a guy they can rely on to defend the opposing team’s best guard. Then they acquired Landry Shamet for the 19th pick, which isn’t bad, but I do have my concerns with Shamet. He’s a great floor spacer especially for someone his age, but I have the same concerns here as I do with him on the Clippers. Are the Nets going to be able to get him the touches to make him more effective than not, as he is a liability on defense? Then they signed Jeff Green which is solid as he showed with the Rockets in the bubble that there is always a need for guys like him as he can switch 3-5 potentially and just be a threat in transition. Then the re-signing of Joe Harris makes sense as the Nets love him in the locker room and value what he brings, but for 4 years $75 million total is way too much. Then the Nets hired Steve Nash (along with Mike D’Antoni as an assistant), so while we haven’t seen Nash coach before, I’m concerned his system is going to be very isolation heavy like what we have seen with D’Antoni. This formula works in the regular season, but in the playoffs, that formula is just too predictable and this is a team that’s supposed to have championship aspirations. 

19.) Toronto Raptors

Key Additions 

• Fred VanVleet (resigned)
• Aron Baynes
• Chris Boucher (resigned)
• Malachi Flynn
• Alex Lenn

Key losses

• Serge Ibaka
• Marc Gasol
• Rondae Hollis -Jefferson

Toronto did it! They signed back Fred Vanvleet for four years, but was it the right move? Vanvleet continued to make a big jump this season by averaging 17.6ppg, 6.6ast, and 1.9stl. Fred is a hard worker and has constantly improved each season and has shown to keep stepping up when asked however, it’s difficult to see him as a top-two player on a championship team at this point. The team also re-signed Chris Boucher who hasn’t been given a lot of opportunities so far, but my assumption is Nick Nurse has a role for him. Although, the Raptors signed Aron Baynes who will most likely be their starting center. Baynes can stretch the floor along with being a solid role player and starter when needed to. This signing makes a lot of sense for this team, as they needed a center and needed someone to buy into a winning culture and Baynes will do just that. The team also signed Alex Lenn who can stretch the floor a little, but more likely to make an impact on the glass. Unfortunately, these are downgrades from Ibaka and Gasol. In the Draft, Toronto selected Malachi Flynn at pick 29. Malachi is someone I am higher on than most and I believe he found the perfect situation in Toronto. Malachi was a great leader at San Diego State and put up great numbers but has physical limitations. Despite this, he was DPOY in his conference because of smarts. He is incredibly instinctual and has a knack for just making plays happen on that end of the floor. Then on offense, he’s got a fairly well-rounded game. He’s got the 3-point shot off the catch or bounce and he also can finish at the rim as he does a great job of using his body. Then, the reason why this is such a great fit is that Nick Nurse gives players a chance to prove their worth and in some ways, VanVleet and Malachi are similar in the sense that they are both hard workers, but not the most athletic at the guard position. Malachi could have an immediate impact on this team if given the opportunity. 

18.) Boston Celtics

Key Additions

• Tristan Thompson
• Aaron Nesmith
• Payton Pritchard
• Jeff Teague
• Trade exception

Key Losses

• Enes Kanter
• Gordon Hayward
• Brad Wannamaker

If this offseason was strictly based on free agency, this team would be close to the top. After Hayword declined his player option, this team utilized the money by addressing their biggest needs. The Celtics went out and got a fantastic rebounder and solid player in Tristan Thompson. It was clear the reason the Heat defeated them was due to the mismatch of Bam against any of their bigs. Thompson is a player with championship experience, along with being selfless and will do whatever role is asked of him. The next move they made was getting Jeff Teague. Brad Wannamaker is not ready to be competing in high-level situations and Teague is an overall upgrade and someone that Brad Stevens can trust. Both of these players were gotten for reasonable contracts and will help the Celtics and instantly fix their two biggest holes. Now, why they have ranked this low is due to the draft. The Celtics went into the draft with three picks in the first round and honestly didn’t take advantage. At 14, they selected Aaron Nesmith, who was one of the best shooters in the draft. The issue with this pick is there were big men like Precious Achiuwa available that would’ve made a lot of sense for this team, as he would’ve been able to grow alongside Tatum and Brown. At pick 26, the Celtics selected Payton Pritchard. The issue with this selection is simple and it’s because they selected Carson Edwards in last year’s draft who still hasn’t had an opportunity to play. Another issue is due to the other point guards available, such as Malachi Flynn and Niko Mannion. Also, when teams have three first-rounders in the draft, you have great potential to move up when necessary. Tyrese Haliburton fell to 12 and it would’ve been difficult to imagine the Suns declining a trade, considering Jaylyn Smith wasn’t projected to go nearly that early. At the end of the day, this is still a team that filled the holes in Free Agency, but a draft night of what-ifs. 

17.) Charlotte Hornets

Key Additions

• LaMelo Ball
• Vernon Carey
• Nick Richards
• Gordon Hayward

Key Losses

• Dwayne Bacon
• Nicolas Batum
• Willy Hernangomez

The Hornets had one of the better drafts among the teams out there. They drafted LaMelo Ball at 3 who will be their starting PG of the future and they finally took more of a high reward type of pick where in the past, they have gotten a lot of 4-year guys or just guys with lower ceilings. Many believe LaMelo has the highest ceiling in this draft so, despite injury/character concerns, this was the right pick to make. Then in the 2nd round, they addressed their next biggest need at center. They drafted Vernon Carey and Nick Richards. These two are both very different types of big men but are still good players. Vernon Carey was the most offensively skilled center in the draft, however, his style is a little more old-school and he needs touches to stay engaged, or else his defense falls off a cliff. Then in Richards, he started playing the game late, but he made huge strides this past year and refined his game. He’s got a 7’4” wingspan, is athletic, and is still improving his game. He showed he can knock down a mid-range jumper consistently and will be able to be a rim running, rim-protecting type of big man. There’s a reason why they went in the 2nd round, but once you get to the second round, if you find a role player, consider that a win and the chances of at least one of them panning out are pretty high. The biggest issue with their offseason though was the signing of Gordon Hayward. He’s not worth $30 million a year. Not even close. Ever since the injuries, he has not been the same with his athleticism. He has nice stretches where he can score, but to be the main scorer on a nightly basis is not something he’s capable of anymore and they hurt themselves by signing him to a 4 year $120 million deal. They also waived Nicolas Batum who only had one year left on his contract, but with that, the Hornets will be paying $39 million per year for Batum and Hayward for the next 3 years. So the fact that they had one of the best drafts combined with one of the worst free agencies is why they are middle of the pack on our rankings.

16.) Los Angeles Clippers

Key Addictions 

• Daniel Oturu 
• Luke Kennard 
• Marcus Morris Sr. 
• Serge Ibaka 
• Reggie Jackson
• Justin Patten
• Tyronn Lue
• Extending Paul George 

Key Loses 

• JaMychal Green
• Maurice Harkless 
• Montrezl Harrell
• Landry Shamet
• Jerome Robinson
• Joakim Noah
• Doc Rivers 

It’s no surprise that the Clippers had holes going into this offseason. In the draft, Clippers selected big man Daniel Oturu. This was a great pick for this team and it’s no surprise Zubac isn’t the long term answer and Montrezl being a free agent. As far as addressing these holes, they started by bringing a true rim protector in Serge Ibaka. This was the Clipper’s best move this offseason. Another move was bringing in Luke Kennard. Kennard is on a prove-it season and still shot 40% from the three, while Landry Shamet only shot 37.5% this last season. The clippers brought back Marcus Morris Sr. and Reggie Jackson. For Marcus, this was a questionable contract, as this team needed money for a playmaker like Rondo or Rubio. Unfortunately for the Clippers, they are now stuck with Reggie Jackson, who has never been known for setting the table. Firing Doc Rivers was a beneficial move, as Doc has only won one ring in his coaching career. Also, he’s had many disappointing seasons with championship-caliber teams. Tye Lue has been to the finals 3 times and won a ring in his three years with his time in Cleveland. Tye Lue is well respected around the league, along with having a reputation for having great relationships with his stars. Extending Paul George is one that is difficult to judge, as he came off a poor season last year, but many expect him to bounce back this following season. Unfortunately, the biggest need for this team was finding a facilitator and they didn’t accomplish that. 

15.) New York Knicks

Key Additions 

• Obi Toppin 
• Immanuel Quickly 
• Austin Rivers
• Nerlens Noel
• Alec Burks 
• Tom Thibodeau

Key Loses 

• Bobby Portis 
• Taj Gibson

The New York Knicks were thrown around as possible suitors for Russel Westbrook and Chris Paul and they ended up with neither. Although, this could be for the best, as this team has a future built around RJ Barret, Mitchell Robinson, and now Obi Toppin. The New York native found his way home and this was an easy decision for the Knicks. Obi was a top 4 prospect for us and it’s hard to see this pick not working out. The Knicks then draft Immanuel Quickley who will bring much-needed shooting to this roster. Besides the draft, the Knicks added role players in Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel, and Austin Rivers. These are role players that will buy into Thibs and make a lot of sense for this team. Rivers will challenge for the starting point guard job, Noel provides a great backup rim protector behind Mitchell Robinson, and Burks provides scoring off the bench. As far as Tom Thibodeau goes, the Knicks panicked and signed him way too early. They missed out on the opportunity to speak with any of the other coaches like Doc Rivers, Billy Donavan, Tye Lue, etc. Thibodeau is a solid coach, but you know what you’re getting and that’s a defensive coach that has a rough history with young players. At the end of the day, it’s a success that the Knicks didn’t jump-start the roster and stick to the path.  

14.) Washington Wizards

Key Additions 

• Deni Avdija
• Davis Bertans (resigned)
• Robin Lopez
• Cassius Winston
• Russel Westbrook 

Key Loses

• John Wall
• Jerian Grant
• Shabazz Napier
• Ian Mahinmi
• CJ Miles
• 2023 Loto protected first

The Washington Wizards went out and got their forward of the future this team has desperately needed. Deni Avdija improved consistently throughout last season in all aspects of his game. Deni will benefit a lot from getting minutes on the Wizards, as this was a steal at number 9. Unfortunately for Deni, the move for Westbrook is making Washington’s headlines. Washington trading for Westbrook not only guarantees this team a playoff spot but gives this team a fresh start. It’s hard to determine how good John wall will be, but the Wizards now have a sure thing in Westbrook. With Beal and Westbrook, the Wizards will have one of the best backcourts in the NBA. The biggest FA Wizards got is resigning Davis Bertans, who is one of the league’s best shooting big men. However, there is reason to be concerned that he isn’t worth his 5 years 80 million contract. For now, though, this move brings back much needed shooting for Westbrook and Beal to take advantage of attacking the basket. 

13.) Detroit Pistons

Key Additions 

• Saddiq Bey
• Jerami Grant
• Josh Jackson
• Jahil Okafor
• Mason Plumlee
• Isaiah Stewart
• Killian Hayes
• Delon Wright
• Dzanan Musa 

Key Loses

• Christian Wood
• Bruce Brown 
• Luke Kennard
• John Henson
• Langston Galloway

The Pistons offseason was nothing short of quite. On draft night, Detroit traded for picks 16 and 19, along with having 7. At 7, the team decided to get its future point guard in Killian Hayes. Killian Hayes is a great pick and roll ball handler, shot-creating, and a solid-looking jumper that should continue to improve. Hayes is our 5th rank prospect and as long as the team is willing to be patient with him, expect him to have success. At pick 16, the Pistons drafted big man Isaiah Stewart. This pick doesn’t make a lot of sense with them signing Plumlee and Okafor this offseason. At pick 19, the team went out and got Saddiq Bey out of Villanova. Bey will provide a potential 3 and D player that can grow alongside Hayes. The Pistons went out and got some great defenders in Delon Wright and Jerami Grant. Jerami Grants wants to be a part of a team’s offensive focal point and that is why he’s in Detroit. If Grant’s offensive game comes together, nothing is stopping him from being the best player on this team. Detroit signing Josh Jackson is a low-risk high reward, as Jackson was the former 4 pick in 2017. Why this team is at 12, is due to two main reasons. The first being trading away Bruce Brown, as he improved a lot this last season in all aspects of his game and continuing to grow as a solid role player. The second is the direction of this team. The pistons went into the draft looking like a rebuild was coming, although a lot of their FA signings seem like this team wants to compete. This is only an issue if the Pistons rookies don’t get the necessary playing time to grow. These rookies are the future of this team and this team’s priority needs to be getting them involved. 

12.) Sacramento Kings

Key Additions 

• Tyrese Haliburton
• Hassan Whiteside
• Robert Woodard ii
• Glenn Robinson III
• Frank Kaminsky 

Key Loses 

• Alex Len 
• Bogan Bogdanovic
• Corey Brewer

The Sacramento Kings didn’t do themselves any favors this offseason by proving the team with limited cap space. Although, the motto for this team was to make the most of what they got and they did just that. First off, They selected Tyrese Haliburton at pick 11 in the NBA Draft. This was a necessary selection, as Tyrese was our number 6 prospect. Haliburton is known for his great passing ability and can play off-ball with his size and catch and shoot ability. Another impressive move was the signing of Hassan Whiteside. Whiteside lost out from all Free Agent big men taking pay cuts and unfortunately took the biggest one. Now, the team saw an opportunity and took advantage of a great steal. Whiteside looks to be the King’s starting center and brings a great rim protector and rebounder for only 2.3 million. Other moves made by this team center around signing Glenn Robinson III and Frank Kaminsky, which you can never go wrong by bringing in more shooting. The Kings did lose Bogan Bogdanovic, but overpaying him and spending more would have destroyed their chance of signing players in the near future, as the team is paying for Fox, Hield, and Barns already. 

11.) Minnesota Timberwolves

Key Additions 

• Anthony Edwards 
• Malik Beasley 
• Ed Davis
• Leandro Bolmaro
• Ashton Hagans 
• Jaden McDaniels 
• Ricky Rubio 

Key Loses 

• James Johnson

The Minnesota Timberwolves were fortunate to have the number 1 pick in the NBA Draft and even better, they didn’t blow the pick (hopefully). Anthony Edwards showed great promise as a two-way player and this move made the most sense for this team. Anthony Edwards’s shot-making ability was also one of the best and this offense behind KAT, Dlo, and now Edwards could be deadly. The Timberwolves also drafted an intriguing prospect in Jaden McDaniels who’s long and 6’10. Jaden was worth getting at pick 28, as he provides defense from day 1 and hopefully continues to improve his offensive game. The Timberwolves were also able to bring back Ricky Rubio this offseason. This provides the flexibility to always have Dlo or Rubio on the floor or even try the two together and have Dlo play shooting guard. Another move this team made was resigning Malik Beasley. Beasley averaged 20.7ppg in his 14 games played with Minnesota. It’s possible the team didn’t need to spend the money, as they drafted Culver and now Edwards, who is the team’s expected future wings. Although, the Timberwolves will be adding a guy who had great success in those 14 games and will provide another great scorer to this team. This off-season might not be the one that gets this team into the playoffs next year, but definitely a step in the right direction. 

10.) Oklahoma City Thunder

Key Additions 

• Al Horford 
• George Hill
• Justin Jackson
• Ty Jerome
• TJ Leaf
• Aleksej Pokusevski
• Theo Maledon
• Future Draft Capital
• Mark Daigneault

Key Loses 

• Chris Paul 
• Steven Adams 
• Danillo Gallinari
• Nerlens Noel
• Dennis Schroder
• Billy Donavan 

The Thunder did a great job this offseason because the plan was clear and that was to take draft capital. They got young players/picks in the Steven Adams, Chris Paul, and Dennis Schroder deal. The loss of Billy Donovan will hurt, but he refused to be a part of a rebuilding organization and it made sense for both sides to part ways. The top 2 draft selections in Aleksej and Theo were both good ones that are a little more of projects but fit with the identity of this team. The big negative to their offseason was taking on Al Horford’s contract for only one 1st round pick that’s in 2025. Horford has one of the worst contracts in the NBA so to get only one first that’s in 5 years made little sense. They had way more leverage than the 76ers, but they still somehow lost the negotiation. Overall though, the Thunder did what was necessary to start the rebuild process and did a great job of accumulating assets.

9.) Atlanta Hawks

Key Additions

• Bogdon Bogdonavic
• Danillo Gallinari
• Rajon Rondo
• Onyeka Okongwu
• Kris Dunn

Key Loses

• DeAndre’ Bembry
• Allen Crabbe
• Dewayne Dedmon
• Alex Len
• Jeff Teague
• Vince Carter

The Atlanta Hawks were not shy this offseason as they spent a lot of money to upgrade this roster. They made a big offer on both Bogdon and Gallinari who will both serve as floor spacers. Gallinari will be a nice threat out of pick and pop situations and give this young team a vet while Bogdon has been a very solid offensive player who moves without the ball and should help this team. The thing that does hurt is that they overpaid for both of these players, but these players should help them reach the playoffs. Then, one of the better signings of FA was Rajon Rondo who was the 3rd man for the Lakers during that playoff run and showed that “Playoff Rondo” is still real. He will be a great mentor to Trae Young and be a great leader overall especially after the retirement of Vince Carter. Then they signed Kris Dunn who was one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. I like that it’s a one and one deal because a motivated Kris Dunn makes him much more valuable. During the early years of his career, he wasn’t motivated and simply disappointed. With it being a contract year, it should make him motivated. Then the draft pick of Onyeka wasn’t bad however to spend the 6th pick on a backup center is a little questionable. I’m curious to see if they look to move on from Capela eventually cause he would fit in well with Collins and Trae, but to spend the 6th pick on a backup at the least important position in the NBA isn’t exactly ideal. Then the last thing was, with the available head coaches, as I think Kenny Atkinson (former Nets head coach) would’ve been a great hiring as Lloyd Pierce has done a decent job of building a culture, but in terms of X’s and O’s, he’s in the bottom third of the league without question. Overall though, this team improved and put themselves in a position where they have no excuses to not make the playoffs.

8.) Phoenix Suns

Key Addictions

• Ty-Shon Alexander 
• Jalen Smith 
• Chris Paul
• Jae Crowder 
• Jevon Carter (resign)

Key Loses 

• Jalen Lecque
• Eli Okobo
• Kelly Oubre 
• Ricky Rubio 
• Aaron Baynes 
• Frank Kaminsky 
• 2022 First Rounder

The hot topic of the Phoenix Suns, Chris Paul! The suns pulled the trigger and got themselves one of the best floor generals (if not the best). Chris Paul will be great with this team and can take them to another level. There should be a small concern for his injury history, although the reward outweighs the risk. To go along with Chris, Jae Crowder signed with the team providing another win-now player. Jae Crowder played a key role in the Miami Heat’s success and has impacted many teams in his career with his hard work ethic. Also, The Suns re-signed Jevon Carter, as he provides another great defender to this roster. Now, what kept the Suns from being hire on our list, was due to Jalen Smith at the tenth pick. Not only was Smith not BPA, but he wasn’t a great fit. On this roster, Smith will never pass up Ayton and it’s hard to see him being a potential starting four as the league keeps getting smaller and faster. None to less, this was still a successful offseason. 

7.) Miami Heat

Key Additions

• Goran Dragic (Resigned)
• Meyers Leonard (Resigned)
• Extended Bam
• Avery Bradley
• Precious Achiuwa
• Maurice Harkless

Key Losses

• Derrick Jones Jr.
• Jae Crowder
• James Johnson

The Miami Heat shocked many this past season making it to the NBA Finals! Although, This season will be harder than last season, as sustaining success is one of the hardest accompaniments in anything. However, the Miami Heat made a lot of the right moves. Getting back Goran Dragic was key, while still keeping their options open if a superstar becomes available next offseason, Miami will be one of the most attractive destinations. They did this by having the 2nd year of Goran’s deal as a team option. Extending Bam was more than necessary, being the second-best player on this team. Bam proved how valuable he was throughout the entire season and making a statement and how effective shorter centers can be, which stuck to many NBA teams. They also made up for defensive losses in Crowder and Jones Jr. by getting Avery Bradley and Harkless, who may not be better, but much cheaper options. One of our favorite moves this offseason was the Heat selecting Precious Achiuwa. He was our number 8 prospect and he will be worth it in the long run. Precious is going to add length and I would bet on this organization reaching his max potential. 

6.) Portland Trailblazers

Key Additions 

• Carmelo Anthony (Resigned)
• Robert Covington 
• Harry Giles
• Derrick Jones Jr. 
• Enes Kanter 
• Rodney Hood (Resigned)

Key Loses 

• Trevor Ariza 
• Mario Hezonja
• Hassan Whiteside
• 2021 First Rounder (pick 16)
• 2022 First Rounder

The Trail Blazers made it a priority to build a deeper roster after last season, suffering many injuries to their big men. Getting Robert Covington was a great move, despite having to give up two first-rounders. Although, when teams are willing to give up valuable assets like that, it shows they want to win now. Also, this team went out and got Enes Kanter back, as he is a great scorer in the low post and Terry Scotts has had a lot of success with scoring big men. 

The addition of Derrick Jones Jr. and Harry Giles makes this team much more athletic and versatile. Derrick Jones Jr. is improving each season and is already a good defender. Getting back players like Hood and Carmelo is very beneficial to this roster, as both these players provided great shooting and are going to contribute to this team being competitive. Carmelo took a pay cut and is expected to do impressive things with this team again and be a key player. The Trail Blazers gained a lot and even though they lost a rim protector in Whiteside, they went out and got Covington who has more than proven his value as one of the best wing defenders in the league. This team made a lot of the right decisions and it will show this upcoming season.

5.) New Orleans Pelicans

Key Additions

• Steven Adams 
• Eric Bledsoe 
• Kira Lewis 
• Brandon Ingram (Resigned)
• Stan Van Gundy
• 3 potential first-rounders
• 2 potential pick swaps

Key Loses 

• Jrue Holiday 
• Derrick Favors 
• Alven Gentry

The Pelicans hit the jackpot this offseason because they gave up an overpaid and unorthodox player in today’s league for 3 potential firsts and 2 potential pick swaps. Jrue is a nice player but is just a strange fit offensively and for $26 million per year, you shouldn’t have to have those issues. Luckily they found a team desperate enough to not only trade for him but relinquish serious draft capital for him. Then, the addition of Steven Adams just gives them a presence at a center that they never had last year whether it was Derrick Favors, Jaxson Hayes, or Nicolo Melli. He’s just simply a large human being and a vet that will help this team take the next step. Another vet they acquired was Eric Bledsoe who will be a great player off their bench. In Milwaukee, he was asked to play more of an off-ball role which is not his game. He’s got a drive-first mindset and coming off the bench, he will be able to be that type of player. The draft pick of Kira Lewis is a tad puzzling, but I take away from it as insurance to Lonzo Ball because they will either have to pay him next year or let him walk. Kira has what it takes to be a starting PG in this league too so the pick does make some sense talent-wise, we will just have to see though if he can find a role on this guard-heavy roster. Then the switch of coaches will help. Gentry’s fast pace system was good, but the defense was always an issue when he was the coach even with great defensive players on his teams. It will be interesting to see with Stan Van Gundy as he’s not a top 10 coach in the NBA, but he will help this team make a serious push for the playoffs as long as they can stay healthy. This team significantly improved its roster to start being a true threat in the west.

4.) Golden State Warriors

Key Additions 

• Kelly Oubre Jr.
• James Wiseman 
• Nico Mannion
• Brad Wanamaker

Key Losses

• 2021 Protected first

So while the Warriors might have lost Klay Thompson due to injury, they made some excellent moves that should have Warriors fans feeling good. First off, they had THE BEST DRAFT this year. They not only drafted the top player on my board at the 2nd pick (James Wiseman), they drafted Nico Mannion at the 48th pick who I had 13th on my board. The reason why he fell was most likely because of his athletic profile. I can’t argue with the wingspan as he does have a negative wingspan, but he is still more than capable as an NBA athlete as he is quicker than he looks and is built a little stronger than most of the other freshman PGs coming out. He will fit very well with this Warriors team as a shooter. Then the trade for Oubre was a good move as they did have to give up a first next year, but Oubre is a very athletic and talented player. The positive thing here is that because they traded for him, they can resign him with how the CBA is set up and go deeper into the luxury tax if they wanted. This is what the Warriors have been smartly doing for years and continue to manipulate the system. Then Wannamaker is a good culture piece at the end of the bench. Overall, the Warriors made a lot of great moves, but especially in the draft as they drafted the 1st and the 13th player on my board and won the draft. 

3.) Philadelphia 76ers

Key Additions 

• Tyrese Maxey
• Seth Curry
• Danny Green
• Dwight Howard
• Doc Rivers (Coach)

Key Losses

• Al Horford
• Josh Richardson
• Zhaire Smith
• Brett Brown (Coach)
• 33rd pick
• 2025 1st rounder

While the Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid pairing has been complicated for years, if it’s ever going to work, it’s going to be because of what the 76ers did this offseason. They surrounded these two paint dominant players with shooters like Seth Curry and Danny Green. The 76ers are finally getting shooters and not only shooters but great shooters. The 76ers also got Tyrese Maxey, someone we had 9th on our big board and he fell to 21. Tyrese’s work ethic is undeniable and will be one of the top steals of this draft. They also hired Doc Rivers who is a fine hire, and while I don’t know how much of a true change there will be on the court, the locker room needed a new voice and Doc is that. Then to top it off, they got off of one of the worst contracts in the NBA for only one first-rounder that’s in 5 years! That was one of the greatest moves of the offseason and will also allow Tobias Harris to go back to playing his natural position at the 4. The 76ers should most definitely feel like winners.

2.) Milwaukee Bucks

Key Additions

• Jrue Holiday
• D.J. Augustin
• Torrey Craig
• Bryn Forbes
• Bobby Portis
• Nik Stauskas
• Jordan Nwora
• Giannis Antetokounmpo (extended)

Key Losses

• Eric Bledsoe
• George Hill
• 3 future first rounders and 2 pick swaps 
• Dragan Bender
• Robin Lopez
• D.J. Wilson
• Wesley Mathews

The offseason plan for this was simple and that’s to keep Giannis in Milwaukee, which was successful! The Bucks needed to make changes and they did, although it’s hard to say if they were for the best. At the end of the day, as long as it got Giannis to resign it’s a win. The first action this team made was trading for Jrue Holiday, who’s a great defender and can do a little bit of everything on offense. Unfortunately, they gave up their starting pg in Bledsoe, 3 future first-rounders, and 2 pick swaps. Jrue is also awkward on offense, as he is not great at anything on that end of the floor. In the draft, Milwaukee selected sharpshooter Jordan Nwora who won’t be asked much, besides shooting. This pick makes a lot of sense for Mike Budenholzer, as he has Giannis at the top of the key and floor spacers around. The Bucks did make some impressive signings, such as Bryn Forbes who will provide a proven shooter to this roster. Another is Bobby Portis, who is a big that can stretch the floor and provide a reliable role player for this squad. The Bucks also got Torrey Craig who’s a great defender and had duties of guarding the opposing team’s best player from time to time in Denver. D.J. Augustin will be a solid playmaker and hopefully improves his jump shot this season, as last year he was only 34.8% from three. These role players have a good chance to spark this roster. The Bucks needed to make a big change and ultimately only time will tell, but it’s possible the Bucks went after the wrong star this off-season. Many other proven point guards were traded during this offseason for lower asking prices, although as Giannis is happy, the organization is happy. 

1.) Los Angeles Lakers:

Key Additions

• LeBron James (Extended)
• Anthony Davis (Resigned)
• Kentavious Caldwell Pope (Resigned)
• Resign Markieff Morris
• Dennis Schroder 
• Marc Gasol 
• Montrezl Harrell
• Wesley Mathews

Key Losses

• Avery Bradley 
• Danny Green
• JaVale McGee
• Dwight Howard
• Rajon Rondo 
• 28th pick

The Lakers not only won the championship, but they also won the offseason. This was a team expected to be the favorite next year and only improved largely with the moves they made. The first move was trading for Dennis Schroder. The Lakers didn’t have a 3rd scorer, but now, Schroder can be that 3rd scoring option for them consistently and create his shot. Except Schroder to have a successful season being on his contract year and a great situation. Next, The Lakers went out and got Montrezl Harrell. He is a huge steal due to his contract, which is 2 years (PO after the first year) for $19 million total. It was the rob of free agency as the Lakers snagged the reigning 6th man of the year on a great deal. The loss of rim protection should be noted, but they did more than enough to make up for it. With Anthony Davis, he can be a rim protector and even Lebron can at times. Marc Gasol was also a great addition to this team who can help on the defensive end and stretch the floor. Wesley Mathews and KCP will do what is expected of them and that’s being reliable 3 and D wings. The team was able to get Markieff Morris to add on to their already impressive offseason for 1year 2.3million. Also, the Lakers were able to re-sign LeBron and AD on multi-year extensions leading me to believe these two aren’t done winning rings yet.

Article written by Brad and Sean Patten

NBA Stats from Basketball Reference https://www.basketball-refehttps://www.basketball-reference.comrence.com

College Stats from Basketball Reference https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/

Kelly Oubre Jr. photo found on Facebook Via Bleacher Report https://www.facebook.com/bleacherreport/videos/kelly-oubre-jr-joins-warriors/1178703899273260/

Rober Covington photo found on Clutchpoints https://clutchpoints.com/why-robert-covington-would-make-a-lot-of-sense-for-the-portland-trail-blazers/

Chris Paul photo found on Bleacher Report https://bleacherreport.com/chris-paul