We thought the Summer of Kevin Durant was wild. Turns out it was just a prequel.
The 2017 NBA offseason was one of the craziest in recent memory, with major free agent signings and surprise trades that shook the league’s landscape. So, which team had the best summer?
That was among several questions posed to NBA general managers in NBA.com’s annual survey, and we have a spoiler: They didn’t choose the Boston Celtics.
Instead, NBA GMs tabbed the Oklahoma City Thunder as the team that made “the best overall moves” this offseason. OKC received 43 percent of the GM votes to Boston’s 25 percent.
The Celtics, who acquired All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward in a flurry of moves this summer, might have topped the list if not for the Thunder’s last-minute trade for Carmelo Anthony, who now forms a formidable trio alongside Paul George and Russell Westbrook.
Boston did win out on shock factor, though. NBA GMs easily voted the Irving-Isaiah Thomas trade as the most surprising move of the offseason, at 45 percent.
Of course, neither the Celtics nor the Thunder made enough strides to catch the mighty Golden State Warriors, as 93 percent of NBA GMs picked the Dubs to repeat as NBA champs, while the Cleveland Cavaliers earned the other 7 percent of votes.
As for the NBA MVP race, GMs believe The King will take back the crown, as LeBron James received 50 percent of their MVP votes to lead all players.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
