Much of the NBA offseason has passed, with few things left to be worked out. Here are our five biggest winners from the summer that should see noticeable improvements this season.
- Boston Celtics
Losing Marcus Smart hurts. Make no mistake about it. He has been the leader of the Celtics for years, ushering in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum since they were drafted and being a fan favorite. However, sweeping changes need to occur if you fall short continually, as much as the Celtics have done in recent years.
Kristaps Porizingis will give the Celtics another commanding presence in the paint, who can also space the floor for Brown and Tatum. At the same time, it will allow Brown and Tatum to step into bigger leadership roles with Smart gone, something that needs to happen for Boston to continue to be a championship contender for the foreseeable future.
- Phoenix Suns
The acquisition of Bradley Beal for Chris Paul, who they wanted to release anyway, is an absolute home run. While we’ll likely never see a no-trade clause in the NBA again, it benefited the Suns to an extreme level. A trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal gives the Suns just as good a chance to win it all as anyone.
After the Beal trade, there were many questions about what kind of depth the Suns could create around their newly created big three. Jordan Goodwin also came to Phoenix in the Beal trade and looks to be their backup point guard, an acquisition that made Cam Payne expendable. They knocked it out of the park in free agency, signing Eric Gordon, Keita Bates-Diop, Drew Eubanks, Yuta Watanabe, and Bol Bol. The Suns have much more depth than anyone thought they’d be able to sign heading into free agency.
- Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers didn’t make any huge splashes by any means like many in the media want them to do annually, given that they are the purple and gold. Still, they made the necessary moves to remain in the mix of Western Conference contenders. After we already saw rumblings of LeBron mulling retirement, as well as the potential prospects of him joining whatever team his son Bronny gets drafted to, this very well could be the Lakers’ last chance to win another title with LeBron.
Resigning Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves maintain stability within the Lakers roster, each improving throughout the season and making regular impacts during the postseason run. Their main signing was Gabe Vincent, who could either start at point guard or serve as the sixth man. D’Angelo Russell was re-signed and stands in Vincent’s way, but I understand the Lakers wanting to bring Russell back since he showed flashes despite a rough postseason. They also brought in Jaxson Hayes, Taurean Prince, and Cam Reddish, who could all warrant rotation minutes.
- Houston Rockets… For Now
The Rockets were the summer’s big spenders, bringing in Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks on lucrative deals. In the short term, more so in VanVleet’s instance, he makes the roster better. He’s won it all before, knows what it takes to compete in the NBA, and should be a good veteran presence around the Rockets’ core of young talent. Despite Dillon Brooks’s antics at times, he’s a valuable defender who will hold the roster accountable.
Additionally, the Rockets had a great draft, with Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore showing out in the Summer League. That being said, I worry about how the VanVleet and Brooks signings project years down the line. VanVleet stands in the way of Thompson in the rotation, with Brooks eating up minutes Whitmore could take. In the short term, maybe the young guys aren’t ready, but there will be a time when these guys need to play. For now, the Rockets are a better team, making them off-season winners, yet these signings could stunt the growth of the Rockets’ young talent.
Top 4 Teams From Summer League
- Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks have been an absolute disaster since Kyrie Irving stepped foot in Texas. Yes, Luka and Kyrie could put together impressive offensive showings regularly, but the roster around them wasn’t built to win. After the Mavs completely missed the playoffs, much needed to be done to maximize their window with Luka and Kyrie, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
The principal signing was Grant Williams, who will sure up the Mavs defense from the jump, giving Dallas a physical presence all over the floor that will set the tone. He also offensively complements Luka and Kyrie well, making him the perfect off-season acquisition. Additionally, the Mavs drafted Dereck Lively II and Olivier Maxence-Prosper, with Lively looking to have a way to go before he becomes the Mavs starting center, but Maxence-Prosper should be a defensive-minded role player this season. We can’t forget to acknowledge the signing of Seth Curry as well, giving Dallas another sniper from beyond the arc. Ultimately, the Mavs season will come down to whether or not Luka and Kyrie can mesh with each other, but the roster as a whole is much more prepared to compete in the West.
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