The 2022-2023 NBA offseason is in the rearview mirror, and we are less than two months away from the start of the 2023-2024 season. This offseason had some big names relocating, and this new season has a lot of question marks. Is the Warriors window closing? Can the Suns finally put it all together? The moves made in the past four months will help answer those questions. In no specific order, let’s take a look at five of the biggest offseason moves made.
Bradley Beal to Suns
The Suns were one of the more active teams this summer, completely revamping their team by adding nine new players to the roster. The biggest name of the group is former Wizards star Bradley Beal, who the Suns acquired for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, four first-round pick swaps, and six second-round pick swaps. Beal averaged 23 points, four rebounds, and five assists per game for the Wizards last year, adding even more scoring to complement Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. The Suns also signed a lot of solid bench pieces, but Beal is by far the most important player Phoenix acquired and should help them get back to the NBA Finals.
Chris Paul to Warriors, Jordan Poole to Wizards
As soon as the Washington Wizards traded Bradley Beal to the Suns for Chris Paul, they immediately flipped Paul for Jordan Poole, Patrick Bladwin Jr., Ryan Rollins, and multiple picks. The Wizards got a pure scorer in Poole, averaging 20 points a game off the bench last year for the Warriors, while Golden State received another floor general to go alongside Steph Curry. While Paul might come off the bench next season, something he has never done in over 1600 career games, he will add a veteran presence and calmness with whoever he is on the court with.
Danillo Gallinari to Wizards, Kristaps Porzingis to Celtics, Marcus Smart to Grizzlies
Sticking with the Wizards, they took part in another one of the most impactful trades this summer. First Beal to the Suns, then a blockbuster three-team trade between Washington, the Boston Celtics, and the Memphis Grizzlies. The Wizards received guard Tyus Jones from the Grizzlies, forwards Danillo Gallinari, Mike Muscala, and the 35th pick in the draft from the Celtics. The Celtics received center Kristaps Porzingis, the 25th pick in the 2023 draft, and a 2024 first round pick. Lastly, the Memphis Grizzlies received guard Marcus Smart. Even though the Grizzlies got just Smart in this trade, that is still a huge win for them, as they add a top defensive player in the league to help run Memphis’ backcourt with Ja Morant. The Celtics got a 7-foot-3 unicorn in Porzingis, who averaged 23 points and eight rebounds last season with the Wizards. Washington got depth with Gallinari, and youth with Tyus Jones. Jones was great for the Grizzlies last season with his smart decision making, having a league-leading 5.4 to 1 assist to turnover ratio. This trade seemingly benefitted all parties, and it’ll be interesting to see how these players fit in with their new squads.
Grant Williams to Mavericks
After losing to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics looked to improve their team, which included a three-team trade with the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs. The Celtics received three second-round picks, the Mavericks got Celtics forward Grant Williams and two second-round picks, and the Spurs obtained Mavericks guard Reggie Bullock and a second round pick. Grant Williams was a solid bench piece in the Celtics’ conference finals run, averaging five points and two rebounds in 17 minutes per game in the playoffs last year. Grant looks to be a defensive-oriented player, a much needed commodity on a Mavericks team that has plenty of offense already on the roster.
Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks to Rockets
The Houston Rockets were a bottom-of-the-barrel team last year with a 22-60 record, and look to begin a turnaround starting this season. With the 4th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Houston drafted highly regarded G-League prospect Amen Thompson. On top of that, Houston had a ton of money to spend in free agency with their young roster. They spent that money well, signing Raptors guard Fred VanVleet to a 3 year, $130 million deal and Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks to a 4 year, $80 million deal. VanVleet is an NBA champion, winning with the Raptors in 2019, and brings a winning mentality and scoring talent to H-Town. Brooks is notorious for his defense, but has made the wrong kind of headlines as of late. AFter a very public rivalry with Lebron James, him and the Lakers proceeded to beat the Grizzlies in the first round four games to two. In that series, James averaged 22 points 11 rebounds and 5 assists, while Brooks averaged just 10 points per game. Houston already has plenty of young scoring talent in Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green, but were missing the defense and playmaking in the backcourt. Brooks, a member of the 2022 All-Defensive Team, brings that defense, and VanVleet picks up the playmaking role, averaging 7.2 assists per game last year.
Only time will tell what decisions were the right ones, and it is looking like the NBA will have yet another great season ahead of them. From new faces in new colors to new rules, this season of basketball is bound to be an exciting one. So grab your popcorn and TV remote, and sit back to watch everything unfold before your eyes.