The intrigue, suspense, and drama of the NBA off-season is at times equally compelling as a tight game in the playoffs. NBA fans have spent the past five days refreshing their Twitter timeline to hear the latest breaking news that could potentially shift the balance of power in the league. While we await the situation involving Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to be resolved, in the past five days some teams have gotten better, stayed in the middle of the pack, and even gotten worse. In the article, we will discuss the top 5 craziest deals so far in free agency.
5. Tank trades-if you have not heard the name Victor Wembanyama then take this as an opportunity to do a google search. Vicotr is a 7-foot-3 center with a 7-foot-9 wingspan, a 9-foot-7 standing reach with guard skills. The French player is considered the best prospect in the world regardless of age, and almost certain to be selected the number one pick. With this in mind, in free agency we saw two teams make trades that gave an indication to their fan base that they are planning to tank this season. The Spurs traded Dejounte Murray and Jock Londale to the Hawks in exchange for Danilo Gallinari, three first-round picks, and a first-round pick swap. On the other hand, the Celtics traded Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith, Nik Stauskas, Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan, and a 2023 first-round pick to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon. The Spurs definitely got the better haul in picks because Murray is a better player but the Pacers’ return of only one first-round pick and bench players is a disaster for the franchise.
4. P.J. Tucker signing-P.J. Tucker is a good veteran that any contending team could use in pushing for a championship. After winning the chip with Giannis and the Bucks, Tucker was a good contributor for the number one-seeded Heat. In free agency, he cashed in his last big payday inking a 3-year, 33.2 million dollars. It is a good deal for Tucker but at age 37, it seems the contract length is an overpay. After news leaked out that Harden was taking less money and opting out of the deal, it felt that Daryl Morey was going to add some dynamic role players to the mix but adding Tucker and Danuel House is an underwhelming off-season.
3. Jalen Brunson signing- Jalen Brunson had a career year in Dallas averaging 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. Jalen was a big contributor in propelling the Mavericks to a deep run to the Western Conference Finals and as an upcoming free agent was earmarked for an upgrade in his contract. However, the Knicks jumped at the opportunity at the start of free agency to sign him to a 4-year 104 million dollar deal. There are questions of tampering with the Knicks hiring Brunson’s father, Rick Brunson, as an assistant coach and Knicks president Leon Rose’s son, Sam being Brunson’s agent. However, beyond that, I am not sure if the team should be committing this kind of money to a player who is a borderline All-Star at best. A trio of RJ Brunson, RJ Barrett, and Julius Randle might be enough to get in the play-in tournament but not enough to crack the top 4 in the East.
2. Zion Williamson extension-the New Orleans Pelicans made the playoffs last season after acquiring CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram playing like a legitimate All-Stars. The Pelicans can challenge for a higher seed if Zion Williamson is healthy. Williamson, has only played 85 games out of a possible 236 games, and yet the Pelicans took the plunge of signing Zion to a max rookie extension of a 5-year deal worth 231 million. The Pelicans are taking a risk on a guy that has found it hard to get in shape and take care of his body. The Pelicans may not believe they are not in a position to attract a free agent star and the best way to contend is to keep the one they have. However, the decision to bet on Zion will have ramifications for years to come for the franchise.
1. Rudy Gobert trade-Gobert is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and an All-Star center with the Utah Jazz. However, the management felt that the team had failed to attain their championship aspiration and fielded calls for Gobert. Shockingly, Rudy was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, and four first-round picks. The deal can only be considered a heist by Danny Ainge to get four first-round picks in the haul. Gobert is great player defensively in the regular season but in the playoffs, teams expose his ability to guard on the perimeter, and he gives little offensively which makes him a liability on the floor. Also, a combination of Karl Anthony-Towns and Gobert appears to be a flawed duo in an era when the league is focused on versatility with wings rather than two big men. Time will tell if Minnesota can prove the doubters wrong.