Even with the unsettled NBA futures of Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell, the bulk of the transactions are completed already in this summer’s free agency.
Notable teams in the Eastern Conference have improved their NBA 2022 odds because of their shrewd deals. On the other hand, some Western Conference clubs have gone into rebuild mode.
Without further ado, read on below as SBOTOP lists some of the biggest offseason winners and losers thus far.
Winner: Celtics
Boston didn’t rest on their laurels after their Finals appearance last season as they’ve added a pair of veterans that can contribute right away. Malcolm Brogdon gives them another heady playmaker, while Danilo Gallinari was signed only via the taxpayer midlevel exception and he brings additional shooting and height.
The Celtics recently emerged as the newest suitor in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes as they reportedly offered a package around Jaylen Brown for the Nets’ wantaway star. However, there’s no imminent deal for both sides as of the moment.
They’re probably better off with the roster that they currently have. And now that they’re armed with Finals experience, the Celtics are one of the biggest favourites to go all the way next season.
Loser: Nets
Speaking of the Nets, it’s highly likely that they’ll enter the 2022-23 season with virtually the same lineup that they had few months ago.
Kyrie Irving opted into his $37-M player option despite being linked to several teams, while Kevin Durant was in the NBA 2022 news for the wrong reasons once again when he reportedly threatened the team to choose between him and head coach Steve Nash and GM Sean Marks.
Team governor Joe Tsai voiced his support towards the front office and coaching staff as a response, and overall, this isn’t a good look for them ahead of next season.
Furthermore, their offseason moves didn’t help them much either since they’ve only traded for Royce O’Neale while they’ve added a couple of injury-prone wings in TJ Warren and Edmond Sumner.
Winner: Hawks
The Hawks now have a solid backcourt tandem after getting Dejounte Murray in exchange for three first-round picks. Murray is coming off an All-Star campaign last season, and he’ll add athleticism and defence to complement Trae Young.
Atlanta dealt Kevin Huerter to the Kings while adding Maurice Harkless and Justin Holiday. Also, they drafted AJ Griffin with the No. 16 overall pick during the most recent draft.
The biggest question heading into the new season is how their new pieces will mesh together. The good news, though, is that time is on their side since their cornerstones are just 25 years old or younger.
Loser: Spurs
The Spurs finally embraced a full rebuild this summer as they now have bigger cap space and draft capital. But as far as the 2022-23 season is concerned, they aren’t expected to win many games after they blew up their roster.
This summer, the Spurs signed Keldon Johnson to a four-year rookie extension and they’ve brought in three first-round rookies in Malaki Branham, Jeremy Sochan, and Blake Wesley.
Look for San Antonio to tank in order to put themselves in great position to try and draft Victor Wembanyama – who is a highly-touted prospect for next year’s draft.
Winner: Sixers
James Harden’s decision to decline his $47-M player option for a lower annual salary has given the Sixers more flexibility to improve their roster, and that’s what they did this summer.
Philadelphia swung a trade for De’Anthony Melton while signing free agents PJ Tucker and Danuel House. Those three should fit in seamlessly since they can all shoot the three and defend on a high level.
These offseason moves will not only benefit James Harden, but also Joel Embiid, who is currently their best player approaching his prime. If he and Harden can stay healthy all season, the Sixers are going to be a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference.
Loser: Lakers
The Lakers wisely pivoted towards signing younger players in free agency. However, none of their recent additions are moving the needle.
They’ve signed Damian Jones, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Lonnie Walker IV, Thomas Bryant, and Troy Brown Jr., while drafting Max Christie using their second-round pick. But they also lost Malik Monk – who was one of their top outside shooters last season – to Sacramento.
Moreover, what makes the Lakers losers this free agency is that they still can’t rid themselves of Russell Westbrook. LeBron James reportedly “badly” wants to replace Westbrook with Kyrie Irving, but talks between the Lakers and the Nets haven’t progressed toward an agreement.
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