Most decisions have been made this summer, so it’s time to choose the winners and losers of the off-season. Without claim to completeness: We present our candidates!
Let’s not kid ourselves: Even if the Lakers don’t play for the title next season (they won’t) and have made some more than questionable Free Agency decisions, they clearly belong on that list. The fact that LeBron James decided in favour of them without having to get another big fish before once again confirms the special status of this franchise.
Their appeal is still strong enough to convince even the world’s best players of a change – although the Lakers have not torn much in years, neither in the Free Agency nor on the court. LeBron symbolizes for them now the first step back into the promised land, but some more must definitely follow.
The fact that James signed for four years is an asset for the Lakers that should not be underestimated, because there was no need to exchange all assets directly this summer, for example to get Kawhi Leonard. You don’t have to be fooled by the Spurs, because not everything depends on the coming season.
Instead, they are waiting to see how well the young players like Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma, but also Moritz Wagner, will fit next to LeBron – unless San Antonio can be talked to again. Next year will be the next attempt, which is why all Free Agents, apart from LeBron, correctly received only one-year contracts.
How the coming season will look playful is an interesting question – the combination of player types and characters at the Lakers is absolutely fascinating. The LakeShow is the winner anyway, not primarily because of the coming season, but because of its charisma. The Lakers are relevant again after several years of abstinence.
Congratulations to owner Dan Gilbert, who finally has “control” over his team again. Let’s see where this leads – and whether Kevin Love will really do the whole next season in Ohio. After all, Colin Sexton should be fun.
The superstar migration to the West has continued, now even fewer NBA headliners are playing in the East. The Eastern Conference is well staffed, the Celtics and the 76ers are well positioned and Giannis Antetokounmpo, a very hot MVP candidate for the coming year, is also playing for the Bucks.
But behind them it quickly becomes dark, it remains to be seen whether eight teams with positive results can be found, while in the west probably twelve teams have the potential for 45+ victories. Unfortunately, nothing will change about the fact that the conference system is anything but fair, a 1 to 16 order according to balance in the playoffs cannot be pushed through with the team owners for various reasons.
Maybe at least something can be done about the format of the All-Star game. Twelve players per conference won’t do the West justice and next season Damian Lillard may no longer be the only star to get upset about not taking them into account before the teams are even announced.
The Celtics, Bucks and Raptors are also to be mentioned here, simply because LeBron no longer plays in the East and the road to the finals is no longer blocked on principle (even if Boston was already very close anyway). The East has lost its spectre.
But the Sixers have also been active in other ways, excluding the posing around ex-GM Bryan Colangelo and his Burner accounts. Ersan Ilyasova and Marco Belinelli were replaced by Wilson Chandler and Nemanja Bjelica, J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson were kept relatively cheap without endangering the cap space for next summer.
The draft-day deal, in which the Sixers got Zhaire Smith for No.10-Pick Mikal Bridge’s No.16-Pick and an unprotected 2021 first-round pick from Phoenix, was also a big win for the franchise, which almost took Sam Hinkie-like moves: This pick can become really important in the future, especially since it comes from Miami – nobody knows how good or bad the heat will be in the season 2020/21.
Considering that Philly still doesn’t have a new GM and Head Coach Brett Brown has made these decisions provisionally, you can only take your hat off. He didn’t let himself be cheated either…
…which can still happen. However, Kawhi Leonard has done himself no favours with his trade claim, his reputation has been damaged due to the past season and so far no team has had the desire to meet the (supposedly deliberately exaggerated) demands of the Spurs even approximately.
Somehow understandable – why would anyone sacrifice the farm if it is completely unclear whether Leonard will stay at all for more than a year? This might have been more realistic in other years, but at the moment the Warriors seem to be so far apart that no really ambitious team wants to sacrifice its future for a “loan” of one year.
Maybe this will change, maybe the Raptors will put together another package with which San Antonio can live. Otherwise, however, it seems more and more likely that Leonard – against his will – will “have to” open the new season at the Spurs. I’m sure he imagined it differently.
OKC has shown that a “loan” can work after all. Last year Paul George wanted to join the Lakers, but now OKC has convinced him so much that he has not even granted his home team a meeting – instead he immediately signed a new four-year contract with the Thunder. This is a huge benefit for the franchise.
Let’s not forget that OKC currently has a completely insane $300 million payroll (Carmelo Anthony will still be off the books anyway) and that they won’t be a “real” contender despite everything – George’s decision legitimizes them as a team to some extent and also prevents a much uglier scenario.
If George had chosen the Lakers (or someone else), OKC would still be there with a nasty payroll, but without comparable quality or the opportunity to get it elsewhere. Then Russell Westbrook would be almost home alone again, without real prospects apart from over 205 million dollars over the next five years (well, it doesn’t sound that bad).
Instead, Westbrook will now spend the rest of his prime with a co-star who is almost perfect for him and obviously has no problem with the 2017 MVP taking 40+ litters. This duo can still grow together – also because Melo no longer plays into the equation as the “third wheel”.
In addition, Nerlen’s Noel commitment could prove to be the kind of low-risk high reward commitment that luxury tax teams need most.
Page 1: Lakers, Sixers, Cavs, Eastern Conference, OKC and Kawhi
Page 2: Rockets, Warriors, IT, RFAs, LaVine and 2019