Lakers and Bucks Make Big Moves in NBA Offseason: A Breakdown of the Best Trades and Signings

When the NBA season gets underway this October 24, the teams that make up the league will aim to knock the champions Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic from their throne.

Like every year, the franchises had the offseason to improve their squads in a league that, with the passing of each campaign, raises its level of competition. However, with the multiple signings and transfers that have occurred in recent months, it is inevitable that not all managements were right with their moves.

For this reason, Primera Hora prepared a breakdown of the teams that best moved their chips in the offseason:

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Anthony Davis, of the Los Angeles Lakers, attacks the basket in front of the defense of Brook López, of the Milwaukee Bucks. (Mark J. Terrill)

It seems that the general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers, Rob Pelinka, found the formula he has been looking for so long to complement the duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis in their search for the eighteenth championship. But this process began during All-Star weekend, when they acquired D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt in a surprise three-team trade that saw them dump Russell Westbrook.

After the trade, the quintet led by Darvin Ham closed the regular season with a 16-7 mark and advanced in the postseason to the Western Conference finals, where they were swept by the Denver Nuggets.

Pelinka assured that he would keep that young core together for the coming campaigns.

The Lakers agreed to a contract extension with Davis for three years and a maximum of $186 million, which makes him the highest-paid basketball player, annually, with $62 million. The deal ties the eight-time All-Star to the franchise through 2028 for a total of $280 million. Davis averaged 25.9 points and 12.5 rebounds in 56 games last season.

Another question for Los Angeles entering the offseason was whether they could retain explosive guard Austin Reaves, who after All-Star weekend was posting 17.6 points per game. Although the San Antonio Spurs were interested in Reaves and could offer him a more lucrative contract, the basketball player chose to stay with the Lakers for four years and $56.3 million. If the good pace that closed the tournament continues, this could be one of the best contracts in the league.

Likewise, they extended Russell’s contract for two years and $36 million. Russell is coming off scoring 17.8 points last season. Likewise, they reached an agreement with Japanese forward Rui Hachimura for three years and $51 million.

The Lakers also entered free agency and acquired guard Gabe Vincent for three years and $33 million and strong forward Christian Wood for two years and $5.7 million. Vincent was instrumental in the advance that took the Miami Heat to the final by averaging 15.8 points against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference final. While Wood has just scored 16.6 points in the regular season with the Dallas Mavericks.

The new point guard of the Milwaukee Bucks, Damian Lillard, attacks the basket against the defense of Aaron Wiggins, of the Oklahoma Thunder. (Sarah Phipps)

After being upset by the Miami Heat in the first round of the postseason, there was uncertainty about the future of the Milwaukee Bucks. For this reason, a reaction from the organization was anticipated or the end of a great era could begin.

The franchise fired manager Mike Budenholzer, who led them to a championship in 2021, and hired Adrian Griffin, but that wasn’t enough. The alarm bells began to ring when Giannis Antetokounmpo said in an interview that he would be part of the Bucks, as long as they have a team with viable options to win a title.

General manager Jon Horst knew it was time to get to work or risk losing their star. And that was what they did.

Although it was reported that Damian Lillard wanted to be traded to Miami, Milwaukee surprised the league by making the move that brought one of the best point guards in the league to their ranks. Lillard, who averaged 32.2 points per game last season, is joined by Antetokounmpo, who with his physicality is one of the most unstoppable players in the painted zone.

The Bucks lost Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen and first-round picks in 2028, 2029 and 2030 in the trade market. But they managed to keep their two best shooters who entered free agency on the squad: Khris Middleton and Brook López. Middleton, who has been the second singing voice of the quintet in recent years, signed a three-year, $102 million contract. While López, who is one of the most valuable pieces of the team with a long-distance shot and defense in the paint, reached an agreement for two years and $48 million.

Kristaps Porzingis, new center for the Boston Celtics, dunks during a preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers. (Mary Schwalm)

The East continues to strengthen and so does the Boston Celtics.

This offseason, Boston made major changes to its roster in an unusual way for a team that has qualified for three of the last four Eastern Conference finals. But, with its recent moves, the franchise seeks to take the next step and finally win its eighteenth title.

The Celtics acquired Kristaps Porzingis in a trade that cost them one of their most valuable defensive weapons, Marcus Smart, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala and a second-round pick. Despite his injury history, Porzingis is coming off his best season in the NBA, with a record of 23.2 points and 8.4 rebounds in 65 games. Last season was the most games the star center has competed in since his second season in the league in 2016-2017.

With Lillard’s transfer to Milwaukee, the Celtics did not sit idly by and got the perfect replacement for Smart by acquiring Jrue Holiday in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers. Boston sent center Robert Williams III and guard Malcolm Brogdon to Portland.

In addition to being one of the best defensive guards, Holiday will become one of Boston’s main offensive pieces, having scored 19.3 points per game last season compared to Smart’s 11.5.

There is no doubt that with Holiday and Porzingis, the Celtics have perhaps the best regular team in the league and the organization took it upon itself to secure one of its stars for the next few years in the offseason. Boston agreed to a ‘supermax’ extension with Jaylen Brown for five years and $304 million, making this the most lucrative contract in league history. Although the amount they will pay Brown is an exorbitant figure, the 17-time NBA champions guaranteed to keep their young core together in a conference whose stars are beginning to leave the peak of their careers behind.

Bradley Beal, new shooting guard for the Phoenix Suns. (Darryl Webb)

The Phoenix Suns put all their chips on the table this offseason in search of their first championship, when they traded for star guard Bradley Beal in exchange for veteran point guard Chris Paul; Landry Shamet; first round turns in 2024, 2026, 2028 and 2030; and second-round picks in 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2030. The Golden State Warriors were also involved in the trade and ended up receiving Paul.

This was one of the most important trades in recent months, as it joined Beal with the dominant duo of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. Beal, who has averaged 22.1 points per game and made 37 percent of his long-range attempts in his career, will be guarded for the first time by the opposing team’s third-best perimeter defender. With two proven stars in Durant and Booker, there is no doubt that the Suns are one of the favorites to lift the title with the addition of Beal.

Phoenix unloaded one of the most lucrative contracts on its roster by sending center DeAndre Ayton to the Trail Blazers for Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, Keon Johnson and Grayson Allen. This could be considered the only dubious move by the Suns, as they replaced Ayton with Nurkic, who is much worse on both sides of the court, and acquired three shooters who are about to prove themselves in a postseason run.

However, new Phoenix manager Frank Vogel is known for turning centers into defensive anchors, as he did with Roy Hibert in Indiana and Dwight Howard in his last run in Los Angeles.

Elsewhere, the Suns also landed Eric Gordon, Keita Bates-Diop, Yuta Watanabe, Drew Eubanks, Bol Bol and Chimezie Metu. The experienced three-pointer Gordon gives Vogel another weapon on the perimeter and, like Bates-Diop, could be part of the regular squad or the quintet that is on the court in the final minutes, depending on the rival team.

2023-10-20 03:45:48
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