RADIO
It's a crazy time of year around the National Basketball Association. Not long after the Denver Nuggets captured the franchise's first championship, French big man Victor Wembanyama was the top pick of the 2023 Draft.
While new talent entering the league is all well and good, nothing turns the NBA upside down quite like the beginning of free agency. Since June 30, many notable players have signed with new teams. There were also more than a few significant trades.
In either case, at least a handful of clubs will look very different (for the better?) come training camp. Let's take a look at some of the biggest names on the move and how they might affect the NBA landscape this season.
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Fred VanVleet - Houston Rockets
The Rockets entered the 2022-23 campaign as the second-youngest team in the National Basketball Association, and it showed. The club finished with 22 wins and 60 losses, with the Pistons being the only team with a worse record. As a result, the front office made a point to shake things up after the exhaustingly long year came to a close.
The overhaul began when Stephen Silas, winning just 59 of his 236 games in Houston, was relieved of his head coaching duties. In his place, Ime Udoka, who helped guide the Celtics to an NBA Finals appearance in his first season, took the reigns. While Udoka's tenure in Boston didn't end on a positive note, he's still regarded as one of the sharpest minds in the league, even by those who lost respect for him on a personal level.
While having a knowledgeable head coach will help accelerate the growth of an up-and-coming squad, the Rockets needed someone to facilitate things on the floor. With Houston having plenty of cap space entering the offseason, the team signed Dillon Brooks, Jock Landale, Jeff Green, Aaron Holiday, and Darius Days. However, the biggest acquisition for the franchise during free agency was Fred VanVleet.
The 29-year-old had a slow start to his career. But he elevated his game to another level in the last few seasons. VanVleet finished the 2022-23 season by averaging 19.3 points and 1.8 steals. He also logged 7.2 assists and appeared in 69 games, both career highs. The Rockets are thrilled to have him, and his leadership and experience should help guys like Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, Alperen Sengun, and Jalen Green be even more productive.
Bruce Brown - Indiana Pacers
Indiana is another team that struggled last season, finishing 35-47. Although it's safe to say the team underperformed, there were still plenty of positive developments. For starters, Tyrese Haliburton had a breakout season, averaging 20.7 points, 10.4 assists, 1.6 steals, and shooting 40.0% from behind the three-point line.
At the same time, Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard, both drafted in 2022, showed accelerated signs of growth. But with a new season on the horizon, the Pacers will at least attempt to get a play-in opportunity. There's a good possibility that could happen, especially since the Bulls, Raptors, and Nets could take a step backward.
Like any team looking to improve, the Pacers made some moves to bolster the roster. Indiana added Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard via the 2023 NBA Draft while acquiring Obi Toppin from the Knicks. However, the most significant acquisition was signing Brown to a two-year, $45 million contract.
Brown has flown under the radar throughout his NBA career. He's stayed relatively healthy, which is always a good thing, and was instrumental in helping the Nuggets finish as the best team in the National Basketball Association. Brown appeared in 80 games for Denver in 2022-23 and averaged a career-high 11.5 points. He also averaged nearly 14 points per game in 31 starts, proving his value, regardless of his role. Indiana has wiggle room as it relates to its starting lineup.
The club is loaded with versatility, with guys capable of playing various positions, meaning Brown might not be a consistent starter. On the other hand, the veteran should see minutes comparable to starters on other teams, so he's a guy who will have a significant impact on the Pacers during the 2023-24 campaign.
Kristaps Porzingis - Boston Celtics
The Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals in 2021-22, albeit the team lost to the Golden State Warriors. Boston's 2022 offseason was overshadowed by turmoil surrounding Ime Udoka, who was suspended and eventually let go for engaging in a relationship with a female staff member. Yet, the C's were still favorites to return to the NBA Finals under Joe Mazzulla, a first-year head coach.
Unfortunately, that didn't happen, and the Celtics lost to the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. Without question, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown did all they could offensively versus Miami. But even they struggled at times, especially from deep. At the same time, Derrick White and Marcus Smart aren't consistent scorers, and Malcolm Brogdon was limited due to injury.
Boston needed to go back to the drawing board after the unexpected ousting from the postseason by a play-in team. While Brown's historic contract extension was a significant event, the acquisition of Porzingis may be just as vital to the club's chances of winning a title in the next few years.
During Porzingis' days with the Knicks, he appeared to be well on his way to becoming at least a top-10 player in the National Basketball Association. But injuries became a common theme through the years. On a positive note, the 27-year-old arguably had his best season in 2022-23, averaging a career-high 23.2 points with 8.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.
Even better, he played 65 games, the most since his sophomore campaign. While Tatum and Brown are still considered the primary scorers in Boston, adding Porzingis will undoubtedly take pressure off them. And his defensive prowess will come in handy when Boston encounters Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, Pascal Siakam, and other bigs from the Eastern Conference, especially if Robert Williams III remains limited from a minutes standpoint.
Bradley Beal - Phoenix Suns
The Wizards selected Beal using the No. 3 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He has played his entire career in Washington, averaging 22.1 points while becoming an All-Star three times. The 30-year-old is unquestionably one of the best scorers in the league. Even so, injuries have been the norm, with Beal appearing in 60 games or less in each of his last four seasons.
Now with the Suns after being acquired via a trade in the offseason, Beal will have a real shot at winning a championship by joining forces with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. That said, the first-round pick will need to stay healthy, primarily since the big three (and Deandre Ayton) are mostly surrounded by guys who signed minimum contracts.
Thomas Bryant - Miami Heat
Without discrediting the Nuggets, it's safe to say one of the reasons Miami lost in the NBA Finals was a lack of big bodies. The team's starting center, Bam Adebayo, is listed as 6'9''. However, some argue he's shorter. While Adebayo is still larger than an average human, he's considerably smaller than some centers around the NBA.
The Heat lost Max Strus and Gabe Vincent in the offseason. Despite that, Miami made an essential move by signing Bryant to a two-year deal. He isn't a household name, and casual fans likely wouldn't recognize him. Yet, Bryant gives the team depth in the middle, something it didn't really have over the last few years.
Sure, the former Hoosier isn't the best defensive option the Heat could have acquired. On the other hand, he's 6'10'' (maybe more) and weighs 248 lbs., so he's an imposing figure, to say the least. Bryant can shine in multiple areas when necessary, considering he averaged 14.1 points and 8.4 rebounds in 26 starts last season with the Lakers and Nuggets.
Jordan Poole - Washington Wizards
Poole had a breakout season with the Warriors in 2021-22 and was rewarded with a four-year, $123 million contract. But, a physical altercation with Draymond Green seemingly derailed his confidence. He averaged a career-high 20.4 points, but he drained only 33.6% of his shots from behind the arc, the second-lowest mark of his career
Poole also averaged just 10.3 points and around 20 minutes per game during the postseason, which is not good. He's now in Washington, and although his presence won't make the Wizards a title contender, he should see a significant increase in production.
Donte DiVincenzo - New York Knicks
DiVincenzo appeared in 72 games for the Warriors last season. Yet, he came in handy when needed by averaging 10.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.5 steals in 36 starts. The 26-year-old was a target by several teams during free agency. However, he chose the Knicks, signing a four-year deal.
DiVincenzo probably won't be a consistent producer. However, he should have a prominent role in the rotation. His rapport with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, his former Villanova teammates, will make his transition to New York much smoother while making the Knicks a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference.
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