With NBA2K22 coming out in early September, 2K has started releasing information about their new game. In the last few days, they’ve released overall ratings for some players.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with 2K ratings, I’ll briefly explain them. Every player in the NBA has an overall rating between 60-99 (The lowest player in 2K21 was a 65, the highest was a 98). The higher overall rating, the better the player is.
2K releasing ratings always causes controversy with the community and the players themselves. Bradley Beal’s wife and Ronnie 2K (the main marketing guy for NBA2K. He’s the guy every 2K player blames for problems with the game even though he’s not a developer) got in a little Twitter beef over Beal’s rating. Kevin Porter Jr. was upset because his rating was lower than some rookies.
My favorite game mode on 2K is MyNBA. You know about how the mode works if you’ve read my “I become the GM of” articles. When playing MyNBA, it’s important to me that player ratings are as accurate as possible. Since I don’t trust 2K to do it on their own, I do it myself. I use stats and the eye test to give my ratings.
So, with all the controversy over the 2K22 ratings, I’m going to give you my ratings and compare them to 2K’s. To start off, here are 2K’s top 10 players for NBA2K22 and their ratings.
T1- Kevin Durant 96 OVR
T1- Giannis Antetokounmpo 96 OVR
T1- Stephen Curry 96 OVR
T1- LeBron James 96 OVR
T5- Kawhi Leonard 95 OVR
T5- Nikola Jokic 95 OVR
T5- Joel Embiid 95 OVR
T8- Luka Doncic 94 OVR
T8- James Harden 94 OVR
T8- Damian Lillard 94 OVR
Ignoring the overalls, this list isn’t too bad. There’s a few things I think are wrong. I think that 2K has a habit of lowballing players on their ratings, even when the players are top 10 level.
During the regular season, 2K updates ratings every two weeks. They stop updating during the playoffs (which is stupid). Then, for the beginning of the season, they lower players ratings from what they were at the end of the regular season. For example, Steph was a 98 overall in 2K21. He’s a 96 for 2K22 even though he didn’t do anything that justifies a lower rating.
Here are my top 10 players for 2K22
T1- Kevin Durant 98 OVR
T1- Giannis Antetokounmpo 98 OVR
T1- Stephen Curry 98 OVR
T1- LeBron James 98 OVR
T5- Kawhi Leonard 97 OVR
T5- James Harden 97 OVR
T7- Luka Doncic 96 OVR
T7- Anthony Davis 96 OVR
T7- Damian Lillard 96 OVR
10- Nikola Jokic 95 OVR
As you can see, my ratings are higher than 2K’s. That’s because I think 2K lowballs the players. Nobody is ever a 99 overall, which is fair. But what stops KD, Giannis, Steph, and LeBron from being as close as possible? They have the impact of a 99 overall. I think they deserve to be 98s.
Here are some other ratings 2K has released, and my ratings for those players.
Jayson Tatum
2K: 90 Me: 92
Jayson is an all-around star who will be a superstar very soon. He was insanely good in the playoffs. Just a 90 overall is too low for a guy who is just outside the top 10 for me.
Bradley Beal
2K: 89 Me: 90
Not a big difference in rating, but Beal finished 2K21 in the 90 overall club. There’s no reason that he shouldn’t be a 90 again. (Since Beal is a 90, I think Tatum is 2 overalls better.)
Domantas Sabonis
2K: 86 Me: 88
Sabonis is one of the most unique players in the NBA in terms of playstyle. He operates in the high post, where he makes passes, sets screens, or scores the ball. Here’s some highlights so you can see what I’m talking about. Sabonis has established himself as an All-Star guy, and I think he’s earned an 88 overall.
Ben Simmons
2K: 84 Me: 87
I understand that Simmons doesn’t score. He does everything else though. I think he still has the impact of an 87 overall player. I have Tobias Harris as an 86 overall, and Ben Simmons is better than him, therefore earning him an 87. People need to calm down on the Ben disrespect. He’s still an All-Star level player.
Russell Westbrook
2K: 85 Me: 88
This is honestly disrespectful. Russ isn’t a superstar, but he’s still a top 10 point guard. Coming off a historic season, I think he deserves an 88 overall.
Evan Fournier
2K: 79 Me: 82
I’m not sure how 2K doesn’t have Fournier in the 80 overall club. He’s a legit scorer, and he does it efficiently. I think he deserves to be in the low 80s.
Kevin Porter Jr.
2K: 77 Me: 79
As I mentioned earlier, KPJ was upset about his rating. Ronnie’s response was this, which got people saying that KPJ was overrated because he had one 50 point game. I disagree. He had other good games this season (such as 20 point 10 assist games), and he would have been in my top 100 if he played more than 26 games. I don’t have him as an 80 quite yet, but I probably will during the season.
Here are more ratings from me:
Paul George- 93
Chris Paul- 92
Jimmy Butler- 91
Khris Middleton- 90
DeMar Derozan- 87
Boban Marjanovic- 76
So, those are my thoughts on 2K’s ratings, and my ratings for some players. Whose ratings do you like better? Let me know! Top 100 is coming soon. See you next time!
(I know not everybody cares about 2K. I just put this out as something for y’all to read while waiting for the top 100.)
The 2021 NBA Summer League has wrapped up. There were plenty of players that showed their skill and value. In this article, I’m gonna talk about some players that impressed me. Guys like Tyrese Maxey, Immanuel Quickley, Patrick Williams, and Payton Pritchard all played really well, but I’m not gonna talk about them because they got all the attention. I’m gonna talk about more unheralded guys. Let’s get going!
Sacramento Kings Roster
The 2021 Summer League champions were the Sacramento Kings. They had multiple players who impressed me, so I figured I’d talk about all of them in one section.
Davion Mitchell was co-MVP of the summer league. He showed why he was good enough to be a top 10 pick. He averaged 11 PPG, 6 APG, and 1 SPG while shooting 47% from three. He can score at all three levels. The most impressive part of his game is his defense. Just watch him guard lottery pick James Bouknight here. He is super tough for a guy who is listed at 6’2”. He was picked because he’s NBA ready, and it seems like he is. I still question his fit with the Kings, but it’s not his fault.
Louis King, a two-way contract player for the Kings, won finals MVP. He put up 21 points, 5 steals, and 4 threes in the championship game. He played well all summer league, averaging 15 points and 4 rebounds while shooting 45% from three. The Kings roster lacks forwards at the moment, so Louis could potentially get some bench minutes this season.
Emanuel Terry hustles hard. He averaged 9 rebounds per game, 4 of them offensive. Jahmi’us Ramsey can score. I wish Alex Antetokounmpo would have played more. Congrats to the 2021 Summer League champs!
Sharife Cooper
After the draft, lots of people were questioning how Sharife fell so low in the draft (he was picked 48th overall). His performance in Summer League fueled that. He averaged 15 points and 7 assists. The big thing that stood out to me was his shooting. He had one game where he made five threes, including the game winner. He shot just 33% from three overall, but that’s big for a guy who shot just 23% in college. He probably won’t make an All-Rookie team next season, but I think Sharife can be a solid backup point guard one day.
Luka Garza
Luka Garza proved a lot of people wrong this summer. Even though he was one of the best players in college, he fell to 52 in the draft. People questioned if his game would transfer to the NBA level.
Summer League isn’t the actual NBA, but Luka looked awesome. He can shoot, which will probably transfer to the actual NBA (40% on four attempts per game). He can rebound and score in the paint. Luka Garza is legit. It’s always a lot of fun to watch a player prove people wrong. I’m excited to see how he plays with the Pistons this season.
Skylar Mays
I’m a fan of Skylar’s game. He plays smoothly. He’s good at getting to the basket and he has a nice shot. In Summer League, he averaged 19 points per game. The Hawks are one of the deeper teams in the league, so Skylar might not play this year. I hope he ends up elsewhere soon where he can get consistent minutes.
Gary Payton II
Gary averaged 11 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in Summer League. He shot a ridiculous 74% from the field and 83% from three. He had this sick dunk, which LeBron James tweeted about. Gary is an NBA player. I hope somebody signs him before the season.
Some other impressive players: Tre Jones, Max Strus, Jalen Johnson, Trent Forrest, Saben Lee, Miles McBride, Naji Marshall
So, those are some players I was impressed with in Summer League. Keep your eyes on these guys!
My top 100 list is coming soon. Hopefully this tides you over until then. See you next time!
(I’m prefacing this article by telling you that I’m not highly knowledgeable on the guys in this draft class. I’ve done some research (I’ve read articles, watched videos, listened to podcasts, etc.), but the big thing is that I haven’t watched many of these guys play a lot. Therefore, if my opinion is a little wack, forgive me. This is just for fun.)
We are now a week past the 2021 NBA Draft. After watching it live and having all the initial reactions, I’ve thought about it more to make sure I have the most accurate grades I can give out as a draft casual. So without further ado, I’m gonna give a grade to each team for how they did on draft night.
Atlanta Hawks
Draftees: Jalen Johnson (20th), Sharife Cooper (48th)
Jalen Johnson is supposed to be kind of a project. He’s athletic and has a versatile playstyle, but is inconsistent (especially as a shooter). I’ve heard he’s a lottery level talent, so maybe that’s why the Hawks drafted him. But, especially if John Collins returns (he probably will), then this pick wasn’t great. Jalen could struggle to get consistent playing time this year, which won’t help his development.
I’ve heard good things about Sharife Cooper. Lots of people were really surprised he fell so low. He’s one the best passers in the draft (if not the best). His jumpshot will need to improve (23% from three in college) if he wants to become a consistent rotational guy in the NBA.
Grade: B-
Boston Celtics
Draftee: Juhann Begarin (45th)
I didn’t know who this guy was when he got drafted. After a little research, I found out he’s a raw athletic dude with some upside. What impressed me the most is he is just 6’4”, but has a 7 foot wingspan. He could become a great defender with length like that. Because of that upside, and because he was just the 45th pick, then this was a solid pick for Boston.
Grade: B
Brooklyn Nets
Draftees: Cam Thomas (27th), Day’Ron Sharpe (29th), Kessler Edwards (44th), Marcus Zegarowski (49th), RaiQuan Gray (59th)
Cam Thomas might be the best pure scorer that got drafted. He averaged 23 points in college. I thought he was gonna get drafted higher. He adds even more scoring to the Nets offensive armada.
Day’Ron Sharpe is a classic paint presence center. The Nets kinda needed that (especially if they look to move on from DeAndre Jordan, so he’s a good pickup at the end of the first round.
Marcus Zegarowski is Michael Carter-Williams’s brother. But, unlike his brother, Marcus can shoot.
Grade: B+
Charlotte Hornets
Draftees: James Bouknight (11th), Kai Jones (19th), JT Thor (37th), Scottie Lewis (56th)
James Bouknight can score. Lots of mocks projected him going top ten, so the Hornets getting him at 11 is a steal. With Malik Monk becoming an unrestricted free agent (Charlotte isn’t giving him the qualifying offer), Bouknight can fill the scoring guard role. He’ll be able to develop behind Terry Rozier, and then slide next to LaMelo in the backcourt when Rozier leaves.
Before Bouknight fell to them, I had Charlotte taking Kai Jones at eleven. He fills their biggest position of need (center), and fills it well. He’s very athletic, and will be a serious threat with LaMelo throwing him lobs. He can even kind of shoot. Imagine transition with LaMelo pushing the ball with both Kai and Miles Bridges available for lobs. Woah.
JT Thor seems like he could be one of the best second round picks. He’s another strong athlete, and dunks the ball a lot. He’s a versatile defender and can defend the rim. He has a nice looking jumper and could become a good NBA shooter. I like this pick.
Scottie Lewis is another high motor athlete who plays good defense. He has room to grow on offense, but for the 56th pick, he brings good value.
Great draft for Charlotte. They were one of my favorite teams to watch last year, and I think they’ll be even more fun this year. More competitive as well.
Grade: A
Chicago Bulls
Draftee: Ayo Dosunmu (38th)
Maybe this is me being a draft casual, but I was surprised Ayo didn’t go in the first round. He was a top player in college (Consensus All-American, Wooden Award finalist, and Big Ten Tournament MVP in the 2021 season), and nothing I saw suggested he couldn’t be good in the NBA.
Ayo is a 6’5” point guard with a 6’10” wingspan. He’s a floor general. He’s crafty, and gets to the hoop. He’s a solid shooter and defender. It seems like Ayo is a pretty good player, and getting him at 38th is awesome for Chicago. I think he’ll be a good fit with the Bulls.
Grade: B+
Cleveland Cavaliers
Draftee: Evan Mobley (3rd)
Evan Mobley is far and away the best big in this draft class. He does basically everything. He’s a beast in the paint on both ends of the floor. His shot looks good for a seven-footer. He even has some passing vision. He can (and probably will) be a very special player in the league one day.
Grade: A
Denver Nuggets
Draftee: Bones Hyland (26th)
Nah’son “Bones” Hyland is a bucket. He’s one of the best shooters in the draft. He can score off dribble and off the catch. He can get to the basket. He’s not really a playmaker, but he should do great in a Lou Williams type role. The Nuggets bench could use more offensive firepower, and Bones adds that. I like this pick for the Nuggets.
Detroit got their guy. Cade Cunningham is a Detroit Piston. I think he’s gonna be special. He scores at all three levels. He’s a playmaker. The Pistons get an A for this pick alone. Not because it was some sort of steal (Cade was the obvious guy), but because Cade is a gamechanger for them.
The second round picks were solid as well. Isaiah Livers is a sniper. He’s an older rookie, so he’ll be more NBA ready. Luka Garza was one of the best college players last season, but fell to 52nd because many question how well his game will translate to the NBA. Because he was picked so low, it’s no big deal if he doesn’t pan out.
Grade: A half a plus
Golden State Warriors
Draftees: Jonathan Kuminga (7th), Moses Moody (14th)
In terms of talent, getting Jonathan Kuminga at seven is a steal. He was projected around five or six. Excellent value for the Warriors. Kuminga will need a little more development than other top picks, but I trust the Warriors staff to make sure he reaches his potential. However, I am slightly worried that Kuminga might not get the ball touches/playing time he needs this year because the Warriors want to be competitive.
Moses Moody is another great value pick for Golden State, as he was projected to be taken in the top ten. He is ready to come to the Warriors and make an immediate impact as a scorer and a defender.
Grade: A
Houston Rockets
Draftees: Jalen Green (2nd), Alperen Sengun (16th), Usman Garuba (23rd), Josh Christopher (24th)
I’m sure the Rockets really wanted Cade, but Jalen Green is still a great player. He has a super high upside because he does it all. He’s athletic. He’s a scorer (although his jumpshot isn’t the most consistent at the moment). He’s a solid defender and playmaker. If all goes well, he should become an All-Star one day (or better). He’ll have the freedom to do so while in Houston.
Alperen Sengun looks pretty good. He’s got a very good low post game. He has good pass vision for a big man. He’s not a good shooter, but his free throw shooting (81% on 6 attempts per game in Turkey) suggests he could add a jumper one day.
Usman Garuba is an energy dude who can defend multiple positions. His offense needs to catch up to his defense, but I like his upside.
Josh Christopher is a scorer. We’ll see if he can add anything else to his game.
Grade: A-
Indiana Pacers
Draftees: Chris Duarte (13th), Isaiah Jackson (22nd)
Chris Duarte is as old as it gets for a rookie (he’s 24). That limits his upside a little, but he can play right now. If there’s one thing he can do, it’s shoot. He shot 42% on 5 attempts at Oregon. That’s really good. With Doug McDdermott gone, Duarte should fit in nicely as the sniper off the bench.
Isaiah Jackson is one of the best rim protectors in the draft. He averaged 2.6 blocks per game for Kentucky. He’ll be the Pacers backup center this season (I’m not high on Goga Bitadze), and he could slide in as the starter when Myles Turner leaves one day.
I like this draft for the Pacers.
Grade: B+
Los Angeles Clippers
Draftees: Keon Johnson (21st), Jason Preston (33rd), Brandon Boston Jr. (51st)
I was surprised that Keon Johnson fell so low. I thought he was gonna go in the top fifteen. His fit with the Clippers is a bit iffy for me because he’s a project player. He’s super athletic (his 48 inch vertical leap is an all-time NBA record), and he’s a great defender, but his offense needs work. I would have liked him better with a rebuilding team, but that doesn’t mean he’s gonna be bad for the Clippers.
I like Jason Preston as a player. He’s a floor general. He’s a shooter. He rebounds well for a guard (7 per game in college). I think he’s gonna come in and make an impact for the Clippers this year.
Brandon Boston was a five star recruit coming out of high school, but he wasn’t that good at Kentucky (35% from the field, 30% from three). Taking him at 51st is a low risk, high reward type of situation. If he doesn’t do anything, then it’s no biggie, but if he becomes a solid player then this pick would look great.
Grade: B
Los Angeles Lakers
Draftees: None
Although the Lakers didn’t have a draft pick, they signed undrafted rookie Joel Ayayi to a contract right after the draft. He is 3&D type of player, which a LeBron led team could always use. Good signing.
Grade: B+
Memphis Grizzlies
Draftees: Ziaire Williams (10th), Santi Aldama (30th)
Ziaire Williams, another project player, might have been a bit of a reach at 10. I like his potential though. He’s another high flying athlete. He shot just 29% from three in college, but his shot looks good and I think he’ll become a consistent shooter. He plays defense. If all works out, he’ll become a long term contributor for Memphis. I’m just not sure if a project was the right choice with Ja ready to win now.
I don’t know a thing about Santi Aldama. I hadn’t even heard his name when he got drafted. Go out and make me learn your name, Santi.
Maybe it’s just because I’m a Bucks fan, but I’m high on Sandro Mamukelashvili (Mamu). He’s a 6’10” center, but he can dribble, drive, shoot, score in the post, and playmake. He does it all. I’m gassed to watch him play. Even if he doesn’t work out, he was just the 54th pick and it’s no big deal.
Grade: B+
New York Knicks
Draftees: Quentin Grimes (25th), Rokas Jokubaitis (34th), Miles McBride (36th), Jericho Sims (58th)
Quentin Grimes is a top scorer in this draft class. He shot 40% from three on 8 attempts in college (which is ridiculously good). He can also play off the dribble. He adds another offensive weapon to a Knicks roster that already has Alec Burks and Evan Fournier.
Before the Bucks traded the 31st pick, I wanted them to draft Miles McBride there. After the draft combine, he had some first round buzz around his name. He can shoot, playmake, and defend. He’s a complete player that will make a winning impact for the Knicks this year.
Jericho Sims catches a lot of lobs, and blocks some shots. He’ll be some insurance if the Knicks move on from Mitchell Robinson one day.
Grade: B+
New Orleans Pelicans
Draftees: Trey Murphy III (17th), Herb Jones (35th)
Trey Murphy is a top 3&D prospect in this draft class. He’ll help the Pelicans out right away.
Herb Jones is a versatile defender going to a team that struggled on defense last season.
Grade: B+
Oklahoma City Thunder
Draftees: Josh Giddey (6th), Tre Mann (18th), Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (32nd), Aaron Wiggins (55th)
The biggest surprise of the draft is Josh Giddey at six. He was a projected lottery pick, but six was high. It still might end up being too high, but he’s a good player and fits in with OKC. He’s a 6’8” point guard who can really playmake. He can get to the basket. His jumpshot is still a work in progress, but it will probably come around. He’s just 19, so he has plenty of time to grow.
Tre Mann is another bucket. He can create his own shot. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (JRE) can rebound, score inside, and dribble/drive some. He could become a solid outside shooter. Aaron Wiggins can score, and I think he was a good value pick at 55.
Grade: A-
Orlando Magic
Draftees: Jalen Suggs (5th), Franz Wagner (8th)
Jalen Suggs was a top four talent that fell to the Magic at five. He’s a true point guard with excellent pass vision. He can score. He’s a good defender. He’s got the potential to be an All-Star in this league. My one nitpick with this pick is Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony, and RJ Hampton are already on Orlando’s roster. One of those guys is not gonna get the minutes they deserve. However, the Magic did the right thing by grabbing the best player available.
Franz Wagner is a do-it-all combo forward. He’ll be a great glue guy in the NBA. He would fit in with any team, and Orlando is no different.
Grade: A-
Philadelphia 76ers
Draftees: Jaden Springer (28th), Filip Petrusev (50th), Charles Bassey (53rd)
Jaden Springer is a solid player. He’s one of the best perimeter defenders in this draft. He can also score the ball from all three levels. He should be able to help Philadelphia win right away.
Petrusev and Bassey give Philadelphia more depth at the center position. Charles Bassey is more intriguing to me than Petrusev. He protects the rim at a high level (3 blocks per game in his third year at Western Kentucky), he rebounds, and can even shoot the ball a little (32% from three in his college career).
Grade: B
Portland Trail Blazers
Draftee: Greg Brown (43rd)
Greg Brown might be the best second round pick. He’s a 6’9” high-flying athlete. He catches a ton of lobs. He’s quick for his size, and has the potential to guard multiple positions. His shot is smooth, and he could become a good shooter in the NBA. He’s probably not going to have the biggest impact right away, but I like his potential a lot.
Davion Mitchell is one of the more NBA ready prospects in this class. He showed that in his summer league debut. He’s a scorer, a playmaker, and a defender. The problem with this pick is not Davion as a player. It’s his fit in Sacramento.
As long as De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton are in Sacramento, it is unlikely that Davion Mitchell will start. It doesn’t make sense to use your top ten pick on a backup. I think Sacramento should have taken a wing.
Neemias Queta is a good rim protecting center (3.3 blocks per game in his last season in college), but he joins a crowded Sacramento frontcourt rotation with Richaun Holmes, Marvin Bagley, Tristan Thompson, Damian Jones, and Chimezie Metu.
Grade: C+
San Antonio Spurs
Draftees: Joshua Primo (12th), Joe Wieskamp (41st)
Coming in close second behind Giddey for biggest surprise pick is Joshua Primo. Josh was a projected second round pick (maybe late first round), but he was taken at 12 by the Spurs. He’s the youngest player in this class, therefore he has solid upside, but I don’t think we’ll know why the Spurs made this pick for a while. I trust Gregg Popovich to help Josh reach his full potential.
Joe Wieskamp adds shooting to a roster that was dead last in three point makes and attempts in the 2021 season.
Grade: B
Toronto Raptors
Draftees: Scottie Barnes (4th), Dalano Barton (46th), David Johnson (47th)
Scottie Barnes over Jalen Suggs was a surprise for a lot of people, but I like the pick. I think Scottie Barnes can be really solid in this league. He’s not really a scorer, but he does everything else. I think a Ben Simmons comparison would be reasonable for Scottie. He’s a 6’9” forward, but has point guard skills. He’s the most versatile defender in this class. As a bonus, things I’ve seen on social media suggest Scottie loves Toronto.
I know nothing about the second round picks. Sorry 🙂
Grade: B+
Utah Jazz
Draftee: Jared Butler (40th)
As one of the older rookies in the class, Jared Butler doesn’t have as much upside as other guys, but that’s not what the Jazz needed. They need players to help push them over the hump, and Jared is that. He’s a smart player who can shoot the ball. He’s a winner who will help the Jazz right away. I’m surprised he fell so low in the draft.
If the Wizards are trying to win while Bradley Beal is around (I think they are), then Corey Kispert will be able to help. He’s the best shooter in the draft class. He doesn’t do too much else, but elite shooting is very valuable in the NBA and Kispert will have a long career because of it.
Isaiah Todd is a 6’10” forward with a nice jumpshot who can score at all three levels. However, with Rui Hachimura and Kyle Kuzma on the roster, Isaiah may not be able to reach his full potential in Washington.
Grade: B
So, those are my grades for the 2021 NBA draft! Sorry it took so long. Do you agree with my grades? Let me know! See you next time!
The first blockbuster trade of the offseason just went down. I’m positive you know what I’m talking about and you’ve seen it (well, you saw the title of the article, so now you definitely know the trade). Regardless, here’s the full deal:
Wizards get: Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Pick 22 (which was traded in a separate deal to the Pacers for Aaron Holiday)
Lakers get: Russell Westbrook (and a few unimportant second round picks in 2024 and 2028)
Because this is such a big trade, I have to give my thoughts on it. I’ll talk about it from each team’s side and give some grades.
Washington Wizards
Obviously, the big talk of this trade is Westbrook teaming up with Bron and AD. But, I think the Wizards did a pretty good job here.
As long as Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook were the core, the Wizards weren’t winning a championship. They probably weren’t even gonna make the conference finals. Beal and Russ are good players, they just didn’t work together.
Because they didn’t work together well, paying Russ 40 million dollars a year was unnecessary and bad for the team. Therefore, a trade made sense, and this was a solid return for Westbrook.
The main guy is Kyle Kuzma. Despite all the memes about him and the hate he receives, Kuzma is a good NBA player. In the 2018-19 season (LeBron’s first year in LA), Kuz averaged near 20 points as a starter. Then, AD arrived and the Lakers went into full contention mode. Kuz was moved to the bench and given a lesser role. That stunted his growth a little bit.
Now, going to Washington, Kuz will have a big role again. I think next year’s gonna be big for him.
Besides Kuzma, Montrezl and KCP are both solid role players who can play significant minutes on championship level teams. That makes them valuable for the Wizards if they want to try to win games, or valuable as trade assets.
Also, Aaron Holiday was acquired because of this deal. He’s a decent young point guard. Maybe he’ll make a jump.
This was a good trade for the Wizards. They didn’t need Westbrook, and got a solid return for him.
Grade: B+
Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron got another star. It’s crazy that Russ is a Laker. I don’t think it’s gonna fully set in until I see him play a game in the Lakers jersey.
People saying that the Lakers are worse with Westbrook are crazy. You don’t add a player of his caliber and get worse.
People are saying that because of the fit. I’ll admit that I’m not a massive fan of the fit.
Russ is not effective without the ball, mostly because he struggles as a three point shooter. He needs to have the ball so he can attack the basket and create for his teammates. That wouldn’t be a big deal if he wasn’t on a team with LeBron James (and Anthony Davis).
I think they’ll somehow make it work, mostly because Russ is a great playmaker. If he wasn’t a playmaker, then this fit would suck.
I don’t have much else to say about this. This trade obviously gives the Lakers a third star to help them win another championship. The only people who can stop this team is themselves.
Grade: A- (Would be an A if the fit was better.)
Those are my thoughts on the Russell Westbrook deal. Do you agree with my thoughts? If not, what do you think? Let me know! See you next time!
Not having NBA basketball for a few months is sad, but the offseason is still fun. There is a ton of player movement to keep the offseason exciting.
That being said, the first trade of the offseason (Kemba trade excluded because the playoffs were still going on) happened today. The trade looked like this:
New Orleans Pelicans get: Jonas Valanciunas, Pick 17, Pick 51
Memphis Grizzlies get: Steven Adams, Eric Bledsoe, Pick 10, Pick 40, 2022 1st Round Pick
There’s no All-Stars involved in this trade, but these aren’t nobodies. Jonas Valanciunas, Steven Adams, and Eric Bledsoe are all good NBA players.
Let’s talk about this trade for each team.
New Orleans Pelicans
This is a big move for the Pelicans for multiple reasons. Obviously, the main thing is getting Jonas Valanciunas. JV is a significant upgrade from Steven Adams. In fact (this may be a stupid take), I’d rather have JV on my team than both Adams and Bledsoe. So that’s something.
What makes the player upgrade even more significant is that New Orleans just freed up 21 million dollars. JV makes 14 mil next year, while Bledsoe and Adams make 35 combined. That’s huge.
Of course, the downgrade in this trade comes with the draft picks. Dropping from 10th to 17th is a large drop. However, I think the player swap favors New Orleans enough where the drop is no big deal. There are definitely good players available at the 17th pick.
So, overall, this was a good move for the Pelicans. I already knew they wanted to compete, and this trade is a win-now move. They got a better player while dumping lots of salary. This is a win for New Orleans.
Grade: A-
Memphis Grizzlies
I understand why Memphis did this trade. Adding the 10th pick to their collection of young talent is a great thing. The problem I have with this deal for Memphis is the money. They had money freed up to spend this offseason, and now they don’t. There isn’t a crazy talented free agency class this offseason, but having money freed up is still a luxury. That money is now gone, and it’s tied up in Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe. That kinda stinks.
Even though going from JV to Steven Adams is a decrease, Steven Adams can still be good for Memphis. He’s your typical rebounding, shot blocking, and lob catching center. One interesting thing about Adams is that he is supposedly serious about adding a three point shot to his game. IF he actually does that, that would be significant. If he can’t, oh well.
I’m curious to see if Memphis keeps Bledsoe or flips him. Keep is probably the answer, cause I doubt there’s a huge market for Bled right now.
All in all, this is only a positive trade for Memphis because they got the 10th pick. Otherwise, not so great.
Grade: B
Those are my thoughts on the Jonas Valanciunas trade! Do you agree with my grades, or disagree? What do you think about the trade? Let me know on Twitter (@thebenchmobblog)! See you next time!
(Long time, no see, everybody! Sorry about the drought of articles. I was just enjoying the Finals. I’ll be back to my usual article schedule now.)
The Bucks did it.
For the first time in 50 years, the Milwaukee Bucks are NBA champions!
I’m pumped. This is awesome.
I truly love this Bucks roster. I think it’s my favorite team ever (not just because they won the championship).
Part of it is because they were kind of underdogs this year. Nobody was really talking about them, and when they did, it was almost all negative. It’s always fun to root for the underdog. Added fun came with the underdog being my favorite team. They proved a lot of people wrong. (Shoutout to the city of Milwaukee for proving all the people that called it a bad city wrong.)
So, in honor of the championship, I’m going to highlight every player on the roster. I’m gonna talk about how good they are (of course), but also why I love them so much. There’s not a single player on this roster that I dislike. Let’s get going.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis is the hardest working, most loyal, and best player in the National Basketball Association. Everybody knows his story now, so I won’t retell it here, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive. Giannis’s growth throughout his career is ridiculous, and so was his play in the playoffs. All-time great performance from him, especially in the Finals. It’s wild to say that at this rate, Giannis could very well approach top ten all-time level by the time he retires. As of now, he’s definitely top 50 all time, and the greatest Buck ever. His loyalty to the franchise is awesome. I admire his character so much. He’s a great leader and teammate. He’s super humble. He’s super hard working. His goal was to bring a championship to Milwaukee, and he did it. He deserved this ring more than any other NBA player. There is so much more I could say about Giannis, but I won’t. Thank you Giannis.
Khris Middleton
All throughout the season and playoffs, people were saying Khris could not be the second option on a championship team. Those people were wrong. He had an elite playoffs. He was the closer in every close game, and delivered every time. He’s a top ten clutch player in the league. At this point (the following take was made passionately, and also off the top of my head. Don’t get mad), if you don’t have Khris in your top 30 players right now, you’re a casual. Khris is just so good. His game is so smooth. I love watching him play. Thank you Kash Money Middleton.
Jrue Holiday
Jrue quickly became one of my favorite Bucks when he was traded here. It’s a lot of fun watching him dominate on defense like he does. It only makes sense that the biggest play of the playoffs this year was made off of a Jrue steal. Jrue isn’t only a defender though. Even when he was struggling on offense (which was a decent amount of the time in the playoffs), he still picked up close to 10 assists every game. He’s a very unselfish player. I’m glad he’s a part of the Bucks big three for the long haul. Thank you Jrue.
Brook Lopez
Brook Lopez was rock solid throughout the playoffs. He stepped up when he was needed. He was the leading scorer in the closeout game of the conference finals, where he had a vintage Brook game. Not only is he a three level scorer, he’s also a rim protector. He does a great job of affecting shots in the paint. My favorite part of watching Brook is his facial expressions. He’s super entertaining. Thank you Brook.
Bobby Portis Jr.
BOBBY! BOBBY! BOBBY!
For a guy who’s a fan of underdog/bench guys, the love Bobby has received is awesome to me. Being in the arena for game three and hearing all the Bobby chants was so much fun. I’ve loved the way he’s played all year. His energy is electric. Not only does he bring that energy on the court, he brings it to the city of Milwaukee. He loves it here, and I love that. I hope he finishes his career with the Bucks. Thank you Bobby!
(In my speed and strength class, a warmup we do everyday is primetimes. My friends and I have renamed them Bobbys because of this.)
Donte DiVincenzo
This season, Donte showed me that he’s one of the most underrated young players in the league. I hated to see him get injured. He is super important to this team on both ends. I hope the Bucks don’t try to trade him again. Bogdan Bogdanovic is good, but he’s not the long term answer. It was a sign that the trade was shut down. I’m excited to see Donte’s growth in the next few years. Thank you Donte.
P.J. Tucker
I don’t care what the Bulls did, or what the Heat did, or what the Blazers did. The Bucks are officially the winner of the trade deadline. P.J. Tucker was very important in the playoffs, especially against the Nets. Of course, it’s impossible to stop Kevin Durant, but P.J. was able to slow him down in a lot of cases. KD shot 50% from the field and 35% from three in that series. That doesn’t meet KD’s usual play, and P.J. is the reason why KD didn’t shoot like he usually does. Not only is P.J. a tough defender, he also is one of the best hustle guys in the league. He grabs big rebounds, and goes after every loose ball. He always plays his heart out. I’m glad he got a championship before he retires in a few years. Thank you P.J.
Pat Connaughton
Pat Connaughton is my mom’s favorite player. However, it wasn’t just her that enjoyed his awesome Finals performance (scratch the closeout game). I loved every second of it. He hit big threes, grabbed crazy rebounds, and played solid defense on Booker. I saw plenty of people on social media say Pat sucked during the regular season. He proved all of them wrong. Pat was one of the most important role players for the Bucks during the championship run. Thank you Pat.
Bryn Forbes
Bryn was the X-factor against the Heat. He scored more points than Jimmy Butler in that series. He wasn’t as effective in the rest of the playoffs, but he didn’t really get the minutes. Everytime Bryn shoots, I think it’s going in. He’s a pure shooter, and that’s what he provided the Bucks this year. Thank you Bryn.
Thanasis Antetokounpo
Thanasis is one of the best energy guys in the whole NBA. He never sits down when he’s on the bench. When he’s on the court, he goes after every loose ball and dogs on defense. He also can get you a highlight dunk. I know the Bucks missed him during the last few Finals games, cause I did. Watching him cry on Giannis’s Instagram live after game 6 made me love him even more. Thanasis best be on the Bucks for the rest of his career. Thank you Thanasis.
Jeff Teague
All the Jeff Teague hate I saw during the playoffs was unnecessary. For a dude who didn’t play much, he came out and did his job. He didn’t take many shots, but he made some threes. He grabbed some steals. He didn’t turn the ball over. He was a good veteran piece for the Bucks to have. Thank you Jeff.
Jordan Nwora
Jordan was one of the most underrated rookies this season. For a second round pick, he overperformed. He can shoot the ball off the catch and off the dribble. I’m looking forward to next season for Jordan because I think he’s gonna be a consistent rotation piece for the Bucks. I was hoping the Bucks would get Desmond Bane last year, but I’m glad Jordan is around because he does the same thing. Thank you Jordan.
Sam Merrill
Sam Merrill also overperformed this year. He was the last pick in the draft, but he was pretty solid this year. Just like Jordan, Sam can also shoot the ball. I am a big fan of the Bucks 2020 draft class. Thank you Sam.
Mamadi Diakite
I also like Mamadi a lot. He looked really good in the G-League bubble this year. Even though he hasn’t done too much on the court for the Bucks, Jon Horst must like the way he works off the court because Mamadi signed a multi-year deal. I think he can become a solid bench piece in the NBA one day. I’m excited to see the jump he can take next year. Thank you Mamadi.
Axel Toupane
Shoutout Axel Toupane. Every time I comment on his Instagram posts, he likes it and responds with an emoji or too. He has great social media game. Even though he didn’t play much for the Bucks, he’s one of my favorites now just because of that. Thank you Axel!
Elijah Byrant
Elijah Bryant was 4th in per game scoring for the Bucks this year (I don’t care that it was only one game). I am intrigued to see what he can do next season (I’m pretty sure he’s under contract). He was placed into the lineup for defensive purposes a few times in the playoffs, which is cool. He could be a situational ball handler/defender next year too. Thank you Elijah.
Justin Jackson
I don’t have too much to say about Justin besides he’s a solid player. He could be getting more minutes elsewhere (like he was with the Thunder earlier this year), but he chose to come to Milwaukee. Thank you Justin.
So, there’s a little paragraph about each player on my favorite team ever. Every single one of these guys added to the team, and has a special place in my heart (I don’t know if that’s the right way to say it, but basically I really like all these guys). Thanks to every single one of these guys for bringing a championship to Milwaukee (and Wisconsin).
The Milwaukee Bucks season ended two months earlier. After finishing with a 38-44 record, they were swept in the first round of the playoffs. Their roster was led by Monta Ellis, Brandon Jennings, and Ersan Ilyasova. Young Tobias Harris and John Henson were also on the team.
Because they made the playoffs, the Bucks picked just outside the lottery. With that pick, they selected 18 year old prospect Giannis Antetokounmpo out of Greece. At the time, almost nobody knew who he was. He was selected because of his super high upside, but he also had bust potential.
4 days later, the Bucks traded Brandon Jennings to the Detroit Pistons. In return, they got Brandon Knight and Khris Middleton.
Brandon Knight (at the time) was pretty good. He was only 21, and was already a solid scorer. Khris Middleton was a second round pick coming off his rookie season where he only played 27 games (and averaged 6 points). He wasn’t really supposed to be anything at the time.
In the 2013-14 season, the Bucks sucked. They were 15-67. Khris Middleton played surprisingly well, averaging 12 points while shooting 41% from three. He played in all 82 games. Giannis averaged 7 points and 4 rebounds.
Milwaukee’s awful record earned them the second pick in the 2014 draft. With that pick, they selected Jabari Parker. Jabari was the guy at the time (besides Wiggins). He was a consensus All-American. He was going to be a star, and the second guy next to Giannis for the long term.
Going into the 2014-15 season, the Bucks now had a young core of Giannis, Khris, Jabari, and Knight. Veterans like Ersan, OJ Mayo, Jared Dudley, and Jerryd Bayless were on the team. John Henson was still around. They didn’t have much expectation, but their roster was solid.
24 games into that season, the Bucks were 12 and 12. Giannis was playing well, Jabari was playing well, and so was Khris. Then, in the 25th game of the season against the Phoenix Suns, Jabari Parker tore his ACL. It was a tough blow for the Bucks.
The Bucks finished the season 41-41, which landed them the sixth seed in the East. Despite shooting struggles from Giannis (37% FG on the series) and Khris (38% FG, 32% 3PT), they still managed to push the series to 6 games against a Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose led Bulls roster.
The 2015-16 season was the first jump for Giannis. He had now put on almost 30 pounds of muscle since his rookie season. He averaged 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists (as well as a steal and a block). He was showing why he was selected in the first round back in 2013, but there was still more to come.
Khris also had a solid 2015-16 season, averaging 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. The Bucks missed the playoffs, but with Giannis and Khris taking jumps, things were starting to look good.
With his 2016 lottery pick, John Hammond selected Thon Maker. Thon was another Giannis type pick, a player with high upside and no guarantee he would hit it. With his second round pick, Hammond selected Malcolm Brogdon. He was a four year college player out of Virginia, and was regarded as a very smart player, and one of the best perimeter defenders in the draft class. People thought he would be solid.
The Bucks didn’t sign anybody important this offseason, but they did trade for Tony Snell.
The 2016-17 season was Giannis’s big breakout. He averaged 23 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks. Those numbers not only earned him most improved player, but also All-NBA 2nd team, All-Defensive 2nd team, and even 7th place in MVP voting. John Hammond’s risk back in 2013 had officially paid off.
Khris Middleton’s numbers were down from the previous season, but it’s because he had to sacrifice shots to Jabari Parker. Jabari was having a great season, averaging 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists while shooting 36% from three (all career highs).
Then he tore his ACL for the second time.
Jabari’s breakout year was cut short after 50 games with a second tear in the same ACL he injured in his rookie year.
Jabari is the biggest what-if of the Giannis era (besides maybe “what if Eric Bledsoe was good at basketball”). He was that guy coming out of college, and it definitely seemed like he could have been an All-Star in the NBA. It’s really sad that he had to get injured. (By the way, if you weren’t aware, he’s still playing. After bouncing around a few teams, he got a deal with the Celtics this season, and was playing pretty decently as a role player. I’m happy for him.)
Even though he was the 10th overall pick, Thon Maker only played 10 minutes per game in the 2016-17 season. He averaged 4 points and 2 rebounds, while shooting 38% from three (which is solid, especially for a seven footer).
The best rookie on the Bucks that year was Malcolm Brogdon. He averaged 10 points, 4 assists, and shot 40% from three. Those numbers earned him Rookie of the Year, making him the lowest draft pick to ever win the award (he still is).
The Bucks made the playoffs as the 6th seed, finishing with a 42-40 record. They lost in 6 games to the Raptors. Despite another early playoff exit, the Bucks core was still young. Giannis was just 22, Jabari was 21, Khris was 25, and Brogdon was 24. There was still plenty of room to grow.
Just a few games into the 2017-18 season, the Bucks traded Greg Monroe and a 1st round pick for Eric Bledsoe from the Phoenix Suns. Bledsoe was a good defender, and also a guy who had averaged 20 points a few times in his career. This was a win-now move for the Bucks, as Bledsoe was supposed to become their new second best player.
The Bucks finished the 2017-18 season with a 44-38 record, earning them the 7th seed. They had turned into a legitimate playoff team. Giannis improved again, averaging 27/10/5. He was blossoming into a superstar. Khris averaged 20 points for the first time in his career. Bledsoe averaged 18 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals in his first season with the Bucks. Brogdon averaged 13, now the fourth option on this team.
After missing a large chunk of the season, Jabari Parker returned from his injury to play 31 games. He was moved to a bench role, where he averaged 12 points.
In the playoffs, the Bucks and the Celtics had a competitive seven game series. The Bucks lost, but it was still a great series. I’ll remember it for two things. The first is Khris Middleton’s epic game-tying half court buzzer beater (he shot a sizzling 61% from three that series). The other is Terry Rozier just destroying Eric Bledsoe all series. This was the first sign that Bledsoe was not the guy for Milwaukee (and the first sign of how good Terry Rozier is).
After the 2018 playoffs, the Bucks knew they were ready to go all in on winning. They made a number of moves in the 2018 offseason and the ‘18-19 season.
The first thing they did was draft Donte DiVincenzo. Donte was a winner in college, winning two championships in three seasons with Villanova. He was selected as more of a win-now type of rookie.
The 2018 Bucks free agent class included Brook Lopez, Pat Connaughton, and Ersan Ilyasova. Brook was the big signing, as he was supposed to slide into the starting center role as a rim protector and floor stretcher.
The Bucks also hired Mike Budenholzer to be their new head coach, and Jon Horst to be the new GM. Budenholzer learned from Gregg Popovich as an assistant, and then was the head coach of Atlanta’s 60 win team. Horst had been with the team since 2008 as the head of basketball operations.
The most notable part of the 2018 offseason for the Bucks was that they let Jabari Parker walk. He signed a 2 year, $40 million dollar deal with the Bulls. I think it made sense for the Bucks to do so. Paying $20 million dollars to a guy who at that point was kind of an uncertainty would not make sense for a team trying to win. It was just an unfortunate ending to Jabari’s time with the Bucks.
The Bucks made a few midseason trades as well in 2018. One was to acquire George Hill to be the backup point guard. The other was for Nikola Mirotic. Both were solid veteran players that added depth to the Bucks roster. The Mirotic trade brought the end to Thon Maker’s time in Milwaukee. He hadn’t worked out like he was supposed to, so he had to go.
The Bucks were confident that they would be good, and they were. They won a league best 60 games. The Bucks had the top defense in the league. Giannis won his first MVP. Khris made his first All-Star game. Malcolm Brogdon joined the exclusive 50/40/90 club. Brook Lopez completed the reinvention of his game and became Splash Mountain. Eric Bledsoe made All-Defensive 1st team.
The Bucks playoff run started off strong, taking care of the Pistons in a quick 4 games. Then they beat the Celtics in a quick five games. This was the deepest playoff run of the Giannis era. The Bucks were headed to the conference finals.
The Bucks won the first two games against the Raptors, and one win was by 22 points. Things were looking good.
However, nobody was stopping Kawhi Leonard. The Raptors won four straight games and the series. Giannis was held to only 45% from the field in the series. Eric Bledsoe shot a woeful 29%. George Hill, however, was excellent off the bench in this series (and the playoffs in general). He shot 51% from the field and 42% from three, averaging 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals.
The Bucks were going to have to come back stronger next year.
In 2019 free agency, there was a decision to be made. Khris Middleton, Malcolm Brogdon, and Brook Lopez all needed to be resigned. Because Eric Bledsoe got his extension mid-season, the Bucks could only afford two of the three free agents.
Malcolm Brogdon was the one let go. He was signed, and then traded to Indiana for some picks. I think that was the right decision. Middleton had to stay, that wasn’t a question. Brook Lopez was also so valuable in his role that it would be hard to replace him. Ultimately, even though Brogdon was very good at what he did, a 3&D shooting guard was the easiest role to fill. (I would have taken Brogdon over Bledsoe any day, and I wish that Bledsoe was the one let go. On the other hand, the Bucks probably wouldn’t have gotten Jrue Holiday if we kept Brogdon, so I guess it all worked out.)
The Bucks added Wesley Matthews, Robin Lopez, Kyle Korver, and Thanasis Antetokounmpo in 2019 free agency.
Going into the 2019-20 season, the Bucks were a favorite to win the championship. They had another great regular season, finishing as the one seed with a record of 56-17. Giannis had his best season yet, averaging 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists. He won his second MVP (back to back) and Defensive Player of the Year. Khris made his second All-Star game. George Hill’s playoff efficiency carried over, as he shot 52% from the field and 46% from three. Donte DiVicenzo became an important bench piece, and showed his defensive abilities.
In the bubble playoffs, the Bucks took down the “home team” Orlando Magic in the first round. Giannis wreaked havoc on Gary Clark all series, averaging 30 points and 16 rebounds across 5 games.
Then, the Bucks lost in 5 games to the Miami Heat in the second round. It was a very disappointing ending to such a good season for the Bucks. Giannis was held to just 22 points per game while being guarded by Bam Adebayo. Eric Bledsoe had another awful performance, shooting 33% from the field and 21% from three across the series.
It was now time to make a significant change. The Bucks were great in the regular season, but just couldn’t get over the hump in the playoffs. In my mind, and a lot of other peoples’, it was clear who needed to go. Jon Horst agreed.
Eric Bledsoe (and George Hill, but not because he was bad) was out the door. Jrue Holiday (and Sam Merrill) were the newest Milwaukee Bucks.
Jrue is miles better than Bledsoe. He’s better on defense (Bledsoe is a really good defender, but Jrue is an elite one), but the big difference is the offense. Jrue is actually a good shooter. He’s also a better playmaker than Bled. I’m still amazed the Bucks were able to pull that deal off.
Other offseason additions included Bobby Portis and Bryn Forbes. Both were at the top of the league in three-point percentage this season. Bobby has become a fan favorite in Milwaukee.
Midseason additions included P.J. Tucker and Jeff Teague. Tucker, despite being inconsistent on offense, has made a big impact on defense for the Bucks. Especially when he guarded Kevin Durant in the second round. Jeff Teague has also had a few playoff moments, like his three 3PM performance in game 6 against Atlanta.
The Bucks went 46-26 this season, earning them the 3rd seed. They swept Miami in the first round, showing the league they weren’t playing around this year. Then they beat the Nets in a competitive 7 game series. Then they beat Atlanta in 6 games in the conference finals (and the last two wins were without Giannis).
The Bucks did it. They are in the Finals. It’s crazy.
Time to give some shoutouts.
Shoutout Giannis, for improving every year and being loyal to his team (and for being an incredible basketball player). Shoutout Khris, for proving all of his doubters wrong this playoffs. Shoutout Jrue, for being better than Eric Bledsoe. Shoutout Bledsoe, because I still respect him. Shoutout Brook Lopez. Shoutout Bobby, for playing hard and making the city of Milwaukee fall in love with him. Shoutout Pat Connaughton, for working hard every game and making an impact off the bench. Shoutout the Bucks bench mob (Nwora, Sammy, Mamadi, Axel, Elijah, and Justin), I love you guys. Shoutout Thanasis for bringing incredible energy all the time. Shoutout Jeff Teague. Shoutout Jon Horst for being an excellent GM. Shoutout Malcolm Brogdon, I miss you. Shoutout Thon Maker. Shoutout Bucks legends Tony Snell and Sterling Brown. Shoutout D.J. Wilson. Shoutout Wes Matthews for being my favorite Buck last year.
Ok fine, I’m done.
So that was my messy recap of the Giannis era. Did you like reading it? Let me know! I think the come up of Giannis and the Bucks is a great story, and I hope I did a good job of touching on all the important parts.
Just four years ago, in the 2017-18 season, the Phoenix Suns were awful. They were last in the league in offensive and defensive ratings. Young star Devin Booker was playing for a team where his second best player was T.J. Warren (pre-bubble, of course). Their recent lottery picks, Dragan Bender and Josh Jackson, weren’t performing like they should have. They finished with a record of 21-61.
In the 2018 offseason, two major things happened for the Suns. GM Ryan McDonough drafted Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges. He was also fired and replaced by James Jones.
James Jones made the trade to acquire Kelly Oubre early in that season. Oubre is an important piece in the Suns story.
The Suns finished with a 19-63 record in the 2018-19 season. That’s worse than the previous season, but the core was now there. Book, Ayton, Oubre, Bridges, and Warren.
The 2019 offseason was big for Phoenix. It started off with the T.J. Warren trade, which was a weird one because all they got in return was some second round picks. Cam Johnson was drafted, and many people considered him a bad pick. Selecting a guy who was already 23 years old in the lottery seemed crazy.
Josh Jackson, De’Anthony Melton, and two seconds were traded for Jevon Carter (which in hindsight is a kind of a bad trade. Jevon is solid, but Melton is better, and so is Josh. It’s the only “bad” trade that James Jones did).
2019 free agency for the Suns was headlined by the resigning of Kelly Oubre, and the arrival of Ricky Rubio. Those signings were made possible by the T.J. Warren deal, which cleared up money (the trade didn’t look as bad after free agency).
Monty Williams was hired this offseason, who has proven to be an excellent coach.
The 2019-20 season was a turning point for the Suns. They became the Valley Boyz, a name coined by Kelly Oubre. Fueled by strong play from Book, Oubre, Ayton, Rubio, Bridges, and Cam Johnson, the Suns were in the playoff hunt. Then, COVID hit and the NBA shut down. When the bubble was announced, Phoenix’s record was good enough to send them to Orlando. Unfortunately, Oubre had gone down with a knee injury and would miss the bubble.
When the bubble was announced, the NBA allowed teams to sign free agents and fill out their rosters. This is my favorite part of the Suns story. They were on the brink of the playoffs. Usually, teams fighting for a playoff spot want veterans to fill out their roster. Guys like Gerald Green, Iman Shumpert, and Boogie Cousins were available for the Suns.
Instead, Phoenix picked up Cameron Payne.
Cam Payne was picked at the end of the lottery in 2015. For the first few years of his career, he wasn’t good. In fact, in 2017 a Chicago Bulls coach said Cam could not play at an NBA level.
So, if Cam wasn’t an NBA player, why would James Jones sign him? Well, I don’t know, but he clearly saw something that nobody else did.
The 2020 NBA Bubble is where the Suns got over the hump.
First came a win against the Wizards. Nothing special, Bradley Beal didn’t play.
Then came a two point win against the Mavericks. That was a big win, because Luka had 40 that game and Porzingis had 30.
After that was the defining win against the Clippers, where Book hit the game winner. That was a big one, because the Clippers were title contenders.
Next came four more wins. One against Indiana and bubble god and former Sun T.J. Warren. One against the Eastern Conference champion Heat. One in a 27 point blowout against the Thunder. The final was against Philadelphia.
The Phoenix Suns were now 7-0 in the bubble, the last undefeated team. Their final game was a rematch against the Dallas Mavericks. Could they win, and complete the undefeated run? Yup. They overcame a 18 point and 20 rebound game from Boban Marjanovic and took a 26 point win.
They had done it. They finished 8-0. Booker was awesome. Ayton, Bridges, Rubio, and Johnson all did their thing. Dario Saric and Jevon Carter were solid. But, most importantly, Cameron Payne played great. That’s right, the guy who wasn’t supposed to be an NBA level player averaged 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists while shooting a sizzling 52% from three in 8 wins for the Suns.
Unfortunately, the 8-0 surge was not enough to land Phoenix in the playoffs. But, the Suns now knew that they were capable of big things.
That’s why they traded for Christopher Emmanuel Paul.
That was a crazy trade, too. Chris showed what he brought to a team when he led the Thunder to the playoffs in 2020. He was obviously a top point guard. Despite his age, you would expect a large return.
Ricky Rubio, Kelly Oubre, and only one first round pick (Ty Jerome as well) isn’t exactly a large return (of course, Sam Presti turned that return into a lot more, but I can’t talk about that in this article). It was tough to see Kelly Oubre go, because he was a significant part of creating the winning culture in Phoenix. OKC had to get something valuable in return for Chris, so I guess he had to go (that’s a joke, Ricky Rubio is a solid player).
The Chris Paul trade was made possible by the T.J. Warren deal back in 2019. If he wasn’t traded, the Suns wouldn’t have been able to acquire Ricky Rubio and resign Kelly Oubre.
The 2020 free agency class was solid for Phoenix. Jae Crowder was the headliner. Crowder is a winning player. He’s the perfect guy to have on your roster if you’re looking to contend. Dario Saric, who’s become a solid stretch center, returned. Jevon Carter, the scrappy backup guard also came back. Langston Galloway and E’Twaun Moore were signed. Frank Kaminsky returned, which I think was a funny thing because Phoenix waived him, he signed with Sacramento and was waived, and then Phoenix brought him back afterwards
The final piece of this roster, Torrey Craig, was acquired at the trade deadline for practically nothing. I dislike that the Bucks did this deal, because I was really excited when they signed him in the 2020 offseason. It is what it is, I guess.
So, with a roster led by Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, and Jae Crowder, everybody knew the Suns were gonna be good. And they obviously are. This story is just so crazy because of how Phoenix went straight from missing the playoffs to the Finals.
So, shoutout to James Jones, who’s one of the best GMs in the NBA. Shoutout Monty Williams, who’s awesome at his job. Shoutout to Devin Booker, who’s been continuously great throughout his whole career. Shoutout Chris Paul, the ultimate point guard and leader who really pushed Phoenix over the top. Shoutout Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges, who are both really great young guys with bright futures. Shoutout Cameron Payne, who’s success story is one of the best. Shoutout Frank Kamisnky. Shoutout Kelly Oubre, the man who created Valley Boyz. Shoutout T.J. Warren, the guy who was sacrificed to make the Chris Paul trade happen (indirectly, of course). Shoutout Josh Jackson, who’s kinda reviving his career. Shoutout Dragan Bender because he’s a former Buck.
I really love the Suns roster, and I hate that I have to root against them now.
So, that’s the story of the Phoenix Suns. Did you enjoy reading it? I hope so, I took time out of my vacation to write it (just kidding, I’m writing this at 9 o’clock so I’m not doing anything better).
Congratulations Pistons fans! I’m happy for you. The first pick is really big for a team whose franchise player was Andre Drummond for most of the decade.
All signs point to Cade Cunningham being the number one selection. Although I’m not really a big college basketball guy, I know Cade’s really good. As long as Detroit doesn’t screw up his development, he’s gonna be special.
The roster beyond Cade, however, is the main reason I wanted to write this article. Detroit has quietly built a really solid young core.
Jerami Grant is obviously the guy in Detroit right now. He’s got the offense and the defense. Can he be the best player on a championship team? Absolutely not. Could he be the best player on a playoff team? Potentially, because I think the Pistons could make it next year. All in all, Jerami is a really good NBA player. (It’s cool to see him on the Olympics roster.)
I like Saddiq Bey a lot. He deserved his All-Rookie first team selection, no question about it. He’s a great shooter. I think he could be an All-Star one day. Look out for serious growth from him next season.
Isaiah Stewart also looked good this year. He brought it in the paint on both ends of the floor. He even shot 33% from three, which is super impressive for a rookie big who didn’t really shoot in college.
Killian Hayes showed flashes, especially as a playmaker. He wasn’t an efficient scorer, but that will come along. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do in a fully healthy season.
Hami Diallo showed me this season that he’s more than just a dunker. He brings great energy. He’ll develop even further in coming seasons.
Josh Jackson breathed some life into his career this season. He wasn’t very efficient this year, as he was towards the bottom of the league in stats like true shooting % and PER. His shot selection was iffy, but considering he had total freedom in Detroit that’s not surprising. In order to really see how good he is, he’s gonna have to play in a more controlled environment. Playoff contention in 2022 for the Pistons would shorten that leash.
Frank Jackson is another player I like. For one reason or another, I decided to mention him in my preseason award prediction article as a dude who could make some solid improvement this year. That was pretty random at the time, but believe it or not, I was right. Frank was a really solid player off the bench for the Pistons this season. His efficiency jumped significantly this year (I’m linking you to his Basketball Reference page because I don’t feel like typing out all of his percentage increases). Dwayne Casey called him a keeper in an interview, and I agree. He seems to have found a home in Detroit.
Despite only playing 30 minutes together, a lineup of Killian, Frank, Josh, Saddiq, and Isaiah outscored opponents by 32.9 points per 100 possessions, which was far and away the best out of any Pistons lineup. That’s a really small sample size, but it’s still a positive sign for Detroit’s young core.
All in all, I like Detroit’s roster a lot. After a super mediocre 2010’s, things are looking bright for the Detroit Pistons. I’m here for it.
The first trade of the NBA offseason went down today, and it involves some biggish names. Kemba Walker is headed to OKC. Al Horford is returning to Boston. Some draft picks are involved. If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the full deal.
Boston Celtics get: Al Horford, Moses Brown, 2023 2nd round pick
In my “what’s next for the Boston Celtics” article, I said that Kemba was still worth a decent young player or a protected first round pick. Moses Brown is that young player. I think he fits great with Boston’s timeline as a young guy to grow alongside Tatum and JB, and he’s also a good player who can help Boston win now.
The problem is that now Boston has four rotational centers on their roster. They already had Robert Williams and Tristan Thompson, and they just added Moses and Horford.
Tristan Thompson should get traded. He’s the odd man out in my opinion. Al Horford can run the four because he can stretch the floor.
All in all, this was a decent return for Kemba. They cleared up some cap space, which is huge. The only problem is that they had to give up the 16th pick. Moses Brown is probably worth that, though, so it’s ok.
Celtics grade: B+
As for OKC, this was a solid trade. The main asset is that 16th overall pick. Sam Presti can use that pick to add to his stockpile of young players.
Giving up Moses Brown is unfortunate, but he can be replaced. Evan Mobley should be available when OKC drafts in the top five.
As for Kemba Walker, he probably shouldn’t stick around. The Thunder don’t need him. OKC on the selling end of a Kemba deal opens up a ton of possibilities, because they don’t need a super valuable asset in return. All they need is a couple draft picks.
Some teams that might be looking for Kemba include the Clippers, Dallas, New York, and Chicago.
I think this was a good trade for OKC. They got rid of Al Horford, and got a more valuable player in return. They got another first round pick. Good work from Sam Presti.
Grade: A- (Would be an A if Moses Brown wasn’t involved)
So, those are my thoughts about the first trade of the 2021 offseason! What do you think about this trade? Let me know! Thanks for reading, and see you next time!
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