NFL
Have you ever just thought back and thought “how could anything be better than watching some NBA basketball?” This past off-season answered that. With the preseason having just started, I thought it might be a nice idea to run through the off-season that was.
Let’s start with the beginning. The Warriors have just won their 2nd title in a 3 year stretch and teams are now trying to figure how they can get better in the off-season, or prepare themselves for a rebuild. The first big transaction of the summer set the stage perfectly for a wild off-season. The Hawks sent Dwight Howard and the 31st pick in the draft to the Hornets for Marco Bellineli, Miles Plumlee, and the 41st pick. I honestly could not tell you how this trade helps the Hornets. However, for the Hawks this rids them of a player on a bad contract that appeared to have a negative effect on their locker room. With this move being completed, it looked like the Hawks were looking to start a rebuild.
Shortly after that deal was completed, the Lakers sent young point guard D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov to the Nets for Brook Lopez and the 27th pick. This was a deal that surprisingly made a lot of sense considering both front offices are chaotic. The Lakers rid themselves of the Mozgov contract while obtaining the last year of Lopez and a late 1st. The Nets also received the piece in D’Angelo Russell that they could possibly build around going forward. This deal also set the Lakers up to draft Lonzo Ball in the draft that was occurring later that day.
Speaking of the draft, the Celtics dealt away the 1st overall pick to the 76ers so they could draft Markelle Fultz, pairing him with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. The Celtics would receive the 3rd pick, who turned into Jayson Tatum, and a future 1st. At the time, I thought that the 76ers were the clear winners in this deal, however after the rest of the summer went down I have decided it was a win-win.
With Fultz going first in the draft, the Lakers were able to pick up Lonzo Ball whom they had long coveted. With the new face of the Lakers in place, the City of Angels was thrilled. I, for one, am not so optimistic about their future.
Then during the draft the news broke that Jimmy Butler had FINALLY been dealt. After much speculation that he would be moved, the Bulls dealt Butler and the 16th pick (who turned into Justin Patton) to the Timberwolves for Kris Dunn, Zach Lavine, and the 7th pick (who turned into Lauri Markkanen). It was very clear immediately that Minnesota won this deal. Lavine is a good player but no stud, Dunn could become something someday, but Markkanen at 7 makes absolutely no sense. In dealing away a superstar, the Bulls should have received more.
With the draft taken care of, now seems like a good time to pause and reflect on the first part of the off-season. With free agency approaching, there is still lots to happen. Part 2 will be coming in the next couple of days.
As always feel free to comment, share, or tweet me @TheRucasJohnson
