The 2023-24 NBA Season is just right around the corner and there are so many different storylines and topics that surround the league. New rule changes, player movement, draft selections and much more. In a season where load management is trying to be halted, and a new In-Season Tournament changes the way the season is looked at, the NBA never fails to bring a new and interesting twist on the game of basketball in a professional level each season. 

We have a new generation of NBA talent coming in waves via the 2023 NBA Draft. Whether it's a 7'4 unicorn from France, a G-League Ignite superstar, or a set of twins coming from Overtime Elite, the NBA is set to be in good hands through this past draft class.

So many players unhappy with their situations. Some end up getting traded, some still stuck in purgatory within the organization those players do not want to be in. Other player movements around the league make an interesting twist on what teams could be overlooked, overhyped or maybe judged just right. 

In this, we break down each team in the league, their additions and subtractions, a storyline or two to look out for, and what I think of the team overall this year. This is NOT a prediction article, we are just breaking down everything that needs to be known about these teams, and can be used as a bit of a catch up if you have not followed the offseason as thoroughly, or maybe just need a little bit of a refresher.

Additions: Kobe Bufkin, Patty Mills, Wes Matthews

Losses: John Collins

Projected Starting Lineup: Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Saddiq Bey, DeAndre Hunter, Clint Capela

In a full offseason of Quinn Snyder, the Hawks have a chance to find their way back into a system that works. Dejounte Murray and Trae Young haven’t worked like expected and there needs to be a balance with them on offense as two ball dominant guards. 

There were also some trades that occurred for this organization that may change their direction going forward. First, they move off John Collins, in which they have been trying to for a few off-seasons now, and finally find a suitor in Utah. They acquired Rudy Gay in that trade but he was immediately flipped to Oklahoma City, who at the time, had the rights to Patty Mills. Bringing him in, as well as Wes Matthews via free agency are good acquisitions in order to bolster the championship mindset through a veteran presence.

The team has to figure out what to do with Clint Capela as Onyeka Okongwu is ready to take the next step and start, while also trying to figure out what they truly having in De'Andre Hunter after giving him his extension. Plenty of trade rumors have been floated around during the late offseason involving the Hawks making a splash move using the contracts of Clint Capela, De'Andre Hunter or Bogdon Bogdanovic, in order to get a guy like Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors. Nothing official to report on it, but rather a speculation within the situation surrounding Atlanta trying to get an upgrade at the forward position.

Expect some steps forward for AJ Griffin and Jalen Johnson, both Duke guys, that can space the floor offensively and be disrupters on the defensive end with their athleticism. I like the pick of Kobe Bufkin out of Michigan to be the backup guard on this team with his ability to score and play good defense. It'll take him some time to develop, especially not being in the immediate ten man rotation, so expect Bufkin to spend some time down with College Park. The Hawks are going to rely on these young wings to take over more of a scoring role off of the ball in order to help space the floor with Murray and Young having the ball in their hands most of the time.

Key for this team is do they make that splash at the deadline, or do they fail again, do a mini blow up and figure it out from there. This is a very low key make or break season for the Atlanta Hawks.

Additions:  Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Jordan Walsh, Oshae Brissett, Dalano Banton

Losses: Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams, Grant Williams, Danillo Gallinari

Projected Starting Lineup: Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis

It was an obvious sign that the Celtics needed a third guy on that team to whom could take over the game and not be afraid to go get a bucket. Enter in Kristaps Porzingis. Despite a trade involving Malcolm Brogdon being dealt in order to acquire Porzingis falling through, the Celtics were determined to get the stretch big from Washington. They steered their direction towards another three-team trade, but this time with some controversy amongst Celtics fans, as they traded away Marcus Smart. 

Smart, 29, had spent his entire 9 year NBA career with the Celtics up until this offseason, where he was dealt in a three team trade to the Memphis Grizzlies in order to work around the trade for Porzingis. With a clear divide in the fanbase's feelings about losing Smart, Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics front office made a bold move and a statement move by getting the big Latvian center.

The Celtics end up making another massive move in the form of Jrue Holiday. Never expecting he would be available, they snag him from the Trail Blazers, as he ended up there as a part of the Lillard trade. They unfortunately had to give up Robert Williams and Malcolm Brogdon, who already was on the trade block. Jrue Holiday becomes the ideal Marcus Smart replacement and makes Boston an instant contender.

The bench will be the biggest question mark for this team surrounding the stars. Payton Pritchard looks to be that guy after his 4 year, $30 million extension given at the start of training camp. The rest of the bench is still up in the air on who will play, but you won't ever see a full bench unit on the court with the amount of talent they have. The other main bench guy will now be Al Horford, who originally was going to be starting alongside Porzingis, but now with the trade of Robert Williams, they move in a different route.

The Celtics also lost another great locker room guy in Grant Williams, via a sign and trade with the Dallas Mavericks. But the drafting of Jordan Walsh out of Arkansas, can easily make Celtics fans' grievance of Williams disappear. 

Maintaining this core (which involved a massive extension to Jaylen Brown) is important if they want to keep Jayson Tatum happy and successful in Boston. The Celtics can easily make a push to the finals this year after coming so close the past few years, and if they can't find success after the offseason moves, there could be some change in management whether it be coaching or managerial.

Additions: Noah Clowney, Dariq Whitehead, Lonnie Walker IV, Dennis Smith Jr, Darius Bazley

Losses: Joe Harris, Patty Mills, Edmond Sumner

Projected Starting Lineup: Ben Simmons, Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Nic Claxton

The Brooklyn Nets are at this weird crossroad right now with their roster and the players who are on it.

With a young core of Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson (who was extended this offseason) and Nic Claxton, the Nets are good enough to play in the Play-In, but also could find themselves just outside of it and into the lottery. 

One of the big question marks with this team/organization is how will Ben Simmons return to this team, and how much of an impact will he truly have? Everyone is aware of the former number one overall pick's struggles to stay healthy and on the court, despite always seeing and hearing he is 100% ready to go and healthy. Well, now with a full offseason and a new direction with the team, Ben can find his way back onto the court and make everyone around him better. With great skills on the defensive side and being a very good playmaker for his size, he can take over as the main ball handler for this team, which will help Bridges and Johnson work off the ball better than they already do currently.

The Nets bring back Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O'Neale despite rumors of a trade during the offseason for any of those three. The Nets get off the contracts of Joe Harris and Patty Mills, and sign a few guys in free agency as depth pieces for this team, whether they make it to the final 15 or not, will be TBD. It will be interesting to see how they manage both O'Neale and Finney-Smith's minutes off the bench and what lineups they can run with them either as small ball or a bigger lineup. 

I like the three draft picks of Noah Clowney (Alabama), Dariq Whitehead (Duke) and Justin Wilson (Kansas) as really good role players for this team. Whitehad, specifically, as potential to be a really good player in this league being a former top recruit that has just had unfortunate injury issues that has kept him off the court. 

The first half of the season will be key for this Brooklyn team, just to see what they have overall and what direction they can go in. Based on that, the Nets will either find surprising success, or selling at the Trade Deadline in order to compensate for the future.

Additions: Brandon Miller, Nick Smith Jr, Miles Bridges (kinda), Amari Bailey

Losses: Kelly Oubre Jr, Kobi Simmons, Kai Jones

Projected Starting Lineup: LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward, PJ Washington, Mark Williams

In a league where if you look at it right now, there aren't many super weak teams, Charlotte unfortunately falls underneath the bottom tier.

But when you are a team who has a ton of young players, it is expected to not be one of the better teams in the league. But with a ton of off the court stuff going on within the Hornets organization (MJ selling his ownership, controversial signings, player issues) it hinders a little bit for this team to find their full success.

A couple big moves for the Hornets this offseason, with that being said, a good one was the contract extension for former All-Star guard LaMelo Ball to cement himself as the cornerstone piece of this franchise going forward. Charlotte also used their second overall pick in the NBA Draft to get standout forward, Brandon Miller (Alabama) to pair alongside Ball to create a duo. The Hornets also finally were able to come to terms with their forward, PJ Washington on a contract extension.

The bad news for Charlotte, they re-signed Miles Bridges. Bridges was suspended from play by the NBA due to an ongoing investigation revolving around a domestic violence charge that he was arrested for back in June of 2022. This brought a ton of controversy, first off for the NBA only suspending him 30 games, and second for the Hornets bringing him back once given the opportunity. A whole messy situation going around the team and the actions that there will definitely be a distraction media wise during this season, as he already is starting to get back into the news with his situation off the court again.

But let's jump back to the court and see what else they have going on. Gordon Hayward is on a massive contract and has been rumored to be traded for years now, maybe he finally can stay healthy and find his way out this season. Terry Rozier is another "veteran" that they have to try and control the roster, but also could find himself on one end of a trade depending on how this season goes.

I do really like PJ Washington coming back for this team as a guy coming off the bench that can stretch the floor and give you some good points as an undersized 5,  but primarily used as a 4. I am also a fan of Mark Williams, who they drafted in the late lottery in the 2022 NBA Draft. He brings great size and defensive versatility to either the starting unit or the bench. Amari Bailey (UCLA) and Nick Smith Jr (Arkansas) are both steals in this past draft, and if developed right, can become really solid role players in this league.

This team is not expected to win at all, and most people will only tune in to see how Miller and Ball are doing. But that's okay, because there's still time to develop as the rest of the Eastern Conference teams push in their chips for now.

Additions: Jevon Carter, Torrey Craig, Julian Phillips

Losses: Lonzo Ball (for this season), Javonte Green, Derrick Jones Jr, Patrick Beverley

Projected Starting Lineup: Coby White, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Patrick Williams, Nikola Vucevic

I honestly have no clue what the Chicago Bulls are trying to do right now, whether it's for now or for the future.

This offseason, the Bulls resigned Nikola Vucevic for a 3yr/$60 million contract, Coby White to a 3yr/$33 million deal, and Ayo Dosumnu to a 3yr/$21 million contract. They lock in a couple of their young pieces, and extend their big man in which they made, what some would say, a franchise changing trade for him. Chicago also brought in a couple of guys to help defensively in Jevon Carter, Torrey Craig and drafting Julian Phillips out of Tennessee.

The team is kind of in this odd spot of deciding what to do. They have the core of DeRozan, LaVine and Vucevic paired with all the surrounding young talent, who can which carry this team to a play-in spot for sure. But looking at the contract and money situations, LaVine is set to make around $43 million per year until 2027, DeMar is in the final year of his deal, and they have Lonzo Ball who unfortunately just can't find his way back on the court and help this team until the 2024-25 season, making $20 million a year. I'm very surprised this team hasn't really capitalized on their assets and turn them into more young talent that could reset this franchise a bit.

Let's look at what this season would look like for Chicago anyways. We talked about the core guys, but some of the names around them can make a real impact. Patrick Williams, who was a top 10 pick in 2020, needs to take that next big leap as a 3&D wing in order to make the pick worth it as they creep up to extension or RFA time. Dalen Terry is also another one of Chicago's first round picks that is looking to take a leap after bouncing back and forth last year with the NBA team and down with the Windy City Bulls in the G-League. Explosive scorer, kind of undersized, but still effective and can be a help to this team.

The potential defensive trio off the bench of Ayo Dosumnu, Javon Carter and Alex Caruso can create havoc for teams but the size might become an issue, which this lineup would only be used in certain situations. I also really like the draft pick of Julian Phillips who is a great defender, can attack the rim, but still needs to find his shot a bit.

Again, this is probably a play-in year again for the Bulls, because they are too good not to be in it, and I can easily see them sneaking into a top 6 seed depending on health. If nothing note worthy happens this year, I would expect some ruffling from behind the scenes in Chicago.

Additions: Max Strus, Georges Niang, Ty Jerome, Damian Jones, Tristan Thompson, Emoni Bates

Losses: Cedi Osman, Lamar Stevens, Danny Green

Projected Starting Lineup: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Things are looking good in "The Land" and Cavs fans should be excited for this upcoming season.

Sure, things might have not gone the way you wanted it to go given the draw of their first round matchup last year against the New York Knicks, but a year of playoff experience was needed for this team.

Darius Garland is continuing to develop more and more each year which only betters this team when he is on the court healthy, and Evan Mobley is primed to make that big leap this year into becoming an All-Star caliber player. Pair that alongside a multi-time All-Star in Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen, and you got yourself a nice core there to work around with. 

The Cavs brought back Caris LaVert, who ended up becoming a free agent, and also brought in Georges Niang and Max Strus, who was a very important piece to the Miami Heat's run of success last year. They also bring in some smaller contract guys in Damian Jones, Tristan Thompson and Donovan Mitchell's childhood friend, Ty Jerome. No first round pick in this draft (via the LeVert trade), but a second round pick gets you former Five-Star recruit in Emoni Bates, who had a great summer and is hoping to find his place in the NBA.

The big question for this Cavaliers team is how effective can Isaac Okoro be for this team. A guy who was their top 10 pick back in 2021, found himself falling in and out of the starting lineup last year due to his inconsistencies on the offensive end. Okoro brings a great defensive presence, but has struggled to be the consistent wing, catch and shoot guy they expected him to be, despite shooting a career high 36% from three last year.

This could be the year that Cleveland makes their big jump up and tries to compete for a championship. With an Evan Mobley extension looming, salaries get tight, and decisions will need to be made soon and the outcome of this season could dictate that.

Additions: Grant Williams, Richaun Holmes, Dereck Lively II, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Seth Curry

Losses: Christian Wood, Reggie Bullock, JaVale McGee, Markieff Morris

Projected Starting Lineup: Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, Josh Green, Grant Williams, Dereck Lively II

For years, we have wondered who would be the perfect guy to pair with Luka Doncic to take Dallas to that next step.

Last year at the trade deadline, the Mavericks made a move for Kyrie Irving and paired him alongside Doncic, and the team wasn't very successful. Granted, that was not their fault, but rather of the management trading away core defensive players around them which caused a ton of losses down the stretch. But this offseason, after re-signing Irving pretty soon after free agency opened up, the Mavericks made moves to help bolster up the group around the two All-Stars.

I want to start off with their two draft picks in Dereck Lively II (Duke) and O-Max Prosper (Marquette) who were two of my favorite players in this draft class, due to their high defensive presence and the ability to be versatile on offense and stretch the floor. Lively instantly slides in as their projected starting center for opening night. Prosper is more of a role player and prospect guy, but he's extremely athletic for his size and can easily be a rotation guy in this league.

On that draft night, they traded for Richaun Holmes to help give more depth to the big man role, as they try and find the perfect guy to pair next to Doncic and Irving. He might not make the roster but if he does, his three year stretch from 2020-2022 with the Kings shows he is capable of being in the starting 5 for this team.

After failing to sign Matisse Thybulle in restricted free agency, due to Portland matching the offer sheet, they Mavericks picked up Grant Williams via a sign-and-trade with the Celtics to be their main defensive guy. They also bring back in Seth Curry to be the Reggie Bullock replacement as the spot up guy.

Coming back is Tim Hardaway Jr, who was a trade candidate this past offseason, and could really provide another offensive spark to this team as we have seen him do in the past. Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell also return as more big men depth. I really like Jaden Hardy, who is in his second year out of the G-League Ignite, to be one of the more important pieces on this team coming off the bench. 

Dallas has a more well rounded team coming into this season, and if things don't work, I expect more changes or additions throughout the season but this is for sure the best team defensively built around Luka.

Additions: Hunter Tyson, Jalen Pickett, Justin Holiday, Julian Strawther

Losses: Bruce Brown, Jeff Green, Ish Smith, Thomas Bryant

Projected Starting Lineup: Jamal Murray, Kentavous Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr, Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic

What a ride it was last year for the Denver Nuggets and they reached the climax by winning the 2023 NBA Finals by defeating the Miami Heat.

What now for the defending champs? Everyone is fully aware of the potential championship hangover that comes with winning the NBA Finals, but the Nuggets are looking to ensure that is not the case coming into this season.

Losing Bruce Brown, who was such a pivotal player for this team down the stretch, hurts them a bit. But they went out and aquired a ton of draft compensation from this season and the future, with the idea of bringing in guys on rookie scale contracts to surround the big money stars. Those players they get are Hunter Tyson (Clemson), Jalen Pickett (Penn State) and Julian Strawther (Gonzaga). The similarity between all of these guys... all of them have played at least three years at the collegiate level, and all have the experience to be able to play if needed.

Obviously, Denver returns the reigning Finals MVP in Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr and Aaron Gordon. But there are a couple guys who might be going unnoticed for this team in the grand scheme of things. Those two guys are Christian Braun and Peyton Watson. Both going into their second season after being drafted last year, the basketball world was introduced to Braun primarily during the NBA Finals, where he put up great minutes when given them. But Watson, who was picked with the last pick in the First Round last year, spent most of the season down in the G-League, but is a former Five-Star recruit and was ranked the number one overall player in California according to multiple recruiting sites. He could be a name that finds his way into the rotation with a year under his belt for his development.

I would not be too concerned about a championship hangover, as Mike Malone is one of the premier coaches in basketball. Combine that with the way Jokic, Murray and co. carry themselves as players, there will be no worries for this team I believe. This season for Denver is all about will the strategy of drafting experienced college player work, because if it does, Denver has a chance to end up in the same spot as they were less than 4 months ago.

Additions: Ausar Thompson, Joe Harris, Monte Morris, Marcus Sasser

Losses: Hamidou Diallo, RJ Hampton, Rodney McGruder, Cory Joseph

Projected Starting Lineup: Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Bojan Bogdanovic, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren

Despite having a top 10 pick this offseason, the biggest move the Pistons made doesn't have to do with anyone actually playing on the court.

The Pistons went out and spent money this offseason in order to bring in a new Head Coach for this team in Monty Williams. After former head coach Dwane Casey stepped down after the conclusion of last year, the Pistons quickly turned their head to new leadership, and Monty Williams' surprise firing was a fall from grace for the Pistons.

But in this year's NBA Draft, the Pistons pick up Ausar Thompson out of Overtime Elite, who was a phenom on the internet alongside his twin brother Amen. A ton of questions about Ausar coming out of the Overtime League, mainly about his shooting form and efficiency, but nothing a NBA shooting coach can't work with. But drafting Thompson is more than a wing who can spot up, but someone who is an elite level defender with incredible, jump out of the gym athleticism. He has the ability to handle the ball if needed, which being alongside Cunningham and Ivey, not sure how much he will have to facilitate. 

Speaking of Cade Cunnigham, he missed most of last year with a stress fracture in his shin, but looks to come back even stronger this year hoping to make a big leap. He will be key for this team, but so will second year players Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, who both showed a ton of flashes last year that they can be an effective pick and roll duo for this team. They also bring back Isaiah Stewart on an extension, and will have to make a decision now with these guys, also having Marvin Bagley and James Wiseman on the roster as prominent players.

Some contract/transactions to watch for with this team are the trading for Joe Harris with Brooklyn, basically taking on the salary in order to get a copule of draft picks. Who knows what his role will be with this team, obviously known as a spot up shooter, so he is limited to how effective he can be on the court for other parts. They also acquire Monte Morris from the Washington Wizards, which was a confusing deal to get him, considering the week prior they drafted both Ausar Thompson and Marcus Sasser. My only guess is for a vet presence, kind of like what Cory Joseph did for this year, and eventually will be used as trade bait at the deadline. It is also in question what the Pistons will eventually do with Bojan Bogdanovic, who also signed a contract extension with this team, after his name being in trade rumors for the past two years now.

I think the Pistons will take a nice step up this year, mainly because I think having Monty Williams as your Head Coach is a massive needle mover. But also this team has such good young talent and needed a leader to help take them to the next level. Don't expect too much from this team, but if you have NBA League Pass, I suggest you make them one of your teams in the rotation this year. 

Additions: Chris Paul, Cory Joseph, Brandin Podziemski, Dario Saric

Losses: Jordan Poole, Donte DiVincenzo, Patrick Baldwin, JaMychal Green

Projected Starting Lineup: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney

Well, maybe a bit of locker room tension was released following this offseason. Bob Myers stepped down as President of Basketball Operations and GM of the Warriors, and it was handed down to Mike Dunleavy Jr, a former NBA player, to take over the role. His first move... get rid of the tension that really took over as a distraction for this team a year ago.

Jordan Poole was sent to the Washington Wizards after signing a big extension last offseason, and received Chris Paul in that deal (who's rights were dealt to WAS in the Beal trade). Now the idea of Chris Paul and Steph Curry as a name factor is very exciting if it was 2016. But in 2023, I'm not sure exactly how this will work but it is to be determined. Hilariously, after Jordan Poole was shipped off, Draymond Green signed a $100 million extension with the Warriors after some swirling thoughts that he would leave in the offseason.

It's going to be mainly the same group/core returning for the Warriors, including most of the younger guys, but they go out and draft Brandin Podziemski (Santa Clara) to add to their young core of players for the future. Add him with Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga (who has had rumors around him being traded) and you have a potentially solid core for the future.

They also add some more veterans in Cory Joseph and Dario Saric, who both can still play and contribute to a winning team. At the time of writing this, the Warriors are also actively trying to find another big man out of free agency to build more depth.

The way this team will perform on the court is one I think everyone is interested in, primarily with the dynamic of Curry, CP3 and Klay all together. Steve Kerr has an interesting one on his hands and if it doesn't work, could this potentially be the final slow downfall of an era in Golden State?

Additions: Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Jeff Green, Jock Landale, Cam Whitmore

Losses: KJ Martin, Kevin Porter Jr, Josh Christopher, TyTy Washington, Usman Garuba

Projected Starting Lineup: Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr, Alperen Sengun

The Houston Rockets went into this offseason with a brand new mindset and wanted to basically overhaul the identity of this team.

It first starts out with the coaching situation, after Stephen Silas was let go last year, the Rockets brought in former Boston Celtics Head Coach, Ime Udoka. Obviously a ton of controversy around his name for his departure from Boston, but there is no denying his fantastic coaching skills and it is much needed for this young group.

But the issue with this team has been maybe too much youth throughout the roster, as they previously tried to piece random veteran players together on the roster, hoping it would help. This offseason, they went out and got a couple of key veterans who will change the culture of this team, and their identity on the court. 

Dillon Brooks, whether you love him or not, will 100% be an impact for this team. Sure, you can question his antics off the court and even on the court, but man is he awesome defensively. For a team who was 29th in defensive rating last year, he will immediately help that part and everyone around him. The Rockets also go out and give a massive contract to former Raptors guard, Fred VanVleet. Finding a true point guard for this team has been something Houston has been trying to do for years now and they got their guy. He will help massively to slow things down and take control of the offense, setting up guys around him for success. The Rockets also go out and get Jock Landale who was great for the Suns in the playoffs, and Jeff Green, a fantastic vet who is coming off winning the NBA Championship.

The biggest deal for the Rockets was in the draft, where they used their 4th overall pick to get Amen Thompson, twin brother of Ausar, out of Overtime Elite. Fantastic playmaker who is awesome defensively and incredibly athletic, it's all about his transition to the NBA after playing at an unknown level of talent in the Overtime League. They also potentially got the steal of the draft as projected top 10 pick, Cam Whitmore (Villanova), fell all the way down to 20 where Houston scooped him up. He is more of a project, but his flashes of being able to score off the dribble and create his own shot is very promising.

Off the court issues took over this offseason for Houston, especially involving Kevin Porter Jr who has now been traded away and cut, where the Rockets in return get Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Victor Oladipo. But hopefully, the exciting young group of Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr and Tari Eason can take over and all take another step in their development.

I'd expect Rockets basketball to at least look better than last year, no guarantee the team will be a playoff or even play-in team, but there will be growth and leaps you will see from this team that makes it even more exciting going forward in Houston.

Additions: Bruce Brown, Jarace Walker, Obi Toppin, Ben Sheppard

Losses: Chris Duarte, George Hill, Oshae Brissett

Projected Starting Lineup: Tyrese Haliburton, Bruce Brown, Bennedict Mathurin, Obi Toppin, Myles Turner

I think a team that is potentially going under the radar for this season in the Eastern Conference is the Indiana Pacers.

Sure, you can look at their past few seasons and wonder why I would even think that after multiple years of lottery finishes. Well until the final month of the season, the Pacers technically were still in the play-in hunt. Rick Carlisle has been a fantastic change in coaching view for this team whether it is noticed or not.

They went into the offseason and drank the Kool-Aid on the Bruce Brown hype by giving him $22 million annually for the next two years, but he is a great pickup for this team on the defensive end, especially with a great defensive coach in Carlisle. They also spent their top 10 pick on Jarace Walker, a forward out of Houston, who was the AAC Defensive Player of the Year to pair with Myles Turner as a scary defensive duo. The Pacers also entered the trade market and picked up a former top 10 pick in Obi Toppin who is looking for a change of scenery after not working out in New York for the start of his career.

The benefit of coming to Indiana is the fact you get to play with one of the premier playmakers in the NBA currently, in Tyrese Haliburton. He is a young superstar for the Pacers and will be an All-Star consistently throughout his career. Alongside him returns Bennedict Mathurin, who had an explosive first half of the season his rookie year last year, and obviously the previously mentioned Myles Turner who is one of the top shot blockers in the league.

The Pacers are planning on moving on from Buddy Hield, even as early as before the regular season starts. They also have TJ McConnell and Daniel Theis on the roster who with their play time being in question, could be a hot commodity for playoff teams who need depth.

This is all about the youth movement, but the youth movement might be ready to find their way into a Play-In spot this season if all goes well. They have a great foundation and with Haliburton at the helm, everyone else on the court is automatically better because of him.

Additions: KJ Martin, Kobe Brown, Josh Primo

Losses: N/A

Projected Starting Lineup: Russell Westbrook, Terance Mann, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac

I feel like the same thought about the Clippers occurs every single year: If healthy, they could be one of the best teams in the NBA. The issue, they can't stay on the court. Maybe with the new load management rules, there could be some changes, but that also doesn't change the ages of players and their injury tendencies.

They lose nobody to free agency or trade this offseason, despite constantly being in the mix of trade talks around James Harden or moving on from one of Nic Batum, Robert Covington or Norman Powell. They do gain KJ Martin from the Houston Rockets, son of Kenyon Martin, who is an athletic high flying big man to add more versatility to the bench unit. LA also brings in one of my favorites from this past draft class in Kobe Brown out of Missouri. A bit of an older prospect, but he can do just about everything well on the court. Can play 2-4 for any unit with his size, quickness and athleticism.

Obviously this all revolves around the two big names pictured above: Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. They have only played 118 games together on the court since joining forces in Los Angeles back in the 2019 offseason. To put it in perspective, Ja Morant, who came into the league the same year both George and Leonard teamed up, has played 248 games despite injuries and suspensions. So to say the tandem needs to find a way to get on the court together is putting it lightly.

They also return one of their better moves last year in getting Russell Westbrook from the buyout market, who sure, might be past his prime but can definitely still contribute to some level. I also really like Ivica Zubac, who is a great rebounder and size underneath the basket.

The rumors around James Harden are certainly loud, but the unwillingness to let go of any draft capital and Terance Mann (who already expressed he will not sign an extension) will restrain them from creating the pairing.

I said it at the beginning and will say it again, if healthy this team can be really good. But how can we bet on them to play more than 50 games together at this point? It is left to be seen but don't be surprised if this team either blows it up, or makes a major shift in roster by midseason if things don't go the way they expect.

Additions: Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Christian Wood, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Jaxson Hayes, Cam Reddish

Losses: Malik Beasley, Mo Bamba, Lonnie Walker, Wenyen Gabriel, Dennis Schroder

Projected Starting Lineup: D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, Lebron James, Anthony Davis

I hate to admit this as a non-Laker fan, but a really solid offseason for the Lakers this summer.

I am a big Gabe Vincent fan and he is (whether you will admit it or not) an upgrade over Dennis Schroder. They were able to retain D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura which were all priorities for this organization. Now where did they get the money to do all of this, including extending Anthony Davis and Jarred Vanderbilt for the next couple years, I have no clue.

The Lakers also surrounded the team with new bench role players. A couple of former top 10 picks who haven't panned out yet in Jaxson Hayes and Cam Reddish, also going out and getting a solid 3&D wing in Taurean Prince, and now just recently bringing in Christian Wood who has showed signs over his career he can be a big contributor.

They also drafted Jalen Hood-Schifino (Indiana) who I wasn't too high on in the draft process but looked solid in Summer League action, and Maxwell Lewis (Pepperdine) who needs some time but has the frame and skill set to be a solid NBA player. They also bring in my two Florida guys in Alex Fudge and Colin Castleton, who in Castleton, can really make an impact I think one day off the bench for a team with his defensive skills.

Obviously, this team still has this guy named Lebron James on their team, who despite being almost 40, is sill one of the better players in the league. Pair him with a healthy Anthony Davis (which has its own questions) and the rest of the team who were starting to gel the second half of last season and you have a really good basketball squad here.

The big question is will these different bench flyers you take in the offseason end up working for you. Or will Lebron start to finally show some real signs of regression? Time will tell, but for now, this team has a chance to end up in the same spot at the end of last season.

Additions: Marcus Smart, Derrick Rose, GG Jackson

Losses: Tyus Jones, Dillon Brooks

Projected Starting Lineup: Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, Ziaire Williams, Jaren Jackson Jr, Xavier Tillman

You have probably been waiting to see what I'd say for my team here. Well, fasten your seatbelts, because this is going to be a long one.

I've made my opinion on the whole Ja Morant situation very clear, I'm disappointed, mainly because I know that's not the Ja everyone in Memphis fell in love with. But sometimes life throws you some bumps in the road, and it's all about how you overcome them. Ja is suspended for the first 25 games this year, but I can guarantee you, he will be coming back more motivated and focused than ever.

Outside of that being the talk of the offseason, something that for Grizz fans, might be just as big is a trade they made. Going and getting Marcus Smart from the Boston Celtics was one of the more random and unexpected trades I can think of as a Grizzlies fan, more because of not thinking he would've been available to get. Unfortunately, you have to part with one of the more important pieces for this team over his tenure here in Tyus Jones, but it was inevitable that his departure was in the near future with his sights set on being a starter in the NBA. As a former Defensive Player of the Year, Smart brings an incredible presence with him not only on the court but in the locker room. I am pumped to see what he will do here in Memphis.

Another big talk of the offseason was the departure of the longest tenured Grizzly in Dillon Brooks. On a personal experience, Dillon was incredibly nice to me and my family, and I have a ton of respect for him, especially because he was one of the last guys to play with Mike Conley and Marc Gasol before the beginning of the new Grizzlies chapter. But, Brooks doesn't go to Houston for nothing, as we received Josh Christopher (who has already been released) in return along with a trade exception worth $8 million.

The Grizzlies don't stop there, but they also go out and sign Derrick Rose, a fan favorite, obviously for his time in Memphis as a Tiger. A full circle type of moment for him to be a mentor to Ja and other young guys, but also see some court time to start the season with Morant's absence. Don't expect much from him outside of more tickets and merchandise being sold, but is such a feel good story and you can't hate Derrick Rose.

For the returning guys, Desmond Bane is working harder than ever and even more motivated now coming off toe surgery, he has been working since he was cleared to walk. Jaren Jackson Jr coming off his DPOY season and FIBA run, gained criticism that he will only take going into the season as motivation. Santi Aldama and Xavier Tillman also are going to be important to this team, with Brandon Clarke still recovering from his season ending injury last year, and it expected to return this winter. Now, the day prior to publishing this, Steven Adams is ruled out for the season with a knee injury he sustained last year that has just never recovered. Absolutely massive blow for this team.

The real question is who will be the guy at the 3 while Ja is out? Ziaire Williams seems to be the answer early on at least. Expect to see them mix and match with certain lineups and ride the hot hand with who starts while Morant is out. Other guys can be David Roddy, who looks incredibly poised to break out, Luke Kennard and Jake LaRavia.

This is all about what kind of start will the Grizzlies get off to without Ja? If they can be successful in his absence, get ready to watch this team come the summer, because these guys are more motivated than ever to get to where they want to be.

Additions: Jaime Jaquez Jr, Josh Richardson, Thomas Bryant

Losses: Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, Victor Oladipo, Udonis Haslem

Projected Starting Lineup: Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, Josh Richardson, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo

What even is going on with the Heat right now? This isn't necessarily a negative point at them, but as a team who just made the NBA Finals, not making the needed moves to improve, but rather fill in the spots that you lost in free agency.

You had Damian Lillard begging to come to Miami, and you couldn't cough up the assets to do so? Granted, it takes two to make a trade, but you have to get a deal done now. You missed on Lillard, go get someone else. By the time this comes out or is posted, they might already have, as I have now had to rewrite this since the Lillard trade.

That all in fault was due to the Tyler Herro hand injury in the first game of the playoffs last year. Also despite having an insane Eastern Conference Finals, Caleb Martin was shown to be vulnerable in the NBA Finals and did not play up to the hype he received, which kind of was expected.

The Heat lost Gabe Vincent and Max Strus in free agency during the offseason and replaced them in different ways. First drafting Jaime Jaquez Jr out of UCLA, who is just a hooper, and does everything on the court well. They also sign Josh Richardson to return to the Heat, where he started his first four seasons of his career, as he will slot into the starting lineup to create a little bit of an undersized group. They also brought in Thomas Bryant to be the backup big behind Bam Adebayo, after quickly realizing Kevin Love couldn't play the five anymore.

I like Nikola Jovic, maybe not as much as everyone else does apparently, but he has a lot of tools that can make him a solid NBA player. I am also a fan of Haywood Highsmith, who sounds like he's a created player in NBA 2K, but I promise he is valuable, and showed it during stints throughout the playoff run last year.

This team needs to figure out what their plan is and attack at it, otherwise you are just running out a budget version of last year's team, and Jimmy Butler does not need to be wasted for how great of a player he is.

Additions: Damian Lillard, Robin Lopez, Cam Payne, Malik Beasley, Andre Jackson Jr, Chris Livingston

Losses: Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, Joe Ingles, Jevon Carter, Wes Matthews, Meyers Leonard

Projected Starting Lineup: Damian Lillard, Malik Beasley, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez

Well, well well... Milwaukee took a massive swing at Damian Lillard, and they hit a home run.

Peeling back the curtain a bit, I held off on writing this because I had a weird feeling something would happen to Milwaukee before the season starts. Boy was I right, but I never expected it to be this big of a feeling. First year head coach, Adrian Griffin, now gets a lot on his plate in year one with two superstar, franchise players to work with. Getting Damian Lillard is a MASSIVE get for the Bucks, and even though the move is to go get a superstar, there is a deeper meaning behind this trade. 

Ensure that Giannis does not leave next year and stays in Milwaukee.

Sure, losing Jrue Holiday is a big loss, but replacing Jrue with Dame is a swap I think anyone can get behind, despite the loss on the defensive side. It was even more sad because the day prior to the trade going down, Holiday said in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that "I don't want to play for any other team." The next day, he was traded.

Now obviously you lose a ton of depth this offseason, including moving Grayson Allen in the Dame trade, and are still in the market to improve it. They turned towards the draft and getting two guys in the second round that can contribute now if needed. Andre Jackson Jr was a pivotal part in the UConn Huskies making that National Championship run last year, and is a fantastic defender for his size and position. Chris Livingston (Kentucky) is a former top prospect, that might be more of a project pick but just adds to the depth.

Bringing in more depth pieces in veterans Robin Lopez and Malik Beasley are solid, but there for sure is going to be more, as there is already belief that Cameron Payne could be a Buck by the start of the season (update: he is). They resigned Brook Lopez, Khris Middleton and Jae Crowder this offseason as well, which is very important for keeping this core together for the most part.

Now the season revolves around Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo, and how they will play together (spoiler: I think it will be just fine) which could be something special. No doubt in my mind do I think the Bucks are one of the top favorites in the NBA, but health will be key for this team. Making this massive swing at Lillard shows to the fanbase and players on long-term deals that they are all in to win right now.

Additions: Shake Milton, Troy Brown Jr, Leonard Miller

Losses: Jaylen Nowell, Austin Rivers, Taurean Prince

Projected Starting Lineup: Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert

Minnesota is in a weird and interesting spot right now in their organization's development and future.

We all know the chips they pushed in last year following a first round playoff exit, to go get Rudy Gobert who in his first year, took a bit of a step back. Then at the trade deadline, moved more of your chips to get an aging Mike Conley who is still effective, and this is coming from someone who's favorite player of all time is Mike Conley.

Now, there were obviously injuries that occurred last year that altered the way Minnesota's season went. Karl-Anthony Towns missed a big chunk of last season with a calf strain. Jaden McDaniels, in the final game of the season, punched a tunnel wall and fractured his hand which put the Timberwolves without their best defensive guy for the Play-In and Playoffs.

For the offseason standpoint, the Wolves brought back Naz Reid on an extension which means maybe he will finally get a decent role on the team. They sign free agents Shake Milton who is a great movement shooter, and Troy Brown Jr who can be a depth piece. The move I really like is drafting Leonard Miller, who was on the G-League Ignite, and is similar to Jaden McDaniels to where he can defend 1-4 and can hold his own against 5's and is developing his offensive game.

For the most part, you're bringing back most of the roster that you had last year in hopes that it is more of a healthy run for this group. Anthony Edwards playin for Team USA and playing well, will help his development and jumpstart his season as they expect a long run of success with him as the franchise piece. I'm not sure how sold they are on Conley or even Towns at this point to where they couldn't be flexible enough to move on from them eventually.

I'd look towards Wendell Moore Jr, Nickeil Aleander-Walker and Josh Minott to crack the rotation at some point and maybe be contributors to this team, as they are some of the younger guys on long-term deals.

The Timberwolves are expected to do well, and they may not be at the top of the conference, but the expectation is a playoff team. Whether that happens is left to be seen, but if failure, I wouldn't be surprised if some changes are made.

Additions: Jordan Hawkins, Cody Zeller

Losses: Josh Richardson, Jaxson Hayes, Garrett Temple, Willy Hernangomez

Projected Starting Lineup: CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas

Before anything else happened this offseason, the Pelicans were the topic of conversation in the NBA.

Some off the court stuff surrounded that (if you know you know) with Zion Williamson maybe having a little bit of a disconnect with the team. While that's since been debunked, the Pelicans look to turn the page to this season, running it back with basically the same team.

The hope, as it has been for years now, is that everything goes good player health wise and this team can get the chemistry they so desperately need, back on the court. Given that we are told Zion is fully healthy again, he should be making an immediate impact like he did when healthy in 2021.

They lose some depth pieces to free agency, but that allows those guys they have stocked up draft picks on to slide into new roles. One of those being the most recent draft pick in Jordan Hawkins out of UConn. Known as one of the best three point shooters in the past draft, he will have a nice spot up role off the bench. But guys like Dyson Daniels who saw court time more than expected last year, and Kira Lewis Jr who will finally be healthy to start the year will be able to step up into newer roles.

For the rest of the team, it is basically the same as last year. I like Trey Murphy a lot for this team off of the bench, although he will be starting the season inactive as he recovers from an injury in the offseason. Jonas Valanciunas is in the final year of his deal and the Pelicans might look to do something at the deadline if things don't work as expected.

Brandon Ingram got some run with Team USA in the FIBA World Cup, CJ McCollum might not be the right fit for the true point guard of the team, but is definitely a good scoring option for this team.

I think the Pelicans have a ton of decisions to make here by the end of the season, or as early as the trade deadline. You could see one of the starting five moved by then, or if they can't put together a solid season, a couple are gone in the offseason. Again, this is based on their availability. If you can get Zion for 50 games, New Orleans will be in a good spot. Otherwise, there will be some tough decisions made come June.

Additions: Donte DiVincenzo

Losses: Derrick Rose, Obi Toppin

Projected Starting Lineup: Jalen Brunson, Quinten Grimes, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson

Last year, the New York Knicks took a nice jump and won their first round playoff series. They look to build off of that going into this season.

Emerging as the true leader of this team, Jalen Brunson in year two of his five year contract coming off an All-Star caliber season and the summer with Team USA. Julius Randle, actually coming off an All-Star season, looks to bounce back following a rough last stretch of the season which included the playoffs. For RJ Barrett, who was just extended this past year, is still trying to find his strides as an efficient scorer in the league and will hope to make that jump after playing with Team Canada. 

At the trade deadline, the Knicks went out and got Brunson's teammate at Villanova in Josh Hart and he was an immediate impact for this team. So this offseason, they extend him, and to go on top of that, New York signed one of their other former teammates in Donte DiVincenzo. He should make a great impact shooting wise with the ability to put the ball on the ground and score off the dribble a bit.

Despite shipping former top 10 pick Obi Toppin off to Indiana, the Knicks have a plethora of young talent off the bench to utilize. Quinten Grimes is still a great role player/fringe starter in this league, who can shoot it well. Jericho Sims is just finally cracking the rotation and he is super athletic, and Immanuel Quickley I think everyone knows how good he is on the offensive side of the ball. Mitchell Robinson's future with the team is still up in the air despite signing an extension last year, as he has been in the circle of many trade rumors.

The Knicks have had this issue after signing Evan Fournier a few years ago that they can't get rid of his contract in any way somehow. The Knicks need another bigger guard/wing for this roster who can play good off of the ball and can shoot. Everyone expecting that to come in the form of some trade.

The Knicks have another really solid team, maybe not title contending team compared to others, but if they can make some moves by the deadline, they can find their way into that upper echelon in the Eastern Conference.

Additions: Cason Wallace, Vasilije Micic, Davis Bertans, Usman Garuba

Losses: Dario Saric, Lindy Waters II, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl

Projected Starting Lineup: Josh Giddey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren

Oklahoma City is in such a win-win spot for this upcoming season, and a ton of eyes will be on them now.

Known for stashing a ton of draft picks, Sam Presti's group is finally being built together and it is all lead around emerging superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Averaging over 30 ppg (points per game) last year for this Play-In team, he looks to continue off of that success with an improving core around him. Jalen Williams (J-Dub) is one of the more ingraining pieces to this team as a future 3&D wing stud, Josh Giddey is turning into one of the better playmakers in the league, and that isn't even mentioning the biggest potential reinforcement yet.

Chet Holmgren, who was the second overall pick last year, will be making his debut for this team this season after season ending foot surgery in the offseason last year. If he can be half the player people expect of him, he will be a huge impact for this team. Obviously, the biggest complaint with him is his weight, but his length and size makes up for it to where you can probably hide him at the 4, but they will start him at the 5. So far from the preseason, he looks like he will hang just fine in the NBA with bigger centers.

The Thunder drafted Cason Wallace out of Kentucky and he is also an intriguing guy to me for this team. Known for his defense at the guard position, Wallace has improved as a three point shooter as his freshman season progressed. They also made one signing in free agency as well, but it isn't the typical signing.

OKC picked up Vasilije Micic as an international free agency from Serbia. Micic, 29, is a former EuroLeague MVP who is a solid playmaker and shooter, but will take a little to adjust to NBA defenses. He can be a little turnover prone and struggles defensively as he lacks athleticism, but is a nice risk pick for the Thunder, especially when they have the money to spend right now.

This season is a win-win scenario for the Thunder, because if they aren't as good, they have three first round picks in the upcoming draft to work with. If they are good, they'll be ahead of the timeline and obviously finding a way into the play-in/playoffs. So no matter what, the Thunder should be excited for this year.

Additions: Joe Ingles, Anthony Black, Jett Howard

Losses: Bol Bol, Michael Carter-Williams

Projected Starting Lineup: Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr

I think if you look at the Orlando Magic, they are a couple steps away from finally getting back into the playoff picture, but it might be too early right now.

The constant carousal of point guards for the Orlando Magic has been something haunting this team for over a decade. All hoping that it finally ends here after the Magic take Anthony Black out of Arkansas. A taller guard, Black is a constant improving playmaker at his time in college and showed great flashes in Summer League. He's an above average defender as well, but shooting needs a bit of tweaking. It's like a younger, taller, cheaper version of what they have in Markelle Fultz with a higher ceiling.

They also pick Jett Howard, (Michigan) the son of Juwan Howard, who is an off the ball, movement shooter. He has some upside as a defender with his size, but won't ever be an above average defender in the league looking at his college tape. 

For the team they have currently, Orlando is going in a good direction with the core they have. Paolo Banchero is looking like the "home run" pick from last year's draft at first overall. He's bound to take another big leap in year two with development at the 5 a bit in the summer as we saw for Team USA. Franz Wagner is going to be awesome in this league after seeing him play his first couple years so far, and they should still be excited about what they have in Wendell Carter especially with the contract he is owed.

They still have to figure out how to utilize and get the most out of Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony, who could be important to this team or maybe just end up as another trade piece. Speaking of trade pieces, it feels like the Jonathan Isaac tenure as an Orlando Magic is almost over. With all the injuries stacked up on him in his young career, and all these other wings on their way up deserving minutes, it might be best to just find a new home for him eventually here.

For veterans on this team, Gary Harris is coming off missing last year with a knee injury and potentially could help this team early on. They also bring in Joe Ingles on a multi year deal, I assume as more of a player coach rather than expected on court play. Outside of them, the Magic have a plethora of young talent to choose from, and they can't keep them all. So I would assume there will eventually be a big trade that Orlando hops in on.

I wouldn't expect Orlando to jump off the page for anyone in terms of roster yet, but the pieces are starting to come together a little bit. It might not be the Magic's year this year, but again, the stepping stones are in place for a successful future.

Additions: Kelly Oubre Jr, Patrick Beverley, Danny Green, Mo Bamba

Losses: Shake Milton, Georges Niang, Jalen McDaniels

*Projected Starting Lineup: Tyrese Maxey, De'Anthony Melton, Tobias Harris, PJ Tucker, Joel Embiid

 Philadelphia is currently backed into a corner, and the whole season depends on how they get out of it.

James Harden was going to be a free agent this offseason if he declined his player option. The decision from both sides was that Harden would opt in to his player option for this season, but they would seek a trade partner for him. Since then, Daryl Morey (76ers President of Basketball Operations) has said they have no intentions of trading Harden, and expect him to play this year. Obviously this has pissed off Harden, and how he will be sitting out until he is moved.

Until that happens, Philly is without one of their best players, or potentially a return that would be as good as him. Which means, De'Anthony Melton will slide into that other starting guard spot. Melton started 58 games for the 76ers last season, so he is fully capable of holding down that spot until a resolution comes.

The bulk of the team returns this year built around superstar center, Joel Embiid. They are excited about Tyrese Maxey finally getting some of the keys to the franchise as their priority guard, and with no Harden, that will obviously become true. Tobias Harris and his almost $40 million salary is still on the roster too, and assume will be until the end of the deal, as that contract is basically immovable.

For the rest of the squad, it includes new signings in the offseason. We previously mentioned Kelly Oubre Jr (who signed right as training camp started) and he comes off of a very quiet 20 ppg (points per game) season with Charlotte. They also added to the depth by getting full time podcaster, Patrick Beverley, to bring some defensive intensity. Danny Green is back... that's all I got there, and the team signed Mo Bamba, former top 5 pick, to give them more depth after Montrezl Harrell's season ending injury. 

They also find themselves with a new head coach in Nick Nurse, who won a championship with the Toronto Raptors back in 2019. A new fresh face and voice for this team could be a nice change as the 76ers look to stay in title contention.

Expect Paul Reed, who is back with this team after almost signing with Utah after a Danny Ainge masterclass move, to be a bigger part of this team off the bench. Also do not be surprised if former first round pick, Jaden Springer, finally plays with the big club after tearing up the G-League since he was drafted a few years ago.

As I stated at the start, this whole season will be based around if Harden gets moved and Philly can finally eliminate the distractions. As this gets published, there's a good chance a trade will happen. But until then, Philly will still make the playoffs, but won't find themselves in a deep run with the group they have now.

Additions: Bradley Beal, Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little, Eric Gordon, Yuta Watanabe

Losses: Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, Landry Shamet, Cam Payne, Torrey Craig, Jock Landale

Projected Starting Lineup: Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Josh Okogie, Kevin Durant, Jusuf Nurkic

Well, what an offseason for the Phoenix Suns when it comes to a roster turnover standpoint.

It all kicked off with the firing of Monty Williams, and then hiring the new head coach in Frank Vogel. He should be bringing a new defensive side to this Suns team that struggled a ton last year defensively after trading away Mikal Bridges.

The next domino to fall was making the big trade with Washington in order to get Bradley Beal, but had to give up Chris Paul and Landry Shamet to do so. Beal brings even more offense to this already overloaded team. I don't get the fit too much for this team, but I guess the expectation is to just completely outscore every other team.

Then just the other day, they get involved in the Dame trade and exchange Deandre Ayton for Jusuf Nurkic. So, they continue to get worse defensively (based on previous history and metrics) although Nurkic fits the way Phoenix will play offensively, and it was very obvious that Ayton was ready to get out of there.

To build around the stars, they add a mix of shooting and defense with the likes of Grayson Allen and Nassir Little. Yuta Watanabe was one of the best three point shooters in the NBA last year, and they bring in guys like Bol Bol and Chimezie Metu to give more depth around the rim.

You can't talk about this team without mentioning obviously Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. In the playoffs last year, they were awesome together and pretty much the only reason that series went as long as it did, having multiple games with at least 60 points combined. Getting those two some outside shooting and versatile defenders around them was a necessary move. Now, how true that will be is one we will have to find out. But on paper, this should be a really fun team to watch.

Whenever you get this many elite scorers on your team, there will be success. Now the balance this team will have to find from a night to night basis on both ends of the court will be key for long term success. They have no future draft capital, it is championship or bust, literally. Phoenix for sure is a title contender, but this will depend on how Vogel can shift the defensive focus. If the Suns win, it was a great move by new ownership to push all the chips in, otherwise, this might be one of the biggest failures in NBA history.

Additions: Scoot Henderson, Robert Williams, Deandre Ayton, Kris Murray, Rayan Rupert

Subtractions: Damian Lillard, Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, Cam Reddish, Trendon Watford

Projected Starting Lineup: Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton

What a week it has been for the Trail Blazers, and the storm might not be over just yet.

Trading Damian Lillard isn't something anyone wants to do, but at this point, it was something that has been needed to be done for years. They finally pull the trigger on it and now start a new chapter of Trail Blazers basketball.

Outside of the trade, the biggest move of the offseason was drafting the cornerstone piece of this franchise's future in Scoot Henderson (G-League Ignite). An explosive point guard who is a great defender using his quickness and aggression to stay in front of guys, and his playmaking is really solid as well. He's got some work to do as an overall shooter, but he has jump out of the gym athleticism and is going to be must see TV. The Trail Blazers also use two more draft picks to get Kris Murray (Iowa), who is the twin brother of Keegan Murray in Sacramento, and Rayan Rupert (France). For Murray, expect similar play as his brother, except left handed. Rayan Rupert will be a little more of a prospect pick, but his defensive skills were what had him projected as a first rounder for a ton of the pre-draft process. 

When it comes to the trade, Portland acquired a load of draft picks, but also were able to get Jrue Holiday and Deandre Ayton in the deal as well. For Holiday, he has been moved already to Boston and the Blazers get Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams in return. Brogdon will most likely be moved on from here soon, but they expect Williams to be a great pair with Ayton, although there could be a move there as well if he is unhappy. For the former first overall pick Deandre Ayton, he will be different as he tries to revitalize his career path with a new franchise. There is a ton of talent left in there, he just needed a change of scenery after making it very obvious that he wasn't happy being in Phoenix.

As for the guys who are returning, they are tasked with carrying a ton of the load for what coach Chauncey Billups, identifies as Trail Blazer basketball. Anfernee Simons will be a key guy who they love a lot playing next to Scoot Henderson. An opposite player to Henderson, Simons brings a ton of scoring at every level, exceptionally well from beyond the arc. Jerami Grant got an extension this offseason and was brought back under the impression that Lillard would too. Now that those plans have changed, they could look to move on from him, or keep him as the veteran voice for the young group. A big part of that young group is Shaedon Sharpe, who bet on himself over a year ago by skipping college after enrolling at Kentucky to declare for the NBA Draft. He is so explosive as a threat around the rim, and is an improving shooter all around.

It's very obvious that Portland is looking to switch gears in their franchise's direction, especially with the plethora of draft capital in the coming years. They won't be as good this year when it comes to the standings, but as a team to watch, the youth is exciting and the young guys they do have make them very watchable. If not, at least just watch for Scoot Henderson, because he is the real deal.

Additions: Sasha Vezenkov, Chris Duarte, JaVale McGee, Colby Jones

Losses: Richaun Holmes, Terrence Davis, Chimezie Metu

Projected Starting Lineup: D'Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray, Domantas Sabonis

An extremely successful first year for Mike Brown in Sacramento filled with lighting the beam. The 16 year playoff drought for the Kings' organization was snapped last year after grabbing a playoff spot, which ultimately ended in a first round exit via the Golden State Warriors.

Returning back most of the roster, the expectation amongst Kings fans is that they will repeat similar success that the team saw last year. De'Aaron Fox is awesome to watch, and it was no secret that the injury he was dealing with going into the playoffs effected the way the team played in that series against the Warriors. Domantas Sabonis was extended for the next four years and will be the full time pairing with Fox as one of the premier all around big men in the league. 

In relation to the cast around the two stars, Harrison Barnes and Trey Lyles were both brought back in free agency on extensions with the team to be those off the ball wing threats that this team thrives with. Kevin Huerter struggled at times last year, but ultimately was a success for this team after trading for him last offseason, along with Malik Monk who was fantastic in that playoff series this past season. This is not to overlook the importance of now sophomore Keegan Murray and Davion Mitchell, who defensively, are two very important pieces to the squad as well.

For the new guys on the team, you look towards the signing of Sasha Vezenkov, a forward who most was the most recent winner of the EuroLeague MVP and is a really solid shooter shooting 40% from three last season. He has looked great coming into the preseason and will be a key piece for the bench unit. Sacramento also made a trade to get former lottery pick Chris Duarte from the Pacers, who really hasn't found a role or his footing yet in the NBA with injury struggles. When healthy, Duarte can be a great scorer off the dribble in the mid range, with the ability to stretch it out to the three. They also had to replace a couple of the big men they let go, so they went out to get former multi-time NBA Champion, JaVale McGee.

In the draft, they used their second round pick on Colby Jones from Xavier, a taller guard who can play 1-3, that is a great playmaker, solid defender, and is a developing shooter but proven at the collegiate level. I also like the two-way draft pick they used at the end of the draft in Jalen Slawson out of Furman, who is really gifted defensively and was one of the highlights from Furman's NCAA Tournament run.

This team should find similar success to what they had last year, barring any major injury. They have a great mix of role players who can guard and shoot it. Mike Brown has proven he can get his team to score a ton of points, it will come down now to how much they can lock in defensively as a team. Nonetheless, this team is for sure a playoff squad, but the goal is now bigger than just making the playoffs this time around.

Additions: Victor Wembanyama, Cedi Osman, Sidy Cissoko

Losses: Romeo Langford, Keita Bates-Diop, Gorgui Dieng, Khem Birch

Projected Starting Lineup: Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, Victor Wembanyama, Zach Collins

Spurs fans, an absolute fall from grace has happened to you in the form of the NBA Draft Lottery, and they have put your franchise right back on track.

The Spurs were able to get the first overall pick in the draft this year and select Victor Wembanyama out of France, who is a 7'4 unicorn that can do everything on the court. Incredible defender, unstoppable around the rim, can even handle the ball himself and improved shooter as everyone has probably seen the clips of him. Just as we thought San Antonio couldn't get lucky enough with David Robinson and Tim Duncan, they get the chance to host Victor Wembanyama's career. Now, it will probably be a slow start, but do not hit the panic button, because he has all the tools to be one of the best in the league.

For the guys that have been here building the foundation around him, Keldon Johnson is a versatile player that can score at every level, and defend at a good level as well. Jeremy Sochan (who is also French) shoed last year in his rookie year that he can be one of the game's premier defenders. Tre Jones, brother of Tyus Jones, is like a duplicate of his brother with having one of the best assist to turnover ratios in the NBA. Guys like Devin Vassell, Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley all fit the spot up scorer roles that will play around the big man in the middle.

As for the veterans on this team, Doug McDermott, Zach Collins (who just signed a two-year extension), Davonte Graham and newly acquired Cedi Osman all are tasked with helping those younger guys get over the hump and adjust to the NBA level, despite all being able to contribute to a good team. Not saying San Antonio can't be good in the first year, but the expectation is long term success. Those guys listed above are good candidates to see traded at the deadline in order to improve future assets.

I think we see that next big step in the development of Keldon Johnson this year in becoming a great three point shooter. Last year he shot around 32% after shooting 39% from three the previous year. If he can live around that 36 to 38% range from three, he will be one of the best young scorers in the league with his size and skill set, as he will be playing more of the 3 this year compared to prior years.

San Antonio has an extremely bright future now with Wembanyama in their hands, and all eyes will be on them for that reason alone. The Spurs should not expect a play-in spot this season, but if everything goes extremely well for them, I honestly would not be surprised if they are fighting for that last spot in the final week. Either way it's a win-win.

Additions: Dennis Schroder, Gradey Dick, Jalen McDaniels, Garrett Temple

Losses: Fred VanVleet, Dalano Banton, Will Barton

Projected Starting Lineup: Dennis Schroder, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, Jakob Poeltl

I feel like this offseason was Toronto just sitting around waiting for a major move to happen, so that they could capitalize on it or do one of their own. Instead they stood pat, outside of hiring their new head coach, Darko Rajakovic formerly an assistant on the Memphis Grizzlies staff. From a personal standpoint, I loved Darko, and it was time for him to get an opportunity to be a head coach. Fantastic with player development, as he was very instrumental in Tyus Jones' resurgence and Desmond Bane's emergence.

The Raptors had to emotionally say goodbye to another one of their members of the 2019 NBA Championship team in Fred VanVleet, as he signed a massive deal with Houston that Toronto was definitely not interested in competing with. For his replacement, they go get Dennis Schroder, who when the spotlight isn't always on him, can be a really effective player in this league and a starter at that.

Toronto also used their lottery pick to get Gradey Dick (Kansas) who is already a fan favorite for very obvious reasons. But outside of the aura of his name, Gradey is a plus three point shooter with a high release point that allows him to shoot over most contests. He can hold his own defensively, as he is good at jumping lanes, but never will be known as a main defender. He should bring another three point threat to this team that will have good floor spacing.

The bulk of the roster returns, despite Pascal Siakam's name being thrown around in trade rumors all offseason. That doesn't limit just to him, but OG Anunoby also returns after going through the same, but it never seems like he will be traded, as the Raptors value him like he is Michael Jordan. Scottie Barnes took a small drop in his sophomore season (which was expected) but will look to continue to get back on track and be one of the best young defenders in the league. Gary Trent Jr opted into his player option and will be in Toronto for at least one more year, although he's a name to watch come the trade deadline. Jakob Poeltl signs an extension with the Raptors after being dealt there last February, and he will do a ton of the heavy lifting for this team down low.

A couple names to watch for on this team are both former first round picks, with one being Precious Achiuwa. A guy who saw a ton of time starting last year, moved to the bench after the team acquired Poeltl, Precious could be a guy to look out for as an extension looms in the balance to be traded. I think he can be a starter in this league and should be, but that doesn't seem to be the case right now with the Raptors roster construction. The other guy to watch for is Malachi Flynn, a guy who has never really had a true opportunity since being drafted, now has a chance to make the rotation as the backup point guard. If given the opportunity, watch for him to give Schroder a run for his money as a starter.

Toronto is in a very odd spot with not being one of the top tier teams in the Eastern Conference, but are also not in the basement. This can be a play-in team, but I also can see a direction where the Raptors ship off a ton of their pieces and embraces the youth movement going forward.

Additions: John Collins, Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George, Brice Sensabaugh, Omer Yursteven

Losses: Rudy Gay, Damian Jones, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Udoka Azabukie

Projected Starting Lineup: Jordan Clarkson, Talen Horton-Tucker, Lauri Markkanen, John Collins, Walker Kessler

Danny Ainge and Will Hardy have something building over there in Utah, and I am a fan of what they did in the draft this offseason.

Getting Taylor Hendricks (UCF) at the spot they did was a great pick. Hendricks brings a ton of size and versatility to this team on both ends of the court with the ability to stretch the floor and knock it down from three. Keyonte George showed a ton of flashes as a great scorer last year at Baylor, but I think a ton of people overlook his ability to create shots for others, which could find him some early playing time. Finally, one of my favorite picks by value in Brice Sensabaugh (Ohio State) who was a projected late lottery pick until concerns about his injury came out. Sensabaugh was one of the best all around scorers in college last year and will look to translate his game to the NBA level, after missing Summer League recovering from surgery.

As for the guys on the roster right now, it revolves around first time All-Star Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler who spent his summer representing Team USA in the FIBA World Cup, Jordan Clarkson who recieved a two year extension this summer and Colin Sexton who is looking to take another big step here for Utah. They are now joined by the newest member of the Jazz, John Collins, who was acquired in a trade with Atlanta as he looks to revive his career a bit with a new organization. 

I think Ochai Agbaji is primed to break out and improve even more as a three point shooter after shooting 35% last year from beyond the arc. Another guy to look for here is Talen Horton-Tucker, who was valued very highly with the Lakers, started to find his own towards the end of last season, who in the final month of his season averaged 19 points and 6 assists. 

Utah also has some intriguing trade pieces if they desire to do so. They can move off Clarkson after extending him, if they feel like his value is as high as it will ever get. He is obviously a fantastic bench scorer. Kelly Olynyk is the guy to watch for here, as any team would want a guy like him who can stretch the floor while also being a body down low. Their pick is a top 10 protected pick this year, otherwise conveyed elsewhere, but they have a ton of future draft capital to work with as well if a young stud becomes available that they could see helping their future.

For Utah, I assume the idea is to still not be as great of a team for this season, so that they can sit in the water this offseason and make a move for the future. But if they find their way into the play-in, I would not be too surprised, but it will be a challenge given the amount of youth playing for this team.

Additions: Tyus Jones, Jordan Poole, Bilal Coulibaly, Landry Shamet, Danilo Gallinari, Patrick Baldwin Jr

Losses: Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, Monte Morris, Kendrick Nunn, Jordan Goodwin

Projected Starting Lineup: Tyus Jones, Jordan Poole, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyle Kuzma, Daniel Gafford

Finally, new management at the top of the Wizards' organization as Will Dawkins takes over as the General Manager.

His first task: trade Bradley Beal. Never an easy thing to do. But on top of it, they start to move on from another guys as well in Kristaps Porzingis.

Within the Beal trade, they got Landry Shamet and Chris Paul, who was quickly redirected to Golden State where they were able to receive Jordan Poole and Patrick Baldwin Jr. Poole had his success with the Warriors the past few seasons and then received a contract extension, which lead to an altercation with Draymond Green that seemed to have dented the team morale. Poole moves on to Washington to now be one of the main guys that will be used.

Trading Porzingis resulted in some perks as well, as Washington was able to acquire Tyus Jones from the Grizzlies in a three team trade. Jones has been amazing for the Grizzlies as the backup point guard and part time starter, and we will miss him greatly in Memphis. But Tyus 100% deserves to be a starting point guard in this league, and Washington is the spot for him to do so.

The Wizards also drafted in the top 10 as well, and they picked up Bilal Coulibaly, who was teammates with Victor Wembanyama overseas. Coulibaly is an interesting prospect who never really got any play time until towards the end of his international season where he showed off his elite defensive skills with his athleticism and length. He also proved to be a decent shooter but will continue to need improvement there.

Their big offseason signing was making sure that Kyle Kuzma doesn't go anywhere and is locked in as a Wizard for long term. Kuzma was great for this team last year and instantly becomes the number one guy on this team with both Porzingis and Beal being gone.

This team has a plethora of young talent to develop and use here as they push towards that youth movement. I'm excited to see Corey Kispert's next steps in his development because his shooting mechanics and skills show he can be one of the top three point shooters in this league for a while. Deni Avdija is inching closer to his extension time and hasn't fully proven anything yet. I think this is his season to start to prove his worth for this team after a not no efficient season last year. Johnny Davis is interesting because he was selected so high in the draft last year out of Wisconsin for his scoring ability, yet didn't see the court much at all with the NBA team. Daniel Gafford will now take over as the starting center for this team with all the movement and he is an awesome player for this team with his defensive ability.

Like I mentioned, I think this season for the Wizards is about embracing the youth movement and working towards the future. It is a team of players just thrown together for now, but if some development goes the right way, they could surprise some people with the amount of offense they have. I wouldn't expect much, but some guys on this team are key to watch for their place in this league.