The 2021-22 NBA season is right around the corner. With 29 teams jockeying to dethrone the defending-champion Milwaukee Bucks, there’s a lot to be excited about for hoops fans. The offseason saw superstars changing teams, potential dynasties trusting the process, and plenty of juicy trade rumors. Here are our thoughts on the ten winners and losers of the NBA offseason.
Winner: Russell Westbrook
Let’s start with the obvious. There is no bigger winner from the NBA offseason than Mr. Triple Double himself, Russell Westbrook. The former MVP was traded for the third straight offseason, this time for the better. After averaging a triple-double for the fourth time last season, the Los Angeles-native has joined LeBron and AD suiting up in the purple and gold. This presents Russ with his best opportunity for a ring since his early days in OKC. Though he had an abysmal preseason debut with six turnovers in seventeen minutes, don’t get it twisted. Brodie is still a future Hall of Famer and brings a fiery competitiveness the Lakers have been missing. Whether this new big three will work out is anyone’s guess right now, but Westbrook has surely hit the jackpot.
Loser: Damian Lillard
The not-so-obvious loser of the NBA offseason is Trail Blazers’ star point guard Damian Lillard. Everybody around the NBA is fully aware of Dame’s most hampering trait – loyalty. Nine years into an impressive career, Dame has expressed an overwhelming desire to win a championship in Portland. After seeing Giannis win a ring with Milwaukee, Lillard “was even more convinced” that he could accomplish the same feat in Portland. Not so fast though, Dame. The Blazers haven’t shown any urgency to radically improve the team around Lillard. This offseason was no different. The Blazers replaced Zach Collins, Carmelo Anthony, and Enes Kanter with Cody Zeller and Larry Nance Jr. in what is basically a horizontal move. Before winning their title, Milwaukee had to swing a deal for Jrue Holiday and radically improve their bench depth. The Blazers have rolled with Lillard and CJ McCollum for 8 seasons with only one Conference Finals appearance to show for it. For Dame, at what point does your quest for a ring overpower your loyalty to a city? If the Blazers see another early exit this season, expect the Damian Lillard trade talk to be in full force.
Winner: The Future of the Atlanta Hawks
After a surprising run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, the Atlanta Hawks didn’t need to do much this offseason. They re-signed high-flying forward John Collins to a new five-year, $125 million contract and extended All-Star guard Trae Young. The big victory for Atlanta this offseason came via the NBA draft. The Hawks grabbed Auburn point guard Sharife Cooper and Duke forward Jalen Johnson who have since been dubbed “steals” of the draft. Both have performed remarkably well in Summer League and preseason action. The Hawks are bringing back the same young team as last season, one year stronger and one year wiser. For Atlanta, all they’ve got to do is continue to let the young core of Young, Collins, Kevin Huerter, Cam Reddish, and De’Andre Hunter develop. Or, they could package a couple of those names together in a big trade for a third superstar. Either way, the Hawks look poised to be a powerful threat in the East for years to come.
Loser: The Future of the New Orleans Pelicans
Surprised? You shouldn’t be. The clock has been ticking on the New Orleans Pelicans since the moment they secured Zion Williamson. Everybody knew Zion wanted the Knicks to win the number one pick in the 2019 draft lottery. He’s even flirted with New York media whenever he plays in the Garden. Reports of Zion’s unhappiness in the Big Easy began to circulate last season when family members expressed concern with the direction of the organization. By far the funniest rumor to make waves this offseason was one claiming that Pelicans executive David Griffin went to Zion’s room in the NBA Bubble to cheer him up by playing piano for him. Zion’s had a different coach every year since being drafted and hasn’t sniffed the playoffs once. To make matters worse, the Pelicans let Lonzo Ball – one of Zion’s favorite teammates – walk to Chicago in free-agency. They also lost big man Steven Adams and downgraded to Jonas Valunciunas and Devonte Graham. From Chris Paul to Anthony Davis to now Zion, the Pelicans organization has struggled to build around and retain young superstars. Enjoy Zion while you’ve got him, Pelican fans, he won’t be around for long.
Winner: Bulls Fans
Excitement in Chicago! The Bulls overhauled their roster this offseason, adding depth and star power around All-Stars Zach Lavine and Nikola Vucevic. The Bulls added the aforementioned Lonzo Ball, former All-Star Demar Derozan, cult phenom Alex Caruso, and high-flying Derrick Jones Jr. With another year of experience for youngsters Coby White and Patrick Williams, this Bulls team is deep, fast, and athletic. Similar to Damian Lillard, Zach Lavine expressed a desire for his team to improve, and the Bulls did not disappoint. With second-year coach Billy Donavan planting the seeds for a strong culture in Chicago, the Bulls look like they’ll be competitive for the first time since the Jimmy Butler days. Bulls fans, you’ve got every reason to be excited about the upcoming NBA season.
Loser: 76ers Fans (and the Philadelphia 76ers)
And Philly fans, you’ve got every reason to be worried about the upcoming NBA season. You know about the Ben Simmons situation, and it’s probably going to get worse before it gets better. The drama around Ben Simmons left the 76ers deadlocked in their ability to make any changes or improvements to the team. Sure, they added Andre Drummond, but a back-up center wasn’t really the problem. The Sixers were already a really good team with Simmons, but without him or the assets you could get for him, they’re not at the top of the class in the East. The tension around this organization will be on full display when the season tips off. If the Simmons Stalemate is still in full effect, expect it to dominate headlines and media pressers nightly. Philly, at least you’ve got Joel Embiid, for now.
Winner: The Golden State Warriors
The Warriors had one of the more subtle offseasons in the league. They opted to make critical improvements at the margins rather than go for the big splash. Bringing in Otto Porter, Nemanja Bjelica, and Avery Bradley gives the Warriors a legitimate ten-man rotation. They snagged Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody in the NBA Draft, both of whom have impressed early on. Steph Curry signed his second $200 million contract extension, basically ensuring that the greatest shooter of all time will retire in The Bay. With Klay Thompson and James Wiseman returning from injuries, the Warriors are expected to be at full strength for the first time in two years. On paper, this team is somewhat tough to figure out though. Their ceiling puts them just underneath the Lakers, Suns, Jazz, and Nuggets atop the West. However, one or two injuries – or a lack of bench production – could see the Warriors drop out of the playoff picture entirely.
Loser: The Milwaukee Bucks
How could the reigning NBA champions be losers this offseason? Complacency. The Bucks are going with a “run it back, same teams” mentality to defend their title. The only problem with that strategy is that other teams don’t play by the same rules. The aforementioned Bulls and Hawks, Miami Heat, and New York Knicks each got better. The Brooklyn Nets, barring any injuries to their big three, are still right there. Meanwhile, the Bucks lost P.J. Tucker, an integral piece in their championship run. The additions of near-elite defender Grayson Allen and backup guards George Hill and Rodney Hood are nice, but is it enough? Everyone will be gunning for the Bucks, and most NBA champions have said that defending a title is harder than winning it in the first place. Realistically, there’s no need to worry just yet though. Milwaukee still has the most dominant player on the planet and the best defensive big three in the league.
Winner: Veteran Point Guards
How great it must feel to be an aging star point guard standing under 6’2” – these men secured the bag! 36 year-old Chris Paul re-signed with the Suns for $120 million. 35 year-old Kyle Lowry took his talents to South Beach for $90 million. 33 year-old Mike Conley was given 72 million reasons to stay in Utah. Everyone’s favorite veteran point guard Derrick Rose signed with the Knicks for $42 million. Over the past decade, the aging curve in the NBA has changed drastically. Several dedicated players have shown that they can remain effective and valuable into their mid-30’s. It was a great offseason for point guards – well, except for one.
Loser: Dennis Schroder
We’re ending on a very obvious note with the spokesman for fumbling the bag. Schroder was offered a four year, $84 million extension with the Lakers last season, which he declined. After seeing his market value freefall, Schroder ended up signing a one year deal with the Celtics for $6 million. The German guard poked fun at the topic in an Instagram post last month. Schroder has a great opportunity this year with the Celtics, a team desperately in need of a pass-first point guard. If Schroder can improve his shot-making and revise his play style to fit in Ime Udoka’s system, he could be in for a redemption payday next offseason.
We hope you enjoyed our take on the winners and losers of the 2021 NBA offseason. The NBA season kicks off on Tuesday, October 19th with two marquee matchups. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below! Lastly, for more sports news, Tom Brady Reveals Which NFL Team He Enjoys Beating the Most.
