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The offseason isn’t over, exactly, but the free agent frenzy is essentially. Apart from Kawhi Leonard, who does absolutely everything at his own pace, all the top players are off the board. Here are some notes on what happened, starting with the Los Angeles Lakers remade:
How weird will the Lakers get?
Well, the Lakers are completely different. Only four players are back from last season’s roster, and of the eight players who were on rotation at the end of the 2020 NBA Finals, only LeBron James and Anthony Davis remain. (Additionally, Dwight Howard, who was out of the rotation, is back for his third stint as a Laker.)
Next to James, Davis, Marc Gasol, Talen-Horton Tucker and Howard are Russell Westbrook and a whole bunch of guys who can shoot 3s: Kent Bazemore, Trevor Ariza, Malik Monk, Wayne Ellington, Kendrick Nunn and Carmelo Anthony .
This group divides. James already has tweeted and deleted a reply to those who spoke about “my squad, our staff are getting older, the way they play, they are still injured, etc etc etc.” As for the fit on the pitch, much of the discussion has naturally centered on defending the Lakers, which will almost certainly decline from the elite level it has maintained since Davis took over. . At least in the regular season, the Lakers are going to give regular minutes to players who don’t pester guards at the point of attack as well as Alex Caruso or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and don’t have the same versatility as 2019-20 Danny Green. or Kyle Kuzma 2020-21. Their hope, it seems, is that it won’t matter much, as they can still put impressive defensive formations on the field in the playoffs.
I am curious, however, about the Los Angeles offensive. Mainly: will this team play differently? We know where Davis likes to operate and surely we know what a James-centric offense looks like. Before injuries sidelined their plan, the Lakers took a few steps towards a more balanced attack last season, mixing up Dennis Schroder’s pick-and-rolls and using Gasol as a high-level facilitator. Westbrook is a whole different type of player, though, and I wonder if he’ll change his game at all (and how creative Frank Vogel will be with him).
Two years ago, the Houston Rockets sometimes used Westbrook as a filter for James Harden, and surely he could do the same for LeBron. Will Westbrook finally make moving and cutting a priority when he doesn’t have the ball? James did a bit more of it last season because he wasn’t always the nominal playmaker, but it wasn’t quite the same as, say, his last year in Miami.
I even have questions about how Vogel will use some of these actors. Is Carmelo going to get the ISO keys he likes on the second drive? Are the Lakers going to perform tricks to get Ellington off screens and shoot on the move? Will Nunn and Monk both be in the rotation, and how much power will they have to play? In James’ first year with the Lakers, they built a galaxy brains out of a ridiculous roster devoid of shooting and full of players who needed the ball. Ideally, they will now be able to reduce its workload in a way that makes sense.
The best of LaVine is yet to come
Zach LaVine didn’t get a raise or contract extension, but he could be one of the biggest winners of the offseason. I say this not only because it looks like he will finally qualify for the playoffs next season, but because his new teammates will make it easier for him.
Last year was a career season for LaVine. He ran more pick-and-rolls than ever before and was much more efficient than ever. Chicago were a slow, half-court focused team, so they didn’t do as much damage as they are capable of in transition. The Bulls are unlikely to be on the verge of becoming the fastest team in the NBA – Nikola Vucevic is no speed demon – but the arrival of Lonzo Ball means they will run more. Ball is a leading rebounder for a point guard and master of assists; LaVine will quickly learn that he can get easy points just by sprinting on the floor after the stops. When Ball is on the pitch, he’ll even get easy points for running after makes.
DeMar DeRozan isn’t as creative a passer as Ball is, but he’s fantastic at forcing the defense to crumble and finding open shooters. Chicago needed someone other than LaVine who could do it, if only so they could catch the ball with an advantage every now and then rather than having to create one themselves. Ideally, LaVine will have more catch-and-shoot opportunities, develop chemistry with DeRozan (and Ball and Vucevic) as a cutter, and build on the progress he has made as a defender.
With less playmaker responsibility, LaVine might score no more than the 27.4 points per game he averaged in 2020-21. But I expect him to have his best overall season.
The Kemba miracle
Turns out I shouldn’t have said anything about the New York Knicks offseason just hours after free agency started. I am sorry! I had no idea Kemba Walker was about to fall into New York’s lap.
Walker’s signing changes everything. After being lifted by the Oklahoma City Thunder, he would sign with the Knicks for around $ 8 million, roughly the same amount TJ McConnell will earn in the first year of his new contract with the Indiana Pacers. It’s basically a proof of agreement for a 31-year-old who has dealt with knee issues on and off since the 2020 All-Star Game.
It’s also an absolute home run for New York, a hometown discount for a player who meets their greatest needs. After pitching Elfrid Payton, Frank Ntilikina, Allonzo Trier, Dennis Smith Jr. and Emmanuel Mudiay as point guard for the past few years, the Knicks finally have a point guard who can hit 3 pull-ups and fold defense. For all the positive vibes around Madison Square Garden, New York finished 24th in attack last season, according to Cleaning The Glass. This should improve with Walker’s pick-and-roll and Evan Fournier’s side play in the picture.
It all comes with the caveat that Walker actually needs to be on the pitch. He played 43 games last season and hasn’t played a back-to-back game. He’s got a longer offseason this time around, though, and he mostly looked the same towards the end of the regular season. I can’t believe I’m saying this about anything to do with the Knicks, but I’m not sure enough has been said about the advantage here.
Also: New York has done well to extend Julius Randle now, as he would have been eligible for a much more expensive contract as a free agent next summer. Imagine if Randle maintains his efficiency and RJ Barrett continues the filming we saw in the second half of the season.
Another proof situation
It wasn’t as bad as having Kyle Lowry or stealing PJ Tucker from the Bucks, but Victor Oladipo’s signing is just a boon for Miami. Oladipo has re-signed with the team who traded for him on the deadline on a minimum contract, betting he will be healthy, contribute to a winning team and increase his value.
Oladipo is only 29, but hasn’t been the same since his quad broke in 2019. The Heat gave up relatively little when they acquired him from the Houston Rockets at the trade deadline, and he only played five games with them before he had the season. end of surgery.
Even in those five games, however, you could see why Miami wanted Oladipo. Last season’s Heat didn’t have many playmakers capable of going down consistently, and it gave them some much-needed athleticism on the perimeter. This list is a little different, but they can still use his skills. It would help if he could continue to do 37.5% of his 3 catch-and-shoot, as he did in his 35 games split between the Pacers, Rockets and Heat.
Oladipo won’t be ready for the start of the season, and the Heat certainly aren’t counting on his return to his 2018 All-NBA form. Whatever odds he makes a difference, they’re worth more than this leaflet.
There is no Justise (on any NBA list at the moment)
One unsigned player is worth a flyer: Justise Winslow. Just two years ago, he started as a point guard for the Heat and shot 37.5% on 3.9 attempts at 3 points per game. He is a player who also started center in a playoff series.
I know it didn’t work out with the Memphis Grizzlies, and I know the shoot didn’t prove to be sustainable. But he’s 25, and there’s not much risk in offering him a short-term contract. Every team wants as many great all-round defenders as possible, and almost every team is looking for more wings that can perform a pick-and-roll. I would like a team like Denver or Utah to give him a chance.
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