2022 Offseason Exit Survey: 10 Big Questions Before The Season
With the offseason all but over, I thought it was a good time to run a survey. Here are the 10 biggest questions that remain before 2023.
The 2023 season is on the horizon. With that in mind, I thought it would be as good a time as ever to review my ten biggest questions entering next season. Think of this as a survey. There are no right or wrong answers (yet), and I’m just posing some interesting thoughts for next season and beyond. Let’s get into it.
#1 – Which Lottery Pick Has The Biggest Bust Potential?
Answer: Ousmane Dieng (OKC / 11th pick)
I’m not one to wish a player ill. In a perfect world, every top prospect would experience varying degrees of success in the NBA. But that’s now how drafting works. It’s an inexact science for a reason. This year, Shaedon Sharpe of the Blazers and Ousmane Dieng of the Thunder are as risky as it gets.
You could go either way on this one, given that both prospects are exceptionally raw. But I’m going to go with Dieng. The New Zealand forward shot up draft boards heading into the draft. His combination of size, ballhandling, and playmaking were hypnotizing. There’s no denying his potential, which is why the Thunder traded for him.
But he’s raw for a reason. Dieng wasn’t a efficient scorer in the NBL. Given his slender frame, he sometimes avoids contact near the rim. And, most alarmingly, his off-ball defense is horrendous. He has the size to be a nuisance, but he hasn’t tapped into that yet.
Dieng is a compelling prospect. His best traits are simultaneously his worst. Can he bulk up, polish his offensive game and become successful? Sure. But don’t be surprised if this guy doesn’t pan out.
#2 – Best Multi-Year Value Contract This Offseason?
Answer: Bruce Brown (Denver)
There were a ton of great value contracts this offseason. From Gary Payton to Isaiah Hartenstein, lots of role players got inexpensive deals for what they bring to the table. While I didn’t love Denver’s offseason, adding Bruce Brown for two years / $13.2 million is a bargain.
While Brown was productive in Brooklyn, he never played enough. For a backcourt in desperate need of defense, Brown fits that mold perfectly. Hopefully, he gets to shine in a more significant role. In Denver’s cut & movement-centric system, Brown fits in perfectly. His skills off the ball will be fully realized alongside 2x reigning MVP Nikola Jokic.
Then there’s the defense. Brown was always stretched too thin in Brooklyn, the land of no defense and all drama. At 6’4″, Brown hounds opposing ball-handlers. You have to fight for every inch against him, which makes him a pest.
A 1.1 DBPM last season is more evidence of the caliber of player Brown is. And Denver got this guy for just about $6 million a season. The Nuggets are hoping they can stay healthy and make their long-awaited title run. Don’t be surprised if Brown plays a big part in that.
#3 – Will Kevin Durant Get Traded? (and where)?
Answer: Nowhere (Toronto??)
On July 8th, I said that Kevin Durant wasn’t going to get traded. While the Celtics made things touch-and-go for a second, that sentiment rings true more than a month later. The Rudy Gobert trade tanked the market. It’s impossible to gauge what the Nets want/can get for a player of Durant’s caliber.
So, I don’t think Durant is going anywhere anytime soon. I also don’t think he’s going to sit out games. As much of a diva as he is, that doesn’t seem to be his MO. My best guess is that he’ll begrudgingly return to the team.
But, if I were the Nets, I would actively be trying to move him. His ultimatum to fire Marks and Nash was a step too far. Brooklyn can’t possibly move forward with that threat looming over their heads. So, where would Durant go in that situation?
I keep coming back to the Raptors. They’ve been treading water more or less since Kawhi left in 2019. While they have a good team, they’re nowhere near contender status. Now, I don’t think Toronto will trade Scottie Barnes, their new face of the franchise.
But could a package involving Siakam, Trent, VanVleet, and picks work? Maybe. Other teams like Boston or Philly could get into the mix, but I have a hard time imagining those trade talks yielding much.
Again, it’s hard for me to imagine a world where Kevin Durant gets traded. A combination of the trade market tanking and nobody having the assets to get him make him stuck in Brooklyn for the time being. The only thing any of us can expect is more waiting.
#4 – Most Disappointing Offseason?
Answer: Los Angeles Lakers
Disappointing is a relative term when it comes to the offseason. There needs to be context. To me, disappointing offseasons come when teams needed to make changes but didn’t. That describes LA’s offseason perfectly.
I don’t need to describe how horrendous the Lakers were last year. Everybody knew they couldn’t run things back with that roster. A new coach or not, changes needed to be made. And quite simply, they weren’t.
Lonnie Walker is an inefficient player who doesn’t stand out much on either end. He’s not going to be the home run Malik Monk was last year. Speaking of Monk, LA somehow let him slip away to the nearby Sacramento Kings.
Other than that, the Lakers haven’t done anything. Max Christie, their second-round pick, can’t shoot. What’s left is the same old, aging, clunky roster. And we all know that this roster is headed for imminent doom, not a title.
Darvin Ham can craft the best system possible. At the end of the day, he’s still stuck with an injury-prone Anthony Davis and the headache that is Russell Westbrook. To try and win one more title with Lebron in town, LA desperately needed to make sweeping changes. Instead, they kind of just waived the white flag.
#5 – Which Contending Team Made The Best Moves?
Answer: Boston Celtics
For the most part, contending teams didn’t have the best offseasons. Aside from some trade rumors that ruffled some feathers (sorry, Jalen), the Celtics did what they needed to do. After Golden State dismantled them in the Finals, they knew they needed more shot creation outside of their stars.
So, why not add two veterans in Danillo Gallinari and Malcolm Brogdon? Gallinari gives the Celtics size and shooting off the bench. Brogdon, when healthy, is a better version of Derrick White, who was a big part of Boston’s title run last season.
Considering Al Horford may decline due to age, the Celtics made two solid moves to bolster their depth. They’re still going to be that rugged, tough defensive team they were last year. They know what it takes to be one of the best teams in the East.
With these new additions, it’s just a matter of doing it for the whole season, not for four months.
#6 – Worst Contract Extension?
Answer: Bradley Beal (WASH)
A lot of high-level players signed major extensions this offseason. Supermax deals went to Towns, Booker, and Jokic. The fourth one went to Beal, who was the least deserving of the bunch. While the other three are in their prime, young, or the best player on their team, Beal is the outlier. Being the best player on the Wizards doesn’t hold that much weight, if you know what I mean.
For one, injuries have slowed him down in recent years. More than that, Beal’s best days seem behind him. Sure, he can score, but can he do anything else? His defense is sub-par, and he’s not much of a ceiling raiser. I’m not sure he makes the players around him better.
But let’s say you like Beal’s scoring a lot. I may disagree with you, but that’s not the point. The overarching point is that the Wizards shouldn’t be paying an aging player like Beal $250+ million dollars. They’re supposed to be rebuilding. Instead, they’re throwing money at the wall and praying it sticks.
Look at the young assets Washington has. From Deni Avdija to new rookie Johnny Davis, they are teeming with youth. This is the perfect team to start a rebuild around. Instead, they gave Beal all that money. But wait, there’s more.
Beal’s new deal has a no-trade clause. So, when the Wizards eventually regret this extension, they can’t even trade Beal. Not that anyone would want to trade for him with how much money he’s going to be making soon.
#7 – Which New Acquisition Will Be The Most Impactful?
Answer: Rudy Gobert (Minnesota)
The Minnesota Timberwolves paid too much for Rudy Gobert. We all know this by now. But it’s not like they overpaid for someone who isn’t good. Tracy McGrady and the rest of us can question his offensive output. But guess what? Minnesota’s biggest issues last season were defense and rebounding. Rudy Gobert all but solves both those issues.
Minnesota was a solid defensive team last year. While they lost guys like Vanderbilt and Beverley, adding Gobert won’t make them worse defensively. Gobert is one of the greatest rim protectors…ever. Opponents openly avoid going to the rim against him.
Karl-Anthony Towns won’t have to cover the tougher assignments with Gobert in town. And, offensively, I don’t think Gobert will slow things down too much. Will there be some awkwardness? Absolutely. But KAT is a perimeter scorer. I don’t think Gobert will be that much of a problem.
Minnesota will likely end up regretting the Gobert trade. They gave up too many assets for this move to be worthwhile. But, for the next couple of seasons, they’re getting arguably the best defender in the entire league. Sounds pretty impactful to me.
#8 – Who Had The Most Surprising Offseason?
Answer: Portland Trail Blazers
Not to sound like a homer, but the Blazers’ offseason was pretty surprising. I think everybody expected them to make moves. Clearing all that cap space at the deadline had to result in something, right? But the moves the Blazers made were anything but expected.
First, they snagged Jerami Grant for a mere future first-round pick. Thanks, Detroit! Then came the draft. If Portland really wanted to go all-in on the next few seasons, they would have drafted Dyson Daniels, one of the more NBA-ready prospects. Instead, they went with the incredibly raw Shaedon Sharpe. I wasn’t a huge fan of that one.
Anyways, onto free agency. Re-signing Anfernee Simons was obvious. Even if I don’t think he’s an upgrade over CJ, there wasn’t a world where we could have let him walk. Re-signing Jusuf Nurkic was obvious for similar reasons.
After that, the Blazers pulled a rabbit out of their hat. Signing Gary Payton for three years wasn’t something anyone was expecting. Payton adds superb perimeter defense to a team desperately in need of just that.
Overall, the Blazers added a lot of talent – hoping that everything pans out. I don’t know if things will, but their offseason was surprising.
#9 – Have Any Sleepers Been Bred This Offseason?
Answer: New Orleans Pelicans
Even if the Pelicans didn’t do anything this offseason, I would have called them sleepers. Without Zion Williamson last season, they recovered from a 1-12 start to be knotted at 2-2 with the top seeded Suns in the first round. Talk about a turnaround.
This offseason, the Pelicans didn’t take their foot off the gas. Trading for an All-Star caliber player like CJ McCollum at the deadline was a sign of things to come. New Orleans’ front office knew they had to be aggressive to keep this momentum going. And they did just that.
With the eight pick in the draft (thanks, Lakers!), the Pelicans selected Dyson Daniels. It was easily one of the best picks in the draft. Daniels gives the Pelicans size, playmaking, and defense in the frontcourt. Then came the big one.
Re-signing Zion Williamson looked like an afterthought after the 2021 season. But, the Pelicans got things done, locking up their face of the franchise. And now they look like they have one of the brightest futures in the NBA;
CJ McCollum
Herb Jones
Brandon Ingram
Zion Williamson
Jonas Valanciunas
Dyson Daniels (R)
Jaxson Hayes
Kira Lewis
Jose Alvarado
Larry Nance Jr.
Trey Murphy III
#10 – Who’s The 2023 Title Favorite Right Now?
Answer: Golden State Warriors
The Warriors proved one thing last season. No matter how good any other contender is, they’re still the top dogs. Come postseason time, there’s just something that clicks with this team. That killer instinct separates the Warriors from the rest of the pack.
Sure, the Warriors got gutted a little bit this offseason. I’m sure they’ll have to iron out more things this year than they had to last year. And after this season, their team is going to change drastically more. But, in 2023, it’s a good bet to believe the Warriors will be in the thick of things.
Steph Curry remains the most impactful offensive weapon in the game. Klay Thompson should look better. And, of course, the Warriors will play elite defense because they’re the frickin’ Warriors. It’s just what they do.
Continuity is king in the NBA. It’s hard to win when you don’t have chemistry. The Warriors know this better than anyone. Their style of play is foreign to the rest of the league. But, they know that it takes to win it all. They’ve done it a few times, in case you haven’t heard.
So, come June, it would be the least surprising thing in the world to see the Warriors – fighting for ring #5 in this dynasty.
Do you have different answers to these questions? Leave a comment down below!
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