The first month of the NBA free agency comes to a close and the most important moves have been settled. But there’s still a lot more to catch up on. Read ahead for the latest and most important free agency rumors, trades, and updates.
The dust has finally settled on the offseason. All of the most loved players you know have signed new deals, including Kevin Durant, Lebron James, Chris Paul, and Paul George. But there’s more you need to know. The NBA has one big labyrinth of news you need to delve into. It’s time to catch up on what our favorite sports league has brewing. There’s the question of what Dwayne Wade will do, where will star vets Jamal Crawford and Greg Monroe go, and plenty more questions we know you’re dying to ask. Read ahead to know more about the latest and juiciest news NBA has to offer.
Kawhi Leonard Leaves San Antonio Spurs
In an overnight blockbuster of a trade, last July 18, San Antonio’s star Kawhi Leonard along with teammate Danny Green was traded for Toronto Raptors players DeMar DeRozan and Jakob Poeltl as well as a protected 2019 first-round pick. This comes to no surprise to anyone. We all knew that Leonard wanted out. The star player announced to the public media that he wanted to leave his current situation and he certainly got what he wanted. This left the Spurs with no choice but to trade him rather than risk him leaving as a free agent next year without any compensation. But we all know Kawhi Leonard wants one thing, and that’s to land in Los Angeles Lakers. However, the basketball superstar will just have to wait at least one season to get there.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors has swung for the fences with this acquisition which makes the team even better defensively and offensively. Who knows what’s going to happen in the future, but one thing is for sure – Toronto Raptors are bound to give a great game next season.
Carmelo Anthony Leaves Oklahoma City Thunder
This is yet another unsurprising move. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Carmelo Anthony has parted ways last July 19. This is, of course, no news for us. The relationship between player and team turned sour last season. The Raptors-Hawks trade includes the exchange of Anthony for Dennis Schroder and Mike Muscala. The trade also includes a protected 2022 first-round pick. But don’t let the dust settle just yet. Carmelo Anthony may just as well be bought out and get to pick his next destination. Rumors have it that he’s keeping his eye on Houston or Miami.
Other Notable Trades and Signings
Those two trades are only a few of other latest 2018 NBA Free Agency moves. Following Kevin Durant’s departure, the Cleveland Cavaliers are starting fresh after signing a spanking new four-year, $120 million contract with All-Star forward Kevin Love.
Dirk Nowitzki is also making quite the splash. The NBA veteran is officially returning to the Dallas Mavericks for his 21st season. This makes Nowitzki hold the NBA record for most seasons with one franchise, overpowering Kobe Bryant’s long withstanding record with Los Angeles Lakers. It’s quite an achievement for any star player in the league, as more and more we see players switching teams every day. Furthermore, it’s very rare to see basketball players have careers that last for more than 20 years.
Ex-Knicks forward player Michael Beasley has officially signed with Los Angeles Lakers. General Rob Pelinka, for one, seems quite excited about this latest player acquisition. “Michael adds another component of versatility to our deep roster,” said Pelinka. “His length and ability to guard multiple positions, stretch the floor, play-make and create his own shot are all essential characteristics for us. Coming off one of the finest years of his career, we think Michael is poised to have a very exciting and strong season for us.”
The Brooklyn Nets have also recently acquired Jared Dudely and a 2021 second-round pick last July 27. This trade included the exchange of forwarding player Darrell Arthur of the Denver Nuggets. The trade seems perfect for both teams. Phoenix ends up saving on some salary budget while Brooklyn acquires a top-35 protected second-round pick for the 2021 season.
What Our Favorite Teams Are Up To
Aside from the players, everything is also becoming quite interesting with the NBA teams. Some has had a quiet summer while others are packing up the big guns with big rounds of signings and exchanges. Let’s take a look at what our favorite teams are up to so far.
Miami Heat
The NBA giant seems to be having quite an uneventful run this summer. There seems to be no significant gains or losses this offseason. Wayne Ellington re-signs on a one-year, $6.2 contract. Derrick Jones, on the other hand, signs on a two-year minimum contract. Meanwhile, shooting guard Dwayne Wade is still a free agent. You don’t have to worry, though. It would be a surprise he doesn’t come back, especially after posting a “Year 16” update on Instagram.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers seems to be having more momentum this summer. The most memorable being the outcries from Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum regarding their disappointment when teammate Ed Harris wasn’t re-signed. Harris was instead nabbed by the Brooklyn Nets on a one-year, $4.4 million contract. The exchange was very friendly, though, attesting to Jusuf Nurkic’s resigning for four years with a $48 million. Other notable moves by the Portland Trail Blazers include signing Seth Curry for two years with $5.6 million, signing Nik Stauskas for a one-year minimum, drafting Gary Trent and Anfernee Simmons. Meanwhile, Portland has let Shabazz Napier and Pat Connaughton walk away.
Boston Celtics
It’s all good vibes down at the Bolton Celtics headquarters. With some major additions, they are bound to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since they had Brian Scalabrine. The Celtics managed to retain Aaron Baynes with a contract of two years and $11 million. And that’s a sizable bargain, with Baynes playing such a valuable game throughout the last season. Marcu Smart is also on retainer, with the Boston Celtics signing him on for four more years and $52 million. Their latest addition includes Robert Williams and Brad Wanamaker. With all of these powerful moves, you better not count the Celtics for next season.
That sums up our current report on the going-ins of the NBA offseason. With all of this exciting chess-move plays and strategies, experts and fans everywhere are speculating about what will happen next. With valuable players going on free agent while some are being let go, it’s bound to be quite the show. We hope we’ve satisfied your curiosity! Stay tuned for more news about your favorite basketball league.