This upcoming NBA season is projected to be spectacular, but for what reasons? This offseason is going to be wild with all the trade rumors and NBA Draft to come. Where will Giannis Antetokounmpo go; will he re-sign with the Bucks? Where will James Harden go; does he finally think Houston won’t win the beloved NBA championship he is searching for? What will Golden State do with their number two overall draft pick? That is just a glimpse at what is to come in this thrilling NBA offseason.
First let’s talk trades, where plenty of rumors are hovering around. The main discussion around the league is whether Giannis Antetokounmpo will be traded this offseason. The Milwaukee Bucks have stated that they will do almost anything to keep him on their roster, which ultimately throws the decision into Giannis’s hands. Over the last few years, the Bucks have become playoff busts, never making it to the NBA Finals. Making trades to add a few new stars to their team is their best shot at winning a championship. Yesterday, point guard Jrue Holiday was traded to Milwaukee from the New Orleans Pelicans. This may be the perfect fit for Milwaukee: a 6’3 guard who averages about 19 points per game. We will have to wait and see what Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to do in these upcoming years. The next big headline is James Harden. There was news circling that James Harden wants to be traded from the Houston Rockets. This does make sense, due to their playoff performances in recent years. They have yet to make it to the NBA Finals, although the Western Conference is tough, to say the least. Harden reportedly wants to be traded to the Brooklyn Nets or the Philadelphia 76ers. On either of those teams, he is being paired up with superstars, making those teams even more of a contender for the finals. The final big name that should be mentioned is Chris Paul. Paul has reportedly been traded to the Phoenix Suns, sending plenty of key role players to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Chris Paul, who is widely regarded to be a top point guard of all time, is nearing the end of his career and is in desperate need of a championship run. Will teaming up with Devin Booker do so? This upcoming season will tell the tale. Antetokounmpo, Harden, and Paul are just a few of the big names who are on the verge of a new city.
Furthermore, the NBA draft is coming up within a matter of days, and three names are circulating frequently. James Wiseman, Anthony Edwards, and LaMelo Ball are all the potential first overall picks in this year’s draft. The Minnesota Timberwolves haven’t specifically stated that they are open to trading their first overall pick, hinting that they are going to use it. James Wiseman came out and said he has mainly kept in touch with the Golden State Warriors and Charlotte Hornets who have the second and third overall pick in the NBA draft. It doesn’t seem like Minnesota will be getting the big man from the Memphis Tigers, as they already have Karl Anthony Towns. That leaves either Anthony Edwards or LaMelo Ball on the table. Which player do they believe will fit best? We will have to wait and see. Lastly, the Warriors are in talks of using their pick or trading it to obtain yet another superstar. They will most likely pick the big man Wiseman due to his size, exactly what the Warriors need. Then again, the Warriors were discussing sending the second overall pick to San Antonio to receive LaMarcus Aldridge instead. Aldridge is nearing the end of his career but still puts up around 20 points per game as a big man. Both players fit the needs of the Warriors, but it ultimately depends on how much risk they are willing to take in Wiseman and if they want to make a short term or long term gamble.