[ESPN Insider] Top 10 Offseason Moves (guess what's #1)

Howard at No. 1 is a no brainer. But good to see Scola getting some much-deserved love as well at 4.

 

Still baffled by the Clippers getting Reddick for only two 2nd round draft picks, he would've been perfect for us.

 

It's a bummer that both the Warriors and Clippers loaded up.

 

I was half-expecting the Clippers-Chris-Paul non-move to top the list. Glad they didn't go that route.

 

Why not? As an unrestricted free agent, Paul could have signed anywhere. On July 1, Chris Paul was NOT a Clipper. Not until he was signed to a new contract. I actually think that should have easily been one of the top 5 most significant moves this offseason.

 

Because the Clippers didn't get better as a result of the move.

 

I think they got a LOT better. "Signing Chris Paul to a new contract" added the best PG in the game to a Clippers roster that AT THAT MOMENT didn't have him. Not making that move would have COST them the best PG in the game.

Seems pretty significant to me.

(I know where you're coming from, JV. We're just looking at it in two different ways. It's all good.)

 

I disagree. Well, at least in as much as, since there was inevitably going to be some improvement, it's good to to see these upstart, fun teams doing it. The young turks of the Rockets, Warriors, and Clips ousting the old guard of the likes of Dallas and LA is a good and fun thing to watch, IMO.

Then, there's that inexplicable San Antonio team...

 

Thank you for sharing

 

didn't someone already post this?

 

I think the Scola trade is underrated cause I believe the Pacers fixed their biggest weakness(their bench) with a bonafide post scorer in Scola, and with either Stevenson or Granger going to the bench as well I honestly see Indy getting pass Miami this year

 

The Warriors completely outplayed their point differential last season, and even then were incredibly lucky in terms of their shooting percentage. Their coaching is bad (or their players are not disciplined, which in my mind is the same thing), their defense is porous, and they have poor shot selection. Without Steph Curry they are a mediocre team, and even with him they rely far too much on his inhuman shooting ability to score points. Even with the addition of Iguodola, the Warriors will probably struggle to contend for the 8th seed next season.

 

If Steph/Klay stays healthy, they should be anywhere between 5th and 8th. They have enough offense during the regular season to win games on offense alone.

 

The Royce White trade should be in the Top 10

 

I want to agree... But all Miami has to do is have a HEALTHY wade.... I've said since James signed with the heat, he'll win titles as long as wade is healthy...wade wasn't when it counted this last year, and I honestly think they were incredibly lucky to beat spurs... But this year? On the surface, it seems like a large percentage of the leagues best have improved... How it plays out on the court will be fascinating to watch... What is obvious is that Miami will have to be better next year to sin than they were this year.... And I think a healthy wade may just be enough... But, I hope not.

 

No

Seems like Houston is going to have the best trades every year.

 

That's the thing - they really don't. Their point differential was +0.9 last year. That was worse than the Lakers, and only one point better than the Jazz. And that point differential is built on the back of Steph Curry, who continues to make shots that no one in his right mind should be able to make. Even if he can continue that kind of production, it doesn't bode well for the team that the coaching can't get anyone, Curry included, an open shot consistently. With Jack gone, what you're going to see is teams focusing on shutting down Curry (who is a PG in the same way that Harden is a PG) and physically dismantle the rest of the team by outpacing and outgunning them. The Rockets were able to do it easily last season, and the Spurs thoroughly exposed them in the playoffs.

Everyone thinks that the coaching in GS is great because the team has been outperforming expectations, but that's like saying the McHale is responsible for the Rockets' outperforming expectations last year (when in reality Harden was the primary reason the Rockets did so well, and none of the talking heads were willing to give him credit as a superstar-caliber player). Anyone who watches that team play more than a few games knows that they play poor defense, don't have the physicality to stand up to other teams (Iguodala or no), and run very poor plays that rarely result in open shots.

I don't want to say that the team sucks, because they'd be a strong seed in the East, but in the West you really need to be a strong team all around in order to compete, and that team just doesn't have what it takes.