NBA Offseason Trades 2023: All major trades that have happened so far
The NBA offseason has gotten off to a wild start. Some trades have already been made official while some will have to wait until July 6 to be finalized.
Here we look at the major trades that have happened so far in the NBA offseason:
Suns acquire Bradley Beal in a multi-team trade
The Phoenix Suns, who lost to the Denver Nuggets in six games despite having Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, are looking to get even more top-heavy. The Suns have traded for Bradley Beal.
There are currently only 11 players in the NBA who have averaged at least 25 points and five assists over the past five seasons. The Suns have three of those players: Bradley Beal (27.0 and 5.5), Devin Booker (26.6 and 5.6) and Kevin Durant (27.8 and 5.8). The Mavs are the only other team with more than one: Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
This top-heavy approach is costly. There are only seven players in the NBA who will make more than $50 million in both of the next two seasons. The Suns now have three of those seven players. Bradley Beal is owed $208 million over the next four years, Devin Booker is owed $260 million over the next five and Kevin Durant $154 million over the next three.
With these huge contracts, it will be interesting to see how the Suns fill the rest of their roster.
Boston Celtics acquire Kristaps Porzingis, send Marcus Smart to Memphis Grizzlies
This might easily end up being the biggest 2023 NBA offseason trade. Here is the full breakdown:
Celtics get:
- Kristaps Porzingis
- Marcus Sasser (No. 25 pick, traded to Detroit)
- 2024 first-round pick (Golden State via Memphis)
Grizzlies get:
- Marcus Smart
Wizards get:
- Tyus Jones
- Danilo Gallinari
- Mike Muscala
- Julian Phillips (No. 35 pick, traded to Chicago)
In this blockbuster trade, the Celtics might've lost their DPOY Marcus Smart, but they landed the Latvian giant Kristaps Porzingis.
Porzingis, when healthy, has a tremendous upside to his game. He can knock down shots from downtown and is an elite defender and shot blocker. Porzingis and Jayson Tatum could be a great one-two punch that could lift the Celtics to the next level and potentially win the 2023-24 NBA title.
Here’s @wojespn with the latest trade between the Celtics, Grizz and Wizards https://t.co/wFKVpZMz6n
The Grizzlies will also benefit from the trade as they look to fill in the spot for Dillon Brooks. Marcus Smart is the perfect replacement for Brooks and will serve as a great defensive anchor for the team.
The Big Three of Ja Morant, Marcus Smart and Jaren Jackson Jr. can make a lot of noise in the Western Conference. Smart might be the missing piece for the Grizzlies, helping them make a trip to the finals and potentially win it all.
Golden State Warriors acquire Chris Paul, ship Jordan Poole to Washington Wizards
Ever since the Jordan Poole and Draymond Green altercation, things haven't been rosy for the Golden State Warriors. Perhaps it made sense for the Warriors to ship off Poole who had a four-year, $128-million contract extension kicking in on July 1.
This might be the most meaningful NBA offseason trade if it wasn't for Chris Paul coming to the Warriors. Paul is a poor fit for the Warriors despite being one of the greatest point guards in NBA history.
ESPN Sources: The Washington Wizards are finalizing a deal to send Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors for a package that includes Jordan Poole and future draft assets. https://t.co/kpNkhqFicp
Chris Paul has been severely injury prone over the past few seasons. Even if it wasn't for injuries, it is hard to see Paul's role on the Warriors.
The Warriors have arguably the best shooting backcourt in NBA history with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Even though the Warriors are known to play small ball, there is no scenario under which it would make sense for Paul to start alongside Curry and Thompson, which puts his role in question.
If Paul is willing to come off the bench, then this could be a win-win trade for the Warriors. The first benefit would be that Paul's minutes would be limited and he might actually make it to the end of the playoffs without sustaining any major injuries.
Secondly, Paul would be tremendous off the bench where he would be the primary playmaker. Paul could energize the bench and help the Warriors' depth tremendously, potentially positioning them for another championship run.