Last November 18, 2020, the NBA Draft took place, which is the most significant event for all teams. It is where the groups can trade, give up, and contract new players to include in the current roster.
Besides, the draft needs the right decision-making skills because it can either make or break the team as the regular season approaches.
Now that the 2020-21 NBA campaign had successfully started on December 22, 2020, we’ve seen player movements doing their job for their current groups.
Looking into the current NBA standings, the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, and Milwaukee Bucks dominate the East, while the West has superstars like the Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, and LA Clippers.
As the current NBA season progresses, this is the time to look back at the biggest NBA trades that took place last offseason.
Let’s get to know these players and find out which side they are playing. Besides that, we’ll see if these players have made the right decision to sign a deal with their current group as they got odds in top sportsbooks like FanDuel.
John Wall to the Rockets, Russell Westbrook to the Wizards
Russell Westbrook is the biggest trade of this NBA season so far. He was traded away from the Houston Rockets to join Bradley Beal on the Washington Wizards in the hopeful quest for his first NBA title championship.
As he played for the Rockets last year, Westbrook was unstoppable at 27.2 points per game with 7.9 rebounds. Looking into the Wizards today, however, they settled at the 15th seed for the Eastern Conference.
In exchange for Westbrook, the Wizards had to give John Wall to the Rockets. The star point guard missed the last two seasons because of an injury.
Now that he is in good health, Wall makes a great addition to the Rockets, which now settles at the 9th place in the Western Conference seeding. For the past ten years, Wall has averaged 9.2 rebounds and 19 points per game.
Chris Paul to the Suns
The Oklahoma Thunder probably had the most number of trades that happened two months ago. Four of the most promising NBA players of today’s generation have joined the team.
These players are Jalen League, Ty Jerome, Ricky Rubio, and Kelly Oubre Jr., although some were traded to other teams. Since this four-player acquisition, the Thunder are currently in the 12th seed of the Eastern Conference.
Meanwhile, the Thunder traded away star point guard Chris Paul. CP3 had an excellent finish last year after recording 6.7 assists per game and averaging 17.6 points.
This alone can help the Phoenix Suns push for more victories this year with the help of existing players. With Paul’s handful of experience, the Suns are now at the sixth seed in the West as they make a push for the playoffs.
Jrue Holiday Joins the Bucks in a Four-Team Swap
A four-team swap agreed by the Pelicans, Thunders, Nuggets, and Bucks is needed for Milwaukee to contract Jrue Holiday this NBA season.
With this in mind, he is joining the current MVP Giannis Antekoumpo to make a powerhouse cast for the Bucks. Presently, they are the East’s second-best team based on the standings.
After letting go of Holiday, the Pelicans have gained two unprotected first-round picks who are Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams. Besides, Thunder got four men led by Oubre Jr. while Nuggets earned RJ Hampton.
That said, the Pelicans and the Thunder are the two NBA teams who benefited a lot in the offseason.
Gordon Hayward to the Hornets
One of the surprising trades that happened in the NBA this year was the Hornets acquiring Gordon Hayward from the Boston Celtics. He is joining the top-rated LaMelo Ball, who was drafted third overall by Charlotte.
The Hornets offered a pricey deal with Hayward, although he came from an injury. Although it’s a risky move, the Hornets might reap their rewards if Hayward can make an epic comeback. So far, it looks like he has.
Together with Charlotte, who had a 2023-24 second-round draft pick, Hayward signed on for a $120 million-dollar deal. This is the most expensive NBA trade that happened this season, while the Hornets currently sit at the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference.
Dennis Schroder to the Lakers
The defending champions are not letting their title slip away, as they took Dennis Schroder from the Thunder during the draft. He was an impressive off-the-bench scorer, averaging 18.9 points per game last season.
With his participation in the reigning champs, Danny Green was acquired by the Philadelphia 76ers. Clearly, the Lakers are making a desperate move of trading new players to defend their title.
With James, Davis, and Schroder on the court, the Lakers are leading the Western Conference race in the current season.
Takeaway
The ability of an NBA team to win the championship title is not solely based on the players and the coaches. Each group should make the best strategy in trading players during the draft to make a powerhouse cast.
With the top five biggest trades last offseason, the 2020-21 NBA season has many more to offer (such as the James Harden to the Nets one that occurred during this season).
