Compared to the last few offseasons, the NBA has been pretty quiet this summer. Then again, it still brought its fair share of fireworks with big names such as Bradley Beal, Fred VanVleet and Kristaps Porzingis finding themselves on a new team via trades and free agency.
Not to mention, over a billion dollars was spent on new contracts within the first couple of hours of free agency, per ESPN's Bobby Marks. LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton and Desmond Bane all received massive extensions coming off their rookie contracts and the biggest extensions of them all went to Jaylen Brown and Anthony Davis. Brown received a $304 million extension over a five-year span, the largest in league history, and Davis recently cashed in on a three-year, $186 million extension that will pay him over $60 million a year!
At this point in the offseason, the chatter around the NBA is now focused on Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard and Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden, the two big names on the trade block. What ultimately happens with Lillard and Harden will have a huge impact on how the 2023-24 season plays out, but there were plenty of moves made in June and July that will also impact the league.
From All-Stars being on the move to lesser names joining a new team, there were plenty of names joining new teams this offseason. Every single player in the league is talented and whether they are a star player or a role player, they can be a positive factor for their team. These are the five most underrated moves from this NBA offseason.
Chris Paul traded to Golden State
This was perhaps one of the biggest moves made during the offseason simply because of the weight it held. Ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors made headlines and new GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. executed his first big move leading the team's front office by acquiring 12-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul from the Washington Wizards. This was the second time Paul was dealt this offseason, as he was previously traded to the Wizards as part of the trade sending Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns.
The Warriors gave up a lot to the Wizards in exchange for Paul, trading away Jordan Poole, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins, a 2027 second-round pick and a 2030 first-round pick that is protected Top 20. As much as this could turn out to be a terrific move by Washington, this is a very underrated move made by the Warriors for a couple of different reasons.
Even though he is older and does not present much of a future to Golden State, Paul is an established guard who is more than capable of leading his team's offense as their primary passer. He will instantly take pressure off of Stephen Curry to have to do everything in the backcourt and Paul's arrival allows Curry and Klay Thompson to play off of screens more and just be the deadly three-point shooters that they are.
Perhaps what is being overlooked by many is the fact that Paul's contract for next season is non-guaranteed and this is nothing more than a one-year rental. Maybe this is an even shorter rental for the Warriors, as they could approach their situation with the veteran point guard this upcoming season the same way they handled things with D'Angelo Russell after losing Kevin Durant in 2019.
When Durant went to the Brooklyn Nets in a sign-and-trade, the Warriors received Russell from Brooklyn. Although he held an immediate role for the team, especially with Curry sidelined due to a hand injury, the Warriors ultimately moved Russell at the trade deadline for Andrew Wiggins, a player that ultimately helped them capture their recent championship in 2022.
It is certainly possible that Golden State holds onto Paul through the conclusion of the 2023-24 season and then waives him in the offseason to take $30 million off their books, but the Warriors kept this $30 million slot that he currently occupies on purpose.
For the first time in a long time, this organization now has some options financially and we definitely cannot rule out the possibility of the Warriors dealing Paul to another team ahead of the trade deadline in exchange for a player like Wiggins, one who can immediately impact their chances of winning a championship.
This is the reason why the trade involving Paul has flown under the radar and why this was one of the better moves made in the offseason. Poole may present more long-term upside, but Paul is more affordable in the short-term and he could possibly lead the Warriors to acquiring one or two more impactful secondary talents.
John Collins traded to Utah
It seems like John Collins had been on the trade block with the Atlanta Hawks ever since they drafted him 19th overall in 2017. An athletic power forward whose talents always seemed to be overshadowed in Atlanta, Collins was finally dealt this offseason to a young, rising team in the Utah Jazz. Picked to finish last in the Western Conference by many at the start of the 2022-23 season, the Jazz finished just a couple of wins shy of earning a spot in the play-in tournament with a 37-45 record.
The Jazz had a hole to fill at the power forward position this offseason and Collins should prove to be the perfect addition. Lauri Markkanen had a breakout, All-Star season in Utah yet he was really the team's only source of production at the forward positions. Veteran Kelly Olynyk was also a contributor at the power forward position at times, but he was mainly utilized as a change-of-pace big man next to rookie Walker Kessler.
Collins' arrival immediately makes him the team's starting power forward, letting Markkanen move to where he is more comfortable at small forward, and he gives the Jazz another impactful frontcourt talent who can run the floor and be another lead rebounder.
In his first season as head coach, Will Hardy proved that he can get the most out of the talents on his roster and while his production has declined, Collins is still just 25 years old. With six years of experience under his belt and knowing what it takes to play deep into the playoffs, he is the perfect addition for this Utah team that is rapidly proving they can be a playoff team this upcoming season.
He can run the floor, he can crash the boards and he can be a vocal leader for his team. This is why Collins will instantly make an impact with the Jazz.
Obi Toppin traded to Indiana
The first three years of Obi Toppin's career with the New York Knicks will be remembered by the inconsistent minutes he saw and the team's unwillingness to give the former Top-10 pick an important role. Although Toppin could never really crack the Knicks' main rotation, he showed flashes of his full potential, especially in the games that All-Star forward Julius Randle did not play in.
It is a small sample size but without Randle, Toppin averaged 21.8 points, 3.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds in a total of five games last season. Not to mention, he shot 58.3 percent from the floor and 44.4 percent from three-point range in said games. Now with the Indiana Pacers and Randle no longer holding him back, Toppin could be prepared to have a breakout fourth season in the NBA.
When he first entered the league out of Dayton, Toppin was known for being a high-flying, athletic power forward who possessed skills that could make him an impactful two-way player. His speed and length also made him a threat to push the pace in transition and with his ability to put any player on a poster, nobody can really stop him when the ball is thrown up towards the rim.
Indiana has a Defensive Player of the Year candidate at the center position with Myles Turner, they have a young, All-Star point guard in Tyrese Halliburton, who proved to be one of the better passers in the league last season and when you look at the Pacers' roster, there is a clear hole to fill at the power forward position.
Heading into training camp, Toppin will be battling recent first-round pick Jarace Walker for this starting role and even if he doesn't get it, Toppin can still prove to be a very impactful player with the Pacers.
He's a young, dynamic forward who has a new opportunity in the final year of his rookie deal. This was truly a risk-free move made by the Pacers because if Toppin does not play well, they have nothing to worry about with him becoming a restricted free agent in 2024. Should he play well though and really excel in his new role, Indiana will be grinning from ear to ear, especially since they only surrendered two future second-round picks to grab him.
Keep an eye on Toppin this season because while he may not be in the running for Most Improved Player, he could very well end up being one of the most impactful offseason additions over the course of the year.
Russell Westbrook re-signs with Clippers
Russell Westbrook is a nine-time All-Star, a former league MVP and a member of the NBA's 75th anniversary team. He is by no means an underrated player. However, the Los Angeles Clippers retaining him and agreeing to a two-year, $8 million contract with him is absolutely one of the more underrated moves made this offseason because of the type of impact Westbrook can bring.
In the 21 regular season games Russ played with the Clippers, he looked much more confident and relaxed than he was with the Los Angeles Lakers. Westbrook took advantage of the opportunity in front of him and despite both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard dealing with injuries, Westbrook was able to help Los Angeles seize the 5-seed in the Western Conference.
With George and Leonard expected to be healthy for the start of the 2023-24 season, we will finally be able to see this All-Star trio take the floor together. How this will work is unknown, but Westbrook's playmaking abilities and his willingness to find his teammates should actually make him a great No. 3 option for this team.
He will take pressure off of Kawhi to have to constantly bring the ball up the floor and in George's case, Westbrook will allow him to thrive as the secondary star he has been known to be.
Los Angeles has been searching for a point guard through the years and they have truly believed that this is the position holding them back from winning a title. Well, they finally have one of the best guards of the last decade on their roster and with their other two All-Stars healthy, we may finally see the Clippers rise to the tier of being a legit championship contender.
Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez return to Milwaukee
Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez entered the offseason as two of the bigger names available in free agency. There was a lot of chatter about both players receiving interest outside of the Milwaukee Bucks, especially since they were both unrestricted free agents and since Milwaukee's future was in question a little bit following their first-round playoff exit.
Ultimately, Middleton agreed to a new three-year, $93 million contract and Lopez agreed to a two-year, $48 million contract with the Bucks. Simply retaining both players is a huge deal for the Bucks and quite honestly, not enough attention is being cast on these two deals.
Milwaukee wasn't 100 percent healthy at any point during the 2022-23 season, yet they still managed to go 58-24, the best record in the entire league. As long as Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy, the Bucks have a chance to win and compete for a championship, which is why keeping contributing factors like Middleton and Lopez is vital.
Whereas Middleton is the No. 2 scoring option on this roster next to Giannis, Lopez is the defensive anchor and proved to be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate last year.
Players like Antetokounmpo can take their team deep into the postseason, but it is extremely hard for one player to win his team a championship. When you look at what the Bucks accomplished during the 2020-21 season, they won their title because other players outside of Giannis stepped up.
In order for Milwaukee to win another title, they will need other factors outside of their superstar. Middleton is a high-impact player who has proven to be an All-Star and Lopez emerged as one of the best shot-blockers in the league last season. Not to mention, he's grown into a dangerous three-point shooting threat.
When talking about underrated moves that are not getting the attention they deserve, we should look no further than what the Bucks did this offseason, even though all they did was re-sign their players.
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