Now that the NBA offseason has died down a little, we can sit and dissect most of what has transpired. There were many headlines stemming from Kevin Durant demanding a trade to the Timberwolves sending the Utah Jazz 5 first round picks for Rudy Gobert. Below, we’ll go over three under the radar moves from the 2022 NBA offseason that could make a big impact next year.
3 Under the Radar Moves From the 2022 NBA Offseason
The NBA Draft and the Summer League did not disappoint either as the future looks bright for the league with this year’s up and coming talent. What about some moves that potentially went unnoticed?
How about some deals that were minor compared to a blockbuster trade like the Gobert one, but could be the missing piece to put a contending team over the hump.
Without further adieu, here are 3 under the radar moves from the NBA offseason thus far.
Mavericks Trade For Christian Wood Could Prove To Be A Steal
The Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets were the first ones to make a splash in the offseason before free agency even started.
The Dallas Mavericks agreed to trade the No. 26 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Boban Marjanovic, Trey Burke, Marquese Chriss and Sterling Brown to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Christian Wood. This deal has seemingly been forgotten, but it very well could be a deal that turns the Luka-led Dallas Mavericks into a legitimate championship contender.
One weak point from a season ago for Dallas was the frontcourt.
They addressed this by acquiring a stretch big in Christian Wood who is one of the more underrated big men in the NBA. Last season with the rebuilding Rockets, Wood averaged 17.9 points, 10.1 rebounds per game, and shot 50.1 percent from the field.
Giving Luka a solid inside/outside threat down low could spell disaster for the rest of the league.
Celtics Execute Sign and Trade for Malcolm Brogdon
The Boston Celtics got away with highway robbery in the Malcolm Brogdon deal.
They only gave up Daniel Theis, Aaron Neismith, and a 2023 first-round pick. What Boston got in return was a true quarterback to be the point guard for their team who now has NBA Finals experience.
As good as Marcus Smart is, he was clearly playing out of position throughout the playoffs.
Now with Malcolm Brogdon on the roster, Smart can shift back over to his natural two-guard position and the Celtics get a true point guard who can command the offense.
Remember, Brogdon is a former Rookie of the Year who has averaged 15.5 points and 4.8 assists per game for his career. This move could very well land the Celtics back in the NBA Finals next season.
Nuggets Sign Bruce Brown to Bolster Defense
Wing defense was a major issue for the Denver Nuggets last season. They solidified their need for a 3 and D player in their starting rotation by trading for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
However, they also added to their depth by signing Bruce Brown to a 2-year deal.
Brown will give them some solid perimeter defense coming off the bench and will provide the ability to go up against the Kevin Durants and LeBron James’ of the league.
When healthy, Denver is a championship contender and adding extra defense, especially in today’s offensive oriented league, cannot hurt. The now-former Net averaged 1.1 steals per game to go along with a defensive rating of 111.
Brown will provide some great depth to the Nuggets bench as they look to take advantage of their championship window.
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