Opinion: NBA Preseason 2017-2018: A Wild Ride




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  • 2017-10-22 21:12:16
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  [caption id="attachment_37223" align="aligncenter" width="640"]NBA teams map Photo by: Reddit NBA teams map; Courtesy of Reddit[/caption] Following the exciting but “I-have-seen-this-before” events in the NBA Finals between Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors, the basketball league took a ride on a roller coaster of unexpected transfers. This particular preseason will go down in history as one of the wildest in recent times. During the summer dozens of NBA players such as  Isaiah Thomas, Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul, Paul George, Jimmy Butler, and Jamal Crawford changed their teams. When moving from one team to another, a player has to consider a lot of things: the legacy they are leaving behind, the fans’ reaction, the chance of success and achieving something memorable, and the financial aspect, of course. There were big surprises surrounding almost every team in the league. Kyrie Irving left the Cavs and joined Boston Celtics, alongside Gordon Hayward, who came from Utah Jazz. [caption id="attachment_37225" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward Photo: Winslow Townson, Associated Press Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward
Photo: Winslow Townson, Associated Press[/caption] Oklahoma City Thunder struck one of the most beneficial deals by signing Paul George from the Indiana Pacers. By doing this, they made sure that another world-class player will join forces with former MVP Russel Westbrook and OKC will have the needed strength to fight for a top seed in the Western Conference, possibly even the first one. In order to do that, they have strengthened their lines with the veteran Carmelo Anthony, traded by the New York Knicks. [caption id="attachment_37226" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]Paul George Photo by Sue Ogrocki, Associated Press Paul George
Photo by Sue Ogrocki, Associated Press[/caption] The Golden State Warriors, however, will not let that happen uncontested. Apart from being able to keep their entire championship roster from last year, they also added two new players in the faces of Nick Young and Omri Casspi. Young is famous for being able to exploit cracks in the enemy’s defense to find shooting positions for himself. The second addition, Casspi, is a player with great abilities. He has been in the league since 2009 and is well known for his spot-up shooting skills, meaning that he can shoot on the spot imediately after receiving the ball. He has a lot of experience, lives up to the title of someone who can “do it all”, and may turn out to be a valuable asset to fill gaps in crucial moments given that the GSW's strategy is based mostly on spacing the floor, passing the ball around and shooting a lot of three pointers. [caption id="attachment_37227" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]Golden State Warriors players - 2017 Finals Champions Photo by Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press Golden State Warriors players - 2017 Finals Champions
Photo by Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press[/caption] Another shock in the basketball world was Chris Paul joining the Houston Rockets. Together with James Harden, they arguably form one of the best backcourt duos in NBA. The Rockets, however, did not stop there. They acquired great defenders such as P.J. Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute. This team can definitely challenge the reigning NBA champion – Golden State Warriors and may even attempt to steal their crown. [caption id="attachment_37228" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]Paul George Photo by David J. Phillip, Associated Press Paul George
Photo by David J. Phillip, Associated Press[/caption] The Cleveland Cavaliers lost a key player in the face of Kyrie Irving. He was part of the team who led the Cavs to the NBA Championship back in 2016. They, however, signed someone who could be perfect for filling in the giant hole – Isaiah Thomas. Unfortunately, Thomas had a minor hip injury that may turn out to be a problem if the situation goes bad in the future. Another addition the Cavs made was Derrick Rose. He has had numerous injuries in the recent years but during the time when he was actually able to play, he showed formidable dedication, thus, he is a force to be reckoned with. Dwayne Wade is also a valuable addition to the roster. LeBron James and Wade played together in Miami Heat, went to three consecutive NBA Finals, and won two successive titles. Another important fact worth mentioning is that the Cavs lost their general manager, David Griffin, which may cause some chaos in the administrative and executive parts of the franchise until the position is filled. This has been a strange off-season for the Cleveland team but the prospect of success is promising. [caption id="attachment_37230" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]Cavaliers teammates: Dwayne Wade and LeBron James Photo by TheSource.com Cavaliers teammates: Dwayne Wade and LeBron James
Photo by TheSource.com[/caption] A pleasant surprise for the fans of the Philadelphia 76ers might be their ability to compete for a playoff spot in the East. They were in the process of building their team for quite some time. However, with the new player acquisitions in the off-season they seem ready to face any challenges. With the help of Markelle Fultz, J.J. Redick, and Amir Johnson, the current roster would form one of the most interesting cores in the NBA. [caption id="attachment_37231" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]Joel Embiid, 76ers Center Photo by Matt Slocum, Associated Press Joel Embiid, 76ers Center
Photo by Matt Slocum, Associated Press[/caption] The Minnesota Timberwolves had tremendous success this year by signing Jimmy Butler from the Chicago Bulls and moving on to add Taj Gibson, Jamal Crawford, and Jeff Teague. They did lose Zach Lavine who signed with the Chicago Bulls. Nonetheless, the team looks really strong now and the hopes for reaching the postseason stage for the first time in thirteen years are big. [caption id="attachment_37232" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]Jimmy Butler Photo by Andy Clayton-King, Associated Press Jimmy Butler
Photo by Andy Clayton-King, Associated Press[/caption] One of the teams in the West, the Dallas Mavericks, lost no one from their roster and were able to add the rookie Dennis Smith Jr. He is a young talented player who may be exactly what the Mavs need to ruffle some feathers and even earn a spot in the playoff stage. [caption id="attachment_37233" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]Dennis Smith Jr. Photo by Ethan Miller, Getty Images Dennis Smith Jr.
Photo by Ethan Miller, Getty Images[/caption] The actions of Miami Heat during the break this year were questionable. According to ESPN, they decided to commit more than $200 million in acquiring Kelly Olynyk and retaining some of the players on the roster. The team was exceptionally strong during the second half of the 2016-2017 season but was not able to reach the playoffs due to the bad start they had. The future looks uncertain at the moment and only time will tell whether the Heats will go down the same road again or write a new chapter in the history of the franchise. [caption id="attachment_37236" align="aligncenter" width="448"]The Miami Heat team Photo by Isaac Baldizon, NBAE The Miami Heat team
Photo by Isaac Baldizon, NBAE[/caption] The NBA preseason tends to be chaotic due to one simple reason – free agents. This year, apart from the great number of players who willingly switched colors or negotiated trades for themselves, there was a high percentage of free agency deals. Names like Gordon Hayward, Blake Griffin, and Kyle Lowry are just a small fraction of the bigger picture. This resulted in one of the most intriguing rides in the near past. The 2017-2018 season has already started and the opening matches were pleasant surprises for some and bitter disappointment for others. The dust appears to have settled and the real clashes between former teammates are about to begin. The new season will surely bring a lot of joy and tears. One thing is certain, though– the adventure will be wild and will give the fans breathtaking moments.