A Look At the NBAs New Talent and Post-Trade Deals
October 10, 2018
NBA Shuffles: Observations On The Leagues New Talent & Post-Trade Deals We are still a few days away from the official start of the 2018-19 NBA season. Nevertheless, theres a lot of restlessness, uncertainty, hype and anticipation over whos going to do what, whos going where and what will unfold over the next few months. Following new players and post-trade deals will be the centre point of many NBA discussions this year, so lets take a deeper dive.
New Players to Watch
Whats an NBA prediction without looking at players on the come up? With that said, there are some exciting new additions - top draft picks to be more precise - who are getting their fair share of buzz.
Harry Giles -The no. 20 draft pick in 2017, Harry Giles may be a poster child for under-promising and over-delivering. For one, he outperformed teammate Marvin Bagley III who happened to be the no. 2 overall pick in 2018. The Sacramento Kings are hoping that Giles can rise to the challenge and grow into himself as a big man for the franchise.
Zion Williamson - The second coming of LeBron James? Lets not jump to conclusions here, but at 67, 285 lbs, Williamson is of formidable size. Whats even more frightening is the fact he can with the agility and explosiveness of someone whos a hundred or more pounds lighter, not to mention several inches taller. He can shoot a corner three, but his ballhandling skills are still somewhat up for grabs. Whats undeniable, however, is his rebounding ability, a facet of his game that will catapult him to superstar status. NBA fans and scouts alike will have their eyes glued to Williamson, a member of the Duke Blue Devils, to see if he can earn the top draft spot in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Post-Trades
This past offseason, we all witnessed the big trades - some surprising, others not - and were all waiting to see how theyll turn out. Youre probably already thinking of certain names in your head.
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers - Is this the final resting place for LeBrons career? Hes been the face of the NBA, and became one of the most accomplished players in the history of the league. Hell be 34 in December, putting him in the twilight years of his career. Nevertheless, we still expect him to put up some memorable (and possibly record-breaking) performances in the Western Conference.
Kawhi Leonard, Toronto Raptors - Soon, all the controversy surrounding the Leonard/DeRozan trade will bubble up again once the season kicks off. Many fans and experts were polarized by the trade - there was excitement and heartbreak, praise and criticism and just about every contradictory set of reactions you could think of. Regardless of the varying opinions and concerns regarding his health, Leonard can (and will) bring value to the North.
DeMar DeRozan, San Antonio Spurs- Talking about Kawhi wouldnt be complete without mentioning DeMar - the yin to the yang (or vice-versa) of the Leonard/DeRozan trade. It was tough for Raptors fans to watch DeRozan head west, but he will attempt to make himself a franchise player on the Spurs. He had a career year, demonstrating his improved shooting and playmaking skills. Now paired with LaMarcus Aldridge and Dejounte Murray, DeRozan has a shot at proving he belongs in a class just beneath the elite of the elite - LeBron, Harden, Curry and Durant.
On Rotation
Theres a lot more to look out for during the 2018-19 NBA season, but we listed just a few of the players and post-trade stories that have really piqued our interest. Its going to be a very interesting season going forward, and we cant wait to dish out the biggest headlines, games and plays. Make sure to stay tuned!