Trades and New Contracts in NBA’s Offseason

Unfortunately for avid, diehard and casual sports fans alike, only one major sports league is in season during the dead of summer. However, the National Basketball Association’s offseason recently started, meaning trades, signages, and other player moves have just started up. Some NBA offseason are more eventful than others, and that’s the case with the 2017 offseason so far. Let’s recap some of the biggest player moves, buyouts, and trades so far this summer.

The Los Angeles Lakers signed UCLA standout point guard Lonzo Ball to a four-year, $33 million contract. He is on the team’s Summer League roster, as most rookies are, playing in games from July 7 through July 17. Guard Josh Hart and forwards Kyle Kuzma and Thomas Bryant were also signed to contract, all of who were drafted in April’s 2017 NBA Draft.

As expected, Nick Young left the Lakers and went on to the Golden State Warriors. Maybe he can capitalize from the current NBA champion’s success and earn a title himself, having endured several consecutive unsuccessful Lakers seasons the past few years. The Miami Heat waived forward Chris Bosh, not having played in more than one whole season due to blood clot issues — if only his Xarelto would start working! Kelly Olynk recently signed to the Heat on a four-year contract, just two days after Chris Bosh’s much-needed departure.

Paul George is now a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder alongside reigning MVP Russell Westbrook. He was traded for Victor Oladipo and forward Domantas Sabonis.

The Boston Celtics cleared up some much-needed cap space by trading away high-dollar contract holder Avery Bradley to the Detroit Pistons for forward Marcus Morris and a 2019, second-round pick. The Celtics need all the cap room they can possibly get after signing star Gordon Hayward to a four-year max contract, leaving the struggling Utah Jazz.

Solid guard Jamal Crawford recently left the Atlanta Hawks after they bought out the remainder of his contract. Easy money, am I right?

Regular MVP candidate James Harden was signed to a contract extension running through the ’22-’23 season for a whopping, although much-deserved, 228 million dollar extension. He is the first NBA player to sign an extension under the brand new Designated Player Veteran Extension since its advent earlier this year.