Warriors remain favorites for title after NBA trade drama

Opinion!

By: Kyle Spencer

Staff Writer

This year’s National Basketball Association trade deadline has passed. Some teams improved tremendously, some teams sat back and did nothing because they think they had enough, while other teams started to prepare for the 2020 season.

Starting with the most improved team is the Philadelphia 76ers. I believe Philadelphia got some steals by acquiring superstars like Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler, alongside other mentionable players such as Boban Marjanovic, Jonathon Simmons, James Ennis III and Mike Scott. These players will improve their bench immensely. The 76ers will be the new powerhouse in the east.

Another team that made some mentionable power moves is the Toronto Raptors with the pick up of Marc Gasol and Jeremy Lin. This adds a power center and a pretty good backup point guard to the team. The addition of Gasol allows Serge Ibaka to move to his natural position at power forward.

Following the Raptors, we have the Milwaukee Bucks with the addition of Nikola Mirotic and George Hill.

Although I don’t think it was a good move getting rid of Thon Maker. They will remain a title contender with MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way.

The Chicago Bulls received Otto Porter Jr. from the Wizards for Jabari Parker, Bobby Portis and a protected 2023 second round draft pick. The Wizards most likely made this trade to clear cap space.

In the Western Conference, teams didn’t make moves for this year, but they made moves for the future. With the Mavericks getting  Kristaps Porzingis, Courtney Lee, Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. to play alongside budding star Luka Doncic.

The other team in the West that made future moves was the LA Clippers and by freeing up cap space for this year’s free agency. By trading star Tobias Harris who is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.

In the East, the New York Knicks cleared cap space and also started the rebuilding process by acquiring Dennis Smith Jr. and DeAndre Jordan, hoping to gain some players in the free agent market this year.

The biggest losing team, in my opinion, was the LA Lakers. When trying to acquire Anthony Davis, they were willing to clear their roster to get him but the Pelicans turned down the offer that potentially could have given the Lakers two top five players in the league.

Now the Lakers only have a seven percent chance on making the playoffs.

I still don’t think any team really improved enough to beat the Golden State Warriors this year.