Spoiler:
What was the most questionable offseason move so far?
Bontemps: The sign-and-trade for Terry Rozier (three years, $58 million) in Charlotte doesn't make any sense. Sure, the Hornets didn't have a point guard after losing Kemba Walker, but Tomas Satoransky and Delon Wright were both signed-and-traded for contracts that fit the midlevel exception -- half of Rozier's contract. Tyus Jones was signed by Memphis to a similarly reasonable deal. All of them are in the same range of player as Rozier. This is just the latest head-scratching move by Charlotte over the past decade. Honorable mention: Phoenix signing Rubio and having to trade two second-round picks to clear the space to do so.
Schmitz: Sacramento signing Harrison Barnes to $85 million over four years. The Kings clearly had money to spend, but this is more about taking away offensive volume from an exciting young core of De'Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley and Bogdan Bogdanovic. Barnes is capable of functioning as a serviceable floor spacer, but at age 27, with that hefty price tag, he's likely to remain empowered to play his isolation-heavy, catch-and-hold style that doesn't figure to positively impact the development of Sacramento's young players.
Friedell: Crushing the Knicks for missing out on KD and Kyrie, after so many in the league thought they would land there is too easy, so ... I really like the Al Horford move for Philadelphia, but is Tobias Harris going to improve to a point where he will live up to his $180 million contract? Harris has lots of talent, but can he both take and make the big shots that Butler hit for this group? If Harris can elevate his game and Ben Simmons learns how to shoot with consistency, the Sixers can get out of the East. But by committing to Harris with that deal, they have to hope he's ready for the challenge.
McMenamin: The Hornets signing Rozier. Not only is he replacing one of the most beloved figures in franchise history in Kemba Walker; not only was he one of the major voices of unrest in a testy Boston locker room last season; not only did he once go 2-for-14 from the field (0-for-10 from 3) in a Game 7 at home with a trip to the Finals on the line; but we're also talking about a guy with career numbers of 38% shooting and 2.3 assists per game at point guard earning $19 million a year. It's mind-boggling.
Andrews: It was not so long ago that Paul George publicly declared his affection for Oklahoma City and chose to stay there and compete alongside Russell Westbrook rather than go to a Los Angeles team. That's why seeing him request a trade to the Clippers came as somewhat of a surprise. Yes, OKC was in a tough spot: Honor George's trade request and rebuild in a tight Western Conference or decline to trade him and potentially end up with a disgruntled star (see 2018-19 Anthony Davis). Now, though, the Thunder are at risk of losing their franchise player in Westbrook.
Bontemps: The sign-and-trade for Terry Rozier (three years, $58 million) in Charlotte doesn't make any sense. Sure, the Hornets didn't have a point guard after losing Kemba Walker, but Tomas Satoransky and Delon Wright were both signed-and-traded for contracts that fit the midlevel exception -- half of Rozier's contract. Tyus Jones was signed by Memphis to a similarly reasonable deal. All of them are in the same range of player as Rozier. This is just the latest head-scratching move by Charlotte over the past decade. Honorable mention: Phoenix signing Rubio and having to trade two second-round picks to clear the space to do so.
Schmitz: Sacramento signing Harrison Barnes to $85 million over four years. The Kings clearly had money to spend, but this is more about taking away offensive volume from an exciting young core of De'Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley and Bogdan Bogdanovic. Barnes is capable of functioning as a serviceable floor spacer, but at age 27, with that hefty price tag, he's likely to remain empowered to play his isolation-heavy, catch-and-hold style that doesn't figure to positively impact the development of Sacramento's young players.
Friedell: Crushing the Knicks for missing out on KD and Kyrie, after so many in the league thought they would land there is too easy, so ... I really like the Al Horford move for Philadelphia, but is Tobias Harris going to improve to a point where he will live up to his $180 million contract? Harris has lots of talent, but can he both take and make the big shots that Butler hit for this group? If Harris can elevate his game and Ben Simmons learns how to shoot with consistency, the Sixers can get out of the East. But by committing to Harris with that deal, they have to hope he's ready for the challenge.
McMenamin: The Hornets signing Rozier. Not only is he replacing one of the most beloved figures in franchise history in Kemba Walker; not only was he one of the major voices of unrest in a testy Boston locker room last season; not only did he once go 2-for-14 from the field (0-for-10 from 3) in a Game 7 at home with a trip to the Finals on the line; but we're also talking about a guy with career numbers of 38% shooting and 2.3 assists per game at point guard earning $19 million a year. It's mind-boggling.
Andrews: It was not so long ago that Paul George publicly declared his affection for Oklahoma City and chose to stay there and compete alongside Russell Westbrook rather than go to a Los Angeles team. That's why seeing him request a trade to the Clippers came as somewhat of a surprise. Yes, OKC was in a tough spot: Honor George's trade request and rebuild in a tight Western Conference or decline to trade him and potentially end up with a disgruntled star (see 2018-19 Anthony Davis). Now, though, the Thunder are at risk of losing their franchise player in Westbrook.
