The Top NBA Trade Offseason Moves

It’s that time of year again! The NBA Trade season is upon us and there have already been some big moves. Here are the top five offseason trade moves so far.

Jimmy Butler to the 76ers

The Sixers finally got their man, as they traded for Jimmy Butler from the Timberwolves. It cost them a lot, as they gave up Robert Covington, Dario Saric, and Jerryd Bayless, but they didn’t have to give up any future first round picks It was a steep price to pay, but Butler is an All-Star caliber player that will give them a chance to compete with the likes of the Raptors and Celtics in the East.

DeMarcus Cousins to the Warriors

In one of the most shocking moves of the NBA offseason the New Orleans Pelicans traded All-Star Center Demarcus Cousins to the Golden State Warriors Cousins was in the middle of a career year, averaging 25.2 points and 12.9 rebounds per game but he was set to become a free agent at the end of the season and was unlikely to re-sign with the Pelicans.

The Warriors gave up very little to acquire Cousins, sending only a handful of players and draft picks to New Orleans. The move gives Golden State yet another All-Star caliber player to pair with Stephen Curry Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson making them even more of a favorite to win the NBA Championship next season.

Paul George to the Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed to trade for Indiana Pacers All-Star forward Paul George, according to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski

The Thunder will send Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis to the Pacers in exchange for George, per Wojnarowski.

George, 27, is a five-time All-Star who was named to the All-NBA third team last season. He averaged a career-high 23.7 points to go along with 6.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game in 2016-17.

Chris Paul to the Rockets

The Houston Rockets pulled off a trade for All-Star point guard Chris Paul on Wednesday, sending a package of players and future draft picks to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Rockets will also receive forward Sam Dekker, guard Patrick Beverley forward Lou Williams and a 2018 first-Round Draft pick from the Clippers. In exchange, the Clippers will receive guard shooting guard Corey Brewer, forward Troy Daniels guard Darrun Hilliard, forward Deandre Liggins center Montrezl Harrell and forward Kyle Wiltjer.

This is a huge acquisition for the Rockets, who now have two of the best point guards in the NBA in Paul and James Harden The move will likely make the Rockets one of the favorites to win the NBA Championship next season.

Kyrie Irving to the Celtics

In what was one of the most talked about trades of the NBA offseason Kyrie Irving was sent from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Isaiah Thomas Jae Crowder Ante Zizic, and the Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 first-round draft pick The Celtics also received a 2020 second-round pick via the Miami Heat

This trade sent shockwaves around the NBA, as Irving is one of the league’s best point guards and is still in his prime at just 25 years old. He joins a Celtics team that has emerged as one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference and with Irving running the show, they could be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

Meanwhile, Thomas is a two-time All-Star who was an MVP candidate last season, but he is coming off of a hip injury that caused him to miss the end of the regular season and playoffs. Crowder is a solid 3-and-D player who will help fill Irving’s void on defense, while Zizic is a young center with some potential.

The Nets’ first-round pick will likely be a lottery pick, so the Cavs are taking a risk in giving up such a valuable asset. However, they believe that with Lebron James leading the way, they can still compete for a championship even without Irving. Time will tell if this trade ends up being a win for both teams or if one team got fleeced.

Gordon Hayward to the Celtics

On July 4th, 2017, Gordon Hayward announced that he was leaving the Utah Jazz to join the Boston Celtics This sent shockwaves through the NBA, as Hayward was one of the best players on a Jazz team that had just made the Western Conference Finals. The trade sent shockwaves not just because of who was traded, but also because of where he was traded. The Celtics and Jazz had been bitter rivals for many years, and Hayward’s decision to leave Utah for Boston made him a traitor in the eyes of many Jazz fans.

Dwight Howard to the Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets made a huge splash in the NBA Trade market by acquiring Dwight Howard from the Brooklyn Nets The eight-time All-Star will team up with All-NBA point guard Kemba Walker to give the Hornets one of the best duos in the Eastern Conference Charlotte also picked up veteran center Timofey Mozgov in the deal, which should help them compete for a playoff spot in the East next season.

Carmelo Anthony to the Rockets

One of the biggest moves of the NBA offseason was Carmelo Anthony being traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Houston Rockets The 10-time NBA All-Star is coming off of a season in which he averaged 16.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game

The Thunder acquired forward Jeremy Lamb, who started 78 games for the Charlotte Hornets last season, in exchange for Anthony. The Rockets also gave up a future first-round Draft Pick in the deal.

The 33-year-old Anthony has said that he is looking forward to playing with All-Stars Chris Paul and James Harden in Houston. “It’s an opportunity that I think I couldn’t pass up,” Anthony said. “It’s a win-win situation for me.”

Derrick Rose to the Cavaliers

One of the biggest trade moves in the NBA this offseason was the Cavaliers acquiring Derrick Rose from the Knicks. Rose, a former MVP, brings much needed experience and scoring ability to a young Cavaliers team. The Cavaliers also acquired shooting guard Iman Shumpert in the trade.

Dwyane Wade to the Cavaliers

After spending the first 13 years of his NBA Career with the Miami Heat Dwyane Wade has been traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers The Cavs gave up guard/forward Jordan McRae and a protected 2024 second-round pick to acquire the 35-year-old Wade, who will reunite with former Heat teammate Lebron James in Cleveland.

The Cavaliers are currently in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, sitting in fourth place with a 28-20 record. With Wade on board, they will be looking to solidify their position as one of the top teams in the East and make a run at an NBA title