What was the best move this NBA offseason? We’ve already seen multiple big NBA trades and even bigger signings in NBA free agency. While there are still a few big names remaining, it’s worth examining some of the best moves thus far in the 2024 NBA offseason.
Without further ado, let’s dive into our list of the 10 best moves this NBA offseason.
Sacramento Kings land DeMar DeRozan, dump Harrison Barnes and Chris Duarte
While DeMar DeRozan isn’t the perfect fit for the Sacramento Kings, he is the perfect example of a talent upgrade. Harrison Barnes was a non-factor last season, ranking 111th in Win Shares per 48 Minutes (.094) whereas DeRozan (.147) ranked 42nd. Sacramento certainly isn’t losing much defensively in the switch from Barnes to the six-time All-Star. What the Kings gain with DeRozan is a secondary scorer. DeRozan and De’Aaron Fox both ranked top five in fourth quarter PPG last season. As for the fit, Domantas Sabonis’ basketball IQ should mesh well with DeRozan’s intellect to create an excellent scoring trio.
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Minnesota Timberwolves acquire Rob Dillingham on draft night
There can sometimes be too much fretting over the future. Future draft picks could become anything, from an all-time great to Anthony Bennett. There was some risk for the Minnesota Timberwolves in trading first-round picks (2031 unprotected first and 2030 pick swap), but the reward comes immediately. Rob Dillingham is everything the Timberwolves needed. As a rookie, he provides Minnesota with a point guard who offers great handles and is an excellent shooter. He can be the bucket-getter off the bench for the Timberwolves and over time, develop into a Darius Garland-like guard to pair with Anthony Edwards.
Brooklyn Nets launch rebuild with Mikal Bridges trade
The Brooklyn Nets went back and forth on what direction to take this offseason. Rebuilding was the right call. Mikal Bridges is a very good player, capable of playing excellent defense on the wings and he can get you 20-plus points a night as a featured player. However, he’s not an All-Star nor does he have franchise-changing talent. Yet, even with Bridges forcing a trade to the New York Knicks, Brooklyn managed to squeeze five first-round picks out of the deal. Plus, with the rebuild underway, the Nets re-acquired the rights to their pick in 2025 from the Houston Rockets. An A+ offseason for the Nets.
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Philadelphia 76ers land third star with Paul George
Once the Golden State Warriors couldn’t pull off the sign-and-trade for Paul George, the Philadelphia 76ers had their guy. Daryl Morey had been planning a big move for over a year, setting the table after the James Harden trade for Philadelphia to add an All-Star in the summer of 2024. Mission accomplished. He’s still solid defensively (+1.7 Defensive RAPTOR) and he sat just behind Kevin Durant (.142) and Stephen Curry (.142) in Win Shares per 48 Minutes. George is everything the 76ers lineup needed. We still wouldn’t call Philadelphia the best team in the Eastern Conference, but next season will be their best shot at a championship in years.
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Oklahoma City Thunder add Isaiah Hartenstein
The Oklahoma City Thunder finished last season ranked 28th in offensive rebounding rate (25 percent) and 27th in defensive rebounding rate (69.8 percent). They needed size. Isaiah Hartenstein was always the best option available this NBA offseason. Last season, he ranked second in the NBA in offensive rebounding rate (14.4 percent) and he placed 13th in total rebounding rate (18.5 percent). Plus, he also ranked seventh among centers in Defensive RAPTOR (+3.0). While Hartenstein is only a role player, everything he does is what Oklahoma City needs. Alex Caruso will have a similar magnitude of impact, too.
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San Antonio Spurs pair Chris Paul with Victor Wembanyama
The only thing that would’ve made this better is if the San Antonio Spurs could find technology that made Chris Paul younger. While the 39-year-old point guard won’t offer anything defensively and he doesn’t offer much as a scoring threat, he’s the ideal veteran point guard for San Antonio. Paul has made average centers look like All-Stars and now he gets to partner up with Victor Wembanyama. What CP3 is going to do for Wembanyama this season and for Stephon Castle’s development is why this was one of the best NBA offseason moves in 2024.
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Orlando Magic address big need with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope signing
The NBA offseason rumor mill suggested Klay Thompson was who the Orlando Magic wanted. Instead, they might’ve landed the superior option. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was more efficient from the field (46 percent vs 43.2 percent), a more effective shooter from the perimeter (40.6 percent vs 38.7 percent) and he was rated higher defensively this past season. Orlando desperately needed a shooter and KCP’s 3-and-D game provides all of that and more. The Magic are going to make another leap next season.
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Dallas Mavericks beat out the Los Angeles Lakers for Klay Thompson
The Los Angeles Lakers certainly proved to be one of the biggest losers this NBA offseason. While the Dallas Mavericks offered less money than Los Angeles, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are the ones who get to play with Klay Thompson. Various injuries have robbed Thompson of his defensive ability, but he’s still a very good perimeter scorer. Dallas needed to come out of this NBA offseason with another legitimate shot-maker and Thompson provides that with some championship experience added.
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Sacramento Kings bring back Malik Monk at a discount
The Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons circled Malik Monk as one of their biggest targets in the 2024 NBA offseason. If he considered their offers in NBA free agency, Monk likely would’ve landed a $100 million contract. Instead, he re-signed with the Sacramento Kings on a four-year deal worth $78 million. A perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate, Monk is the primary scorer off the bench that every contender wants to have. Sacramento managed to keep him at a discount and paired with the DeRozan move, the Kings are one of the biggest winners of the NBA offseason.
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New Orleans Pelicans swipe DeJounte Murray
NBA teams liked DeJounte Murray more than Trae Young and we do believe the New Orleans Pelicans got the Atlanta Hawks’ best guard. Not only was it a great move for the Pelicans, but it only cost them the Lakers’ 2025 first-round pick and likely a mid-late first in 2027. In exchange, New Orleans adds an excellent complementary player to put alongside CJ McCollum. The deal allows McCollum to move back to his natural position, while Murray could be maximized as a point guard. Plus, the Pelicans added some much-needed perimeter shooting after finishing near the bottom of the NBA last season.
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