By Giorgos Orfanakis / info@eurohoops.net
The summer season may not include game action but the interest of the basketball fans remains undiminished. The reason? But the transfers, of course!
The hunt for the ring never stops and for this reason the general managers, in collaboration with the coaches, are trying to make the best possible deals. In recent months there were a lot of transfer “sagas” unfolding in the NBA and some of them created a lot of noise.
Eurohoops presents the 10 most important transfer moves of the summer with the main criterion being the players’ value as well as the impact they are expected to have on their new team…
11. Ricky Rubio (Utah Jazz)
2016/2017 stats: 11.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 9.1 assists, 1.7 steals
10. Avery Bradley (Detroit Pistons)
2016/2017 stats: 16.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.2 steals
Avery Bradley’s move from the Celtics to the Pistons in exchange for Marcus Morris might prove to be one of the biggest steals of the summer. The 26-year-old guard is a highly talented player that will provide solutions in scoring (16.3 points) and at the same time apply a lot of pressure in defense.
In recent years, Bradley has been constantly improving, something that is clearly reflected in his numbers, and now, no longer in Isaiah Thomas’s shadow, he can find his best game. Boston’s people should also feel satisfied, since Marcus Morris (14 points – 4.6 rebounds) added depth in the frontline, while his low price tag (5 million) allowed the completion of important signings.
7. Danilo Gallinari (LA Clippers)
2016/2017 stats: 18.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists
Danilo Gallinari has signed a three-year contract worth 65 million dollars with the Clippers, cashing in an amazing season in which he averaged 18.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists, in the best possible way.
The biggest question mark concerns the Italian forward’s fitness as he has been plagued by injuries in the past. At the moment, in fact, he’s recovering after suffering a fractured hand as a result of punching an opponent. It’s a given, though, that Gallinari will provide great solutions in scoring and will form one of the strongest duos of forwards in the entire NBA together with Blake Griffin.
Paul Millsap made the decision to leave Atlanta and the new season will find him in the Western Conference, playing in the colors of the Nuggets. The American power forward has been playing the best basketball of his career in recent years and after four consecutive seasons as an All Star player he’s looking for a new challenge.
The Nuggets, in turn, want to take that extra step in order to qualify for the Western Conference playoffs and, with the duo of big men that is Millsap and Jokic, they have every reason to be optimistic. It’s worth noting that the deal between the two sides is for three years and 90 (!) million dollars, which makes sense if one considers that Millsap is one of the top players in his position, with 18.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.
Gordon Hayward was without a doubt one of the summer’s central figures. On July 4 the entire basketball world was waiting to learn the American’s decision, as he had to choose between staying with the Jazz or a new challenge in Boston. In the end, the prospect of a ring was what convinced the 27-year-old forward and put smiles on the faces of the Celtics fans.
Now, after the most productive season of his career, with 21.9 points per game, Hayward, along with his new teammates, will try to shake things up in the Eastern Conference and break the domination of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers!