Huddle In For The NBA Offseason Moves That Will Shape the 2023-24 Season
In the fast-paced world of the NBA, the offseason is a time of intense activity and player movements. While marquee players often dominate the headlines, there are hidden gems and underrated moves that could have a significant impact on their new squads for the upcoming season. As NBA enthusiasts eagerly await the 2023-24 season, let’s delve into five underrated moves from the NBA offseason that have the potential to make a “stealthy impact” on their respective teams.
Unearthing Hidden Gems: Exploring Underrated NBA Players
Before we dive into the specific moves, let’s understand what we mean by “underrated” in the NBA context. While superstar players rightfully receive a lot of attention, there are other players who may not be in the spotlight but possess unique talents that can make a difference on the court.
When we talk about “Stealthy Impact,” we refer to the potential game-changing contributions that may not be immediately evident but can shape a team’s performance significantly.
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The Impactful 2023 NBA Offseason Moves
As we scan through the list of player movements in the NBA offseason, we have identified five underrated moves that have the potential to make a difference. These players might not have grabbed the headlines, but their skills and contributions are worth noting.
Seth Curry Signs with Dallas
One of the underrated moves that caught our attention is Seth Curry’s return to Dallas. Known for his high 3-point percentage, Curry brings a valuable shooting skillset to the team.
In the 3-point era, signing a player with the sixth-highest 3-point percentage in league history (43.5%) seems like a pretty good idea. Curry returns to Dallas for the third time in his career after spending the 2016-17 season (12.8 ppg, 42.5% 3P) and 2019-20 season (12.4 ppg, 45.2% 3P) with the Mavericks. He has never shot below 40% from 3-point range over a full season in his career.
Curry’s ability to knock down 3s makes him a perfect complement to the star duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, who each have the ability to break down defenses and create open looks for teammates spread across the perimeter. In his one season playing with Doncic in 2019-20, Curry shot a team-best (and league-best, minimum 100 attempts) 48.1% on catch-and-shoot 3s. After Irving’s arrival at the trade deadline last season, the Mavericks ranked third in both 3-pointers made (16.4 per game) and 3-point percentage (38.9%). Adding Curry should only help those numbers next season.
Obi Toppin Traded to Indiana
Another underrated move to look out for is Obi Toppin’s trade to Indiana. The young forward’s fast-paced playstyle should be a great fit with the Pacers’ young and high-scoring squad.
After spending the first three seasons of his NBA career in an inconsistent role in New York, Toppin can take advantage of a change of scenery after he was traded by the Knicks to the Pacers for a pair of second-round draft picks. Toppin showed flashes of the talent that made him a top 10 draft pick in 2020, but he averaged under 15 minutes per game with the Knicks, including 15.7 last season.
Toppin is an elite athlete that excels in transition (22.9% of his points came in transition last season), which makes him a perfect fit for an Indiana squad that is young, plays fast (fifth in pace at 101.68) and led the NBA in transition scoring (27 points per game). Indiana’s 1.18 points per transition possession ranked fourth in the NBA last season; Toppin was even better individually as he ranked 25th in the league at 1.28 ppp. Expect to see plenty of lobs from Haliburton to Toppin this season as the Pacers should be a fun team to watch.
Jevon Carter Signs with Bulls
With the news that Lonzo Ball is expected to miss the entire 2023-24 regular season, the Bulls needed to add point guard depth to its roster this offseason. The addition of Jevon Carter should help fill that void.
Carter is entering his sixth NBA season and spent the past season and a half with the Milwaukee Bucks. In 101 games with Milwaukee, Carter averaged 7.6 points, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 3-pointers in 21.4 minutes per game while shooting 43.7% from 3-point range.
Carter gives the Bulls a reliable point guard (he posted a 2.87 assist/turnover ratio in Milwaukee) that can execute an offense and help stretch the floor with elite 3-point shooting. His 42.1% shooting from long range last season ranked 12th in the NBA; meanwhile, the Bulls ranked last in the league in 3-pointers made (10.4 per game) and attempted (28.9 per game) last season.
Tyus Jones Traded to Washington in 3-team deal
While Kristaps Porzingis (to Boston) and Marcus Smart (to Memphis) were the marquee names in the three-team trade between the Celtics, Grizzlies, and Wizards in late June, do not overlook the addition of Tyus Jones to the Wizards’ new-look backcourt alongside Jordan Poole.
Jones has already established himself as one of the top backup point guards in the league and now gets a chance at a starting gig in D.C. after being a reserve for much of his first eight seasons in the league (94 starts in 535 career games). However, it is important to look at Jones’ production in those limited starts.
Last season, Jones started 22 games, averaging 16.4 points and 8.1 assists while shooting 50% from the field and 41.5% from 3-point range on nearly five attempts per game. Jones also led the NBA in assist/turnover ratio at an impressive 5.64 assists per turnover. Jones is a steady playmaker that doesn’t turn the ball over and can knock down 3-pointers at a 40% clip.
Taurean Prince Signs with Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are widely regarded as one of the clear winners of this offseason’s free agency period as they retained their key free agents – re-signing Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and D’Angelo Russell to multi-year deals – while also making some key additions in guard Gabe Vincent, who’s coming off Miami’s Finals run, and Jaxson Hayes from New Orleans to add depth to the frontline.
One name that has flown under the radar is Prince, a 6-foot-7 wing whose 3-point shooting should be a great fit alongside the likes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Entering his eighth NBA season, Prince is a career 37.2% 3-point shooter. Prince played the past two seasons in Minnesota and is coming off a season in which he averaged 9.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 3-pointers on 38.1% shooting in just over 22 minutes per game.
In addition to spacing the floor on offense, Prince is also a capable perimeter defender with good size, length, and athleticism to guard opposing wings. The Lakers were the top defensive team in the Western Conference (and third-best in the NBA) following last season’s trade deadline. Prince should fit right in with that end of the Lakers’ identity.
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Huddle Wrap-Up on NBA Offseason trades
As we eagerly await the 2023-24 NBA season, it’s crucial not to overlook the impact that these underrated moves can have on their respective teams. Players like Seth Curry, Obi Toppin, Jevon Carter, Tyus Jones, and Taurean Prince might not be the flashiest names, but their skills, playstyles, and contributions can make all the difference.
So, keep an eye out for these players as the season tips off. They might be the “stealthy impact” that elevates their teams to new heights in the NBA.
