NBA Teams That Are Winning the Offseason
With most of the NBA offseason transactions in the rear-view mirror, the winners of the summer are starting to separate themselves from the losers.
The teams that had successful drafts, shed unsightly salary cap burdens and acquired key pieces are the ones emerging as the most-improved franchises.
Out west, there are a handful of teams that shrewdly upgraded their rosters with international talent. But there's a pair of east-coast squads who put themselves in better positions.
The clubs that are winning the offseason will shift the balance of power in the NBA next year.
Los Angeles Lakers
1 of 7Not only did the Los Angeles Lakers acquire one of the best point guards on the market in Steve Nash, but they hung onto the core that got them back-to-back titles not too long ago.
Landing Dwight Howard could end up being a great move for the Lakers if it does happen, but not if they lose Andrew Bynum in the process.
Despite Bynum's attitude issues, he has the potential to be as effective as Howard offensively, and his prime is in the near future. Dwight's defensive value is tremendous, but if the Lakers have to give up Bynum, and arm and a leg, he's not worth it.
Keeping Bynum and Pau Gasol gives Kobe familiar faces to work with as he chases that elusive sixth title.
New Orleans Hornets
2 of 7New Orleans is far from contention, and might not even make the playoffs this year, but they're making positive moves to form a balanced team.
The NBA draft couldn't have gone better for the Hornets, as they picked up a can't-miss star in Anthony Davis and a valuable combo guard in Austin Rivers.
But the draftees weren't the only nice additions to the club. They acquired Robin Lopez and Ryan Anderson to bolster the frontcourt, and they re-signed Eric Gordon to ensure a dynamic backcourt.
New Orleans shelled out a ton of cash to keep Gordon in town, but it should be worth it, as he's well-rested and primed for a bounce-back campaign.
Now, the Hornets will at least pack a little sting.
Miami Heat
3 of 7The defending NBA champions will return their big three, which is scary enough for the rest of the league.
But the additions to the supporting cast was the icing on the cake for this roster.
Adding Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen gives them a shooting forward and shooting guard, both of whom are upgrades over their previous perimeter scorers.
They'll create extra space for LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to do work, but that's not the best part.
Hopefully for Erik Spoelstra, the Heat will be able to generate more ball movement and ball reversals because of Allen and Lewis. That's what would really keep defenses guessing and give Miami an extra edge.
Portland Trail Blazers
4 of 7Portland pretty much held serve in free agency by re-signing Nicolas Batum to the roster, but the area that helped them become a winner this offseason was the draft.
Drafting Damian Lillard and Meyers Leonard in the first round helped address a couple of critical needs.
The point guard position was in flux, and the Trail Blazers now have a playmaking piece for the future. Lillard showed in the NBA Draft Combine and Vegas Summer League that he can hang with the best of them, using his vast repertoire to score and make plays for others.
Leonard, on the other hand, is a promising post talent who could anchor Portland's paint for years alongside LaMarcus Aldridge.
Phoenix Suns
5 of 7The departure of Steve Nash was inevitable, so considering Phoenix lost a two-time MVP, they've had an outstanding offseason.
The Suns immediately addressed the point guard position by drafting UNC Tar Heels standout Kendall Marshall, and then convinced Goran Dragic to return to the fold in an increased role.
They also upgraded their forward depth by acquiring the amnestied Luis Scola and free agent Michael Beasley.
The biggest question mark is whether this new cast of players will gel soon enough to establish themselves out west. Will Beasley and Dragic dominate the ball too much? Can Marshall be as effective with his Phoenix teammates as he was with his Carolina crew?
At least the franchise can rest easy knowing they went out and made significant moves in the post-Nash era.
Brooklyn Nets
6 of 7This summer was an expensive one for the Brooklyn Nets, and they didn't have a spectacular draft. Nevertheless, they're winning the offseason by improving more than the New York Knicks did.
Jay-Z and Mikhail Prokhorov desperately needed stars to jump on board the train from New Jersey to Brooklyn, and they lucked out by landing two.
After winning the Deron Williams sweepstakes, the Nets traded for Atlanta Hawks star Joe Johnson, instantly building one of the best backcourts in the Eastern Conference. The bottom line is that they now have multiple prolific shot-creators.
The bonus aspect of the Johnson trade? They didn't lose young scorer MarShon Brooks in the process.
They overspent to retain Brook Lopez (4 years, $60 million), but it does mean they'll be respectable in the paint.
Minnesota Timberwolves
7 of 7With several holes to fill heading into 2012-13, the Minnesota Timberwolves orchestrated a slew of terrific transactions.
When the dust settled, here's who the Wolves gained and lost:
Arrivals: Chase Budinger, Andrei Kirilenko, Brandon Roy, Dante Cunningham and Alexey Shved
Departures: Brad Miller, Martell Webster, Wayne Ellington and Darko Milicic
The result is a net gain that will lead to playoff contention. Budinger and Roy are two different offensive weapons on the wing, Kirilenko is an all-around stud, and Alexey Shved will help Ricky Rubio run the whole show.
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