It’s made an exciting start to the NBA offseason. While some operations have already been officially completed, others will be on July 6. Most teams are looking to find and integrate the missing pieces of their puzzles that will allow them to perform at the next level, while some are just trying to get rid of the dead wood.

Bradley Beal to Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns aim to be even heavier after losing to the Denver Nuggets in six games despite having Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. Therefore, they have acquired the services of Bradley Beal. Only 11 NBA players currently average at least 25 points and five assists per game over the past five seasons.

Three of those players are playing for the Suns: Kevin Durant (27.8 and 5.8), Devin Booker (26.6 and 5.6) and Bradley Beal (27.0 and 5.5). Only the Mavs have more than one, thanks to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. This heavy strategy is costly. Only seven NBA players will earn more than $50 million over the course of the next two seasons. Three of the seven players are now Suns players.

Devin Booker owes $260 million over the next five years. Kevin Durant will receive $154 million over the next three years, and Bradley Beal is owed $208 million over the next four years. It will be intriguing to see how the Suns round out the rest of their team with these significant contracts that weigh them down.

Porzingis to Celtics – Marcus Smart to Memphis

The NBA’s biggest offseason deal in 2023 so far is this one. In this agreement:

The Celtics get:

• Kevin Porzingis
• First round selection 2024
• Marcus Sasser

The Grizzlies receive:

• Marcus Smart

Attendees receive:

• Danilo Gallinari
• Julian Phillips
• Tyus Jones
• Mike Muscala

The Celtics may have lost Marcus Smart in this deal, but they beat Kristaps Porzingis, who is a giant. When healthy, Porzingis’ game has a lot of potential. He is a top-notch defender and shot blocker, and can block shots from the center.

The combination of Porzingis and Jayson Tatum has the ability to elevate the Celtics to new heights and perhaps even win the NBA championship in 2023-24.

In their efforts to find a replacement for Dillon Brooks, the Grizzlies will also benefit from the move. Marcus Smart will be a fantastic defensive anchor for the team and is the best possible replacement for Dillon Brooks.

In the Western Conference, the Big Three of Ja Morant, Marcus Smart and Jaren Jackson Jr. may be all the strength. For the Grizzlies, Smart can be the crucial piece that will allow them to get to the championship game and win it all.

Paul to the Warriors – Poole to the Wizards

Things haven’t gone well for the Golden State Warriors since the Jordan Poole-Draymond Green fight. The Warriors’ decision to trade Poole, who had a four-year, $128 million contract extension starting July 1, makes perfect sense.

Had Chris Paul not joined the Warriors, this transaction might have been the most significant in the NBA’s offseason. However, despite being one of the best point guards in NBA history, Paul is a bad game for the Warriors.

Previous seasons have seen Chris Paul suffer a number of serious injuries. It would be hard to imagine Paul’s position on the Warriors, even if there were no injuries.

With Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, the Warriors boast probably the most fantastic shooting backcourt in NBA history. Even though the Warriors are famous for playing small ball, there is probably no circumstance in which Paul would start with Curry and Thompson, casting doubt on his role on the team.

The Warriors can benefit from this transaction if Paul is prepared to sit on the sidelines and come off the bench regularly. The first advantage would be that Paul’s playing time would be reduced, and he could even survive to the playoffs without suffering serious injuries.

Second, Paul would stand out as the team’s main playmaker when he comes off the bench. Paul can give the Warriors’ depth a considerable boost and energize the bench, setting them up for another championship run.