{"id":2040539,"date":"2026-07-13T09:30:29","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T06:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2040539"},"modified":"2026-07-13T09:30:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T06:30:29","slug":"nba-offseason-roundtable-was-jaylen-brown-giannis-or-ja-morant-the-biggest-name-moved","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2040539","title":{"rendered":"NBA offseason roundtable: Was Jaylen Brown, Giannis or Ja Morant the biggest name moved?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The NBA\u2019s offseason has been rich with shocking acquisitions and contract signings \u2026 and LeBron James, fresh off splitting with the Los Angeles Lakers after eight years, still hasn\u2019t decided where he\u2019ll play his NBA-record 24th season.<\/p>\n

But that hasn\u2019t stopped the league from being shaken by the Boston Celtics trading Jaylen Brown to a division rival, Kawhi Leonard being traded to (and from?) the Toronto Raptors as the NBA\u2019s LA Clippers-Aspiration investigation continues, and the Milwaukee Bucks, after trading Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, seemingly bidding against themselves for a once-benched role player.<\/p>\n

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With so much to process (and still await) from this offseason, The Athletic<\/em> asked Eric Koreen, Jason Jones and Tony Jones to share their thoughts on an interesting offseason. Let\u2019s begin with the arguably the most shocking free-agent contract in years.<\/p>\n

What was your first reaction to the unexpected Gary Trent Jr. deal and why?<\/h2>\n

Koreen:<\/strong> I was confused. Trent was so heavily criticized in the last few seasons that I started to think he was underrated. He is a 38.7 percent career 3-point shooter, and that counts for something. A lot of teams can use that on the periphery of their rotations.<\/p>\n

But the full midlevel for an elite shooter who struggled \u2014 when he should have thrived \u2014 playing next to Giannis Antetokounmpo? Also, Milwaukee giving him four years, not even making him potential trade bait if he has a nice first half of the season, is beyond reasoning. I figured Trent could be a good value signing on the minimum or biannual exception. I am stumped.<\/p>\n

J. Jones:<\/strong> This is why you verify everything on the internet. This couldn\u2019t<\/em> be real? Is this the summer of 2016? Didn\u2019t the Bucks just acquire Tyler Herro and draft Brayden Burries? Who were the Bucks bidding against?<\/p>\n

Trent has been a productive player in the past, but he has been on the decline the last couple of seasons. Maybe the Bucks know something that will make this make sense. Milwaukee is in a full rebuild, so committing four guaranteed years to Trent is \u2026 different.<\/p>\n

This is the kind of decision that conspiracy theorists point to as a sign that something fishy is happening behind the scenes. Signing Giannis\u2019 brothers to minimum deals is one thing, but this is next-level weird.<\/p>\n

T. Jones:<\/strong> It feels like a favor done for an agent or an agency that the Bucks hope\/expect to pay dividends around the road. If that\u2019s the case, I get the thought process. Small-market teams have to play that game in order to get players because they generally can\u2019t attract players in free agency. They generally must go the trade route. And with players who are the subjects of trades having more power over that than before, small markets have to play the long con, so to speak.<\/p>\n

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Still, this is egregious in the fact that everyone knows Trent is not anywhere close to $16 million-a-year player at this stage of his career and probably won\u2019t even get the chance to prove he is such. The Bucks have Tyler Herro on the roster and just spent a lottery pick on Brayden Burries. What are they doing?<\/p>\n

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What You Should Read Next<\/div>\n
\n \"Why<\/p>\n
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\n Why Gary Trent Jr.\u2019s $64 million deal with the Bucks shocked the NBA world\n <\/div>\n
\n We asked our NBA experts for their reaction to the Gary Trent Jr. signing, which has confused just about everyone around the league.\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Rank the 5 strangest offseason moves so far this summer, from least strange to most strange. Other than Trent, why is your top choice the weirdest one?<\/h2>\n

Koreen:<\/strong> No. 5 is Boston\u2019s end of the Jaylen Brown trade. No. 4 is the Trae Young contract. No. 3 is the combined acquisition cost and contractual cost the Los Angeles Lakers paid for Walker Kessler. No. 2 is the Phoenix Suns trading Grayson Allen and Royce O\u2019Neale for Miles Bridges. No. 1 is the Kawhi Leonard \u201con-hold\u201d trade.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve already had my say on why I found the Leonard trade so funny. The move now being on hold makes it the strangest quasi-transaction of the summer. The strangeness is pretty straightforward, though, so let me move on to No. 2.<\/p>\n

Before even getting to Bridges\u2019 off-court history, I think you can make an argument that both O\u2019Neale and Allen are more valuable than Bridges. I wouldn\u2019t necessarily buy the argument, but I would listen with an open mind. Regardless, Bridges is a decent starting forward, and not much more. Giving up two useful rotation players and an unprotected 2033 pick \u2014 when Devin Booker will be 36 \u2014 for Bridges, and needing to give him an extension to justify it does not make sense to me. I\u2019m not sure what the Suns are doing.<\/p>\n

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J. Jones:<\/strong> No. 5 is the Suns trading for Miles Bridges. No. 4 is the Brooklyn Nets acquiring Julius Randle. No. 3 is the Portland Trail Blazers deciding to add Ja Morant to its collection of guards. No. 2 is Boston trading Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers. No. 1 is Toronto trading for Kawhi (pending an NBA investigation).<\/p>\n

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Leonard had one of the last great, dramatic free-agency decisions in 2019. He chose to leave Toronto for the LA Clippers while also leaving the Lakers on the outs.<\/p>\n

Toronto\u2019s willingness to give up Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and multiple draft picks for Leonard seven years later without knowing the fallout of the Aspiration investigation is puzzling. Leonard had a good season, but he is 35, has a history of injuries and is seeking a contract extension.<\/p>\n

The Raptors believing in Leonard while unsure of the status of the salary-cap circumvention investigation is weird.<\/p>\n

T. Jones:<\/strong> No. 5 is LeBron James leaving the Lakers. No. 4 is the Minnesota Timberwolves moving off Julius Randle. No. 3 is Toronto saying yes to the Kawhi trade without the NBA finishing its business in the Aspiration investigation. No. 2 is Boston deciding so publicly to move off a person who was one of the best 10 or 15 players in the league this past season, without at the very least attempting to be a lot more stealth about it, so they can maintain the ability to draw value in a potential deal. No. 1 is Portland trading for Ja Morant.<\/p>\n

Now, the Blazers have locked themselves into several boxes. They are committing themselves to a point guard who can\u2019t affect a game positively without dominating the basketball. And, guess what? That takes away from Deni Avdija \u2014 who is their best player \u2014 and his ability to be a playmaker, which is his best trait. Avdija operates best as a de facto point guard, and this trade essentially takes that off the table. Damian Lillard\u2019s return locks them into a miniature backcourt with a million guards, most of which are young and need developing. It kills Scoot Henderson\u2019s development, just as he was FINALLY starting to develop. And, oh yes, you take Morant \u2014 despite his explosive first step declining last season. You have to hope his off-court issues are behind him, which, ironically, I think is actually the least of Portland\u2019s worries.<\/p>\n

Portland added more talent, sure. But is Morant good enough to offset all of the above potential issues?<\/p>\n

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What You Should Read Next<\/div>\n
\n \"Ja<\/p>\n
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\n Ja Morant wants a fresh start, and Portland has laid out the welcome mat\n <\/div>\n
\n On Saturday, Morant talked of starting anew, a rejuvenated and nature-loving version of himself and the desire to change narratives.\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

What\u2019s the oddest offseason move that not enough people are talking about?<\/h2>\n

Koreen:<\/strong> Let me immediately argue against my pick here: I believe zero people are talking about the Chicago Bulls paying Zach Collins $17 million over two years, and that is the correct number of people who should be discussing it. But the ability to throw him in a trade is the only reason I can think of for this extension.<\/p>\n

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To me, Collins is a minimum-level big man. If you simply have to give the money away, why do it for two years? He would surely have more trade value on an expiring deal than a two-year contract. Also, he is frequently injured. Maybe Collins is an excellent guy behind the scenes, but this seems like a bizarre own goal for a franchise that is tearing it down to the studs. This was mean. I apologize to Collins.<\/p>\n

J. Jones:<\/strong> Amid all the jokes about the new-look Lakers, did we forget the team signed Collin Sexton? The Lakers did not keep Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura or Luke Kennard \u2014 three players who helped them win a playoff series \u2014 but added Sexton when they desperately needed size and perimeter defense. If the Lakers are able to add size and defense on the wing, this move isn\u2019t all that odd. Until then, the Lakers look like a team going all in on offense and relying on Kessler to become a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.<\/p>\n

T. Jones:<\/strong> New Orleans not suiting up Jeremiah Fears or Derik Queen for summer league. You mean to tell me those two were so good last season that they couldn\u2019t use a game or two, just for the reps? You mean to tell me the Pelicans\u2019 26-56 season was good enough that they couldn\u2019t stand to see their two potential future stars with some game action? Their development means everything to how viable the future is for New Orleans. They should have been on the floor, if only for a game.<\/p>\n

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The team that makes the most sense for LeBron James<\/div>\n
Esfandiar Baraheni<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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