Latest Additions to the NBA

Written by: Jackson Freeman 

As the fall season wraps up and winter approaches, so does the long-awaited NBA season. With an exciting offseason, the upcoming season is anything but predictable. From big trades to new league-wide additions, the 2023-2024 season will be the most exciting of the last few, especially for Nuggets fans coming off a championship last year.

The Denver Nuggets were the 2022-2023 NBA Champions, with superstar Nikola Jokic leading the way and becoming Finals MVP. The Nuggets are strong contenders to repeat, and the fans certainly think so, but there are a few things to keep an eye out with this Nuggets team. There have been notable changes in the offseason, such as point guard Bruce Brown signing with the Indiana Pacers. Brown was a crucial bench piece for the Nuggets, playing both sides of the ball well and leading the Nugget’s bench last year. However, the Nuggets have acquired numerous promising rookies, like Julian Strawther and Hunter Tyson. They are considered great scores, and the Nuggets have high expectations this season.

The trades in this offseason were game-changing, with many superstar players leaving their teams. The biggest of these trades was the three-team trade between the Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trailblazers, and Phoenix Suns. This blockbuster trade sent 7x all-star Damian Lillard to team up with 2x MVP and 2021 Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo on the Bucks, creating what many speculate will be a superteam. The Bucks did have to trade away Jrue Holiday, a defensive anchor and fan favorite, but many feel like Dame will fit in much better. Lillard shot 37% from three and averaged a career-high 32.2 points last year, far better than Jrue’s 19 points per game. Jrue was sent to the Celtics, adding to an already-stacked team that’s chasing the title this year. These two teams are set to be on top of the Eastern Conference this season, and it will be interesting to see how they turn out.

Another big move that happened shortly after the season started was star point guard James Harden of the Sixers being traded to the Clippers, joining former teammate Russell Westbrook. The Sixers are now left without the veteran experience of Harden, but have rising stardom in point guard Tyrese Maxey. He has gone from averaging 20 points per game on 33 minutes per game to 28 on 38, and had his first career 50 point game against the Pacers. The Sixers are hoping Tyrese can fill in James’ spot last year, and lead them even deeper into the playoffs than just the second round. The Clippers, on the other hand, have added yet another superstar th=o their roster. They have arguably the best starters in the whole league, with all-stars like Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Russell Westbrook, and now James Harden. The front office is hoping with James’ help, the Clippers can make a go at the title before these stars eventually retire.

This season the NBA has created a new in-season tournament, similar to those in European soccer, as a way to get players to care about the regular season more. In recent years, the NBA has seen more and more superstar players taking breaks in the regular season and not playing in all 82 games. In an attempt to combat this, league commissioner . Adam Silver has announced the addition of an in-season tournament, trying to create more incentive for players to play. The winners of the tournament get the NBA Cup, and all players receive a bonus of 500,000 dollars. Adam Silver has also implemented a new rule where teams are not allowed to rest more than one star player in the same game, defining a star player as anyone who has averaged 30 points per game since the 2020 bubble season. Adam Silver hopes that these new additions will draw more viewership and make the NBA season more fun.

         Another aspect of this NBA season is the recent draft, which is regarded as one of the best draft classes in recent years. Number 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyana is the highest praised prospect since LeBron James in 2003, and expectations are high for him with the San Antonio Spurs. He has got off to a hot start, averaging 18 points per game with a high of 38 against the Phoenix Suns. Other notable rookies are the Thompson twins, Amen and Ausar. These brothers were the first pair to both get drafted top 5, and they are projected to have great seasons. Ausar has got a lot of usage on the Pistons, but the Rockets are yet to use Amen effectively. An interesting rookie case is with Chet Holmgren, who was drafted in 2022 but got injured before the season started and never got to play. He is technically a rookie, and will have high usage and expectations as starting center for the Thunder. Many fans are anticipating an exciting Rookie of the Year race, with Wendy currently leading the pack.

        From blockbuster trades to rising stars, this NBA season presents many things that have not been seen before. Expectations are high all around, especially on the Nuggets in the Western Conference and the Celtics in the Eastern Conference. All these happenings have led to uncertainty and excitement in the NBA. It will certainly be exciting to watch this historic season unfold.