The long wait is finally over. The NBA season is off and running and already stories are emerging. Last season’s NBA Championship winners the Denver Nuggets have got off to the perfect start in defence of their crown, leading the way in the Western Conference with a record of 8-2. Meanwhile, perennial contenders such as the Lakers, Suns and Warriors have struggled in the early going, only registering records of 5-5, 4-6 and 6-5 after the first 11 games. Philadelphia and Boston are setting the pace in the Eastern conference with eight wins each while the Bucks, Pacers and Heat trail slightly behind with six. But the headlines have not been limited just to what’s happening on the court; there have been some massive moves in the 2023 offseason as some famous faces adjust to new places. 2023 has seen its fair share of dramatic trades that have drastically shifted the landscape of the NBA and with the new season in full flow, now seems as good a time as any to break down the moves that made the biggest waves this year. Here’s our look at the biggest moves in the NBA for 2023.
Kevin Durant to Phoenix Suns
This blockbuster deal shook the NBA to its core back in February, ending a three-year saga that finally saw Durant move from the Nets over to the Desert. The agreement landed the Suns Durant along with T.J.Warren in return for a massive collection of first-round draft picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029 along with a pick swap for 2028. The deal put an end to Brooklyn’s failed experiment with Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden. All are bonafide superstars in their own right but they never looked settled in New York and only played 16 games together. The 35-year-old moved onto Phoenix where he is establishing a dangerous-looking partnership with Devin Booker. In the pair’s first eight regular season games together they registered an offensive rating of just under 122 points per 100 possessions. What they’ve been able to achieve in such a short time together has been very impressive, and now with a whole season to do some damage, they’re sure to have the Suns in the playoff picture.
Damian Lillard to Milwaukee Bucks
In acquiring Lillard, the Bucks have arguably made the best move in 2023. The 33-year-old is a perfect complement to Giannis Antetokounmpo as one of the best three-point shooters in NBA history. He is a playmaker with unrivaled range and while there will be question marks over his defensive capabilities, Brook Lopez can more than compensate for that. His ever-present threat will open up even more space for teammate Antetokounmpo and that almost certainly will have them in firm control of the Eastern conference for the foreseeable future. This partnership is only in its infancy but it wouldn’t take much imagination to picture the pair leading the Bucks all the way to the NBA Finals in 2024. Using this bet calculator you can see you’ll get 4/1 from betting on the Bucks to win the Championship this season.
Chris Paul to Golden State Warriors
Initially not much was made of Chris Paul’s arrival in San Francisco with many NBA fans suspecting the veteran would play either a smaller role, or perhaps none at all. What has transpired couldn’t be further from that prediction. CP3 has galvanized the Warriors with players and staff all crediting the 12-time All Star with bringing the feel-good factor and harmony back after such a turbulent and unsettled 2022/23 campaign. His value off the court is just as important as what he does on it as his tutoring of Jonathan Kuminga has seen the 21-year-old post some of his best numbers to date. In terms of what’s happening on the court though, Paul has slotted in right beside Steph Curry as a tandem point guard of sorts giving the 35-year-old plenty of opportunity for wide open three’s. CP3 is very much playing the role of facilitating Curry to do his thing when on the court and steadying the ship when he’s off it; he’s doing both expertly. Even though the Warriors are lower down the Western conference than they’d like to be, the 2022 NBA Champions are still in good shape to make the playoffs and Curry could still have one of his best seasons working with Paul. For that alone, Paul deserves a mention on this list.
Victor Wembanyama to San Antonio Spurs
Okay we’re cheating with this one a bit but such is the limitless promise of the 19-year-old Frenchman. It would be amiss to not mention the number one draft pick and his incredible performances in the early stages of the NBA season. At 7ft 4in tall, he is an imposing presence but has the agility of a man half his size. In his first NBA victory over the Rockets he scored 21 points, recorded 12 rebounds and scored the tying shot in the fourth to set up the eventual win. Only a few days later he followed it up with a game-high tally of 38 points in the Spurs’ win over the Suns. There are still some clear pitfalls in his game but he has still got a long way to go in his development and is already recording some impressive stats so early in his NBA career. The Spurs have got a real star on their hands.
