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Big Moves!


NBA free agency has begun and oh my goodness there have been some big moves. The 2 moves I am looking at are Paul George to the 76ers—and Klay Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks. Let's begin with Paul George:


Paul George signed a 4-year max contract with the 76ers yesterday. Now Philly has a legit big 3 with Embiid, Maxey, and George. I like this move a lot for Philly as they essentially replace Tobias Harris, who signed with the Pistons, for an all-star caliber player. George's skillset allows him to be fit with any team because he isn't ball dominant and can space the floor nicely as he shoots the 3 ball very well. This last season he shot 41.3% which is impressive. Because of that, I don't think he will stunt Maxey's growth. I believe he will gladly let Maxey handle the ball and take over when needed. This team will be most dangerous with him as a 3rd option rather than the second. This kind of move can help Philly get over the hump in the playoffs as they are still looking to get past round 2 in the Embiid era. One thing that may give Philly fans pause is George's history in the postseason. He's not bad in the playoffs but as of late, he has been very up and down in the postseason and Philly is going to need him to bring a steady veteran presence when things go sideways in certain playoff games. So it's now or never time for them. The process is over it's time for results.


What a run it was for Klay in Golden State. His time in the NBA will always be connected to what he accomplished in Golden State and the damage he had done alongside fellow splash brother Steph Curry. But now, it is a new chapter for him with a team that came oh so close to winning it all in the Dallas Mavericks. The duo of Kyrie and Luka did wonders in the 2024 playoffs but they knew that they were still a piece away from getting over that finals hump. Is Klay that missing piece? It's tough to say as he has been up and down since coming back from that horrific injury in the 2019 NBA finals. Pre-injury Klay shot over 40% from 3 and was one of the best guard defenders the league had seen. He was the true embodiment of a 3 and D player. However, after injury, his 3-point shoot has come and gone but his defense is what took the biggest hit as he can't stay in front of elite guards anymore. It has been a rough couple of years for Thompson and people have been hard on him for his 0/10 performance vs Sacramento in the play-in game but he has a chance for redemption next year on a team that has real championship aspirations. On a team where Kyrie and Luka will be demanding so much attention, his job as a spot-up shooter will be easier. He doesn't have to be the Klay of old but if he can knock down a few open shots per game and just compete on defense, I don't see why Dallas can't compete with anyone in the league.


Free agency has gotten off to a hot start and there will certainly be more big moves coming. There were talks of DeRozan potentially going to the Lakers and Westbrook may be a Denver Nugget. Just keep an eye out!


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