We have come to a stagnant stretch of off-season NBA news because most teams have their rosters set for the upcoming season. As reported by Hoopsrumours.com, Tim Bontemps (ESPN) ($) found a way to keep the content coming by surveying “18 NBA coaches, scouts and executives to solicit their (anonymous) opinions on the biggest moves made so far in the 2024 offseason.”

Best Offseason Performances

The Philadelphia 76ers took eight votes for having the best offseason. Philly made several significant moves to enhance their roster around stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. They signed nine-time All-Star Paul George to a four-year, $212 million contract; secured Tyrese Maxey with a five-year, $204 million extension; and added veteran guard Eric Gordon, veteran center Andre Drummond, and wing Caleb Martin to strengthen their depth. Additionally, they re-signed Kelly Oubre Jr. and veteran point guard Kyle Lowry. The result is a competitive team that mixes star power and experienced players.

The New York Knicks followed with five votes. The Knicks solidified their roster by re-signing forward OG Anunoby, extending Jalen Brunson, and trading for Mikal Bridges (more on him below). They also aced the draft by taking four promising players, including Summer League star Tyler Kolek and promising French forward, Pacome Dadiet.

Rounding out the survey, the Oklahoma City Thunder garnered three votes for best offseason, primarily for their acquisitions of Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso.

Worst Offseason Performances

The Denver Nuggets received six votes for the worst offseason. They faced significant criticism for losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Orlando Magic, a major blow given his role in their championship run. Financial commitments to Zeke Nnaji and Reggie Jackson hampered their ability to re-sign Caldwell-Pope and improve the roster. The team also failed to secure high-profile players or make impactful trades, whiffing on Paul George and Alex Caruso. Instead, they traded multiple second-round picks for DaRon Holmes II, a move regarded as fairly ho-hum.

The Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Clippers received five and four votes, respectively. The Los Angeles Lakers, Knicks, and Detroit Pistons each got a vote. The primary criticism focused on key players lost through free agency and trades (e.g., the Knicks’ inability to re-sign center Isaiah Hartenstein, the Clippers losing George, etc.).

Best and Worst Moves

As for the best move, six votes went to Philadelphia for signing Paul George to a four-year, maximum-salary contract. However, this same move also attracted three votes as the worst.

What’s the rumpus about the George deal? Critics have raised concerns about his age and the substantial four-year, $212 million contract that extends through his age-37 season; doubts about his mental toughness and consistency in high-pressure situations; his history of underperforming in crucial playoff games; questions about his ability to adapt to a potentially reduced role in Philadelphia; and, of course, his injury history. The resources used to sign George could have been allocated to address other team needs, but Philly needed to make a big swing and capitalize on Joel Embiid’s gradually closing NBA window.

The Bulls and Kings each got knocked multiple times for the DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade. Can’t please everybody, folks.

Most Surprising Moves

According to the survey, the most surprising move was the New York Knicks’ blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges, which received the highest number of votes from coaches, executives, and scouts participating in the survey (five).

The trade of Bridges between the Knicks and Brooklyn Nets raised eyebrows for several factors: it marked the first trade between the two rivals in over four decades; the substantial exchange of five first-round draft picks; the significant impact on both teams’ rosters and future prospects; and the Knicks’ aggressiveness in giving up multiple future picks for a non-All-Star player.

In the survey, George leaving Los Angeles and the swap of Caruso for Josh Giddey followed with three and two votes, respectively.

Bontemps’ survey also touched on broader NBA questions, the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, and whether we can expect more tanking ahead of the 2025 draft. Subscribers can read Bontemps’ full article on ESPN+.