NBA-гийн улирлын өмнөх анхаарал татахуйц есөн шилжилт хөдөлгөөн

This has been one of the wildest summers in NBA history. No one could have anticipated Jaylen Brown and LeBron James both landing on the Philadelphia 76ers at the start of the offseason. You would have been mocked for suggesting LaMelo Ball would be traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Ja Morant would go to the Portland Trail Blazers, or that Los Angeles Lakers would break the bank for Walker Kessler.

The big names and blockbuster trades have stolen the headlines, but championships are often determined by the under-the-radar moves that were overlooked by other teams. The Knicks might not have won the championship this past season without Landry Shamet, who signed a minimum deal in September and then made the team after Malcolm Brogdon abruptly retired during training camp. Good teams are usually buoyed by a team-friendly signing or a lopsided trade or by discovering a diamond in the rough.

Here are nine NBA moves that didn’t get much attention that could pay off big time in the upcoming season.

Pistons acquire Isaiah Joe for two second-round picks

Malik Beasley finished one bucket behind Anthony Edwards for the most made three-pointers in the NBA during the 2024-25 season with the Pistons. Beasley was then indicted on federal sports gambling and wire fraud charges before the Pistons could re-sign him, and Detroit had a noticeable lack of shooting by finishing No. 29 in three-point rate and No. 17 in three-point percentage last season. Isaiah Joe is one of the few shooters in the world on Beasley’s level, and the Pistons’ front office did well to pluck him away from the Oklahoma City Thunder for a couple second-round picks so OKC could trim their luxury tax bill. Joe hit 42% from three on six attempts per game last year, but what really makes him good is that he’s a solid screener who can run off pick-and-pops and hit shots off movement. He should be a natural fit between Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson on the perimeter, and Detroit has enough team defense to insulate him on that end when they need to.

Collin Gillespie agrees to four-year, $48 million deal with Phoenix Suns

Gillespie is an inspiring story for future journeymen. He signed a series of two-way deals after going undrafted out of Villanova in 2022, finally got a guaranteed contract with the Suns last season, and immediately popped as one of the best bargains in the league. It feels like Phoenix inked him to another team-friendly extension this year by locking him up for $48 million over four years before he could hit free agency. Gillespie graded out as a 90th percentile offensive player and 75th percentile defensive player in EPM last season, and he’s a fringe top-100 player in the league in RAPM. He’s a really good shooter who hit 40% of his threes on high volume (12.5 attempts per 100 possessions) last year while also hitting the glass well for his position. He’s also a solid enough defender to avoid putting extra pressure on Devin Booker on that end. Gillespie is just a smart, well-rounded player who will fit in well with Phoenix regardless of how the roster continues to develop. If Khaman Maluach can take the sophomore leap I’m expecting this season, the Suns might actually have a nice core around Booker.

Hornets trade Miles Bridges to Suns for an unprotected 2033 first-round pick + two rotation pieces

While I thought Charlotte sold low on LaMelo this offseason, there’s no doubt their Miles Bridges trade is a highway robbery. The Hornets took advantage of Suns governor Mat Ishbia’s Michigan State bias by leveraging an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, Grayson Allen, and Royce O’Neale out of Phoenix in return for Bridges. Bridges can put up decent volume scoring numbers, but he’s a mediocre or worse as a shooter and defender, and just isn’t really an impact player on both ends. This is amazing value for Charlotte for a player they won’t really miss. The Hornets are loaded with future assets right now, and already have a good young talent base and a sound identity crafted by head coach Charles Lee. This Phoenix pick could eventually be included in a trade that helps them take the next step.

Tari Eason, Houston Rockets agree to five-year, $81.5 million deal

It felt like this was the year teams finally took full advantage of their leverage in restricted free agency. The Rockets were able to keep Tari Eason around on an $81.5 million deal that will pay him about $14.1 million per year when he graded out as a $20.6 million player in Steph Noh’s salary tool. Eason’s offense abandoned him in the second half of last season, but he’s still a big, physical forward who can take on a variety of tough defensive assignments and help his team get out in transition. He’s a really good rebounder on both ends, and fits in well with the relentless style head coach Ime Udoka wants to play. Eason needs to figure out how to score more efficiently inside the arc, but maybe getting point guard Fred VanVleet back healthy this season will help in that department. Whether he’s part of the Rockets’ long-term or eventually turns into a trade piece, Eason should be a good player on a value contract for the entirety of his deal.

Hawks sign C.J. McCollum to one-year deal

The Hawks got better after they traded Trae Young midway through last season, eventually giving the Knicks their toughest series in the first-round of the playoffs last year with C.J. McCollum turning into their go-to guy in crunch-time. Atlanta brought back McCollum on a team-friendly one-year, $21 million deal over the summer to keep their conductor in place while maintaining flexibility for a bigger move in the future. McCollum is still really good at creating offense for himself and others, and players in that mold usually get huge contracts after proving they can do it in the playoffs. McCollum is at a point in his career where no one was going to break the bank for him, so returning to Atlanta for a nice pay day on a one-year deal made sense for both sides. Atlanta continued to add pieces (Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor) that will make them even more annoying to play against this season. Flemings should take over McCollum’s role eventually, but now he doesn’t need to be forced into critical minutes for a team that thinks it can actually win a playoff series this year.

Nets re-sign Day’ron Sharpe and Josh Minott

The Nets are expected to be the worst team in the league by the preseason over/unders, but I wouldn’t count on it. Jordi Fernandez is one of the best head coaches in the league, and he has a team that can surprise some people. Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle are a solid one-two veteran punch, and youngsters like Egor Demin and Mikel Brown Jr. give the team some future upside. I thought Brooklyn made a couple smart under-the-radar signings to their supporting cast by bringing back Day’ron Sharpe on a two-year, $20 million deal and landing Josh Minott for $9 million over two years. Sharpe has been better than Nets starting center Nic Claxton the last two years, so he should be an upgrade as he moves into a starting role by crushing the glass and finishing his chances efficiently inside. Minott found a home on the Nets after arriving midseason from Boston, showing off athletic wing defense and an improved three-point stroke. Tanking is dead, and Brooklyn doesn’t control its first-round pick in 2027 (owed to Houston) anyway, so they might as well try to be a plucky overachievers while building for the future. I think Fernandez can lead them there.

Dean Wade to the 76ers

The Sixers suddenly have a lot of guys who can score the ball. What they need now is some players who can do the dirty work, and that makes Wade an optimal signing. Wade joined Philly even before they executed the Jaylen Brown trade, let alone the LeBron signing, but he fits perfectly into the Sixers’ completed puzzle. The 29-year-old does his best work on the defensive end. He moves well on the perimeter for someone with his size (6’8, 230 pounds), and he should be Philly’s go-to wing stopper when he’s on the floor. Offensively, Wade is a low-usage forward who takes 70% of his field goal attempts from three, and knocks them down at a 36% clip. He can conceivably play some small ball five for a Sixers team that will need center options when Joel Embiid can’t play, and he’s versatile enough to fit into a variety of lineup structures come playoff time. Wade’s four-year, $38 million deal is easy to overlook in the Sixers’ star-studded offseason, but he’ll be a factor as soon as the season starts.

Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams to the Lakers on 1-year deals

The Lakers’ forward rotation is one of the biggest question marks in the league entering the season. Los Angeles clearly needs defensive-minded wings who can help cover up for Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves and funnel drivers to Walker Kessler’s rim protection, and they took two good, cheap fliers with free agents Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams. Thybulle has long been one of the great defensive playmakers in the league, but his offense has always bordered on unplayable. He took a nice step forward last year in Portland by improving his three-point shot (43.8% on 3.8 attempts per game), and he could be a super valuable piece for the Lakers as long as he’s not killing their spacing. Williams was a toolsy wing scorer coming out of Stanford who realized his best chance to stick in the league was committing to being a good defender. He’s excellent at getting into the passing lanes and getting his team out in transition, and he also improved his three-point volume (nearly 10 attempts per 100 possessions) and accuracy (better than 34%) last year in Brooklyn. If anyone can make Thybulle and Williams playable on offense, it’s Luka Doncic, and they could be exactly what he needs to compete defensively.

Grizzlies acquire Isaiah Stewart for three second-round picks

Stewart helped make the Pistons one of the toughest teams in the league last year, and he’s should be a perfect fit into the Memphis Grizzlies’ culture. He’s an awesome secondary rim protector (7% block rate last season) on defense who can hit the glass and bring some toughness and physicality inside. He’s a pretty low usage offensive player, but his an efficient interior scorer who has made some progress with his three-point stroke to be a little bit of a floor spacer. Beef Stew can be a bit of a loose cannon on the court, but Memphis will love his personality, and he should be a culture setter for a rebuilder that is going to take off faster than most people realize around Cameron Boozer.