PHILADELPHIA — Kevin Durant is still a Brooklyn Net. And Donovan Mitchell is now a Cleveland Cavalier.
Nearly two months after requesting a trade hours before free agency began, Durant agreed to move forward with the Nets (for now, at least). Mitchell, meanwhile, is off to a stunning new destination after the Cavaliers pulled off a blockbuster deal that sent Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, and draft capital to the Utah Jazz for the dynamic scoring guard.
That brings some level of clarity to the state of the NBA less than a month before training camps open. Which makes it an appropriate time to evaluate where that leaves the Sixers, who are aiming to capitalize on Joel Embiid’s MVP-level play, the acquisition of 10-time All-Star James Harden, and the rapid ascension of speedy guard Tyrese Maxey.
The Sixers made several moves this offseason to bolster their depth and toughness, two weaknesses exposed in another second-round playoff exit. They traded for defensive wing De’Anthony Melton on draft night, then signed bullish veteran forward P.J. Tucker, shooter Danuel House, and reigning G League MVP Trevelin Queen in free agency. Harden declined his $47 million option for this season and instead returned on a two-year deal (including a player option) — a $14 million pay cut for 2022-23 — giving the Sixers the financial flexibility to add those players and more earnestly chase a title.
Still, the top of the East remains hyper-competitive — especially after last week’s jolt of the Mitchell trade. Here is a breakdown of where the rosters stand for the rest of the conference’s primary contenders.
Boston Celtics
— Added: Malcolm Brogdon, Danilo Gallinari
— Lost: Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith
Fresh off their NBA Finals appearance, the Celtics were reportedly in the mix for Durant in a deal that would have sent All-Star wing Jaylen Brown (and perhaps reigning defensive player of the year Marcus Smart) to Brooklyn.
Before that, though, Boston acquired Brogdon to give it a more quintessential point guard. Though Smart developed as the primary ball handler, the Celtics committed a bevy of inexplicable turnovers in critical playoff moments. The Celtics also added stretch forward Gallinari, but he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee while playing for Italy in FIBA World Cup qualifiers this summer and is expected to miss at least six months.
This title window for Boston, however, will be predicated on Jayson Tatum continuing to blossom into an MVP contender, along with Brown’s, Smart’s, and defensive anchor Robert Williams’ progression to create a dangerous core with a vaunted defense.
Milwaukee Bucks
— Added: Joe Ingles
— Re-signed: Bobby Portis, Serge Ibaka
Had Khris Middleton not gotten hurt during the playoffs, the Bucks could have won their second consecutive championship.
So Milwaukee is mostly running it back. The Bucks re-signed fan favorite Portis and veteran big man Ibaka. Though Ingles remains sidelined with a torn ACL suffered in January, he could be a de facto trade-deadline addition if he returns healthy and effective. He was a terrific shooter and locker-room presence for the pre-teardown iteration of the Utah Jazz.
Oh, and the Bucks still have Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Miami Heat
— Lost: P.J. Tucker
— Re-signed: Cody Martin, Victor Oladipo, Dewayne Dedmon
If any East contender took a notable step back on paper, it’s the Heat after losing Tucker to the Sixers.
But Miami still has Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry, and Tyler Herro. The Heat also still have top-notch coach Erik Spoelstra, who last season guided his team to the top of the Eastern Conference’s regular-season standings despite an array of injuries. And Miami was a Butler last-second shot away from advancing to the Finals.
Miami had also been floated as a possible destination for Durant and Mitchell, reminding us that the Heat are always on the lookout for stars.
Brooklyn Nets
— Added: Royce O’Neal, T.J. Warren
— Lost: Bruce Brown, Andre Drummond, Goran Dragic
— Re-signed: Patty Mills, Nicolas Claxton
A tumultuous summer following a tumultuous season leaves the Nets here:
Lethal scorers Durant and (presumably) Kyrie Irving, combined with knockdown shooters Joe Harris and Seth Curry, should form an incredibly formidable offense. O’Neal was a solid role player for the Jazz, while Warren has been hampered by injuries in recent seasons but is a bucket-getter when healthy.
And Ben Simmons should shore up the Nets’ defense — assuming he finally makes his debut after his refusal to play for the Sixers and a back injury kept him off the floor for the entire 2021-22 season.
The question, of course, is how all these players and personalities will mesh — and if they can keep the drama away. This core has not played extensively together. Before this apparent reconciliation, Durant reportedly issued an ultimatum that he wanted coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks fired. And Durant could ask out again, if it all goes haywire.
Cleveland Cavaliers
— Added: Donovan Mitchell, Ricky Rubio
— Lost: Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen
The Cavaliers just executed one of the offseason’s surprisingly splashy moves, landing Mitchell despite reports that the New York Knicks were in pursuit of the three-time All-Star. This sets Cleveland up immediately and for years to come with a lethal outside-inside combo spearheaded by Mitchell and All-Star Darius Garland in the backcourt and All-Star Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley down low.
Veteran guard Ricky Rubio, a respected playmaker and leader for the young Cavs before a season-ending knee injury, also returned as a free agent.
Cleveland was a feel-good story last season until injuries caused it to fizzle down the stretch. But the Mitchell trade now likely catapults the Cavaliers from the play-in tournament to challenging for home-court advantage.
Toronto Raptors
— Added: Otto Porter
Toronto was a dark-horse destination for Durant because of the young talent on this roster. For now, though, the Raptors remain an exciting on-the-rise team, boasting length and athleticism that make them a tough playoff draw.
Reigning rookie of the year Scottie Barnes is a do-everything talent paired with All-Stars Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet. Newcomer Porter is a sound role player who just won a title with the Golden State Warriors.
And the Raptors will have a home-court advantage for the foreseeable future, not just because of their enthusiastic crowd but also because of Canada’s requirement that all international travelers be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Chicago Bulls
— Added: Andre Drummond, Goran Dragic
— Re-signed: Zach LaVine
It’s easy to forget that the Bulls sat atop the East standings for big chunks of last season. But come playoff time, Chicago was a clear tick below the true contenders in losing its first-round series against the Bucks in five games.
Chicago’s priority, of course, was locking the All-Star LaVine into a max deal. Lonzo Ball’s return from a knee injury should provide a lift on both ends of the floor. And DeMar DeRozan is coming off a fantastic first season with the Bulls.
But is that enough to push — then keep — the Bulls into the East’s upper echelon?
Atlanta Hawks
— Added: Dejounte Murray
— Lost: Kevin Huerter
Before the Mitchell blockbuster, the Hawks had arguably made the most significant move of any of the East’s fringe playoff teams. They acquired Murray, a first-time All-Star in 2022 as a stat-stuffer and excellent defender, to pair with Trae Young.
The trade signaled that Atlanta wants to prove that last season’s step back — not the run to the 2021 conference finals that included an upset of the top-seeded Sixers — was the fluke of this era.
