The Five Best Under-the-Radar Moves of the NBA Offseason

The NBA offseason has reached the dog days of summer. Nearly all of the biggest dominos have fallen, although some rather large decisions remain unresolved—I’m looking at you, James Harden, Jalen Duren and Peyton Watson.

However, LeBron James’s surprising decision to join the 76ers answered the most significant lingering question that surrounded the league’s biggest stars. It’s always a wild offseason in #thisleague, but this NBA summer felt even more bonkers than usual. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s messy breakup with the Bucks finally reached its conclusion when Milwaukee sent its superstar to the Heat for a haul of young players and picks.

Boston was in the running and the Celtics dangled Jaylen Brown to Milwaukee in a potential Giannis deal. When the Bucks went another way, Brown’s future with his longtime franchise became uncertain and Boston decided to deal him to an Eastern Conference foe in the Sixers, which later prompted LeBron to follow and form an immediate title contender. The East got exceptionally loaded as a whole. The Raptors agreed to a trade with the Clippers that sends Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto, a deal which remains on hold as the NBA finalizes a lingering investigation into potential salary cap circumvention by Los Angeles.

Out West, the Timberwolves traded for LaMelo Ball after the Hornets decided to part with their star point guard. Portland took a shot on Ja Morant as his time with the Grizzlies came to clear end. The Lakers reworked the roster around Luka Dončić with James headed elsewhere, prying Walker Kessler from the Jazz and signing him to a big contract.

Beyond the biggest moves, the NBA offseason has seen an endless slew of transactions. Between the big trades and LeBron’s monumental decision, some considerable—but sneaky good—deals that will impact next season may have flown under the radar. Here are five of the best low-profile moves that have taken place this offseason:

Celtics extend Jordan Walsh—three years, $15 million

Brad Stevens has gotten a lot of flak for the Brown trade and the “optionality” he says it brings Boston. In the same vein, Stevens should get credit for tying Walsh to the franchise through the 2029–30 season at a low cap hit. As the 38th pick in 2023 draft, Walsh spent the majority of his first season in the G League with the Maine Celtics. His role with the NBA club increased in year two, but he broke out into a key rotation player for the Celtics last season with 25 starts in 68 apppearances and 17.8 minutes per game.

Walsh averaged 5.4 points and grabbed 4.0 rebounds per game in his increased role last year, while his size and strength allows him to impact games well beyond the box score. The combination between his feel, high motor and length has brought Boston a high-level defender out of a former second-round pick. Walsh will play out next season on a $2.4 million team option which Boston happily exercise. His new deal starts in 2027–28 which puts him on the same timeline as Jayson Tatum and the newly-extended Neemias Queta.

The “optionality” Stevens alluded to was his decision to send out Brown for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-rounders. Brown remains under contract at a big number for one more season compared to George’s current deal, which gives Boston the chance to reshape the roster sooner. Should Stevens decide to make a splash, whether it’s this season or once George comes off the books, the Celtics need a strong supporting cast which Walsh certainly helps round out.

Mavericks take a chance on former top pick Zaccharie Risacher

Risacher, the first pick in the 2024 NBA draft, took a step back in Atlanta’s rotation last season as the Hawks pivoted out of the Trae Young era. Atlanta built around All-Star forward Jalen Johnson as Nickeil Alexander-Walker took a step forward and Dyson Daniels continued his reign as an elite on-ball defender. The offseason included bringing back CJ McCollum, taking Aaron Wiggins from the Thunder to help Oklahoma City financially and later helping once again by bringing in Luguentz Dort.

Atlanta’s slew of wings put Risacher on the outs as the Hawks sent Risacher to the Mavericks in the Dort deal. Dallas gave up Ryan Nembhard and a second-round pick to acquire the former top pick, a small price to pay for a player who should still be seen as a high-ceiling prospect. Risacher isn’t your typical top pick; he doesn’t have the star power of guys like Cooper Flagg, AJ Dybantsa or Victor Wembanyama. However, he’s still only 21 years old with an improving three-point shot and the length to make an impact on both sides of the ball.

It makes sense for Risacher to go to a rebuilding franchise like the Mavs who are fully in the Flagg era. They still have a number of wings like P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall and Max Christie who could get in Risacher’s way, but he should see a healthy amount of playing time through the change of scenery.

Sometimes, that’s all a player needs.

Pistons nab Isaiah Joe as Thunder shed salary

Oklahoma City saved itself a massive amount in its luxury tax bill by trading away Joe, Dort and Wiggins this summer. The Hawks happily took Dort and Wiggins, while Detroit grabbed Joe from the Thunder for the small price of two future second-round picks. The Pistons haven’t had the shiny offseason that some of their Eastern Conference rivals have enjoyed, but the former Thunder marksman brings his elite shooting to last year’s top seed in the East.

Detroit badly needed to address shooting to make Cade Cunningham’s life easier in a starting lineup that includes two non-shooters in Ausar Thompson and Duren. The latter is still in the middle of a messy restricted free agency situation, but the All-Star center should be back next season whether it’s on a new contract or the qualifying offer. Joe has shot 40% or better on high volume from three-point range in each of his four seasons with the Thunder.

Although the Pistons were at the top of the East last season with 60 wins, they were at the middle of the pack as a team in three-point shooting percentage (35.6%) and got up the NBA’s fewest threes last season outside of the woeful Kings. Detroit still has Duncan Robinson and it re-signed Kevin Huerter, but Joe brings an elite shooter on the wing that can open up the floor for Cunningham & Co.

Jaylen Clark stays in Minnesota—three years, $10 million

A smaller transaction on the surface, but Clark has emerged as a true impact player for the Timberwolves, who Minnesota now keeps for the next three seasons at a small price. Ayo Dosunmu’s big new contract addresses backcourt defense with the LaMelo Ball addition, while Clark brings depth off the bench in minutes where one or both of Dosunmu and Anthony Edwards are off the floor.

Clark has grown from a late second-round pick on a two-way contract to a real NBA player who is now a key piece for Minnesota in the years ahead. He’s not just a depth piece, though. He can take the top defensive assignment in his minutes and lock down opposing NBA stars whenever he’s on the floor. If he can take a leap offensively, he can work his way into even more minutes. Players like Clark matter come playoff time. As the Wolves try to make a run back to the Western Conference finals and take down the Thunder and the Spurs, his defense could matter just as much as the added offensive punch with Ball.

Heat sign Tim Hardaway Jr. to fill shooting void—one year, $6.1 million

The Heat went star hunting this offseason as the winner of the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. Miami had to send out an absolute haul of young players and picks to get the superstar out of Milwaukee, which makes the Heat’s depth their biggest question entering the season. Stylistically, playmaking and shooting are the glaring holes for this new iteration of the Heat. Pat Riley should work to add more of both toward the end of the offseason or at the trade deadline, but his signing of Tim Hardaway Jr. makes complete sense for Miami.

Although he’s 34 years old, he’s excelled as a three-point shooter during his most recent stops in Detroit and Denver over the past two seasons. Last year with the Nuggets, he averaged 13.5 points per game and shot a career-high 40.7% from distance on 6.9 attempts per game as he finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting.

Hardaway will likely start for the Heat if the roster remains as is, which shouldn’t be a knock against the group as he remains a reliable veteran scorer. Miami lost Norman Powell to the Bulls in free agency and had to send out Tyler Herro in the Giannis trade, which left the team sorely in need of floor spacing. Second-round pick Ryan Conwell could help with that, but Hardaway was the best option the Heat could get on the open market and the franchise acquires him on a short-term deal.

Plus, he gets to follow in his father’s footsteps and wear the Heat’s No. 10, retired for Hardaway Sr in 2009.

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