AstheNBAworldjustwatchedtheBostonCelticsrolltooneofthemostdominantseasonsinhistoryand16-3playoffrunthatculminatedinachampionship,aparticularbasketballblueprintcameintofocus.Bostonfeaturedfiveguyswhocandoeverything:Shoot,pass,create,operateonorofftheball,anddefendmultiplepositions,withelitetop-endandoveralldepth.
ButlookupanddowntheOklahomaCityroster,andtellme,wheredoyouseetheholeBytradingforAlexCarusoonThursday,theThunder,liketheCelticswithJrueHolidayandDerrickWhite,nowhavetwoofthenastieston-balldefendersintheleague(CarusoalongsideLuDort).Ballpressureisback,baby.TheCelticsjustsqueezedthelifeoutofDallas.CarusoandDortaregoingtowreakthesameon-ballhavoc.
Formostteams,copyingtheBostonrosterisapipedream.TheCelticsareanall-timeunitwithhomegrownstarswhothenluckedintoHolidayaspartoftheDamianLillardfallout.ItwouldbeliketryingtocopywhattheWarriorsdidbydraftingStephenCurry,KlayThompsonandDraymondGreen.
TravisSchlenkactuallytriedtodothatwiththeHawksafterheleftGoldenState,draftingTraeYoungashisCurrybeforeaddingDeAndreHunterandKevinHuerterasheaimedtoputfiveguysonthefloorwhocouldallshoot,passanddribble.
Thesimilaritiescontinue:MarcusSmartwasagoodplayerfortheCeltics,buthisgreatestcontributiontothe2024titleendedupbeinghistradevalue,asitwasSmartwhofacilitatedthetradeforPorzingis.JoshGiddey,anotherdraftedanddevelopedOKCplayer,becamegoodenoughfortheThundertofliphimintoCaruso.
TheCarusotradefeelslikethestartofalotmoreastheThundercontinuetobuildthemselvesinthemoldoftheteamwejustwatchedwinachampionship.
Bostonplannedtheparadearoundaheatwavethatstruckthecityearlierthisweek.Afterdangeroustemperaturesinthe90s,thehighinBostononFridayis82degrees.
TheChicagoBullstradedAlexCarusototheOklahomaCityThunderforJoshGiddey,theteamsannouncedonFriday.Caruso,anAll-DefenseguardwhospentthepastthreeseasonsinChicagoafterwinningthe2020championshipwiththeLakers,hasbeenthesubjectoftraderumorsforseveralyearsnow.TheBullshaveresistedoffersbuiltarounddraftpicksthroughouthisentiretimeinChicago.
ButinGiddey,theBullslandaformerNo.6overallpickwhowasindesperateneedofafreshstart.GiddeyhasbeenastarterforOklahomaCitysincehearrived,buthisfailuretodevelopasa3-pointshooterdoomedhimonarosterthatalreadyhadShaiGilgeous-Alexanderatpointguard.HisrolediminishedthroughoutthepostseasonandhewasbenchedinthefinaltwogamesagainsttheDallasMavericks.
Carusoisoneofthebestdefensiveperimeterplayersinbasketball.Heiscapableofguardingjustabouteverypositionexceptcenter,andhis3-pointpercentageimprovedto40.8%lastseason.TheThunderearnedtheNo.1seedintheWesternConferencelastseason.Now,withtheiryoungstersgrowingandayearofplayoffexperienceundertheirbelts,OklahomaCityisgoingforitin2025.
Throughoutrecentyearsatthispointinthepre-draftprocess,theNo.1pickhasseeminglybeenlockedinonlyforittochangeinthefinaldays.Thathappenedin2022whenPaoloBancheroemergedlateastheNo.1pick.But,fornow,thingslooktobecrystalizingbarringlatechanges.Soourlatest,andmypenultimate,NBAmockdraftisbelowaswecountdownthedaysuntilnextWednesday…
Ofcourse,hisstandingaroundtheleaguehasaswell.HadLaVinemeaningfullyexplored2022freeagency,hewouldhavefoundmultiplesuitors.BythetimetheBullsstartedtoseriouslyconsidertradeslastseason,themarkethadcooled.Noteamisknowntohavemadeasubstantialoffer.Or,well,anyoffer.LaVineisnowwidelyconsideredtobeanegativeasset,andtheBullshavebeenreportedlyfloatingmorethanadozenLaVinetradeideastootherteams.
JoshGiddeywas,atonetime,consideredapartofthecorefortheOklahomaCityThundermovingforward.TheemergenceofShaiGilgeous-AlexanderasanMVPcandidate,aswellasChetHolmgrenandJalenWilliamsasfutureAll-Starsslowlymadehimredundant.WhileGiddeyisavaluableball-handlerandplaymaker,hisweaknessasashootermadeitveryhardforhimtoplayonateamwithsomuchtalentelsewhere.