Spotlight on the 2022 NBA Championship

The shortened NBA offseason due to a unique 2020-2021 season is in full swing.

Many teams have reloaded their rosters to be able to compete for the 2022 NBA Championship but some made greater jumps than others.  The NBA season is just a couple months away already and some players have traded in their colors for new ones across the league.

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The Los Angeles Lakers were massive buyers as they added 9 new players in just the first 3 days of the free agency period.  The Lakers moves started out by acquiring former All-Star and triple double machine Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards.  In return, the Wizards took on a young, promising player who never panned out for the Lakers, Kyle Kuzma, as well as young big man Montrezl Harrel, and veteran wing player Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.  The Lakers mission this summer was to get a 3rd star, which they did in Westbrook, and also bring on more veterans and 3 point shooters.  A few big names they added are veterans Carmelo Anthony and young players Malik Monk and Kendrick Nunn.  These moves put the Lakers right back into championship contention after an early 1st round exit in 2021.

Next is the Chicago Bulls, who didn’t make the playoffs in 2021.  The Bulls look to be a top 5 team now in the East and possible title contenders themselves.  At last year’s trade deadline, the Bulls added All-Star Nikola Vucevic but they weren’t done this summer.  The Bulls also added star Demar Derozan and promising young point guard Lonzo Ball to the roster.

Lastly, the team that might improve the most from 2021 to 2022 is the Golden State Warriors.  After many years of being the preseason title favorites, the Warriors failed to make the playoffs in 2021.  The biggest addition to the lineup may not be a new face at all in Klay Thompson who has missed over 2 years with multiple injuries.  The Warriors also have loaded up in the draft recently taking James Wiseman in 2021 and 2 young wing players in 2022.  The Warriors may not be the early preseason favorites to come out of the West, but they are a team to keep an eye on.