As the Dust Settles on the NBA Offseason, How Are the NBA Game Rosters Shaping Up? (Roundtable)

Which team has improved the most this offseason thus far when it comes to their overall in NBA games?

Brandon Kosal: It’s tempting to pick the defending champs, who somehow managed to get even better by adding Swaggy P and Omri Casspi. Or the Rockets, who added the Point God and PJ Tucker. But my vote ultimately goes to the Sacramento Kings. And yes, I can’t believe I typed that either.

The Kings are ripe with young players following a great draft. To help aid their development, they signed three great veterans: George Hill, Zach Randolph, and Vince Carter. Their impact might be felt more in the locker room, but all three are still great in 2K. The Kings will be fun to use next year.

Patrick Friday: Sacramento and it’s really not even close. That franchise has been a laughingstock since the Chris Webber days yet if you asked me today, I’d put money on the Kings finishing with a better record than the New Orleans Pelicans where Boogie Cousins now calls home. It was best for everyone to move on in that situation but it seems like basketball decisions are being made in Sac-Town again and it looks mighty enticing.

Which team has slid the most this offseason versus last year when it comes to their overall in NBA games?

Brandon Kosal: My vote here goes to Team Canada: the Toronto Raptors. The headlines, of course, indicate a successful offseason after re-signing both Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka.

But when you dig deeper, losing both PJ Tucker and Patrick Patterson is huge. They were both key parts of Toronto’s rotation down the stretch last year. Tucker is a hard nosed-defender who can play multiple positions. The Raps will also sorely miss both players’ three-point range.

Patrick Friday: Cleveland seems to believe that Lebron James is forever invincible and as long as he’s under contract, they have no concern but by standing pat, every team that’s made a move has shifted past them. If Cleveland returns the core of this past year’s team, you barely even have to update the scout. Most every team, save the defending champs, is making major moves to upgrade talent or to build for the future. Cleveland doesn’t even have a GM.

What team(s) do you think will be the most intriguing to play as in this year’s NBA games?

Brandon Kosal: The Philadelphia 76ers are back, baby! How can you not be excited with a lineup of Fultz, JJ, Simmons, Saric, and Embiid? Yes, you might need to turn off injuries in order to have some real fun, but that’s just fine by me. The Sixers will be a lot of fun to play with next year and will be a fun long term project in MyGM.

Patrick Friday: I’ve been playing with the Warriors in some capacity for a while now and the Sixers are the obvious choice here so I won’t go there. If the Bucks are able to successfully woo Derrick Rose this answer will change but every day I wake up, I’m reminded the Lakers passed on Jayson Tatum. Now you mean to tell me he gets to actually be a rookie and it’s not mandatory he produce for the Celtics to maintain their current status? Sign me up. Tatum, Smart, Brown and Hayward have the potential to make it look like he deserved that All-Defensive team vote he got this year. Maybe Detroit sneaks in here also. But that’s TBD. Andre Drummond needs to improve something this offseason.