Portland’s bet on Ja Morant is the kind of move the Trail Blazers almost have to make. When a player with that level of talent becomes available, the franchise can’t sit on the sidelines and hope a star finds them by accident. One Portland executive said the team views Morant as a player who needed a reset after seven seasons in Memphis.
“Sometimes you have to take big swings,” the executive said. “We think Ja was in need of a fresh start. The All-Star, All-NBA guy is still in there.”
That’s the heart of the gamble for the Blazers. If Morant stays healthy and gets back to the electric version that once made him one of the league’s most dynamic guards, Portland may have landed one of the offseason’s biggest bargains. The upside is obvious, especially for a team that doesn’t usually get to shop in the superstar aisle in free agency.
Phoenix made its own aggressive move, and the price tag has already sparked debate. The Suns believe adding Miles Bridges justified sending out another future draft pick, but not everybody is sold on the wisdom of including an unprotected 2033 first-rounder in the deal with Charlotte. David Aldridge of The Athletic questioned that part of the trade, pointing out how much of Phoenix’s future draft capital has already been spent in the push to win now.
Brian Gregory defended the decision, saying the Suns still control first-round picks in each of the next seven drafts and were comfortable making the trade to bring in Bridges. In the end, the verdict will come down to results.
If Bridges helps keep Phoenix in the playoff mix, the pick in 2033 won’t matter much. If he doesn’t, that selection could wind up under a bright, unforgiving spotlight.
Miami, meanwhile, is still a couple of months from training camp, but there’s already plenty to monitor once it arrives. Mateo Mayorga of Heat on SI highlighted three storylines worth watching.
First is how Erik Spoelstra handles Giannis Antetokounmpo’s workload after several seasons that were interrupted by calf injuries. Keeping the former MVP healthy for the postseason is the clear priority.
The Heat will also be looking for Pelle Larsson to build on an encouraging second season. Miami wants the young wing to keep growing into a dependable shooter and playmaker on the perimeter.
And then there’s Bam Adebayo. After an emotional summer that included a much-discussed confrontation with former teammate Tyler Herro in Las Vegas, the question is whether Adebayo carries that same fire into the regular season. The Heat have long embraced a hard-nosed identity, and they would surely welcome their captain setting that tone again.
In Other News...
Suns Just Showed How They Want To Build Around Booker
The Suns have been busy reinforcing the roster around Devin Booker, and their latest move says plenty about the direction they want to take. Phoenix agreed to a new deal with veteran forward Dillon Brooks, another sign the front office is leaning into continuity after adding other players on multiyear contracts and bringing in fresh talent to stabilize the group.
Brooks gives the Suns the kind of edge and experience they have clearly valued as they reshape the roster. He was already under contract for one more season, but Phoenix moved early to keep him in place for the long run, a decision that fits the teams broader push to build a more settled core around Booker rather than keep cycling through short-term fixes. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Send A Clear Message With Dillon Brooks Commitment
The Suns have spent the offseason making one thing clear: they are not treating last years roster as a temporary fix. Dillon Brooks is the latest example, with Phoenix agreeing to a three-year, $73 million extension that keeps the forward in place through the 2029-30 season. Since arriving in a trade last July, Brooks has become part of a broader push by the Suns to add stability, after he had already carved out a reputation with the Grizzlies and Rockets.
For a team that has already handed out several multi-year deals and made more roster changes this summer, the commitment to Brooks fits the pattern. Phoenix is signaling that it wants more than short-term patchwork around its core, and it is willing to pay to keep players who match that direction. The next question is how far the Suns keep going as they continue shaping the roster around those longer commitments. [Read more 🡒]
Dillon Brooks Just Reinforced The Identity These Suns Want To Be
Dillon Brooks is sticking around in Phoenix, and the Suns made sure of it by locking up the forward with a three-year, $73 million extension that runs through the 2029-30 season. The deal is fully guaranteed and has no options, a clear sign the organization values the edge, toughness and edge-of-the-seat style Brooks has brought as he headed into the final year of his previous contract.
For a team trying to define what it wants to look like moving forward, this is a fairly loud statement about identity. Brooks will earn just over $22 million in the first year of the extension, and the length of the commitment suggests the Suns see him as more than just a useful piece for the moment. They see him as part of the tone they want setting nightly. [Read more 🡒]