In NBA circles, the summer of 2019 had been anticipated as long and intently as the release of a new Star Wars film. Where would Kevin Durant sign? Kawhi Leonard? Kyrie Irving? Would the Warriors stumble? Would the 76ers keep climbing? Would LeBron attract a championship-caliber supporting cast?
Yet even the wildest of imaginations couldn’t have conjured the drama that actually unfolded. At the end of June, The Athletic polled 11 league sources (GMs, front office staffers & agents) on a variety of subjects related to the upcoming free-agency period. Anthony Davis and Mike Conley had just been dealt, and voters were asked to name the best player who would be traded during the remainder of the summer. Kevin Love and Clint Capela were the only players to receive more than one vote. Surprise! Paul George is now a Clipper, Russell Westbrook is a Rocket, Jimmy Butler went to Miami in a wild four-team deal, and the Warriors found a way to add D’Angelo Russell.
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