Overreacting to the NBA season after less than a handful of games can be dangerous. However, sometimes things just feel right, and you just need a small sample size to show that a player is an ideal fit with his new team. That's certainly the case with these six players who changed teams this offseason.
Without any further ado, let's explore some major offseason additions that are already looking like home runs.
Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
LeBron James hasn't filled up the stat sheet, averaging 16.3 points, 7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists. Still, the Philadelphia 76ers are 3-1, and their revamped offense looks incredibly smooth despite all of their on-ball threats. Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid have all averaged 20-plus points. There's no "your turn, my turn" feel to this team. Everything feels natural.
And James deserves a ton of credit for making this offense work with his connective playmaking chops. LeBron's playmaking has helped Brown be more of a play-finisher, and he's thrived in this role. His screening has also created opportunities for his teammates off the ball. Plus, LeBron has even played some small-ball center minutes.
James isn't the Sixers' best player, but he's been the main reason why this roster has meshed so quickly. Signing LeBron brought some fit concerns, but for under $4 million this year, it was always a great idea, and it's quickly paying off.
Los Angeles Lakers center Walker Kessler | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Walker Kessler was built in a lab to play alongside Luka Doni. He is a fantastic rim protector, rebounder, and lob threat. Many people mocked the Los Angeles Lakers for giving him an $130 million contract and trading two unprotected picks (and two pick swaps). Regardless, the fit was always clear, and he's quickly proving to be worth the price.
Kessler has averaged 15.8 points, 8 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks while shooting a league-best 78.4 percent from the field. He has given Luka the lob threat and rim protector that he needs in the frontcourt alongside him. Kessler has his fingerprints all over the Lakers' 3-1 start, and he's a big reason why they have more championship equity than last year.
Atlanta Hawks guard Aaron Wiggins | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Aaron Wiggins is the biggest "deep cut" on this list. In fairness, the Atlanta Hawks giving up two second-round picks wasn't a controversial move. Still, the question remained: Is Wiggins a talented player, or was he a product of the Oklahoma City Thunder? Through four games, the answer is clearly the former.
Wiggins is averaging 15.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, on 53.5/48/71.4 shooting splits. He has given the Hawks a nice creation and shooting punch off the bench and is looking like a legitimate Sixth Man of the Year candidate. As the Hawks try to return to the playoffs, Wiggins can help them get there.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Ja Morant | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
I'll be honest, I didn't think the Ja Morant trade made any sense for the Portland Trail Blazers, given their guard depth and his fit alongside Damian Lillard. Things can change, but after three games, it sure seems like I was dead wrong. So far, the Blazers are undefeated, and they have the league's best offensive rating.
Ja isn't putting up the same numbers as he was a few years ago, but he's been super productive, averaging 16.3 points and 6.3 assists. Most encouragingly, he's looked comfortable playing off-ball, netting 44.4 percent of his triples and cutting off the ball. With some combination of Ja, Lillard, Jrue Holiday, and Scoot Henderson on the court at all times, the Blazers always have a high level of perimeter creation and ball-handling. In other words: what looked like a clunky fit now looks like a superpower.
Despite the fit concerns, the Blazers only gave up Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. It's safe to say Ja has proven to be worth the price.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard LaMelo Ball | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
LaMelo Ball is a polarizing player. As such, the Minnesota Timberwolves trading for him was a controversial move. The proposition was always simple, though: Minnesota needed a high-level playmaker and a secondary creator alongside Anthony Edwards-Ball fit the bill and was available at a reasonable price. So far it's been easy to see the Timberwolves' vision.
Ball's counting stats of 14.8 points, 6.3 assists and 2 rebounds don't tell the story of his impact. His perimeter shot-making and passing have transformed the Timberwolves' offense. They are playing faster; he's elevating his teammates and making them a more dangerous offense. With Ball on the court, the Wolves have an absurd plus-26.5 net rating per Cleaning the Glass . This has culminated in a 3-1 start.
Edwards will unfortunately be sidelined for around the next two months with a knee injury. For now, Ball will be the Wolves' first option. Nevertheless, Ball quickly proved that he's the ideal solution to the Wolves' roster flaws . Long-term, this backcourt pairing is perfect, and they'll be contenders for years to come.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jonathan Kuminga | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Jonathan Kuminga signing was the other controversial move of Minnesota's offseason. Many questioned his ability to buy into a scaled-down complementary role due to his rocky tenure with the Golden State Warriors.
These concerns look silly now. Kuminga has played great defense against physical forwards; he's crashed the glass, hit open 3-pointers, and has been an athletic play-finisher on offense. Simply put, he's doing everything you could hope for from a complementary starting forward.
The Timberwolves will need more creation from Kuminga without Edwards. Nevertheless, his complementary skills will remain vital, and he's answered every question about his fit so far. Since he's only making $6 million this season, it's hard to have any quams with his fit. And with their lack of forward depth, the Wolves would be in a rough spot without him.
Overall, gambling on talent and culture paid off for the Timberwolves twice this summer.
This article was originally published on www.fansided.com as LeBron James, LaMelo Ball and 4 more NBA offseason moves that are paying off immediately .
