Trade in Progress

August 10:

The Los Angeles Lakers re-signed 2019's 46th overall pick, Horton Tucker, to a three-year, $32 million deal.

Another mind-boggling move by Lakers Management.

Faced with a choice between Emperor Ka in Los Angeles and Tucker, the upperclassman, Lakers Management decisively chose the "prospect."

Maybe, compared to outstanding defense, Lakers Management just liked reverse layups more~~

That same day, the Miami Heat signed undrafted player Maxell Strus to a bargain two-year, $3.5 million contract.

August 11:

The Celtics and Chris Paul agreed to a four-year, $120 million extension.

The Miami Heat sent Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa, the forward they'd selected with the 20th pick in the 2020 draft, to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for veteran Kyle Lowry.

Dragic was getting old.

Even though he'd once helped the team fleece the Spurs and practically get a top-tier forward for free, that didn't make Heat Management any less determined to send him packing.

Miami had always been a team that showed no sentiment.

As for the Raptors, although they'd once again taken the Bucks to a Game 7 in the first round of the Playoffs this season, which was a respectable result by most standards,

after all these years, the team had finally recognized the limits of the Trash Brothers.

It was time to rebuild around the newcomers...

That same day, the Heat signed another undrafted player, Gabe Vincent.

They were part of a special group that earned the same kind of praise around the League as Thunder rookies~~

On August 12, the Heat signed forward Markieff Morris, who'd been let go by the Lakers.

August 15:

The trade market was considerably more turbulent that day.

The Toronto Raptors sent DeMar DeRozan, once the League's second-best shooting guard, and Terrence Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for