As the NBA regular season tips off on Tuesday night with a star-studded doubleheader, it’s as good a time as ever to catch up on all the happenings from a busy offseason.
Between players leaving and staying with their teams and Team USA capturing gold at the 2024 Paris Games, NBA buzz remained consistent even without the league playing games on the court.
Here is a look at the top offseason moments, as told by social media:
June
The New York Knicks got the offseason off to a hot start, reuniting Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo with fellow former Villanova teammate Mikal Bridges. The Knicks had to give up quite the haul to acquire the wing, but the assets may have been worth it for the celebratory FaceTime call alone.
— Josh Hart (@joshhart) June 26, 2024
Not all the June action was in the United States, however. In a rare Instagram post, LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard wrote about enjoying his birthday, living the “pura vida” in Costa Rica:
Come time for free agency, comings and goings were always bound to generate content.
Joel Embiid was evidently bored with the lack of action early on the morning of the first day of free agency, tweeting at 2 a.m. ET. Donovan Mitchell also was active on social media, taking to Instagram Live after inking a max extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
I wanna troll so bad but there’s literally no sports on right now
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) July 1, 2024
Still UP
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) July 1, 2024
July
Players on the move over the summer made for some familiar faces taking on some unfamiliar numbers.
Klay Thompson donned the No. 11 during his entire career with the Golden State Warriors but made the switch to No. 31 when he signed with the Dallas Mavericks. Former teammate Draymond Green teased Thompson when his new jersey was first unveiled.
As Team USA’s preparation for the Olympics got underway, the team wasn’t focused on improving exclusively on the court. The team also bonded away from the hardwood, with one amusing moment coming when Stephen Curry took the opportunity to hold a falcon on his arm.
One of the biggest storylines of the offseason was Bronny James‘ first practices with the Los Angeles Lakers and his father, LeBron James. One photo of the younger James answering questions from a throng of reporters drew comparisons to a photo of his father in a similar situation as a rookie.
August
Though it was still the offseason in the NBA, there was plenty of meaningful basketball being played in Paris at the Olympic Games. Team USA, led by a bevy of the league’s top talent, captured the gold medal in a thrilling win over host France. The Americans took the time to grab a photo on the Bercy Stairs with their medals, a tradition the team began earlier in the tournament.
Had to get one with the medals. 🇺🇸🥇 pic.twitter.com/ADSKhmAuqW
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) August 10, 2024
September
After starting up the offseason with a trade to bring together the “Nova Knicks,” New York made another blockbuster move that broke the group up.
DiVincenzo and Julius Randle headlined a package sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves to bring all-star big man Karl-Anthony Towns to Madison Square Garden. The massive news prompted plenty of social reaction, most notably from some of the players involved.
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— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) September 28, 2024
THIS IS ABOUT THE CHELSEA MATCH! https://t.co/5ZX7eX93RB
— Josh Hart (@joshhart) September 28, 2024
