The 2022-23 NBA season has been an exciting one because, yet again, we were given a host of drama-filled circumstances to follow. Also, as we are in the modern era of player movement, some blockbuster trades happened yet again, and they involved the same Brooklyn Nets franchise that had blockbuster deals a year prior. Some of the best players in the world have moved teams, and there is more than one Big Three in the league right now.
Other than trades, some of the storylines and narratives have been extraordinary to follow since the first week of the season. There has been constant chatter around the top players in the NBA, whether they brought it on themselves or not, and the fanbase has been thoroughly intrigued. Amazingly, there have been ten stories that you wouldn’t have believed before the season started.
It is time to revisit the 2022-23 season and look back on the stories that were shocking and unexpected before it started. Some of these stories have lasted weeks and even moments, but some of them happened rather quickly. Here are the biggest moments of the 2023 NBA season that have provided endless drama for media and fans.
10. Portland Trail Blazers Finish In The Lottery
Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
The Portland Trail Blazers were supposed to be one of the top-four seeds in the Western Conference this year after adding fringe All-Star wing Jerami Grant to a core of returning superstar Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons, and Jusuf Nurkic. Head coach Chauncey Billups is widely respected, and he did have some nice pieces to work with. Nobody expected Portland to be a superteam by any means, but nobody could have put it past Damian Lillard to lead the side to a very solid record in an open Western Conference.
Instead of taking advantage of the inconsistencies surrounding other teams in the West, Portland has slipped tremendously as they sit 13th in the conference, with Damian Lillard shut out for the year. Guys, it’s Dame Time…to leave. NBA fans are shocked by how poor the Trail Blazers have been despite Lillard’s 32.2 PPG average. The Trail Blazers have been one of the three worst teams in the West (32-44) this year, and that is surprising.
9. Lauri Markkanen Becomes An All-Star
Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Lauri Markkanen has been a solid player for most of his career, posting solid numbers across the board for his career before the season started. Markkanen averaged 15.4 PPG and 6.8 RPG while starting 256 games out of 282 played before the 2022-23 season started. However, the Finnish star has blossomed into an All-Star, making his first this season by posting 25.7 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and 0.6 BPG on 50.1% FG, 39.6% 3-PT FG, and 87.3% FT.
Markkanen is one of the biggest surprises of the season and could be the frontrunner for Most Improved Player, considering his play. The forward can rebound, score, and also defend at a high level which is why he is one of the bright spots for the Utah Jazz. Utah were major sellers by getting rid of Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, and Mike Conley but they have some things to look forward to with All-Star Lauri Markkanen leading the charge.
8. Los Angeles Lakers Fighting For Play-In Spot Yet Again
Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Nobody would have thought that the trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook would have played so poorly last season. The Lakers finished with a putrid 33-49 record as they missed the play-in tournament. There was no way the team could be worse before the start of the season, even if Westbrook was still on the team at the time. Even after trading Westbrook and acquiring some solid talent, Los Angeles stands 9th in the West at 38-38.
How could the Lakers still be in a play-in spot despite LeBron James and Anthony Davis playing at high levels? So far, only LeBron shattering the all-time scoring record seems to be the most significant part of the Lakers’ season. Sure, Los Angeles looks better now than they did to start the year, but barely making the play-in is not what the franchise should be aiming for. Rather, the Lakers should capture one of the top three seeds in the West, especially since the conference is so wide open.
7. Luka Doncic Is Outside Of Playoffs Right Now
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Luka Doncic was supposed to be leading the Dallas Mavericks to another top seed in the Western Conference again this year, especially after making the Western Conference Finals last year. However, the Mavericks might have made one grave mistake: trading for Kyrie Irving. The team holds a very poor 37-40 record, and that is unacceptable for a team that was one series away from the NBA Finals.
No doubt, the Mavericks miss Jalen Brunson, along with the two starters they traded for Kyrie. Before the season and even after acquiring Irving, nobody would have thought that Dallas would slip to a spot outside the playoffs right now. Luka is far too good not to be leading one of the top four seeds in the West, especially when most of the roster came back, with the exception of Kyrie coming to town. No doubt, the Mavericks might be one of the most disappointing teams all season long. Things could change in Dallas soon, and it might involve Kyrie leaving town, which is a shame for Mark Cuban and the Mavericks.
6. Ja Morant Will Show Gun On Instagram Live
Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
What on earth was Ja Morant thinking over the few weeks of drama he stirred up for no reason? Despite being one of the faces of the NBA and an extremely talented star player, he made some poor choices. Ja is a very likable character for the way he plays the game and his love for his father, Tee Morant, but he wanted to show his other side for some reason at some point this year.
Morant flashed a gun in a strip club, putting his NBA career and endorsements in jeopardy. Such foolish behavior could have cost the superstar point guard his career, but he has seemingly moved on. Morant is young, and for that he gets an excuse, but nobody could have predicted such a talented player would come close to throwing his career away to appease whatever circle of friends he is dealing with. Luckily, Ja is remorseful, and even the father is taking responsibility, so things seem to be picking up in Memphis, with the focus coming back to basketball.
5. Ime Udoka Gets The Sack, Joe Mazzulla Picks Up
Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Ime Udoka proved to be one of the two best coaches in the league last year as the Boston Celtics made the NBA Finals against the veteran Golden State Warriors. Udoka brought toughness, defense, and responsibility to a young Celtics team with two stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Udoka, despite being a rookie coach, helped make the star duo unguardable and also created a Defensive Player of the Year winner in Marcus Smart.
However, instead of running it back and returning to the Finals with Udoka at the helm, the coach was fired. His firing was unrelated to basketball but included off-court decisions that affected management and infidelity. Nobody would have thought the Celtics would have a new coach, especially since Udoka was so critical to the franchise. Amazingly, no one would have predicted that Joe Mazzulla, another rookie head coach, would have picked up where Udoka left off. The firing was shocking, but the leadership of Mazzulla has been even more impressive. Despite all this drama going on in Boston, the Celtics have a 53-24 record, and that is yet another surprising thing.
4. Sacramento Kings Finish 3rd In Western Conference
Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Sacramento is making the playoffs for the first time since 2006. Nobody thought the Kings would be the worst team in the West, but nobody thought they would secure one of the top-three spots in the West, either. The Kings are the best offensive team in the NBA, ranking first in PPG and 1st in offensive rating. Head coach Mike Brown has made this team almost unguardable at times, and that is mainly due to the play of center Domantas Sabonis and the speed of De’Aaron Fox.
Sacramento is only 5.0 games behind the first seed, which shows how they have been excellent all season long. The Kings will probably hold onto their seeding by the time the season ends, and that is a major surprise. Without slighting Sabonis, Fox, or Mike Brown, the Kings have definitely overachieved. The major test will come when the Kings end up facing their first opponent in the playoffs, and if that happens to be the Golden State Warriors, eyebrows will be raised about the team’s capabilities.
3. Golden State Warriors Are In 6th Place, Draymond Knocks Out Jordan Poole
Credit: Jon Hefti/USA Today Sports
The Golden State Warriors were supposed to be fresh off a championship season last year and motivated to go again. After all, the same core is back, including Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, and Jordan Poole. However, everything might have changed when Draymond Green punched out Poole in practice. That was a hit heard around the world, and whoever might have leaked the video, it has taken a toll on Poole and the team.
Poole is only shooting 43.0% from the field and 33.3% from three this season and has struggled since signing his big contract extension. At the same time, Draymond has made it clear that his future is uncertain, and with all these factors playing into Golden State’s poor season, it has not looked good. Nobody would have predicted that Draymond would assault his own teammate, but the Warriors being the 6th seed might be even more shocking.
2. Kyrie Irving Traded To The Dallas Mavericks
Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
In a deal that saw Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2027 second-round pick, a 2029 first-round pick (unprotected), and a 2029 second round-pick go to Brooklyn, the Mavericks made a blockbuster deal for Kyrie Irving. The Brooklyn Nets were a pit of drama all season long and have been over the past few years. Kyrie was at the heart of it because his dedication to remaining focused on basketball wasn’t there, and he was often distracted.
It might have seemed possible that Kyrie would end up leaving Brooklyn via trade, but nobody could have thought it would be to Dallas of all places. The Lakers were the frontrunners for Kyrie, or so it seemed because the Mavericks swooped in to give Luka Doncic a bonafide superstar teammate to rely on. It has not worked out so far at all, but regardless, seeing Kyrie suit up for the Mavericks franchise was a shocker, to say the least.
1. Kevin Durant Traded To The Phoenix Suns
Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
By far, the most surprising occurrence in the 2023 season was seeing Kevin Durant join the Phoenix Suns in one of the biggest deals in NBA history. Brooklyn did well to convince Durant and Kyrie to stick to the plot at the start of the year, but it quickly deteriorated when the Brooklyn Nets refused to offer the latter a max contract. With Kyrie forcing a trade, the Nets decided to get rid of Durant as well. No doubt, the Nets project was an utter failure.
Kevin Durant joining a Suns team that made the Finals two years ago, led by Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Deandre Ayton, was certainly surprising. The Suns have the most talented starting lineup in the NBA right now, and with so many big names, they are the favorites to come out of the West when healthy. Seeing Kevin Durant put on a Phoenix Suns jersey will be iconic because the amount of talent he has around him (yet again) is surreal. Hopefully, the four-time scoring champion can prove he can win a ring without Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green by his side.
Source: fadeawayworld
