The 2020-21 season is finally coming together as the start date has been set for Dec. 22 and teams are getting ready for the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft and free agency.
With the start of the season right around the corner, the rumor mill is swirling as several star players like Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul appear to be prime candidates to be traded with others likely to be brought up in the coming weeks.
The Draft is also another source of intrigue as nearly every time has been looking to make moves to either move up or down from their current positions. One of the key dates that front offices have been waiting for is the end of the moratorium as this will provide a timeframe on when deals can finally be made.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the transactions window opens Monday morning at 9 a.m. PT:
Trade season begins Monday afternoon, sources tell ESPN. Teams were informed the NBA’s moratorium will end at noon ET and deals can begin to be consummated.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 15, 2020
This allows trades to be made about two days before the draft, a useful thing to know given how many teams will be looking to make moves. The Los Angeles Lakers kickstarted what will likely be an eventful offseason as they agreed in principle to trade the No. 28 pick in the 2020 Draft and Danny Green to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Dennis Schroder.
Per the moratorium date, the trade will not be made official until Monday morning at the earliest, but this is a prudent move by general manager Rob Pelinka as Rajon Rondo appears set to depart via free agency.
Schroder had a career-year with the Thunder and finished runner up in the Sixth Man of the Year race, so his presence should bolster a bench unit that often times struggled to score whenever LeBron James hit the bench.
Between now and the draft, the trade talk will only pick up more and it will be interesting to see how each team maneuvers their roster.
How Schroder fits on the Lakers
Schroder was a staple in the Oklahoma City offense as he averaged nearly 19 points and four assists a game. While now the same level of playmaker that Rondo is, Scrhoder is capable of breaking down a defense and getting into the paint or nailing open threes.
The 27-year-old should find ample opportunities to score alongside James and Anthony Davis and should be a focal point whenever he is on the floor.
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