Before the 2024-25 season of the NBA began, a lot of star players went into new teams. Did they perform well enough this season or have they gotten worse?
Mile High City for The Brodie
During the 2023-24 season, Russell Westbrook was a Los Angeles Clipper. He averaged 11.1 points, 4.5 assists, 5 rebounds, 0.3 blocks, 1.1 steals, and 2.1 turnovers, and a field goal shooting of 45.4% per game. He played 68 regular season games and played all 6 playoff games against the #5 seed Dallas Mavericks in the 1st round. They eventually got eliminated but Brodie still averaged 6.3 points, 1.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 0.5 blocks, and 1.2 steals, with a 26% FG shooting playing 19 minutes off the bench as he became the 6th man for the Clippers who had Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden in their starting unit.
This season for the Denver Nuggets, he certainly became a renewed man as he begins the season from coming off the bench, he has now played a vital role in sharing the backcourt duties with Jamal Murray. He also compliments 3x MVP Nikola Jokic with their deadly pick-and-roll plays as Russ now averages 6.5 assists. His numbers really improved as he now plays 27.4 minutes per game averaging 13.1 points, 5.1 boards, 47.3% from the field, 0.5 blocks, and 1.5 steals.
The Nuggets are now #4 in the West with a 28-17 record. Can the player with the most triple-doubles in the entire history of the NBA get his first ring this season?
Midrange Maestro in Sacramento
With only one of the few players to use the mid-range as his number-one arsenal in the current NBA, DeMar DeRozan has flourished to be one of the reasons why Sacramento can go deep in the playoffs this season.
Last season when Deebo was still in Chicago, he played 3 full seasons there. In his last season there, he averaged 24 PPG, 5.3 APG, 4.5 RPG, 0.6 BPG, 1.1 SPG with a 48% FG and played the most minutes in his 3-year stint as he averaged 37.8 MPG. Now as a King, DeMar averages 21.8 PPG, 3.7 APG, 3.9 RPG, 0.5 BPG, 1 and .2 SPG, with a 48.4 FG% through 40 games out of the 45 total games.
His numbers have dropped a little and it’s almost the same as last season, but with a better supporting cast around him, namely De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, can DeMar help the current #10-seeded Kings win their first-ever title?
CP in Texas
After a disappointing season with the Golden State Warriors last season as they’ve only reached the Play-In Tournament, Chris Paul has now taken his talents to the San Antonio Spurs.
As a Warrior, he played 58 regular season games and averaged 9.2 PPG, 6.8 APG, 3.9 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 26.4 MPG, and shooting 44.1% from the field. Now, playing alongside superstar sophomore Victor Wembanyama, through 43 games he now averaged 9.5 PPG, 8.2 APG, 4.2 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 29.1 MP, G, and an FG of 41.9%.
His numbers may have fallen off in some departments but his veteran presence is certainly the reason why the Spurs are #12 in the West. Unlike the previous years, the Spurs organization would like to go back in the playoffs. Can the 39 year old CP3 lead his young team reach new heights?
½ Splash Bro in Dallas
After more than a decade of playing for the Golden State Warriors, a lot of fans still root for Klay Thompson to succeed and win his 5th ring.
In his last year as a Warrior, the ½ of the Splash Brothers averaged 17.9 PPG, 2.3 APG, 3.3 RPG, 29.7 MPG, shooting 38.7% from beyond the arc and 43.2% from the field. He played 77 games but in his last game in the Bay Area, he went scoreless. Now as part of the Dallas Mavericks, he averages 13.4 PPG, 1.9 APG, 3.4 RPG, and 27.5 MPG shooting 38.3% from the three-point area and averaging 41.2% from the field. He has been sidelined multiple times because of injuries as he only played 39 games out of the 46 games in this ongoing season.
His numbers have gotten down as he now plays the third-star role along with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Currently, the Mavs are bothered with injuries in their entire roster, but can Klay return to his old form and turn things around? After all, the Mavericks went to the Finals last season even though they’ve only finished as the #5 seed in the Playoffs.
Playoff P in Philly
Paul George played 5 seasons for the Los Angeles Clippers from 2019-20 to 2023-24. They have only reached the Western Conference Finals once during the 2020-21 season and after that, there’s really no success for them.
PG played 74 regular games in his last season as a Clipper. He averaged 22.6 PPG, 3.5 APG, 5.2 RPG, 0.5 BPG, 1.5 SPG, 33.8 MPG and shot 47.1 % from the field. In the playoffs against the Mavs, he averaged 19.5 PPG, 4.8 APG, 6.8 RPG, 0.5 BPG, 1.2 SPG, and 37 MPG and shot 41.1% from the field. Now as part of the Philadelphia 76ers, he averaged 17.1 PPG, 4.7 APG, 5.6 RPG, 0.4 BPG, 1.7 SPG, 32 MPG, and shooting 42.9% from the field through 30 games.
The 76ers are #11 in the East with a 17-27 record. But with an injury-riddled team and Joel Embiid refusing to play back-to-back games, can he still win a chip this year?
