Column: NBA offers plenty of compelling storylines to start season

During the NBA offseason, there were many storylines that generated interest leading up to last week’s season-openers.

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett went to the Brooklyn Nets in a trade with the Boston Celtics and joined a better team with more talent.

I wonder if they remember when their former teammate, Ray Allen, did the same.

Pierce and Garnett wanted an apology from Allen since he left to join the talent-laden Miami Heat.

Last year, Garnett said he lost Allen’s number. Pierce said he hadn’t forgiven him, and former coach Doc Rivers implied Allen had an ego problem.

Fast forward to this year, and now Garnett and Pierce have joined a starting line-up containing three other all-stars.

The tables turned when LeBron James and Dwyane Wade stood up for Allen, implying Pierce and Garnett are hypocrites.

James said he thinks Garnett and Pierce owe Allen an apology.

The way Garnett and Pierce left the Celtics is slightly better than what Allen did.

Garnett and Pierce were traded to the Nets, while Allen signed with the Heat.  

However, Garnett had to waive his no trade clause to become a member of the Nets.

Many other interesting things happened during the offseason.

Derrick Rose finally came back after taking a year off. He even said he believes he can jump five inches higher than in his rookie season.

James said he was going to call Rose to tell him he is happy that he’s back. Now that’s true sportsmanship: great competitors wanting to compete with other great
competitors.

Also in the offseason, some other interesting transactions were made.

The Houston Rockets signed center Dwight Howard, but didn’t trade away their other center, Omer Asik.

But the biggest move of the offseason didn’t concern a player. It concerned a coach.

Doc Rivers was traded from the Boston Celtics to the Los Angeles Clippers for a 2015 first-round draft pick.

Trading a coach for a draft pick is a rare move.

Acquiring Rivers will help the team overall, as the Clippers look to become the No. 1 seed out of the Western Conference.

Of interest to Indiana high school basketball fans, former Lawrence North High School star Greg Oden signed with the Heat and dunked in a game for the first time in years.

Fans will look to see if any players like Oden will be on the move. Chris Paul is a prime example.

Just like every season, there will be speculation on what coaches will get fired, what players will get traded and what team will be the surprise team.

This offseason had a lot of drama, indicating this NBA season will be one to pay attention to.

I can’t wait to see how the drama unfolds.

­— jayljohn@indiana.edu
Follow columnist Jaylen Johnson on Twitter
@nelyaJohnsonIDS.