DASL 1985 Offseason Recap
Atlantic Division
Boston Celtics
Key Additions: Benoit Benjamin, Johnny Davis
Key Subtractions: None
Slowly gathering up assets, drafted high potential Benoit Benjamin to pair with up and coming star Byron Scott and Orlando Woolridge. Also picked up solid PG Johnny Davis from FA.
Miami Heat
Key Additions: Joe Barry Carroll, Larry Bird, Terry Porter
Key Subtractions: Otis Thorpe, Ricky Sobers
Probably the biggest winners of the off-season, signing Joe Barry Carroll and trading for Larry Bird. Excited to see what this team can do this upcoming year.
New Jersey Nets
Key Additions: Reggie King, Chuck Sapp
Key Subtractions: Larry Nance, Ben Poquette
Lost talented forward Larry Nance in free agency, but was able to pick up some depth to replace with Reggie King and Chuck Sapp. Let’s see if Vlad the Madman who signed for ½ of his worth can carry them to another playoff run.
New York Knicks
Key Additions: Bill Wennington, Larry Nance, Freeman Williams
Key Subtractions: Bill Laimbeer
Traded away Bill Laimbeer for a couple of 1sts as they were about to hit a sticky contract situation, but picking up Larry Nance in free agency and retaining most of their other key players will help them stay competitive this year.
Orlando Magic
Key Additions: Kelly Tripucka (? Wolves would hate him being listed)
Key Subtractions: None
Late season addition Mike Gminski will have more than a couple days to mesh with his team and try to make some noise in the Eastern Conference. Kelly Tripucka, much hated player from the Timberwolves gets a fresh start on the Orlando Magic.
Philadelphia 76ers
Key Additions: Jamaal Wilkes
Key Subtractions: Phil Hubbard, Kent Benson
This team is all about getting enough depth around the perennial MVP winner Moses Malone, let’s see if Moses can lead them to the promised land. Retaining him this off-season was enough in itself.
Toronto Raptors
Key Additions: Keith Lee, Joe Dumars, John Battle
Key Subtractions: None
Picked up promising players in the draft in Lee and Dumars, and John Battle has looked much better than initial thought after a very productive off-season.
Central Division
Atlanta Hawks
Key Additions: Chris Mullin
Key Subtractions: Alton Lister
Lost starter Alton Lister in free agency, but picked up Chris Mullin and the enigmatic Manute Bol in free agency to pair with the core of Sam Bowie and Otis Birdsong.
Charlotte Hornets
Key Additions: Terry Catledge
Key Subtractions: None
Picked up even more frontcourt depth with Terry Catledge, this team is consistently good behind their star Jack Sikma but there are some rumblings that there might be a move coming soon with Greenwood showing out in the pre-season.
Chicago Bulls
Key Additions: None
Key Subtractions: Darryl Dawkins, Dan Roundfield, Tree Rollins
Lost a lot of their starters in free agency and might just be starting to rebuild again behind their newly re-signed star Isiah Thomas.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Key Additions: None
Key Subtractions: None
Last year’s finalists have their core together, not too many changes needed to become one of the favorites to win it this year with their elite defense.
Detroit Pistons
Key Additions: Karl Malone, Jim Brogan
Key Subtractions: Truck Robinson, World B. Free, Kiki Vandewedghe
Picked up another talented point guard and might be ready to start an entire lineup of point guards soon. Karl Malone had an amazing TC and looks ready to be the next star big man to pair with Magic.
Indiana Pacers
Key Additions: Ricky Pierce, Jamie Benshoof
Key Subtractions: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Had as good of an off-season as a team could have when their star player and Hall of Famer KAJ retires. Re-loaded a bit with Ricky Pierce and Jamie Benshoof as holdovers as they wait to potentially start a rebuild next year with their 1sts.
Milwaukee Bucks
Key Additions: Joe Kleine, Blair Rasmussen, Tony Brown
Key Subtractions: Bill Cartwright, Ricky Pierce
The firesale was on! Got a boatload of picks for their stars Cartwright and Pierce and picked up a ton of big men from the draft as they begin their rebuild with hopes of developing their new young frontcourt.
Washington Bullets
Key Additions: Rich Kelley, Spud Webb
Key Subtractions: Reggie King
Picked up another strong big man in Rich Kelley with intriguing young player Spud Webb from the draft. Continued development from their youngsters LaSalle Thompson and Dale Ellis will determine how well their team will do.
Midwest Division
Dallas Mavericks
Key Additions: Patrick Ewing, Kevin Porter
Key Subtractions: Mario Gress
Added the #1 overall pick to a successful 1984 campaign, along with a more true point guard in Kevin Porter. Another team that has made strides in the offseason.
Denver Nuggets
Key Additions: Xavier McDaniel
Key Subtractions: Adrian Dantley, Kevin Porter
Embraced the rebuild after letting their superstar Dantley leave in free agency. Charles Barkley has shown a ton of improvement over the off-season and they have an exciting new prospect in Xavier McDaniel to pair with him as well.
Houston Rockets
Key Additions: Jon Koncak, Len Elmore, Adrian Dantley
Key Subtractions: Kevin McHale
The Rockets have been rotating big men for the past year. In and out in and out but they have a large collection of young talent to go along with some potentially nice picks. Picking up Dantley will hopefully help them make the next step towards contention.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Key Additions: None
Key Subtractions: Kelly Tripucka (
)What will the Minnesota Timberwolves do with their future superstar Kelly Tripucka leaving in the off-season for a minimum contract? All kidding aside, this team will have to put even more weight onto their star player Mark McNamara’s shoulders and hope that he re-signs this off-season.
Phoenix Suns
Key Additions: Tree Rollins
Key Subtractions: None
Adding more depth to their big men, this team will stay in competition led by Dr. J and Dennis Johnson and their rotating defensive bigs.
San Antonio Spurs
Key Additions: Dave Corzine, Buck Williams
Key Subtractions: Johnny Davis
The Spurs beefed up their frontcourt in the off-season and hoped to retain their starting PG Johnny Davis but he left during the off-season. This team still seems poised to make another leap with the addition of Buck Williams and more progression from James Worthy.
Utah Jazz
Key Additions: Michael Cage, Kiki Vandewedghe
Key Subtractions: None
Already a top 3 team from last year, they added more depth in Michael Cage and Kiki Vandewedghe and look poised to make another run as championship contenders.
Pacific Division
Golden State Warriors
Key Additions: Alfredrick Hughes
Key Subtractions: None
This team was extremely hard capped this offseason but added a young promising defensive prospect in Alfredrick Hughes. We’ll see if improvements made over the off-season takes this team over the hump.
Los Angeles Clippers
Key Additions: None
Key Subtractions: None
This team has stayed largely intact but rumors have it that they want to start over with a rebuild and have many players on the block.
Los Angeles Lakers
Key Additions: Otis Thorpe
Key Subtractions: Larry Bird
The defending champs stayed true to their purple and gold colors by benching Larry Bird throughout the entire playoffs and still winning the championship. They then shipped him off with a Mickey Mouse ring and picked up young promising big man Otis Thorpe who I assume will get more minutes in the playoffs than Bird did last season.
Portland Trailblazers
Key Additions: Bill Cartwright, Cedric Maxwell
Key Subtractions: None
Another up and coming team that slid into the 8th spot last year made huge moves in the offseason bringing in Bill Cartwright and Cedric Maxwell to pair with Ralph Sampson and Michael Jordan. They also got back Maurice Cheeks via trade after Cheeks tried so hard to get away, so they seem poised for a stronger run this year.
Sacramento Kings
Key Additions: Dan Roundfield
Key Subtractions: Joe Barry Carroll, Buck Williams
They lost their GM, they lost their star center, they lost their promising star PF. It’s a rough year for Oscar Schmidt and the Kings, but the league is actively looking for someone to take the reigns and bring them back to their glory days.
Seattle SuperSonics
Key Additions: Wayman Tisdale, Bill Laimbeer
Key Subtractions: Cedric Maxwell, Freeman Williams
Picked up potentially the most promising prospect from the last year’s draft and also paired him with defensive stalwart Bill Laimbeer. They’ll be hoping to make another bounceback year with a strong frontcourt, but may miss Maxwell’s presence on the perimeter. Alex English has been complaining for a better roster, so now maybe he will be assuaged.
Vancouver Grizzlies
Key Additions: Alton Lister, Kevin McHale, John Drew, World B. Free
Key Subtractions: Was there anyone even to lose last year? Jarret Hobson I guess
The worst team in the entire league by far made a few new pickups during the off-season and now the only recognizable player from last year remaining (maybe even in the league now) is John Stockton. Let’s see what Stockton can do with teammates that don’t look like they should be out of the league.
