We Didn't See That Coming! (2021)

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We Didn't See That Coming!
2021

Welcome to We Didn't See That Coming!, a new midseason series that will recap the first half of the season and highlight players and teams that are either exceeding their expectations or failing to meet them. This list is not in any order of significance, it is solely comprised of 'random' occurrences I discovered after close inspection of the midseason index. Enjoy the read and feel free to mention anything you may not have seen coming!


Oklahoma City Thunder
GM: Catdude
Projected Record: 50-32
Current Record: 18-36

The Oklahoma City Thunder have already surpassed their projected loss count and we are only 2/3's of the way through the year. In a collectively mediocre Western Conference, OKC was expected to rise to the occasion and lead the charge this season, but instead, they find themselves among the worst teams in the league. General Manager, catdude, has been sticking with a rather competitive depth chart, it's not like this team began the season with an intention to tank it. A season-ending injury to T.J. Warren certainly hampered this teams ability to win games, but they weren't exactly winning before the injury either. As Steven Adams hits Free Agency in 2021, Paul George in 2022, and Russell Westbrook continues to age (32 and counting), this Oklahoma City Thunder team is now on the downward fall of the competitive roller coaster. Expect their mediocrity and downfall to continue into 2022 and perhaps beyond as this team is in desperate need of both a shake-up and a clarified identity.


The End of a Mini-Era
GM: Cheddar

The Boston Celtics began the season with a 6-6 record over their first 12 games. A 6-6 record doesn't exactly spark joy, but it also isn't too concerning. Or is it? Following the slow start GM Cheddar decided it was time for a change. He promptly shipped SG Bradley Beal to Philadelphia in exchange for a package headlined by recent #1 Overall draft pick, PG Ja Morant. The deal left many in the league questioning the move, mostly because it was not readily apparent that Bradley Beal was available. Cheddar stuck to his guns though, stating that he felt it was time to move on from the expiring Beal and aging Kyrie before he lost them for no return. PG Kyrie Irving was soon-after dealt to the New York Knicks in a deal headlined by Michael Porter Jr. and a clearcut lottery 2021 Dallas Mavericks first rounder. These two trades gave Cheddar a handful of rebuilding assets and a completely redefined future. Kyrie and Beal hadn't won the Celtics a Championship, but it felt as if they were going to soon. It will be interesting to see how the shake-up impacts the Celtics long-term. I expect Cheddar received valuable enough pieces for the future to remain bright, but we shall see. It'll be hard for any future PG/SG combo to top the dominance of Kyrie Irving and Bradley Beal.


Minnesota Timberwolves
GM: mngopher35
Projected Record: 50-32
Current Record: 39-16

In the Western Conference we've got the floundering Oklahoma City Thunder and the fiery Minnesota Timberwolves. Opposite of OKC, Minnesota is tearing up opponents in a way that nobody expected. Led by their stellar top 3 NBA Defense, the Timberwolves sit atop the West with a somewhat comfortable 3 game lead over the 2nd seed Denver Nuggets. Free Agent acquisition, SF Jaylen Brown, is shocking the league himself with his outstanding individual performance. He's heavily outplaying his ratings and surprisingly playing to the level of his recently signed mega contract. Veteran SF/SG Jimmy Butler was recently brought in as the Timberwolves hope to maintain their seat atop the West and make a deep run in this year's playoffs. Following this season the Timberwolves will likely remain among the elite in the league, as PG Coby White, SG Djordje Pazin, and PF Naz Reid are all expected to continually improve and support this cast headlined by KAT, Butler, and Brown.


Jalen Brunson
GM: BeatsHaveADream

From NBA roster to Free Agent to a contract signing that has since landed him on three different teams, Brunson has been on the move. This Brunson hustle found it's way onto the court and into his shoes recently as he hoped to put a halt to his dislocation. It didn't quite work, as Brunson was traded shortly after his week among the headlines, but boy was it a week to be remembered. PG Jalen Brunson began the week with a game at home against the Sacremento Kings. The former Dallas Maverick PG dropped 29 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, and 3 steals in an impressive 20 point win and player of the game caliber performance. Two days later Brunson brought the heat again, dropping 12 dimes against the #1 seeded Minnesota Timberwolves and leading his subpar Mavericks team to another 20 point win. Unfortunately the Mavericks hot streak ended there, as they dropped the next game against the San Antonio Spurs. This didn't stop Brunson from having the week of his life though, as he put up 17 points, 7 assists, and 8 rebounds. Finally, to close the week, Brunson brought the heat one last time. He dropped 23 points and 10 assists on the road at The Oracle as his team earned their third 20 point win of the week. As previously mentioned, Brunson was recently traded yet again. He's now in the hands of GM BeatsHaveADream and he hopes to be a significant contributor deep into the playoffs. Keep an eye on how his season proceeds, because he will hit Free Agency in 2021.


DeAndre Jordan
GM: Greeme

6'11" and 285 pounds. 32 years old. Really, we should've seen this big man coming, but we didn't. DeAndre Jordan absolutely sonned 7 up-and-coming NBA players at the 2021 Dunk Contest. With an average age of 21.3, the Dunk Contest isn't exactly a place we expect to see a man of DeAndre's... experience. Yet, there he was anyhow. That experience paid off big-time for Jordan, as he absolutely dominated in the final round of the contest and brought home his first NBA Dunk Contest trophy. After Jordan failed to place first during his Dunk Contest appearance of 2017, many expected him to decline any further invitations. It was heavily rumored that Jordan was snubbed during the '17 showing and it left I bad taste in his mouth. After the league was bought out by Boston's Wealthiest Man, Austin Donkey, Jordan's (and many others) opinions of the front office began to change. This opinion change was mostly fueled by the new use of technology in the league. The game came to increasingly rely on technology, and less on the human eye (refs, judges), to make calls. The new NBA Dunk Contest Computer Judge was left in absolute awe by Jordan, grading his final dunk a 99.05 and awarding him with the new Dunk Contest NBA profile accolade.


LeBron James
GM: Username

While not exactly an occurrence of the 2021 NBA season, nobody really saw this coming. Utilization of the league's new technology, FBB, typically allows for original file players to play late into their 30's. Those that were already playing in the league once the use of the technology began are known for their ability to play well past the previous average retirement age of the NBA. This 'rule' didn't apply to one of the best players in the history of the NBA, SF LeBron James of the Milwaukee Bucks. LeBron decided it was time to hang them up following the roughest year of his career and his second consecutive year of failing to reach the NBA Finals. After 8 years in a row of playing in the NBA's Championship, 2 years of being left out must've been 2 years too many for LeBron. James ultimately left the Milwaukee Bucks ownership in shock, as it was expected that he would play for the organization for 2 more years at an agreed amount of $71 million. Poor handling of rumors during the NBA Playoffs led to a leak that James may have been traded to the San Antonio Spurs prior to his retirement. This likely soured James relationship with the Bucks and his love for the game, as it seems unlikely that the 36-year-old Hall-of-Famer wanted to play for his third team in three years.
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