As we look ahead to the upcoming NBA season, there were several trades in the off-season that really shook up the competition across the league. One of the biggest shockers of them all was the trading of star point guard Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics for rising star Isiah Thomas.

The trade caught many people off guard and even surprised the three time NBA champion LeBron James, who told reporters that he thought everything was going well but apparently there was some conflict on the Cleveland Cavaliers team.

Another surprising move was the trade that sent Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets for seven players, a first round pick and cash considerations. The nine-time All-Star joins Hames Harden in Houston in hopes of narrowing the distance of becoming an NBA championship team.

Paul is not the only NBA star without a ring. Carmelo Anthony has played in the league since 2004 and still has yet to come up with a championship. Anthony was traded this off-season to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder team seems to be the team to beat in the west since the addition of Paul George and Anthony joining last season’s MVP, Russell Westbrook.

How will the Thunder distribute the ball and who will be the go-to guy for the game-winning shot?

The season is near, and the first two games will be played on Oct. 17. The Celtics will play the Cavaliers in Cleveland, and the Houston Rockets will head to Oakland to play the Warriors at home.