The biggest move each team made in the Northwest Division this offseason

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As we cross the midway point of the offseason, we're taking a week-long look at the biggest offseason move by each team. Up next? The Northwest Division.

Pound for pound, this is the NBA's deepest and most competitive division as each team won at least 46 games last season with all of them finishing within three games of each other.

The Portland Trail Blazers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves finished in the top eight of the Western Conference standings last season wth the Nuggets finishing one game out. 

Don't be surprised all five make a run at the playoffs in 2018-19.

MORE BEST MOVES: Pacific Division | Southwest Division

Utah Jazz

Biggest move: Keeping the team together

Instead of pursuing a big name free agent this offseason, the Jazz decided to take care of the players who helped them exceed expectations last season. 

Within the first week of free agency, the team signed Dante Exum, Derrick Favors and Raul Neto to multi-year extensions. They also guaranteed Thabo Sefolosha's contract for the 2018-19 season, giving them the same roster that took down the Thunder in the first round of the playoffs, minus Jonas Jerebko.

The only new face on the team is Grayson Allen, whom the Jazz selected with the No. 21 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. One of the more accomplished players drafted in the first round, Allen's versatility off the bench should complement Utah's one-two punch of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert well.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Biggest move: Trading for Dennis Schröder

Considering they were prepared to do whatever it took to part ways with Carmelo Anthony this offseason, the Thunder did well to flip the 10-time All-Star for Dennis Schröder.

While Schröder has some glaring flaws in his game, he enters 2018-19 as perhaps the best backup point guard in the league. And for a Thunder team that ranked No. 29 in bench scoring last season, adding someone who can create their own shot in pick-and-rolls and isolation should help them stem the tide when Russell Westbrook takes a seat on the bench.

Schröder will have to prove that he can play alongside Westbrook and Paul George to live up to the three years and $46.5 million remaining on his contract, and yet he fills a huge need for a team looking to contend in the Western Conference this season.

Portland Trail Blazers

Biggest move: Signing Seth Curry

This was one of the best bargain deals of the offseason.

Even though there is some risk in signing someone who missed all of last season to a two-year contract, Seth Curry's ability to play with and without the ball will help him get the best out of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. The 27-year-old made 40.6 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts in 2015-16 and ranked in the 88.5 percentile in scoring efficiency as the ball handler in pick-and-rolls.

Like the Thunder, the Blazers had one of the least productive second units in the league last season. Curry isn't as dynamic of a player as Schröder is, but he could make a similar impact off the bench for a playoff contender if he returns to full health.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Biggest move: Signing Anthony Tolliver

The Timberwolves had a quieter offseason than the other teams in the Northwest Division. Their most notable signing was Anthony Tolliver, a 10-year veteran who is on his fifth team in six years.

Tolliver brings 3-point shooting from the power forward position to Minnesota. Having made 44.9 percent of his catch-and-shoot attempts from deep last season, he's the type of big man the Timberwolves need to space the floor for Jeff Teague, Jimmy Butler, Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Simply another offseason of development and polish for Towns and Wiggins could ultimately be the biggest development for a Minnesota team looking to build on the momentum of last season's playoff berth, its first since 2003-04.

Denver Nuggets

Biggest move: Drafting Michael Porter Jr.

With one of the best young cores in the league, the Nuggets could afford to go with the best player available in the 2018 NBA Draft.

They did just that in selecting Michael Porter Jr. at No. 14.

Once considered to be in the running for the top pick, Porter fell further than expected on draft night due to injury concerns. Not only did he undergo back surgery early in his freshman season at Missouri — a procedure that sidelined him for all but three games — Porter recently underwent a second surgery on his back.

Though he plans to be ready for the start of the 2018-19 season, the Nuggets can afford to be patient with Porter's recovery in the hopes he can get back to full strength and remind everyone why he was the No. 2 prospect in the country coming out of high school.

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Scott Rafferty is a Senior NBA Editor for The Sporting News