The Dwyane Wade Signing

The Chicago Bulls sign G Dwyane Wade for 2/$47M – D-

I’m having a really hard time finding anything positive about this signing. The national media seems to think Wade is still that same superstar that he once was, but that’s just not true.

Dwyane Wade hasn’t played good defense is 3 years, partially because he doesn’t seem to care. His body is falling apart. His TS% has been below average for 2 years now, which probably won’t change, because the man can’t shoot threes. He’s also joining a team where the other two best players can’t shoot threes either. Besides name recognition, Wade is not worth $23.5M/year, even with the rising cap.

What happened to the Bulls’ plan of going younger and more athletic? Where is the spacing going to come from in a line up of Rondo, Wade, Butler, Gibson, Lopez? It’s not 1970. You can’t post up every play without some floor spacers to take the pressure off. The Rondo signing is understandable, since they got him for well below market value, but there’s a reason Pat Riley balked at giving the Heats’ greatest player ever this much money; Wade’s not worth it. The Bulls are going to waste Butler’s prime if they remain so inept.

Free Agency Recap (Part 3)

The Sacramento Kings sign F Matt Barnes for 2/$12M – C

Even with the rising cap, this is a pretty big overpay for Barnes. I don’t think he deserves more than the vet min. At this point he is nothing more than an occasional three and some scrappy defense. I thought for sure he would go to a contender and be an end of the bench guy. Bad fit and bad contract.

 

The Dallas Mavericks re-sign F Dwight Powell for 4/$37M – A

Dwight Powell played really well to start the year, but he kind of fizzled towards the middle and end. He’s definitely a solid player, and he has the potential to get better. This contract is fair for a 3rd or 4th big, which he currently is, and it will be a steal if he continues to improve, which he might.

 

The Dallas Mavericks re-sign G Deron Williams for 1/$10M – A

Williams had a really solid year last year. His stats didn’t dramatically improve, but he looked a lot more comfortable and confident than he did in Brooklyn. $10M is a very fair contract, and Dallas doesn’t take any risk since it’s only a year long.

 

The Los Angeles Lakers re-sign C Tarik Black for 2/$12.85M – B

This is a solid contract. Black is a great rebounder and plays with a lot of heart, but he doesn’t have the skill set to ever be an offensive weapon. I don’t think he’ll improve much from what he currently is, so the ~$6M they are paying him is right about what he’s worth.

 

The Charlotte Hornets sign G Ramon Sessions for 2/$12.5M – A

This is a good replacement for Jeremy Lin. Sessions is one of the better back up PGs in the NBA, and he plays pretty well when he’s asked to start. The Hornets are in a position to make some noise in the East, so finding a replacement for Lin was a big deal. This contract is very reasonable. It’s actually a couple million too low.

 

The San Antonio Spurs sign C Pau Gasol for 2/$30M – C+

The Spurs’ moves usually blow me away, but this move is disappointing to me. Pau Gasol showed he still had plenty left in the tank last year, and this contract is a bargain for his talents, but I’m not a fan of the implications it had. I think the Spurs would be better off with David West, Boris Diaw, and Boban Marjanovic than they are now with just Pau Gasol. I can’t give it a bad grade, because it’s a solid signing, but they sure gave up a lot to make it.

 

The Los Angeles Clippers re-sign F Luc Mbah a Moute for 2/$4.5M – C

I think this is an overpay. Mbah a Moute is probably not worth much more than the vet min, but they gave him a bit more. It’s not terrible, but it’s not good for a team strapped for cash.

 

The New York Knicks sign G Brandon Jennings for 1/$5M – B

I don’t think Brandon Jennings has ever been very good, and I don’t think he will be very good going forward. He is a chucker through and through. He’s terribly inefficient, and has a dubious injury history. That being said, this contract is basically no risk at all for a player who COULD provide some scoring off the bench. If Jennings rebounds it’s a steal, if he doesn’t it’s no problem.

 

The Golden State Warriors sign C Zaza Pachulia for 1/$2.9M – A+

The ring chasing begins. How do you even grade this? This is a player taking about $10M/year less than he’s worth to win a championship. Pachulia is an above average starting center, and, judging by Mozgov’s 4/$64M, he probably could have gotten at least $15M/year. It’s obviously an amazing move for the Warriors.

 

The New York Knicks re-sign F Lance Thomas for 1/$6M – A

Lance Thomas has turned himself into a solid player. I don’t think he is amazing by any means, but he shot around 40% from three last year, and the Knicks desperately need floor spacers to surround Derek Rose. $6M/year is right about what he’s worth.

 

The Charlotte Hornets sign C Roy Hibbert for 1/$5M – B

This is exactly the same as the Brandon Jennings signing to me, except I think Roy Hibbert used to be pretty good. I highly doubt he will ever be good again, but $5M is a decent gamble to make. He might play well, in which case the contract is a steal, but if he doesn’t the just let him walk.

 

The Dallas Mavericks sign G Seth Curry for 2/$6M – A+

I can’t believe they got Curry for so little. I thought he would definitely make at least $6M/year. This is a steal. Curry could be a great bench scorer, and, at the very least, he will be an amazing floor spacer. Carlisle is a wizard at bringing out the best of players, and Curry shined during his limited action on the Kings, so it’s only logical to assume he’ll get much, much better.

 

The Dallas Mavericks re-sign F Dirk Nowitzki for 2/$40M – A

What can you say? Dirk deserves whatever he wants. He’s taken massive pay cuts for years, and this was basically Dallas using all of their remaining cap for Dirk. It’s right around what’s fair, so normally I’d probably give it a B, but Dirk is worth more than money to Dallas.

 

The Philadelphia 76ers sign G Gerald Henderson for 2/$18M – D

Henderson has had a negative VORP in four of his seven seasons in the NBA. He’s a mediocre defender, and has struggled to shoot from all area of the court over his career. That being said, he had a decent year last year from three, and he seems to be a team oriented player. I think this is a pretty significant overpay, but it’s not disastrous.

 

The Golden State Warriors sign F David West for 1/$1.55M (vet min) – A+

This is the same as the Pachulia signing, except West is probably an even better player. West could be starting for 25 other teams in the NBA, yet he continues to take the vet min in an attempt to win a ring. San Antonio didn’t work out, so he’s on to Golden State. This guy should be getting $10-15M/year easily. It’s easily an A+.

 

The Washington Wizards sign F Jason Smith for 3/$16M – C+

This move doesn’t make very much sense. The Wizards have had a very strong offseason up to this point, but this move is not very good. I think the contract is pretty fair for Smith, but I wouldn’t sign him long term when they already have so many front court players. They’re starting to create a log jam in the front court.

 

The Houston Rockets sign F Nene Hilario for 1/$2.9M – B

This is solid value for Nene. I wouldn’t pay him much more, because it seems like his body is starting to fail him. He fits for what Morey and Co. will ask him to do (stand under the basket and dunk it), but don’t expect much more.

 

The Minnesota Timberwolves sign F Brandon Rush for 1/$3.5M – A

Rush is a very valuable player, and I’m honestly surprised the Warriors didn’t get him back for the vet min. He was terrific off the bench for the Warriors last year, and he could probably handle a larger role, which he might be asked to do in Minnesota. I think he could be making around $6M/year, so this contract is great.

 

 The Charlotte Hornets re-sign G Brian Roberts for 1/vet min – B

Brian Roberts is just about the definition of an average PG. He’s probably no better than a third PG for a team, and that’s what he’s going to be for the Hornets. He’s also making the vet min, so it can’t hurt.

 

The New Orleans Pelicans sign G Langston Galloway for 2/$6M – A+

I’m really surprised Galloway didn’t get a bigger contract. He’s only going to be making $3M/year. That’s a huge underpay for a young guard with upside. Galloway could still develop into a reliable starter on a team with some stars, and, as is, he’s a good back up, which we’ve seen go for $6-8M this offseason. Great signing for New Orleans.

 

The Cleveland Cavaliers re-sign Richard Jefferson for 2/$5M – A

Jefferson was a big reason Cleveland was able to win the championship last year. He looked amazing on both sides of the ball and played with the energy of a player 10 years younger. It’s probably why he is making more than the vet min, but if Jefferson can provide the same depth that he did last year, he’s worth every penny and then some.

 

The Phoenix Suns sign G Leandro Barbosa for 2/$8M – D

I don’t like this contract. The suns are rebuilding with young talent. Why go out and overpay for a veteran, who should probably be riding the bench on a contending team? It seems like a waste of money. Barbosa still has value, but this is the wrong place.

 

The Detroit Pistons sign C Boban Marjanovic for 3/$21M – A

This is another steal. I think Marjanovic could have easily gotten double this per year, so I wonder why he’s going to Detroit to back up Drummond. Regardless, Marjanovic provides excellent value for $7M/year.

 

The San Antonio Spurs sign C Dewayne Dedmon for 2/$6M – A

How do the Spurs always do this? Finding undervalued players that end up contributing. Danny Granger, Patty Mills, Jonathon Simmons, and now Dewayne Dedmon. Dedmon is a guy that can finish around the rim, rebound, and defend the rim, which is all the Spurs are going to ask him to do with LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol in town.

 

The Golden State Warriors re-sign G Ian Clarke for 1/$1.2M – A

I can’t say anything bad about this. The Warriors are able to retain some of their depth while acquiring the second best player in the game today. I thought Clarke was going to leave to take a lot of money with a rebuilding team, similar to E’Twaun Moore, but it appears as though that’s still a year away. Clarke is good, and will probably play better than Leandro Barbosa did last year.

 

The Portland Trailblazers sign Festus Ezeli for 2/$16M – A+

This signing is almost unbelievably good. I’m having trouble deciding whether this or the Jordan Clarkson signing is the best of free agency so far. There were rumors that teams were considering maxing Ezeli out, but he ended up making less than Timofey Mozgov. He’s making about the same as Tarik Black. Ezeli had a bad Finals, but he is a good center who could flourish with a bit more opportunity. It’s just an amazing contract overall.

 

The Brooklyn Nets sign G Allen Crabbe for 4/$75M – B-

This is a move that the Nets have to make during the post-Billy King era, but it is an ugly process. This is a lot of money for Allen Crabbe, but the Nets are trying to acquire as much talent as they can with the cap they have. Crabbe is a good talent. He can score, and he has plenty of room to improve, but, unless he improves quite a bit, 4/$75M is a bit of an overpay.

 

The Los Angeles Clippers sign F Marreese Speights for 1/vet min – A

Speights is a useful piece for a team who needs veterans off the bench. Luckily, the Clippers are exactly that. I feel like Speights could have gotten quite a bit more, but he’s going from great team to great team. Speights can basically only score, which is all a team with DeAndre Jordan will need him do.

 

The Golden State Warriors re-sign F James Michael MacAdoo for 1/min – A

This is the same situation and grade as the Ian Clarke signing. The Warriors managed to keep another useful player during their first year with Durant. It’s definitely not fair, but it’s amazing for them. They have a team that is legitimately 10-11 players deep, while possessing four of the top 20 players in the NBA. MacAdoo played valuable minutes in the Finals and looked pretty good. He could improve this year and be a solid bench player.

 

The Miami Heat sign F Derrick Williams for 1/$5M – B 

I’m a big fan of “prove it” contracts. Players taking a low 1 year contract to establish their worth and then cashing in the next year. The weird thing about this one is that Williams is coming off a prove it deal with the Knicks, and teams obviously didn’t feel like he proved his value during it. He’s pretty limited offensively, since he can’t really shoot, but he’s good for some amazing athletic dunks.

 

The Cleveland Cavaliers sign Chris Anderson for 1/vet min – A

Chris Anderson follows LeBron to Cleveland, and it’s honestly a pretty good move. Anderson isn’t anything special at this point in his career, but if he can play 10-15 mpg and not suck, he’s worth the vet min.

The Kevin Durant Signing

The Golden State Warriors sign F Kevin Durant for 2/$54.3M

I’m going to break this down into two sections since it has almost caused the literal collapse of the NBA: the grade and my opinion.

The Grade

A+

Anytime a team manages to snag a superstar from another team, it’s an automatic A+. Guys like LeBron, Steph, Durant, CP3, and Russ are worth much more than the max to their teams. Durant could get paid $60M/year and still be a bargain. He’s that good.

Anybody who gives this signing anything less than an A+ is basing that on personal prejudice and not basketball reasons. The Warriors took Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut and turned it into one of the top 3 players in the league. Every single team in the NBA would do that if they had the chance. It was a fantastic signing. The team that just set the record for wins in a season and was less than a minute away from winning their second straight championship just added, who I consider to be, the second best player in the league.

My Opinion

People have been VERY outspoken about how much they hate Durant and this decision. How could the leader of a top NBA team sign with the team that just eliminated him from the conference finals? Sure, that’s not the most competitive decision, but it was a smart decision. I think that the Ibaka trade basically ensured that this current iteration of the Thunder would never beat the Warriors. Ibaka was a key reason why the Warriors struggled to score on and defend the Thunder during the conference Finals, but they traded him for good value but unproven talent.

It’s not as if Durant had to take a pay cut to go to the Warriors. They’re paying him the most that they possibly can, and I’m sure they’re going to try and set themselves up to give him the 5 year max next offseason, when he declines his player option. I think I might feel a little different about the situation if Durant had taken a pay cut, but the Warriors have drafted so well over the last few years that they have the luxury of affording another max contract player. Durant had three interesting offers, Thunder, Celtics, and Warriors, and he chose the most attractive offer. I really don’t see much problem with that. He gave the Thunder almost a decade of Hall of Fame level play. He knew leaving would be an unpopular decision, but it was definitely the right one.

Two things about this whole situation rub me the wrong way. The first is the criteria we use to judge players. How can we blame Durant for improving his position to win a ring when we use the amount of rings a player has won as a representation of their greatness? When you watch ESPN or listen to sports talk radio, you’ll constantly hear discussions about how LeBron can’t be the greatest of all time, because Jordan has more rings. In the age old Kobe vs. LeBron debate, the “5 rings” argument is always brought up as definitive proof of Kobe’s superiority without any consideration for context. Nobody is going to bring up how LeBron took Matthew Dellevadova, JR Smith, and Iman Shumpert to the 14-15 Finals as an argument for his greatness, despite it being almost objectively more impressive than beating Allen Iverson’s 76ers in the 00-01 Finals. Winning the Finals is a team achievement, yet we blindly give credit to one player and call it a day. Durant could have stayed with the Thunder and MAYBE won a ring, or he could sign with the Warriors and win AT LEAST one ring, probably more. Durant knows that 20 years after he retires nobody is going to remember how “brave” he was to stay with the Thunder or how “cowardly” he was to go to the Warriors; they’re just going to remember the amount of rings he won.

The second thing that bothers me is the hypocrisy of the owners and the NBA execs. There was an excellent summary of the situation on reddit’s r/nba a few days ago. The gist of it is that when big acquisitions like this one occur, the owners and execs clamor about parity and how this most recent acquisition is going to ruin parity, yet the owners push for these percentage based max contracts in the CBA negotiations, which are one of the key reasons parity won’t exist. Max contracts restrict the free market. Damian Lillard and LeBron James are going to make roughly the same amount of money every year, yet LeBron had a 7.6 VORP, and Lillard had a 3.8 VORP. This means LeBron’s production and contribution to his team is almost exactly double Lillard’s. In the open market, the players’ salaries would reflect this. If Lillard was making $25M/year then LeBron would make at least $50M/year. With percentage based max salaries, a team of LeBron, Steph, and Durant could have the same salaries as a team of Mike Conley, Harrison Barnes, and Al Horford. All the Warriors did was recognize this and make it a reality. The owners’ insistence on max contracts directly causes most of the problems they complain about so often.

All things considered, I don’t blame Durant at all for his decision. It was the absolute smartest decision for him to make based on the NBA the owners and fans have created. Durant doesn’t have to be the guardian of league parity. If a team presents Durant with the opportunity to make the same amount of money and win multiple championships, he’d be dumb to choose anything else. I respect Durant just the same. I think it’s better to be smart than to fear being cowardly.

Free Agency Recap (Part 2)

The Detroit Pistons sign F Jon Leuer for 4/$42M – B-

Leuer is pretty good, but he’s not as good as some of the other stretch 4’s that have signed for less. He’s versatile on offense and can score from multiple areas. It’s still a pretty decent deal, all things considered.

 

The Sacramento Kings sign G Arron Afflalo for 2/$25M – A

The Kings needed depth at wing, and it seems like nobody really wants to sign with them (understandably). Afflalo is above average at almost every facet of the game, and this contract is very reasonable. I’m not sure this actually helps the Kings win any more games, but this signing was good.

 

The Orlando Magic sign C Bismack Biyombo for 4/$72M – C

The Magic continue their pretty bizarre offseason. They are making all of these signings as if they were a team that was eliminated in the conference finals and not one that only won 35 games. Biyombo is good (regardless of age). He’d probably be a pretty good starter, but the Magic’s best player plays the same position. So the Magic are paying top starter dollar for a back up.

 

The Brooklyn Nets sign Trevor Booker for 2/$18M – B

Booker is a good hustle player who can provide a little bit of spacing. The Nets are doing exactly what I would do if I was their GM; sign undervalued, but talented, role players who could be swapped for picks in the future. I’m willing to bet they’re hoping he gains some value playing big minutes this season, so they can deal him to a contender at the deadline.

 

The Houston Rockets sign F Ryan Anderson for 4/$80M – C

Wow. That’s a lot of money for Ryan Anderson. The Rockets have stretch 4’s in Terrance Jones and Donatas Motiejunas. Anderson is a marginally better shooter, and a much worse defender than either of those two. He is also incredibly injury prone and hasn’t played more than 66 games in any of the four seasons. It’s a lot of money for an asset that doesn’t make their team better.

 

The Washington Wizard sign C Ian Mahinmi for 4/$64M – B+

This is a much better fit than Bismack Biyombo in Orlando, and it was done for less money. Mahinmi will improve their front court, and, unlike Biyombo in Orlando, Washington has a distant chance of making some noise in the East.

 

The Charlotte Hornets re-sign F Marvin Williams for 4/$54.5M – B

I think this contract is the average market value for a good stretch 4. The Hornets needed to keep Williams, because of how important he is to their spacing, but they definitely didn’t get a steal. This is just a good, solid re-signing.

 

The Sacramento Kings sign F Anthony Tolliver for 2/$16M – B

I like this signing. Tolliver is a pretty good player. He’s not quite at the same level of some of the other stretch 4’s that were on the market this offseason, but he didn’t get get paid like them either, so it’s a solid deal.

 

The Boston Celtics sign C Al Horford for 4/$113M – A-

This one hurts. Horford was one of my favorite players, but I’m glad to see him go to a good team. Horford is a terrific fit for Brad Steven’s team. Everything Jared Sullinger did, Horford will do better. However this is still A LOT of money to give to an aging center who, in all likelihood, won’t take them over the top in the East.

 

The New York Knicks sign G Courtney Lee for 4/$50M – A

This is a fair contract for Courtney Lee. It’s actually a little less than I’d say his value is. He is a great 3 and D player and a pretty obvious upgrade over Arron Afflalo at this point in their careers. Knicks are once again proving they’re going all in to win for Melo. I don’t think that’s a very good idea, but this was a good signing, regardless of their plan.

 

The Los Angeles Clippers re-sign Austin Rivers for 3/$35.7M – D-

This is a bad contract. Austin Rivers is not really that good. He isn’t bad per se, but a guy like Matthew Dellevadova got way less per year and is significantly better than Rivers. It’s hard not to think a bit of nepotism came into play here.

 

The Houston Rockets sign G Eric Gordon for 4/$53M – C-

Eric Gordon is one of the most injury prone players in the NBA. Every year is something different, but the guy can’t stay healthy. There’s literally no reason to believe that will change going forward, so locking Gordon down for four years seems foolish to me. The price isn’t bad for Gordon’s skill set, but the Rockets will likely only be getting that skillset for 20-60 games per year.

 

The Dallas Mavericks sign F Harrison Barnes for 4/$94M – B+

This is a lot of money for Barnes, but some people seem to be selectively remembering Barnes’ terrible Finals performance and not his body of work over the last couple of years. He’s a 24 year old who can guard four positions and has a growing offensive game. A lot of people don’t seem to think he’ll improve, but I do. It’s not an A, because I think the situation with Durant caused him to get a little more than he’s worth, but it’s a big win for the Mavs.

 

The Los Angeles Clippers re-sign F Wesley Johnson for 3/$18M – A

Johnson had a really solid year last year. He’s a good defender to come off the bench and start in a pinch. I think Johnson could have easily gotten $8-10M elsewhere, but the Clippers snagged him for less. Great signing.

 

The Memphis Grizzlies sign James Ennis for 2/$6M – A+

This is a great signing. One of my favorite parts of the NBA offseason is watching smart teams find undervalued players for cheap. I think James Ennis is a prime candidate to break out and show some significant value. He’s athletic and can shoot. Smart teams with good coaching have a history of turning these players into valuable contributors.

 

The Washington Wizards sign F Andrew Nicholson for 4/$26M – A+

This is going to be an absolute steal in a couple of years. Nicholson is one of my favorite candidates to break out. I actually predicted he’d make almost exactly this much in a previous article. Nicholson is a guy who can score from all areas of the court. I expect John Wall will enjoy hitting him for open jumpers.

 

The New Jersey Nets sign G Tyler Johnson for 4/$50M – B

The Nets have to take chances like these. They aren’t going to get a star, so they need to gamble on players that have the potential to become one. Tyler Johnson is a terrific offensive player. He had a 57.9% TS% last year and has the potential to improve upon it. He can play both guard positions and has been pretty good in the limited opportunities he’s had. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect him to score upwards of 15 ppg on great efficiency going forward. However there is the potential he doesn’t improve, at which point, this contract would be a little bit too much.

 

The Minnesota Timberwolves sign C Cole Aldrich for 3/$22M – A+

This is another steal. Alrich is an excellent back up center, and, considering this is significantly less than some of the other contracts handed out to back up centers, he probably could have gotten a good bit more than this. This is terrific value going forward. My only concern is the Wolves have a lot of good, young centers. There’s a bit of a log jam.

 

The Sacramento Kings sign G Garrett Temple for 3/$24M – D

This is a lot like the Justin Hamilton signing. Garrett Temple is basically the definition of an average player to me, and this contract is actually a little more than I would give him. Temple is someone you want as the 10-13th man on your roster. There’s no reason he’s making $8M/year when Brandon Rush is making $3M.

 

The Los Angeles Clippers re-sign G Jamal Crawford for 3/$42M – F

I’ve expressed my distaste for Jamal Crawford in previous posts, but this is just an opportunity to remind everyone. Jamal Crawford is not a good player. He has a net negative impact on his team. He will have one or two amazing plays every game and put up high point totals, but he makes up for it with terrible efficiency and even worse defense. He’s the definition of a chucker, and to give 36 year old Crawford a 3 year deal, when he had a -0.3 VORP last year, is insanity. GM Doc Rivers strikes again.

 

The Chicago Bulls sign G Rajon Rondo for 2/$28M – B

This deal is really tough to grade. On one hand, Rajon Rondo is worth this much and then some. He had a fantastic year last year and seems close to being that offensive force he once was. On the other hand, Rondo is the type of player who needs players with very specific skills around him. He needs floor spacers, PnR finishers, and players who don’t require the ball in their hands. Unfortunately, the Bulls already have a very ball dominant player in Jimmy Butler, so I don’t see the Bulls’ back court being very cohesive. On top of that, Rondo has had problems listening to well respected, veteran coaches like Rick Carlisle and George Karl; what reason is there to believe he is going to listen to second year head coach Fred Hoiberg? If Rondo and Butler find a way to make it work and if Rondo works well with Hoiberg, than this signing is an absolute steal, but I’m doubtful either of those things happen.

Free Agency Recap (Part 1)

This year’s free agency was unlike anything we’ve ever seen. I’ve been so busy that I wasn’t able to sit down and write out grades for them. Here is part 1 of my grades.

 

The New York Knicks sign C Joakim Noah for 4/$70M – C

I actually think Noah is a prime candidate for a rebound year, but I think he needs to prove he can stay healthy for at least 60 games before I’d lock him down for a multi-year deal. The money is pretty fair IF he rebounds. There’s a good chance he doesn’t though, so this grade is a huge gamble, hence the mediocre grade.

 

The Washington Wizards re-sign G Bradley Beal for 5/$120M – B

Bradley Beal has shown the potential to be really, really good, but he’s always injured, which has prevented him from really living up to his potential. The Wizards absolutely had to keep him, so this deal was necessary, but it could look very bad in a few years if Beal never gets healthy or improves.

 

The Los Angeles Lakers sign C Timofey Mozgov for 4/$64M – D-

This move really baffles me. You have four rising stars, all under the age of 25, and you sign an often injured, back up center for around the market value of a quality starter. It’s not quite an F, because Mozgov does fill a need, and he is a quality player, but it’s huge overpay.

 

The Toronto Raptors re-sign G DeMar DeRozan for 5/$145M – A

This is a great contract for DeRozan. He’s actually giving the Raptors a slight hometown discount, and they get to keep their best player. DeRozan gets a lot of flack for chucking, but he is an All-Star, who deserves the max, and he got slightly below it. When the cap rises again next year, this deal will look even better.

 

The Magic sign G DJ Augustin for 4/$29M – B 

I’m not sure why the Magic randomly decided to switch to “win now” mode this offseason. The are still a few years away from some of their key pieces reaching their potential. That being said, Augustin is one of the better back up PGs in the NBA today, and this is a reasonable deal.

 

The Los Angeles Lakers re-sign G Jordan Clarkson for 4/$50M – A+

This deal hasn’t gotten very much buzz, but it is insanely good. It’s one of the biggest steals of the offseason. Clarkson is getting $14 million less than his new teammate, Mozgov, while being the superior player who has yet to reach his ceiling. Clarkson is a player who could potentially be playing at an All-Star level in a couple years, and he’s locked down long term on a sub-market value deal while the cap is rising.

 

The Charlotte Hornets re-sign F Nicolas Batum for 5/$120M – B+

The Hornets won by locking down their most versatile player long term. Every single team wanted Batum, but he stuck around and got paid. My only hesitation from grading this an A is that he is probably not good enough to be one of the 3 or 4 best players on a championship team, which he is being paid like, but it’s unlikely Charlotte finds anyone better to spend that money on.

 

The Detroit Pistons re-sign C Andre Drummond for 5/$130M – A

Andre Drummond is one of the best centers in the NBA, and he’s not even 23 yet. It’s possible Drummond may just be hitting his prime when this contract expires. This move is a no-brainer, and it’s a no-brainer A.

 

The Detroit Pistons sign G Ish Smith for 3/$18M – A

Detroit really needed a back up PG behind Reggie Jackson last year. Ish Smith had moments where he looked like a serviceable starter, so I’m sure he will do well as a back up. He’s getting less per year than DJ Augustin, and I think they are similar players, and, unlike the Magic, the Pistons are actually in a position to be competitive.

 

The Miami Heat re-sign C Hassan Whiteside for 4/$98M – A

This is basically the same as the Andre Drummond signing. It’s a no-brainer signing and a no-brainer grade. Centers are hard to come by, and Whiteside is one of the best rebounders and shot blockers in the NBA. The Heat are lucky he returned. I was almost sure he would leave.

 

The Brooklyn Nets sign G Jeremy Lin for 3/$36M – A+

I love this signing. This is well below Lin’s market value, and it gives him an opportunity to start in an offense built around his talents. If he plays well, like I expect him to, he becomes a very desirable asset, who they can continue to build around or trade for draft picks. I’m glad the Nets have decided not to tank for Boston.

 

The Indiana Pacers sign C Al Jefferson for 3/$30M – C+

I don’t really understand the logic behind this move. The Pacers have a young stud in Myles Turner, and Jefferson is well past his prime, especially on the defensive end, but this deal is below his market value, so it can’t be graded too harshly.

 

The Philadelphia 76ers sign G Jerryd Bayless for 3/$27M – A

Jerryd Bayless is a great fit for almost any team. He can play both on and off ball. He can shoot. He is a decent defender. I would have expected a contender to snatch him up for this price or more, but it’s the 76ers who do. Bayless is only 27, so he may be around to see the 76ers win some games.

 

The Milwaukee Bucks sign F Mirza Teletovic for 3/$30M – A+ 

Teletovic was getting a lot of buzz, so I thought he was going to get one of these monster contracts that we keep seeing, but this contract is well below market value. He’s a comparable player to Marvin Williams and is getting significantly less per year. He an excellent shooter, which should help solve some of the Buck’s spacing problems. This is an amazing signing.

 

The Memphis Grizzlies sign F Chandler Parsons for 4/$94M – A

Parsons is a great fit in Memphis. It’s obvious they are going all in on winning now, and this move certainly makes them better. This free agency class was incredibly shallow, and Parsons was one of the few difference makers in there. Giving him this much may seem like an overpay, but it a pretty reasonable deal.

 

The Orlando Magic re-signed Evan Fournier for 5/$85M – A+

This deal is going to look amazing for a long time. Fournier is already a stud and, at 23, still has room to grow. He put up 15.4 ppg on 59% TS%, and could improve upon that. This signing is already a great deal now and will be absolutely ridiculous in a couple years.

 

The Portland Trailblazers sign G Evan Turner for 4/$70M – D

I’m not a fan of this deal. Turner is not really a very effective player unless he has the ball in his hands, and, on a team with CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard, that won’t be too often. He played well as the Celtics ball handler off the bench, but this guy can not shoot. I don’t really see his fit on the Blazers. In fact, I think they will be worse with him on the court than with an average shooter.

 

The Milwaukee Bucks sign G Matthew Dellavedova for 4/$38M – B

Dellavedova is one of the best back up PGs in the NBA. He’s someone who can start in a pinch, and his mixture of shooting and tough defense should fit well with the Bucks’ stars. Delly got a little bit more than DJ Augustin, but he’s a little bit better, hence the same grade.

 

The New Orleans Pelicans sign F Solomon Hill for 4/$52M – D

This is a lot for a guy who hasn’t done much in the NBA. He’s being paid essentially the same as DeMarre Carroll, which seems absurd at a glace. Hill was a guy who I thought a contender could snag on a two year “prove it” deal (maybe something like 2/$20M), but the Pelicans obviously think Hill is ready to contribute now. He very well might, but this is a big risk on unproven talent.

 

The Memphis Grizzlies re-sign G Mike Conley for 5/$153M – C+

For many years Mike Conley was that “most underrated player” that everyone liked to talk about. Guess you can’t say that any more. This contract makes Mike Conley the highest paid player in NBA history. This is a contract that is going to look like the Joe Johnson contract in a few years, but the Grizzlies had to do it. Conley is their man, and I think it was smart to re-sign him. Unfortunately, this contract is going to cripple their cap flexibility for years to come, and, even with the rising cap, this contract is going to be way too much.

 

The Denver Nuggets re-sign F Darrell Arthur for 3/$23M – A+

This is an absolute steal. In one of my older posts I mentioned how Arthur continually flies under the radar, and this is another example. I thought for sure this guy was going to get a contract similar to Marvin Williams, but he got even less than Mirza Teletovic, despite being a similar player to both. I gave Teletovic an A+, and Arthur got less than him, so another A+ is in order.

 

The Orlando Magic sign F Jeff Green for 1/$15M – D-

The Magic continue their ridiculous offseason. Zack Lowe already brought this up, but the Magic traded Tobias Harris, a superior player on a similar annual salary, for basically nothing in order to clear space to sign… Jeff Green. Why? The only redeeming quality of this signing is that it’s only a one year contract.

 

The Atlanta Hawks sign C Dwight Howard for 3/$70.5M – B

I’m a Hawks fan, and I hate this signing, but it is objectively pretty good. I believe Howard could have gotten more had he held out, but apparently he wanted to return to his hometown. He fills the void left by the departure of Al Horford, however word on the street is he’s the very person who created that void. Al Horford is the better player at this point in their careers, so the Hawks got a downgrade at center for slightly less than they would have paid Al Horford.

 

The Miami Heat sign C Justin Hamilton for 2/$6M – C

This is a pretty uneventful signing. Hamilton isn’t good, but the contract isn’t big. If they can get any playing time out of him at all, it will have been worth it. Can’t really say it’s “good” though.

 

The New Orleans Pelicans sign G E’Twaun Moore for 4/$34M – A

Moore was really good this year. He filled in for Jimmy Butler nicely and showed he can shoot and play solid defense. I mentioned him in my article about uncovering hidden talent in the NBA, and he actually got right around what I said he would. I actually think he could have gotten a little more though, so I think New Orleans got a steal.

 

The Phoenix Suns sign F Jared Dudley for 3/$30M – B

This is a signing a lot like the DJ Augustin or Al Jefferson signings. It’s an objectively good contract for a good player, but it doesn’t make any sense for the team that signed them. The Suns are probably two or three years away from really making any noise, however Dudley is on the wrong side of 30. He had a great year and deserves this contract, but it seems like it should have come from a contender. He’s going to go to waste in Phoenix.

 

The Atlanta Hawks re-sign G Kent Bazemore for 4/$70M – B

I was really hoping the Hawks would let Bazemore walk. He is too small to guard 3’s, which is what they ask him to do. However Bazemore was one of the top wings available, so the Hawks need to be commended for keeping their guy. As a fan, it drives me a little bit crazy that they balked at matching DeMarre Carroll’s 4/$58M contract but didn’t hesitate to break the bank for Bazemore, an inferior player to Carroll, but this contract is fair.

 

The Utah Jazz sign F Joe Johnson for 2/$22M – B+

This is definitely the weirdest signing of the offseason to me. I thought for sure Joe Johnson would go to a mediocre, big market team, like the Knicks, Bulls, or Mavs, to play out his last few seasons on a huge contract with lots of playing time, but he went to basically the last place I’d expect. It’s definitely not a bad contract or fit (it’s actually a bargain), hence the B+, just a weird signing.

 

The Los Angeles Lakers sign Luol Deng for 4/$72M – B

This is a lot of money to give a guy who has played as many career minutes as Deng has, but you have to respect the season he had last year. He stepped up big when Chris Bosh was out, and definitely earned this payday. If Kent Bazemore and Evan Turner are both earning $70 million then Luol Deng definitely deserves his $72 million. I just don’t know how much longer that man’s body will hold up. My guess is it will be less than four years.

The Jodie Meeks Trade

The Orlando Magic have acquired Jodie Meeks from the Detroit Pistons for a conditional 2019 2nd round pick.

The Pistons wanted to clear cap space and tried to get all they could for a player that is coming off of foot surgery. A conditional 2nd round pick isn’t much, but it’s something, and they cleared around $7 million to play around with. I feel like they could have gotten more had they waited until the trade deadline. Let Meeks play a little bit and increase his value.

This is a great trade for the Magic. They gave up basically nothing and got back a potentially valuable asset. Meeks is a good 3 and D player when he’s healthy, and his $6.5 million salary is way below market value. Unlike Ibaka, I think the Magic have a realistic chance of re-signing Meeks once his contract is up next offseason. It’s a little bit of a gamble, because Meeks may not rebound, but they gave up almost nothing, and they can just let him walk if he doesn’t. It’s worth the risk.

Pistons – C

Magic – A

Recapping the Draft Day Trades

The Indiana Pacers acquire F Thaddeus Young from the Brooklyn Nets for the 20th overall pick (Caris LeVert) and a future 2nd round pick.

This was a great trade for both sides. Brooklyn is able to swap one of its best assets for a 1st round draft pick, and Indiana brings in yet another versatile offensive player to help out Paul George. Sean Marks has been making all the right moves since being hired as Nets’ GM.

Some people pointed out that George Hill is an inferior player and was traded for the 12th pick, but I’d say that Hill plays a more coveted role (3 and D PG), and he was almost literally the perfect fit for the Jazz. Pacers don’t NEED Thad Young, but he is certainly great value for the 20th pick. They wouldn’t have gotten anyone better with the pick. The Pacers continue their strong offseason.

Nets – B

Pacers – A-

 

The Charlotte Hornets acquire G Marco Belinelli from the Sacramento Kings for the 22nd overall pick (Malachi Richardson).

The Kings actually made a pretty good deal. Belinelli is coming off his worst NBA season, and his value was incredibly low, yet they managed to get a 1st round draft pick for him. I do think playing for the Kings is probably why a formerly productive player fell off the map, but this trade was good.

This trade doesn’t make much sense for the Hornets. There were probably better 2 guards on the market for the 22nd overall pick, but they went with Belinelli, who was terrible last season. I can’t give this an F, because, like I said before, I think playing for the Kings is probably a key reason why Belinelli was so bad, so there is a solid chance he rebounds. However, it’s still a risk, and they probably would have been better off keeping the pick.

Kings – B+

Hornets – D

 

The Orlando Magic acquire F/C Serge Ibaka from the Oklahoma City Thunder for G Victor Oladipo, F Ersan Ilyasova, and the rights to Damontas Sabonis.

Wow. Wow. Wow. This trade really doesn’t make much sense for the Thunder. They were one game away from beating the Warriors and going to the NBA Finals, and Serge Ibaka was a key cog in that. Sure his offensive impact is limited, but he is one of the biggest reasons why the Thunder had a suitable answer to the Warriors’ “death line up.” Ibaka has the rarest combination of skills in the NBA: elite rim protection and elite floor spacing. The Thunder didn’t need Ibaka to bang down low and score post buckets. They needed him to go to the corner and draw a shot blocker away from the rim, so that Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook could have an open lane to the basket.

On paper the trade isn’t bad for them. They received way more assets than they gave up, but it makes them a worse team, which is extremely stupid to me since they were clearly cemented in the top 3 teams (Cavs, Warriors, Thunder), and any of those teams could beat the other on any given day. Losing Ibaka drops them down to the second tier of teams and makes them less capable of competing with the Warriors.

This trade also doesn’t make any sense for the Magic. They are a young team and are probably two or three years away from being a playoff team in the East, yet they go out and get one of the hottest veteran role players. Sure, Ibaka is a nice complimentary piece to Nikola Vucevic, but he is most likely going to be a one year rental during a year that the team is unlikely to compete. It appears to me that they just flushed assets down the drain.

Reading the big media outlets’ reactions to this trade is ridiculous to me. There are A’s and B’s flying around everywhere. It seems like none of them actually understand WHY Thunder were so good in the playoffs, and they are only looking at the trade in a vacuum, with no regard for context. The Thunders’ immediate goal is to win the championship. They got further from that goal. The Magic overpaid for a veteran player, who will most likely be offered the max and walk to another team in free agency next year. Even if the Thunder pony up the cash to pay Ibaka the max on a long term deal, they lose this deal, because they would then be PAYING IBAKA THE MAX. I don’t get how someone with basic basketball and front office understanding can say this was a good deal for either team.

Thunder – C-

Magic – D-

Three Team Trade Involving Jeff Teague

Pacers acquire: G Jeff Teague

Jazz acquire: G George Hill

Hawks acquire: Jazz 2016 1st round pick (12th overall)

Unless more details come out later, this trade is amazing for all three teams involved.

I really don’t buy into the notion that trading Teague signals the start of an Atlanta rebuild. Atlanta just resigned Paul Millsap, and they have one of the premiere coaches in the NBA in Mike Budenholzer. They were going to let Teague walk in free agency as soon as his contract expired in order to let Dennis Schroder take over as the starting point guard, so they were really just trying to get as much back for him as possible, and I think the 12th overall pick is pretty much exactly what Teague is worth.

The Jazz are a really fun, young team, but last season they really missed a reliable point guard. They badly needed a point guard who could co-exist well with Gordon Hayward and Rodney Hood, and George Hill is exactly that. Hill isn’t great as a primary ball handler or shot creator, but the Jazz don’t need that. They need a guy who can hit threes, make smart passes, and play solid defense, and Hill is one of the better 3 and D point guards in the NBA. He’s worth much more to the Jazz than that 12th pick was. Look for the Jazz to make a return to the playoffs this year.

Jeff Teague is a much better fit for these current Pacers than George Hill is. Teague has the ability to run an offense. He has been the man in Atlanta for a few years now. Paul George absolutely needed another ball handler to help take pressure off of him on offense. Monta did a decent job, but he’s not great at initiating offense or creating shots for others. Bringing Teague in allows George to play off ball, and, hopefully, get some wide open looks while teams try to contain Teague in the pick and roll.

Pacers – A

Jazz – A-

Hawks – B

The Rose Trade

The New York Knicks have acquired G Derrick Rose, G Justin Holiday, and a 2017 second round draft pick from the Chicago Bulls for C Robin Lopez, G Jose Calderon, and G Jerian Grant.

This trade seems like two bad front offices making a collectively bad trade. I initially thought it sounded like a good idea for the Bulls to get Rose’s contract off the books, but his contract is up after next season. They actually are taking on more money in the long run, because Robin Lopez is owed $41 million over the next 3 years. On top of that, this upcoming season will be a better indicator of what Rose will actually be like going forward, because he will have finally had an entire healthy season and offseason. We might find out that they sold pretty low on him if he ends up improving. The return is really small for what they gave up. Lopez is pretty good, but we’ve probably already seen his peak. Calderon is bad. Jerian Grant could end up being decent, so there’s that.

For the Knicks this trade signals that they are going to try and go all in for Melo. I honestly thought they might consider trading him and building around the much, much younger Porzingis, but this pretty much eliminates that possibility. I think the upgrade to Rose could make the Knicks contenders for the 3-8 seed in the East, but there’s no way it makes them any more than that.  I think they would have been better off trading Melo and building around Porzingis to make a run in 3-5 years, because LeBron is going to control the East as long  as he decides to stay there. They didn’t really give up much, so if Rose plays poorly next season, they could just let him walk and open up all that cap space for free agency. In a vacuum this trade is pretty good for the Knicks, however context plays a huge role here. They are squandering future opportunities for immediate results.

Bulls – D-

Knicks – C

Update #1: I feel like I need to address the fact that most other media outlets are raving about this trade for the Bulls. They’re saying Derrick Rose was “untradable” and getting back a quality center on a good contract is a huge win. Here are a few of my thoughts:

1. That’s assuming the Derrick Rose we got this past year is going to be the Derrick Rose we get next year and every year going forward. I have no clue if he’ll get better, but players tend to play much better after a full year of being healthy, and GMs are constantly proving that they are willing to take risks on gambles that have huge payouts. It’s why Ty Lawson keeps getting contracts. There’s a chance he could rebound into the All-Star he once was. It’s the same story with Derrick Rose. I’m not going to sell low on a stock that is poised for a rebound. You can’t convince me that if Derrick Rose came into the next season and put up 18/7 on 45/30 shooting that the Bulls couldn’t have gotten more than Robin Lopez at the trade deadline. If he doesn’t improve, you let him walk.
2. You also can’t convince me that paying Robin Lopez $14 million a year for the next 3 years is some kind of great bargain or huge win. I know he’s good. I know Joakim is gone. I know the cap is rising significantly, but center is not a position I’m going to dedicate that much money to; just like a running back in football.  They just don’t provide that much value anymore unless they can shoot, pass, or rebound at an elite level. I know he’s a good rim protector, but he’s not at the Rudy Gobert/Hassan Whiteside level. Guys like Brandan Wright and Bismack Biyombo signed for much less than $14 million last year. There is definitely someone out there who will sign for less this year. Give me two athletic wings for $7 million a year or maybe even a stretch 4/5 on $14 million, but I don’t think a team with Robin Lopez as their 3rd or 4th highest paid player is going to have a legitimate shot at winning the championship.
3. Another point I’m hearing is that now Jimmy Butler will be happy which was a huge motivator in sending Rose away. Now it’s HIS team. 1) I think that the locker room beef is overstated. They’re both professionals. They could play one more year together to see if Rose improves. And 2) Jimmy Butler is not good enough to be the best player on a championship team. If he can’t stand sharing the spotlight then there’s really no hope for the Bulls to win, because they can never bring in anyone as good or better than Butler.

So I stand by my D- grade. The Bulls sold low on a good stock. They should have at least waited until the trade deadline to see if he improved, and even if he didn’t, they could have gotten a trade just as good as, if not better than, this one.

Pistons Acquire F/C Cameron Bairstow from Bulls for G Spencer Dinwiddie

The first transaction of the NBA offseason is here two days before game 7 of the 2015-2016 Finals. It wasn’t anything particularly interesting. The Pistons have acquired F/C Cameron Bairstow from the Bulls for G Spencer Dinwiddie.

Bairstow isn’t very good, but he won’t see much time behind Drummond and Baynes. Dinwiddie isn’t very good either, but he’s a big guard with some potential, and the Bulls are looking to build back court depth this offseason. Their contracts are basically the same, but Bairstow is two years older than Dinwiddie.

Pistons – C-

Bulls – B+