NBA Free Agency or Kawhi Trolls The World

 

Ever since LeBron James decided that he needed to announce that Miami was a better city to live in than Cleveland, the NBA has been dubbed a super team league. This doesn’t mean there weren’t super teams in the past. In fact, this is a common misconception. The NBA has a proud tradition of only having 3-5 teams having a prayer at the title every season. The 80s were dominated by 2 teams. The 90s were just the Bulls and the Rockets. Even the 2000s were run by the Lakers, Spurs and I guess the Pistons. In most years, you can pick the champion out of a tiny pool of teams, and rarely does anyone come outside of the favorites. That’s what makes this upcoming season so exciting.

 

No sport has a free agency period like the NBA. The NFL remains the nation’s true past time, but free agency is never fun. Most of the contracts make little to no sense and the money isn’t real. The teams control virtually every aspect of the contract and the guaranteed vs non-guaranteed money puts a damper on most of it. Remember, if a player gets seriously hurt, he’s often cut without any remorse to avoid paying him. At least the league is filled with likeable players who regularly follow the law. 

 

Baseball has the unique trait that nobody wants to sign superstars until weeks before the season. This past free agency period saw Bryce Harper and Manny Machado sit and wait for months before getting paid. Now, they certainly made their money, but it was bizarre to see them wait for so long. Plus, both haven’t exactly lived up to their hype. I mean, Harper has been an elite hitter for 1.5 seasons. There’s a dude I want to pay $300 million. At least the Mets only had to pay Bobby Bonilla $1 million to go away. 

 

Additionally, pitchers like Craig Kimbrel and Dallas Keuchel didn’t even sign until months into the season. Every single team needed pitching yet they never got any serious offers. Did these guys want too much money? Of course. But look at what everyone else was getting. These two accomplished something in their career. Baseball has a serious problem with their free agency, and I have no idea how to fix it. Fortunately, I’m not writing about that today so that’s somebody else’s problem.

 

Hockey has a lot of movement in free agency which is exciting, but the coverage is poor.  There’s just not as much desire for news. The hardcore fan, which most hockey fans are, already get the news from established sources. There’s no anger when a player leaves a team. It just seems very supportive and teams are excited to have new players.

 

Where’s the anger? Where’s the gripes? No, this isn’t right at all.

 

Basketball, for all its flaws at time, has the best free agency period in sports. Now, does the rules about not talking to players until June 30th at 6PM make sense? No. There were deals in place weeks before June. The NBA draft, inconceivably taking place before free agency, had at least 12 trades in the first round. It was awkward watching players put on a team’s hat knowing they had already been traded. So no, it’s not perfect.

 

What makes free agency exciting is all the rumors. NBA stars often switch teams, all thanks to LeBron opening the door. Now, a super team could be created at any time, so long as the cap numbers work. This year, you could argue 6 franchise changing guys could have changed teams via free agency or trades. 5 of these did move and created new contenders. A 7th player, Russell Westbrook, may be on the move soon as well. It’s getting very interesting.

There’s a big difference with this season’s moves then the superstar address changes of the past. There’s no more super team. The title is wide open and I think 10 teams believe they have a chance. That number is certainly too high, but this is the most open the league has been in at least a decade. All it took was half of the Warriors suffering horrific injuries. Congrats on an untainted title, Canada.

 

For this Free Agency write up, I’m not going to focus on every signing.  I have an actual job and to be honest, I didn’t know a few of the players who earned $30+ million. Part of that is on me, but why are teams paying that much for players an average fan never heard of? For the comedy? If so, sign me up. 

 

I’m going to group the transactions into 5 tiers. I think that’s the best way to handle it.

 

Tier 1 – Superstars – These are the players that swing titles. There’s not many superstars in the league, but out of the small pool, two went to Brooklyn and two went to the Clippers. Wait, what year is this?

Tier 2 – All Stars – These players cannot win a title on their own, but can serve as the 2nd, or preferably the 3rd option on a title contender. Again, there’s not as many of these guys as you might think.

 

Tier 3 – High end role players – For me, anyone who can’t make an all star team is a role player. This also classifies players who make an all-star team that probably didn’t deserve it. That’s everyone below the top 30 or so players in the league. Bucks fans will be furious at the first guy on my list. I say you should be angrier at your team’s structure but that’s just me.

 

Tier 4 – Low end role players – Most of these players signed for way too much money. Usually, these are Lakers, Suns and Kings players.

 

Tier 5 – Knicks contracts – I mean, come in now. 

 

Tier 1 – Superstars

Kawhi Leonard (4 Years, $142 Million with the Clippers) – In an age where social media runs the world and everybody’s secrets are out in the open, arguably the league’s best player kept his intentions unknown until his decision was made. He kept the entire reporting world waiting on his every move as he took meetings with the Lakers and Raptors. I think 99% of the reports didn’t even include the Clippers, unless they were saying that they were crossed off the list. Perhaps without the George trade, they were. Honestly, we’ll never know 100%, but that’s what makes Kawhi so interesting in a world where everybody’s personal business is accessible.

 

My favorite parts of all this is how LeBron and the Lakers got screwed. They clearly were waiting for Kawhi and believed they were getting him. Magic Johnson, who clearly tampered but won’t receive any punishment, met with Kawhi and said he was definitely going to be a Laker. There was also that random 20 year old who went on reddit and twitter extremely confident that Kawhi was going there, never backed down and is currently blaming everyone else but himself for his “incorrect information”. It’s great. That guy will have a long career as fake Skip Bayless now.  My theory is Kawhi hates LeBron and wanted to mess with him in any way possible, so he forced the Lakers to keep their cap space open. Do I honestly believe this? No. Do I want to believe this? Yes, and I will. 

 

Even the Raptors didn’t take the news as hard as the Lakers. This was after reports that it was likely that he was re-signing and his flight for a meeting with the team. Even Jalen Rose was confident Kawhi was signing there, but it’s possible he was just giving the people what they want. Ultimately they didn’t get their man. I guess part of the reason the Raptors can’t be angry is he did win them a title. I mean, Nick Nurse basically came out and said he didn’t blame Kawhi for leaving. There’s a vote of confidence in your franchise. Still, I like that Raptor fans have reason to be bitter, and many aren’t, while Laker fans hate Kawhi for what? Not doing what bias people like Magic Johnson said he would? What has Magic done right for the Lakers in the past few years? You know, besides step down and quit on the team. 

 

In the end, nobody had a clue with Kawhi wanted to do, except for him. Ironically, all the reports early in 2018 about him going to the Clippers were correct. I loved how this played out, and not just because it screwed over LeBron. I mean, that didn’t hurt though. It’s hilarious. This completely opens up the league, avoiding another super team. It makes both LA teams viable title contenders, which hasn’t happened in any year I remember. It also gives Kawhi the chance to bring a title to one of the most cursed franchises in sports. Now, that’s a bit nerve wracking with his injury history. I keep picturing Bill Walton and I don’t want to.

 

Grade – A++. 

 

Paul George (Traded to the Clippers for Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 4(!) Unprotected First Round picks, a protected first round pick, and 2 pick swaps) – Now, we may never know what Kawhi’s true intentions were, but without the trade for George, there’s no way Kawhi plays for the Clippers. Reports were that Kawhi was a big factor in pulling off the deal, so maybe he’ll get the GM of the Year along with MVP in 2020. He did a much better job in both roles so far than LeBron has in the past several seasons. 

 

There were no rumblings that George wanted out of OKC, so this trade was equally shocking to Kawhi’s signing. I guess playing with Westbrook can really wear down a player. It’s like playing in a pickup game with a ball hog, except you can’t really escape. In a pickup game, you can step off the court. When basketball is your job, you’re kind of locked in. I guess earning $25+ Million while doing so makes it a little easier, but still, I can see the frustration.

 

With George and Kawhi joining a decent Clipper team from 2019, I think they have to be the favorites next year, though it’s not overwhelming by any means. Remember, before George got hurt last year, he was a top 3 MVP candidate. He was definitely the 3rd choice, but that’s still impressive. Now he gets to team up with Kawhi, a much better fit for today’s NBA than Westbrook. The defensive core of George, Kawhi and Beverly is insane. They are going to hound opposing wings. I would have liked to see this Clipper team face the 2018 Warriors. That would have been a fun series.

 

Did they give up a lot? Sure. That’s basically 7 first round picks. But remember, a lot of those picks in the next several years will be in the 27-30 range. Typically, that’s barely a rotational player. And if you can win a title, even just one, it’s worth it. 

 

But man is that a lot of picks. 

 

My favorite part of this trade? Last year, the mayor of Oklahoma City declared July 8th Paul George Day. He did this because George re-signed with the Thunder and said he’d be there long term. Whoops… How awkward was Monday in that city? I like to imagine that went ahead with it without thinking twice. 

 

I don’t think they did. 

 

Grade – B+

Kevin Durant (4 Years, $164 Million with the Nets) – Remember when Kyrie and Durant were going to New York? I mean, they technically did, so that’s good, right?

This isn’t a move for 2019-2020, so it’s hard to give it a grade or really talk about it. With the type of injury Durant suffered, who knows exactly the player he’ll be when he comes back. I don’t think he’ll have the same explosion, but fortunately, he’s a jump shooter first, and 7 footers don’t often get their shots blocked. I think it’s natural to worry about his long-term status as an elite player, which is a shame, but I don’t think he’ll lose too much when he returns. We should not see him next season. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. 

 

I do wonder if things would have been different if Durant didn’t get hurt in the finals. As soon as that happened, he’d never stay with the Warriors, unless it was to opt in for the one year and get healthy on their dime. But how could he ever have trusted the medical staff again? I don’t think I could have. Durant may have left anyway, but this is one of the great what ifs. Before he went down in the post season, Durant was the best player in the league. Weeks later, the media questioned if the Warriors even needed him. 

 

I’m going to say yes they did. 

 

Part of me expects a huge Durant season in 2020 if he’s back to 100%, or even 90%. Let’s hope we can see it.

 

Grade – A

Kyrie Irving  (4 Years, $141 Million with the Nets) – Now look, I get it. Kyrie is unquestionably one of the most talented players in the league. He can create his own shot, get to the basket and does not fear the big moment. He checks off a lot of the boxes you want for a building block on your team. 

 

But we’ve already seen his extracurricular work. Kyrie demanded out of Cleveland because he couldn’t stand being second fiddle to LeBron. Then, he helped destroy the Celtics, who seemed to be destined for a decade of deep playoff runs, due to his attitude and commitment to having to be “the guy”. He’s extremely temperamental, tough to get along with, and doesn’t have any issues blasting teammates in the media. Are we sure this is the guy we want to team with Kevin Durant?

Durant is no stranger to moodiness, and we’ve seen countless odd discussions with the media, highlighted by the burner twitter account. I have trouble believing the relationship between Kyrie and Durant will always be smooth . I could see there being a power struggle in 2020 when Durant comes back. Kyrie needs to understand its Durant’s team. I’m not sure he will. Can these two co-exist? Can both be happy? Are either capable of being happy? I really don’t know, and this comes from somebody who loves Durant. 

 

Kyrie is also a flat earther, so I mean, that’s minus a few points.

 

I think my biggest question on this signing is would the Nets have been better off keeping D’Angelo Russell. That sounds crazy, but his numbers weren’t that far off from Irving’s. They would have saved a few million per season, maybe able to add additional depth to the team. Plus, Russell is younger (though not as much as I expected), and could still improve. I think the consensus is that Russell is a better teammate, which is insane since he was traded 18 months ago for recording a cheating confession from Nick Young. And he’s worlds better as a teammate! Probably a round world at that.

 

Still, Durant and Irving seem to have been a package deal. You don’t pass on Durant if you can land him, so Kyrie was a must. I don’t know how it’ll work, and I’m not a big Kyrie fan, but I do get it. I’m just not as sold.

 

Also, people, stop calling Brooklyn a title contender this year. That’s ridiculous. They’re like a 5-6 seed without Durant.

 

Grade – B+

Anthony Davis (Traded to the Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram, De’Andre Hunter,  2021 First Rounder, 2024 First Rounder, a 2023 pick swap and cash) – We all knew this trade was happening as soon as the Space Jam 2 cast was released. My respect for Davis went down a lot after how last season played out. I respect his talent, but I can’t stand athletes who demand trades and then don’t play like they’re capable of. It creates a perpetual cycle of frustration because teams, players and fans. I have no issue if a player wants to move to another team. After all, what did New Orleans really do to keep Davis? Get DeMarcus Cousins? But he could have played with Zion. Instead he bolted for LA to play with LeBron. I mean, there’s been worse situations to be traded to. 

 

Originally, I thought this trade was a fantastic haul for the Pelicans. It still is really, but after the George trade, it almost feels underwhelming. Now granted, it’s 3 picks, this year’s #4 player, and three former first rounders who are all still young. It’s great for a guy who refused to play to end 2019.  I still think Lonzo will be a serviceable point guard, but he’s never going to shoot. I really have no idea what Brandon Ingram is, and I’m not in on Josh Hart. Like the Clippers, most of the picks for the next few years should be late first rounders, so I don’t think that’s so bad.

 

However, the best part of this deal is that Lavar Ball is now freed from whatever basement LeBron had him tied up in. He’ll be free to say whatever he wants, until Zion’s camp gets a hold of him. There’s already been a few wonderful sound bites, so let’s hope that continues for a few weeks. Basketball is certainly worse when Lavar speaks, but I enjoy it, so whatever. Big Ballers for life. Maybe Zion will sign up with the team and become the long lost 3rd Ball brother.

 

C’mon, we all know the middle child is disowned. 

 

I can’t argue against the Lakers acquiring a player of Davis’ caliber. I do have an injury concern though. LeBron isn’t an 82 game player anymore. Davis has never been one and seems to be hurt significantly every year. There’s not a lot of fire power beyond their top 3 guys (more on that in a minute), so if one goes down for a few weeks, or worse, they are in trouble. Now, if LeBron and Davis are both healthy for the postseason, they could win the title. But I think Lakers nation will be holding their breaths at every collision. 

 

Either that or significantly overrating Kyle Kuzma. “I mean, he’s not that worse than Kawhi”. Give your heads a shake.

 

Grade – A 

 

Klay Thompson (5 Years $190 Million with the Warriors) – I don’t even know why I have to list Thompson, who was never considering leaving the Warriors. He’ll miss most of the season, but should be back just toward the end. Don’t be shocked if the Warriors do go on a run in the postseason if Thompson is healthy. They will basically be the team pre-Durant, re-tooled a bit, and it is wide open. I don’t expect the Warriors to do much, but I’m just saying a deep playoff run is in play.

 

Also, Thompson is without a doubt a superstar. I think you can make an argument he’s better than Kyrie and George, though I don’t know if the average fan would agree. I would 100% take him over Kyrie, though I would lean toward George is 2018-2019 is his baseline. Thompson tried to carry the Warriors on one leg, and then on even less of one leg in the finals. He plays through anything he can, seems to hit every big shot, and is much more than just a shooter.

 

I think most people know this by now, but I want it to be clear.

 

Grade – A

 

 

 

Tier 2 – All Stars

 

 

 

Kemba Walker (4 Years, $141 Million with the Celtics) – Looking at Kemba’s numbers, I feel like we might have overrated Kemba a bit. Sure he puts up 25 points a game, but on 42% from the field. Plus, he was on an atrocious offensive team. Are part of his field goal percentage issues due to that? Sure. But isn’t part of the 25 points a game also due to that? Kemba could be a compiler – scoring a ton on an uncompetitive team. We’ll see just how good he is now, but in many ways, he seems like a worse version of Kyrie.

Of course, if he’s not an impossible teammate, this could be a huge win for the Celtics. For Boston to go anywhere, they need Tatum and Brown to step up like they did in the playoffs two seasons ago. They will also need a healthy, more explosive Gordon Hayward. Then comes Kemba, who needs to give them scoring and a point guard that doesn’t sell out the rest of the team after every loss. I think Kemba can give them that. Of course, that’s not a super star. Arguably, he shouldn’t be the team’s first option. If things go well, I don’t think he will be. 

 

So paying $141 Million for that. Yikes.  But hey, it’s not my money.

 

Grade – B-

Kristaps Porzingis (5 Years $158 Million with the Mavs) – After all the nasty accusations came out about Porzingis, it made way more sense as to why the Knicks traded him for virtually nothing. Porzingis is one of the more unique talents in the league, and the last time we saw him, it appeared he was reaching his potential. Of course, there’s a big difference when you play on a joke of a franchise to one that hopes to compete.

 

The biggest issue with Porzingis is he has yet to prove he can stay healthy. Honestly, that’s the biggest issue with about half of the players on these lists. If he can stay healthy, he’ll be the second best guy on Dallas, and maybe the third option down the road. There’s a chance that Dallas has a recipe for a title in the near future, but it depends on development and health.

 

Also you know, not being a huge, awful person. 

 

Grade – B+ (F for character)

Jimmy Butler (4 Years, $142 Million with the Heat. Traded from Philly, giving up Josh Richardson and a protected First round pick).

 

For the record, Portland traded Moe “How Can you Be So” Harkless and got Hassan Whiteside. I mean, Portland is making moves out there at least.

 

The Heat also received Meyers Leonard from Portland but I’m not really concerned about that.

 

You know, for all his talk about being a winner, this is bizarre. Obviously Butler had some say in this deal and probably asked to be traded. There were all the rumors of him going to the Rockets, but somehow he ended up on the Heat. This is his fourth team in about 24 months, so that’s rarely good. I get trying to get out of Chicago. I get being fed up in Minnesota since I don’t think those players try. And I even get getting frustrated in Philly. But this is too far. Philly would have been much better off keeping Butler over Tobias Harris. Spoilers, you won’t see Harris in Tier 2 despite the fact he’s making $180 million. That’s even less good than being on four teams.

 

What I don’t get about this deal is what Butler gets out of it. If he just wanted money, the 76ers could have gave him more (I assume he’d have gotten the Harris money). If he really just wanted his own team, I imagine Miami wouldn’t have been the preferred destination. Does he think LeBron, Wade and Bosh still play there? That would make much more sense.

 

All I know it can’t be about winning. That’s obvious. 

 

As for Miami, this is a pretty good get and got them off of Hassan Whiteside’s contract. But without another significant piece added to the roster, is anybody even going to think of Jimmy Butler until he’s demanding a new trade in 3 months? I don’t think so. 

Now, if the Heat add Russell Westbrook, they might have something. A combustible, fiery destruction of the franchise. But hey, that’s better than irrelevance. 

 

Grade – C

Mike Conley (Traded to the Jazz for Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver, Grayson Allen, Darius Bazely and a 2020 First Rounder to Memphis, Oklahoma City and Phoenix for some reason).

 

I won’t lie, this trade got complicated, but the only player I’m really concerned about in the deal is Conley, so I kind of mailed the description in. Ah well. Remember when Kyle Korver was an All Star? Remember when Grayson Allen tripped people in college?

Yeah, me either. 

 

I really like this trade. I don’t think Conley is the dynamic player he’s been in the past, but he’s a very good point guard on a team desperate for one. He was still good for 21 points and 6 assists last year, but those numbers came on an awful Grizzles team trying to lose. Now, he’ll have some real talent around him. Unlike Kemba and Kyrie, I know Conley isn’t going to chunk 30 shots a game. He’ll be a real facilitator and should make the Jazz better.

 

Are the Jazz actually a contender? I don’t know honestly. I thought they were when this trade first got announced, but that was before free agency and Kawhi’s signing. Honestly, I had almost forgotten this trade happened. So while this is a very good deal, I don’t think it pushes the Jazz over the top. But the league is so wide open, honestly, you never know. The Jazz might just be one piece away… Like Jimmy Butler in 3 months!

Grade – A-

D’Angelo Russell (4 years, $117 Million with the Warriors) – This was a head scratcher when I first heard the deal, but it started to make sense for two reasons. Firstly, it was an asset the Warriors acquired for Durant. Technically, this was a sign and trade, so at least the Warriors got something for Durant leaving. Now, the pieces don’t fit as cleanly as they previously did, but Russell isn’t a bad player.

 

The second reason is that the Warriors needed talent for this season. Have you seen how many players got hurt on their roster last year? Without Russell, teams would bully Curry for 48 minutes while Draymond shot wide open 3s at a 22% clip. It was going to be ugly. Russell takes some pressure off Curry and the team now should be able to hold the fort until Klay returns. From this angle, I can see the trade.

But let’s be honest, Russell is a trade chip come next off season. He’ll be put in positions to succeed, and probably return a decent haul. I’d make the Jimmy Butler joke, but it’s been done twice. And that’s just by me.

Grade – B-

 

DeMarcus Cousins (One Year Deal with Lakers) – This deal does make sense for both sides. Cousins suffered another major injury in his trial, one year run with the Warriors, so he wants to have another before getting his mega deal. The Lakers struck out with Kawhi, which is still very funny mind you, and settled on the highest upside player on the market. Both sides had a need for this.

 

However, you may have remembered 2017, where Cousins and Davis teamed up together. They were pretty dominate individually, but they were not going to win anything. Now, adding LeBron to that nucleus makes them a whole lot better, obviously. But are we sure Cousins is going to be healthy? This is like the fantasy football team that drafts Todd Gurley, AJ Green and Tyreek Hill in the first three rounds. It’s a huge risk. Even LeBron is an injury risk at this point, so teaming the three together is dangerous. It could work, certainly, but I have serious doubts, especially as we’ll mock their depth in tier 4.

Grade – B – 

 

 

 

Tier 3 – High End Role Players

Khris Middleton (5 Years, $178 Million with the Bucks) – Ok, so here’s where the Bucks fans gets angry at me, but I’m pretty sure I’m spot on here. Middleton is a very good player. He’s good for 18 PPG, and he shoots a solid percentage from 3 (3 years of over 40%). But what else does he really provide that’s elite? Average rebounds and assists? There’s never been much I’ve heard about him being an elite defender and I don’t think he’s much of a creator, as seen in the playoff series against Toronto where Giannis couldn’t do everything by himself. Middleton is certainly not a superstar, and I don’t think he’s a star. He’s a fridge all star on a 60 win team by default because he’s the 2nd best player on the roster.

Now, do I think the Bucks were wrong to re-sing Middleton? No. They had no choice. If they let him walk, they couldn’t replace him and he was too valuable to let go. The Bucks are the only 60 win team to bring their nucleus back, remain young, and taken a fairly sizable step back in the league hierarchy. Somebody on this team needs to make a leap, and maybe it’s Middleton. But I think this is who is now, a good player who signed the second most egregious contract of the 2019 off season. If he’s not shooting like Curry or Thompson, he better develop a second elite skill, and fast. The window is closing and Giannis might jump out of it.

 

Grade – C –

Al Horford – (4 Years, $109 Million with the Sixers) – Horford is the ultimate glue guy. He provides a little bit of everything, especially the little things that don’t show up in the box score. He’s got a decent mid range shot and plays good defense, highlighted by his performance against Giannis in the playoffs. This is a player every championship caliber team wants to add.

 

But does he really even fit the 76ers? What they need more than anything is spacing. Instead, they got a big man who can’t really shoot from the outside and they already have Embiid, so he can’t play on the block. Defensively, small ball may kill the 76ers, even though Embiid and Horford can handle smaller players in spurts. I really don’t think the player fits the need, but he’s so good that it might not matter. Another concern, he’ll be in his mid 30s by the end of that deal, so that might not be fun. Ah well, still not my money. 

 

Grade – C+ 

 

 

 

Tobias Harris (5 Years, $180 Million with the 76ers) – Here he is, our highest paid player in the off season. I mean, that makes total sense in a year were Kwahi, Durant, Kyrie and Klay Thompson were all free agents. The system works.

 

This isn’t meant to be a “bash good players” section, though it’s starting to feel like it. Harris is a good player. He’s never been an all star. He’s only 26, but this is already his Fifth NBA team. Maybe that’s not Harris’ fault, but that’s telling, isn’t it? For Harris to be valuable, he needs to be an excellent 3 Point shooter for a team desperate for shooting. In his career, he’s shot 36%, which is ok. However, and this is a small sample size, he only shot 32.6% after the trade to the 76ers (27 games). This is significant because he was shooting 43.4% on the Clippers before the deal. He has to get his percentages up to even dream of living up to this deal.

 

He’s a solid third scoring option that does little else. I don’t see how in the world he gets $180 million, and I’m not sure he fits the team either. I get the 76ers are now all about length, but scoring and spacing are key concepts in basketball in 2019. And I mean real spacing and not just standing at the 3 point line (or at half court like Ben Simmons). I would have definitely paid Butler first, unless he just didn’t want to be there. I assume that’s what it was. But if you were going to pay this much, you know who they could have gotten. Khris Middleton!

I’m not sure if that’s even a joke. 

 

Middleton would have totally fit in better though. 

 

Grade – D

 

Nikola Vucevic – (4 Years, $100 Million with the Magic) – This is a classic shoulder shrug signing. Vucevic averages a career double double while never playing for an above average team. He puts up statistics and managed to make the all star team last season. It’s not like the Magic have a lot going for them, so they end up being locked in and signing the player to a hefty contract. Is $25 million a year a fair price for a double double? Maybe. What about a 7 footer who barely shoots 50% from the field. Ehh, not as much. At least he’s a career 32% three point shooter, so he doesn’t have that going from him.

 

Also, I know it’s not the best tell for defensive numbers, but he’s averaging less than a block a game for his career. Rim protection is so important, and I’ve never heard a positive thing about Vucevic’s work on the other end. Isn’t this a rich man Enis Kanter without a government planning on wiping him out? I’m just saying.

 

Grade – D+

Malcolm Brogdon (4 Years, $85 Million with the Pacers. Traded to Pacers from Bucks, for 2020 First Round pick, and two second Round Picks) – This is definitely one of those contracts where the Pacers are assuming (or at least hoping) that Brogdon will make the leap. He’s been a solid player and the buzz in the playoffs was his injury really hurt the Bucks’ chance of winning the championship. I think that’s a bit of a stretch.

 

Brogdon does offer pretty elite shooting as a career 40.8% 3 point shooter and a 89.5% free throw shooter.  I know I knocked Middleton a bit for being nothing more than a shooter, but Brodgon could be an elite producer. The key being could be. There’s not too much else offensively, and the Pacers are a bit crowded. I don’t think he’ll be asked to do more than shoot, and that might be ok. Is this an overpay? Probably, but at least it’s not $180 million of it

Grade – B – 

 

Bojan Bogdanovic – (4 Years, $73 Million with the Jazz) – Despite the fact that they couldn’t look more different, I’ve been confusing Bogdanovic and Brogdon for the past week. Even more confusing, Bogdanovic is leaving the Pacers. Ow, my head. Maybe I shouldn’t be writing a free agency column. 

 

Bogdanovic had a big step up in 2019, scoring 5 more PPG than his career average while knocking down 42.5% of his threes. He’s a bit of a black hole offensively, but in the right role, that’s not a bad thing. The biggest difference is the Jazz are more loaded offensively than the Pacers were last season. He won’t be asked to score as much, but that could be beneficial for both him and the Jazz. Honestly, he’s a very similar player to Brogdon, and not just because I confused the 2 repeatedly. Since he got $12 less, he’s the better contract. 

 

Unless I’m thinking of Brogdon. Ah well. 

 

Grade – B

JJ Redick  (2 Years, $26.5 Million with the Pelicans) – This might be overrating Redick a bit at this stage of his career, but his shooting is desperately needed for the Pelicans. He can provide that, plus has a Duke connection for Zion, though people like Zion and hated Redick for years, so maybe that’s a bad example. Few players have Redick’s outside touch, so even as the other parts of his game slip, he’ll still be able to contribute. Plus, it’s short term so the Pelicans aren’t locked in to anything. I have to say, I like what they’ve done this off season considering the circumstances.

 

Grade – B

Brook Lopez  (4 Years, $52 Million with the Bucks)  – You know how I’ve been complaining, mostly in this section exclusively, that the bucks need shooting? Brook Lopez gave them a lot of shooting last year. A former low post, slow as molasses player, Lopez has changed his game to a three-point shooting, slow as molasses player. Last year, he shot 6.3 3s a game, at a decent 36.5% clip. He’s also arguably the worst rebounding center in the history of the NBA, and that’s when he played down low. God help him now when he’s 25 feet from the hoop. It’s probably better that way. Honestly, Lopez becoming Ryan Anderson (who?) is one of the strangest re-inventions of a player I’ve ever seen. It was another must sign for the Bucks, but I wonder if they were better off letting Brook walk and keeping Brogdon. I guess we’ll never know. 

 

Grade – B – 

 

Harrison Barnes – (4 years, $85 Million with Kings) – This is such a Kings signing. Barnes is fine. He’s a solid player, and can probably serve as a team’s third scoring option (this does not mean their third best player). He’s a decent shooter and he does a little bit of everything. He’s certainly not a creator and doesn’t do anything spectacular. How is that worth $85 million?

 

You know what the difference is for the killer Bs we discussed before? Both Brogdon and Bogdonovic provide some upside and they are going to teams with title aspirations. And no, I don’t think Indiana has a prayer to win the title, but the team probably has that delusion. Barnes, despite being just 26, is who he is now. He’s a solid NBA player, but for a team who’s got no right to consider themselves a contender, this isn’t how to use cap space. Barnes with this contract in the right situation could have been a B-, but here, it’s a solid D.

Grade – D. See? I wasn’t lying. 

 

 

 

Terry Rozier – (3 years, $58 Million with the Hornets) – So, instead of giving Kemba the max, or close to it, they decided to replace him with Terry Rozier. That’s fair, as they saved a ton of money on the transaction. But here’s the issue. Rozier is a career 38% shooter. No, not from 3 (35%), but the entire field. You mean to tell me one the ineptest offensive teams in the league replaced their one competent scorer with one of the worst shooters in the league? Oh good. The Hornets might put up late 90s Knicks scoring totals. This is a bad contract. 

 

Grade – F+

Tier 4 – Low End Role Players

 

 

 

DeAndre Jordan (4 Years, $40 Million with the Nets) – Good on DeAndre for getting $10 million a year and being considered part of a big three when he can’t even jump anymore. Jordan is not the Lob City version you may remember. The hope is he hasn’t cared the last few years and will be back to his old self. That’s depressing when you think about it. Still, if he gets you the superstars, even if one is kyrie, you got to do it.

 

Grade – C-

 

Jonas Valanciunas – 3 Years, $45 Million with the Grizzles) – I was shocked to find that Valanciunas managed a near 20-10 on Memphis. Now granted, it was Memphis, but that’s impressive for a player I hadn’t heard of in a few seasons. This is basically the Vucevic scenario but at a discount. Is he as good? No, probably not. But when you’re getting paid significantly less; I have to give it a better grade.

Grade – B-

 

Ricky Rubio (3 Years, $51 Million With the Suns) – Wait a second. We’re still trying to make Rocky Rubio a thing? Shooting is the most important skill in the NBA and Rubio might make Lonzo Ball look like a Curry. The man could have been the best passer of his generation, but he can’t score. Rajon Rondo is embarrassed by Rubio’s shooting touch. Who would possibly pay him this much.

 

Oh, the Suns? Yeah, that checks out. 

 

Grade – F

 

Jared Dudley (1 Year, $2.6 Million with the Lakers) – When you have to scrape the bottom of the barrel, this doesn’t seem so bad. Dudley gives the Lakers 3 point shooting they need at a good price. However, he’s been really trending downward the past few years and is reaching mid 30s. He’s probably not going to reach a second peak. This is only decent for the price. The Lakers likely need him to produce.

 

Grade – C

 

Danny Green (2 Years, $30 Million with the Lakers) – So, most people will like this signing. In fact, on paper, I should. He’s the definition of a 3 and D guy, shooting 45.5% during the regular season. Seems like a bargain right?

But did you watch the playoffs? Green couldn’t hit open shots for large stretches of time. If he’s not scoring, he shouldn’t be on the court. This signing depends on what Green the team gets. Typically guys aren’t getting better after age 30. 

 

Grade C+

 

 

Terrance Ross – 4 Years, $54 Million with the Magic) – How are so many teams desperate for shooting. Did nobody watch the Warriors play Basketball for the past 3 years?

Ross is actually a solid 3-point shooter which I did not expect. He’s a good bench option who can score double digits. And for the Magic, any shooting will be necessary. This is good cause Ross doesn’t handle any playmaking whatsoever. 

 

Grade – B-

 

Al-Farouq Aminu – 3 Years, $29 Million with the Magic) – It’s unclear how the Chief got his nickname beyond slightly racist means. It certainly isn’t from his shooting touch. Aminu is an infamous bricklayer, only shooting 42.3% from the field for his career as a hybrid forward. That’s not good. What’s even worse is that the Magic roster is filled with hybrid forwards that can’t shoot. This is an awful, awful signing.

 

Grade – F. Sorry Chief. 

 

 

Derrick Rose (2 Years, $15 Million with the Pistons) – I wouldn’t have done it myself, but I can get why. Rose has the occasional game where he looks like his old self. The problem is his old self is from a past era where it’s ball dominant and inefficient. 

Remember that’s on his good days. As a bench option though, he serves as the team’s irrational confidence guy and that’s not a bad thing.

 

Grade – B 

 

Enes Kanter (2 Years, $10 Million with the Celtics) – We all know about Kanter’s defensive woes, but isn’t this a decent signing for the price? Kanter can score in bunches as a bench option and becomes a key piece in a good matchup. At this price, he doesn’t need huge minutes. Sure, the Turkish government might kill him, but I mean, you can’t win them all.

 

Grade – B

 

Kevon Looney (3 Years, $15 Million with the Warriors) – After watching Looney barely raise his arm above his head in the finals, I’m surprised he wasn’t rewarded with more money. He’s a solid if not spectacular center that fits what the Warriors need. But his toughness is impressive. This is one of the few contracts where I think the player is underpaid. I mean, he’s much better than, oh, let’s say Robin Lopez.

 

Grade B+

 

Robin Lopez (2 Years, $10 Million with the Bucks) – Oh, Robin Lopez? Didn’t see you come in.

 

He’s never been a spectacular player and he won’t be this year. I’m pretty sure he was added to keep Brook Lopez. Props to Brook for keeping his brother in the league. That’s good family love.

 

Grade – D 

 

 

George Hill (3 Years, $29 Million with the Bucks) – I don’t like this move. Hill hasn’t been great for the past couple years and the team really needs that second playmaker. This is not a playmaker. This is a clearly declining player that won’t shake up anything. Honestly, this feels like a move to bring back as many players on the team from last year as possible. That strategy rarely works.

Also, hypothetically, using the money from Hill and the Lopez boys could have netted Brogdon. At least I think so. Not sure how that would work out but at least there would have been some upside.

 

Seth Curry (4 years, $32 Million with the Mavs) – Seth is just like his brother, just without the band handling, off ball, passing, rebounding and driving skills. He can shoot real good though.

 

Grade – C

 

Dwight Howard (Traded to Memphis for CJ Miles) – Remember when Dwight Howard was an MVP candidate? Now, people will argue CJ Miles is the best player in the deal.

 

Grade – Does is matter?

 

Andre Iguodala (Traded to Memphis with a first round pick for Julian Washburn, AKA Cap Space) – Memphis is just taking on any salary they can, huh? I guess the pick helped.

Poor Iggy, who gave everything he had to the Warriors. Don’t get me wrong, I get why this was done. He’s on a steep decline. Don’t be surprised if he’s retired in 2 years. But still, he could have gotten a little more fanfare. A former Finals MVP four years ago, now you have to attach a pick to deal him. Time moves super quick.

 

Grade – C

 

Tier 5 – The Knicks 

 

So, if I had told you a month ago that I was from the future and Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving both signed to play in New York, you’d probably have two thoughts.

 

1). What the Hell is in the guacamole you’ve been eating?

 

2). Wow, the Knicks plan actually worked. 

 

In fact, this plan originally included landing Zion with the first pick in the draft. Instead, they ended up with the third pick and lost a franchise defining player. Is this the reason the Knicks didn’t get their guys? It’s possible, but I think it’s probably a Dolan shaped reason myself. 

 

Look at the list of players they signed below. I’m not a Knick fan but this would have been devastating. And you know what? This isn’t the first time. The Knicks were supposed to get LeBron in 2010. They nearly threw a parade for getting Amar’e Stoudemire, and nobody wanted him because his leg was made from ceramic materials. Carmelo is probably the best player they’ve had in a decade, and he ruined the team’s depth and left in disgrace. What a franchise.

 

Since we’re being completists today, let’s finish discussing the Knicks signings. Trust me, we’ll be brief.

 

Julius Randle (3 Years, $63 Million) – This contract is a little better than in looks as the 3rd year is a team option. Randle would have been significantly better in the last era of basketball. Today, he’s still a good player who can score, but he’s undersized and can’t really shoot. There will be games he doesn’t fit in. This is the Knicks’ best signing by the way. 

 

Grade – D

 

Taj Gibson (2 Years, $20 Million) – Somehow still playing despite receiving dangerous amounts of minutes under Tom Thibodeau for years, Gibson is definitely at the end of the line. He can still provide double digits and some toughness, but that’s about it. I guess veteran leadership too, if you’re in to that sort of thing. The Knicks shouldn’t be. He’s an 8th man earning $8 million too much

 

Grade – D-

 

 

 

 

Reggie Bullock (2 Years, $21 Million) – Bullock is a decent three-point shooter. Hooray? Otherwise, there’s not much to get excited about here. He’s not a player a good team would give significant minutes too. The Knicks will probably give him about 35 minutes. Great. 

 

Grade – F

 

Elfrid Payton (2 Years, $16 Million) – Payton is a wonderful passer but also possibly the worst scorer in the league. Not everyone needs to be a marksman, but you need to have the threat to score. Without a very specific team filled with shooting, Payton is useless. So yeah, good job getting 1.5 shooters on your team New York.

 

Grade – F

 

Bobby Portis (2 Years, $31 Million) – Portis is a decent rebounder and that’s really where the skills cease. He struggles at the rim, only shooting 45% for his career despite being 6’11”. That’s not great. Equally not great is that Portis is on his third tram before turning 24. That’s rarely a good sign. 

 

However, Portis is a sneaky ok 3 point shooter so that makes up for everything, right?

 

Grade – F. Oh, I guess not.

 

But don’t fret Knicks fans. The contracts are timed perfect for Giannis’ free agency in 2021. Now that’ll have to work out. 19th time is a charm.