The ink hasn’t dried on some free agent contracts, but some clear winners and losers have already emerged in the NBA free agency, which kicked off at 6 p.m. EST on Friday.
winners
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers managed to promote the team that reached the Western Conference Finals. Gabe Vincent (3/33M) is a huge improvement over third guard Dennis Schroder, D’Angelo Russell took a salary cut (2/37M) to return, and Taurean Prince came in for a one-year, $4.5M deal. Rui Hachimura may be worth over $51 million for three years, but the Lakers also took cheap fliers on a pair of former young sports lottery picks in Cam Reddish (2/4.5M) and Jaxson Hayes (at least two).
But best of all, the Lakers convinced all of the Caps’ space teams that they would match any deal for Austin Reeves, who would have ordered a four-year deal for nearly $100 million. Instead, the Lakers locked up Hillbilly Kobe for a modest $56 million over four years.
Undesigned players
Fred Vanvleet, Vincent, and Max Strauss were non-designated players who signed deals totaling $226 million. It’s not VanVleet’s first big deal, but Vincent and the Strauss capitalized after starring in Miami’s unlikely trip to the Finals. In a league obsessed with mock drafts and picking swaps, it’s nice to see guys get paid from hard work and development, not pedigree.
Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee had two very crucial players in Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez becoming a free agent. They held both, with Middleton taking 3/102M and Lopez taking 2/48M. Plus, they kept Jae Crowder, giving them strong big man depth behind Giannis Antetokounmpo. It would have been nice to keep Jevon Carter, who went to the Bulls, but the Bucks took care of business and remained one of the few legitimate competitors in the NBA.
Detroit Pistons
Two of the young Pistons’ biggest weaknesses were the lack of outside shooting and a reliable point guard. Detroit resolved both by using their cap space to take snapper Joe Harris from the Nets and Monty Morris from the Washington Wizards, who wanted to get rid of him after trading for Tyus Jones.
Harris and Morris make less than $30 million together, but they’re both good players. Because of their trouble, Detroit scored one run in the second, after getting two to take Harris and sending one to Washington for Morris. Plus, a team full of youngsters can use veterans, and Detroit can flip both expired contracts at the trade deadline for more stuff.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland team was disappointed by last year’s first-round exit at the hands of the Knicks. So they went hard on their biggest weakness: a small striker. After years of hoping No. 5 draft pick Isaac Okoro would develop in 2020, Cleveland went out and got quality wingers in Miami’s Strous and Philadelphia’s George Niang.
They also brought back Carris Levert on a very reasonable two-year deal for $32 million. As a bonus, they caught some depth in Utah’s Damian Jones and Golden State’s Ty Jerome, two deep bench reserves who can shoot you and won’t kill you if pressed into service. Strus made a lot of money, but hiring a competitor is expensive. Cleveland has a team of elite players around Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Garrett Allen. The future is now in Northeast Ohio!
losers
Houston Rockets
The Rockets had room for $61 million and used it to give 29-year-old VanVleet $130 million for three years, small forward/hockey goon Dillon Brooks for four years and $80 million and Suns backup center Jock Landale $32 million for four years, though. Although not all of it is foolproof.
Plus, there remains an unresolved deal for 34-year-old Patti Mills from Brooklyn, and Houston finally cancels first-round transfers of TyTy Washington and Usman Garuba to Atlanta along with two second-round draft picks and the money. They also sent Kenyon Martin Jr. to the Clippers for two second-round picks, and would send Josh Christopher to Memphis in a Brooks signing and trade.
It’s not clear if Brooks is a positive player overall, and the Rockets have now assembled a wildly ineffective shooting team.