The 2022 NBA free agency period opened Thursday night, and things have gone wild on the commercial front. Rudy Gobert now plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kevin Durant asked outside of Brooklyn. Once he leaves, Kyrie Irving will probably follow him. The Celtics landed Malcolm Brogdon from the Pacers. That’s just the beginning.
We’re going to agency free / winners and losers so far.
Winner: Zion Williamson
The man has played 85 career games in three seasons, one of which he hasn’t played in a single second, and has just secured a five-year contract extension that could be worth up to $ 231 million. I’m not sure if it’s even a win for the Pelicans. See the article : Taylor Tannebaum, Tricia Whitaker on life as a female sports announcer. If Zion plays and stays healthy for most of this contract, of course, it’s a win. New Orleans has a pretty good team.
But if Williamson is out of the line and the Pelicans never gain real traction in a loaded Western Conference, and the value of Zion’s trade decreases because he can’t stay healthy, this could end badly for the Pels. But for Zion, no matter how he plays, he gets rich dirty.
Winner: Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves gave up enough capital to suffocate a hippopotamus, but they took Rudy Gobert. After signing Karl-Anthony Towns to a four-year extension, $ 224 million that will keep him in Minnesota for the next six years, it’s time for twins in Minnesota, who sent in Utah Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Walker Kessler, Leandro Bolmaro. This may interest you : Opinion: Peter Mayer: Make Boulder interesting and keep partisan politics away from city politics. , Jarred Vanderbilt and several first-round picks: first unprotected pick in 2023, 2025, and 2027, and a first-round pick pick in 2029.
Gobert is a one-man defense, and the idea of losing defensive viability in the playoffs has been greatly exaggerated. Given the Wolves ’ability to score the ball with Towns, Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell, this suddenly looks like a really good team. There has to be a price to justify this, but it’s worth the risk. It’s been centuries since the Wolves were actually a team to take this seriously, and I don’t submit to the theory that teams have to win a championship to justify this type of betting.
In fact, the Wolves will not win the title next year. It’s probably a good bet they won’t win one during the Gobert era, no matter how hard it goes. Do you know why? Because only one team wins everything. That doesn’t mean the other 29 did it wrong. For the Wolves, this is a big blow to the franchise’s energy, building on the momentum they’ve already created with Anthony Edwards ’writing and last year’s playoff appearance.
Same thing as the Hawks swapping for Dejounte Murray. They gave up a ton. They probably won’t win it all. But I’m in the ring. They try to fight. Fans love this. The energy around a franchise is fueled. Isn’t there a way to not be excited about the Wolves going on next season, and when was the last time I could say that honestly?
Winner: Utah Jazz
The Gobert / Donovan Mitchell tandem had hit its roof. Everyone knew it. Jazz has no joke. They cut the bait with Gobert and brought a giant bundle of axes, which they will now use to build around Mitchell. Read also : Why the global inflation problem is bigger than US politics. Utah can put in a lot of conversations with four extra first-time picks and some good employees to float in business discussions. This is a win-win. Minnesota needed to make waves with a big move, and Utah needed a fresh start. Both have succeeded.
Winner: Boston Celtics
After finishing two wins from an NBA championship, the Celtics went on and landed Danilo Gallinari, who eliminated the waivers after being left out by San Antonio, and Malcolm Brogdon in a trade with the Pacers, who picked up Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith, Nik Stauskas. , Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan and a first-round pick in 2023 from Boston.
All of these parts are very expendable for Boston, which essentially got Brogdon for a first-round pick that will probably land in the mid to late 20s. Brogdon is really good. He has added to Boston’s ridiculously hidden defense and is another ball manager and scorer to live well in Boston’s egalitarian offense.
Loser: Dallas Mavericks
Dallas has lost Jalen Brunson and shows no signs of replacing him so far. He was the second best player on a team going to the conference finals, and sometimes served as a more capable guy to go to when Luka Doncic was out. I think Brunson was worth more money on the Mavericks next to Luka than he would be worth in New York. I would love to see the Mavericks go after Brogdon after losing Brunson.
But hey, at least the Mavs had JaVale McGee for $ 20 million.
Winner: Jalen Brunson
Brunson was paid. The Knicks have been given a four-year, $ 104 million deal. For a man who was caught in the second round in 2018, this is a breeze. Good for him. It’s worth it. We’ll see how Brunson gets along without Luka Doncic around to occupy all the defensive attention. But anyway, the bag is secure. Brunson is set for life, and the icing on the cake is that he has to play for his father, Rick Brunson, who recently accepted an assistant coaching position with the Knicks.
Loser: New York Knicks
Listen, good for Brunson, but I don’t just think he’s a good enough player to commit that kind of money for the next four years. From where I’m sitting, except that the Knicks, who gave $ 60 million to Mitchell Robinson, somehow managed to change the trade for a star player they’ve beaten for about the last decade, they almost stopped. for mediocrity. It’s simply too much to have $ 164 million tied up in Jalen Brunson and Mitchell Robinson.
Brunson, who soon becomes New York’s best player (yes, he’s better than RJ Barrett and Julius Randle) can’t, in fact, suffice for anything more than the third-best player on a true championship team.
The Knicks have also signed Isaiah Hartenstein at $ 16 million in two years, which is fine. It will be a great safety center. But nothing that moves the needle.
At the end of the day, to go out and move all the pieces that the Knicks move to clear the space they were made to end up with a non-All-Star like your signed $ 104M prize is a loss.
Winner: Nikola Jokic
The guy signed the biggest contract in NBA history. Five years, $ 264 million. It will earn $ 60 million in the final year of the agreement. I’m not sure what else to say. The man won. So did the Nuggets. Jokic is fantastic.
Loser: Brooklyn Nets
It was not free agency. technically, that little Brooklyn but Thursday Kevin Durant posted a trade request. Once Durant goes, Kyrie Irving will probably follow. The Nets, who will have to compete for championships for the foreseeable future, have been ruled out.
Now, I will say that this could be really good for Brooklyn. They will get a king’s ransom for Durant which will include at least a few players ready to win in addition to future draft capital, since the Nets have no incentive to tank is that they need a boat full of future choices. the Rockets by the agreement of James Harden. Durant wants to go to Phoenix. If they somehow get Devin Booker, it’s home time. But I doubt that.
If the Nets talk the Lakers out of giving up a few first-round picks, or even just one if Russell Westbrook returns to Brooklyn, for Irving, that will be even more capital that they can pack up and move on to another All-Star. They always have Ben Simmons. This might not end so badly.
But for now, the Nets are set to lose Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden in six months. Brutal.
Winner: Philadelphia 76ers
James Harden hasn’t even signed his new contract, but he has obviously agreed to give up enough annual salary for the Sixers to allow P.J. Tucker, who has signed for just over $ 33 million in three years. That’s a big point. Tucker will seriously raise Philly’s defense and unlock perfectly as an angle shooter for Tyrese Maxey and Harden drive-and-kicks. Throw in De’Anthony Melton, who the Sixers landed on draft night from Memphis for No. 23 pick and Danny Green, and the Sixers have a great offseason season.
Winner: Bradley Beal
Beal has also signed a massive extension with the Wizards: Five Years, $ 251 million. I always bet he was traded before the contract expired, but signing with Washington, which owns his bird rights, has secured a fifth year guarantee, which will equate to about $ 57 million extra in his bank. That goes with it even if it’s exchanged. I can still tell Beal that he ends up having his cake and even eating it, eventually ending up on a contestant while signing even the biggest deal possible.
Loser: Washington Wizards
They had exchanged Beal a long time ago. There’s no way this team is competing for anything other than a bottom playoff seed with Beal making that kind of money. It’s not just a 1A championship type. Honestly it might not even be a No. 2 suffix given how deep the talent is throughout the league now. Washington should have a bundle of assets now for Beal.
This is what the Spurs did after Kawhi Leonard. They tried to win with DeMar DeRozan – a good deal from Beal as their best player instead of engaging in a rebuild. They finally conceded to reality and recently traded Dejounte Murray to the Hawks for a slew of first-round picks, signaling a new beginning. Perhaps Washington will come to the same conclusion with Beal. Of course they should. But until then, they pay Beal and Kristaps Porzingis only $ 80 million next season. Good luck with that.
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Winner: Portland Trail Blazers
I’m not sure if I like Anfernee Simons more than Jalen Brunson. I think, right now, I’m taking Brunson because he’s a playoff defender. But it’s close. So why do you think the $ 100 million that Portland gave Simons over four years ago is a win, but consider the $ 104 million that the Knicks gave Brunson at the same time to be a loss? Simple: Simons doesn’t have to be the Blazers ’best player. So, he has Damian Lillard.
Frankly, Simons doesn’t have to be the Blazers ’second-best player. They just exchanged for Jerami Grant. Simons is a potential future star, but he doesn’t need to carry that burden right away.
Then on Thursday evening, or Friday morning in the east, the Blazers robbed Gary Payton II of the Warriors for $ 28 million in three years. Payton is amazing. Portland fans will fall in love with him. He is an elite defender and a special cutter and floor runner. Can hang in corner 3s. Portland has had to face its own defense, and Grant and Payton are two huge additions in that regard.
Winner: Lu Dort
Dort has not yet been written. He has had to make his way in the league on two-way contracts. He has now signed with the Thunder for $ 87.5 million in five years. Transforming himself into a defensive brick while improving a lot as a shooter, Dort will never again have to worry about money or his place in the NBA.
Also, good on the Thunder for rewarding Dort with this money a year before they had it. They could exercise the $ 1.9 million team option they had in place for Dort this season. Instead, they left him out of it to sign a much bigger deal that he can now launch soon. Instead of $ 1.9 million, Dort will make more than $ 15 million this season which comes with a lot more to come in the next half decade.
Winner: Gary Payton II
Like Dort, Payton was not written. He bounced around the G-League and played with two-way contracts and was left six times separated from the NBA rosters. Finally, he found a real role with the Warriors last season. He killed her. He now has a $ 28 million contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. Dream stuff come true.
Winner: Devin Booker
Raised $ 224 million in four years. Again, not much else to say. The man is dirty charged. I don’t think Booker ends up in a Kevin Durant business. If he does, it wouldn’t be the worst to go on a Nets team that will still be good enough this year with everything coming back for Durant with a ton of choices to be even better in the years to come to build around. . Booker. Life is good.
Loser: Golden State Warriors
Golden State lost Gary Payton II to the Blazers. This hurts. Payton was so great in his role for the Warriors, that they were already lean on perimeter defense even when they had Payton. Golden State is deep in the repeater rate. He just decided he couldn’t justify paying Payton that much money given the massive tax implications for every dollar he spends.
Golden State decided it couldn’t afford both Kevon Looney and Payton. They opted for Looney, which they brought in for $ 25.5 million in three years. I am not sure I agree with this decision. Looney is fantastic for the Warriors. However, they would not win the title without him. But they wrote to James Wiseman. Looney, through this lens, is more replaceable in the Warriors list than Payton. He would pay for Payton and depend on Wiseman to start earning his living.
Reasoned minds may disagree on that stance, but anyway, everyone can agree that losing Payton is a big loss for Golden State, which has also lost Otto Porter Jr. to the Raptors. Here are two rotating pieces from a gone championship team. Signed Donte DiVincenzo, who, I really like, eases the sting of losing Porter, but not Payton, who is simply another type of player who has a unique impact that is so hard to find in this league. I think the Warriors are a worse team today than they were a few days ago.
Winners: Ja Morant, Karl-Anthony Towns, Zach LaVine
Morant has signed a max rookie extension with Memphis for five years and a $ 193 million guarantee. Morant has the potential to make up to $ 231M over the life of this incentive-based contract. Towns has received a four-year, $ 224 million extension that will begin in 2024, meaning the Wolves will close it for the next six years. LaVine is staying with Chicago for a five-year, $ 215M extension.
Incomplete: Lakers
I think the Lakers have jumped the gun on a few of their signings Thursday. They used their MLE on Lonnie Walker, who is not as good as Malik Monk, who they lost to Sacramento. I like Juan Toscano-Anderson. He will help. Troy Brown Jr. it does not move the needle exactly. Damian Jones is a beautiful firm. I just think the Lakers could wait to see if Donte Divincenzo, who remains unsigned after the Kings have opted not to extend a qualifying offer, or a TJ Warren could be available at the MLE level.
The Lakers didn’t do terrible the first day. I don’t call it a win or a loss. They didn’t have much to work on. What comes next is if the Lakers can find a way to land Kyrie Irving. If they do, the offseason is a win. If they don’t, and go into next year with Russell Westbrook as their starting point guard, no one is going to give you two know what Lonnie Walker or Damian Jones is. This offseason will have been a loss. Then we will wait and see.
