The 2019 survey on free NBA agencies

This year 's free agency period was held at a rate of seven seconds or less. Blink and you may have missed changing the team. But apart from the inevitable trade of Russell Westbrook, only the low-level signatures lie between the league and an indispensable respite. In the meantime, our staff evaluated the actions of the past week and the consequences of this change.

1. Who is the biggest winner of the off season?

Dan Devine: At the risk of going chalk, I think you have to say it's Kawhi Leonard. Last year, he had just missed 73 games because of a leg injury that left the entire league wondering if he would be an elite player again. Now that he has proven that he can still tilt the game on the field, he has reached the even rarer air reserved for the few players able to shake the NBA. Three franchises remained motionless and silent in the midst of the franchise frenzy of the franchise's beginnings, as they had to wait for Kawhi and, when he was ready, he realized one of the most amazing power games. from recent history, choosing an NBA. Nobody knew that his candidate was available to establish the Clippers as a true championship contender. He moved silently at his own pace, scrutinized the painting, saw his gesture and took exactly what he wanted. This sounds pretty much ok, and it also sounds like a decisive level of control that no other player in the sport – not even LeBron – has been able to reproduce this summer.

Jonathan Tjarks: Lawn mowers. How could he be someone else? The Clippers added the title MVP (Leonard) and the second perfect option by his side (Paul George) without sacrificing anything to their depth. They are now ready to run like Steph-KD Warriors and LeBron-Wade Heat. Kawhi and the Clippers were one step ahead of the rest of the league.

Zach Kram: Harrison Barnes. Five months after being traded to Sacramento, Barnes declined the option for 2019-20 players to negotiate a four-year extension with his new team. So at just 27 years old, the old no. A college rookie already has the following career credits: an NBA title, an Olympic gold medal and more than $ 165 million of previous or guaranteed future earnings, as well as the opportunity to win. get another decent wage when it gets to market at 31 years old. player who could never make a star team or average 20 points per game.

Danny Chau: Kawhi, who has turned out to be a power broker of the highest order. The 2019 playoff race of Leonard with the Raptors was iconic and certainly put him in the NBA's best player's conversation. But what happened on the night of July 5 is a cheeky new display of the player's agency. Kawhi, as a free agent, has chosen a vice-presidential candidate which was not even on the market and forced three different parties (the Clippers, the Thunder and Paul George) to bend to his great vision. It is a scandalous influence on the part of a person who has been silent on the radio throughout the proceedings. His stoicism has only amplified the shock.

Haley O'Shaughnessy: Easily jazz. Utah was transformed one day by claiming the title in free agency, and he did so without signing any of the first rank names available. Earlier in the off season, the Jazz traded against the Grizzlies against Mike Conley, giving Donovan Mitchell the necessary leadership and support from the veterans. Then, during the first day of free competition, front-office representatives hired Bojan Bogdanovic and Ed Davis, which helped modernize a team that played big in the front yard for years. An alignment with Conley, Mitchell, Bogdanovic and Joe Ingles gives Jazz four fencers and four playmakers to surround Rudy Gobert, who, by the way, will enjoy the rest of a save as Davis allows. With Davis on the field, one of the elite defenders of the NBA will not collapse when the double defender of the year will be sidelined.

Justin Verrier: Large franchises do the job like small franchises. The exceptionalism was dense by the time Anthony Davis finally imposed on the Lakers and it seemed like Kawhi would join him. But when Leonard chose the other NBA franchise in Los Angeles, it was a historic moment for the Clippers in particular, but also for the teams able to align the dynamism of the market with a well-managed front office. The Lakers have again made their way close to the front line next season with AD trading, but their long-term prospects are far worse compared to the Nets and Clippers, who had credible support casts, acquired after years of sound decisions , ready to wait. their new superstar duos. In the end, the Nets and Clippers have landed the two best players of one of the best free agency classes by not being part of the Knicks and Lakers. The story of this dead season, born in third base, is not enough to lead you to the end.

2. Who is the biggest loser of the off season?

O'Shaughnessy: It's almost cliché to pity the Knicks at this point, but their summer is unforgettable. Once again, New York missed the best free agents after clearing the space needed to sign them. This time, they are not only forced to share a conference with the team that flew Durant and Irving, they will share a city. With Brooklyn at the back of the court, the successes of the Nets will weigh twice as much.

Guess: The hornets. Charlotte spent eight years watching Kemba Walker grow from jitter with a janky jumper to an NBA point guard, and then left him in complete freedom, in the act of organizational contempt. The Hornets then rebounded after losing the best player in the franchise's recent history – and Jeremy Lamb, their second-best player last season, who had secured an extremely reasonable three-year deal in Indiana. – by paying Terry Rozier, who has not yet earned more money. more than 40% of his shots on a full NBA season in four tries, just under $ 19 million a year. If Malik Monk and Miles Bridges do not get noticed, the season will be terribly long in North Carolina.

Tjarks: The Raptors are the first team since the 2011 Mavs not to have the chance to defend their title. Their goal without Kawhi should probably be to win a playoff series. This is not a bad position after losing the best player in the world, but the chances of finding another player as good as Kawhi are not huge.

Kram: I understand the opposite drive to claim that the fallout from the Knicks' independent agency was not a disaster – the idea that the Knicks have a young core, flexibility in contracts and chances future add a star who will not miss a full season with a devastating leg injury. But I also see a lot of problems with this framing. First, their seemingly talented young nucleus would not look special if it was in another city; Maybe half of the league has a better base of players under 25 years old. (Before RJ Barrett this year, their last two first round picks were Kevin Knox, who was considered the NBA's worst player last year by advanced stats, and Frank Ntilikina, who is leaving the city.) Secondly, the fact Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have chosen not just any other team, but the Knicks closest neighbor, must go beyond the purely logical reasons for basketball. And third, because of the mediocre category of free agents 2020, they now have to reassure the fans for two more years before basketball's winning potential returns to MSG, after the last two years of tankage and after two decades of unintentional tank so effective before this. A wait of two years may exceed the team's schedule, given the improbability of a signature of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Sometimes the obvious answer is the right one. in this case, yes, the Knicks lost the off season.

Verrier: The Knicks push a bit too much the stretch-4 trend. After eliminating all the free agents of the superstar, New York responded by signing all the above-average market power futures – three in total (Julius Randle, Bobby Portis, Taj Gibson) and perhaps a other en route. Just try to play more than one small attacker against them! They dare you! Almost all transactions cover only one year and, as we have seen recently, you need mobile contracts to make the calculation work for the stars. But it's a hope, not a plan. More likely, the veterans they bring will bring minutes to young talents who will be their future. Making bags on the Knicks is a fruit at hand, but they have not earned the benefit of the doubt.

Hot: The Knicks Have they technically done the right thing by maintaining the flexibility of their numbers and manpower after the realization of their KD-and-Kyrie dreams? Yes; they turned to a new dream in which they landed Giannis in the summer of 2021. But the brass chess of the Knicks over the past week all Significant movements was just the last dumping dump in what was a waste year for the franchise. They have a clear horizon, but that does not completely compensate for the disappointment.

3. What was the best shot under the radar of the summer?

Verrier: When pelicans exchanged two second-round picks against Derrick Favors. Zion Williamson, like Anthony Davis before him, will probably be better used at the center, but he will still need an urgent weight, especially as he reaches his majority. The previous Pélicans office gave up its choice in the first round to pair Davis with Omer Asik, then signed the big contract for a rich new deal; The new pelicans' office has given Sion one of the most underrated centers of the game with a reasonable and expiring contract. With no Gobert on his side last season, Favors averaged 21.2 points, 13.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per 36 minutes, which allowed the Jazz to reach a defensive score of 102.1. , slightly less than its number when the defensive player of the year was twice as strong. the ground with favors (100.6) but still good enough to lead the league. Favors could block the other New Orleans lottery choice, Jaxson Hayes, but buying under 28 and giving him the paint on his own could pay big dividends.

O'Shaughnessy: Signing to DeMarcus' cousins ​​a one-year, $ 3.5 million contract may not be "under the radar", but an obvious robbery, but the Lakers have it all. even managed to grab one of the best titles available … for almost nothing … a week in free agency. The Cousins ​​stock has been falling since it tore its Achilles tendon two winters ago, and a move with the Warriors last season was not enough to lift it. his first playoff appearance in his career was also shortened by another less serious leg injury. L.A., however, represents a different opportunity for Boogie: he has had more time to recover from the Achilles break-up and will rely much more often than he did at Golden State.

Photo of Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images

Kram: Is it so bad to prefer Josh Richardson to $ 10.1 million next season to Jimmy Butler at $ 30 million? The former Heat Wing is a skilled defenseman and a shooter with 37% career points. It will help fill the holes left in Philadelphia by the summer starts of Butler's and JJ Redick. It may even help to initiate the offense, having associated a high career assistance rate with a low career turnover rate last season. The 76ers may not have retained the most popular player in their dealings with Miami, but they did well to add Richardson instead of losing Butler for nothing.

Tjarks: Denver gives way to Jerami Grant. The Nuggets took advantage of Oklahoma City to blow up his team by trading a first player in 2020 against Grant. This is a small price to pay for a 25 year old under reasonable contract who fits perfectly into Nikola Jokic. At 6 feet 9 inches and 220 pounds, Grant is exactly the kind of long and sporty striker Jokic needs to protect him in defense. He has also grown as an offensive player in recent years, and he should be even better now that he is playing alongside one of the best major players of all time. Grant could replace long-term Paul Millsap in Denver.

Hot: Bogdanovic offers the Jazz an impressive collection of creators occupying several positions. Utah had already climbed the Western ladder last month after acquiring Conley, but by adding the 6-foot-8 Croatian wing, they added a versatile scorer who proved last season in Indiana that he could take as much or as little offense. limp as his team needs. An alignment of Conley, Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, Bogdanovic and Rudy Gobert could offer interesting combinations of pick-and-roll. Defense has always been at the forefront with Utah, but the team has now dramatically increased its offensive firepower.

Guess: I really liked jazz getting Ed Davis for two years and 10 million dollars– a perfect replacement of defense, rebound, pick-and-roll for outgoing favors that safeguard Gobert. Davis played an important role in the series rotations in Portland and Brooklyn, and he will help a reloaded team from Utah with a real chance to argue in the West.

The Bulls also signed, who signed two of my best goals as free agents (Thaddeus Young and Tomas Satoransky) and added ex-Knick Luke Kornet, an intriguing 7-footer who was one of the three players last season. shoot better than 36 percent deep and block more than 4.5% of their opponents' 2-point shots, joining Brook Lopez and Myles Turner. It may be hard to find minutes in a crowded yard composed of Young, Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr., but the rim protectors between the floors are hard to come by, and Chicago could add one cheaply.

4. What was the most confusing movement?

Kram: By renewing the signing of Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross and adding Al-Farouq Aminu for a total of $ 183 million, the Magic has secured the core of a .500 team for the next two seasons. Congratulations! They are above the ceiling for next season. They have already committed $ 112 million for 2020-2021 and 71 million already stuck in only five players (combined for a single appearance as a star player) in 2021-22. The Eastern Conference is quite different in three seasons, but not in Orlando, where the Magic will always fight for the seven-headed seed, at best, in the years to come.

Verrier: In the middle of the release of missed lottery choices, the Suns gave Ricky Rubio $ 51 million. Let's leave out the irony of a franchise once we have flocked to the guard points that have to pay $ 17 million a year for a guard points and focus on the problem of balance here. The Suns gave Devin Booker the power to launch the offensive in the form of their version of James Harden. Although the jury has not yet determined whether this approach would benefit anyone other than Booker, it is nevertheless an intriguing idea. But then, their big move is to overpay a 32% career 3-point shooter who just escaped from Utah for his inability to play against a dominant back teammate of the ball? Phoenix operates once more as if it were only a competitor, it is probably the worst team in the NBA.

Tjarks: Milwaukee's decision to let Malcolm Brogdon walk. The Bucks will go well without him in the regular season, and it would be a huge surprise if they did not make it to the final stage of the Eastern Conference at least. But Brogdon could really miss them once there. The margins of error are extremely thin at this level, and Brogdon is exactly the type of two-sided wing that each team needs for the playoffs. It was expensive (four years, $ 85 million) but you must be willing to spend money to win an NBA championship. The Bucks have a window of two years before Antetokounmpo becomes independent in the summer of 2021. This is not the time to make a fortune.

Photo of Jesse D. Garrabrant / NBAE via Getty Images

O'Shaughnessy: Is it a fair game to say do not Trading Chris Paul? Houston still has time to act, but the Rockets are out of Jimmy Butler's quiz and have already a week of free time to sift without much consequence. Their inaction begins to look less like patience and more about procrastination.

Hot: I'm still turning my head around Al Horford and the Sixers. The Sixers get the best possible insurance with Joel Embiid, but could there be a limit to the number of players 6 feet 10 (and up) that can be optimized in a five-player formation? Horford is the type of versatile player who improves his team. Therefore, although I have no doubt that this will ultimately be a positive result for the team, it's not as clean as some other potential destinations, which might have needed more of its services.

Guess: j & # 39; was really Surprised that KD-and-Kyrie des Nets masterpiece includes $ 40 million over four seasons for DeAndre Jordan. Yeah, he has all-NBA and all-defensive equipment on his coat, and he's still a useful pick-and-roll diver, a defensive rebounder and an inner deterrent (33rd in percentage allowed goals) to the rim among the 103 players to defend NBA.com/Stats). But his final rim count has dropped, the Mavs and Knicks have recorded bigger points spreads with Jordan on the ground than last season, and I think the Nets could already have a better player at the 5 in-house on a rookie contract. Still, DeAndre is back in Brooklyn. Who says you can not mix friendship and work?

5. Clippers or Lakers – who do you have?

Hot: Lawn mowers. They accomplished what I ardently wanted to see a team try to achieve in the last decade: pair two versatile star wings at their best and see what happens. Leonard and George's position and skills overlap, but it's a gift, not a curse. Building around two players who can play at least three different positions (and keep at least four) allows for unprecedented game flexibility. In addition, their two best players of last season, Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, are still there to separate the second units with their patented two-player game. The Lakers can not match this depth.

Kram: Assistant coach Jason Kidd is currently the Lakers' best defender. Give me little brothers with a list actually built for the modern NBA.

Tjarks: People sleep a little bit how well LeBron and Davis can be together, but I still have to give the Clippers an edge. The difference between the support casts is huge. The Clippers could be the deepest team in the league. They have good NBA players in every position, and all can shoot a 3 except for their centers. To beat this team, it would require a historically outstanding performance from Davis and LeBron. It will be fun to watch them try.

Guess: I like that the Clippers end up with more wins and a higher seed. Leonard and George go perfectly together, and like DJ Foster has, wherever you are, the quality, the depth, thanks to the team that completes the alignment by bringing back Patrick Beverley, Ivica Zubac, JaMychal Green and Rodney McGruder , and adding for free Moe Harkless. In a short series against LeBron's healthy and AD, though? I would not hate the chances of the Lakers.

Verrier: Both form one of the best duos in recent history, but only one has a team to put around their two superstars. LeBron and Davis will have to be nominated as the most valuable player to catch up on a support cast of mainly players who looked very prepared last season – Cousins, Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Avery Bradley. Meanwhile, the Clippers could probably win 40 matches without Kawhi and PG ever playing. I would not bet against the Playoff AD and LeBron playoff series with two days of rest in a series, but the Clippers could be the most serious opponent built by the star players movement of recent years.

O'Shaughnessy: Even though the five starters group consisted of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma and two Staples Center dealerships, the Lakers should be taken seriously in the West. So yes, the Lakers have a hell of a start. But the Clippers have two; their backyard, wing and bullet treatment options are inexhaustible. The Clips also exceed the Lakers in defense. The latter will have trouble keeping the perimeter, while the former, especially Beverley, Leonard and George, will make the court their defensive playground.

6. What is your biggest question in the future?

Tjarks: Giannis won his first most valuable player award of last season, but he can reach another level if he can become a better shooter. Kawhi swayed the final phase of the Eastern Conference by protecting Giannis and keeping him safe from painting. Giannis needs a counter if they face each other again. There is something to be optimistic about – Giannis is not Ben Simmons. He has steadily improved as a shooter throughout his career. He will also be 25 in December. Is he ready to take the last step or does he still need a few years to reach his ceiling?

Photo of Claus Andersen / Getty Images

Guess: How will LeBron respond to his longest layoff for more than a decade? If he's ready to combine an MVP-level offensive job again with a constant defensive effort, and able to stay healthy in the process, I'm not sure that there's a team with them. answers to manage it and Davis in a playoff game. But if last year marked the beginning of a new phase of his career, even the introduction of AD might not be enough to make the Lakers a championship contender.

Hot: Where will Russell Westbrook land? He's been a beacon for Oklahoma City fans for over 10 years, but as an unbiased observer, I'm ready to see him in a different environment – with the hope that the infrastructure will allow him to maximize his donations. singular.

O'Shaughnessy: How will the Warriors integrate D'Angelo Russell with the return of Klay Thompson? Or, better yet, how are they going to suit him to begin? Russell and Steph Curry are both able to stop playing the game and playing outside, but they must also be covered for defense. Golden State lost the best basketball striker last season and replaced it with another guard. Russell will prevent the Warriors from too much collapse after the Durant, but it will be interesting to see which holes Steve Kerr plans to use Russell to place in the first place.

Kram: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, the new Buck (and former Knick), who has signed a two-year minimum contract with his most famous brother's team, is he better or worse than former Knick Chris Smith, brother of JR ? And who is happier: Giannis with his brother as a teammate, or Durant and Irving with DeAndre Jordan, a 40 million man?

Verrier: How will small market owners react to a summer when almost all the All-Star available, including the one who just signed back with Oklahoma City latest been-finished on the ribs? I'm not sure I accept the idea that it's harder than ever for teams outside the most glamorous marketplace to be sustainable winners. The Thunder and Pelicans have received historically robust commercial packages, preparing them for a better future than ever with their disgruntled stars, and Utah, Denver, Portland and Milwaukee seem to be at the center of the title race. But the number of stars moving to New York, Los Angeles and Miami, as well as George turning the coat and tainting the success of the small OKC market, will provide ammo to any owner (hi, Dan Gilbert) who wants to make a stink. .

7. Who is your favorite for the 2020 title right now?

Guess: Lawn mowers. Call me a prisoner of the moment, but they have the two best two-way perimeter players in the world, a rising and falling firepower, the versatility to play pretty much any style, a coach with titles in the trophy, and a wicket with the savvy and stones to build a winner. Kawhi spent the spring and summer placing the league in the palm of his massive hands. I would not bet that someone is taking it away for the moment.

Kram: Milwaukee, for two main reasons. First, the Bucks are stacked, with a proven system, the MVP title, and the bulk of Giannis' support in the 2019-20 lineup. (Losing Brogdon, it hurts, though.) Second, the East looks a lot softer at the top than the West, with Leonard gone and the Nets, Celtics and Pacers seeming more likely to argue in 2020- 2021 than next season. That leaves the Bucks and Sixers in the East, but the Bucks are starting from a higher base and, as soon as the situation changes to NBA, with the mandate to optimize their title window this season , before the other competitors get up and Giannis does not become freer in 2021. The agency submerges any conversation.

O'Shaughnessy: Clippers. The defense – uh, Kawhi Leonard – wins the championships, right?

Tjarks: The Clippers have all the pieces. They undoubtedly have the best first (Kawhi) and second (George) league options, as well as the best cast and a head coach (Doc Rivers) who has won an NBA championship before. The good thing for the rest of the league is that they are not as popular as the Warriors in recent seasons.

Verrier: The Clippers, who feel weird to even type. I remain convinced that the Rockets are a threat if they manage to put everything in order, and that Anthony Davis could be the ultimate trump card if he had more than two good teammates. But the Clippers, who own two of the best two-way wings at a time dictated by the game in both, may have the best NBA training in small ball, as well as the depth and flexibility of the team to distinguish the weaknesses of other competitors.

Hot: Lawn mowers. Let it flow. The Clippers! In what world are we living?