This July 1st began the NBA Free Agency period
and ever since it’s been a frenzy. One of the stories heading into free agency
was the incumbent rise of the NBA Salary cap. The cap rose from $60 Million to
a record $95 Million and will increase to $110 Million in the 2017-18 season
due to the leagues tv deals with TNT & ESPN. Also another headline all last
season heading to free agency was Kevin Durant’s future and rather he would
stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder or take his talents elsewhere.
The rise of the NBA salary cap led to record deals in the
NBA both for the max and mid-level salaries. With a player like Mike Conley who
is a very good productive player but to never achieve an all-star appearance to
sign the NBA richest contract at 5yr/$153 million. Being that the NBA
collective bargained that players’ contracts are 100% fully guaranteed Conley
will see every penny of the $153 Million contract. The NBA spent a $1 Billion
dollars on contracts the first day of free agency. Notable big money deals
include Bradley Beal 5yrs/$128 Million with the Wizards, Andre Drummond
5yr/$130 Million with the Pistons, & Demar Derozan 5yr/$145 Million with
the Raptors, & James Harden (4yrs/$118 Million)
The Kevin Durant saga DOMINATED this year’s free agency
discussion. On July 4th Durant decided to leave OKC & join the
Golden State Warriors agreeing to a 2yr/$54.3 Million deal. Many were surprised
by this decision including myself. With Durant agreeing to a deal with the
Warriors that also meant that the contracts of Harrison Barnes (Restricted Free
Agent to Mavericks) & Andrew Bogut (trade to the Mavericks) had to be let
go. Him going to a team that beat his Thunder when he was up 3-1 on them then
came back to lose struck a lot of people the wrong way because of the can’t
beat them join them mentality. More analysis on this decision coming up in an
upcoming blog.
Another surprising headline from this year’s free agency is
Dwyane Wade leaving the Miami Heat to come home & join his hometown Chicago
Bulls. This decision also surprised many as Wade has been Mr. Miami Heat since
being drafted by them in the memorable 2003 draft. But as Wade felt slighted by
the Heat’s 2 yr./$40 Million offer to him he felt the need to explore his
options. Despite his tremendous success in his 13 year-career, he was never the
highest paid player on the team as he took pay cuts to bring in players like
Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Bosh, & LeBron James in order to help the Heat to
achieve 3 NBA Championships (2006, 2012, 2013) in 5 NBA Finals appearances. He
signed a 2yr/$47.5 Million deal with the Bulls and makes him the highest paid
player on the team for the 1st time in his career.
With this free agency period also came with the retirement
announcement of Tim Duncan. Duncan spent his entire 19-year career with the
Spurs winning 5 Championships (1999,2003,2005,2007,2014) 3 NBA Finals MVPs
(1999,2003,2005) 2 NBA MVPs (2002,2003) 15x NBA All-Star, 15 All NBA Teams, 15
All NBA Defensive Teams, 1998 NBA Rookie of the Year. Totaling 26,496 Points
(19.0 ppg), 15,091 Rebounds (10.8 rpg), 3,020 Blocks (2.2 bpg). Arguably the
greatest power forward in NBA History and 1st Ballot Hall of Famer.
Winners of the Free Agency Period:
Knicks: Traded for Derrick Rose, Signed Joakim Noah (4yrs/$72
Million), Signed Courtney Lee (4yrs/$50 Million), Brandon Jennings (1yr/$5
Million), Resigned Lance Thomas (4yrs/$27 Million)
Warriors: Signed Kevin Durant
Losers: Thunder Lose Kevin Durant (Warriors)
Bulls: Lose Joakim Noah, Lose Pau Gasol (Spurs), Lose E’Twaun
Moore (Pelicans), Lose Derrick Rose (Trade to Knicks) Lose Mike Dunleavy (Trade
to Cavs)
Here’s A List of The NBA Free Agency Period Dealings:
THE BIG ONES
KEVIN DURANT: 2 years, $54.5
million with Warriors
DWYANE WADE: 2 years, $47.5
million with Bulls
ALL OTHERS (IN ORDER)
BRADLEY BEAL: 5 years, $128
million with Wizards
TIMOFEY MOZGOV: 4 years, $64
million with Lakers
DEMAR DEROZAN: 5 years, $145
million with Raptors
ANDRE DRUMMOND: 5 years, $130
million with Pistons
NICOLAS BATUM: 5 years, $120
million with Hornets
JORDAN CLARKSON: 4 years, $50
million with Lakers
HASSAN WHITESIDE: 4-years, $98
million with Heat
ISH SMITH: 3-year contract with
Pistons
D.J. AUGUSTIN: 4-years, $29
million with Magic
JEREMY LIN: 3 years, $36 million
with Nets
AL JEFFERSON: 3 years, $30
million with Pacers
JERRYD BAYLESS: 3 years, $27
million with 76ers
MIRZA TELETOVIC: 3 years, $30
million with Bucks
CHANDLER PARSONS: 4 years, $94
million with Grizzlies
EVAN TURNER: 4 years, $70 million
with Blazers
EVAN FOURNIER: 5 years, $85
million with Magic
MATTHEW DELLAVEDOVA: 4 years, $38
million with Bucks (Cavs can match)
SOLOMON HILL: 4 years, $48
million with Pelicans
JEFF GREEN: 1 year, $15 million
with Magic
DARRELL ARTHUR: 3 years, $23
million with Nuggets
DWIGHT HOWARD: 3 years, $70
million with Hawks
MIKE CONLEY: 5 years, $153
million with Grizzlies
JUSTIN HAMILTON: 2 years, $6
million with Nets
JARED DUDLEY: 3 years, $30
million with Suns
E'TWAUN MOORE: 4 years, $34
million with Pelicans
JOAKIM NOAH: 4 years, $72 million
with Knicks
KENT BAZEMORE: 4 years, $70
million with Hawks
JOE JOHNSON: 2 years, $22 million
with Jazz
LUOL DENG: 4 years, $72 million
with Lakers
JON LEUER: 4 years, $42 million
with Pistons
ARRON AFFLALO: 2 years, $25
million with Kings
BISMACK BIYOMBO: 4 years, $72
million with Magic
TREVOR BOOKER: 2 years, $18.5
million with Nets
RYAN ANDERSON: 4 years, $80
million with Rockets
MARVIN WILLIAMS: 4 years, $54.5
million with Hornets
ANTHONY TOLLIVER: 2 years, $16
million with Kings
AL HORFORD: 4 years, $113 million
with the Celtics
COURTNEY LEE: 4 years, $50
million with the Knicks
IAN MAHINMI: 4 years, $64 million
with the Wizards
AUSTIN RIVERS: 3 years, $35
million with the Clippers
ERIC GORDON: 4 years, $53 million
with the Rockets
WESLEY JOHNSON: 3 years, $18
million with the Clippers
JAMES ENNIS: 2 years, $6 million
with Grizzlies
ANDREW NICHOLSON: 4 years, $26
million with Wizards
TYLER JOHNSON: 4 years, $50
million with Nets, Heat match
COLE ALDRICH: 3 years, $22
million with Timberwolves
GARRETT TEMPLE: 3 years, $24
million with Kings
TOMAS SATORANSKY: 3 years, $9
million with Wizards
JAMAL CRAWFORD: 3 years, $42
million with Clippers
RAJON RONDO: 2 years, $28 million
with Bulls
MALCOLM DELANEY: 2 years with
Hawks
MATT BARNES: 2 years, $12 million
with Kings
DWIGHT POWELL: 4 years, $37
million with Mavericks
DERON WILLIAMS: 1 year, $10
million with Mavericks
TARIK BLACK: 2 years, $12.5
million with Lakers
RAMON SESSIONS: 2 years, $12.5
million with Hornets
SHAUN LIVINGSTON: 1 year, $5.8
million option picked up by Warriors
SERGIO RODRIGUEZ: 1 year, $8
million with 76ers
HARRISON BARNES: 4 years, $94
million with Mavericks
PAU GASOL: 2 years, $30+ million
with Spurs
BRANDON JENNINGS: 1 year, $5
million with Knicks
LUC RICHARD MBAH A MOUTE: 2
years, $4.5 million with Clippers
ZAZA PACHULIA: 1 year, $2.9
million with Warriors
ROY HIBBERT: 1 year, $5 million
with Hornets
LANCE THOMAS: 4 years, $27
million with Knicks
SETH CURRY: 2 years, $6 million
with Mavericks
DIRK NOWITZKI: 2 years, $40
million with Mavericks
GERALD HENDERSON: 2 years, $18
million with 76ers
DAVID WEST: 1 year, $1.55 million
vs. Warriors
MINDAUGAS KUZMINSKAS: 2 years, $6
million with Knicks
WILLY HERNANGOMEZ: TBD with
Knicks
JASON SMITH: 3 years, $16 million
with Wizards
NENE: 1 year, $2.9 million with
Rockets
BRANDON RUSH: 1 year, $3.5
million with Timberwolves
BRIAN ROBERTS: 1 year, $1.05
million with Hornets
LANGSTON GALLOWAY: 2 years,
$10-12 million with Pelicans
RICHARD JEFFERSON: 2 years, $5
million with Cavaliers
LEANDRO BARBOSA: 2 years, $8
million with Suns
BOBAN MARJANOVIC: 3 years, $21
million with Pistons
DEWAYNE DEDMON: 2 years $6
million with Spurs
MANU GINOBILI: Returning to
Spurs, contract TBD
MARCELO HUERTAS: 2 years with the
Lakers
AMIR JOHNSON: Celtics picked up
player option
IAN CLARK: 1-year deal with the
Warriors
FESTUS EZELI: 2 years, $15
million with the Trail Blazers
ALLEN CRABBE: 4 years, $75
million with Nets, Trail Blazers match
MARREESE SPEIGHTS: Minimum
contract with the Clippers
TROY DANIELS: 3 years, $10
million with the Grizzlies
DERRICK WILLIAMS: 1 year, $5
million with Heat
TIM FRAZIER: 2 years, $4 million
with Pelicans
WAYNE ELLINGTON: 2 years, $12
million with Heat
MARCUS THORNTON: 1 year, minimum
with Wizards
JAMES MCADOO: 1 year, minimum
with Warriors
JAMES JOHNSON: 1 year, $4 million
with Heat
MEYERS LEONARD: 4 years, $41
million with Blazers
WILLIE REED: 2 years, minimum
with Heat
JARRETT JACK: 1 year, minimum
with Hawks
UDONIS HASLEM: 1 year, $4 million
with Heat
GREIVIS VASQUEZ: 1 year, $5
million with the Nets
JARED SULLINGER: 1 year, $6
million with Raptors
KRIS HUMPHRIES: 1 year, $4
million with Hawks
SASHA VUJACIC: 1 year, minimum
with Knicks
LUIS SCOLA: 1 year with Nets
CHRISTIAN WOOD: 2 years with
Hornets
JONATHAN GIBSON: 3 years with
Mavericks
PABLO PRIGIONI: 2 years with
Rockets
JOE HARRIS: 2 years, $2 million
with the Nets
MAURICE NDOUR: 2 years with the
Knicks
ANTHONY BENNETT: 2 years, minimum
with the Nets
RANDY FOYE: 1 year with the Nets
MANU GINOBILI: 1 year, $14
million with the Spurs
QUINCY ACY: 2 years, minimum with
the Mavericks
RAYMOND FELTON: 1 year, minimum
with the Clippers
TERRENCE JONES: 1 year, minimum
with the Pelicans
DAVIS BERTANS: 2 years, $4
million with the Spurs
CHRIS ANDERSEN: 1 year, minimum
with the Cavaliers
BRANDON BASS: 1 year, minimum
with the Clippers
TRADES
TREY BURKE: Traded to Wizards for
future second-round pick
ANDREW BOGUT: Traded to Mavericks
into cap space
BORIS DIAW: Traded to Jazz into
cap space
JEREMY EVANS: Traded to Pacers
into cap space
MIKE DUNLEAVY: Traded to
Cavaliers into cap space
JOSE CALDERON: Traded to Lakers
into cap space
SHABAZZ NAPIER: Traded to Trail
Blazers into cap space
LUKE BABBITT: Traded to the Heat
for a second round pick
C.J. WILCOX: Traded to the Magic
for a future second round pick
EXTENSIONS
JAMES HARDEN: Renegotiated for a
four-year, $118 million deal
