2031 Free Agency Grades (SO FAR)
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2019 1:48 pm
With the Free Agency period wrapping up, we've got a pretty good idea of what the teams around the league are going to look like (training camp and trades notwithstanding). The big question looms...did any team do well enough to give the Magic a run for their money? Here, we take a look at the big moves, the worst blunders, and the strategies and tactics that worked for teams all around the league...at least the ones that aren't being stewarded.
DENVER NUGGETS
The Nuggets made a splash in free agency early by trading the Blazers for Marvin Bagley III and Frank Jackson. This was an artful all-in move made possible by a tax reset last year. The Nuggets front office knew that they'd be supermaxing Jerry West. They also knew that would eat their cap space up before they had the chance to sign someone else, so they stacked their roster beforehand and then used the rest of free agency to pepper their team with vet min green/green players. Some may die, but the ones that are left over after Training Camp will be enough to add plenty of depth to the Nuggets roster.
Grade: A
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
The Clippers are new to free agency, so their GM is still learning the art of bidding, but a repeat playoff performance might be in jeopardy after the Clippers lost Joffrey Baratheon without getting much in return. They hit free agency with a little bit of cap space, but weren't able to maximize the usage of it. The trick about going into UFA with only 10,000,000 to use is not blowing some of that on vet mins. As some MLE teams proved, he could've probably gotten 1 or 2 lower demand blue/blue players with that cap space and then still had plenty of agency to go after guys like Carvalho on min contracts. At least they didn't lose Garvin, but they did probably lose a few spots in the standings to teams like the 76ers and the Mavericks. They got some great roleplaying PGs, but be prepared for their age to factor into training camp. Still, an o/o Funky Cole Medina might be their best shot as a starter. He can still dribble, pass, and defend, albeit much more slowly.
Grade: D
HOUSTON ROCKETS
Not sure where 78# has been, though I have seen him signing into TeamViewer. They've still got an outstanding tax bill (one that, if I recall correctly, seems like it's easily payable). The Rockets haven't missed the playoffs in 14 seasons. The could come to an end.
Grade: F
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
The Timberwolves came into this offseason prepared to spend. After having to match a max on Ja Morant, the Fangs were already well over the cap, but making it rain has outfitted them with a team that should have no problem dominating their division...and a team that, depending on training camp, could make a strong case for #2 in the Omega Conference. The Wolves bolstered their lineup with Tibor Pleiss, Olen Sutherland, Donovan Mitchell, Damion Williams, and Long Anderson, using nothing but the MLE and vet mins. If only they could restructure some of the pricier contracts they inked last year (even more egregious than the 40 million Chad Marsh is making could be the 16 million that Trumann Wrenn is making),
Grade: A+
TORONTO RAPTORS
The Raptors haven't done much of anything this offseason, which is a shame. They have Bjorn Ironside and RJ Barrett...two of the best players in the league right now, and they don't have much to show for it. At this point, the best thing they can do is probably to sell off, but in a league where 5 teams are being stewarded, future talent is at a higher premium than current talent...did you see all of the names that the Timberwolves signed in free agency for MLE and vet mins?
Grade: F
NEW YORK KNICKS
On the whole, the Knicks are getting better at free agency. They didn't offer anyone a bad Andrew Aleman/Long Donaldson type contract. However, after missing out on a reasonable bid on James Barton, they had to spend big to ensure they got him back. Both Stephen Wright and James Barton got supermax contracts (although the Knicks GM was out on business during the RFA bidding period), and despite all-star appearances for Wright, those aren't necessarily players that I'd feel comfortable maxing (although according to Sources, at least one other team maxed Wright). Since those maxes ate up all the Knicks cap space, they only really had vet mins to work with, and though they got Derick Hunter, his potential looks a lot better than his current, so a one year contract might not be the best contract to give a guy like Hunter as opposed to a reasonable 3 year bid. They also got Tommy Keener, though, and with one more round of UFA, if the Knicks can add some more depth, they should be in better shape this season.
Grade: B-
BROOKLYN NETS
In a borough not too far away, the Brooklyn Nets had a pretty good offseason themselves. They picked off Gregory Haddock in RFA on a contract I'm shocked that the Pelicans didn't match and then went out and got Joffrey Baratheon on a contract that might be a little long for his age, but one that works now. The Nets supermaxed stud PF Simon Pheonix and got Chris Pallies, Stefan Rush, and Van Grimaldi on vet mins (all four former Bulls). The team is packed deep, and a good training camp could have them on top of their division...however the division is deep. It was a solid offseason for the Nets to make a case to continue competing there.
Grade: B+
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
The Bucks had an uncharacteristic slip-up that lost them their second best talent, Clifford Paugh. Despite that misstep, they were able to save face a little bit in round 2, grabbing Cheick Diallo and Carl Howard for the money they had set aside for Paugh. With the ability to stay out of the tax, the team doesn't look DOOMED, but everyone in Milwaukee--both fans and management--would probably rather have Paugh on the roster. Will we see the return of Dealin' Doug?
Grade: 8========D-
UTAH JAZZ
It appears Gary has fallen into a wormhole again. He lost Quintin Kidd, who was the best thing the Jazz had going for them. Back to the lotto for the Jazz.
Grade: 8=========F
ATLANTA HAWKS
Before this season Wig PM'd me to let me know he was considering going on auto-pilot and that he'd let me know. I guess this offseason is him letting me know.
Grade: F
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Just by virtue of getting out of tax jail in time to supermax Phil Brooks, the Wiz are winners for this offseason. They traded Dragan Bender for Leroy Haugh and tax relief, and the move probably ended up working out nicely for them in terms of not having to pay James Shaffer a max contract. Instead, they used that max on Quintin Kidd, who I'd take over Shaffer in a heartbeat. They're not going to be the powerhouse they were last year, and they might be a move away from ducking the tax (though they should be able to earn enough points to cover a small tax hit), but things turned out a lot more positively for the Wizards than they could have if xist didn't make the right moves at the right time.
Grade: B
ORLANDO MAGIC
Coming off the best season in PBSL history, the Magic didn't have to do much, but they also didn't have to (and there probably wasn't much room to). They've still got Jackson and Boban in their primes, and Bronny James is on his way to joining them. They retained Ernie Acuna on a supermax (a little pricey if you ask me...he's getting paid more than Boban!). They also added hanger-on Anthony Davis, who is now mortal, riding Boban's coattails to get another ring. Like every other team with a pulse, the Magic were also able to get some g/g bigs on vet min contracts. Everyone is praying they have a bad TC.
Grade: B+
INDIANA PACERS
The frugally minded Indiana Pacers still have 11 million dollars of cap room to mess around with, but at this point, there aren't that many worthwhile targets out there. Their biggest hits this offseason were getting John Stoll back on an under the radar opening offer sheet. In a PG starved league, it's incredible that they were able to get a traditionally skilled PG without having to pay him over 20mm. Granted, he's not great now, but in 4 years, when he's making 18mm, that'll be a smart contract. They were also able to land Josh Hart due to Rockets' outstanding tax woes. However, the Pacers lost Michael Williams, arguably their most productive player, and also lost John Vines. It was a mixed bag in Indiana, but I don't see them holding onto their division title in a shifting Division 3.
Grade: C-
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
For a team that ended up spending big, the Cavs spent quietly. The biggest purchase this offseason? A supermax contract to Roland Petit. If you ask me, which you implicitly did by reading this far in the article, that's a bit of an overpay for a player who isn't exactly excellent in any particular area. They did grab James O'Connor on a vet min, reuniting him with Stephen Keitt. Still, the Cavs will be like the primetime Pistons without Anthony Davis. They're not a bad team, and I could see them making the playoffs this time around, but not by way of any of their moves.
Grade: C-
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
Despite the pretty colors on their roster, the Pelicans seem very similar to the Pelicans of last year. Andre Betts, Joshua Swan, Dick Forman, Ronald McEachern, Rocco Farmer, and James Freeman are all quality 8th men, but their missing clear leadership on both their starting lineup and their 2nd unit. The Pelicans didn't have much agency for anything other than vet mins, though, so they sprayed and prayed and got some signings.
Grade: C
PHOENIX SUNS
The Suns have been rebuilding their team for a while, and with the Blazers and Hawks both having front office shakeups (as well as the Grizzlies not having a reliable GM since before Loco went all-in on abusing the crap out of the tax), you would've thought that this would have been the year...especially after sticking out to retain Samuel Adams. They had a max and a half to use to bolster their evolving young lineup, and they didn't show up.
Grade: F
MIAMI HEAT
The Heat also did not show up this offseason. Oh, brother!
Grade: F
DALLAS MAVERICKS
The Mavericks are still working off some of their long contracts that were given out due to GM inexperience a few seasons ago, but the moves they made this summer show some growth. Perhaps this was an artifact of only being able to spend the MLE or vet mins, but they spent their MLE wisely, inking Josh Okogie to a 4 year contract. They also sprayed and prayed on vet mins and managed to get a bunch of interchangeable pieces, Pelicans-style. With about 20 folks on their roster, we'll see what the 'ricks look like come opening day, but they should be in the mix for that last playoff spot again.
Grade: B-
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
New GM KeepIt100 has jumped right into the fray with the 76ers, and that's pretty good to see. Despite making some newbie moves that had me scratching my head, the 76ers pulled off a coup, snatching Clifford Paugh, who returns back to the Northeast. They also snatched Tyler Ulis, who, though aging, is still an offensive juggernaut. This will be an interesting team to watch. They're not a complete team yet, but with an active GM, I expect them to try to make some moves.
Grade: B+
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
The Los Angeles Lakers have a lot of young players and now, a lot of older veterans. They had a decent bank to play with for UFA after Dominick Cobb rejected their offer sheet in RFA to test the waters. With a logjam at the wing spot and unhappy with Cobb's development, they let him walk to the Pistons for a max contract. They brought back JR Johnson for a few years and added Dennis Smith, Jr. to bolster their PG spot, and they also spent heavily on bigs like Joe Sherill and Michael Williams (their best pick up hands down). The Lakers could have a solid season depending on who survives training camp, but they still need to learn some of the finesse aspects of UFA, especially when signing older talent to multi-year deals. They have a lot of talent now, but it's scattered all over the place, and not so much a roster that gels. We'll see what that does for them in the regular season, because results could be much better--or worse--than they look on paper.
Grade: C
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
The Spurs had one mission this offseason, retain Bryce Dejean-Jones, and they accomplished it. They also got a couple vet mins, most notably Tim Pulley, and...ah crap, I forgot that I was going to try to retain Charlie Porter. How the heck are we supposed to keep track of all these slightly above average bigs? Anyway, the Spurs will remain pretty similar to their squad last year, which was only good enough for an 8th seed.
Grade: C
SACRAMENTO KINGS
Tani must've forgot that he turned off cruise control.
Grade: F
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
The Thunder did the important work of retaining Pete Maravich, but the only other major move they made was grabbing Ash Ketchum on a 4 year deal worth, potentially, over 100mm. Ketchum was a scoring ace for the Jazz last year, notching 20 ppg, but his defense is trash. He should excel offensively, and he reminds me of a Diet Damion Williams (from his prime, not from last year). I think Division 1's winner is the Knicks in terms of improvement, but the Thunder will still be about as strong as they were last year, and they didn't move backwards like the Kings and Heat. They DID miss out on James O'Connor by trying to offer him a longer contract than he wanted. If they would've tried to retain him for only one year, he wouldn't be wearing a Cavs jersey right now.
Grade: C
DETROIT PISTONS
That brings us to the last team, the Pistons. They had room for some max contracts, and they were able to get both Dominick Cobb and James Shaffer. Neither of them are bad signings, but for a rebuilding team, Shaffer is in his prime, so having him on a long term deal doesn't make the most sense to me. Of course, when your books are this open, it's hard to go too wrong. The Cobb signing was a nice steal, and with Winkler off the books next season, it'll be interesting to see how quickly the Pistons can develop Lewis and Cobb and then try to put pieces around them. However, I would've liked to see the Pistons pick a direction...either forgo Cobb and try to use the cap space to get more mid-level win now guys around Shaffer, or forgo Shaffer and take some time to rebuild. They don't have their pick next year, but either option would've worked at least as well as going after both Shaffer and Cobb. If they can't move Winkler (and they had trouble moving a 40mm dollar O'Connor contract), they better hope they can move Shaffer, even if it means getting back someone a lot less talented if it saves them cap space and allows them to smoothly continue rebuilding next season.
Grade: C
DENVER NUGGETS
The Nuggets made a splash in free agency early by trading the Blazers for Marvin Bagley III and Frank Jackson. This was an artful all-in move made possible by a tax reset last year. The Nuggets front office knew that they'd be supermaxing Jerry West. They also knew that would eat their cap space up before they had the chance to sign someone else, so they stacked their roster beforehand and then used the rest of free agency to pepper their team with vet min green/green players. Some may die, but the ones that are left over after Training Camp will be enough to add plenty of depth to the Nuggets roster.
Grade: A
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
The Clippers are new to free agency, so their GM is still learning the art of bidding, but a repeat playoff performance might be in jeopardy after the Clippers lost Joffrey Baratheon without getting much in return. They hit free agency with a little bit of cap space, but weren't able to maximize the usage of it. The trick about going into UFA with only 10,000,000 to use is not blowing some of that on vet mins. As some MLE teams proved, he could've probably gotten 1 or 2 lower demand blue/blue players with that cap space and then still had plenty of agency to go after guys like Carvalho on min contracts. At least they didn't lose Garvin, but they did probably lose a few spots in the standings to teams like the 76ers and the Mavericks. They got some great roleplaying PGs, but be prepared for their age to factor into training camp. Still, an o/o Funky Cole Medina might be their best shot as a starter. He can still dribble, pass, and defend, albeit much more slowly.
Grade: D
HOUSTON ROCKETS
Not sure where 78# has been, though I have seen him signing into TeamViewer. They've still got an outstanding tax bill (one that, if I recall correctly, seems like it's easily payable). The Rockets haven't missed the playoffs in 14 seasons. The could come to an end.
Grade: F
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
The Timberwolves came into this offseason prepared to spend. After having to match a max on Ja Morant, the Fangs were already well over the cap, but making it rain has outfitted them with a team that should have no problem dominating their division...and a team that, depending on training camp, could make a strong case for #2 in the Omega Conference. The Wolves bolstered their lineup with Tibor Pleiss, Olen Sutherland, Donovan Mitchell, Damion Williams, and Long Anderson, using nothing but the MLE and vet mins. If only they could restructure some of the pricier contracts they inked last year (even more egregious than the 40 million Chad Marsh is making could be the 16 million that Trumann Wrenn is making),
Grade: A+
TORONTO RAPTORS
The Raptors haven't done much of anything this offseason, which is a shame. They have Bjorn Ironside and RJ Barrett...two of the best players in the league right now, and they don't have much to show for it. At this point, the best thing they can do is probably to sell off, but in a league where 5 teams are being stewarded, future talent is at a higher premium than current talent...did you see all of the names that the Timberwolves signed in free agency for MLE and vet mins?
Grade: F
NEW YORK KNICKS
On the whole, the Knicks are getting better at free agency. They didn't offer anyone a bad Andrew Aleman/Long Donaldson type contract. However, after missing out on a reasonable bid on James Barton, they had to spend big to ensure they got him back. Both Stephen Wright and James Barton got supermax contracts (although the Knicks GM was out on business during the RFA bidding period), and despite all-star appearances for Wright, those aren't necessarily players that I'd feel comfortable maxing (although according to Sources, at least one other team maxed Wright). Since those maxes ate up all the Knicks cap space, they only really had vet mins to work with, and though they got Derick Hunter, his potential looks a lot better than his current, so a one year contract might not be the best contract to give a guy like Hunter as opposed to a reasonable 3 year bid. They also got Tommy Keener, though, and with one more round of UFA, if the Knicks can add some more depth, they should be in better shape this season.
Grade: B-
BROOKLYN NETS
In a borough not too far away, the Brooklyn Nets had a pretty good offseason themselves. They picked off Gregory Haddock in RFA on a contract I'm shocked that the Pelicans didn't match and then went out and got Joffrey Baratheon on a contract that might be a little long for his age, but one that works now. The Nets supermaxed stud PF Simon Pheonix and got Chris Pallies, Stefan Rush, and Van Grimaldi on vet mins (all four former Bulls). The team is packed deep, and a good training camp could have them on top of their division...however the division is deep. It was a solid offseason for the Nets to make a case to continue competing there.
Grade: B+
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
The Bucks had an uncharacteristic slip-up that lost them their second best talent, Clifford Paugh. Despite that misstep, they were able to save face a little bit in round 2, grabbing Cheick Diallo and Carl Howard for the money they had set aside for Paugh. With the ability to stay out of the tax, the team doesn't look DOOMED, but everyone in Milwaukee--both fans and management--would probably rather have Paugh on the roster. Will we see the return of Dealin' Doug?
Grade: 8========D-
UTAH JAZZ
It appears Gary has fallen into a wormhole again. He lost Quintin Kidd, who was the best thing the Jazz had going for them. Back to the lotto for the Jazz.
Grade: 8=========F
ATLANTA HAWKS
Before this season Wig PM'd me to let me know he was considering going on auto-pilot and that he'd let me know. I guess this offseason is him letting me know.
Grade: F
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Just by virtue of getting out of tax jail in time to supermax Phil Brooks, the Wiz are winners for this offseason. They traded Dragan Bender for Leroy Haugh and tax relief, and the move probably ended up working out nicely for them in terms of not having to pay James Shaffer a max contract. Instead, they used that max on Quintin Kidd, who I'd take over Shaffer in a heartbeat. They're not going to be the powerhouse they were last year, and they might be a move away from ducking the tax (though they should be able to earn enough points to cover a small tax hit), but things turned out a lot more positively for the Wizards than they could have if xist didn't make the right moves at the right time.
Grade: B
ORLANDO MAGIC
Coming off the best season in PBSL history, the Magic didn't have to do much, but they also didn't have to (and there probably wasn't much room to). They've still got Jackson and Boban in their primes, and Bronny James is on his way to joining them. They retained Ernie Acuna on a supermax (a little pricey if you ask me...he's getting paid more than Boban!). They also added hanger-on Anthony Davis, who is now mortal, riding Boban's coattails to get another ring. Like every other team with a pulse, the Magic were also able to get some g/g bigs on vet min contracts. Everyone is praying they have a bad TC.
Grade: B+
INDIANA PACERS
The frugally minded Indiana Pacers still have 11 million dollars of cap room to mess around with, but at this point, there aren't that many worthwhile targets out there. Their biggest hits this offseason were getting John Stoll back on an under the radar opening offer sheet. In a PG starved league, it's incredible that they were able to get a traditionally skilled PG without having to pay him over 20mm. Granted, he's not great now, but in 4 years, when he's making 18mm, that'll be a smart contract. They were also able to land Josh Hart due to Rockets' outstanding tax woes. However, the Pacers lost Michael Williams, arguably their most productive player, and also lost John Vines. It was a mixed bag in Indiana, but I don't see them holding onto their division title in a shifting Division 3.
Grade: C-
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
For a team that ended up spending big, the Cavs spent quietly. The biggest purchase this offseason? A supermax contract to Roland Petit. If you ask me, which you implicitly did by reading this far in the article, that's a bit of an overpay for a player who isn't exactly excellent in any particular area. They did grab James O'Connor on a vet min, reuniting him with Stephen Keitt. Still, the Cavs will be like the primetime Pistons without Anthony Davis. They're not a bad team, and I could see them making the playoffs this time around, but not by way of any of their moves.
Grade: C-
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
Despite the pretty colors on their roster, the Pelicans seem very similar to the Pelicans of last year. Andre Betts, Joshua Swan, Dick Forman, Ronald McEachern, Rocco Farmer, and James Freeman are all quality 8th men, but their missing clear leadership on both their starting lineup and their 2nd unit. The Pelicans didn't have much agency for anything other than vet mins, though, so they sprayed and prayed and got some signings.
Grade: C
PHOENIX SUNS
The Suns have been rebuilding their team for a while, and with the Blazers and Hawks both having front office shakeups (as well as the Grizzlies not having a reliable GM since before Loco went all-in on abusing the crap out of the tax), you would've thought that this would have been the year...especially after sticking out to retain Samuel Adams. They had a max and a half to use to bolster their evolving young lineup, and they didn't show up.
Grade: F
MIAMI HEAT
The Heat also did not show up this offseason. Oh, brother!
Grade: F
DALLAS MAVERICKS
The Mavericks are still working off some of their long contracts that were given out due to GM inexperience a few seasons ago, but the moves they made this summer show some growth. Perhaps this was an artifact of only being able to spend the MLE or vet mins, but they spent their MLE wisely, inking Josh Okogie to a 4 year contract. They also sprayed and prayed on vet mins and managed to get a bunch of interchangeable pieces, Pelicans-style. With about 20 folks on their roster, we'll see what the 'ricks look like come opening day, but they should be in the mix for that last playoff spot again.
Grade: B-
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
New GM KeepIt100 has jumped right into the fray with the 76ers, and that's pretty good to see. Despite making some newbie moves that had me scratching my head, the 76ers pulled off a coup, snatching Clifford Paugh, who returns back to the Northeast. They also snatched Tyler Ulis, who, though aging, is still an offensive juggernaut. This will be an interesting team to watch. They're not a complete team yet, but with an active GM, I expect them to try to make some moves.
Grade: B+
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
The Los Angeles Lakers have a lot of young players and now, a lot of older veterans. They had a decent bank to play with for UFA after Dominick Cobb rejected their offer sheet in RFA to test the waters. With a logjam at the wing spot and unhappy with Cobb's development, they let him walk to the Pistons for a max contract. They brought back JR Johnson for a few years and added Dennis Smith, Jr. to bolster their PG spot, and they also spent heavily on bigs like Joe Sherill and Michael Williams (their best pick up hands down). The Lakers could have a solid season depending on who survives training camp, but they still need to learn some of the finesse aspects of UFA, especially when signing older talent to multi-year deals. They have a lot of talent now, but it's scattered all over the place, and not so much a roster that gels. We'll see what that does for them in the regular season, because results could be much better--or worse--than they look on paper.
Grade: C
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
The Spurs had one mission this offseason, retain Bryce Dejean-Jones, and they accomplished it. They also got a couple vet mins, most notably Tim Pulley, and...ah crap, I forgot that I was going to try to retain Charlie Porter. How the heck are we supposed to keep track of all these slightly above average bigs? Anyway, the Spurs will remain pretty similar to their squad last year, which was only good enough for an 8th seed.
Grade: C
SACRAMENTO KINGS
Tani must've forgot that he turned off cruise control.
Grade: F
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
The Thunder did the important work of retaining Pete Maravich, but the only other major move they made was grabbing Ash Ketchum on a 4 year deal worth, potentially, over 100mm. Ketchum was a scoring ace for the Jazz last year, notching 20 ppg, but his defense is trash. He should excel offensively, and he reminds me of a Diet Damion Williams (from his prime, not from last year). I think Division 1's winner is the Knicks in terms of improvement, but the Thunder will still be about as strong as they were last year, and they didn't move backwards like the Kings and Heat. They DID miss out on James O'Connor by trying to offer him a longer contract than he wanted. If they would've tried to retain him for only one year, he wouldn't be wearing a Cavs jersey right now.
Grade: C
DETROIT PISTONS
That brings us to the last team, the Pistons. They had room for some max contracts, and they were able to get both Dominick Cobb and James Shaffer. Neither of them are bad signings, but for a rebuilding team, Shaffer is in his prime, so having him on a long term deal doesn't make the most sense to me. Of course, when your books are this open, it's hard to go too wrong. The Cobb signing was a nice steal, and with Winkler off the books next season, it'll be interesting to see how quickly the Pistons can develop Lewis and Cobb and then try to put pieces around them. However, I would've liked to see the Pistons pick a direction...either forgo Cobb and try to use the cap space to get more mid-level win now guys around Shaffer, or forgo Shaffer and take some time to rebuild. They don't have their pick next year, but either option would've worked at least as well as going after both Shaffer and Cobb. If they can't move Winkler (and they had trouble moving a 40mm dollar O'Connor contract), they better hope they can move Shaffer, even if it means getting back someone a lot less talented if it saves them cap space and allows them to smoothly continue rebuilding next season.
Grade: C
