Which teams have improved the fastest in free agency in the NBA, and what's to come?
Team-by-team badysis of major and minor transactions:
Note: The updates of each agreement are posted here throughout the day. Among the latest additions: Trevor Ariza joins the Phoenix Suns and DeAndre Jordan joins the Dallas Mavericks.
1. Agreed to a one-year, $ 4.4 million contract with the Ed Davis center
2. They agreed to a two-year, $ 16 million contract with Joe Harris ]
The Nets agreed to a couple of offers early Sunday morning that they should be able to sign after using their cap space to complete the trade with Charlotte Hornets that they agreed to before the NBA draft.
Because he played the last two seasons with a minimum wage contract, the Harris limit is for the veteran's minimum. It will do much more than that in a two-year agreement to return that was somewhat surprising given that it will reduce Brooklyn's cap space by the summer of 2019.
Harris became a key collaborator in the Kenny Atkinson system, and My projections had it among the 30 best free agents of this year. In spite of that, I would have been tempted to see if Atkinson could repeat the trick with another payout instead of paying Harris as a quality reserve.
On the positive side, the Nets can now cast potential additions on the possibility of continuing in Harris' footsteps and be rewarded the way he did.
Brooklyn apparently got better value with Davis, one of the best players In the league during his three years in Portland, presumably anticipating the market adjustment for the centers, Davis won a one-year contract that probably ends up coming out of the mid-level Nets room exception.
Davis should be a solid collaborator in Brooklyn, but not so good as to block Jarrett Allen's search for the starting position in his second season.And at this price, Davis could get a small profit on the change deadline if the Nets want to take him to a contender.
1. Agreed to a two-year, $ 11 million contract with center Aron Baynes
The Celtics had a better play than the one They could reasonably have expected Baynes last season, which proved to be a key part of the league's best defense. With Baynes on the court, Boston allowed only 97.0 points per 100 possessions, according to advanced NBA statistics, compared to a defensive rating of 104.3 with Baynes on the bench.
As the playoffs sometimes stood out, there are limitations for Baynes & # 39; game, even now that it has become an occasional threat of 3 points (shooting 11-of-23 beyond the arc in the postseason). There was a reason why the Celtics managed to catch him with the exception of $ 4.3 million last summer after using his cap space at Gordon Hayward.
Also, the market for the centers will be even worse this year than in 2017. So I could have kept the line on the player option that Baynes is supposed to hold for 2019-20, an apparent concession to the fact that this was what maximum that Boston could pay Baynes using his non-Bird rights and keeping the taxpayer's mid-level exemption free to use elsewhere.
Dallas Mavericks
1. Agreed to an informed one-year contract with DeAndre Jordan center
Whether by trade or as a free agent, there has been a growing feeling in the last week that Jordan was heading to Dallas three years after rejecting an agreement with the Mavericks to re-sign with LA Clippers in the summer of 2015.
The most interesting news, then, is the one-year duration of this contract, "approaching" the player's value of $ 24.1 million . The Jordan option was denied on Friday, by Marc Stein of the New York Times . I'm a bit puzzled that the two teams can not agree on a change that would have allowed Jordan to choose to enter the Dallas salary cap, a move that would seem best for both sides. The Mavericks would have obtained Jordan's full rights to Bird if they remain above the limit next summer, while the Clippers would have created a trade exception of $ 24 million to use during the next year. 
Here's the latest in another exciting summer in the NBA:
Leaving that accounting aside, this agreement seems reasonable for Dallas. Jordan's ability as a top-scorer in the pick-and-roll is still as good for the Mavericks' offense as it was in 2015. Jordan averaged 1.3 points per game when he shot off the pick-and-last season. , tied him in seventh place among players with at least 100 shot attempts, according to the second spectrum tracking. Dallas big men, on the other hand, averaged 1.1 points per play in those situations – just around the league average.
While Jordan's offensive value has been somewhat given, his defense has fluctuated throughout his career, and last year he saw a recession in that regard. Jordan's blocking rate was reduced by almost half, to 2.4 percent of attempts by 2 opposing points, much worse than the centers average (3.5 percent).
The blocks are an imperfect measure of hoop protection, no doubt, but Jordan is more advanced metrics were not strong either. 63.9 percent of the opponents fired at five feet when Jordan was the main defender and placed him in 31st place out of the 36 players who defended at least 300 of those shots, by second tracking of the spectrum in advanced NBA statistics.
If Jordan will be an offensive – Only center, it is worth no more than $ 20 million, particularly as it advances to 30 years. Fortunately, the Dallas exhibition is limited due to the one-year agreement.
By spending most of their top space in Jordan, the Mavericks are giving up the opportunity to sign other free agents to favorable long-term deals in a year when few other teams have more than the mid-level exception that They are not taxpayers to spend. However, I'm not sure what young free agents would have been a good long-term fit along with the young Dallas defensive team of Dennis Smith Jr. and the No. 3 overall pick Luka Doncic, so I think we're looking forward to next summer. , when the Mavericks could create more than $ 50 million in cap space: it's a reasonable decision.
1. Agreed to a four-year, $ 54 million contract with guard Will Barton
2. They agreed to a $ 148 million contract with the Nikola Jokic Center
. The Nuggets quickly took over the business with two of their free agents, and signed Barton and Jokic again.
Let's start with the Jokic Agreement, something like a fait accompli after Denver decided to reject its 2018-19 team option and made Jokic a restricted free agent.
The market officially opens on Sunday, but the news from the NBA free agency is rapidly arriving. Keep up with the latest rumors and rumors.
What players and selections are in motion? We have a summary of the last exchanges here.
1 related
At that time, the only real question was what type of concession would the Nuggets ask for in exchange for paying Jokic much more than the $ 1.6 million that was scheduled for this season: A slight break in the option of maximum or no player in the contract. The two parties apparently agreed to the last option, with Jokic getting a maximum of five years, which means he will not become a free agent without restrictions until 2023, when he will be at his best at 28 years.
disadvantage here is that Denver is getting into the luxury tax after bringing back Barton for an arrangement that seems more lucrative than the four-year extension and $ 42 million (the most the Nuggets could offer at that time ) that he rejected during the season. Assuming the deal is for $ 54 million, reported by ESPN's Chris Haynes, and contains standard increases of 8 percent, that means Barton will get about $ 12 million in 2018-19, which puts Denver's total payroll in $ 22 million above the luxury line tax for 14 players under contract (including first-round pick Michael Porter Jr., who has not yet officially signed).
The biggest achievement is negotiating the expired contracts of Darrell Arthur ($ 7.5 million) and Kenneth Faried ($ 13.8 million) now will not be enough for the Nuggets to dodge the tax after replacing them on the list. Reaching Barton for at least three years – he also managed to secure a player option last season, a hit in a market where few free agents will get so much money guaranteed – could encourage Denver to take over starting headline Wilson. Chandler earns $ 12.8 million in the last season of his contract.
Marc Stein of the New York Times also reported that the Nuggets might consider moving to the Mason Plumlee backup center. However, given that the Plumlee contract runs until 2019-20, I suspect that it would be more difficult to trade than Faried or Arthur even though it provides more value on the court.
In addition to eliminating book wages, Denver's other goal This summer is likely to be to sign a reserve guard with veteran Devin Harris as a free agent. Otherwise, the rotation is largely established with Barton and Jokic returning.
1. Agreed to a two-year, $ 61.5 million deal with forward Kevin Durant
Casual talks about the possibility of Durant leaving the two-time defending champions were quickly denied by becoming one of the first players in accepting a new contract 2018-19. The only drama here was how much he would sign a contract with Durant and, in turn, how much he would win.
Due to the salary reduction he took last season to help the Warriors manage their luxury tax bill, while signing Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston, Durant was limited to an initial salary of $ 30 million in the type One-plus-one deal that he finally accepted. To unlock his maximum total of $ 35.7 million, Durant would have had to sign a contract for at least two full years using Early Bird's rights. So he prioritized the flexibility to return to free agency in the summer of 2019 and potentially sign a maximum of five years at Golden State, having reached the full rights of Bird playing three years with the team.
The decision was significant for the Warriors, who remain in the deep luxury tax. Coincidentally, the amount of money forgiven by Durant ($ 5.7 million) is similar to the amount of the average taxpayer exception that Golden State can use in free agency ($ 5.4 million). The possibility that the Warriors use that money to add to the list, in a summer when $ 5.4 million could be very profitable because of the cold market for free agents, could have helped persuade Durant to go in this direction.
1. Agreed to a four-year, $ 160 million deal with guard Chris Paul
2. Agreed to a one-year, $ 2.4 million contract with Gerald Green ]
Both the Rockets and Paul should be able to find reasons to feel good about this deal, making a solid commitment. Paul gets his maximum salary, joining his fellow ship owners Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook, as the three players are currently ready to win more than $ 35 million in 2018-1919. (A certain LeBron James should soon join them when he accepts a new contract.)
Meanwhile, Houston kept the line in a fifth year of this agreement that would have paid Paul about $ 47 million at age 37. Realistically, it will be difficult for Paul to pay his salary at any point of this contract given his age and the tendency to suffer muscle injuries. I project its value at around $ 80 million over the next three seasons, when it will actually make $ 115 million. But such is the price of competing for the Rockets, who got into a game of the NBA Finals after adding Paul at this time a year ago.
Houston also re-signed Green for a minimum one-year contract, which is important for managing the team's tax bill. Given how well Green played in the system of Mike D & # 39; Antoni, and that it is a local product, recovering it at that price is a great victory.
However, the great story of the night for the Rockets is forward Trevor Ariza. jumping ship for a year, $ 15 million, a great success for your chances of competing with the Warriors. The departure of Ariza is impressive given its close relationship with Houston stars Paul and James Harden and his vital role in the starting lineup of the Rockets.
Almost as much as PJ Tucker's ability to defend centers, it was Ariza sliding toward the power forward that made small alignments feasible. And Ariza was the Rockets' first choice against the top wing scorers, including Durant in the Western Conference finals.
That Ariza did not think he could get a good deal from Houston could be a sign that the new owner Tilman Fertitta was not there. I'm willing to pay an exorbitant luxury tax bill to return the list intact. General manager Daryl Morey will have a difficult time replacing Ariza with only the middle level exception of the taxpayers to offer in a short market the 3-D players who can defend any front position. I'm fascinated to see how the Rockets respond.
1. Agreed to a three-year, $ 22 million contract with striker Doug McDermott
Like a combo that has just peaked (turned 26 in January), McDermott fits in with the outline of what The Pacers should add to one of the most amazing teams of last season. It's the specific player that does not fit so well.
In theory, McDermott can defend any front point. In practice, that means that it is a responsibility in any position. Last season was the first time in four NBA seasons that McDermott's defensive score on ESPN's positive-negative real was better than three points for every 100 possessions, worse than the league average; improved to minus-2.3.
Thanks to his shot (40 percent of his career since 3) and the ability to move without the ball, McDermott is a useful offensive player. But useful is not enough to compensate for his poor defense and turn him into a neutral collaborator. McDermott is ill-equipped to defend quality scorekeepers one-on-one and rarely provides steals or blocks.
Indiana may point out Bojan Bogdanovic last season as an example of turning a player with a sad defensive record into RPM, even worse than McDermott – into a decent contributor. (Bogdanovic even served as the Pacers' main defense option over LeBron James in the playoffs.) If McDermott can make similar advances, this contract could end up being good. That's not good enough to justify McDermott being a priority when there are so few teams with space at the top.
1. Agreed to a one-year contract reported with striker Omri Cbadpi
When Cbadpi signed the minimum with the Warriors a year ago, he was roundly commended (even in these parts) as an ideal signature. Instead, Cbadpi did not even make the playoffs with Golden State, which freed him to make room for Quinn Cook on the postseason list.
Leaving aside that result, Cbadpi is still worth a flyer for a team that needs a help combo. He could end up replacing Chandler Parsons when Parsons can not play due to injury or at rest, something the Grizzlies have to plan to happen on a regular basis. And Cbadpi surely came out cheap after his ill-fated season with the Warriors.
1. Agreed to a three-year, $ 21 million contract with striker Ersan Ilyasova
As much as an agreement was reported in the early hours of Sunday morning, Ilyasova to the Bucks was a surprise. Maybe that should not have been the case, given his history with the organization. This is Ilyasova's third period of service in Milwaukee, the most recent under a new office and training staff. Still, there is a level of familiarization on both sides.
During the three years since the Bucks moved him to Detroit, Ilyasova has done a great job in retaining his value in his first 30 years. His ability to stretch the floor remains constant, and Ilyasova fights defensively. He is one of the most prolific players in the NBA, tying for second place in the league, attracting 26 of them last season, according to NBAMiner.com research.
Back in Milwaukee, Ilyasova seems to fulfill the expected role of Mirza Teletovic. Playing before a recurrence of blood clots marginalized him and eventually led him to his release. An interesting development last season was that Ilyasova played center as part of the Philadelphia 76ers' small lineups in the absence of Joel Embiid, and Ilyasova-Giannis Antetokounmpo's clues could be powerful from an offensive point of view.
Ilyasova's great concern is whether she will fall at some point in her mid-30s. According to reports by ESPN's Zach Lowe the final season of the Ilyasova contract is not guaranteed, providing coverage of the Bucks.
Now the question is what happens to Milwaukee restricted free agent Jabari Parker. Ilyasova could be Parker's replacement, and immerse herself in the non-contributory version of the mid-level exception to sign the Bucks' hard caps at approximately $ 130 million in salary. In practice, Milwaukee is unlikely to pay the tax, which means a de facto ceiling of $ 123.7 million. Adding Ilyasova puts the Bucks at around $ 110 million for 13 players, which means that a great offer for Parker is no longer available.
Parker may still be able to return if he accepts his qualified offer of $ 4.3 million and goes to free agency without restrictions within a year. But it is increasingly clear that Parker is not part of Milwaukee's long-term plans.
1. Agreed to a one-year minimum contract with guard Derrick Rose
Given that the Timberwolves were the most motivated (and perhaps the only) suitor for Rose when the Utah Jazz resigned him after the deadline of changes, it is not surprising that he returns to Minnesota with a similar contract.
Rose played reasonably well for the Timberwolves in the playoffs, breaking Houston's changes to score one on one. It did not hurt that Rose hit 7 for 10 in 3 in those four games, something Minnesota can not count on to continue.
The biggest risk of rehiring Rose is that she cuts out the minutes for the top Tyus Jones in support of Jeff Teague. But Rose played most of her minutes in the regular season with Jones (72 of 119, by Advanced Stats of the NBA), so the concern could be somewhat exaggerated.
1. Agreed to a four-year, $ 137 million contract with forward Paul George
You can read my full badysis of what's coming for the Thunder here.
Phoenix Suns
1. Agreed to a one-year, $ 15 million contract with striker Trevor Ariza
It seems that the Suns are asking themselves: "What if we made the whole team with small forwards?"
After recruiting a small forward with the No. 4 pick in the 2017 draft (Josh Jackson), he signed one for an extension last fall (TJ Warren) and traded for the rights of a 10th recruit this year (Mikal Bridges) , Phoenix now spent the vast majority of its cap space on another player who plays mainly the 3.
The good news is that if there is a position where more is almost always better, it is a small eaves, the most versatile point in defending. I guess Ariza will start as a power forward, pushing the big developing Suns (Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss) out of the lineup after each started half of the games last season. But it could also start as an escort, pushing Devin Booker to the point.
The big story here is that Phoenix is using his salary cap space to sign a point guard, leaving the position in the hands of Brandon, first shooter. Knight (who returns from a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament) and No. 31 choose Elie Okobo. Except for an exchange, that seems to indicate the use of Booker as the main ball driver with Jackson in a supporting role, an interesting bet that could improve the value of Booker.
More likely, I suspect that the Suns' lack of plays will condemn their offense to the top 10 in the NBA despite their improvements elsewhere. And I do not think the addition of Ariza and Bridges is enough to help last year's worst defense in the league, not with rookie Deandre Ayton anchoring things in the middle.
Phoenix obviously wants to push a place in the playoffs. season, which is presumably the reason for hiring a 33-year-old free agent to a one-year contract. But there is a big difference between wanting to make the playoffs and really do it, as the Suns have discovered over and over again during their eight years in the lottery.
On the positive side, Ariza should attract commercial interest if Phoenix falls out of the playoff race. In addition, the one-year agreement protects the Suns' cap space in 2019, when they could obtain the combination of a free agent maximum if they retain an extension for Booker to take advantage of its relatively low capital retention.
That said, I think Phoenix would have probably been better off using their cap space now to sign a younger player into a long-term deal that could have aged well as the cap went up.
1. Agreed to a one-year, $ 10 million contract with forward Rudy Gay
2. Agreed to a two-year, $ 12 million contract with guard Marco Belinelli
The two agreements that San Antonio agreed on Sunday morning do not match the idea that the Spurs will meet young talents acquired in exchange for Kawhi Leonard. Instead, San Antonio seems to want to win now, with or without Leonard.
Gay, who declined a $ 8.8 player option in the second season of the contract he signed with the Spurs last summer, surely got the maximum possible. – 20 percent – using rights that are not from Bird. That would put his deal at $ 10.1 million, a pretty good result for Gay given the limited free agent market this summer. Gay and Kyle Anderson joined to replace Leonard as a small forward last season, and I would expect a similar arrangement in the future, baduming Anderson returns as a restricted free agent.
In the event that San Antonio can convince Leonard will be part of the team next season, Gregg Popovich can return to the original plan to use Gay and Leonard together as part of smaller alignments that the Spurs have rarely used in the last years.
Belinelli returns to the site of his greatest heights in the NBA. The best percentage of real releases of Belinelli's career (.605) occurred in 2013-14 as part of the Spurs' most recent championship team; the second best (.582) was last season, which he divided between former San Antonio badistants Mike Budenholzer (in Atlanta) and Brett Brown (in Philadelphia). The question is how long Belinelli can maintain that level of performance, given that he will turn 34 at the end of this contract. A one-year agreement for Belinelli would have been more prudent.
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