Best & Worst NBA Free Agent Signings of 2015
By Jason McIntyre
The 2015 summer of NBA free agency will be remembered as one where everyone stayed … until the two biggest names, LaMarcus Aldridge and DeAndre Jordan, rejected longer, more lucrative offers to move on. This list will exclude players who re-signed, so Danny Green’s great discount, Kevin Love’s big deal and Jimmy Butler staying in Chicago all don’t count.
LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio Spurs, 4-years, $80 million. The best player on the free agent market joins one of the best-run franchises in the NBA, and the dynasty will continue for a few more years. Coming off his two best seasons as a pro, Aldridge turns 30 this month and gives the Spurs arguably the most talented 7-man rotation in the league – Parker, Ginobili, Green, Leonard, Diaw, Duncan, Aldridge.
DeAndre Jordan, Dallas Mavericks, 4-years, $80 million. Massive shocker. Big win for the Mavericks, and while it still doesn’t put them in the Warriors/Spurs/Thunder class, they’re capable of cracking that if things break right in the playoffs. The Clippers are big losers here – they were 19 minutes away from the Western Conference Finals, then lost that game and Game 7 to get booted by the Rockets – and Chris Paul might have just cemented his spot as the greatest player in NBA history to never reach the Conference Finals.
Greg Monroe, Milwaukee Bucks, 3-years, $50 million. Mild surprise, given that the Lakers and Knicks had interest and might have given him more money and more years. The Bucks are legit contenders in the East. The fact Monroe can be a 3rd banana here, and not have the pressure to put up big numbers with the sorry Knicks had he gone there, is why it’s such a victory.
Paul Pierce, SG, LA Clippers, 3-years, $10.6 million. A steal – especially since he passed up $6 million in Washington next season to make just $3.4 with the Clippers – but it looked better before DeAndre Jordan gave Doc Rivers the stiff arm. The Clippers, who were in a bad spot financially just weeks ago, were having a slick offseason – trading for Lance Stephenson was a risk worth taking, and landing Pierce was genius, given how well he played for Washington last year – but Jordan’s decision to leave pushes the Clippers in the mix for the 6-7-8 seed in the West.
Monta Ellis, SG, Indiana Pacers, 4-year, $44 million. Still has the chucker mentality, which is fine, because the Pacers are going to need points with David West gone. Ellis should fit well with George Hill and a healthy Paul George. The Pacers have a surprisingly formidable wing attack, and should return to the playoffs in the East.
Brandan Wright, C, Memphis, 3-years, $17 million. Great value in that he’s a cheap and effective backup. Need a great way to save the legs of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph for the playoffs? Give Wright big minutes off the bench in the regular season. He’s limited offensively, but he’s a terrific fit on this team defensively. Only 27. Should Memphis want to tinker with a small-ball lineup off the bench – say, Jeff Green at the 4, Matt Barnes at the 3, Jordan Adams at SG and Nick Calathes at PG – they’ve got that option
Ed Davis, PF/C, Portland Trailblazers, 3-years, $20 million. Portland needed frontcourt depth with Robin Lopez & LaMarcus Aldridge leaving, and frankly, I’d rather have Davis than Lopez. Davis feels like a more natural fit at PF, but in just 23 minutes a game, he averaged 8.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg and 1.2 bpg on a bad Lakers team. The 60 percent FG shooting wasn’t bad either.
Tyson Chandler, C, Phoenix Suns, 4-years, $52 million: Who gives that much money to a center who has a litany of injury issues after 14 seasons? Phoenix better hope that renowned training staff is ready to work magic on Chandler, who has lost a step defensively but if healthy could still post a double-double. I guess this signing means Alex Len is nowhere near ready for big minutes?
WORST
DeMarre Carroll, SF, Toronto Raptors, 4-years, $60 million. A year ago at this time, he’s a journeyman who’s played for five teams in five years. Now he’s getting $15 million a year? He turns 29 later this month and shot a career-high 39% on 3-pointers. Plays good defense. No pressure with DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry mostly carrying the offensive load, and even Valanciunas inside. The signing does make you question lottery pick Terrence Ross’s future, unless there are small-ball ideas with Carroll at PF and Ross at SF.
Arron Afflalo, SG, New York Knicks. No horrible because it’s a 2-year, $16 million deal and not an exorbitant one. But Afflalo didn’t fill in well as a starter in Portland when Wesley Matthews went down. Orlando Magic fans? Liked him a lot. Portland fans? Not at all.
Rajon Rondo, PG, Sacramento Kings, 1-year, $9.5 million. This will be a disaster if the Kings open the season with George Karl, DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo in the same locker room. Must-see TV car wreck disaster. Will obviously have some terrific moments – with all that talent, how could you not? – but won’t sniff the playoffs.
Amir Johnson, PF, Boston Celtics. 2-years, $24 million. Can anyone in Boston make sense of this? He’s not a Stretch 4 and he’s not going to give them an offensive interior option. Seems like they overpaid.
Al-Farouq Aminu, SF, 3-years, $30 million, Portland. This one’s easy – bad teams and teams in unenviable cities have to offer players more just to get them. But I’d still love to see they were bidding against here. I’ve long been a fan of Aminu, but this is funny money.