Post by Martinez on Dec 28, 2011 12:18:54 GMT -5
The Winners
Charlotte Bobcats:
Key Signings:
SF Larry Jones for $90,000,000 over 6 years.
Grade: A+
Thoughts: The Bobcats only secured one signing and free agency and it was easily the most unexpected and the most prolific player switching teams during this heated free agency period. The Bobcats bring in arguably a top 5 player in the league in Larry Jones. Jones nearly averaged an unheard of 40ppg on 50% shooting from the field with an even more staggering 87%FT and 45% from the 3pt line.
Larry Jones automatically gives the perennial laughing stock of the league the Bobcats a franchise piece they've lacked since the days of Bradley Barker. Now whether or not the Bobcats can continue to build around Larry Jones will remain to be seen. They have some very good young pieces in point guard Bill Melchionni and many GMs pick for rookie of the year Lou Hudson. If they can continue to add veteran depth to this team they can be contenders as soon as this year but the signing of Larry Jones makes them winners of Free Agency regardless of what happens in the next four days.
Detroit Pistons:
Key Signings: SG Hot Rod Hundley for $126,000,000 over 6 years.
Grade: B-
Thoughts: The Detroit Pistons were in the market for a wing player and they couldn't have asked for a better prize in free agency. Hot Rod Hundley may be a bit overpaid at 33 years of age getting a 126 million dollar contract that will see him making 26 million at 38 years of age but with such a hostile free agency market in BBS overpaying to land a stud is sometimes a necessity. Hot Rod may be at the twilight of his years but he still put up 30ppg on 45% from the field and there aren't to many players capable of that in the league. The Pistons franchise among the most inconsistent franchises in the league having won the title in the early years of the league they haven't had much success in recent memory. Some will say this is another two-year move that will see the Pistons back in lottery position within a few years being it that Hundley is 33 years of age. Fortunately for the Pistons they have a nice infusion of youth with John Block, John Tresvant, and Archie Clark. If these youngsters can further develop the Pistons should be competitive for the next 5-6 seasons easily.
Los Angeles Clippers
Key Signings:PF Lamont McGee for $108,564,564 over 6 years.
Grade: B
Thoughts:The Clippers made a cost cutting move trading the #9 pick and Keither Erickson in this years draft for future draft considerations in order to free up enough cap space to sign one of the big time free agents available. This move allowed them to sign PF Lamont McGee among the most coveted big man in free agency. McGee fills an obvious need at the 4, pairing up with All-Defensive big man Nate Thurmond giving the Clippers one of the best front court defenses in the league. This move allows the Clippers to bring youngster Walt Wesley off the bench and hope he can further develop within the next few seasons as proven last season he isn't quite ready to contribute just yet. Lamont McGee brings veteran leadership to an otherwise young core which includes SF David Lee and PG Bob Weiss. The biggest question mark is whether or not McGee is worth a maximum contract at 34 years of age but as with the Pistons and Hundley, the Clippers could ill afford not to offer a maximum. Unlike Hundley, and thus the slightly better grade, McGee is on contract that is 20 million less than Hundley's.
Boston Celtics
Key Signings: SF Jerry Sloan for $12,000,000 over one year.
PG Lavelle Langston for $16,800,000 over one year.
Grade:B-(with a chance of going higher or lower)
Thoughts:The Celtics have done a nice job of signing veteran free agents to big one year contracts and dealing them off for picks and this season is no different. Jerry Sloan and Lavelle Langston should be able to net the Celtics a few futures but of course that remains to be seen. The Celtics could though very well slide into the losers category if both Sloan and Langston regress in TCs and/or they are unable to trade them from their roster and thus hurting their chances at another lotto pick.
The Losers
Milwaukee Bucks
Key Departures: SF Larry Jones
Key Signings: SF Tandy Gillis for $14,700,000 over one year.
Thoughts: The Milwaukee Bucks easily had one of the worst off-seasons in recent memory. They lose arguably one of the best players in the league in Larry Jones who many people think can become the best player of all time, and then sign the highly overrated Tandy Gillis to a max one year contract. The Bucks are in total disarray and management has even seen fit to fire longstanding GM Brophdog due to horrendous management in the past few seasons. The Bucks are now without multiple futures firsts, and have a roster littered with veterans and huge contracts that make it almost impossible for teams to match. Will the new GM be able to salvage the mess that former GM Brophdog created? Only time will tell.
Utah Jazz
Key Departures: Lamont McGee
Key Signings: PG Jim King for $18,381,550 over 3 years.
Thoughts: Utah Jazz GM Jahallstar continues to do the bare minimum with the Utah Jazz franchise. A team that doesn't ever seem to make moves to launch themselves into contention sees one of their best players move to a conference rival because they didn't want to over spend, instead they decided to "award" Jim King's mediocre play at best with an 18 million dollar 3 year contract.
The Jazz franchise is littered with veteran superstars no one has ever heard of because Jazz management does not believe in trading to get better. This Jazz team not only got worse in free agency, they got older and filled a position of need PG, with the same player that isn't capable of running a team Jim King as last season.