A hectic NBA free agency period has all but come to an end. A number of superstars changed jersey. While most of them went West – definitely a concern for the NBA, who already saw an imbalance beforehand – the gem of free agency went in the other direction. The Boston Celtics were extremely patient but finally got their guy. Considering the draft picks they’ve added and now Hayward, the team that won the Eastern Conference last season also won free agency.
Boston Celtics
The Celtics are big winners thanks to the acquisition of Gordon Hayward. They were patient with Paul George and didn’t give in, they didn’t sell the farm or their future to get a star. Instead, they – for the second offseason in a row – signed an All-Star. Hayward should fit in quite well given his familiarity with Brad Stevens.
There is some concern that acquiring Hayward will cost the Celtics some depth. They had to dump off Avery Bradley, who looks like a growing two-way starter in this league. They also had to dump Kelly Olynyk.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder won the Paul George sweepstakes and that’s huge. While he’s still (probably) planning to sign in Los Angeles next season, a lot can happen between now and then. If the Thunder compete for a title and the Lakers are still a mess, George might reconsider.
Keep in mind that the Thunder didn’t give up that much for him. Yes, Victor Oladipo was dumped but he doesn’t look like anything more than a borderline starter. And he’s got a pricey contract over the next few seasons. Even if the Thunder lose George next year, they’ve all of the sudden found some cap space. The Thunder also gave up Domantas Sabonis, who really didn’t show much in his rookie season. The Pacers were in a tough spot and the Thunder did great to take advantage.
Minnesota Timberwolves
It’s hard not to like the Timberwovles offseason. They traded for Jimmy Butler, which gives them a proven star to pair with Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. While there is some concern as to how Wiggins and Butler can coexist – one of them will have to play small forward – it’s still a huge win. They also didn’t give up a whole lot. Zach LaVine is coming off a significant injury. Kris Dunn was a high first round pick but it didn’t look like he was a budding star last year.
And don’t forget that the Timberwolves also shipped away oft-injured Ricky Rubio for Jeff Teague. While Teague isn’t as flashy, he’s likely to be on the court a lot more. He’s also been deep in the playoffs and can offer veteran leadership.
Lastly, the Timberwolves also picked up Taj Gibson, who will be a solid bench body. Strong offseason for them.
Houston Rockets
It’s hard to keep the Rockets off this list when they picked up Chris Paul. Did they give up a lot? Not really. Yes, Pat Beverly was a nice piece and so was Lou Williams. Sam Dekker looks to be on the rise. However, none of those three bench guys amounts to Chris Paul.
Did the Rockets need Paul is another question – especially with James Harden coming off a stellar season where he played point guard. How will they coexist? Head coach Mike D’Antoni will figure it out. This was a good get.
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs needed some kind of shot in the arm and it came via an unexpected signing: Rudy Gay. Yes, he’s Rudy Gay, which means he’s a volume shooter and scorer. And he’s coming off injury and he isn’t great defensively. However, at about $8.5 million per year, the Spurs did great to get someone who can be their No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3 scorer on a given night. They needed someone proven who can take some pressure off of Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge. This is one of the more under-the-radar signings. He could have gotten a lot more.
The 2017 NBA futures are out. It’s been a wild offseason already, but keep an eye on the betting lines as they move around at Diamond Sportsbook! Get the latest NBA betting lines right here.
