Post by WigNosy on Jun 28, 2014 22:14:28 GMT -6
Since someone asked in league chat (Inner), here are the RFA signings along with reactions:
Steve Smith - resigned with Pistons (5 year supermax)
No surprises here. The Pistons made it known early and often that Smith would be getting a supermax and by moving out Reggie Miller, it was clear they weren't bluffing. Smith is now "the man" on a Pistons team that had a disappointing flameout in the playoffs last season and which has drastically restructured their squad to build around him going forward. They still have enough money to throw another max at a free agent, so we're not sure exactly what Detroit will look like next season. The fact that they are shopping their other high-priced piece, Mark Jackson, pretty aggressively indicates to this observer the structure of the Pistons now is not what the owner has in mind yet.
Stacey Augmon - resigned with the Pacers (5 year supermax)
Like Smith, no surprises here. The Pacers remain largely constituted the same as last season, and pushed the Pistons for the division until late in the season. With the Raptors and Pistons in a lot of flux, do the Pacers have a shot at the division this year? They hope so, but won't be able to add much through free agency - if improvement doesn't come in training camp, look for the Pacers to make a trade to take the step up they hope they'll get.
Greg Anthony - left the Raptors for VanMemphis Grizzlies (4 year max)
The Raptors weren't ready to pay Greg Anthony max money - clearly they feel they can do better (if not in talent, at least in value for the money) in the free agent pool. However, the Raptors go from having one presumptive hole (SF) to having two actual holes (SF and PG), and will feel some pressure to stretch their free agent dollars to try to fill both. On the flip side, the Grizzlies have now put together an intriguing little/big combo in Daughtry and Anthony... and still have enough room to bring back Gatling, should they so desire. The Grizz will hope Anthony can do for them long-term what Stockton did for them short-term last year.
Terrell Brandon - resigned with the Bucks (4 year max)
Not much of a surprise here. The Bucks have loved Brandon for a long time, and losing him would have hurt their young core pretty severely. If the Bucks look like a different squad than their "Tankalicious" squad from a couple of years ago, Brandon (and Seikaly) will be the veteran presence trying to get the young talent to gel properly.
Dale Davis - resigned with the Spurs (4 years, starting at 3.7 million)
The Spurs have to be absolutely thrilled to get a proven double-double machine who can start at PF or C to sign for about 75% of the max. Davis plus Sheed plus Robinson means the Spurs have a young frontcourt that will only consume roughly a quarter of their cap for the next four seasons, and with so much talent at guard among the veteran players in the league, the Spurs could get really good really fast with the right signings. Teams that had cap space missed on this one - I thought sure a young proven double-double big man would get a max deal a la Pervis Ellison a couple years back.
Larry Johnson - left the Pistons for the Lakers (4 years, 3.1 million per year)
Come home Larry! That had to be the sales pitch the Lakers gave to LJ, and he responded. While there is a fear that his offseason regimen at Big Al's Donut Farm has been eating away at his game, his production has remained excellent year-to-year. I think the Pistons probably decided they didn't want to make LJ the largest-salaried piece of their puzzle next to Smith, and LJ's history with Training Camp does make him a risk. That said, his contract is decent and the Lakers have been pining for him ever since they traded him. It's a risk, but his contract definitely seems to take that into account. A good signing by the Lakers, who needed a PF to go with all their wings, and probably a good no-sign by the Pistons.
Dikembe Mutombo - left the Kings to join the Bucks (4 years, starting at 2.6 million)
Love this signing by the Bucks. Mutombo may be 29, but he's on a "half-a-max" contract and he can still get the rebounds and blocks the Bucks will need from a big. Put him next to Seikaly and now the Bucks can either field a twin towers lineup or start shopping Seikaly (my money's on the former). Couple this with the Brandon re-signing, the drafting of Finley, and the hope Rick Fox and Brian Grant will continue to improve and you can start to see the Bucks of the future coming into focus. A bit surprised the Kings didn't want to match, considering they would still be able to offer a max deal even with a match and now they're looking for a second big (the fact that they're shopping Oliver Miller for points tells you they're not sold on his game).
Billy Owens - resigned with the Sonics (4 years, 1.8 million per year)
Billy has been up and down with training camps - some years he looks like a world-beater, other times he looks like a world-beaten. If he has another bad training camp this year, this is a horrible signing. If he has a good training camp this year, he might just earn this contract, but to exceed this contract he'll need two good TC's in a row. I thought this was a little high to pay for Owens - he's been a backup SF at best his whole career and that looks like 5th starter or high-grade 6th man salary to me.
Steve Smith - resigned with Pistons (5 year supermax)
No surprises here. The Pistons made it known early and often that Smith would be getting a supermax and by moving out Reggie Miller, it was clear they weren't bluffing. Smith is now "the man" on a Pistons team that had a disappointing flameout in the playoffs last season and which has drastically restructured their squad to build around him going forward. They still have enough money to throw another max at a free agent, so we're not sure exactly what Detroit will look like next season. The fact that they are shopping their other high-priced piece, Mark Jackson, pretty aggressively indicates to this observer the structure of the Pistons now is not what the owner has in mind yet.
Stacey Augmon - resigned with the Pacers (5 year supermax)
Like Smith, no surprises here. The Pacers remain largely constituted the same as last season, and pushed the Pistons for the division until late in the season. With the Raptors and Pistons in a lot of flux, do the Pacers have a shot at the division this year? They hope so, but won't be able to add much through free agency - if improvement doesn't come in training camp, look for the Pacers to make a trade to take the step up they hope they'll get.
Greg Anthony - left the Raptors for VanMemphis Grizzlies (4 year max)
The Raptors weren't ready to pay Greg Anthony max money - clearly they feel they can do better (if not in talent, at least in value for the money) in the free agent pool. However, the Raptors go from having one presumptive hole (SF) to having two actual holes (SF and PG), and will feel some pressure to stretch their free agent dollars to try to fill both. On the flip side, the Grizzlies have now put together an intriguing little/big combo in Daughtry and Anthony... and still have enough room to bring back Gatling, should they so desire. The Grizz will hope Anthony can do for them long-term what Stockton did for them short-term last year.
Terrell Brandon - resigned with the Bucks (4 year max)
Not much of a surprise here. The Bucks have loved Brandon for a long time, and losing him would have hurt their young core pretty severely. If the Bucks look like a different squad than their "Tankalicious" squad from a couple of years ago, Brandon (and Seikaly) will be the veteran presence trying to get the young talent to gel properly.
Dale Davis - resigned with the Spurs (4 years, starting at 3.7 million)
The Spurs have to be absolutely thrilled to get a proven double-double machine who can start at PF or C to sign for about 75% of the max. Davis plus Sheed plus Robinson means the Spurs have a young frontcourt that will only consume roughly a quarter of their cap for the next four seasons, and with so much talent at guard among the veteran players in the league, the Spurs could get really good really fast with the right signings. Teams that had cap space missed on this one - I thought sure a young proven double-double big man would get a max deal a la Pervis Ellison a couple years back.
Larry Johnson - left the Pistons for the Lakers (4 years, 3.1 million per year)
Come home Larry! That had to be the sales pitch the Lakers gave to LJ, and he responded. While there is a fear that his offseason regimen at Big Al's Donut Farm has been eating away at his game, his production has remained excellent year-to-year. I think the Pistons probably decided they didn't want to make LJ the largest-salaried piece of their puzzle next to Smith, and LJ's history with Training Camp does make him a risk. That said, his contract is decent and the Lakers have been pining for him ever since they traded him. It's a risk, but his contract definitely seems to take that into account. A good signing by the Lakers, who needed a PF to go with all their wings, and probably a good no-sign by the Pistons.
Dikembe Mutombo - left the Kings to join the Bucks (4 years, starting at 2.6 million)
Love this signing by the Bucks. Mutombo may be 29, but he's on a "half-a-max" contract and he can still get the rebounds and blocks the Bucks will need from a big. Put him next to Seikaly and now the Bucks can either field a twin towers lineup or start shopping Seikaly (my money's on the former). Couple this with the Brandon re-signing, the drafting of Finley, and the hope Rick Fox and Brian Grant will continue to improve and you can start to see the Bucks of the future coming into focus. A bit surprised the Kings didn't want to match, considering they would still be able to offer a max deal even with a match and now they're looking for a second big (the fact that they're shopping Oliver Miller for points tells you they're not sold on his game).
Billy Owens - resigned with the Sonics (4 years, 1.8 million per year)
Billy has been up and down with training camps - some years he looks like a world-beater, other times he looks like a world-beaten. If he has another bad training camp this year, this is a horrible signing. If he has a good training camp this year, he might just earn this contract, but to exceed this contract he'll need two good TC's in a row. I thought this was a little high to pay for Owens - he's been a backup SF at best his whole career and that looks like 5th starter or high-grade 6th man salary to me.
