Best NBA Off-season deals
The increase in salary cap led to a wild and busy NBA off-season. Things started quickly on July 1, but the majority of big names have inked deals and most teams have used the bulk of their cap space.
Kevin Durant left Oklahoma City, choosing to join the Warriors and turn them into the most frightening team since LeBron James’ Miami Heat squads. Al Horford’s run with the Hawks ended, as Atlanta turned to Dwight Howard. Dwyane Wade’s frustration with Miami led to his exit, joining the Chicago Bulls.
Those moves shook up in the NBA. But there are numerous others that could have a similar impact.
Labeling Durant as “the best deal of the off-season” is a no-brainer so here are five more:
Zaza Pachulia, Golden State Warriors
The Warriors inked the off-season’s biggest prize, Durant. The move, which catapults them into their own stratosphere in the Western Conference, ended up costing them defensive-minded center Andrew Bogut. With little money remaining, Golden State went in search of a cheap center, someone who could provide quality minutes and keep Draymond Green from exhausting himself in a small-ball lineup.
The Warriors found much more than that. They found a starter, a capable Bogut replacement in Pachulia. And the price tag (one-year, $2.7 million) could be the biggest bargain in the league this season.
With the rate for quality centers quadrupling his deal in some cases and Pachulia’s discussions with the Wizards approaching a $20 million pact, Golden State is getting away with robbery. It will live with the slight defensive downgrade.
Pachulia is coming off one of his best seasons, starting 69 games and averaging 8.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.3 blocks.
Chandler Parsons, Memphis Grizzlies
Since trading Rudy Gay in 2013, the Grizzlies have been on a round-the-clock quest for his replacement. Veterans Mike Miller and Tayshaun Prince have made pitstops in Memphis.
The Grizzlies have also tried reclamation projects (Jeff Green and Lance Stephenson) to no avail.
The search is over, as they landed Parsons, one of the best wings available this off-season. It was costly. Parsons received a four-year, $94 million deal. But it was also necessary to take some pressure off aging big men Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol and provide spacing for Memphis’ 24th ranked offense.
Parsons’ health concerns make this signing a bit of a risk. After all, he’s had surgery on his right knee twice in the past 14 months. The last few years of the contract could become a headache. But if he stays on the court, Parsons who averages 14.3 points and 38 percent shooting from beyond the arc in his career, could push the Grizzlies back to the top half of the West.
It appeared the Memphis contention window was starting to close after finishing seventh last season. Signing Parsons helps restore hope.
The increase in salary cap led to a wild and busy NBA off-season. Things started quickly on July 1, but the majority of big names have inked deals and most teams have used the bulk of their cap space.
Kevin Durant left Oklahoma City, choosing to join the Warriors and turn them into the most frightening team since LeBron James’ Miami Heat squads. Al Horford’s run with the Hawks ended, as Atlanta turned to Dwight Howard. Dwyane Wade’s frustration with Miami led to his exit, joining the Chicago Bulls.
Those moves shook up in the NBA. But there are numerous others that could have a similar impact.
Labeling Durant as “the best deal of the off-season” is a no-brainer so here are five more:
Zaza Pachulia, Golden State Warriors
The Warriors inked the off-season’s biggest prize, Durant. The move, which catapults them into their own stratosphere in the Western Conference, ended up costing them defensive-minded center Andrew Bogut. With little money remaining, Golden State went in search of a cheap center, someone who could provide quality minutes and keep Draymond Green from exhausting himself in a small-ball lineup.
The Warriors found much more than that. They found a starter, a capable Bogut replacement in Pachulia. And the price tag (one-year, $2.7 million) could be the biggest bargain in the league this season.
With the rate for quality centers quadrupling his deal in some cases and Pachulia’s discussions with the Wizards approaching a $20 million pact, Golden State is getting away with robbery. It will live with the slight defensive downgrade.
Pachulia is coming off one of his best seasons, starting 69 games and averaging 8.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.3 blocks.
Chandler Parsons, Memphis Grizzlies
Since trading Rudy Gay in 2013, the Grizzlies have been on a round-the-clock quest for his replacement. Veterans Mike Miller and Tayshaun Prince have made pitstops in Memphis.
The Grizzlies have also tried reclamation projects (Jeff Green and Lance Stephenson) to no avail.
The search is over, as they landed Parsons, one of the best wings available this off-season. It was costly. Parsons received a four-year, $94 million deal. But it was also necessary to take some pressure off aging big men Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol and provide spacing for Memphis’ 24th ranked offense.
Parsons’ health concerns make this signing a bit of a risk. After all, he’s had surgery on his right knee twice in the past 14 months. The last few years of the contract could become a headache. But if he stays on the court, Parsons who averages 14.3 points and 38 percent shooting from beyond the arc in his career, could push the Grizzlies back to the top half of the West.
It appeared the Memphis contention window was starting to close after finishing seventh last season. Signing Parsons helps restore hope.
Category: Basketball
