Has your head stopped spinning after Thursday marked the opening of NBA free agency, with a flurry of moves reported the moment it all started at 6 p.m. ET and throughout the night (we put together a tracker to help!)?
Yeah, it was a lot. So let’s take a step back as we assess what was done and declare who won and lost so far.
While there wasn’t a ton of movement — particularly among the biggest names available — there was the bombshell that Kevin Durant wanted out from the Nets and that Brooklyn was working on a trade.
Here are the Day 1 winners and losers:
WINNERS
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Jalen Brunson
Congrats to the Dallas Mavericks guard, who went from second round pick in 2018 to getting over $100 million from the New York Knicks. As far as free agency movement goes, this might be biggest move until we hear where Durant is heading.
NBA supermax contract earners
(AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)
Although I’m of the mind that supermax contracts don’t work and become problems for the teams that sign their players to them, it’s still a huge payday for guys like Devin Booker (Suns), Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves) and Ja Morant (Grizzlies).
They were all likely going to stay with those teams as they try to contend, but now they’re getting A LOT of money to do it.
Gary Payton II
How cool is it to see him go from journeyman to NBA champ with the Warriors to reportedly getting a three-year $28 million deal from the Blazers? Love it.
PJ Tucker
Dude will turn 40 in three years. He’s already got a ring from the Bucks in 2021. And now, he’s got another $33.2 million coming his way in the next three years from Philly, thanks to his old Rockets GM Daryl Morey.
Milwaukee Bucks
(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Speaking of the Bucks! I love getting Joe Ingles on a one-year deal and bringing back Bobby Portis for the next four years. A top contender playing things very smart.
Klutch clients and the Lakers
Saw a lot of tweets like this on Thursday:
With AD, LeBron, THT, Kendrick Nunn, Lonnie Walker IV and now Juan Toscano-Anderson, six of the 12 current Lakers are Klutch clients. https://t.co/fg8dvRwhmn
— Harrison Faigen (@hmfaigen) June 30, 2022
Klutch clients on the Lakers since 2017
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
LeBron James
Anthony Davis
Talen Horton-Tucker
Dion Waiters
J.R. Smith
Montrezl Harrell
Ben McLemore
Kendrick Nunn
Scotty Pippen Jr.
Lonnie Walker IV
Troy Brown Jr.
Juan Toscano-Anderson— pickuphoop (@pickuphoop) June 30, 2022
Portland Trail Blazers
They had to make sure they made Damian Lillard happy this offseason. And I’d say they have: They kept the emerging Anfernee Simons, they traded for Jerami Grant, and Payton II is a great addition.
LOSERS
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Brooklyn Nets
I mean, we HAVE to put them here, right?
We thought they’d have a chance at a run at a ring with KD and Kyrie Irving, but that’s all fallen apart. It’s nice that they kept Nic Claxton and Patty Mills on Thursday … but things are about to fall very much apart even if they end up with a decent roster by the end of the summer.
Fans who wanted more movement
Uh, yay, Malik Monk is off to Sacramento? Of course, the Durant trade will keep us all busy for a while.
But it would have been so much more fun to see if Bradley Beal would take his time and figure out where he’s going, although he just got SO MUCH MONEY from the Washington Wizards to stay.
Second- and third-tier East teams
Look: The Knicks getting Brunson is an upgrade for sure at point guard. I like the Wizards moves.
But the Hawks are better after the Dejounte Murray trade. And the Heat, Celtics, Bucks, Sixers and probably Raptors aren’t going anywhere, and who knows if Durant could stay in the conference.
