On August 4, Beijing time, the NBA free agent market entered the second day. Compared with the first day, because many relatively big-name free agents have found their next home, the players signed the next day have a certain degree of decline compared with the first day, whether in terms of fame or signing amount. But among them, there are still many players and teams worth paying attention to.
Lakers - reinforcing the outside line, the footsteps do not stop
The frustrated Lakers last season, after the free agent market opened, signed 4 former veterans in a row, quickly replenishing the lineup. They were clearly not satisfied and soon continued to attack. The day after the free agent market, the Lakers gained four more players, namely "Melon" Anthony, Malik Munch, Kendrick Nunn, and their own restricted free agent Horton Tucker.
In line with the thinking of the first day, the 4 players signed by the Lakers on the second day are still players with outside projection capabilities. Among them, Nunn was in the Heat last season, averaging 14.6 points per game, shooting 38.1% from three-point range, and the Lakers signed him with a mid-level exception of 5.9 million, the contract was two years, and Nunn had player options in the second year. It is reported that Nunn turned down longer-term, higher-value contracts from other teams in order to come to the Lakers to compete for the championship.
Horton Tucker let the Lakers give him a 3-year, 32 million contract, and the Lakers are more interested in the potential of the 20-year-old Tucker. Because if you really look at last season's performance, Tucker's average of 9.0 points per game and 28.2% three-point shooting rate are certainly not as effective and effective as Caruso's 37 million in 4 years. But Caruso is 27 years old, which may be an important factor for the Lakers to abandon Caruso and choose Tucker.
Both Anthony and Munch signed on with a veteran base salary. Among them, Anthony averaged 13.4 points per game and 40.9% from three-point range last season in the Blazers, and he can become a good substitute for the front line after coming to the Lakers, especially when Davis plays the fifth position, Anthony can top the fourth position. Munch is the No. 11 rookie of 2017, averaging 11.7 points per game last season and shooting 40.1 percent from three-point range. However, after the Hornets selected Lamelo Ball, there is no Munch position in the backcourt, and the 23-year-old joined the Lakers with a basic salary, obviously hoping to gild the next year and strive for a big contract next year.
Through this series of signings, the Lakers have clearly expressed their attitude, that is, to improve the team's offensive level. However, without the defensive sharps such as Caruso and Pope, and then introducing a number of players who attack strong and defend weakly, how to balance the Attack and Defense of the Lakers in the new season will become a new problem for the team.
Bulls – sign Azan, rich and willful
On the first day after the opening of the free agent market, the Bulls signed Caruso for 4 years and 37 million, and the 4-year 85 million signing of Lonzo Ball, both of which can be signed with high scores. By the next day, though, the Bulls' management seemed to be out of shape. They gave Spurs Sadis Young and Aminu, as well as 1 future first-round pick and 2 second-round picks, and got DeRozan from the Spurs by signing first and then exchanging them, and DeRozan's total contract amount is 85 million for 3 years.
As soon as the deal broke, the entire NBA circle was in an uproar. Whether it is technical or tactical or monetary, this is obviously not a good signing, and it can even be classified as a bad signing.
First of all, on the tactical level, DeRozan played as a possession striker at the Spurs last season, and the effect was good. In one season, DeRozan averaged 6.9 assists per game, setting a career-high. The Spurs have 37 percent of their offense, all started by DeRozan. But the Bulls have just signed a master like Ball, and with a defender like LaVine in the backcourt who also needs the ball in hand, DeRozan is doomed to not get as much as the ball at the Spurs. And the no-ball offense is not DeRozan's strong point, so at the tactical level, how DeRozan integrates into the Bulls will be a big problem.
Then there's the economic aspect. Previously, many teams had rumors with DeRozan, saying that they would sign him on a middle-class contract. Of course, whether it is the Heat or the Lakers, there is an emotional component mixed in, not that DeRozan is only worth a middle-class contract. But the bull directly issued a contract with an average annual salary of more than 28 million, and also signed directly for 3 years, the premium of which is still too high. Coupled with the sending of two more players and 3 draft picks, the Bulls' wave of operations is difficult to be optimistic.
Nets — Offensive firepower, continue to escalate
After the free agent market opened, the Nets did nothing on the first day except sign a new contract with Griffin for a year, and watched Dinwiddie leave, making many Nets fans worry about their home team. But the next day, the Nets took on Australian guard Patty Mills, who is still competing in the Olympics.
Mills has been a target for the Nets this year, eventually taking him down on a 2-year, $12 million contract. The arrival of Mills has made the Nets' outside firepower more ferocious, last season, Mills can average 2.4 three-pointers per game, 37.5% three-point shooting rate, ranking 22nd in the league, he will let the Nets' outside firepower get further improved.
However, Mills is limited by his height and his defensive ability has always been relatively average. Coupled with the Factuer Irving, who does not have an advantage in height in the Nets' backcourt, how to improve the defensive level of the backcourt will be a key consideration for the Nets. On the same day, the Nets also left Bruce Brown on a one-year contract with James Johnson.
Knicks – don't sign a guard, wait until Kemba
On the first day after the opening of the free agent market, the Knicks continued to sign, but the move to sign Fournier, sign back Rose, Noel, Box and Tay Gibson made people feel that they were standing still. Coupled with the fact that the team has not strengthened the No. 1 position, and there is not enough salary space to meet Schroeder, who wants a 20 million contract, many people do not know what the Knicks really want to do.
And the day after the free agent market, the Knicks gave the answer, and they were waiting for Kemba Walker. Kemba Walker, who was sent to the Thunder by the Celtics through a trade, has now reached a buyout agreement with the new team, and he will give up part of his salary from a two-year, $74 million contract to become a free agent. After the clarification period is over, Walker will return to his hometown of New York without stopping to join the Knicks.
It turned out that it was not that the Knicks were not in a hurry to reinforce, but that they already had the desired goal. Walker's addition will undoubtedly greatly enhance the overall strength of the Knicks, and the fourth team in the East last season seems to have a higher pursuit.
Other free agents signed
Brin Forbes reached a signing agreement with the Spurs. Forbes spent the first four seasons of his career with the Spurs, winning the championship with the Bucks last season. Last season, Forbes averaged 10.0 points and 1.6 rebounds per game.
Hassan Whiteside signed a contract with the Jazz. Last season, Whiteside averaged 8.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.
Australian center Jock Randale signed a two-year contract with the Spurs. Randale was the Australian NBL League Finals MVP last season, averaging 16.4 points, 2.3 assists and 1.4 blocks per game.
Rudy Guy joined the Jazz for $12.1 million in 2 years and was a player option the following year. Last season, Gay averaged 11.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
Markiff Morris joined the Heat for a year-end salary. Last season, Big Morris averaged 6.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.
Tony Snell joined the Trail Blazers on a one-year contract. Last season, Snell averaged 5.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
Robin Lopez joined the Magic for $5 million a year. Last season, Lopez Jr. averaged 9.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.
Drummond joined the 76ers with a year-end salary and drummond averaged 11.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game for the Lakers last season.
Nemanja Bjelica joined the Warriors with a year-end salary. Last season, Bjelica averaged 7.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.
Restricted free agent John Collins agreed to a five-year, $125 million extension from the Hawks, which will have player options for the fifth year of the contract.
Sam Decker, who had played overseas for the previous two years, returned to the NBA to sign with the Raptors.
Iss Smith signed the Hornets to a one-year contract. The second year of the contract is a team option, and the amount of protection for the next season is $4.5 million. Last season, Smith averaged 6.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.
Abdul Nadir returned to the sun for $4.2 million in 2 years. Last season, Nadir averaged 6.7 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.
George Niang joined the 76ers for $6.7 million in 2 years. Last season, Niang averaged 6.9 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.
The Pelicans signed a 4-year contract with Marcos Lozada Silva. Lozada was selected by the Pelicans with the 35th overall pick in 2019 and has been playing in the Australian League ever since.
(Signing news as of August 4, Beijing time)