The NBA free agency period has come and gone, and teams have made a flurry of moves aimed at improving their rosters. Some teams made smart moves, while others made more questionable decisions. Here are some of the teams that made the smartest and worst moves during the NBA free agency period.
Smartest Moves:
1. Los Angeles Lakers: While the Lakers didn’t make a splashy signing like they did last season with LeBron James, they made a series of savvy moves to bolster their roster. They signed veteran guard Danny Green, who provides much-needed shooting and defense. They also added big man Dwight Howard, who had a resurgent season with the Lakers last year.
2. Miami Heat: The Heat made one of the biggest moves of the free agency period by acquiring All-Star guard Jimmy Butler in a sign-and-trade with the Philadelphia 76ers. Butler is a proven scorer and defender who gives the Heat a much-needed boost on the perimeter.
3. Dallas Mavericks: The Mavericks made two smart moves in free agency. First, they signed Seth Curry, a sharpshooting guard who played for them in the past. Second, they acquired big man Boban Marjanovic, who provides size and scoring off the bench.
Worst Moves:
1. New York Knicks: The Knicks had grand plans for free agency, but they ultimately struck out on their top targets and made some questionable signings. They gave a lot of money to forward Julius Randle, who is a good player but doesn’t necessarily fit well with the Knicks’ young core. They also signed several veterans to short-term contracts, which could limit the development of their young players.
2. Charlotte Hornets: The Hornets made a very strange signing in free agency by giving big money to point guard Terry Rozier. Rozier is a solid player, but he doesn’t necessarily fill a need for the Hornets, who already have a young point guard in Devonte’ Graham.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves: The Timberwolves made a somewhat confusing trade in free agency by sending forward Dario Saric to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for veteran point guard Ricky Rubio. Rubio is a solid player, but he doesn’t necessarily improve the Timberwolves in a significant way.
Overall, some teams made smart moves in free agency, while others made more questionable decisions. The Lakers, Heat, and Mavericks all improved their rosters with savvy moves, while the Knicks, Hornets, and Timberwolves could be left scratching their heads about some of their signings. Only time will tell which teams made the right moves and which ones didn’t.