Day 2 Of The NBA's Free Agency Was All About The Rich Getting Richer

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If Day 1 of Free Agency was all about the big money deals, I'd say Day 2 was mostly about the rich getting richer. With a majority of the cap space going in Day 1, this is a day were you see a lot of the mid level exception deals/league minimum deals fall into place. Consider it a depth day. Chances are if you're bringing in someone on those contracts, they are players who you feel can round out your rotation or roster. It's also an opportunity for all the free agents who didn't sign a big deal on Day 1 to ring chase. That obviously didn't happen on Monday because the title contenders didn't have all that much cap space, so Tuesday was their day to shine. We also saw some surprising sign and trades which we'll get to, but as expected it was another wild day on the open market for NBA talent. Just like we did in the Day 1 Megablog, let's get you all caught up.

Brooklyn Nets

Signed Bruce Brown to a 1/4.7M deal

Signed Patty Mills to a 2/12M deal

Signed James Johnson to a 1/2M deal

Another eventful day for the Nets, with a couple of interesting signings. For starters, what makes the Bruce Brown deal interesting is the fact that he signed his qualifying offer rather than enter restricted free agency. This is significant because for a guy who proved to be pretty important, he can now be an unrestricted free agent next summer. You rarely see guys play on their qualifying offer. That's a pretty good steal for the Nets because it prevents them from having to deal with the tough decision of matching a higher offer or letting him walk for nothing. With Patty Mills they bring in one of the better veteran options left on the market who immediately improves their second unit. Gee, when have I heard this before. It's also some nice Kyrie insurance in the event he misses time. 

James Johnson is essentially the new Jeff Green, he's a versatile 6'8 defense first player who can sometimes knock down a three and will give you good energy and toughness. Guy is a black belt or some shit. He'll beat your ass. 

Charlotte Hornets

Signed Ish Smith to a 1/4.5M deal

Think back to when we all watched Reggie Jackson play out of his mind in the Clippers postseason run without Kawhi. I'd never seen anything like that from Reggie Jackson before. He took over, it was wild. Think back to how we all felt about what his market might be this summer. Surely he was going to cash in off his pretty solid season. Now try and make sense of Ish Smith landing on a team before Reggie Jackson. Who saw that coming?

With Devonte Graham out the Hornets depth at point guard isn't all that deep once you get past LaMelo and Terry Rozier. All I know about Ish Smith is that he's fast as hell and every time he plays the Celtics he becomes the best player in the world. That might actually be more of a Celts problem than a Ish Smith positive but essentially this signing fills a need and brings in a veteran voice to be around LaMelo and Bouknight.

Chicago Bulls

Signed DeMar DeRozan to a 3/85M deal

First, read Carl's blog. We'll wait. You can feel his excitement through the screen and he has good reason to have it. All Bulls fans do. Listen, rebuilding in the NBA is hard. So much has to go right, you need a little luck, and timing can dictate everything. Take this Bulls rebuild for example. Their new regime took over in 2020. It's 2021 and look at what they've built. Two All Stars in LaVine and Vucevic. One guy who is 20/5/5 but not an "All Star" anymore in DeRozan. A solid young point guard with the potential to grow in Lonzo. Defense depth in Caruso, and young promising talent in Patrick Williams. All that in 1 season. It really is one of the more impressive rebuilds we've seen as of late. Now the hard part of actually winning and having expectations kick in, but take a second and appreciate how quickly they rebuilt this team and the caliber of talent they added. 

DeRozan is also a decent insurance plan in the event Zach LaVine decides to test the market in 2022. Who knows what this team will look like defensively since it's not looking great on paper, but offensively they should be so much fun to watch. 

Golden State Warriors

Signed Nemanja Bjelica to a 1/2M deal

The thing with Bjelica is the idea of Bjelica is better than the actual Bjelica you get. You know what, that felt like a lot of Bjelica's if we're being honest. I probably should have found a different way to say that but you know what I mean. I don't really like him because he actually might stink, but I like the idea of him. You think, oh cool a stretch big who can knock down threes. Then you take yourself over to basketball reference because no chance you ever watched him on the Kings and may not even know he went to the Heat last year at the deadline. Once you're there you look at his 3P% and you see he shot 31% last season. That's much less cool. As with every player that joins Golden State you have to account for the Warriors bump, so hey maybe he gets back to the player he was a few years ago.

A minimum deal flier, what's the harm? If the Warriors season comes down to what they get from Nemanja Bjelica, things probably aren't going too hot anyways. 

Indiana Pacers

Signed Keifer Sykes, terms TBD

Now this is awesome. You know what's cool? Hitting game winners. You know what cooler than that? When that game winner wins you a million dollars. You know what's even cooler than that? Hitting a game winner for a million dollars and the immediately signing your first NBA contract.

It doesn't even matter what the terms are. If this is just for Summer League or a Two Way or whatever. That's an all time story for life right there. I imagine not many people walking this earth can claim to have achieved that. Who knows, maybe this dude has the clutch gene and the Pacers just snagged a steal. Probably not but again who cares. This is an awesome moment that we can all get behind.

Los Angeles Lakers

Signed Talen Horton-Tucker to a 3/32M deal

Signed Kendrick Nunn to a 2/10M deal

Signed Carmelo Anthony to a 1/2M deal

Signed Malik Monk to a 1/1.7M deal

When I said the rich got richer and Day 2 was for ring chasing, I was primarily talking about what is happening with the Lakers. So far this summer they've brought in 8 new players. Over half a team. Every single Woj/Shams tweet on Tuesday felt like it was someone going to the Lakers on low money. The Carmelo signing was certainly expected, but snagging both Monk and Nunn for low money like that is pretty fortunate for that roster. THT is essentially the new Kuzma for this next wave of Lakers basketball, a young player with promise who Lakers Twitter ruins who then signs a reasonably priced second contract. He got 3/39, THT got 3/32. 

If Monk's shooting from three last season (40%) is real, that's a huge prayer for the Lakers considering they are only paying him the minimum. You know what you're getting out of Melo at this stage, and someone like Nunn can have stretches of games where he seems to go on personal 8-0 runs out of nowhere. Can LeBron win Melo his only ring? Or will this be like when they brought in Karl Malone and Gary Payton. 

Miami Heat

Signed Markieff Morris to a 1/2M deal

If the Heat made one thing clear this offseason it was that they were going to load up on older, gritty, tough ass veterans. And Duncan Robinson. For a minimum deal, this is all upside for the Heat. There is always several moments throughout an NBA season where a Morris twin has a really awesome stretch and wins you games. Before you even realize what happened you're watching either Markieff or Marcus shoot lights out for like a month. Then they go extremely cold despite never finding a shot they didn't like. But at the very least you're adding someone who isn't afraid to get into a little HOLLLLDDD MMEEE BACKKKK situation which honestly every team could use. 

Milwaukee Bucks

Signed Rodney Hood to a 1/2M deal

Signed George Hill terms TBD

Rodney Hood tearing his achilles really was a bummer. His first full season after getting traded to Portland in 2018-19, he got off to a solid start. In the starting lineup playing around 24 minutes putting up 11/3.5/1.5 on 50/49% (3.4 3PA) he lasted only 21 games in 2019-20. He surprisingly came back last season and played 55 games between the Blazers and Raptors and it wasn't all that pretty. Let's just say it was not like KD coming off his achilles. Hood shot just 36/30% in around 17 minutes a night and honestly he barely played for a tanking Raptors team once he got there.

If you're the Bucks though, why not kick the tires and see if he looks more like the pre injury player being another year removed from it. With George Hill we've seen this movie before, and they need someone to take the Jeff Teague/Bryn Forbes spot anyways. Bucks are playing with house money anyways so two low risk high reward depth pieces isn't the worst way to go.

New Orleans Pelicans

Signed Didi Louzada to a 4/7M contract

You hear that Pelicans fans? You can exhale. No way Zion gives up a chance to play with Didi Louzada over the next four years. I know this has been a stressful offseason where it seems like your team doesn't really have any idea how to improve the roster to the point where they can finally get over the hump and at least make the play in, but you locked up Didi. That's a franchise changer. You don't make the playoffs and better your odds at keeping Zion happy by NOT signing Didi Louzada. Don't try and pretend like you don't remember the 2nd of his 3 total appearances when he dropped 6 points and made 2 3PM against the Warriors…in a loss. That's when the Pelicans knew they had to lock him up long term.

New York Knicks

Signed Taj Gibson to a 1/2M deal

I'm sorry, were you under the impression that Thibs would not re-sign Taj Gibson? Where have you been. If Thibs is the head coach of an NBA roster, Taj Gibson is on that team. That might actually be a rule in the bylaws. Not to mention the only things the Knicks have done this offseason is pay their own guys and Evan Fournier. No surprise here whatsoever.

Orlando Magic

Signed Robin Lopez to a 1/5M deal

OK? Sure? While it's true that Wendell Carter, Mo Bamba, and Mo (Moe?) Wagner are on the roster already, you're telling me a Lopez brother has the opportunity to live in Orlando? This might have been the quickest yes out of any free agent on the market. 

Looking at the Magic roster, who knows what they're doing. Lopez is a decent depth big and he does have an awesome hook shot that's a fantastic throwback so that's fun. Plus every once in a while he'll have some moments defensively which of course the Magic could always use. 

Philadelphia 76ers

Signed Andre Drummond to a 1/2M deal

Signed Georges Niang to a 2/6.7M deal

If you're interested in what a Philly fan has to say about Andre Drummond, read Smitty's blog. You may not know this about me, but I am in fact not a Sixers fan. So while Smitty will tell you why he kind of likes it, it is my obligation to make sure you are an informed reader. Andre Drummond stinks. Almost to the point where he is unplayable. In the playoffs, the Lakers had a -3.3 net rating with him on the floor. He's horrible around the rim, even worse in P&R defense and he will be targeted every second he's on the floor. Let's give him credit, he does rebound. Very good at that. But there's a reason the Lakers wanted nothing to do with him. If you think he solves the non Embiid minutes, it will not take Sixers fans long to be begging Doc to resist putting him in. At the minimum it's whatever, not much risk involved for the Sixers there. But I'd rather have Dwight. 

The Niang signing is the one that Sixers fans should actually get excited about. If you were to ask me which of these two will help the Sixers more, it's Niang. He shot 40% from three, and while he too is a disaster defensively, at least he helps you create space. 

Phoenix Suns

Signed Abdel Nadar to a 2/4M deal

Look at Abdel Nadar staying around the league! Good for him. There's no way I'd believe you if you told me the Abdel Nadar I watched as a Celtic would still be in the NBA all these years later. No chance. Yet here he is, making a nice living while he gets to live in a fun city on a team contending for a title. There are no expectations for him other than to be a depth piece that maybe makes a three here and there. That's some life if you can get it. 

Portland Trail Blazers

Signed Tony Snell to a 1/2M deal

Quick recap of the Blazers offseason. First, they get bounced early in the playoffs. Then they fired their coach as the fall guy while the GM went to a press conference and straight up said his roster is not why they couldn't get over the hump. Not his fault. This is immediately followed by Dame publicly declaring the roster stinks and isn't good enough. They hire Chauncey Billups. Then there are more reports that Dame wants out if things don't get better. So what do they do? Give Normal Powell a ton of money, sign Ben McLemore and Cody Zeller (who isn't terrible but come on, he's a Zeller) and now Tony Snell is making his way down. All while seeing Melo leave to go to the Lakers. 

This isn't Tony Snell's fault. He's fighting for his NBA life. But sadly people are going to clown on this free agent spending as the immediate response to Dame's unhappiness. I'm sure he's sitting there in Tokyo saying how they were just a Tony Snell and Cody Zeller away and he's over the moon to give this group a shot. That's something that definitely happened. 

Toronto Raptors

Signed Sam Dekker, terms TBD

For me, I simply trust what the Raptors front office does. Until proven otherwise, Masai Ujiri seems to know what he's doing. He's earned the benefit of the doubt. If he's telling me that Sam Dekker can help spread the floor and knock down threes, OK by me. He shot 28.8% in his four years the last time, but shot 41% overseas. If that shot is real, Dekker can stick around for sure. The league could always use shooters with size.

Utah Jazz

Signed Hassan Whiteside, terms TBD

Backup center was certainly a need for the Jazz given that after Rudy Gobert the only other center on the roster is Udoka Azubuike. With Derrick Favors gone there was a hole and technically Whiteside does fill it. The thing with him is he's such a frustrating player. Mostly because he plays like he doesn't really give a shit. When he does give a shit you'll see him put up monster numbers, but there's a reason people look past that production. He's your classic traditional big who doesn't really stretch the floor and is more back to the basket, but maybe being in a better situation in Utah will bring the best out of him. Before that he was in SAC and POR so that's certainly possible. I consider him and Drummond the same guy. Big numbers, but they are empty stats.

exhales

OK, that brings you up to speed on Day 2. Day 3 brings the teams out of the woodwork that had to wait until the contenders picked through the field for their minimum roster spots. Now guys are maybe open to joining your team because the Lakers/Heat/Nets/Bucks/etc have made their choices. There are some interesting names still out there, guys like

Danny Green

Dennis Schroder

Reggie Jackson

Kelly Oubre Jr

JJ Redick

Paul Millsap

Lou Williams

Victor Oliadpo

Enes Kanter

Boogie

Josh Hart

are waiting for their next NBA home and can definitely still make an impact on a roster. The question now becomes, do any of these guys prefer opportunity or is it all about finding their way to a ring even if you play less. As someone who roots for a team that has done jack shit in free agency, I'm hoping its the former.