Early Report Card Grades for the Biggest Signings of 2015 NBA Free Agency so Far
The NBA free-agent frenzy is here, and rarely has the term felt more appropriate.
Before the market even opened, teams had their top recruiters lined up like Black Friday bargain hunters. But nothing about this Christmas in July comes cheap.
Contracts can't be formally signed until July 9, but a slew of Powerball-sized agreements are already in place. We're hear to break down this summer's most expensive handshakes.
There's only one requirement for players to appear here. Their agreed-upon deals have to include an average annual salary of at least $15 million. With teams looking to lock in contract rates before the salary cap bursts with the new TV money next summer, that salary threshold has been fairly easy to clear in this generous market.
How well has that money been spent? It depends on the player. With our red pen in hand, let's start the grading.
Dwyane Wade, SG, Miami Heat
1 of 15
Agreement: One year, $20 million, per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press
2014-15 Notable Numbers: 21.5 points, 4.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 21.4 PER
This wasn't the most comfortable process, but compromise ultimately kept Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat together. It's probably a higher salary than the Heat wanted to pay the 33-year-old, and the contract probably isn't for as long as he would have liked.
But it's a pretty good middle ground. The three-time champion Wade, who has left a lot of money on the table before, secured a pay rate that still treats him like a star. The Heat rewarded their franchise face with a massive sum, but they didn't cut into their future financial flexibility.
"Not only does Dwyane get to extend his Hall of Fame-worthy career with the only franchise for whom he has ever played, but he will have the flexibility next summer to sign an additional deal," Wade's agent, Henry Thomas, said, per ESPN's Darren Rovell. "And the Heat gets to keep their franchise cornerstone while having the ability to build a championship-contending roster."
It looks good for both parties, but it stops short of being great. Even on a short deal, that's a huge salary to pay for someone who has missed 48 games over the past two seasons. And the fact this is such a short pact means this saga could play out again next summer.
Grade: B
Greg Monroe, C, Milwaukee Bucks
2 of 15
Agreement: Three years, $50 million, per Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski
2014-15 Notable Numbers: 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 21.2 PER
The Milwaukee Bucks stared down several major-market competitors and walked away with the player all of them coveted.
Greg Monroe reportedly had max offers from the Bucks, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers, sources told Bleacher Report's Howard Beck. The Moose went to the Bucks because they had the best chance to "make playoffs immediately," his agent David Falk said, per CBS Sports' Ken Berger.
The Bucks deserve some bonus points for keeping the big-city vultures away. And this team has several weaknesses Monroe should help cover. Based on this past season's numbers, the 25-year-old will be Milwaukee's best scorer and rebounder. His back-to-the-basket arsenal is more consistent than anything in this offense, and his court vision should help make the Bucks' cutters and spot-up shooters more potent.
But the big guy will have a hard time breathing if the Bucks can't improve their perimeter attack. Milwaukee also has to stay razor-sharp defensively on the outside, because Monroe won't supply any rim protection underneath.
Monroe's deal reportedly includes a player option for the third season. If this turns into a clunky two-year rental, this bidding-war victory won't feel nearly as sweet.
Grade: B-
Paul Millsap, PF, Atlanta Hawks
3 of 15
Agreement: Three years, $58 million, per RealGM's Shams Charania
2014-15 Notable Numbers: 16.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 20.0 PER
Paul Millsap's best attributes fit perfectly into an Atlanta Hawks system that prioritizes versatility, selflessness and floor spacing.
The 30-year-old overstuffs the stat sheet. He is the NBA's only player to average at least 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and 1.5 steals in each of the last two seasons. Only two other players have posted that line once during this stretch: DeMarcus Cousins and Russell Westbrook.
Millsap has always been a versatile contributor, but the Hawks have helped fill in his tool box. Before landing in Atlanta during the 2013 offseason, he averaged 1.8 assists and 0.1 three-pointers per game. Over the past two seasons, those numbers have risen to 3.1 and 1.0, respectively.
The Hawks broke out with 60 wins this past season, so there was hope they could keep the gang together. But starting forward DeMarre Carroll flew the coop (more on him later), and Atlanta has no easy way to replace him.
Millsap has a player option for this third season, sources told NBA.com's David Aldridge, so he may not have the longest future in Atlanta. The Hawks were smart to keep Millsap around, but he is no longer a bargain, and Father Time has never been a bigger threat.
Grade: B
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DeMarre Carroll, SF, Toronto Raptors
4 of 15
Agreement: Four years, $60 million, per Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski
2014-15 Notable Numbers: 12.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 15.9 PER
The Toronto Raptors needed a player like DeMarre Carroll, someone who brings a blue-collar hustle inside the lines, locks down at the defensive end and doesn't need many offensive touches to be effective.
The Hawks helped transform Carroll from an afterthought to a key starter on a contender. But there are questions about whether he'll be equally effective away from Atlanta.
As Trey Kerby of NBA TV's The Starters noted, more than 82 percent of Carroll's field goals were assisted last season. If he needs teammates to set the table, he won't be eating nearly as often in 2015-16. The Hawks ranked first in assist percentage at 67.6; the Raptors checked in at 28th with 54.7 percent. Toronto also traded away its second-best distributor, Greivis Vasquez, on draft night.
Carroll's toughness and intensity will both be welcome additions north of the border. But the Raptors need him to be more than a hard-working three-and-D wing for their $60 million investment to pay off.
Grade: C+
Brook Lopez, C, Brooklyn Nets
5 of 15
Agreement: Three years, $60 million, per Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski
2014-15 Notable Numbers: 17.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 22.7 PER
Opinions can change pretty quickly in this business. Last December, the Brooklyn Nets were seeking out trade options for Brook Lopez, per ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Ohm Youngmisuk. As recently as March, the Nets were bringing Lopez off the bench.
But the skilled 7-footer's furious finish to the 2014-15 campaign (21.1 points, 9.4 rebounds over the final 22 games) apparently moved him back into the role of franchise face. With arguably the league's best scoring arsenal at the center position, Lopez can look like a building block at times.
But he has a frightening injury history. Nagging foot problems cost him at least 61 games in two of the past four seasons. He only missed 10 outings this past year, but the issues are serious enough that this deal "includes some protections for the Nets should a recurrence of Lopez's foot issues sideline him again," according to Wojnarowski.
That could be big for Brooklyn, but it's fair to wonder if the Nets needed to go this high for someone with Lopez's track record. Not only have injuries plagued him, but he has also had problems in rebounding and pick-and-roll defense.
As talented as Lopez is, he might have one too many question marks to collect an annual $20 million salary.
Grade: C-
Tobias Harris, SF, Orlando Magic
6 of 15
Agreement: Four years, $64 million, per ESPN.com's Chris Broussard
2014-15 Notable Numbers: 17.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 16.7 PER
Tobias Harris isn't a $64 million player right now.
There's more volume than efficiency in his offensive production. Of the 35 players to average at least 17 points last season, only four had a lower player efficiency rating than Harris. He's also a bit of a ball-stopper. His 8.8 assist percentage was the worst among the 27 players who averaged at least 34 minutes and had a usage percentage of 22-plus.
At the opposite end, Harris has even more issues. "Harris was a sieve in isolation (47th percentile), struggled against ball-handlers in pick-and-roll sets (44.6 percentile), was obliterated on the rare occasions he got caught defending a roll man (21st percentile) and was middling against spot-up shooters (53.8 percentile)," wrote Bleacher Report's Adam Fromal.
Harris needs plenty of polish to justify his new pay rate. But he has time to develop, since he has yet to celebrate his 23rd birthday.
The Orlando Magic made a savvy bet on his future, but the current overlap on their roster stops this signing from earning a higher grade. Minutes that Harris gets could come at the expense of young prospects such as rookie Mario Hezonja and sophomore Aaron Gordon.
Grade: B-
LaMarcus Aldridge, PF, San Antonio Spurs
7 of 15
Agreement: Four years, $80 million, per Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski
2014-15 Notable Numbers: 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 22.8 PER
LaMarcus Aldridge could have gone just about anywhere. Seemingly every team with cap space pursued him, and he had some attractive situations to choose from. But the San Antonio Spurs, who have five world titles and 16 50-win seasons since 1999, ultimately gave Aldridge a sales pitch he couldn't resist.
"In the end with Aldridge, the lure of the Spurs monolith—and his Texas home—were too difficult to overcome," Wojnarowski wrote.
Much like his new team, Aldridge has been one of the NBA's premier models of consistency. He has averaged at least 21 points and eight rebounds in each of the last five seasons. No one else has hit those marks three or more times during that stretch, and only three players have done it twice: DeMarcus Cousins, Blake Griffin and Kevin Love.
Aldridge is a rock, and he's now the latest addition to San Antonio's fortress. He can help this generation of the Spurs contend for titles while Tim Duncan is still around, then usher in the new era of Alamo City hoops alongside Kawhi Leonard.
Grade: A+
DeAndre Jordan, C, Dallas Mavericks
8 of 15
Agreement: Four years, $80 million, per Yahoo Sports' Marc J. Spears
2014-15 Notable Numbers: 15.0 rebounds, 11.5 points, 2.2 blocks, 21.0 PER
The Dallas Mavericks needed a free-agency splash, an athletic rim protector and a rebounding machine. DeAndre Jordan wanted a bigger profile and more touches than he received as the third wheel behind Chris Paul and Blake Griffin with the Los Angeles Clippers.
On the surface, both the Mavs and Jordan found what they were looking for by pairing up together. It's a good signing for Dallas and a great opportunity for Jordan to step into the spotlight. But it's not a perfect fit by any stretch.
The Mavs made an $80 million commitment to a player with limited scoring tricks outside of catch-and-dunk. As CBS Sports' Matt Moore noted, Jordan has never shown he can consistently create his own scoring chances:
"Jordan had just 66 post-up possessions last season, compared to 103 in the pick and roll, 93 in transition, 192 off the cut, and 232 on the offensive glass. So a tiny margin of his possessions came out of the post. He also shot 47 percent on those shots right at the rim. Out of 534 made shots last year, Jordan made 18 out of the post. Eighteen.
"
Dallas has question marks at point guard, which could make Jordan's transition away from Paul even more difficult. But if the big man can grow in a more featured role, the Mavs might have landed a centerpiece to build around.
Grade: B+
Draymond Green, PF, Golden State Warriors
9 of 15
Agreement: Five years, $82 million, per Grantland's Zach Lowe
2014-15 Notable Numbers: 11.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 16.4 PER
This needed to happen. You can debate whether Draymond Green would have been worth this much money to other teams, but there's no question he justifies the cost for the world champion Golden State Warriors.
"It's hard to put into words what Draymond means to the team," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, per Basketball Insiders' Alex Kennedy. "He does everything; he's a jack of all trades. ...He's kind of our life line."
Some might hear those words and think Kerr is simply pumping up one of his own players. But the stat sheet is just as adamant about Green's value to Golden State.
The Warriors outscored teams by 16.5 points per 100 possessions when he played and only 2.5 points per 100 possessions when he didn't. During the postseason, they were a plus-12.8 with Green (highest among regulars) and a minus-3.9 without him (lowest on the team).
This is a lot of money to spend on someone without any superstar qualities at the offensive end. But as the piece who completes the Dubs' championship puzzle, he's well worth the price.
Grade: A-
Goran Dragic, PG, Miami Heat
10 of 15
Agreement: Five years, $90 million, per ESPN.com's Marc Stein
2014-15 Notable Numbers: 16.3 points, 4.5 assists, 50.1 field-goal percentage, 17.4 PER
Goran Dragic was never going to come cheaply for the Miami Heat. They had to pay a premium to land him at the trade deadline (two future first-round picks and four players), and the price remained steep in free agency.
But the Heat's hands were tied. If Dragic bolted, there weren't any good point guard options for them to choose from. Mario Chalmers and Shabazz Napier play more like shooting guards, and neither of them was good shooters last season (Chalmers had a 29.4 three-point percentage; Napier posted a 38.2 field-goal percentage). The free-agent market also underwhelmed at the lead guard spot.
Miami had to keep Dragic. He can energize this offense with his aggressiveness, play off of Wade as a spot-up shooter or create for himself and his teammates off the bounce. With so many weapons around him, Dragic won't do his damage in quantity. But the quality needs to improve, as he was only a 34.7 percent three-point shooter last season.
If the Heat can construct a contender soon, this contract could pay for itself. But Miami must make a massive leap to warrant giving a deal this rich and this long to a 29-year-old who's only been a full-time starter for the past three seasons.
Grade: B-
Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Antonio Spurs
11 of 15
Agreement: Five years, $90 million, per Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski
2014-15 Notable Numbers: 16.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 22.0 PER
We haven't seen the best of Kawhi Leonard yet. He's only 24 years old, hasn't been to the All-Star Game and averaged double-digit field-goal attempts for the first time last season (12.8, tied for 52nd overall).
Leonard is a vital piece of the Spurs' present and the primary centerpiece of their future. He is on a seemingly constant climb toward something greater, which is absurd (terrifying?) given where he's already been.
Leonard, who has all of four seasons under his belt, has already joined Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan as the only players to win both Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. ESPN.com's real plus-minus rated Leonard as last season's fifth-most effective player. Basketball-Reference.com ranked him seventh in box plus-minus.
"It's not hyperbolic to suggest that Leonard's new deal, by itself, ensures that the Spurs will avoid a 'bottoming out' rebuild following Duncan's exit," wrote Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated. "This continuation of consistent excellence is worth the highest possible grade."
We agree.
Grade: A+
Jimmy Butler, SG, Chicago Bulls
12 of 15
Agreement: Five years, $95 million, per Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski
2014-15 Notable Numbers: 20.0 points, 3.3 assists, 1.8 steals, 21.3 PER
Jimmy Butler knows the right time to gamble, and the Chicago Bulls hope they do, too. There's a chance they paid top dollar for a stock that has already peaked, or they might have tied their future to a 25-year-old who excels at both ends and will keep improving.
Butler showed a little bit of everything during his breakout, award-winning 2014-15 season. The Bulls gave him a bigger opportunity than he'd ever received—his 21.6 usage percentage was nearly five points above his previous high—and he handled it with ease. Both his counting and efficiency stats climbed to personal bests, including his scoring, distributing, PER and true shooting percentage (58.3).
A two-time All-Defensive team selection, Butler's offensive growth moved him into the conversation of the league's best two-way talents. Someone who can control games at either end of the floor is certainly worth the price Chicago is paying.
But the Bulls must make sure Butler's offensive game continues to expand. He only had a 39.7 field-goal percentage in 2013-14 (28.3 percent from deep), so he doesn't have the strongest track record as a scorer. Maximizing this investment means keeping his career trajectory shooting upward.
Grade: A-
Kevin Love, PF, Cleveland Cavaliers
13 of 15
Agreement: Five years, $110 million, per ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst
2014-15 Notable Numbers: 16.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 18.8 PER
After a frustrating, injury-filled debut season for the Cleveland Cavaliers, scoring forward Kevin Love had only one thought: Let's get the next one started.
"After Game 1 of the NBA Finals, that's when it really struck me. Sitting on the sidelines, I never wanted to play in a game more than that one," Love wrote for the Players' Tribune. "...It was clear Cleveland was the place for me. We're all on the same page and we're all in."
Despite struggling through one of the worst statistical campaigns of his career, Love wants another shot in Cleveland. Since Love had never previously made a playoff appearance, the Cavs' run to the Finals probably helped lure him back. That $110 million couldn't have hurt, either.
But now that they're back together, both he and the Cavs need to find his ideal role. He's too talented (and too pricey) to serve as a floor-spacing specialist. They need his volume output and efficiency to improve for this contract to have real value. He's looked like a $110 million player before 2014-15, but he didn't appear close to that level during his first go-round in Cleveland.
Grade: B+
Damian Lillard, PG, Portland Trail Blazers
14 of 15
Agreement: Five years, $120 million, per ESPN.com's Marc Stein
2014-15 Notable Numbers: 21.0 points, 6.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 20.7 PER
The Portland Trail Blazers have unofficially deemed Damian Lillard the foundation for their rebuilding project. Part of that came from necessity. Their other four starters from last season's 51-win team have all found new homes.
But a lot of this boils down to the Blazers' belief that Lillard is ready for such a prominent role. Outside of the Nicolas Batum trade, Portland didn't know where (or if) its other starters were going before finalizing Lillard's agreement.
The 24-year-old looks the part of a franchise player. He's made two All-Star trips during his first three seasons. He is also one of only six players to have averaged at least 19 points and five assists in each of those campaigns.
But he's not yet at the level of a franchise centerpiece. He needs to be more discerning with his shot selection (career 42.9 field-goal percentage) and more active as a distributor (career 6.0 assists per 36 minutes), especially with Batum no longer around to serve as a secondary playmaker. Lillard also must improve his focus, intensity and drive at the defensive end.
Grade: B
Anthony Davis, PF, New Orleans Pelicans
15 of 15
Agreement: Five years, $145 million, per Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski
2014-15 Notable Numbers: 24.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.9 blocks, 30.8 PER
If league rules allowed it, the New Orleans Pelicans could have spent twice as much on Anthony Davis and still received an "A+" for the pact.
He's on a very short list of the league's best players right now. And he's only 22 years old with fewer than 200 regular-season games on his resume.
This past season, he became only the third player since 2000-01 to average at least 24 points, 10 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. His PER was the 11th best of all-time and highest ever posted by a player not named Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain or LeBron James (minimum 1,500 minutes).
Davis' future is a terrifying blend of defensive dominance and unstoppable offense. New Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry wants Davis' offensive range to include the corner three ball, per Pelicans.com's Jim Eichenhofer, so the single-browed superstar should be even harder to contend with going forward.
No NBA player has a higher ceiling than Davis, and his basement is already established at an All-Star level. This was a no-brainer decision for New Orleans and an equally easy grade to assign.
Grade: A+
Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com.
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