Jazz
Out
Derrick Favors (traded to Thunder), Juwan Morgan (declined to tender qualifying offer), Matt Thomas (waived), Ersan Ilyasova (free agent), Georges Niang (free agent), Jarrell Brantley (waived); (Jazz also briefly had Justin James, Derrick Alston Jr. MaCio Teague, Marques Bolden, before the end of pre-season)
Favors played in Utah last year? When did they pick up Ilyasova? I don't even remember those guys in Utah. I always liked Niang, but he's exactly the kinda guy that someone else overpays, so probably for the best that the Jazz let him walk.
In
Hassan Whiteside (1yr/$2.4m), Rudy Gay (2yr/$12.1m), Eric Paschall (trade with Warriors), #40 pick Jared Butler (Baylor), Malik Fitts (Exhibit 10), Nino Johnson (status?),
Whiteside is a just a shadow of Gobert, gives some continuity I suppose off the bench and the deal is low enough to be harmless. I like picking up Rudy Gay, perhaps the most underrated player of the last decade (hey, man, tell yourself that he sucks and then watch him play...he doesn't suck) and this could be a really good pairing: a wily vet looking to make one last run at a title and an upstart squad that has underperformed the last few years, Gay could be a real difference-maker for them. Paschall had some nice moments as a rookie, kinda disappeared last year, not sure what to make of him (oh, yeah: lifelong pal of Donovan Mitchell, so perhaps Utah is the place for him). I liked all those Baylor guys in the tourney last year, not even sure which one Butler is, but the Jazz are probably wise to bring him in.
Re-signed
Mike Conley (3yr/$68m), Trent Forrest (2-way)
Did they overpay Conley or is it just a necessity for Utah to shower untold gifts on anyone that gives them the time of day? (Well, I guess it could be both) I still like Conley and I think he fits in Utah, so pay the man.
Rest of the roster
Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles, Jordan Clarkson, Royce O'Neale, Udoka Azuibuike, Miye Oni, Elijah Hughes,
Gobert is one dimensional but really really really good at his one dimension, so probably totally worth it (for now). Does Mitchell have another level to rise to or is he a finished product? Either way I think he can still be an all-pro this year. Bogdanovic has had perhaps the most impressive growth of any player I've seen: dude, his rookie year, he couldn't get playing time on a godawful Nets squad and a coupla years later he was marking Lebron in the playoffs--and not getting destroyed! Who does that? Love Bogdanovic and Ingles, think they're perfect for this team. Clarkson is the classic overrated/underrated guy, taking full ownership of the Jazz 2nd string is his legacy and I think it's a good one (though he could definitely step back this year). O'Neale is a nice player, shows the depth of that rotation. If anyone can get anything out of Azuibuike, it'll probably be Utah.
Summer '22 free agents
Ingles, Whiteside, Oni, Paschall; team option on Azuibuike
Ingles is getting up there, not sure he gets re-upped next year, on the other hand this is Utah, where overpaying is just built in, so...I dunno. I doubt Whiteside will be back and I have no idea about Azuibuike. But I suspect Paschall and Oni both get re-upped.
Over/Under: 52.5 (Over, 1st in the West)
I like this team, they know who they are, they're well coached and the rotation has grown together over the years. They're built for the regular season, they're built to win Tuesday night games. I wasn't shocked that they lost out in the 2nd round last year but I was shocked by the way they went out: giving up a big lead to the Clippers was precisely what I thought this team would avoid. How does that experience shape them going forward? Well, I think it makes them even tougher in the regular season, but even weaker in the post-season. I have them as the #1 team in the NBA this season (and losing in the 2nd round again).
Nuggets
Out
Shaq Harrison (declined to tender qualifying offer), JaVale McGee (free agent), Paul Millsap (free agent); (Nuggets also briefly held Matt Ryan, Davon Reed, Giorgi Bezhanishvili, Tarik Black before the end of pre-season)
I like Harrison, McGee and Millsap but on this team they were superfluous. I think they can move on from all three.
In
#26 pick Bones Hyland (Virginia Commonwealth), Jeff Green (2yr/$10m), Petr Cornelie (2-way)
Hyland looks like a fun player, if he can acclimate to the mile-high-ness, he should be a regular rotation guy. I like Green, the ultimate overrated/underrated guy: thought he was the Nets' MVP at times last year, the Nets thought he was imminently replaceable...oh well, they can both be right.
Re-signed
Will Barton (2yr/$30m), JaMychal Green (2yr/$17m), Austin Rivers (1yr/$2.4m), Aaron Gordon (4yr/$86.6m), Michael Porter Jr (4yr/$172.5m), Markus Howard (2-way)
Those are reasonable deals for Barton, Green and Rivers. I believe in Gordon as a third banana kinda guy, so I like that deal, too. As for the Porter deal, well, if he blossoms then it'll be worth it.
Rest of the roster
Jamal Murray (potentially injured for the entire season), Nikola Jokic, Monte Morris, Facundo Campazzo, Zeke Nnaji, Bol Bol, Vlatko Cancar, PJ Dozier
Murray likely won't play this year, which just means all the more MVP votes for Jokic, right? Jokic is such a smart player, such a crafty veteran, he'll get the most out of the supporting cast and he'll need them without Murray. Morris and Campazzo and Bol are nice players that will get some run. Dozier, though, plays a little more than I like to see and I don't know the others.
Summer '22 free agents
Campazzo, Rivers, Bol, Cancar; team option on Nnaji; player option for Jeff Green
I dunno. I reckon they'll keep Bol because he should still have good upside and a low price tage. Not sure about Campazzo or Cancar. Rivers proably moves on. I assume they'll re-up Nnaji if he does anything this year. As for Green, he probably won't find better money, so I can see him back.
Over/Under: 47.5 (Under, 5th in the West)
Without Jamal Murray, this team won't be great or go that far in the post-season. But Jokic really is awesome, man, and I think he alone will carry them to a lot of W's and a comfortable top-6 spot in the West. Porter is prime for a breakout and while he is not a replacement for Murray's game, he will score a lotta points and that ain't bad. I like bringing in Jeff Green and I think the supporting cast is still pretty good, I think the Nuggets will be a reliable winning team all year long.
Blazers
Out
Carmelo Anthony (free agent), Enes Kanter (free agent), Harry Giles (declined to tender qualifying offer), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (free agent), TJ Leaf (declined to tender qualifying offer), Derrick Jones Jr (traded to Cavs),
Anthony has been washed for a while now, never understood why the Blazers even wasted their time with him. Kanter is a fine player in the right environment (born to be a Laker, I'd say), Portland probably wasn't it. I still think Giles can turn into something but the Blazers are perhaps a little too impatient to give him time. Hollis-Jefferson is fine on a deep rotation team (Raptors, for example) but not a finely tuned instrument for a Western playoff contender. Leaf and Jones were probably just practice players on this team. So, not much to overcome here.
In
Trendon Watford (2-way), Cody Zeller (1yr/$2.3m), Ben McLemore (1yr/$2.3m), Tony Snell (1yr/$2.3m), #43 pick Greg Brown (Texas), Larry Nance (trade with Cavs), Dennis Smith Jr. (1yr/$1.8m), Marquess Chriss (Exhibit 9), Patrick Patterson (Exhibit 9), Quinn Cook (Exhibit 9),
Just a batch of new vets to replace the old vets. Zeller gives them...not much. McLemore is quick and...otherwise not much. Snell is...not gonna do much here. Nance could be fun but I feel like he's getting here at the wrong time. Smith will be okay off the bench but isn't gonna move the needle. Not sure if Brown is gonna get playing time. (I believe Chriss, Cook and Patterson are all already gone) Uh, while I didn't lament what they lost, I'm not too excited about what they're bringing in either. Feels like the deck chairs have been re-arranged.
Re-signed
Norman Powell (5yr/$90m), Keljin Blevins (2-way)
I liked that Trent-for-Powell trade last year (one of those rare trades that works perfectly for everyone involved) and the whole point was to re-sign Powell. Okay, I like Powell and I think he earned his money, but does he now elevate the Blazers? I dunno.
Rest of the roster
Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Robert Covington, Jusuf Nurkic, Anfernee Simons, Nassir Little, CJ Elleby
Lillard is still the man. McCollum is one of the great second bananas of our time. Covington is a nice defender. Nurkic is a crazy man (always nice to have one of those around). Simons and Little are overhyped but hey, why not? With Powell, this adds up a to a nice short rotation, but doesn't feel like they're taking a deep dive in the playoffs.
Summer '22 free agents
Covington, Nurkic, Simons, McLemore, Snell, Zeller; (the team option on Little has already been exercised)
Covington becomes trade bait if the Blazers don't win early. Nurkic probably gets re-upped (could be a sign/trade candidate). Simons is in the soccer coach paradox: if he's good, he becomes too expensive to keep, if he's cheap enough then you don't want him back. McLemore and Snell and Zeller are year in/year out guys at this point, maybe they toil for the Blazers again next year, but likely they'll all move on.
Over/Under: 44.5 (Under, 9th in the West)
I love Lillard and McCollum but I'm not sold on the core around them. Powell and Covington are nice but not real difference makers. Nurkic is fun but can't be relied upon. Simons and Little are trapped in the Portland hype machine. I like Billups but life is never easy for a 1st time coach. I like watching Lillard and McCollum but I think they're not gonna win as many as they need to.
Wolves
Out
Ed Davis (free agent), Ricky Rubio (traded to Cavs), Jarret Culver (traded to Grizzlies), Juan Hernangomez (traded to Grizzlies), team president Gersson Rosas; (Wolves also briefly held Brian Bowen, Chris Silva, Isaiah Miller and Matt Lewis before the end of pre-season)
Davis is a nice vet but not irreaplaceable. I always liked Rubio but his return to the Wolves was never particularly necessary, so moving on doesn't seem much of a loss. I guess the Wolves finally just gave up on Culver, though he's had some nice moments. Moving on from Hernangomez (Spanish for 'plumlee'), huh? Okay, I guess they know what they're doing. Boardroom shenanigans got Rosas run (hey, none of my business).
In
Taurean Prince (trade with Cavs), Patrick Beverley (trade with Grizzlies), Nathan Knight (2-way), McKinley Wright (2-way), Leandro Bolmaro (4y/$11m-ish), Vince Edwards (status?)
Prince slides into the spot vacated by Culver/Hernangomez, I can see him fitting in nicely. Beverley is still loud and crazy enough to be a useful vet on a young team (sliding into the Rubio spot). I don't know Bolmaro, a draft pick from a coupla years back, could be a diamond.
Re-signed
Jordan McLaughlin (3yr/$6.5m), Jarred Vanderbilt (3yr/$13.8m)
I liked Vanderbilt, he came in and led them through injuries last year and handled himsef just fine. That deal strikes me as a bargain. I don't know McLaughlin.
Rest of the roster
Karl-Anthony Towns, D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Anthony Edwards, Josh Okogie, Jake Layman, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, Jaylen Nowell,
Towns is the superstar that doesn't seem to wanna be a superstar, which is awkward. Russell is not the superstar he thinks he is (but he's getting paid like one, which is awkward). Beasley missed most of last season due to wrangling with the law (which is awkward). Edwards could turn into full-Giannis right before our eyes, which would be extraordinary (but probably a little awkward). Okogie is still a year away (which is predictable). Layman is probably near the end of his roster-filling career. McDaniels and Reid might blow up and be awesome (or maybe afterthoughts by the trade deadline). Who knows with this team? There's talent there but none of it has evolved as it should (I actually still blame Thibodeau) and while this could be the year it all comes together, this could also be the year where they blow it all up and start over. We'll see.
Summer '22 free agents
Beverley, Okogie, Layman; team options on Edwards, McDaniels and Nowell
I'll say they keep Okogie, pass on Layman, allow Beverley to walk (but leave the door open if he has no suitors). Definitely keeping Edwards and McDaniels, possibly Nowell.
Over/Under: 35.5 (Over, 11th in the West)
The Wolves are in that place where they can improve tremendously and still make no difference at all. I think that is the type of year ahead for them: they'll be promisingly better in every way and yet still never come close to the playoffs. I got Edwards as the bust out star of next year--I'm telling ya: don't be surprised if he turns into Giannis over night. I think by next summer we could be thinking about this team in an entirely different way. Next year could be the year for this team but I don't think it'll be this year.
Thunder
Out
Tony Bradley (declined to tender qualifying offer), Jaylen Hoard (waived), Svi Mykhailiuk (rescinded qualifying offer), Josh Hall (waived); (Thunder briefly held Kemba Walker, Alperen Sengun, Miles McBride, Rokas Jokubaitis, Rob Edwards, Charles Brown Jr., Melvin Frazier Jr., Scotty Hopson, DJ Wilson before the end of pre-season)
Meh. This is the Thunder so none of these guys really matter--and they'd be shipped out if they did!
In
Derrick Favors (trade with Jazz), #6 pick Josh Giddey (Australia), #18 pick Tre Mann (Florida), Mamadi Diakite (claimed off waivers), #32 pick Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (Villanova), Vit Krejci (4yr/$6.3m), #55 pick Aaron Wiggins (Maryland/2-way), Paul Watson (2-way)
Highest paid player on the team: Derrick Favors, ladies and gentlemen! I like Favors as much as the next guy, if he's the 7th best guy on your team, then you might have something. But as the highest paid, highest profile guy in his first year....oh brother. This team just ain't even trying to win. And there's a 2nd year on that deal, so he's not moving, he'll be back next year. Giddey looks like fun, should make an interesting running mate with Pokusevski and there's no pressue to win because they're playing a top-3 pick. Mann and Robinson-Earl will definitely get minutes. Diakite and Krejci are just pracice guys, I'm guessing.
Re-signed
Mike Muscala (2yr/$7m), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (5yr/$172m)
Muscala knows how to keep getting them checks! (Good for him) Shai Gilgeous is the man and I'd love to see him to pick this team up and put it in his pocket. Either OKC is the future for him or he gets moved in a blockbuster next summer (I'd say 50/50).
Rest of the roster
Gabriel Deck, Alksej Pokusevski, Darius Bazley, Ty Jerome, Theo Maledon, Kenrich Williams, Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Roby
If this team had any stars, then this pile of young guys would look more promising. But considering they're looking to Pokusevkis and Williams and Roby to play big minutes in decisive moments is precisely why they'll be drafting #1 next summer.
Summer '22 free agents
(none); team options on Muscala, Pokusevski, Bazley, Jerome, Roby, Diakite; player option for Favors
Next summer is when they have to decide what to do with SGA, indicating another year of bottoming out or a move for some stars and a shot at building a whole new roster. That's gonna determine which guys they keep and which they let go. (But Favors will definitely be back)
Over/Under: 23.5 (Under, 15th in the West)
The Thunder have no interest in winning. I like most of their young players, but I can't help thinking they'll all be better on other teams. This team is playing for the #1 pick, so if they start to win games, expect a Covid outbreak to shut it down (yeah, I just went full conspiracy theory on ya, right there!).
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