The (2nd) Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It’s August, hoops fans, and you know what that means. NBA free agency is finally upon us. In a matter of days, teams will rise and fall. Champions will be built and dynasties solidified. Some players’ lives will forever be changed as they finally pen massive contracts that provide the generational wealth they have worked so hard for.

But mostly, a bunch of guys will change teams and the eventual outcome won’t be apparent for a while. Still, it’s fun to speculate! I know I’m a couple days behind the power curve of free agency so let’s go ahead and recap my favorite things that have happened thus far.

1.) Literally Everything the Bulls Have Done

The Bulls weren’t particularly memorable last season. Sure enough, they showed some promising flashes and Zach LaVine blossomed into the All-Star he is destined to continue being. The Vučević acquisition genuinely excited me but it clearly didn’t turn out the way the organization intended. Make no mistake: the big man still produced, but the team didn’t improve tremendously upon his arrival (they went 3-7 in his first ten games and 11-15 in the final 26 that he played).

But hey, Coby White was fun to watch. LaVine made me excited to tune in to Bulls games. And uh… well, that’s really about it. The team was nothing to write home about. This offseason has already proven that the Bulls are looking to get much better very quickly though. First, the team went out and got Lonzo Ball. I know, I know, some of you are unable to look past the meme and see Ball for what he is. But he improved in every meaningful category this past season. The man has some of the best vision in the league and throws touchdown passes in his sleep. Offensively, he adds this fun dynamism that I’m all about, particularly in fast break situations. Lonzo to LaVine full court lobs? Yes, please!

Next there was the Alex Caruso signing. Caruso remains a fan favorite and one of the league’s best defensive players in a position where defense is at a premium. He’s also won a championship already and adds valuable experience (both on the court and in the locker room) to a roster unaccustomed to the playoffs. He brings a grinder’s mentality and his work ethic will no doubt have an effect on his teammates. His ability to contribute offensively causes some pause, but ultimately, he’s not a hindrance. In any case, I don’t think the team really needs his offense on the perimeter. They need perimeter defense and experience. I like the signing. Besides, they have the offense coming from another free agent.

Chicago did the Spurs a solid and snatched up DeMar DeRozan. Don’t take that the wrong way; I like DeRozan. But his career wasn’t going anywhere in San Antonio, plus the Spurs really just needed to bite the bullet and get to rebuilding. Now, DeRozan has the chance to be a centerpiece in a team that is fast up-and-coming. He takes some of the pressure off LaVine and LaVine can do the same for him. Having two guys who are so effective getting to the hoop and scoring in the mid-range is going to make for an interesting experiment, especially with Vučević in the middle (fun fact: Vučević shot 40% from deep last season, so he’s not solely an inside threat).

Overall, I’m not sure how much the Bulls really improved. How well all these pieces can mesh together has yet to be seen, but I am excited to see them figure something out. If nothing else, the team’s offense will be fun. Look for the Bulls to make the playoffs by way of the play-in tournament. This is the beginning of something special in Chi-town. Quote me on it.

2.) Everyone Taking Their Talents to South Beach

I wasn’t really expecting Miami to be one of the most intriguing stories of free agency and yet here we are. Pat Riley has built what I believe to be the best culture in the NBA and he has found the perfect embodiment of that culture in Jimmy Butler. Butler’s legendary playoff run in the bubble two seasons ago really highlighted just what the Heat are about and I believe it really opened the eyes of some players that are trying to win a championship.

The most notable acquisition is Kyle Lowry. The champion PG has tasted glory and now seeks it once again. He might be aging, but to call him ineffective is asinine. Free agency isn’t about signing all of the best players (more on that later) but it’s about signing the players that are going to contribute to a championship. Lowry averaged 15-5-7 last season, and he’s moving to a team that doesn’t need him to be a centerpiece like Toronto did. If he can manage 15 PPG and 5 APG, I think he’s the starting veteran PG that the Heat need.

Miami’s biggest need though is someone who can create in the half-court whose name isn’t Jimmy Butler. They ranked dead last in field goals attempted last season, and that says a lot. Butler and Bam Adebayo are obviously the team’s go-to options but it never hurts to have more guys who can go and get a bucket. Enter Victor Oladipo. The injuries have been a nagging concern, but let’s optimistically assume he can remain relatively healthy. This is a guy who average 19.8 PPG last year. I think people forget those two All-Star seasons. Yes, the NBA is a “what have you done for me lately” kind of league, but I truly think that a healthy Oladipo is a real difference maker for this team. His extension with the Heat proves his commitment and he will undoubtedly return with a chip on his shoulder.

The Heat also locked up Duncan Robinson for the next five years and despite his slump last season, I believe with all of my heart that he is going to be THE catch-and-shoot guy in the league in only a couple years (other than a guy named Klay Thompson). Robinson knows who he is and the Heat are keenly aware of who he is. His down year still resulted in nearly 41% from 3. I’m sure the front office still wants him to be closer to his 44% from 2019-20, but even if he doesn’t make it back, he’s a threat from deep that is going to prove invaluable to a championship caliber team some day. Pat Riley clearly thinks that team is going to be Miami and I kinda hope he’s right.

3.) Basketball is Back in The Mecca

The Knicks haven’t forgotten the magic of this previous season. There were many times that I watched them and found myself asking my wife “Are the Knicks good?” Slowly but surely, the team made it clear that they were something special. Finally, Knicks faithful had something to cling onto. The behemoth beyond the Brooklyn Bridge didn’t seem to matter so much, even if only for a moment. Sure, they only produced one playoff win, but that one win was like milk and honey on the lips of New York denizens. The only question after the dust settled: where do the Knicks go from here?

They chose to get better. They returned every key piece which included Derrick Rose, Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel, and vocal veteran Taj Gibson. But most interestingly, the Knicks brought one of New York’s sons home. Kemba Walker agreeing to a contract buyout with OKC and choosing to go to New York literally caused my jaw to drop. I think a lot of fans have forgotten who exactly Cardiac Kemba is. While he has suffered decline in the last couple seasons, this is still a guy who can go out and get 20 against anyone on any given night. Put him in a backcourt with an improving RJ Barrett and now you’re onto something. But I don’t think he’s actually the most interesting player that the Knicks picked up.

Evan Fournier is a known quantity in the NBA. The Frenchman only mere days ago lead his home country to a win over the United States in Olympic group play. Fournier can score from all three levels and plays with grit and intelligence. I think MSG will love him. The Knicks only averaged 107 PPG last season. While they boasted a stifling defense, the offense left much to be desired. Julius Randle proved that he can be a pillar on a team, but not its sole star. Certainly not its only option come crunch time. But adding guys like Kemba and Fournier definitely makes the Knicks a team to watch. If they can keep their defense where it was last season and add more buckets on the other end, they’re going to break some hearts in the Eastern Conference.

4.) The Elephant in the Room

Let’s get down to business: the Lakers have gone absolutely mental. You know how I said that free agency isn’t about signing all of the best players? The Lakers didn’t get that memo. They signed Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Kent Bazmore, Kendrick Nunn, and swiped up Malik Monk despite his status as a restricted free agent. But let’s be honest here, you don’t care about any of that. No, what you care about is Russell Westbrook. Russ joins LeBron and Anthony Davis as part of a strange trio. I honestly have no idea how it’s going to work. Russ is so ball dominant. The LA Times said that Bron and AD would even change positions to make this thing work. Would that be enough? I don’t know. It’s such a tough call because Westbrook clearly just wants to win no matter the cost, but I wonder if his style of play can gel with his new co-stars.

So the Lakers have Westbrook. Allow me to go off on a bit of a tangent. If this is the new reality, let’s just go ahead and throw convention out the window. Let’s get weird with it.

Obviously, LA brought on Westbrook to be their starting PG. Duh. But can you imagine what it would be like to bring THE Russell Westbrook, the triple-double king, the electric factory himself, off the bench as the 6th man? Imagine some NBA coach having to look down his bench at his backup PG and say “Hey, you got fresh-legged Russ. May God have mercy on your soul.” He would be the greatest sparkplug of all time! I’m not saying you should give Russ back-up minutes. What I am saying is that maybe him occasionally being the 6th man would actually make the team better. How wild would it be to see Westbrook, full of angry athletic vigor, come off the bench to be guarded by literally any back-up in the league?

I am not saying this is going to happen. It’s not even a good idea (probably). I’m sure all three of the big names involved would absolutely hate it. Sure does make for some fun thought, though! But if the Lakers refuse to get weird like that, what exactly will they do with Westbrook? It’s hard to say, but look for him to be the one pushing the ball in transition and even handling the ball most often in the half-court. Russ has proven that he is a good pick-and-roll ball handler. I can envision some sets with AD as the screener and letting that combo eat defenses alive. I can also see some sets in which LeBron acts as the screener and pops instead of rolling, receiving the ball and essentially becoming a quarterback. This pop action would give someone of LeBron’s basketball IQ more than enough time to see where the best play is. There are honestly so many fun possibilities at play that it would require its own article to fully articulate.

Ultimately, I’m not a basketball genius. I have no idea how on Earth coach Frank Vogel plans to make something like this work. What I do know is that I’m very intrigued by the potential and I’ll be eagerly watching to see how the Lakers handle such a trio. Because if they even remotely figure it out, I don’t see how another team stops them. Look for them to meet Brooklyn in an explosive Finals match-up that would likely be the most electric of my lifetime.

Free agency is ultimately a crap shoot and as much as we like to think otherwise, we really have no idea what any of it means or will amount to. Despite that, it’s still my second favorite time of the NBA season. I’ll be keeping a close on it, as there are some names that I’m anxiously awaiting decisions on. Strap in, folks, because it’s going to be a wild ride.