The best basketball competition in the world will soon begin again. Many teams have exchanged pieces in search of putting together a competitive squad to seek the Larry O’Brien trophy but there are three of the franchises that stood out above the rest for the quality of players they acquired…Which ones benefited best in signings of free agency in the NBA?
The Wembanyama-Paul duo, a new free agency alliance (Photo: La Gazzeta Dello Sport)
Which teams made the best free agency signings in the NBA?
Outside of the three teams that were best strengthened for the season, there were transfers that, beyond being a simple adhesion, are decisive for the functioning of the teams: Russell Westbrook signed 6 million dollars for two years to be the master and lord of the bench for the Denver Nuggets, who have just been champions two years ago and needed a good backup point guard to give Jamal Murray a rest. On the other hand, the Oklahoma City Thunder found a center of guarantees: Isaiah Hartenstein left the New York Knicks and signed for 3 years and 87 million with Mark Daigneault’s team to fill the weakest spot on the squad and which was so punished in last year’s conference semifinal by the Dallas Mavericks. Demar DeRozan also left the Chicago Bulls to be one of the cornerstones of the Sacramento Kings and be the main offensive weapon alongside De Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Last – but not least – the San Antonio Spurs got a pure and experienced point guard for Victor Wembanyama: Chris Paul took over the perimeter of Gregg Popovich’s team for one year and 11 million dollars.
3- Dallas Mavericks
The losers of last season’s finale are reloaded and have moved quite a bit in this free agency. His most notable addition is undoubtedly that of Klay Thompson, who left the Golden State Warriors 13 years later to join Jason Kidd’s project and give the Doncic-Irving pairing an offensive break. In addition, the team that won the Western Conference hired Spencer Dinwiddie from the Brooklyn Nets for 3 million and one year to be a good alternative on the bench alternating with Jaden Hardy. His most significant loss was that of Australian Josh Green, who was important in Doncic’s rotation and rest last season.
Klay Thompson at the beginning of his Maverick stage (Photo: Sports Illustrated)
2- New York Knicks
The Big Apple started a revolution last season and they just made the move that could close the circle… or tear down everything built. The beginning of the shutdown began with the transfer of several draft rounds for Mikal Bridges, which meant the creation of the Nova Boys, that is, Brunson-Hart-DiVincenzo and Bridges, all teammates at Villanova University. However, and given the significant loss of Isaiah Hartenstein, Tom Thibodeau’s men had to go out and look for a center… and boy did they get it: they dismantled the Nova Boys and exchanged DiVincenzo and Julius Randle for Karl Anthony Towns, one of the Minnesota Timberwolves stars. Relegated by the presence of Anthony Edwards and with a very high salary, Towns will try to be for the Knicks what Porzingis was for the Celtics, closing a potential starting quintet for those of Boston, without a doubt the team to beat for those of New York. Also notable was the attitude of Jalen Brunson, who lowered the salary of the maximum contract he had signed in order to be able to go on the market with the balance to be able to sign more stars.
The Knicks’ welcome to KAT (Photo: New York Knicks via X)
1- Philadelphia 76ers
The thing about the Sixers is scandalous, since they not only renewed Tyrese Maxey to be the head of the team behind Joel Embiid, but they added Paul George from the Los Angeles Clippers as an essential offensive weapon. This new big three He will be very well surrounded, since Nick Nurse’s team added more than valuable rotation pieces such as Caleb Martin who is coming off good seasons with the Miami Heat, another solid 3andD like Reggie Jackson or Guerschon Yabusele, who, although it is a bet, is coming to stand out in the Paris Olympic Games. Those from the Eastern Conference also completed the returns of Andre Drummond, Kyle Lowry and Eric Gordon, adding experience to mentor young people like Maxey himself, Jared McCain or Adem Bona, the latter two selected in the last draft.
Maxey, Embiid and George, the new Big Three of the Sixers (Photo: Liberty Ballers)
