The 2016 NBA Free Agency is alive and well. How did your team do? Although not done yet, with a couple big names left such as Dwyane Wade, Russell Westbrook, etc. We will now take a look at the so called “Winners And Losers” from the mad dash to win it all next season. You may be pleasantly surprised come playoff time next season.
Winners: Warriors, Bulls, Knicks, Celtics.
Warriors: This may come as no surprise, but Kevin Durant makes the Warriors even better. I just have one gripe, even though this team won it’s free agency,this doesn’t always work. It didn’t work when the Yankees tried it; Too many stars demanding the ball. The Warriors built this team from the ground up. This goes against everything they stood for and built from nothing. To be honest I think it “may” work in this case. But, 74 wins? I don’t think so. I don’t see how the Warriors couldn’t win multiple championships with this team.
Bulls: First off, I am not, I repeat, AM NOT a Rondo fan. But, I do think that if Rondo can keep his head on straight and not go scatter brained this may just work. With the addition of Jose Calderon and Jerian Grant (who I think is very underrated) this team could have a great front-court. Not to mention Bobby Portis will be a beast once he matures, and Dunleavy continues to hit from the perimeter even at 48 years old (not really).
Knicks: You talk about making a splash in free agency! These aren’t your same old Knicks. Making move after move, they are looking to improve drastically. Even though you still have Carmelo Anthony, who I think is a major chemistry breaker, the Knicks should more than double their win total from last season. Kristaps Porzingis ended up slapping Knicks fans in the face with his play last year after being booed on draft night. This guy has Kevin Durant written all over him. Porzingis is 7’1, can bang inside, and has amazing range from the perimeter. With the addition of Derrick Rose and Justin Holiday these Knicks aren’t the laughing stock of the NBA anymore.
Celtics: Although not landing Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook is a name that could still be on the move. The Celtics have signed Al Horford instead. They have tremendous upside on their roster. With names like Smart, Sullinger, Bradley, Thomas, Crowder the Celtics may be young, but they’re physical. Isaiah Thomas has solidified himself as one the the top 5 point guards in the NBA. If they decide to trade for Russell Westbrook they would have to give up 3 of these names and possibly a high draft pick. Westbrook would in turn give the remaining young players a mentor and physicality to go along with it.
Losers: Magic, Heat
Magic: It’s not a good time for an NBA franchise to call Florida home, especially Orlando. The Magic have an abundance of big men, but in giving up one of the best young, athletic, players in the NBA to get Serge Ibaka? No thank you. I think it is safe to say that the Oklahoma City Thunder got the better end of this deal in getting Victor Oladipo and Ersan Ilyasova in exchange for Ibaka. The Magic still have high flyer Aaron Gordon, Elfrid Payton, Evan Fournier, but will this be enough to make a run?
Heat: On an already aging roster the thought of making a deep playoff push is just going to get a little tougher. Names like Stoudemire, Haslem, Johnson make me cringe. Even though the Heat dealt most of these guys for nothing in return it was an even trade. Chris Bosh may not play again. The Heat re-signed Whiteside, and there is this one guy named Dwayne Wade who is still undecided. The Denver Nuggets have offered him $10 mill more than what Miami can. Cleveland is not a viable option by only being able to offer $3 mill per. The Bulls and Bucks are still a “real” possibility. Decisions, decisions. The clock is ticking.
Written By: Joshua Petry
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