LeBron James is going back home, and Carmelo Anthony finally made a decision, too. So with the two biggest names off the free agency market, the dominoes started falling—and falling quickly. Almost everyone has a new home now, with the exception of a few, including Eric Bledsoe, who turned down a 4-year/$48 million offer by the Phoenix Suns. Here is a recap of the summer:
LeBron announced that he’s going back to Cleveland. However, what wasn’t disclosed then were the details of the contract, which is now revealed as maximum money but only over a two-year span. This move was so Lebron can ultimately be paid more after two years for his worth, when the cap is expected to rise significantly. In other Cleveland news, Mike Miller signed a 2-year deal worth $5.5 million, and James Jones will join his former Miami teammates by signing for the veteran’s minimum of $1.4 million. Oh, and keep an eye out for Kevin Love, with the Cavs reported to have put Andrew Wiggins on the trading block now.
Carmelo Anthony finally agreed to terms with the Knicks and signed an almost-maximum-5-year/$124 million contract that will leave the organization to build more (or less) flexibly around him. This came as a surprise to many, but not the Knicks, who were confident throughout the whole process. This is obviously a huge boost to the franchise, which shed some years off of their rebuilding plan. And with Jose Calderon and hopefully renewed JR Smith, things only look up for the Knicks.
The Bulls missed out on the Melo sweepstakes but snatched Pau Gasol from the Lakers to make up for it. With the addition of European star Nikola Mirotic, the frontline will be stacked. Both stars will greatly improve Chicago offense with their skilled post moves and intangibles. Now, the only question that hinges on the Bulls will be Derrick Rose’s real return. Will he be able to be the same and lead the team deep in the relatively weaker Easter Conference?
Elsewhere around the league, Lance Stephenson mysteriously turned down a decent offer by the Indiana Pacers to sign with the Charlotte Hornets for less money guaranteed. Dwyane Wade proved to be loyal and will sign a 2-year/$30 million deal with the Heat, who also added Luol Deng for 2-years/$20 million. Trevor Ariza replaces Chandler Parsons as a cheaper option for the Rockets at 4-years/$32 million. And subsequently, Paul Pierce replaces Ariza in Washington and signed a 2-year/$10 million contract.
It’s almost over, but there’s still some key free agents that impact the league this upcoming season. A contender that can offer Bledsoe more than what the Suns are willing to may push them over the top. And the same goes for a playoff team that can add Greg Monroe, a creative forward. And don’t forget Ray Allen, who’s pondering retirement or a stint with the Cavs, who will have 3 deadly shooters surrounding James.
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