As the NBA free agency meet-greet-and-sign market continues, the biggest stars have been aligned or re-aligned, and some of the true winners and losers in all avenues have been revealed.
Winners
1. LeBron James, the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Lake Erie, The State of Ohio …
The list goes on. There’s the guy who thought up those “For6iven” T-Shirts for $29.95 a pop. There are bookstores because people are buying the “King James Bible” thinking it’s LeBron’s basketball how-to. Forbes estimated James alone is worth $400 million to the Cavs. Makes the $42.1 million they gave him for two years seem like chump change. He’s the best player on the planet, a four-time MVP. He’s worth it.
2. Folks living near Madison Square Garden
Face it: If Carmelo Anthony had skipped town, Knicks fans might have burned the Garden to the ground. But when Anthony elected the “My City. My Heart.” – and “My Money” — route, fans relaxed. Anthony’s decision made a winner of Phil Jackson, who handled the crisis without resorting to Doomsday tactics. Anthony became a big winner, along with the Heat’s Chris Bosh as players whose teams had to sign them.
3. Da Bulls
They could be good enough to be a “Saturday Night Live” skit again. They added the offense of Pau Gasol (3 years, $22 million) plus 6-foot-10 Nikola Mirotic, one of Europe’s best. They already have the fanatic defense and leadership of Joakim Noah and a presumably healthy Derrick Rose, and they did not have to part with Taj Gibson. They may have lost out on Carmelo Anthony, but the Bulls won on every other front.
4. Nets forwards not named Paul Pierce
Yes, you can point to all the financial numbers. Keeping Pierce, with luxury-tax implications, would have cost the Nets more than James will cost Cleveland next year (roughly $22 vs $20 million). But other numbers, including minutes for a host of 3s and 4s, played into the Nets’ decision to not overpay Pierce and let him head to Washington. Who was going to sit?
The Nets need minutes for Andrei Kirilenko, Mason Plumlee, Mirza Teletovic and the incoming Bojan Bogdanovic. With Brook Lopez returning, Kevin Garnett (fully expected back) will be a backup 5. And Pierce, despite his playoff prowess, is seen by the Nets has a guy who no longer adequately defends the small forward position consistently.
5. Porter Airlines
This small airline flies onto an island in downtown Toronto, and that could become a frequent stop for NBA media types after the Atlantic champ Raptors kept Kyle Lowry, Patrick Patterson and Greivis Vasquez.
The key was Lowry, one of the A-list free agents who re-upped for a manageable four years, $48 million. It was imperative because Lowry became someone who stayed in Toronto, a big deal given the history of Bosh and Vince Carter.
6. The Spurs (What else is new?)
San Antonio re-upped coach Gregg Popovich, retained Boris Diaw, Patty Mills and Matt Bonner – all after landing an apparent draft steal in UCLA forward Kyle Anderson and learning Tim Duncan would return for $10.3 million. Can you say, “Back-to-back?”
7. People in Washington who overspent but got something
The Wizards overpaid for Marcin Gortat, but they could not lose the versatile, talented center. They would have preferred keeping Trevor Ariza, but he went to Houston — so the Wizards brought in Pierce to show the kids how it’s done when it matters most.
Losers
1. The Miami Heat
But they re-signed Chris Bosh…
They lost LeBron.
…and they got Luol Deng…
They lost LeBron.
…landed Josh McRoberts and Danny Granger…
They lost LeBron.
Fifty years from now, no matter how you spin it, the bottom line will remain: In the 2014 offseason, Miami lost LeBron James.
2. Anyone who goes to Lakers games for anything other than the Laker Girls
This team took a beating. They wanted James and Anthony. They got Nick Young, Jeremy Lin and Jordan Hill – while losing Gasol. Right about now, Kobe Bryant is willing to let John Calipari draft him for the Nets 18 years ago.
3. College logic professors
Go ahead, explain the logic behind $32 million over four years for Avery Bradley in Boston, or $19.5 million for Jodie Meeks in Detroit or Charlotte offering $63 million over four years to Gordon Hayward (matched by Utah). Don’t overlook the magical deals in Orlando for Ben Gordon (2 years, $9 million, year two not guaranteed) and Channing Frye (4 years, $32 million). When Gordon got his deal, it answered one nagging question: “Is Ben Gordon still playing?”
Frye is experienced, can help a desperately young team and is a good locker room presence. A platter of fresh fruit also is a good locker room presence and far cheaper.
4. The best laid plans of the Houston Rockets
Houston wanted cap space and got it dumping Omer Asik and Lin (along with a first round pick). Come to Texas, LeBron. OK, Carmelo. Er, Chris Bosh? “Ladies and gentlemen, Trevor Ariza … just don’t bump into Chandler Parsons on his way out the door.” Ariza is a terrific defender with 3-point ability, but hardly the big fish Houston hoped to snare.
5. Knuckleheads
Lance Stephenson and Andray Blatche come to mind. Stephenson may end up back with the Pacers, he may land with the Mavericks (who have shown interest), but Stephenson cost himself big bucks whispering sweet nothings in James’ playoff ear.
Given Blatche’s low-post ability, he would seem great for new Nets coach Lionel Hollins’ ground-and-pound style.
“No, NO, NOOOO,” a Nets insider said.