2022 NBA Offseason - Free Agency
(Note: For free agency, I take all of the players rated 83-85 and above and put them into a spreadsheet that helps determine where they will sign. You can get a full recap of how the teams are determined is here:https://forums.operationsports.com/f...events-14.html. Essentially it becomes a random team generator based off the parameters I’ve created.)
The 2022 NBA free agent class is very intriguing and has an opportunity to change the landscape of the NBA for the next handful of years.
The biggest name that is expected to garner a lot of attention is Kyrie Irving. The veteran point guard’s three-year contract came to an end, the last year spent without Kevin Durant. Despite playing without Durant, Irving still took the Nets to within two games of a conference championship appearance. But Irving feels as if the Nets roster as constructed doesn’t have the capability to content for a title and has decided to test the market.
While not as big of a name, Jarrett Allen also heads to free agency from Brooklyn. The Nets will need to be smart, as they can try to lock up a pair of pieces that were part of last year’s success, or they can reset their roster and move forward.
Donovan Mitchell is the next biggest name on the market. The young guard heads into the market as an unrestricted free agent and is expected to garner interest from a swath of teams. The Jazz’ recent success, along with the decision to move on from Rudy Gobert, has many believing Mitchell will be quick to return to Utah.
Paul George may perhaps be the biggest name on the market, but all signs indicate he will return to L.A. as Kawhi Leonard has already signed an extension with the Clippers.
Trae Young is the last big name on the market. Young was perturbed when the Hawks decided to trade Capela to Portland, and after winning just nine games has made it clear he doesn’t like the direction the Hawks are headed and intends to sign elsewhere. But being a restricted free agent, that decision may be out of his hands.
Mitchell Robinson, Jusuf Nurkic and Jonas Valanciunas, along with Allen, are a quartet of free agent centers who could look to move. Robinson is eying a departure from the Knicks who haven’t been successful as of late, while Nurkic and Valanciunas are expected to return to their respective teams.
Zach LaVine and Robert Covington are the biggest wings on the market. LaVine has said he does not plan to re-sign with the Bulls, whose young roster has led to disappointing results. Covington, meanwhile, should be one of the most sought after 3-and-D wings on the market.
Let’s get to it.
Irving was quick to the market, taking meetings with the Knicks, Nets and Hawks. The Knicks looked to pitch the hometown kid on a return, with the Nets saying the same. The Hawks, meanwhile, offered Irving a chance to be surrounded by a plethora of young shooters. Having just drafted Julius Walker, the Hawks vision was to have a dominant force on the interior with shooters surrounding him. But the missing piece was a playmaker who could make the rest of the roster better. Irving provided that.
Without much of a second thought, Irving was in. Three-years, $129.51 million and a player option later and Irving was headed to Atlanta.
This meant that the Hawks were letting Young walk, and the vultures started swarming. The Nets quickly got a meeting, looking to replace an offensive-minded point guard with another. The Knicks doing the same, looking to propel themselves into contention. The Heat called briefly, but knowing it would take a sign-and-trade to get him they were soon out.
Just as quick as Irving was into Atlanta from New York, Young was headed the opposite direction. His precise landing spot would be different though, deciding to sign with the Knicks to create a compelling backcourt alongside R.J. Barrett.
While the Irving-Young drama ensued in the East, Donovan Mitchell wasted little time making a decision. To the tune of a $131.56 million deal over four years, and a player option for a fifth, the Jazz had inked their franchise cornerstone into the future. Utah believes they can win now. So does Mitchell.
Paul George had little fanfare himself, signing a four-year extension in L.A. that was worth $238.56 million. The Clippers feel they still have a few title runs in them, with their stars in their early-30s. If they don’t, the Clips will be staring down a hefty salary sheet.
With the big names off the market, the mid-sized fish went to eat.
Jusuf Nurkic told Golden State he was interested in signing, taking a meeting with the two-time defending champions. Of course, in order to get to Golden State, he’d have to facilitate a sign-and-trade to get there. The Warriors knew what that meant, and understood they were just a bargaining chip. Portland paid the big man his money, giving him $138.76 million over four years to remain in the Rose City.
Jonas Valanciunas, like Nurkic, expressed interest in heading to the Bay, as well as a trip to L.A. to join the Clippers. But Memphis held the last meeting, a convinced their veteran big to return on a three-year pact worth $65.56 million.
The third priority big that teams coveted was Mitchell Robinson. The young shot blocker was desperate to get out, but found it difficult to find takers. His camp approached the Warriors about a sign-and-trade involving Andrew Wiggins, but Golden State had little interest. He also had meetings with the Heat and Lakers, but without a clear path to opening salary, talks fizzled. Then came the Spurs.
San Antonio had just drafted the Russian big Sasha Kasparov, but after seeing the success of the two-headed interior attack of the Portland Trail Blazers, were looking to create a formidable interior threat of their own. Sold on the opportunity to be part of a solid organization and potentially dangerous young core, Robinson inked a deal with the Spurs. The deal left just enough room for one more domino.
That domino would not be Jarrett Allen. After losing a young big, the Knicks found themselves in a hole. They had just signed Trae Young, but without Robinson, talent surrounding him ended after Barrett. They went on the offensive, convincing Allen to cross the Brooklyn Bridge and sign in Manhattan. The Knicks are gunning for the playoffs.
Now for the last domino. Pop may be gone, but the Spurs had one last move to make. With enough cap space to sign one last big name, San Antonio reeled in Zach LaVine, giving them a much needed scoring presence. The signing marks the end of an active offseason for the Spurs as they look to return to title contention in a competitive Western Conference.
Covington was the last formidable name on the market, and despite getting attention from a number of suitors, decided to return to Houston as they push to return to the NBA spotlight.
09-02-2020, 03:56 PM
