2022-2023 Free Agency Feeding-frenzy: Winners

Winner: Utah Jazz

Acquired: Bradley Beal

Utterly speechless. This is how I felt when I saw the news break about Bradley Beal being wooed by the Utah Jazz. The lowly Jazz. The tanking Jazz. It took me a few minutes to actually digest what had transpired. The Bulls didn�t do enough to accommodate for Beal and make him feel loved, and he double-crossed them and took his talents to Utah. Utah had a 1/1000 shot of pulling this off and somehow they did it, and somehow we were all around to witness it. Adding an all-star guard in his prime for almost nothing� the biggest coup of the day/ever.


Winner: Oklahoma City Thunder

Acquired: Tyus Jones, DeAndre Jordan, Kevon Looney

No one is ever sure if Wiz is there or not. Lurking, scheming� and bam! He comes out early and hot, with two big bids to secure coveted free agents Tyus Jones and Deandre Jordan. He also convinced Kevon Looney to stay in OKC, adding great veterans to their core of great young players. Jones was very much an under-the-radar target but is rated well, a smart point guard. Then, just as quickly as he busts open the free agency period, he disappears. The intrigue, in tact.


Winner: Houston Rockets

Acquired: Montrezl Harrell, Thaddeus Young, Gorgui Dieng, Jamychel Green

At this point, Vitt has to be commended as being a free agency genius. Two years running, his patented bidding method sees him hit at an almost 100% success rate. They aren�t chump targets either - they are some of the best, underrated, above average players that free agency has to offer. Vitt�s time of the year is FA time it would seem. Now, Jokic has an entire roster of capable, complementary players. Can teams have too much quality depth? Houston has added some �long boiis� to help out their short guards. Smart.


Winner: San Antonio Spurs

Acquired: Javale McGee, Dennis Smith Jr., Dewayne Dedmon, James Johnson, Matthew Dellavadova, Lamar Stevens, Jordan Hall, Tyrese Martin

Eight new players join the team that had the best record in the entire NSL last season. With so many seats to fill, you can�t get picky or cute. Nels spent big to retain the first three names, McGee, Smith Jr. and Dedmon, who project to play big roles for the team. The rest was just shots in the dark, with veteran presence mixed in with some youth-upside. But, the important part was they got the numbers though the door, especially remembering what happened last season with their lack of depth. In reality, Giannis and four anyones will be a good team (just ask Andrew).


Winner: New Orleans Pelicans

Acquired: Wendell Carter Jr, Dennis Schroeder, Bismack Biyombo, Isaiah Joe

Leeroy wasn�t heard from during FA day, to my knowledge. Aside from a few quips about poor trades between contenders, he was bunkered down in the war room, projecting the plan of attack across a chaotic free agency landscape. He always plays it slow, adding value towards the end. Leaving with your starting big man for the now and the future, two terrific bench players and a prospect, all for measly gms compared to some other bids, was a day well spent. Pelicans look great from the top to bottom of the roster.


Winner: Minnesota TImberwolves

Acquired: Otto Porter Jr., Goran Dragic, Taj Gibson, Wes Matthews

Ethan will probably be even lower on himself than I tend to be, but amidst the chaos and worry about what he would do, he left free agency with much more than he had before - a talented, experienced and legitimate bench mob. Ball, Holiday, Dragic, Wes Matthews as the guards. Barnes, Porter Jr, Green as the wings. Gobert, Valancuinas, Gibson as the bigs. They have their core in place, and while it may feel unspectacular, this is all they needed. Anytime you can get what you need, there should be plenty to be pleased, relieved about.


Winner: Portland Trailblazers

Acquired: James Harden, Andre Drummond, Markieff Morris

When the majority of the league wants to see you falter, it�s always validating to walk into  a hostile environment and get the job done. Best player in free agency, James Harden, stuck with his team despite strong voices in the league encouraging anyone with the means and space to �keep the Blazers earnest�. Arguably the best player available for the MLE, Andre Drummond, also decided to stick with Portland, much to the chagrin of the rest of the league. Eventually Darth Vader is defeated, but until he is, he wields much power. Also, Portland achieved a random factor of over 1.00 for the first time; the city will host parades tomorrow at 12pm to celebrate.


Winner: Sacramento Kings

Acquired: Kyle Anderson, Damian Jones, Joe Ingles, Troy Brown, Yuta Watanabe, Josh Okogie, Matt Ryan, Rodney McGruder

It might not be glamorous, but when you need to fill over half your roster, convincing this many players to join the fold is a feat in itself. Anderson, Jones, Ingles are legitimately good rotational players and Brown, Okogie and McGruder are helpful depth. Watanabe and Matt Ryan are prospects that are playing NBA minutes already; Sacramento might have found another Austin Reaves or Jock Landale.


Winner: Memphis Grizzlies

Acquired: Mitchell Robinson, Bruce Brown

We were treated to the sultry sound of Rootsey�s voice for four hours and not once did it grate on my ears or deflate in terms of content. That�s really tough to pay attention and talk for four hours straight. Well done, mate. In other news, the already great Grizzlies reclaimed Mitchell Robinson, their key big man, and got a great guard in Bruce Brown for no gm pt cost. Their whole roster is good.


Winner: Golden State Warriors

Acquired: Zach Lavine, Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley, Derrick Jones Jr, Anthony Gill, Bruno Fernando

Much like the Spurs and the Kings, it can really set you back to have so many roster spots and not fill them. Keeping their great core was fairly formulaic, with Lavine being spent big on and Ayton and Bagley RFAs, but adding 3-4 other veterans to help pad out the roster is just what the doctor ordered, both for winning and roster management. The question now, is whether the Warriors can build, and not just reset again next off-season?