Sunday marked the opening day of NBA free agency in the 2024 offseason, and while there weren’t a ton of surprises, there were some moves that changed the landscape of the league.
Of course, there was the Paul George to the Philadelphia 76ers move, which we probably all saw coming after we saw what Joel Embiid did on ESPN during the NBA Finals. There was also the news that the Splash Brothers were no more.
Now that we’ve had a day to take it all in, let’s dive in with the winners and losers so far, with more moves sure to come soon.
Winners: Paul George and the 76ers
PG13 gets his contract, gets to contend in the weaker East and gives the Sixers another star, even though George is getting older. It’s a swing for the fences, and after watching what Tobias Harris did last season, Philly fans must be over the moon to see who replaced him.
Winner: Chris Paul
Follow my thinking here. Why would CP3 want to join a young, emerging team instead of a contender? Here’s my thinking: he can tutor Victor Wembanyama and Co. before he’s dealt to a contender by the deadline. That way, he sees the lay of the land in the NBA before finding that one last shot for a ring.
Winner: The NBA salary cap rules
You can see how the rules about the first and second apron are wreaking havoc on teams. When the Denver Nuggets have to lose a vital player like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope just so they can avoid certain cap ramifications, you know it’s having an effect.
Losers: Los Angeles Clippers
Hey remember that time the Clippers got Kawhi Leonard and George together and didn’t ultimately contend? Yikes.
Losers: Denver Nuggets
Losing Caldwell-Pope is HUGE. Not great for Nikola Jokic and Co.
Losers: The Warriors dyansty
Reminder: The Dubs last won a title in 2022! Even with Klay Thompson on the decline, they were contenders. Now? Things are in disarray. We’ll see where they go from here, but it’s not great.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1373]