Robert Judin examines the best free agent signings of the summer.
1) Dwight Howard – Houston Rockets 4 years $88 million
It’s hard to go against the most obvious, sought after free agent of this off-season. Dwight Howard instantly takes Houston from a mid-level team in the Western Conference to a title contender. Howard has not developed offensively as most hoped by now, but he’s still a superstar in the NBA. He’s a three-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner. He’ll give Houston a presence in the paint that it hasn’t had since Yao Ming, but Yao wasn’t exactly the defensive monster that Howard is. Last season was a bit of a wash for Howard in Los Angeles. Now he gets a fresh contract, team and start. The countdown to the first James Harden lob to Howard is underway.
2) Andrew Bynum – Cleveland Cavaliers 2 years (1 year team option) $24 million
Yes, he hasn’t played an NBA game in more than a year. Yes, he’s had multiple knee surgeries. Yes, he’s 7-feet tall, and that’s the more important thing. The fact is that dominant centers are rarer than a Luke Walton dunk. They don’t come around often, and Bynum has the potential to be the best center in the NBA. When he’s healthy, he’s arguably better than Howard. Bynum’s array of offensive moves is superior to Howard’s, and Bynum isn’t too far behind Howard defensively. The only knocks on Bynum is his health and maturity, but after seeing all of the Howard drama over the past two years, it’s safe to say that all Howard truly has over Bynum is his durability – and that’s even come into question with Howard’s back problems. The truth is that Bynum gives Cleveland a big man down low – something it desperately needs. If Bynum stays healthy, he could be the Ying to Kyrie Irving’s Yang.
3) Andre Iguodala – Golden State Warriors 4 years $48 million
This deal will probably go underrated until basketball fans watch the Warriors in action this season. Golden State lost Carl Landry, who was a key player for them last season. However, Andre Iguodala is a better overall player. He’s become reliable from behind the three-point line and everyone knows the man jumps like he’s on the moon. Iguodala will provide perimeter defense – something that the Warriors seriously lacked last season. Warriors Head Coach Marc Jackson will have the luxury of appointing Iguodala to guard the opposing team’s best player on a nightly basis. This won’t catapult them to the top, but it’ll give them a better chance of winning a championship.
4) Monta Ellis – Dallas Mavericks 3 years $30 million
Monta Ellis to the Dallas Mavericks works out for both parties. Ellis gets out of bad situation in Milwaukee where the Bucks just keep digging a deeper hole for themselves, and Dallas gets a scoring guard who can play with Dirk Nowitzki for the short time he has left. Dallas wants another ring, but the chances that Ellis helps obtain it are slim. Having said that, Ellis will take some pressure off of Nowitzki and Dallas replaces what it lost when O.J. Mayo opted to take Ellis’ spot with the Bucks. It will be interesting to watch Ellis and Nowitzki work because Nowitzki is the star. Ellis will have to learn to share the ball if he wants to win.
5) Kenyon Martin – New York Knicks 1 year $1.4 million
So he’s not 28 anymore. Kenyon Martin is still a force down low on the defensive end. He only played a partial season with the New York Knicks last season, but his minutes were well spent. He’ll block shots and rebound the basketball. Plus he’ll get a few second chance points and open dunks on the other end of the floor. When he’s put with Tyson Chandler in the front court, the Knicks will be one of the better shot-blocking teams in the Eastern Conference. This move also is magnified because of another signing that we’ll get to in a second, but Martin will be consistent for New York, and they need consistency.
6) Al Jefferson – Charlotte Bobcats 3 years $41 million
The only reason Al Jefferson made this list is because of the mediocre history of the Charlotte Bobcats. It’s not often that a team signs a player who is instantly the best player in franchise history. Jefferson brings the Cats a go-to scoring threat on the block – which is much different than the three-point nature of Byron Mullens (now with the Los Angeles Clippers) who manned the center position for Charlotte last year. Jefferson isn’t the greatest defensive big man, but he’s still one of the top-tier players in the NBA. He, Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will have to do a lot of growing in a short amount of time if the Cats want to reach the playoffs. Charlotte will win more games with Jefferson, but it will most likely end up back in the lottery.
7) Metta World Peace – New York Knicks 2 years (1 year player option) $3.2 million
Here it is! This is the reason that the Kenyon Martin signing is important, Metta World Peace. He’s erratic. He’s loud. He’s unpredictable, but most of all, he’s padlock for scorers. World Peace has a chance to push the Knicks over the top with his defense. Combined with Iman Shumpert, Chandler and Martin, World Peace will help New York put together one of the best defensive line ups in the NBA. That group probably won’t start together, but it’ll be rotation the Knicks will use efficiently. When Carmelo Anthony is inserted into that line up, all the defensive pressure on his shoulders is eliminated. World Peace will guard the key players: LeBron James, Paul George, Joe Johnson, etc. The Knicks will enjoy his defense, and possibly his offense. World Peace is known to knock down the occasional three.
8) Chris Copeland – Indiana Pacers 2 years $ 6 million
Chris Copeland emerged in the playoffs for the Knicks last season –despite not getting as much playing time as he deserved. Copeland is a stretch forward who will add versatility to the Indiana Pacers. He’ll take the spot of Tyler Hansborough (signed with the Toronto Raptors). Copeland will be a kick-out option along the perimeter, but he’s athletic enough to take it to the rack as well. If he can improve defensively, Indiana might have gotten the steal of this free agency class.
9) Andrei Kirilenko – Brooklyn Nets 2 years (1 year player option)$6.51 million
The Brookly Nets are loading up. They’re going all in this season. They acquired Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry from the Boston Celtics, but one of their more underrated acquisitions was Andrei Kirilenko. Kirilenko is long, active and committed. He’ll give the Nets what World Peace provides the Knicks: lock-down defending. He’s a role player, and the Nets need everyone to play a role in winning a championship. He won’t shoot much, but he’ll be just as important as everyone else on the team. Kirilienko only helps the Nets’ chances of getting past the Miami Heat.
10) Jordan Farmar – Los Angeles Lakers 1 year $884,293
This isn’t exactly a sexy pick, but the Los Angeles Lakers got it right with bringing back Jordan Farmar. The Lakers won back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010 with guys like Farmar on the team. Farmar is an athletic point guard who knows how to run an offense. Although he was brought up in the triangle offense, it won’t be hard for him to expand his game under Mike D’Antoni, who’s best attribute is molding point guards. Behind Steve Nash, Famar will get better and provide consistency in the back court that was seriously lacking for the Lakers last season. More Farmar and less Steve Blake equals a good thing for L.A. He’s not a big fish, but he’s a step in the right direction. Farmar is a step back toward winning.
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