The new Boston Celtics guard, Malcolm Brogdon, was one of the best pickups of the summer.
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On Wednesday, we wrote about three big moves from the first week of the NBA free agency that could make or break the immediate future of the Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks. Each deal, along with all the possible explosive transactions we’ve been waiting for with the participation of people like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and (possibly) Deandre Ayton, could shake the league over the coming seasons. But so could a number of incognito transactions that helped bolster teams with championship aspirations, or at least ambitions to improve. Here’s a breakdown of these moves, grouped according to whether they can help a team find a new level or just provide a good bargain production to the old one.
Leveling up
After an appearance in the NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics found two major improvements on the bench for a relatively low cost. One of them is Danilo Gallinari, who plans to sign with Boston for the midfield exception once the Spurs officially eliminate him; the other is Malcolm Brogdon, whom the Celtics acquired from the Indiana Pacers for Aaron Nesmith, Daniel Theis, Nik Stauskas, Juwan Morgan, Malik Fitts and a protected first-round pick in 2023.
Both players have major injury issues, but when they are healthy they are great for a Celtics team that prioritizes flexibility. For example, both Gallo and Brogdon can work on or off the ball in attacking midfield situations. And at the other end, Brogdon is a multi-position defender who should thrive on coach Ime Udoka’s heavy-duty scheme, while Boston has quality defenders more than enough to hide Gallinari’s weaknesses in D.
Gallinari remains a high-level threat from the depths (he hit 38 percent of three last season, as well as the mark of his career), and is one of the best free-throw shooters in the NBA. , which could be important for a team that fought hard on the line at the end of its playoff career. He can handle or filter in pick and rolls, and has shown the ability to punish smaller defenders on the stick or isolate himself when he receives a change. Brogdon is also money from the strip, and playing with the ball more often should allow him to rediscover his outside shot. (He made nearly 41 percent of his treys in three seasons with the Bucks, but only 35 percent in three seasons with the Pacers while taking on more responsibilities in handling the ball.) The Brogdon, negative on turnover, it can also calm the Celtics ’midfield offense. a bit, potentially alleviating some of the ball safety issues that affected them in the postseason.
The Denver Nuggets indicated confidence in the health of injured stars Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. with their off-season moves, which prioritized defense and versatility in the band. They sent Will Barton and Monte Morris to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith, converting two-way signing Davon Reed to a standard NBA contract (a few months too late, if you ask me; they could have used his defense in the playoffs) and signed Bruce Brown on a two-year contract with his mid-level exception.
It’s hard to think of a better fit for Brown than for Denver (and vice versa), where he can run the inverted hay with Nikola Jokić and hand the ball to shooters like Murray, Porter, Caldwell-Pope, Bones Hyland and Jeff. green. In addition, he and KCP, along with Aaron Gordon, should give the team much more defensive flexibility, which was a major weakness a year ago. (All three players were ranked in the top 30 on the Bball-Index face-off difficulty metric last season, among 272 players who played 1,000 minutes or more.) If Porter’s persistent back problems are too much to overcome, the Nuggets can turn to that wing-side trio. Murray and Jokić and still rely on their scoring abilities.
The Los Angeles Clippers may have the deepest rotation in the NBA, but the only thing it lacked was a lean base on the pass. Enter John Wall, who, no longer weighed down by a massive contract, could turn out to be a bargain at the mid-level exception. Whether he starts or leaves the bench behind Reggie Jackson, Wall brings a completely different look to the Clips. Now, after expanding Ivica Zubac and re-signing Nic Batum, the Clips have built a roster that can alternate effortlessly between big and small, offensive first or defensive first, being competitive even when Kawhi Leonard and / or Paul George they have to rest. . LA is expected to have eight players rotating between 6 feet 4 and 6 feet 9, which gives coach Ty Lue the luxury of loading the court with versatile shots, games and defense almost whenever he wants. The only team that equaled that mark last season was the Timberwolves, and they only changed a few of those players away from home with the agreement of Rudy Gobert.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers reunite Daryl Morey’s band. Morey, who was previously the general manager of the Houston Rockets and is now president of basketball operations in Philadelphia, had already acquired former Houston star James Harden by the change deadline last season. Now, he has signed ex-Rockets PJ Tucker and Danuel House with mid-level and biannual exceptions, respectively. He also switched to former Houston draft pick De’Anthony Melton, sending Danny Green, who was probably out of season, and a first-round pick to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for his services.
The moves weren’t just for the old days. Joel Embiid specifically called Tucker the kind of tough player the Sixers have needed (and haven’t had) in recent seasons, so Morey came out and got him. Both he and House know how to play with Harden, and they and Melton will give coach Doc Rivers side defense options aside from Matisse Thybulle, who is too much of an offensive responsibility to be on the court in certain situations. Among the 375 players who played at least 500 minutes last season, Tucker was ranked in the top 15 on the Bball-Index face-off difficulty metric, while both House and Melton were ranked in the top 100.
Bargain hunting
The Milwaukee Bucks used their midfield exception to Joe Ingles, who comes off a LCA break suffered in February. He’s very unlikely to be ready for the start of the season, and he may not return until after the All-Star break, given the typical ACL rehabilitation timeline. But he’s a solid fit as a spinning wing in Milwaukee because of his ability to throw three (he’s advanced 41 percent for his career) and play as a closing hitter on the weak side. However, his defense is likely to fall even further due to a knee injury, so it may not be a high-minute playoff option.
The Toronto Raptors increased their stable of strikers of the same size by inking Otto Porter Jr. to a two-year contract. Porter finally stayed healthy last season and re-emerged as a valuable gear for NBA champion Golden State Warriors (more on them in a minute); it should play a similar role in the north. His shot (40 percent from depth for his career, 37 percent last season), defensive flexibility, and experience playing multiple roles at both ends make Porter a strong fit for the chameleon coach. Nick Nurse.
Speaking of players signed outside of the defending champions, the Portland Trail Blazers led Gary Payton II, who should drastically improve his side defense. Along with Josh Hart, who was acquired as part of CJ McCollum’s trade last season, the Blazers have two defenders from various positions in the band, one of whom (Payton) is All-Defense caliber. This is a big change from what Damian Lillard has been used to throughout his career so far, as he had spent much of it playing alongside offensive (and challenged defensively) McCollum. Portland also re-signed both Anfernee Simons and Jusuf Nurkić, who should help Dame carry the offensive load.
As for the Warriors, they recovered from losing Porter and Payton by signing Donte DiVincenzo. The versatile wing does not exactly fit the role of the outgoing player, but he should be able to defend opposing guards and shoot from the perimeter. (That is, if he can do well after fighting last season while returning from a foot injury.) DiVincenzo should have a lot of open eyes with Golden State, and he will mix with Jordan Poole, and maybe Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga. to provide some firepower from Steve Kerr’s bench.
The Sacramento Kings, the team that let DiVincenzo walk, came out and got two shooters to complement their De’Aaron Fox-Domantas Sabonis combination. One is Malik Monk, who used a strong contract with the Lakers to secure a two-year contract and reunite with Fox, his former college teammate in Kentucky. Monk appeared as a good little male programmer alongside LeBron James last season, and while the Kings don’t have anyone like LeBron (duh), Sacramento should be able to take advantage of Monk’s filming to provide driving space for on Fox and to make sweet haggling music with Sabonis. The other is former Hawk Kevin Huerter, who plans to get into the starting lineup and play a role similar to the one he had in Atlanta. Neither player tackles the help Sacramento still needs on defense, but these guys should at least be able to tune in to attacking nets.
Last but not least, the Los Angeles Lakers incorporated a new Klutch Sports client board, signing Lonnie Walker IV, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Troy Brown Jr. with one-year agreements. (They also signed Damian Jones, but the CAA replaces him.) Walker took a step back last season in San Antonio, but could thrive playing a …