NBA Free Agency: 5 biggest spenders on July 1
NBA's free agency got off to a frantic start right from Day one as big names signed gargantuan deals left, right and center. There weren't any big surprises, but a couple of deals left us wondering if certain tweaks would just allow all the involved parties to reap greater benefits.
The Mavericks, for example, signed DeAndre Jordan for essentially the same amount as the player option for his 2018-19 deal.
If only they'd traded for him after he'd picked up that option, they would've had the opportunity to shed some deadweight (like Wesley Mathhews) from their roster.
But by and large, all of these moves helped their team both in the short term as well as the long-term, and seem like exactly what these players wanted. The fact that these deals culminated in announcements right off the bat makes it seem like these players have had their minds made up for quite a while now.
The following teams were the 5 biggest spenders on Day 1:
#5 Orlando Magic
Not being a free agent destination and having let Victor Oladipo walk in a trade for Serge Ibaka, Orlando was hard-pressed to retain their homebred talent this summer. Aaron Gordon was the beneficiary, as he signed a four-year, $84 million deal to stay on with them.
They were unable to lock up any other player on day 1, but getting this problem off the table so soon will now allow them to pick up other free agents that teams will pass on.
They made a good play last summer by recruiting Jonathon Simmons on a fair contract, and he has played to the level of that deal.
While Gordon certainly put in the best season of his career, questions remain over whether he'll ever be able to lead them to relevance.