2016 Free Agency: Where role players get paid more than good starters
Even though free agents technically can't sign their new contracts until July 7, the reported deals they are getting are nothing short of nutty.
For example:
Dallas RFA Dwight Powell has agreed to a four-year, $37-plus million with the Mavericks, league sources tell The Vertical.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 4, 2016
Yes, that's the same Dwight Powell that Boston threw into the Rajon Rondo deal with Dallas. Powell had a nice season last year, but is he really worth more than Jae Crowder?
Dwight Powell got $2 mil more over one less year than Jae Crowder last year .. Staggering. #Celtics #NBAFreeAgency https://t.co/ZTNoYH7Gl4
— Scott Souza (@Scott_Souza) July 4, 2016
Some other crazy reported deals:
Vertical Sources: Joakim Noah and the New York Knicks are in discussions on the framework of a deal in range of four years, $70M-plus.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2016
Sources on @TheVertical: The Brooklyn Nets will sign Miami restricted free agent Tyler Johnson to $50M offer sheet. https://t.co/Ep4r8CnwMu
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) July 3, 2016
Sources: Austin Rivers agrees to three-year, $35 million-plus deal with Clippers. @WojVerticalNBA on @TheVertical. https://t.co/Gu3WgRwJNk
— The Vertical (@TheVertical) July 3, 2016
Wow, that's a ton of money to guys who either aren't that good or are old/injury prone. Whatever these guys get, they earned it. This is what happens when the cap explodes and teams have more money than they know what to do with. The market is the market.
While they might not like it, guys already under contract look like incredible assets now with their far-below market value deals. Thankfully, Danny Ainge has a few of those on his team. Isaiah Thomas, Crowder, Avery Bradley, Jonas Jerebko and even Amir Johnson are now steals at what they are getting paid.
It's a great time to be a free agent. Well, for most of them anyway.
BREAKING: Rajon Rondo will sign 2-year deal worth $28 million with the Chicago Bulls. More via @MarcJSpearsESPN: https://t.co/yd4m09WrYc
— ESPN (@espn) July 3, 2016
Rondo just led the league in assists per game and that's all he could get? Looks like he'll never get that big max deal that was reportedly part of the reason he was dealt away from Boston. The combination of injuries and his perceived "I'm smarter than you" personality apparently sucked all the money out of his pockets. Quite the turn of events for a 30-year-old four-time All-Star.
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