Each NBA team’s greatest free agent signing in franchise history

Despite coming on the heels of arguably the most exciting period of the season, the NBA‘s annual free agency period has proven to be the most impactful for all 30 teams. Whether you’re coming off a disappointing finish in the lottery or so close to a championship, a simple pen-to-paper transaction can massively change the future of an organization for years to come.

As we’ve come to see, however, not every squad is created equally in this frenzied stretch of summer days. Certain front offices have spent years craftily constructing their roster in order to set themselves up for a massive spending spree in any given offseason. Others have little room to work with, given the amount of cash already tied up for better or worse.

There’s also the well-discussed issue of where exactly in the country each team is located. Human nature is to seek out the sunlight and avoid winters at all cost. While building a brand has become easier than ever with millions of followers at one’s fingertips, players, unfortunately, don’t seem to be drawn to smaller markets like Memphis and Orlando, despite what may be offered there.

Fielding a competitive team through free agency is nothing compared to doing so through the draft, where the future of these players is anyone’s guess. Still, there’s a game to be played in attracting players to a specific team, one all 30 franchises have certainly gone through over the years.

For some, that effort was rewarded handsomely in the form of playoff appearances and championships. Those less fortunate still managed to acquire talented players who would go on to make a sizable impact. It’s an unfair battle built on circumstances partly beyond one’s control, yet it still continues to shape the league year after year.