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2019 NBA Free Agency: Winners and losers from Day 1

By Daniel Lubofsky

OAKLAND, CA - JANUARY 27: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors and Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics during the game on January 27, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - JANUARY 27: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors and Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics during the game on January 27, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

Winners: Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers didn’t get off to a great start at the beginning of free agency. Having lost both Bojan Bogdanovic and Thaddeus Young, Indiana was down two starters and had been outbid on Ricky Rubio by the Phoenix Suns.

Rather than go quietly into the night, the Pacers bounced back and made some key deals of their own within minutes of each other. First came the addition of Malcolm Brogdon on a four-year, $85 million deal via a sign-and-trade with the Milwaukee Bucks that had them ship off one first round pick and two second-rounders.

As one of the key cogs on Milwaukee’s 60-win team this past season, Brogdon became just the eighth player in NBA history to surpass the 50-40-90 threshold. He’s a capable ball-handler and elite perimeter defender who is sure to pair nicely next to All-Star Victor Oladipo in the backcourt.

Next came the signing of Jeremy Lamb on a three-year deal worth $31.5 million. The seven-year veteran is coming off his best season in the pros after averaging a career-high 15.3 points per game while shooting 34.8 percent from downtown.

The Pacers ranked fifth during the regular season in 3-point percentage but just 29th in attempts per game. Lamb’s 4.2 attempts a night would’ve ranked fourth on the team. Expect him to provide that same shooting stroke with a re-energized focus, having gone from the cellars of the Charlotte Hornets to a team battling for respect among its contemporaries.

Losing depth up front hurts the Pacers, especially with Bogdanovic coming off his best season yet. The recently acquired T.J. Warren should help in that department, while the duo of Brogdon and Lamb provided a level of versatility Indy simply couldn’t afford to pass up.