The first two weeks of free agency are in the books and the dust is starting to settle on an exciting beginning to the off-season. This period is when NBA teams reshape their roster in the hopes of improving or, for some teams, pick a direction and decide to rebuild.
Thus far, four teams have set themselves apart from the pack as clear off-season winners by making smart moves to maximize their potential. On the other hand, four teams have either done very little or made head-scratching deals that have inexplicably weakened their roster. Keep that in mind as we take a look at eight winners and losers from a frenzied first two weeks of free agency.
Winners: Dallas Mavericks
Although they had limited assets entering the off-season, the Dallas Mavericks have had arguably the best free agency of any team. They traded Tim Hardaway Jr., who struggled last season, for significant salary savings in addition to Quinton Grimes, who can both shoot and defend. They also swapped Derrick Jones Jr. for Zeke Nnaji, who is younger, cheaper, and a better shooter.
Lastly, they acquired sharpshooter Klay Thompson from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for a second-round pick swap that was received from trading Josh Green, a steal for a player who averaged nearly 18 points while shooting 38.7% from three on nine attempts per game.
The additions of Thompson, Nnaji, and Grimes serve as clear upgrades over Hardaway Jr., Jones Jr., and Green, impressive since they made the NBA Finals and came within three games of winning a championship with those players.
When a team is that close, upgrading three rotation players is a big deal and could be enough for the Mavericks to have the best record in the Western Conference next season. That would possibly lead to an easier path through the playoffs and increase the chances of winning a championship next season. Impressive job.