Jayson Tatum is back with the Boston Celtics on a five-year deal, but this free agency has been underwhelming. PHOTO USA Today Sports Images Paul George sent shockwaves throughout the NBA when it was reported in the wee hours of Monday morning that the nine-time All-Star had agreed to a four-year, $212 million maximum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Free agency wasn’t even 10 hours old when the news broke.
Plenty of moves have followed, with some teams focusing on locking down existing talent for years to come while others have put an emphasis on bringing fresh faces into the fold.
Philadelphia has played both sides, evident by its decision to reportedly offer Tyrese Maxey a five-year, $204 million maximum extension on top of signing George. The 76ers also plan to bring back Kelly Oubre Jr. on a two-year, $16.3 million deal.
Meanwhile, a fellow Eastern Conference contender hasn’t felt the need to look elsewhere for help, as multiple reports have indicated that the defending champion Boston Celtics are giving Jayson Tatum a five-year, $314 million supermax extension, the largest contract in league history.
Derrick White, Luke Kornet, Neemias Queta and Xavier Tillman are also all headed back to Boston.
Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson is on his way to the Dallas Mavericks. credits: Kamil Krzaczynski | source: AP We also saw the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty officially come to an end, as Klay Thompson is on his way to Dallas to join the Mavericks as part of a sign-and-trade deal.
But don’t be fooled. Free agency has gotten off to a deceptive start.
Even with big names like George and Thompson on the move, it doesn’t feel like we’ve seen that one deal that breaks the internet and sends the NBA community into a frenzy.
George without a doubt makes Philadelphia one of the best teams in the East, and Thompson makes a Dallas team coming off a Finals appearance that much better, but is this really the best we’re going to get?
We kind of knew George and Thompson were going to end up elsewhere after the conclusion of this past season, and until they prove otherwise, both are dangerously close to reaching washed-up status.
Health has always been the primary concern for George, and Thompson, known for his ability to torch teams from downtown, just finished with the second-worst 3-point percentage of his career (38.7) while looking like a shell of his former self.
A change of scenery could give them a second life, but seeing a pair of stars in the twilight of their careers headline-free agency doesn’t provide the level of chaos that we’re accustomed to at this point in the summer.
When it comes to the massive extensions, those can only create so much buzz. As fun as it is to see guys four years out of college procure generational wealth while the rest of us common folk reminisce about the days when a footlong cost $5, big names taking off for new cities is really what gets people talking.
And we just haven’t gotten enough of that yet.
Of course, there’s been a medley of smaller moves made, but Isaiah Hartenstein making his way to Oklahoma City and Kyle Anderson venturing to the Bay Area provide nothing to write home about.
DeMar DeRozan could end up saving us by signing with a dark horse, but for now, you might as well just kick back and get ready for some prospects to go at each other in Summer League action, which begins this weekend.
