Not every facet of the Greek economy is in shambles. There is the small quadrant occupied by free agent Kosta Koufos, became the top free agent center on the NBA market early Saturday and was signed, by Sacramento, by the end of the night.
The fallout from the LaMarcus Aldridge signing had the ripple effect of making Koufos a very rich man.
“What’s Kosta Koufos worth?” I asked a league executive Saturday afternoon.
“Mid-level.”
“What do you think he will get?” I followed up.
“Probably $18 million from the Lakers over two years.”
Nope. He got $33 million over four years from the Sacramento Kings, who now have an arsenal of DeMarcus Cousins, Koufos and Willie Cauley-Stein at the center position, along with Rajon Rondo as their new point guard and Marco Belinelli at the 2. Vlade Divac could be one of two things — Executive of the Year or Architect of Armageddon — depending on how George Karl handles this mix of characters.
Some business remains to be taken care of around the NBA, but for the most part the party is over. It was supposed to last eight days, but instead it lasted four.
The after-party begins today, emceed by Tristan Thompson and Enes Kanter and Lou Williams and J.R. Smith and Sim Bhullar. Neil Olshey will be the lead chaparone. Sam Hinkie is the designated driver, the sober man in the room (check out how many first-round draft picks he has coming).
According to Twitter phenomenon Bobby Marks, who was let go by the Brooklyn Nets last month after 20 years of service, these are the teams with significant cap space remaining:
Portland Trail Blazers: $24.3 million
Orlando Magic: $17.4 million
Philadelphia 76ers: $15.7 million
Indiana Pacers: $13.1 million
Utah Jazz: $9.3 million
Phoenix Suns: $6.9 million
Denver Nuggets: $6.5 million
Los Angeles Lakers $5.1 million
Detroit Pistons $3.8 million
Milwaukee Bucks: $3.7 million
There are teams out there that are starving for size, foremost among them the Los Angeles Clippers. But there aren’t many who can man the middle.
With Koufos off the market, the other serviceable centers on the market are JaVale McGee and Kevin Seraphin. McGee might be double-dipping in a very large way (he is getting paid $12 million by the Sixers off his last contract, which had a year remaining when he was waived.) Beyond that there is the rogue’s gallery of Kendrick Perkins, Joel Anthony, Jeff Withey, Cole Aldrich, Henry Sims, Earl Barron, Ryan Hollins and Greg Steimsma. Not much, eh?
We began this free agency reporting process with a Top 50 list, but 32 names have already been crossed off. The developments of the first 3 1/2 days of free agency have necessitated a new list. It is an unsigned free agents list, and LeBron James is on it. But he is not falling into the No. 1 spot, because these rankings are based on relative value under current market conditions. Also, Manu Ginobili is not on it because he is wither returning to the Spurs or retiring, y nada mas. He holds the edge over Samuel Dalembert on the Retiring Or Not? list.
1. Kosta Koufos, C, Memphis: The seven-year veteran appeared in 161 of a possible 164 games the past two seasons, averaging about 17 minutes per game behind Marc Gasol. He averaged 5.2 points and 5.3 rebounds and shot 51 percent from the field. For his career, he is around 53 percent. He is 7 feet tall, 265 lbs., went to Ohio State and speaks with an American accent despite his dual American/Greek citizenship. JULY 4 UPDATE: Memphis is willing to entertain sign-and-trade offers, ESPN.com reported, stating the obvious. Of course the Grizzlies would love to get something back, but teams with big cap room don’t need to give anything back. UPDATE II: He is “on our radar,” a Lakers source tells Mike Bresnahan of the L.A. Times. UPDATE III: He didn’t last long. Sacramento got him for $33 million over four years.
2. Kevin Seraphin, C, Wizards: Probably the third-best French center in the NBA, depending on the relative merits of Alexis Ajinca. No question he is half the player that Rudy Gobert is. He averaged 21 minutes per game in the postseason, backing up Marcin Gortat. The five-year veteran had his best season in his sophomore campaign and has flatlined since. But he is 25 years old, so his long-term upside is better than the No. 3 guy on this list. JULY 4 UPDATE: His friendship with new Clipper Paul Pierce could be a factor is getting him to Los Angeles as DeAndre Jordan’s replacement, but Paul Allen’s wallet could get him to Portland as Chris Kaman’s running mate. JULY 5 UPDATE: Marc Spears of Yahoo says Lakers, Wizards, Suns and Spurs in the mix.
3. JaVale McGee, C, Sixers (Unrestricted). This is a guy who was traded to Philadelphia so that Sam Hinkie could get to the salary floor. He was waived without a buyout in time to latch onto a playoff team, and no one bit. As of now, he is the highest-paid player on the Sixers’ roster for next season at $12 million, and there is no doubt he will join Josh Smith as a double-dipper (a player receiving paychecks from two teams). There is no getting away from the fact that he has underachieved throughout his career, and as a double-dipper, he may not be motivated to change. A major risk/reward guy who could go boom or bust depending on who signs him. JULY 4 UPDATE: Doc Rivers placed a phone call to McGee, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. Also, George Karl likes him, so if DeMarcus Cousins gets moved, he can become a tutor to Willie Cauley-Stein and a cohort of Rajon Rondo. JULY 5 UPDATE: With the Lakers having acquired Roy Hibbert and the Kings getting Koufos, this could be a two-horse race between the Clippers and the Blazers. Then again, there are other teams with more cap space than the Clippers who could pad McGee’s bank account.
4. Reggie Jackson, G, Detroit (Restricted): It’s hard to envision GM Stan Van Gundy allowing both Monroe and Jackson to get away in free agency. In fact, he recently said that re-signing Jackson is the team’s offseason priority. Keep in mind that Jackson forced his way out of Oklahoma City because he wanted to start and turned down a $48 million extension offer. The guess here is that Van Gundy will allow the market to set Jackson’s value before deciding to match. What he will not do is play hardball as he did with Monroe, because that would make Jackson an unrestricted free agent in 2016, when the bags of TV money show up. Remember that the Pistons still have Brandon Jennings, who is coming off a torn Achilles tendon. JULY 4 UPDATE: Meeting with Pistons scheduled for today. As Vince Ellis notes in the Detroit Free Press, the Dragic deal and the Brandon Knight deal should set the market for Jackson, who put up better numbers post-trade deadline than either of those two PGs.
5. Lou Williams, G, Toronto (Unrestricted): Boy, that Sixth Man Award changes the picture a little, doesn’t it? Williams is coming off a mid-level deal and will want more in this contract, because (a) he has shown that the ACL tear is ancient history and (b) at 28 years old (yes, just 28; he was born the same day as Game 7 of the 1986 World Series), this will be his last chance at a contract that doesn’t include the words exception or minimum. Toronto has cap room but also has a decision on Jonas Valanciunas. Upgrading the power forward spot is job No. 1, but keeping Williams at a reasonable number is a close No. 2, especially with Greivis Vasquez dealt to Milwaukee. JULY 1 Update: One of many players linked to the Knicks, our Michael Scotto reports. JULY 3 UPDATE: Heat interested, but it would take a sign-and-trade to get Williams the money he is seeking. JULY 5 UPDATE: Williams will join a gaggle of Lakers guards after he signed a three-year deal worth $21 million, per Yahoo Sports. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year joins a jam-packed backcourt that includes Kobe Bryant, Nick Young, Jordan Clarkson and second overall pick D’Angelo Russell.
6. Enes Kanter, F-C, Oklahoma City (Restricted): Probably the best pickup of the trade deadline, even though his awful defense in the pick-and-roll and at the rim – coupled with Serge Ibaka’s absence – made the Thunder look like an ABA team down the stretch. But Kanter’s offense is a welcome addition for a team that normally uses its centers as screeners and goons, and his effectiveness – if not his production – should be even better when lining up alongside Ibaka and Kevin Durant, whose free agency clock is ticking loudly. Now all GM Sam Presti has to do is convince skinflint owner Clay Bennett to look beneath the sofa cushions for the eight figures annually that it will take to keep Kanter, either with an offer right out of the gate or by matching another team’s pitch. That means luxury tax territory for one season until the cap jumps next summer. How OKC deals with Kanter is a direct referendum on Bennett. JULY 1 UPDATE: Portland may want a meeting, USAToday reported. JULY 2 UPDATE: Knicks made contact. JULY 3 UPDATE: The Thunder reached agreement with Kyle Singler on a five-year, $25 million deal. If they are low-balling Kanter, this thing could drag into August much like the Eric Bledsoe situation did a year ago. Or, a team such as the Lakers could make a max offer, which the Thunder would be sure to match — saving themselves some money in the process because an offer sheet would contain 4.5 percent annual raises rather than the 7.5 percent raises the bug Turk would get from re-signing directly with OKC.
7. LeBron James, F, Cleveland (Unrestricted): He isn’t going anywhere, which is why he is randomly slotted here. Under no circumstances will I publish rankings that have Josh Smith listed above LeBron James. The only way James doesn’t finish his career in his home state is if there is some sort of irreparable disconnect between him and owner Dan Gilbert that drives The King away. And if James went elsewhere, he would need a security force that would make President Obama blush. Depending on how you look at it, he could be first on this list or not even on it because his free agency is a formality to earn him an extra half-million dollars next season – and keep pressure on management to improve the roster. JULY 4 UPDATE: Has not tweeted since April 18. And we still do not know what his secret motivation was in the Finals. Meantime, life is good aboard a $29 million yacht, TMZ reported.
8. David West, F, Indiana Pacers (Unrestricted): He opted out of the $12.6 million he is due next season, which was a risky move given his age (35 in August) and his dropoff in scoring over the last two years. His toughness is always a welcome commodity, but his midrange game is a funky fit in today’s NBA. One factor could be the direction Indiana takes going forward and whether West sees title contention in his future. Remember, he correctly picked the Pacers over the Celtics for that same reason four years ago. JULY 1 UPDATE: Appears to be a fallback option for Knicks, ESPN.com reported — and then was exposed as bunk. West said the Knicks don’t fit in with his plans to contend for a title with his new team. Willing to take less money to go to Spurs or Warriors. And upset with Lafry Bird for publicly dissing Roy Hibbert by pleading with the center to opt out of his contract. JULY 2 UPDATE: West is expected to land with either the Spurs or Wizards, ESPN reports. JULY 3 UPDATE: The Wizards used their bi-annual exception on Gary Neal, keeping their mid-level for West. With the loss of DeAndre Jordan, the Clippers reportedly have interest in West, ESPN reports. JULY 4 UPDATE: West has “huge” interest in playing for Cavs, according to Indianapolis Star.
9. Tristan Thompson, F, Cleveland (Restricted): He turned down a four-year, $52 million contract extension in October, which may or may not have been a mistake. Counting all options and qualifying offers, the Cavs already are on the hook for over $100 million in salaries next season. It’s hard to imagine GM David Griffin maxing out Love and giving $13 million annually to Thompson, who threatens a double-double every night and more than adequately replaced Love in the rotation during the latter stages of the playoffs.Griffin could allow another team to set the market or simply play a little hardball, which would make Thompson unrestricted in 2016. That might be a mistake, too, given that Thompson and LeBron James share the same agent, Rich Paul. JULY 1 UPDATE: Safe to say he made the right move turning down that $52 million extension offer in October. The Cavaliers and Thompson reportedy agreed to a five-year, $80 million deal. JULY 2 UPDATE: Thompson and the Cavs “are still apart” on contract talks, Brian Windhorst tweeted. But it’s almost certain he’ll return to Cleveland.
10. Rodney Stuckey, G, Indiana (Unrestricted): Has he finally added a 3-pointer to his arsenal? Stuckey shot .390 from distance this season, which is 73 percentage points better than his previous best. If that number isn’t an outlier, Stuckey is worth way more than the $1.23 million the Pacers stole him for last summer and may be worth more than the $8 million former Pistons GM Joe Dumars paid him. Again, there are plenty of teams that could use an upgrade at shooting guard, and Stuckey has the added bonus of being a better ballhandler that most of them. He is looking to latch on to a contender but hasn’t ruled out returning to the Pacers. JULY 1 UPDATE: Six teams have reached out to Stuckey since the start of free agency. JULY 3 UPDATE: Interest between Cavs and Stuckey is “mutual,” ClevelandPlainDealer reports. JULY 5 UPDATE: Even the power of LeBron could not persuade Stuckey to leave Indiana. Stuckey and the Pacers agreed to a three-year contract worth $21 million, according to RealGM. Our Michael Scotto says the third year is a player option.
11. Josh Smith, F, Houston Rockets (Unrestricted): After being made the scapegoat – unfairly or not – in both Atlanta and Detroit, you get the sense that he has found some peace in Houston alongside former AAU teammate Dwight Howard, even if their series against Golden State did not exactly go as planned. Don’t forget that the Pistons are paying him over $5 million in each of the next five seasons, which makes taking less money for a smaller role with a contender much more palatable. If he stays with the Rockets, his salary should be directly commensurate with Houston’s playoff success this postseason. If logic flies out the window the way it did when he signed with Detroit, anything is possible. JULY 3 UPDATE: The Kings reportedly began discussions with Smith, according to Jake Fischer. That report was later said to be false.
12. J.R. Smith, G, Cleveland (Unrestricted): When we first published this summer’s rankings, we wrote this: “He would be crazy to opt out, given his $6.4 million number for next season, the Cavs’ preoccupation with retaining Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson, and the fact that the light bulb is never really going to come on.” So much for expecting Smith to do the sane thing. While a half-season alongside LeBron James seemed to calm him down a bit, his two-game playoff suspension proved that he is a cheetah who isn’t changing his spots. He has had his moments in the playoffs, especially in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against Atlanta, but he is the epitome of a faulty faucet — nobody runs more hot and cold. He would have been much better off minding his P’s and Q’s for another season and hitting a fertile market next summer. JULY 2 UPDATE: With Iman Shumpert getting $40 million for four years, how high will Dan Gilbert allow his luxury tax bill to climb? That will be a factor in whether Smith stays or goes.
13. Jordan Hill, F-C, LA Lakers (Unrestricted): Someone had to score and rebound for the Lakers, and Hill did his share with career highs of 12.0 points and 7.9 boards in 26.8 minutes, primarily as a starter. While that clearly is not his long-term role, he could play into his mid-30s as a team’s fourth big. The Lakers declined the $9 million option on Hill for 2015-16 to create more cap room, and turning Hill loose would allow GM Mitch Kupchak to possibly make a run at two top-tier free agents, although not both at max salaries. JULY 3 UPDATE: A fallback guy for Lakers and Mavs if they lose out on Aldridge/Jordan.
14. Amar’e Stoudemire, F-C, Dallas (Unrestricted): His days as a starter or even a 30-minute player in this league are over. But you could see the bounce in his step return after arriving in Dallas. Maybe Stoudemire was just happy to get out of New York, where he did more good than title-hungry Knicks fans gave him credit for. Or maybe it was because the Mavericks reduced his minutes by 33 percent and brought him off the bench, where his scoring savvy obliterated opposing reserves and his limited lateral movement wasn’t as much of a liability. With a similar role moving forward, there’s no reason to believe he cannot be an effective backup big for three or four more years at the mid-level exception. JULY 2 UPDATE: Stoudemire has received interest from the Rockets, Mavericks, Clippers and Suns, ESPN reports. JULY 4 UPDATE: Interest coming from Lakers, who missed out on Jordan and Aldridge. JULY 5 UPDATE: Stoudemire will meet with the Clippers today, Yahoo reports.
15. J.J. Barea, Mavericks (Unrestricted): You may have noticed this list is chock full of Mavericks. And here are a bunch (not including Monta Ellis) who could be heading back to Big D if Mark Cuban strikes out on his big targets. (Note to Cuban: Is DeAndre Jordan really twice the player that Tyson Chandler is? Because he is going to cost twice as much money.) Barea is the original Delly, a guy who has gotten it done in the playoffs (and in FIBA competitions) without ever having been considered a must-have player. But when there is a guy who is beloved in the locker room and can play mistake-free ball (Barea is much better at this than Dellavedova), he has value. He made only $1.3 million last season, less than Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva, and is looking to double that in a multi-year deal. He will be a smart pickup for a contender. JULY 1 UPDATE: Barea is leaning towards signing with the Miami Heat, David Aldridge reports. JULY 3 UPDATE: Barea is reportedly working out details on a deal with the Mavericks, David Aldridge reports.
The Next Five: Mirza Teletovic, Nets (restricted); Aaron Brooks, Bulls (unrestricted); Darrell Arthur, Nuggets (unrestricted); Matthew Dellavedova, Cavs; (Restricted); Miroslav Radulica, Timberwolves (unrestricted).
Chris Sheridan is the publisher of SheridanHoops.com. Follow him on Twitter.
Funniest line: (JaVale McGee) ” can become a tutor to Willie Cauley-Stein.”
Tutor him in how to massively underachieve?