There is a widely held belief that the only way to win in the NBA is through the draft, and not the free agency. It's true that the centre pieces of a championship are usually acquired in the draft, but the difference is usually made via a trade or a free agent signing.
Players like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Stephen Curry all won rings with the team that got them on draft night. It did need additions from free agency or via trade to get them over the hump, but they had their core built through the draft.
That being said, there have been some free agent signings on the recent past which altered the competitive landscape of the league. Here's a look at the tip five free agent signings in the league in the recent past:
5) Dwight Howard
There was a time when Dwight Howard was undisputedly the best big man in the league. The Orlando Magic rode him all the way to the Finals in 2009 by surrounding him with shooters. Dropping 40-20 wasn't the norm for him, but it wasn't a stretch either.
In 2013, Howard signed a 4 year, $87 million contract with the Houston rockets, the fourth year being a player option. Along with James Harden, he formed one of the more formidable one-two punch in the league for three years. The Rockets made it to the playoffs every year he was with them, but they never got to the NBA Finals.
In the 2015 season, the Rockets fired coach Kevin McHale just 11 games in the season. McHale had led the Rockets to the Conference Finals. Their record was 4-7 at the point and they spent the rest of the season in a tailspin, trying to recover the form which led them to the Western Conference Finals. But the ship was never righted, as they lost in the first round in 2016 playoffs against the Warriors.
The Rockets had always prided themselves on acquiring under the radar gems, Moreyball was a byword for Daryl Morey's adroit moves. One could argue that had they not got Howard, there is a chance that the Rockets could have struck big later as they were accumulating assets to make a big move for a very long time.
Following this defeat, Dwight Howard chose to sign with his hometown team, the Atlanta Hawks in 2016. In his three seasons with the Rockets, Howard averaged 16 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.
Another great impact Howard’s signing with the Rockets was that the Lakers were effectively pushed into tanking mode. Howard was at one point groomed to succeed Kobe Bryant in Los Angles, but his leaving ensured that Kobe’s waning years were spent out of contention. Also, free agents never left the Lakers. They were supposed to be proud to play for them. That is before Howard took the first step.
4) LaMarcus Aldridge
In the 2015 off season, the San Antonio Spurs did something completely out of character. A team which had always stayed out of the frenzy of chasing big names in the free agency ended up signing the biggest name available in that year. By signing LaMarcus Aldridge to a 4 year, $84 million contract, the Spurs firmly established a nucleus along with Kawahi Leonard to carry the team after Duncan, Ginobili and Parker retire.
The addition of Aldridge made an already potent offence even more efficient. It took part of the season to integrate him into their offence, but soon he was popping for wide open jumpers which are a staple of the Spurs' excellent ball movement.
In the 2015-16 season, Aldridge averaged 18 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, even though he took a career low 14.1 shots per game. He shot a career-high 51.3% from the field last season.
3) Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh was a vastly underrated component of the Heat's Big 3. While Dwyane Wade and LeBron James manned the perimeter, it was Bosh who held the fort down inside. The pressure created on defences by the penetration of the two stars resulted in good looks for Bosh.
Another way to look at it is that Bosh commanded so much attention that defenses could not afford to collapse inside, thereby allowing LeBron and Wade to do their thing.
The Heat enjoyed two titles in the Big 3 era, which isn't much but is more than one can say about most teams. With the Heat, Bosh is averaging 18 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He's managing the blood clots due to which he played just 53 games last season, and he's getting better.
2) Kevin Durant
Back when James, Wade and Bosh formed the Big 3, there was speculation that this could be one of the best teams of all time. Now, even that super team pales in hindsight when compared to the super team formed with the addition of Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors are already coming off the greatest regular season in NBA history. They possess two of the greatest shooters the game has ever seen, in addition to other above average shooters. Now they have signed one of the greatest scorers of all time who also happens to be almost 7 feet tall.
Till now Kevin Durant had to create his own shots in an offence heavily relying on isolation plays. It is scary to think of the numbers he can put up when defences have to worry about Curry and Thompson as well.
In spite of the potential golden basketball symphony which the Warriors can create with Kevin Durant, he can't surpass the number 1 spot on this list.
1) LeBron James
It would be safe to say that LeBron James is the best basketball player in the world. Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant may be the better shooter and scorer, Kawahi Leonard may be the better defender, Anthony Davis may have more raw potential, but when we talk of basketball as it is played across the entire court, the King is the only one sitting on the throne right now.
When LeBron signed with the Miami Heat and helped form a superteam with Wade and Bosh, it created a precedent. We've seen Wilt Chamberlain move from the Sixers to the Lakers and join Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. Kevin McHale moved to the Boston Celtics and helped cement that dynasty.
Charles Barkley is fond of calling out James and Durant for jumping ship and joining other stars, while conveniently forgetting that he himself moved from the Suns to the Rockets to play with Hakeem Olajuwon.
But in the twenty-first century, LeBron James was the first player who exercised his free market rights and convinced two other superstars to take a pay cut as well and band together. Some called them the Heatles, so fraught with potential was that team.
LeBron won two titles with the Miami Heat, and after leaving them for the Cavaliers he’s won a title with them as well.
If one or more of the Warriors all-star players sustain an injury this season, their contender status may be in doubt. When LeBron lost Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving in the playoffs in 2015, he still almost single-handedly made a series out of the Cavs - Warriors match up.
Guess the Lakers players!
