NBA Free Agency Round-up: 2nd July - DeMarcus Cousins Signs With The Warriors; Rajon Rondo to the Lakers and More

The head of steam picked up by franchises on Day 1 of free agency meant that Day 2 was slated to be an exciting one for NBA fans. And so it turned out to be, as a plethora of talented players found takers for their talents on a day when LeBron James may not have signed with the Lakers, but the league arguably felt an even greater impact than the day before that.

Many franchises which had lain dormant on the first day of free agency swung into action on the second. A couple of teams bade goodbye to prospects whom they'd drafted and developed. Some veterans hopped on from a small-market team to a big-market one which had more appreciation for their talents.

The following were the biggest moves of Day 2:

#1 The Warriors land DeMarcus Cousins

In a classic case of the rich getting richer, the Golden State Warriors used the mid-level exception of $5.3 million to sign DeMarcus Cousins. They now have an All-Star starting lineup, the likes of which the league has definitely never seen - even the Celtics in 1986 had Bill Walton coming off the bench at the fag end of an illustrious career.

There aren't enough words to state how dominant they could turn out to be on both sides of the court now. A team which got away with fielding Zaza Pachulia and JaVale McGee for long spans of time in Finals series and still has an 8-1 record now has the opportunity to start a 27-year-old Cousins, who will be looking to come back with a vengeance alongside 28-year-old Klay Thompson, 28-year-old Draymond Green, 30-year-old Kevin Durant and 30-year-old Stephen Curry.

In retrospect, it seems awfully funny that Kobe Bryant did not get to play with Chris Paul because it would be 'unfair for the league' from 2011 onwards, and yet we are here this day when 5 All-Stars in their prime could steamroller all the opposition on the way to a 3rd NBA title.

The only question now is about whether Cousins will stick around for a smaller contract once he stages his comeback. He is well worth a max contract if he comes back even at 90% of his level, and the Warriors will then not be able to retain him.

#2 Rajon Rondo signs with the Lakers

New Orleans Pelicans v Golden State Warriors - Game Five

Rondo has redeemed his character with a Pelicans team that had a real chance of making it to the Conference Finals or beyond before Cousins' season-ending injury. While he's never been a great scorer, Rondo is the best half-court set point guard in the league when on song.

Foot injuries have deprived him of his athleticism, but Rondo could still be a valuable playmaker for a Lakers team that has constantly been linked to Kawhi Leonard over the last several months. He is the third player on the roster now who could be their starting point guard, alongside LeBron and Lonzo Ball.

If anything, this signing is an indication that perhaps the Lakers will commit to a viable trade with the Spurs for The Klaw. That would be an interesting recipe for them to take down the Warriors, who are now more stacked than ever before.

#3 New Orleans make an attempt to pick up the pieces, sign Randle

As soon as the Lakers retracted their qualifying offer for Julius Randle in an attempt to sign Rajon Rondo, the Pelicans consolidated their frontcourt by acquiring the 6'9" power forward. Randle was arguably the Lakers' best player through the course of last season. He signed a 2-year, $18 million contract.

He ended with season figures of 16.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game on 55.8% shooting. While he's not the best of 3-point shooters, with an average of 25.7% conversion from downtown, Randle has a working jump shot and has the ability to improve his range without tweaking his shot.

He might not have DeMarcus Cousins' bullying presence, but a frontcourt trio of Anthony Davis, Nikola Mirotic and Julius Randle is a frightful proposition in its own right, especially given that 2 of these players will share the court all the time.

#4 Roundup from the rest of the league

Avery Bradley signed a 2-year, $25 million deal to stay with the Clippers for two more seasons. The contract is fully guaranteed.

Derrick Favors agreed to a 2-year, $36 million deal with Utah and will return to their ranks after a strong comeback season in his contract year.

Nerlens Noel paid a heavy price for turning down the Mavericks' 4-year, $70 million extension last season. He's now signed a veteran's minimum with the Thunder, with a player option for the second year.

Anthony Tolliver joined the Timberwolves as an unrestricted free agent, as they withdrew their qualifying offer for Nemanja Bjelica.

The Boston Celtics added Euroleague star Brad Wanamaker to their ranks yesterday. The details of the contract are undisclosed. Wanamaker won Finals MVP in the Turkish league playoffs, leading Fenerbahce to a third straight title.

The Portland Trail Blazers, meanwhile picked up Seth Curry as an unrestricted free agent. He signed a 2-year deal, earning $2.75 million in his first year and with a player option on his second season.

Mike Scott, formerly a Wizard and a Hawk, will now join the Clippers' ranks for this season.

Edited by Amulya Shekhar