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The 2019 NBA Free Agency was one of the most entertaining off-season spectacles that the NBA has to offer, with a large number of players, who had become free agents, signed up with rosters and drastically changed the landscape of the NBA.
This year, there were a large number of marquee signings available for teams to choose from, with Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler, Kemba Walker among others, available to be courted by other franchises.
With the majority of the limelight on the superstar players, a lot of superb signings happened under the radar, which probably altered the course of that franchise. Here are 5 such under the radar player movements that you probably did not notice.
#5 Derrick Favors to the New Orleans Pelicans (Traded by the Utah Jazz)
Derrick Favors time as a Utah Jazz finally came to an end after the Jazz traded him to the New Orleans Pelicans for 2 second round draft picks. The Pelicans, in turn, received a player who is entering his prime and has shown significant improvement each year given enough time to play.
Favors was a really good player for the Utah Jazz last season and his skills as a hard rebounder and defensive presence next to Rudy Gobert is what gave the Jazz an edge over other teams in the Western Conference. Favors averaged 11.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game last season.
His performances last season is what led to the New Orleans Pelicans getting him on the cheap this season. He will be a stable presence on the court alongside the rookie big men in Zion Williamson and Jaxson Hayes. His defensive stability too will set a line as to where the other players in the team need to improve in order to be as good as him on that end.
#4 Marcus Morris to the San Antonio Spurs (via Free Agency):
The San Antonio Spurs have made some shrewd moves in the free agency market and none have been as impressive as the 2 year $20 million deal that they got for free agent Marcus Morris, who was an integral cog in the Celtics machine last season.
The elder of the two brothers, Marcus Morris had a really good shooting season last year for the Boston Celtics and made himself indispensable as a floor-spacing big man who could shoot the ball really well and also make himself available on the defensive end.
Morris averaged 13.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, shooting 44.7% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc, which vaulted him as a good shooter, if not a great one. The Spurs have always had rough and tough players in their roster under Pop and with the free agency acquisition of Morris, they keep their philosophy going.
The Spurs also need some stability and consistency from their role players, who have mostly been youngsters last season and Morris will be able to provide both as well as some floor-spacing for other players on the roster, allowing the Spurs to try a different plan if ever a need arose.
#3 Jeremy Lamb to the Indiana Pacers (Via Free Agency):
Jeremy Lamb has long been forgotten since joining the Charlotte Hornets, where he was expected to break out and become a star but instead regressed and fell out of the limelight. Last season though, he was arguably the 2nd best player on the Hornets' roster and finally had a breakout season in his final year as a Hornet.
Lamb averaged a career-high 15.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 44% from the field on a career-high 12.4 attempts, making it one of his most productive seasons ever and the Indiana Pacers decided on cash in on him and offer him a solid 3 year, $31.5 million contract.
Lamb will be a great fit in this Indiana Pacers team that lost veteran Bojan Bogdanovic and Thaddeus Young to free agency and they will need him to pick up the scoring. He will slot in as one of the floor spacing scorers, either off the bench or on the starting 5, depending on what the Pacers plan on doing.
His size is also ideal for the modern NBA player as he can defend multiple positions and has shown improvements on that end as well. The Indiana Pacers have made a great acquisition under the radar for a player that is not taking up a lot of their cap space as well.
#2 Thaddeus Young to the Chicago Bulls (via Free Agency):
Thaddeus Young had one of his best seasons last year with the Indiana Pacers and that his value only went up when Victor Oladipo went down with a season-ending injury and Young picked up his scoring slack to put up some great numbers last season.
He was a force on the defensive end and was a nuisance on the offensive end as well, averaging 12.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. The NBA journeyman signed up for his 5th team in the NBA, with the Chicago Bulls offering him a 3 year, $41 million contract.
Young is just the sort of veteran player they needed alongside the young core they have managed to set up in Chicago, to provide stability to a team that will be looking to have a breakout season this season.
His floor spacing and defensive instincts will come in handy for the Bulls. He also provide leadership in a locker room that lacks any veterans, apart from Otto Porter Jr., who has also not been there for a long time. He is a great signing for a very youthful Chicago Bulls side that will looking to become better and better each season.
#1 Josh Jackson to the Memphis Grizzlies (Traded by the Phoenix Suns):
The Memphis Grizzlies have been making under the radar moves since last season, starting with the drafting of future superstars in Jaren Jackson Jr, Ja Morant, Brandon Clarke, among others and then trading current stars like Mike Conley and Marc Gasol for younger role players and a lot of draft picks, clearly building for the future.
One deal that has seemingly gone under the radar is the Grizzlies' acquisition of young star Josh Jackson from the Phoenix Suns, who has shown flashes of potential great talent and will fit very well in a team with no real established wingers.
Jackson was not able to play well in a team where he did not receive any touches and here with the Grizzlies, he will hopefully be able to reach his ceiling. The Grizzlies also got sophomore De'Anthony Melton, who had a promising rookie season last season. They also got a 2020 second round pick and a conditional 2021 second round pick.
The Grizzlies only had to give up newly acquired player Kyle Korver, who has immediately bought out by the Suns and is now waiting to clear the waivers in order to join a contender. They also gave up Jevon Carter, who was not a part of their long term plans. The Suns just made this deal to clear up cap space but the Grizzlies were the clear winner.
They ended up adding a young player who has the potential to become a top player and the Grizzlies will get the opportunity to see if they can continue to develop him and help him reach his ceiling.
Guess the Lakers players!
