PART 2: FREE AGENT FRENZY, 2017-2018

Less than a week into Free Agency and the NBA looks very different. Major pieces moving to new cities via sign and trades while others leaving to join forces to take on the other growing super teams. If you missed Part 1, be sure to check that out to gather all the Free Agency information to put you in a good spot to understand all the moving parts.

The chart below is a quick guide to what’s been going on and the short of how it changes value for the 2017-2018 Fantasy Basketball season. Check out the color coding to understand the chart, organized alphabetically by Player Last Name with trades after the free agent Chart.

NOTE: This is not an extensive list. This list only features players who have had Fantasy value in the past or may in the upcoming season or if the signing greatly effects another important player in the previous two categories.

FREE AGENT SIGNINGS

Player name	Old Team	New Team	Fantasy Value GAIN/LOSS/PUSH	Narrative
Kevin Durant, 2yr, $53M	Golden State Warriors	Golden State Warriors	PUSH	As with Steph Curry, nothing has really changed. Durant is an easy top 5 pick in drafts this year could be top 3.
Darren Collison, 2yr $20M	Sacramento Kings	Indiana Pacers	GAIN	Going from a terrible Sacramento team to a rebuilding Indiana squad, Collison should be able to provide owners with mid to late round PG Value. If we want to drop terms like sleeper in July, this is the perfect fit.
Taj Gibson, 2yr $28M	Oklahoma City Thunder	Minnesota Timberwolves	LOSS	Taj went from a useful player in fantasy for Chicacgo to a disappointing finish in OKC. This move to Minnesota creates major issues for his playing time and thus will see reduction across the board. If an injury occurs to other Minnesota bigs Taj will be a great pick up in most leagues.
Gordon Hayward, 4yr $128M	Utah Jazz	Boston Celtics	LOSS	Hayward joins forces with Isiah Thomas, Al Horford, and the slew of young talent and perimeter guards on the C’s roster. The pie doesn’t get bigger in Boston but there are more at the table so inevitably Hayward’s value goes down. More importantly, this boosts Gobert and Rubio value in Utah.
Nene Hilario, 1yr $11M	Houston Rockets	Houston Rockets	LOSS	Not truly fantasy relevant last year and with Houston gathering even more pieces Nene will show up on box scores just without many numbers to accompany him.
George Hill, 3yr $57M	Utah Jazz	Sacramento Kings	GAIN	Wasn’t super healthy last year but his new spot in Sac-Town bodes well for his fantasy prowess. Definitely a good target for team needing a solid shooter and good (not great) assist numbers.
Serge Ibaka, 3yr $65M	Toronto Raptors	Toronto Raptors	LOSS	Ibaka went from Orlando to Toronto mid-season. He was shooting  about half a 3pointer less in Toronto but overall his FGs stayed the same. Ibaka has been on the down turn for more than 2 years and no longer presents as the defensive monster fantasy basketball owners grew to love
Kyle Korver, 3yr, $22M	Cleveland Cavaliers	Cleveland Cavaliers	PUSH	Korver is a 3 point-specialist. This won’t change regardless of team. He should see more minutes than in the playoffs but isn’t a serious fantasy threat in 12 or 10 team leagues. Definitely a waiver wire streamer.
Kyle Lowry, 3yr $100M	Toronto Raptors	Toronto Raptors	PUSH/LOSS	Nothing has changed in Toronto so this leans toward value for Lowry staying the same. However, he had career numbers last year without Ibaka in the first half, and other point guards have moved around the league where Lowry overall within the ranks will lose value.
Patrick Paterson, 3tr $16.4M	Toronto Raptors	Oklahoma City Thunder	GAIN	Paterson was a hopeful player last year for many fantasy rosters. He dipped a little and only produced 6.8pts, 4.5 boards but with the lack of depth in OKC at the Forward position Paterson should get plenty of minutes to be fantasy relevant. Don’t be surprised if his 3s go down, not sure a big man will be on the outside for this thunder team after adding Paul George.
Zach Randolph, 2yr $24M	Memphis Grizzlies	Sacramento Kings	PUSH	Certainly on the downside of a great career, Z-Bo will grab boards and get buckets … he will also trash you percentages which includes missing a good amount of 3s, tread lightly

TRADE

3-way, sign-and-trade:

Atlanta Hawks get Jamal Crawford, Diamond Stone and a 2018 First Rounder

Denver Nuggets get Paul Milsap

Los Angeles Clippers sign Danilo Gallinari to 3yr, $65M deal

• Atlanta: So for Milsap and Al Horford over the past two years, the Hawks got back 1 draft pick as it looks as if Crawford doesn’t want to play in Atlanta. Dennis Schroder will be leading a bad team next year. His value is as high as he wants to take it.
• Milsap: Nikola Jokic and Milsap now make quiet the tandem in Mile-high. Both are some of the greater passers around for big men and Milsap’s ability to defend and spread the offense will only help. Jokic still a top 15 player with Milsap probably in the 35-45 range.
• Gallinari: Joins a brand new team and should get plenty of usage. The clippers will be very fun to watch and Danilo should be able to get open and hit his shots. I’m more likely to draft him than last year and his long range threat should be a good balance with the fantasy heavy frontcourt of DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin.

Other signings which you may have heard about but are not fantasy relevant:

• Jodie Meeks
• Ben McLemore
• Justin Holiday
• Nick Young
• Omar Cassipi

Part 2 wrapped up most of the big chips have been signed but there will still be some interesting signings coming over the next week or two. Specifically, the Otto Porter possibilities, Rajon Rondo, Dion Waiters, and Nerleans Noel. Look for Part 3 towards the middle-end of July.