Warriors clear winners in free agency; Bulls, Heat are biggest losers

The biggest winners in the 2016 free agency free-for-all are the Golden State Warriors.

MVP forward Kevin Durant joins two-time MVP Stephen Curry and Olympians Klay Thompson and Draymond Green to make the Warriors prohibitive favorites to win the title next season, and many more after.

Not even commissioner Adam Silver is thrilled with the super team the Warriors have put together.

“I’ve read several stories suggesting that that’s something that the league wants, this notion of two super teams, that it’s a huge television attraction,” Silver said. “I don’t think it’s good for the league, just to be really clear. But there’s no question when you aggregate the great players they have a better chance of winning than many other teams.

“It’ll be interesting to see what happens. But to be absolutely clear, I don’t think it’s ideal from a league standpoint.”

In addition to the Warriors, the San Antonio Spurs also got fat through free agency.

Sure, the ageless wonder Tim Duncan retired after 19 seasons, and the Spurs lost the under-performing David West, who went ring-chasing and joined the fray in Golden State. San Antonio also saw no need to match the three-year, $21-million contract 7-foot-3 backup center Boban Marjanovic received from the Detroit Pistons.

But instead of pouting, the Spurs reloaded by signing Chicago Bulls center Pau Gasol to a two-year, $30 million contract. The 36-year-old Gasol’s 46 double-doubles were seventh in the league last season, and he has averaged a double-double for five of the last seven seasons.

If you’re looking for free-agency losers, look the Chicago Bulls squarely between the eyes. After trading Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks, the Bulls signed Rajon Rondo for two years and $28 million.

And when Dwyane Wade shockingly walked away from his 13-year relationship with the Miami Heat, the Bulls happily scooped him up and signed him to a two-year, $47.5 million contract. But Rondo and Wade in the same backcourt?

Really? Good luck with that.

One of those players (Rondo) constantly dribbles the air out of the ball. And the other one (Wade) constantly dribbles the air out of the ball.

What in tarnation is the Heat doing? The Heat lost LeBron James two seasons ago. This summer Luol Deng went to the Lakers before Wade joined the exodus in free agency. Plus, there’s no assurance that Chris Bosh (blood clots) will play again.

The Heat also struck out on acquiring Durant. If the Heat treated Wade as poorly as some reports suggest, it may be a while before marquee players take their talents to South Beach again.

In Orlando, the Magic has found itself in a quagmire.

Translation: Since Ibaka is in the final season of his contract there’s a good chance he and Green will spend one year with the Magic before moving on to greener pastures.

Locally, the Dallas Mavericks parted ways with starters Chandler Parsons and Zaza Pachulia and replaced them with the Warriors’ Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut. That exchange is basically a wash.

But certainly, as the commissioner remarked, it was a real blow to the NBA to see Durant align forces with the Warriors.

“I absolutely respect a player’s right to become a free agent, and in this case for Kevin Durant to make a decision that he feels is best for him,” Silver said. “And I have no idea what is in his mind or heart in terms of how he went about making that decision, but we’ll see.

“As I said, in a way the good news is that we are in a collective bargaining cycle. So it gives everybody an opportunity — owners and the union — to sit down behind closed doors and take a fresh look at the system and see if there is a better way that we can do it.”

This story was originally published July 14, 2016 at 3:35 PM with the headline "Warriors clear winners in free agency; Bulls, Heat are biggest losers."