The NBA offseason is fast approaching and three teams could be poised to make huge mistakes with their NBA free-agent signings.
This offseason plenty of mistakes will be made by teams. These mistakes could derail rebuilds or set back teams approaching title contention. Sometimes a mistake is signing the wrong player, sometimes it's signing the right player but to a much larger contract. And sometimes, the mistake is letting a free agent go when you have the chance to keep them.
Given the current landscape, these are three looming mistakes that needed to be avoided this offseason.
NBA free agent signings that would be a mistake: 3. Lakers not matching offers for Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura
The L.A. Lakers made the Western Conference Finals after a very weird year where they were the No. 13 seed in the middle of the season. The Lakers got huge contributions from Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura down the stretch and during the postseason.
Both of these players are restricted free agents this season — this means that L.A. has control over whether these players leave or not. Any team could offer any contract, but the Lakers have the option to match. However, that could set the price higher than they are realistically able to pay.
With the Lakers' previous concern about their luxury tax, there is a small chance that they will not be able to match both deals. Also, both of these players have made a lot more money in the last couple of months which has increased their earning potential.
Although the Lakers' biggest concern should be to replace D'Angelo Russell with a more suitable starting point guard, keeping these two players is a big concern. If LeBron James and Anthony Davis want to contend for a title next season, they will need Reaves and Hachimura in purple and gold.
NBA free agent signings that would be a mistake: 2. Nuggets not keeping Bruce Brown and opting to find a cheaper replacement
The Denver Nuggets are currently in the NBA Finals, three games away from an NBA championship thanks in no small part to Bruce Brown. His defense and offensive versatility have been very key and he is in line for a big raise after playing the way he has this season.
Brown was signed last season for the mid-level exception and has a player option for next season. He will most likely decline that option and go into free agency this offseason — even if he wants to stay in Denver this will give him an opportunity to sign a longer deal with a higher salary. If the Nuggets weren't able to keep Brown this offseason, that would be a huge mistake. No matter if they win a title or not, Denver has a chance to run it back next tear with all of their major pieces.
Things will start to get complicated when Kentavious Caldwell Pope goes into free agency the season after (he has a player option that he will most likely decline) but the Nuggets have a chance to keep the party going for one more season and they should opt to do no matter the cost.
The Nuggets could choose to sign a cheaper replacement for Brown, one that will most likely fit into their cap exceptions. This option would not be ideal due to the fact NBA title windows are short.
Even though it seems like the Nuggets have a long run of title-contending with Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Nikola Jokic under contract for the next several years, the party always ends before it seems like it is going to end. They should make the best of it by re-signing Brown no matter the cost.
NBA free agent signings that would be a mistake: 1. Kyle Kuzma back to the Wizards
This would be a huge mistake for both sides. This would mean that the Wizards are fully going in with this core going further — Kuzma, Kristaps Porzingis, Bradley Beal — a core that probably has a second-round exit as its ceiling. This would also force the Wizards to at least re-evaluate trading Bradley Beal before things get too late.
Kuzma is a really good basketball player that has the potential to have even more impact than he had on the 2020 championship Lakers. Kuzma was a target of many teams at the trade deadline and could be a good piece for many teams in the league.
Porzingis and Beal don't have much growth potential and even if Kuzma takes another step forward they may be several tiers behind the best teams in the East. The Wizards are going nowhere fast and can't lock themselves in this core. It is time for the Wizards to move on from the Beal era and helping create a sign and trade with a team for Kuzma would be a great start.
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