The biggest winner of NBA free agency thus far is … the Oklahoma City Thunder?
That’s the case being made by ESPN’s Zach Lowe, who argues that the Thunder retaining Paul George to play alongside Russell Westbrook for years to come is actually a bigger coup than the Lakers luring LeBron James away from Cleveland.
While George and Westbrook alone aren’t enough to lift the Thunder into the same stratosphere as the Warriors, those two players, along with Andre Roberson, Steven Adams, and a potential replacement for soon-to-depart Carmelo Anthony, will certainly make OKC competitive in the West.
As for James and the Lakers, the signings of Rajon Rondo and Lance Stephenson have the potential to be a boom—or a bust. Both players are mercurial and are not always the best teammates when things aren’t going well. That said, if the team is winning they should be fine and bringing in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope also seems like a good fit.
By bringing in DeMarcus Cousins, the Warriors also got better as did the Indiana Pacers by bringing in Tyreke Evans, Doug McDermott, and Kyle O’Quinn.
The Pacers are the exception, not the rule, however, as nearly the entire Eastern Conference is a free agency loser thus far.
Whether you’re looking to get into shape, or just get out of a funk, The Charge has got you covered. Sign up for our new wellness newsletter today.
