ESPN's 5 best/5 worst "new additions"

[NashtyNas]

Because it's $22m a year for 3 years on a perpetually injured player who's averaged 58 games the last 3 years.
It's hard to discount his injuries and say "they could have problems", when yes that's the major risk.

Just wanted to point out that the Clippers incumbent superstar that they just signed to a much bigger and longer deal than Gallinari averaged a whopping 54 games per year over the past 3 years. He's also missed an entire season due to injury earlier in his career, yet they had no trouble paying him. Shouldn't Blake be considered a horrible contract if we're considering Gallo one of the worst additions of the off-season?

Maybe, but Blake is such a better player than Gallo.

He's better, though we can argue about how much better. My point simply was that I'm not sure Gallo constitutes a bad signing because of his injury history - especially not so when the same team gave a similar level player a much bigger deal despite a similar injury history. You can argue Blake's injuries were much worse.

[Trader_Joe]

Just wanted to point out that the Clippers incumbent superstar that they just signed to a much bigger and longer deal than Gallinari averaged a whopping 54 games per year over the past 3 years. He's also missed an entire season due to injury earlier in his career, yet they had no trouble paying him. Shouldn't Blake be considered a horrible contract if we're considering Gallo one of the worst additions of the off-season?

Maybe, but Blake is such a better player than Gallo.

He's better, though we can argue about how much better. My point simply was that I'm not sure Gallo constitutes a bad signing because of his injury history - especially not so when the same team gave a similar level player a much bigger deal despite a similar injury history. You can argue Blake's injuries were much worse.

You could, I was simply offering on why Gallo probably made the list.

[NashtyNas]

Maybe, but Blake is such a better player than Gallo.

He's better, though we can argue about how much better. My point simply was that I'm not sure Gallo constitutes a bad signing because of his injury history - especially not so when the same team gave a similar level player a much bigger deal despite a similar injury history. You can argue Blake's injuries were much worse.

You could, I was simply offering on why Gallo probably made the list.

And what I stated clearly refutes that because if you sign a slightly better player with a worse injury history to a worse contract, then Gallo can't possibly be one of the worst possible contracts. I understand the discussion is about "new additions" obviously, but I just don't agree that Gallo deserves to be in that discussion at all. It's a short contract at market price for a good player... so I guess I just disagree.

[HornetJail]

Only we could trade players as useless as Marco Bellinelli and a 3/$38M Miles Plumlee for a productive center like Dwight while shaving off a year of dead salary while moving up in the draft, and still get **** on by ESPN.

[stitches]

Hayward is a slightly better version of Evan Turner... of course he's a horrible addition.

[brackdan70]

How can Avery Bradley be a "worst" addition? Because it meant letting KCP walk? I bet if Detroit kept KCP at the money he was demanding the same ESPN would have pilloried them for "Worst contract of 2017 Off-season"/.

yes I agree with you. Bradley seem like a nice get for Detroit. Boston had to it and Detroit was able to make it happen for them. hard to see this as a worst 5. Perhaps because Bradley likely has a large payday after this season?

[Trader_Joe]

He's better, though we can argue about how much better. My point simply was that I'm not sure Gallo constitutes a bad signing because of his injury history - especially not so when the same team gave a similar level player a much bigger deal despite a similar injury history. You can argue Blake's injuries were much worse.

You could, I was simply offering on why Gallo probably made the list.

And what I stated clearly refutes that because if you sign a slightly better player with a worse injury history to a worse contract, then Gallo can't possibly be one of the worst possible contracts. I understand the discussion is about "new additions" obviously, but I just don't agree that Gallo deserves to be in that discussion at all. It's a short contract at market price for a good player... so I guess I just disagree.

If the ranking is only of new additions, then he's being ranked against new additions, so I don't see how Griffin relates. This isn't a worst contract ranking league-wide, nor does it say worst new addition contracts. They could be referring to fit, chemistry, age, injuries, contract, situation they left, etc. It's vague. My comment was on why we might have made the worst addition list. It's not a short contract as it's 3 years (most he could have landed was 4 from 29 teams), it's fully guaranteed, and it's $22m per year. That is a risk for a player with his injuries, who's never been overly quick/athletic and limited on D.

[Laimbeer]

How can Avery Bradley be a "worst" addition? Because it meant letting KCP walk? I bet if Detroit kept KCP at the money he was demanding the same ESPN would have pilloried them for "Worst contract of 2017 Off-season"/.

Yeah I don't get it. I also don't understand how Rose, off the bench for the vet minimum, is a bad acquisition. Even Howard wasn't bad considering what Charlotte gave up to get him.

I think in those cases, right or wrong, they're thinking those players will be negative for those teams despite how little it took to get them.

[Laimbeer]

I'd rate George over Paul because of fit, plus he could get the Thunder off their path to irrelevancy and toward a viable contender.

[jbk1234]

How can Avery Bradley be a "worst" addition? Because it meant letting KCP walk? I bet if Detroit kept KCP at the money he was demanding the same ESPN would have pilloried them for "Worst contract of 2017 Off-season"/.

Yeah I don't get it. I also don't understand how Rose, off the bench for the vet minimum, is a bad acquisition. Even Howard wasn't bad considering what Charlotte gave up to get him.

I think in those cases, right or wrong, they're thinking those players will be negative for those teams despite how little it took to get them.

Even Bradley? That's crazy to me.

[Jon1798]

Rajon Rondo for one year and $3.3 million is a bad deal? Mind blowing.

But to be fair, I think everyone should be saying their five worst and not just that none were bad. I will try.

#1- Miles Plumlee- I get wanting to trade Howard, but this was harsh.

#2- Ricky Rubio- Im sure everyone will disagree, but trading a first for Hill, then letting him walk to trade a first for Rubio. A guy the Wolves couldn't wait to get rid of and replaced with Teague.

#3- THJ- I actually like the player. But that contract is really difficult for the Knicks to navigate with moving forward.

#4- Andrew Nicholson- I'm not one to pat a team on the back for making their team worse, all to get out of an issue they created. Nicholson will be on the books for 7 years, and the loss of Crabbe hurts.

#5- CJ Miles- just strikes me as grass is always greener type of move. Losing draft picks to get rid of Carroll, losing Patterson, and trading Corey Joseph all to add 30 year old Cj Miles at 3 years and $25 million coming off a career year. I just personally think Miles is fools gold.

All this was done for fun and cause I was bored. Not really in order. But I didn't want to argue and not give a corresponding list.

[Chris76]

How can Avery Bradley be a "worst" addition? Because it meant letting KCP walk? I bet if Detroit kept KCP at the money he was demanding the same ESPN would have pilloried them for "Worst contract of 2017 Off-season"/.

yes I agree with you. Bradley seem like a nice get for Detroit. Boston had to it and Detroit was able to make it happen for them. hard to see this as a worst 5. Perhaps because Bradley likely has a large payday after this season?

AB is a very good player, he is a Klay type defender on PGs. Boston may regret losing him, IT and AB made a good combination.

[basketballwacko2]

I'm no fan of most of ESPN's content, but figured this might make a good launching point for our own opinions, which are usually better and more nuanced

5 best additions of 2017 offseason as voted by ESPN:
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20285524/2017-summer-forecast-best-newcomer
1. Paul
2. George
3. Butler
4. Hayward
5. Millsap

5 worst:
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20295589/2017-summer-forecast-worst-newcomer
1. Howard
2. Hardaway, Jr.
3. Rondo
4. Gallinari
5. Rose

(Getting votes in *both* categories:
Dunn
Russell
Melo, if moved
Bradley
and...
Gordon Hayward? Got 1 vote for "worst'. Probably a Jazz fan )

Please note, as with any "worst" category, PLEASE be civil. Don't trash other players unnecessarily, and don't fly off the handle if someone else picks a player from your team. Don't make it personal, don't take it personal!

I'm a little shocked that Mozgov was not on the list of worst additions.