Over the next several days, we’ll be breaking down 2016 NBA free agent spending by division, examining which teams – and divisions – were the most active this July.
These divisional breakdowns won’t present a full picture of teams’ offseason spending. Some notable free agents, including LeBron James, remain unsigned, so there’s still money out there to be spent. Our lists also don’t include money spent on this year’s first- and second-round picks or draft-and-stash signings. There are a few free agent names missing in some instances as well, since those deals aren’t yet official or terms haven’t been reported.
Still, these closer looks at divisional spending should generally reveal how teams invested their money in free agency this summer, identifying which clubs went all-out and which ones played it safe.
With the help of our Free Agent Tracker and contract info from Basketball Insiders, we’ll focus today on the Northwest division. Let’s dive in…
1. Portland Trail Blazers
- Total money committed: $242,414,220
- Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $234,307,500
- Largest expenditure: Allen Crabbe (four years, $74,832,500)
- Other notable signings:
- Evan Turner (four years, $70,000,000)
- Meyers Leonard (four years, $41,000,000)
- Maurice Harkless (four years, $40,000,000)
- Festus Ezeli (two years, $15,133,000)
- Notes:
- Crabbe’s deal was an offer sheet extended by the Nets that was matched by the Trail Blazers. Crabbe, Leonard, and Harkless were all restricted free agents.
- Ezeli’s second-year salary of $7.733MM is currently guaranteed for just $1MM.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves
- Total money committed: $33,580,000
- Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $24,500,000
- Largest expenditure: Cole Aldrich (three years, $21,900,000)
- Other notable signings:
- Jordan Hill (two years, $8,180,000)
- Brandon Rush (one year, $3,500,000)
- Notes:
- Hill has a non-guaranteed $4.18MM salary in the second year of his contract, while $4.9MM of Aldrich’s total third-year salary is non-guaranteed.
3. Denver Nuggets
- Total money committed: $29,999,999
- Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $26,499,999
- Largest expenditure: Darrell Arthur (three years, $22,999,999)
- Other notable signings:
- Mike Miller (two years, $7,000,000)
- Notes:
- Miller’s deal is non-guaranteed in its second year, creating the $3.5MM gap between the Nuggets’ total money and guaranteed money committed in free agency.
4. Utah Jazz
- Total money committed: $21,505,000
- Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $21,505,000
- Largest expenditure: Joe Johnson (two years, $21,505,000)
- Other notable signings:
- None
- Notes:
- Rather than signing free agents, the Jazz focused on using their cap room to acquire players in trades, landing Boris Diaw and George Hill.
5. Oklahoma City Thunder
- Total money committed: $0
- Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $0
- Largest expenditure: None
- Other notable signings:
- None
- Notes:
- After losing Kevin Durant, the Thunder made one notable signing this summer, bringing over Alex Abrines on a three-year, $17MM+ deal. However, Abrines was a draft-and-stash player, not a free agent.