The point of free agency in any league is to get more. The individual free agents are after more money and more wins, and teams are after more talent. Every off-season, agents and teams text, call, e-mail, meet to discuss how all parties can get what they want.
Of course, this season of wheeling and dealing is kinder to some than others. To get more, you have to have more, so it’s no surprise that the teams that were the most successful this summer were the ones with the most cash to play around with.
The Top 5 most improved teams heading into the 2012-13 season are:
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers scooped up two of the biggest names floating around the off-season and still managed to hold onto Pau Gasol, leaving many scratching their heads.
Steve Nash is one of the few big names without a big head, making him one of the only point guards almost everyone in the league would be happy to play with. He adds experience as a perfect distributor to a team that has boasted a shoot-first floor leader in Kobe Bryant for years.
Dwight Howard, who was not a free agent but demanded a trade out of Orlando, is a bigger and better replacement for Andrew Bynum in the paint, and with Gasol hanging around, the Lakers might finally have the size they’ve been missing.
Los Angeles has been a playoff contender for years, but began to show age in the last two seasons. The team’s off-season moves have filled in some ever-apparent holes, making them a solid bet for an appearance in the NBA Finals this year.
Miami Heat
The league’s reigning champions did everything they could in the offseason to make sure they’ll be back in the Finals this year.
The most notable addition is former Boston Celtics point guard Ray Allen. Arguably the purest shooter in the game, Allen knows just about everything there is to know about what it takes to battle through the playoff grind.
It’s difficult to tell how he’ll compliment Dwyane Wade, but for a man on the last legs of his career, Allen still has plenty to bring to Miami.
Rashard Lewis, who was amnestied by the Washington Wizards, was also picked up by the Heat as another veteran presence. Miami signed Lewis and Allen for just over $4 million, making the pair of All-Stars an exceptional deal.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets appeared to be in a heap of desperation this summer, until they finally emerged as the victors in the Deron Williams pursuit. Brooklyn had to clean out the bank — Williams signed a five-year contract worth $98 million — but they were able to retain his services.
The Nets were also able to hang onto Brook Lopez and Kris Humphries, while adding All-Star shooting guard Joe Johnson to compliment Williams.
Johnson has also spent time in the small forward position, but with Gerald Wallace and Humphries still around, he may be more of an asset around the perimeter.
Toronto Raptors
While it’s difficult to imagine the Raptors in the same category as the Heat and Lakers, Toronto definitely strengthened its squad this summer.
Things were looking pretty barren at the end of the last season, and the Raptors made it pretty clear that they were ready to go after some big names with big money. Their primary target was Nash, and even though they missed out, Toronto recovered quite nicely.
Kyle Lowry, formerly of the Houston Rockets, is a dependable point guard who can distribute well. More importantly, he is a high-caliber defender who should fit perfectly into coach Dwane Casey’s system.
Landry Fields, who many suspect was acquired as part of the Raptors’ plan to get Nash, is also a solid defender. Fields replaces James Johnson, as a more seasoned swingman on both ends of the court.
Joining Lowry and Fields in the Raptors lineup this season — albeit not through free agency — is be Jonas Valanciunas, the team’s 2011 first-round draft pick. Even though he’s not joining the team through free-agency, Valanciunas will be a huge presence in the paint this season coming off another strong showing in Europe last season and a spot on Lithuania’s Olympic team in London this summer.
Though the Raptors will still be in a battle to reach the playoffs this season, these acquisitions (combined with a decent amount of cap space) put Toronto in a position to win upwards of 35 games this season.
If they can improve their regular season record significantly, the Raptors could be a destination for some of the bigger stars available in next year’s free-agency.
Fans should expect to see an even more defensively-minded, experienced team in Toronto this year.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks’ situation is similar to that of the Raptors. In last year’s offseason, Dallas dismantled their 2010 championship team in an effort to free up enough cap space to get Williams or Howard.
When it became clear they would miss out on both, the Mavericks were left with Dirk Nowitzki and not much else.
Dallas also lost Jason Terry and Jason Kidd during the off-season, rendering their roster all the more desperate, but their Plan B worked out pretty well for the perennial playoff contender.
The team added Darren Collision, O.J. Mayo, Chris Kaman and Elton Brand. Without emptying the wallet, the Mavericks acquired a high-caliber starting point-guard in Collison, a solid replacement for Terry in Mayo and filled out the inside with Brand and Kaman.
Though they’ll more than likely be watching the Finals rather than playing in them, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to expect the Mavericks to make another playoff appearance this season as a low Western Conference seed.