The NBA's best and worst free agent signings and re-signings thus far

August 2, 11:30 AMGolden State Warriors ExaminerMatt Steinmetz

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Chris Paul: Worth every cent

By my count, there have been 11 big-money free agent signings this summer. And by big money, we’re talking multiyear contracts worth at least $10 million or so per season. That’s some serious money.

Here are those signings, best to worst:

1. New Orleans Hornets: Sign Chris Paul to four-year, $68 million extension. It doesn’t matter how much the Hornets had to shell out for Paul, he’s worth it. Paul may be the only legitimate difference-maker on this list. And if you’re going to quibble there are others, OK, but there’s no one here with more impact than Paul.

2. Warriors: Sign Andris Biedrins to six-year, $54 million extension. Incentives could put this deal north of $60 million, which sounds like a lot, and it is. But the going rate on good young centers is high. Biedrins is improving, reliable and has one of the best attitudes on the team. And he’s still getting less per year than Chris Kaman, Samuel Dalembert and Erick Dampier to name a few.

3.Philadelphia 76ers: Sign Elton Brand to five-year, $82 million contract. Something has never added up for Brand, who completed his ninth season last year for the Clippers. He’s averaged a double-double over the course of his career but has gone to the playoffs just one time. One time. It’s not all his fault but that’s a little scary. Still, Brand was the best unrestricted free agent out there, and Philly got a lot better by signing him.

4. Warriors: Sign Monta Ellis to six-year, $66 million extension. All things considered this is one of the better contracts given out this summer. Ellis is young, improving and already proven he’s a bona-fide scorer in the NBA.
 

Arenas: Can he get back?

5.Washington Wizards: Sign Gilbert Arenas to six-year, $111 million contract extension. Arenas could have signed for even more but settled on this deal that will pay him on average $18 million-plus a season. This is a high-risk, high-reward investment. If Arenas isn’t the same player after last season’s injuries, this could be a nightmare for the Wizards. But if Arenas can get back to his old self, he’s the most special player other than Paul on this list.

6. Washington Wizards: Sign Antawn Jamison to four-year, $50 million contract extension. Yes, it’s a lot of money for Jamison, who is beginning the downside of his career. But then again, he’s more proven than any player under him on this list.

7. Charlotte Bobcats: Sign Emeka Okafor to six-year, $72 million contract extension. Congratulations to both Okafor and the city of Charlotte … you’re stuck with each other. Until Okafor proves otherwise, his numbers are hollow.

8. Chicago Bulls: Sign Luol Deng to six-year, $71 million contract extension. That’s an awful lot of money to give a player who had a subpar year in 2007-08 because he was distracted over his contract situation.

Andrew Bogut

9. Warriors: Sign Corey Maggette to five-year, $50 million contract. Maggette is like a lot of players on this list, someone who will be making bank despite having little to no NBA playoff success. Maggette still needs to prove he can do more than score to earn that money.

10. L.A. Clippers:  Sign Baron Davis to five-year, $65 million contract.This is another high-risk, high-reward signing, but it looks to be leaning more toward risky. If Davis can stay relatively healthy for the next five seasons and play at or close to the level he’s played at for the past two or three seasons, this signing will be a bargain. But if he begins breaking down, and the Clippers begin to falter this could be a disaster.

11. Milwaukee Bucks: Sign Andrew Bogut to five-year, $60 million contract extension. This contract actually could balloon to upwards of $70 million. Bogut is a nice center and all, but he’s yet to make an impact in the NBA. Maybe if he plays alongside a couple of stars, his passing will shine and so will his game. But how can the Bucks sign two stars now that they’re paying Bogut this? Now you see why Biedrins is No. 2 on the list?