1. Anfernee Simons, Philadelphia 76ers | Two years, $12.25M
The Philadelphia 76ers dramatically remade their roster this summer, trading for All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown while letting Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre depart. Anfernee Simons gives the Sixers a much-needed backup guard, where they only had No. 22 pick LaBaron Philon Jr. behind Tyrese Maxey and sophomore VJ Edgecombe.
At around $6M for next season, Simons is a fantastic bargain as a score-first guard who can shoot threes (38.1 percent) and get to the basket. He should let the Sixers reduce Maxey’s workload (league-leading 38 minutes per game) and provide insurance for injuries or inexperience in the Philly backcourt.
2. Tari Eason, Houston Rockets | Five years, $81.5M
The Houston Rockets brought back one of their top defensive wing players on a long-term deal that’s right around the mid-level exception. Tari Eason has a tendency toward nagging injuries, though he’s much healthier than earlier in his career, which gives the deal some risk. However, he averages 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks for his career, makes 35 percent of his three-pointers and has improved his free-throw shooting while cutting down on his fouling.
Like last year’s extension for Jabari Smith, the Rockets have locked in a piece of their young core at a fair price that could be a huge bargain if Eason takes another step forward. The deal also shows the Rockets aren’t panicking after losing in the first round with an injured Kevin Durant.
3. Dean Wade, Philadelphia 76ers | Four years, $39M
Dean Wade should step in at power forward for the Philadelphia 76ers immediately, where he’s a fantastic fit as a shooter and defensive stopper. He may play the four, but Wade regularly guarded the other team’s best perimeter player while he was on the Cleveland Cavaliers. His old GM in Cleveland, Mike Gansey, brought Wade over to his new team as one of his first moves.
Wade is a career 36.7 percent three-point shooter. His role is going to be to knock down open looks while doing all the little things the Sixers need. Wade doesn’t need touches, a key role for a 76ers team that’s not short on ball-dominant players.
4. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Simone Fontecchio, Miami Heat | One year, $6.5M and $2.6M
The Miami Heat were desperate for three-point shooting around their new All-Star frontcourt of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. Tim Hardaway Jr. shot over 40 percent for the Denver Nuggets last season and finished third in the Sixth Man of the Year vote, while Simone Fontecchio made 37.5 percent of his three-pointers for the Heat.
For a team with limited salary space and a roster decimated by the Antetokounmpo trade, these two veterans are a deal at $9M combined.
5. Kristaps Porzingis, Golden State Warriors | Two years, *$40M
Bringing back Kristaps Porzingis is a gamble, given his recent struggles with POTS, a neurological condition that can sap the big man’s energy. However, the Golden State Warriors’ entire roster is a gamble that they can defy age and injuries to get to the playoffs, where Steph Curry and Draymond Green have proved they can challenge nearly anyone.
The key is that Porzingis’ contract is guaranteed for only $3M for 2027-28 and he’s immediately eligible to be traded, should an unexpected opportunity like an Anthony Davis trade emerge. In an offseason where backup centers like Mitchell Robinson and Jock Landale got $14M-17M, getting a potentially game-changing player like Porzingis for $20M is a worthy risk.
