Dirk Nowitzki is one of two major free agent signings for the Dallas Mavericks in this year’s NBA free agency frenzy. Joining Nowitzki in Dallas will be Harrison Barnes, formerly of the Golden State Warriors. While the Mavericks had been pursuing several different free agents, they landed two big names when they resigned Nowitzki and landed Barnes.
One of Dallas’ biggest obstacles in the NBA’s Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors, let Harrison Barnes sign his max deal with Dallas after they signed free agent Kevin Durant, who decided to leave another one of the Western Conference’s best teams, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Kevin Durant will now play alongside Steph Curry and Klay Thompson at Golden State, an obvious threat to any other “Big 3” in the NBA, including LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Unfortunately for Dallas, they lost both Chandler Parsons and Zaza Pachulia before inking their deals with Dirk Nowitzki and Harrison Barnes. Free agency updates for the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Cleveland Cavaliers are included below.
Nowitzki signs $40M, 2-year deal with Mavericks
While all of the details have yet to be revealed, Dirk Nowitzki is set to receive $40 million over the next two years with the Dallas Mavericks, as reported by SLAM Magazine . Coupled with the recent acquisitions of Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut, the Mavericks are clearly looking to improve off of the 2015-16 season in which they were eliminated in the first round of the NBA Playoffs in five games by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Report: Mavs Reach Two-Year, $40 Million Deal With Dirk Nowitzki https://t.co/kcPwCGxG4K
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 5, 2016
Barnes signs $94M, 4-year deal with Mavericks
As a restricted free agent, Harrison Barnes was offered a max deal from the Dallas Mavericks. While the Golden State Warriors had the opportunity to match the Dallas offer for Barnes, they instead went forward with their plans to sign Kevin Durant and let Barnes walk. Although the details are still unclear, it appears as though Barnes will be joined in Dallas by Golden State teammate Andrew Bogut, who the Warriors traded to the Mavs to create salary space for Kevin Durant.
I just want to thank the entire Warriors organization, my teammates & coaches for the amazing 4 years I’ve had there pic.twitter.com/QDb04pLYci
— Harrison Barnes (@hbarnes) July 5, 2016
Golden State Warriors
Coming off of the best regular season in NBA history, the Western Conference Champions Golden State Warriors have been making some moves as they try to win two NBA Championships in three years. As Harrison Barnes left for the Dallas Mavericks, Kevin Durant signed with the Golden State Warriors for $54.3 million over two years. To be able to afford such an expensive free agent, the Warriors had to let go of center Andrew Bogut and his $11 million contract by trading him to the Dallas Mavericks. What the Warriors will receive in return has yet to be revealed. To help fill the need at center, the Warriors have also signed unrestricted free agent Zaza Pachulia, who spent 2015-16 with the Dallas Mavericks.
What Mavs fans are saying on Twitter to our @NBCDFW team about the additions of Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut… pic.twitter.com/CDWVkQbHdm
— Pat Doney (@PatDoneyNBC5) July 5, 2016
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New York Knicks
As reported by Inquisitr , the New York Knicks have re-signed Lance Thomas to a four-year deal worth $27 million. They also recently signed Brandon Jennings to a one-year deal for an undisclosed amount. The New York Knicks are clearly looking to make a big impact during the 2016-17 season, as they acquired Derrick Rose from the Chicago and signed his Bulls teammate Joakim Noah as a free agent. Along with All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony, coach Jeff Hornacek and iconic president Phil Jackson, the New York Knicks may soon return to the prominence they once held in the NBA.
. @PhilJackson11 shares an update on the #Knicks free agency & his optimism moving forward. ? https://t.co/4i0BoCfqiY
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) July 2, 2016
Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James has given every indication that he’ll return to Cleveland in 2016-17, and Kevin Love even predicted on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that the team would stick together and win back-to-back championships for the Cavaliers franchise. While both Matthew Dellavedova and Timofey Mozgov have left Cleveland after being there to win the 2016 NBA Finals, it’s possible that veteran Richard Jefferson could follow suit. The latest free agency rumors related to the Cleveland Cavaliers, however, relates to LeBron’s good friend and former teammate Dwyane Wade. As reported by the King James Gospel , Wade is currently in talks with Cleveland, although he also has a meeting scheduled with the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.
[Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images]