The start of free agency saw several NBA teams and players make notable moves. LeBron James exercised his $52.6 million player option to play for the Lakers, who lost Dorian Finney-Smith but added Deandre Ayton.
The Phoenix Suns agreed to trade Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets, who have agreed to terms with Finney-Smith for a four-year $53 million contract.
The Milwaukee Bucks agreed to terms with Myles Turner, who recently reached the NBA finals with the Indiana Pacers. In another trade, the Orlando Magic gave up Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, and draft picks to the Memphis Grizzlies for Desmond Bane.
ESPN Analysts Debate Which Free Agency Move Will Have Biggest Impact
In the recent episode of “First Take” on ESPN, Courtney Cronin, Kevin Clark, Tim Bontemps, and David Dennis Jr. shared their opinions about who among Durant, Turner, or Bane would significantly impact their new team.
“This Desmond Bane trade not only makes the Magic Eastern Conference contenders, in my mind, it makes them the favorite,” Clark said. “They’re going to win the Eastern Conference. What this does to the Magic offense in transition, as far as catch-and-shoot three-point shots, as far as the creativity and spacing the floor, this changes the dynamic of the entire team.”
The ESPN analyst pointed out that the Magic hasn’t had an adept three-point shooter on their roster since JJ Redick, who is now 41 and coaches the Lakers.
He also mentioned that the Magic offense has not been in the top half of the league since Dwight Howard left in 2012. Clark believes that adding Bane will undoubtedly complement the game of Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero.
Dennis Jr. noted that adding Bane makes the Magic contenders in the conference, but he doesn’t think they could go all the way.
“Kevin Durant and what he’s doing to that Houston Rockets team, because that was what they needed,” Dennis Jr. said. “They’ve missed a half-court scorer and somebody who, when other defenses lock in on them, can put up 30, 40 points and break down a defense. I think Kevin Durant is the biggest move here because of how high he elevates this team.”
Myles Turner Move Could Keep Giannis in Milwaukee
Bontemps disagreed with Clark and Dennis Jr. and picked the Bucks’ acquisition of Turner to have the most impact. It was not due to Turner’s skills, but his presence potentially stopped a disastrous result.
“I, though, am going to say Myles Turner going to the Bucks for a couple of reasons,” Bontemps said. “One, if Myles Turner going to the Bucks keeps Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee, that will be the biggest move of this offseason because it will take him off the board from going to a Houston or to some other team where he would obviously be a guy who could swing the championship picture.”
The second reason is that the Pacers, a conference rival, would be weakened. They will already be without Tyrese Haliburton for the beginning of the 2025-2026 season due to his injury from the NBA Finals.
Turner’s move has multiple impacts, and thus Bontemps believes his impact trumps that of Durant and Bane.