The best FA signing of every NBA team ever

[Spud2nique]

Do you agree? (With ours or others)

I do agree Deke was our biggest catch. 
 

https://hoopshype.com/lists/best-free-agent-signing-each-nba-franchises-history/

Hawks: Dikembe Mutombo

STEVE SCHAEFER/AFP via Getty Images

Stats with team: 11.9 ppg, 12.6 rpg, 3.1 bpg, 52.6 FG%
Accolades with team: Four-time All-Star, 2nd Team All-NBA, 3rd Team All-NBA, three-time Defensive Player of the Year, three-time 1st Team All-Defense, 2nd Team All-Defense

NBA Hall-of-Famer Dikembe Mutombo began his career as a member of the Denver Nuggets, receiving All-Star honors three times in five years while leading the league in nightly blocks three times.

After so much early success, Mutombo reportedly wanted a 10-year contract from the Nuggets in the 1996 offseason, which Denver balked at, opening the door for the shot-blocking legend to join the Atlanta Hawks on a five-year, $55 million contract.

Upon completion of the move, Mutombo told the media it was time for him to move on with his lifewhile then-Nuggets general manager Bernie Bickerstaff would later say letting Mutombo walk was the only regret of his career as a general manager.

Mutombo would enjoy a lot of individual success while with the Hawks as noted above, though the Hawks’ success during that stretch was just so-so, with Atlanta never getting past the second round of the playoffs with Mutombo manning the paint.

Honorable mentions: Joe Johnson, Paul Millsap, Dan Roundfield

Edited August 16, 2022 by Spud2nique

[BeerMan]

No argument there. He was everything you hoped he was going to be and more. 

[macdaddy]

Best and most impactful for sure. 

[AHF]

No argument from me either.  I think it is justified on a performance basis but it was also the very rare example of a big name in the game choosing Atlanta which resonates from a fan perspective differently than a great signing like Paul Millsap who leveled up after joining us.

[JayBirdHawk]

8 hours ago, Spud2nique said:

Do you agree? (With ours or others)

I do agree Deke was our biggest catch. 

Yes 

[Atlantaholic]

That was a really exciting start to that season with Dikembe. For a brief moment I even thought they had a chance against the Bulls. 

[macdaddy]

11 minutes ago, Atlantaholic said:

That was a really exciting start to that season with Dikembe. For a brief moment I even thought they had a chance against the Bulls. 

David Stern reading the above

[Final_quest]

If you read the article, what stood out to me is how many teams have not had a single impact FA signing in their franchise history.  Even Boston hasn't, they mentioned Al Horford as their best ever.  We've had a few good ones.  

[capstone21]

The article is dumb … they had Dwayne Wade as a runner up for one of Chicago’s greatest free agents.  He was terrible there and left half way through the season

[Diesel]

Dikembe is followed very closely by 7 time allstar Joe Johnson.. but we traded for Joe though.. so he don't count. 

 

[Spud2nique]

12 hours ago, Diesel said:

Dikembe is followed very closely by 7 time allstar Joe Johnson.. but we traded for Joe though.. so he don't count. 

 

Ya I’m confused as to a few of these here. They were trades not straight FA signings.

[Diesel]

5 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

Ya I’m confused as to a few of these here. They were trades not straight FA signings.

I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt since Joe started out as a FA acquisition that forced Phoenix to the trade table.... but come on man.

If we were talking best acquisition outside of the draft...

1.  Dominique.

2.  Deke, Joe, Paul, and Mookie.... somebody has to break the tie.

 

[Spud2nique]

5 minutes ago, Diesel said:

Mookie

Traded for Rumeal.

5 minutes ago, Diesel said:

1.  Dominique.

Yes sir!  

[AHF]

43 minutes ago, Diesel said:

I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt since Joe started out as a FA acquisition that forced Phoenix to the trade table.... but come on man.

If we were talking best acquisition outside of the draft...

1.  Dominique.

2.  Deke, Joe, Paul, and Mookie.... somebody has to break the tie.

 

I'd even quibble whether Nique was really acquired "outside of the draft."  When you trade for a guy after he is drafted but before he plays a single game for another team the only difference between a draft day trade and that is timing.  You mold them and they are part of your franchise just like someone you drafted.  I'd lump Nique, Trae, Hunter, etc. into the same general bucket even though I acknowledge if you are talking about GM drafting they are different.

[Diesel]

On 8/17/2022 at 11:02 AM, AHF said:

I'd even quibble whether Nique was really acquired "outside of the draft."  When you trade for a guy after he is drafted but before he plays a single game for another team the only difference between a draft day trade and that is timing.  You mold them and they are part of your franchise just like someone you drafted.  I'd lump Nique, Trae, Hunter, etc. into the same general bucket even though I acknowledge if you are talking about GM drafting they are different.

You make a good point.   My only thing is that it would have been nice to get Nique without having giving up Freeman Williams and John Drew. 

But that's no different than trading up for Draft position. 

So I see you.

[Diesel]

On 8/17/2022 at 10:23 AM, Spud2nique said:

Traded for Rumeal.

Yes sir!  

We really smoove criminaled Jersey with the Mookie for Rumeal Trade.   Thanks to GT's own Kenny Anderson.

I would say that that trade goes down as probably the best trade ever made by a Hawks GM...

With JJ for Boris Diaw and two worthless first rounders coming in a close second. 

 

[Spud2nique]

4 hours ago, Diesel said:

I would say that that trade goes down as probably the best trade ever made by a Hawks GM...

Diesel.. dawg.. I thought we were boys. 82 baby 82! Thanks for rescuing me from Utah! 

- 

[Diesel]

21 hours ago, Spud2nique said:

Diesel.. dawg.. I thought we were boys. 82 baby 82! Thanks for rescuing me from Utah! 

- 

We boys...

I was thinking AHF style...  Draft trades = Trades to move up for Draft positions.  

So let's consider the following...

1.  Nique for John Drew, Freeman WIlliams, and 1 Million Dollars. 

2.   Rumeal Robinson for Mookie Blaylock and Roy Hinson. 

3.  Rasheed Wallace for Smoove. 

4.  Gallo, 2 1st, pick swap for Murray. 

5.   Deke for Theo, Kukoc

6.  Rondo for Lou Williams

7.  Kyle Korver for Cash

8.  Steve Smith and Grant Long for Kevin Willis. 

9.   Joe Johnson for Boris Diaw and 2 1st. 

10.  Mike Bibby for Shelden, Lorenzen, Ty Lue, Anthony Johnson, and a 2nd rounder. 

 

How do you rank them?

 

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, Diesel said:

8.  Steve Smith and Grant Long for Kevin Willis. 

Grant Long one of my favs. Lunch pail.

Ya pretty much. I can’t think of other deals that stood out. You covered it.

1 hour ago, Diesel said:

We boys...

 

 

1 hour ago, Diesel said:

7.  Kyle Korver for Cash

And a copy machine. 

 

1 hour ago, Diesel said:

4.  Gallo, 2 1st, pick swap for Murray. 

Hoping this becomes top 2 and we will know within the next 3 or 4 years.

[Final_quest]

5 hours ago, Diesel said:

We boys...

I was thinking AHF style...  Draft trades = Trades to move up for Draft positions.  

So let's consider the following...

1.  Nique for John Drew, Freeman WIlliams, and 1 Million Dollars. 

2.   Rumeal Robinson for Mookie Blaylock and Roy Hinson. 

3.  Rasheed Wallace for Smoove. 

4.  Gallo, 2 1st, pick swap for Murray. 

5.   Deke for Theo, Kukoc

6.  Rondo for Lou Williams

7.  Kyle Korver for Cash

8.  Steve Smith and Grant Long for Kevin Willis. 

9.   Joe Johnson for Boris Diaw and 2 1st. 

10.  Mike Bibby for Shelden, Lorenzen, Ty Lue, Anthony Johnson, and a 2nd rounder. 

 

How do you rank them?

 

Good question.  Some killer trades and it has me digging for anything missing.  Only found one contender to add to your list and a couple factoids.

11. Adrian Payne traded to MN for the pick that became….Kevin Huerter.  Which means that our Payne is still giving us draft capital today, and gave us four years of Kevon as a starter.

Factoids:

-Back in the worst of times winning 13 games, we had Al Harrington and Antoine Walker.  Both were eventually traded from us back to the teams that drafted them for first round picks.  The Pacers pick turned into Acie Law at #11, but could have been Thad Young picked at #12.  The Celtics pick was used in the Joe Johnson trade, which means the Suns owner probably sold it for cash.  

-Jeff Teague for #12 pick Taurean Prince. Prince was traded for a pick that allowed us to move up for Deandre Hunter.

-Joe Johnson traded to the Nets for two picks that became Lucas Nogera and Kelly Oubre who we traded for Tim Hardaway Jr.