9 other than LeBron James who will impact new teams this season
While LeBron James was the NBA's biggest free agent addition in the offseason, leaving the Miami Heat to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, there were many other important pickups.
Some could turn lottery teams into playoff hopefuls. Others could turn perennial playoff teams into championship contenders.
Here are nine free agents who could have the most impact this season:
PAU GASOL
Old team: Los Angeles Lakers
New team: Chicago Bulls
Gasol to the Bulls should be an upgrade from Carlos Boozer. Gasol is a better passer than Boozer and is good enough defensively that coach Tom Thibodeau won't sit him in the fourth quarter. Gasol can score, giving Derrick Rose another much-needed offensive option. Gasol is a big enough addition that the Bulls, if Rose stays healthy, could be an NBA Finals contender.
CHANDLER PARSONS
Old team: Houston Rockets
New team: Dallas Mavericks
Playing alongside Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis, Parsons should get a lot of opportunities to score. He has increased his production offensively every season and was a key piece in the Rockets' run to a No. 4 seed in the Western Conference last season. At 6-9, Parsons is hard to match up against, and he takes advantage by shooting 47% from the field.
ISAIAH THOMAS
Old team: Sacramento Kings
New team: Phoenix Suns
Thomas had a breakout season (20.3 ppg, 6.3 apg) and cashed in with a good deal from the Suns. He is a great scoring guard and gives Phoenix some depth after it signed Eric Bledsoe to a five-year deal. Thomas should fit in with a hungry Suns team that fell one game short of the playoffs.
DARREN COLLISON
Old team: Los Angeles Clippers
New team: Kings
Collison is a reliable point guard who is better than his stats (career 11.9 ppg, 4.9 apg) might indicate. He would start on a lot of teams, but with the Clippers he played well behind Chris Paul. With Thomas gone, Collison should be on the floor a lot with the Kings. With his speed and passing ability, he should work well with scorers Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins.
LUOL DENG
Old team: Cleveland Cavaliers
New team: Miami Heat
Last season, Deng was traded from a contender in Chicago to a struggling team in Cleveland. Because of that, there was little doubt the dependable 6-9 small forward wanted to leave. Deng will join Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in Miami, hoping to soften the impact of James' departure.
ANTHONY MORROW
Old team: New Orleans Pelicans
New team: Oklahoma City Thunder
The underplayed addition of Morrow was big for the Thunder. Morrow doesn't make up for the defensive prowess lost in the sign-and-trade deal that sent Thabo Sefolosha to the Atlanta Hawks, but he will be able to space the floor as a 43% career three-point shooter. Morrow will complement Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Reggie Jackson on the offensive side.
PAUL PIERCE
Old team: Brooklyn Nets
New team: Washington Wizards
Pierce, 36, has been brought in to be a positive influence on the dynamic young backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal. The upstart Wizards were the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference last season, exceeding expectations. The Wizards are hoping Pierce — who won a championship with the Boston Celtics in the 2007-08 season — will provide leadership to help them take the next step to contending for a title.
CARLOS BOOZER
Old team: Bulls
New team: Lakers
Boozer, who had solid numbers for the Bulls last season, will join Kobe Bryant, Julius Randle and Jeremy Lin in an effort to get the Lakers back into playoff contention. He has battled injuries for most of his career but has been relatively healthy the last two seasons. The Lakers hope that trend continues because they need the kind of intensity Boozer brings to the court.
SPENCER HAWES
Old team: Cavaliers
New team: Clippers
Hawes has the ability to score from inside and outside. He is a solid rebounder and has tremendous passing skills for a big man. Hawes could be what the Clippers need when they must stretch the floor or Blake Griffin or DeAndre Jordan are in foul trouble, which is often.