Day 2 of 2021 NBA Free Agency was definitely less eventful than the madness we saw in Day 1. Nearly 60 transactions in Day 1. Down to roughly a couple dozen transactions in Day 2, but we still saw some pretty significant names come off the board. We also had a max extension for a two-time MVP and a stalemate between a restricted free agent seeking the max and his incumbent team trying to avoid paying just that.
We’ve got the big moves, the expected re-signs, head-scratchers, signings of great value, signings that could turn ugly and a lot more. We’ll get through all of them from Day 2 with grades for some and emojis for others.
The big moves of the day
DeMar DeRozan signs with Chicago Bulls | $85 million over three years
Here’s the deal for DeRozan to get him from San Antonio to Chicago. The Bulls are sending Thaddeus Young, Al-Farouq Aminu, a protected first-round pick and two second-round picks to the Spurs. On top of that, DeRozan gets nearly $30 million per season over the next three years. That’s a significant commitment from the Bulls to bring him into the fold. It also makes the social media hopes that DeRozan might take the mid-level exception or even as low as the taxpayer’s mid-level exception look like the bargaining stage of grief. DeRozan was never going to take $5.9 million for one year with an offer like this possible somewhere.
