After beholding the annual excitement of the NBA Draft, hoops fans instantly get another week of free agent speculation, signings (in principle) and enough player movement to have basketball enthusiasts firmly planet themselves in front of RealGM?s forums hitting the refresh button as rumors swirl.

advertisement

end advertisement

This past week changed the outlooks of many NBA teams, but it also exhibited which teams are thinking long-term and which are thinking short-term.

After absorbing each signing and giving it enough time to sink in, we are able to evaluate how each player signing will impact their respective team.

Top signings:

Ben Wallace signs a four-year contract with the Chicago Bulls:

Synopsis: After years of sitting back and collecting young asset after young asset, examples being Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, Chris Duhon, Tyson Chandler, Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha, the team decided that now was the time to go big or go home. And go big they did, with the signing of imposing defensive all-star Ben Wallace.

Analysis: The signing is one of instant gratification, with Wallace pairing with Thomas in the frontcourt to provide one of the league?s most ferocious blocking defensive presences. However, four years from now, when Wallace is 36 and clogging up the Bulls? salary cap arteries, will the signing look as good? The jury is out on that question, but judging by how many blocked shots Alonzo Mourning was able to contribute at age 36 and after multiple kidney ailments, it?s safe to say that defensive instincts are an asset that stick around into the later years of one?s NBA career.

Conclusion: The signing makes the Bulls instant contenders in the East and paired with newly acquired frontcourt mate P.J. Brown now and the athletic defensive wunderkind Tyrus Thomas in the future, this Bulls team will not allow easy baskets. The starting five of Hinrich, Gordon, Argentinean Andres Nocioni, Brown and Wallace provide a superb mix of perimeter and frontcourt defense paired with sharpshooters and an established post presence.

Peja Stojakovic signs a five-year contract with the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets:

Synopsis: After landing point guard gem Chris Paul in last year?s NBA Draft and seeing support for the Hornets skyrocket, George Shinn knew that now was the time to make the Hornets a playoff threat. During the season last year, the assets to place around Paul were unavailable, but there?s no better time to land key players than free agency. This year, the Hornets made a huge splash by offering Yugoslavian shooting sensation Peja Stojakovic to a mammoth contract, speculated to be worth $64 million over five years. After Stojakovic said that he wanted to end his career in Indiana with the team that acquired him for troublemaker and rabble-rouser Ron Artest, the Hornets made him change his mind with the signing of a check.

Analysis: When you?re a spot up shooter like Stojakovic, there?s no point guard that you?d rather have at your side than Paul, with perhaps the exception of two-time MVP Steve Nash. The Hornets have made a commitment to Paul by putting the pieces around him to insure his success. They may have overpaid, but when you have the opportunity to add a former all-star to a new basketball market like New Orleans or Oklahoma City, you have to take it at any cost. The cost may have been high, but the Hornets are now contenders in the West if Paul continues his development.

Conclusion: The signing has been criticized by many hoops sceptics, but if you?ve got the money, you may as well flaunt it and that?s what the Hornets have done. The time is now for Stojakovic to prove that he hasn?t lost a step and that this is the final change of scenery needed for him to thrive. Two years ago, Stojakovic would have earned a maximum contract had he been a free agent and the Hornets get him for less in the years where he is expected to be in his prime. But there is only one person who can prove that this is a good signing and that?s Peja himself, who alongside Chris Paul should be on tap for a career resurgence.

Jason Terry re-signs with the Dallas Mavericks for six years

Synopsis: After helping the Dallas Mavericks to their first ever NBA Finals berth, ?The Jet? provided big shots and vocal leadership to a team that finally had what it takes to enter the NBA limelight. Terry did it at the right time, earning a $50 million extension from the Mavericks.

Analysis: If any NBA analysts deciphered this extension to be an easy decision, they are mistaken. With the emergence of Devin Harris, this decision could not have been an easy one for the Mavericks. Sure, they made the NBA Finals, but the idea of performing a sign and trade deal involving Terry must have crossed their mind. With Harris riding in Terry?s wake, they could have flipped Terry and picked up a scoring legit shooting guard for the future, but will instead spread those backcourt roles among Jerry Stackhouse, Harris and Terry, while the latter two rotate at the point guard position. The extension is sound, especially at under $10 million per year.

Conclusion: The Mavericks made the right call. Chemistry is perhaps the most important element in sports and keeping the band together for another championship run was the best course of action for the Mavs. As Harris, Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard get better, the team?s championship aspirations get stronger and chemistry remains high, the Mavericks have to be the favorites out West.

Nene re-signs with the Denver Nuggets for six years

Synopsis: Sometimes teams have to open the wallet to keep their marquee player happy and the Nuggets do it here by re-signing Brazilian big man Nene. The move means that Kenyon Martin will likely be shipped in the offseason and a commitment to Nene as the Nuggets? frontcourt staple of the future.

Analysis: Unless the player is of all-star calibre, it is almost inexplicable to pay them $10 million per year after they miss an entire season with an injury. It is even more inexplicable when that player is a big man who may suffer a loss of mobility or explosiveness after rehabbing for an entire year. Nene has averaged 10.7 points-per-game and 6.2 rebounds-per-game throughout his career and the Nuggets will pay him more than the Mavericks are paying Jason Terry, who helped lead them to the NBA Finals. Keeping your superstar happy is important if you have a championship-calibre team, but when the team suffers first round exits year after year, a change is needed. With Martin and Marcus Camby up front, one of the three must be redundant and unless the Nuggets get something of value for Martin, who may have the league?s worst contract, the team gains very little from making a signing like this one.

Conclusion: This signing will likely go down as one of the biggest blunders in the team?s history. It can be assured that if Kiki Vandeweghe was still in charge that this extension would not have happened as it did. The only winners in this transaction are Nene and his agent Dan Fegan.

Speedy Claxton signs a four-year contract with the Atlanta Hawks

Synopsis: After passing on Chris Paul for Marvin Williams in last year?s draft and going big in this year?s draft, many basketball observers shrugged their shoulders with confusion when the Hawks deferred adding point guards to their roster. In acquiring Claxton for roughly $25 million over four years, they finally make a long-term commitment to a legitimate point guard.

Analysis: If you ask Billy Knight who the team?s starting point guard will be, he will surely answer Joe Johnson. Adding Claxton gives the Hawks some flexibility if Johnson - a player considered too big and slow to be a legitimate point guard - ultimately fails.