Evan Fournier signs four-year deal with Knicks
The New York Knicks have signed Evan Fournier to a 4-year contract worth $78 million.
Fournier thrived in his short season with the Boston Celtics this season after spending the past several seasons developing with a mostly non-competitive Orlando Magic roster. The Celtics helped emphasize Fournier's ability to make plays as a shooter, a skillset the Knicks could hope to benefit from.
The Celtics helped put Fournier in position to put up career-highs in 3-point percentage (.463%) and rebounds per game (3.3) in the back half of the past season. The Knicks will hope to build on his recent growth with his new contract.
Bulls sign Alex Caruso to 4-year, $37 million deal
The Chicago Bulls have signed free agent guard Alex Caruso to a 4-year deal worth $37 million.
Caruso has done well for himself in free agency, earning a high-value contract in the early aughts of this year's free agency period.
Caruso is still just 26, but is coming off a season in which he put up 6.4 points per game, with 2.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He could have a much more viable role for the fantasy basketball with the Bulls next season than he's seen so far with the Lakers.
Suns sign Chris Paul to massive extension
The Phoenix Suns have signed point guard Chris Paul to a four-year contract worth up to $120 million.
Paul helped bring the Suns to the NBA finals for the first time since the early 90's, so it makes sense that the team would look to lock him down on a long-term deal. With Paul and their young corps returning, the Suns should be a competitive force in the 2021-22 season.
Paul averaged 16.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per game in his first season with the Suns.
Kyle Lowry joining Heat with 3-year contract
The Miami Heat are acquiring point guard Kyle Lowry in a sign-and-trade with the Toronto Raptors.
Lowry and the Heat have agreed to a three-year deal worth approximately $90 million, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The Raptors are expected to receive Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa in return. Lowry was limited to 46 games last season, his lowest since his rookie season back in 2006-07, but the veteran still produced 17.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.0 steals, and 2.8 3-pointers per contest. Lowry's arrival in Miami is likely going to lead to fewer opportunities for Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro.
Lowry averaged 35.7 FanDuel points in 34.8 minutes per game last season. He ranked 17th in assist percentage (31.8) last season and has finished in the top-20 in three of the last four seasons.
Pistons sign Kelly Olynyk to 3-year deal
The Detroit Pistons have signed center Kelly Olynyk to a three-year contract worth $37 million.
Olynyk is coming off of a season in which, after a trade to the Houston Rockets, he averaged a career-best 19 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. The soon-to-be 30-year old has certainly done well for himself with this contract.
With the Piston, Oylnyk should be slated for a premium starting role. Even despite playing for the talent-heavy Heat for half of the season, the veteran still averaged 13.5 points, 7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game despite playing for two separate franchises in the 2020-21 season.
Lonzo Ball leaving Pelicans in sign-and-trade with Bulls
Free agent point guard Lonzo Ball is agreeing to a four-year, $85 million deal with the Chicago Bulls in a sign-and-trade with the New Orleans Pelicans.
The New Orleans Pelicans are sending Ball to the Bulls in exchange for Tomas Satoransky, Garrett Temple and a second-round pick. Ball is joining his third team in five seasons since being taken by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 2 pick in 2017. Zach LaVine stands to benefit from having Ball in the backcourt and the addition should lead to easier looks for Nikola Vucevic down low. Coby White, however, is likely going to have his playing time slashed.
Lonzo averaged 32.9 FanDuel points and 31.8 minutes in 55 games for the Pelicans last season. He has improved his true shooting percentage every year, including a 55.1 percent mark in 2020-21. Ball also raised his 3-point attempt rate to 65.0 percent last year, up from his previous career-high of 57.5 percent in 2019-20.