5 teams that got better during 2020 NBA free agency

Although cap space was tight around the league, these five teams came out ahead after NBA free agency.

Heading into 2020 NBA free agency, it appeared as though few teams would be able to make significant upgrades.

Only a handful of squads had any salary-cap space at their disposal, and the free-agent class could be charitably described as mediocre at best. Once it became clear that Anthony Davis and Brandon Ingram weren’t going anywhere, the top prizes were… um, Fred VanVleet and Danilo Gallinari?

That sounded like the recipe for an underwhelming free-agency period, but the following five teams weren’t deterred.

Some managed to use their cap space or salary-cap exceptions to sign productive players to reasonable contracts. Others turned to the trade market for their biggest upgrades and rounded out their rosters with affordable depth signings. A few managed to retain their own biggest free agents, too.

As the dust settles on the whirlwind that was free agency, these five teams appear to have clearly come out ahead.