Grading every trade and signing from Day 2 of NBA free agency

Day 2 of NBA free agency (and we'll wade into Day 3 news, too) was quiet. Much quieter than Day 1, at least, when the East became unmoored by the Jaylen Brown trade and the Lakers spent all their cap space and draft capital on Walker Kessler and a few overpaid role players.

Still, several noteworthy signings occured on Thursday and into Friday, while the rumor mill — primarily around LeBron James — is still firing at max capacity. So, here's where we are at.

The LeBron James update

We have ... a whiteboard. Rich Paul and Max Kellerman very helpfully laid out all of LeBron's options, going one by one through various teams, ownership groups and cities. Shout out to Dallas for its golf, oil and the Sands Macao casino group!

The only teams with full lineups laid out and talked through: Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia, Denver and Minnesota. On the periphery, we have Golden State (still a reasonable bet in my opinion), Dallas, Boston, San Antonio and New York.

It seems like the Knicks are out of it after winning a championship. The Spurs reportedly are not interested. Dallas ain't happening; we can reason as much. Boston is also probably a no-go after the Jaylen Brown trade, even if Paul George is still better than he gets credit for.

Cleveland and Miami have the personal connections and the narrative thrust to be considered frontrunners. Philadelphia probably has the most appealing roster from a pure talent standpoint. Tyrese Maxey is a Klutch Sports icon, and Sixers president Mike Gansey once competed against LeBron in high school. Maybe that Ohio connection carries weight.

In reality, it's probably the Cavs or Heat. My money is on Cleveland, where LeBron would join a recent conference finalist looking for the missing piece which also happens to be his hometown team. His statue in the Basketball Hall of Fame will be wearing a Cavs jersey.

Now, with that out of the way, let's get to grading.

Anfernee Simons signs with 76ers

Contract details: Two years, $12.3 million
Grade: C+

Anfernee Simons finished top-10 in bench points and 3-pointers made last season, which is an undeniable boon to a very weak Sixers second unit. That said, he's basically relegating first-round pick Labaron Philon to the rotational outskirts, and the Sixers really need a guard who can run point and make teammates better. Simons is a gunner on a roster with multiple high-usage gunners at this point. It's great value and he addresses a need, but it's probably not the absolute cleanest fit. It does help that Simons has experience playing off of Jaylen Brown.

Kyle Anderson signs with Raptors

Contract details: One year, $3.9 million
Grade: B+

The Raptors have a typem and Kyle Anderson is very much it. He's another versatile, skilled forward with active hands and strong processing skills. He has lost a step, but he's nicknamed Slo-Mo for a reason — Anderson has never won with quickness and athleticism. He can connect dots with his passing, make sharp cuts to the rim and muck things up on defense, where Toronto is already a beast.

Tyus Jones signs with Nuggets

Contract details: One year, $3.9 million
Grade: B

Denver brings back Tyus Jones after a brief cameo last season. He's not coming off of his best year, but historically Jones is a very intelligent table-setter who supresses turnovers on offense and creates them with quick hands on defense. He won't make a ton of mistakes and he can grease the wheels for Denver's second unit. This is a totally solid move.

Daeqwon Plowden re-signs with Kings

Contract details: Two years, $5.1 million
Grade: B

Daeqwon Plowden made a name for himself in Sacramento's rotation over the final two months of the season. He's a very confident shot-maker and slasher on the wing, able to mix speeds and attack downhill with long strides. He has never been much of a defender, but sheer production earned him a spot. The Kings should be all-in on taking fliers like this.

Tari Eason re-signs with Rockets

Contract details: Five years, $81.5 million
Grade: A

Tari Eason is not without fault, but locking him up for five years at $16.3 million AAV is a home run — especially when the Rockets have attempted to pay him significantly more in the past. Eason has ramped up his 3-point volume and he remains one of the league's best dirty-work guys on defense. He's a deflections magnet, a hellacious board-crasher and a legitimate option to throw against the opponent's best player on any given night.

Neemias Queta re-signs with Celtics

Contract details: four years, $56 million
Grade: A

Boston has found stability in the frontcourt between this and the Mitchell Robinson signing, which is a positive step. Neemias Queta was a huge breakout in 2026, an electric play-finisher and a diligent rim protector. The Celtics picked up his super cheap team option for next season and tacked on four more years at a more than affordable rate. Queta should be a pillar in Boston's rotation for the next half-decade.

Javonte Green signs with Pistons

Contract details: One year, $3.9 million
Grade: A

Javonte Green is an awesome defensive wing and he fits the Detroit team-building ethos perfectly, so this is not a surprising reunion. That the Pistons could pull it off at the vet minimum is an unequivocal win. Detroit still needs more shooting and playmaking in the backcourt, but this signing does not preclude them from seeking out cheap solutions there. Plus, 2026 draftee Ebuka Okorie feels like an instant-impact kind of rookie.

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