What If The NBA Had A Franchise Tag?

As you know the NBA Free Agency starts today. Teams will be looking to make key additions to their rosters in hopes to become contenders. What about the teams that are losing key players? What if the NBA had a franchise tag* like the NFL? If that were to happen here is how I see it playing out.

Atlanta Hawks

I would see the Hawks tagging Paul Millsap. He is obviously the most talented of their free agents and he was an anchor for the team’s playoff run. If the Hawks expect to make another run, they need to get Millsap signed, and seeing as Al Horford is a free agent-to-be in 2016 because they need to sign him as well.

Boston Celtics

I honestly wouldn’t be able to see the Celtics tagging anyone this offseason. Their best free agent in my opinion, is Jae Crowder and he isn’t worth the money. All of the free agents on the team are rotational players that are expendable.

Brooklyn Nets

This one seems a little too obvious. The Nets are a team in need of a lot. They need to dump some salaries, but the obvious franchise tag choice would be Brook Lopez. He is the only big man who the Nets would have a use for on their team, and he could help them a lot. Although he has dealt with injuries, how many seven foot centers do you know play full seasons?

Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets won’t contend for a championship this year. If they can’t find a way to sign Bismack Biyombo they will need to find another young, powerful, athletic inside threat. How many of those are in the league? I’ll answer that for you — none.

Chicago Bulls

Jimmy Butler was the reason the Bulls made the playoffs this year. He is one of the top three defenders in the league and he is developing his shot nicely. He’s young, tough, and no one else would fit in Chicago. You just can’t let an All-Star like Butler walk.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers are an interesting team — with LeBron James opting out he would seem like the obvious choice, right? Wrong. In my opinion Kevin Love would be the right choice. LeBron is going to stay in Cleveland. He wants to be there, it’s his home town, and he wants to bring a championship home. Kevin Love however, can leave whenever he wants, he has no ties there. Cleveland needs to do the right thing and sign LeBron to a big deal — not a one-year tender.

Dallas Mavericks

This one is tough because the Mavericks have, in my opinion, two very talented players that could leave. Monte Ellis is a very good shooting guard who is a scoring threat in many ways. He could help Dallas offensively, which every team could use. Tyson Chandler, on the other hand, is a very strong defensive center that will be a threat to whomever that tries to take him on in the post. He can help on defense, unlike Dirk. I would go with Chandler, but you could persuade me either way.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets have nothing to worry about. Only having three free agents, and none of them would be worth the money.

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons have not been contenders since their last championship in 2004 when they beat the Lakers 4-1. They do, however, have a point guard that could be molded into a star in Reggie Jackson. With the right coaching, Jackson could become a top 10 guard in the league. They will have to find a way to keep him. A franchise tag would be useful here.

Golden State Warriors

The NBA Champions have one key piece of their championship run that could potentially leave — Draymond Green. He was a huge factor in the Finals and all throughout the season for the Warriors. If he leaves, the team would suffer a huge blow at the small forward position. Golden State needs to find a way to keep Green.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets are interesting. They have a young guard leaving in K.J. McDaniels but they have a key playoff warrior in Josh Smith without a contract as well. In my opinion, I would rather sign them both to deals and not waste that kind of money on them. No one for the Rockets.

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers are one piece away from becoming championship contenders but they need to find a way to keep David West. He could be argued as a top ten power forward in the league but I’m not sure if he’s worth the money. A tag wouldn’t be wise here, but it could be a last resort.

Los Angeles Clippers

Deandre Jordan is a force to be reckoned with down low, and everyone knows about his dunking ability. He is a top three center and if he leaves the Clippers, that would be a huge blow to their chances.

Los Angeles Lakers

Although the Lakers won’t become a contender in the next couple of years, they have a few young pieces that could help them in their rebuild. Jordan Hill has a team option, which they should use to pick him up. Other than him, I don’t see anyone on the roster worth a franchise tag, not even Kobe Bryant now. He is getting old, don’t get mad at me Lakers fans.

Memphis Grizzlies

Marc Gasol has already said he will re-sign once the numbers are right, so he’s off the board. Other than him, the Grizzlies have two free agents, Kosta Koufos and Nick Calathes, both of which are not worth top five money. The Grizzlies have nothing to worry about.

Miami Heat

Depending on how you feel as a fan, you could go either way with two Heat free agents. Dwyane Wade opted out of his contract, but can still sign with the Heat, as he did not rule them out. Goran Dragic, on the other hand, is really interested in leaving. He would be interesting because even if the Heat could tag him, he could still leave a season later. So, you could tag Goran and try to trade him, or you could tag Dwayne Wade and try to sign him for the rest of his career.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks don’t have anyone on their roster worth a tag, except the “Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo, and he is under a rookie contract. They just need to focus on signing a big name in free agency to get their rebuild going.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Kevin Garnett, although old, will re-sign with the ‘Wolves so he wouldn’t even be a question on whether or not they should tag him. Other than Garnett, no ‘Wolves free agent would be worth top 5 money.

New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans have a deal in place with Anthony Davis that could be worth nine digits. He won’t even be a free agent this year, though. I’m mentioning this because it will use a lot of their cap space, as the deal could give Davis $30 million a year. A franchise tag would not be smart of them, even if they had someone worthy of a tag on their free agent list, which they don’t.

New York Knicks

Knowing the Knicks, they will end up re-signing Andrea Bargnani at an absurd contract, which he somehow continues to receive despite the fact that his talent does not live up to it. The Knicks have no free agents worth a franchise tag.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Enes Kanter proved himself to be a top 15 center in this league, but that is debatable. With that, he would be considered for a franchise tag, but it would be a stretch to pay him top five money.

Orlando Magic

The Magic have an interesting team. They are full of potential, but as soon as they reach contention level, they fall apart. Tobias Harris has the makings of a star, but he will be a free agent. If the Magic lose him, they will start to fall apart. A tag would be very useful to the Magic right now, since Harris likely won’t re-sign.

Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers are in an obvious rebuild right now. After picking Jahlil Okafor with the third overall pick in this years draft, you begin to wonder what kind of path they are going down. With a surplus of young big men, they wouldn’t tag any power forwards or centers. Thomas Robinson would be the only player worthy of being in consideration of a franchise tag. No one for the Sixers.

Phoenix Suns

The Suns have a talented roster filled with young pieces that play well together and could stick together for a long time. Brandon Knight is one of the league’s best scoring guards. With him and the team in talks of a new five-year deal, the team would not need to use a franchise tag on anyone.

Portland Trail Blazers

Portland is one piece away from being title contenders, but with LaMarcus Aldridge ready to walk, this team could be ready to break. He can be argued as the best power forward in the league. His skills are unmatched as a big man, and he could turn any team into a contender. A franchise tag could literally save this franchise.

Sacramento Kings

With DeMarcus Cousins being used as a trade piece, and Rudy Gay not being the same Rudy Gay he was up north, you have to wonder if the Kings are in rebuild mode. Although they have no one worthy of a franchise tag, this free agency could be a big one for them. They have a decision to make right now. Rebuild, or fight to stay alive and make this team a contender.

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs cease to amaze me. Every year it seems they have a key piece about to leave, but every year they keep this team together. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili are both at the end of their contracts, so I have to wonder if they let Manu walk (because they obviously won’t let Tim Duncan walk). If they sign Duncan, they could tag Ginobili, but is he really worth that kind of money?

Toronto Raptors

The team up north is a force to be reckoned with. They are one or two pieces away from being contenders, especially in the East. Louis Williams, 2014-15 Sixth Man of the Year, is at the end of his contract. Could he be franchise tagged, if it were an option? I think it would be worth it.

Utah Jazz

The Jazz are in need of a massive roster overhaul to become contenders. With just two free agents, Joe Ingles and Jeremy Evens, the Jazz wouldn’t need to use a franchise tag.

Washington Wizards

After a run in the East, the Wizards are ready to make a Finals push. Paul Pierce is debating his future in Washington. If the “Truth” leaves, what would that mean for this Wizards squad? Would he be worth a franchise tag? We will never know, since this mechanism is not in the NBA.

What would change in this league if the franchise tag were introduced? How would it change the whole aspect of free agency? It could save franchises, and it could change the future. We may never know.

*The franchise tag is a mechanism in which a team can place a one-year tender on one of its potential free agents, and the salary would be worth the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position.