5 NBA free agent signings paying off the most

More than a quarter of the way through the 2016 NBA regular season, it’s becoming more and more apparent which financial investments are paying off and which aren’t. Some free agents are turning back the clock or exploding onto the national stage, while others are under-performing or vanishing from sight.

Here’s a look at the top five free agent additions at the quarter mark of the season.

5. Al Horford (Boston Celtics)

Al Horford nearly signed with the Houston Rockets in free agency, but ultimately inked a four-year, $113 million deal with the Boston Celtics instead. His presence, coupled with other moves and the team’s strong finish a season ago, had expectations set pretty high entering this season. And while Boston hasn’t exactly lived up to those expectations to date, it’s been little fault of Horford’s.

While Horford is on the court, the Celtics are out-scoring their opponents by nearly 10 points per 100 possessions. He’s averaging 15.5 points per game, while shooting at a .504 clip. He’s also connecting on 39% of his three pointers, while he’s upped his assist and block numbers to 5.0 per game and 2.6 per game respectively.

Perhaps the best news for Horford is that he’s worked diligently on his free throws and is now hitting on nearly 88%, which would be far and away a career high.

The one downside to Horford’s game has been his ability to rebound the ball; he’s down over two rebounds per game compared to his career average.

4. Harrison Barnes (Dallas Mavericks)

The Dallas Mavericks saw potential in Harrison Barnes, so they swooped in and stole him away from the Golden State Warriors with a max deal this offseason (four years, $95 million).

On a team level, the investment has not yet paid off. The Mavericks are one of the worst teams in the NBA, but in the face of injuries and an unexpectedly larger role, Barnes is not the reason for their futility.

Rather, Barnes has answered the bell with a surprising surge early on in the season. He’s posting career-highs in points per game (20.9), rebounds (5.8), steals (0.8) and free throw percentage (.887). He’s also averaging a career-high 37.5 minutes per game and shooting .459 from the field, which is above his career average.

Arguably, Barnes is the league’s most improved player at the quarter mark, and despite the other setbacks that have led to his increased role, he’s relished the opportunity. And while there are still many areas in which he can improve, Barnes is showing the Mavs firsthand that they’re going to get their money’s worth over the long haul.

3. George Hill (Utah Jazz)

When the Utah Jazz signed George Hill to a five-year, $40 million deal, they did so in hopes that he would take the next step in the evolution of his professional career. It was a bit of a gamble, but one that appears to be paying off.

At the quarter mark of the season, Hill is averaging a career-high 20 points per game, while adding 4.2 assists per game and 3.5 rebounds per game. He’s also shooting a career-high .534 from the field and a career-high .456 from three-point range.

At times, the Jazz have seemed like an elite and competitive team with Hill healthy on the court. Unfortunately, his health continues to be one of the concerns with the budding superstar. Hill has been dealing with a toe injury of late and provides no value when he’s sitting on the bench.

Luckily, his injuries appear to be minor and while his numbers may not be sustainable over the course of a full season, it’s the sort of early return on their investment the Jazz had hoped for.

2. Dwyane Wade (Chicago Bulls)

The addition of Dwyane Wade to his hometown Chicago Bulls is an interesting one because it was intended to draw in crowds and provide some leadership for the team’s young and upcoming stars. And while it did accomplish those two goals, it’s proven to be a whole lot more lucrative than just that.

Wade gelled almost instantly with Jimmy Butler and Rajon Rondo, and while he’s come back down to earth a bit after an electric start to the season, the three are still dominating at an impressive clip.

When Wade, Butler and Rondo share the floor, the Bulls are out-scoring their opponents by nearly 24 points per 100 possessions. Meanwhile, on an individual level, Wade is averaging 19.8 points, 3.3 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game. The most impressive number is that Wade is shooting a career-high 36% from three-point range.

Compared to his career numbers, nothing other than his three-point shooting stands out. But when you consider Wade is a 34-year-old future Hall of Famer on the downside of his career, the two-year, $47 million contract looks like money well spent.

1. Kevin Durant (Golden State Warriors)

Kevin Durant seems like the most obvious choice to cap off this list because, well, he is. There’s no need to go out on a limb with another player or pretend like Durant hasn’t been a perfect addition to the Warriors. He has been and there’s really no questions about that.

After signing a two-year, $54.3 million contract with Golden State, the bar was set pretty high. With all that star power, the Warriors were considered the league’s best team — ahead of even the Cavaliers. The only question remaining was how quickly Durant would fit in. The answer soon became clear: instantly.

From the onset, Durant has meshed with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and his other teammates. And at the quarter mark of the season, Durant is averaging 27 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and nearly two blocks per game. He’s also shooting a career-high .565 from the field and .420 from beyond the arc.

Even if you were to ignore the numbers, the flow of each Warriors game is truly something to behold. It’s like watching an All-Star team that’s actually played together for more than a week. They put on a show without fail and are easily the most explosive offense in the NBA.

Durant hasn’t just been a good free agent addition, he’s been the best free agent addition and has rendered the West a nearly unfair competition.