The flurry of activity that was the 2019 free agency period reshaped the landscape of the league. Players like Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Kemba Walker and Bojan Bogdanovic had the basketball world salivating long before opening night. Even guys like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving played major roles in how the future of the league will play out.

We know which teams got it right. Obviously the LA Clippers, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat have had their moves pay off. Organizations like the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers did just as well simply by retaining their core players.

Unfortunately, every team is not able to hit a home run. Several front offices took a gamble that has either burned them or has put a pothole in their road to success. Four teams, in particular, have struck out as the season has played out.

The year is 2020, and so too is hindsight. The teams and players listed below haven’t had the success they thought they would, but like basketball, this whole process is a team effort. Ownership, executives, coaches and players all factor into these decisions, and sometimes they simply do not work out the way they envision.

Al Horford, Philadelphia 76ers

After the surprising news that Horford would not be returning to Boston, it was difficult to find the ideal destination for the big man. He wanted to go to a place where he could still compete for a championship, but also still get the kind of money that he was seeking. Philadelphia was the spot, but the puzzle pieces just haven’t fit together from the beginning.

Horford is still an adequate defender who is excellent at communicating. His statistical numbers are down in virtually every category. His fit alongside Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid has been one of the biggest problems for the Sixers this season. With one or both of them out of the lineup, He has played better, but is still a far cry from the force that he was in his previous years.

The 33-year old center signed a four-year contract for $109 million, which may have been why it was so difficult to move him before the trade deadline. Should Philly stumble in the postseason (if it happens) and decide to really shake things up this summer, Horford could be on the move yet again.

Mike Conley, Utah Jazz

Perhaps the most surprising move that hasn’t panned out this season was the addition of Conley in Utah. Since the days of Deron Williams nearly a decade ago, the Jazz has desperately needed a playmaking point guard with a legitimate jumper. Acquiring a talent like Conley was supposed to give them that star guard to put alongside their sensational shooting guard, Donovan Mitchell.

While the other teams on this list dished out a hefty contract, the Jazz just absorbed Conley’s. They had to give up four rotation players and a first round draft pick, but this was supposed to have been the move to put them over the top. They added Bogdanovic right after making this move, and they were viewed as one of the most promising teams heading into the season.

On paper, the fit seemed ideal. The idea was to take some of the ball handing and shot-creation responsibilities away from Mitchell. The main issue has been the pick-and-pop situation in Utah. After spending 12 seasons in Memphis playing alongside Marc Gasol, Conley is now running a two-man game with Rudy Gobert.

The two big men couldn’t possibly be more different — in terms of their strengths on offense. While Gasol was more versatile and had a good jump shot from anywhere on the floor, Gobert is only a weapon on offense if he is near the basket. His numbers have been dreadful this season, but Utah has a wizard named Quin Snyder that has tweaked things a bit to somewhat turn things around.

Tomas Satoransky & Thaddeus Young, Chicago Bulls

Not much has worked out at all for the Bulls this season, aside from Zach LaVine. From the coaching to the player execution on the court, it has been quite a disappointing year for everyone in Chicago. Injuries are mostly to blame, as they have been hammered with them since day one. With such a young roster, the thought process was to add some veteran leadership to help shape the core group.

Chicago gave Satoransky and Young each a three-year deal, with $30 million going to the point guard and $43.63 million to the versatile forward. While neither player has made a huge impact, much of their work is done behind the scenes and in the locker room with the young guys. They have had to play more because of the injuries up and down the roster, but their outlook going forward isn’t very clear.

The Bulls drafted Coby White to be their future starting point guard, and he has shown incredible flashes this season as one of the top rookies in the league. They have Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr. as their frontline of the future, with Chandler Hutchison waiting in the wings behind another veteran in Otto Porter. Jim Boylen may or may not return next season, but the Bulls still have an odd roster on their hands for the next couple of years.

Julius Randle, New York Knicks

Whether or not the Knicks actually struck out on Durant and Irving is up for debate. What isn’t up for debate is the fact that their season has been a colossal failure. With so much money to throw at free agents in the summer, New York did just that. In what was a bizarre fury of signings, they led with Randle as their main piece.

The Knicks gave Randle a three-year deal for $62.10 million, which did not seem absurd at the time. After a career year in New Orleans, Randle made the move to The Big Apple with the idea that the franchise was ready to turn things around with him as the catalyst.

His overall numbers haven’t been terrible, but the execution and results have been. His shooting percentages are down drastically from last season. The 25-year old is shooting 27 percent from three-point range and has the lowest effective field goal percentage since his rookie season.

The confusing roster construction and shaky coaching situations are more likely to blame for New York’s 20-44 record. Judging from the circus of events that we have seen from this organization this season, perhaps it is Randle who has remorse in this scenario.

During times of uncertainty, maybe the most important step is to first turn inward and let go of our fears and negativity.

Doing this can have the effect of centering, providing clarity and purpose for the road ahead. From there, assertively clear action can take place and requisite decisions can be made. This is especially important for organizational leaders whose decisions influence others.

Every time unwanted scenarios creep up in your consciousness, deliberately LET GO, detach and pivot into visualizing the best possible outcomes for the parties involved. In this way, you are cutting off the cycle of fear and uncertainty before it gets going.

These past few days have been unprecedented, the emotion is palpable.

If you are an organizational leader or employee, taking the step for finding clarity within can make the way forward more seamlessly. Science is showing that thoughts and emotions have an electrical charge to them, meaning whether positive or negative, they literally can influence the people around you.

This brings me to my main point: Getting RIGHT on the mental and emotional level is likely the most important first step you can take in serving those around you.

Players on all levels are confused, looking for answers, and some are flat out scared.

To most effectively help players, we must correct any imbalance in our own feeling and thinking processes first. This is vital to providing clear and resolute support.

This might be a little deep for a basketball post, I get that.

But right now, more than ever, maybe one of the most important things that we can ALL do is let go of fear and unconstructive thought patterns.

By firmly being in our present moment, this helps us better provide support to the player.

Here’s Are Some Ways To Do This

1. Be discriminatory around what type of outside influences that allow into your space. If you must watch the news, choose media outlets that uplift and seek to provide solutions. Don’t get mired down in the loop of negativity that often gets churned out. If it doesn’t feel good, turn it off.
2. Take the time to find your center. Use meditation, mindfulness guided visualizations. Go for a run. Whatever you need to do to check yourself and find clarity, DO IT.
3. Stay connected and communicate with those that you care about. Only bring positivity, leave all the other what if’ scenarios out of the conversation.
4. As mentioned above, only envision, visualize, speak into existence and BE the positive outcomes that you desire. Since thoughts and emotions have an electrical charge, what you think and what you feel literally matters. That is why it is important to mind your thoughts. Only put out into the ethers visions of positive outcomes.
5. Employ a daily practice, whether it be meditation, yoga and or even running. Go get a daily process that brings you back into the present moment. This consistency will help you train the mind to combat leftover psychosomatic generated from the outside world.
6. Be compassionate, look to serve and find ways to help others. Not only does service help the other, but it also helps you raise your vibration. This, in turn, is felt by those around you.

The bottom line: Do what you need to find internal balance. Find consistency in a daily routine that brings you clarity. Remove yourself from outside influences that do not add to your overall happiness quotient.

Feel as good as you possibly can, for as long as you possibly can. The simple act of shifting your feeling state can help promote the effectiveness of your interaction with others, like the players who are looking for answers.

This act alone can be huge.

A mega 12-player trade among four teams last month was centered around Clint Capela and Robert Covington. The big man has still not been able to suit up for the Atlanta Hawks. Covington has been an exceptional fit in Houston as they experiment with their shorter lineup.

But the one player in this deal that has shined brightest in his new situation is Malik Beasley, who left a crowded backcourt in Denver.

The new shooting guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves has been able to blossom in his first 13 games with the team. In this small sample size, Beasley is averaging nearly double the minutes that he received in Denver. His production has increased dramatically, as he is more than doubling his numbers in every relevant statistical category.

In his 41 games this season with the Denver Nuggets, Beasley averaged 7.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. In the 13 games since being traded, he is averaging 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists per contest. He had a 29 points last Friday in Orlando, and his effective field goal shooting has gone from 48.5 percent to now 59.5 percent. Finally, Beasley’s three-point shooting has increased from 35.9 percent to 43.6 percent with the Timberwolves.

These numbers may serve as evidence that opportunity equals production, but it is much more than that. Playing more minutes should equate to higher totals, but the percentages and the overall team play are the main factors to concentrate on. Minnesota is not punishing opponents by any stretch of the imagination, but they have been playing solid basketball all while missing their best player.

Karl-Anthony Towns has only been able to play in 35 games so far this season, as he continues to recover from a fractured wrist he suffered two weeks ago. The team announced recently that he will be re-evaluated in two more weeks. The two-time All-Star has been unstoppable when he does play, averaging 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists on the season. Towns is under contract through the 2023-24 season, and now has his best friend alongside him.

The deal to acquire D’Angelo Russell was multi-faceted. The front office was able to land a cornerstone All-Star point guard to pair with their franchise big man. They were the top two players taken in the 2015 draft and have become extremely close friends. Keeping Towns happy was a major aspect of this deal.

The third benefit of making this trade was being able to move on from the highly-paid and inconsistent Andrew Wiggins. For whatever reason, it just never worked out and both sides were finally able to move on. Another overlooked aspect of this particular trade was that the Timberwolves also obtained a first-round draft pick from Brooklyn, through Atlanta.

Using that pick to fill out their roster will be one component that management will need to hit on this summer. The continued development of rookie Jarrett Culver and sophomore swingman Josh Okogie is important, but being able to retain Beasley should also be a priority as he enters free agency for the first time once the season concludes.

A young and dynamic core of Towns, Russell, Beasley, Culver, and Okogie should not be overlooked. Both Towns and Russell have been in and out all season, in what is essentially a throw-away year for each of them. With a focus on next season and making sure they are fully healthy, Minnesota has a chance to build something special.

On paper, this group appears to fit together very well. They are a very young team, as their core five players are all 24 years old or younger. In fact, there is only one player on their entire roster (James Johnson) with more than four years of experience.

Beasley is used to being a third or fourth option on offense, having played a similar role in Denver. While he is a solid marksman as a spot-up shooter, he has excellent timing and knows exactly when and where to cut. Culver is a big body that is capable of finishing at the rim and Okogie has shown the ability to play multiple roles over the course of his career.

All of these, of course, will be secondary actions to the pick-and-roll element that should be one of the most lethal in the league. Russell is capable of getting to the rim whenever he wants to and is an elite shooter from the perimeter. Towns’ ability to roll or pop out will wreak havoc on the opposition. Even if the defense tries to take one of them away, both players are exceptional isolation players that will either create a shot for themselves or an open teammate.

The real key to future success for the Wolves is not a player on their roster, but the man leading them. Ryan Saunders has a 36-67 career record as a head coach. After being named the interim head coach 15 months ago, he has not been able to show that he is undoubtedly the right man for the job. He has a decade of experience as an assistant coach, but unless he can put his fingerprint on this team, this writer believes he could be on the hot seat.

Minnesota’s biggest concern should be on defense, where they rank 27th in the league. They have a top-10 offense and are one of the top teams in terms of pace of play. They rank last among all teams in fan attendance, but that shouldn’t be a major surprise given their record over the past two seasons. Adding a talented player like Russell will help, as there will be plenty of highlight plays in the coming years.

Fans should be excited for the potential of their new one-two punch, as long as they are on the floor together. They should also be hoping that Gersson Rosas, Wolves president of basketball operations, is able to keep Beasley around as he will play a major role there alongside those two. The proof is in the pudding as he continues to flourish in his new environment.

Whether or not the Wolves are already a playoff team next season is up for debate. What shouldn’t be is the fact that Minnesota got a major steal in that monster 12-player deal.