RICH GET RICHER
Spurs, Cavs clean up in free-agent frenzy
The first day of NBA free agency saw few surprises, other than price tags, as most players came to agreements with the teams everyone figured they would.
Signings can’t occur until July 9, and one question emerged after the f irst tidal wave of agreements — totaling more than $1.5 billion — began flooding the landscape: Who will have the homecourt advantage in the Finals, the Spurs or the Cavs?
Easy, Warriors fans. Even though you brought back Draymond Green for five years and $85 million, there’s that whole “It’s so tough to repeat” thing, remember?
The Spurs broke out by f irst retaining Kawhi Leonard (five years, $90 million) then Danny Green (four years, $40 million neighborhood). Next, they cleared up cap space by dealing Tiago Splitter and his $8.5 million in salary to the Hawks for yard-sale items (also not official until July 9). Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer knows Splitter from his San Antonio days and the Hawks lost backup center Pero Antic, who signed to return to Europe. Plus, they fortified themselves in case of a Paul Millsap defection, but Millsap, who received an offer from Orlando, is said to be staying in Atlanta.
When all that was done, the Spurs had two of their prime pieces intact with money available to pursue one of the summer’s most prized free agents, LaMarcus Aldridge — who began his meet and greets, wine and dines with seven teams Wednesday. The Spurs contingent was on tap in Los Angeles.
“Guys just don’t leave there,” one NBA exec whose team kicked the tires on making a run at Green said about San Antonio. “Why leave? It’s Shangri-La.
“There’s no state income tax. They love Pop [coach Gregg Popovich]. They win.”
Aldridge reportedly was impressed with the Spurs and Rockets, unimpressed with the Lakers. Though this came under the realm of speculation by one NBA scout, the Lakers could become competitors with the Knicks for Greg Monroe should they fail in their quest for targeted bigs.
The Spurs eventually are expected to re-up Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili at reduced deals. And as they have never repeated, they should return to the championship hunt after a no-title year.
Cleveland, fully expecting LeBron James back in the fold, took a couple giant steps when Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson reached agreements. They also re-upped with Iman Shumpert. Love made his announcement on Derek Jeter’s “Players Tribune,” citing “unf inished business” in his post. Love missed the Finals with a shoulder injury sustained early in the playoffs. Now he gets a fiveyear deal, potentially worth upward of $110 million, sources said.
“I’m going back to Cleveland,” Love wrote with a very LeBron-esque lead. “After meeting with my teammates [and] the front office, it was clear Cleveland was the place for me. … We have unfinished business.”
Thompson, a rebounding machine in the Finals, was close to finalizing a fiveyear-deal worth $80 million, according to ESPN. Thompson and Leonard were among the restricted free agents — their own teams could match any offer — who were expected to stay put and did.
“Some guys are getting way overpaid, but they’re actually getting paid for next year and the year after when the [salary] cap goes up. So when you look at the deals then, they’re proportionately not as bad,” one Eastern exec said.
Miami also has had a good run. They were closing in on a five-year deal with Goran Dragic — a league source said it was nearly finalized but not quite. The Heat are expected to bring back Dwyane Wade, who opted out. Luol Deng opted in and Miami got the steal of the draft with Duke’s Justise Winslow at No. 10.
fred.kerber@nypost.com