There was no clear way to measure contracts handed out this summer. The imminent cap increase coupled with a transitory phase of NBA basketball led to a lack of consensus.

I mean, is DeMarre Carroll worth $15 million a year? At first glance, that looks lavish for a 28-year old wing who has only been a starter for two seasons. But then again, he's a strong rebounder, versatile defender, and can shoot the ball. With the growing emphasis on position-less basketball, a player with Carroll's fluidity on defense has never been more important. So how do we assess his changing value? There's just too many variables in play to label deals as 'good' or 'bad.'

Well, that was my long-winded disclaimer for this column, which is all about labeling deals as 'good' or 'bad.' While there's a lot of gray area for contracts this summer, some deals immediately look like steals while some are obviously terrible. ($80 million for Reggie Jackson? Is that the ghost of Joe Dumars calling me from two phones at once?)

For the purposes of this, I'll be avoiding obvious max-deals that any team would've handed out. This shouldn't be a column rewarding the Spurs for landing Aldridge, or the Pelicans keeping Anthony Davis. I also won't look at obvious team discounts (Duncan), or championship-hungry minimum deals (David West).

Brandan Wright to the Grizzlies (3 years - $18 million)

Memphis used its limited cap room this summer to great effect. They designated their full mid-level exception on Wright, a high-efficiency center who is still somehow just 27-years old. The midlevel is the typical rate for a third big, but after Kosta Koufos got 4 years - $33 million Wright's deal looks like a heist. His prowess in the pick-and-roll should work well with Marc Gasol's formidable midrange game.

Of Wright's 358 shot attempts this past season, 334 of them came in the paint, and 236 of those came in the restricted area. He had a shockingly similar style of play to Koufos, who also took over 90% of his shots from the paint. Yet while Wright shot 64% from the field, Koufos managed just a 51% clip. Wright is a clear upgrade over the limited Koufos, and he should be able to play with both Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol.

The deal takes Memphis to within $1 million of the tax, but this doesn't really matter. Wright filled out their roster, and was a clear-cut bargain. If he had stayed on the market, a team desperate for a big (Mavericks) could easily have paid him over $9 million per year. As Randolph and Gasol age, Memphis will lean heavily on Wright's ability to play heavy minutes. In a world where Aron Baynes gets 3 years - $20 million, Memphis got a great pickup.

Danny Green re-signs with the Spurs (4 years - $45 million)

While I said I would avoid team-friendly discounts, Green's deal isn't so clear cut as Duncan's. When you look at contracts handed out to other wings, it's obvious Green could have gotten more on the open market. If Khris Middleton can get 5 years - $70 million, and Gordon Hayward is given 4 years - $63 million by two teams, Green is clearly worth more than $11 million per year.

Green is the template for all 3-and-D guys. He gets his open looks in the flow of the offense. Last season, Green attempted the fourth-most 'wide-open-threes' in the league, knocking them down at a 47% clip. But his true value is on defense, where he is a unheralded star alongside Kawhi Leonard.

While a strong on-ball defender, Green is best at disrupting the transition offense. Per SportVU data, he is one of the best in the NBA at preventing scores in 2-on-1 and 1-on-1 transition situations. In addition, he is an underrated shot-blocker who excels at chase-down blocks and weak side deflections. His rare combination of transition defense and shot-blocking was made famous in the 2013 Finals, when he stripped LeBron in overtime.