Having reached the quarter mark of the 2017-18 season, it's time to review the summer's most notable free-agent signings for early indications of success.
Studying all the significant free-agent contracts signed since July 1, some have already paid dividends, while others are yet to work out. And, some of them are projected to achieve good value over the long term, while others are not.
Based on those two criteria, we can divide them into four categories:
Free agents who are off to strong starts and who are expected to continue to provide good value
Those off to promising starts, but who may regress in the long run
Those who are initially struggling, but who should eventually come around
Contracts whose risk is already becoming obvious