The recession definitely affected the way teams allocated their resources during last summer’s free agency. And while owners and GMs were certainly more cautious when it came down to splurging their money on players, there were some free agents that walked away with some handsome paydays. Now that we’re nearing the halfway point of the season, I took a look at some of the summer’s biggest signing and determined whether teams got any return on their investments.

Hedo Turkoglu, (Raptors, 5-years, $53 million):
Why they signed him: Hedo Turkoglu was probably the most sought after free agent last summer. He proved in the ’09 Playoffs that he was a big-time player that could come through in the clutch. The Raptors envisioned the Turkey-native blending in well with the Raptors’ European style and roster. Turkoglu was thought to be the missing piece for a team that could be a legit contender in the East.

What they’ve gotten: While he hasn’t been terrible this season (13.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.5 apg), the Raptors probably expected a little more production out of him. The Raptors have been average at best at 17-18, but they’re still in the playoff picture (they’re currently sixth in the East). That could be the time when the Raptors get the biggest return on their investment with Hedo. Grade – C plus

Andre Miller, (Blazers, 3-years, $21 million):
Why they signed him: We still don’t know why the Blazers signed him. After losing out on Turkoglu and Paul Millsap, maybe they didn’t want to end the summer empty handed. Portland probably thought Miller could be an upgrade over Steve Blake and would help get Portland out of the first round. After all, Miller was the main reason the Sixers made the playoffs the year before.

What they’ve gotten: This pairing was doomed to fail at the get-go. Portland never moved Blake in the offseason and opted to start him instead. Miller is at fault because he knew he didn’t have a guarantee to start, but he signed with the Blazers anyway. Plus, Miller’s hold-the-ball style doesn’t fit in well with Portland’s offense. And with teams even stingier this year to take on long-term deals, Miller is basically untradeable. But as of late, Miller has played surprisingly well in Blake’s absence (whose been out with pneumonia). He’s played over 40 mpg in the last two games, and had 22 points and 16 assists in last night’s loss against the Clippers. Grade – C minus

Trevor Ariza, (Rockets, 5-years, $33.5 million):
Why they signed him: The Rockets were intrigued with what they saw out of Ariza in the playoffs. He showed that he was an exciting, athletic forward who could play D and was improving his jump shot. With Ron Artest not coming back and Tracy McGrady’s future uncertain, there was room for a young, slashing forward on Rick Adelman’s roster.

What they’ve gotten: The Rockets have gotten exactly what they wanted, and possibly more. Ariza has improved in most of his stats (although he’s shooting just 37.8 percent) and his team has been one of the league’s most pleasant surprises – the Rockets are 20-14 and seventh in the Western Conference. At just 24 years old, Trevor has plenty of time to improve and has potential to be an All-Star some day. Grade – B plus

Paul Millsap, (Jazz, 4-years, $36 million):
Why they signed him: The Jazz have always liked Millsap’s hustle and ability to get boards. He fits in well in Jerry Sloan’s system and best of all, he comes at a smaller price tag than Carlos Boozer.

What they’ve gotten: It’s been somewhat a disappointing season for both Millsap and the Jazz. The Jazz have been up and down all year and Millsap has been just as inconsistent. For the season, he’s averaged just 10.1 points and 5.6 rebounds – down from last year’s averages of 13.5 ppg and 8.6 rebounds per contest. Of course, we won’t know his full value until Boozer bolts town sometime this year. Grade – C plus

Ron Artest, (Lakers, 5-years, $32 million):
Why they signed him: L.A. loves to bring in high profile names and Artest meets that requirement. Phil Jackson loves guys who can defend and Artest meets that requirement as well. The team envisioned Artest of being that defensive-minded, physical enforcer that will pay dividends come playoff time.

What they’ve gotten: Ron Ron’s stats (12.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4 apg) have been solid but not outstanding. But when you play with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, they don’t need to be. Plus, a lot of what Artest does doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. He is a great defender that will play a huge role in their quest to repeat. Grade – B