Free Agency Boons!

 

It’s that time of year again when the season is now counting down to starting in the NBA, and player contracts are being finalised and locked in for review prior to the NSL Free Agency day. Some players start standing out as key targets for teams that wish to contend and become the guys that get the 99 point bids. Often, minimum contract guys, since everyone can afford them no matter what their cap situation looks like! Here’s a first glance loom at some of those guys that are likely to be highly touted.

 

Spencer Dinwiddie Russell Westbrook

If I had written this article yesterday, I’d have been writing about Spencer Dinwiddie here and not Russell Westbrook, as Dinwiddie had a minimum guaranteed deal, and Westbrook was unsigned. A day later, Leeroy in NO shifts from wanting to retain Spence and losing Russ, to the other way round (of course Spence could still sign a new deal elsewhere). Westbrook with no resign bonus immediately becomes one of the most sought after FA targets capable of lighting up scoreboards off the bench and starting in a pinch, filling exactly the role any contending team searching for cheap production is in dire need of.

 

Marvin Bagley

Bagley isn’t the sexy name, but he’s a big man and he’s able to play both the PF and C spots. He’s on the minimum, he has no resign bonus as he’s already in the free agent pool and he’s a strong rebounder. As a $12-$20mil guy as he’s been over his career so far, he’s been a semi tough pill to swallow at times with his injury history, but as a minimum with no risk and the ability to double double in any game, he’s a target in the non-JaVale McGee free agent landscape.

 

Jericho Sims

Sims is a well known 2k darling big man who is lowly rated, but an elite rebounder and always on that cheap deal. He’s got to the point that he’s no longer safe on an NBA roster, and he is a “resign” guy, so Toronto will get a headstart on him, but to avoid a 99 and a horrible random factor, they’re still going to need to drop 80+ on him, and maybe that won’t be what they do? Or maybe it will. If you ask the GM, they’re always dropping those points but sometimes you can call the bluff!

 

Gary Payton II

GP2 has moved around rosters recently as his defensive profile is always a much needed type, and he covers multiple positions, but he was on $9mil which was both on the higher side and a good levelling salary for trading. He’s now a guy sitting in the FA pool with no resign bonus and on a minimum and you could land yourself a real defensive impact player to fill out your roster without much damage to your salary cap. He’s not amazing, but he’s worth it.

 

James Wiseman

The big man was all set to be a salary cap hold nightmare last free agency but he injured himself conveniently for Toby right before he had to make a genuine decision and the decision became easy. He still got signed, such is his 2k presence as people toyed with the idea of holding him a year for an easy resign, but he did end up cut. He’s now back and on a minimum deal and he’s a big athletic guy who as long as he stays healthy, which should be easy in a minimal NBA role, he can be a very serviceable piece to any team.

 

Chris Boucher

Boucher has kicked around teams for years with his tantalising skillset but perhaps most interestingly, his 3 position capability. He was on a pricey deal the last few years, but this year he’s now a no strings attached minimum guy and he’s likely to see a decent NBA role in Boston, too. You might not want to be playing a clear PF/C guy at the SF spot, but then again, maybe if he’s on your roster and you’re in the finals and need to mix things up, you might just want to be able to do that?

 

Bruce Brown

Bruce stunned the NBA and NSL world two years ago signing with a rival team away from an NBA championship roster for a ridiculous $23mil a year. It got him signed, still, but also got him fairly quickly removed and on traded as he didn;’t come close to living up to that deal. However, as a minimum guy and no resign bonus, and covering both guard spots, he now becomes a really solid asset as he looks to revive his career again alongside Jokic in Denver where he became a $23million dollar man.

 

Al Horford

Al is the type of 2 position, 2 way big man that even as he’s pushing 40, every team covets. This year he’s cheaper again as he’s slowly gone down each time he’s hit free agency, and it’s only the tax payer MLE that it’ll cost you this time, meaning everyone can afford to add this defensive stalwart. Expect the market to be strong.

 

Gary Trent Jr.

Trent isn’t like most of the others in this list as he’s still on the Kings roster and he’s a resign guy, too. Klemm has the inside track with a 40-ish head start,  ut he’s only got 62 GMs which means even if he uses them all on Trent and only Trent (which would require Trent to come up before he signs any other FAs and starts using even just 1 point per bid), then he’s essentially a random factor flip to beat a 99 point bid. And, Trent is a walking bucket that is well worth stealing.

 

Charles Bassey

I’m bullish on the Bassey factor, I’ve been vocal about it. The man should be the most sought after FA big man in the pool IF he survives the NBA roster finalisation. He’s only on an Exhibit 10 deal right now, a training camp dealm even though he has been demolishing the rebounds in summer league and now pre season. He should land a minimum deal somewhere and then someone here is going to feast on one of the best rebounders in the game, on only a minimum deal.

 

DeAnthony Melton

Melton was a big time signing/target last year when he was on a much larger contract (the value escapes me) as he’s a strong 2way guard who can play both guard spots. This year, coming off a major injury, he’s a minimum guy. He might miss the start of the year (I haven’t checked) but he could be a difference maker down the stretch for a contending team as they suffer other injury issues and need a lockdown defender who can score a bucket if needed.

 

Tim Hardaway Jr.

Don’t walk, run. Hardaway has been one of the best scoring wings going round outside of the big name players, in 2k for years now when in a minimal role, but he was always on that $15-$20mil contract which made him a good leveller in a trade and made him pricey to want to work with in that minimal role. Now, he’s not tied to any teams rights, and he’s on a minimum deal primed to step into the bucket getting role at an efficient clip. He should be a target for anyone needing a bench scorer at the least.

 

This is just a sample of what’s on offer so far, that I thought would be an interesting starting/talking point. There’s definitely more guys that will be of interest as we start adding FAs that weren’t active for us last year and as the NBA finalises their rosters. But, this is a pretty good start! What do you guys think? More to come.