Post by tmaczdaddy on Nov 8, 2012 10:41:37 GMT -5
TOP FREE AGENTS AT EACH POSITION - 2015
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Brandon Knight PG 22 6'3'' 189 B A- B- B- C- B
Brandon Knight PG 82 19.7 10.5 2.5 3.0 0.7 0.1 1.3 .444 .851 .369
It's hard to estimate how people will value Knight when it comes to offering him a contract. He looks extremely promising, but he couldn't even crack the starting lineup for the Kings. I think in order to make a guy like Knight successful you have to build the offense around him. He will produce best if he is put as one of the main options in an outside-oriented offense. He was been camped quite a bit by Spence, but he still has the potential to grow when it comes to TC. There is also the chance that he has MAX'ed out already, but it's impossible to know either way.
I expect some maximum offers for Knight....The question is if whether Spence will MAX him or not. Some signs, like benching him in favor of Isiah Thomas, point to him not extending a MAX. But then again, I think he will overpay in order not to lose a valuable asset.
Tony Parker PG 32 6'2'' 185 B+ C+ B+ B- C- C
Tony Parker PG 82 38.3 15.9 4.5 9.3 1.2 0.2 3.5 .448 .755 .297
Tony Parker is coming to the end of a solid career. He is only 32, but he has dropped off substantially. Not only is he a bad defender, but his production has just been average. The 16ppg/9apg look nice, but if you take into consideration his defense and turnovers he is just a mediocre starting PG in this league. It would be smart for a competing team who might be in need of a PG to sign TP on a short 1-2 yr deal. I'm not sure how much longer he can last as starter material, but he may be worth the risk for a team in dire need of a PG.
Klay Thompson SG 78 36.3 22.6 5.4 3.6 1.3 0.3 1.3 .468 .853 .424
Definitely MAX worthy because of what he brings to a team offensively. Just look at the percentages that he is putting up with the Warriors. Sure, their style of play perfectly matches his skill-set on offense, but he is such a talented scorer for anybody to pass up on him. Wouldn't be surprised if he is on the Top 5 scoring categories in the next couple years if placed in an outside-focused offense. I'm kind of wishing that CC can resign him because he is such a perfect fit for their all-offense, no-defense philosophy.
Gerald Green SG 82 31.0 20.8 5.5 1.5 1.2 0.3 2.0 .472 .791 .399
Gerald Green SG 28 6'8'' 200 B+ B+ D+ C C- C
Just like Clay, he is all offense and little else. Well, he can jump too. Green is a good scorer, but don't be deceived by the numbers he put up this season. He did it on the worst team in the league that also saw Avery Bradley put up 23+ppg. You can't discredit the efficiency of GG's stats, but I would be wary of how he would perform in an offense with real scoring threats around him. Could be good in a 6th man type role, but those handles and defense are extremely worrisome for any team. Either way, I expect at least one team to look at his stats and overpay him. It's common.
Nick Young SG 29 6'7'' 210 B A- C C+ D B
Nick Young SG 82 36.1 19.5 3.4 2.7 1.6 0.1 1.7 .429 .900 .356
Seeing a trend here? The top SG's in Free Agency have a combined defense rating of: C+, C+, and C. He is in almost the exact same position that Gerald Green was in last year. Just like Green he was on one of the worst teams in the league and thus inflated his stats. On the other hand, he was unable to put up the his stats with the same efficiency as Green. If you are running an outside-focused offense and looking for instant offense off the bench, Nick Young is your guy. Just don't expect much else from him.
Derrick Williams SF 80 34.4 19.0 8.1 1.2 0.9 0.6 1.0 .450 .745 .275
I wasn't sold on Derrick Williams coming into the season, but he had a solid year. He started off hot shooting around 48%, but dropped off near the end of the season, while finishing at 45%.
Just like in real life, he is a tweener. He's not strong enough to guard PF's and he's not quick enough to keep up with SF's. There's no denying that he has the talent to become a special player, but I'm not sold on the fact that he can become a #1 option for a contending team. Although I have a feeling that someone will pay him like a #1 option,
I wouldn't blame a team for offering him a MAX contract. Just look at his production at 23 years of age. Keep in mind that those 19ppg came as a top option on mediocre teams: LAL and Minnesota.
Rudy Gay SF 28 6'8'' 230 A- B+ C- A- C+ B
Rudy Gay SF 76 38.2 21.9 8.4 2.2 1.3 0.9 1.9 .458 .847 .333
Tough news for footy that Gay didn't want to resign with him. This is a key signing for them if they are going to continue to try and compete. He is an integral part of their offense and would leave a huge void at the SF position. He's definitely a star and deserving of a MAX contract. The thing that separates him from the pack is his ability to get it done on both ends of the court. Not only does he score 22ppg on good percentages, but he also adds 1.5spg and 1.0bpg on the defensive end. A well-rounded all-star that I expect to get paid in Free Agency. My prediction is that footy will resign him with a MAX offer.
Kawhi Leonard SF 23 6'7'' 225 C+ B+ C- A C+ B
Kawhi Leonard SF 82 31.5 8.5 7.8 1.6 1.5 0.4 0.8 .418 .772 .417
The kind of value that Kawhi will demand in FA will be very interesting to me. How much are people willing to pay for a defensive stud who is severly limited on offense? If you are looking to improve your output on offense, you're looking in the wrong direction. He would be a good fit for a team that has 3-4 solid scoring options, but lacks a lock-down defender. Kawhi is extremely valuable on defense also because he can guard multiple positions well. He played SG, SF, and even PF last year and held his opponents to low percentages. It depends on the fit of the team, but I think he could be worth 8mill per year.
Zach Randolph PF 82 33.7 20.8 11.6 1.9 0.7 0.3 1.3 .438 .779 .200
I hope Zbo gets a chance to play on a contender because he is an extremely talented rebounder/scorer, even at the ripe ago of 33 yrs old. Defensively he's a huge liability, but he provides a great scoring punch at PF. A smart team would throw a large amount of money at him for a short time. He probably doesn't have much trade value, but he will produce in any offense. If the Nets are looking to compete next year they need to resign him or else they are left with inexperience at PF.
Kenneth Faried PF 24 6'8'' 228 A- C- D+ B A- B
Kenneth Faried PF 82 35.0 21.4 12.1 1.8 0.8 2.9 1.0 .460 .679 .000
The best Free Agent in the class of 2015. Faried can do it all: he scores, plays defense, rebounds, and is still young. Nothing that you wouldn't want out of a stud PF of the future. A lot of teams are going to be throwing MAX contracts his way, but the Nuggets need him back dearly. Segpie did a nice job of acquiring a real SG in Afflalo and looks ready to compete for a championship next year so losing Faried would be a huge step back for Denver.
Whoever lands him is going to have a star on their hands for the next decade or so. I'm not so sure he is sound with his positional defense, but he more than makes up for that with his shot-blocking ability.
Amar'e Stoudemire PF 31 6'11'' 260 B+ C+ D+ B+ B- C
Amar'e Stoudemire PF 78 36.2 18.9 9.1 1.7 0.9 1.0 2.3 .452 .752 .245
Amare asked for a ridiculous contract when resigning with the Knicks. Hopefully if they have a brain they will turn it down. I expect another short-term offer with for Amare, but with a large amount of $. He, like Zbo, provides a nice scoring punch at Power Forward. His stats look pretty good from last year (19ppg/9rpg), but you also have to look at the fact that he was putting up those stats on Knicks, a team that ranked 6th last in points per game.
Anderson Varejao C 82 32.5 10.2 11.7 2.0 0.9 1.8 1.3 .432 .677 .000
He and Dalembert are pretty much clones. Only reason he averaged less PPG is because he played on a team with a lot of scorers. 10ppg/12rpg/1spg/2bpg is exactly what anybody should be looking for out of a typical center. I expect the Celtics are looking to keep their team intact and will pay a little extra to keep Varejao on their roster next season.
Samuel Dalembert C 33 6'11'' 250 B- D+ D A- A- C
Samuel Dalembert C 81 33.7 14.8 10.9 1.6 1.0 1.9 1.5 .450 .653 .000
He does all the same things that Varejao does, and again I expect his team to resign him. The Nets frontcourt (Zbo and Dalmebert) are both in FA. In order for them to stay competitive they need to make sure they resign both those guys. I could also see Dalembert being signed on a steal of a deal. People might see his age and all the other centers in this FA class and offer him less than the others. They would be making a big mistake,
Tyson Chandler C 31 7'1'' 240 B- D+ D- A+ B+ B
Tyson Chandler C 62 33.7 7.6 10.0 1.7 1.0 3.5 1.2 .387 .632 .00o
Chandler is such a good rebounder and defender that I think he will get paid a good amount of money during FA. People might look at his 7.6ppg on 38% shooting and get scared off, but his rebounding, steals, blocks, and positional defense is hard to find among the centers in the league today. I if had cap and was looking to compete I would go after him hard. He provides a lot of value on the defensive end to any team.
468 Marc Gasol C 29 7'1'' 265 B- C- C- A B+ C
468 Marc Gasol C 82 31.9 8.9 10.6 1.9 0.9 2.3 0.8 .393 .770 .000
He's similar to Chander in that he is an elite defender, but he has no offensive skills. Probably a slightly lesser version of TC, but he's also younger and has more years left in him so I think they will get offered about the same amount of money. I expect a team to offer him around 8mill per year for 3 years. That wouldn't be unreasonable for an 11rpg/2.5bpg center.
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Point Guards
1.Brandon Knight PG 22 6'3'' 189 B A- B- B- C- B
Brandon Knight PG 82 19.7 10.5 2.5 3.0 0.7 0.1 1.3 .444 .851 .369
It's hard to estimate how people will value Knight when it comes to offering him a contract. He looks extremely promising, but he couldn't even crack the starting lineup for the Kings. I think in order to make a guy like Knight successful you have to build the offense around him. He will produce best if he is put as one of the main options in an outside-oriented offense. He was been camped quite a bit by Spence, but he still has the potential to grow when it comes to TC. There is also the chance that he has MAX'ed out already, but it's impossible to know either way.
I expect some maximum offers for Knight....The question is if whether Spence will MAX him or not. Some signs, like benching him in favor of Isiah Thomas, point to him not extending a MAX. But then again, I think he will overpay in order not to lose a valuable asset.
Tony Parker PG 32 6'2'' 185 B+ C+ B+ B- C- C
Tony Parker PG 82 38.3 15.9 4.5 9.3 1.2 0.2 3.5 .448 .755 .297
Tony Parker is coming to the end of a solid career. He is only 32, but he has dropped off substantially. Not only is he a bad defender, but his production has just been average. The 16ppg/9apg look nice, but if you take into consideration his defense and turnovers he is just a mediocre starting PG in this league. It would be smart for a competing team who might be in need of a PG to sign TP on a short 1-2 yr deal. I'm not sure how much longer he can last as starter material, but he may be worth the risk for a team in dire need of a PG.
Shooting Guards
Klay Thompson SG 24 6'7'' 209 B- A C C+ C- BKlay Thompson SG 78 36.3 22.6 5.4 3.6 1.3 0.3 1.3 .468 .853 .424
Definitely MAX worthy because of what he brings to a team offensively. Just look at the percentages that he is putting up with the Warriors. Sure, their style of play perfectly matches his skill-set on offense, but he is such a talented scorer for anybody to pass up on him. Wouldn't be surprised if he is on the Top 5 scoring categories in the next couple years if placed in an outside-focused offense. I'm kind of wishing that CC can resign him because he is such a perfect fit for their all-offense, no-defense philosophy.
Gerald Green SG 82 31.0 20.8 5.5 1.5 1.2 0.3 2.0 .472 .791 .399
Gerald Green SG 28 6'8'' 200 B+ B+ D+ C C- C
Just like Clay, he is all offense and little else. Well, he can jump too. Green is a good scorer, but don't be deceived by the numbers he put up this season. He did it on the worst team in the league that also saw Avery Bradley put up 23+ppg. You can't discredit the efficiency of GG's stats, but I would be wary of how he would perform in an offense with real scoring threats around him. Could be good in a 6th man type role, but those handles and defense are extremely worrisome for any team. Either way, I expect at least one team to look at his stats and overpay him. It's common.
Nick Young SG 29 6'7'' 210 B A- C C+ D B
Nick Young SG 82 36.1 19.5 3.4 2.7 1.6 0.1 1.7 .429 .900 .356
Seeing a trend here? The top SG's in Free Agency have a combined defense rating of: C+, C+, and C. He is in almost the exact same position that Gerald Green was in last year. Just like Green he was on one of the worst teams in the league and thus inflated his stats. On the other hand, he was unable to put up the his stats with the same efficiency as Green. If you are running an outside-focused offense and looking for instant offense off the bench, Nick Young is your guy. Just don't expect much else from him.
Small Forwards
Derrick Williams SF 23 6'8'' 241 A- C+ D+ B+ B- BDerrick Williams SF 80 34.4 19.0 8.1 1.2 0.9 0.6 1.0 .450 .745 .275
I wasn't sold on Derrick Williams coming into the season, but he had a solid year. He started off hot shooting around 48%, but dropped off near the end of the season, while finishing at 45%.
Just like in real life, he is a tweener. He's not strong enough to guard PF's and he's not quick enough to keep up with SF's. There's no denying that he has the talent to become a special player, but I'm not sold on the fact that he can become a #1 option for a contending team. Although I have a feeling that someone will pay him like a #1 option,
I wouldn't blame a team for offering him a MAX contract. Just look at his production at 23 years of age. Keep in mind that those 19ppg came as a top option on mediocre teams: LAL and Minnesota.
Rudy Gay SF 28 6'8'' 230 A- B+ C- A- C+ B
Rudy Gay SF 76 38.2 21.9 8.4 2.2 1.3 0.9 1.9 .458 .847 .333
Tough news for footy that Gay didn't want to resign with him. This is a key signing for them if they are going to continue to try and compete. He is an integral part of their offense and would leave a huge void at the SF position. He's definitely a star and deserving of a MAX contract. The thing that separates him from the pack is his ability to get it done on both ends of the court. Not only does he score 22ppg on good percentages, but he also adds 1.5spg and 1.0bpg on the defensive end. A well-rounded all-star that I expect to get paid in Free Agency. My prediction is that footy will resign him with a MAX offer.
Kawhi Leonard SF 23 6'7'' 225 C+ B+ C- A C+ B
Kawhi Leonard SF 82 31.5 8.5 7.8 1.6 1.5 0.4 0.8 .418 .772 .417
The kind of value that Kawhi will demand in FA will be very interesting to me. How much are people willing to pay for a defensive stud who is severly limited on offense? If you are looking to improve your output on offense, you're looking in the wrong direction. He would be a good fit for a team that has 3-4 solid scoring options, but lacks a lock-down defender. Kawhi is extremely valuable on defense also because he can guard multiple positions well. He played SG, SF, and even PF last year and held his opponents to low percentages. It depends on the fit of the team, but I think he could be worth 8mill per year.
Power Forwards
Zach Randolph PF 33 6'9'' 260 B+ C D+ C A- DZach Randolph PF 82 33.7 20.8 11.6 1.9 0.7 0.3 1.3 .438 .779 .200
I hope Zbo gets a chance to play on a contender because he is an extremely talented rebounder/scorer, even at the ripe ago of 33 yrs old. Defensively he's a huge liability, but he provides a great scoring punch at PF. A smart team would throw a large amount of money at him for a short time. He probably doesn't have much trade value, but he will produce in any offense. If the Nets are looking to compete next year they need to resign him or else they are left with inexperience at PF.
Kenneth Faried PF 24 6'8'' 228 A- C- D+ B A- B
Kenneth Faried PF 82 35.0 21.4 12.1 1.8 0.8 2.9 1.0 .460 .679 .000
The best Free Agent in the class of 2015. Faried can do it all: he scores, plays defense, rebounds, and is still young. Nothing that you wouldn't want out of a stud PF of the future. A lot of teams are going to be throwing MAX contracts his way, but the Nuggets need him back dearly. Segpie did a nice job of acquiring a real SG in Afflalo and looks ready to compete for a championship next year so losing Faried would be a huge step back for Denver.
Whoever lands him is going to have a star on their hands for the next decade or so. I'm not so sure he is sound with his positional defense, but he more than makes up for that with his shot-blocking ability.
Amar'e Stoudemire PF 31 6'11'' 260 B+ C+ D+ B+ B- C
Amar'e Stoudemire PF 78 36.2 18.9 9.1 1.7 0.9 1.0 2.3 .452 .752 .245
Amare asked for a ridiculous contract when resigning with the Knicks. Hopefully if they have a brain they will turn it down. I expect another short-term offer with for Amare, but with a large amount of $. He, like Zbo, provides a nice scoring punch at Power Forward. His stats look pretty good from last year (19ppg/9rpg), but you also have to look at the fact that he was putting up those stats on Knicks, a team that ranked 6th last in points per game.
Centers
Anderson Varejao C 32 6'11'' 260 C+ C- D+ A A- CAnderson Varejao C 82 32.5 10.2 11.7 2.0 0.9 1.8 1.3 .432 .677 .000
He and Dalembert are pretty much clones. Only reason he averaged less PPG is because he played on a team with a lot of scorers. 10ppg/12rpg/1spg/2bpg is exactly what anybody should be looking for out of a typical center. I expect the Celtics are looking to keep their team intact and will pay a little extra to keep Varejao on their roster next season.
Samuel Dalembert C 33 6'11'' 250 B- D+ D A- A- C
Samuel Dalembert C 81 33.7 14.8 10.9 1.6 1.0 1.9 1.5 .450 .653 .000
He does all the same things that Varejao does, and again I expect his team to resign him. The Nets frontcourt (Zbo and Dalmebert) are both in FA. In order for them to stay competitive they need to make sure they resign both those guys. I could also see Dalembert being signed on a steal of a deal. People might see his age and all the other centers in this FA class and offer him less than the others. They would be making a big mistake,
Tyson Chandler C 31 7'1'' 240 B- D+ D- A+ B+ B
Tyson Chandler C 62 33.7 7.6 10.0 1.7 1.0 3.5 1.2 .387 .632 .00o
Chandler is such a good rebounder and defender that I think he will get paid a good amount of money during FA. People might look at his 7.6ppg on 38% shooting and get scared off, but his rebounding, steals, blocks, and positional defense is hard to find among the centers in the league today. I if had cap and was looking to compete I would go after him hard. He provides a lot of value on the defensive end to any team.
468 Marc Gasol C 29 7'1'' 265 B- C- C- A B+ C
468 Marc Gasol C 82 31.9 8.9 10.6 1.9 0.9 2.3 0.8 .393 .770 .000
He's similar to Chander in that he is an elite defender, but he has no offensive skills. Probably a slightly lesser version of TC, but he's also younger and has more years left in him so I think they will get offered about the same amount of money. I expect a team to offer him around 8mill per year for 3 years. That wouldn't be unreasonable for an 11rpg/2.5bpg center.
