HurricaneDij's Five Free Agents to Watch (Non-centers and non-Kevin Durants)

[HurricaneDij39]

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1) Dwyane Wade, G, Miami Heat - If Miami fails to land another star through free agency, it just might allow the 34-year-old future Hall-of-Famer to consider his options. He's getting to a point where he can no longer carry a ballclub on his back, and as the undisputed icon of the franchise - Wade has never been Miami's highest paid player, which could easily be viewed as a slap in the face. Would look good in a Spurs uniform if he's willing to accept a mid-level deal, as San Antonio needs to eventually replace Ginobili. Possible Destinations: Miami, San Antonio.

2) Luol Deng, F, Miami Heat - At 31, he's no longer going to be among the league leaders in minutes played like he did in his Chicago days, but still quality as a starter and would provide a stabilizing presence to any team's lineup. Played the second half on 2015-16 in large part as a stretch four in small lineups. Possible Destinations: L.A. Clippers, Minnesota.

3) Solomon Hill, SF, Indiana Pacers - On the day it was announced that coach Frank Vogel won't be back, Larry Bird had also essentially made it known that Hill also won't be brought back. As a Pacers fan, this pisses me off, as he was probably our third-best player in the playoffs behind George and Turner. My hope now is that my other favorite team, the Nuggets, may look to sign him. They could use all the wing depth they could possibly get behind the injury-prone Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari. Hill is a jack-of-all-trades-type player who does just about everything well. Among the most unsexy skill sets in the NBA, he'll come through with the occasional 20-point performance if you don't respect him. Possible Destinations: Minnesota, Denver, Chicago, Atlanta.

4) Jeff Green, F, Los Angeles Clippers - The Clippers had acquired Green at the trade deadline in hopes that he would solve their small forward woes, and he averaged 10.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game for them, mostly off the bench. Possible Destinations: L.A. Clippers, Chicago.

5) Marvin Williams, F, Charlotte Hornets - Can play small forward as well as power forward. Averaged 11.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, and one block per game in 81 starts for the Hornets. Possible Destinations: Charlotte, Oklahoma City, Sacramento.

 

[CitySushi]

I like the breakdown, but I don't think any of your guys would crack my top 5 of players to watch. Mine would be:

1) Nic Batum. Had a career year in Charlotte and had his best as a profession, imo. He was a fringe all-star this year and is still only 29. He's going to get paid this off-season, the question really is by who. He's said he wants to be back in Charlotte, but there will be lots of teams after him.

2) Mike Conley. With Joerger gone, whom he had clashed with before, he could return to Memphis. Conley will be able to really just pick whatever destination he wants. Knicks will go after him hard. There will be a lot of teams after his services.

3) Bradley Beal. Washington wants to be in the Durant chase and maybe even the Horford chase. If they do, they'll have a real interesting decision to make with regards to Beal. He's been injured and may require a minutes restriction for the remainder of his career, but he's still a really good player. Washington may even have to renounce his rights if they go hard after a big time free agent. Or if a team signs him to a restricted deal right away, Washington will have to make a decision to match or not earlier than they may want. Really puts Washington in a difficult position.

4) Harrison Barnes. Like Beal, the Warriors have Barnes restricted rights and can match any teams offer. The biggest question remains is who's going to offer him a deal, and will the Warriors consider matching, with pipe dreams of Durant.

5) Ryan Anderson. Ideally he'd be a good 6th man off the bench for a contending team, but he probably still wants starter minutes. After some thought, could you imagine what kind of fire power the Blazers would have if they could add him to their team? Instead of chasing Durant, the Blazers could try to sign both Horford and Anderson. That would be a crazy potent offense.

Other notables for me: Festus Ezeli, Jeremy Lin, Joakim Noah, Chandler Parsons and Pau Gasol.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

No DeRozan?

 

[HurricaneDij39]

I like the breakdown, but I don't think any of your guys would crack my top 5 of players to watch. Mine would be:

1) Nic Batum. Had a career year in Charlotte and had his best as a profession, imo. He was a fringe all-star this year and is still only 29. He's going to get paid this off-season, the question really is by who. He's said he wants to be back in Charlotte, but there will be lots of teams after him.

2) Mike Conley. With Joerger gone, whom he had clashed with before, he could return to Memphis. Conley will be able to really just pick whatever destination he wants. Knicks will go after him hard. There will be a lot of teams after his services.

3) Bradley Beal. Washington wants to be in the Durant chase and maybe even the Horford chase. If they do, they'll have a real interesting decision to make with regards to Beal. He's been injured and may require a minutes restriction for the remainder of his career, but he's still a really good player. Washington may even have to renounce his rights if they go hard after a big time free agent. Or if a team signs him to a restricted deal right away, Washington will have to make a decision to match or not earlier than they may want. Really puts Washington in a difficult position.

4) Harrison Barnes. Like Beal, the Warriors have Barnes restricted rights and can match any teams offer. The biggest question remains is who's going to offer him a deal, and will the Warriors consider matching, with pipe dreams of Durant.

5) Ryan Anderson. Ideally he'd be a good 6th man off the bench for a contending team, but he probably still wants starter minutes. After some thought, could you imagine what kind of fire power the Blazers would have if they could add him to their team? Instead of chasing Durant, the Blazers could try to sign both Horford and Anderson. That would be a crazy potent offense.

Other notables for me: Festus Ezeli, Jeremy Lin, Joakim Noah, Chandler Parsons and Pau Gasol.

Eh, I don't find Beal and Barnes noteworthy because I don't see them going anywhere. Anderson just missed my list but I worry he might get exposed as a starter. Conley is going to get overpaid, and I had previously mentioned Batum in a December thread about his career year, though I'd say right now he's got too much of a track record of soft play and disappearing in big moments.

All in all, I'm more likely to go for the guys flying under the radar at bargain prices. The perks of being a fan of a small-market team.

 

[CitySushi]

Eh, I don't find Beal and Barnes noteworthy because I don't see them going anywhere. Anderson just missed my list but I worry he might get exposed as a starter. Conley is going to get overpaid, and I had previously mentioned Batum in a December thread about his career year, though I'd say right now he's got too much of a track record of soft play and disappearing in big moments.

All in all, I'm more likely to go for the guys flying under the radar at bargain prices. The perks of being a fan of a small-market team.

Yeah, Beal and Barnes are hard to project but the dynamic of their market affects a lot of teams differently. If a team comes out right away and offers either of them a contract right out of the gate it dramatically shifts the organizational outlook on free agency for both Washington and Golden State.

A few of my under the radar guys would be:

1) Mirza Teletovic. Had a pretty good season with the Suns and showed he can still play at a high level. It's hard to gauge guys who get lots of run on bad teams, but he could be a nice gunner off the bench for a lot of teams. Kind of a hit or miss guy, but I don't think he'll demand a big money contract.

2) Jared Dudley. Think he could be a nice role player on a good team. He's just a typical 3 and D player, but I can't see a real big market for him.

3) Arron Afflalo. His market value was a sky high in December/January, but a late season benching probably will lighten up his new contract offers. He's still a decent defender and a capable scorer.

4) Eric Gordon. The guy has had a myriad of injuries in his career which will mean not a lot of teams will be willing to spend big money on this guy. If he somehow finds a way to overcome these, he could become a real bargain contract. When he's healthy he's still a really good player.

 

[trojanfan12]

Eh, I don't find Beal and Barnes noteworthy because I don't see them going anywhere.

Actually, one of the thousands of Lakers rumors has them going after Barnes if/when they don't land KD.

 

[WiggyRuss]

View attachment 118463​

1) Dwyane Wade, G, Miami Heat - If Miami fails to land another star through free agency, it just might allow the 34-year-old future Hall-of-Famer to consider his options. He's getting to a point where he can no longer carry a ballclub on his back, and as the undisputed icon of the franchise - Wade has never been Miami's highest paid player, which could easily be viewed as a slap in the face. Would look good in a Spurs uniform if he's willing to accept a mid-level deal, as San Antonio needs to eventually replace Ginobili. Possible Destinations: Miami, San Antonio.

2) Luol Deng, F, Miami Heat - At 31, he's no longer going to be among the league leaders in minutes played like he did in his Chicago days, but still quality as a starter and would provide a stabilizing presence to any team's lineup. Played the second half on 2015-16 in large part as a stretch four in small lineups. Possible Destinations: L.A. Clippers, Minnesota.

3) Solomon Hill, SF, Indiana Pacers - On the day it was announced that coach Frank Vogel won't be back, Larry Bird had also essentially made it known that Hill also won't be brought back. As a Pacers fan, this pisses me off, as he was probably our third-best player in the playoffs behind George and Turner. My hope now is that my other favorite team, the Nuggets, may look to sign him. They could use all the wing depth they could possibly get behind the injury-prone Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari. Hill is a jack-of-all-trades-type player who does just about everything well. Among the most unsexy skill sets in the NBA, he'll come through with the occasional 20-point performance if you don't respect him. Possible Destinations: Minnesota, Denver, Chicago, Atlanta.

4) Jeff Green, F, Los Angeles Clippers - The Clippers had acquired Green at the trade deadline in hopes that he would solve their small forward woes, and he averaged 10.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game for them, mostly off the bench. Possible Destinations: L.A. Clippers, Chicago.

5) Marvin Williams, F, Charlotte Hornets - Can play small forward as well as power forward. Averaged 11.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, and one block per game in 81 starts for the Hornets. Possible Destinations: Charlotte, Oklahoma City, Sacramento.

Wade to the Spurs would be VERY VERY intriguing. I would love to see him coached by Pop- and he would have been PERFECT for the Spurs against the Thunder- giving them another scorer and a guy who is not afraid of big moments down the stretch.

This move would probably let Wade extend his career- kinda like Paul Pierce- by relying on guys like Alrdidge and Leonard- but then being the go-to-guy down the stretch and important scorer...

i doubt Wade leaves Miami unless the team falls apart with so many free agents- but if he left I think San Anotnio would be extremely interesting for him.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Yeah, Beal and Barnes are hard to project but the dynamic of their market affects a lot of teams differently. If a team comes out right away and offers either of them a contract right out of the gate it dramatically shifts the organizational outlook on free agency for both Washington and Golden State.

A few of my under the radar guys would be:

1) Mirza Teletovic. Had a pretty good season with the Suns and showed he can still play at a high level. It's hard to gauge guys who get lots of run on bad teams, but he could be a nice gunner off the bench for a lot of teams. Kind of a hit or miss guy, but I don't think he'll demand a big money contract.

2) Jared Dudley. Think he could be a nice role player on a good team. He's just a typical 3 and D player, but I can't see a real big market for him.

3) Arron Afflalo. His market value was a sky high in December/January, but a late season benching probably will lighten up his new contract offers. He's still a decent defender and a capable scorer.

4) Eric Gordon. The guy has had a myriad of injuries in his career which will mean not a lot of teams will be willing to spend big money on this guy. If he somehow finds a way to overcome these, he could become a real bargain contract. When he's healthy he's still a really good player.

i think Jared Dudley is really underated in some ways....he is a nice 3 and D guy..some decent size...and he just rains from the outside...he could absolutely be a bench player for the right team.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Actually, one of the thousands of Lakers rumors has them going after Barnes if/when they don't land KD.

shit...getting a SF is never easy....i think that might be a better investment than DeRozan depending on price.

 

[Mecca]

shit...getting a SF is never easy....i think that might be a better investment than DeRozan depending on price.

I would give Barnes a max deal over DeRozan.

 

[Mecca]

1. Conley

2. Parsons

3. Barnes

4. Batum

5. Anderson

6. Bazemore

 

[trojanfan12]

shit...getting a SF is never easy....i think that might be a better investment than DeRozan depending on price.

I agree. Given a choice, I'd rather they go after Barnes than DeRozan.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Wade to the Spurs would be VERY VERY intriguing. I would love to see him coached by Pop- and he would have been PERFECT for the Spurs against the Thunder- giving them another scorer and a guy who is not afraid of big moments down the stretch.

This move would probably let Wade extend his career- kinda like Paul Pierce- by relying on guys like Alrdidge and Leonard- but then being the go-to-guy down the stretch and important scorer...

i doubt Wade leaves Miami unless the team falls apart with so many free agents- but if he left I think San Anotnio would be extremely interesting for him.

I've been to San Antonio.
DWade isn't leaving his mansion here to live/ move his family there.


#noway

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

You all HAVE to be trolling if Beasley isn't on these lists.

 

[Mecca]

I agree. Given a choice, I'd rather they go after Barnes than DeRozan.

Totally Agree.

Yes, both will command a max salary.

But, Barnes deal will start @ 20 mil and DeRozan will start @ 25.

We have no idea what Harrison's ceiling is because of the system he plays in.

Is he being held back playing as a 4th option?

Or, are his shortcomings being masked ?

So, there is a bit of risk involved.

But, we do know what DeRozan is.

A high volume, bad shooter.

Easy choice.

I would also take Parsons over him.

If the price was right, Bazemore and Batum too.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Wade to the Spurs would be VERY VERY intriguing. I would love to see him coached by Pop- and he would have been PERFECT for the Spurs against the Thunder- giving them another scorer and a guy who is not afraid of big moments down the stretch.

This move would probably let Wade extend his career- kinda like Paul Pierce- by relying on guys like Alrdidge and Leonard- but then being the go-to-guy down the stretch and important scorer...

i doubt Wade leaves Miami unless the team falls apart with so many free agents- but if he left I think San Anotnio would be extremely interesting for him.

Leonard, Aldridge, and Wade - The NBA's next great Big Three.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

I've been to San Antonio.
DWade isn't leaving his mansion here to live/ move his family there.


#noway

If Bosh retires, if Riley fails to give in to Whiteside's demands, and if Durant spurns Miami and indeed stays with the Thunder -

Then what the hell is the incentive for Wade to stay in Miami if he's going to continue to not be the highest-paid player on the roster?

 

[bksballer89]

Leonard, Aldridge, and Wade - The NBA's next great Big Three.

What is your next thread I can look forward to?

Mock draft?

 

[HurricaneDij39]

What is your next thread I can look forward to?

Mock draft?

I don't know.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

If Bosh retires, if Riley fails to give in to Whiteside's demands, and if Durant spurns Miami and indeed stays with the Thunder -

Then what the hell is the incentive for Wade to stay in Miami if he's going to continue to not be the highest-paid player on the roster?

Notice your like is from Wiggy?

Wade isn't going anywhere.
If you can't understand why, then that's a you problem.