Best value deals in free agency
A look at the best bargains in the 2014 free-agent class
Updated: July 3, 2014, 4:21 PM ET
By Amin Elhassan | ESPN Insider
Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE/Getty ImagesAminu has carved out a niche for himself as an athletic, defensive combo forward.
It's official: The NBA has lost its mind.
Every year, teams carefully tend to their books, slashing salary, attaching picks in deals to rid themselves of unfavorable contracts, pursuing deals where they shave their payroll sometimes by mere hundreds of thousands of dollars to drop under the tax threshold, and conduct cap machinations to line their ducks up in a row to be in a position of optimal cap flexibility. They evaluate talent year-round, identifying possible future fits expected to hit free agency, watch countless hours of film and meticulously come up with comparable contract negotiations from years past to craft the perfect proposal. They are aware of alternatives available via trade or free agency, they draft replacements, they have five-year plans of progression.
Then July 1 happens, and all hell breaks loose.
This year, the madness began with a three year, $19 million offer by the Detroit Pistons to Jodie Meeks, which was followed in short order by an offer by the Boston Celtics to Avery Bradley worth $32 million over four years, and then a five year, $60 million agreement between the Washington Wizards and Marcin Gortat. Did these teams really have these players valued this highly? Or were they compelled by new information, by agent pressures, or simply by the desire for certainty?
Fear not, frugal spenders: There are still some value deals left on the market. Here's a look at some of the talents who can be had for less-than-exorbitant prices:
Al-Farouq Aminu | SF | UFA
2013-14 Team: New Orleans Pelicans
2013-14 Salary: $3.7 million
Suggested AAV: $2.0 million/year, 3 years,
nonguarantee on third year
Aminu had an under-the-radar season playing in New Orleans, but he showed marked signs of improvement this year, playing on a one-year deal after he originally had the fourth-year option of his rookie scale contract declined. While he hasn't fulfilled the promise that so many had for him out of Wake Forest as a versatile wing, he has carved out something of a niche as an athletic, defensive combo forward. His length and quickness allow him to act as a disruption in pick and roll coverage, and his size helps him in defending some of the bigger face-up players in the league. Best of all, he's a high-level defensive rebounder, which can give a team some lineup flexibility. His perimeter shot is abysmal, but that's part of why he comes for cheap.
Gustavo Ayon | C | UFA
2013-14 Team: Atlanta Hawks
2013-14 Salary: $1.5 million
Suggested AAV: $1.5 million/year, 3 years,
nonguarantee on second and third year
Atlanta withdrew Ayon's qualifying offer to free up his cap hold, making him an unrestricted free agent. He's not a world-beater, but he's a solid, serviceable rotation center who was productive when given a chance. A good finisher out of pick and roll, with good footwork and mobility and a nice pair of hands. He also is adept at moving off-ball and cutting to the front of the rim, creating passing lanes for his guards. He's not too shabby as a passer either (particularly from the high post), posting AST percentage of greater than 15 percent each year. Finally, he's solid team defender with off-ball awareness and good footwork. Only a decent rebounder at best, you can't really throw it to him on the block, and he won't ever be confused for Dikembe Mutombo, but for close to vet minimum, he can definitely contribute on a 15- to 20-minute-per-night level.
Leandro Barbosa | SG | UFA
2013-14 Team: Phoenix Suns
2013-14 Salary: Veteran minimum
Suggested AAV: $2.8 million/year, 3 years,
partial guarantee on third year
Barbosa was a midseason pickup for the Suns meant to alleviate the burden off Goran Dragic after a knee injury took down Eric Bledsoe. Unfortunately, shortly into his tenure, Barbosa also got hurt; the good news is they were all knick-knack injuries, and none of them connected to his ACL-repaired knee, which sidelined him for much of the 2012-13 season. He still showed signs of explosiveness and the ability to get to the front of the rim, and although his jumper was rusty, he's traditionally been an efficient shooter from both 3 and midrange. He'll never be confused for a pure point guard, but he can give you some minutes as a combo guard, particularly in a system offense, and make the obvious passing plays created by his penetration. Barbosa gives you a spark-plug offensive option off the bench, a spacer when he's off-ball and a good locker room presence as an easygoing vet.
Emeka Okafor | C | UFA
2013-14 Team: Phoenix Suns
2013-14 Salary: $14.5 million
Suggested AAV: Veteran minimum, 2 years,
player option on second year
Okafor was a mere cap technicality for the Suns, an expiring deal to make the Gortat trade work. The Wizards got a healthy starting center, the Suns got a first-rounder, and Okafor disappeared from the national consciousness, left to rehab a back injury on his own. He's a bona fide defensive anchor, with high IQ and great communication from the back line. An excellent rebounder on either end of the floor, he does a tremendous job of tapping loose balls to teammates to keep possessions alive. His offensive game mostly consists of putbacks, although he is somewhat efficient, if unwieldy, in limited post opportunities. His inclusion on this list obviously comes with a massive red flag and depends on a thorough medical checkout, but if he's healthy, Okafor is the exact kind of bargain signing that can help a team that is long on championship dreams and short on money.
Brandon Rush | SG | UFA
2013-14 Team: Utah Jazz
2013-14 Salary: $4.0 million
Suggested AAV: $2.2 million/year, 2 years,
player option on second year
One of the first of the current wave of 3 & D players in the league, Rush was originally meant to be the tough defensive 3-point shooting wing who would be watching Steph Curry's back in Golden State. Unfortunately, a torn ACL derailed that dream, and a cap-clearing trade to a rebuilding Utah team with little use for a vet ended up in Rush languishing in anonymity. He's only two seasons removed from shooting 45 percent from 3-point range, and despite shooting 34 percent last year in sporadic minutes, he should be able to bounce back and be an effective spacer. Rush's basketball IQ, length and anticipation make him an able defender, and while he might not be the stopper he was in Golden State and Indiana, he has enough to get him by and keep him effective on that end of the court.
Jason Smith | C | UFA
2013-14 Team: New Orleans Pelicans
2013-14 Salary: $2.5 million
Suggested AAV: $2.8 million/year, 3 years,
partial guarantee on third year
[+] Enlarge
Barry Gossage/Getty ImagesJason Smith has yet to reach his maximum potential -- something a team could capitalize on and develop.
Smith is an example of how an evolving game changes how we define players. Ten years ago, Smith would be recognized as an excellent jump-shooting big. Because of the evolution of the stretch big and the added importance to the 3-pointer, Smith probably doesn't make most top 25 lists of jump-shooting bigs. He's only taken just 13 3-point attempts in the last three seasons (connecting on only one), but he's shot 241-of-504 (48 percent) on long 2-point attempts (16 feet or greater), a phenomenal percentage. With a little player development, there's no reason to believe he can't extend his range to at least corner 3-point range, which greatly improves the kind of space he can create on the floor. For that reason alone, he's worth the investment at bargain-basement pricing in the hopes he can turn into something more valuable, as we've seen recently that shooting is going at a premium.
Ekpe Udoh | PF/C | UFA
2013-14 Team: Milwaukee Bucks
2013-14 Salary: $4.5 million
Suggested AAV: Veteran minimum, two years
I remember a time when Udoh was the darling of Golden State, almost untouchable in trade demands, seen as a centerpiece to the Warriors' future. A Monta Ellis-Andrew Bogut trade later, and he was the forgotten man in Milwaukee, an experience that ended earlier this week when the Bucks rescinded his qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. Udoh is the type of player that statistics such as our RPM were created for: guys who make an impact on the score without necessarily making an impact on the box score. A terrific shot-blocker (almost four blocks per 36 minutes for his career), he's a rim protector with high basketball IQ on the defensive end, covering for teammates and recovering back to his man. I've always felt he's been underused on the offensive end on the professional level. When scouting him at Baylor, I liked his ability to catch at the elbow, face up and make plays off the dribble, and I thought he was an underappreciated passer. He's an atrocious defensive rebounder, but his teams have traditionally fared better when he's on the floor than when he's off it. Udoh can be an absolute steal as a defensive specialist for vet minimum, with perhaps some upside on the offensive end.
A look at the best bargains in the 2014 free-agent class
Updated: July 3, 2014, 4:21 PM ET
By Amin Elhassan | ESPN Insider
It's official: The NBA has lost its mind.
Every year, teams carefully tend to their books, slashing salary, attaching picks in deals to rid themselves of unfavorable contracts, pursuing deals where they shave their payroll sometimes by mere hundreds of thousands of dollars to drop under the tax threshold, and conduct cap machinations to line their ducks up in a row to be in a position of optimal cap flexibility. They evaluate talent year-round, identifying possible future fits expected to hit free agency, watch countless hours of film and meticulously come up with comparable contract negotiations from years past to craft the perfect proposal. They are aware of alternatives available via trade or free agency, they draft replacements, they have five-year plans of progression.
Then July 1 happens, and all hell breaks loose.
This year, the madness began with a three year, $19 million offer by the Detroit Pistons to Jodie Meeks, which was followed in short order by an offer by the Boston Celtics to Avery Bradley worth $32 million over four years, and then a five year, $60 million agreement between the Washington Wizards and Marcin Gortat. Did these teams really have these players valued this highly? Or were they compelled by new information, by agent pressures, or simply by the desire for certainty?
Fear not, frugal spenders: There are still some value deals left on the market. Here's a look at some of the talents who can be had for less-than-exorbitant prices:
Al-Farouq Aminu | SF | UFA
2013-14 Team: New Orleans Pelicans
2013-14 Salary: $3.7 million
Suggested AAV: $2.0 million/year, 3 years,
nonguarantee on third year
Aminu had an under-the-radar season playing in New Orleans, but he showed marked signs of improvement this year, playing on a one-year deal after he originally had the fourth-year option of his rookie scale contract declined. While he hasn't fulfilled the promise that so many had for him out of Wake Forest as a versatile wing, he has carved out something of a niche as an athletic, defensive combo forward. His length and quickness allow him to act as a disruption in pick and roll coverage, and his size helps him in defending some of the bigger face-up players in the league. Best of all, he's a high-level defensive rebounder, which can give a team some lineup flexibility. His perimeter shot is abysmal, but that's part of why he comes for cheap.
Gustavo Ayon | C | UFA
2013-14 Team: Atlanta Hawks
2013-14 Salary: $1.5 million
Suggested AAV: $1.5 million/year, 3 years,
nonguarantee on second and third year
Atlanta withdrew Ayon's qualifying offer to free up his cap hold, making him an unrestricted free agent. He's not a world-beater, but he's a solid, serviceable rotation center who was productive when given a chance. A good finisher out of pick and roll, with good footwork and mobility and a nice pair of hands. He also is adept at moving off-ball and cutting to the front of the rim, creating passing lanes for his guards. He's not too shabby as a passer either (particularly from the high post), posting AST percentage of greater than 15 percent each year. Finally, he's solid team defender with off-ball awareness and good footwork. Only a decent rebounder at best, you can't really throw it to him on the block, and he won't ever be confused for Dikembe Mutombo, but for close to vet minimum, he can definitely contribute on a 15- to 20-minute-per-night level.
Leandro Barbosa | SG | UFA
2013-14 Team: Phoenix Suns
2013-14 Salary: Veteran minimum
Suggested AAV: $2.8 million/year, 3 years,
partial guarantee on third year
Barbosa was a midseason pickup for the Suns meant to alleviate the burden off Goran Dragic after a knee injury took down Eric Bledsoe. Unfortunately, shortly into his tenure, Barbosa also got hurt; the good news is they were all knick-knack injuries, and none of them connected to his ACL-repaired knee, which sidelined him for much of the 2012-13 season. He still showed signs of explosiveness and the ability to get to the front of the rim, and although his jumper was rusty, he's traditionally been an efficient shooter from both 3 and midrange. He'll never be confused for a pure point guard, but he can give you some minutes as a combo guard, particularly in a system offense, and make the obvious passing plays created by his penetration. Barbosa gives you a spark-plug offensive option off the bench, a spacer when he's off-ball and a good locker room presence as an easygoing vet.
Emeka Okafor | C | UFA
2013-14 Team: Phoenix Suns
2013-14 Salary: $14.5 million
Suggested AAV: Veteran minimum, 2 years,
player option on second year
Okafor was a mere cap technicality for the Suns, an expiring deal to make the Gortat trade work. The Wizards got a healthy starting center, the Suns got a first-rounder, and Okafor disappeared from the national consciousness, left to rehab a back injury on his own. He's a bona fide defensive anchor, with high IQ and great communication from the back line. An excellent rebounder on either end of the floor, he does a tremendous job of tapping loose balls to teammates to keep possessions alive. His offensive game mostly consists of putbacks, although he is somewhat efficient, if unwieldy, in limited post opportunities. His inclusion on this list obviously comes with a massive red flag and depends on a thorough medical checkout, but if he's healthy, Okafor is the exact kind of bargain signing that can help a team that is long on championship dreams and short on money.
Brandon Rush | SG | UFA
2013-14 Team: Utah Jazz
2013-14 Salary: $4.0 million
Suggested AAV: $2.2 million/year, 2 years,
player option on second year
One of the first of the current wave of 3 & D players in the league, Rush was originally meant to be the tough defensive 3-point shooting wing who would be watching Steph Curry's back in Golden State. Unfortunately, a torn ACL derailed that dream, and a cap-clearing trade to a rebuilding Utah team with little use for a vet ended up in Rush languishing in anonymity. He's only two seasons removed from shooting 45 percent from 3-point range, and despite shooting 34 percent last year in sporadic minutes, he should be able to bounce back and be an effective spacer. Rush's basketball IQ, length and anticipation make him an able defender, and while he might not be the stopper he was in Golden State and Indiana, he has enough to get him by and keep him effective on that end of the court.
Jason Smith | C | UFA
2013-14 Team: New Orleans Pelicans
2013-14 Salary: $2.5 million
Suggested AAV: $2.8 million/year, 3 years,
partial guarantee on third year
[+] Enlarge
Barry Gossage/Getty ImagesJason Smith has yet to reach his maximum potential -- something a team could capitalize on and develop.
Smith is an example of how an evolving game changes how we define players. Ten years ago, Smith would be recognized as an excellent jump-shooting big. Because of the evolution of the stretch big and the added importance to the 3-pointer, Smith probably doesn't make most top 25 lists of jump-shooting bigs. He's only taken just 13 3-point attempts in the last three seasons (connecting on only one), but he's shot 241-of-504 (48 percent) on long 2-point attempts (16 feet or greater), a phenomenal percentage. With a little player development, there's no reason to believe he can't extend his range to at least corner 3-point range, which greatly improves the kind of space he can create on the floor. For that reason alone, he's worth the investment at bargain-basement pricing in the hopes he can turn into something more valuable, as we've seen recently that shooting is going at a premium.
Ekpe Udoh | PF/C | UFA
2013-14 Team: Milwaukee Bucks
2013-14 Salary: $4.5 million
Suggested AAV: Veteran minimum, two years
I remember a time when Udoh was the darling of Golden State, almost untouchable in trade demands, seen as a centerpiece to the Warriors' future. A Monta Ellis-Andrew Bogut trade later, and he was the forgotten man in Milwaukee, an experience that ended earlier this week when the Bucks rescinded his qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. Udoh is the type of player that statistics such as our RPM were created for: guys who make an impact on the score without necessarily making an impact on the box score. A terrific shot-blocker (almost four blocks per 36 minutes for his career), he's a rim protector with high basketball IQ on the defensive end, covering for teammates and recovering back to his man. I've always felt he's been underused on the offensive end on the professional level. When scouting him at Baylor, I liked his ability to catch at the elbow, face up and make plays off the dribble, and I thought he was an underappreciated passer. He's an atrocious defensive rebounder, but his teams have traditionally fared better when he's on the floor than when he's off it. Udoh can be an absolute steal as a defensive specialist for vet minimum, with perhaps some upside on the offensive end.
for me in 2K on GS before they traded him.
