10 Available UFAs Who Played Major Minutes In 2016/17
The majority of the players still available on the unrestricted free agent market are unsigned for a reason. Many of those free agents are coming off down years or didn’t play all that much during the 2016/17 season — they had a negligible or negative impact on their respective teams last year, and aren’t expected to be major difference-makers next year either.
Still, several players still on the market were regular rotation players for their teams last season, and many provided steady and reliable production during those regular minutes. Some of those free agents are coming off lucrative contracts and may have entered July with aspirations of landing a mid-level type deal. At this point in the NBA offseason calendar though, most are unlikely to secure more than minimum salary contracts, which could make them intriguing bargains for teams still looking to fortify their rosters.
Here are the 10 remaining unrestricted free agents who saw the most action during the 2016/17 season, along with their total minutes played and minutes per game:
- Monta Ellis, Pacers: 1,998 (27.0)
- Tony Allen, Grizzlies: 1,914 (27.0)
- Matt Barnes, Kings/Warriors: 1,777 (24.0)
- Deron Williams, Mavericks/Cavaliers: 1,657 (25.9)
- Dante Cunningham, Pelicans: 1,649 (25.0)
- Shabazz Muhammad, Timberwolves: 1,516 (19.4)
- David Lee, Spurs: 1,477 (18.7)
- Jason Terry, Bucks: 1,365 (18.4)
- Randy Foye, Nets: 1,284 (18.6)
- Boris Diaw, Jazz: 1,283 (17.6)
Several players on that list are on the decline — Williams was a weak link in the Cavs’ rotation in the postseason, and guys like Barnes, Lee, Terry, and Diaw probably don’t have much left in the tank. Still, they all have NBA Finals experience, and could still be useful bench pieces for teams that aren’t expecting them to play 25 or 30 minutes per night.
Ellis and Muhammad, meanwhile, have holes in their games that will make teams hesitant to invest too heavily in them, but their scoring ability certainly makes them worth a roll of the dice on a minimum deal. The same can probably be said of Foye, who has struggled with his outside shot in the last couple seasons, but is still a 36.6% career three-point shooter.
Allen and Cunningham are perhaps the most intriguing names here. Allen earned a spot on the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team last season and is still viewed around the league as one of the game’s most tenacious perimeter defenders. That’s a valuable skill set for a contender. As for Cunningham, the 30-year-old has been a steady frontcourt piece for the Pelicans and Timberwolves over the last several seasons, and added a new wrinkle to his game in 2016/17, averaging 1.1 3PG with a .392 3PT%. If he continues to show that ability to stretch the floor, he’d be a fit for most clubs.
In addition to the players noted above, Gerald Henderson (23.2 MPG), Brandon Rush (21.9), and Andrew Bogut (21.6) are among the current unrestricted free agents who earned consistent minutes last season, but missed chunks of the year due to injury. Henderson remains injured and may miss the entire 2017/18 campaign, but Rush and Bogut should be players of interest for clubs still scouring the market.
Knicks Ink Xavier Rathan-Mayes To One-Year Deal
The Knicks have signed Xavier Rathan-Mayes to a one-year deal, Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter link). Scotto adds that the pact will be partially guaranteed.
Rathan-Mayes entered the 2017 draft out of Florida State University but was not selected. In three seasons at the school, he averaged 12.4 points per game while making 52.1% of his shots from the field.
After signing the combo guard, the Knicks have 15 players under contract. New York appears to be embarking on a genuine rebuild for the first time in over a decade, so it could mean the team will opt to keep young talent over borderline-rotation level veterans. If the Knicks go that route, Rathan-Mayes, who turned 23 in April, may have a decent chance to make the team.
Adreian Payne, Magic Close To Deal
The Magic and Adreian Payne are close to an agreement that will bring the big man to Orlando, international journalist David Pick reports (Twitter links). Pick adds that the 26-year-old recently turned down an offer from Guangdong in the Chinese Basketball Association worth $900K.
Payne’s deal with the Magic will be a two-way deal, according to Darren Wolfson of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Payne was drafted by the Hawks with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2014 draft. Atlanta sent him to Minnesota during the 2014/15 season for a future first round pick. In two-plus seasons with the Wolves, Payne has seen just 13.5 minutes per game. He averaged 4.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per contest while shooting 40.0% from the field.
Kevin Durant Weighs In On Cavaliers’ Situation
It may seem like the Cavaliers have a unique problem on their hands with Kyrie Irving requesting a trade. However, Kevin Durant tells Chris Haynes of ESPN.com that trade requests routinely occur behind the scenes without the media learning of them.
“It’s just a regular NBA problem, right? A lot of teams have gone through this before,” Durant said. “They’ll figure it out. That’s a great organization, a championship organization. They’ll figure it out.”
Having a deal in place by the time training camp begins would avoid a potential distraction. However, if Irving isn’t moved by then, Durant believes Irving and LeBron James would eventually work out their differences.
“It’s not the end of the world,” Durant said. “Both of those guys won a championship together. They love each other. If Kyrie wants to do something else, that’s on him. I’m sure whatever happens, it’ll work out for the best for both of them. But it’s just a normal NBA problem. It’s just two big stars that it’s happening to.”
Earlier in the week, Durant played pickup basketball with James and Carmelo Anthony among others. The 2013/14 MVP downplayed the event.
“If somebody wants to hoop, we just hoop. We just went out there and played, bro. Nothing too serious,” Durant said.
Southwest Notes: Harden, Anthony, Irving
GM Daryl Morey recently praised James Harden for his role as a recruiter, telling ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on his podcast (h/t Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders) that Harden “understands the plan,” adding that “he wants to execute for the team he’s leading.”
Hamilton notes that Harden had a hand in recruiting Chris Paul to the Rockets and his involvement in bringing Carmelo Anthony to Houston will be crucial. The Rockets don’t have an array of young, promising talent to offer the Knicks, so the probable way to get Anthony in Houston is for the 10-time All-Star to force his way onto the team, something that appears is already happening. That likely doesn’t occur without Harden and Anthony being on the same page.
Here’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Landing Anthony is not a sure thing for the Rockets and Hamilton examines what other talent the team could pursue should they find themselves unable to swing a deal with New York. DeMarcus Cousins, who will be a free agent after the season, could be an option. Hamilton also names Kenneth Faried and Jahlil Okafor as frontcourt players who could be targets.
- Hall of Famer David Robinson believes the Spurs would be “crazy not to want” Kyrie Irving on the team, as he said on SiriusXM NBA Radio (h/t Inquirer.net). “I certainly think you add a talent like that to a system that can … enhance his impact in the game and make him more efficient,” Robinson said of the point guard. San Antonio is on Irving’s short list of destinations where he would like to be traded.
Eastern Notes: Wade, Bradley, LeVert, Pierce
A Dwyane Wade reunion with the Heat would create rotation and chemistry issues, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel explains in his latest mailbag. A buyout agreement between Wade and the rebuilding Bulls is possible, though not close to happening. It’s widely assumed Wade would seriously consider returning to Miami but the Heat already have plenty of options at the guard spots, Winderman notes. Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters, who was re-signed this summer, are the starters and Tyler Johnson is being paid lavishly to be the main backup. Josh Richardson, Rodney McGruder and Wayne Ellington are also viable rotation options and if Wade were to close out games, coach Erik Spoelstra would have a tough dilemma deciding which player loses those minutes, Winderman continues. In fact, the Heat brass and coaching staff may privately be wishing they’re not faced with the prospect of Wade getting bought out and looking to re-join them, Winderman adds.
In other items involving Eastern Conference teams:
- Avery Bradley may be a newcomer to the Pistons’ locker room but coach Stan Van Gundy expects the shooting guard to be quickly embraced as a leader, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com reports. Bradley was traded by the Celtics in their efforts to clear cap space and sign free agent forward Gordon Hayward. Van Gundy wants Bradley’s toughness and defensive approach to rub off on his other players, Langlois adds. “What Avery’s really embracing is a chance to play a bigger role as a player and as a leader,” Van Gundy told Langlois. “That’s something that excites him.”
- Nets guard Caris LeVert believes the club can make the playoffs with better health and this summer’s roster changes. “I feel like it’s really realistic,” Levert told Fred Kerber of the New York Post. “Last year, we were like top seven in the East when we had all our players healthy. Just building off that momentum with the pieces we’ve added — obviously we lost a great player in Brook [Lopez] — but I feel with the pieces we’ve added we’ll be in that conversation.”
- Paul Pierce will have his No. 34 retired by the Celtics, team co-owner Steve Pagliuca informed Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. “It’s going to be fantastic,” Pagliuca said. “For our era, the most recent era, he embodied the Celtics’ leadership, the Celtics’ brand and was the MVP of the championship team.” Pierce’s 34 will be the 22nd number to hang in the rafters at TD Garden.
Jordan Mickey, Heat Close To Agreement
The Heat and forward Jordan Mickey are close to an agreement on a two-year contract, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets. Mickey would receive the guaranteed minimum of $1.5MM for the upcoming season and the team would hold an option on the second year, Charania adds. Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel confirms that the club is planning to sign Mickey (Twitter link) and that the contract is not a two-way deal.
Mickey was drafted 33rd overall in 2015 by the Celtics. He appeared in 16 games with them as a rookie and saw the court in 25 games, including one start, last season. The 6’8” power forward averaged 1.5 PPG and 1.4 RPG in 5.6 MPG in 2016/17.
The Heat, who are over the cap, have 12 players on guaranteed deals, two with partial guarantees, plus another on a non-guaranteed contract. He projects as the No. 3 power forward behind another former Celtic, Kelly Olynyk, and James Johnson.
The Celtics waived Mickey in mid-July in order to clear cap space and sign Gordon Hayward to a maximum salary contract. Mickey had an non-guaranteed contract with Boston for the upcoming season. He went unclaimed and became an unrestricted free agent but had little success finding a team until the Heat came calling.
When Mickey wasn’t playing in Boston the last two seasons, he was suiting up for the G-League’s Maine Red Claws. He averaged 18.6 PPG, 9.7 RPG, and 3.8 BPG in 35 G League contests.
Extension Candidate: Joel Embiid
During the weeks leading up to TNT awards show in late June, one of the biggest mysteries was whether Sixers big man Joel Embiid would be named Rookie of the Year despite playing in just 31 games. Embiid clearly posted the biggest numbers and displayed more talent than any other first-year player in his limited body of work.
Ultimately, voters decided Embiid didn’t play in enough games and handed the prize to Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon.
The Sixers have an even bigger decision to make — does 31 games in three seasons equate to a max contract extension or something close to it?
That’s the biggest dilemma currently hovering over the team’s management, as it must determine what approach to take with the oft-injured Embiid. Virtually from the instant he finally took the court, Embiid essentially removed all debate over which of the three power forward/centers the Sixers invested high draft picks on in recent seasons — Embiid, Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor — was the best of the trio.
Embiid averaged 20.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 2.5 BPG in those outings, even though the Sixers were being cautious about his minutes. In ESPN’s Player Efficiency Rating, Embiid finished fifth among all centers. Embiid, whose career was stalled two full seasons by right foot ailments, still suffered another significant injury.
He was shut down at the beginning of March with torn meniscus and a bone bruise in his left knee. He underwent arthroscopic surgery later that month and has reached the point in his recovery where he’s doing non-contract drills. He’s expected to be ready for training camp and GM Bryan Colangelo has said that he anticipates Embiid will be able to play back-to-backs this season.
With all the time Embiid has spent in the trainer’s room, it would be reasonable to assume that Sixers management would be reluctant to make a long-term commitment to him. Think again. Josh Harris, the team’s managing owner, told reporters in late June he’s focused on locking up Embiid before the October 31 extension deadline.
“Look, I’d just say we want Joel to be on the team for a long time,” Harris said at the time. “We want us all to grow old together. That’s the way I would put it.”
How much would Harris and the rest of the ownership group have to fork over to max out Embiid? The current projection for a five-year max would be $147.9MM, while a four-year commitment would entail $114.24MM in resources.
If the Sixers could have any reasonable expectation that Embiid will stay in one piece for a majority of the next five or six seasons, the investment would pay off handsomely. With a core trio of point guard and top overall pick Markelle Fultz, point forward and 2016 top pick Ben Simmons and Embiid, Philadelphia projects to be one of the Eastern Conference’s elite teams during that stretch.
It’s hard to think that way with the injury issues that Embiid has endured since the tail end of his brief collegiate career at Kansas. Embiid missed the NCAA Tournament as a freshman with a back injury, then underwent his first foot surgery a week before Philadelphia selected him with the No. 3 overall pick in 2014.
It’s been a long and ongoing process to get Embiid, who will make $6.1MM in the upcoming season, on the court since that point. If the Sixers decide to play it a little more cautiously, they could forego an extension to see how his health holds up and then extend a qualifying offer of $8MM next summer to make him a restricted free agent. Taking that approach would also allow the Sixers to see how Embiid’s talents blend with Fultz and Simmons.
The Sixers would then have the option of matching any offer sheet but would also risk the possibility of Embiid gambling on his future and signing the qualifying offer. That would allow him to be unrestricted the following summer.
A more likely scenario is that the Sixers offer Embiid a max extension, or something very close to it, but insist on contractual protections in case his major injury problems persist. The easiest way to do that would be to purchase disability insurance on Embiid but as ESPN’s Bobby Marks pointed out this spring, the Sixers probably won’t have that option due to his injury history.
Instead, as Marks suggested, Philadelphia could follow the approach the Nets took when they re-signed another injury-riddled center, Brook Lopez. Under the multi-year terms of that deal, Brooklyn’s contractual obligations would have been cut in half during the second year and down to 25% in the third year if Lopez had re-injured his right foot and wound up playing fewer than 60 games and averaging less than 15 minutes. The Sixers and Embiid’s representatives could hash out similar minimums in terms of games and minutes played.
If the Sixers take that route, negotiations on an extension could get very sticky and go down to the wire. Should Embiid agree to such a deal, he’d once again be gambling on his health while allowing the club to hedge its bets. Philadelphia also has to be careful not to risk alienating a player who could be a perennial All-Star for years to come.
That’s what makes Embiid’s potential contract extension one of the league’s most intriguing storylines right through training camp. He is the ultimate high-risk, high-reward Extension Candidate.
Atlantic Notes: Russell, Henderson, Covington, Yabusele
D’Angelo Russell‘s first reaction upon being traded from the Lakers to the Nets was excitement over the new opportunity, relays Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily. Russell touched on a wide variety of topics during an interview today on WFAN with Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts. He believes the Nets have an “underrated group of guys” with a mixture of young players and veterans who are ready to exceed expectations.
Russell also brushed aside comments from Lakers executive Magic Johnson about needing a leader and said he’s not upset about being traded. “It’s business, man. That’s how I got to look at it,” Russell said. “A lot of things happen in this league and you don’t agree with it or however you may feel about it and at the end of the day realize it’s business.”
There’s more news from the Atlantic Division:
- The Nets will probably add one more veteran before camp, but not on a guaranteed deal, according to a tweet from NetsDaily. Brooklyn still has a little bit of cap space remaining.
- Former Sixers guard Gerald Henderson underwent surgery today to repair his left hip, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. His agent, Jim Tanner, confirmed the surgery and said Henderson will start rehab next week in hopes of returning to the NBA, although there is concern he could be sidelined for the entire season. Philadelphia waived Henderson at the end of June before his $9MM salary for next year became guaranteed.
- Sixers forward Robert Covington is an “X factor” on a roster filled with young talent, writes Dennis Chambers of Basketball Insiders. The 26-year-old has been a fixture in Philadelphia’s starting lineup over the past three seasons and provides a blend of 3-point shooting and defense, finishing third in the league last year in Defensive Real Plus-Minus. Covington is entering the final year of his contract at $1.577MM and Chambers speculates that the team wants to get an extension done soon.
- Draft-and-stash Celtics big man Guerschon Yabusele is reporting progress after having bone spurs removed from both ankles in May, relays Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Yabusele is looking forward to joining the Celtics this upcoming season after spending last year in China and the G League. He believes he’s close to being medically cleared for a full-speed, on-court workout. “I’ve been running a little bit and doing some bike stuff and just keeping my ankle moving,” Yabusele said. “But I’m ready to go.”
Community Shootaround: MVP Favorite
Russell Westbrook is the favorite to repeat as MVP, according to odds released by Bovada, an online gambling site.
Westbrook is listed as +350, which means a bettor who wagers $100 would get back $350 if Westbrook wins the award. Kevin Durant is close behind at +450, followed by Kawhi Leonard at +650. LeBron James at +750 and James Harden at +800 round out the top five.
Westbrook cruised to the trophy last season with a record-setting 42 triple-doubles. His production may fall this year with the addition of Paul George in Oklahoma City, but he could help his case if the Thunder improve on their 47-35 record.
Bovada lays odds on 39 candidates, ranging down to Dirk Nowitzki, Andre Drummond, Dwight Howard, Hassan Whiteside and Jeff Teague, who are all listed at +25,000. Among players who changed teams over the offseason, George and new Rockets point guard Chris Paul are tied for the best odds at +2,500.
Given the changes that have taken place across the league, who is you favorite to take home MVP honors for 2017/18? Please leave your comments below.