Five Western FAs Who Have Boosted Their Value In 2018/19

When we recently identified a handful of Eastern Conference free-agents-to-be who have significantly increased their stock this season, that list was headlined by players like D’Angelo Russell, Nikola Vucevic, and Bojan Bogdanovic, all of whom should be in line for big-money deals this summer. It’s a little trickier to identify similar players in the West.

That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of big-name free agents in the Western Conference. However, guys like Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson entered the year expecting to be in line for lucrative long-term deals and nothing they’ve done has changed that outlook one way or the other.

Still, there are a number of lower-tier FAs-to-be in the West whose strong years have boosted their earning potential for the 2019 offseason. Today, we’ll shine a spotlight on a few of those guys, identifying five players in contract years who have improved their stock with their play this season.

Let’s dive in…

1. Kelly Oubre, F, Suns (RFA): With Otto Porter ahead of him on the depth chart in Washington, Oubre never really had a chance to thrive with the Wizards in the same way he did after being traded to the Suns. In 40 games with his new team, Oubre played a career-high 29.5 minutes per contest, averaging career bests in PPG (16.9), RPG (4.9), APG (1.6), SPG (1.4), and FG% (.453) as well. Despite a crowded depth chart at small forward in Phoenix, Oubre looks like a core long-term piece, and should receive a long-term contract this offseason.
2. Patrick Beverley, G, Clippers: After he missed nearly all of the 2017/18 season due to microfracture and meniscus surgery on his knee, it wasn’t clear whether Beverley would be the same player upon his return. His play for the Clippers this season has put those concerns to rest. In addition to filling the stat sheet with 7.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.8 APG, and a .393 3PT%, the veteran point guard has continued to make life miserable for opposing perimeter players with his aggressive defense. The 30-year-old may not be in line for a massive payday, but he has proven he can still be an important contributor.
3. Ivica Zubac, C, Clippers (RFA): Beverley’s teammate for the last two months, Zubac joined the Clippers in the most baffling deadline deal of 2019. The young center had been enjoying a breakout year for the Lakers, who gave him up for Mike Muscala. Zubac has been ever better for the Clippers than he was for the Lakers, averaging 8.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 0.9 BPG in 19.7 MPG since his arrival. His impact on defense has been particularly noticeable — the Clips’ 103.9 defensive rating with Zubac on the court would rank first in the NBA, and is 6.2 points better than their rating when he sits.
4. Seth Curry, G, Trail Blazers: Like Beverley, Curry missed the 2017/18 season due to an injury, raising questions about what sort of player we’d see when he returned. The Trail Blazers, who signed Curry to a one-year, $2.8MM contract last July, have to be thrilled with their investment, as the 28-year-old’s .448 3PT% ranks third in the NBA, just ahead of his brother’s mark. Players who can knock down outside shots at that rate tend to do pretty well on the open market these days.
5. Danuel House, F, Rockets (RFA): With apologies to Derrick Rose, whose impressive comeback season was marred to some extent by ongoing health concerns, House claims the last spot on my shortlist due to his unexpected impact on the Rockets. Houston’s season got off to a rough start, and the absence of reliable three-and-D players like Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute was a factor. House helped right the ship with his solid play on both ends of the court, as he shot 42.0% from downtown and forced the Rockets’ hand in a contract dispute — the team had to convert House’s two-way contract into a one-year NBA deal, putting him in line for restricted free agency in July. He’ll certainly draw more interest this time around than he did a year ago.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.