NBA Free Agents: Who’s Left?
With the NBA training camps looming around the corner, there are few precious spots left on each team’s rosters. While some teams are well over the 15 players they’ll need for the season, other teams still have some key decisions to make. So who’s left? There aren’t many key free agents still out there, but these four are the ones who can still bring something to the table.
We’re going to leave Eric Bledsoe and Aron Baynes off the list, considering they’re restricted free agents and wouldn’t be able to freely sign with a team at this point anyways.
Jermaine O’Neal
He’ll be 36 years old before the season officially starts, but the 6-foot-11 center from South Carolina can still produce in short bursts. He’s been battling tons of nagging injuries over the past few seasons with the Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics. Even with that, over the 99 games he’s played in the last two seasons he’s put up solid per-36 minute averages of 15.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.2 blocks. A contender could definitely bring him in as one of the last guys on the bench to play 10-15 minutes per game.
Best Fit: Phoenix Suns — It’s a comfortable fit, he’s been there before and the young bigs could use some help.
Ray Allen
The most prolific 3-point shooter in the league will be in demand until he tells the world that he’s decided to retire. He’s 39 years old at this point but the fact that he’s been relatively healthy over the past two seasons means teams won’t have to worry as much about his durability. Despite a poor (for him) 2013-14 when he shot 37.5 percent from the 3-point line, he’s still one of the most clutch shooters in the league and is a guy who would find a spot on all 30 teams, if they wanted him.
Best Fit: Cleveland Cavaliers — He only played with LeBron for two seasons, but it just seems like the right fit.
Michael Beasley
If you didn’t chuckle a bit when you heard that Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs were taking a look at Beasley, you must not know much about either party. It’s hard to believe the former No. 2 pick is only 25 years old and is struggling to catch on somewhere, especially when you consider that he’s still a talented offensive player. He didn’t play much for the Heat in 2013-14, but his per-36 minute numbers were almost a carbon copy of his career numbers. Of course if you’re uninterested in playing defense, you’re not going to play for Pop (or many other teams, for that matter).
Best Fit: San Antonio Spurs — If anyone can turn Beasley around, it’s Pop. Then again, he’d probably get released two weeks into the season.
Kenyon Martin
Martin hasn’t played a full season since….since….well, ever. Over the last two seasons for the New York Knicks, he’s played in just 50 games. At this point in his career, he’s an energy guy who can give you 15-20 quality minutes off the bench at the power forward spot. There are a ton of teams who need frontcourt depth, but Martin’s outspoken nature has probably stood in the way of his catching on with a team. His per-36 minute numbers of 7.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks indicate he should get another chance somewhere.
Best Fit: Los Angeles Lakers — A team with a lot of exposure means Martin won’t draw much of the spotlight. They could use all the talent they can get.