5. Courtney Lee, New York Knicks
Unlike the other four players on this list, Courtney Lee is not an expiring contract. A team interested in his services would need to be able to absorb his $12.3 million salary for this year, and also be okay with the $12.8 million on his deal for next season.
However, Lee does offer the prized 3-and-D skill-set that playoff teams crave. Though he’s 33 years old, his low numbers are due to the New York Knicks‘ youth movement, not indicative of what he can offer to a more competitive team at this point.
The Knicks have made Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee available in advance of the Feb. 7 trade deadline in addition to Enes Kanter, league sources say. Full story forthcoming via @NYTSports
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 24, 2019
Averaging 5.8 points in 14.9 minutes per game this season, Lee has only suited up for 10 games. That makes it hard to take his 33.3 percent shooting from deep on 1.3 attempts per game too seriously, especially since he’s a career 38.9 percent marksman from downtown.
He’s not really known for being a spot-up sniper or anything like that, with only 2.9 long range attempts per game for his career. Still, Lee is a reliable floor-spacer who also offers defense and veteran experience for any playoff-caliber team that isn’t bothered by his 2019-20 salary.