LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Pau Gasol—these are three NBA dynamos who do not merit the title of underrated free agent in 2014.
James has his pick of the hardwood litter, Melo is on his way to an easy max contract and Gasol will finally command his own offseason destiny after years of in-season trade speculation.
But what about the ones cruising under the proverbial radar? Which available players deserve more attention than what they’re currently receiving?
A cursory glance at all 30 teams reveals that nearly every one has a legitimate undervalued player without a contract. Some—like the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Othyus Jeffers—are so underrated to the point of being without any rating at all.
Silly digressions aside, there exists a substantial collection of NBA vets who warrant consideration for new deals moving forward. Backup point guard Rodney Stuckey and well-traveled big man Kris Humphries are two of many such assets.
And with those two contract-less unknowns in mind, here are the 10 most underrated free agents presently on the market.
10. SF Al-Farouq Aminu (New Orleans Pelicans, UFA)
Don’t feel bad if you’ve never heard of this opening entry (despite being drafted No. 8 overall in 2010). He simply isn’t a well-known NBA commodity.
That said, Aminu is a solid contributor on the glass and ranked third on New Orleans with 6.2 rebounds per game. He isn’t much of a scorer, but his defensive presence, durability and 3.1 win shares last season should bode well for any team that signs him.
9. PG Steve Blake (Golden State Warriors, UFA)
Sure, the Blake experiment in Golden State didn’t work out to either one’s liking. But that also doesn’t mean the same applies to any future club that inks the 14-year veteran.
Blake compensated for his meager 4.4 points per contest by accumulating 102 assists next to just 31 turnovers in 28 games. He’s still a high-IQ, highly savvy floor general who can elevate teams with just his mere presence on the court. His combined 37.6 shooting percentage from distance with the Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers shows he can also still hit at an accurate rate from beyond the arc.
8. PG Rodney Stuckey (Detroit Pistons, UFA)
Unlike the man who preceded him, Stuckey is far from living in any sort of hardwood obscurity. Yet after another year of playing with the Pistons, those living outside of Detroit have likely forgotten the former 15th overall pick in 2007.
Stuckey came off the bench in all but five of his appearances last season and posted 13.9 PPG. He lacks an outside shot, but remains electric with the ball in his hands when driving toward the basket. He’ll find himself a new home soon enough.
7. PF Josh McRoberts (Charlotte Bobcats, UFA)
Although these next three selections played on postseason clubs last season, they still earn a spot on this list for their generally underrated value. And even with a forearm to the neck of the best player in the world, McRoberts deserves placement as well.
The 6’10” power forward is a smooth-passing big who averaged the second most assists (4.3) for Charlotte last year. He’s not overly impressive on the glass, but did become a viable shooter from distance with a 36.1 3P percentage. He’ll provide a measure of toughness to the frontline of whichever team brings him on board for 2014-2015.
6. SG Mike Miller (Memphis Grizzlies, UFA)
If this list made its way to the blogosphere just one season ago, Miller wouldn’t be anywhere near it.
The two-time champion with the Miami Heat rejoined the Grizzlies last year and compiled a team-leading 45.9 shooting percentage from downtown. He then one-upped his own ridiculous clip by posting a 48.3 in Memphis’ near upset of the Oklahoma City Thunder in Round 1.
And if there are any questions about his durability, the 18-year vet played in all 82 games, not to mention six more in the playoffs.
5. PF DeJuan Blair (Dallas Mavericks, UFA)
Still without the anterior cruciate ligament in both knees, Blair continues his impressive production at pro basketball’s top level.
The undersized 6’7” power forward did his usual overachieving by registering a 17.3 player efficiency rating (PER) and 3.4 win shares as a Mavericks reserve. He did himself one better in the postseason by notching an outstanding 28.8 PER and valuable 6.2 rebounds.
Blair’s future club will love the unmitigated heart he brings to the table night in and night out.
4. PF Channing Frye (Phoenix Suns, UFA)
Despite overcoming a career-threatening heart condition in 2012 and suiting up in all 82 games just one season later, this latest free agent remains somewhat in the background.
Frye knocked down 37.0 percent of his threes and contributed to 5.3 Phoenix wins in 2013-2014. The 6’11” frontline asset isn’t known for his rebounding prowess, yet still managed 5.1 RPG while playing mostly beyond the arc.
Teams that thrive by spacing the floor with outside shooters—i.e. San Antonio Spurs and Warriors—could utilize Frye as a lethal piece off the bench.
3. PF Kris Humphries (Boston Celtics, UFA)
Once known exclusively for his theater-of-the-absurd-like marriage with Kim Kardashian, Humphries fell away from the limelight. And that’s a good thing.
The Celtics enjoyed Humphries’ productive 5.9 RPG and 8.6 PPG on 50.1 percent shooting last season. Rookie head coach Brad Stevens appreciated even more his 4.1 win shares and team-leading (and career-high) 18.3 PER.
Contending squads would gladly take his consistent inside presence and reliable 81.3 percent from the charity stripe late in games.
2. PG Greivis Vasquez (Toronto Raptors, RFA)
Recently awarded qualifying offer or not, Vasquez remains one of the most unheralded players in the Association.
The 6’6” native of Venezuela has operated as an effective backcourt piece in all four of his NBA homes. He’s averaged 9.8 PPG and 5.2 APG over his five-year career, including 13.9 PPG and 9.0 APG as a starter for New Orleans back in 2012-2013. He recently crushed it from distance by tallying a 38.9 percent clip for Toronto last season, not to mention pacing the Raptors with 5.1 APG in the playoffs.
Whether starting or coming off the pine, Vasquez will serve as a guaranteed producer in 2014-2015.
1. SF Shawn Marion (Dallas Mavericks, UFA)
This final selection was not only underrated this past season, he’s been one of the most underrated stars of his generation. Yes, and that assertion holds even with a nickname like “The Matrix.”
Marion accumulated 10.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 4.3 win shares and a 35.8 percent rate from downtown for the Mavericks last year. He ranked second among his Dallas teammates in both rebounds and steals while starting all 83 games in which he appeared (playoffs included).
The 36-year-old with the veteran savvy can still bring it. He’ll continue doing so for whichever lucky club retains his services moving forward.
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