NBA Free Agents 2012: Predicting Best Value Signing at Every Position

NBA franchises are increasingly learning that money does not in fact grow on trees. And, for the organizations that still believe otherwise, the implications of a stricter luxury tax will have them thinking twice.

For some clubs, there's little choice in the matter.

If the only means of acquiring outside talent is a mid-level exception, even the New York Knicks become a frugal spender.

That's why you'll see teams looking to snag ostensibly affordable talent like Brandon Roy, who's charting a comeback from medical retirement. Guys like Rashard Lewis, Jose Calderon (if waived by Toronto) and Marcus Camby might also come at bargain-bin prices.

But wise buyers aren't just looking for cheap assets. They're looking for value.

Spending a little more may be worth it if the deal is right. So, who will offer the most bang for the buck at each position this summer?

Center: Spencer Hawes

Besides the fact he looks like he should be growing organic produce in the Pacific Northwest, Spencer Hawes may not stick out in your recollection of the game's most effective centers.

All the more reason to keep recollecting.

He had something of a breakout season for the Philadelphia 76ers this year even though his production and minutes still trailed his second and third seasons, which he spent with the Sacramento Kings. The improvement was his efficiency.

The seven-footer is shooting the ball more smoothly and doing a far better job of boxing out and getting to rebounds.

He still isn't much of a bruiser inside the paint, but he makes up for it as a skilled passer and intelligent defender.

As a package, it's hard to find better value at the position—especially when you account for the fact this guy is just 24 years old. His best years are almost certainly ahead of him. 

If he's willing to accept a deal in the same range as the one Omer Asik received, he'd be a borderline steal.

Power Forward: Ersan Ilyasova

You could also make a good case for Carl Landry if he signs somewhere at around $6 million a year, and there's a good chance J.J. Hickson will be worth more than whatever he gets paid.

But Ersan Ilyasova is approaching his prime and could be the real catch among power forwards in this summer's crop.

The downside of the 25-year-old's game is that he's not a fantastic defender. That said, he moves well and is willing to step up and take the charge. You could certainly do a lot worse at the position.

On the other hand, Ilyasova is a much-improved rebounder who's also developed a solid perimeter game. He isn't a prolific outside shooter in the mold of Ryan Anderson, but he's an efficient shooter who won't force up many bad shots.

Between his versatility and steady improvement, it's a good bet that this guy will only get better in short order.

He could command a substantial contract, but it's hard to figure out who can afford to offer such a deal. If he winds up making around $7 million a year, he'd be a bargain. 

Small Forward: Michael Beasley

Sure, Michael Beasley hasn't been the perfect model citizen for an NBA player, but he's not a bad guy. He's approached his changing scenery and fluctuating roles with professionalism, even if his antics off the court wouldn't suggest it.

Beasley is a pretty efficient scorer, and he'll make his way to a few rebounds. You'd like to see him become more dominant in the paint, but that's just not who he is yet. It's easy to forget the guy is still just 23 years old, so we could be looking at a far more mature player in a couple of years.

The other knock on Beasley is that he's a one-dimensional scorer. He'll pump-fake and drive left just about any time he doesn't take the jump shot first. 

But, as predictable as he may be, he's also a tough guy to guard—especially when that jumper is falling.

The bottom line with Beasley is that he's an unrestricted free agent, and the Timberwolves probably aren't willing to enter into much of a bidding war.

For a team interested in some offense and upside, Beasley would be an affordable option.

Shooting Guard: O.J. Mayo

Thanks to spending a couple of seasons on the bench, O.J. Mayo looks like little more than an inefficient sixth man in the eyes of the market.

A few teams will know better.

In his first two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, Mayo looked on track to become a star. He played 38 minutes a game and shot the ball far better than he has in either of the latest two campaigns.

Which Mayo will we see next year?

That's hard to say, but it will likely depend on what kind of situation he finds himself in. When he was starting for Memphis, he looked great. When relegated to the bench, not so much.

At 24 years old, he has some time to work things out.

Mayo might not come cheap, but that doesn't mean he'll be a bad value. According to HOOPSWORLD's Steve Kyler, he's looking for more than the mid-level exception at the very least:

"

If you were dreaming of OJ Mayo with your team’s Mid-Level salary exception, you better think again. Sources close to the process say OJ and his agent are not listening to teams with offers built around the Mid-Level and view OJ as the consolation prize for teams like Indiana, Phoenix, Houston and New Orleans if they cannot lure in Eric Gordon or guards like Ray Allen and Jamal Crawford.

"

Yeah, that's a pricey investment. But, given that he won't earn significantly more than aging guards like Allen and Crawford, it wouldn't be unreasonable to give Mayo a deal starting at around $8 million. At worst, he'd be slightly overpaid.

At best, you could wind up with an All-Star working on a relatively pedestrian contract.

Point Guard: Raymond Felton

Raymond Felton will definitely be on the for-sale rack this summer, and not because he was last season's fashion.

The unrestricted free agent was absolutely terrible last season, particularly during its first half. He improved after head coach Nate McMillan got the boot, but it was too little and too late to salvage his legacy in Portland.

Felton has never been an especially efficient shooter, but he was especially inefficient with the Trail Blazers, making a hair under 41 percent of his field-goal attempts.

But we also know this about the pint-sized point guard: He excelled under Mike D'Antoni in New York and is almost certainly best suited to an up-tempo arrangement in which he can take plenty of bad shots and still come out ahead.

Put in the right situation, Felton could be a bargain.