NBA Free Agents 2012: Most Overrated Targets Available
The most popular names are starting to fly off the 2012 NBA free-agent list, but that doesn't mean there aren't still intriguing players who can help teams.
In a similar fashion, that means there are still players who are overrated and will inevitably be overpaid. This offseason has seen plenty of talented players get too much money, so I can't even imagine how bad it will be for the overrated guys.
With that being said, here's a look at available players who, if my pessimistic views hold true, will get a contract that is far too fat.
Kris Humphries, PF
It's not that Humphries isn't a good player, because he is. He is coming off a season in which he averaged 14 and 11, after all.
But Humphries is a prime candidate to be overpaid.
Humphries made $8 million in 2011-12, and considering he had a career year, it wouldn't be surprising if his new contract was worth eight figures per year over three or four seasons. I doubt whether the 27-year-old Humphries is worth that much.
The former Minnesota star may be an elite rebounder, but he's an inconsistent scorer and he doesn't defend the rim very well for a player his size.
If he gets the three-year, $24 million that is being rumored, that is fine. Anything above that? I'm not so sure.
Raymond Felton, PG
With the lack of interest being shown towards Felton, I'm starting to think he's rated just right.
Felton looked like a premiere breakout candidate in the NBA last year when he got to run Mike D'Antoni's pick-and-roll defense. The former Tar Heel averaged 17.1 points and nine assists per game with New York.
But things have gone downhill ever since.
Felton was mediocre at the end of 2010-11 with Denver, and last year with Portland, the overweight point guard averaged just 11.4 points and 6.5 assists in 32 minutes per game. He shot an atrocious .407 percent from the field.
I'm not sure how much money Felton will get, but I'm pretty sure it will be too much.
Gilbert Arenas, PG
We are stretching now, but the number of available free agents is starting to dwindle. Some team will likely give Arenas a contract, thinking he can come off the bench for eight to 10 minutes per game.
But at this point, I'm skeptical of him even providing that.
The Grizzlies essentially lost all trust in Arenas last year, and in the playoffs they weren't even comfortable using him as a backup point guard.
Arenas is a shadow of his former self that could score whenever he wanted to, and at this point, I'm convinced the player who scored 4.2 points per game last year doesn't belong in the NBA anymore.
Unfortunately, that probably won't come to fruition. Someone out there will get desperate.





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