NBA Free Agents 2012: Best Value Players at Each Position Left on the Market
Carl Landry is one of the best NBA free agents left on the open market. He's not the only good player left, either, as there is still plenty of value to be found.
While there is no doubt that teams need star players to win an NBA Championship, oftentimes it's the role players who tip the scales.
With that in mind, here are the best role players left at each position.
Point Guard: Nate Robinson
Robinson may be one of the smaller men in the NBA, but he is capable of playing a big role for a team in need of a backup point guard.
Last year for the Golden State Warriors, he reminded us what he's capable of, tallying 11.2 points, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals in just over 23 minutes per game. That's solid production, right there.
Robinson's always been a good player, and in the right situation he shines.
Teams that could use him: Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic.
Shooting Guard: Delonte West
West has always been one of the better perimeter defenders in the NBA. He is always finding ways into passing lanes to pick off steals and he's known as one of the peskier guys in the league.
He is also a willing and able shooter from behind the arc and he'll fit in nicely as a backup for the right team this year.
Another aspect of West's game that often gets overlooked is his ability to crash the boards from the outside. For his career, West averages about three rebounds per game—solid production from the 2-guard position.
Teams that could use him: Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timber Wolves and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Small Forward: Matt Barnes
Barnes is a terrific overall athlete and he does everything well on the court. The only area of his game that never developed is his shooting touch, but he makes up for it by playing hard in all other aspects.
He'll fit in perfectly with a team that already has a strong scoring presence, especially at the shooting guard position.
Barnes is a good rebounder and defender, though he isn't the kind of guy that can stop LeBron James one-on-one—but, then again, nobody can. He knows how to make things happen in a positive direction for his team and he's a valuable player to have on the bench.
Teams that could use him: New Orleans Hornets, Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls.
Power Forward: Carl Landry
It's about time for Landry to play for a playoff contender, don't you think?
He's a good scorer and decent rebounder, and he'd be a boon off the bench for a team on the verge of contending for a title.
Landry is a hard worker who has always made the most of his opportunities. He may never be a starter, but he always impacts the game for his team in a positive direction.
Teams that could use him: Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns.
Center: Darko Milicic
Milicic's career never materialized into the one the Detroit Pistons envisioned when they drafted him with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft. That said, he's still a decent player who has learned to produce when he's on the court.
Milicic didn't receive a lot of minutes last year playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but he still has a lot to offer a team in need of some quality minutes off the bench.
He can score on the block. He can step back and hit mid-range jumpers. He is a competent rebounder and a capable shot-blocker. He's got it all.
Oh, wait. That's what the Pistons said when they took him in 2003.
Teams that could use him: Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets and Milwaukee Bucks.
