2013 NBA Free Agents: Biggest Bargains on the Market

The NBA free agency period begins on July 1 and with 163 players becoming free agents this summer, the offseason will be a busy time as players will shop around on the open market.

At least one player from every team will become a free agent, with the Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers each having nine players whose current contracts will expire this summer.

As unrestricted free agents this offseason, Dwight Howard and Chris Paul will sign multi-million dollar deals worth upwards of $15 million per year.

While Howard and Paul may be the two best free agents in 2013, there are better bargains on the market who will "outperform" their contracts. 

Players like Andray Blatche, Darren Collison, Kenyon Martin and O.J. Mayo are among these overachievers.

Honorable Mention

Several soon-to-be free agents are on the cusp of being some of the biggest bargains on the market.

Philadelphia 76'ers center Andrew Bynum did not play last season due to knee injuries. According to Sporting News, Bynum underwent bilateral arthroscopic surgery in mid-March. 

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Dr. David Altchek of the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, Bynum's longtime orthopedist, performed the surgeries, according to the team. The primary focus: Cleaning out loose debris from within the joints in an effort to relieve chronic pain and swelling.

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The center earned $16.1 million last season in the final year of a four-year contract worth more than $57 million, according to Spotrac.

Due to the concerns about Bynum's health and passion for basketball after he didn't play last season, there could be limited interest in the center in the offseason. If a team signs Bynum for less money than his previous contract but gets production similar to the 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game that he averaged in 2011-12 for the Lakers, Bynum has the talent to be a steal if given a smaller contract.

Tony Allen, a nine-year veteran and NBA first team All-Defense selection, averaged 8.9 points on 45 percent shooting and 4.6 rebounds. Allen earned $3.3 million last season, which made him the 190th highest paid player in the league but he had the 165th best player efficiency rating. As a shutdown defender, Allen could be a potential bargain this offseason.

Chris "Birdman" Andersen signed two 10-day contracts with the Miami Heat before signing for the remainder of the season for $540,000. In the playoffs, he is averaging 6.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game to go along with his 81.8 shooting percentage. Andersen is limited offensively and he will struggle to continue shooting as well as he has in the postseason but his production with Miami should garner some attention in the open market.

Kenyon Martin

According to Spotrac, Kenyon Martin started his season with the Knicks in mid-February when he signed the first of two 10-day contracts. New York eventually him for the remainder of the season for $270,000. 

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And why exactly was Kenyon Martin recently unemployed again?

— Michael Smith (@michaelsmith) April 24, 2013

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Martin averaged 7.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in the regular season. The former number one overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft made 58 percent of his shot attempts in the postseason.

He was the 100th highest paid power forward but had the 63rd highest efficiency rating among all forwards. 

Despite being 35 years old and experiencing more than his share of injuries throughout his career, Martin can provide valuable experience and size off the bench for a cheap price.

Andray Blatche

After being amnestied by the Washington Wizards last summer, Andray Blatche signed a one-year contract with the Brooklyn Nets worth $1.1 million. 

Blatche played an average of only 19 minutes per game last season as the backup center but averaged 10.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. 

He was the 80th highest paid center last season but had the 29th best PER among centers.

While Blatche made more than $23 million, which he was scheduled to earn over a three-year span, after being amnestied by the Wizards, the free agent market said that he was worth barely more than one million dollars last season. 

That figure could increase in the offseason for the eight-year veteran but if Blatche can repeat his production next season, he would be worth the cost.

O.J. Mayo

O.J. Mayo was the Dallas Mavericks' second scoring option last season behind Dirk Nowitzki. 

He earned $4.2 million last season, which made him the 156th highest paid player in the NBA. Mayo's average of 15.3 points per game was 53rd in the league.

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Regarding the NBA Coast to Coast #1on1 rankings. Kyrie Irving & O.J. Mayo are 1-2 in iso points per play, according to Synergy Sports.

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 27, 2013

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He has started at least 81 regular season games in three of his five seasons, proving his ability to be a durable starter. Mayo increased his average assists per game by 1.8 from the 2011-12 season to last season, showing his ability to get his teammates involved. 

Depending on how much he signs for in the offseason, Mayo's track record as a young shooting guard shows that he can become even better and have tremendous upside in the future.

Darren Collison

Despite having his yearly statistics plateau through his first four seasons, Darren Collison is a talented young point guard. 

Collison averaged 12 points and 5.1 assists per game in the final option year from his rookie contract. He was the 36th most efficient guard in the NBA last season in a year in which he earned $2.3 million, which made him the 51st highest paid point guard in the league.

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Countin' em down.... the Top 10 CLUTCH SHOTS of the 2012-13 regular season.. lead by @darren_collison for Dallas youtu.be/xuEx03JU57g

— NBA (@NBA) April 22, 2013

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As a restricted free agent, Dallas can match any offer and retain Collison, who has 16 games of postseason experience.