NBA Free Agents 2013: Predicting Most Absurd Contracts to Be Signed
Weak free-agent classes translate to more overpaid players than usual, and the 2013 class is weak.
Combine that with the fact that the Miami Heat are coming off of back-to-back NBA titles, and teams will feel even more pressure on themselves to make a move in free agency to dethrone the champs.
Here are three players who will cash in this summer.
3. Tyreke Evans
Evans won Rookie of the Year four years ago, but he’s only 23 years old. While his scoring average has declined in each of his seasons as a pro, his player efficiency ratio (PER) actually increased over 18.0 for the first time since his first year in the league (average is 15.0). His shooting percentage from the floor, 47.8, and downtown, 33.8, were also career highs.
A team desperate for a go-to wing scorer will use Evans’ improvements as justification to overpay him, hoping that he hasn’t hit his ceiling.
2. J.R. Smith
Speaking of teams desperate for a go-to wing scorer, Smith will make a club break the bank for him after he averaged a career-high 18.1 points per game on the New York Knicks this past season. He won Sixth Man of the Year. He deserves a raise, but his scoring plummeted in the postseason to 14.3 points per game.
Teams will see his impressive regular-season scoring numbers and overlook that drop-off; that, and his historically poor defense and decision-making.
1. Brandon Jennings
Racine Journal-Times’ Gery Woelfel reported in February that, according to sources, Jennings wants a max contract.
He doesn’t deserve one. Jennings scored an impressive 17.5 points per game this past season, but his PER was lower than Evans' and Smith’s.
Yahoo! Sports’ Marc J. Spears reported in March that, according to sources, Jennings turned down a four-year, $40 million contract offer before the 2012-2013 campaign began. He, like Evans, is still only 23, and, similar to the Sacramento Kings’ guard, a team will overpay for Jennings in hope that he’ll still be able to fulfill his potential.
David Daniels is a breaking news writer at Bleacher Report and news editor at Wade-O Radio.
