2014 NBA Free Agents Who Deserve Max Deals Next Summer

There's a certain point of pride to earning a max deal, and a few more NBA studs will get to join that exclusive fraternity next offseason. 

The 2014 free-agent class is filled with great players and will become even more stacked if a certain few stars decide to opt out of their contracts. Right now, there are five players who deserve max contracts, but—and this doesn't account for unforeseen breakouts—that number could easily rise to nine. 

There are a few young studs here, but there are also some veterans who deserve one last max deal. 

As a point of clarification, this is about who deserves that type of money. It's not a predictive piece talking about who will actually get the contracts. And yes, there's a big difference between those two subjects. 

You can probably tell from the picture up above that Paul George is included here. Who are the other guys, though?

Kobe Bryant

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Position: SG

Age: 35

Per-Game Stats: 27.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.3 blocks, 23.0 PER

Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted

When Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are finished with the 2013-14 season, they'll have tough decisions to make. The Mamba will be 36 years old with 18 seasons under his belt, but he'll still be Kobe Bryant. 

If he wants to play (and there's no guarantee he'll even stay in the league past this next season), he'll deserve a max contract. Whether he actually gets one is a different story, as there's a large chance he could take a significant pay cut in order to maximize L.A.'s chances of landing other marquee free agents. 

But this is about what he deserves. 

And for Kobe, that question doesn't even merit a discussion about his on-court performance. Kobe would deserve a max contract even if he were only playing five minutes per game; he means that much to the Purple and Gold. 

Anybody remember this nugget from Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski back in 2011? 

"

Privately, Jerry Buss has told people that Bryant—who will make a league-high $25 million this season under his current contract terms—is worth perhaps $70 million a year to the Los Angeles Lakers. 

"

It's a good thing Wojnarowski included the word "perhaps," because he's lowballing the figure. Bryant is worth even more than that to the organization, especially when you factor in his massive global impact. 

Until he retires, Bryant's presence alone makes him deserve a max deal. 

DeMarcus Cousins

Team: Sacramento Kings

Position: C

Age: 23

Per-Game Stats: 17.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.4 blocks, 0.7 steals, 20.2 PER

Type of Free Agency: Restricted

DeMarcus Cousins is one of the NBA's rising stars, and centers are coveted properties. There are only a limited number of dominant big men in the league, and Boogie has the potential to be one of the best. 

Few players can mix power and finesse as easily as the Sacramento Kings big man. 

Cousins can barrel down the lane and muscle his way through anyone en route to an easy finish at the basket, but he can also shoot mid-range jumpers and hit teammates with on-target passes. His spot-up shots still need a lot of work, though. 

When that aspect of Cousins' game clicks, that's when he'll fully ascend into the realm of elite centers.

The rest of his offensive game is already there, and his post-up performance is quite impressive for a big man who just turned 23. According to Synergy Sports (subscription required), Cousins ranked 90th in the NBA when shooting from the post, scoring 0.81 points per possession. 

He's also a good defender in the post, but the rest of his game on that side of the court could use some work. Just give him time. 

It's tough to find a 23-year-old center with this much established skill who still has plenty of room for growth. 

Paul George

Team: Indiana Pacers

Position: SG/SF

Age: 23

Per-Game Stats: 17.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.6 blocks, 16.8 PER

Type of Free Agency: Restricted

Paul George is set to hit the market as a restricted free agent, and the Indiana Pacers will inevitably be matching any offer for the All-Star small forward. Even if a team like the Los Angeles Lakers figures out how to sign George to an offer sheet worth more than the max, the Pacers will still exercise their right of first refusal. 

The 23-year-old is already that good. 

He's a dynamic two-way potential who should assert himself as a top-10 player as soon as this year. All it will take is a bit more focus when handling the ball and a more consistent jumper from the outside. The return of Danny Granger and the acquisition of C.J. Watson will help in those areas, as both take pressure off the burgeoning superstar. 

What's particularly impressive is his defense. 

If George doesn't garner some serious consideration for Defensive Player of the Year in 2013-14, it will be a travesty. He's that good, even as a wing player. 

As suffocating as the Indiana defense looked, it was that much better when George played. The Pacers allowed 101.8 points per 100 possessions when the All-Star sat, according to Basketball-Reference, and that number dropped to 99.3 when he played. 

Not too shabby. 

Greg Monroe

Team: Detroit Pistons

Position: C

Age: 23

Per-Game Stats: 16.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.7 blocks, 19.5 PER

Type of Free Agency: Restricted

Greg Monroe's offensive game is quite impressive, and he's still only 23 years old. 

The key is the Georgetown product's passing. While he's a solid scorer, the true benefit of his game lies in the ability to effectively distribute the rock among his teammates, allowing the Detroit Pistons to often run their offense through him. Whether he's stationed on the blocks or the elbow, the offense flows quite well when the ball is in Monroe's hands. 

According to Hoopdata.com, Monroe had an assist rate of 15.94. Among qualified centers (25-plus minutes per game, 40-plus games played), only Joakim Noah, Marc Gasol, Nene Hilario and Kendrick Perkins had more impressive marks, and Perkins' number is a fluke created by a lack of possessions used. 

The key for Monroe evolving into a truly great center involves him becoming more comfortable guarding players in the post. He gambles a lot, which isn't a great strategy for a player with limited athleticism, and is prone to getting beat on bursts to the basket. 

Monroe's established nature and age should result in a max deal, even if he doesn't have as much potential as someone like DeMarcus Cousins. 

Dirk Nowitzki

Team: Dallas Mavericks

Position: PF

Age: 35

Per-Game Stats: 17.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.7 blocks, 19.8 PER

Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted

The Dirk Nowitzki scenario is awfully similar to the one explained on Kobe Bryant's slide. 

Dirk just means too much to the Dallas Mavericks. 

He's spent his entire career with the Mavs, competing for scoring titles, remaining loyal even during the tough times and helping the franchise win a title by beating LeBron James and the Miami Heat. Dirk isn't just a member of the Mavericks; he is the Mavericks. 

Although the power forward missed the beginning of the 2012-13 season, he came back from the first surgery of his illustrious career in strong fashion, almost pushing Dallas back into the postseason.

Say what about a decline? 

Nowitzki's age is getting up there, though, and that's likely going to keep him from actually getting a max deal. He's also gone on record as saying that he's willing to take a "significant pay cut" if that's what it takes to lure more talent into Dallas. 

But again, this is about what players deserve, not what they'll be paid. And Dirk's willingness to take a decrease in salary is yet another example of just how much he means to this organization. 

The Early Termination Gang

There are four superstars with early termination options in their contracts at the conclusion of the 2013-14 season: LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. 

These guys don't really need much justification, as they're all established studs still playing like they belong in the All-Star Game. 

LeBron James is the best player in the world. Carmelo Anthony is the reigning scoring champion. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh aren't quite at their peak levels anymore, but that's more a result of their changing roles with the Miami Heat than anything else. 

So while each of these players would deserve their own slide if they were actually free agents, they aren't yet. We have no guarantee that any of them will opt out.