Predicting the Biggest NBA Free Agent Busts for 2014-15 Season
The 2014 free-agency period was certainly a busy one this year, with big names changing addresses and unexpectedly large salaries being dished out.
Which decisions made this offseason were the worst?
When evaluating that, it's important to take into account multiple factors, like contract length, amount and the role the free agent is supposed to occupy.
For this exercise, though, we'll focus solely on players who were signed this offseason who should fail to live up to any expectation. Here's a look at five free-agent busts for the 2014-15 season.
Ben Gordon, Orlando Magic
1 of 5
One of the more shocking signings this season came courtesy of the Orlando Magic when they inked Ben Gordon to a two-year deal worth $9 million.
Here's what Magic GM Rob Hennigan said about the signing via the Magic's official website:
“Ben (Gordon) brings valuable experience to our team,” said Hennigan. “His competitiveness and ability to score and stretch the floor adds versatility to our backcourt and overall roster. We are excited to welcome Ben to the Orlando Magic family.”
While the Magic definitely needed some perimeter shooting given the makeup of their roster, it's hard to see Gordon being that guy. After all, the Charlotte Bobcats needed floor spacing and shooting last year, and Gordon only played in 19 games and averaged 14.7 minutes a game.
Gordon had the chance to be a leader for a young team in Charlotte and be a part of a playoff squad, but he didn't warrant playing time.
It's hard to see that changing much in Orlando, and it's possible the Magic signed Gordon to use as a salary in a trade down the line. Given Orlando's rebuilding efforts, it's hard to imagine Gordon will receive a ton of minutes in Orlando's backcourt. He has major bust potential if he isn't engaged throughout the year.
Caron Butler, Detroit Pistons
2 of 5
The Detroit Pistons are another team that needed three-point shooting, particularly given the lack of spacing their frontcourt offers.
Here's Dan Feldman at ProBasketballTalk:
"The Pistons shot 32.1 percent on 3-pointers last season, finishing 29th in the league.
Considering they bested only the 76ers, the Pistons practically finished last among legitimate NBA teams.
Butler’s overall game has deteriorated, but his 3-point shooting has come on strong in recent years. At 34, he likely must accept that spot-up role.
"
Signing Butler for two years and $10 million seems pretty excessive, as it's hard to say how he fits in defensively. Butler can't move or play nearly as well on that end, and while this was the going rate for shooters, you'd like to think that Butler could have come cheaper as a veteran.
Aside from the money, Butler should find it difficult to hold off Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Singler, Gigi Datome and a few other capable shooters on the wing. Butler is a dangerous spot-up shooter, but there's a strong chance he's a bust since he's incapable of doing much else.
Kirk Hinrich, Chicago Bulls
3 of 5
The Chicago Bulls decided to re-sign free-agent guard Kirk Hinrich, a move mostly made for familiarity purposes instead of pure talent.
Here's Tyler Brooke for Bleacher Report:
"Even if he's not as productive as he once was, Hinrich will continue to be a veteran presence in the locker room, helping the younger players feel more comfortable in the association.
He may have not gotten a huge contract, but Hinrich will be an interesting player to keep an eye on for Chicago.
At this point in his career, Hinrich is in a favorable position to still be a serviceable player and use his experience and leadership to spark the rest of the roster.
"
Hinrich is a tough and intelligent defender, and he'll take care of the ball, but there's limited upside here. Ideally, you would have liked to see the Bulls do a little more with their room exception and maybe go after someone who is a legitimate playmaker and can put pressure on defenses.
Given Derrick Rose's health issues, a higher-upside signing might have made sense here. Hinrich is a capable bench player, but we know what he is, and he's only going to decline at this point in his career.
Hinrich may not be as big of a bust as other players on this list, but he belongs here since Chicago is in title contention and might need him to play a role he's incapable of filling.
Darren Collison, Sacramento Kings
4 of 5
The Sacramento Kings signing point guard Darren Collison and letting Isaiah Thomas walk in free agency was one of the more confusing moves this offseason. By just about every measure, Thomas is a superior player.
More importantly, Collison doesn't really provide an upgrade in the areas Sacramento might have wanted.
Here's Blake Ellington at SacTown Royalty:
"Defense and ball movement aren't his strongest suits, but he is capable of doing both. Offensively he is often credited with being able the push the tempo, which is certainly what Malone wants out of him. Collison said having Malone as the head coach of the Kings played a big role in his decision to sign with Sacramento. He referred to Malone as a "player's coach."
"
If the Kings are expecting Collison to be a real distributor and strong defender, this has major bust potential. Collison has never been that player, and his court awareness leaves a lot to be desired at the point.
Collison has huge bust potential, and his three-year deal worth $16 million could come back to bite a Kings team that doesn't have a lot of future cap flexibility.
Nick Young, Los Angeles Lakers
5 of 5
Nick Young was worth the price of admission last year for the Lakers, but his new four-year deal worth $21.5 million is probably too much.
Although Young was one of the best sixth men last year and surprisingly efficient as a scorer, giving him long-term security may enable him to be even more of a chucker and ignore the other areas of the game.
Young was basically in a perfect storm last year. He put up big numbers for a bad team, it was a contract year for him and Mike D'Antoni's offense tends to inflate three-point shooting numbers.
Here's what Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak said on the Lakers' official site about the signing:
"When Nick became a free agent in June, I expressed hope that we would be able to bring him back on a contract that was in the best interest of both the Lakers and himself, and I am proud to say we were able to do so. Nick was a bright spot for us last season, and we are happy to retain such a skilled player who is committed to being a part of what we are building as a franchise.
"
Young should come down to earth a bit, and given the Lakers' future need for cap space, this could be a disastrous signing as soon as this year.
