NBA Free Agents 2010 Power Rankings: The 20 Best and Worst Bargains
The summer of NBA free agency is still very much in gear, but the biggest games are nearly all off the board as the league finally heads into its down period of August and September.
Megabucks have been handed out to the league's superstar free-agent class and others who took either more money than they deserved, or signed for a team-friendly price.
The deals themselves have been discussed, measured, scrutinized, and run through with a fine tooth comb. However, there are 10 deals that each stand out as the best and worst bargains.
Did the teams that signed these players get a good deal or a raw deal? Which player came out at the best price tag and the worst tag for his services?
Best Bargain No. 10: Zydrunas Ilgauskas
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Best Bargain No. 9: Mike Miller
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Mike Miller headed into free agency preaching his man-love for LeBron James. He will get his opportunity to play alongside LeBron after inking what is expected to be a five-year, $25 million deal according to SI.com.
Miller averaged just 10.9 points per game this season, but that is irrelevant as he will be looked at as the sharpshooting complement to the Heat's big three.
Miller, who shot 48.0 percent from behind the arc last season, would have likely received more annual money from other teams given his history of scoring nearly 20 points per game.
Best Bargain No. 8: Kyle Korver
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Best Bargain No. 7: Steve Blake
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Best Bargain No. 6: Jordan Farmar
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Jordan Farmar was looking for his first real pay day this summer. While he didn't get the price he may have been looking for (three years, $12 million), the Nets certainly got a quality guard with championship experience at a good rate.
Farmar brings winning experience to a team that has anything but that over the recent years. The 23-year-old Farmar may also be poised to take his game to the next level. If he can do that, the Nets will score even strong value.
Best Bargain No. 5: Derek Fisher
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Fisher flirted with bolting for Miami, but in the end the 35-year-old stayed home in Los Angeles after signing a three-year, $10.5 million contract. While his legs are getting older, there is still little asked of Fisher except to hit the open shot, keep the ball moving, and defend.
The Lakers didn't have much cap space to squeeze Fisher in, but they re-signed a big emotional piece to their club without getting suckered into a bidding war. That's a win for the Lakers.
Best Bargain No. 4: Luke Ridnour
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Best Bargain No. 3: Chris Duhon
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The Orlando Magic brought in Duhon at the market rate for point guards this summer (four years, $15 million), but the Magic will get more out of that value because Duhon has starting experience and because of Jameer Nelson's checkered injury past.
Duhon gives the Magic insurance at the point and the flexibility to not have a significant drop-off when he is on the floor. Who knows, perhaps getting out of New York to sign with a contending team could get more out of him than the $3.75 million annually.
Best Bargain No. 2: Udonis Haslem
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Best Bargain No. 1: LeBron James
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Worst Bargain No. 10: Ray Allen
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The Celtics wanted to keep their own big three together for one more run, which is why they resigned Allen to a two-year, $20 million deal. Allen earned $18.2 million last season and was due for a dramatic pay cut, but chances are the 34-year-old would not have received the $10 million annually on the open market, especially after his inconsistent playoff performance.
In this case, the Celtics did not get a hometown discount but rather it was the price of doing business.
Worst Bargain No. 9: Tyrus Thomas
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Worst Bargain No. 8: Rudy Gay
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Worst Bargain No. 7: Amar'e Stoudemire
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Amar'e Stoudemire was not going to settle for anything less than a max contract. Lucky for him, the New York Knicks were willing and waiting to dump a five-year, $100 million contract in his lap. Stoudemire, who averaged 23.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game last season, has been criticized as not being a max contract player because of his inconsistent rebounding and lack of defensive aggressiveness.
The market price for Stoudemire was not at the max contract level, and while the Knicks got the big name they sought, they did without acquiring the true centerpiece (LeBron, Wade). Now it looks like they've spent a lot of money on a guy who's simply going to be a very expensive power forward with little around him.
Worst Bargain No. 6: Joe Johnson
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I just don't buy the hype as Johnson, who signed a six-year, $124 million contract, as a max money guy. Johnson was the second best shooting guard on the market behind Wade, but he comes off a very good but not spectacular season in which he averaged 21.3 points and 4.9 assists per game. He isn't a lock down defender and has not shown he can lead the Hawks deep into the playoffs.
Johnson staying helped the Hawks avoid a massive crater in their roster, but at this price? Too rich for my blood.
Worst Bargain No. 5: David Lee
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David Lee knew his days were finished in New York once the Knicks acquired Amar'e Stoudemire. Lee, 27, appears on the upswing of his career after averaging over 20 points and 11 rebounds per game and making his first All-Star appearance last season.
The Warriors acquired Lee in a sign-and-trade that has Lee locked up to a six-year, $80 million contract. That's big money for a big change of scenery and a completely different style of offense. There is potential for a serious drop-off in production which makes the move a gamble for the Warriors.
Worst Bargain No. 4: John Salmons
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Salmons was one of the Bucks' most productive players when they brought him over from Chicago via trade last season. Salmons averaged 19.9 points per game in the 30 games with the Bucks last season, sparking the team into the playoffs.
The Bucks can only hope that kind of production continues over the five years and $40 million they issued Salmons this summer. Salmons, 29, did not become a regular starter until two years ago and there is a limited track record of him playing at a high enough level to satisfy his new contract.
Worst Bargain No. 3: Travis Outlaw
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Outlaw will turn just 26 years old this fall, but he will already enter his eighth season in the league. He has never been a regular starter and has averaged double digits per night just twice in his career. Outlaw averaged 9.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game last season.
The five-year, $35 million deal he got from the Nets will definitely command more production. Really though, it feels like the Nets lost out on all their big free-agent targets and decided they were going to spend big money whether it made sense or not.
Worst Bargain No. 2: Amir Johnson
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Worst Bargain No. 1: Darko Milicic
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Milicic said during the season that he would return to Serbia for the 2010-2011 season. Well, I guess $20 million over five years changed his mind. Milicic should see a significant increase in playing time next season, but even starting the majority of games leaves the T-Wolves with what exactly?
Milicic started 64 of 70 games with Memphis in 2007-2008 and averaged 7.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. What exactly gives the Timberwolves the confidence much will be different? It's not even the $20 million that is a thorn. It's the five years. Five years for a flat out bust whose head and motivation for the game has been questioned time and time again.
