Who's Available: Free Agents Who Could Still Help 2011 NBA Contenders
In recent years, it has not been uncommon for an NBA-title contender to be put over the top by the mid-or late-season acquisition of a veteran free agent.
The most famous occurrence of this in recent years was when P.J. Brown joined the Celtics in 2008 and was instrumental in their title run.
This got me thinking, what are the biggest needs of the top five playoff teams in each conference and what available players might best fill those needs?
Lets start with the Eastern Conference...
Eastern Conference Team #5 the Atlanta Hawks
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Need—Ballhandling PG
The Hawks biggest need is a veteran ballhandler who can control the pace of the game and effectively organize and run the teams half-court offense. Ideally this player would also be at least average defensively for his position.
Best Player Available—Jamaal Tinsley
The 33-year-old, eight-year veteran, played 38 games, including one start with the Memphis Grizzles last year. In those 38 games, the former Indiana Pacer put up career-lows in every meaningful category, including minutes, points, assists, field goal percentage, three-point percentage and steals.
A closer look, however, will reveal that this may have been a simple case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. In his final year with the Pacers, the often-injured Tinsley averaged a respectable 11.9 points, to go along with 8.4 assists per game while averaging 33.2 minutes per contest.
While injuries and age may have robbed Tinsley of what little explosiveness he once had, the leadership and ballhandling he would bring to a team seemingly devoid of both could improve its chances come playoff time.
Eastern Conference Team #4 the Orlando Magic
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Need—Athletic Big Man
While the midseason acquisitions of Jason Richardson, Gilbert Arenas and Hedo Turkoglu gave Orlando a much needed boost in offensive fire power, it left them deficient in frontcourt depth and size. While they might get away with this in an Eastern Conference that suddenly lacks effective post players following the departure of Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City, if this team has visions of winning an NBA title this year, this is an area they must do their best to address with what little scraps remain on the table.
Best Available Player—Mikki Moore
I know this name will not make Magic fans jump for joy, however, he may be a capable stop-gap until the team can address the issue of size more permanently in the offseason. Moore is an athletic, extremely mobile big man who is capable on defense. He would be able to come in and spell Howard or play with Howard in certain situations. A career role player who spent some time with the championship-winning Boston Celtics in 2008, he would hit the ground running and require very little assimilation time.
Eastern Conference Team #3 the Miami Heat
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Need—size and depth
Unfortunately for Miami, they have virtually no money under the salary cap to add any pieces beyond what is already on their hastily thrown together All-Star roster. Fortunately for them, however, there are several players that would be available for the veterans minimum and thus would be attainable, even in their cash-strapped state. That said, Miami needs more than one player to fill the holes around the big three and will probably have to wait until the offseason to complete its roster. But I suppose it's never too early to get started.
Best Available Player—Sean Williams
It sounds odd to talk about a young, (24) athletic player with great shot-blocking skills as an NBA afterthought, but that's exactly what Sean Williams has become. Despite enduring a roller-coaster-of-a-ride since being let go by the Nets in January of 2010, the former 17th overall pick in the 2007 draft can still play at an NBA level. Following one and a half moderately successful seasons with the Nets, Williams saw action with four different teams in four different countries. In 2010 alone, Williams played in the NBDL, China, Puerto Rico and Israel, before finally returning to the U.S. as a member of the Dallas Mavericks. He was cut less than a month after signing.
Despite all that, the former Boston College standout could be a good fit for shamefully small Heat. He would be affordable and he would provide the shot-blocking and defensive presence that the Heat desperately need right now.
Eastern Conference Team #2 the Boston Celtics
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Need—Inside Scoring
Unlike the Heat, whose problems will almost assuredly deny them a chance to win the championship this year, Boston's problems are more like wants and not needs. Sure, you would want to have a younger, more durable inside presence than the two O'Neals.
For the Celtics, however, this issue can and I predict will be compensated for by at least one of the aforementioned big men staying relatively healthy and the versatility of the newly acquired Jeff Green. Still, the Celtics could use one more post scorer to really solidify their front line after the departure of Kendrick Perkins in the Green trade.
That said, if they Celtics were to go after a player, their best choice would be...
Best Player Available—Eddy Curry
Yes, I know, I know, he is less disciplined in taking care of himself than Shaq in mid-august or Jerome James is 12 months out of the year. That said, Curry would provide the kind of inside scoring insurance that would make Doc Rivers sleep easier at night should Shaq not be able to provide it. Let us not forget that it is not all that long ago that Curry was averaging 20 points per game for a dreadful Knicks team.
Eastern Conference Team #1 the Chicago Bulls
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Need— Health
I really believe that if the Bulls just find a way to stay healthy down the stretch and go into the playoffs in full stride that they are the most complete, balanced team in the conference. They shoot well, are by far the best defensive team in the league and have who I think is the best young coach in the NBA. Unfortunately for the Bulls, they have been without one or more of their key players in what seems like every game this season.
Best Player Available—Dr. James Andrews
Seriously, if the Bulls could pry him out of Alabama and into the Windy City, this team would instantly be prohibitive favorites to win the east. As it stands, they may not fear any team, but they certainly fear Mr. ACL, PCL, MCL, and Achilles. Andrews would help to alleviate those fears.
Western Conference Team #5 the Denver Nuggets
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Need—All-Star Caliber Player
George Karl should be a serious candidate for coach of the year based off of what he has done in just the last 13 games. Since Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups were dealt to the Knicks for what I thought at the time were spare parts and chumps, the Nuggets have been an impressive 9-4 and currently sit in fifth place in the competitive Western Conference with an overall record of 41-29. That said, I highly doubt this can last.
Much like the Rockets a few seasons ago when they ripped off a bunch of wins in a row minus Yao Ming, the Nuggets have been winning with quality role players often times playing above their heads.
With five of their final 11 games away from home and five games against the likes of the Lakers, Spurs, Mavericks and Thunder, the lack of a true go-to-guy is going to catch up with the Nuggets as they head down the home stretch of the season.
Best Available Player—None
Obviously All-Star caliber players don't just sit on the waiver-wire waiting to be picked up for veterans minimum and 11 games, plus a playoff run. For the Nuggets, they will have to continue to do what they have been doing since making the trade, working as a team and proving that their team is indeed greater than the sum of the parts.
Western Conference Team #4 the Oklahoma City Thunder
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Need—Ball Distributor
I freely admit that this critique is a bit of nitpicking. I truly believe that the Thunder are one of the three most well-rounded teams in the NBA and are completely capable of winning an NBA championship as presently constructed. That said, no team is perfect and the Thunder are no exception.
Currently, they are just 22nd in the league in assists-per-game with 20.5. This shortcoming is largely the by product of one of their greatest strengths: the individual one-on-one scoring ability of point guard Russell Westbrook. With his ability to take people to the rim off the dribble, Westbrook sometimes forgets he is also the primary facilitator for the offense and will stop the ball in much the same way fellow All-Star and NBA leading scorer Kevin Durant does.
This may turn out to be a non-factor, but an astute defensive team will try and limit the one-on-one opportunities for the two All-Stars and force the Thunder to beat them with ball and player movement instead of isolation plays and free throws.
Best Available Player—None
The problem for the Thunder is that there really are no players available on the free agent wire to pick up and help fill this void. Furthermore, even if there were such a player, the Thunder would not want to go small by playing Westbrook at the two, Thabo Sefolosha at the three, Durant at the four and bump either Serge Ibaka or Kendrick Perkins to the bench.
This problem is small and in all likelihood, will not be the downfall of this team. If they choose to address it at all, it will be internally, by instructing Westbrook to keep the ball moving a bit more and limiting his one-one-one touches.
Western Conference Team #3 the Dallas Mavericks
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Need—Reliable Second Scorer
The frustrating part of all this is that the Mavericks have this player on the roster, but he remains injured. This man, of course, is none other than former Connecticut Husky Caron Butler. There have been some whispers that Butler could potentially return for the playoffs, however, those have been for the most part unsubstantiated rumors and wishful thinking on the part of Butler and the team.
Best Available Player—Allen Iverson
Yes, the answer to the Mavericks problems may be The Answer himself, the one and only Allen Iverson of Turkey. Despite never having been a big Iverson fan, it still does not sit well with me that one of the leagues truly transcendent players of the last 15 years is finishing his career halfway across the world in a country that the uneducated among us think is the birthplace of thanksgiving.
Maybe, just maybe, it's time to ask once more if Iverson is willing to be a spark-plug coming off an NBA bench or a ball-stopping volume shooting practice-evading scorer. Sign him for the rest of the season (if you can get him out of his contract with the Turkey club) and we will all know real quick what the "answer" to that question is.
Western Conference Team # 2 the LA Lakers
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Need— A Little More Scoring Punch Off the Bench
While the Lakers have been the best team in the league since the All-Star break, their team is stale and could use an injection of new blood to ensure that added motivation come playoff time. Ideally, this player would be a veteran big man with shooting range who is comfortable enough in his abilities to come off the bench, yet still skilled enough to provide a consistent spark in roughly 15-20 minutes a game.
This player would also ideally be willing to hound and harass opposing players, getting in their heads and occasionally committing dumb inexplicable technical fouls while simultaneously drawing the ire of NBA commissioner David Stern.
Have you figured out who I'm talking about yet? Yup, you guessed it...
The player I'm referring to is none other than the one, the only, the retired loud mouth...
Best Available Player—Rasheed Wallace
Yes, I know Sheed is retired and probably has put on an easy 15 pounds in his post-playing days. You know what though? The Lakers don't need Rasheed Wallace, the most versatile big man in the NBA or Rasheed Wallace, circa 1999-2000, to walk through those gates.
No.
They need a big man who can play with Bynum and Gasol, knock down open looks and handle himself under the defensive basket. Even with an extra 15 pounds or 20, if you get him after dinner, I would be willing to bet Wallace could be to the Lakers this year what P.J. Brown was to the Celtics in 2008. An added veteran who knows his role and still has the skill to pull it off.
You don't think that if Kobe were to call, if Phil were to plead with him, if Dr. Buss opened up his wallet that Wallace wouldn't get of the couch for two months, squeeze back into those shorts that are now at least one size too small on him and give a run at a second championship? I, for one, think he probably would.
Western Conference Team #1 the San Antonio Spurs
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Need—Defensive-Minded Wing Player
Obviously above this need is the vital requirement that Tim Duncan gets healthy for the post-season. As Tony Parker recently said, the team cannot go anywhere without Duncan in the post-season. Now, assuming Duncan does return to health, these are not your older brothers Spurs.
The 2011 San Antonio team rank just 12th in the NBA in both points allowed (97.1) and rebounds per game. (42) Both of those categories were staples of the teams that won championships during the '99,'03,'05 and '07 seasons.
This year's Spurs are more offensively inclined, especially off the bench, than in years past, and could certainly benefit from the acquisition of a defensive ace on the perimeter.
Best Available Player—Toss-Up Between Larry Hughes and Greg Buckner
With Buckner, you bring in the safer, easier to fit-in-on-the-fly-guy who will play tough perimeter D which is what the team needs and essentially stay out of the way on offense. (not a bad thing to do on this team)
Hughes, however, would be an interesting gamble. Once an All-Star caliber player, now on the streets at just 32, Hughes would no doubt come in looking to prove something. The key would be what he set his mind to prove.
Would the guard come in looking to prove he still has his complete game by trying to do too much on offense and gamble on defense while trying to steal one more big contract from someone?
Or...
Would Hughes look to prove that he can be the consummate teammate by deferring to his more accomplished teammates, not upsetting the apple cart and zoning in on the defensive end of the floor?
If it was the latter, Hughes is by far the better player. Both would be minimum salary guys at this point, so you don't run any extra economic risk by trying to pluck the ripest peach off the tree.
If it's me? I go for the gold and add Hughes. The Spurs don't have much time left with this group and need to do everything they can to win while they can.
Hughes gives them the best shot to do that.
