NBA Relocation Projects: 4 Potential Impact Players in Need of a New Address

As the saying goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure.  NBA team benches are full of quality players that, for whatever reason, find themselves in situations that have them trapped in basketball limbo. 

Whether it be a veteran with a hefty contract, wealth of talent at a given position or just a team wanting to go in another direction, these players are finding themselves struggling to find a consistent role for their respective ball clubs.  If moved, these players could have a decided impact on the upcoming season.

Ben Gordon

Two years ago, the 6'3" New York product was lighting up the Boston Celtics in one of the best playoff series in NBA first round history.  Remembered as a coming out party for superstar rookie Derrick Rose, Gordon led the way for the then upstart Chicago Bulls, averaging over 24 ppg throughout the seven game slug-fest.  The shining moment for the Bulls sixth man was a 42 point effort in a pulse-pounding Game Two for the ages.  The Bulls went on to lose the series but Gordon was a clear winner, garnering national attention for his heroic performance.  He gained interest around the league, finally inking a five-year, 55 million dollar deal with the Detroit Pistons. 

Then it all changed.

Gordon's decision seems to have backfired. The Pistons, suffering from financial turmoil and executive indecision, have collected a group of B-level players and mismatched pieces that have led to two consecutive losing seasons, a team mutiny, a coaching change and a general manager on the hot seat.  The team has become a junkyard of spare parts for more competitive clubs to sift through.  Sadly, Gordon has amounted to rubbish, carrying a huge cap number and three seasons remaining on his deal.

Ben Gordon's numbers have dipped since his arrival in Detroit, bottoming out this year at a career low 11.2 ppg on 44% shooting.  A closer look, however, shows that Ben still could be the player he was back in Chi-town.   

He still maintains a 40 percent clip from downtown.  His 44 percent from the field is on par with his career average. Also, his shot attempts are down almost three shots per contest from his last season with the Bulls.  This can certainly be attributed to the poor point guard play in Detroit, coupled with the decreased minutes he has received as a Piston (37 as a Bull in 2008 versus 26 last season).

Consider that in conjunction with the fact that at age 27, Gordon is only just entering his professional prime, and you have an excellent player in need of a change in scenery.  The contract is a stumbling block in moving Ben, but he could really help a team in need of a scoring punch and a zone buster.

Richard Hamilton

Gordon isn't the only one lavishing on the Bench in Detroit.  Richard Hamilton was part of one of the most unlikely championship teams in recent history.  Traded from Washington after the 2002 season, "Rip" became a fixture in the Pistons lineup, becoming a three time all-star and helping the club win their third NBA championship in 2004.  His ability to move without the ball and find open areas to score along with his hard-working, professional attitude endeared him to Pistons faithful.

In the beginning of the 2008 season, former NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups was traded, signaling the eventual turnover of the roster.  Rip, thought to be on his way out as well, continued to put up a respectable 18.3 ppg in 67 games.  Hamilton suffered various injuries in 2009, but still maintained a solid 18.1 ppg average on a struggling Detroit team. Still no trade.

Entering the 2010 season, the now disgruntled and frustrated shooting guard returned in good health but clashed with head coach John Kuester.  He was benched for long stretches during the season and was a fixture in the coach's extended and rotating doghouse. Many thought Hamilton's time as a productive starter was coming to an end.

Then a funny thing happened. 

He and coach Kuester seemingly mended fences and Rip found himself getting significant minutes again. In the month of March, Hamilton's averages jumped to 16.7 ppg in just over 31 minutes per game. 

Hamilton's shooting touch is still there and his style of play will allow him to be effective, even as he gets up in years.  He is a perfect fit for a team looking for a quality veteran and a legitimate half court offensive option (Chicago comes to mind).  The rather hefty $25 million owed over the next two season is a major deterrent, but in Rip you are getting a quality player looking to get back to the promised land.

Jason Thompson

The Sacramento Kings selected Jason Thompson with the 12th pick in the 2008 draft.  The 6'11" big man emerged out of Rider University as one of the most enigmatic players in the draft.  At the New Jersey based institution, Thompson dominated the competition averaging over 20 ppg and 10 rpg for the Broncos.  His lottery selection came as a surprise to many, as few were confident that his talents would translate to the NBA.

It had appeared Thompson proved the doubters wrong in his rookie year.  He posted an impressive 11 ppg and 7.4 rpg, appearing in all 82 games for the Kings.  He follow up that season with 12.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg in 2010, seemingly solidifying himself in Sacramento's future plans.

Then, inexplicably, everything changed.

The Kings drafted Demarcus Cousins in the 2010 draft.  They also traded for shot blocking center Samuel Dalembert during the off season.  Mid-season, they acquired power forward Carl Landry in a trade. 

Thompson's minutes dropped from over 31 in 2010 to 23 in 2011, less than his rookie season.  The decreased playing time drastically affected Thompson's stat line.  His 8.8 ppg and 6.1 rpg were the lowest in his career.  To add insult to injury, the Kings recently moved fan favorite Omri Casspi to Cleveland for promising forward J.J. Hickson this summer.

The Hickson move is a clear signal that Thompson is no longer a cornerstone piece in Sacramento.  Despite this, Thompson remains a remarkable talent.  Looking closer into Jason's numbers, the youngster averaged 14 ppg and nearly 8 rpg on 58 percent shooting when logging 30 minutes or more.  His per 36 minutes rates remain consistent with the rest of his career, despite the erratic playing time this past season. 

At 24-years-old, Thompson is years away from his prime years in the league.  With so many teams looking for young quality big man in the NBA, surely another franchise would open their arms for Jason Thompson.  

T. J. Ford

The 2003 NBA Draft will go down in history as one of the league's greatest drafts.  We are all familiar with Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh.  The eighth pick in 2003 has become a bit of an afterthought, however.  The Milwaukee Bucks selected speedy floor general T.J. Ford from the University of Texas, hoping that he could run the high octane offense the Bucks were looking for. 

Ford delivered, averaging 6.5 assists as a rookie and overcoming a serious spinal injury to help power the Bucks to a playoff bid in 2006.  The Bucks moved Ford that off season to Toronto for forward Charlie Villanueva.  Again showing his value, T.J. contributed to the high paced Toronto offense, averaging 14 ppg and nearly 8 apg in 2007.  He followed up with 12 ppg and 6 apg, again battling injuries as well as competition from fellow point guard Jose Calderon. 

Feeling they needed more size to compete, The Raptors shipped Ford to Indiana for former all-star Jermaine O'Neal. 

His tenure with the Pacers started off solid.  He averaged  14.9 ppg and 5.3 apg in his first season in Indiana, who struggled to a 36 and 46 season in 2008.  In 2009, Indiana seemed to prefer the bigger, more defensive-minded Earl Watson over Ford.  That summer, the Pacers traded for promising prospect Darren Collison, effectively ending Ford's reign as a starter in Indy.

While Ford's injury history is a huge concern, he still possesses the qualities that made him a lottery choice in 2003.  He remains one of the quickest players in the NBA, has excellent court vision and is an excellent free-throw shooter, which is extremely important at the end of games.  While durability issues may limit his options around the NBA, he is sure to latch on to a team in need of a veteran presence at the point or a change of pace guard off the bench.  New York, Miami, Los Angeles and Chicago,among others, could all benefit fromT.J.'s talents.