2011 NBA Free Agents: Kenyon Martin and More Over-the-Hill Difference Makers

Who benefits from a shortened NBA season? Well, think about the veteran players that get to benefit from a regular season that's 14 games shorter. That's a pretty good place to start. 

Because of this lockout, we now have many veteran players whose value for this season is much higher than it would have been.

These are certainly not guys who should be brought in for long-term deals. But if we're talking about something short term, these guys will be vital. 

Kenyon Martin

Injuries have plagued Martin for his entire career, and the last few years have been no different. But the fact remains, when he's on the court, he's a presence in the paint.

Not many teams are in a position to turn those kind of players away. If you don't have depth in the paint, you won't win. It's really that simple. 

Martin still finds a way to get points and rebounds when he's on the floor. In a shortened season, you can absorb the injury risk.

Grant Hill

Hill had a hard time staying healthy when he was a younger man, but hasn't played in fewer than 65 games over the last five seasons. Go figure. 

Hill still has tremendous overall ability. He can score, get rebounds, pass, and defend. You really can't ask for anything more than that out of a sixth or seventh man.

At this point, that's all that Hill would need to be, but that's fine. 

Andrei Kirilenko

I guess it's possible that he'll stay home in Russia. But with the lockout ending, I have to assume that he'll come back to the USA.

Kirilenko will be 31 in February, but has averaged 11 points in each of the last four seasons. He has a little bit of diversity to his game, in that he can pass, as well as rebound. 

Kirilenko would be valuable to any team as a guy to come off the bench as a sixth man. He'd be wasted as a starter. Those days are behind us. But if your team needs a guy to come in late and play some tough minutes, Kirilenko is a good bet.