With the hype that surrounds NBA free agency, it is often the case that teams overpay a player just to solve a problem or to thwart their rivals from taking him instead. However, some players can be signed on team-friendly deals due to various extraneous circumstances such as previous injuries, lack of free agency interest or because of a sub-par campaign.
In this article, we will list what we believe to be the top five value contracts agreed in the 2021 NBA free agency window so far.
Five Players who could prove to be value signings from the 2021 NBA Free Agency
#5 Carmelo Anthony
When you add Russell Westbrook to a lineup that includes LeBron James and Anthony Davis, not only do you re-affirm your status as favorites but you also attract ring-chasers on team-friendly contracts.
That is what the LA Lakers have managed to do, brining in the likes of Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, Malik Monk and Wayne Ellington on minimum deals in NBA free agency. The player that could have the most effect in the upcoming season who signed a veteran contract, though, is Carmelo Anthony.
Anthony is a long-time friend of LeBron James off the court and brings with him a wealth of NBA experience. After being a regular starter for so long in his career, the 37-year-old had to embrace coming off the bench last year. However, he thrived in the role for the Portland Trail Blazers.
Playing in all but three of the Blazers’ regular-season games, Anthony averaged 13.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per night, which was his most-efficient scoring campaign since 2017. He also shot the three-ball with the highest accuracy of his career - 40.9%.
Bringing in that kind of bench scoring on such a team-friendly deal is only going to benefit the Lakers and will have created envy around the NBA.
#4 Kemba Walker
Although Kemba Walker’s performances have been up and down this season and he only played in 46 games for the Boston Celtics, he was still able to average 19.3 points per contest and 4.9 assists.
Considering the fact that he only put up one less point per game and grabbed more steals than last season in which he was named an All-Star, signing him could prove immensely valuable to the New York Knicks. Especially when it was for only $18m over two years. For an All-Star caliber player, NBA teams can expect to be paying at least triple that figure.
He was priced low due to past injuries, but the Knicks have suitable backups in Derrick Rose and Immanuel Quickley who can fill in to help manage Walker’s minutes. Few signings in NBA free agency will bring with them a higher upside than what Kemba Walker will.
#3 Andre Drummond
Adding Andre Drummond on a one-year minimum deal was a great piece of business for the Philadelphia 76ers as a team in constant need of a backup center.
Drummond’s 2020-21 season was curtailed after being bought out by the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, in the 46 games he did play for both the Cavs and the Lakers, the 28-year-old proved his value, averaging 14.9 points and 12 rebounds in 27 minutes per game.
He was also among only nine players to have played in over half the campaign’s fixtures that averaged a steal and a block in every contest. Drummond will be one of the most dominant backup centers in the league next season and solve the 76ers troubles they face when Embiid is out.
#2 Dennis Schroder
After rejecting an $84m, four-year deal from the LA Lakers, the Boston Celtics ended up using their mid-level exception of $5.9m to sign Dennis Schroder to a one year contract in the NBA free agency window. Schroder’s loss is the C’s gain, however, and this could prove to be a very savvy piece of business by new GM Brad Stevens.
It is rare to sign a player at such a low price who can contribute significantly on both ends of the floor and who has consistently avoided serious injuries for the past seven seasons.
Schroder is a good on-ball defender and averaged over a steal per game this year. On offense, he will fit in well alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as somebody who does not need the ball in his hands constantly to be effective. He registered 15.4 points per game and 5.8 assists while playing for the Lakers and shot at 44% from the field.
Although he could prove to be as inconsistent for the Boston Celtics as Kemba Walker was this year, at least the organization isn’t tied down long-term to an exorbitant contract.
#1 Richaun Holmes
As with Dennis Schroder, Richaun Holmes was a victim of a chilly NBA free agency market that would have pleased the Sacramento Kings.
With cap space around the league lessening, the Kings were able to re-sign the 27-year-old center on a 4-year, $46.5m deal - the most they could have offered him without dumping some of their own salary. Holmes had a standout campaign last season and was expected to earn in the realm of $80m over four years. He put up career-highs in points (14.2), rebounds (8.3), assists (1.7) and blocks (1.6) while shooting at 63.7% from the field.
While negotiating in a player option was a smart move from Holmes, his new contract will have immense value for the Sacramento Kings going forward. With him coming into the peak years of his career, Holmes could come close to averaging between 16 and 20 points per night while also grabbing close to ten rebounds. He is an athletic big who will no doubt progress into one of the best centers in the league due also to his elite rim protection.
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